Abstract:
Structure is disclosed for supporting immature plants and small trees to assure straight and healthy stem and trunk growth until the stem and/or trunk reaches a growth phase where it is self-supporting. Several embodiments of two part stakes are discussed including detachable upper and lower portion stakes and telescoping upper and lower portion stakes. Plant feeding features in the stakes are described and structure for providing cooperating stake pairs with novel interconnecting straps and stem/trunk engaging apparatus is disclosed. Stabilizing structure for the stakes is also disclosed, so that stem trunk support is strong enough to accomplish the intended purpose.

Description:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One aspect of the invention disclosed herein relates to apparatus for supporting a trunk portion on a tree growing in underlying soil which has a left stake with a lower portion for entering the underlying soil on one side of the tree and a right stake having a lower portion for entering the underlying soil at a distance from the left stake on the opposing side of the tree. A bracket is provided for spanning the distance between and connecting the left and right stakes. Means is provided on the bracket for adjusting the bracket to fit the distance between the stakes. Further, means for engaging the trunk portion is included together with means for securing the means for engaging to the bracket. 
     In another embodiment of the disclosed invention, apparatus is provided for supporting a trunk portion of a plant growing in underlying soil which includes an upper stake length, a lower stake length having an upper end, wherein the upper end is configured to receive the upper stake length in telescoped position. The upper and lower stake lengths have adjacent surface portions when assembled in the telescoped position. Means is also included for fixing the upper and lower stake lengths in infinitely adjustable telescoped position. 
     In yet another aspect of the invention, apparatus is provided for supporting a trunk portion of a plant, which is positioned adjacent to a supporting stake. A cushion is disposed between and in contact with the supporting stake and the trunk portion. Means is provided for securing the cushion rotationally on the supporting stake and means is also provided for securing the trunk portion in contact with the cushion. 
     In an additional embodiment of the invention, apparatus is disclosed for supporting a trunk portion on a plant which includes a supporting stake, wherein the supporting stake has a trunk portion receiving groove formed on the outside surface of and along a length of the stake. Further, means is attached to the supporting stake for retaining the trunk portion of the plant within the trunk portion receiving groove. 
     In still another embodiment of the invention, apparatus is disclosed for supporting a trunk portion of a plant extending upwardly from an underlying surface, wherein an upper stake portion has an upper end and a lower end. A lower stake portion has an upper end and a lower end. Means is provided for releasably connecting the upper stake portion lower end to the lower stake portion upper end, so that the upper stake portion also extends upwardly. In addition, means is provided extending laterally from the lower stake portion upper end for contacting the underlying surface to thereby provide a stabilizing feature for the upper stake portion when the upper and lower stake portions are connected together. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an elevation of one embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an detail from  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIGS. 3A,  3 B and  3 C are alternative embodiments of the present invention taken along the line  3 — 3  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a section through one embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a section along the line  5 — 5  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is an elevation of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a partial view along the line  7 — 7  of FIG.  6 . 
     FIGS. 8A are  8 B and sections of alternative embodiments viewed along the line  8 — 8  of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is an elevation of yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a section along the line  10 — 10  of FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective of one form of end cap used in the present invention. 
     FIG. 12 is a section along the line  12 — 12  of FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 13 is an elevation of another end cap used in the present invention. 
     FIG. 14 is a view along the line  14 — 14  of FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 14A is a section through another embodiment of a cushion utilized in the present invention. 
     FIGS. 15A,  15 B and  15 C are perspectives of the apparatus shown in FIG.  14 . 
     FIG. 15D is a section along the line  15 D— 15 D of FIG.  15 C. 
     FIG. 16 is partial view of a tie used in the present invention. 
     FIG. 17 shows another tie used in the present invention. 
     FIG. 18 is a partial elevation of yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 19 is a perspective of another aspect of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Young plants and trees often require support until they reach a level of maturity where the plant stem or tree trunk is able to support the plant or tree by itself. Support for a plant stem or a tree trunk must take into consideration the relatively rapid growth of young plants and trees and while providing support must not hinder growth. 
     In FIG. 1 of the drawings, a young plant or tree  20  is shown growing from an underlying layer of soil  21 . The plant has a root system shown generally at  22  beneath the surface  21  of the soil. A support stake  23  is shown having a lower portion  23   a  embedded within the underlying layer of soil  21 . The lower portion  23   a  of the stake is shown in detail in FIG.  2 . It may be seen that the lower end of the portion  23   a  is relatively pointed and the stake  23  is tapered from the full stake width to the point at the lower end of  23   a  FIG. 2 also depicts a plurality of holes  24 , which appear in one embodiment of this invention, in the surface of the lower stake portion  23   a . The stake  23  and lower portion  23   a  are hollow and tubular as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. The holes  24  extend through a wall of the tubular stake for a purpose to be hereinafter described. 
