GB2231913A

GB2231913A - Support for plant canes and the like

Info

Publication number: GB2231913A
Application number: GB9010377A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Marcus Robert Manning
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-05-10
Filing date: 1990-05-09
Publication date: 1990-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 2010-05-09
Also published as: GB9010377D0; GB8910745D0; GB2231913B

Abstract

A support for a plant cane or the like comprises a first part having slotting 18 locatable on a plant pot rim or other retention structure, and connected integrally therewith a second part having jaws 28 for holding a plant cane. The support being formed as a plastics moulding. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Support for plant canes and the like DESCRIPTION This invention concerns support for plant canes and the like.

It is important for many plants to be supported by a cane or the like as they grow to keep the plant upright to reduce damage or loss of plants. That is also important for a garden centre or nursery as purchasers are less inclined to select a plant that is not apparently growing upright. Therefore, it would be useful to have means for supporting a cane or the like in an upright position in a plant pot.

In, for example, a nursery where a large number of plants in plant pots are arranged side by side being able to pick up a chosen plant safely and easily would be useful. At present, a person selecting a particular plant has to stoop far enough to pick up the plant pot itself, which can be dangerous due to the proximity of the canes or the like of other plants that might cause injury such as to a person's eye. The alternative of trying to pick up the plant by lifting the cane itself is not particularly helpful even when the plant is securely fastened to the cane because the plant pot is likely to be left behind by such an action.

An object of this invention is to provide a support for a plant cane or the like, whereby the above mentioned disadvantages may be overcome.

According to the present invention there is provided a support for a plant cane or the like comprising a first part locatable on a plant pot rim or other retention structure and a second part connected to the first part that has means for holding a plant cane or the like.

The other retention structure may be a training wire or frame.

In a preferred embodiment the support of the invention has a first part that is slotted, so that a plant pot rim for example can fit into the slot. In such an example it may be useful for the slot to be wider at its closed end to accommodate any lip of the plant pot rim.

The second part of the support of the invention preferably includes resilient jaws, whereby a cane or the like can be pressed into the jaws but then held by the resilience thereof. Preferably the jaws will be provided by keyhole slotting of the second part of the cane support. Conveniently said keyhole slotting is configured to hold different cross-sections of cane.

The jaw opening may lie in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the slotting in the first part, or in a plane substantially parallel thereto.

The supports of the invention are preferably made from plastics material say by moulding and will preferably be in one piece. The first and second parts of the support will preferably be linked by a bridge piece, the length of which may be chosen to suit the size of plant pot and desired position of the cane, eg.

so that the supported cane may be generally central of the plant pot or at any other position between the centre and edge of the pot.

The cane supports of the invention have several advantages including that movement of a cane or the like in a plant pot is minimised, which is particularly useful for climbing plants that require long canes.

Also, nursery losses may be reduced, since plants together with their pots can be lifted by the cane alone with added safety for the person lifting the plant. Furthermore, the appearance of plants in pots at nurseries, garden centres and the like may be enhanced because the cane or the like and the plant may be held generally vertically.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a plant cane or the like support; Figure 2 is a plan view of the support of Figure 1; Figure 3 and 4 are side and plan views of an alternative embodiment of support, and Figure 5 is a plan view showing a modification to the embodiment in Figures 3 and 4.

Referring firstly to the accompanying drawings of Figures 1 and 2, a support 10 for a plant cane or the like is moulded from resilient plastics material and is generally flat. The support 10 has a larger first part 12 that is intended to fit over the rim 14 of a plant pot 16. For that the first part 12 has a narrow slot 18 therein that terminates in a wider part 20, the latter to accommodate lip 22 of the plant pot rim 14. The slot is inclined relative to the vertical as is the case for most plant pot walls.

From the first part 12 the support 10 has a narrower bridge part 24 leading to a slightly wider part 26 that includes jaws 28. The jaws 28 are provided by slot 30 in the part 26, the slot being in section of a keyhole type. As the support is made of resilient plastics material, a cane or stick 40 can be forced into the slot 30 and held there even sufficiently for the plant and its pot to be lifted by lifting of the cane 40.

The support 10 enhances presentation of plants particularly say in a nursery or garden centre and also facilitates handling of plants.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 there is illustrated an alternative embodiment similar in construction to the above described embodiment and like references numerals have been used to denote corresponding parts. The support is moulded from plastics and has a first part 12 provided with a narrow flanged slot 18 providing transverse support. The slot terminates in a wider hollow part or boss 20. The slot and boss are supported by web part 24' leading to a narrow bridge part 24 as viewed in plan which carries at its end a wider part 26 having jaws 28 provided by slot 30. The slot is of keyhole type with its inner formation being sized to embrace round a cane. It will be seen that in this embodiment the jaws are open to the side relative to the direction of the bridge part to provide a more positive connection between cane and the item with which the part 20 engages. In the illustration the bridge has a reinforcing web 25 to one side extending between the boss 20 and the part 26.

This is optional and may be to either or both sides of the web.

Referring now to Figure 5, there is illustrated an alternative configuration for the wider -part 26 wherein the jaws 28 are configured to provide larger and smaller formations 31, 33 to facilitate use of the support with a wider range of cane sizes. Other constructional features correspond to Figures 3 and 4 and have not been described further.

Claims

1. A support for a plant cane or the like comprising a first part locatable on a plant pot rim or other retention structure, and a second part connected to the first part that has means for holding a plant cane or the like.

2. A support as claimed in claim 1 in which the first part is slotted to receive the plant pot rim or other retention structure.

3. A support as claimed in claim 2 in which said slotting is wider at its closed end.

4. A support as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 in which the second part has resilient jaws to hold therein such as a cane.

5. A support as claimed in claim 4 in which the jaws configured to hold canes of different cross-section.

6. A support as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the first part and second parts are slotted in substantially parallel planes.

7. A support as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the first and second parts are iinked by a bridge piece the length of which is chosen to suit the intended application.

8. A support as claimed in any one of the preceding claims when constructed as a plastics moulding.

9. A support constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described - with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings of Figures 1 and 2, or 3 and 4 or as modified according to Figure 5.