FR2608365A1 - Flower carrier for use as a flower stand (window-box) - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a flower carrier for use as a flower stand (window-box) in order to receive flower-pots, of the type of that consisting of a container 1 having the general shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, the upper face 1a of which is open in order to allow flower-pots 2 to be placed on and/or removed from the bottom 1b of the container 1. This flower stand (window-box) is noteworthy in that the container 1 is equipped with a locking device preventing removal of a flower-pot 2 by an unauthorised person. This locking device, constituted by a means for partially closing the opening 1a of the container 1, is controlled by a locking member 5 triggered by the validation of an authorised element allowing only an authorised person to carry out the operations of placing the said flower-pots 2 into the container 1 and/or removing them therefrom. This means for partially closing the opening 1a is constituted by two angle sections 3 and 4 each in the form of an upside-down L, the bottom ends of the vertical branches 3a and 4a of which are mounted so as to articulate about two spindles 3' and 4' which are placed parallel to each other and to the two upper edges of the two longitudinal vertical walls 1c and 1d of the said container 1. Applications: locking of flower stands (window-boxes) installed in public places, preventing acts of vandalism and, more particularly, preventing acts of theft.

Description

FLOWER HOLDERS FOR GARDENING
The present invention relates to ornamental furniture supporting or containing pots of plants and / or flowers and more specifically relates to a flower holder for use as a planter of the type constituted by a tray adopting the general shape of a parallelepiped. rectangle, the upper face of which is open to allow the installation and / or removal of flowerpots on the bottom of the container.

 Many efforts have been developed in recent years in order to give planters an aesthetic character, often respecting the evolution of society while being dependent on the spirit of their innovators.

 Research has also focused on different methods of executing a planter, generally aimed at modifying their structures so that they are more solid and more stable, that they facilitate the operations of unpotting and repotting plants, or even so that they assume various positions and / or functions.

 Thus, for example, the removable flowerpot, described and represented in French patent No. 1,164,079, is separated into three parts to facilitate unloading and to avoid damaging the plant contained.

 Likewise, the support for a plant pot, described and represented in French Patent No. 1,477,854, has a frustoconical lower part which widens downwards and rests on the ground by a peripheral band while the pot is in support. suspended by its collar on the edge of a frustoconical part flaring upward, the whole being arranged so that the bottom of the pot is a short distance from the bottom of the support.

The latter then has a large base allowing the pot to have excellent wind resistance.

 The planter container, described and represented in French Patent No. 1,537,059, includes, at its lower part, several support elements on which are placed grids each comprising at least one wick while on each of the grids is placed a container containing a humidification liquid which may be water or a mixture of water and additional material for a culture medium.

 The invertible pot holder, described and represented in French Patent No. 2,297,543, includes a receptacle capable of containing a flower pot and the upper rim of which is extended by a skirt flared downwards, the free edge of which rests on the ground, the bottom then being above the ground plane.

 The light planter with water jet and automatic humidification of the soil, described and represented in French patent no. 2,322,573, includes a plant lighting source, a water jet on an equally luminous dome, and an automatic humidification of soil by capillarity with wicks which soak in a container of water.

 The planter, described and represented in French patent n02,410,457, consists of a series of support elements comprising a base provided with supports on the ground to form vertical pillars and by a series of elongated flower boxes with means assembly to fix a flower box between two support elements, at different levels. This piece of furniture makes it possible to produce, in particular, removable floral barriers.

 The multi-storey display unit, in particular for use as planters, described and represented in patent No. 2,550,073, is formed by a stack of partially stackable individual containers each comprising a portion forming a container itself, of variable configuration, and a central part of tubular shape whose upper and lower extremities are shaped and dimensioned so as to allow partial fitting vertically and coaxially of the different tubular central parts of the tanks.

 The planters with water reserve and mobile basket, described and represented in French patent n02,556,928, each consist of a concrete planter in which is placed a basket corresponding to the model of the planter and provided with a no - synthetic woven fabric to contain the growing medium. The facings of the planter are made of wood and fixed by bolts, the nuts of which are embedded in the concrete. These facings are therefore interchangeable and find interesting applications for the flowering of squares and pedestrian streets in the city.

 The tray or container for various plants, removable and self-locking as described in French patent n02.562.381, has the originality of being removable in several elements and has a self-locking and waterproof sealing system which allows easy handling , an ultra fast potting and repotting. Such a bin offers the possibility of girdling plants growing in the ground and also serving as a planter.

