Moisture responsive tilting planter

Claim 2

The combination of a planter and moisture quantity signal indicator including: A. an elongate tray having a bottom wall and generally upwardly directed peripheral walls, a flange extending outwardly of a peripheral wall and including a slit therethrough, said tray including a planting section; B. a weight disposed within said tray adjacent the peripheral wall from which the flange with the slit therethrough extends; C. a moisture quantity signal indicator including a stem extending into the slit and haVing indicia thereon; D. a projection disposed intermediate the ends of the tray and extending generally downwardly from the bottom wall of the tray for acting as a fulcrum when the planter is placed on a supporting surface, said projection being positioned relative to the planting section such that the center of gravity of the planter containing soil therein is on the same side of the projection as the weight when the moisture content of the soil is below a certain level, and is on the opposite side of the projection when the moisture content is above said certain level, whereby the planter will be in a first predetermined position when the moisture content is above said certain level and will tilt downwardly on the same side of the projection as said weight when the moisture content drops below said certain level, said indicia on the stem of the moisture quantity signal indicator being disposed below the flange when the planter is in its first predetermined position and being disposed above said flange when said planter tilts downwardly to provide a visible indicator that the moisture content is below said certain level.

Claim 3

A planter comprising: A. an elongate tray including a bottom wall and generally upwardly directed peripheral end and side walls, said bottom wall being of a stepped configuration including a lower, substantially horizontal section which constitutes the bottom of a planting area, a generally upwardly inclined transition section extending from said lower section and constituting an end of the planting area and an upper, substantially horizontal section extending from the upper end of the inclined transition section and being disposed adjacent one peripheral end wall of said tray; B. a weight disposed on the upper section of the bottom wall; C. an insert having a soil receiving compartment formed by a bottom wall and generally upwardly directed peripheral walls, said compartment being disposed in telescopic relationship within the planting area of the tray, said insert further including a generally horizontally extending, outwardly directed extension from an upper margin of a peripheral wall thereof, said extension overlying the upper section of the bottom wall of the tray to establish a closed weight-containing compartment; D. a first projection intermediate the peripheral end walls of the tray and extending generally downwardly from the bottom wall of said tray for acting as a fulcrum when the planter is placed on a supporting surface, said projection being positioned relative to the planting area such that the center of gravity of the planter containing soil therein is on the same side of the projection as the weight when the moisture content of the soil is below a certain level, and is on the opposite side of the projection when the moisture content is above said certain level; E. a second projection extending downwardly from the bottom wall of said tray for substantially the same distance as the first projection, said second projection being disposed on the side of the first projection opposite from that of the weight, whereby the planter will tilt downwardly on the same side of the projection as said weight when the moisture content drops below said certain level, and will be disposed in a generally horizontal plane when the moisture content is above said certain level and the planter is supported on a generally horizontal surface.

Claim 4

A planter comprising: A. an elongate tray including a bottom wall and generally upwardly directed peripheral end and side walls, said bottom wall being of a stepped configuration including a lower, substantially horizontal section which constitutes the bottom of a planting area, a generally upwardly inclined transition section extending from said lower section and constituting an end of the planting area and an upper, substantially horizontal section extending from the upper end of the inclined transition section and being disposed adjacent one peripheral end wall of said tray; B. a weight disposed on the upper section of the bottom wall; C. an insert having a soil receiving compartment formed by a bottom wall and generally upwardly directed peripheral walls, said compartment being disposed in telescopic relationship within the planting area of the tray, said insert further including a generally horizontally extending, outwardly directed extension from an upper margin of a peripheral wall thereof, said extension overlying the upper section of the bottom wall of the tray to establish a closed weight-containing compartment; D. a first projection intermediate the peripheral end walls of the tray and extending generally downwardly from the bottom wall of said tray for acting as a fulcrum when the planter is placed on a supporting surface, said projection being positioned relative to the planting area such that the center of gravity of the planter containing soil therein is on the same side of the projection as the weight when the moisture content of the soil is below a certain level, and is on the opposite side of the projection when the moisture content is above said certain level; E. a second projection extending downwardly from the bottom wall of said tray for substantially the same distance as the first projection, said second projection being disposed on the side of the first projection opposite from that of the weight, whereby the planter will tilt downwardly on the same side of the projection as said weight when the moisture content drops below said certain level, and will be disposed in a generally horizontal plane when the moisture content is above said certain level and the planter is supported on a generally horizontal surface.

Claim 5

The planter according to claim 2, wherein over 50% and less than 100% of the soil containing volume of the planting section is disposed between the projection and the end of the tray which is opposite the end of the tray to which the weight is adjacent.

Claim 6

The planter according to claim 2, wherein the lower section of the bottom wall has an inner surface including fluid distribution channels therein, the bottom wall of the insert including downwardly extending projections disposed within said fluid distribution channels, each proJection including inner surface defining a continuous opening communicating with the fluid distribution channels of said tray and the soil receiving compartment of said insert.

Claim 7

The planter according to claim 4, wherein a peripheral wall of the insert is inclined with respect to adjacent peripheral walls of the tray to define an enlarged opening between the insert and the tray through which liquid can be added to the planter.