Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BOW MAKING APPARATUS
This invention relates to a bow making apparatus for receiving and maintaining
the disposition of bow fabricating material during the making of a decorative
bow.
In this particular invention the apparatus includes a plurality of selectively
spaced
retainer members disposed on the upper work surface of base member and a base
extension extending from the base member and a base extension extending from
the
base member which includes a spool support.
Decorative bow making has long been recognized as an art, and substantial
skill is generally required to manually tie well proportioned decorative bows.
Of
course, automation of the bow making industry has given rise to complex
machinery
for producing decorative bows, but such machinery is expensive and takes
originality,
creativity and, indeed, enjoyment, out of the bow making process. Attempts
have
been made to devise bow making devices that are inexpensive, but they too tend
to
limit the bow maker's creativity by dictating the resulting bow configuration.
Examples of such devices are disclosed in the following U.S. patents:
Patent No. Inventors) Issue Date
696,361 E.S. Chase Mar. 25, 1902
1,010,155 W.E. Lange Nov. 28, 1911
1,598,310 T.A. Quinlan Aug. 31, 1926
2,077,370 R.K. Reynolds Apr. 3, 1937
2,105,436 G. Flatto Jan. 11, 1938
2,542,222 A.F. Welch Feb. 20, 1951
2,569,943 J.W. Mitchell Oct. 2, 1951
2,666,249 R.R. Ruiz et al. Jan. 19, 1954
2,763,080 A.F. Welch Sep. 18, 1956
3,223,440 W. Rosenzweig Dec. 14, 1965
3,428,227 J.W. Cavoli Feb. 18, 1969
3,462,049 R.P. Smith Aug. 19, 1969
3,501,070 W.M. Shattuck Mar. 17, 1970
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3,816,888 J.B. Rather, Jr. Jun. 18, 1974
4,454,968 J.J. St. Lawrence Jun. 19, 1984
4,629,100 B. Owens Dec. 16, 1986
4,714,182 D. Hecht Dec. 22, 1987
Other devices have been produced for measuring filaments for subsequent use,
such as in tassels and pompons. Typical of the art are those devices disclosed
in the
following U.S. patents:
P t o Ir v Issue Date
3,377,674 R.F. Brassaw et al. Apr. 16, 1968
3,854,179 J. Montoya Dec. 17, 1974
4,337,578 E.L. Seals Jul. 6, 1982
Typical bows are disclosed in the following U.S. patents:
Patent N,Q I vet ,ntor(s~ Issue Date
5,100,706 L. Zaweski Mar. 31, 1992
5,215,791 E.A. Davignon Jun. 1, 1993
Of all of the prior art references cited, none teaches a device for
fabricating a
decorative bow wherein the device serves to retain the gathered portion of the
bow
such that the loops of the bow may be independently measured and freely
maintained.
Further, none of the prior art devices provides a means for independently
retaining a
plurality of bows. Further, none teaches an extension for supporting a spool
of
ribbon.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bow making
apparatus for receiving and maintaining the disposition of bow fabricating
material
during the making of a decorative bow.
It is another object ofthe present invention to provide a bow making apparatus
which assists in the tying of a decorative bow, but does not stifle
originality or
creativity in the bow making operation.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bow making
apparatus which includes ribbon spool holder for supporting a ribbon spool
during the
bow making process.
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Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bow making
apparatus which is simple to use and inexpensive.
Disclosure of the Invention
S Other objects and advantages will be accomplished by the present invention
which provides a bow making apparatus for receiving and maintain the
disposition of
bow fabricating material during the making of a decorative bow. The bow making
apparatus includes a base member defining an upper work surface for supporting
bow
fabricating material during the bow making operation. The apparatus also
includes
at least first and second retainer members extending upwardly from the upper
work
surface of the base member, between which gathered sections of bow fabricating
material are received and maintained. In one embodiment the first and second
retainer
members are selectively spaced so as to define a retaining gap therebetween
for
releasably receiving and maintaining the position of gathered sections of the
bow
fabricating material. In a further embodiment, a third retainer member extends
upwardly from the upper work surface of the base member, the second and third
retainer member serving in like fashion as the first and second retainer
members. In
this embodiment, the third retainer member is spaced closer to the second
retainer
member than is the first retainer member, and the third retainer member
defines a
height shorter than that of the first and second retainer members. Thus, the
first and
second retainer members aid in the fabrication of a larger bow using wider
ribbon,
while the second and third retainer members more appropriately aid in the
fabrication
of smaller bows using narrower ribbon. In a preferred embodiment of the
apparatus,
the upper work surface of the base member is provided with measuring indicia
to
facilitate the making of bows having preselected dimensions. Further, in the
preferred
embodiment, the bow making apparatus includes a ribbon spool holder for
supporting
a ribbon spool while fabricating a bow.
