Flower Vase Inserts

by Mark A. Nye
Issue No. 252 - April 1994

On March 12, 1924, an application for a design patent to cover the design of a flower vase insert was filed by Arthur J. Bennett. On the same day, another patent application was filed, this one for a method of making flower vase inserts. Fifteen days later, on March 27, 1924, a third application was filed, this one seeking a patent for the flower vase insert.

The design patent was granted on May 20, 1924. The patent for the flower vase insert was issued just over a year later, May 26, 1925. For an unknown reason or reasons, patent protection for the method Cambridge had devised for making the inserts was not granted until November 9, 1926. (This patent appeared in the March 1994 CRYSTAL BALL.) The balance of this article consists of the text of the flower vase insert patent and the drawing that accompanied it.

FLOWER-VASE INSERT

PATENTED MAY 26, 1925 No. 1,539,153

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Arthur J. Bennett, citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Guernsey and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flower-Vase Inserts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in flower vase inserts, and the primary object thereof is to provide an insert which is removably placed in the top of a vase and which is formed so as to receive and vertically hold the stems of a comparatively few flowers in regulable spaced order so as to present the same mass appearance as would be presented where a considerably greater number of flowers arranged in a vase and directly supported by or against the mouth or top of the latter.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is attractive and ornamental, which contributes to and enhances the appearance of not only the vase, but the flowers as well; which provides an article top for the vase; which can be economically produced, and which holds the flowers to the best advantage and in an artistic manner.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an insert which can be easily removed from the vase and which accordingly is formed so as to prevent any binding of the insert in the vase.

The invention has still further and other objects which will be later herein set forth and of themselves manifested in the course of the following description.

In the drawings:--

  • Figure 1, is a side elevation of a vase showing the present invention applied thereto;
  • Figure 2, is an enlarged top plan view of the insert, and
  • Figure 3, is a section of line 3---3 of Figure 1.

In proceeding in accordance with the present invention, a body 1 is provided, preferably of glass, although the invention is not limited in regard to the material of which the insert is formed. The body is formed with spaced upper and lower circumferential beads 2 and with vertical or axially disposed ribs 3, the lower bead and ribs affording projections which engage the interior of the top or mouth portion of the vase and prevent binding of the insert in the vase 5, thereby permitting of easy removal of the insert without danger of breakage of the parts. The body 1 is of downwardly tapering formation in order to generally conform to the upwardly flaring formation of the mouth of vases, conventional to the latter.

The body 1 is of hollow formation so as to permit the stems of the flowers to extend through the central portion of the insert. The top portion of the body 1 is formed with a series of spaced inwardly extending spikes or fingers 4, which latter extend toward the axis of the insert or toward the center of the hollow interior thereof. The adjacent spikes or fingers 4 form seats or pockets 6 in which the individual flower stems are received and held being confined thereby against lateral movement, so that the buds or flowers are held in spaced and regulable order about the circumference of the insert and vase mouth.

The seats 6 prevent drooping of the buds or flowers, such as occurs in the instance of flowers placed in vases and engaged with the circumferential wall defining the mouth of the same, since in the latter circumstance, the flower heads, due to their weight, droop downwardly and outwardly over and beyond the base exterior, with the result that unless a large number of flowers are used, the center of the vase is rendered bare of flowers. With the present invention, the buds or flowers are held closely adjacent to the center or axis of the vase, with the result that not only the same mass effect can be obtained with the use of a materially less number of flowers, but also a more artistic appearance and arrangement of the flowers is had.

In addition, it will be noted that the spikes or fingers form a novel and attractive closure for the upper end of the vase, and the spacing of their inner ends at the center of the insert, enables the flower stems to be easily inserted through the insert and freely moved from one seat to another in arranging the flowers to the best advantage without removal of the stems from the insert and replacement therein. The seats hold the flower stems inwardly of the mouth or top portion of the vase, and afford a contracted mouth for the latter having a common central opening into or with which a series of seats open or communicate.

What is claimed is:--

  1. A flower holding insert for vases including a hollow body open at its top and bottom, a plurality of circumferential beads and vertical ribs on the body projecting outwardly therefrom and formed to engage the wall defining the mouth of a vase, and a series of fingers carried by the top of the body and extending inwardly toward the axis of the insert, said fingers being spaced to form flower stem receiving seats between adjacent fingers and the inner ends of the fingers terminating in spaced relation from each other to provide a common opening at the center of the top of the insert into which opening the seats open.
  2. A flower holding insert for vases, including a body having spaced vertical and horizontal projections on its exterior to engage the vase and prevent binding of the body in the vase, and flower stem supporting means carried by the body.
  3. A flower holding insert for vases composed of a substantially cylindrical tubular body the upper end of which extends inwardly and is provided with a series of extensions, the extensions being extended inwardly and arranged in spaced relation to form a series of seats having bottoms formed by the said inwardly extending upper end of the body and having sides formed by the adjacent sides of the extensions.
  4. A flower holding insert for vases composed of substantially cylindrical tubular body of relatively long and thin formation having its upper end formed with a series of solid spaced fingers that project beyond the upper end edge of the body and extend inwardly to form flower-stem receiving seats.
  5. A flower holding insert for vases composed of a substantially cylindrical tubular body of relatively long and thin formation having its upper end formed with a series of solid spaced fingers that project beyond the upper end edge of the body and extend inwardly to form flower-stem receiving seats, said body having spaced rib-like projections on its exterior to engage the vase interior so as to prevent binding of the body in the vase.
  6. A flower holding insert for vases composed of a substantially cylindrical tubular body having its upper end formed with a series of solid spaced fingers that project beyond the upper end edge of the body and extend inwardly to form flower-stem receiving seats.
  7. A flower holding insert for vases composed of a substantially cylindrical tubular body having its upper end formed with a series of solid spaced fingers that project beyond the upper end edge of the body and extend inwardly to form flower-stem receiving seats, the lower end of the body providing a continuous substantially circular edge against which the flower-stems may engage.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature

ARTHUR J. BENNETT