Self-irrigating display rack for potted plants

Claim 1

A display rack for potted plants, and the like, comprising: a bucket-like base forming a reservoir for irrigating water; an elongated upright tubular member supported on said base and extending upwardly therefrom; a plurality of display dishes mounted in a spaced tiered relationship on said tubular member over said reservoir each of said display dishes having a bottom and an open top; a pipeline extending upwardly through said tubular member from the reservoir to the upper end of said tubular member; a pump mounted in the reservoir and having an outlet coupled to the pipeline for pumping irrigating water from the reservoir up through the pipeline; outlet means mounted on said pipeline at the top of said tubular member to direct water out of the pipeline into the interior of the tubular member to be returned to said reservoir through said tubular member; said tubular member having first openings therein directly over each dish supported thereon, and said tubular member further having second openings therein at a predetermined level in each dish supported thereon; and a corresponding plurality of annular plug members mounted within said tubular member coaxially with said pipeline and filling the space between the pipeline and the inner wall of the tubular member, said plug members being respectively interposed between the first and second openings in said tubular member to divert the irrigating water in the tubular member out through the first openings therein and into the display dishes, with the water being returned to the tubular member through the second openings therein after reaching a predetermined level in the individual display dishes so as to cause the display dishes from the top of the display rack down to the bottom thereof to be sequentially filled with irrigating water.