Abstract:
A tomato plant support device includes a pole and a plurality of claw shaped support arms which are repositionable to optimally support the plant as it grows. The bottom end of the pole is anchored in the ground by a plurality or equally spaced fins. A glider has a longitudinal aperture for engaging the pole and is attached to the claw shaped support arm. A lever having a threaded end is received in a passageway in said glider and used to selective immobilized the claw section with respect to the pole said that it can be moved and rotated when necessary. Each tomato plant support device preferably includes two or more claw shaped support arms that curve towards each other so that together they can grab a plant as it grows.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is related to, and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 60/805,234 filed on Jun. 20, 2006 by Scott Gray entitled “Tomato Claw”, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
     DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
       [0002]    Growing tomatoes and other plants that have weak stems but heavy fruit is not an easy task. Frequently the fruit is so heavy that it breaks off the stem or, just as bad, the stem bends severely and the tomato decays on the vine. In response to this historic problem, a variety of tomato cages and the like have been produced and are available on the market. Unfortunately, tomato cages are somewhat unwieldy and difficult for senior citizens to use easily. A discussion of the problem can be found at a URL entitled “I Hate Tomato Cages” at http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/lab/msg0220484815161.html. 
         [0003]    In response to the need for a product better than the traditional tomato cage, other devices have been invented and are described in the patent literature. 
         [0004]    US Patent Application Publication No. US2006/0053689 describes an “Adjustable Plant support” which comprises a plurality of poles that are connected to each other by a group of arms and which can be used to support a growing vine plant. While such an approach has its advantages, it also appears to be very complicated for the typical gardener to use—especially senior citizens. 
         [0005]    Another approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,043,876 entitled “Adjustable Plant Cage” in which a single pole is employed to support a plurality of circular rings that can adjusted vertically to accommodate a plant or vine-like garden vegetable. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,802 entitled “Support Assembly and Method for Growing Tomato Plants and the Like” includes a plurality of round circular sections that can be plugged into each other in order to increase the height of the support as the plant grows. 
         [0007]    The prior art also includes a number of devices which have a wire or metal rod-type structure and which are collapsible, such as found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,179,799; 6,088,956; 6,385,901; 6,453,606; and, 7,017,299. See, in addition, US Patent Publication No. US 2002/0029518. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,438 entitled “Tomato Cage” describes another traditional approach comprising the spacing of vertical posts around a plant and then surrounding the same with wire. 
         [0009]    Lastly, the following two patents are cited as being of possible, but probably lesser, relevance: U.S. Pat. No. 6,874,278; and, US Publication No. US2005/0166452. 
         [0010]    Despite the foregoing efforts, there does not yet appear to be an effective, simple and doable tomato support device that could be easily used, for example, by senior citizens. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0011]    Briefly described, the invention comprises a tomato plant support which includes a plurality of claw shape support arms that can be adjusted to optimally support the tomato plant as it grows. The invention includes a pole the bottom of which is anchored into the ground by a plurality of equally spaced fins. Each of the claw shaped support arms includes a glider that has a longitudinal aperture for engaging the pole. An L-shaped lever, including a threaded end, is received in a threaded passageway in the glider and used to selectively immobilize each claw section with respect to the support pole. Because of the L-shape of the lever, it is easy for an individual, such as a senior citizen, to get sufficient leverage on the device that the glider can be easily moved up and down and adjusted and locked into position as required. Two or more claw shaped support arms are supported by each pole. At least two of the arms curve in opposite directions so that they can be pushed together and grab the plant as the plant grows. 
         [0012]    These and other features of the invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings. 
     
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the invention as anchored in the earth. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2A  is a top plan view of a three-fin pole anchor. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2B  is an elevational view of the pole anchor as shown in  FIG. 2A . 
           [0016]      FIG. 3A  is a vertical partial cross-sectional view of the arm glider and its association with a threaded locking lever. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3B  is a horizontal cross sectional view of the locking mechanism illustrated in  FIG. 3A . 
