GB2287632A - Self-acting plant watering device - Google Patents

Abstract

A plant watering device comprises an elongate body for substantial upright orientation in use. The body has an elongate inner member (10) and an elongate outer member (28). The outer member (28) is tubular with the inner member (10) extending thereinto in a telescopic relationship therewith. The inner member (10) is spring-biased upwardly from the outer member (28) and has a passage (24) therethrough for conveying water. The top of the passage (24) is for connection to a supply of water and the bottom of the passage (24) has an outlet (25) feeding into the outer member (28). An outlet flow adjuster (30) is provided and is adjustable towards and away from the outlet (25) to control the amount of water capable of passing thereout. The inner member (10) has a support 36 to which a plant container can be attached and the outer member (28) has a suspension member 42 by which the device can be secured to a support (48). When the weight of a plant container attached to the support 36 exceeds the force of the spring 18 the inner member 10 is forced down onto seal 32 to cut off the water flow. When the plant container loses weight the inner member 10 moves upwards, releasing pressure on the seal 32, allowing water to exhaust through passage 31. <IMAGE>

Description

PLANT WATERING DEVICE This invention relates to a plant watering device for use particularly, but not exclusively, with a suspended or hanging plant container. One of the chores in having and enjoying a hanging plant container with foliage and/or flowering plants in a growing medium is that it has to be periodically watered and fed with, for example a nutrient solution, since not only do the plants use up the water and nutrient solution but also the growing medium in the container dries out through evaporation in the atmosphere. This requires the plant container to be lifted from the support from which it is suspended and watered and fed and then re-hung, or alternatively the container is watered and fed in situ in its suspended position.A disadvantage of the latter operation is that unless the watering and feeding is done frequently (at least daily in warm dry conditions) the growing medium may have become too dry in which case much of the water and nutrients solution simply runs through the medium. To save this possible waste of water and nutrient solution, containers have been provided with catchment trays fitted to or integral with the containers. The above chore is by either method nevertheless time consuming, particularly if there are several containers to be watered.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for automatically watering plants in one or more hanging plant containers.

Accordingly, the present invention is a plant watering device comprising an elongate body for substantial upright orientation in use, the body having an elongate inner member and an elongate outer member, the outer member being tubular with the inner member extending thereinto in a telescopic relationship therewith and the inner member being spring-biased upwardly from the outer member, the inner member having a passage therethrough for conveying fluid, the top of the passage being for connection to a supply of fluid and the bottom of the passage having an outlet feeding into the outer member, an outlet flow adjuster being provided in the bottom of the outer member and adjustable lengthwise thereof towards and away from the outlet to control the amount of fluid capable of passing thereout, the adjuster having a central passage, extending upwardly from its lower end, the central passage terminating beyond a series of orifices communicating with the interior of the outer member to allow flow of fluid to pass from the outer member through the centre passage to exhaust therefrom, the inner member having support means to which a plant container can be attached and the outer member having suspension means by which the device can be secured to a support.

Preferably, the inner member has a head and a stem, the head being spaced above the upper end of the outer member. The spring-biasing is preferably a coil spring accommodated in the outer member by the diameter of a lower portion of the stem of the inner member being reduced with a first shoulder at the reduction providing a top seating for the spring and the internal diameter of an upper portion of the outer member being increased to provide a second shoulder for a bottom seating for the spring. One or more weep holes is preferably provided in the outer member at a level above the upper limit of movement of the bottom of the inner member. The bottom seating in the outer member is desirably above the one or more weep holes. Four weep holes are preferably provided, all lying on the same radial plane and formed of two pairs of diametrical holes at right angles to each other.

Preferably also, the adjuster has an external screw-thread in threaded engagement with an internal screw-thread in the lower portion of the outer member and is movement adjustable thereup or theredown on the screw threads..

The top of the adjuster preferably has a resilient insert to be abutted by the bottom ofthe stem to close off the outlet ofthe passage and prevent fluid passing thereout when the stem of the inner member is in its lowest position.

