OR IMPROVED MEANS FOR SUPPLYING CUT FLOWERS AND THE LIKE, WITH WATER
Year: 1885

page_text: like with Water.
I, WILLIAM MORGAN of Cannon Street Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "NEW OR
IMPROVED MEANS FOR SUPPLYING CUT FLOWERS AND THE LIKE, WITH WATER,"
to be as follows:-
My invention consists of a means or an appliance, in the form of a font, for
supplying cut flowers and the like, for table decorations and out door monumental
bouqets and wreaths, with a constant supply of pure water, to replenish that loss
which has been occasioned, by evapouration or absorbtion; and my said invention
consists of a closed vessel preferably of glass having a bulbous or spherical head
with a truncated or tubular stem, the sides of the latter being pierced with one or
more holes, at the height or level at which water is required to be maintained as
hereinafter described. The terminal end of the tube which is a prolongation of
the bulbous head is sealed preferably by a cork or stopper; and through this
stoppered end, a rod passes, and is capable of adjustment by sliding in and out of
the cork, so as to lengthen or shorten the depending rod or stem; this rod or stem
is for the purpose of both supporting the font, and for determining the exact
position of the hole in the stem, with respect to the height of water to be
maintained in a vessel in which cut flowers are arranged or placed; thus, to start
the font, it is filled with water in an inclined or inverted position through the
open end of the tube, which proceeds from the bulbous head, effected by the
removal of the cork or stopper which closes up the end; and when filled, the stopper
is then reinserted and the font inverted, and placed tube downwards within the
vessel of water in which flowers are placed, the hole in the side of the tube being
on a level with the water in the said vessel.
After the font has been placed in position as described, filled with water, the air
will be excluded from it, so long as the level of water in the vessel is above the hole
in its stem, and no water will flow from the font so long as this is maintained, as
the pressure of the atmosphere is much greater than the pressure of the column of
liquid in the font; and as water in the vessel is lessened by evapouration or
absorbtion, so the liquid in the vessel will fall and a small bubble of air will then
CT

page_text: insinuate itself and rise or pass through the hole in the stem, and rise to the top of
the font where it will exert an elastic pressure upon the surface of water con-
tained therein, and force through the hole an equivalent amount of liquid which
will continue to rise in the vessel until the bole is again covered; and this will be
continually repeated until all water in the font has been exhausted, thereby
maintaining water at a constant level.
Flower fonts herein before described may be made of any suitable material,
such for example as glass in various colors, china, earthenware, terra-cotta, gutter-
percha, metal.
The font when in use, is arranged among the flowers so as to hide it from view;
or it may be made of such an ornamental figure, that shall constitute either
a flower itself or some object, such as a cross, a bird or any other object which it
may be desired to imitate. If the vessel in which the flowers be arranged, is a
shallow one, the font may be arranged with a suitable base for maintaining it in
position.
In large fonts, the water container may be opened at its top and sealed by a cork
or other stopper, through which opening, water is introduced for recharging; at the
same time stopping the aperture at the bottom while filling. Or by employing a
valve or valves arranged and worked in any suitable way. This last named
appliance is substituted for the cork stopper as described. .
Dated this fourth day of April 1885

page_text: New or Improved Means for Supplying Cut Flowers and the
like with Water.
"
I, WILLIAM MORGAN of Cannon Street Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "NEW OR
IMPROVED MEANS FOR SUPPLYING CUT FLOWERS AND THE LIKE, WITH WATER,"
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention consists of a means or an appliance, in the form of a font, for
supplying cut flowers and the like, for table decorations and out door monumental
bouquets and wreaths, with a constant supply of pure water, to replenish that loss.
which has been occasioned, by evaporation or absorbtion; and my said invention
consists of a closed vessel preferably of glass having a bulbous or spherical head
with a truncated or tubular stem, the sides of the latter being pierced with one or
more holes, at the height or level at which water is required to be maintained as
hereinafter described. The terminal end of the tube which is a prolongation of the
bulbous head, is sealed preferably by a cork or stopper; and through this stoppered
end, a rod passes, and is capable of adjustment by sliding in and out of the cork, so
as to lengthen or shorten the depending rod or stem; this rod or stem is for the
purpose of both supporting the font, and for determining the exact position of
the hole in the stem, with respect to the height of water to be maintained in a
vessel in which cut flowers are arranged or placed; thus, to start the font, it is
filled with water in an inclined or inverted position through the open end of the
tube which proceeds from the bulbous head, effected by the removal of the cork or
stopper which closes up the end; and when filled, the stopper is then reinserted
and the font inverted, and placed tube downwards within the vessel of water in
which flowers are placed, the hole in the side of the tube being on a level with the
water in the said vessel.
After the font has been placed in position as described, filled with water, the air
will be excluded from it, so long as the level of water in the vessel is above the hole
in its stem, and no water will flow from the font so long as this is maintained, as
the pressure of the atmosphere is much greater than the pressure of the column of
liquid in the font; and as water in the vessel is lessened by evaporation or
absorbtion, so the liquid in the vessel will fall and a small bubble of air will
then insinuate itself and rise or pass through the hole in the stem, and rise to the
top of the font where it will exert an elastic pressure upon the surface of water
contained therein, and force through the hole an equivalent amount of liquid which
will continue to rise in the vessel until the hole is again covered, and this will
be continually repeated until all water in the font has been exhausted, thereby
maintaining water at a constant level.

