US2108749A - Coupon book - Google Patents

Description

B. HARRIS COUPON BOX Feb. 15, 1938.

Filed Oct. 5l 1936 i Cou on l L L 10c 10G Coupon 10c Coupon 10 Coupon who@ @WWW

Patented Feb. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to sales or coupon books in which a number of individually detachable coupons or tickets are bound into book form, each coupon representing a certain purchasing value in exchange for merchandise, and the book being purchased by customers for a fixed sum, usually less than the aggregate value represented by the coupons, as an inducement to the purchase of the book.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a further inducement to the purchase of the books, and with this end in view, the invention consists of a novel construction and arrangement of the parts, wherein the element of chance is introduced by the incorporation in certain of the books (the particular ones being unknown both to the seller of the book and to the purchaser) of a concealed symbol entitling the purchaser of a book bearing this symbol to a refund of the purchase money.

Further objects will appear as the description proceeds in connection with the appended claims and attached drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved coupon book in open condition, to show the construction and relation of the parts of the same;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the same in closed or sealed condition, in the form in which the book will be furnished by the manufacturer to the salesman or dealer, and sold by him to the customer;

Figure 3 is a similar view, showing the book partially opened by rupture of the rst seal; and

Figure 4 is a fragmental view similar to Figure 3, showing the second seal Aruptured to expose the part which may bear the symbol indicating that the book with such symbol will entitle the purchaser to a refund of the purchase price; and

Figure 5 is a plan view illustrating a modified seal for use in the present invention.

Referring tothe drawing:

As best shown in Figure 1, the coupon book consists of a block of coupons I bound between front and back covers 2 and 3, the said block comprising leaves of'coupons, each leaf in the present instance bearing three coupons 4 separable from each other by horizontal weakened lines 5, and separable from the stub or bound-in portions of the leaves by vertical weakened lines B, these coupons representing a certain predetermined purchasing Value, which is printed thereon as shown.

Attached to the outer edge of the front cover 2 is a folding flap 1, designed to carry on its inner face a symbolv 8, which in the present instance is the representation of a four leaf clover, although it will be understood that any other symbol, sign, figure or mark may be employed. Certain of the books of a given number thereof will bear such symbol, which will entitle the purchaser of the book bearing this symbol to a refund of the purchase price thereof.

At the junction of the flap I with the cover 2, there is provided a weakened line la, the purpose of which will presently appear; and the flap is adapted to be sealed down against the inner face of the cover in such manner that the seal may be readily broken to release the ap, in order that the purchaser of the book may determine whether or not the flap bears the lucky symbol. In the present instance this is eifected by applying to the inner face of the ap at opposite ends thereof, adhesive coatings 8a, and forming parallel weakened lines 9 in the iiap at the inner edges of the coatings, whereby the ap can be pasted down against the face of the cover 2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and can be released or removed therefrom by tearing along the weakened lines 9 to enable the flap to be turned outwardly, or torn oif along the line la, and thereby expose its inner face, as shown in Figure 4.

Attached to the outer edge of the back cover 3 is an extension flap I0 having its inner face covered with adhesive I I, and adapted when the back cover is closed and the flap I is sealed against 30 the inner face of the front cover, and the latter is closed, to extend around the outer edges of the coupons and the front cover and lie flatly against the outer face of the latter where the extension flap is pasted down by the adhesive coating, as shown in Figure 2.

Where the extension flap I0 joins the back cover, a weakened line I2 is formed to enable the back to be opened by the customer to permit access to the sealed flap 1. 40

Figure 2 shows the book in closed sealed condition, as effected by the rstseal, which book may be opened by tearing along the weakened line I2; and sealed also by the second seal which may be ruptured by tearing along the weakened lines 9 to release the symbol-bearing flap, it being understood that the book is delivered by the manufacturer to the dealer (who Will sell them to his customers) in the completely sealed condition as shown in Fig. 2. 50

The customer when he purchases a book, will break the rst seal by tearing along the weakened line I2 of the outside cover, which will permit the book to be opened to the position shown in Figure 3, where it will be seen that, while the p le coupons are exposed, the symbol bearing the flap 'I is still sealed down. The purchaser then tears the flap 1 along the weakened lines 9, and also along the weakened line la, so as to detach the ap from its sealed condition and enable it to be determined whether or not it bears the lucky symbol. If the detached flap bears the prearranged symbol, the ap will be delivered to the seller of the book, and he will return the purchase money to the purchaser.

