Means for and method of potting plants

Claim 5

Means for potting a plant in a growing medium in a pot having an opening in its bottom, comprising: a. a work surface having means forming a recess therein fitting around said pot with the upper edge of said pot near the level of said work surface, b. means applying a vacuum to said recess to hold said pot therein and through said opening to said pot, whereby the roots of said plant are drawn downwardly into said pot by said vacuum when said plant is put in said pot and whereby said growing medium is deposited in said pot and is packed about said roots and said plant by said vacuum, and c. means to discontinue said vacuum when said pot has been filled with said medium.

Claim 6

Means for potting a plant in a growing medium in a pot having an opening in its bottom, comprising: a. a work surface having means forming a recess therein fitting around said pot with the upper edge of said pot near the level of said work surface, b. means applying a vacuum to said recess to hold said pot therein and through said opening to said pot, whereby the roots of said plant are drawn downwardly into said pot by said vacuum when said plant is put in said pot and whereby said growing medium is deposited in said pot and is packed about said roots and said plant by said vacuum, and c. means to discontinue said vacuum when said pot has been filled with said medium.

Claim 7

The subject matter of claim 3 In which there is a sealed tank under said recess and said means operative to apply a vacuum includes a vacuum source opening into said tank and the vacuum is applied from said tank to said recess, whereby said tank acts as an accumulator of vacuum to apply to said recess and said tank also receives growing medium falling through said recess.

Claim 8

The subject matter of claim 4 in which said work surface is a table and has on its under surface an annular groove and resilient sealing material in said groove, said tank having the shape of a drum and means releasably clamping the upper edge of said tank against said resilient sealing material to seal the tank.

Claim 9

The subject matter of claim 4 in which said vacuum source is a vacuum pump positioned outside of said tank and tubular means connected to said pump at one end having its other end communicating with the inside of said barrel and located at a point horizontally displaced from said recess whereby growing medium will not fall from said recess into said tubular means and whereby said tubular means will not be blocked by growing medium built up in said tank during potting.

Claim 10

The subject matter of claim 4 in which said work surface is a table and said tank has the shape of a drum, said table having a hopper for growing medium and having a discharge opening at table height from said hopper at the opposite side of said table from said work surface, said table having an annular opening therein and a potting head removably fitting into said annular opening, said potting head having said recess in its central portion and its remaining upper surface being flush with said table, the vertical axial center of said drum being farther from one side of the table where the operator can be located than the vertical axial center of said potting head, so that the recess will be located closer to said operator than it would be located if it were centered relative to said drum thereby to provide convenient access to said recess by the operator and maximum room for the operator free from interference by said drum.

Claim 11

The subject matter of claim 3 in which there is an ejector below said recess for ejecting said pot from said recess.

Claim 12

The subject matter of claim 8 in which there is a solenoid operating said ejector, said means to apply a vacuum including a vacuum pump, tubular means leading from said pump to feed vacuum to said recess, a relief valve to said tubular means including a valve piece operable to vent said tubular means to the atmosphere when operated to discontinue application of vacuum to said recess, a foot pedal connected to and operable to operate said valve piece, means making electrical connection to said solenoid including a switch located adjacent to said valve piece and foot pedal so that when an operator operates said foot pedal, first, the vacuum is discontinued to said recess by venting and, second, said switch is closed to eject said pot.

Claim 13

The subject matter of claim 8 in which there is a solenoid operating said ejector and there is operator control means operative to discontinue application of vacuum to said recess and to operate said solenoid.

Claim 14

The subject matter of claim 8 in which there is a solenoid operating said ejector and means making electrical connection to said solenoid including a rheostat to control the force of said solenoid.

Claim 15

The subject matter of claim 3 in which said means operative to apply a vacuum includes a vacuum pump, tubular means for connecting said pump to said recess, a relief valve connecting to said tubular means including a valve piece venting said tubular line to relieve vacuum from said recess when the valve piece is opened, and operator-controlled means for operating said relief valve.

Claim 16

The subject matter of claim 3 in which said work surface has an opening and a potting head removably positioned in said opening, said recess being disposed in said potting head whereby potting heads can be interchanged to use said work surface anD said means applying a vacuum to different sized and shaped pots.

Claim 17

A pot holder for use in potting a plant in a growing medium in a pot having an opening in its bottom, comprising: a. a planar body and an opening in said body in which said pot is positioned and said opening fitting the upper portion of said pot with the upper edge of said pot near to the level of the upper surface of said planar body, b. a series of metal plates depending from said body and fitting said pot, said plates being separated whereby vacuum can be applied therebetween, said plates being joined at their lower ends, and c. a solenoid depending from said lower ends of said plates and an ejector located below said pot and connected to said solenoid to be operated thereby to eject said pot from said opening.

Claim 18

A pot holder for use in potting a plant in a growing medium in a pot having an opening in its bottom, comprising: a. a planar body and an opening in said body in which said pot is positioned and said opening fitting the upper portion of said pot with the upper edge of said pot near to the level of the upper surface of said planar body, b. a series of metal plates depending from said body and fitting said pot, said plates being separated whereby vacuum can be applied therebetween, said plates being joined at their lower ends, and c. a solenoid depending from said lower ends of said plates and an ejector located below said pot and connected to said solenoid to be operated thereby to eject said pot from said opening.