GB2329314A

GB2329314A - Removing bedding plants from boxes

Info

Publication number: GB2329314A
Application number: GB9719848A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart David Bailey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-09-19
Filing date: 1997-09-19
Publication date: 1999-03-24
Also published as: GB9719848D0

Abstract

A device for removing bedding plants from boxes 4 comprises a rectangular plate 1 carrying six pegs 2 spaced to engage the holes 5 in the base of the box. When the box is pressed down on the device, the pegs ease through the base, lifting all six plants at once. The device is provided with a drilled hole 3 for wall hanging.

Description

DESCRIPTION Plant removal from polystyrene trays.

This invention relates the removal of bedding plants and other various small plants from the polystyrene trays that they have been grown and sold in from Nurseries and Garden Centres.

Most bedding plants today are grown in polystyrene boxes, they are then sold in theses boxes to the public. These boxes are actually sold in " half boxes " and this contains 6 individual plants each in their own section, underneath the plants are specially weakened holes which are designed for a thumb or such to be pressed into the hole, thus allowing the plant to be pushed up from the rear. Unfortunately this can often be painful and tine consuming especially for the eldcfly.

This is where the invention comes in.

The im'cntion has a fiat chassis and corresponds in size to the half boxes used for the plants, there are six pegs raising from the chassis which are one inch tall and 5/8 of an inch in diarneer, these all correspond with the six holes at the base of the plant bOgL Wbcn the half box is placed over the invention and pushed down, the pegs push up and lift the plants, breaking the hole, this lifts all 6plants at once and requires hardly any effort at all, thus shortcning effort and time involved. The invention can be made from wood or plastic, with plastic being the more cost effective method, the pegs will be hollow to keep material costs to a minimum.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accornpanyirg drawings which : FIG 1 shows a top down view, showing how the pegs are placed: FIG 2 shows the plant hair box which the invention was designed for use with: FIG 3 shows a perspective view of the invention, this in conjunction with FIG 2 shows how the box would be lowered onto the invention referring to the drawing the tool comprises a chassis 1 and pegs 2, these from the tool, there is also a drilled hole 3 for wall hanging.

With the Irvcntion placed on a stable surface with the pegs 2 uppermost the plant box 4 can be placed on top of the iri'-ention, when the pegs 2 correspond with holes 5, downward pressure is applied 6 forcing the pegs 2 to break holes 5. when this occurs the plants are lifted and all seals are broken, thus the plants can be lifted with ease from the box.

Claims

1 ) A rectangular shaped chassis of no more than 15 x 26 cm with six raised pegs.

2) A rectangular shaped chassis as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pegs are 25mum thigh, and 17mm diameter.

3) A rectangular shaped chassis as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 whose pegs are set to correspond with the holes at the base of horticultural boxes used for small bedding plants 4) A rectangular shaped chassis as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the chassis has a small hole drilled for hanging from a hook I nail.