GB2597903A

GB2597903A - Apparatus for planting

Info

Publication number: GB2597903A
Application number: GB2009209.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Victor Hayes Stephen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-06-16
Filing date: 2020-06-16
Publication date: 2022-02-16
Also published as: GB202009209D0

Abstract

An apparatus 2 for planting, the apparatus comprising a pipe 4 with a planting formation 6 at one end, the planting formation comprising a peripheral wall 18 bounding an area of a size for receiving a plant 20 to be planted. The pipe also provides a hand grip 10, and a hose connection 12 for enabling the pipe to be connected to a water hose 14. In use, the planting formation is placed on soil 22, and water is conveyed along the pipe from a connected hose, with the water delivered to the planting formation. The peripheral wall of the planting formation acts to confine water leaving the pipe, with the water delivered to the planting formation washing away the soil that is inside the peripheral wall of the planting formation, creating a planting hole 24 in the soil of the size required for receiving the plant to be planted. A switch 16 allows for controlling water flow through the pipe.

Description

APPARATUS FOR PLANTING

This invention relates to apparatus for planting.

Plants are typically planted in soil using a trowel or a spade. The trowel is typically used for small plants and it requires a person using the trowel to kneel or bend. The kneeling or bending may be uncomfortable.

It is an aim of the present invention to avoid or reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided apparatus for planting, which apparatus comprises: (i) a pipe; (ii) a planting formation at one end of the pipe; (iii) a hand grip formation; (iv) a hose connection for enabling the pipe to be connected to a water hose; and (v) a switch for controlling water flow through the pipe, and wherein: (vi) the planting formation comprises a peripheral wall which defines an area of a size for receiving a plant to be planted; (vii) the peripheral wall acts to confine water leaving the pipe; and (viii) in use the planting formation is placed on soil, the pipe conveys water from the water hose to the planting formation, and the water in the planting formation washes away the soil that is inside the peripheral wall of the planting formation and thereby creates a planting hole in the soil of the size required for receiving the plant to be planted.

The apparatus of the present invention may be used for planting small plants, for example of the type that are purchased in containers so that the roots are in a small compact shape defined by a receiving formation in the containers. The plants may be, for example, flowers, vegetables and other small plants. With the apparatus of the present invention, it is simply necessary to place the apparatus on soil at a position where the plant is to be planted. Water for the water hose is then turned on from a tap and the water passes through the water hose and the pipe to the planting formation. As the water leaves the hose, it is caused by the peripheral wall of the planting formation to wash away the soil and leave a planting hole in the soil of the size for receiving the plant to be planted. The plant to be planted then simply has to be placed in the hole, typically having first been removed from a receiving formation in a container. Typically the plant thus has its roots in soil or compost with the soil or compost being in the shape defined by the receiving formation in the container. The roots in the soil or compost may thus be flat-sided or circular.

The created planting hole may be of a similar peripheral shape to that defined by the peripheral wall. It is then only necessary to firm up the soil around the plant, for example by pressing on the soil or treading on it, once any excess water has drained away into the surrounding soil. The pipe is able to be of a length which avoids a person planting having to kneel or excessively bend. The physical effort of digging is also avoided. Different plants may have different sizes of root formations. The apparatus of the present invention can easily be produced with a planting formation of a size appropriate for a range of plants.

The peripheral wall may be a circular wall. If desired, the peripheral wall may be of another shape such for example as a square shape.

The planting formation may comprise a locating formation. The locating formation may act to locate the apparatus with the planting formation exactly at a required position. The locating formation may be a centre spike. Other types of locating formations may be employed so that, for example, the locating formation may be a tripod arrangement.

The apparatus may be one in which the peripheral wall has a toothed lower edge. The toothed lower edge may be used for cutting into soil if the apparatus is rotated. With soft soil, it will typically not be necessary to rotate the apparatus. With soft soil, a simple push into the soil will usually suffice.

The apparatus may alternatively be one in which the peripheral wall has a plain lower edge. The plain lower edge will then cause the apparatus typically to be such that it is simply pushed into the soil.

Preferably, the apparatus is one in which the pipe terminates in the planting formation. The lower end of the pipe may be located elsewhere with respect to the planting formation if desired. When the pipe has a lower end which terminates in the planting formation, then the pipe may be located in the planting formation by at least one stay. Typically the pipe will be centrally located in the planting formation by the stay. The pipe may be located off-centre if desired. Any suitable number of the stays may be employed.

The planting formation may comprise at least one agitator formation for causing the water to agitate the soil and thereby facilitate the formation by the water of the planting hole. The agitator formation may be at least projection on the stay. The projection may be a pin or other formation. Any suitable number of the projections may be employed.

The pipe may be a rigid pipe. In this case, the pipe may be made of a metal or an appropriately rigid plastics material. Where the pipe is made of a metal, then the metal may be stainless steel.

The switch may be an on/off switch. More complex types of switches may be employed.

The pipe may comprise a jet formation for forming a water jet. The jet formation may be employed to increase the pressure of water available for washing away the soil in order to produce the planting hole. With most soils, normal water pressure will be adequate to wash away the soil and form the planting hole, and thus the pipe will normally not require the jet formation.

The upper end of the pipe and/or the hand grip formation may be configured for enabling the apparatus to be rotated in the soil. The rotation may be of assistance if the soil is hard, for example tightly packed and dry.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a view from above and one side of apparatus for planting; Figure 2 is an enlarged view from above and one side of a lower part of the apparatus as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged view from underneath of a planting formation forming part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a view of the part of the apparatus shown in Figure 3 but from underneath and more to one side; and Figure 5 is a side view of the apparatus as shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown apparatus 2 for planting.

