MENTS IN CASES OR APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING AND EXHIBITING. CUT FLOWERS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Floyd Chapman, of Llandudno, in the
***IMPROVE-
County of Carnarvon, Gentleman, for the Invention of
.
MENTS IN CASES OR APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING AND EXHIBITING. CUT
FLOWERS."
Sealed the 10th June 1870, and dated the 13th January 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Floyd Chapman
at the Office of the Commissioners' of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 13th January 1870.
"
.
;
I, WILLIAM FLOYD CHAPMAN, of Llandudno,, in the County of
Carnarvon, Gentleman, do. hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASES OR APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING AND
EXHIBITING CUT FLOWERS," to be as follows:-
—
My Invention consists of the case or apparatus herein-after described
whereby a series of cut flowers may be conveniently transmitted from
place to place for exhibition or otherwise without risk of injury to the
[Price 8d.]

page_text: said flowers.
When arranged in the case or apparatus the cut ends of
the stems of the flowers are immersed in water, and the flowers so
supported that they are uninjured by the inversion or partial inversion
of the case, and the water cannot be spilled in whatever position the case
may be placed. These cases besides serving for the transmission of the
cut flowers may also be used as the trays in which the flowers are
Instead of
When the
In constructing a case or apparatus for transmitting and exhibiting
cut flowers according to my Invention I proceed as follows:-I make a
light wooden shallow box or tray having a cover; the said cover has
one or more rows of holes in it, and underneath the said cover a series
of small conical tubes are fixed, the wide and open end of each tube
being immediately under one of the holes in the tray. Upon this tray
is a second cover of the same size as the first, the said second cover being
made capable of ready attachment to and detachment from the first-
named cover by means of thumbscrews or otherwise. The said second
cover has a series of small holes in it corresponding with the holes in
the first-named cover. Underneath the second cover a series of discs of
india-rubber with central perforations are fixed, each of the said
perforations coinciding with the holes in the two covers.
discs a continuous strip of india-rubber may be employed.
conical tubes have been filled or partly filled with water, and the second
cover fixed down upon the first the tray is ready for the reception of the
cut flowers. The stalk or stem of the flower is put through the hole in
the second cover into the conical tube. The stalk or stem is thus held
upright, its lower end fitting in the narrow end of the conical tube, and its
upper end being supported by the india-rubber washer. Besides holding
the flower upright the india-rubber washer prevents the spilling of the
water from the conical tube. When only one tray of flowers arranged
as described is to be transmitted, it may be dropped into a packing box
of sufficient depth and fixed therein by means of bolts in the upper
cover taking into holes in the sides of the packing box. When several
of the said trays are to be transmitted in one package the upper cover of
each tray must have sides of a depth somewhat greater than the height
of the flowers. A series of trays may thus be placed upon one another
and transmitted together. In order to secure them firmly in their
relative places I fix at each end of the bottom tray a vertical side rod,

page_text: :
.
and to each of the other trays, I fix eyes or staples, which slide upon the
said side rods and keep the trays accurately over one another. I also fix
similar eyes upon the cover which is placed upon the top tray. In
order to bind the whole firmly together the top of each side rod is
screwed, and is provided with a screw nut.. By means of the said screw
nuts the series of trays and the cover may be firmly bound together. For
the purpose of preventing the unpacking of or tampering with the trays
by improper persons I make a hole through the top of each side rod
above the screw nut, and pass the arm of a small padlock through
the said hole. The trays can thus only be separated by the person
possessing the key of the padlocks. When a single tray is transmitted
in a packing box I employ the arrangement of side rods, screw nuts, and
padlocks for fixing down the cover of the case or box. The upper cover
of each tray has a couple of handles for the purpose of lifting it. When
roses or other flowers with long stems are to be arranged in the trays
cach hole in the upper cover is surmounted by a tube or nozzle of the
required length; the said tube or nozzle having a perforated india-rubber
washer at its top. When the trays are separated from one another or
the single tray is lifted from its box the flowers arranged in the said
trays are ready to be exhibited without further preparation.
Instead of making the disks or washers herein-before referred to of
india-rubber, they may be made of leather or other elastic material.
My Invention may be employed for transmitting and exhibiting
bouquets as well as single cut flowers..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Floyd Chapman in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd July 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
FLOYD CHAPMAN, of Landudno, in the County of Carnarvon, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of January; in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,

