US3507519A - Form letter and envelope with integral return envelope and customer and return stubs - Google Patents

Description

April 21, 1970 R. P. M'CNABB 3,507,519

FORM LETTER AND vENVELOPH WITH INTEGRAL RETURN ENVELOPE AND CUSTOMER AND RETURN STUBS mvENToR Rex PMCNABB BY 9mm Nata( ATTORNEY April 21, 1970 1 R. P. MCNABB 3,507,519

FORM LETTER AND ENVELOPE WITH` INTEGRAL RETURN ENVELOPE AND CUSTOMER AND RETURN STUBS Filed April 18, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o A /f ANY MFGca ,o o; ANYTOWN o/ NAME ADDRESS FIG.3

ANY MFG C0 ANYTOWN USA.

NA ME A 009555 SHR SIIC

FIG.5

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BUSINESS REPLY N0 POSTAGE NECESSARY FDSTAGE WILL EE PAID EY ANY MFG CO ANYTDWN F USA. INVENTOR REX P. MCNABB BY anal/V ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,507,519 FORM LETTER AND ENVELOPE WITH INTEGRAL RETURN ENVELOPE AND CUSTOMER AND RETURN STUBS Rex P. McNabb, P.O. Box 976, Garland, Tex. 75040 Filed Apr. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 722,414 Int. Cl. B41l 1/22, 1/26' U.S. Cl. 282- 8 `Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A form letter and envelope with integral return envelope and customer and return stubs comprising two sheets secured together along opposing side edges with tear perforations extending 4along the inner sides of secured opposing side edges and along a line across the form intermediate the other opposing side edges to form two sections, the sheets of the first section being secured together in a manner to form a return envelope and one sheet of the second section having an exclusive tear perforation to form customer and return stub subsections.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART Business forms to simplify the preparation and handling of correspondence between a business firm and its customers are well known and are in widespread use. Such forms are usually designed to be advanced through a computer controlled typewriting machine and then to manifolding machinery to provide automated message handling. It is known to provide a continuous business form including a message sheet portion and a transmittal envelope portion, but to the best of applicants knowledge, the prior art arrangements of business forms do not provide an integral return envelope section and detachable customer and return stub sections in the manner provided by the business form of the present invention.

SUMMARY According to the present invention, a business form letter and envelope with integral return envelope and customer and return stub -sections is comprised of first and second letter sheets secured to each other along first and second opposing side edges with cross tear perfora tions through each sheet along a line extending from the first and second opposing side edges intermediate the third and fourth side edges to form first and second sections, respectively, for each sheet. First and second tear perforations are provided through each sheet along the inner sides of the secured first and second side sections so that when these perforations are torn the previously secured first and second sheets may be separated. In `addition, the first sections of the first and second sheets are secured to each other along one of the side edges inwards of the adjacent respective first or second side perforation and along the cross tear perforation and the third side edge to form an integral return envelope that may be separated from the rest of the form by tearing along the cross perforation. The top side of the first section of the second sheet adjacent the unsecured envelope side sections forming an envelope flap may be provided with a flap sealing adhesive. The second section of the second sheet only is provided with an exclusive tear perforation extending from the cross tear perforation to the fourth opposed side edge of `the sheet at a point intermediate its first and second side edges so that when this second sheet is separated from the first sheet, this exclusive tear perforation may be torn to provide separate customer and return stubs, one of which (namely, the return stub) may be placed in the return envelope together with the re- ICC cipients check or message to be returned to the sender. In addition, the underside of the second section of the first sheet is provided with a transfer carbon surface whereby a message may be typed through the first sheet onto desired portions of the upper surface of the second section of the second sheet forming the customer and return stubs. In using this business form, the sender folds the form along the cross tear perforation line and means to then secure the undersides of the third and fourth opposing side edges of second sheet such as spot adhesive is provided therefor to form a transmittal envelope containing the return envelope and typed messages on the customer and return stubs. To facilitate the use of this business form in automated machinery, a line of business form perforations may be provided along either or b oth of the first and second side edges. The customer, upon receiving the business form of the invention, may first unfold it from its transmittal form by separating the joined third and fourth side edges and then tear along the side and cross perforations to separate the return envelope from the first and second sheet second sections which are also separated. The second sheet second section is further separated into customer and return stubs by tearing along the exclusive tear perforation of the second section of the second sheet.

