GB2193622A

GB2193622A - Garden cane holder

Info

Publication number: GB2193622A
Application number: GB08619745A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Derek Victor Beamish
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-08-13
Filing date: 1986-08-13
Publication date: 1988-02-17
Also published as: GB8619745D0

Abstract

A garden cane holder comprises a rod 1 having means 3-5 at its ends for supporting the rod horizontally on or in the ground, and open-ended tubes 2 attached to the rod along its length, the open ends of the tubes receiving the ends of canes. The means 3-5 illustrated may be replaced by removable splayed legs. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Garden cane holder This invention relates to a cane holder for garden use in which a number of canes for supporting growing plants may be held.

Garden canes for supporting plants are commonly driven into the ground and subsequently removed for the winter. There is a tendency for the ends of the canes in the ground to rot, and used canes may have to be discarded after one season. Driving a large number of canes into the ground at the desired depth and angle also consumes a certain amount of time and effort. Mounting canes in a stable manner in earth contained in a box or in a Gro-bag may be awkward as the depth of soil may be insufficient to support the canes properly.

The invention is intended to provide a garden cane holder which is simple to use, cheap to manufacture and can support canes securely under a variety of conditions.

According to the invention there is provided a garden cane holder comprising a rod having means at each end for supporting the rod on or in the ground in a substantially horizontal position and a plurality of open-ended tubes fixed to the rod at intervals along its length, the open ends of the tubes extending upwardly to receive the ends of garden canes for supporting plants.

In one arrangement the supporting means at the ends of the rod comprise open-ended support tubes attached to the rod with their open ends extending downwardly and stakes are provided to be driven into the ground and their upper ends located in the support tubes to hold the rod in place. The tubes to contain the ends of the canes may be inclined from the vertical so that the canes are supported in an inclined position.

In another arrangement, intended particularly for use with Gro-bags, the means for supporting the rod each comprise a pair of removable splayed-out legs extending outwardly in the direction perpendicular to the rod. The ends of the legs may be adapted to fit around a tray containing a standard size of Gro-bag for growing plants such as tomatoes and the tubes may be positioned to hold the ends of vertically extending canes above the bag in order to support the tomato plants.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figs.

1 and 2 are perspective views showing different cane holders.

In the holder of Fig. 1 a horizontal rod 1 comprises a mild steel tube and a series of open-ended steel tubes 2 are welded to it along its length. Tubes 2 are flattened at the points at which they are welded to rod 1 and the parts of tubes 2 above rod 1 are inclined at an angle from the vertical. Vertical steel tubes 3 are welded to the ends of rod 1 and have flattened portions 4 adjacent their lower ends. Tubes 3 receive metal stakes 5 which are driven into the ground vertically to hold rod 1 in place and the upper ends of the stakes are clamped by the flattened portions 4 of tubes 3 to retain tubes 3 on the stakes.

The upper parts of tubes 2 are all inclined at the same angle to the vertical and their open upper ends may receive the- ends of canes for supporting beans or other plants in the garden. Tubes 2 may be separated by intervals appropriate to the plants to be supported. When the device is used in the garden two similar holders may be positioned side-byside with tubes 2 inclined inwardly (towards each other) and the canes inserted in the respective rows of tubes 2 may be tied together at the top to form a stable structure for supporting plants such as beans.

The entire holder may be made of mild steel which is coated with plastics or otherwise treated to protect it from corrosion and to improve its appearance.

The holder of Fig. 2 also comprises a horizontal rod 11 formed of steel tube which is welded to open-ended upstanding steel tubes 12 for supporting canes. In this instance tubes 12 are intended to extend vertically. The ends of rod 11 are bent downwardly and each engages a removable stand comprising a pair of splayed-out legs of steel tube 13 having an upwardly extending rod 14. Rod 14 has an end portion of reduced diameter to fit into the socket formed by the open end of rod 11.

The length of rod 11 and of legs 13 is such that the device when assembled may straddle a tray positioned below rod 11 which is of a size and shape to accommodate a standard Gro-bag. In known manner, plants such as tomatoes row upwardly from holes in the upper surface of the bag and may be tied to vertical canes positioned in the sockets formed by tubes 12. The cane holder, tray and Gro-bag then form a completely self-contained unit for growing plants which need to be supported in the vertical position.

In this case also, the holder is made of steel tubing which may be given a surface finish to improve its appearance and prevent corrosion.

1. A garden cane holder comprising a rod having means at each end for supporting the rod on or in the ground in a substantially horizontal position and a plurality of open-ended tubes fixed to the rod at intervals along its length, the open ends of the tubes extending upwardly to receive the ends of garden canes for supporting plants.