page_text: givenand grant unto me, the said William Floyd Chapman, Her special
licence that I, the said William Floyd Chapman, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Floyd
Chapman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CASES OR APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING AND EXHIBITING
CUT FLOWERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Floyd Chapman, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should-particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately, after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Floyd Chapman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of the case or apparatus herein-after described
whereby a series of cut flowers may be conveniently transmitted from
place to place for exhibtion or otherwise without risk of injury to the
said flowers. When arranged in the case or apparatus the cut ends of
the stems of the flowers are immersed in water, and the flowers so
supported that they are uninjured by the inversion or partial inversion of
the case, and the water cannot be spilled in whatever position the case
may be placed. These cases besides serving for the transmission of the
cut flowers may also be used as the trays in which the flowers are
exhibited.
In constructing a case or apparatus for transmitting and exhibiting
cut flowers according to my Invention I proceed as follows:-I make a
light wooden shallow box or tray having a cover; the said cover has
one or more rows of holes in it, and underneath the said cover a series of
small conical tubes are fixed, the wide and open end of each tube being
immediately under one of the holes in the tray; or the tubes may be

page_text: T
Instead of disks a con-
17
"
fixed
When the conical tubes
the second cover
reception of the cut
dropped into the holes in the tray. Upon this tray is a second cover
of the same size as the first, the said second cover being made capable
of ready attachment to and detachment from the first named cover by
means of thumb screws or otherwise. The said second cover has a
series of small holes in it corresponding with the holes in the first
named cover.
Underneath the second cover a series of disks of india-
rubber with central perforations are fixed, each of the said perforations
coinciding with the holes in the two covers.
tinuous strip of india-rubber may be employed.
have been filled or partly filled with water, and
down upon the first, the tray is ready for the
flowers. The stalk or stem of the flower is put through the hole in the
second cover into the conical tube. The stalk or stem is thus held
upright, its lower end fitting in the narrow end of the conical tube, and
Besides
its upper end being supported by the india-rubber washer..
holding the flower upright the india-rubber washer prevents the spilling
of the water from the conical tube. When roses or other flowers with
long stems are to be arranged in the trays each hole in the upper cover
is surmounted by a tube or nozzle having a perforated india-rubber
washer at its top. One or a series of the trays of flowers arranged as
described may be transmitted by being placed in a packing box, or a
series of trays may be placed upon one another and bound together.
L
092
:
Instead of making the disks or washers herein-before referred to of
india-rubber they may be made of leather or other elastic; material....
My Invention may be employed for transmitting and exhibiting
bouquets as well as single cut flowers.
101
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation, and Figure 2 in end elevation,
a case or apparatus for transmitting and exhibiting cut flowers packed
for transit constructed according to my Invention; Figure 3 represents
a transverse vertical section, and Figure 4 a horizontal section of the
same. Figure 5 represents in end elevation the packing case opened for
withdrawing the case, box, or tray containing the flowers from the said
packing case. Figure 6 represents in plan of upper side, Figure 7 in
transverse section; and Figure 8 in side elevation, the flower case, box,

page_text: ortray separately drawn to a larger scale. Figure 9 represents a plan
of underside of the removable cover of the case, box, or tray and
Figure 10 is an edge view of the same. The same letters of reference
indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the Drawings.
1 N
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.5
1
a is the packing case in which the box, case, or tray c for holding and
supporting the flowers is placed during the transmission of the said
flowers. The said packing case a is provided at one end with a lid or
door & jointed at bottom, by opening which lid or door, as illustrated
in Figure 5, the flower case, box, or tray c may be introduced into or
withdrawn from the packing case by inserting the fingers in the holes
d, d, in the end of the said case or tray c. The sides of the packing case a
are perforated at a, a, the perforations being covered with wire gauze
for the purpose of allowing of the circulation of air through the case
during the transmission of the flowers.
In the cover of the flower case
or tray c rows of holes e are made, and in the said holes small conical
water tubes are fixed, the said conical tubes being dropped into the
holes e from the top of the cover of the tray or case c.. Upon the cover
of the tray or case ca second cover g is placed, the said cover g being
capable of ready attachment to and detachment from the tray or case by
means of the thumb screws h, h. In the said cover g is a series of
holes coincident with the holes e in the cover of the case or tray c. On
the under side of the cover g a series of disks and strips k of india-rubber
or other elastic material is fixed. Each disk or strip has a perforation or
perforations in it coinciding with a hole or holes in the two covers c, g.
In Figure 9. the cover g is represented provided with perforated elastic
disks and perforated elastic strips, but disks alone or strips alone may be
employed. In the Drawing I have represented a case or tray fitted for
holding single cut flowers and bouquets, the larger holes and tubes being
suitable for holding the bouquets of flowers, and the smaller holes and
tubes being suitable for holding the single cut flowers.
0
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.
In preparing the case or tray for the exhibiting and transmission of
the flowers I proceed as follows:-I fill or partly fill the conical tubes f
with water and place upon the said case or tray the cover g, and by
means of the thumb screws h, h, fix down the said cover upon the said
case or tray. The case or tray is then ready for the reception of the cut
flowers or bouquets. The stalks or stems of the single cut, flowers, or
the combined stalks or stems of the flowers of the bouquet are passed
"
.: 1
J

