US1993692A

US1993692A - Cut flower holder

Info

Publication number: US1993692A
Application number: US712830A
Authority: US
Inventors: Claude D Suter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-02-24
Filing date: 1934-02-24
Publication date: 1935-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 1952-03-05

Description

C. 'D. SUTER CUT FLOWER HOLDER Filed Feb. '24, 1934 March 5,

Patented Mar. 5, 1935 PATENT? ,OFFICE n cU'r ,FLOWER HOLDER' olaudenjsuter, Brunswick, da.Y M u l YApplication, February 24, v19734, Serial No. {712,83075 1s claims.

@This invention relates to improvements devic'es for retaining cut'flowers in shipping boxes. The primary object of 'the present invention is to provide a device' adapted to be'secured in a V flower box between two walls of thesame to ex- `tend across the `stems of and hold'securely in position flowers placed in the box forv shipment. "Another object of the invention is to provide f a device for securing out owers in a box, whichl is Vadapted to be placed in position .without necessitating` the forcing or bending outwardly of either of the box walls. u A still further object of the invention is to provide aA device of the above described characterV wherein a wall puncturing or penetrating element is carried upon an end of a brace' bar which is designed to be disposedtransversely 'of the box, so that when the bar is located in position, the penetrating devicemay be vprojectedY outwardly and forced through the box'wallf and then bent overto form a locking connection between the wall andlbanthus effecting. both the retention of the flower stems in position and the connection of the box walls inv such a manner as to prevent their bulging.` f u z 'L The invention'willbe best' understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken connection .with the accompanying drawing forming partof this specication, with the understanding, however, thaty the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing fof .the'drawing'but maybe changed or modified so long as such changes ormodifications mark nomaterial departurefrom the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appendedclaims. .r. H

In ther drawing:`--

I Figure 1 is a view inperspective of a box ,show-Y ing one form lof thereto.l Y .Y

Figure 2 is a View in transverse .section of the box and showingV a portion. of the applied ydevice insection. y

Figure 3 is a. viewin perspective of a double prong.` f Figure 4 is a view in perspective of a. modified type of prong;V f Referring tothe vdrawing kwherein Vlike numerals 'of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral .1 indicates generally azlboxof the character employed byxorists for shipping cut flowers,v in which is shown in operative Yposition a device of thecharacter embodyingy the present invention. y

The device referred to is indicated generally the present invention applied by the numeral 2 and comprises av bar 3 preferably vof wood, which is designed to Vbe disposed transversely of the box between the side wallsV of the same. v

-In devices of this character at present in use, 5 the ower stein holding bar such as is indicated by the numeral 3, is provided at'each end-.with some fixedA formof penetrating element and when the deviceis placed in position, one end is first forced through the side walland lthen the opposite side wall Vmust be'bent outwardly so as to bring the other endof the bar down to thev proper elevation, afterVV which the said opposite wall is forced back so as yto cause the other end of th bar to penetrate through the same.

The .present invention eliminates the necessity of bulging the box wallsoutwardly by providing a'ineanswherebyV the bar can be located in position and kthe penetrating elementsA thenlshifted on the'barthrough the adjacent wall. In carrying out thepresent invention, the .bar 3 has secured about-eachv end a metal collar Lifrom which are struck two'upstanding bands `5 which extend transversely ofthe bar onone side thereof. The collar v4 is'preferably split longitudinally and the longitudinal "edges are turned inwardly and toothed to fform penetrating points' 6-which are pressed into one face ofthe bar on which the collar ismounted; Obviously, this is onlyone means of securingthe collar in place for,V it will bere'adilyl apparent, the collar may be lformed integrally instead of split and slipped over the endofthebar; f, 1` Y j* 'l -Associated with keachcollar 4 is an elongated flat prong '7 which is cut to a point 8 at one end and has a portion of vits other end upturned to form a iingerholdk 9. The pointedend offth's prong is'adapted to slide beneath the bands 5A and the bodyof the prong has a resilient tongue 10 pressed' therefrom which, after passingbeneath one'of the bands-,prevents the prong being retracted. V l "f v i From the foregoing, it willbe obvious that after the bar 3 has been placed in position, the prongs may beprojected'longitudinally' of the bar'to 45 pass through the adjacent walls of the box after which the pointed ends of the prongs may bebent vupwardly orf downwardly so as to prevent the box wall moving outwardly on the prong and also` toA turn the point of the same in such a'manner as 50 to prevent harmto the persons handling the box.

