Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1887
Specification Accepted, 28th Oct., 1887
1, ALEXANDER SAMUEL GREENWOOD of 1430 Pearl Street, in the City of Cleveland
in the County of Amyahoga and State of Ohio, United States of America, Merchant
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement
My invention comprises a convertible wire basket, which will be hereinafter fully
described.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved convertible wire basket.
Figure 2 is a perspective view shewing the basket arranged as a hanging basket.
Figure 3 shews it converted into a flower-pot stand for the table.
Figure 4 shows it arranged as a stand for cut flowers.
Figure 5 shews it arranged as a standfor cake or for supporting a lamp, sad-iron,etc.
Figure 6 shews the wire basket arranged as an adjustable support for a lamp
shade; and
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate other forms into which the basket may be readily
converted, and which will be hereinafter described.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
Referring to the several parts by letter, A represents a ring or circle of wire of
suitable diameter, which forms the base ring of my improved convertible wire basket,
and which may be braced in shape by two or more cross-bars B B of wire or other
suitable material. These cross-wires are not absolutely necessary to hold the bass-ring
in shape; but they serve the double purpose of bracing the base-ring in its circular
form and forming a bottom to the basket to support a flower-pot or the like.
C represents the side or main loops, which may be bent into the form shewn in the
drawings, or any modification thereof, and which are hinged on the base-ring
separately by having both of their ends bent around it, as shewn, and clinched into
so as to prevent them from slipping off of the supporting base-ring. In the
drawings I have shewn nine of these side loops but their number may be varied at
will. The said loops are hinged on the base-ring overlapping one another, as shown,
so that one loop cannot be moved without moving all of the loops, thus always insuring
an eye

page_text: the perfect circular form or curvature of the sides of the basket into whatever form it
may be converted.
D D represent the series of small loops or base-loops, which are hinged and arranged
on the base-ring in precisely the same manner as the side-loops. One set or series I)¹
of the said base-loops being normally below and the other series D above the base-ring
as shewn. These small base-loops may be formed in the shape of a segment of a
circle as illustrated in full lines in the drawings, or may be formed in various other
shapes and still operate freely. One row or series may be made semi-circular and the
other pointed, as shewn in dotted lines in figure 3.
The side loops moving on their hinged ends may all be pressed upward, inward,
outwarp or downward, so as to be altered from a globe shape, as in Figure 7, to a
bell form, as in Figure 8 with all the intermediate shapes and forms. Three or more
long supporting-wires F, may have their lower ends bent and clinched into eyes F¹
around intersecting points of the side loops, these supporting wires enabling the basket to
be hung as a hanging basket, while the pressure of the eyes helps to retain the basket
in whatever position it may be adjusted. When the hanging wires are removed, the
basket may be used as a flower-pot stand for the table as illustrated in figure 3, by
pressing the side loops either up or down, so as to form either a globe or bell shape,
the basket resting on either of the rows of base-loops which happen to be on the
bottom being pressed down at right angles to the base ring to form a rigid support for
the basket or the basket may rest directly on its bottom with the base-loops outspread
to form a flat base. Again, the bottom row of base-loops may be placed at right
angles to the base-ring and the side loops pressed down until their points touch the
table, the top row of base-loops being closed in to form a kind of net-work, as shewn
in figure 4 of the drawings, so that cut-flowers may be placed in the interstices with
their stalks projecting through the bottom, and may thus be arranged in a graceful
manner. A small dish of water may be placed on the table and the basket
so placed over it as to allow the stems of the flowers to rest in the water without
wetting the basket and when the water requires changing it may be done without
disturbing the flowers by lifting up the basket and the flowers with it, thus leaving
the dish free to be removed and filled with fresh water and replaced.
advantage of this arrangement is obvious, as flowers will retain their freshness and
bloom for a long time if not handled. Again take out the flowers and press down the
top row of small loops until they rest upon the cross-bars as shewn in figure 5, when the
basket will form a neat strong, and graceful stand for cake, or for supporting a lamp,
sad-iron, &c. By taking out the cross-bars both rows of the base-loops can be closed
around the glass chimney of any lamp, as shewn in figure 6, so as to fit any size
chimney, and by placing a Japanese paper shade over the side loops a neat lamp-shade
is formed, which may be opened or closed so as to throw the light down on the table
or diffuse it around the room as desired. Again the basket may be manipulated to
form a card-receiver, fruit-basket, bread-tray, cake-basket, and if lined will form a
ladies work basket, and may be placed in many other shapes to suit various uses and
fancies.
The
By making the eyes on the ends of the several loops larger or smaller, so as to fit
loosely or tightly around the base-ring, the basket may be made to work very freely or
very stifly. The base-loops are small enough to close and pass entirely through the
base-ring when the cross-bars are removed so that both rows may be together either on
top or on the bottom of the base-ring.
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 convertible wire article, comprising a ring or circle and a plurality of
series of loops hinged to said ring, the loops of each series being adjustable
independently of the loops of the other series, substantially as set forth.
Second. The combination with the base-ring, of the cross-bars, and the side loops
hinged upon and around the said ring, as set forth.

page_text: Third. The combination, with the base-ring, of the double row of base loops, hinged,
as described, upon and around the base-ring, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The combination, with the base-ring of the side loops hinged upon and
around the said ring, and the double row of base-loops hinged as described, upon and
around the base-ring, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The combination, with the base-ring, of the cross-bars, the side loops hinged
upon and around the said ring, and the double row of base-loops hinged as
described upon and around the base-ring substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Sixth. The combination, with the base-ring, the double row of base-loops, and the
side loops, of the suspension-wires, arranged as described.
Seventh. In a convertible wire article, the combination, with a base-ring or circle,
of a series of loops hinged independently to said ring and interlocked, as described,
whereby the relation of said loops will be preserved in the different positions thereof,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 9 1st day of Santambar 1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.