BASE SUPPORT FOR SEED TRAYS

ASSISE DE PLATEAU ALVEOLOE POUR SEMENCES

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The present invention comprises a tray which
includes: a flat frame having a plurality of
compartments, each having an opened bottom but in which
may be seated a plant-growing cartridge; and
retractable supports movable between a stored position,
wherein they lie in the longitudinal plane of the
frame, and an upstanding position, wherein they lie in
a plane describing an angle of more than 90° with that
of the stored position, thereby leaving a space beneath
the frame to allow air circulation beneath the
cartridges and to plants therein.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an
exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as
follows:
1. A tray for supporting plant growing
cartridges comprising:
a frame including walls defining a plurality of
compartments, each compartment having a
through opening therein, means in said
compartment for supporting a plant growing
cartridge therein and in said through
opening, said frame walls defining
channels opening along the underside of
said frame;
retractable support means pivotally mounted to
said frame, said support means including a
pair of legs respectively pivotally
mounted at respective points along said
frame, said points being at least one leg
length from adjacent opposite ends of said
frame, respectively, each of said legs
being pivotable beneath said frame through
an arc greater than 90° between a stored
position, wherein said legs lie in a plane
generally parallel to said frame and in
said channels, and an upstanding tray
supporting position wherein each of said






legs lies in a plane subtending an angle
of more than 90° with the plane of said
frame and said legs when the latter lie in
their stored position, and
stop means for maintaining said legs in said
upstanding tray supporting position
whereby a space is provided beneath said
frame, when supported by said legs, to
allow air circulation beneath said
cartridges and to plants therein.
2. A tray according to claim 1 including
longitudinally spaced reinforced ribs in said channels.
3. A tray according to claim 1 wherein said
legs in said upstanding position are inwardly inclined
one towards the other with the lower ends of the legs at
respective opposite ends of the tray lying closer to each
other than the upper ends thereof, the lower leg ends
being displaced in a direction away from one another when
said legs are pivoted from their upstanding tray
supporting position into said stored position.
4. A tray according to claim 1 wherein said
frame and said legs are formed of resilient plastic
material.




5. A tray according to claim 4 wherein each of
said legs includes pin means integrally formed at the
upper end of each said leg, said pin means engaging
corresponding holes in said frame.
6. A tray according to claim 5 including means
for enabling said pin means to engage said frame in snap-
in relation.

Description

FIELD O~ THE INVENTION



The present invention relates to a tray for
supporting plant growing cartridges used for
cultivating plants.



BACKG~OUND OF THE INVENTION



~ ne present method of growing plants is
described in U.S. patent 4,279,101 issued July 21, 1981
to Leroux it consists of spreading soil over the
bottom o a tray and roots are indinstinctly plunged
into the soil. This method leads expectedly to
cross-linkage between roots as plants grow;
consequently, if some of the plants are removed from
the tray, there is a risk of damaging several roots,
either that of the remaining plants or of those being
removed. Another method of plant growing is described
in U.S. patent 4,251,951 issued February, 1981; it
consists of cultivating plants in slabs mounted on
support frames equipped with supporting rails. With
this method, cross-linkage between roots is prevented;
howewver, the stems are directly exposed to the
surroundings and, during transportation of the tray,
great care must be taken to avoid damaging the stems.




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OBJEt:~T A~D STATEME~T OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to
provide a tray wherein cross-linkage problems are
prevented so that plants could be removed easily from
the tray without damage.



A further object of the invention is to
provide a tray which allows efficient air circulation
and drainage beneath the tray.



These objects are achieved with the present
invention by providing a compartmented tray adapted to
receive a plant growing cartridge in each of its
compartments whereby it is the cartridge that bears the
soil rather than the tray. Having a compartmented tray
offers the option of cultivating several types of
plants even though each type reguires particular growth
conditions.

The tray of the present invention is equipped
with retractable support means which are adapted to
move between a stored position, wherein the tray lies
flat on the ground, and an upstanding position, wherein
air circulation is permitted beneath the cartridges. In
the latter position, the tray is used in the spring,


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summer or fall seasons while, in the ground-contacting
position, it lies flat on frosted ground and snow
accumulation on the tray is taken by the frame of the
tray rather than by its support means.




