It is known that, in order to prove possible tampering on parcels, envelopes and the like, a suitable sealing tape provided with slanted slits and apt to be easily severed in case of tampering can be applied thereon, thus signalling a forcing on the openings of the container. Another likewise solution is provided by means of self-stick labels provided with slanted slits, positioned at the unsealing spots of the parcels or envelopes.

The solution implemented with the sealing tape, although useful, has the drawback of being practically inapplicable onto small-sized parcels or envelopes as well as for letter envelopes.

Another drawback is due to the fact that the tape has to be peeled off from the adhesive support in order to be positioned, a cumbersome step being thus entailed in order to avoid tearing the tape itself, due to the inherent fragility thereof.

Furthermore, the solution provided with the sticky labels has a analogous drawback, due to the fact that the adhesive support of the same has to be peeled off prior to the label positioning.

Moreover, another drawback common to both the sealing tape and the labels is that due to the fact that once positioned the same cannot be repositioned.

Therefore, the user should be certain of the positioning of the same prior to their application, in order to avoid an the opening of the parcel or the envelope to be sealed and beginning the operation anew with another one.

Another drawback lies in the fact that, seemingly, such solution is the sole available to an average user in order to make sure that the sent or delivered parcel/envelope has not been tampered, and further the purchasing of said labels or tape should be taken into account as well for the consumer.

Hence, the object of the present invention is to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks providing a device for carrying out indents onto sheets and the like, that be both extremely effective and handy, as well as of easy manufacture, and therefore of easy use so that it can be made available to every user, with no need of practical knowledge and no difficulty in the use thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cutting and punching device for carrying out indents apt to be used to indent mail envelopes, parcel flaps or the like as well as originals and reproductions thereof, e. g. photographs or photocopies, in which a highlighting of possible tampering be desirable.

A further object of the present invention is that of providing a cutting and punching device for carrying out indents that is suitable for implementing cuts or gashes for the shredding of information reported on paper sheets and the like.

A further object of the present invention is that of providing a cutting and punching device for carrying out a punching on paper sheets and the like, in order to realise a paper member to be folded outwards, for the signalling of the sheet position within a plurality of stacked sheets, like a book, a magazine, etc..

Hence, the present invention provides a cutting and punching device comprising a first frame, a second frame articulated onto said first frame and cutting means, the device being characterised in that said cutting means comprises a first cutting region for the indenting of an area onto an edge of a flat member, and a second punching region for the punching of an area of an end region of a

flat member.

The present invention will hereinafter be better illustrated through the detailed description of two preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example and not for limitative purposes, with reference to the annexed drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic elevational side view of a first embodiment of the cutting and punching device of the present invention in a first operating condition; Figure 2 is a schematic elevational side view of the cutting and punching device of the present invention partially showing an inner component thereof with dot line; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the cutting and punching device of the present invention; Figure 4 is a top perspective view from a side of the cutting member of the device of the present invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a guide member of the cutting member of the device of the present invention; Figure 6 is a partially sectional elevational side view, showing a second embodiment of the cutting and punching device of the present invention; Figure 7 is a top plan view showing a first portion of the cutting and punching device of figure 6; Figure 8 is a top plan view showing a second portion of the cutting and punching device of figure 6; Figure 9 is a elevational side view showing the first embodiment of the cutting and punching device of the present invention in a second operating condition; Figure 10 is a schematic plan view of a paper punched with the cutting and punching device of the present invention; and Figure 11 is a schematic view of a letter envelope after implementing a flap indent with the device of the present invention.

Referring now to figure 1, it shows the cutting and punching device of the present invention in a first operating condition thereof. According to the invention, the cutting and punching device comprises a body 1 substantially made of a first frame 2 and a second frame 3 hinged to the first by a hinge member 4. At the front end of the frame 2, a solid glue spreader member 5 for spreading glue onto an envelope or a sheet to be sealed or the like is provided. Inside the body 1, a cutting member 6 substantially made of a hollow parallelepiped member is provided (better illustrated hereinafter).

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, the inner components of the device of the present invention are shown. As hereto mentioned, the cutting member 6 is secured at the inner front section of the first frame 2.

Moreover, elastic means e. g. a torsion spring 7 mounted onto the hinge member 4, are provided between said first frame 2 and said second frame 3 in order to ensure that the device 1 be always in the operating condition as in the already known manner.

A jig member or guide 8 having exactly the shape of the cutting member 6 when viewed from the top plan view (better illustrated herein), is provided at the front part of the second frame 3 where the cutting member 6 abuts thereon, being integrally formed therein.

Moreover, at the lower front area of the second frame 3, a first guide region 9 for housing an end edge of a flat original 10 to be indented, and a second guide region 11 for housing an end region of a flat original 12 to be punched are integrally formed (better illustrated hereinafter).

With reference to figure 4, it shows in detail the cutting member 6 of the device 1 of the present invention.

