IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOWER HOLDERS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOWER HOLDERS." A communi-
cation from abroad by Jerome Hale Plummer, of Brooklyn, in the State
of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd December 1878.
ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOWER
HOLDERS." [A communication from abroad by Jerome Hale Plummer, of Brooklyn,
in the State of New York, United States of America.]
This Invention consists in a new and useful device for holding and securing cut
flowers used in floral decorations, the same being a convenient and handy substitute
for the sticks and threads commonly used by florists and others in preparing flowers
for boquets, and for filling wreaths, crosses, baskets, and other similar articles used
in floral decorations. This device is composed of a stem supporting portion or
piece and an attached binding or holding piece, both of which pieces may be made
of wire or like material, and may be produced by machinery from coils or rolls of
suitably sized wire fed in proper relation with each other to form the pin. The
stem terminates at its upper end in an eye or loop through which the binding wire
is passed and secured by twisting on itself. The other end of the stem may be
flattened or pointed as desired, and a portion of the stem may be bent into a wavy
line. The upper part of the stem will be straight to form a bearing for the stem
of the flower to be attached thereto.

page_text: In using the flower holder the stem of the flower is placed longitudinally against
the straight portion of the stem of the holder immediately below the eye thereof,
and the pendant or loose portion of the finer wire is then wound or twisted around
the same by hand; thus securely binding the flower to the holder without injury to
the flower.
The flower on its holder is then ready to be placed in the boquet, or stuck in the
moss or other bed, or base, or form intended to carry it. The wavy construction
of the stem of the holder keeps the flower in place, but does not prevent the
withdrawal of it when required to be removed or transposed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
May 1879.
ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOWER
HOLDERS." A communication from abroad by Jerome Hale Plummer, of Brooklyn,
in the State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention consists in a new and useful device for holding and securing cut
flowers used in floral decorations, the same being a convenient and handy substitute
for the sticks and threads commonly used by florists and others in preparing flowers
for boquets, and for filling wreaths, crosses, baskets, and other similar articles used
in floral decoration. This device is composed of a stem supporting portion or piece
and an attached binding or holding piece, both of which pieces may be made of
wire or like material, and may be produced by machinery from coils or rolls
of suitably sized wire fed in proper relation with each other to form the pin.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents a flower holder constructed
in accordance with the Invention, and Figures 2 and 3 are modifications of the
same; Fig. 4 shews the holder in use, a flower being attached thereto.
A is the stem supporting piece which consists of a piece of wire of suitable length.
and thickness, and B the binding or holding piece which may be formed of a finer,
more flexible and thread-like wire and of any desired length. This binding wire B
is attached at its one end to one end of the stem support or wire A in any suitable
manner, Figures 1, 2, and 3 shewing some of the modes of attaching it; thus, in
Fig. 1, the end or head of the wire A is represented as formed into a small loop b,
while in Fig. 2 it is flattened and punched with an eye b', and in Fig. 3 is simply
bent over to form a hook 62 and pressed closely against itself.
When the end or head of the wire A is constructed as in Figures 1 and 2, the end
of the finer wire B to be attached to A is inserted through the loop b or eye b¹, and
said inserted end turned back and twisted over or around a portion of the body of
the same wire B, thus firmly securing the two wires A and B together. When the
end or head of the wire A is constructed as shewn in Fig. 3, a portion of the wire
B may be laid across the wire A near its head, and the end of the latter bent over
and pressed to form a close hook 62, which pinches or confines the wire B within it,
leaving a short portion projecting on one of its sides, which portion is afterwards
turned back and twisted around the body of its own wire B, as hereinbefore
described.
One portion c of the wire A is left straight, but its remaining portion & may be
made wavy or otherwise crooked, and may terminate at e in a short plain or
flattened point.
To use the flower holder the stem f of a flower is placed longitudinally up against
the portion c of the wire A, and the pendant or loose portion of the finer wire B is
afterwards wound or twisted around the stem of the flower and portion of the
pin A against which the stem rests. This may be easily and quickly done by
hand, the twisting of the wire B around the stem of the flower and wire A. below
the head of the latter to which the wire B is attached securely binding the stem of
the flower to the wire A without injury to the flower, and the flexibility of the
wire B preventing it from unwinding.
The pin holding the flower is then ready to be placed in the bouquet, or stuck in
the moss or other bed, or base, or form intended to carry it. The wavy con-
struction of the wire A at d keeps the flower in place but does not prevent the
withdrawal of it, and the pin to which it is bound from being removed and
transposed.
By using a binding wire B of sufficient length the same flower pin will answer
for flowers with thick or thin stems, but said pins may be made of different sizes
and proportions to suit different sized stems.

page_text: "
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in Flower
Holders as communicated to me from abroad, and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in
part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
A flower holder consisting of a supporting wire or piece for the stem of the
flower, and a flexible binding wire or piece attached to the supporting wire or piece,
substantially as specified.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twenty seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
A. V. NEWTON. (LS.)