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AssigneeGravi-Mechanics Co.
InventorRichard R. Dedolph
Estimating the term…
A polymerized soil plug with a growing plant molded therein comprising a body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer, a growing plant having the roots thereof in the body of spongy polymer and having the stalk thereof extending outwardly from one surface, and a quantity of particles of soil mix distributed throughout the body of spongy polymer, a quantity of synthetic organic plastic resin being reacted in situ to form the body spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer binding the particles of soil mix therein and into a plug and binding the roots in the plug, the soil mix comprising from about 20% to about 80% by dry weight of the soil plug, the roots being distributed substantially uniformly throughout the adjacent portions of the plug and the stalk being intimately surrounded by the plug; the method of making such a soil plug is also disclosed as well as a package for retail sale of the soil plugs with growing plants therein; also disclosed are hangers and a plaque for receiving the soil plugs.
A polymerized soil plug with a growing plant molded therein comprising a body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer, a quantity of particles of soil mix distributed throughout said body of spongy polymer, and a growing plant having the roots thereof in said body of spongy polymer and having the stalk thereof extending outwardly from one surface of said body of spongy polymer, a quantity of foam-forming synthetic organic plastic resin being reacted in situ to form said body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer binding said particles of soil mix therein and into a plug and binding said roots in said plug, said soil mix comprising from about 20% to about 80% by dry weight of said soil plug, said roots being distributed substantially uniformly throughout the adjacent portions of said plug and said stalk being intimately surrounded by said plug, thereby to provide a unitary self-supporting polymerized soil plug with a growing plant having its roots molded therein and its stalk molded therein and extending from one surface thereof.
A polymerized soil plug with a growing plant molded therein comprising a body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer, a growing plant having a roots thereof in said body of spongy polymer and having the stalk thereof extending outwardly from one surface of said body of spongy polymer, and a quantity of particles of soil mix having collectively a porosity maintenance capacity and a water holding capacity and an ion exchange capacity and a pH buffering capacity and distributed throughout said body of spongy polymer, a quantity of foam-forming synthetic organic resin being reacted in situ to form said body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer binding said particles of soil-like material therein and into a plug and binding said roots in said plug, said soil mix comprising from about 20% to about 80% by dry weight of said soil plug, said roots being distributed substantially uniformly throughout the adjacent portions of said plug and said stalk being intimately surrounded by said plug, thereby to provide a unitary selfsupporting polymerized soil plug with a growing plant having its roots molded therein and its stalk molded therein and extending from one surface thereof.
A package of a polymerized soil plug with a growing plant molded therein, said package comprising a hermetically sealed flexible transparent envelope, a polymerized soil plug having a substantial water holding capacity and disposed within said envelope, said soil plug including a body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer and a quantity of particles of soil mix distributed throughout said body of spongy polymer, a growing plant having the roots thereof in said polymerized soil plug and having the stalk thereof extending outwardly from one surface of said polymerized soil plug, a quantity of foam-forming synthetic organic plastic resin being reacted in situ to form said body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer binding said particles of soil mix therein and into a plug and binding said roots in said plug, said soil mix comprising from about 20% to about 80% by dry weight of said plug, said roots being distributed substantially uniformly throughout the adjacent portions of said plug and said stalk being intimately surrounded by said plug, said polymerized soil plug being essentially saturated with water providing moisture for said growing plant, and an atmosphere enriched in carbon dioxide within said sealed envelope and in contact with the tops of said growing plant, thereby to provide a package for said growing plant that will maintain said growing plant in good condition for up to three weeks with periodic exposure to light.
