AU2008212044B2

AU2008212044B2 - Bulk handling of live plants

Info

Publication number: AU2008212044B2
Application number: AU2008212044A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Kevin James Curtis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-09-06
Filing date: 2008-09-08
Publication date: 2012-11-22
Anticipated expiration: 2028-09-08
Also published as: AU2008212044A8; AU2008212044A1

Abstract

A tray (10) for plant rootstock tubes (22) has a holder (18) for multiples of the tubes (22). Spacers or legs (23) are provided that enable two or more trays (10) to be stacked on top of each other. The legs (23) are W shaped and the 5 lower central V shaped part (30) of the W of each leg (23) enages a sideways protruding lug (32) on the tray below. Each lug (32) has a pin (34) and an enlarged head (36) so as to prevent sideways movement. 7-1

Description

4141-1.doc Bulk handling of live plants Field of Invention This invention relates to the transport of items and particularly the transport of plants, more particularly small plants in "tube stock" or "rootstock" 5 containers. However the invention is not limited to tube stock or plants. Background Plants grown from seeds are typically first grown in "rootstock" containers. These are typically have a truncated four sided pyramidal cone shape, with the tapered narrower end partially closed and the wider end uppermost. 10 Whilst the plant is growing these are typically stored on racks having square holes into which the rootstock tubes are inserted. When the plants are ready for planting they need to be moved. To the applicant's knowledge this occurs by removal of the individual rootstock tubes from the racks and being placed onto trays or racks in a vehicle. This is time consuming and not efficient. 15 Summary of the Invention The invention provides a rack or tray for rootstock tubes or other items that may be placed in or on a vehicle without the need to remove whatever is supported on the tray and which has spacers whereby trays may be stacked on top of each other. 20 In one broad form the invention provides a generally planar tray for rootstock tubes having a plurality of apertures into which rootstock tubes may be received and legs extending generally away from the plane of the tray, said legs being adapted engage another like tray and space said trays apart in a 4141-1.doc -2 generally parallel manner. In another broad form the invention provides stackable tray for a plurality of (like sized) items, the tray including: a holder for the items; 5 spacer means extending away from the holder, and engagement means, the engagement means and the spacer means configured so that a series of said trays may be stacked on top of each other with the spacer means of one tray engaging the engagement means of the tray above or 10 below to maintain the holders spaced apart. The holder may have a top and a bottom and the spacer means may extend below the bottom or may extend above the top. The holder preferably has at least one side and the engagement means preferably extends from at least one of the sides. 15 The engagement means may include a pin extending sideways from the holder and retaining means at a location on the pin spaced from the holder, whereby when a spacer means engages the engagement means the spacer means is sandwiched between the holder and the retaining means. The spacer means may have a V shaped surface that engages the engagement 20 means. The spacer means may extend downwards from the holder means and may be W shaped or may extend upwards and may be M shaped.

4141-1.doc -3 The stackable tray may include a generally planar and generally closed frame having sides defining an opening, a portion of mesh material extending over the opening, the openings in the mesh each sized to receive and hold an item; and W or M shaped legs extending generally vertically to the frame when the 5 frame is substantially horizontal and includes pins extending generally parallel to the plane of the frame and located to engage the V shaped portion of the legs of a similar tray located above or below. The lower region of the legs may be placed on the ground whilst the plants are growing, maintaining the tray and the plants above the ground and placed on 10 a tray underneath during transport. In one form the legs extend at least downwards from the tray. A part of the legs may also extend upwards to engage a part of a tray located above during transport. Preferably the legs extend from or adjacent the sides of the tray. 15 Each tray may have protrusions, lugs or the like that extend sideways from the tray and each of which is engaged by a downwardly extending leg from a tray above. The invention shall be better understood from the drawings and the following description of non limiting embodiments of the invention. 20 Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a plan view from above of a tray according to a first embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 is an end view of the tray of figure 2.

