Protective ground collar

Claim 2

A ground collar for enveloping the trunk of a growing plant comprising a generally flat flexible sheet having a slit therein extending from its outer periphery inward to accommodate placement of the collar about the plant trunk at ground level, a first series of radially disposed fingers formed in said sheet and arranged to envelop the plant trunk, and a second series of radially disposed fingers formed in said sheet and in overlying relation with said first series and covering the spaces between the fingers of said first series.

Claim 3

A ground collar for enveloping the trunk of a growing plant and comprising a pair of flexible weather resistant generally coincidental sheets disposed in flat face contacting relation to each other, a main slit formed in each of said sheets and extending from the outer edges thereof inwardly to accommodate placement of the collar about a plant trunk, said main slits being disposed out of coincidence with each other, and a plurality of internal slits formed in each of said sheets and defining therebetween a plurality of yieldable fingers for disposition about the trunk of a plant, the fingers in one sheet being disposed in generally overlying relation with respect to the internal slits in the other sheet.

Claim 4

A ground collar for enveloping the trunk of a growing plant and comprising a pair of flexible weather resistant generally coincidental sheets disposed in flat face contacting relation to each other, a main slit formed in each of said sheets and extending from the outer edges thereof inwardly to accommodate placement of the collar about a plant trunk, said main slits being disposed out of coincidence with each other, and a plurality of internal slits formed in each of said sheets and defining therebetween a plurality of yieldable fingers for disposition about the trunk of a plant, the fingers in one sheet being disposed in generally overlying relation with respect to the internal slits in the other sheet.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 2 wherein at least one of said sheets is formed of felt impregnated with polyurethane resin.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 2 wherein the outer peripheries of the two sheets are substantially circular and wherein the upper sheet is of smaller diameter than the lower sheet and wherein a grommetlike third sheet having an internal diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the upper one of said two sheets is disposed in coincidental relationship to said two sheets so as to overlie the outer portion of the larger one of said two sheets, said third sheet having a radial slit and a covering flap therefor.

Claim 7

A protective device for upright elements comprising a first flexible sheet having an aperture formed therein in spaced relation to the edges thereof, said aperture being somewhat smaller than the element, a main slit formed in said first sheet and extending from the outer edge thereof to said aperture, a plurality of inner slits formed in said first sheet and extending radially outward from said aperture and defining therebetween a plurality of yieldable fingers for enveloping the element, a second flexible sheet having an aperture formed therein, said second sheet being disposed in flat face contacting relation to said first sheet and with said apertures arranged in general coincidence with each other, a main slit formed in said second sheet and extending from the aperture therein to the outer edge thereof, and a plurality of inner slits formed in said second sheet and extending outwardly from the aperture therein to define a plurality of yieldable fingers therebetween, the fingers of one of said sheets being disposed in staggered relation relative to the fingers of the other sheet so as substantially to cover the spaces between the fingers of the other sheet.

Claim 8

A protective device for upright elements comprising a first flexible sheet having an aperture formed therein in spaced relation to the edges thereof, said aperture being somewhat smaller than the element, a main slit formed in said first sheet and extending from the outer edge thereof to said aperture, a plurality of inner slits formed in said first sheet and extending radially outward from said aperture and defining therebetween a plurality of yieldable fingers for enveloping the element, a second flexible sheet having an aperture formed therein, said second sheet being disposed in flat face contacting relation to said first sheet and with said apertures arranged in general coincidence with each other, a main slit formed in said second sheet and extending from the aperture therein to the outer edge thereof, and a plurality of inner slits formed in said second sheet and extending outwardly from the aperture therein to define a plurality of yieldable fingers therebetween, the fingers of one of said sheets being disposed in staggered relation relative to the fingers of the other sheet so as substantially to cover the spaces between the fingers of the other sheet.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 5 wherein said main slits are disposed in staggered relation to each other.

Claim 10

A device according to claim 5 wherein said fingers are secured in snugly enveloping relationship to said upright element by a friction element disposed thereabout.