A method of forming a polymerized soil plug with a growing plant molded therein comprising the steps of providing a mold open at the upper end and closed at the lower end thereof, applying a resin release agent to the inner surfaces of said mold, providing a quantity of particles of soil mix and a quantity of foam-forming synthetic organic plastic resin, forming an aqueous slurry of said soil mix and said synthetic organic plastic resin, placing a quantity of said slurry in said mold, placing the roots of a growing plant in said slurry in said mold, supporting said growing plant with the stalk extending from the upper surface of said slurry while said synthetic organic plastic resin reacts in situ to form a spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer binding said quantity of particles of soil mix therein and into a plug and binding said roots in said plug, and removing said plug from said mold to providing a unitary self-supporting polymerized soil plug with a growing plant having its roots molded therein and its stalk molded therein and extending from one surface thereof.
A hanger for growing plants, said hanger comprising a quantity of particles of soil mix bound in a body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer of synthetic organic plastic resin, said soil mix comprising from about 20% to about 80% by dry weight of the total dry weight of said resin and said soil mix, an attachment member affixed to said body and extending outwardly therefrom to effect mounting of said body, a plurality of openings in the sides of said body for receiving growing plants therein and extending therefrom, the upper end of said body having a well for water therein with at least the lower surface thereof in contact with said body to supply water through said body to the plants in said openings, and a catch basin disposed beneath and affixed to said body for catching and holding water dripping therefrom.
A hanger with growing plants thereof comprising a quantity of particles soil mix bound in a body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer of a synthetic organic plastic resin, an attachment member affixed to said body and extending outwardly therefrom to effect mounting of said body, the upper end of said body having a well for water therein with at least the lower surface thereof in contact with said body, a plurality of openings in the sides of said body in communication with said well for receiving water therefrom, a plurality of porous plugs respectively disposed in said openings and each having a growing plant therein receiving water from said well through said body and the associated plug, said plug including a quantity of foam-forming synthetic organic plastic resin reacted in situ with particles of soil mix distributed therethrough and comprising from about 20% to about 80% by dry weight of said plug, and a catch basin disposed beneath and affixed to said body for catching and holding water dripping therefrom.
The hanger set forth in clain 46, wherein said body of spongy polymer is cylindrical in form with said attachment member extending from one end thereof, and said openings have the longitudinal axes thereof disposed substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said body.
A plaque for growing plants, said plaque comprising a container having a base and a side wall surrounding said base, a body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer having a quantity of particles of soil mix disposed in said container and bound into a cohesive mass and to said container by said open-celled hydrophilic polymer, said soil mix comprising from about 20% to about 80% by dry weight of said body, and a plurality of openings in the surface of said body for removably receiving porous plugs having growing plants therein and extending therefrom, whereby the plugs having growing plants therein may be replaced and rearranged to provide fresh and various designs of growing plants on said plaque.
A polymerized soil mass comprising a body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer, a quantity of particles of soil mix distributed throughout said body of spongy polymer, a quantity of foam-forming synthetic organic plastic resin being reacted in situ to form said body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer binding said particles of soil mix therein and into a cohesive soil mass, said resin comprising from about 20% to about 80% by dry weight of said soil mass, thereby to provide a unitary self-supporting polymerized soil mass.
A package of polymerized soil plug with a growing plant therein, said package comprising a flexible transparent envelope, a polymerized soil plug having a substantial water holding capacity and disposed within said envelope, said soil plug including a body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer and a quantity of particles of soil mix distributed throughout said body of spongy polymer, and a growing plant having the roots thereof in said polymerized soil plug and having the stalk thereof extending outwardly from one surface of said polymerized soil plug, a quantity of foam-forming synthetic organic plastic resin being reacted in situ to form said body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer binding said particles of soil mix therein and into a plug and binding said roots in said plug, said soil mix comprising from about 20% to about 80% by dry weight of said plug, said roots being distributed substantially uniformly throughout the adjacent portions of said plug and said stalk being intimately surrounded by said plug, said polymerized soil plug being essentially saturated with water providing moisture for said growing plant, said envelope having openings therein adjacent to the foliage on said plant so that the interior of said envelope is in communication with the surrounding atmosphere, thereby to provide a package for said growing plant that will maintain said growing plant in good condition for up to three weeks with periodic exposure to light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.