           [0018]      FIG. 4A  illustrates an alternative embodiment in which a support stand is used to support the bottom of the pole when the invention is placed in a typical flower pot. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4B  is a cross-sectional view of a flower pot illustrating how the support stand shown in  FIG. 4A  is received therein. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4C  is a cross-sectional, top plan view of the support stand shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B . 
           [0021]      FIG. 5A  is a partial elevational view of a single tomato claw section. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5B  is a top-plan view of the tomato claw shown in  FIG. 5A . 
           [0023]      FIG. 5C  is a cross-sectional view of the tomato claw as shown in  FIG. 5A  or  5 B. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6A  is an elevational view of the tomato claw invention shown supporting a tomato plant. 
           [0025]      FIG. 6B  is an elevational view of the tomato claw invention shown in  FIG. 6A  with tomato plant removed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]    During the course of this description, like numbers will be used to identify like elements according to the different figures that illustrate the invention. 
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a vertical elevational view of the preferred embodiment  10  of the invention shown planted in the earth  22 . The entire apparatus  10  is supported by a single pole  12  having a top end and a bottom end. The bottom end of the pole  12  includes an anchor  20  having a plurality of fins  20 A,  20 B, and  20 C just flush with or slightly below the surface of the earth  22 . The top end of pole  12  supports a plurality of tomato claw sections  14 A,  14 B and  14 C as shown. The invention  10  preferable comprises at least two tomato claws but could easily have three or more depending upon the nature of the plant being supported. Tomato claws  14 A,  14 B and  14 C are attached to pole  12  by a plurality of gliders  16 A,  16 B and  16 C, respectively. In turn, gliders  16 A,  16 B and  16 C are locked into position by L-shaped levers  18 A,  18 B and  18 C, respectively. 
         [0028]      FIG. 2A  is a cross-sectional view of the anchor section  20  according to the preferred embodiment  10  and  FIG. 2B  is a partial, elevational view of the same anchor section  20 . The preferred anchor  20  includes three equally spaced fins  20 A,  20 B, and  20 C which radiate outwardly from the center of the pole  12 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 3A  is a partial cross-sectional view a glider  16 A shown in association with its L-shaped locking lever  18 A. One end of L-shaped lever  18 A includes thread  26  which is adapted to mate with the threads  28  in aperture  30  of glider  16 A.  FIG. 3A  illustrates the lever  18 A after it has been completely unthreaded from aperture  30 . In this mode it is possible to move the glider  16 A and claw arm  14 A up and down the pole  12 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 3B  is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the glider  16 A illustrated in  FIG. 3A  taken from prospective  3 B- 3 B. In  FIG. 3B  the locking lever mechanism  18 A is shown fully threaded into aperture  30  so that it impinges upon pole  12 . In the mode shown in  FIG. 3B  the glider  16 A is locked and immobilized with respect to pole  12  so that its associated tomato claw arm  14 A can support the weight of a tomato plant without slipping. 
         [0031]      FIGS. 4A-4C  illustrate an alternative embodiment in which a support stand  50  is used to support the bottom of the pole  12  when the invention  10  is placed in a standard flower pot  60 . The support stand  50  includes a flat, round bottom portion  52  and an upright, cylindrical, hollow collar section  54  welded to the middle of the round bottom portion  52  and having an axis that is co-axial with the axis of the round bottom section  52 .  FIG. 4A  shows how the base of the pole  12  is snuggly received in the hollow central cavity  56  of the collar section  54 .  FIG. 4B  shows the support stand  50  in position at the bottom  62  of flower pot  60 . The round bottom portion  52  has a circumference that is just smaller than the inside circumference of the bottom  62  of the pot  60  so that the support stand  50  fits comfortably therein.  FIG. 4C  is a cross-sectional top plan view of the support stand  50  shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B . In this view the three fins  20 A,  20 B and  20  C are shown radiating outwardly from the pole  12 . 
