GB2273233A

GB2273233A - Collector for water/other liquids for plant cover

Info

Publication number: GB2273233A
Application number: GB9225774A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Joseph Des Car Virden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-12-10
Filing date: 1992-12-10
Publication date: 1994-06-15
Also published as: GB9225774D0

Abstract

A collector may have any shape in plant and the collectors are demountable, and/or interchangeable. They provided with means of positive location on the plant cover 7. Collectors may be formed in shape and size to fit side-by-side in rows or groups to cover all or some of the area on which water may fall. As shown in Figure 1, the collector has a dished shape leading to hole 4 with a tube 5 fitting into the top of the plant cover. Locating/locking means may include a lug (6. Figure 2) or screw threads, bayonet mechanism or loose/push fir with/without spring. In figure 3 a body 1 has one or more fillets or webs (9) to maintain the collector on a barn cloche (8). <IMAGE>

Description

WATER COLLECTOR This invention relates to a collector for water or other liquids for plant covers.

Covers for plants are well known in many forms. As previously revealed in Patent Application Number 9223462.4 some plant covers are shaped to collect and redistribute any water which falls on them. The present invention comprises a separate catchment for water, primarily, but not exclusively, for use with purpose designed plant covers to adjust and enhance the collection of water falling as rain or as otherwise applied.

The advantage of separation of the means of catchment of water and the plant cover itself, over the single cover with its own integral catchment. is that the size of the catchment may be adjusted independently of the size of the cover. Thus it may provide a better match between available water and the requirements of the plant or plants protected by the cover. Better directed application of a chosen proportion of applied or naturally falling water can be achieved.

Further, the invention can be used with types of plant cover which are not already provided with catchment for water with little modification of the plant cover.

Specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In general principle the invention is like a flattened funnel..

in figure 1 a collector or square plant has a body 1; a raised edge d, and a dished shape leading to a hole 4 at the lowest peint A tube 5 l@ provided, joined at the edge 3 of the hole 4. The tube 5 fits into the top of a plant cover of and sort. In a typical example the slope of the body of the collector is 1-in-lO down from the bottom of the edge 2 to the rim of the hole 3.

In figure 2 an example of the invention is shown in cross-section, and is shown fitted onto an example of the type of plant cover revealed in Application Number 9223462.4. In figure 2 the body 1 rests on the top of the cover 7 so that the tube 5 protrudes through the hole in the top of the cover. This arrangement locates the collector on the cover.

In figure 2 a lug 6 is shown as part of the tube 5. The lug @ is shown close to the junction of the body 1 with the tube 5 and is an example of @ne off many locking mechanisms which may or may not be used to secure ne collector onto the cover. Alternative locking mechanisms may be screw threads on the tube 5 and inside the hole in the cover 7. or a bayonet mechanism. or a loose or push fit with or without spring of some sort to assist in the attachment of the collector to the cover.

In the example shown in figure 2 the plan dimenslons of the collector are larder than those of the cover and the invention wili collect correspondingly more ram or other water than the cover would do wlthout.

the collector. The invention extends thls principle indefinitely to whatever limits may be found in practise.

The invention may have any shape in plan. For example. rectangular collectors may be fitted to a row of covers or sets of rows of covers without qaps hetween them and collect all the water falling on the area covered. In another example the collectors may be triangular- or oval in plan and collect a different proportion of the water falling on the area. And collectors may fit closely side-by-side or otherwise. and may be reentrant in plan.

The invention is typically made from transparent material to permlt light to reach the plant under the cover. The materlal may incorporate components which adjust the spectrum of the transmitted light to adjust the growth of the plants.

The invention may be used with any of the well known types of plant cover by the addition of appropriate holes. and different sizes of the invention may be interchanged according to the requirements of the user.

Accordingly. asymmetric versions of the invention may be used with covers with sloping tops, and be provided with one or more supports under the body 1 to maintain suitable catchment of water Figure 3 illustrates the invention mounted on a barn cloche 8. One or more fillets or webs 9 are provided to mamtaln the invention m an attitude to permit any water falling on the invention to rlow to and down tube 5.

Claims

1. A collector for water or other liquids for plant covers.

2. A A collector for water as claimed m claim 1 of any shape in plan.

3. A collector as claimed in clalm 1 demountable from the cover.

4. A collector as claimed in clalm 1 interchangeable among different sizes and shapes of the invention.

5. A collector as claimed in claim I provlded with a locating and,or locking mechanism at the junction of the collector and the plant cover.

6. Any combination of any number of Claims 1 to 5 inclusive.

6. Any combination ot any number of Claims 1 to 5 inclusive.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A demountable collector for water or other liquids for plant covers.

2. A collector for water as claimed in claim 1 with larger collecting area than the plant cover on which it is used.

3. A collector for water as claimed in claims 1 and 2 of any shape in plan.

4. A collector as claimed in claims 1 and 2 and 3 interchangeable among different sizes and shapes of the invention.

5. A collector as claimed in claims 1 and 2 provided with a locating and/or locking mechanism at the junction of the collector and the plant cover.