Year: 1896

page_text: Complete Specification Left, 16th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 25th Sept., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of The Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of London Patent Agent, do hereby declaro the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of constructions used for holding growing
plants in houses and conservatories and to which the general term of flower pot
may be and is hereafter applied, irrespective of the size or shape of the receptacle,
the object of the invention being to provide an improved construction of this
article.
The improved flower pot may be of any suitable form and size, and may be
formed of any suitable material, such as earthenware, metal, or wood. At the base
of the pot is a drip pan of suitable depth and projection outside the flower pot, and
which may be varied in accordance with the character of the plants, for use with
which the flower pot is designed. This drip pan is preferably formed integral with
the body of the pot, but may be separate therefrom.
As previously made, flower-pots have been provided with one or more drip
openings in the bottom of the pot, and a drip pan formed separate from the flower
pot, or with drip openings in the side wall of the pot, but with their lower wall
level with the inner surface of the base of the pot. In the improved flower pot, the
drip openings are placed in the side walls of the flower pot, but above the base of
tho pot, so that the moisturo shall be retained in the soil at the bottom of the pot,
any excess flowing from a higher level to the drip pan. The level of these drip
openings above the base of the flower pot will be fixed according to the character
of the plants and results desired. These drip openings preferably consist of a
series of small openings arranged at intervals about the periphery of the pot.
The pot will preferably be formed with its walls extending inwardly near the
bottom of the pot, and preferably at a point about opposite the top of the edge of
the drip pau, so as to form a drip space, which secures a larger capacity of the drip
pan, while at the same time the latter may project but slightly outside the body
of the flower pot. This drip space may be formed by inclining inwardly the walls
of the pot near the base, either throughout or at intervals, but is preferably formed
by a substantially horizontal inwardly projecting portion, and vertical portion below
The drip openings are preferably arranged so as to open into this
space, and may be formed either in the vertical portion of the side walls below the
horizontal portion, or in the horizontal portion itself. The latter construction will
probably be found preferable where the plants for use with which the pot is
designed are such that the connection of the bottom layers of soil with the drip pan
is not required, as the openings will thus be entirely concealed, and the appearance

page_text: of the pot improved. Of course the drip openings may be formed in the side walls
of the pot above the drip space, and the water flow down therefrom to the drip pan,
when the plants are such that this construction is suitable, but it is obvious that
such a construction is not so desirable as with the drip openings opening into the
drip space so as to be below the edge of the drip pan and practically concealed.
The drip space formed by the inward projection of the walls of the flower pot
may extend entirely about the periphery of the pot, but it will be understood that
a construction may be used in which the side walls of the pot project inwardly only
at intervals, so as to form a series of recesses constituting this drip space, and into
which the drip openings open. Many other modifications may be made in the
details of the construction referred to, without departing from the invention.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1896.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
I HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of The Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings, Chancery
Lane in the County of London, Patent 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 relates to that class of constructions used for holding growing plants
in houses and conservatories, and to which the general term of flower-pot may be, and
is hereafter applied, irrespective of the size or shape of the receptacle, the object of
the invention being to provide an improved construction of this class.
As a full understanding of the invention can best be given by an illustration, and
detailed description of a construction embodying the same, such a description will
now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing constructions
embodying all the features of the invention in their preferred forins, and the features
forming the invention will then be specifically pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rectangular flower pot, such as is used for window
decoration, the edge of the drip pan being partly broken away, to show the
construction.
Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same, on an enlarged scale.
Fig. 3 is a similar partial section, showing a modification.
Referring to said drawings, A is the flower pot proper, which is shown as a large
rectangular pot, but which may be of any other form and of any suitable size, and
which may be formed of any suitable material, such as earthenware, metal, or wood.
At the base of the pot, and preferably formed integral therewith, as shown, is the
drip pan B, of such depth and projection outside the flower pot as desired, and which
may be varied in accordance with the character of the plants for use with which the
flower-pot is designed.
In previous constructions, the flower-pot has been provided with one or more drip
openings in the base, and a drip pan formed separate from the flower-pot. The
improved flower-pot is provided with drip openings 1, of which any suitable number
may be used, but which preferably consist of a series of small openings of any
suitable size, arranged at intervals about the periphery of the pot, these drip openings
being placed in the side walls of the pot, so that the water will pass through them to
the drip pan B. These drip openings will be placed at the desired level above the
base of the flower pot, according to the results desired, either so that the drip pan

