US2736116A

US2736116A - cummings

Info

Publication number: US2736116A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1956-02-28
Anticipated expiration: 1973-02-28

Description

1956 v. c. CUMMINGS METAL CHRISTMAS TREE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1953 zlrzys ATTORNEYS 1N VEN TOR. 6 611mm Feb. 28, 1956 Filed June 25, 1953 v. c. CUMMINGS METAL. CHRISTMAS TREE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS nited States Patent METAL CHRISTMAS TREE Viola C. Cummings, Miami, Fla.

Application June 23, 1953, Serial No. 363,529

4 Claims. (Cl. 41-15) This invention relates to an ornamental article, and more particularly to a method of and means for'producing a Christmas tree. 7

The object of the invention is to provide a method of and means for producing a highly ornamental Christmas tree from an emptly tin can.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Christmas tree which can be made from metal or tin cans of any size, the finished article including a plurality of limbs that are each adapted to support a candle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a Christmas tree which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an empty tin can for use in making the Christmas tree of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the first step in forming the Christmas tree from the empty tin can.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the next step in forming the Christmas tree.

Figure 4 is an elevational view showing the next step in the formation of the Christmas tree.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the next step in making the Christmas tree.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the finished Christmas tree made from the empty tin can.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates an empty tin can from which the top has been removed to leave an open end 12. The tin can 10 may have been used originally for holding vegetables, fruits, foodstuffs, and the like. The can 10 includes the usual annular side wall 11.

According to the present invention the used or empty tin can 10 is utilized to form a Christmas tree 18 as shown in Figure 6. To form the Christmas tree 18 from the empty tin can 10, a slit or cut is first made in the side wall 11 and the slit 15 is made right alongside the seam 14. The seam 14 is the location or place at which the can is initially closed during the formation thereof.

The next step in forming the Christmas tree 18 is to make an annular out between the side wall 11 and the base or end 17 and this cut is indicated by the numeral 16, this step being shown in Figure 3. It will be noted that after the cut 16 has been made the side wall 11 still re mains attached at one end to the vertical portion or upright 14 for a purpose to be later described.

The next step in the formation of the Christmas tree is shown in Figure 4 wherein the side wall 11 is cut or provided with a plurality of slits 19 which define therebetween strips 20. The strips 20 are each wound or twisted as at 22 about a removable core 21, and the core 21 may be a rod or Wire. After the strips have been twisted as at 22 about the core 21, the core 21 is re- "ice moved and then the twisted strips are bent to provide limbs of the tree as shown in Figure 6. The free end of each of the limbs may be shaped to provide an annular flange or collar 23 and a candle 24 may be snugly seated in each of the collars 23. Thus, a highly ornamental Christmas tree 18 is provided and such Christmas tree can be readily made from tin cans such as the tin can 10 which are usually discarded.

From the foregoing it is apparent that a method of and means has been provided for making a metal Christmas tree from tin cans of various sizes. The Christmas tree is made from empty tin cans after the contents have been used or removed and in making the Christmas trees after the top has been removed it is only necessary to cut down along the seam 14 as indicated by the numeral 15 in Figure 2 from the top to the bottom of the can. Then from this opened side of the can, a cut 16 is made between the side wall 11 and the bottom 17 around to the other side of the seam as shown in Figure 3. The bottom 17 becomes the standing base and then small strips or bands 20 are cut of any desired width from the free end of the side Wall 11 to the seam 14. Any number of these strips 20 may be cut. These strips or bands 20 are then wound around the core which may be a steel rod 21 to provide curled limbs and a suitable candle can be placed in the upper end of each of the curled limbs. The limbs can be bent as desired to form the tree of candles.

I claim:

1. A method of making an ornamental Christmas tree from an empty tin can having an open end and a closed end, comprising the steps of first making a vertical cut in the annular side wall of the can, then making an annular cut between the side wall and the closed end of the can to provide a side wall attached to the seam of the can, said seam being secured to the closed end and extending in a vertical direction, said closed end defining a base, next cutting a plurality of spaced parallel strips in the side wall, then twisting each of the strips around a removable core, and bending the twisted strips to provide limbs.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the upper ends of said limbs provide supports for candles.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a metal Christmas tree fabricated from an empty tin can of cylindrical shape that has been emptied of its contents, and comprising a horizontally disposed base, said base being circular, an upright portion extending upwardly from said base and secured thereto, said upright portion being the seam of the tin can formed at the place where the can is initially closed during formation thereof, and a plurality of twisted limbs extending from one side of said upright portion, each of said limbs being in the shape of a cylindrical spiral and each including a substantially horizontal portion and a substantially vertical portion, the upper ends of said limbs being open to provide supports for candles.

4. In a method of making an ornamental Christmas tree from an empty tin can of cylindrical shape having an open end and a closed end, said tin can having been emptied of its regular contents, said can including a longitudinally extending seam at the place at which the can is initially closed during the formation thereof, the steps of first making a longitudinal cut in the annular side wall of the can, said cut being made right alongside said seam, then making an annular cut between the side wall and the closed end of the can to provide a side wall having an end attached to the seam of the can,

said seam being secured to the closed end and extending in a vertical direction, said seam being arranged at right angles to said base, said closed end defining a base of circular shape, next cutting a plurality of spaced parallel longitudinally extending strips in the side wall, said strips terminating short of said seam, then twisting each of the strips around a removable core to form a hollow spiral, and bending the twisted strips to provide limbs, portions of said limbs extending in a substantially horizontal direction and portions of the limbs extending in a vertical References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Royle Dec. 24, 1940 Stratman Sept. 8, 1953