Plant supporter

A plant supporter is disclosed utilizing a pole having lugs attached to it. Apertures extend into each lug and cantilevered arms extend from the apertures outwardly from the pole to provide support to a plant. The lugs may have a resilient clip portion such that they may be easily mounted or removed from the pole.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The invention is directed to a device for supporting plants and, more
 specifically, the invention is directed to a support pole having
 cantilevered arms for supporting plants.
 2. Description of the Related Art
 A variety of plant supporters having different designs exist. U.S. Pat. No.
 703,019 to Thomas discloses a carnation supporter comprised of a pole
 having pivoting rings attached thereto which lock in a horizontal position
 upon the pole to provide support. However, such an arrangement requires
 precise positioning of each end of the circular supports on the pole so
 that it contacts and rests against a horizontally extending portion of the
 support. Additionally, a load upon the circular support may deform the
 support such that the two ends may slip past the horizontal support
 portion thereby collapsing a support.
 U.S. Pat. No. 933,112 to Rieman discloses a flower supporter comprised of a
 post made of twisted wire having circular supports of the same twisted
 wire extending from the post. However, such a device is fairly complex and
 the position of a supporting arm is fixed.
 Furthermore, the length of many of these poles creates an additional
 problem because installing such a pole often requires the use of a hammer.
 For a long pole, it may be difficult for an individual to comfortably
 reach the top of the pole to apply blows from a hammer thereby driving the
 pole into the ground.
 These and other shortcomings are sought to be overcome by the proposed
 invention.
 BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The invention is directed to a plant supporter comprised of a pole with at
 least one lug secured thereupon, wherein the at least one lug has an
 aperture extending therein, wherein that lug is adapted to removably
 receive and horizontally support a cantilevered arm, wherein the pole has
 a tapered bottom portion terminating in a point to promote penetrating the
 pole in the ground.
 In a second embodiment, the invention is directed to a plant supporter as
 described above but wherein the pole is comprised of at least a top
 segment and a bottom segment and wherein the bottom segment has a top end
 which accepts a removable cap for protecting the end when the bottom
 segment is hammered into the ground.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
 FIG. 1 illustrates a plant supporter 10 which may be used to support a
 variety of plants including vegetables such as beans. The plant supporter
 10 is comprised of a pole 15 which may be comprised of at least two
 segments 15a, 15b removably attached to one another.
 The pole 15 of the plant supporter 10 has at least one lug 20 secured
 thereupon wherein the lug 20 has an aperture 25 extending into the lug 20
 and wherein the lug 20 is adapted to removably receive and horizontally
 support a cantilevered arm 30. The arm 30 and lug 20 are illustrated in an
 exploded position on segment 15b and in an assembled position on segment
 15a.
 The aperture 40 may extend completely through the lug 20 or partially into
 the lug 20 when there is sufficient support for the arm 30 using such an
 aperture 40 extending only partially through the lug 20. The aperture axis
 A is generally vertical, however, may be angled at an angle sufficient to
 provide support to the arm 30 when a weight is placed upon the arm 30.
 The aperture 25 may be generally cylindrical in shape to conform with the
 shape of the first end 32 of the arm 30. However, the aperture 25 may have
 any number of different shapes which may be compatible with the first end
 32 of the arm 30.
 Although FIG. 1 illustrates only a single aperture 40 within the lug 20,
 there may be more than one aperture 40 in a lug 20 to accommodate more
 than one support arm 30. Subsequent embodiments will illustrate lugs
 having multiple apertures therein.
 As illustrated in FIG. 1, the lug 20 is integral with the pole 15. A
 plurality of lugs 20a, b, c, in addition to lug 20, may be positioned in a
 spaced apart relationship and may be integral with pole 15. In the
 alternative, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a band 45 may extend around the
 outside of the pole 15, may contain a plurality of apertures 40 thereby
 eliminating the need for a plurality of distinct lugs 20 as illustrated in
 FIG. 1.
 While FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate lugs which are integral with the pole 15, it
 is entirely possible and many times desirable to provide a lug that is
 removable from the pole. FIGS. 3-7 illustrate arrangements whereby the lug
 is removably attached to the pole.