     FIG. 1 also shows a structure  26 , which operates to secure the stem of the plant to the stake  23 . The structure  26 , which serves to secure the stem of the plant  20  to the stake  23 , is shown in one embodiment in the section of FIG.  3 A. As seen in FIG. 3A, a cushion  27  has a hole  28  therethrough, which accepts the stake  23 . The cushion  27  is made of some shock absorbing material, such as plastic foam. The cushion  27  further has a U-shaped depression  29  at one side, which is adapted to receive the stem or trunk of the plant  20 . A piece of hook and loop type fastener (i.e., the “hook” side)  31  is shown attached to opposing sides of the cushion member  27 . A strip of the other portion of a “hook and loop” type fastener (i.e., the loop side)  32  is shown extending from one side of the cushion member around the stem of the plant  20  and being attached to the opposite side of the cushion member. In this fashion, the stem of the plant  20  is captured within the U-shaped groove  29  in the cushion member  27  and secured in the proximity of, but spaced from the stake  23 . The stake  23  has a vertical line of spaced holes  33  as seen in FIG. 1, one of which is shown in FIG. 3A. A hole  34  is punched in the cushion member  27  and when the holes  34  and  33  are in alignment a pin  36  is pressed through the aligned holes to retain cushion  27  rotationally on the stake  23 . It may also be seen that the pin  36  retains the cushion  27  vertically on the stake  23 . 
     An alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 3B depicts a cushion member  37 , also made of some shock absorbing material such as plastic foam, having opposing U-shaped grooves  38  and  39  therein. The stake  23  is engaged in the U-shaped depression  38  and the trunk of the plant  20  is shown engaged in the U-shaped depression  39  thereon. A tie, for example, a strip of hook and loop type fastener as shown at  41  in FIG. 3B, is wrapped around the stake  23 , the plant  20  and the cushion  37  so that the ends of the strip  41  overlap and are thereby held together in a known fashion for hook and loop type fasteners. The pin  36  described in conjunction with FIG. 3A is punched through the securing strip or tie  41  and also through one of the holes  33  positioned in spaced vertical locations along the stake  23 . The spaced holes  33  may be four to six inches apart, thereby allowing for selection of appropriate vertical position for the tie assembly  26 . As described in conjunction with FIG. 3A, the embodiment of FIG. 3B provides for rotational stability of the tie assembly  26  on the stake  23  as well as fixed vertical positioning. 
     An additional alternative to the tie assemblies  26  of FIGS. 3A and 3B is shown in FIG. 3C. A threaded member  25  is shown captured within stake  23 , extending laterally therefrom. The threaded member engages internal threads in a block  30  so that the block  30  is moved toward and away from the stake  23  by turning the threaded member about the thread axis. A slot is shown in the block  30  for receiving a tie similar to tie  41  (FIG. 3B) therethrough. The tie is disposed to surround the plant stem  20  to stabilize the stem. 
     In the section of FIG. 5, an inlet pipe  42  is shown extending through a hole  43  in the wall of the stake  23  and also extending far enough outwardly from the wall of the stake to be accessible. The inlet pipe  42  provides access to the interior of the hollow stake  23  so that water and/or plant food is disposed therein and may consequently exit from the holes  24  in the lower portion  23   a  of the stake. The consequent deposit of water and plant food in the area of the root system  22  of the plant provides stimulus for plant growth. Further, the tapered lower portion  23   a  of the stake  23  provides relatively easy access for the stake in penetrating into the underlying layer of soil  21 . The lower portion  23   a  of the stake typically penetrates 12-18 inches into the underlying layer of soil depending to some extent on the size of the plant  20  being supported. It may further be seen in FIG. 5 that while supported by the stake  23 , the stem  20  of the plant is spaced therefrom. 
     FIG. 4 shows an additional embodiment of the present invention wherein the stake  23  itself assumes a cross section having a wall  44  which extends outwardly toward one side, in which is formed an outwardly facing U-shaped groove  46  adapted to receive the stem or trunk of a plant  20  as shown. A centrally disposed cylindrical channel  47  runs along the length of the stake  23  in the embodiment of FIG.  4 . The vertical line of holes  33  (is shown in FIG. 1) may be included in the stake configuration of FIG.  4 . Another strip of “hook and loop” type fastener  48  is shown wrapped around the body of the stake  23  and the stem  20  of the plant to thereby secure the stem  20  within the U-shaped groove  46 . The pin  36 , mentioned before in conjunction with the embodiments of FIGS. 3A and 3B, may be used to pierce the strip  48  and pass through one of the holes  33  to thereby fix the tie  48  vertically on the stake. The ends of the “hook and loop” fastener overlap and adhere to one another in a known fashion. The stake  23  in the embodiment of FIG. 4 is ideally fabricated of extruded plastic, but could as well be formed from extruded metal tubing. 
