Supporting structure for plants

• US 4,250,666 A
• Filed: 04/10/1979
• Issued: 02/17/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roy R. Rakestraw
• Original Assignee: Roy R. Rakestraw
• Inventors: Rakestraw, Roy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagwill, Robert E.
• Application Number:
  US06/028,848
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 312/125, 312/135, 312/223, 211/127, 211/129, 211/131, 47/39, 47/82-83, 47/65, 47/17, 47/DIG. 6
• US Class Current: 47/83
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/045 with electric lighting
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/023 Multi-tiered planters
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/249 Lighting means with special arrangements for promoting growth A01G7/045
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/14 Measures for saving energy, e.g. in green houses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 47/06 Plant growth regulation by control of light thereon

Abstract

A device is disclosed for supporting plants for decorative or gardening purposes. A plurality of rotatable or fixed trays or shelves are mounted on a central support, and shelves can optionally be added on the sides of the device, such as adjustable shelves for potted plants.

Claims

1. A structure for supporting growing plants comprising a rotatable container assembly, means for rotating said assembly, a plurality of elongated vertically disposed illuminating means for illuminating the plants, and a base assembly resting on a flat surface and supporting the container assembly and the illuminating means, the container assembly holding the growing plants and moving with respect to the illuminating means in regularly recurring fashion so as to effect substantially uniform illuminating of all plants held in the container assembly, said container assembly comprising a plurality of trays including a vertical periphery and a bottom to form an enclosure for holding soil for supporting growing plants and a central vertically disposed support rod rotatably mounted on the base assembly and supporting the trays in a vertically spaced relation on the rod for rotation about a horizontal plane, said base assembly comprising a flat base plate and support means extending upwardly therefrom which support said illuminating means outside the periphery of the trays, said illuminating means extending upwardly substantially throughout the vertical extent of said container assembly, whereby the illuminating means illuminates the plants held in the trays.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said assembly comprises an electrical motor dependingly mounted under the base plate for rotation of the central support rod, the base assembly comprising electrical switch means mounted on the lower surface of the base plate and electrical lines for carrying electrical power from the switch means to the illumination means and to the motor.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said illuminating means comprises a pair of fluorescent bulbs which are secured to said support means, said support means comprising a pair of arms joined to a collar slidably retained upon the upper portion of said central support rod, each of the arms containing a substantially vertical section for supporting one of said fluorescent bulbs, the bulbs being mounted to the vertical section of the arm by a pair of receptacles mounted on the arm, each arm having an end anchored by fastening means to the base plate.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said base assembly further comprises wheel means dependingly attached to the base plate, for moving the structure over the flat surface in any desired direction.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said wheel means comprises four caster wheels mounted on the base plate by mounting means so as to provide sufficient clearance above the flat surface for the motor.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said illuminating means further comprises a reflector mounted to said receptacles between the fluorescent bulb and the arm, whereby light from the fluorescent bulb is reflected into the direction of the container assembly.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said trays are circular.

8. The structure of claim 6 wherein said trays are square.

9. The structure of claim 6 wherein said trays are octagonal.

10. The structure of claim 1 further including a side shelf assembly supported by said base plate, said side shelf assembly comprising a pair of frameworks to secure said assembly to said base plate and support a plurality of side shelves, each framework being mounted adjacent said illuminating means.

11. The structure of claim 1 wherein said trays have different widths and are arranged on said vertically disposed support rod according to width, largest to smallest upwardly along said vertical disposed support rod.