In .Figure 4, a prong is shown which is cut from a single thickness of metal. However, the wall penetrating prong may be formed of double thickness material as illustrated in :Figure 3l and 5.5

indicated generally by the numeral 11. In this form, the prong is formed by turning a strip of material on itself to form the two

ends

12 and 13. One of these ends may be pointed, as indicated at 14, While the other may be finished oif with a round tip, as indicated at 15, so that after the end 14 of the portion 13 has been forced through the box wall, the two ends may be readily separated and bent to extend in opposite directions in the manner illustrated in Figures l and 2. In this double thickness form of prong, the body portion has a resilient tongue struck therefrom, as indicated at 16, the same as described in connection with the prong 7 so that the prong will be retained in position by the bands l5 'in thev manner previously described. l

In order to reinforce the box wall and prevent the prong being torn from position after it has been bent over the outer face of the wall, there may be provided a plate 17 having a slot 18 for the extension of :the point or points of the prongs therethrough. By then turning the points in the manner illustrated, they will vbe out of the way so that persons handling the box will not be injured thereby and at the same .time they will be prevented froxn tearing through the box wall by the underlying plate.

Another method of placing the bar in position is as follows. One of the prongs, either the single or the double thickness type, .is rst slipped beneath .the bands 5 of one collar, the bars then introduced into the box and the point of the applied prong forced 'through the box wall at an elevation slightly below the top of the stalks `o1' the flowers which are in the box. The opposite end of the bar is then forced downwardly into the box so as to compress Lthe flower .stalks and when the bar has been .brought into substantially horizontal position, :a prong is then introduced beheath the bands ofthe collar at the opposite end of the 'bar and forced longitudinally of the bar and through the adjacent wall. The extended ends of the prongs may then .be bent out -olf the way in the mannerV previously described.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that with the present invention, the flower stalks retaining bar may be placed in position without bulging or otherwise deforming the box, as previously described, and in addition, Athe bars with the collars upon the ends thereof may be used over and over again, as it will be apparent that when the box is emptied and the prongs have been removed, the bars with the collars thereon will be undamaged andinayv be used with a new set of prongs.

It will be noted that the tongues 10 and 16 of the prings have been twisted slightly after being raised from the body `of the prong so that the free end edges of these tongues will be at an angie to the edge of the nearest band 5 and thus effectively prevent any considerable amount of reverse movement of the prong.

What is claimed isz- 1. The combination with a box of the character described, of an elongated body adapted to position between two opposite walls of the box to retain the contents of the box in position, a pair of prongs slidably attached to the elongated member, each at one end of the member 'and designed to 'penetrate an adjacent wail of the box, and means operating coincidently with the movement of the prongs to a predetermined position for preventing the retraction of the prongs after the same have been shifted to such position to penetrate the box wall.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a bar, an elongated pointed element disposed at each end of the bar, means at each end of the bar providing a guide for the adjacent pointed member whereby the latter may be slidably held for movement in a direction longitudinally of the bar, and means carried by each pointed member adapted to pass the guiding means when the pointed member is shifted in one direction and Vpreventing the reverse'movement of the pointed member. Y

3. A device of the character described, comprising a bar, an elongated element disposed upon each end of the bar and constituting two portions Vone overlying the other, one of said portions terminating in a sharp point, connecting means between the lportions of each elongated element, the pointed ends of said elements being directed outwardly with respect to the adjacent end vof the bar, and means carried by the bar at each end forming a guide for the :adjacent elongated linember whereby the latter isheld Yon the bar for sliding movement longitudinally thereof, the portions of each of said elongated members being of bendable material. r