 The present invention relates to a planter and more specifically to the particular use which can be made of a planter of conventional design of the type of that consisting of a container of rectangular shape whose upper face is open to allow the installation and / or the placement of flowerpots and / or plants on the bottom of the tank.

To simplify and facilitate the understanding of the text of the invention, the group of words "plants and / or flowers" will subsequently be replaced by the word "flowers", it being understood that the latter will also include plants.

 According to the invention, the applicant has imagined equipping the aforesaid container with a locking device preventing the operation of depositing a flowerpot by an unauthorized person. The goal sought by the applicant by associating with the tubs of its planters a locking device, was to be able to install planters in public places while protecting them against acts of vandalism such as the theft of flowerpots, which occur very frequently on planters installed in such places.

 According to the invention, the locking device is controlled by a blocking member triggered by the validation of an authorized element allowing only an authorized person to perform the operations of removing and / or installing said pots at the inside said tank. It is understood that the locking device associated with the tub of a planter, makes it possible to set up a new maintenance service for planters by people (florists, nurserymen, etc.) who will be authorized and selected by the owners ( administrations, large companies, etc.) of the said planters. When a person in the maintenance department wants to replace the flowerpots in a planter, he introduces an authorized element, which can be in the form of a key, into the blocking device of the locking the planter in order to release it and give it the possibility of carrying out the operations of removing and placing flower pots on the bottom of the container. Once the pot replacement operation has been carried out, the maintenance person engages the key in the locking member of the locking device to validate the latter again.

 According to a preferred embodiment feature of the invention, the above locking device is constituted by a means for partially closing the opening of said tank. This partial closing means can be produced by means of two inverted L-shaped angles, the lower ends of the vertical branches of which are mounted articulated around two axes arranged parallel to each other and to the two upper edges of the two longitudinal vertical walls of said tank. When the angles are positioned so that the horizontal branches of the L are in a plane parallel to the bottom of the tank to obstruct the opening of the latter, it suffices to block the articulation of said angles around their axes so that the device When a maintenance person wants to free a flowerpot from said tray, they unlock the articulation of the angles so that they swing out of the planter to fully release the opening of the tank. The flowerpot can then be removed from its housing and replaced with a new one.

 Although the general aspects of the invention considered to be new are expressed above, further details concerning a preferred method of making a planter highlighting other characteristics of the invention will be better understood by referring the detailed description below and the accompanying drawings.

On these drawings
Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a planter according to the invention, in the so-called "locking" position.

 Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the planter of Figure 1, shown in the so-called "unlocking" position.

 The planter illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 consists of a container 1 shaped in a metallic material and adopting the general shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, the upper face of which is open to allow the installation and / or removal of flowerpots 2 on the bottom lb of said tank. The width of the flower pots 2 is preferably slightly less than the opening 1a of the tank 1 to allow the pot 2 to be placed on the bottom 1b, via the opening 1a. The upper parts of the side members forming the vertical longitudinal walls lc, ld of the tank 1 are folded inwards of the tank 1 parallel to the bottom lb to form internal flanges lc ', ld' whose ends delimit the contours of the opening la while ensuring the timing of the pot 2 placed on the bottom lb.

Advantageously, the bottom lb of the tank 1 is preformed with projecting parts lb 'on which the flower pots 2 rest, at a level raised relative to the bottom lb to define with the latter a reserve of water.

 In accordance with the main provisions of the invention, two inverted L-shaped angles 3 and 4, are arranged above the side members lc and ld, so that the lower ends of their vertical branches are mounted articulated around two axes 3 'and 4', arranged parallel to each other and to the two flanges lc ', ld'.

 When the articulation of these two angles 3 and 4 is blocked in the position where they are shown in FIG. 1, these angles constitute a device for locking the planter because their horizontal branches 3b and 4b narrow the opening 1a of the container 1 , thereby preventing the extraction of the pot 2 from its housing because it abuts against said horizontal branches 3b, 4b.

 By triggering by an authorized element (for example a key), the validation of a blocking member 5 (for example a lock fixed on the vertical branches 3a, 4a), the free articulation of the angles 3 and 4 is authorized and allows a person from the maintenance department to tilt them outwards by rotating them (arrow A) around their axes 3 'and 4'. This tilting of the angles 3 and 4 in the position where they are shown in the drawing of Figure 2, then allows to fully release the opening of the tray 1 and remove the pot 2 of the latter, as shown by the arrow F.

