COLD FRAME

SERRE FROIDE

English Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure
A cold frame characterized by being compactly stackable, readily
pivotable between a lowered operative position and a lifted position to
give practical access to the plant, and by having a transparent cover
material which is readily removable and replaceable. This cold frame
comprises a rod framework of the shell-like type including a closed
perimeter open frame forming a base having a pair of opposite sides,
transparent plastic hood operatively covering the rod framework and
having a hem peripherally extending along the closed perimeter frame,
and pegs pivotally connected along one of the opposite sides of the
perimeter shape base and anchorable in the ground to selectively pivot
the framework and plastic hood relative to the ground. The plastic
hood is removably secured by retaining rods engaging in the hem and
releasably securable to the closed perimeter frame. The rod framework
is opened at the base and has lateral side walls outwardly inclined
relative to and toward the base.

Claims

What is claimed is:
1. A cold frame comprising a rod framework including a base defining a
peripheral edge having a pair of opposite sides, a transparent plastic hood
operatively engaging over and enclosing said rod framework, releasable fas-
tening devices removably securing said transparent hood along said peripheral
edge, and pegs pivotally connected to said rod framework, on one of said op-
posite sides of said peripheral edge, and constructed and arranged to allow
pivoting of said framework and hood transversely relative to said one side
between an operative lowered position and an inoperative lifted position.
2. A cold frame as defined in claim 1, wherein said rod framework forms
side walls extending side by side peripherally co-extensive with said base
and all outwardly inclined relative to the base thereby allowing stacking of
this cold frame with other similar cold frames with interengagement one over
the other.
3. A cold frame as defined in claim 2, wherein said base includes a closed
perimeter open Frame defining said peripheral edge and said pegs are pivotal-
ly connected to said frame along said one side.
4. A cold frame as defined in claim 3, wherein said sleeves are rotatively
engaged along said frame on said one side and said pegs are fixedly secured
to said sleeves respectively and laterally project from the latter for ancho-
ring thereof in the ground.
5. A cold frame as defined in claim 4, wherein said transparent plastic
hood includes a hem along the lower edge thereof and said releasable faste-
ning means includes retaining rods inserted in said hem and releasably secu-
red to said peripheral edge.
6. A cold frame as defined in claim 4, wherein said releasable fastening
means includes sleeve sections laterally fixed against said frame and said
retaining rods are removably engaged into said sleeve sections and longitu-
dinally extend lengthwise of said peripheral edge.

Description

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This invention relates to a cold frame of the type used for
- early season gardening.
The cold frames which have been made or proposed so far are
not adapted to be compactly stored away during the off season, they
are not providing practical access to the plants, and they are of
relatively elaborate, heavy, and expensive construction.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide
cold frame of the above type which substantially avoids the above
mentioned disadvantages.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to
provide a cold frame of the above type which is of relatively simple,
inexpensive, and light construction.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cold
frame of the above type which is adapted to readily replace the trans-
parent cover material thereof.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide
a cold frame of the above type which is pivotally anchored to the
ground and readily pivotable between a lowered operative position and a
Iifted inoperative position, the latter to readily give access to the
~ 20 plants.
:; It is still another object of the present invention to provide
a cold frame of the above type which may be stacked with others, one
inside another, to be compactly sotwed away and transported.
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1066985
The above and other objects and advantages of the present
- invention will be better understood with reference to the following
detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof which is illus-
trated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cold frame according to
the present invention;
Figure 2 is an end view of the cold frame shown in inopera-
tive lifted position giving access to the plants;
Figure 3 is an end view of a stack of cold frames as shown
in Figures 1 and 2;
Figure 4 is a top view of the framework forming part of the
cold frame;
Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view as seen along line 5-5
in Figure 4;
`` Figure 6 is the same as Figure 5 but with cold frame in ino-
`~ perative tilted position;
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Figure 7 is a perspective view of the framework of Figure 4;
Figure 8 is a detailed view of a preferred pivotal connection
of anchoring pegs to pivot the cold frame between an operative lowered
20 position and an inoperative lifted position; and
Figure 9 is a detailed view of an alternative pivotal connection
- to be selectively used instead of the pivotal connection of Figure 8.
The illustrated cold frame includes a rod framework I more
particularly illustrated in Figures 4 and 7. The rod framework I
comprises a plurality of rod sections which are welded together to form
a shell-like construction. The latter laterally and upwardly confines a
free internal space. A shell-like construction in this case includes
any construction of the rod framework wherein all the rod sections
extend outward of the internal space.
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1066985
The rod framework includes a base which is formed by a closed
perimeter open frame comprising the opposite rod sections 2,2 and the
opposite rod sections 3,3. The closed perimeter open frame defines
the peripheral edge of the base of the rod framework. The rod frame-
work also includes inwardly inclined posts 4, diagonal ties 5, wof
rafters 6, and longitudinal poles 7. The side walls defined by the
rod sections or members 4 and 5 are outwardly inclined relative to
and toward the base or frame of the rod framework.
Along each side 2 or 3 of the closed perimeter open frame there
are secured sleeve sections 8 which are fixed, such as by welding,
laterally against the rods forming the closed perimeter open frame.
A transparent plastic hood or cover 9 is engaged over the rod frame- -
work 1 and is formed with hem sections along the peripheral bottom
edge. Retaining means in the form of rods 10 are engaged in the hem
sections of the hood or cover 9 and in the sleeve sections 8 to fix
the hood to the rod framework along the peripheral edge of the base
, thereof. Each retaining rod 10 is provided with a handle 11 formed by
a laterally projecting end of the same rod. As may be easily understood,
the hem sections are longitudinally spaced apart in registry with the
sleeve sections 8 such as to engage between the latter. Thus, the
retaining rods are successively engaged through a sleeve section 8, a
hem section, a sleeve sect;on, a hem section, and a last sleeve section.
The transparent plastic hood 9 may thus be readily removed for replacement
or storage by simply pulling on the handles 11 to withdraw all the six (6)
retaining rods 10.
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~366985
A pair of pegs 12 are provided along one side of the closed
perimeter frame to anchor the cold frame to the ground and to allow
pivoting of the cold frame to readily provide access to the plants.
Each peg 12 includes a ground driven portion 13 fixedly secured at
its upper end transversely to a sleeve section 14. In the preferred
embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 8, the sleeve section 14
of the pegs 12 are engaged around the rod 2 at the rear of the rod
framework before weldering the sleeve sections 8 along the same rod.
Thus, this rod 2 pivots in the sleeve sections 14 to cooperatively form
,. . .
a hinge therewith. In the embodiment of Figure 9, the sleeve sections
- 14 pivot on the retaining rods 10 and are so assembled by simply sliding
the corresponding retaining rods therethrough while fixing the hood 9.
A handle 15 formed of a bent rod is fixedly secured to the rod
2 at the front of the cold frame to manually pivot the latter between a
lowered operative position, shown in Figure 1, and a lifted inoperative
position, shown in Figure 2.
The shell-like construction, open base, and inclined side walls
allow to compactly stack the cold frames one over another, as shown in
Figure 3.
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