NZ207309A - Supporting and erecting biodegradable plant pots on a tray - Google Patents

Description

New Zealand Paient Spedficaiion for Paient Number £07309 207309 PATENTS FORM NO. 5 PATENTS ACT 195 3 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION After Provisional No. 2 0 7309 dated 2 9 February 19 84 PLANT CONTAINER ASSEMBLY METHOD We, PETER AUSTIN LIMITED of 16 Wordsworth Street, Christchurch, New Zealand, being a New Zealand company, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particular described in and by the following statement 207309 This invention relates to plant propagating and more particularly to a method of supporting and erecting biodegradable plant pots for filling and subsequent propagation of seeds planted therein.

The applicants haVe obtained approval to import and market in New Zealand, for use by horticulturists and home gardeners, a set of biodegradable seed containers formed together in rows with the side edges of each adjacent container of the set joined together to form a honeycomb, in plan, of hexagonal or the like shaped cells. The set of containers can concertina into a small flat strip for transportation and packaging purposes. The set of seed containers, in use, being expanded out on a work bench before a soil/compost or the like mix is placed in the cells. A full and compacted set of seed containers is then used for propagating seeds or plants in the normal way. The cells are joined together by an adhesive between adjacent cells. The adhesive may, for example, be water soluble so that when the full set of cells is dampened during initial propagating the cells divide into individual biodegradable pots, cells or containers which may be planted out in a garden, glasshouse or in any normal way.

A disadvantage of the containers is the lack of a simple effective method of supporting or erecting the expanded set of cells from its flat strip packaged condition to its stretched or expanded condition for ease of filling the containers. The containers are normally filled by hand and it is difficult if not nearly impossible to hold the expanded set of seed 207309 containers at the same time as filling same with a soil/compost mix.

An object of the invention is therefore to provide a method of supporting then expanding and erecting biodegradable plant pots of the type hereinbefore described for subsequent filling and propagating of seeds placed therein and an apparatus therefor which method and apparatus overcomes at least in part the abovementioned disadvantages.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of supporting then expanding and erecting sets of biodegradable plant pots of the type hereinbefore described, the method including the steps of: forming spaced apart on a stretching plate or work bench sets of clip means; spacing the clip means of each set to suit the size and shape of individual containers or pots of a set of containers; placing a tray with handle means associated therewith on the stretching plate or work bench and between the sets of clip means; positioning a selected set of biodegradable plant pots with a row of pots along one side edge thereof engaged on one of the sets of clip means; stretching thus expanding the set of containers to symmetrically open each pot by moving the opposite side edge N.Z.PATENT OFFICE " 3 " - 3DEC 1986 RECEIVED ; \ 207309 away from said one set of clip means; engaging the row of pots along the other or opposite side of the set to the other row of clip means; filling the individual containers with a peat or 5 soil/compost mix; and removing the tray by raising the handle means to thereby jr^sl lift the filled set of containers thereon to free the stretching plate or work bench for a subsequent filling of 10 another tray and set of containers.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a manuallly operated aparatus for supporting and erecting sets of biodegradable plant pots of the type hereinbefore described the apparatus including a stretching 15 plate or work bench with sets of clips along opposite side edges thereof and a tray with handle means associated therewith, the arrangement being such that the position of each of the sets of clips are adjustable to suit the position, shape and dimensions of a side row of a set of biodegradable plant 20 pots so that the set of plant pots can be expanded, stretched and positioned between the sets of clips with the pots of opposite side rows engaged on the sets of clips so that the | pots can be filed and subsequentially removed on the tray with j the full pots thereon for subsequent propogation. I The pots can be hexagonal shaped, in plan, and constructed from a biodegradable paper material. The stretching plate can be a workbench or the like of wood, metal -3DEC1986 rece$ved_ 207309 or a plastics sheet with a plastics, fibreglass or an aluminium or the like metal or metal alloy bar along opposite ends thereof. The bar can have a plurality of plastics or metal clips thereon, the clips being movable relative to the bar to suit the size of pots to be used therewith.

The tray can be manufactured from wood, metal, metal alloy or a plastics material, for example, a corrugated or non-corrugated board with wire handles inserted in spaced holes formed at opposite ends of the board.

Further aspects of the invention which should be considered in all its novel aspects will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example.

An example of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings accompanying the provisional specification in which: Figure 1: shows a perspective view from above of an apparatus according to the invention in its assembled form prior to filling of the sets of pots with soil/compost mix; Figure 2: shows a perspective view from above of an example of stretching- plate usable with the present invention; Figure 3: shows a perspective view from above of a tray usable with the stretching plate shown in Figure 2; and Figure 4: shows a template usable to set the positions of the clip means of the stretching plate to suit the size of pots to be filled.

The example of invention described is with reference to the use of biodegradable plant pots of the type manufactured 207309 and marketed under the trade mark PAPERPOT. The pots are hexagonal in shape when stretched (as in Figure 1). The adjacent side edges of individual pots are fixed together by a water soluble adhesive so that after, filling and watering the pots separate for individual planting out.

