Coopering – Basket-forming
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-07
2001-05-08
Husar, John M. (Department: 3725)
Coopering
Basket-forming
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227268
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to forms used in making woven baskets having bottom portions at each of at least two different levels, such that their outer bottom portions may rest upon surfaces at different heights. These baskets will be referred to as “stepped-bottom” baskets.
Stepped-bottom baskets provide conveniently accessible storage for differently sized items. Two-level baskets shaped like an inverted “L” are common. The deeper portion of these baskets may be used to hold larger items, such as reading materials and craft supplies, while the shallower portion may be used to hold smaller items, such as eyeglasses, pens, and scissors. A user seated in a chair easily may reach into a stepped-bottom basket placed alongside the chair to retrieve both the large and small items stored in the basket. Besides being used on flat surfaces for storing differently sized items, these baskets also may be placed on stairs, with the bottom of the deeper portion resting upon one stair tread and the bottom of the shallower portion resting upon the next higher stair tread, and used to assemble items to be taken up or down the stairs.
Woven wooden baskets generally are made by shaping the basket over a basket mold, or form. Weaving splints are conformed to the form either prior to or during basket construction and are intertwined to form various basket panels.
Basket forms typically have a shape that defines the shape of the interior of the basket. Although it might be possible to weave a stepped-bottom basket using a unitary form that conforms to the shape of the basket interior, it would be difficult to produce a high-quality basket using such an unwieldy form.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a form suitable for use in weaving a stepped-bottom basket, in which the form is partitioned to ease the weaving process and to allow consistent production of high-quality baskets. This objective is achieved in a form that comprises a three-dimensional L-shaped frame that is vertically partitioned into two segments that are releasably fastenable to one another. The first segment includes top, front, rear and side walls that define the shape of the interior of the deep portion of the stepped bottom basket and the second segment includes top, front, rear and side walls that define the shape of the interior of the shallow portion of the stepped bottom basket. The second segment may include an integral splint guide capable of receiving inner reinforcement splints for the bottom of the shallow upper basket portion. Adjacent walls of the segments may be adapted for fitting and fastening the segments together.
These and further objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.
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Cox Hoy M.
Cramer Kenneth J.
Hudson Corp Christine A.
Lefever Leane M.
Teal Tim
Husar John M.
Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP
The Longaberger Company
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