         [0032]    The alternative embodiment  50  is used in the following manner. First, the gardener puts the support stand  50  in the bottom  62  of the pot  60 . Second, the gardener places the bottom of the pole  12  into the cavity or socket  56  in the collar  54  so that the pole  12  fits snuggly therein. Third, the gardener put dirt  58  into the pot  60  almost up to the top rim  64  but not quite over it. The invention  10  is then ready to use in the same manner as if it were in a typical garden. Alternatively, the gardener could first put the plate  50  on the bottom of the pole  12  and then put the pole  12  in the pot  60  and repeat the third step above of placing dirt into the pot. Either approach will work. 
         [0033]      FIG. 5A  is an elevational view of an individual tomato claw  14 A showing a relatively flat horizontal rib surface  32 A and a rib-section  34 A which is perpendicular to the plane of the top section  32 A but lies in a plane that is parallel with the axis of the support pole  12 . Support rib  34 A preferable tapers from its thickest point where it attaches to glider  16 A to its thinnest point at the free end of the arm  14 A. 
         [0034]      FIG. 5B  is a top plan view of the rib  14 A illustrating the manner in which its curves so as to optimally support the plant. The far free end of  50 A of the tomato claw  14  includes an additional individual hook so that plants are less likely to slide off of the arm  14 A. 
         [0035]      FIG. 5C  is a cross-sectional view of the tomato claw  14 A better illustrating how the support rib  34 A lies in the plane perpendicular to the upper surface  32 A. The broad upper surface  32 A is important because it gives more support to a heavy tomato plant that a simple wire or round metal rod. 
         [0036]      FIG. 6A  illustrates the invention  10  in the context of a tomato plant  42  from which a plurality of tomatoes  40  hang. Over the years tomatoes  40 , such as Beefsteak Tomatoes, can become quite heavy and, accordingly, the need for support is more critical. Note in  FIG. 5A  that tomato claws  14 A and  14 C curve in the same direction but that the intermediate tomato claw  14 B curves in the opposite direction but towards tomato claws  14 A and  14 C so as to effectively grab or cradle the plant. 
         [0037]      FIG. 6B  illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention  10  with the tomato plant  40  and tomatoes  40  removed. By moving claw  14 B towards or away claws  14 A and  14 C, it is possible to adjust the grip of the invention  10  on a tomato plant stem according to the distribution of tomatoes  40  on the plant  42 . 
         [0038]    When in use the support pole  12  of the preferred embodiment  10  is typically placed in the ground  12  near the base of the freshly planted tomato plant  42 . The support pole  12  is pushed far enough into the earth so that the upper edges of fins  20 A- 20 C are preferably either flush with the surface of the earth  22  or slightly below same. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention  10 , three claws  14 A- 14 C are employed with two of the claws  14 A and  14 C facing one direction and the third,  14 B, opposing them. The vertical and rotational orientation of each of the arms  14 A- 14 C is adjusted by loosening the glider support fasteners  16 A- 16 C using the L-shaped levers  18 A- 18 C, respectively, as previously described. In this manner each arm  14 A- 14 C can be moved vertically along the axis of the support pole  12  and horizontally underneath the stalks of the tomato plant  42 . After each branch of the tomato plant  42  is appropriately supported, the locking levers  18 A- 18 C are tightened so that the threaded end  26  of the L-shaped locking lever impinges the pole  12  and the arms  14 A- 14 C are locked in place. As the plant grows the arms  14 A- 14 C are readjusted vertically and horizontally so as to provide continued optimal support. Generally a plant tends to grow upwards and outwards at the same time so that regular adjustment is desirable and necessary. 
         [0039]    The invention  10  can be made out of a light-weight metal, such as aluminum or, alternatively, plastic products would also work provided they were hard and durable enough. 
         [0040]    While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications can be made to the parts comprise the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as a whole.