Decorating device structure

May 17, 1938. l. l. raymond 2,117,501

DECORATING DEVICE STRUCTURE

Filed March 29, 1935

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Patented May 17, 1938

2,117,501

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,117,501 DECORATING DEVICE STRUCTURE Lambert L. Raymond, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application March 29,

Claims.

This invention relates to an ornamental device and while the same may have use in many places, one particular use thereof is for Christmas trees. This invention is the development of and im5 provement on the invention of applicant disclosed and claimed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,976,093, granted October 9, 1934.

In the commercial handling of the device the parts are placed in a box and the depending 10 strips are usually not connected to the flexible strands or support. It has been found that it is rather tedious and takes some time to secure the flexible strand through an eye or aperture in the strip members.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a simple and efficient: means whereby the flexible members can be very quickly and easily attached to the . depending strips and to the support.

2o It is a further object of the invention to provide a decorating device comprising a member formed of a strip of sheet material, the same having a cut or slit formed therein extending at an angle to its longitudinal axis in which a flexi25 ble strand of fabric may be wedged and thus secured to said member.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a decorating device comprising a supporting member formed of a strip of thin sheet 30 material having a series of cuts or slits formed therein extending at an angle to its longitudinal axis in which slits or cuts , of a flexible member may be secured by wedging or clamping.

These and other objects and advantages of 35 the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:— ⁴⁰ Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation showing a portion of a decorating device;

* Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the upper end of an ornamental member;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a '^ij modification;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing another modification;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 also showing a modification;

Fig. 6 is a .view similar to Fig. 2 showing a further modification;

Fig. T is a view in front elevation of the upper end of an ornamental member · and attaching 55 means;

1935, Serial No. 13,637 (Cl. 41—10)

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing a .modification;

Fig. 9 is a partial view of a supporting member of modified form;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing an- 5 other modification;

Fig. 11 is a partial view of the decorating device with a modified form of support; and

Fig. 12 is a section taken on line 12—-12 of

Fig. 11 shown , on an enlarged scale. 10

Referring to Fig. 1, a decorating device is shown comprising a supporting member 15 illustrated as an elongated member formed of a strip of thin sheet material. Member ί 5 has formed in its upper end a plurality of cuts or slits ί 5α which 15 extend at a small angle to the longitudinal axis or median line of member 15. These slits form small tongues 15b which are tapered and have comparatively sharp points. The member 15 will be .provided with some sort of supporting »0 means and for this purpose a cord, thread or other small flexible member ί S may have its ends wedged in a . pair of the cuts ί 5α respectively, the same extending above member 15 in a loop which may be engaged with or over a suitable 25 support. It has been found in practice that the thread or cord need only be pulled into or adjacent the end of the slit ί 5α when it will be securely clamped or wedged therein and be held very firmly to form. a supporting means. Other 30 threads, cords or flexible members 17 are Illustrated as having their ends wedged in the other cuts 15α and these members depend from.member 15 and support the members 18, ¢9, and 20. The members 18, 19, and 20 are formed of thin 35 strips of sheet material such as tin and are twisted to form a helix in the manner shown in Fig. 11 and as shown in the above identified prior patent. Member (3 is shown as having a slit or cut ί 8α made therein from one edge, the ⁴θ same extending at an angle to the longitudinal axis or median line of member 18. A tongue 18b is thus formed and the flexible member 17 is shown as being wedged in the cut ί8α adjacent its end. Member 18 is thus supported by mem- ⁴⁵ber: i 7 and member ί 7 extends upward from the end of slit 18α substantially centrally of member 18.

The member 19 . shown in Figs. 1 and 3 has its upper end 19α reversely bent to lie close to and 5θ parallel with the body of member iS. A cut or slit 19b is made in member 19 at the bight of the bend, which slit extends substantially halfway across member 19. The flexible member'17 has its end portion disposed in the slit 19b and 55

2,117,501 wedged therein as shown in Fig. 1 so that said flexible member extends upwardly from substantially the central part of member 19 and member 19 is firmly secured to member 17 and depends therefrom.

The member 23 has a tongue 20α cut therefrom adjacent its upper end, said tongue being formed by cuts intersecting at quite a small angle so that said tongue tapers to a point, which point is directed downwardry. One side of tongue 2Sa and thus the cut forming said side extend at an angle to the longitudinal axis or median line of member 20. The member 17 has its lower end portion disposed beneath tongue 20α and wedged in said inclined slit at one side of said tongue. Member 20 is thus supported and suspended from member 17 and firmly secured thereto.

In Fig. 5, a strip 2! is shown, similar to strips 18 to 20, and the same has cuts 21α made in the opposite sides thereof, said cuts extending upwardly at a small angle to the longitudinal axis or median line of member 21, one of said cuts being disposed slightly above the other. Tapered and pointed tongues 21 b are thus formed with their points directed downwardly. In Fig. 8 a cord, thread or other flexible member 22 is shown as having its end portions disposed in and wedged in the cuts 21 a and passing beneath the tongues 21b. Said member 22 extends upwardly substantially centrally of member 21 and is formed into a loop which may be engaged over any suitable support, as over the twig of a Christmas tree as shown in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 7 another ornamental member 23 is shown having cuts or slits 23α formed in the body thereof, the same extending at an angle to the longitudinal axis or median line of member 23, said cuts converging downwardly and meeting substantially at the center of member 23 so that a pointed tongue is formed. Said tongue is divided substantially centrally by another cut 23b, thus having the portions 23c both of which are pointed and have their points directed downwardly. A cord, thread or other flexible member 24 has its end portions passing through the cut 23b and extending in opposite directions under the parts 23c to be wedged in the cuts 23α so that member 23 is supported by member 24. The member 24 extends upwardly substantially centrally from member 23 and is formed as a loop illustrated as being engaged over a twig 25 forming part of a Christmas tree.

In Fig. 9 another elongated supporting member 26 is shown formed of a strip of thin sheet material and the same is shown as having cuts 26α formed therein from its upper edge extending at a small angle to the longitudinal axis or median line of member 26 to form tapered and pointed tongues 26b shown as extending to the left in Fig. 9. Other cuts 26c are formed in member 26 extending from its lower edge at a small angle to its longitudinal axis or median line, which cuts form tapered and pointed tongues 26d shown as pointing to the right in Fig. 9. A cord, thread or other flexible member 27 is shown as having its end portion extending beneath one tongue 26d and one tongue 26b and wedged in the cuts 26c and 26α. Member 27 is thus firmly secured to member 26 and can be used to support an ornamental device such as the members 18 to 20.

In Fig. 10 another elongated supporting member 28 is shown formed of a strip of thin sheet material and the same has formed therein cuts 28α extending downwardly from its upper edge substantially at right angles to its longitudinal axis or median line. A cord, thread or other flexible member 29 is shown as having its upper end portion disposed in and wedged tightly in the bottom of one of the cuts 28α. Member 29 5 is thus firmly supported in member 28 and can be used to support a decorating or ornamental device. Members or bars 26 and 28 will be supported in any suitable manner.

In Fig. 6 an ornamental member 30 is shown 10 formed of a narrow strip of thin sheet material, the same having a pointed end 30α which is reversely bent to lie close to and substantially parallel to the body of member 30. A cord, thread or other flexible member (not shown) can have 15 its end portion disposed beneath the bent end 30α and clamped between the same and the body of member 30 to support member 30.

In Fig. 11 another supporting member 31 is shown, the same also being elongated and formed 20 of thin sheet material. Member 31 has an aperture 31α and slit 3lb formed adjacent its lower and upper edges respectively and a hook 32 has its upper hook portion disposed in aperture 31α and its lower hook portion disposed in apertures 25 33α formed in the upper end of a twisted member 33.

In Fig. 11 another strip 34 also is shown having a slit 34α at its upper end in which the lower end of a flexible supporting strand 36 is engaged. 30 Strand 36 is preferably of twisted formation, the same thus having a tendency to oscillate about its longitudinal axis. Strip 34 is not twisted but the same is covered with granules 35 of tinsel or other similar highly reflecting substance. 35 While said material may be placed on one side of the strip only, it is shown in Fig. 12 as placed on both sides. The strip 34 will first preferably be covered with a liquid or semi-liquid adhesive and the granules designated 35 then placed on 40 the adhesive so that they will be held firmly on the strip when the adhesive dries. The strip 34 will give a glittering effect in different ways as it partially rotates on its longitudinal axis. The light is reflected from the sides of the granules 45 which are disposed in many different planes.

In the use of the device as described, the supporting members 15, 26, or 28 can be packed in a box together with the members 18, 19, 20, 21, or 23 and suitable flexible members or pieces 50 thereof placed in the box. When the user wishes to place the twisted members on the tree he can take the cords, threads or flexible members and very quickly engage the same in the slits 15α, 26α, 26d or 28α as the case may be. He can 55 also very quickly and easily engage the flexible members in the cuts or slits shown in the twisted members. It takes but a slight moment of time to thus connect the twisted members with the flexible members and the twisted members may 60 be placed about on the tree either singly or suspended from one of the supporting members 15, 26, or 28 as desired. The tedious and rather slow operation of tying the flexible members through small apertures in the twisted strips is 65 thus not necessary. As stated in the above identified patent the twisted strips when supported by the flexible members as described have a tendency to rotate about their longitudinal axes due to the twisting action of the flexible members. 70 This rotation of the twisted strips makes them appear to be moving up and down and also varies the reflection of light therefrom so that a very pleasing ornamental effect is produced. The appearance and decoration of the Christmas tree 75

2,117,501 is greatly enhanced by having a number of the strips or groups thereof disposed thereon. The device has also been found to have great utility as a decorating device when made in a larger size 5 and used as a screen for the rear of a window or stage. The suspended twisted strips give a very unusual and pleasing appearance. In some installations it has been found that a supporting means such as shown in Fig. 11 is desirable.

The hooks 32 can be easily engaged with and disengaged from the support and the twisted strips.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided quite an improvement 15 upon the device disclosed and claimed in his prior patent and has solved the problem of attaching the flexible members to the strips and support in a very effective way. The parts can now be very easily and quickly assembled and 20 placed where desired. The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and found to be very successful and efficient.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, ar25 rangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicant’s invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth in the parts and combinations of parts dis30 closed and defined in the appended claims.