Cover forming apparatus

A cover forming apparatus for forming and securing a sheet of material about a flower pot having an outer peripheral surface, comprising:

• a former having a bowl shaped configuration with an open upper end, a lower end, a sidewall extending from the open upper end to the lower end, and a pot opening, the sidewall having an outer surface and an inner surface with the outer surface having an upper inwardly tapered portion, the pot opening sized to receive at least a portion of the flower pot together with the sheet of material such that upon disposing the flower pot into the pot opening with the sheet of material positioned between the upper end of the former and the flower pot the sheet of material is formed about the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot, the lower end of the former adapted to receive at least one stretch loop so that the stretch loop is disposable on the upper inwardly tapered portion of the outer surface of the former by an operator such that the stretch loop slides off the upper end of the former into engagement with the sheet of material thereby securing the sheet of material about the flower pot to provide a covered flower pot upon the stretch loop being released by the operator;
• a depth stop assembly positioned in the former, the depth stop having a plate which is vertically adjustable so to support the flower pot within the former at a selected position relative to the upper end of the former;
• and
• a sleeve stand having a central pedestal adapted to support the former and a sleeve support member which extends a distance away from the central pedestal, the sleeve support member having a pot support surface and a sleeve support surface spaced a distance below the pot support surface, the sleeve support surface sized to support a plurality of nested sleeves whereby when the nested sleeves are positioned about the sleeve support member, the covered flower pot cover can be transferred from the former to the upper support surface where one of the sleeves is pulled up around the covered flower pot.

A method for forming and securing a sheet of material about a flower pot having an outer peripheral surface, comprising:

• positioning at least one stretch loop about a lower end of the former;
• positioning a flexible sheet of material over a former, the former having a bowl shaped configuration with an open upper end, a lower end, a sidewall extending from the open upper end to the lower end, a pot opening, the sidewall having an outer surface and an inner surface with the outer surface having an upper inwardly tapered portion, the pot opening sized to receive at least a portion of the flower pot together with the sheet of material;
• positioning a depth stop assembly in the former, the depth stop assembly having a plate which is vertically adjustable so to support the flower pot within the former at a selected position relative to the upper end of the former.
• disposing the flower pot into the pot opening with the sheet of material positioned between the upper end of the former and the flower pot thereby causing the sheet of material to be formed about the outer peripheral surface of the flower pot;
• and
• moving at least one of the stretch loops up the sidewall of the former by positioning a finger beneath the stretch loop on opposite sides of the stretch loop thereby causing the stretch loop to expand as the stretch loop is being moved up the sidewall and to contract and slide off the upper end of the former into engagement with the sheet of material thereby securing the sheet of material about the flower pot to provide a covered flower pot upon the expanded stretch loop being moved onto the upper inwardly tapered portion of the outer surface of the former.