Improvements in or relating to Wickerwork Baskets, Hampers, Chairs and the like."
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1900
Improvements in or relating to Wickerwork Baskets, Hampers,
Chairs and the like."
I, GEORGE WALDSCHMITT of 12 Fern Grove, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Merchant, 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 baskets, hampers, chairs or the like, and has for its
object to strengthen such articles so as to make them stronger and more durable than
hitherto. The ordinary construction of basket work is not strong enough for many
purposes to resist the strains which are brought to bear upon it, but by combining
metallic wires with the wicker or cane, an article is obtained characterized by a
sufficient amount of strength and durability.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hamper, Figure 3 a chair and Figure 4 a basket
constructed in accordance with my invention;
Figure 2, a detail view.
Referring to Figure 1, I strengthen the basket by means of metallic wires or strips
interwoven-with-the-wicker of the basket, hamper or other article, and-(er) passed
through the centre of the wicker or cane. In the case of baskets or hampers, I pass
metallic wires or strips B vertically down the ends of the basket and horizontally
along near the bottom interweaving it with the wicker, the wires B passing through
the handle C and with the ends joined inside where the joining cannot be seen. This
effectually strengtheus the handle, and prevents it coming off. The wires A of the
body of the hamper are by-preference passed through the centre of the sticks of
wicker or cane at the vertical corners, and also through the sticks forming the
horizontal top and bottom edges at both sides and ends, and also wires A are passed
through the sticks of the lid frame. These wires A are as far as possible made
continuous so as to bind the members of the frame together. By this arrangement
therefore the basket or hamper is materially strengthened, while making it
impossible for the handle to separate-therefrom. Further the The wires being
passed through the centre of the sticks of wicker or cane, renders these wires invisible,
while materially strengthening the structure. In the case of wires B they need not
necessarily go right along under the bottom of the hamper, as sufficient strength can
be obtained by interweaving it with the basket work of the ends, but they can be
passed right through the bottom if desired as shown in the case of the basket in
figure 4. In addition to these wires, the whole structure of the basket may have metallic
wires, interwoven with the wicker, these wires being coloured if desired to imitate the
wicker. Figure 2 shows the wire passed through the centre of a stick of wicker or

page_text: cane, these metallic cored sticks being placed at the corners of the basket and lid,
and which form the frame on which the wicker is woven and built up. By this means
therefore a very strong hamper is produced.
In the case of basket chairs, shown in figure 3 the wire D is passed vertically from
the bottom to the arm rest, then round the back of the chair and to the arm rest on
the opposite side and then down to the botton and the ends joined together at the
base.
This wire resists the great strain which is always put upon the chair when a
person sits and leans back in it. The bottom of the chair is also provided with a
strengthening wire E at the edges which keeps it in shape and resists any liability of
collapsing. In the examples shown in figures 3 and 4, the metallic wire enn be is
passed through the centre of the sticks of wicker or cane and as-well-as-being inter-
woven with the wicker.
I am aware that it is not new to strengthen the handles of baskets by means of
a wire or wires transversely covered or helically wrapped by the material of which
said baskets are manufactured hence I do not broadly claim such but
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 :-
1. The means-for-strengthening wicker baskets, hampers-and-the-like-which-con-
sists-in-interweaving metallie-wires-or--strips--with- the wicker or basket--work in
such-a-manner-as-to strengthen-it and resist the strains to which it is subjected,
substantially as described.
1. 2. In baskets, hampers, chairs and the like, providing the sticks of cane or
wicker forming the framing thereof, with metallic wire cores passed through the
centre in such a manner as to strengthen the cane or wicker and resist fracture while
binding the pieces together substantially as described.
2. 3 The general combined arrangement and construction of parts substantially
as set forth.
ted this 6th day of December 1899.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.