GB1588254A - Mailing wallet - Google Patents

Description

(54) A MAILING WALLET (71) We, HERVE et FILS A French Societe Anonyme of 90 Boulevard de la Villette 75019 Paris, France, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to wallets in which photographic laboratories can return customers' photographic work via distributors.

The work to be completed by laboratories is sent to them by the distributors in special bags each having an identification number, various comments of an informative nature and instructions as to the work to be done. At the laboratory this bag serves as a follower card for the job and when all the developing and printing operations are completed, the negatives and prints are replaced in the bag which is then despatched, together with the invoice, to the distributor who will subsequently forward it to the customer. However loose presentation of negatives and prints in the bag does not constitute good publicity and entails the risks of damage and loss when the bag is opened.In addition almost all photographic laboratories use an attractive presentation wallet having two pockets to hold the negatives and the prints respectively and it is this wallet that is replaced in the bag for despatch back to the distributor and forwarded by the latter to the customer the bag then being destroyed. The wallet can have promotional material, advice, etc. printed on it.

Frequently the negatives are not placed directly in the pocket intended to hold them but are first slipped into a small shallow holder which is itself placed in that pocket. This arrangement is adopted to allow the customer to keep the negatives suitably protected and takes up minimal space. The small holder also has an area for marking the date, place and subject of the snaps. When such a special holder for negatives exists, the placing of the photographic work in its successive wrappings at the end of the processing line takes an appreciable time which is not compatible with attempts to cut down processing costs.

The invention provides for a wallet with at least two pockets, permitting separate packing of the negatives without any special separate holder and offering the customer several additional advantages.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a wallet for photographic work having at least one pocket for holding prints and at least one shallower pocket for holding negatives, comprising a wad of envelopes, each with a straight edge flap portion, placed one on another with their bottom edges substantially in register and their openings accessable from above the wad, the envelopes increasing in depth from top to bottom of the wad, the length of the lower wall of an envelope and its flap being equal to that of the upper wall of the envelope immediately beneath it in the wad, and being secured thereto by a line of glue running adjacent the free edge of the flap portion, a line of perforations being formed in the flap portion near to the glue line, the free edge of the flap portion of the lower most envelope being glued to an inner face of a flap of a letter card in the vicinity of the fold line between the two flaps thereof, the flaps of the letter card being wider than the wad and the facing side edges of those flaps having gummed or self-adhesive strips formed thereon.

At least the flap of the letter-card to be folded down over the wad may be shallower than the wad but of sufficient depth to cover the opening of the uppermost envelope in the wad, the said letter-card being sealable by means of its gummed or self-adhesive strips alone.

In one variant, each envelope is glued to the one next beneath it in the wad along its bottom edge, the envelopes each having a line of perforations formed therein above the bottom edges thereof which lines correspond to a transverse tear-off perforation line of the letter-card, wherein the bottom edge of the lowermost envelope is glued to the edge of the flap of the letter card below the line of tear-off perforations, wherein each flap of the letter-card has a depth equal to that of the wad, wherein the zone of the upper wall of the uppermost envelope lying between the bottom edge thereof and the line of detachable perforations therein, is arranged to contact the free transverse edge of the flap of the letter-card to be folded down over the wad and which carries a gummed or self-adhesive strip for sealing the lettercard transversely, and wherein the middle of the transverse tear-off line of the letter card is provided with a half-moon shaped aperture cut with the convex side facing the said fold line enabling the removal of the different parts of the wad in a single operation.

In both cases, to detach all the envelopes of the wad it is enough to grasp them together in the middle of their bottom edges and to pull smartly in the opposite direction to the fold line of the letter-card which is held firmly in the vicinity of this line (after first detaching the glued zone at the foot using the transverse line of tear-off perforations in the second case).

Advantageously at least one of the envelopes in the wad is formed with a gummed strip or a self-adhesive strip on the upper face of its flap portion, below the line of perforations therein and is designed to cooperate with a matching self-adhesive strip carried on the upper face of the said at least one envelope, such that the said at least one envelope may consistute a sealable postal cover if necessary.

This arrangement enables the customer to use the envelope or envelopes in question to send off certain photographs to the consignee of his choice. If the smallest envelope, intended to hold the negatives, also has sealing means, the negatives may be protected very effectively.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description that follows and examining the attached drawing in which: Figures 1 and 2 show two embodiments of the invention each in diagrammatic perspective view.

In both embodiments a wallet for returning photographic work has two pockets, it is constituted by a wad of two envelopes, one intended to hold the negatives and the other, which is larger, to hold the prints, but it must be understood that there could well be a plurality of intermediate envelopes of increasing size between this small envelope and this large envelope.

In Figure 1, the wallet is shown to be formed by inserting a wad of two envelopes in a lettercard which is larger than the wad and formed by two flaps 2a, 2b joined along a fold line 3.

