Philatelic device

May 23, 1939.

R. MAYER

2,159,486

PHILATELIC DEVICE

Filed July 31, 1937

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Patented May 23, 1939

2,159,486

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,159,486 PHILATELIC DEVICE Robert Mayer, New York, N. Y. Application July 31, 1937, Serial No. 156,697 4 Claims. (Cl. 229—92.8)

My present invention relates to message, merchandise, or philatelic relay devices, and more particularly to a device whose destination or destinations can be directed at will by or at the 5 discretion of the sender, or director, or relayer.

Specifically, my invention may assume the general form of a mailing, or message cover in the combined form of a plurality of address blanks. Where a plurality of such address blanks are uti10 lized as an embodiment 'of my invention, preferably they are formed integral with each other and separable or distinguishable from each other by lines of fold or separation, though it is within _e the scope of my invention to have the same tem'® porally connected therewith.

Otherwise described, the invention in one embodiment thereof, consists in the provision of a plurality of sections formed integral with or attached to each other, in association with a com20 mon section, or flap, and in which each of the sections is adapted to be utilized as a space for address and postage of whatever form, and in which only one section will be visible during any one mailing period. However, all of the sec26 tions will remain intact regardless of the number of mailing periods through which the device has passed.

The back of the various sections, and including the common section, may have explanatory in30 dicia thereon or may have instructions or information for the use of the consignees or relayers appearing on the face of the sections or may be left blank as desired or contain an envelope for private messages. The various sections are pref35 erably formed integral with each other and when so formed are distinguished from each other by a line or crease formed on the material of the device.

The characteristics and advantages of the in40 vention are further sufficiently explained in connection with the following detail description and the accompanying drawing which show preferred embodiments.

Persons skilled in this art will understand that many variations may be made from the embodiments shown and described without departing from the principles of the invention, and in practicing the invention there is contemplated the go employment of any structure or arrangement that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. T is a development of a device embodying 65 the present invention showing a plurality of sec tions and a common section all formed integral with each other.

Mg. 2 is a development of the rear face of the structure shown in Mg. 1.

Mg. 3 is a perspective view of the structure 6 shown in Mgs. 1 and 2 in the process of folding the same, and preparatory to having section I in visible position.

Mg. 4 is a perspective view similar to Mg. 3 but showing the preliminary folding for having 10 the section 2 in visible position.

Mg. 5 is a perspective view similar to Figs. 3 and 4, but showing the preliminary folding preparatory to having section 3 in visible position.

Mg. 6 is a perspective view of the structure ¹⁵shown in Mg. 3 after the completion of the folding operation and with a fastening device for holding the various sections in determined position.

Fig. 7 is a development of the front face of 20 a further embodiment of my invention and wherein the common section may be separate from the other sections and may be attached by any suitable means to any one of the other sections. 25

Mg. 8 is a perspective view of a container for multidirectional cards for use particularly in the sending of merchandise, and

Mg. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the structure illustrated in Mg. 3, and showing a 30 plurality of direction cards in position therein.

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates the development of a structure illustrating one embodiment of the invention and wherein a plurality of sections 11,12 and 13, together with a com- 35 mon section 14, are formed integral with each other. The various sections 11, 12 and 13 are separated or distinguished from each other by a weakened line or crease 15, and in the embodiment shown, the common section 14 is separated 40 or distinguished from the section 11 by the weakened line or crease 16.

The sections II, 12 and 13 respectively are provided with lines 16α on which ordinarily an address may be written, or such lines may be 45 omitted if desired. A space is left for the necessary stamps at any desired point on the face of the sections II, 12 and 13. On the back of the sections II, 12 and 13 as shown In Mg. 2 are printed instructions, as it is contemplated 50 that the Illustrated embodiment of the present invention will be used in mailing from one point to another with the intention in view of having, ultimately, the devices returned to the sender or forwarded to any other relay point. This is de- 55

3,160,488 sirable in philatelic work and the device is of extreme importance to stamp collectors in commemorating the establishment of certain mail services, as for example the establishment of the * Transpacific Air Mail Service, or establishing records for around the world or cross circuit flights, or for any other purposes in which the stamp collector is interested.

The device, however, is applicable for use in 10 commercial work, as for example, in business or advertising it combines the dissemination of information to a large number of persons, and with the assurance of the sender that such persons will have received the information he desires to transit mit to them, and for any other purposes wherein the object sent out by any person or persons is ultimately returned to them, with the risible evidence thereon that the material sent out did, in due course, and on specified dates, reach the per20 ⁸θη or persons for whom the same was intended.