Further objects, features and the attendant advantages of the invention will be apparent with reference to the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the undersides of the first and second letter sheets of the business form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is anv exploded perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the top sides of the first and second letter sheets;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the business form of the invention as it is folded in its transmittal letter form;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing how the business form is unfolded and opened from its transmittal form; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view to show the manner in which the business form is finally separated into a return envelope and customer and return stubs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIGS. l and 2 of the drawings, the business form is comprised of a first letter sheet 10 of paper or other suitable material and second underlying or bottom letter sheet 11 of similar material. The upper sides of sheets 10 and 11 are shown by FIG. 2 and their undersides are shown by FIG. l and are each provided with four side edges which may be identified for purposes of description as first and second opposing side edges 12T, 13T and 12B, 13B of top and bottom or underlying sheets, respectively, and similarly third and fourth opposing side edges 14T, 15T and 14B, 15B. The top and bottom sheets 10, 11 are secured together along their opposing side edges 13T, 13B and 12T, 12B in any suitable manner such as hot glue at 16T and 17T on the underside of the top or first sheet 10 as shown by FIG. 1. Extending along the inner sides of the adhesively secured side edges 12B, 13B, 12T and 13T are tear perforations through each Sheet 10, 11 as shown at 20B, 21B and 20T, 21T, respectively. It will `be understood that the tear perforations 20B, 20T, 21B, 21T are provided to ena'ble certain portions of the sheets 10, 11 that had been secured together by adhesive 12T, 13T to be separated as will be later described.

Cross tear perforations 25T, 25B extend across both sheets 10, 11 of the form from the joined sides 12B, 12T

to the joined sides 13B, 13T or in effect the opposing first and second side edges along a line intermediate the opposing side edges 14T, 14B and 15T, 15B to divide the upper sheet and the bottom sheet 11 into first and second sections F10, F11 and S10 and S11, respectively The rst sections F10, F11 of sheets 10 and 11 are secured together in any suitable manner such as the adhesive at 30, 31, 32 to form a return envelope section with those sections of the sheets 10, 11 unseparated even when the perforations 20B, 20T, 21B, 21T are torn. For purposes of description and claims, it may be said that the adhesive 30 extends along a line in a position to join the sheets along a line in the first sections of the sheets 10, 11 along one of their first and second side edges 12T, 12B inwardly of the tear perforation lines 20T, 20B; extends at 31 adjacent the cross tear perforation lines 25T, 25B and at 32 adjacent the third side edge 14T, 14B. It will be noted that there is no adhesive adjacent the side edges 13T, 13B of the first sections F10, F11 so that an envelope flap along the unsecured perforation lines 21T, 21B is obtained between the upper and lower sheets of the return envelope section comprised of the aforementioned sections F10, F11. It is preferred that a layer of dry gum adhesive 35 be applied to the upper surface of the first section of the bottom or second sheet 11 along the unsecured tear perforation line 21B as shown to enable the fiap portions of the return envelope to be sealed together when it is desired to use the envelope.

Although the invention is being described and claimed as a single combination business form, it should be understood that an unlimited number of such forms may be serially attached together by cross tear perforations along their opposing side edges 14T, 14B and 15T, 15B so that the forms may be run through conventional business automation equipment in a continuous fashion. In order to feed each business form through a business machine and typewriter, the business form drive perforations such as shown at 40, 41 are provided along each of the opposing side edges 12T, 12B, 13T, 13B.

Referring more particular to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the underside of the second section S10 of the upper or first sheet 10 is provided with a transfer carbon surface 42 which will enable a business typewriter, operated without its own carbon ribbon, to print through the second section S10 of the first sheet 10 onto the upper surface of the second section S11 of the second sheet 11 with a desired message. In addition, the business machine typewriter, when operating with its carbon ribbon, can type the address for the transmittal envelope portion on the upper surface of the second section S10 of the top of first sheet 10 and if such typing occurs over the carbon surface 42 it will also be reproduced on the upper surface S11 of the bottom or second sheet 11. The bottom surface of the first section F11 of the bottom or second sheet 11 forming the face of the return envelope is preprinted as shown with the return address of the sender.

