US898819A - Fastener for envelops and the like. - Google Patents

Description

J. S. APPLEGATE. FASTENER FOR ENVELOPS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1907.

898,8 1 9, Patented Sept. 15, 1908.,

WITNESSES [NVENTOR M71 5. flfi/zle afs 5; 8 I

, ATTORNEY JOHN S. APPLEGATE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FASTENER FOR ENVELOPS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 15, 1908.

- Application filed November 8, 1907. Serial No. 401,222.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN S. APPLEGATE, a citizen of the United States, residing'at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fasteners for Envelops and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in fasteners for envelops and the like, and has for its object to provide an exceedingly simple and effective device which may be applied to an envelop in such manner that the same cannot be opened without so tearing the envelop as to show that it has been opened.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by letter to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a front view of my improved fastener showing the stud sprung therein. Fig. 2, a back view of the same showing the stud therein. Fig. 3 is an enlarged trans verse section between the points IVIV of Fig. 2. Fig. 4, an end view of the stud. Fig. 5, an edge view of the stud, and Fig. 6, showing an envelop having my improvement applied thereto, the sealing flap being shown in the position just prior to sealing and lock In carrying out my invention as here embodied, A represents the fastener, which consists of a thin piece of sheet metal or other suitable material so stamped or formed as to produce the locking tongues B, which are ribbed, as indicated at O, and prongs D are also formed with the fastener whereby it may be attached to the body of the envelop.

E represents the stud, which has formed thereon the head F, adapted to be forced between the spring tongues whereby it will be firmly locked in place. The head of this stud is intended to be passed through a hole in the sealing flap of the envelop, and the base of the stud therefore made of greater diameter than the head so that when the head has been passed through this hole and forced into engagement with the spring tongues the base will prevent the opening of the flap unless the latter is drawn away from the stud, thus clearly indicating that the en velop had been opened.

The function of the ribs C are to hold the spring tongues at a suificient elevation to permit the head of the stud to be forced between said tongues, for without these ribs the fastener would lie fiat against the inside of the envelop and the stud could not be forced into place.

In practice, the fastener A is secured to the inner surface of the back of the envelop in such a manner that the locking tongues B will lie concentric with the hole formed in the sealing flap of the envelop in order that the stud may be readily forced into place, or the stud may be secured in the sealing flap by pasting, stapling or otherwise so as to remain with the envelop and thus facilitate the closing of the same.

hen the envelop is to be used. the contents are placed therein in the usual manner and the sealing flap may be moistened so as to adhere to the back of the envelop, and where the stud is also secured to the sealing flap it is forced into place during this operation, but where the stud is not secured to the sealing flap the letter is first sealed and the stud is then snapped into place. hen this has been accomplished it will be impossible to withdraw the stud from the tongues, and therefore the envelop cannot be opened without tearing the sealing flap or the back thereof. Should the en-velop be torn to remove the fastener it cannot be re-sealed without plailply showing that it has been tampered wit The staple points D, if desired may be formed upon the outer edges of the fastener instead of on the inside thereof.

lVhile I have here shown the stud E as having a central opening therethrough it is obvious that it may be made solid if desired.

It is a well known fact that letters are easily opened by steaming and other methods, the contents extracted or tampered with and the envelop again sealed without showing any special indications of having been opened, and great loss has been occasioned by this fact and a great desire has been brought about for overcoming this defect, and my invention makes it absolutely impossible for a letter to be opened and resealed without plainly indicating the fact, and the cost of my invention is so small that it may be used in connection with all ordinary envelops, but is especially adapted for use in envelops for transmitting money or valuable documents.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, is

A fastener for envelops comprising two members, one member being a skeleton plate of rectangular form, said plate being formed at opposite sides thereof with inwardly extending resilient tongues having oppositely and concavely curved spaced adjacent edges, the material connecting said tongues constituting in efiect end cross pieces, said cross pieces being each provided with projecting prongs adapted to be clenched upon the envelo the other member being in the form of a cy inder and having at one end an annular circums cribing head designed to be engaged under said tongues and at its other end an 20 JOHN S. APPLEGATE.

-Witnessesi ANNIE E. APPLEGATE, MARTHA S. BRADLEY.

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