The invention requires a stretching plate 1 (Figures 1 and 2) or a work bench with sets of clip means mounted spaced apart. In Figures 1 and 2 the sets of clip means 2 and 3 respectively are mounted on metal bars 4 and 5. It is to be appreciated that the clip means can alternatively be mounted on a suitable work bench (not shown).

The clips 2 and 3 can be injection moulded from a plastics material and are designed to be moved on the mounting bars 4 and 5 to suit the spacing of the pots forming the web of pots. The spacing is selected and set up by using the template 6 shown in Figure 4. If additional clip means 2 and 3 are required the mountings 7 for the bars 4 and 5 can be adapted to allow at least one end of the bars to be temporarily removed and new clips added. Alternatively (not shown) clips means 2 and 3 can be extruded plastic profiles which press onto mounting bars 4 and 5.

The stretching plate 1 is used with a tray 8 an example of which is shown in Figure 3. The tray 8 can be constructed from corrugated plastics packaging, material, plywood, wood, cardboard or a metal material. The tray 8 can have wire type handles 9 inserted in holes (not shown) forming the corrugations in the tray 8. 207309 In use the stretching plate 1 is placed on a work bench with the tray 8 thereon (as shown in Figure 1). A web of containers/pots 10 is placed with one end row 11 of pots engaged on the clip means 2. The web 10 is then stretched to form the containers symmetrically until the row of pots 12 at the other or opposite end is engaged on the clip means 3.

The pots are then hand filled with soil/compost, peat or the like mix. Each pot is preferably completely filled and then tamped down. A coarse thick nylon brush can be used for this tamping operation. When filled and compacted the set of pots are lifted from the stretching plate 1 by using the handles 9 to remove the tray 8 with the full pots thereon.

The clip means 2 and 3 can have fingers which extend upwardly from a point adjacent the floor of the stretching plate 1 so that when a pot is inserted thereon the bottom of the pot is flush with the tray 8.

Thus by this invention there is provided a method of supporting then expanding and erecting biodegradable plant pots of the type hereinbefore described for filling and subsequent propagating of seeds planted therein and an apparatus therefor.

Particular examples of the present invention have been described herein by way of example and it is envisaged that improvements and modifications can take place without departing from the scope of the appended claims. 207309 X ■■)

Claims (10)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A method of supporting then expanding and erecting sets of biodegradable plant pots of the type hereinbefore described, the method including the steps of: forming spaced apart on a stretching plate or work bench sets of clips; spacing the clips of each set to suit the size and shape of individual biodegradable plant containers or pots of a set of containers; placing a tray with handle means associated therewith on the stretching plate or work bench and between the sets of clips; positioning a selected set of biodegradable plant pots with a row of pots along one side edge thereof engaged on one of the sets of clips; stretching th*us expanding the set of containers to symmetrically open each pot by moving the opposite side edge away from said one side edge engaged on said set of clips; engaging the row of pots along the other or opposite side of the set of containers to the other row of clips; filling the individual containers with a peat or soil/compost mix; and removing the tray by raising the handle means to thereby lift the filled set of containers thereon to free the stretching plate or work bench for a subsequent fitting and filling of another tray and set of containers. - 8 - N.Z. PATENT OFFICE 26 NOV 1986 RECEIVED .-Vv, v- T- 207309

2. A method of supporting the expanding and erecting sets of biodegradable plant pots of the type hereinbefore described substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings accompanying the provisional specification. 5

3. A manually operated apparatus for supporting and erecting sets of biodegradable plant pots of the type hereinbefore described, the apparatus including a stretching plate or work bench with sets of clips along opposite side edges thereof and a tray with handle means associated therewith, the arrangement 10 being such that the position of each of the sets of clips are adjustable to suit the position, shape and dimensions of a side row of a set of biodegradable plant pots so that the set of plant pots can be expanded, stretched and positioned between the sets of clips with the pots of opposite side rows engaged 15 on the sets of clips so that the pots can be filled and subsequentially removed on the tray with the full pots thereon for subsequent propagation.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the pots are hexagonal shaped, in plan, and constructed from a biodegradable 20 paper material.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the stretching plate is a workbench of wood, metal or a plastics sheet with a plastics, fibreglass or an aluminium or metal alloy bar along opposite ends thereof to form the supports for 25 the clips.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein each bar has a plurality of plastics or metal clips thereon, the clips being N.2. PATENT OFF ICE ~ 9 ~ -3DECI986 207309 movable relative to the bar to suit the size and disposition of pots to be used therewith.

7. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6 wherein the tray is manufactured from wood, metal, metal alloy or a plastics material.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the tray is a corrugated or non-corrugated board with wire handles inserted in spaced holes formed at opposite ends of the board.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8 wherein a template is used to enable the respective positions of the clips to be preset to suit the size of the biodegradable pots to be used.

10. A manually operated apparatus for supporting and erecting sets of biodegradable plant pots of the type hereinbefore described, the apparatus being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings accompanying the provisional specification. PETER AUSTIN LIMITED By Their Attorneys BALDWIN, SON & CAREY M.Z. PATENT OFF ICE 26 NOV 1986 RECEIVED