 It is useful to specify that certain technical details of implementation have not been raised in the present description because they do not add anything more to the good understanding of the fundamental concepts of the invention.

 Thus, the configuration of the planter can very well adapt to the overall aesthetics of the environment in which they are placed by fixing, for example on the metal beams lc and ld, wooden heddles 6.

 Similarly, if one installs in the tray 1 large flower pots 2 of frustoconical shape, small flower pots can be arranged between them and wedge under the edges lc ', ld' which trap them. Indeed, the longitudinal members lc, Id delimit with the angles 3 and 4, windows 7 and 8 which allow the light to filter inside the tanks 1, light necessary for the life of the flowers. To extract the small flower pots, you must first remove the large pots 2 by unlocking the angles 3 and 4.

In addition to allowing a presentation of rows of flowerpot rows, this arrangement also gives the possibility of ensuring a locking of the entire planter
It is understood that the planter which has just been described above and represented, was for the purpose of disclosure rather than limitation.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the above embodiment, from which other modes and other embodiments can be provided without departing from the scope of the invention taken in its broadest aspects and in its mind.

 In order to allow a better understanding of the drawings, a list of references with their legends is listed below.

1 ..................... Bac
la ..................... Tray 1 opening
lb ..................... Bottom of tank 1
lc ..................... Longitudinal wall of tank 1
ld ..................... Longitudinal wall of tank 1
lb '..................... Projecting parts from bottom lb
lc '..................... Edge of the wall îc
ld '..................... Edge of the wall ld
2 ..................... Flowerpot
3.4 ..................... Corners
3 '..................... Angle of articulation of the angle 3
4 '..................... Angle of articulation of the angle iron 4
3a, 4a ..................... Vertical branches of angles 3 and 4
3b, 4b ..................... Horizontal branches of angles 3 and 4
5 ..................... Lock of the locking member
6 ..................... Wooden beams
7.8 ..................... Windows

Claims (9)

 1. Flower holder for use as a planter for receiving flower pots, of the type constituted by a container (1) adopting the general shape of a rectangular parallelepiped whose upper face (la) is open to allow the installation and / or the removal of flowerpots (2) on the bottom (lb) of the container (1), CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the above container (1) is fitted with a locking device preventing the removal operation from a flowerpot (2) by an unauthorized person, said locking device being controlled by a blocking member (5) triggered by the validation of an authorized element allowing only an authorized person to ensure operations for removing and / or installing said pots (2) inside said tank (1).  2. Flower holder according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the above locking device is constituted by a means for partially closing the opening (la) of said tank (1).  3. Flower holder according to claims 1 and 2, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the aforesaid partial closing means of the opening (la) of said tank (1) is constituted by at least one angle (3 or 4) in the shape of an inverted L whose bottom end of the vertical branch (3a or 4a )) is mounted articulated (arrow A) around an axis (3 'or 4') parallel to the upper edge of one of the vertical walls of said tank (1).  4. Strong flowers according to claims 1, 2 and 3, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the above-mentioned partial closure means of the opening (la) of said tank (1) consists of two angles (3 and 4) in the shape of an inverted L, the lower ends of the vertical branches (3a and 4a) of which are mounted articulated around two axes (3 'and 4') arranged parallel to each other and to the two upper edges of the two longitudinal vertical walls (lc and ld) of said tank (1).  5. Flower holder according to claims 1, 2, 3 and 4 taken together, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the two longitudinal walls (lc and ld) of said tank (1) are each constituted by two top and bottom rails delimiting between them rectangular window (7 and 8) allowing the light to filter inside the tank (1), the two tall beams being constituted by the two articulated angles (3 and 4) forming the above-mentioned means for partially closing the opening (the ) of said tank (1).  6. Flower holder according to claim 5, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the upper parts of the lower side members (lc and Id) are each folded inwardly of said tank (1) in a plane parallel to the bottom (lb) of the latter, to form two flanges (lc 'and ld') under which flower pots of smaller dimensions are installed than the large pots which adopt a frustoconical shape.  7. Flower holder according to claim 5, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the smooth wooden cladding are fixed on the outer faces of the vertical walls of said tank (1).  8. Flower holder according to any one of claims 1 to 7, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the vertical walls and the bottom (lb) of said tank (1) are shaped in a metallic material.  9. Flower holder according to any one of claims 1 to 8, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT projecting parts (lb ') are preformed on the bottom (lb) of the container (1) so that the flowerpots (2) rest on it, at a level raised with respect to the above-mentioned bottom (lb) in order to delimit with it a reserve of water.