     Turning now to FIG. 6 of the drawings, an infinitely adjustable length telescoping stake assembly shown generally at  49  is depicted. The telescoping stake assembly  49  has an upper stake length  51  and a lower stake length  52 . When the upper stake length  51  is removed from the lower stake length  52  a cap similar to that shown at  53  is placed over the opening in the lower stake length to bar debris from failing inside the lower stake portion. The upper stake  51  is shown in solid lines in FIG. 6 in a relatively telescoped position and in phantom lines in a relatively extended position. Structure is provided adjacent to the upper end of the lower stake length  52  for receiving the upper stake length  51  and for providing a friction fit as well as infinitely variable extension for the upper stake portion  51  from the lower stake portion  52 . A plant tie assembly such as the assembly  26  seen in FIG. 1 is employed in the embodiment of FIG. 6 to space from and support a plant stem  20 . The plant tie assembly  26  as utilized in the embodiment of FIG. 6 is described in the various embodiments of FIGS. 3A,  3 B,  3 C and  4  hereinbefore. 
     With reference to FIG. 7, the embodiment of FIG. 6 is shown in greater detail. The upper stake length  51  has a cap  53  attached to the upper end thereto to provide closure and prohibit debris from entering the inside of the upper stake length. The upper stake length has the series of holes  33  described hereinbefore for receiving the pin  36  for the purposes described in conjunction with FIGS. 3A and 3B earlier. Further detail for the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 is seen in FIG. 8B wherein a threaded hole  54  is formed in the wall of the lower stake length  52  and a threaded member  56  having threads matching the threads in hole  54  is engaged therein. As seen in FIG. 8B when the threaded member is advanced in the threaded hole  54 , the free end of the threaded member comes into frictional contact with the outside surface of the upper stake length  51 . In this fashion, the upper stake length  51  is infinitely variable in its extension above the upper end of the lower stake length  52  by positioning the upper stake length at a desired position and advancing the threaded member  56  to bear against the surface thereof. 
     An alternative embodiment of the manner of infinitely varying the extension of the upper stake length  51  from the upper end of the lower stake length  52  is shown in FIG. 8A. A cylindrical resilient gasket  57  is disposed between the inner wall of the lower stake length  52  and the outer wall of the upper stake length  51 . The wall thickness of the resilient gasket is such as to place the gasket in compression when the upper and lower stake lengths are assembled as shown. Infinite vertical positioning is possible for the telescoping upper stake length  51  within the limits of the length of the upper stake that the lower stake length  52  will accept. The upper stake length  51  is movable against the friction provided between the adjacent surfaces of the two stake lengths and the cylindrical resilient gasket  57 , but the friction is sufficient to thereafter maintain the upper stake length in vertical position after it has been moved to the optimum extension length from the lower stake portion. 
     FIG. 9 shows a large plant or tree  58  having a trunk portion  59  planted within an underlying layer of soil  61  and having a root system  62  within the soil layer. As viewed in the FIG., there is a left support stake  63  and a right support stake  64 . The left and right stakes  63  and  64  are described herein as different embodiments, although it will be understood that two stakes of either embodiment are useful in the trunk support system subsequently described. Support stake  63  has an upper portion  63   a  and a lower portion  63   b , which are joined together at or near the surface of the underlying soil layer  61 . FIG. 10 shows one structure for joining the upper and lower portions  63   a  and  63   b  together. The stake  63  is tubular in this embodiment having external threads formed on a lower end of upper stake portion  63   a  and internal threads formed on an upper end of lower stake portion  63   b . Thus, a threaded connection is provided between stake portions  63   a  and  63   b . It should further be noted that upper stake portion  63   a  has a vertical line of spaced holes  66  therein. A plurality of holes  67  is formed around the circumference of the lower stake portion  63   b  as is shown in both FIGS. 9 and 10. Attached near the upper portion of the lower stake member  63   b  is a laterally extending flange  68  which, as depicted, extends to each side of the lower stake length  63   b . The configuration of flange  68  is variable, assuming legs 120° apart; legs extending in diametrically opposed directions, etc. The flange  68  is shown in FIG. 10 lying on top of the underlying soil layer  68  and having spikes  69  extending therethrough into the soil layer for providing stability to the stake assembly  63 . A cap is placed on top of the upper end of the upper stake length  63   a , which may take the form of the cap  71  shown in FIG. 11. A notch  70  is formed in the upper portion  63   a  of stake  63 , which is configured so that the upper end of a guy wire or cable  65  is fixed therein. A lower end of the guy wire is attached to a stake  75  driven into the soil layer  61  for stabilizing the stake  63  in substantially vertical position. 
