Improvements in and connected with Handles for Baskets of all sorts.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Handles for Baskets of all
sorts.
1, AMÉDÉE HOURDEAUX of Bamberg, Bavaria in the Empire of Germany,
Gentleman, 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 :-
My invention relates to handles for baskets of all sorts and has for its object a
new and improved method of connecting the handle to the basket, and means for
fastening the same. According to my invention the handles are not, as previously
made and manufactured, connected to the body of the basket, so as to form one
piece therewith, which cannot be loosened or disconnected but are made separately
and disconnected from the body and the handle and body can be joined or
connected together without special tools, by any unskilled person and at any
time.
By this invention not only can handles which have become defective or broken
by long use be replaced by new ones, whereas previously when the handle was
ruined the whole basket was useless, but for the purpose of export and conveyance
thereof the baskets may be packed in one another (the handle being disconnected)
and the handles be forwarded separately, whereby much space is saved in packing
and the handles are secured against breakage. This saving of space is indeed of
very great importance and is an essential feature of my invention, as the freights
on ships and on railways are estimated according to cubic measurement and it is
well known, that baskets with fixed handles take up much more space than baskets
without handles, because they cannot be packed one in another but must be piled
up. Baskets, from which the handles are disconnected or taken off according to
the present invention, only take up one third or one quarter the space which is
taken up by baskets with fixed handles, and in consequence thereof a great saving
in freights results and the baskets can be sold much cheaper.
Further baskets with handles constructed according to my invention always
preserve a better appearance, as the new handles have no wrapping or the like
which is extremely apt to become loose and unsightly and which is not agreeable
to the hand.
My invention is applicable to all sorts of baskets but I will illustrate it and
describe it as applied to an ordinary hand basket.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is an elevation of a basket, to which the improved handle is
connected;
Figure 2 is a cross-section vertically through the middle of the basket on the
line II of Figure 1 ;
Figure 3 shows the handle disconnected from the basket;
Figure 4 the holders for the handle and the means for fastening the same to the
basket.
The main feature of my invention consists in the method of connecting the
handle to the body and to the bottom of the basket, as follows:-
In the sides of the basket a, holders b are inserted and fixed among the wicker-
work. These may be of any cross section closed (as a tube) or partly open (as a
channel), Figure 4, and are for the purpose of guiding and strengthening the
handle and of securing or assisting the fastening of the latter in the body of the
LD

page_text: basket. To the handle, which consists preferably of wood, is connected a strap or
ribbon of sheet metal d, which is partly or wholly inserted in grooves in the handle
and fastened thereto by rivets or the like, or in any other suitable manner.
For connecting the handle to the basket, it is pushed with its ends into the
holders in the sides of the basket and the projecting ends of the metal strap d are
turned up over a disc or piece of wood fon the bottom of the basket, which is
arranged to protect the latter. The ends of the strap are connected with each
other and with the protective piece f and with the body and bottom of the basket
by split pins e or in any suitable manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The improvements in and connected with handles for baskets of all sorts,
consisting in making the handle separate from the body of the basket and
providing it with a metal strap or the like (d), the attachment of said handle to
the basket, when required, being effected by inserting its ends in holders (b)
secured for the purpose in the sides of the basket, bending over the ends of the
strap (d) and securing the whole in position by means of split pins (e) or the like
substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 30th day of May 1895.
W M. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents.