Spring-actuated basket bottom panel form

A spring-actuated basket form comprising:

• a platform having an upper planar surface and a cavity recessed within said surface, said cavity having an inner wall;
• first and second spacers located within said cavity, each of said first and second spacers having a perimeter wall movably communicating with said inner wall of said cavity;
• a spring having anterior and posterior ends, said anterior end coupled with said first spacer, said posterior end coupled with said second spacer, said spring facilitating tensioned movement of said first and second spacers within said cavity;
• and
• first and second longitudinally extending and transversely separated reinforcement guides, said guides communicating with said upper surface of said platform, said first guide connected to said first spacer and capable of retraction with respect to said second guide, said first and second guides forming a space therebetween capable of releasably receiving a reinforcement splint.

A spring-actuated basket form comprising:

• a platform having an upper planar surface and defining first and second cavities recessed below said surface, each of said cavities having an inner wall;
• first and second spacers located within said first cavity, each of said spacers having a perimeter wall movably communicating with said inner wall of said first cavity;
• a first spring having anterior and posterior ends, said anterior end coupled with said first spacer, said posterior end coupled with said second spacer, said spring facilitating tensioned movement of said first and second spacers within said first cavity;
• first and second longitudinally extending and transversely separated reinforcement guides communicating with said upper surface of said platform, said first guide connected to said first spacer and capable of retraction with respect to said second guide, said first and second guides forming a space therebetween capable of removably receiving a reinforcement splint;
• a locator extending transversely from said upper platform surface, said locator capable of assisting in alignment of a weaving splint;
• third and fourth spacers located within said second cavity, each of said third and fourth spacers movably communicating with said inner wall of said second cavity;
• a second spring having anterior and posterior ends, said anterior end coupled with said third spacer, said posterior end coupled with said fourth spacer, said second spring facilitating tensioned movement of said third and fourth spacers within said second cavity;
• third and fourth longitudinally extending and transversely separated reinforcement guides, said guides communicating with said upper surface of said platform, said third guide connected to said third spacer and capable of retraction with respect to said fourth guide, said third and fourth guides forming a space therebetween capable of releasably receiving a second reinforcement splint;
• and
• an alignment rim in communication with said platform at a distance from said first reinforcement guide.

A method for assisting in the construction of hand-woven baskets using a spring-actuated basket form, comprising the steps of:

• placing a reinforcement splint between first and second transversely separated and longitudinally extending reinforcement guides, said guides communicating with an upper surface of a platform;
• abutting a weaving splint against an alignment rim, said alignment rim extending transversely from said upper platform surface and positioned a predetermined distance from said first reinforcement guide;
• weaving a plurality of splints in a predetermined arrangement with respect to said reinforcement splint;
• securing the plurality of woven splints to the reinforcement splint;
• retracting said first reinforcement guide transversely away from said second reinforcement guide;
• and
• removing the reinforcement splint and its associated woven splints from engagement with said first and second reinforcement guides.

A method for constructing a hand-woven basket utilizing a spring-actuated basket form, comprising the steps of:

• placing a first reinforcement splint between first and second reinforcement guides, said first guide separated transversely and extending longitudinally with respect to said second guide, said guides communicating with an upper surface of a platform;
• placing a second reinforcement splint aligned with said first reinforcement splint in a second space defined by a third and fourth reinforcement guides, said third reinforcement guide separated transversely and extending longitudinally with respect to said fourth reinforcement guide, said third and fourth guides communicating with the upper surface of the platform and located a specified distance from said first and second reinforcement guides;
• abutting a weaving splint against an alignment rim in communication with said platform;
• weaving a plurality of splints in a predetermined arrangement with respect to said first and second reinforcement splints;
• securing the first and second reinforcement splints to the plurality of woven splints;
• retracting the first reinforcement guide transversely away from said second reinforcement guide;
• and
• removing the first and second reinforcement splints and the associated plurality of woven splints from engagement with first and second and the third and fourth reinforcement guides.

A method for aligning basket splint members utilizing a spring-actuated basket form, comprising the steps of:

• retracting a reinforcement guide located on a platform;
• placing a first reinforcement splint in a space defined by said reinforcement guide and a second reinforcement guide, said second reinforcement guide separated transversely and extending longitudinally with respect to said first reinforcement guide, said first and second reinforcement guides communicating with an upper surface of said platform;
• retracting a third reinforcement guide located on said platform;
• placing a second reinforcement splint in a second space defined by said third reinforcement guide and an fourth reinforcement guide, said fourth reinforcement guide separated transversely and extending longitudinally with respect to said third reinforcement guide, said third and fourth reinforcement guides communicating with said upper platform surface and located at a distance from said first and second reinforcement guides;
• abutting a weaving splint against an alignment rim located an adjustable distance from said first reinforcement guide;
• weaving a plurality of splints in a predetermined arrangement with respect to said first and second reinforcement splints;
• securing the first and second reinforcement splints to the plurality of weaving splints;
• and
• removing the first and second reinforcement splints and the associated plurality of weaving splints from placement in said first and second spaces.