Each envelope is formed by gluing together two sheets or walls the uppermost envelope having an upperwall 4a and a lower wall 4b and the lower envelope having an upper wall 5a and a lower wall 5b along their side and bottom edges. The lower wall of each envelope is deeper than the upper wall paired with it so as to form an open flap portion. The lower wall 4b of the upper envelope is the same depth as the upper wall 5a of the lower envelope and these two walls are secured together by gluing along their top edges. Below this line of glue the lower wall 4b of the upper envelope is provided with a line 6 of tear-off perforations enabling the upper envelope to be detached.

The wad is inserted in the letter-card and held by means of a line of glue securing the top edge of the lower sheet 5b to the flap 2b of the letter card along the fold line 3. Below this line of glue the sheet 5b has a line 7 of tear-off perforations enabling the lower envelope to be detached.

In the example shown, the flap 2a to be folded fown over the wad of envelopes is shallower than the latter but is sufficiently deep to cover the uppermost part of the sheet 4a.

Along each of its lateral edges the flap 2a has a self-adhesive streip 8a and in its upper section the flap 2b has a self-adhesive strip 8b along each of its lateral edges outside the wad. The strip 8a could be gummed strips in which case the strips 8b would be superfluous.

After filling each envelope, the letter-card is sealed along the edges of the flap 2a, preventing any loss and any indiscretion. To get at the contents one merely holds the letter-card firmly in the area between the fold line 3 and the line 7 of perforations and pulls smartly on all the envelopes together, grasping them in the middle of the bottom edge of the wad. The tear-off perforations 6 and 7 give and the envelopes come out detached.

In Figure 2 the wallet 11 also has a wad of envelopes inserted in a letter-card, and to facilitate comparison of the two embodiments, each of the different parts has been given a reference number derived from that of the corresponding part in the first embodiment with the addition of 10.

Once again there is a first envelope formed by an upper sheet 14a and a lower sheet 14b with a second larger envelope formed by an upper sheet 15a and a lower sheet 15b, the flaps of the said envelopes having a line of tearoff perforations 16 and 17 respectively. The wad is held by gluing at the head to the flap 1 2b of a letter-card in the immediate vicinity of the fold line 13 separating the two flaps 12a and 12b of the said lettercard.

The differences relative to the first described embodiment are as follows: (1) the envelopes are glued together at the foot, i.e. the feet of sheets 14b and 15a are joined by a line of glue 20; (2) the lowermost envelope is glued at the foot to the flap 12b, i.e. the foot of sheet 15b is glued along the bottom edge of the flap 12b with a line of glue 21 (3) the flap 1 2a is equal in depth to the wad and to the flap 12b, and the gummed strips 18a or the self-adhesive strips 18a and 18b extend over the full depth of these flaps; (4) the upper face of sheet 14a has at its foot a self-adhesive strip 19b which is designed to work with a self-adhesive strip l9a disposed along the free edge of the flap 12a (one of these two matching sticking strips can be eliminated if the other is a gummed strip); ; (5) above the strip 19 and the glue lines 20 and 21 but below the glue lines 22 and 23 closing the bottom of the envelopes, i.e. joining the sheets 14a, 14b and 15a, 15b and on all the sheets, the flap 12b and the flap 12a being folded down, there is a line 24 of perforations forming a transverse tear-off line for opening the sealed letter-card; advantageously, in the middle of this line, each of the flaps 12a and 1 2b has a half-moon shaped aperture (not shown) cut with the convex side facing the fold line 13 in a manner known per se.

When the letter-card is sealed up, one merely has to tear through the lot along the line 24 to obtain exactly the same form as in the first embodiment (when the two flaps 2a and 2b are the same depth). The half-moon apertures cut in the flaps are torn out when tearing off along the line, making it easier to get a firm grip on the foot of the wad of envelopes.

Advantageously at least one of the envelopes has a gummed strip as at 25 (figure 2) or a selfadhesive strip 26a on its flap along and below the line of tear-off perforations 17, this strip being designed to work with a matching strip 26b disposed on the upper wall of the envelope (figure 2). After extraction, this arrangement makes it possible to obtain sealable envelopes that can be posted.

It should be noted that the wallets constituting the object of the invention and described above can be made (and if necessary supplied) in continuous form in the manner disclosed in our Published Patent Specification No. 1559606 for correspondence articles designed to pass through a multi-copy printer.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A wallet for photographic work having at least one pocket for holding prints and at least one shallower pocket for holding negatives, comprising a wad of envelopes, each with a straight edged flap portion, placed one on another with their bottom edges substantially in register and their openings accessable from above the wad, the envelopes increasing in depth from top to bottom of the wad, the length of the lower wall of an envelope and its flap being equal to that of the upper wall of the envelope immediately beneath it in the wad, and being secured thereto by a line of glue running adjacent the free edge of the flap portion, a line of perforations being formed in the flap portion near to the glue line, the free edge of the flap portion of the lower most envelope being glued to an inner face of a flap of a letter card in the vicinity of the fold line between the two flaps thereof, the flaps of the letter card being wider than the wad and the facing side edges of those flaps having gummed or selfadhesive strips formed thereon.

