Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 28th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 28th Jan., 1887.
I, HUGH SHEARER, of 42 Howard Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Glass Merchant
and Manufacturer of Wreath Cases, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to
be as follows:-
"
My Invention has reference to an improved construction of wreath or flower cases
combined with their stands, (such as arc, used over graves "in memorium of the
dead), which improvements will make these cases more suitable for either standing or
hanging cases and more convenient in other respects than such cases have been as
heretofore constructed.
My invention or improvements consist in the use of a domed or other ordinary
shaped glass shade, but deeper than usual, and fitting round its outer bottom lip or
edge a light sheet metal hoop or band, for hinging it on one side, and securing it by a
spring catch, when closed up, on the opposite side down to its sole plate or stand in
an improved manner. The improved sole plate and stand to which the glass shade is
so hinged and secured, consists of a sheet-metal disc or other equivalent flat bottom or
sole, with a vertical circular sheet metal or other rim projecting up outside and a little
larger than the outer diameter of the lower rim and hoop of the glass shade, for a
considerable depth, (as from of an inch to 1½ inches), so as to allow of this being
freely closed into and opened out of this said outer steadying rim or socket, which
would be formed or fitted with an ornamental outer projecting ring or polygonal
frame stand secured to or formed on the said lower sole and close up to the said retaining
recess or socket. The wreath or flowers would be secured by wire on the upper side
of a sheet disc, smaller than the inside diameter of the shade, and at the level of the
top of the recessed frame or stand. This disc or plate would have bars on its back of
the depth of the recess, and would be hinged at one side to the lower sole plate, which
would have a guide slot through it at the other side at right angles to the hinge. In
this slot would be fitted a slide inside under the hinged disc, with a securing screw
outside, (or other retaining catch). This slide would have the inner and lower end of
an angled bow stay or rod, jointed at the other extremity to the opposite underside of
the disc plate, so that as the slide was moved away from the hinge it would raise the

page_text: plate to any
desired angle to show the wreath or flowers to the best advantage, the
screw outside being fixed to retain the disc and flowers in this position when used as
a horizontal case or stand, the increased height of the glass shade admitting of the
wreath or flowers being so raised within it. The lower sole, of this improved stand
and case combined, would have three or four shallow knob feet formed or secured on
its under side to allow of its standing steady on any flat place clear of the retaining
and shifting parts below. To allow of the glass shade being opened up out of its
retaining recess or socket, the hinge soldered to the outer hoop of the shade would be
jointed to the inner end of a wire bow or link passed out through holes in the back
sole plate, which when drawn out behind and turned out flat with and close to this
plate acts as a hinge for securing the shade to its plate stand and as a loop link or ring
for hanging this wreath case by in a vertical manner, as well as acting as a stand on a
horizontal plane. A spring loop catch or other equivalent, would be soldered to the
opposite or lower side of the hoop of the glass shade, so as to pass through a slot for it
in the back or sole plate, when the shade was closed down into its recess.
This spring
catch might have a slide pin fitted on the outside of the sole for being inserted into the
loop or eye of the spring catch, so as to secure the shade firmly in its recessed frame
stand. The outer ornamental rings or polygonal frames of the stand part of these
wreath cases might be made in various ways according to the quality of case required.
For japanned stands, the outer frames might be made of embossed sheet metal in the
style of rustic work or of ornamental mouldings, and japanned in colours to suit the
design or according to taste. Or otherwise, the outer frames of these sole stands,
might be formed of white or black marble, or porcelain or earthenware, and secured by
stucco or other cementing material, or by wire, to the sole plate or to the metal rim of
the retaining recess for the glass shade; or these ring frames may be made to form
the said retaining recesses for the shades without the metal rim or ring hereinbefore
described.

