US1422045A - Lock-sealed envelope - Google Patents

Description

mamas. 1

M. H. FLAHER TY. LOCK SEALED ENVELOPE.- APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, I920 Patentd J uly 4, 1922 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I N VENTOR,

A TTORN E Y.

Patented July 4, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR M H Fiakerfy ATTORNEY.

arer entice.

LOCK-SEALED ENVELOPE.

Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1922.

Application filed May 26, 1920. Serial No. 384,388.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that MICHAEL H. FLAHERTY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lock-Sealed Envelopes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a lock sealed envelope, and the object is to provide certain novel meanswhereby the inspection. of the contents of an envelope by an unauthorized person may be prevented.

A further object is to provide, in one form of device, an element which shall be provided with tongues extending therefrom, to be secured by adhesive material to the usual flap of the envelope, and to other portions of the envelope including the rear wall thereof.

A still further object is to provide, in another form of the device, an envelope the closing flap of which shall be formed with a tongue adapted to be passed through a slot in the rear wall of the envelope and to be secured by adhesive material to the inner side of the rear wall and to the end flaps of the envelopes, this tongueand the adjacent portion'of the flap first named receiving, if desired, the embossed stamp usually employed on stamped envelopes issued by the Post Office Department.

A still further object is to provide for the sealing of the tongue or tongues extending from the closing flap of the envelope or from a separate stamp, on both sides of. said tongue or tongues.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel construction or formation of the various elements and in the manner of assembling the elements, as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of the envelope sealed by the use of the securing device first described, and ready for mailing.

Figure 2 is a view showing the stamp or securing device partly inserted.

Figure 3 shows this envelope with the closing flap in the position assumed before tongues connected with the folding down'and sealing, a-portion of the rear wall of the envelope being broken awav, 101" showing the overlapping end flaps. I

1* igure 4 1s a plan view of the blank from which this envelope is made.

Figure 5 is a view of another form in which three sealing tongues are emploved. the central tongue being ready to enter the slot provided therefor, and the other tongues being free.

Figure 6 illustrates a form'employing a separate stamp having four tongues adapted to cooperate with four slots in the envelope.

Figure 7 shows this form sealing device, detached.

Figure 8 shows a further modification in which the single sealing tongue is connected directly with the closing flap.

Figure 9 shows the use closing flap. Figure 10 shows the stamp of the first form, detached.

In carrying out my invention I employ an of three sealing of stamp, or

envelope which may be sealed withor without a stamp, and in any event the usual closmg flap is sealed as the first step in the operatlon. The address is preferably writ-ten on the side on which the envelope is sealed and stamped, in order that it may be apparent at once if any attempt is made to interfere with the sealing devices. The end flaps 10 and 12 preferably overlap, the blank for the envelope being therefore of approxi mately the form shown in Figure 4. in which the front w'all or section is designated 14. the rear wall or section is designated 15, and the usual sealing flap or closing flap is designated 17. The outer edge of rear wall 15 is turned over as indicated at 16. This element 15 is provided with slots 18 and 19, and a slot 20 is formed in flap 17.

The stamp is of the form shown in Figure 10, and includes a central portion 21 on which the stamp per se is printed or embossed, the element also including tongues 22 and 23 for cooperation with the aforesaid flap.

In Figure 1 I have shown an envelope of this form also provided with perforations at 24 and 25, and it is obvious that these perforations may be used in any form of the device.

The stamp is provided with a coating of adhesive material on both sides, and is further provided with slots22 and 23 and with apertures 26 and 27 at the ends of the respective tongues. V The envelope is first sealed in the usual manner-that is by closing the flap 17 and sealing it. The special stamp provided for the purpose is then applied. By using the nar-.

row blade of a small penknife the lower -tongue23 is passed through slot 19, by

causing the point of the blade to engage the end of the tongue at the apertured portion thereof, it being understood that the device maybe used without the aperture previously punched, ifdesired. The blade of the knife is-then moistened and passed through slot 22' for sealing the under side of tongu 23. The blade being withdrawn, the upper side of the tongue 23 may be sealed in a similar manner. The upper tongue 22 is secured in a like'manner, and the triple sealing operatlon is completed.

In the form shownln Flgure 5 the usual sealing or closing flap 30 is provided with a v tongue 3lhaving a slot 32 therein, that portion ofthe tongue abovereferred to being adapted to carry a stamp, ifdesired. A stamp'may however be employed independently. The end of the tongue entersthe slot 35 in the rear wall of the envelope, and is secured inthe manner previously described. Tongues 33 and 3et extend laterally "from the tongue 31 and are provided with slots '33 and 34:, the tongues being adaptedto enter slots 36in the rearwall.

In thflt fOIIl] of the device shown in Figures (land 7 the stamp 38 is provided with four tongues 3.9 for cooperation with the four slots-40 located as shown. Two of these slots are. in the usual flap of the envelope, and the othertwo are in the rear wall thereof. The tongues, are sealed on both sides in the manner previously described.

A further form of the device, which is especially useful and desirable, because of its simplicity and e'fliciency, is shown in Figure '8. The usual closing flap of the envelope .is provided with a tongue 42 having a coating of adhesive material on both sides thereof and having a slot 43 therein. Thestamp islocatedas shown, and the paper'inay be folded along the line designated 44, to permit easy insertion of the tongue.

In Figure 9 I haveshown a form in Which the usual closing flap is provided with three tongues 46, 47 and 48, each provided with a transverse slot, and having a coating of ad 1. An envelope having a slot through a.

wall thereof, a sealing meinberforwa closure flap of the envelope insertable through said slot and contain ng an application of adhesive for disposition within the envelope, said a sealing member having a slot therethrough to remain exposed and unobstructed. exteriorly of the envelope when the latter'is closed to facilitate application of a moisten- 1ng means therethrough to said adhesive.

2. An envelope having a first and a second wall, said first wall having a slot therethrough,a sealing member fora closure flap of the closure envelope insertable through said slot and containing an application of adhesive for disposition within the envelope facing the second wall, said sealing member having a slot therethrough to remain exposed and unobstructed exteriorly of the envelope when the flap is closed to facilitate application of a moistening means therethrough to said adhesive.

In testimony whereo-f I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- MICHAEL H. FLAHERTY.

Witnesses: 7 g

- Gnonen 'H. ALBRECHT,

WILLIAM COLEMAN.

Images