Apparatus for forming and securing a decorative pleated cover about a flower pot

Abstract

A method and apparatus for forming a decorative pleated cover about an outer peripheral surface of a flower pot. The apparatus including a frame assembly, a platform connected to the frame assembly, a pleating assembly supported on the platform and a banding assembly also connected to the platform. The banding assembly is disposed about the pleating assembly and supports at least one band so that upon forming a decorative pleated cover about the flower pot with the pleating assembly, the decorative pleated cover so formed is secured about the flower port with a band while the flower port having the decorative pleated cover formed there about is supported within the pleating assembly.

1 . An apparatus for forming and securing a decorative pleated cover about an outer peripheral surface of a pot, the apparatus comprising: 
 a frame assembly comprising a base;    a platform adjustably connected to the frame assembly such that the distance between the platform and the base of the frame assembly can be varied, the platform extending outwardly from the frame assembly;    a pleating assembly supported on the platform, the pleating assembly defining a pot receiving opening sized and configured to receive at least a portion of a cover forming material and at least a lower portion of a pot; and a banding assembly connected to the platform, such that upon forming a decorative pleated cover about the pot by positioning the pot and at least a portion of the cover forming material within the pot a receiving opening of the pleating assembly, the decorative pleated cover so formed is secured about the pot by removing at least oneband from the banding assembly and positioning the at least one band about the decorative pleated cover.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pleating assembly extends 
 upwardly from the platform.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the pleating assembly comprises: 
 a lower body portion having an opening formed therein, the lower body portion supported on the platform; and    a plurality of spatially disposed pleat forming members disposed about the opening in the lower body portion and extending in an upwardly direction from the lower body portion, the plurality of spatially disposed pleat forming members cooperating with the opening in the lower body portion to define the pot receiving opening in the pleating assembly.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the banding assembly comprises a plurality of elongated posts extending from the platform, the elongated posts disposed about the lower body portion and the plurality of spatially disposed pleat forming members of the pleating assembly, the elongated posts having a length greater than the height of the pleating assembly such that, upon positioning a band on a distal end portion of the elongated posts, unrestricted access is provided to the pot receiving opening in the pleating assembly while permitting the band to be disposed about the decorative pleated cover while the pot having the decorative pleated cover disposed thereabout is supported within the pot receiving opening of the pleating assembly.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus on  claim 1  wherein the platform further comprises a plurality of scalloped shaped portions formed about the perimeter of an opening in the platform, each of the scalloped shaped portions being alignable with a space provided between adjacently disposed pleat forming members of the pleating assembly for cooperating with the pleat forming members in the formation of pleats in the decorative pleated cover.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus for forming and securing a decorative pleated cover about a pot, the apparatus comprising: 
 a frame assembly having a base and an upright member;    a platform connectable to the frame assembly such that the distance between the platform and the base of the frame assembly can be varied;    a pleating assembly supported on the platform such that the pleating assembly extends upwardly from the platform, the pleating assembly comprising a lower body portion and a plurality of spatially disposed pleat forming member, the pleat forming members disposed about the perimeter of the lower body portion and extending in an upwardly direction therefrom, the pleat forming members cooperating with the lower body portion of the pleating assembly to define a pot receiving opening sized and configured to receive at least a lower portion of a pot; and    a banding assembly supporting at least one band thereon such that upon forming a pleated decorative cover about the pot by positioning the pot and a cover forming a material within the pot receiving opening in the pleating assembly, the pleated decorative cover so formed is secured about the pot by removing at least one band from the banding assembly and positioning at least one band about the pleated decorative cover while the pot having the pleated decorative cover disposed thereabout is supported within the pot receiving opening of the pleating assembly.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the platform is provided with an opening extending there through which is aligned with the pot receiving opening defined by the pleat forming members and the lower body portion of the pleating assembly.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the platform further comprises a plurality of scalloped shaped portions formed about the opening in the platform, each of the scalloped shaped portions being alignable with a space provided between adjacently disposed pleat forming members of the pleating assembly for cooperating with the pleat forming members to form pleats in the decorative pleated cover.