US1633369A - Envelope - Google Patents

Description

June 21 1927. `l ,633,369

W. H. HOLLAR, JR

ENVELOPE Filed June 12, 1926 /IV Vf /V TOR.' l WILL/AM H. HOLLAR,JH.

Patented June 21, 1927.

l UNITED STATES i WILLIAM H. HOLLAR, JR., 0F DREXEL HILL, PENNSYLVANIA..

ENVELQPE.

Application filed June 12,

It is the present practice for banks and other fiduciary organizations to transmit, by mail, valuable documents, such as stock and bond certificates, promissory notes, and other negotiable instruments, in envelopes provided with ordinary sealing means. Despite the usual precautions; such envelopes may be fraudulently opened by any person having temporary custody of the same, and without any indication upon the exterior of such an envelope that it has been thus opened. Thefts of such documents under such circumstances are frequently effected and, in most cases, wit-hout discovery of the guilty party; because of the large number of persons through whose hands such mail passes. If such mail is ofiicially registered or insured; the loss falls directly upon the Government which is also burdened with the cost of maintenance of what is termed the Secret Service, the principal purpose and function of which is to minimize, as far as possible, such losses.

Therefore, the principal object and effect of my invention is to provide an envelope with means so constructed and arranged that it may be utilized to seclude such documents, in such manner that whenever the envelope is opened, that fact is manifested by its sealing means which are continually exposed for inspection. In the form of my invention hereinafter described, such an envelope includes a flexible member extending within the envelope closure, of such character as to securely engage a document therein and having its ends presented exterior to the envelope where they may be imbedded in a seal of frangible material; so that, although such document secluding means is in no sense burglar proof, it is of such character as to manifest both to the official registry clerk who receives it for mailing and to the ultimate recipient addressee, if any attempt has been made to open it.

My invention includes the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

In said drawings; Fig. I is a perspective view of an envelope embodying my invention in triple sealed condition for mailing, or other transmission.

Fig. II is a perspective view of said envelope, in which adocument has been secured by quadruple binding means and i which is ready for sealing.

Fig. III is a perspective view, showing a 1926. Serial No. 115,526.

plurality of documents secured together by double binding means, in accordance with my invention, but of simpler form than is indicated in Fig. II.`

Fig. IV is a transverse, sectional view of an envelope of bellows form, adapted to seclude such a package of a plurality of documents as is indicated in Fig. III, but which may be expanded or contracted to contain a larger or smaller package.

In each of said forms of my invention, the envelopes are conveniently formed of a primarily plane sheet of heavy tough paper 1 having inner flaps 2 and 3 and outer flaps l and 5; said flaps 2, 3, and i being stuck together with suitable adhesive material, and said flap 5 being left open asin Fig. II, but provided with dried adhesive material 7 at the edge thereof which may be moistened to cause it to adhere to the other flaps in the closed position shown in Fig. I.

Referring to the form of my invention shown in Figs. I and II; the holder for the document or documents 9 is a. quadruple binder, conveniently formed of finecopper wires 10, 11, 12, and 13. As indicated, said binder 10 extends longitudinally with respect to the document 9, forming a bight encircling it intermediate of its width; the' ends of said binder being twisted together at 15. Said binders 11, 12, and 13 extend transversely with respect to said document 9, forming bights lencircling the same with their ends engaging the binder 10; the ends of said binders being separately twisted together at 16, 17 and 18.

Said inside envelope flaps 2 and 3 have respective perforations 20 and 21 registering with the end perforations of the series of three perforations 23 in the envelope flap i; and the ends of said wire binders 10, 11, 12, and 18 are primarily extended through said registered perforations in the envelope flaps, as indicated in Fig. II. Said envelope flap 5 has a series of three perforations 25 adapted to respectively register with said perforations 23 in the envelope flap 1, when said flap 5 is folded to closed position, as shown in Fig. I. Preliminary to such closure of the flap 5, the adhesive 7 thereon is moistened and the binder wires aforesaid thrust through the respective perforations 25 which register therewith. Thereupon, said flap 5 may be pressed to cause the adhesive 7 to stick to the flaps 2, 3 and 4. The ends of the binder wires 10, 11, 12 and 13 are then bent upon the exterior ot the envelope, substantially parallel with the ilap 5i, and imbedded in sealing means 27 including a body of rahgible material, suchgas ordinary sealing wax, fused upon the exterior of the envelope and adherent thereto.

ln the form of my invention shown in Figs. IH and IV; a plurality of three'doeu ments 28 are packed in a single bundle secured with the binder comprising the wires 29 and 30 respectively encircling `the same longitudinally and transversely. Said wires are primarily twisted together `in transverse relation at 3l, intermediate of their length, and have their ends twisted together at 3Q. for extension through the flaps ot the envelope. Of' course, suoli =package may be in serted in an envelope of the specilic construction shown in Fips. l and Il.; the ends oit the wires 29 and 30 being` extended through the perforations 23 and Q5 respectively intermediate of the length oic the .envelope flaps el and 5, and said binder ends be bent and secured by the central sealing means 27 as above described. iowever, lfor packages comprising a plurality of documents, l iind it preferable to provide an envelope ot bellows form, as indicated at 34 in Fig'. IV; it being` understood that the bellows edges 35 of such an envelope are extensible transversely to the `plane-ot its flaps 4 and 5 to receive more or less bulky packages of documents 28, or `other articles. Asindicated in Fig. lV; the ends of the` wires 9.9 and 30 which are `primari-ly extended rtogether through the regis tered openings 23 and 25 in the respective envelope flaps-fl and 5, larebent substantially parallel with the plane of said Vllap 5 and imbedded in the sealing' means 2'?.