     The right stake assembly  64  has a lower portion  64   a  extending into the underlying layer of soil  61  and an upper portion  64   b  extending upwardly from the underlying soil layer and spaced from the trunk  59 . Structure providing for infinitely variable adjustment of the extension of the upper stake portion  64   b  from the lower stake portion  64   a  is shown at  72  in FIG.  9 . This structure  72  may alternatively assume the form of that shown and described with reference to FIG. 8A or that shown and described with reference to FIG. 8B hereinbefore. Additionally, the structure  72  may assume the form shown in FIG. 12 wherein the upper stake length  64   b  has a vertical line of spaced holes  73  through the wall thereof, upper stake portion  64   b  being a length of tubing in this embodiment. A resilient gasket assembly  74  is further shown in FIG. 12 having an upwardly extending blind annulus  76  therein which is formed to fit over the upper end of the lower stake length  64   a . A centrally located cylindrical passage  77  extends through the resilient gasket  74  resulting in a tubular portion  78  in the gasket residing between the upwardly extending annulus  76  and the centrally located passage  77 . When the gasket  74  is assembled over the upper end of the lower stake length  64   a  and the upper stake length  64   b  is inserted through the centrally located cylindrical passage as seen in FIG. 12, the tubular portion  78  of the gasket is in compression resulting in a friction force between the lower and upper stake lengths  64   a  and  64   b . The friction force is overcome by manually adjusting the extension of the upper stake length  64   b  from the upper end of the lower stake length  64   a  and the aforementioned friction retains the upper stake length  64   b  in the infinitely adjustable position. A cap or plug  79  is shown in FIG. 13, which may be used as an alternative to the cap  71  of FIG. 11 to close the upper opening at the top of upper stake length  64   b . The cap or plug  79  has a shank  81 , which fits within the inside diameter of the upper stake length  64   b  and a shoulder  82  which rests against the upper end thereof. 
     FIG. 14 shows an adjustable strap assembly  83  extending between the upper stake lengths  63   a  and  64   b . Several embodiments of the strap assembly or portions thereof are shown in exploded view in FIGS. 15A,  15 B and  15 C. In FIG. 15A an outer strap portion  84  has a pair of elongated openings  86  and  87  therein. An inner strap portion  88  has a line of holes  89  in registration with the elongated openings  86  and  87 . Fasteners such as the bolts  91  in FIG. 15 are passed through the elongated openings  86  and  87  and through selected ones of the line of registered holes  89  to be engaged by nuts  92 . In this fashion, the outer and inner strap members  84  and  88  are slidable laterally to assume a desired overall length and the nuts  92  are tightened on the bolts  91  to fix the strap assembly  83  in that desired length. A hole  93  is formed in the outer end of the outer strap member  84  and a hole  94  is formed in the outer end of the inner strap member  88 . Fasteners, such as screws  96  seen in FIGS. 14 and 15A are passed through the holes  93  and  94  to engage selected ones of the holes  66  and  73 , (FIG. 9) respectively, in the upper stake lengths  63   a  and  63   b , to fix the strap assembly  83  in a desired vertical position on the left and right stakes. 
     FIG. 15B shows an outer strap portion  84   b  that is configured with upper and lower extending edges  90  that function to capture the upper and lower edges of the inner strap portion  88  (FIG. 15 A). Features  93   b ,  86   b  and  87   b  in FIG. 15B correspond to features  93 ,  86  and  87  respectively in FIG.  15 A. The extending edges  90  provide greater strength in the strap assembly  83  for resisting loads applied to the upper and lower edges of the strap assembly. 
     FIG. 15C shows another configuration of the strap assembly  83  wherein an outer strap portion  84   c  has a tubular body portion at one end and a flattened portion at the other end with a through hole  93   c  therein. An inner strap portion  88   c  has a tubular portion at one end and a flattened portion at the other end with a through hole  94   c  therein. The tubular portion of the inner strap  88   c  is configured to fit within the tubular portion of the outer strap  84   c  as seen in FIG. 15D. A line of holes  89   c  is formed in the inner strap portion A pair of through holes (not shown) is formed in the tubular portion of the outer strap  84   c  through which bolts  91   c  are passed. The holes for the bolts  91   c  are spaced so that they overlie a pair of the holes in the line of holes  89   c . Thus, the bolts  91   c  are passed through the outer strap portion  84   c  and the inner strap portion  88   c  and fixed in place by nuts  92   c  as seen in FIGS. 15C and 15D. The strap assembly length is therefore adjustable by selecting the holes  89   c  through which the bolts  91   c  are passed. The function of features  93   c ,  94   c ,  88   c  and  84   c  are the same as the function of features  93 ,  94 ,  88  and  84  respectively in FIG.  15 A. 
