GB1603243A - Holders for plants and flowers - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO HOLDERS FOR PLANTS AND FLOWERS (71) We, AMARANTINE N.V., a company incorporated in the Netherlands Antilles of Handelskade, 8 Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: One popular way of mounting floral displays in the home involves the use of a suspended pot plant holder, sometimes called a planter, into which a trailing or other pot plant is stood. We have now appreciated the manner in which such holders or indeed more conventional wall vases, can form the basis for a more elaborate ornament.

In accordance with the present invention, an assembly comprises a plant or flower holder, which is arranged to be hung on a wall surface, and a series of separate tablets; the bottom edge of the holder and the top and bottom edges of the tablets being formed with integral formations such that the tablets are in use, hooked onto one another and onto the holder to form a chain of tablets suspended from the holder.

This assembly can be built up to form an attractive display and the chain may be extended over a period of time by the addition of further tablets at the bottom of the chain or interposed between other tablets in the chain. The tablets may be inscribed with personal information, such as family birthdays and anniversaries.

The holder may be a simple vase for cut flowers or it may be shaped to receive a conventional plant pot with the usual drainage hole at the bottom, or it may be provided with an earthenware, plastic or other liner which is shaped to fit into the holder and which can act as a plant pot for a plant to be planted in the liner. For example when the holder has a flat back to rest against a wall surface and a convex front, the liner may be complementary shaped, such as substantially a hemi-frusto-cone.

The holder and tablets may be made of a variety of materials, such as pewter, glass, or ceramic material. Ceramic material is preferred and of this translucent china such as porcelain, but particularly bone china, is preferred, for its delicacy and also because such china is strong enough to enable the integral production of small load bearing hooking formations The complementary pairs of hooking formations are preferably one a curled edge on one part and the other a complementary slot or, preferably, a complementary curled edge on the other part. Thus the bottom edges of the holder and tablet, except perhaps for a special bottom tablet, may be curved backwards and upwards. The upper edges of the tablets may then be curled forwards and downwards. This configuration avoids any dust traps on the front of the chain.To avoid any inadvertent displacement and unlocking of the hooking formations, in the event for example of the chain being knocked, the formations are preferably provided with means for preventing lateral displacement of the formations when interconnected. When complementary curled edges are used, such means may comprise a pimple on one edge being received within a notch in the other edge, or one edge being shorter than the complementary edge and abutting portions closing the ends of the locking configuration of the other edge. Also when curled edges are used, the formations are preferably such that complementary parts have to be rotated relatively to one another through an appreciable angle before the formations can be parted.

An example of an assembly constructed in accordance with the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembly; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the assembly mounted on a wall surface; Figure 3 is a perspective view of one tablet; and, Figure 4 is a front elevation of one standard tablet linked to a special bottom tablet.

The parts of the illustrated assembly, which are all made from bone china, include an open topped plant holder 5 having a flat rear wall 6 formed with a fixing hole 7 and a curved and scalloped front and sides 8. As shown in Figure 2 the holder 5 is arranged to be mounted on a wall surface 9 by means of a nail or similar fixing 10 which passes through the hole 7 into the wall. The holder 5 then rests against the wall with its upper edge inclined forwardly and downwardly. The holder may be provided with a separate liner, moulded for example from plastics material,- and conforming generally to the internal shape of the holder 5, although without the scallops.

A flat back wall of the liner, complementary to the wall 6 of the holder, may be provided with a vertical external groove so that the liner can be inserted downwards into the holder when the holder is mounted on the wall, with out being impeded by the head of the fixing 10. The liner may then contain soil and be planted with a suitable plant which will stand above the holder 5 and may trail at least partly down over the upper edge of the holder.

The bottom portion of the holder 5 is integrally formed with a horizontal curled edge 11 which curls rearwardly and upwardly.

The assembly also includes a number of similar separate tablets 12 and a special bottom tablet 13. Each of the tablets 12 and 13 has a forwardly and downwardly horizontal curled upper edge 14 and the tablets 12 have a rearwardly and upwardly curled lower edge 15 similar to the edge 11. As will be seen most clearly from Figure 3, the ends of the grooves formed by the curled edges 11 and 15 are closed by integral end walls 16 and as will be seen from Figure 4, the upper edges 14 of the tablets 12 and 13 are slightly shorter than the edges 11 and 15. The effect of this is that a chain of the tablets can be built up, suspended from the holder 5, by hooking the edges 14 into the complementary edges 11 or 15. The end walls 16 locate the edges 14 and prevent their being displaced parallel to the edges.The chain can be extended at will by unhooking one or more of the tablets and adding addition tablets into the chain.