In this Way, a very attractive inducement is offered to the purchaser of the book on the chance that, due to the fact that a certain number of the books offered for sale will bear the lucky symbol, the purchaser will secure a book with such symbol.

The fastening of the symbol-bearing ap 'I down by adhesive at its opposite ends as described, precludes the possibility of anyone, before the seals are broken by the legitimate purchaser, from ascertaining, by peering into the ends of the book, if it bears a symbol, which, in the absence of the sealing of the flap at, its ends, might be accomplished by bowing or bending the covers of the book outwardly.

It will be noted that, due to the fact that the extension flap l is pasted down against the outer face of the front cover 2, and due to the fact that the symbol-bearing flap 1 may be detached from the cover 2, the coupon book will, after the same has been thus opened by the customer, retain its true book form, with no eX- tensions on either the front or rear covers, such as these covers had before the book was opened.

The construction of the book as a whole is very simple and compact, and convenient to handle, both in its sealed condition as shown in Fig. 2, and in its unsealed or opened condition as shown in Figures 3 and 4; and due to the method of concealing the lucky symbol from all except the authorized purchaser, and the method by which access is gained to the same by the authorized purchaser, the element of chance thus introduced, oifers to the purchaser a very attractive and inviting inducement, aside from any inducement offered by the reduction in the price of the book from the face value of the coupons.

In Figure 5 a modied form of sealing means is illustrated, the same reference numerals being used to indicate the same parts in this form of the invention. As seen in Figure 5, flap lil is provided with end tabs I6 having securing tabs Il formed thereon. Tabs I6 are designed to be bent over the ends of the book and tabs 'l are inserted through slots I8 provided in back cover 3 as shown in dotted lines at the lowermost end of the book. The overhanging portions I9 of tab 'l are interlocked with the cover member 3 so that the tabs Il cannot be withdrawn. When the purchaser receives the book he tears tabs I6 along weakened lines 2! between the tabs and ap I0 thereby freeing the flap l and coupons Il). Flap I may then be torn oif along line laY and the tabs I1 removed to leave the book in convenient form for use by the purchasers.

The invention may be embodied in other specific Vforms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a coupon sales book including a series of coupons and a cover therefor, a flap, having a symbol on its inner face, formed on an outer edge of said cover; means for fastening said flap throughout its upper and lower margins to a face of said cover with the symbol concealed; and means inwardly of said fastened margins of said ap weakening said flap along lines parallel to said margins whereby said flap may be severed along said weakened lines to expose the concealed symbol.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the flap therein mentioned is fastened down on the cover by adhesive applied to the margins only of the flap, and that weakened lines are provided in the ap at the inner edges of the adhesive to release said flap.

3. A coupon sales book including front and rear covers and coupons bound between the same; comprising a symbol-bearing ap on the front cover sealed down releasably on the inner face of the cover to conceal the symbol, an extension flap on the rear cover extending around the outer edges of the coupons and the front cover, and fastened down on the outer face of the front cover, and a weakened line at the junction of the extension flap with the back cover for separation of said extension flap and back cover in opening the book to gain access to the symbol-bearing flap.

4. A coupon sales book, including front and rear covers and coupons bound therebetween, a flap having a symbol on its inner face formed on an outer edge of the front cover, means for releasably fastening the flap face down against the inner face of the front cover with the symbol concealed, an extension flap on the rear cover extending around the outer edges of the coupons and front cover, means for fastening the eXtension ap down on the outer face of the front cover, and a weakened line at the point of connection of the extension flap with the back cover adapted to be ruptured to open the book.

5. Indicia concealing means for use in a coupon sales book including a series vof coupons and a cover having one or more indicia thereon comprising a flap formed on an edge of the cover, means for releasably fastening the ap face down against an inner face of the cover to conceal the indicia, a second flap on another edge of said cover extendingaroundl the rst mentioned edge of the cover, means for fastening said second flap down on' the outer face of said cover and a weakened line at the point of connection of said second apand the cover adapted to be ruptured to open the book. v

' BILLUPS HARRIS.

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