4141-1.doc -4 Figure 3 is a detail side view of part of the tray of figure 1. Figure 4 is a side view showing a number of the trays of figure 1 stacked on top of each other. Detailed Description of Preferred and other Embodiments 5 Referring to the figures there is shown a plant growing tray 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. The tray 10 includes a generally rectangular and planar frame 12 with sides 14 and 16 being approximately 2000 mm and 1200 mm long respectively. Extending across the interior of the frame 12 is a mesh 18 having square holes 10 20 adapted to receive rootstock tubes 22. The holes 20 are approximately 50 mm x 50 mm but this depends on the size of the rootstock tubes 22 and is not critical. As seen in figure 2, because the rootstock tubes 22 are tapered they may be inserted into the holes 20 in the mesh 18 from above with the mesh 18 engaging upper regions of the rootstock tubes 22. 15 The tray has four legs 23 that extend downwards from the sides of the frame, preferably the long sides 14 but this is not critical. The legs 23 may extend from the short sides 16 as well as or instead of from the long sides 14. These legs are long enough that when supported on the ground or other structure the rootstock tubes 22 are maintained above the ground. 20 As seen in figures 3 and 4 the legs are formed of bar formed into a W shape, with the upper ends 24 of the W attached to the frame 12. As discussed later, other configurations of legs may be used. The frame 12 is preferably formed of square section tubing 26, although this is not critical, and the legs 12 may be attached to the underside 28 of the tubing 4141-1.doc -5 26 or the sides. The underside is preferred as loads are transferred to the tubing 26 without shearing forces. Located generally centrally between the upper ends 24 of each leg and generally above the central inverted V shaped lower portion 30 of each W is a 5 protrusion or lug 32. The lugs 32 are mounted on the sides of the tubing 26 and include a pin 34 with an enlarged head 36 at its free end. The lugs are sized so the central lower portion 30 of the W may be placed on the pin 34 with the head 36 sandwiching the central lower portion 30 between the head and the frame, so limiting any sideways motion. 10 Where the legs extend from the underside of the tubing they need to extend outwards, so as to engage the pins 34 below and clear the frame. Where the legs extend from the sides of the tubing they may extend generally perpendicular to the frame. The legs 23 are sized so that when the trays are stacked on top of each other 15 there is a clearance of about 300 mm between each tray. Of course this is not critical and other spacings may be used as desired. At a spacing of 300 mm it is possible to have a stack of 4 trays in a small trailer, utility type vehicle or tray top vehicle. Of course the stack may be higher for trucks and when not in use. 20 In use the trays 10 are initially placed on the ground or other supports, without another tray above, so the plants in the rootstock may receive as much sunlight as possible. When the time comes to move the plants, such as for planting in the ground or transport to a retail outlet it is merely a mater of lifting each tray onto or into a vehicle. 25 The lugs 32 on the sides of the frames enable the trays to be lifted using 4141-1.doc -6 straps and the like, preferably attached to a crane, hoist, forklift or other lifting device. If the loaded trays have low mass they may be lifted into position by two or more persons. Referring to figure 4, the first tray 10a is placed in the vehicle with its legs 5 resting on the support surface 40 of the vehicle. The next tray 10b is lifted and positioned above the first tray 10a and lowered until the legs 23b of the second tray engage on the lugs 32a of the first tray 10a. Additional trays 10c etc may be staked with the legs 23c etc of each engaging the lugs of the tray below. Because of the W shape the legs 23 overlap the frame 12 on either side 10 of each lug 32 and so sideways motion is limited -even if the head becomes damaged the legs on the other side of the tray will prevent the legs sliding off the free end of the pins. The trays 10 are securely stacked and are unlikely to move relative to each other during transport. The rootstock tubes 22 are securely retained in the 15 mesh openings 18 of each tray and so are unlikely to move relative. Accordingly, the plants may be easily loaded onto a vehicle and transported to their destination with little direct handling and with little risk of damage. At the destination the trays may be unloaded in a revers of the loading process of the plants may be planted directly from the vehicle, either by hand 20 or via a mechanised planting device. As each tray is emptied it may be removed, exposing the tray beneath for access to the plants supported on the next tray. Whilst the preferred embodiment of the invention utilises W shaped legs that engage on sideways extending pins this is not critical and other configurations 25 may be used.

4141-1.doc -7 As an example, the legs may engage in recesses in the framework itself. Another alternative is the legs may be mounted on the sides of the framework and have recesses at their upper ends that are engaged but the lower ends of the legs from the tray above. 5 Whilst the preferred form of the invention has the legs extending downwards, if desired they may extend upwards. As an example the legs could extend upwards with an M configuration, with the lugs of a tray resting on the central part of the M of the legs. The use of M shaped legs provides suitable loops by which the tray may be lifted. 10 Whilst the preferred form of the invention has a simple mesh tray it will be appreciated that a tray with recesses or other means of holding the items may be used rather than one having openings into which the items are inserted. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many obvious modifications and variations may be made to the embodiments described herein without 15 departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Claims

4141-1-claims-20120925.doc -8 The claims defining the invention are as follows: 1. A stackable tray for a plurality of (like sized) items, the tray including: a holder for the items; spacer means extending away from the holder, and engagement means, the engagement means and the spacer means configured so that a series of said trays may be stacked on top of each other with the spacer means of one tray engaging the engagement means of the tray below or above to maintain the holders spaced apart, wherein the spacer means has a retaining surface that engages the engagement means at an engagement portion, wherein the retaining surface adjacent to the engagement portion extends away from the tray.
2. The stackable tray of claim 1 wherein the holder has a top and a bottom and the spacer means extends below the bottom.
3. The stackable tray of any one of the previous claims wherein the holder has a top and a bottom and the spacer means extends above the top.
4. The stackable tray of any one of the previous claims wherein the holder has at least one side and the engagement means extends from at least one of the sides.
5. The stackable tray of any one of the previous claims wherein the engagement means includes a pin extending sideways from the holder and retaining means at a location on the pin spaced from the holder, whereby 4141-1 -claims-20120925.doc -9 when a spacer means engages the engagement means the spacer means is sandwiched between the holder and the retaining means.
6. The stackable tray of any one of the previous claims wherein the spacer means has a V shaped surface that engages the engagement means.
7. The stackable tray of any one of the previous claims wherein the spacer means extends downwards from the holder means and is W shaped.
8. The stackable tray of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the spacer means extends upwards from the holder means and is M shaped.
9. The stackable tray of any one of the previous claims wherein the holder has a plurality of recesses or openings into each of which an item may be partially or fully inserted.
10. The stackable tray of any one of the previous claims wherein the holder includes a frame and a mesh mounted on or in the frame, the mesh having a plurality of openings each for receiving an item.
11. The stackable tray of any one of the previous claims wherein the holder incudes a generally planar and generally closed frame having sides defining an opening, a portion of mesh material extending over the opening, the openings in the mesh each sized to receive and hold an item; the spacer means includes W or M shaped legs extending generally vertically to the frame when the frame is substantially horizontal and the engagement means includes pins extending generally parallel to the plane of the frame and located to engage the V shaped portion of the legs of a similar tray located above or below. 4141 -1-claims-20120925-doc -10
12. A stackable tray, substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings. Dated 25 September 2012 Kevin James Curtis By his Patent Attorneys Acumen Intellectual Property