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brief Description of the Drawings
The above mentioned features of the invention will be more clearly understood
from the following detailed description of the invention read together with
the
drawings in which:
Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the bow making apparatus of the
present invention;
Figure 2a illustrates a top view of the bow making apparatus of the present
invention; and
Figure 2b illustrates a side elevation view of the bow making apparatus of the
present invention.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
A bow making apparatus incorporating various features of the present
invention is illustrated generally at 10 in the figures. As will be discussed
below, the
1 S apparatus 10 provides a work surface for fabricating a decorative bow and
a means
for retaining the ribbon or other material being used to fabricate the bow
during the
fabricating process.
The apparatus 10 includes a base member 12 having a substantially planar
upper work surface 14, and a lower surface 16 for supporting the apparatus 10
on a
table or other support surface. In the preferred illustrated embodiment, the
base
member 12 defines an elongated rectangular configuration. However, it will be
recognized that the base member 12 can assume any other geometric
configuration.
The base member 12 has first and second opposite ends 18 and 20,
respectively. Mounted between the opposite ends 18 and 20 are at least two
retainer
members 22 and 24. As shown in Figures 1 and 2a, first, second and third
retainer
members 22, 24 and 25 are provided. In the preferred embodiment, the retainer
members 22, 24 and 25 define elongated rods having substantially circular
cross-
sections, and extend upwardly from the upper work surface 14. The retainer
members
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22 and 24 each define a length substantially equal one to the other, while in
the
preferred embodiment, the retainer member 25 defines a length shorter than
that of
the retainer members 22 and 24. As will be discussed below, the retainer
member 25
is provided to cooperate with the retainer member 22 to assist in the
fabrication of
bows smaller than those fabricated using the retainer members 22 and 24.
As illustrated in Figures l and 2a, the retainer members 22 and 24 are
selectively spaced so as to define a retaining gap 26 therebetween for
releasably
receiving the ribbon or other bow fabricating material being used. Though not
shown,
it is envisioned that no retaining gap may be defined therebetween such that a
bow
which is being fabricated of thin ribbon or other thin bow fabricating
material is more
securely held. In either case, the retainer members 22 and 24 are positioned
relative
to each other such that the bow fabricating material 28 is pinched
therebetween such
that individual loops are not unselectively released therefrom.
The retainer members 22 and 25 are selectively spaced so as to define a
retaining gap 27. The retaining gap 27, in the preferred embodiment, is
substantially
proportionate to the retaining gap 26 according to the relative proportions of
the
retaining member 22 and the retaining member 25. In the illustrated
embodiment, the
retaining gap 27 is approximately one-half the width of the retaining gap 26.
The
shorter height of the retaining member 25 and the narrower retaining gap 27
combine
to provide a more appropriate device for fabricating decorative bows from a
narrower
bow fabricating material 28 than that used to fabricate decorative bows using
the
retaining members 22 and 24. Specifically, the shorter retaining member 25
allows
shorter loops to be fabricated, while the narrower retaining gap 27 more
closely
gathers a narrower material 28. As before, the retaining gap 27 is dimensioned
such
that the bow fabricating material 28 is pinched therein such that any loops
formed
therein are held unattended.
As illustrated in Figure 1, the retainer members 22 and 24, or the retainer
members 22 and 25, engage and pinch the bow fabricating material 28 at the
point at
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which the material is gathered 35, i.e., the point at which bow is to be bound
together
with a wire or other securing means. More specifically, in relation to the
present
invention, the gathered portions 35 of the material 28 are defined as the
midpoints of
the material 28 between successive loops which are contacted and retained, or
pinched, by the retainer members 22 and 24, or 22 and 25. Therefore, the
spacing of
the retainer members 22 and 24 is such that the gathered bow fabricating
material 28
is securely, yet releasably held between the retainer members 22 and 24 as the
bow
making operation proceeds. Likewise, the spacing of the retainer members 22
and 25
is such that the gathered bow fabricating material 28 is securely, yet
releasably held
between the retainer members 22 and 25 as the bow making operation proceeds.
