GB2480610A

GB2480610A - Flexible tubing arranged on a support structure for growing plants

Info

Publication number: GB2480610A
Application number: GB1008611A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Iain Norman Reid Findlay
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-05-24
Filing date: 2010-05-24
Publication date: 2011-11-30
Also published as: GB201008611D0

Abstract

Flexible tubing in which plants can be grown is supported by a central column in order to elevate the tubing from the ground. The tubing may be supported by a plurality of horizontal supports which are inserted into the central column. Fittings maybe attached to both ends of the horizontal supports and one end of these fittings may be of a larger diameter than the tubing to facilitate removal of the tubing. The flexible tubing may be arranged in a spiral or helix, in particular a double helix.

Description

Title -Three Dimensional, Twin Counter-Spiral Structure, Multiple Plant Growing Device Background -many people are restricted in their capacity to cultivate plants due to lack of access to suitable ground. For example, the available soil may be contaminated by chemicals or cat faeces and urine; they may have no access to soil if the live in a flat/apartment; they may only have access to shared gardens and are unable or unwilling to cultivate that ground; they may have restricted mobility or physical ability to carry out the labour involved in gardening due to age or illness; the available growing space may be prone to slugs, snails or other lifeforms that damage plants.

Statement of invention This invention uses a series of flexible pipes arranged in a double counter spiral design around a central pole to cultivate plants in three dimensions, by cultivating plants above the ground, in soil contained in the device, allowing the use of the vertical space above the ground to be used to grow plants, thereby creating more available growing space than by using the ground space to cultivate in only two dimensions.

Each pipe is filled with soil and compost to facilitate cultivation in holes which are cut into the pipe, referred to as "growing pipes". As a three dimensional growing space is created by using the device, this offers the opportunity for increased productivity for existing cultivated areas. Tn addition, it enables plants to be grown on land that suffers from growing restrictions such as those

mentioned in the previous section (background).

Each pipe is enabled to revolve around the central post by an arrangement of fittings, into which each end of the growing pipes are inserted, and horizontal supporting bars which allow the pipes to be held at a vertical distance from the central pole.

A similar invention using straight pipes with angled fittings, as opposed to flexible pipes with straight fittings, to allow the same benefits to be achieved but with a different shape The invention use a series of fittings into which the growing pipes are fitted to support them in their position. Each fitting rotates around a horizontal support which is inserted through a hole drilled in the central post. Each fitting can rotate through 360 degrees and the vertical distance between the horizontal supports can be varied. The length and number of the horizontal supports can also be varied. This combination of features allows for a variety of geometrical shapes to be designed and for a varied number of plants to be grown in each pipe. The purpose of the fittings is also to allow the growing pipes to be kept to a length which is manageable for people to lift into position around the central structure.

Advantages -The design allows maximum use of vertical space and means that more plants can be grown over a 2 dimensional (length and breadth) piece of ground by making use of the vertical spacing of the pipes in the spiral design. It allows plants to be grown without having access to growing space in the ground, removes the plants from the habitat of slugs, snails and other damaging creatures, and avoids the problems of soil pollution created by chemicals in the soil, cat faeces and urine, and weeds. The invention can be placed at any point in the available garden or balcony to make the best use of the available sunlight. Each growing pipe can be managed independently from all others and can be removed to allow for early germination of certain seeds.

The growth of weeds is restricted due to the lack of sunlight on any area other than the hole cut into the pipe for the desired plant to grow through. The invention also allows people who have mobility or other physical restrictions e.g. wheelchair access, arthritis, back pain to participate in gardening.

Detailed description

Whirligro Image 1 shows a side on view of the invention. This clearly indicates the overall shape of one possible combination of the special features of the invention i.e. the use of the rotating fittings, the growing pipes being inserted into those fittings, the use of vertical spacing of the horizontal supports.

Whirligro Image 2 shows a top view of the invention. This shows how the horizontal bars support each fitting and how each growing pipe is inserted into each fitting. It also shows the growing holes that are cut into each growing pipe in order to allow the plant to grow into the soil that is enclosed in each growing pipe.

A vertical post made from wood or other suitable material is drilled through to allow a metal rod, or rod made from some other suitable material, to be inserted through the post. The post can be of any length which allows for horizontal posts to attached in the following manner. Each supporting rod is secured to the post using washers and bolts, or some other suitable combination of attachments.

This secures the supporting rod in a central and horizontal position. The holes for each rod can be drilled at 90 degree, 60 degree, 120 degree angles or at any other angle to allow for variations in design. The vertical distance between each horizontal rod can be varied to allow for various designs to be made. Any number of supporting rods can be attached to the central post to allow for variation in design. The length of each supporting rod can also be varied to allow for variations in design.

At the end of each supporting rod a fitting is attached which allows each growing pipe to be attached to the horizontal supporting rod. This is a pipe of slightly larger diameter into which the growing pipe is inserted. The fitting is of an adequate length to securely hold each end of the growing pipe in place. Each fitting is drilled to allow for the horizontal supporting rod to be inserted through it. The fitting is held in place using washers and nuts on each side of the fitting. This allows the fitting movement through 360 degrees around the supporting rod but no movement along the length of the supporting rod. The growing pipe may be secured using a nut and bolt of suitable dimensions, or by some other suitable arrangement.

The growing pipe is made from flexible pipe which allows it to form the spiral design of the invention, similar to the double helix. Holes are cut into the top of the growing pipe at intervals suitable to allow plant roots space to grow and for leaves to have access to light and the atmosphere.

The number of holes is determined by the length of pipe and by the requirements of the plant for growing space. Each growing pipe may be covered with a suitable material for decoration, through which holes are cut to allow access to the pipe and soil held within that material.

By varying the length of the post, the length of the supporting rods, the distance between the supporting rods on the central post, and the length of the flexible growing pipes, and the angle at which the fittings are set, a variety of geometrical designs can be achieved.

The growing pipes may be self supporting or may be supported using an arrangement similar to guy ropes on a tent, or by some other manner that achieves the same purpose.

Claims

Claims.1. A 3 dimensional structure using flexible hollow tubing (known as the growing pipe) which acts as a container for a growing medium to allow plants to be grown above the ground or floor.
2. A structure according to claim 1, that uses pipes of different lengths to allow different geometrical and symmetrical forms to be constructed.
3. A structure according to claim 2, that uses horizontal supports, inserted through the central post and of equal distance from that post on each side to maintain the pipes in the desired shape.
4. A structure according to claim 3 that allows the horizontal posts to be inserted through the central posts at various angles in order to achieve the desired shape
5. A structure according to claim 4, that uses fittings attached to both ends of the horizontal supports to allow various angles and designs to be achieved.
6. A structure according to claim 5, that allows the vertical distance between the horizontal supports to be varied in order to achieve the desired shape.
7. A structure according to claim 6, that allows the number of rotations around the central structure to be varied in order to achieve the desired shape.
8. A structure according to claim 7 that uses fittings into which the growing pipes are of a slightly smaller diameter in order to facilitate easy removal and attachment of the growing pipes.