US3245175A - Holder for supporting flowers and the like - Google Patents

Description

April 12, 1966 A. F. KLINGBERG 3, 5

HOLDER FOR SUPPORTING FLOWERS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 30, 1963 //V VE N TOR ARTHUR E KL /N6BE'RG ATTORNEY- United States Patent 3,245,175 HOLDER FOR SUPPORTING FLOWERS AND THE LIKE Arthur F. Klingberg, Elmwood Park, Ill., assignor to Beco Products Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 334,130 4 Claims. (Cl. 47-4113) This invention relates to a holder for supporting flowers and the like.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a holder adapted to be positioned in a container, such as a flower pot or the like for supporting flowers and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for supporting flowers and the like in a display position. This invention facilitates the display of natural or artificial flowers and the like in a flower pot or other container. The flower stem is readily inserted into the holder to be held therein and is likewise easily removable. The holder is very simple and inexpensive to manufacture and is easy to use.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view showing this invention positioned in a flower pot.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the holder with a portion broken away to show the opposite member.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on lines 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of one of the sections, which sections form the wall surface, and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view showing a flower stem inserted in and supported by the holder.

The holder comprises a pair of members designated by thenumerals 10 and 12, which are of identical construction and which are adapted to be secured together to form the holder. Since both members are identical a detailed description of one will suffice.

Themembers 10 and 12 are each integrally molded, preferably of -a plastic material such as polyethylene. It includes anannular wall 14 provided with an annular dependingrim 16. Thewall 14 is formed with spaced intersecting ribs which divide the entire wall into a plurality of rectangular-like sections bounded by the intersecting ribs. Theribs 18 which are equally spaced and parallel extend in the same direction and intersect the equally spaced parallel transversely extendingribs 20 at right angles to form the rectangularshaped 'box-like sections 22 throughout the entire wall of the members. Theribs 18 and 20 extend inwardly of the top surface.

Overlying and connected by theribs 18 and 20 and formed integrally therewith arewall surfaces 24 which extend into thesections 22 and formthe wall surfaces of the sections. Each rectangular-shaped section 22 is provided with intersectingslotted portions 26 and 28, intersecting at right angles, which in effect form a slotted cross withinealch section 22. Theslots 26 and 28 extend to the ribs.

The center or intersecting point of theslots 26 and 28, indicated by thenumeral 30, is the point at which thestem 32 of the flower is inserted. Thus, each rectangular-shaped section 22 consists of four spaced rectangular-shaped wall surfaces 24, with the intersectingslots 26 and 28 having a common center opening 30. The rectangular-shaped wall surfaces 24 have a degree "ice of resiliency suflicient to permit flexing thereof when thestem 32 is inserted and withdrawn. Eachrectangularshaped section 22 is bordered by the spaced intersectingribs 18 and 20 and such sections extend across .and form the entire wall surface of the member.

Themember 12, which is formed likemember 10, is adapted to be positioned so that theannular rim 16 ofmember 12 rests within theannular rim 16 of themember 10, and thewall 14 ofmember 12 is in spaced relation to thewall 14 ofmember 10, as best seen in FIG. 3. The two members form a nested enclosure and are held in such nested position by a friction tight fit therebetween. The twomembers 10 and 12 may be formed from the same rnold. Due to the pli-ableness or give of the material one can be compressed into the other for the purpose described. When the two members are connected, as aforesaid, and properly alined, thecenters 30 of theintersecting slots 26 and 28 of the two members will be in substantial alinement.

The holder comprising the twomembers 10 and 12, joined as aforesaid, is inserted into .acontainer 34, such as a flower pot, in a horizontal position and is positioned below the top thereof and held therein by a friction fit. When aflower stem 32 is inserted in the member which forms the top of the holder, forexample member 10, the stem will cause therectangular wall surfaces 24, particularly the edge surfaces contiguous to thecenter 30, to flex inwardly to grip the stem and the corresponding edges in .thelower member 12 will flex outwardly to also grip the stem. The stem is thus gripped along its length at two spaced areas, one below the other, to support the stem. The edges of the four rectangular wall surfaces provide in eifect fingers to perform the gripping action.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A holder for supporting a plurality of stems of flowers or the like within a container in spaced relation, comprising a pair of identical members inserted in the container, each member having a wall and an annular rim, the members being so arranged that the members are inverted with respect to each other with the annular rim of one nested within the annular rim of the other and the wall of one member positioned opposite and in spaced relation to the wall of the other, each wall including a plurality of spaced intersecting ribs and a plurality of sections formed by said intersecting ribs, each said section having :a pair of intersecting slots with one slot substantially at right angles to the other and forming at the intersection an opening adapted to grippingly and frictionally receive a stem, so that the stem is supported by said pair of members engaging the stem at spaced areas along the length thereof.

2. A structure defined in claim 1 in which the members are formed of a plastic material having a degree of resiliency.

3. A structure defined in claim 1 in which eadh section is of a rectangular shape with the slots extending to the ribs.

4. A structure defined in claim 1 which is fonmed of a yieldable plastic material and in which each section has four spaced equally sized members formed by the intersecting slots with the four spaced equally sized members at said intersecting opening yielding to receive the stem when inserted so that it is frictionally and grippingly engaged.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Stuck 47--41.11

As'h 4741.13 Seidel 474-1.11 MoDonaild 4741 1'1 Tuppcr 47- 411. 11

FOREIGN PATENTS ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

ANTONIO F. GUIDA, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A HOLDER FOR SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF STEMS OF FLOWERS OR THE LIKE WITHIN A CONTAINER IN SPACED RELATION, COMPRISING A PAIR OF IDENTICAL MEMBERS INSERTED IN THE CONTAINER, EACH MEMBER HAVING A WALL AND AN ANNULAR RIM, THE MEMBERS BEING SO ARRANGED THAT THE MEMBERS ARE INVERTED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER WITH THE ANNULAR RIM OF ONE NESTED WITHIN THE ANNULAR RIM OF THE OTHER AND THE WALL OF ONE MEMBER POSITIONED OPPOSITE AND IN SPACED RELATION TO THE WALL OF THE OTHER, EACH WALL INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SPACED INTERSECTING RIBS AND A PLURALITY OF SECTIONS FORMED BY SAID INTERSECTING RIBS, EACH SAID SECTION HAVING A PAIR OF INTERSECTING SLOTS WITH ONE SLOT SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE OTHER AND FORMING AT THE INTERSECTION AN OPENING ADAPTED TO GRIPPINGLY AND FRICTIONALLY RECEIVE A STEM, SO THAT THE STEM IS SUPPORTED BY SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS ENGAGING THE STEM AT SPACED AREAS ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF.

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