Preferably further, the outer member has an annular head at its top end.

The support means on the inner member is desirably a series of fasteners, such as hooks or eyes, secured to its head and to which a plant container can be attached and supported by flexible elements, for example chain link connectors. The suspension means on the outer member is desirably also fasteners, such as hooks or eyes, secured to its head and to which flexible elements, for example chain link connectors, can be fitted, the elements being brought together in a union, such as a ring, for connection to a support.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a plant watering device according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the device; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of two devices fitted one each to a respective plant container.

Referring to the drawings, a plant watering device comprises an elongate body for substantial upright orientation in use. The body has an elongate inner member 10 and an outer member 12. The outer member 12 is tubular. The inner member 10 has a head 14 and a stem 16, the stem 16 having an external diameter to give mechanical clearance with the internal diameter of the outer member 12.

The stem 16 ofthe inner member 10 extends into the outer member 12 in a telescopic relationship therewith. Key means is provided to prevent axial rotation of one member relative to the other and to limit the amount of lengthwise movement ofthe members relative to each other. The inner member 10 is spring biased upwardly from the outer member 12. The spring-biasing is a coil spring 18 accommodated in the outer member 12 by the diameter of a lower portion ofthe stem 16 ofthe inner member 10 being reduced with a first shoulder 20 at the reduction providing a top seating for the spring 18 and the internal diameter of an upper portion of the outer member 12 being increased in diameter to provide a second shoulder 22 to serve as a bottom seating for the spring 18.The inner member 10 has a passage 24 therethrough for conveying fluid, the top ofthe passage 24 being provided in a push-on hose/pipe connector for connection by piping to a supply of fluid and the bottom of the passage 24 having an outlet 25 feeding into the outer member 12. A series of four weep holes 26 is provided in the wall 28 of the outer member 12 at a level above the upper limit of movement ofthe bottom ofthe inner member 10. The four weep holes 26 provided all lie on the same radial plane and are formed of two pairs of diametrical weep holes at right angles to each other. The bottom seating in the outer member 12 is above the weep holes 26. The positioning of the holes 26 below the bottom seating is to ensure that no fluid comes into contact with the spring 18.

An outlet flow adjuster 30 is provided in the bottom of the outer member 12 and is adjustable lengthwise thereof towards and away from the outlet 25 to control the amount of fluid capable of passing thereout. The adjuster 30 has a central passage 31 extending upwardly from its lower end. The central passage 31 terminates beyond a series of two diametrical orifices 33 communicating with the interior of the outer member 12 to allow flow of fluid to pass from the outer member 12 through the central passsage 31, the diameter of the upper end of the adjuster 30 beyond the orifices 30 being reduced in dimension to allow flow of fluid from the outlet 25 to the orifices 33. The adjuster 30 has an external screwthread in threaded engagement with an internal screw-thread in the lower portion of the outer member 12 and is movement adjustable thereup or theredown on the screw threads.The top of the adjuster 30 has a resilient insert 32 to be abutted by the bottom of the stem 16 to close off the outlet 25 of the passage 24 and prevent fluid passing thereout when the stem 16 ofthe inner member 10 is in its lowest position caused by increased container weight.

The inner member 10 has support means to which a plant container 34 can be attached. The outer member 12 has an annular head 40 at its top end. The outer periphery of the head 14 and of the head 40 is triangular shaped. The key means is a slot (not shown) provided on the outer face of stem 16 with a key (not shown) provided projecting inwards from the inner face of head 40. The key is adjustable in its mounting in the head 40 such that it can be withdrawn to allow entry or removal of the inner member and reinserted to engage in the slot. The heads 14, 40 are offset so that the apices of the triangular shapes are not aligned.

The key may ideally be a screw. The support means on the inner member 10 is a series of fasteners 36, such as hooks or eyes, secured to the head 14 to which a plant container 34 can be attached and supported by flexible elements 38, for example chain link connectors.