page_text: shall connect by these openings with the soil in the bottom of the pot, or at a higher
level, so that the moisture shall be retained in the soil at the bottom of the pot, and
the excess flow from a higher level to the drip pan.
While the walls of the flower-pot may be vertical or inclined, it is preferred to form
the walls substantially as shown in the drawings, that is, with a re-entrant portion
near the base of the pot, and preferably at a point about opposite the top of the edge
of the drip pan B, so as to form a drip space 2, which secures a larger capacity of the
drip pan, while at the same time the latter may project but slightly outside the body
of the flower-pot. This drip space may be formed by inclined inwardly the walls of
the pot near the base, either throughout, or at intervals, so as to form an inclined
reentrant portion of the walls, but is preferably formed by a substantially horizontal
reentrant portion 3 and vertical portion 4 below the same. The drip openings 1 are
preferably arranged so as to open into this space 2, and, with the construction shewn,
the drip openings may be formed either in the vertical portion 4 of the side walls
below the horizontal portion 3, as shewn in Figure 2, or in the horizontal portion 3
itself, as shewn in Figure 3, which latter construction will probably be found prefer-
able, where the plants for use with which the pot is designed are such, that the
connection of the bottom layers of soil with the drip pan is not required, as the
openings 1 will thus be entirely concealed, and the appearance of the pot improved.
Of course the drip openings may be formed in the side walls of the pot above
the drip space 2, and the water flow down therefrom to the drip pan, where the
planta are such, that this construction is suitable, but it is obvious that such a
construction is not so desirable as with the drip openings, opening into the drip
space 2, so as to be below the edge of the drip pan B, and practically
concealed,
In the construction shewn, the drip space 2 formed by the reentrant portion of the
walls of the flower pot A extends entirely about the periphery of the pot, but it will
be understood that a construction may be used in which the side walls of the pot
project inwardly only at intervals, so as to form a series of recesses constituting this
space 2, and into which the drip openings 1 open. Many other modifications may be
made in the details of the construction shewn, without departing from the invention,
which it is to be understood is not to be limited to the exact form or construction
illustrated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed (as communicated
to me from abroad), I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A flower-pot having in its side walls, near the base of the pot, a reentrant
portion, so as to form, in combination with a drip pan, a drip space, and having drip
openings in the walls above the base of the pot, opening into the drip space,
substantially as described.
2. A flower pot having in its side walls, near the base of the pot, a reintrant
portion forming a drip space, and having a drip pan formed integral with the flower
pot, and having drip openings in the walls above the base of the pot, substantially as
described.
3. A flower-pot having in ita side walls, near the base of the pot, a substantially
horizontal reentrant portion, so as to form a drip space 2, and having drip openings
in the reëntrant portion of the walls of the pot, substantially as described.
4. A flower pot having in its side walls, near the base of the pot, a substantially
horizontal reëntrant portion, so as to form a drip space 2, and having a drip pan
formed integral with the flower pot, & having drip openings in the reentrant
portion of the walls of the pot, substantially as described.
5. A flower-pot having in its side walls, near the base of the pot, a substantially
horizontal reentrant portion, so as to form a drip space 2, drip pan B formed integral
with the flower pot, and drip openings in the walls of the flower pot, opening into said
drip space, substantially as described.
6. Flower pot A, having side walls formed with the substantially horizontal

page_text: reentrant portion 3, and vertical portion 4 below the same, drip pan B integral with
the flower-pot, and drip openings 1 in the reentrant portion 3, substantially as
described.