The apparatus 2 comprises a pipe 4, a planting formation 6 at one end 8 of the pipe 6, and a hand grip formation 10. A hose connection 12 is provided for enabling the pipe 4 to be connected to a water hose 14. A switch 16 controls water flow through the pipe 4.

The planting formation 6 comprises a peripheral wall 18 which defines an area 19 of a size for receiving a plant 20 to be planted. The peripheral wall 18 acts to confine water leaving the pipe 4. In use, the planting formation 6 is placed on soil 22. The pipe 4 conveys water from the water hose 14 to the planting formation 6. The water in the planting formation 6 washes away the soil 22 that is inside the peripheral wall 18 of the planting formation 6. This thereby creates a planting hole 24 in the soil 22 of the size for receiving the plant 20 to be planted. Figures 1 and 5 show a first planting hole 24 about to be created, and two planting holes 24 that have already been created, with one of these planting holes 24 being about to receive the plant 20.

The peripheral wall 18 is a cylindrical wall.

The planting formation 6 comprises a locating formation in the form of a centre spike 26.

The peripheral wall 18 has a toothed lower edge 28 having two teeth 30. The toothed lower edge 28 may be used for cutting into the soil 22 by rotating the apparatus 2, for example if the soil 22 is hard. If the soil 22 is soft, then a simple downward push on the apparatus 2 will normally suffice for locating the planting formation 6 in the soil 22 such that it is ready for receiving the water necessary to produce the planting hole 24.

The pipe 4 terminates in the planting formation 10. More specifically, the pipe 4 is located in the planting formation 6 by at least one stay 32. As best appreciated from Figure 3, there is single stay 32 which extends diametrically across the inside of the planting formation 6 and is secured to the inside of the peripheral wall 18, for example by welding. The end 8 of the pipe 4 is secured to the stay 32, for example by welding. Thus the planting formation 6 is rigidly connected to the end 8 of the pipe 4 by the stay 32.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the planting formation 6 includes two agitator formations 34 for causing the water to agitate the soil 22 and thereby facilitate the formation by the water of the planting hole 24. The agitator formations 34 are projections on the stay 32.

The pipe 4 is a rigid pipe. The switch 16 is an on/off switch.

An upper end 36 of the pipe 4 is curved as shown. This enables the upper end 36 and/or the hand grip formation 10 to be gripped by a person 38 for enabling the apparatus 2 in use to be rotated in the soil 22 if this should be required.

The apparatus 2 is easily operated. It is not necessary to bend down or kneel in order to dig the planting holes 24 with a trowel or the like. The person 38 is easily able to grip the apparatus 2 as can be appreciated from Figures 1 and 5. The person 38 is able to form planting holes 24 without getting back and/or knee problems as might occur if many of the planting holes 24 were required and they were formed with a trowel. The apparatus.2 is able to be used with high or low water pressures in order to provide water-assisted planting of plants. If water pressures should be low, then the end 8 of the pipe 4 may be provided with a jet formation for providing a water jet for causing the soil to be displaced.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example the apparatus 2 may be used for planting a wide variety of plants. The peripheral wall 18 need not be circular and it could be rectilinear, for example to define a square if desired. The locating formation 26 may be omitted, or it may be replaced by a different type of locating formation. The toothed lower edge 28 may have any required number of teeth. Alternatively, the toothed lower edge 28 with its teeth may be omitted, in which case the lower edge may then be a plain lower edge. The planting formation 6 may be located on the pipe 4 by configurations other than by the stay 32. The agitator formations 34 may be omitted or they may be of other constructions. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in their drawings and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention. The invention also extends to the individual components mentioned and/or shown above, taken singly or in any combination.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Apparatus for planting, which apparatus comprises: (i) a pipe; (ii) a planting formation at one end of the pipe; (iii) a hand grip formation; (iv) a hose connection for enabling the pipe to be connected to a water hose; and (v) a switch for controlling water flow through the pipe, and wherein: (vi) the planting formation comprises a peripheral wall which defines an area of a size for receiving a plant to be planted; (vii) the peripheral wall acts to confine water leaving the pipe; and (viii) in use the planting formation is placed on soil, the pipe conveys water from the water hose to the planting formation, and the water in the planting formation washes away the soil that is inside the peripheral wall of the planting formation and thereby creates a planting hole in the soil of the size required for receiving the plant to be planted.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the peripheral wall is a cylindrical wall.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the planting formation comprises a locating formation.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which the locating formation is a centre spike.
5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the peripheral wall has a toothed lower edge.
6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 -4 in which the peripheral wall has a plain lower edge.
7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pipe terminates in the planting formation.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the pipe is located in the planting formation by at least one stay.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the pipe is centrally located in the planting formation by the stay.
10. Apparatus according to claim 8 or claim 9 in which the planting formation comprises at least one agitator formation for causing the water to agitate the soil and thereby facilitate the formation by the water of the planting hole.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10 in which the agitator formation is a projection on the stay.
12. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pipe is a rigid pipe.
13. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the switch is an on/off switch.
14. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pipe comprises a jet formation for forming a water jet.
15. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which an upper end of the pipe and/or the handgrip formation are configured for enabling the apparatus in use to be rotated in the soil.