Abstract: A lawn edging device, for defining borders of lawns and gardens, that is adapted to hold plant seeds, so that when the plants mature their roots will extend through the device and help anchor the device in position in the ground. The device is an elongated article formed of a resilient, extruded, molded plastic material, and it includes a pair of thin vertical wall members that are joined at their lower ends to form a trough-like opening for holding seeds. At least one of the walls have openings at its lower end that allow roots of the plants to pass out of the device as the seeds germinate.

Abstract: A floor section assembly having a post anchor built into one of the floor panels for use with portable sectionalized flooring suitable for a volleyball court or the like is disclosed. The post anchor includes a base assembly attached to the undersurface of one of the panels and is coupled to a plurality of adjacent panels by tubes attached to the undersurface of the panels and coupled together by a rigid member extending through aligned tubes. This structure provides a broad base of support for the post carrying a volleyball net which can absorb moments placed on the post without the need for connecting the post to the base on which the flooring is assembled.

Abstract: A sealing system and method particularly suited as a substitute for conventional exterior caulking of superstructure portal interfaces such as masonry walls and metal-framed windows where interfaces featuring a gap which are filled with a curable polymeric sealant, strips of J-shaped sill stripping are permanently mounted to the window frame and cover both the gap and sealant, additional caulk sealant is applied to the sill stripping and a finish veneer strip is interlocked with the sill stripping and press fitted against the masonry wall.

Abstract: A sprayed closed cell foam roof is prepared by applying the foam directly to the roof deck and layering the foam with sufficient gravel to prevent ultraviolet light deterioration of the foam. The roof is devoid of the waterproof layer conventional in foam roofs that leads to leaks and other failures common to such roofs.

Abstract: A tree irrigator utilizes at least a first flexible tree encircling container which may receive a substantial volume of a tree irrigating liquid and which will slowly disperse the liquid to the tree over a period of time. Each flexible container has at least a base portion which provides for the discharge of the irrigating liquid to the root ball of the tree. Either a single container may be placed about the trunk of the tree or two cooperating containers can be joined together in a tree encircling configuration.

Abstract: A plant watering container comprised of lower and upper mating container sections. The top wall of the upper section is formed with a central opening for supporting a pot, with a wick extending into the growing media in the bottom of the pot and downwardly into the water reservoir provided by the lower container section. The upper container section is formed with beveled side edges similar in angularity to the normal droop angle of plant leaves, whereby the beveled surfaces form supporting surfaces for the leaves. The container is very inexpensive to manufacture and provides a simple bottom watering device utilizing capillary action for the watering of plants in very small pots.

Abstract: A flower pot or flower pot cover comprising a base and a skirt connected to an upper end of the base. The base includes a plurality of overlapping folds for providing structural integrity. The skirt includes a plurality of folds which are not connected to provide an overall pleated appearance. In other embodiments, the folds in the skirt can be partially or completely connected.

Abstract: An irrigation device, particularly a tree-supporting enclosure and adjacent float reservoir which automatically feeds liquid to the tree-supporting enclosure, as liquid level is depleted. The device is characterized by a pivoted valve housing which is supported in the wall of the float reservoir. A float extends inwardly from the valve housing to engage liquid in the float reservoir. As the liquid is depleted, the float and valve housing are pivoted to open an inlet conduit, thereby feeding additional liquid to the float reservoir.

Abstract: A portable and collapsible building structure including a floor, a pair of side walls, a roof and a pair of end walls. The side walls each include a lower and upper panel pivotally coupled at their inner edges by a first hinge assembly. The outer edges of the side walls are pivotally coupled to the floor and roof by a second hinge assembly. The end walls are pivotally coupled to the roof by a third hinge assembly and releasably coupled to the floor and side walls by a C-shaped coupling chip. The first, second and third hinge assemblies permit the building structure to collapse so that the upper and lower panels of each side wall lie substantially flat between the floor and the roof, while the end walls pivot 270.degree. so as to lie substantially flat upon the roof. The first, second and third hinge assemblies include a plurality of one-piece, extruded, coupling channels, a plurality of hinge inserts, at least one hinge pin, and a C-shaped coupling clip.

Abstract: A hand operated fertilizer application tool which can be used to introduce fertilizer into the soil surrounding the roots of plants and is made up of an insertion assembly which is a long tubular body having at its lower end a conical terminating at a closed point, a stop ring attached to the tubular body above the conical and is used to position a filler tube assembly in the proper location on the tubular body, a funnel support mounted on the tubular body above the stop ring which provides an area to apply foot pressure to aid in driving the tool into the soil and a handle mounted on the upper end of the tubular body is a handle.

Abstract: An improved method and fabric container for controlling the root growth of nursery stock planted in the groud prior to transplanting are provided. In accordance with the method, the root growth is confined in the ground within a porous fabric container formed of needle punched continuous fibers whereby the roots are readily caught and caused to initially penetrate the container, but the fabric constricts the roots sufficiently to produce nodule formation and root branching within the container.

