US886843A - Mailing device. - Google Patents

Description

No. 886,843. I PATENTED MAY 5, 190a J. R. MoLBLLAN.

MAILING DEVICE;

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1907.

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rnvrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH R. MCLELLAN, OF WICHITA, KANSAS.

MAILING DEVICE.

To all 107207 it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH R. MoLELLAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mailing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in that type of receptacles which are employed for transmitting articles of merchandise from place to place as by mail or express, the object of the invention being to provide a simple and effective device of this character which is peculiarly designed so as to be sealed by means of a postage stamp or like member in such a manner as to prevent any tampering with the contents thereof without detection. To this end the receptacle comprises essentially a base piece formed with a pocket for receiving the article of merchandise, and a cover plate closing the receptacle andfitting against the base piece, the cover and base piece being connected by a novel form of securing means which can be readily sealed by means of a postage stamp.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mailing device constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the base pieces of the mailing device. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the cover plate showing a portion of the address slip in the position assumed when being applied to the cover plate. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through one end of the receptacle showing the locking means employed for connecting the base piece and cover plate. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the receptacle on a reduced scale.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The numeral 1 designates the base'piece which may be of any desired type and is in the nature of a plate having the edges thereof extended upwardly to form the flanges 2, one of the end flanges being formed with the openings 3. Carried by the base piece 1 is Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 28, 1907.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Serial No. 365,013.

the receptacle for receiving the article being mailed, and in the present instance this receptacle is in the nature of a chamber 4 pressed outwardly from the plate forming the base piece 1.. This chamber 4 may be of any desired shape or size as required by the na ture of the article which it is designed to receive. Closing the mouth of the chamber 4 is a plate 5 which fits against the base piece 1 and is received by the flanges 2 projecting from the edges of the said base piece. The outer face of the plate 5 is designed to receive a card or address slip 6 and for this purpose the opposite longitudinal edges of the plate 5 are bent backwardly upon themselves as indicated at 7 for the purpose of forming guideways to engage the address slip and re taining the same in position. One end of the plate 5 is formed with the extensions 8. designed to enter the openings 3 when the cover plate 5 is in normal position. The same end of the plate 5 is also preferably formed with the ears 9 which are bent backwardly into engagement with the corresponding edge of the address slip. At a point adjacent the opposite end of the plate 5 an opening 10 is formed which receives a tongue 11 pressed outwardly from the base piece 1. The extremity of the tongue 11 is perforated as indicated at 12 and a key 13 w ich is in the nature of a flexible strip of metal or like matcrial is passed through the said perforation.

After the article of merchandise has been properly positioned within the receptacle 4 the extensions 8 at one end of the late 5 are placed within the openings 3 and the said plate then swung against the base piece 1 between the flanges 2 so as to close the mouth of the receptacle 4. The two ends of the flexible strip 13 which were previously bent 9 against each other so as to readily pass through the opening 10 are then spread apart and pressed against the outer face of the address slip 6. The receptacle can then be readily sealed so that it can not be opened or tampered with without detection by placing a postage stamp 14 or like member over the end portions of the key 13.

When it is desired to open the mailing receptacle the desired result can be quickly accomplished by scratching away a portion of the stamp and lifting the two end portions of the flexible strip 13 into engagement with each other so that the plate 5 can be swung outwardly and then moved laterally to disengage the extensions 8 from the openings 3. If found desirable the address slip 6 may be formed of a double thickness of material and the inner thickness employed for receiving the order or any message which it might be desired to transmit.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base piece provided with an outstanding flange, a receptacle carried by the base piece, a plate closing the receptacle and fitting against the base piece, one end of the plate having an interlocking connection with the outstanding flange, and a flexible tongue carried by the base piece and engaging the op )osite end of the plate.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base piece provided at one end with an outstanding flange, a flexible tongue carried by the opposite end of the base piece, a receptacle carried by the base piece, a plate closing the receptacle and fitting against the base piece, one end of the plate having an interlocking connection with the before mentioned outstanding flange while the opposite end is perforated to receive the flexible tongue, and a seal for the flexible tongue.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base piece, a receptacle carried by the base piece, a plate closing the receptacle and fitting against the base piece, opposite edges of the plate being provided with guide ways, a slip engaged by the guide ways, and means for securing an interlocking connection between the plate and the base piece.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base piece, a receptacle carried by the base piece, a plate closing the receptacle and provided with oppositely disposed guide ways, one end of the plate having an interlocking connection with the base piece, a flexible tongue carried by the base piece and engaging the opposite end of the plate and a slip held in position by the guide ways upon the plate.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base piece )rovided upon its edges with outstanding anges, a receptacle carried by the base piece, a plate closing the receptacle and fitting against the base piece, the said plate being received Within the before mentioned flanges and being provided at one end with an extension and at the opposite end with an opening, oppositely disposed guide ways being formed upon the plate, a slip engaged by the guide ways, and a flexible tongue carried by the base piece and designed to engage the perforation in the plate, the extension upon the plate being designed to have an interlocking connection with the outstanding flanges of the base piece.

In testimony whereof I all ix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH R. MOLELLAN.

Witnesses CHARLES NOYES,

J. (l. I'IADLER.

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