2. A wallet as claimed in Claim 1, wherein at least the flap of the letter-card to be folded down over the wad is shallower than the wad but of sufficient depth to cover the opening of the uppermost envelope in the wad, the said letter-card being sealable by means of its gummed or self-adhesive strips alone.

3. A wallet as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each envelope is glued to the one next beneath it in the wad along its bottom edge, the envelopes each having a line of perforations formed therein above the bottom edges thereof which lines correspond to a transverse tear-off perforation line of the letter-card, wherein the bottom edge of the lowermost envelope is glued to the edge of the flap of the letter card below the line of tear-off perforations, wherein each flap of the letter-card has a depth equal to that of the wad, wherein the zone of the upper wall of the uppermost envelope lying between the bottom edge thereof and the line of detachable perforations therein, is arranged to contact the free transverse edge of the flap of the letter-card to be folded down over the wad and which carries a gummed or self-adhesive strip for sealing the letter-card transversely, and wherein the middle of the transverse tear-off line of the letter card is provided with a half-moon shaped aperture cut with the convex side facing the fold line enabling the removal of the different parts of the wad in a single operation.

4. A wallet as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of the envelopes in the wad is formed with a gummed strip or a self-adhesive strip on the upper face of its flap portion, below the line of perforations therein, which strip is designed to cooperate with a matching self-adhesive strip provided on the upper wall said at least one envelope, such that said at least one envelope may constitute a sealable postal cover.

5. A wallet for photographic work, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. and 21 but below the glue lines 22 and 23 closing the bottom of the envelopes, i.e. joining the sheets 14a, 14b and 15a, 15b and on all the sheets, the flap 12b and the flap 12a being folded down, there is a line 24 of perforations forming a transverse tear-off line for opening the sealed letter-card; advantageously, in the middle of this line, each of the flaps 12a and 1 2b has a half-moon shaped aperture (not shown) cut with the convex side facing the fold line 13 in a manner known per se. When the letter-card is sealed up, one merely has to tear through the lot along the line 24 to obtain exactly the same form as in the first embodiment (when the two flaps 2a and 2b are the same depth). The half-moon apertures cut in the flaps are torn out when tearing off along the line, making it easier to get a firm grip on the foot of the wad of envelopes. Advantageously at least one of the envelopes has a gummed strip as at 25 (figure 2) or a selfadhesive strip 26a on its flap along and below the line of tear-off perforations 17, this strip being designed to work with a matching strip 26b disposed on the upper wall of the envelope (figure 2). After extraction, this arrangement makes it possible to obtain sealable envelopes that can be posted. It should be noted that the wallets constituting the object of the invention and described above can be made (and if necessary supplied) in continuous form in the manner disclosed in our Published Patent Specification No. 1559606 for correspondence articles designed to pass through a multi-copy printer. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A wallet for photographic work having at least one pocket for holding prints and at least one shallower pocket for holding negatives, comprising a wad of envelopes, each with a straight edged flap portion, placed one on another with their bottom edges substantially in register and their openings accessable from above the wad, the envelopes increasing in depth from top to bottom of the wad, the length of the lower wall of an envelope and its flap being equal to that of the upper wall of the envelope immediately beneath it in the wad, and being secured thereto by a line of glue running adjacent the free edge of the flap portion, a line of perforations being formed in the flap portion near to the glue line, the free edge of the flap portion of the lower most envelope being glued to an inner face of a flap of a letter card in the vicinity of the fold line between the two flaps thereof, the flaps of the letter card being wider than the wad and the facing side edges of those flaps having gummed or selfadhesive strips formed thereon.

2. A wallet as claimed in Claim 1, wherein at least the flap of the letter-card to be folded down over the wad is shallower than the wad but of sufficient depth to cover the opening of the uppermost envelope in the wad, the said letter-card being sealable by means of its gummed or self-adhesive strips alone.

3. A wallet as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each envelope is glued to the one next beneath it in the wad along its bottom edge, the envelopes each having a line of perforations formed therein above the bottom edges thereof which lines correspond to a transverse tear-off perforation line of the letter-card, wherein the bottom edge of the lowermost envelope is glued to the edge of the flap of the letter card below the line of tear-off perforations, wherein each flap of the letter-card has a depth equal to that of the wad, wherein the zone of the upper wall of the uppermost envelope lying between the bottom edge thereof and the line of detachable perforations therein, is arranged to contact the free transverse edge of the flap of the letter-card to be folded down over the wad and which carries a gummed or self-adhesive strip for sealing the letter-card transversely, and wherein the middle of the transverse tear-off line of the letter card is provided with a half-moon shaped aperture cut with the convex side facing the fold line enabling the removal of the different parts of the wad in a single operation.

4. A wallet as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of the envelopes in the wad is formed with a gummed strip or a self-adhesive strip on the upper face of its flap portion, below the line of perforations therein, which strip is designed to cooperate with a matching self-adhesive strip provided on the upper wall said at least one envelope, such that said at least one envelope may constitute a sealable postal cover.

5. A wallet for photographic work, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.