The device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is ordinarily sent out by a person with the various addresses to which it is to be sent written or typed at the appropriate places on the face of the various sec20 tions, usually arranged seriatim. Instructions to the various recipients are contained ordinarily on the back of the sections as shown in Fig. 2, and the original sender or relayer then folds the structure shown in Fig. 1 in such a manner, and 30 as indicated in Fig. 3, as to bring the name and address of the first desired recipient in risible position, and with all of the names and addresses of subsequent recipients hidden from view, that latter being performed by folding the section 14 35 around over section ί I in such a manner as to enclose between the sections II and 14 the now intermediate sections 12 and 13, all as illustrated in Fig. 3. To ensure that the various sections are held in the desired position, the original 40 sender will, by the use of a clip 17 or a binder or adhesive tape or in any other desired manner, fasten the various sections together. The final form of the device, as it is to be ordinarily and originally sent out, is illustrated in perspective in 45 Fig. 6.

Assuming the structure as shown in Fig. 6 to have been mailed to the person and to the address indicated thereon, such person upon receipt thereof will remove the fastener or other device 50 17 and will read the instructions on the back of the various sections II, 12 and 13, and comply with such instructions. The first recipient win fold the device in the manner indicated in Fig. 4, will then place sufficient postage on the exposed 55 face of section 12 and after fastening the various sections together, as shown in Fig. 6, will place the same in the mail for transmission to the second designated recipient.

This process is repeated as long as there are 60 sections II, 12 and 13, etc., and ordinarily the last section, as section 13, is addressed to the original sender. Thus the structure ultimately returns to the original sender, and he then has in his hands a device which indicates visibly the 65 persons to whom it was sent, the route or routes by which the same was transmitted, and the date on which the same was received by the recipients and mailed to the recipients.

The number of sections II, 12, 13, etc., may be 70 as many as desired, and in any event there will be but one back cover section 14. The position of such back cover 14 with respect to the other sections II, 12, 13, etc., may be varied as desired. When there are but a few sections II, 12, 13, etc., 75 I find it desirable and practical to position the back cover section 14 at one end of the strip comprising the other sections II, 12, and 11. When, however, the number of sections 11,12,11, is relatively large, I find It preferable to position the beck cover 14 adjacent one of the Intermediate 5 sections, ds the section 12 lying between the end sections as sections II and 11, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 7 which will be referred to hereinafter.

In the device as shown in Fig. 1, the end sec- 10 tions II, 12 and 11 are so arranged as to be folded with respect to each other along the relatively. Jong edge and with the address spaces arranged vertically with respect to each other. It may be desirable, however, to arrange the sec- χβ tions so as to be folded on a line the width thereon as shown in Fig. 7. In this figure the sections 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, etc., are arranged end to end and are formed Integral with each other, the various sections being defined or spaced from 20 each other by the weakened lie or crease 21.

As, in the form shown in Fig. 7, there are a relatively large number of sections as 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, etc., I find it preferable to place the back cover section 24 adjacent one of the intermediate 25 sections, as the section 20.

The back cover sections 14 and 24 may be made separate from the other sections, and may be fastened to the Other sections by any desired means. From a manufacturing standpoint, this 30 procedure may be desirable, as the group of sections II, 12, 13, etc., in Fig. 1, and the sections 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, etc., in Fig. 7, may be made in continuous strips, to be cut into groups of any number of sections desired. 35

In Figs. 8 and 9, is shown an exemplification of the invention which is particularly adapted for use in the dispatching of merchandise, particularly where, for example, a specified article is to be sent to a number of different persons 40 in succession. In such'event, a plurality of name bearing sections as, for example, the sections 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, etc. in Fig. 7, are provided with addresses and the first addressee has his name made visible in the structure shown in 45 Figs. 8 and 9. In such figures, the body or back portion 35 has spaced apart therefrom members 36, 37, 38, which are formed integral therewith, and with each other, and are spaced apart from the back 35 to define a groove or slot 38α, which 50 would receive the plurality of cards II to 22, etc., as indicated by the reference numeral 39, and the cards retained in position by, for example, a clip 40. Such clip 40 may also be utilized to secure the back 35 to the parcel or bundle 55 containing the goods, or the back 35 may be attached to the wrapper or box containing the goods in any other suitable manner.

My device, formed according to my invention, is simple in construction, inexpensive to manu- eo facture, and can be made to conform to all official postal and express regulations both here and abroad as regard to size, weight and content.

The sections and the common section or flap may be secured together by any suitable means. 05 Such means may, for example, be. tape, staples, stickers or any other desired means.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifica- 70 tions may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.