The Poor Man's Patent Is Obsolete Being the first to invent will no longer save you is someone else filed first. So even if you did write out the idea for your invention and mailed it to yourself, that date would not matter.
Under the “first to file” system, there exists no value in obtaining a Poor Man's Patent since it now only matters who filed for the patent first and not who came up with the idea first. Essentially, a Poor Man's Patent has about as much value today as the postage affixed to the envelope.
Format of a Patent Application The Specification. The Title. The Description. The Claims. The Drawings. The Abstract. Sample Specifications. Minimum Requirements for a Filing Date.
Patent application forms can be found on the USPTO website. All of the forms related to patent applications can be found on the link here, or by navigating to the USPTO website and clicking on the “Forms” link under the “Apply for a Patent” section on the “Patents” page.