Of course,my invention is applicable 'for transmission ot articles other than negotia ble paper documents. For instance, envelopes of the typeindicated in Fig'. lV may be used to inclose boxes ,oit jewelry, laces,

and other commercial articles oi? value.

So far as l am aware, it is broadly novel to provide lan envelope with article holding means extending from the outside `to the inside of the envelope, through the wall Vot the latter, in such position as to directly engage an article within the envelope, and hold the flaps ot the envelope together and in such position as to be imbedded ,in sealing means `exterior to the envelope. However, generic claims for envelopes of that charac* ter are included in lmy icopending application `Serial No. 100,330 tiled Apr-il i926 tor Letters Patent ot the Uni-ted States, with specic claims for ysuoli envelopes provided with meansparticularly adapted tor securing lock keys. Therefore, I do not desire to limit myself to the lprecise .details of construction, arrangement, `or method of :use

,of lay intention aber@ described, as it is 0bvious that variousl modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features ot my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

AI claim-'z l. The combination with an envelope forined of flexible sheet material, comprising overlapped and adherent flaps, and normally open only at one edge and there provided with a closure flap; of binding means for securing an article of approximately the dimensions of the interior of said envelope, including a `plurality of iiexible wires arranged to encircle such article longitudinally and transversely, the ends ot said holder wires being twisted together and extended outwardly through .registered perforatious in said overlapped flaps; the ends of said holder wires being bent exterior' to saidfclosure flap, substantially lparallel with the lat ter: and sealing means including a plurality oi bodies or' trangible material, `fused upon the exterior of said envelope, and adherent thereto, and respectively iinbedding the ends of said transversely extendingbinder means; whereby it is necessary Vto brealt a plurality of said seals to release the article from said inclosure.

2. The combination with an envelope formed of flexible sheet material, .includin,9,4- adhesive iiaps, and normally open only at one edge and there provided with a closure liap; of holding means for securing an article of approximately the dimensions oit the interior oi said envelope, including` a plurality of flexible wires arranged to `encircle such article longitudinally and transversely, the ends of said vholder wires being twisted together and extended outwardly tl'irough registered per-forations in said overlapped flaps; and sealing` means including* a plurality of bodies oii frangible material, .fused upon the exterior ot said envelope, and ad* herent thereto, and respectively imbeddino; the ends of said holder wires; whereby it is necessary to break a plurality oi? said seals to release the article 'from said inclosuro.

3. The combination with an envelope formed olf flexible sheet material, including' overlapped flaps, and normally open only at one edge and there provided with a closure tiap; of holding means tor securing); an article of approximately the dimensions oi' the interior of said envelope., incln-ding` means arranged to encircle such article. lonjzgitudinall-y `and .transver ly: said holding, means being' extended outwardly through perior-ationsl in said overlapped flaps; and sealing means including' a plurality ol.E bodies of `nangible material, upon the exterior of said envelope, and adherent thereto. and respectively eltgaging'the extended parts of said holding means; whereby it is neces--` sary to break a lplurality otsaid seals to release the article :from said ,inclosure 4i. The combination withan envelope; oit' lOl) article holding means for securing an imperforate article, including a plurality of flexible elements arranged to encircle such article, the ends of said holder elements being extended outwardly through perforations in said envelope; and sealing means including a plurality of bodies of frangihle material, exterior to said envelope, attached thereto, and respectively engaging the ends of said holder elements; whereby it is necessary to break a plurality of said seals to release the article from said inelosure.

The combination with an envelope; of holding means for securing an imperforate article in the envelope inclosure, including a flexible element arranged to encircle such article and having its ends extending to the exterior of said envelope in different regions, in spaced relation; and respective sealing means, upon the exterior' of said envelope, independently securing the respective ends of said holding means, in spaced relation.

6. The combination with an envelope, normally open only at one edge and there provided wth a. closure flap; of holding means for securing an imperforate article in the envelope inelosure, including a flexible element arranged to encircle such article and extend through a perforation in said flap; and sealing means including a body of frangible material, fused upon the exterior of said envelope, and adherent thereto, and imbedding the ends of said holder element; whereby it is necessary to break said seal to release the article from said inclosure.

7. The combination with an envelope; of holding means for securing an imperforate article in the envelope inclosure, including an element arranged to encircle the exterior ot said article and having a protruding element extending exterior to said envelope; and frangiblesealing means, upon the exterior of said envelope, arranged to engage said protruding element; whereby it is necessary to break said seal to release such article from said envelope.

In testimony whereof,p I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this eleventh day of June, 1926.

WILLIAM H. HOLLAR, JR.

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