Abstract: In a tape or packaged tape provided along the length thereof with pockets disposed transversely to the tape and with a desired spacing, said pockets are containing viable plant material such as seeds, other kinds of sproutable germs, cuttings, meristems, or tissure culture fixed thereto and intended for development into seedlings or bedding plants within the packaged tape before being transplanted as a continuous tape. The pockets comprise two wall-forming layers being fixed to each other at intervals and being adapted to enable the necessary supply and regulation of air and water for the development of the plant material inside the tape without the coexistence of any further growth medium thereabout. One of the layers prevents the roots of the plants from penetrating through said layer, and one of the layers is adapted to allow the roots to penetrate into or adhere to said layer, thereby securing the plants inside the pockets. The pockets are open at the top and bottom thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus in combination with a conically truncated pot, including spaced shells mounted within the pot underlying and in surrounding relationship relative to a soil core mounting a plant therewithin. The shells are defined by arcuate walls complementary to an interior surface of the pot and of a height substantially equal to an interior surface of the pot wall height. The shells each include a lower semi-annular rim to underlie the soil core, wherein the upper ends of the shells include rigid handles mounted to and directed exteriorly of the shells and the associated pot. The shells formed of a memory retentent flexible material are deformable upon downward rotation of the handles to separate the soil core and shells from the interior surface of the associated pot and to accordingly enable removal of the soil core by upwardly grasping the handles and removing the shells relative to the pot.

Abstract: A tree freeze protection and irrigation system includes a support stand having a plurality of prongs and having a foot step positioned between two said prongs for driving the support stand into the earth adjacent to a tree. The support stand has a water line coupling for attaching a water line thereto and has a passageway therethrough. A rigid pipe is removably attached at one end to the support stand and coupled to the passageway through the support stand and extends in a generally vertical direction when the prongs are anchored in the earth. A spray head is attached on the other end of the rigid pipe for dispersion of the water over a tree. Tree attaching members are provided for attaching the rigid pipe to an adjacent tree so that a free protection and irrigation system can spray a liquid directly above and onto a tree like a shower nozzle. The rigid pipe may include a plurality of rigid pipe sections for varying the length of the rigid pipe in accordance with the height of the tree.

Abstract: A Rastaplan.TM. system and container for the cultivation of plants. The methodology comprises a perfecting of the technique of subirrigation and is based mainly on a Rastaplan.TM. container-irrigator having on its peripheral structure a septum porous-roller without a bottom, the septum roller functioning as a continuous sub-irrigator of the substrate of cultivation, and on its internal structure, a truncated cone chamber that acts as a dripping chamber which permits aeration and subirrigation in sips around its own internal circumference. The Rastaplan.TM. container also includes an irrigation canal which acts as an evaporator distributor to allow the water level to oscillate between a minimum, under the border of the bottom of the container and a maximum, which is variable and regulable by a central float, which opens a closing needle of a water feeding duct to fill the irrigation canal as it dips below the minimum water level.

Abstract: A motor vehicle glazing prepared for installation is provided with one or more profiled spacers produced by extrusion of an extrudable polymer directly onto the glazing. A first spacer is provided along its outer periphery with an lip portion projecting beyond the peripheral area of the glazing. In the installed position of the glazing the lip portion rests against the window frame flange running parallel to the peripheral area of the glazing and acts, upon insertion of the glazing and during the setting process of the assembly adhesive, as a support and centering element for the glazing. Adjacent the first profiled spacer, and attached to the glazing is the assembly adhesive bead. Optionally, a second spacer is provided also adjacent the adhesive bead for retaining the adhesive bead between the first and second spacers and for adding support.

Abstract: A worn vehicle tire is formed into a multi-purpose receptacle. A section of the tire is formed by first slicing the tire along the circumferential axis thereof and then making two transverse cuts. The opposed free ends of this piece are joined by metal straps or other fasteners. A bottom, preferably also made of a portion of a vehicle tire, is set into the receptacle.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided comprising a housing for growing plants under controlled conditions. The housing is defined by a base, walls and a cap. Electrical sockets are mounted in the housing, and fluorescent lamps are electrically connected to the sockets. Supports connected to the wall in spaced-apart relation to the sockets are releasably engageable with the fluorescent lamps for support thereof. A typical wall is formed with a recess having a given length in a first direction. The support is made of a flexible material and is formed with a stem, clips extending from one side of the stem for embracing and supporting the fluorescent light, and a head extending from another side of the stem and engageable in the recess. Arms lead away from the head and wall at first locations adjacent to and on either side of the stem and towards the wall at second locations farther from and on either side of the stem. Feet are respectively at distal ends of the arms and engageable in the recess.

Abstract: A termite barrier comprising granular material having granules with sizes ranging from 1.7 millimeters to 2.4 millimeters made of sand, gravel, rock or basalt.

Abstract: A system for mounting a series of decorative panels onto the outer surface of a building includes four basic elements, a baseplate, a cover plate and two panel edge brackets. The baseplate has a generally centrally-disposed wall portion securable to the outer surface of a building and the cover plate is mountable on the baseplate to cover the centrally-disposed portion. The cover plate has an outer surface which defines a base wall of a caulkless joint. Each of the panel edge brackets has a panel wall securable to an edge of a decorative panel. Male-female locking elements are associated with the base and cover plates for clamping the panel edge brackets to either the baseplate or the cover plate so that the panel walls of the panel edge brackets are generally normally disposed to, and abut, the outer surface of the cover plate. As a result, the panel walls define the joint sidewalls of the caulkless joint.