US596387A

US596387A - Safety-envelop

Info

Publication number: US596387A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1897-12-28
Anticipated expiration: 1914-12-28

Description

I (No Model.)

B. N. SMITH.

SAFETY ENVELOP.

No. 596,387. Patented Dec.. 28, 1897.

, Ali

INVE/VTUR ATTORNEYS.

. UNITED STATES ,ATENT Frrcn.

RUTH NEWEY SMITH, OF PATOHOGUE, NEWV YORK.

SAFETY-ENVELO P.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,387, dated December 28, 1897.

Application filed April 5, 1897. Serial No. 630,749. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RUTH NEWEY SMITH, of Patchogue, in the county of Sufiolk and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Safety-Envelop, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a novel envelop primarily for use as a closure for letters, but

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of the blank for the envelop as it appears in a fiat unfolded condition. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank shown in Fig. 1 and partially folded. Fig. 3 isa rear view of the envelop in a folded and partially-secured condition. Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of thedevice shown in Fig. 3, taken, substantially, on the line a 4 in said figure. Fig. 5 is a front view of the envelop folded as illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a front View of the envelop shown in the preceding figures, representing the same in a completely folded and secured condition. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the envelop-blank having additional novel features of construction and in partially-folded adjustment, and Fig. 8 is a front view of the folded envelop having a modified means for securing the same in a folded condition. In Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, which illustrate an embodimentof my invention in its simplest form, the envelop-blank shown in Fig.

1 comprises a sheet of paper or other suitable material having a rectangular side portion 10, defined by dotted lines in said figure. From the portion 10, that when the envelop is folded constitutes its front, two end flaps 11 of substantially the same marginal form are integrally projected.

The flaps 11 are preferably made parallel on their side edges and equal in width the width of the portion 10, the said end flaps having sufficient length to considerably overlap when folded fiat one upon the other, as is indicated in Fig. 2. The ends of the flaps ll have each a locking tab a formed thereon, and these tabs project transversely from oppositeside edges of the flaps 11, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Preferably the lookingportions of the tabs at, which are out free from the end portions 60' of the flaps 11, are rendered semicircular in contour, whereby said tabs a are adapted to be manually adjusted when the flaps are folded to be passed into the longitudinal slots 12, formed in said flaps for their reception. It will be seen that if the tabs a are inserted to the tabs not only facilitates their insertion through the slots Z7, but assures the interlocking connection of one flap 11 with the other, if draft strain be applied to'open the folded letter or package of which the novel envelop is the cover.

On one side edge of the rectangular portion 10a flap 12 is formed, which may be of alength equal to twice the width of the part 10, so that this Wide flap 12 may be folded upon itself at the dotted line 0 and then again folded at 0, thus imposing the first fold upon the rectangular portion 10 of the envelop. While the extended length of the flap 12 may be so reduced as to dispense with the folded portion at its free end, it is of advantage to provide such an extension, as this adds to security of the contents of the envelop. Furthermore, it is contemplated to use the normally inner surface of the portions 10 12 as a medium for the reception of written or printed mattersuch as a letter, deed, bond, mortgage, article of agreement, or the like-which may be secured in a folded condition by means that will presently be described, and the length of the flap 12 enables the user to place other Written or printed matter on the inner surface of the envelop.

On the edge of the portion 10 opposite the flap 12 a flap 13 is formed and may be shaped on its edge substantially as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The flap 13 is so reduced in width toward its free end that a tab d is afforded which may have a single lateral locking formation or ear cl thereon or be provided with two of said formations or ears, the latter being indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8. The

. as described the degree of curvature given locking-ear is marginally curved and somewhat exceeds a semicircle in contour, and the point as, where the circular edge of each ear merges into the neck of the tab cl, is an acute angle.

In the flap 12 two parallel slots 6 e are formed at or near the transverse center of said flap, and in the portion 10 of the envelop another slot 9 is produced at one side of the longitudinal center of the part in which it is formed.

If the envelop-blank is to be completely folded, the first step is to dispose the flaps 11, as shown in Fig. 2, and lock them together, so as to cover any written matter or article that is placed beneath them. The flap 12 is now folded, first at c and then at c, which will dispose the slots 6 e, as shown in Fig. 3. The flap 13 is now folded upon the slot-ted portion of the flap 12, as represented in Fig. 3, which will permit the insertion of its narrowed portion through the slots c e and beneath the band e that intervenes said slots.

To completely secure the envelop, which is in the condition shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the tab (Z is folded over the front of the envelop and tucked into the slot 9, that is correctly positioned to permit such an insertion of the tab and enable its locking engagement with the termination of the slot it passes through, as is shown by dotted lines in Fig. (3.

111 case the envelop that has been described is to be used for sending samples of dry goods or other material to a prospective purchaser, who is to return such samples as have been selected to order from, the envelop can be reversed and have a return address written or printed on the side that was innermost when sent by the consignor, as shown in Fig. l. The flaps of the envelop, that with care may be detached without injury, may again be secured by their tabs for the return of the inclosure to the consignor. If the envelop is to be sent as a sealed letter, a postage-stamp A, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6,) may be placed on the front of the letter over the slot g and partially over the tab d, and will so secure the tab as to prevent its release from the slot in which it is inserted, unless the stamp is mutilated or the tab is torn from the flap 13.

In Fig. '7 I have shown some additional features embodied with the envelop that has been described,which render the closure more available for use as a cover for a sample or like package.

part. Said tuck-pieces may each be inserted through the slots 72, that are formed for their reception in the middle fold of the triple folding-closure 11 11", and when thus inserted two completely-folded small envelops, which may contain different samples of fabric or other material, are provided.

On the flap 12 an auxiliary envelop 12 is produced, which is of a like construction to the small attached envelops 11 11", this envelop 12 being formed on. the free end portion of the flap 12. The blank for the envelop represented in Fig. '7, with the exception of the provision of the auxiliary closures 11 11 l2 thereon, is substantially the same in contour as the blank represented in Fig. 1, and its end flaps 11 are adapted in a like manner to be detachably locked together by the tabs at and slots 1), that are essentially similar to those details in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that the envelop having the closures 11 11 12 appended to its main flaps may be folded into the rectangular form represented in Fig. 8, and have either a single tab for detachably securing the folded envelop or be provided with the pair of oppositely-proj ected tabs (1. (Shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8.) If the tabs (1 are provided, they may be introduced through the slot g by first folding one of said tabs toward the other one, which will permit the narrow neck of the [lap 12) and tabs thereon to be slid through the slot g. After the tabs (1 have been passed through the slot 9 the folded tab may be unfolded into a flat condition by using any pointed instrument, such as a pin or sharpened lead-pencil, which will complete the closing of the envelop in a secure manner.

The improved safety-envelop if made from thin sheet metal that may be folded, such as light sheet-tin or aluminium, will be of great service in the preservation of valuable documents against destruction by mice or other vermin.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Iatent A safety-envelop, comprising a blank, hav ing two foldable end flaps, locking-tabs on said end flaps that may engage slots in said flaps when the end flaps are folded, and two side flaps one of which is adapted for double folding and is provided with a keeper-band produced by two spaced slots therein, the opposite flap being narrowed toward the free end whereon a locking-tab is laterally formed, said tab and the neck of the flap being adapted to pass below the keeper-band when the envelop is folded, and the lateral tab to be interlocked with a single slot provided in the front side of the envelop, substantially as described.

RUTH NEWEY SMITH.

Witnesses:

AUGUSTA J. S. WnEKs, MAY WEBBER.