US 5,938,057 AGranted

Stepped-bottom basket and basket-making method

AssigneeThe Longaberger Company

InventorsKenneth J. Cramer, Hoy M. Cox, Christine A. Hudson, Leane M. LeFever

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Abstract

A unitary basket having at least two bottom portions at different elevations that define deep and shallow basket portions. A plurality of upsplints form a wall of the deep portion and the bottom of the shallow portion, which extends transversely from the top of the wall. A weave strip positioned immediately below the basket bottom panel extends over the outer surface of the outermost upsplints in the wall panel. A short splint positioned adjacent to the wall panel extends over the outer surface of the outermost upsplints in the bottom panel. The consecutive oversplints urge the upsplints inwardly and upwardly to define a sharp angle between the wall and bottom panels. The method includes the steps of weaving the oversplints over the outermost upsplints in the wall and bottom panels.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A splint basket with a stepped bottom, comprising:

a plurality of upsplints that define a front panel, a lower bottom panel that extends transversely from the bottom of the front panel, a lower rear panel that extends transversely from the back of the lower bottom panel and ends at a distance below the top of the front panel, an upper bottom panel that extends transversely from the top of the lower rear panel, and an upper rear panel that extends transversely from the back of the upper bottom panel;
a plurality of cross splints woven through the upsplints that define the lower bottom panel, said cross splints further defining left and right front wall portions that extend transversely from the lower bottom panel;
a plurality of horizontal splints extending around the front panel, left and right front wall portions and lower rear panel, the uppermost weave strip in the lower rear panel being woven over the outer surface of the outermost upsplints in the lower rear panel;
and
a plurality of short splints woven through the upsplints that define the upper bottom panel, said short splints further defining left and right rear wall portions that extend transversely from the upper bottom panel, the short splint nearest the lower rear panel being woven over the outer surface of the outermost upsplints in the upper bottom panel.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.