     A cushion  97  is shown in FIG. 14 disposed between the inner strap portion  88  and the tree trunk  59 . A tie  98  is shown extending around the tree trunk  59  and the cushion  97  to secure the tree trunk within a U-shaped depression  99  formed on the face of the cushion  97 . The tie  98  is led through one of the holes  89  and aligned portions of the elongated apertures  86  and  87 . The tie  98  has end configurations of known types, which facilitate fixing the tie ends together. One type of such a tie  98  is seen in FIG. 16 wherein a strap  101  is fixed at one end to a metal plate  103  by weaving the strap end through a trio of apertures  102  in the plate  103 . The plate has a pivoting friction lock or friction latch member  104  at the opposite end thereof, underneath which the opposing end of the strap  101  is led so that tension on the strap fixes the strap in place. Alternatively, the tie  98  may take the form shown in FIG.  17 . FIG. 17 shows a stretchable length  105  of an elastic material having a loop  106  at one end thereof and a free end which may be tied in a knot  107  as shown after the free end is drawn through the eye of the loop. Any means for preventing withdrawal of the free end of the stretchable length  105  is appropriate once it has passed through the eye of the loop  106 . FIGS. 16 and 17 are but a pair of numerous ties  98  for affecting retention of the trunk  59  within the U-shaped groove  99  in cushion  97 . 
     The cushion  97  seen in FIG. 14 is shown in FIG. 14A as  97   b  which is a variation on the configuration shown in FIG.  14 . The U-shaped groove  99  is formed in one side of the cushion  97   b  and a pair of blind holes  100   a  and  100   b  is formed in the opposite side. Coil springs  105   a  and  105   b  are captured within the blind holes  100   a  and  100   b  respectively. The coil springs are intended to provide additional cushioning between the inner strap portion  88  and the tree trunk  59 . 
     Larger trees and plants may use the embodiment of FIG. 18 wherein a stout stake  108  may assume the configuration of any of the stake assemblies described hereinbefore. A vertical line of holes  109 , serving the purpose of the vertical lines of holes  66  and  73  in FIG. 9, for example, are formed in the stake  108 . The stake  108  has an upper cap  111  thereon to keep debris from falling inside the stake if the stake assumes a tubular configuration. The stake  108  is inserted into an underlying layer of soil adjacent to a trunk  112  to be supported as hereinbefore described. A clamp  113  is positioned surrounding the periphery of the stake  108  and is held in predetermined vertical position thereon either by a clamping pressure against the outer surface of the stake or by inserting a pin  114  through a hole (not shown) in the clamp so that the pin passes through one of the series of vertically aligned holes  109 . The clamp  113  in the embodiment of FIG. 18 has a lateral flange  116  thereon with a hole  117  through the flange. A cushion  118 , for example a cushion having the configuration of cushion  37  in FIG. 3B, is positioned between the clamp  113  and the tree trunk  112 . A tie  119  is extended around the tree trunk  112  and the clamp  113 , passing through the hole  117  in flange  116  whereupon the ends of the tie are fixed together, for example, in the manner described in conjunction with FIGS. 16 and 17. As seen in FIG. 18, the tie is a configuration similar to that of FIG. 17, wherein a loop is formed on one end of the tie and the opposing end is passed through the loop and pinned as with a pin  121  to prevent the free end of the tie  119  from exiting the eye in the loop. 
     FIG. 19 shows the trunk  59  of a larger plant growing from the soil layer  61 , which is contained within a planter box  122 . A cross member  123  is attached at opposite ends to opposing upper edges of the planter box  122 . A bracket  124  has a through hole for allowing the stake  63  to pass therethrough The bracket is attached to the cross member  123  in position so that the hole in the bracket surrounds the trunk  59  to afford stability to the upstanding stake  63 . Additional stability for the stake is provided by guy wires  65  attached at an upper end to the top of stake  63  and at a lower end to the upper edge of the planter box  122 . One or more guy wires may be used to obtain the appropriate stability for the stake  63  as seen in FIG.  19 . 
     Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention has been shown and described herein, it will be understood that modification and variation may be made without departing from what is regarded to be the subject matter of the invention.