'rhe present invention therefore comprises, in
its broadest aspect, a tray which includes: a flat
frame having a plurality of compartments, each having
an opened bottom but in which may be seated a

plant-growing cartridge; and retractable support means
which are movable between a stored position, wherein
they lie in the longitudinal plane of the frame, and an
upstanding position wherein they lie in a plane
describing an angle of more than 90 with that of the
stored position thereby leaving a space beneath the
frame to allow air circulation beneath the cartridges
and to plants therein.



BRIE~ DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
20
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tray made
in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof
with the support means in the upstanding position and
with a plant growing cartridge shown in dotted lines;
Fiyure 3 is a side elevational view with the




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suppor~ ~eans in the stored position;
Figure ~ is an enlarged top plan view showing
one end of the tray;
Figure 5 is an enlarged bottom plan view
showing an opposite end of the tray with the support
means in the stored position;
Figure 6 is a boitom plan view of the
opposite end of the tray with the support means
removed;
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view as seen
from lines 7-7 of figure 4;
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view as seen
from lines 8-8 of figure 4;
Figure 9 is a cross-sectional elevation view
lS as seen from lines 9-9 of figure 5; and
Figure 10 is a view similar to that o~ figure
9 with the support means in the upstanding position.



DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Referring to figures 1-3, there is shown a

tray 10 adapted to support plant growing cartidges.
These cartridges are formed of a unitary rigid plastic
body 12 ( shown in doted lines) having an integral upper
surface 12' and a plurality of open-bottom cone-shaped
planting cavities 13 extending downwardly from the




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upper surface. The planting cavities taper downwardly
to a lower termination in a respective opening of
substantially smaller size than its opening in the
upper surface. An example of such a seedling cartridge
may be found described in Canadian Patent No. 936361,
issued November 6, 1973 to G.K. Todd.



The tray 10 is formed of a rectangular-shaped
flat frame defined by four side walls 14, 16, 18 and 20
and of a series of transverse and longitudinal inner
walls 22 and 24, respectively, defining a series of
bottomless compartments 26. From the inner face of each
wall inwardly extends a shoulder 28 on which rests a
portion of the cones defined in the peripheral region

f the cartridge unit.


The tray also includes a pair of support
members 30 and 32 located at opposite ends thereof
under the frame. These support members are pivotally
mounted to the frame to reach an upstanding position
(figure 2) or a stored position (figure 3).



Referring to figures 5, 6 and 7, the bottom

portion of walls 22 and 24 define channels 22~ and 24A;
the side walls of these channels are reinforced by
means of longitudinally spaced transverse ribs 34.


~27~3~91
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Similar channels 3~ and 38 are formed at each opposite
end of the frame; they, also, include a series of
transverse reinforcing ribs 40. However, these ribs do
not extend the entire depth of the channel so as to
allow the support members 30 and 32 to be fully
retracted therein when in the stored position; hence,
when the tray is resting flat on the ground, the load
is taken by the frame walls.



Each support members has three legs, (32A,
32B, 32C for support members 32), the upper end of
which has an integrally formed pin 33A, 33B, 33C
defining a pivot axis so that the support members 32
may pivot from an upstanding position, such as shown in
figure 2, to a stored position, such as shown in figure
3.



The tray is preferably made of resilient
plastic material to enable a slight expansion for the
insertion of pins 33A, 33B, 33C in their associated
openings in the side walls of the channels. Referring
to figure 10, pin 33B is snap-inserted in openings 50
and 52 of side walls 24' and 24" of channel portion 24A
of longitudinal wall 24; then,legs 32A and 32C of the

support means are slightly pulled outwardly so that
pins 33A and 33C may forced into a snap-in engagement

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with ~heir associated openings in side walls 54 and 56
of the frame.



Referring to figure 7, the support members 30
and 32 are shown in the upstanding position defining an
angle with respect to the plane of the frame, which is
greater than 90, thus providing stability to the tray
in that position The under portion of the tray has
stoppers, one of which is shown as 60, for limiting the
movement of the support means 32 to the given angle.



Although the invention has been described
above with respect to one specific form, it will be
evident to the person skilled in the art that it may be
refined and modified in various mays. Therefore, it is
wished to have it understood that the present invention
should not be limited in scope except by the terms of
the following claims.




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Representative Drawing