US1440362A - Safety envelope - Google Patents

Description

patented dan, 2, i923, f

lifiil ENT' EUGENE l". AHLQUIST, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOVB, T SECURITY ENVELPE ,CGE/ETANT@ 0F MINNEAPOLS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION'.

SAFETY ENVELOl-E- Application led February 10, 1919. Serial No. 276,078.

To all 10700127?, it 'may conce/mt.'

Be it known that I, EUGENE F. AHLQUIsT,

a citizen of the United States, residentof Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful lmprojvements in Safety Envelopes,

of which the following is a specication.

This invention is designed as an improve ment oivfer the envelope shown and described in Letters Patent No. 1,108,540, issued to me August 25, 1914.

T he object of my invention is to provide an envelope of Such construction that when closed vand sealed with a suitable wax it will be impossible to break the seal and raise the flap without detection. As envelopes of this kind are generally sealed, it is possible to insert a thin sharp instrument between the sealing wax and the paper, lift the wax 2O without breaking it, raise the flap and remove the articles from the envelope and then reseal it, leaving the sealing wax unbroken, and bearing no evidence of having been tampered with.

i further object is to provide an envelope of such construction that an article, such as a crochet needle, cannot be inserted into the corner of the envelope to remove bills or small artic-les therefrom.

A further object is t-o provide a means in connection with the mout-h of the envelope to prevent papers or bills from accidentally dropping out and protect the contents of the envelope when the closing flap is cut with a paper knife.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure l is a plan view showing the envelope blank in dotted lines and close-d and sealed in full lines.

Figure 2 is a sectional View on the line apa of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure l,

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure l,

Figure 5 is a detail view, sho-wing one of the end flaps of the blank raised -to expose the reinforcing cord or guard at the corner of the envelope.

ln the drawing, the blank of which the envelope is composed comprises a front panel 2, a rear panel 3 and a gummed closing flap 4, `all in one piece of suitable weight or gauge of paper. The panel 2 hasend flaps 5 thereon which, in forming the envelope, are folded over the ends of the panel 3 and sealed thereon to forni the body of the envelope and thus to close the joint between the front and back panels. ln cutting the blank, gores 6 are provided between the panel 3 and the flaps 5, said gores having the function of closing the corners of the envelope to prevent the insertion of a crochet needle or similar article therein `for the purpose of withdrawing a bill or other article from the envelope. These gores also serve toreinforce andprotect the ends of the flap 5 when the envelope is folded for use.

I prefer also to provide similar gores 7 between the flaps 5 and the flap 4, having the same function of reinforcing the corners and preventing any one from tampering with the contents of the envelope. The panel 3, has a longitudinal Hap 8 which may. be loose and unattached on one edge and'project into the mouth of the envelope andf serve as a means to prevent articles from dropping out accidentally, or it may be gumm'ed on one side for the purpose of adhering it to the front panel of the envelope when it is closed and concealed. This liap 8 also has the function of preventing the contents of the envelope from slipping out to a point where it might be damaged when the envelope is opened by the insertion of a knife or other sharp instrument.

The flap 4 has recessed portions 9 at the ends thereof which expose portions of the flaps 5 when the envelope is closed, and these flaps 5 are preferably provided with notches l0 which, when the flap 4 is fol-ded down upon them, will be partially concealed thereby, one part being outside the edge of the flap 4 and the remaining part being covered, so that when the hot sealing wax is dropped down upon the flaps 4 and 5 it will flow down upon the back panel of the envelope and in under the ends of the flap 4 into the notches '10, as indicated at 1]. in Figures 2 Y and 4, and the notches 10 will be fully1 concealed by the wax discs and should any one attempt to insert a thin, sharp instrument under the seal for the purpose of lifting it and opening the envelope, the wax will be broken at thepoint diere it enters the notchesl l() and the fact that the envelope has been tan'ipered with will be instantly detected as the broken wax cannot be replaced.

The flaps 5 may have additional notches therein, if desired, to further increase the security of the envelope and provision may also be made for having the wax flow be tween the folds of the envelope" at 'other points to thereby securely loclr them together and insure detection in case any one attempted to open the envelope or tamper with the seals.

I claim as my invention:

1. An envelope comprising front and back panel and flaps for closing the ends thereof, a. flap for closing the mouth of the envelope adapted to be folded down upon the end. flaps, said end flaps having notches therein and the ends of the closing flap eX- tending across'the notches whereby the latter are partiallyl concealed by said'closing ap and into which notches sealing` wax is allowedto Iflow when the envelope is closed an-d sealed.

2. An envelope comprising front and back panels and a closing iiap and spaced means at the ends of the envelope for closing the joint between the front andback panels, said closing flap being adapted to be folded down upon said closing means and llnidge the space therebetween,` said closing flap and closing means forming waX-receiving open-- ings at the opposite ends of said closing flap7 and said closing means providing space underlying the closing flap vfor the wax to spread from the openings therebeneath.

' 3. An envelope comprising `affront and a yfolded over upon said end flaps to bridge the space between the spaced free edges of the end flaps and close the envelope and to cause each of the ends of the side flaps to partially conceal the notches in said respective end flaps, the concealed portions of said notches forming gaps between said side flap and the wall of the envelope,a wax` seal,

when dropped into the exposed portions of said notches, flowing into said gaps and forming a lock for theseal.

1l. An envelope comprising a front and back panel and comparatively narrow end aps folding transversely of the front and back panels to close the ends of the envelope, each of said flaps having notches therein, a side iap for folding over upon said end flaps to close the envelope, said side Hap having recesses in each of its ends eX- i posing a portion of said respective notches when the envelope is closed, a portion of said notches being concealed by the ends of said flap and forming a gap` between the wall of' the envelope and saidside flap into which a portion of a wax seal will flow when it is y dropped into the exposed portion of said notches, thereby locking` the seal on the envelope.

In witness whereof, l have hereunto set my hand this 6 day of February 1919.

EUGENE E. AHLoUi'sT. y

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