2. A garden cane holder according to claim 1, in which the supporting means at the ends of the rod comprise open-ended supPO wt)5

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Garden cane holder This invention relates to a cane holder for garden use in which a number of canes for supporting growing plants may be held. Garden canes for supporting plants are commonly driven into the ground and subsequently removed for the winter. There is a tendency for the ends of the canes in the ground to rot, and used canes may have to be discarded after one season. Driving a large number of canes into the ground at the desired depth and angle also consumes a certain amount of time and effort. Mounting canes in a stable manner in earth contained in a box or in a Gro-bag may be awkward as the depth of soil may be insufficient to support the canes properly. The invention is intended to provide a garden cane holder which is simple to use, cheap to manufacture and can support canes securely under a variety of conditions. According to the invention there is provided a garden cane holder comprising a rod having means at each end for supporting the rod on or in the ground in a substantially horizontal position and a plurality of open-ended tubes fixed to the rod at intervals along its length, the open ends of the tubes extending upwardly to receive the ends of garden canes for supporting plants. In one arrangement the supporting means at the ends of the rod comprise open-ended support tubes attached to the rod with their open ends extending downwardly and stakes are provided to be driven into the ground and their upper ends located in the support tubes to hold the rod in place. The tubes to contain the ends of the canes may be inclined from the vertical so that the canes are supported in an inclined position. In another arrangement, intended particularly for use with Gro-bags, the means for supporting the rod each comprise a pair of removable splayed-out legs extending outwardly in the direction perpendicular to the rod. The ends of the legs may be adapted to fit around a tray containing a standard size of Gro-bag for growing plants such as tomatoes and the tubes may be positioned to hold the ends of vertically extending canes above the bag in order to support the tomato plants. Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views showing different cane holders. In the holder of Fig. 1 a horizontal rod 1 comprises a mild steel tube and a series of open-ended steel tubes 2 are welded to it along its length. Tubes 2 are flattened at the points at which they are welded to rod 1 and the parts of tubes 2 above rod 1 are inclined at an angle from the vertical. Vertical steel tubes 3 are welded to the ends of rod 1 and have flattened portions 4 adjacent their lower ends. Tubes 3 receive metal stakes 5 which are driven into the ground vertically to hold rod 1 in place and the upper ends of the stakes are clamped by the flattened portions 4 of tubes 3 to retain tubes 3 on the stakes. The upper parts of tubes 2 are all inclined at the same angle to the vertical and their open upper ends may receive the- ends of canes for supporting beans or other plants in the garden. Tubes 2 may be separated by intervals appropriate to the plants to be supported. When the device is used in the garden two similar holders may be positioned side-byside with tubes 2 inclined inwardly (towards each other) and the canes inserted in the respective rows of tubes 2 may be tied together at the top to form a stable structure for supporting plants such as beans. The entire holder may be made of mild steel which is coated with plastics or otherwise treated to protect it from corrosion and to improve its appearance. The holder of Fig. 2 also comprises a horizontal rod 11 formed of steel tube which is welded to open-ended upstanding steel tubes 12 for supporting canes. In this instance tubes 12 are intended to extend vertically. The ends of rod 11 are bent downwardly and each engages a removable stand comprising a pair of splayed-out legs of steel tube 13 having an upwardly extending rod 14. Rod 14 has an end portion of reduced diameter to fit into the socket formed by the open end of rod 11. The length of rod 11 and of legs 13 is such that the device when assembled may straddle a tray positioned below rod 11 which is of a size and shape to accommodate a standard Gro-bag. In known manner, plants such as tomatoes row upwardly from holes in the upper surface of the bag and may be tied to vertical canes positioned in the sockets formed by tubes 12. The cane holder, tray and Gro-bag then form a completely self-contained unit for growing plants which need to be supported in the vertical position. In this case also, the holder is made of steel tubing which may be given a surface finish to improve its appearance and prevent corrosion. CLAIMS

2. A garden cane holder according to claim 1, in which the supporting means at the ends of the rod comprise open-ended supPO wt)5 attached to the rod with their open ends extending downwardly to receive the upper ends of stakes driven into the ground.

3. A garden cane holder according to claim 1 or 2, in which the tubes for supporting the canes are inclined from the vertical when the rod is supported on the ground.

4. A garden cane holder according to claim 1, in which the means for supporting the rod each comprise a pair of removable splayed-out legs extending outwardly in the direction perpendicular to the rod.

5. A garden cane holder, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.