GB2364892A

GB2364892A - A device for watering plants in elevated locations

Info

Publication number: GB2364892A
Application number: GB0116344A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dennis Bater
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-07-11
Filing date: 2001-07-03
Publication date: 2002-02-13
Also published as: GB0116344D0; GB0016862D0

Abstract

A plant watering device 1 for delivering liquid to an elevated location, eg. a hanging basket, comprises a water reservoir 3, such as a bottle, held in a support cradle 4 mounted at the upper end of an elongate handle 2. In use, the reservoir 3 may be filled by plunging it into a bucket of water. To water a hanging basket in an elevated position, an operator holds the handle 2 and manipulates the device to a position in which the reservoir 3 is above the hanging basket. When suitably positioned, the handle 2 is rotated by the operator so that the neck 30 of the reservoir 3 faces generally downwardly and water falls from the reservoir 3 under gravity. The reservoir 3 may be secured to the cradle 4 by loops 5, 6, such as ratchet-action ties. A further embodiment is described wherein the cradle 4 is pivoted to the handle 2 and held by a cord (54, fig.3), such that slackening of the cord allows the reservoir 3 to tilt and dispense the water.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> PLANT WATERING DEVICE TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device which can be used for watering plants growing in an elevated position such as a hanging basket or window box. BACKGROUND Watering plants at or above head height is not easy. The use of a watering can or container filled with water often results in spillage since much of the process is obscured from view. Professional gardeners sometimes use a watering wand supplied from a tap or tank at ground level, but such equipment is not practical for the amateur or occasional small volume use. The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive device for use in watering plants in an elevated position, which is quick and easy to use, and is relatively inexpensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes a plant watering device which includes a holder for receiving a reservoir capable of containing a volume of water for delivery through an outlet, the holder having provision for securing the reservoir thereto and including means for attaching the holder to one end of an elongate arm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put into practice. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of a plant watering device in accordance with the invention, showing the top portion only; Fi.gure 2 is a transverse section through the device taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1 - and Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of a modified device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring firstly to Fig- 1, the watering device 1 has a reaching arm formed by a wooden handle 2, and a water reservoir 3 which is held in a support cradle 4 mounted at the upper end of the handle.

For convenience of illustration only the top section of the handle 2 is shown, although in practice the handle may be about 1.5m long and about 2.5cm in diameter. Thus, an inexpensive standard broom handle could conveniently be used.

The reservoir 3 may also be obtained inexpensively by reusing a standard plastic bottle of the kind in which orange juice and other drinks are sold. The bottle is preferably of square section and of elongate shape, having a single cylindrical neck 30 at its top end (shown pointing left in the drawing) forming a water outlet of the reservoir.

The cradle 4 is injection moulded from reprocessed plastic and has a planar generally rectangular base 40 with a rear locating wall 41 upstanding at its rear end. A pair of opposed locating walls 42 and 43 (see Fig. 2 also) are upstanding from opposite sides of the base 40 and are joined to the rear wall 41. A cylindrical socket 44 is formed on the underside of the base, approximately in the centre, and four integral strengthening webs 45 extend between the side of the socket and the base. The upper end of the handle 2 is inserted into the socket 44 and is fixed therein e.g. by a screw 46 inserted axially into the handle 2 through the base 40 or by one or more screws inserted through the side of the socket 44. The handle 2 is thus secured normal to the base 40.

The bottle 3 is placed on its side and is received snugly in the cradle 4 located by the walls 41, 42 and 43. The neck 30 projects from the front end of the cradle 4 substantially radially of the handle 2. The bottle is secured to the cradle by two ratchet-action non-release ties 5 and 6 which, as shown

in Fig. 2, are inserted through slots 47 and 48 at opposite sides of the base 40. The ties thus form loops which are tightened to enclose the bottle and the base.

In use, the cradle and bottle may be plunged into a bucket of water until the bottle fills with water. Various plant nutrients can of course be added to the water as desired. The handle is then used to lift the bottle up to the level of a hanging basket or window box where water is poured around the plants at a controlled rate. With a little practice the device can be used without spillage.

In the modified device shown in Fig. 3 the socket 44' is formed separately from the cradle 4 with an inclined face 50 which extends along the top of a support web 45'. The underside of the base wall 40 is provided with a pair of spaced flanges 52 between which the socket 44' is secured by a pivot pin 53. When the bottle 3 is filled with water the weight of the liquid tends to cause the cradle to tip in direction A but the cradle is held against the face 50, with the neck of the bottle upmost, by means of a cord 54 secured to a lug 55 moulded on the underside of the base wall 40. When the cord is slackened the bottle will tip to pour out some of its contents, but the bottle can be restored to an upright position by pulling the cord 54.

It is considerably cheaper to tool up for moulding the forms of cradle described above than it would be to mould a complete reservoir for attachment to the handle 2.

It will be appreciated that the features disclosed herein may be present in

any feasible combination. Whilst the above description lays emphasis on those areas which, in combination, are believed to be new, protection is claimed for any inventive combination of the features disclosed herein.

Claims

CLAIMS 1 . A plant watering device which includes a holder for receiving a reservoir capable of containing a volume of water for delivery through an outlet, the holder having provision for securing the reservoir thereto and including means for attaching the holder to one end of an elongate arm.
2. A plant watering device according to Claim 1, in which the holder has a base wall for supporting the reservoir thereon.
3. A plant watering device according to Claim 2, in which the base wall is of elongate shape.
4. A plant watering device according to Claim 2 or 3, in which a pair of opposed locating walls are upstanding from opposite sides of the base wall to locate the reservoir therebetween.
5. A plant watering device according to Claim 3, in which a further locating wall is upstanding from an end of the base wall.
6. A plant watering device according to Claim 5, in which said further wall is joined to the opposed locating walls.
7. A plant watering device according to any of Claims 2 to 6, in which the means for attaching the holder to an elongate arm is arranged

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such that the arm projects substantially perpendicularly from the base wall.
8. A plant watering device according to any of Claims 2 to 6, in which the means for attaching the holder to an elongate arm is pivotally secured to the base wall for tilting the reservoir.
9. A plant watering device according to Claim 7 or 8, in which the means for attaching the holder to an elongate arm comprises a generally cylindrical socket for receiving the upper end of the arm.
10. A plant watering device according to any preceding claim, which includes a reservoir of elongate shape with an outlet at one end.
11. A plant watering device according to Claim 10, in which the reservoir is received in the holder with the outlet projecting to one side thereof.
12. A plant watering device according to any preceding claim, in which the provision for releasably securing the reservoir in the holder includes one or more loops which embrace the reservoir.
13. A plant watering device according to Claim 12, in which the loops pass through apertures in the holder.
14. A plant watering device according to Claim 12 or 13, in which the loops are non-releasable ratchet-action ties.

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15. A plant watering device substantially as described with reference to the drawings.