As shown in the figures, the preferred embodiment of the bow making
apparatus includes a ribbon spool holder 50. The ribbon spool holder 50
includes a
base extension 52 extending from the first end 18 of the base member 12 and a
support member 54 mounted to the base extension 52. Specifically, the support
member 54 is an elongated rod having a substantially circular cross-section
and
extends upwardly from the base extension 52. The ribbon spool holder 50 is
configured to receive and support at least one ribbon spool 56 and facilitates
the
production of bows. It will be noted that, depending upon the width of the
spool,
more than one spool can be supported on the support member 54.
Figure 1 illustrates one possible bow making operation which can be
performed utilizing the apparatus 10 and illustrates the function of the
retainer
members 22 and 24 and the retaining gap 26 and the ribbon spool holder 50. In
accordance with the illustrated example, a ribbon spool 56, upon which the
fabricating
material 28 is wound, is placed on the support member 54 of the ribbon holder
50.
A first end 30 of a length of fabricating material 28 is placed on the work
surface 14
between the retainer members 22, 24 and, for example, the second end 20 of the
base
member 12. At a preselected point along its length, the fabricating material
is
gathered and inserted between the retainer members 22 and 24 as illustrated in
Figure
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1 such that gathered portion 35 of the material 28 is maintained by the
retainer
members 22 and 24. Between the retainer members 22, 24 and the first end 18,
and
at a preselected point along the length of fabricating material 28, a first
loop 32 is
formed and the length of fabricating material is again gathered and passed
between
the retainer members 22 and 24 at a preselected point along its length such
that the
retainer members 22 and 24 maintain the gathered portion 35 of the fabricating
material 28 and, as a result, maintain the disposition of the first loop 32. A
second
loop 34 is then formed between the retainer members 22, 24 and the second end
20
and the fabricating material 28 is again gathered and passed between the
retainer
members 22 and 24. This process is repeated until the desired number of loops
is
formed on either side of the retainer members 22 and 24, with the retainer
members
22 and 24 serving to maintain the gathered portions 35 of the fabricating
material 28.
The gathered portions 35 of the fabricating material 28 can then be removed
from
between the retainer members 22 and 24 for binding or the gathered portions 3
5 can
be bound in place. A similar method is used for fabricating a decorative bow
using
the retainer members 22 and 25.
As best illustrated in Figure l, in the preferred embodiment of the apparatus
10 the upper work surface 14 is provided with measurement indicia which
facilitates
the fabrication of uniformly proportioned bows of a preselected size. For
example,
in the illustrated embodiment a center line 36 is provided which is aligned
with the
lower end of the gap 26. Further, between the center line 36 and the first and
second
ends 18 and 20 the work surface 14 is ruled with loop measuring lines 38 which
indicate selected distances from the center line 36. For example, in the
illustrated
embodiment the loop measuring lines 38 on either side of the center line 36
are
positioned at 1", 2", 3", 4", 5", 6", 7" and 8" from the center line 38, and
numeric
indicia are provided to facilitate the use of the ruled surface.
It will be appreciated that the indicia provided on the work surface 14
facilitates the making of bows with uniform proportions and/or bows having
loops of
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selected lengths. It will also be appreciated that the units of measure
depicted on the
work surface can be metric or based upon some other measurement system.
While fabricating decorative bows, the length of successive loops is selected
in accordance with the desired overall look of the finished bow. For example,
as
illustrated in Figure 1, the first and second loops 30 and 32 define
substantially equal
lengths. It is envisioned that several other successive loops may form equal
lengths
to those. However, it is also envisioned that further successive loops may
define
proportionately shorter lengths such that the finished decorative bow is
fuller, with the
shorter loops filling the middle portion of the bow. The variations in the
lengths of
the loops is infinite.
In light of the above, it will be recognized that the present invention
provides
a bow making apparatus having great advantages over the prior art. The
apparatus 10
obviates the need for the bow maker to grasp and maintain the successive
gathered
portions of the bow during the formation of a plurality of loops. Further, it
facilitates
1 S the making of bows with uniform proportions and having loops of
preselected sizes.
The apparatus also facilitates the making of decorative bows of varying sizes,
using
fabricating materials of varying weights and widths. The apparatus also
includes a
ribbon spool holder for supporting ribbon spools. However, while a preferred
embodiment has been shown and described, it will be understood that there is
no
intent to limit the invention to such disclosure, but rather it is intended to
cover all
modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope
of the
invention as defined in the appended claims.
_g_