The second section S11 of only the bottom or second sheet 11 is provided with an exclusive tear perforation 50B extending as shown from the cross tear perforation 25B to the fourth opposing side 15B at a point intermediate the opposing sides 12B, 13B to divide the second section S11 into two subsections as shown at S11R and S11C. Subsection SllR may be pre-printed and typed with information corresponding to a return statement or bill stub and subsection S11C may be similarly marked with information corresponding to a customers stub to be retained by the customer. Additional pre-printed messages may be placed on the undersurface of the section S10 of the upper or first sheet 10 in those areas not covered with the carbon transfer surface 42.

'Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, after the business form of the invention is discharged from the computer printer or otherwise prepared, it is folded along the cross tear perforation line 25T with the upper surface of the second section S10 of the upper sheet having the address of the recipient thereon exposed and with the undersides of the -bottom or second sheet 11 along the opposing side edges 14B, 15B joined by spot adhesive such as shown at 51 to thus comprise the transmittal form of the invention.

As shown by FIG. 4 of the drawings, when the customer or recipient desires to open the form, the tear perforations along lines 20T, 20B, and 21T, 21B, are torn following which the upper and bottom sheets 10 and 11 may be unfolded by separating the joined edges 14B and 15B.

Referring now to FIG. 5 of the drawings, the next step in opening the form is to tear along the tear perforation lines 25T, 25B to separate the first sections F10, F11 that remain joined as a return envelope as previously described. The upper sheet second section S10 may be read then discarded. The lower sheet second section S11 may be torn along the exclusive perforation line 50B to separate the customer and return subsection stubs S11C and S11R as shown. Thereafter, if desired, the customer or recipient can place the return stub S11R in the return envelope F10 and F11 along with any message, check, etc., for subsequent mailing.

It should -be understood that the above described procedure for opening the form when received is illustrative only since there could be a different succession of the steps followed as described, depending on individual preference.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A form letter and envelope with integral return envelope and customer and return stubs comprising first and second letter sheets each having a first pair of opposing first and second side edges and a second pair of opposing third and fourth side edges, said sheets being secured together along their first and second side edges, first and second tear perforations through both sheets extending along the inner sides of the respective secured first and second side edges, a cross tear perforation through both sheets extending from said first and second edges intermediate said third and fourth edges to form first and second sections of each sheet, the first section of each sheet being secured together along one of their first and second side edges inwardly of the adjacent tear perforations and along the cross tear perforations and the third side edges to form the first section into a return envelope section, a transfer carbon surface underlying the second section of the first sheet to enable a message to be type therethrough onto the upper surface of the second section of the underlying second sheet, said second sheet only having an exclusive tear perforation on its second section extending from the cross tear perforation to the fourth side edge along a line intermediate the first and second side edges to form its second section into a pair of subsection customer and return stubs, and means to adhesively secure the underside of the second section of the second sheet along its fourth side edge to the underside of the first section of the second sheet along its third side edge whereby the form may be folded along the cross perforation with its third edge secured to its fourth edge to form a transmittal letter and envelope which may thereafter be unfolded and opened by separating the third and fourth edges, tearing along the first, second and cross preforations to form a separate return envelope of said first section of the first and second sheets and to form separate sheets of said second sections, and whereby the second section of the second sheet may lbe torn along said exclusive tear perforation to form separate customer and return stubs.

2. The invention of claim 1 in which the top side of the first section of the second sheet is provided with adhesive along the unsecured side edge inwards of the tear 5 perforation line to form return envelope ap Securing means.

3. The invention of claim 2 in which the underside of the first section of the second sheet is pre-printed with a return envelope address.

4. The invention of claim 1 in which the underside of the rst section of the second sheet is pre-printed with a return envelope address.

5. The invention of claim y1 in which the upper side of the second section of the second sheet is pre-printed with information corresponding to the customer and return stub subsections.

6. The invention of claim 1 in which the underside of the second section of the first sheet is provided with a pre-printed message in areas exclusive of the carbon coated surface.

7. The invention of claim 1 in which the upper surface of the second section of the first sheet is pre-printed with the return address of the form transmitter.

8. The invention of claim 1 having business form drive perforations along at least one of said rst and second side edges.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,847,235 8/1958 Blumenthal 282-25 X 3,255,952 6/1966 Black 229-73 3,419,286 12/1968 Noonan et al 282-115 JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R.

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