page_text: through the holes in the cover g, and also through the perforations in
the disks or strips k into the conical tubes. f. beneath the cover of the
tray or case c. The stalks of the flowers are by this means held upright,
their lower ends fitting in the narrow ends of the conical water tubes f,
and their upper ends being supported by the india-rubber or elastic
washers or strips, and also in case of flowers with long stems by tubes
or nozzles surmounting the cover 9. provided with perforated elastic
washers at top. When the flowers are so held in the case or tray c they
are uninjured by the inversion or partial inversion of the said case or
tray, and the water cannot be spilled from the tubes f in whatever
position the flower case or tray may be placed. The case or tray
thus holding and supporting the flowers or bouquets is placed for
transmission in the packing case a from the open end thereof, as
illustrated in Figure 5, and by closing the lid or door b and fastening it
by the padlock the flowers are ready to be transmitted from place to
place for exhibition without risk of injury to the said flowers. A tally m
carrying the direction card is provided with a jointed end n for securing
the said card in the tally. The tally and jointed end are furnished with
slots for placing the said tally upon the staple of the padlock or upon
the hook of the padlock before the latter is locked. The removal of the
direction card from the tally is thereby prevented.
In order to exhibit the flowers after the packing case has reached its
destination the lid or door b is opened, and by introducing the fingers
into the holes d, d, at the end of the case or tray c the said case or tray
may be withdrawn, and the flowers supported therein are ready to be
exhibited without further preparation. For the purpose of inclining the
tray or case on the exhibition table the said tray or case is provided with
jointed legs p, by opening out which legs, as illustrated in Figures 7
and 8, one end of the tray or case may be raised so as to incline the tray
or case at the required angle.
Where a series of trays or cases are to be transmitted. together the
packing case a is made deeper than that represented, and the said trays
or cases are placed one above another in the packing case, the said
packing case being provided with grooves or ledges for supporting the
trays or cases. Or the several trays or flower cases may be transmitted
in one package without a packing case. For this purpose the upper
cover of each tray must have sides of a depth somewhat greater than

page_text: the height of the flowers. A series of trays may thus be placed upon
one another and transmitted together. In order to. secure them firmly
in their relative places I fix at each end of the bottom tray a vertical
side rod, and to each of the other trays I fix eyes or staples which slide
upon the said side rods and keep the trays accurately over one another.
I also fix similar eyes upon the cover which is placed upon the top tray.
In order to bind the whole firmly together the top of each side rod is
screwed and is provided with a screw nut. By means of the said screw
nuts the series of trays and the cover may be firmly bound together.
For the purpose of preventing the unpacking of or. tampering with the
trays by improper persons I make a hole through the top of each side
rod above the screw nut and pass the arm of a small. padlock through
the said hole. The trays can thus only be separated by the person
possessing the key of the padlocks.
:
:
Although I prefer to employ conical water tubes in combination with
my improved flower case or tray, yet I do not limit myself thereto as
tubes of other forms may be used.
Instead of making the flower case or tray c with its cover g and the
packing case a of wood they may be made of tin or zinc or other cheap
and hard metal or alloy or other material.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do
not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated
as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention,
But I claim as my Invention the improvements in cases or apparatus
for transmitting and exhibiting cut flowers, herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, supporting
the cut flowers, whether singly or in bouquets, for transmission and
exhibition in a shallow case, box, or tray constructed as described,
and provided with water tubes and india-rubber or other elastic
washers or strips, substantially as and for the purposes described and
illustrated.
Also. Combining the said flower cases, boxes, or träys with a. packing
case or box for the transmission of the said flower cases, boxes, or trays,

page_text: Also. The arrangement of parts described for packing and binding
together a series of the said flower cases, boxes, or trays for trans-
mission.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Floyd Chapman, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of June,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy.
10
Witness,
JESSIE WARDEN,
Llandudno.
WILLIAM FLOYD CHAPMAN. (L.S.) .