US2347075A - Envelope or similar container for use in connection with c. o. d. transactions - Google Patents

Description

April 1944- E. B. BERKowrrz .3 7. ENVELOPE 0R SIMILAR CONTAINER FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH COLLECT-ON-DELIVERY TRANSACTIONS INVENTOR g5; 5 flerkowifl.

ATTORNEY p 1944- E. B. BERKOWITZ 2,347, 7

ENVELOPE OR SIMILAR CONTAINER FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH COLLECT-ON-DELIVERY TRANSACTIONS Filed Aug. 3, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Apr. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENVELOPE OR, SIMILAR CONTAINER, FOR

USE IN CONNECTION WITH C. 0. D. TRANS- ACTIONS Application August 3, 1942, Serial No. 453,322

9 Claims.

This invention relates to envelopes or similar containers particularly for use in mailing pieces on which the sender desires a collect-on-delivery service. For example, it is the customary practice in mailing items requiring such service for the addressor to attach a. C. O. D. tag furnished by the postal department, the tag being tied, taped, or stapled to the envelope or container on which the collection is desired. Such tags are often insecurely attached and they become separated from the mailing piece with which they are associated, causing inconvenience and delay in making the delivery and returning the collection to the sender.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a mailing container such as an envelope or the like with a tag formed as an integral part thereof and which is adapted for ready removal by a postal employee making the delivery and the required collection.

Other objects of the invention are to provide the tag as an extension on one of the flap portions of an envelope; to provide the envelope with means for retaining the extension in fiat-relation with the envelope; to provide a tag arrangement which locates the face of the tag adjacent the area of the envelope designated to receive the name and address of the addressee; and to provide location of the tag in comparative relation with the C. O. D. information that the postal department requires to be applied on the envelope.

'In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, as hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accom p-anying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a mailing piece such as an envelope embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view with the corners of the C. O. D. tag released from the envelope and the tag swung to position for detachment.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the blank from which the envelope is formed.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the envelope.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates an envelope formed of a blank 2 out from a suitable paper stock and comprising a substantially rectangular shaped portion 3, side flaps 4 and 5 coextensive with sides of the portion 3, a bottom flap 6, and a closure flap 1 coextensive with the upper and lower edges of the portion 3. The flap 4 is of less width than-the Width of the portion .3 so that when it is folded on the line 8 the free marginal edge 9 thereof is spaced from the .fold ll] of the side flap 5. The side flap 5 is oi sufficient width to provide a marginal edge I! adapted to overlie and seal against the marginal edge 9 of the flap 4. The bottom flap 5 is folded on the line 12' to seal against the lower marginal edges of the flaps 4 and 5. The flaps 4, 5 and 6 thus form one side portion 13 of the envelope, the other side ll of which is formed by the portion 3 to provide a pocket 15 therebetween having an insert opening coextensive with the closure flap 1. The closure flap 1 may be provided with gum l6 whereby it may be sealed over the side portion 13 to close the insert opening.

In order that the envelope may be used for the intended purpose, the side flap 5 is provided with a lateral tag or xtension l1 that is formed as an integral part of the blank 2 and, adapted to overlie the flap 4, the extension being of such a size that the end edges 18 and it are spaced slightly from the edges of the flaps 6 and l. The

free side edge 2E! of the extension terminates slightly short of the fold B so that all the edges lie within the boundaries of the envelope.

To facilitate removal of the extension I! when desired, the juncture thereof with the flap 5 is preferably provided with a line of tear or perforations 2 I. In order to retain the tag or extension ii in. substantially fiat relation with the body of the envelope, the fiap 4 is provided with angularly arranged slots 22 and 23 that are located near the fold 8 in such a position that corners 24 and 25 of the tag I! -may be tucked into the slots as shown in Fig. l. The extension thus provided forms the C. O. D. tag and carries the same printing on the face and rear sides 26 and 2'! thereof. For example, the face side 25, Fig. 1, has a central area 28, the ends of which are defined by indicated lines of cut 29 and 30. The area 23 bears information regarding the postal money order which is required to be returned for the money collected, and includes a heading 35 having space for the application of the C. O. D. article Number 32. Under the heading and to the right is an area 33 for receiving the postmark of the mailing oflice of the money order and at the opposite side is an area 34 for the post-mark of the delivery office, and intermediate thereof are boxes 35, tt'and 31 in which the number of the money order, date of issue, and name of the postal employee delivering the article are entered. The lower portion of the area 28 has spaces 38 and 39 for indicating the amount to be remitted to the sender by money order and the money order fee. Below these spaces are the areas 40 and 4| for the name and address of the sender and the name and addressee of the article. The space to the right of the line 29 forms a. receipt 42 which bears instructions to the postmaster of the delivery office, a space 43 for the stamp of the mailing oflice, and a space 44 for signature of the delivery employee acknowledg ing receipt of the article for delivery. The receipt also has a space 45 on which the number of the C. O. D. article is applied.

On the rear of the tag, between the indicated lines of cut 29 and 38 are spaces 46 for the date of delivery, M for the signatureof the addressee, and 42 for the schedule of post-oifice money order fees.

Printed on the flap 5, directly'above the C. O. D. tag, are designations 41 for the name and address of the addressee and spaces 48 for the name of the sender. Located to the side of the area 41 is a space 49 on which the number of the C. O. D. article is applied in the space, the amount due the sender, the amount of the money order and the total amount to be collected. It is thus obvious that all of the information concerning the C. O. D. collection is located so that the names and addresses, amounts and article numbers are readily comparable without handling of the tag.

