US581376A - jclo raiiijni - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

O. S. SIMPSON.

FOLDING FLOWER STAND.

No. 581,376. Patented Apr. 27,- 1897.

1 FIG 5.

"fil- PATENT EEicE.

CHARLES SAMUEL SIMPSON, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

FOLDING FLOWER-STAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,376, dated April 27, 1897.

Application filed March 18, 1896- Serial No. 683,046- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES SAMUEL SIMP- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Flower- Stands; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of flowerstands which may be folded so as to be reduced to. a compact form suitable for packing and shipping or for stowing away when not desired for use; and it consists of certain forms of construction by which the folding is accomplished and other improvements, which will be more fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

My objects are, first, to provide a folding flower-stand which may be quickly folded into the smallest possible space and a convenient form for shipment or stowage; second, to provide a flower-stand which may be constructed of metal having base and shelves to contain water; and with these objects in view my invention is cheaply manufactured, accomplishes the above objects, and is durable and economical in use.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation; Fig. 2, a top plan of shelves; Fig. 3, a cross-sectional view of the shelves, showing the legs in perspective; and Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of a leg.

In constructing my invention (represented by A) I usually make the shelves B, O, and D of galvanized iron, with the edges turned up and all the joints soldered so as to form a basin on each shelf for holding water, as this dispenses with the use of saucers under the flower-pots.

The shelves may be of any convenient number, and in the cheaper or less expensive kinds other material is used and painted. Each shelf may be suitably provided with a valve and drip-pipe, or in some cases I may use merely a drain-hole and stopper. The

legs are generally four in number, but in some cases I use but three, and a greater number may be used for stands of larger sizes.

The top shelf has a semicircular front and a straight back, and the others are semicircular at the front and have the central parts cutaway so that they have a semicircular form at the inside, the bottom shelf being slightly larger inside than the outside of the one next above, and this being larger than the one next above it. The ends are squared, so that when folded the extreme back presents a straight line across the stand. The ends of each lower shelf are connected by a suitable frame-piece similar to the turned-up edge or flange of the shelves. side of the circle of each shelf except the upper one and to the frame-pieces across the back are spreaders or rods G G H S, hinged to pieces I,which are secured thereto. The under side of each shelf above is provided with a suitable eye or staple J, and the spreaders have a hook at the free end adapted to engage an eye. When folding the stand, the hooks are first disengaged from the eyes and laid down out of the way. WVhen in use, the Spreaders maintain the shelves at a proper distance apart. It will be understood that when the stand is folded the bottoms of all the shelves will be on the same plane, so that the whole will occupy the smallest possible space.

The legs are metallic, preferably of round section, and are made telescoping. The upper end P is hinged to the under side of the upper shelf and the part L below passes through a sleeve K 0, having a hole by which it is hinged to a suitable bracket-ear at the under side of the next shelf below. A like sleeve K, provided with an ear 0, is attached to the under side ofthe next shelf below, being the third from the top, or where more shelves are usedv these sleeves are attached to the bottom shelf and the part L extends downward through the lower sleeve. The lower ends E E F F of the legs are smaller than the parts L and are slidable longitudinally inside of them, the bottom end of each being provided with a caster B. When folded, these lower ends slide inward, so that the length of the leg is no greater than the radius of the circle described At the inner The sleeve has an ear.

by the combined shelves. When the legs are extended, a small pin M is inserted through suitable holes below the sleeve K in the part L and the extensible part E, securing them in position. In attaching the legs to the upper shelf the point of connection is such that the legs when unfolded extend outward at an angle, an d when the shelves are folded the hinged sleeves permit the legs to slide through them and adjust themselves at the under side of the shelves, their lower ends radiating outward from an approximate center toward the outward circle.

It is obvious that minor details of construction may be changed and various materials may be used or the edges of the shelves may be multisided instead of semicircular, as may seem desirable, without departing from the intent and spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein-described flower-stand, comprising in combination a series of semicircular shelves having raised edges, and means for drawing off water from said shelves; a series of hook-spreaders hinged to each of said shelves except the uppermost and engaging with suitable eyes attached to the next adjacent shelf above for the purpose of securing said shelves at a proper distance apart when in use; a series of extensible or telescoping legs hinged at their upper ends to the upper shelf and radially extending outward toward the periphery of the arcs; a series of sleeves pivot-ally hinged to the others of said shelves through which the said legs may slide when said stand is folded, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

2. In a folding flower-stand, the combination of a series of shelves of semicircular form having raised edges capable of containing water, said shelves being of such size that the outer periphery of each is smaller than the inner circle of the next adjacent shelf so that when folded neither shelf will overlap either of the next adjacent shelves but will lie approximately fiat on a plain surface; a series of telescoping or extensible legs hinged to the upper shelf of said stand and slidable longitudinally through sleeves hinged to the lower shelves, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

3. The combination, in a folding flowerstand, of a series of semicircular shelves, a series of spreaders consisting of hinged hooks providing means for securing the several shelves in position relative to each other, the pivoted sleeves at the under side of each shelf, the series of telescoping legs pivoted to the top shelf, radiatin g therefrom and passing slidably through said sleeves, substantially as shown and described for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix m ysignature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES SAMUEL SIMPSON.

Vitnesses:

JNo. S. THURMAN, E. T. SILvIUs.

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