US194728A - Improvement in envelope-openers - Google Patents

Description

J. SALTE-R. ENVELOPE-OPENERS.

No. 194,723, Patente d Aug. 28,1877.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JAMES SALTER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN ENVELOPE-OPENERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 194,728, dated August 28, 1877; application filed June 20, 1677.

10 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES SALTER, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Envelope-Opener and Paper- Qutter, of which the followingis the specification:

This invention has for its object the con.- struction of a knife for opening envelopes, cutting paper, paring finger-nails, and other like uses.

The knife is constructed so it may be folded up into a form'resembling somewhat a silver halt dollar, so that it may be carried easily in any pocket-book or other convenient place.

The invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in

which- Figure I is a side elevation of the improved knife in its inclosed position. Fig. II is a side elevation of the same, showing the blade open. Fig. III is a transverse sectional elevation with the blade closed.

The knife-blade A and its handle B, when closed up, as shown in Fig. I, form a circular disk, resembling in size and form a silver halfdollar piece. f

Of course, it may be made larger or smaller than a half-dollar, but this probably is the most preferable size.

The handle B is formed of two pieces, b and b as shown in Fig. III, each of which is formed in a segmental outline, with a straight line, b, cutting off just as much of an area from a full circle as the blade A, when closed, will complete.

' A small piece of soft metal, 0, will be placed between the two parts I) and b, at the straight side b, so as to permit the blade to shut down upon it without injuring the edge of the blade. The heel of the blade A will be inserted between the edges of the plates b and b and held in that position by thepin a, on which the blade will swing open and shut, in the usual manner.

With the exception of the separation of the plates b and b for the heel of the blade and for the piece 0, the said plates forming the handle of the knife will be placed tightly together flatwise, and securely riveted together.

At point d of the handle B b b is formed the groove or slot 0.

When the knife or blade Ais shut down, or nearly so, upon the handle B b b an envelope is readily and conveniently opened by simply passing the corner ofthe same on that side which is to be opened into the slot or groove 0 and, by pushing the instrument along the edge, the knife will be embedded between the two sides of the envelope, and thus cut open the edge.

When the instrument is to be used as a paper-cutter, &c., the knife is opened as shown in Fig. II.

I am well aware that a patent has been granted to T. R. Timby, dated January 21, 1868, and numbered 73,674, and disclaim hereby any interference with the improvements therein specified and claimed.

Having thus described my invention, I desire to claim- In an envelope-opener, the combination of the movable or hinged blade A with the handle B, formed of the pieces b b and soft metal 0, and straight side b, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

This specification signed this 13th day of June, 1877.

JAMES SALTER. Witnesses:

B10111). GERNER, F. BABRITT.

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