4. The combination with `a box, of a bar member of a length to be disposedimrizontally in 'the box between two opposed walls, means forming a pair of guide loops transversely ofV each -end of the bar, an elongated element Aforeach end of the bar adapted to be slipped beneath the pair of guide loops thereon, each-of said elongated members comprising two separable 'portions oneof which has its advancing end pointed, means at the trailing end of each elongated member for facilitating grasping the same for forcing the pointed end of said one portion through the adjacent box wall, and a slotted platexadapted to be disposed against the :outer side of the wall through which the elongated member is extended, to receive the said member, the portions .of .the member being bent apart over `5. The combination with a box, of `a vbar member of a length to be disposed horizontally in the box between two opposed walls, means forming a pair of 'guide loops transversely of each end of the ber, an elongated 'element for each end of the bar adapted to be slipped beneath the pair of guide loops thereon, each :of said elongated members comprising two separable portions one Yof which has its advancing lend pointed, means at the trailing end of each elongatedmember for facilitating grasping the .same vfor :forcing the pointed end of saidy one portion through the adjacent box wall, a slotted plate'adapted to be disposed against the outer side of the wall through which the elongated member -is extendedto receive the said member, the portions of the member being bent apart over said plate, land a resilient `tongue carried by eanhelongated member to pass beneath one of said guide .loops and prevent the retraction of the member;

6. A device .of the character described, comprising a bar, an elongated element disposed uponfeach end of the bar and constitutingtwo portions one overlying the other,` of said portions terminating in a sharppoint, connecting means between the portions of each elongated element, the pointed ends of said elements being directed outwardly with respect to the adjacent end of the bar, means carried by the bar atv each end forming a guide `for the adjacent elongated `member whereby the latter is held on the bar for movement longitudinally thereof, the portions ofV each of said elongated members being of bendable material, and means carried by each element adapted to pass beneath the element guide and prevent the reverse movement of the element.

7. Av device of the character described, comv prising abar, a body secured to one face of the lbar at each end, 'a bendable prong slidably connected with each body and movable thereon longitudinally of the bar, and coacting means between each body and prong for automatically locking the prongs against reverse movement after movement on the bar a predetermined dising means.

9. A device of the character described, comprising a bar designed for placement in a receptacle between two walls thereof,`means forsecuring one end of the bar to one wall, an elongated prongmember disposed longitudinally of' the bar at the other end, means fixed to pthe other end of the bar over'which the prong member moves, guide connecting means between the member and the iixed means, and means for coupling the prong member and said xed' means together to prevent movement of the prong member in one direction relative to the fixed means.

10. A device for attachment to a bar of the character described, comprising an open yokelike body designed to encircle a bar and having two free edges provided with teeth for the penetration of the bar to secure the body thereto, a pair of loops carried bythe body in spaced relation to extend transversely of a bar to which the body may be attached, and an elongated prong member slidable on the body through said loops.

character described, .comprising an open yokelike body designed to encircle a bar and having two free edges provided with teeth for the penetration of the bar to secure the body thereto, an elongatedprong element slidably connected with the body for movement longitudinally of a bar to which the body may be attached, and means carried by the prong and coacting with a portion of the body for limiting its vsliding movement on the body.

12. A devicel designed for application to a bar of the character described, comprising a yokelike body designed to encircle the bar, means for securing said body to the bar, a pair of loops struck from the body and disposed in spaced parallel relation in a plane above a parallel portion of the body, an elongated prong member slidably disposed beneath said loops and upon the Vportion of the body which is parallel with the loops, and means limiting the movement of the prong on the body and engaging one of said loops.

13. A device designed for application to a bar of the character described, comprising a yokelike body designed to encircle the bar, means for securing said body to the bar, a pair of loops struck from the body and disposed in spaced parment of the prong. Y

CLAUDE D. SUTER.

11. A device for attachment to a bar of the