Improvements in the Bottoms or Bases of Bird-cages and other similar articles having-Attached Feet.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 18th June, 1898
Improvements in the Bottoms or Bases of Bird-cages and other
similar articles having-Attached Feet.
I, ALFRED STOKES, trading as A. Stokes & Co., of Legge Street, Gosta Green, in
the City of Birmingham, Bird-cage Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the bottoms or bases of bird cages and other similar
articles having feet or outstanding elevating parts, and consists in certain
improvements in the attachment of the said feet to the said bottoms or bases which
have for their object cheapness, simplicity, quickness, and strength, in, and in
making, the joint.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings the invention is shown applied to the
bottom or base of a bird cage, and the feet in this case are made from a metal blank
by a stamping process. In the said drawings Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatic elevation
of a complete bird cage fitted with feet according to this invention, Fig. 2 a vertical
section showing how one of the feet is attached by being closed upon
the cage
bottom or base, Fig. 3 a top side plan of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 the bottom or base and
the foot, as shown in Fig. 2, separated, or before being connected up.
The bird cage bottom or base shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings has four attached
feet, but it will be only necessary to describe the attachment of one of them because
the joint of each is identical. Within the said bottom or base, a, is formed a hole or
piercing a², preferably of a circular formation, and the metal a³ at the edges of this hole
or piercing may be set hack or not, or strengthened, as the case may be. The foot
or support c can be of any suitable shape so long as its crown part, c², is of the same
shape as the hole or piercing, a², in the cage bottom before described. The said
crown part of the foot is formed with an outstanding flange or rim c³, and cut out
from this are a number of tongues or ears c', the whole of which are preferably
formed and shaped by press tools. In the drawings three of such tongues are shown,
and these stand up from the crown part c² and flange es so that they comprehend the
diameter of the hole or piercing a² in the cage bottom and can pass therethrough
when the foot c is placed in position. The flange or rim c³, when the foot c is in
position upon the underside of the bird cage bottom, abuts against the underside of
the metal abounding the piercing or hole a², and the tongues ct project through the
said hole. Whilst the parts are in this position the tongues or ears c are closed
over the edge of the hole or piercing upon the top side by press tools, and this firmly
attaches the said foot to the bird cage bottom; the flange cabutting against the
underside of the bottom; and the ears or tongues closing over upon the top thereof.
It will be obvious that the flange or rim can abound the top edge of the hole
or piercing, and that the tongues or ears can be closed over upon the underside,
with a similar result, but it is not such a simple method as the first one
described.
If an earthenware or wooden foot be connected to the cage bottom or base, the
crown part of the same would be formed with a slight flange, as set forth by c³, and
the tongues or ears would be formed from the metal of the edge of the hole or

page_text: piercing. In this form the foot would be dropped into its seating or hole from the
top side of the base, and the tongues or ears would then be closed over the top of
the said flange, but this also is not such a strong joint as the first one described.
Although the invention is described herein only in connection with bird cage
bottoms, it is equally applicable to bottoms or tray-like parts of other articles, and
this without any material alteration in the formation of the parts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First. In the bottoms or bases of bird cages and other similar articles, the method
described of rigidly attaching thereto feet or supporting parts, that is to say,
forming within the said bottoms holes or piercings with or without cut out tongues
or ears for the purpose of receiving the said feet, and constructing the said feet
with outstanding flanges or rims and without or with tongues or ears, and closing
the parts thereof over one another so as to obtain the necessary abutments and so
strengthen their joint, substantially as described.
Second. Connecting the feet or supporting parts of a bird cage to the bottom or
base in the particular manner and by the means substantially as set forth in
Figs. 1 to 4.
Dated this 7th day of April 1898.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Also at Liverpool, London, and Manchester,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.