The outer member 12 has suspension means by which the device can be secured to a support ie. a bracket 48. The suspension means on the outer member 12 is also fasteners 42, such as hooks or eyes, secured to the head 40 and to which flexible elements 44, such as chain link connectors, can be fitted, the elements 44 being brought together in a union ring 46 for connection to a support ie. the bracket 48.

The device is connected by piping to a supply of fluid, the piping having an on/off valve. The device operates on the basis of the weight of fluid in the growing medium in the plant container 34. Fluid fed into the device passes thereout through the passage 31. When the growing medium is saturated, it is heavier and therefore the inner member 10 is telescoped into the outer member 12 with the lower end of the stem 16 abutting against the insert 32 of the adjuster 30.

As the fluid is taken up by the roots of the plants and evaporates in the atmosphere, the container becomes lighter and the two members 10, 12 move apart under the influence ofthe spring 18.

In the situation where there are several plant containers 34, the devices for the containers can be linked together by hosing/piping to the supply of fluid with a on/off valve in the piping for each device whereby all containers can be watered and fed simultaneously, but permitting one or more devices to be isolated from the supply if this is required for any purpose. The growing medium in one container may become lighter before another. The present invention allows that container to receive fluid or more fluid than the other(s) due to the individuality of the devices.

A range of springs with different tensions can be provided for use, one at a time, with different sized or weighted containers.

Variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope ofthe invention described above.

Claims (12)

1. A plant watering device comprises an elongate body for substantial upright orientation in use, the body having an elongate inner member and an elongate outer member, the outer member being tubular with the inner member extending thereinto in a telescopic relationship therewith and the inner member being spring-biased upwardly from the outer member, the inner member having a passage therethrough for conveying fluid, the top of the passage being for connection to a supply of fluid and the bottom of the passage having an outlet feeding into the outer member, an outlet flow adjuster being provided in the bottom of the outer member and adjustable lengthwise thereof towards and away from the outlet to control the amount of fluid capable of passing thereout, the adjuster having a central passage, extending upwardly from its lower end, the central passage terminating beyond a series of orifices communicating with the interior of the outer member to allow flow of fluid to pass from the outer member through the centre passage to exhaust therefrom, the inner member having support means to which a plant container can be attached and the outer member having suspension means by which the device can be secured to a support.

2. A plant watering device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the inner member has a head and a stem, the head being spaced above the upper end of the outer member.

3. A plant watering device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the springbiasing is a coil spring accommodated in the outer member by the diameter of a lower portion of the stem of the inner member being reduced with a first shoulder at the reduction providing a top seating for the spring and the internal diameter of an upper portion of the outer member being increased to provide a second shoulder for a bottom seating for the spring.

4. A plant watering device as claimed in Claim 1,2 or 3, wherein one or more weep holes is provided in the outer member at a level above the upper limit of movement of the bottom of the inner member.

5. A plant watering device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the bottom seating in the outer member is above the one or more weep holes.

6. A plant watering device as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, wherein four weep holes are provided, all lying on the same radial plane and formed of two pairs of diametrical holes at right angles to each other.

7. A plant watering device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the adjuster has an external screw-thread in threaded engagement with an internal screw-thread in the lower portion ofthe outer member and is movement adjustable thereup or theredown on the screw threads.

8. A plant watering device as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 7, wherein the top of the adjuster has a resilient insert to be abutted by the bottom of the stem of the inner member to close off the outlet of the passage and prevent fluid passing thereout when the stem of the inner member is in its lowest position.

9. A plant watering device as claimed in any one ofthe preceding Claims, wherein the outer member has an annular head at its top end.

10. A plant watering device as claimed in any one ofthe preceding Claims, wherein the support means on the inner member is a series of fasteners, secured to its head and to which a plant container can be attached and supported by flexible elements.

11. A plant watering device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the suspension means on the outer member is also fasteners, secured to its head and to which flexible elements can be fitted, the elements being brought together in a union, such as a ring, for connection to a support.

12. A plant watering device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.