GB2363694A

GB2363694A - A plant support and method of its use

Info

Publication number: GB2363694A
Application number: GB0015149A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Adrian Roy King
Original assignee: Kingcraft Ltd
Current assignee: Kingcraft Ltd
Priority date: 2000-06-22
Filing date: 2000-06-22
Publication date: 2002-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 2020-06-22
Also published as: GB0015149D0; GB2363694B

Abstract

A support 2 for an elongate element, for example a plant stem, comprises an elongate member 8 and a transverse member 10 extending away from the elongate member 8 and around the axis of the elongate member 8 and terminating in a free end 6 of the transverse member 10, the other end 14 of the transverse member 10 being attached to the elongate member 8. The method of use comprises bringing the support 2 next to a plant stem, and producing relative turning movement between the support 2 and the stem to interengage them. The two members 8 and 10 are formed at least mainly from a single piece of wire or rod bent into shape.

Description

2363694 Support rt IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SUPPORTS This invention

relates to a support, particularly for a plant.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a support comprising an elongate member and a transverse member extending away from said elongate member and around the axis of said elongate member and terminating in a free end of said transverse member, the other end of said transverse member being attached to said elongate member.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising bringing a support next to a plant stem, and producing relative turning movement between said support and said stem to interengage them.

Owing to the invention, it is possible in a very simple manner to engage an elongate element, such as a plant stem, in a support which itself can be of very simple design.

Advantageously, the two members are formed at least mainly from a single piece of wire or rod bent into shape.

In order that the invention may be clearly and completely disclosed, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view from above of a support for a plant, and Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a modified version of the support.

Referring to Figure 1, the support 2 consists simply of a single piece 4 of wire bent into the form shown and provided at an upper end with a protective cap 6 The support 2 consists of two members 8 and 10 of which the member 8 is elongate and substantially upright and has an exposed free end to be pushed into the ground The member 10 is transverse of Support rt the member 8, extending away from that member 8 and around the axis of the member 8 and terminating in a free end of the member 10, which free end is in the form of the cap 6, the other end 14 of the transverse member 10 being integrally attached to the upper end 16 of the member 8.

As viewed axially of the member 8, the member 10 has an initial portion 18 curving outwardly from the end 14 and then a portion 20 curving with a substantially constant radius to the cap 6 The member 10 angularly extends through about one- and-a-half revolutions around the axis of the member 8.

Simultaneously, the member 10 inclines downwardly, so that its general form is that of a helix The angular extent of the member 10 around the member 8 may be less or greater than about one-and-a-half revolutions, but should not be significantly less than one revolution.

In use, the support 2 is brought up to the stem of a plant to be supported and the support is turned about its longitudinal axis to cause the stem to be received through the gap between the cap 6 and the member 8 until the stem arrives in the region of the portion 18 The support 2 is pushed into the ground before and/or after the turning of the support Even if the stem begins to move around the member 8 in a sense away from the portion 18, for example in windy conditions, it is prevented from escape from the support by the presence of the member 8.

Referring to Figure 2, the version shown therein differs from that shown in Figure 1 mainly in that the single wire has been bent to form two spirals 22 and 24 of opposite hand to each other and merging together at a portion 26 The spiral 22 is in the form of a helix, whilst the spiral 24 is planar, lying in a substantially horizontal plane This version is suitable for supporting two stems of one or two plants In use, the support 2 is brought up to one of the stems and is turned about its longitudinal axis to cause the stem to be received through the gap between the portion 26 and the member 8 until Support=rt the stem arrives in the region of the portion 18 ' Then the other stem is introduced into the spiral 24 at the portion 26 and taken past the inwardly hooked, capped, upper end portion 28 of the support 2 Again, the support 2 is pushed into the ground before and/or after the turning of the support.

The spiral form of the member 10 need not have an axial component but could be purely planar.

The gauges of the wires or rods of the supports are chosen according to the sizes and weights of the plant stems to be supported, for example upon whether the plant stems are those of bulbs, herbaceous plants, shrubs or trees.

SFP/D 25

Claims

1 A support comprising an elongate member and a transverse member extending away from said elongate member and around the axis of said elongate member and terminating in a free end of said transverse member, the other end of said transverse member being attached to said elongate member.

2 A support according to claim 1, wherein the elongate member and the transverse member are formed at least mainly from a single piece of wire or rod bent into shape.

3 A support according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said free end of said transverse member is provided with a protective cap.

4 A support according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the elongate member has a free end to be pushed into the ground.

A support according to any preceding claim, wherein the transverse member has an initial portion curving outwardly from the elongate member and then another portion in a spiral.

6 A support according to claim 5, wherein said other portion curves helically.

7 A support according to any preceding claim, wherein the angular extent of the transverse member around the elongate member is not significantly less than one revolution.

8 A support according to claim 7, wherein said transverse member angularly extends through about one-and-a-half revolutions around the elongate member.

9 A support according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said transverse member comprises first and second spirals of opposite hand to each other and merging together at an intermediate portion, the first spiral being nearer the elongate member than is the second spiral.

10 A support according to claim 9, wherein the first spiral is in the form of a helix.

11 A support according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the second spiral is planar and lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the elongate member.

SFP/D 25

12 A support according to any one claims 9 to 11, wherein said second spiral has a free end hooked inwardly relative to said second spiral.

13 A method comprising bringing a support next to an elongate element, and producing relative turning movement between said support and said element to interengage them.

14 A method according to claim 13, wherein said elongate element is a plant stem.

A method according to claim 13 or 14, and further comprising pushing a free, lower end of said support into the ground.

16 A method according to claim 13, 14, or 15, wherein the producing of the relative turning movement comprises turning the support about a longitudinal axis of an elongate member of the support to cause the element to be received through a gap between the elongate member and a free end of a transverse member of the support until the element arrives in the region of the connection between the elongate member and the transverse member.

17 A method according to claim 13, 14, or 15, wherein the producing of the relative turning movement comprises turning the support about a longitudinal axis of an elongate member of the support to cause the element to be received through a gap between the elongate member and a portion of said support between first and second spirals of a transverse member of said support until the element arrives in the region of the connection between the first spiral and the transverse member, and then introducing a second elongate element into the second spiral at said portion of said support between said first and second spirals.

18 A method according to claim 17, and further comprising taking the second element past an inwardly hooked, free end portion of the second spiral.

19 A support, 'substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or 2 of the accompanying drawings.

A method, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or 2 of the accompanying drawings.