In order to give some idea of dimensions, the holder 5 may be approximately 12 inches high and the tablets 12 49 inches wide and 1j inches high.

The front surfaces of the tablets 12 may be printed and fired with personal information and the bottom tablet 13 may for example carry a printed and fired coat of arms or some seasonal indicia such as "Christmas" for use at appropriate seasons.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An assembly comprising a plant or flower holder which is arranged to be hung on a wall surface, and a series of separate tablets; the bottom edge of the holder and the top and bottom edges of the tablets being formed with integral formations such that the tablets are, in use, hooked onto one another and onto the holder to form a chain of tablets suspended from the holder.

2.-An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the holder and tablets are made of bone china.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the bottom edges of the holder and tablet are curled backwards and upwards.

4. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein the upper edges of the tablets are curled forwards and downwards.

5. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the formations are provided with means for preventing lateral displacement of the formations when interconnected.

6. An assembly according to claim 1 and claim 5, wherein of each complementary pair of curled edges, one is shorter than the other and the ends of the other curled edge are closed by abutting portions which will be engaged by the ends of the one edge to provide the means for preventing lateral displacement.

7. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a bottom tablet has one of the formations only at its top.

8. An assembly according to claim 1, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. and scalloped front and sides 8. As shown in Figure 2 the holder 5 is arranged to be mounted on a wall surface 9 by means of a nail or similar fixing 10 which passes through the hole 7 into the wall. The holder 5 then rests against the wall with its upper edge inclined forwardly and downwardly. The holder may be provided with a separate liner, moulded for example from plastics material,- and conforming generally to the internal shape of the holder 5, although without the scallops. A flat back wall of the liner, complementary to the wall 6 of the holder, may be provided with a vertical external groove so that the liner can be inserted downwards into the holder when the holder is mounted on the wall, with out being impeded by the head of the fixing 10. The liner may then contain soil and be planted with a suitable plant which will stand above the holder 5 and may trail at least partly down over the upper edge of the holder. The bottom portion of the holder 5 is integrally formed with a horizontal curled edge 11 which curls rearwardly and upwardly. The assembly also includes a number of similar separate tablets 12 and a special bottom tablet 13. Each of the tablets 12 and 13 has a forwardly and downwardly horizontal curled upper edge 14 and the tablets 12 have a rearwardly and upwardly curled lower edge 15 similar to the edge 11. As will be seen most clearly from Figure 3, the ends of the grooves formed by the curled edges 11 and 15 are closed by integral end walls 16 and as will be seen from Figure 4, the upper edges 14 of the tablets 12 and 13 are slightly shorter than the edges 11 and 15. The effect of this is that a chain of the tablets can be built up, suspended from the holder 5, by hooking the edges 14 into the complementary edges 11 or 15. The end walls 16 locate the edges 14 and prevent their being displaced parallel to the edges.The chain can be extended at will by unhooking one or more of the tablets and adding addition tablets into the chain. In order to give some idea of dimensions, the holder 5 may be approximately 12 inches high and the tablets 12 49 inches wide and 1j inches high. The front surfaces of the tablets 12 may be printed and fired with personal information and the bottom tablet 13 may for example carry a printed and fired coat of arms or some seasonal indicia such as "Christmas" for use at appropriate seasons. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An assembly comprising a plant or flower holder which is arranged to be hung on a wall surface, and a series of separate tablets; the bottom edge of the holder and the top and bottom edges of the tablets being formed with integral formations such that the tablets are, in use, hooked onto one another and onto the holder to form a chain of tablets suspended from the holder.

2.-An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the holder and tablets are made of bone china.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the bottom edges of the holder and tablet are curled backwards and upwards.

4. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein the upper edges of the tablets are curled forwards and downwards.

5. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the formations are provided with means for preventing lateral displacement of the formations when interconnected.

6. An assembly according to claim 1 and claim 5, wherein of each complementary pair of curled edges, one is shorter than the other and the ends of the other curled edge are closed by abutting portions which will be engaged by the ends of the one edge to provide the means for preventing lateral displacement.

7. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a bottom tablet has one of the formations only at its top.

8. An assembly according to claim 1, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.