Planter, especially for hydroculture

Claim 1

A planter especially for hydroponics, the planter comprising: a housing adapted to receive a pot formed with a root compartment for a plant and having a space which communicates with the root compartment and capable of holding a body of liquid having a liquid level; means forming a reservoir for a liquid in the housing above the level; means defining a downwardly open valve seat in the reservoir communicating between the interior of the reservoir and the space; a buoyant float floating in the space on the liquid therein and displaceable thereby upward and downward in accordance with variations in the liquid level; a spindle extending upward from the float through the seat, projecting above the reservoir and housing, and having an upper end visible above the planter; a valve plate disposed on the spindle and displaceable relative to the spindle and to the float toward and away from the seat so as to admit liquid from the reservoir to the space when the valve plate descends; an element substantially fixed to the valve plate, extending upward along the spindle from the valve plate, projecting above the reservoir, and having an upper end visible above the planter; and level-setting means above the planter for operatively and adjustably connecting the upper end of the element to the spindle at any of a plurality of vertically relatively offset positions for relatively fixing the valve plate and float and for varying the distance between the float and the valve plate to control and maintain substantially constant the liquid level in the space maintained by the valve and the valve plate, whereby the relative positions of the upper ends indicates above the planter the desired liquid level.