Improved Apparatus for Exposing and Preserving Cut Flowers and Foliage.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Exposing and Preserving Cut Flowers
and Foliage.
I, WILLIAM PERCY SPOONER, of 5, Fitzwilliam Street, Peterboro', County of
Northampton, Commission Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention has for object, the construction and employment of an apparatus
in and by which cut flowers and foliage can be exposed and preserved, such as at
horticultural and like shows, in shops, in private houses, and other places where
the flowers can be exhibited and readily examined and while so exhibited or
exposed they are freely open to the gaze of visitors even from a distance.
The invention is specially designed to meet the oft repeated complaints of
visitors at horticultural shows where the cut flowers are invariably arranged on
boxes set, or the top is, at a slight incline which necessitates a close inspection with
a lean forward to view the flowers at the back of the box and read their names,
this occasions a delay in the narrow alleys and causes crowds to gather and block
the passages.
By my invention, the flowers are arranged somewhat stepwise from the bench
upwardly, and the whole of the flowers in the apparatus can be seen at a glance
and their names be read with facility without the necessity of poreing over the
bench or box as at present.
For the purpose of my invention, I attach to a backing a series of
horizontal > or equivalent shaped leaves or partitions, in the upper faces of
which holes are formed for the flower or foliage stems to be passed into, the
compartments thus formed serve as water troughs and are in communication by
tubes from a funnel shape of inlet preferably at the side, the surplus water flowing
away by an outlet when the troughs are full.
There is sufficient space above each trough for the names of the flowers to be
affixed either by clips or wire prongs behind which the name cards or other
indications can be inserted.
The back of the apparatus can be provided with hinged branches, legs, or other
appliances such as folding wires to enable the apparatus to be inclined from the
vertical, or if the apparatus be intended for shop or table decoration it can be
made with three or four sides, or a number of such single faced apparatus can
be suitably arranged in triangular, square, or other form.
The apparatus will be found of service for floral decorations if suspended or
hung on the wall of a ball room, the porch or entrance hall of a building, and in
the case of flowers having no scent in them, a small tray or cup like appliance as

page_text: part of the apparatus or affixed can hold a liquid or other form of scent producer
as found convenient.
Dated this 7th day of Wohnung 1900
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said William Percy Spooner.
Improved Apparatus for Exposing and Preserving Cut Flowers
and Foliage.
I, WILLIAM PERCY SPOONER, of 5, Fitzwilliam Street, Peterboro', County of
Northampton, Commission Agent, 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 has for object, the construction and employment of an apparatus"
in and by which cut flowers and foliage can be exposed and preserved, such as at
horticultural and like shows, in shops, in private houses, and other places where the
flowers can be exhibited and readily examined and while so exhibited or exposed
they are freely open to the gaze of visitors even from a distance.
The invention is specially designed to meet the oft repeated complaints of
visitors at horticultural shows where the cut flowers are invariably arranged on
boxes set, or the top is at a slight incline on a bench or staging which necessitates
on a close inspection a lean over and forward extension of the eyes and head of an
examiner to view the flowers at the back of the box and more particularly so to
read the names, this occasions a delay in the narrow alleys and causes crowds
to gather and block the passages.
By my invention, the flowers are arranged somewhat stepwise from the bench
upwardly, and the whole of the flowers in the apparatus can be seen at a glance and
their names be read with facility without the necessity of poreing over the bench or
box as at present.
For the purpose of my invention and as I show on the annexed drawing, I
attach to a backing A a series of horizontal > or equivalent shaped leaves or
partitions B, in the upper faces C of which holes are formed for the flower or foliage
stems to be passed into, the compartments thus formed serve as water troughs
and are in communication by tubes D from a funnel shape of inlet E preferably
at the side, the surplus water flowing away by an outlet F when the troughs are
full.
There is sufficient space above each trough for the names of the flowers to be
affixed either by clips or wire prongs behind which the name cards or other
indications can be inserted.
The back of the apparatus can be provided with hinged branches, legs, or other
appliances such as folding wires G connected or jointed to lugs H to enable the
apparatus to be stood up on a bench or staging inclined from the vertical, or if
the apparatus be intended for shop or table decoration, it can be made with three
or four sides, or a number of such single faced apparatus can be suitably
arranged in triangular, square, or other form according to the desired display.
The apparatus will be found of service for floral decorations if suspended or hung
from the hole H¹on a nail or hook on the wall of a ball room, a porch or entrance
hall of a building, and in the case of flowers having no scent in them, a small tray
or cup like appliance as part of the apparatus or affixed can hold a liquid or other
form of scent producer as found convenient.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
--
1. The apparatus shown on the annexed drawing for exposing and preserving
flowers and foliage, as and in the manner set forth.
2. The construction of an apparatus consisting of superposed water troughs, the
upper parts of which have holes for the purpose specified.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said W. P. Spooner.