As it can be noted, the member 6 is constituted by a substantially parallelepiped hollow body, where a first cutting region 13 for the indenting onto a flat original

10 is integrally formed thereon. The cutting region 13 has a plurality of rectangular blades 14 integral to the cutting member 6, shaped in a manner suitable for indenting an area of a edge of the original sheet 10. At the rear section of the cutting member 6 a second cutting region 15 is integrally formed, for realising a substantially C-shaped punching of a end area of an original sheet 12 (better illustrated hereinafter).

It has to be pointed out that the full height of the first cutting region 13 is shorter than that of the second cutting region 15, in order to allow both the indenting and the punching steps with a single cutting member 6 when the latter is mounted inside said first and second frame 2 and 3, respectively. Further, according to another embodiment of the cutting member 6 and according to specific needs, the same can be formed in several components rather than integrally constituted.

Referring now to figure 5, it shows a top plan view of the guide member 8 of the cutting member 6. According to the invention, the guide member 8 has a plurality of slots 81 exactly reproducing the mark of the cutting member 6 when observed from a plan view. Thus, once th guide member 8 is mounted onto the top section of the second frame 3, the cutting member 6 is apt to slide inside said slots 81 for being guided thereby during the indenting and the punching.

Referring now to figures 6,7 and 8, a second embodiment of the cutting and punching device of the present invention is illustrated therein. For ease of description, in the figures same components will have same reference numbers.

Therefore, according to this second embodiment, the cutting and punching device comprises a body 1 substantially made of a first frame 2 and a second frame 3 hinged at the centre line thereof by a single hinge member 4. Inside the frame 2 and at a end thereof, a first cutting member 61 integrally formed in the frame 2

and constituted of three substantially trapezoidal laminar members, is provided.

As it is apparent from the figures, the cutting member 61 is apt to slidably engage into respective guide regions 81 integrally formed in the frame 3.

On the other hand, at the opposite end region of the body 1 a second cutting member 62 is integrally formed in the frame 2. The second cutting member 62 is apt to engage into a reciprocal guide region 82 integrally formed in the frame 3.

As it is apparent from the figures, the front section of the cutting member 62 is apt to realise a substantially C-shaped punching on a respective end area of an original sheet 12 when the latter is inserted between the cutting member 62 and the guide region 82.

Likewise, the cutting member 61 is apt to realise an indent onto a flat original 10 when the latter is inserted between the cutting member 61 and the guide regions 81.

Further, elastic means, e. g. a torsion spring (not shown in figures) can be provided between said first frame 2 and said second frame 3, mounted at the hinge member 4 in order to ensure the operating condition of the device at all times.

With reference to figure 11, an original of a letter envelope 10 is showed. According to the present invention, a letter envelope 10 can, prior to the sealing thereof, be indented at the edges 101 of the sealing flap by inserting the same into said guide 9. More precisely, due to the mutual narrowing of said frames 2 and 3 of the cutting and punching device 1, therefore approaching the cutting member 6 onto said edges 101, the same carries out indented areas 102 by means of the blades 14. The indented areas 102 so obtained are apt to highlight possible tampering after the sealing of the envelope 10.

It has to be pointed out that the glue spreader member 5 mounted onto the front portion of the first

frame 2 is suitable for spreading glue onto the flaps 101 of the envelope 10 as well as onto ends of parcel sheets or the like, to be indented thereafter. Alternatively, the glue spreader member 5 can be replaced by a moistener or the like in order to moist an area of a glue-provided flap.

With reference now to figure 9, the device 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention is shown in a second operating condition. According to the invention, the device provides that the guide area 11 is suitable to housing an end region of a flat original 12, in order to realise the punching of the same as it will hereinafter be described. Due to the mutual narrowing of said frames 2 and 3 of the cutting and punching device 1, and accordingly of the related narrowing of the cutting member 6 onto an edge area 120 of the flat original 12, a substantially C-shaped punching is obtained onto the area 120 of the original 12 by means of the cutting region 15.

With reference to figure 11, the area 120 so punched onto the original 12 is suitable to constitute an highlighting member that, once folded outwards the edge, the same can mark the position of the original sheet 12 when stacked.

Moreover, according to an alternative embodiment, at the guide 11 may be provided a bearing slant member housed therein and apt to provide a stress raiser for the area 120 once it has been punched into the sheet 12.

It has to be pointed out that the present invention is remarkably convenient, as it replaces the implementing of the highlighting adhesive tape, or the self-stick highlighting notes known under the trade mark Post ItO, as well as the widely used bookmarks. Further, it is apparent that the device 1 of the present invention is remarkably advantageous as a working, as well as a portable equipment, being of a small size for its implementing and due to the remarkable handiness thereof.

To those skilled in the art it will be apparent that

several further modifications may be effected to the device of the present invention, not affecting the spirit thereof and all comprised within the scope ofthe appended claims.