US353131A

US353131A - Alexander samuel greenwood

Info

Publication number: US353131A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1886-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 1903-11-23

Description

(No Model.)

. A. s. GREENWOOD.

CONVERTIBLE WIRE BASKET. No. 353,131. Patented Nov. 23, 1886.

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BY mum/h ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC ALEXANDER SAMUEL GREENWOOD, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

CONVERTIBLE WIRE BASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,131, dated November 23, 1886.

Application filed August 13, 1886. Serial No. 210,828. (No model.) Patented in Canada May 29, 1884. No.10,452.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER SAMUEL GREENWOOD, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Convertible WVire Baskets, (for which I have obtained a patent in Canada, No. 19,452, dated May 29, 1884,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a convertible wire basket, which will be hereinafter 'fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of my improved convertible wire basket. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the basket arranged as a hanging basket. Fig. 3 shows it converted into a flower-pot stand for the table. Fig. 4 shows it arranged as a stand for out flowers. Fig. 5 shows it arranged as a stand for cake or for supporting a lamp, sad-iron, 8m. Fig. 6 shows the wire basket arranged as an adjustable support for a lamp-shade; and Figs. 7 and 8illustrate other forms into which the basket may be readily converted, and which will be hereinafter described.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A represents a ring or circle of wire of suitable diameter, which forms the base-ring of my improved convertible wire basket, and which may be braced in shape by two or more cross-bars, B B, of wire or other suitable material. These cross-wires are not absolutely necessary to hold the base-ring in shape; but they serve the double purpose of bracing the base-ring in its circular form and forming a bottom to the basket to stand a flowerpot, &c., on.

0 represents the side or main loops, which may be bent into the form shown in the drawings, or any modification thereof,and which are hinged on the base-ring separately by having both of their ends bent around it, as shown, and clinched into an eye, 0, so as to prevent them from slipping off of the supporting basering. In the drawings I have shown nine of these side loops; but their number may be varied at will. The said loops are hinged on the base-ring overlapping one another, as shown, so that oneloop cannot be moved without moving all of the loops, thus always insuring the perfect circular form or curvature of the sides of the basket into whatever form it may be con verted.

D D' represent the series of small loops or rious other shapes and still operate freely. One

row or series may be made semicircular and the other pointed,as shown in dottedlinesin Fig. 3.

The side loops moving on their hinged ends may all be pressed upward, inward, outward, or downward, so as to be altered from aglobe shape, as in Fig. 7, to a bell form, as in Fig. 8, with all the intermediate shapes and forms. Three or more long supportingwires, F, may have their lower ends bent and clinched into eyes F, around intersecting points of the side loops, these supporting-wires enabling the basket to be hung as a hanging basket, while the pressure of the eyes helps to retain the basket in whatever position it may be adjusted. When the hanging wires are removed, the basket may be used as a flower-pot stand for the table, as illustrated in Fig. 3, by pressing the side loops either up or down, so as to form either a globe or hell shape, the basket resting on either of the rows of base-rings which happen to be on the bottom, being pressed down at right angles to the base-ring to form a rigid support for the basket; or the basket may rest directly on its bottom with the base-rings outspread to form a flat base. Again, thebottom row of base-rings may be placed at right angles to the base-ring and the side loops pressed down until their points touch the table, the top row of .baseloops being closed in to form akind of net-work, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, so that cut flowers may be placed in the interstices with their stalks projecting through the bottom, and may thus be arranged in a graceful manner. A small dish of water may be placed on the table and the basketso placed over it as to allow the stems of the flowers to rest in the water without wetting the basket, and when the water requires changing it may be done without disturbing the flowers by lifting up the basket and the flowers with it, thus leaving the dish of water free to be removed and filled with fresh water and replaced. The advantage ofthis arrangement is obvious, as flowers will retain. their freshness and bloom for a long time, if not handled. Again, take out the flowers and press down the top row of small loops until they rest upon the cross-bars,

as shown in Fig. 5, when the basket will form a neat, strong, and graceful stand for cake, or for supporting a lamp, sadiron, 850. By taking out the cross-bars both rows of the baseloops can be closed around the glass chimney of any lamp, as shown in Fig. 6, so as to fit any size chimney, and by placing a Japanese paper shade over the side loops a neat lamp-shade is formed, which may be opened or closed so' as to throw the light down on the table or diffuse it around the room, as desired. Again, the basket may be manipulated-to form a card-receiver, fruit-basket, bread-tray, cake-basket, and, if lined, will form a ladies work-basket, and may be placed in many other shapes to suit various uses and fancies.

By making the eyes on the ends of the several loops larger or smaller, so as to fit loosely or tightly around the base-ring, the basket may be made to work very freely or very stiffly. The base-loops are small enough to close and pass entirely through the base-ring when the cross-bars are removed, so that both rows may be together either on top or on the bottom of the base-ring.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. A convertible wire article comprising a ring or circle and a pluralityof series of loops hinged to said'ring, the loops of each series being adjustable independently of the loops of the other series, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the base-ring, of

the cross-bars, and the side loops hinged upon base-loops hinged, as described, upon and around the base-ring, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with the base-ring, the double row of base-loops, and the side loops, of the suspension-wires, arranged as described.

7. In a-convertible wire article, the combination, with a base-ring or circle, of a series of loops hinged independently to said ring and interlocked, as described, whereby the relation of said loops will be preserved in the different positions thereof, substantially as set forth.

ALEXANDER SAMUEL GREENWOOD.

Witnesses:

A. J. BURT, J. O. BURT.