page_text: I, HUGH SHEARER, of 42 Howard Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Glass Merchant and
Manufacturer, 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 :-
My Invention relates to improved Wreath or Flower Cases (such as are used over
graves); said Improvements are devised with a view to render such cases better
adapted to allow of their being placed in a horizontal, inclined or suspended vertical
position, and to permit the display of the enclosed memorial, wreaths, or flowers, to
better advantage than has heretofore been obtainable in wreath or flower cases, as also
to render cases constructed in accordance with my Invention, more convenient in other
respects than those hitherto devised.
In order that my Invention may be better understood, I have appended the accom-
panying 2 sheets of drawings, in which Figure 1, sheet 1, is a plan of the top of the
sole plate of a frame stand, designed according to my Invention. Figure 2 a plan of
the bottom of the sole plate. Figure 3 a sectional elevation of one type of stand.
Figure 4 is also a sectional elevational view of the same stand shewn in Figure 3,
which is caused to assume an inclined position, by the means hereinafter described.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of a modification of the preceding type of stand.
Figure 6 Sheet 2 represents a plan of the underneath portion or bottom of the sole
plate of another modification or type of wreath or flower case or stand, according to my
Invention. Figure 7 is a sectional elevational view of this latter type of case in an
inclined position, Figure 8 representing said case in a horizontal position.
Referring to Sheet 1, A is the sole plate of a frame stand, surrounded by suitably
ornamented base or support D. On the upper surface of the sole plate A, are soldered,
at suitable distances apart, the three wires g, g, g for the purpose of holding in place
the wreath or flowers. At one side of the sole plate A, is fixed a hinge e; which hinge
is also soldered, or otherwise attached to the band or hoop f, to which the dome
shaped glass shade E is secured; or, in lieu of the device described as aforesaid, the
shade may be secured by catches a or equivalent means.
At the other side of the glass shade E aforesaid, is also soldered a spring or other
catch, which passes a slot or hole cut in the base D, as shewn at d, into which takes
the sliding pin a, shewn more particularly in Figure 2, which, when pressed into the
catch, secures the shade to the sole plate. Referring more particularly to Figure 2
sheet 1, an attachment piece b¹, is soldered or otherwise secured to the underface of the
sole plate, and is formed with a tubular portion as shewn, which receives, and in which
is free to work the upper portion of the angular supports d. These supports when
opened out, allow of the stand being placed in an inclined position, (see Figure 4), to
allow of the advantageous display of the enclosed wreath. In Figure 3 the angular
supports are shewn brought up close to the sole plate, and held in position by a small
wire catch 1.
Figure 5 represents a type of frame stand, to some extent similar to that previously
referred to and illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4, but in place of the forked support for

page_text: inclining the stand, I substitute an inner supplementary sole plate B somewhat smaller
than the enclosing glass shade and secured to the sole plate proper A, forming an
inclined support as shewn. A wire ring or loop e is attached to the under portion of
the ornamental base D aforesaid, in order that the case may, when wished, be
suspended.
I have shewn in Sheet 2 of the accompanying drawings, another type of frame
stand, which in accordance with my Invention, differs in some particulars, from those
previously described. In this latter modification A, Figure 6 is the underface of the
sole plate proper, surrounded by an ornamented projecting base D. On the said sole
plate are arranged at equal distances apart, the feet or supports, two of which h h are
pierced to take the sliding pins a, for securing the shade in position as hereinbefore
described; the third foot or support h¹ is formed with a tubular portion or neck which
receives, and within which, is free to work, as in the case of a hinge, the lower portion
of the suspension piece E, for hanging the frame stand in a vertical position. The
other end of the said loop Figure 7 is hinged to the metal hoop or band
the dome shaped glass shade E is secured. A slot I Figure 6 is cut in the sole plate A
aforesaid, at right angles to the hinge at in which slot works a slide i Figure 7,
secured by the thumb screw ; to this slide, as also to the bottom of the supplementary
sole plate B, a stay rod k, is pivotted, which latter is of smaller diameter than that of
the interior of the glass shade, and is hinged as at m; and has fixed to its under side,
a narrow band or hoop j of such a depth as to bring the said supplementary sole plate
level with the top of the hoop or band c of the glass shade E.
to which
From the foregoing and on referring to the figures in Sheet 2, it will be seen that
when the glass shade E is closed down into its position, it will drop into the annular
recess between the supplementary sole plate B, and the ornamented base D, and the
wire loop e will be in a position nearly parallel with the sole plates, so that it will be
impossible to uncover the enclosed wreath or flowers, without first raising the shade
out of the said recess. In order to give the enclosed wreath or flowers any desired
inclination, the thumb screw is loosened and the slide i pushed forward within the
slot i before mentioned towards the loop e thus giving to the supplementary plate B
any desired angle or inclination.
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,
The Improved Memorial Wreath or Flower cases with stands combined, whereby I
am enabled to allow of same being employed either in a horizontal, inclined, or
suspended vertical position, substantially as herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying 2 sheets of drawings.
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.