 FIG. 3 illustrates a pole 115 with a lug 120 having a clip portion 125 and
 an arm support portion 130. The clip portion 125 is comprised of two
 resilient extensions 135, 140 which are opposed to one another and which,
 when urged apart, fit over an outer diameter 117 of the pole 115. When the
 resilient extensions 135, 140 are released, they clamp against the pole
 115. In this fashion, the lug 120 is removably attached to the pole 115.
 As also illustrated in FIG. 3, the pole 115 may have a groove 145 therein
 with a groove outside diameter 150 and a groove bottom surface 155. The
 clip portion 125 of the lug 120 may be urged over the pole 115 at the
 groove 145 such that the resilient extensions 135, 140 expand and clip
 around the pole 115 at the groove 145. The lug 120 rests upon the bottom
 surface 155 of the groove 145 to prevent vertical slippage of the lug 120
 on the pole 115.
 In FIG. 4, an alternate embodiment is illustrated whereby the pole 215
 accepts a lug 220 having a clip portion 225 with an arm support portion
 230 and resilient extensions 235, 240. A band 245 extends around the pole
 215. The clip portion 225 has a horizontal slot 250 extending therethrough
 such that the horizontal slot 250 fits around the band 245 when the lug is
 resiliently secured to the pole 215. In this fashion, the lug 220 is
 prevented from vertical slippage on the pole 215. It is also possible to
 secure the lug 220 to the pole 215 above the band 245 such that the bottom
 255 of the lug 220 rests upon the top 260 of the band 245 thereby
 preventing vertical slippage on the pole 215.
 FIG. 5 illustrates a pole 315 onto which a lug 320 is resiliently secured.
 The lug 320 illustrated in FIG. 5 is identical to the lug 120 previously
 discussed with FIG. 3 and, for that reason, no further discussion of lug
 320 will be presented with this embodiment. To prevent vertical slippage
 of the lug 320 on the pole 315, a protruding nub 325 is connected to the
 pole 315. The protruding nub 325 is an integral part of the pole 315.
 FIG. 6 shows yet another embodiment of the pole 415 utilizing a lug 420
 again identical to that lug 120 discussed in FIG. 3. However, the pole 415
 has a rod 425 extending through the pole 415 to provide at least one
 extension 430 beyond the outer surface of the pole 415. The lug 420 is
 placed on the pole 415 above the extension 430 and the extension 430
 prevents vertical slippage of the lug 420 on the pole 415.
 FIG. 7 shows yet another embodiment in which a pole 515 has a lug 520 in
 the shape of a band 525 which extends around the pole 515. A set screw 530
 extends through a threaded bore 535 in the band 525 to frictionally secure
 the band 525 to the pole 515 to prevent vertical slippage. Apertures 540
 extend into the band 525 to accept cantilevered arms (not shown).
 Finally, with references to FIGS. 1 and 8, the bottom pole segment 15b has
 a top end 600 which, as shown in FIG. 8, accepts a removable cap 605. This
 cap 605 is also illustrated in FIG. 1 where it is also used as a
 decorative cap which may be secured to the top end 610 of pole segment
 15b. In this fashion, when the cap 605 is not being used as a protective
 cap on segment 15b, it may be removed and placed on the top 610 of pole
 segment 15a to function as a decorative cap and to protect the inside of
 the pole 15 from accumulating water or dirt. The cap 605 acts as a
 protective cap, when in place on the pole 15a, and may be tapped with a
 hammer 620 until the bottom pole segment 15a is secured within the ground.
 At that point, the cap 605 may be easily removed and, if desired, returned
 to the top pole segment 15b to act as a decorative cap. The bottom end 610
 of the pole 15a has a tapered section 615 which may be conical to promote
 insertion of the bottom pole segment 15a into the ground to act as an
 anchor to the pole 15. The top pole segment 15b, which has a tapered
 bottom portion 625 (FIG. 1), may be secured to the bottom pole segment 15a
 through a mating open 630 in the top end 635 of the bottom pole segment
 15a.
 Although each of these figures illustrates a pole which has a circular
 cross section, it is entirely possible for the cross section of the pole
 to have any number of different geometries and the shape of the clip in
 each of the lugs may be modified accordingly.
 It is thought that the present invention and many of its intended
 advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will
 be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and
 arrangement of the parts thereof without departing from the spirit and the
 scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the
 form hereinbefore described being merely preferred or exemplary
 embodiments thereof.