In using the envelope constructed and folded as described, with the corners 24 and 25 of the tag I! tucked into the slots 22 and 23, the sender places the matter or article he desires to transmit within the envelope and seals the closure flap 1. The name of the addressee is applied in the proper spaces 41 on the flap of the envelope, the amount due the sender, the amount of money order fee, and the total thereof are applied in their proper places within the space 49. The senders and addressees names are applied in their proper spaces on the central section 28 of the C. O. D. tag. The charges to be remitted to the sender by money order are inserted in the box 38 and the amount of money order cost in the box 39.

Upon mailing of the article, the mailing office applies its stamp in the spaces 33 and 43 of the C. O. D. tag. When the article is received at the delivery ofdce, the postmaster detaches the portion of the tag to the right of the line 30. The delivery employee applies his signature in the proper space thereon, and this coupon is retained by the postmaster pending return of the remainder of the C. O. D. tag and money collected.

When the mailing piece is delivered to the addressee by the delivering employee, the employee will collect the total amount designated on the C. O. D. space to the right of the name and address of the addressee. He will then detach the C. O. D. tag I a on the line of perforation 2! and have the addressee sign for receipt of the article in the space provided on the rear face of the tag. He then returns the tag to the delivering ofiice and a money order is made out for the correct amount and mailed to the sender.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided an envelope or similar mailing container with a C. O. D. tag that is convenient for use both on the part of the addressor and the postal department. The tag is always in convenient position and is retained so that there is little chance of it becoming separated or lost from the envelope. The envelope constructed as described has the further advantage in eliminating cost of the C. O. D. tags to the Government since with the present structure the cost of the tags is included in the cost of the envelope and is paid by the purchaser.

What I claim and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mailing piece comprising an envelope having front and back portions forming a pocket having an insert opening for inserting an enclosure into said pocket, a closure flap integral with one of said portions for closing the insert opening, one'of said portions having an area thereon adapted to bear an address, and a collecton-delivery tag integral with said portion bearing the address area and spaced from said address area and from the closure flap with edges thereof within the boundaries of the envelope.

2. A mailing piece including, an envelope having front and back portions forming a pocket for containing an enclosure, a closure flap for the pocket, one of said portions having an area adapted to bear an address, and a collect-ondelivery tag integral with said portion along one edge of said tag and adapted to overlie said portion in spaced relation with the address area and with all marginal edges thereof located in inset relation with adjacent edges of the envelope, said tag being free of said closure flap and said closure flap being adapted to be manipulated without detaching the tag from said portion.

3. An envelope having side flaps forming a face side of the envelope, one of said flaps being sealed to the other along overlapping edges thereof at a point intermediate folds of said flaps, and an extension projecting from the flap having the outer of said overlapping edges and overlying the other flap Within the boundaries of said envelope to provide a collect-on-delivery tag as a fixed part of said envelope.

4. An enevolpe having side flaps forming a face side of the envelope, one of said flaps being sealed to the other along overlapping edges thereof at a point intermediate folds of said flaps, an extension projecting from the flap having the outer of said overlapping edges and overlying the other flap within the boundaries of said envelope to provide a collect-on-delivery tag as a fixed part of said envelope, and a closure flap for said envelope independent of said extension.

5. An envelope having side flaps, one sealed to the other along overlapping edges thereof at a point intermediate side folds of said flaps to form one side of the envelope, an extension projecting from the flap having the outer of said overlapping edges and overlying the other flap within the boundaries of said envelope, said other flap having slits into Which the corners of the extension are adapted to be tucked, and a closure flap for the envelope independent of said exten- SlOl'l.

6. An envelope having side flaps, on esealed to the other along overlapping edges thereof at a point intermediate side folds of said flaps to form one side of the envelope, an extension projecting from the flap having the outer of said overlapping edges and overlying the other flap within the boundaries of said envelope, said other flap having slits into which the corners of the extension are adapted to be tucked, and a closure flap for the envelope independent of said extension, said flap having the extension being provided with an area adapted for receiving an address and said extension having collect-on-delivery data pertaining to the addressee as indicated on said address area.

'7. An envelope having side flaps, one sealed to the other along overlapping edges thereof at a point intermediate side folds of said flaps to form one side of the envelope, a closure flap at one end of the envelope foldable over said side flaps, an extension projecting from the flap having the outer of said overlapping edges and spaced from the end of the envelope having the closure flap to accommodate the closure flap and to overlie the other flap within the boundaries of said envelope, said other flap having slits into which the corners of the extension are adapted to be tucked, and a closure flap for the envelope independent of said extension, said flap having the extension being provided with an area adapted for receiving an address and. said extension having collect-on-clelivery data pertaining to the addressee as indicated on said address area.

8. An envelope having side flaps, one sealed to the other along overlapping edges thereof at a point intermediate side folds of said flaps to form one side of the envelope, a closure flap at one end of the envelope foldable over said side flaps, an extension projecting from the flap having the outer of said overlapping edges and spaced from the end of the envelope having the closure flap to accommodate the closure flap and to overlie the other flap within the boundaries of said envelope, and a closure flap for the envelope independent of said extension, said flap having the extension being provided with an area adapted for receiving an address and said extension having collect-on-delivery data pertaining to the addressee as indicated on said address area.

9. An envelope having a portion forming one side of a pocket, side flaps on sides of said portion, one sealed to the other along overlapping edges thereof at a point intermediate side folds of said flaps to form the other side of said pocket, an end flap at one end of the envelope sealed over the side flaps, a closure flap at the other end of the envelope and adapted to fold over the side flaps to complete the closure of said pocket, and an extension projecting from the flap having the outer of said overlapping edges and spaced from the end and closure flaps to overlie said flap having the underlying edges.

EUGENE B. BERKOWI'IZ.

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