page_text: Flower fonts berein before described, may be made of any suitable material, such
for example as glass in various colors, china, earthenware, terra-cotta, gutta-percha
and metal.
The font when in use, is arranged among the flowers so as to hide it from view;
or it may be made of such an ornamental figure, that shall constitute either a
flower itself or some other object, such as a cross, a bird or any other object which
it may be desired to imitate. If the vessel in which the flowers be arranged, is a
shallow one, the font may be arranged with a suitable base, for maintaining it in
position.
In large fonts, the water container may be opened at its top, and sealed by a
cork or other stopper, through which opening, water is introduced for recharging,
at the same time stopping the aperture at the bottom while filling. Or by employ-
ing a valve or valves arranged and worked in any suitable way; this last named
appliance may be substituted for the cork stopper as described.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the
manner in which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in elevation a water supplying font or feeder, made
according to my invention, consisting of a double bulbous or spherical head a,
with a truncated or tubular stem b, the side of the latter being pierced with a hole
or opening c, at a position corresponding to the height or level at which water is
required to be maintained within a vessel wherein cut flowers and the like are
placed.
The lower end 62 of the stem or truncated part b is closed by a cork or stopper d,
through which said cork or stopper an adjustable rod or wire e passes stiffly. This
rod is capable of adjustment by sliding in and out, or through the stopper, so as to
lengthen or shorten the outside end of the rod, in order to adjust the hole in the
font to the height or level of the water in the vessel. This rod also forms a leg
for supporting the font at the measured height as aforesaid.
Figure 2 represents a vertical section of the said water font or feeder in position
with the hole in the stem, just below the level of the water f in the vessel g.
On the font having been filled with water, and placed in an inverted position as
represented in figure 2, no water is allowed to pass from it, until the level of the
water in the vessel g is lowered by evaporation or absorbtion, as the pressure of
the atmosphere is greater than the column of liquid in the font; but immediately
the water in the vessel is lowered, so as to expose the hole c to the atmosphere,
then a small bubble of air will then insinuate itself, and rise to the inside of the
top of the font, where it will exert an elastic pressure upon the water contained
therein, and so force outwardly through the hole in the font an equivalent amount
of liquid, thereby raising the liquid in the vessel to a height so as to cover the
hole, thus always keeping the liquid in the vessel at a constant level, until the
water in the font has been exhausted, above the level of the hole.
Figure 3 shows another form of font, with a single bulbous head. Figure 4 is a
like font with a conical or peak like head.
The fonts as described are preferably made of glass, but may be made of any
other suitable material, such as china, earthenware, terra-cotta, metal and india-
rubber.
Figure 5 represents an india-rubber water font or feeder made in the form of an
image of a child.
To supply the said image font with water, it is only necessary to collapse the
object, which creates a vacuum on the sides being again distended; such distension
causes water to flow through the hole at the lower part, thereby filling the image.
Figure 6 represents a font in the form of a cross for monumental decorations.
The said cross is provided with a foot, which rests upon the bottom of the vessel
wherein it is placed.
If necessary, the water supplying font may be made a part of a flower holding
vessel or stand.

page_text: 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. A water supply font or feeder, for supplying or replenishing fresh water
to cut flowers and the like; which said font or feeder consists of a water receptacle
provided with a hole or holes at or near its lower part, through which hole or holes,
water flows, to replenish that water which has been lost by evaporation and
absorbtion, substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. An adjustable device for flower fonts or feeders, consisting of a rod
or support working within, or through a cork or stoppered end (or its equivalent)
for determining or adjusting the height or level of the hole in the font or feeder
with respect to the water level, and also for supporting the said font; substantially
as described and illustrated in figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.