WO1982004430A1

WO1982004430A1 - Flower supports

Info

Publication number: WO1982004430A1
Application number: PCT/AU1982/000096
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Goodricke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-06-15
Filing date: 1982-06-15
Publication date: 1982-12-23
Anticipated expiration: 1983-12-15

Abstract

Collier de support (1) pour des fleurs ecloses coupees (34). Un collier (1) se compose d'un materiau elastique en feuille et possede une partie de corps (2) definissant une ouverture de support (3), et une pluralite de parties dentees de retenue (6) sur la partie de corps (2) en saillie vers l'interieur dans l'ouverture de support (3). Lors de l'utilisation, un calice (38) de la fleur (34) est positionne dans l'ouverture de support (3) et les parties dentees (6) engagent le calice (38) pour maintenir de maniere elastique le calice (38) dans une configuration de verticille en forme de coupe s'etendant autour des petales (37) de la fleur (34). Un outil (9) est aussi prevu pour maintenir le collier de support (1) pendant l'application de la fleur (34).Support collar (1) for cut hatched flowers (34). A collar (1) is made of an elastic sheet material and has a body portion (2) defining a support opening (3), and a plurality of toothed retaining portions (6) on the body portion (2 ) projecting inwards into the support opening (3). In use, a calyx (38) of the flower (34) is positioned in the support opening (3) and the toothed portions (6) engage the calyx (38) in order to maintain the calyx (38) in an elastic manner. ) in a cup-shaped whorl configuration extending around the petals (37) of the flower (34). A tool (9) is also provided for holding the support collar (1) during the application of the flower (34).

Description

FLOWER SUPPORTS

This invention relates generally to supports for the blooms of harvested flowers and, in particular, provides a support collar for supporting the calyx of a flower in bloom and a tool for applying the support collar to the calyx of that flower. This invention may be particularly useful in relation to harvested carnation flowers and it will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention in relation to that example application. It should be appreciated, however, that the invention is not limited to that example application but rather may be applicable to other flowers. In the commercial production of carnation flowers it is not unusual to find, upon harvest, that a percentage of those flowers have split calyces. Those calyces may be split into their individual sepals or one or more of those sepals may be split or otherwise damaged so that the calyces do not form a usual cupped whorl configuration encircling the petals. As the caylx assists in the support and regular arrangement of the flower petals a split calyx can cause individual petals to droop irregularly, resulting in a flower of less than attractive appearance and unsuitable for retail sale.

In an effort to salvage such flowers for retail sale, - several support devices have been developed which can be _r. applied to the flower calyx to support the calyx in a cupped whorl configuration and thereby restore the flower petals to their generally regular formation. Such support devices have included staples and pins adapted to support individual sepals or interconnected adjacent sepals, and support rings in the shape of a full coronet which extend about the calyx to urge the sepals of the calyx to form the cupped whorl configuratio .

Whilst these previous support ie ice_. generally achieve a satisfactory support of the petal and thus repair of the flower, there are problems associated with those devices and their application to the flowers. In that regard, considerable dexterity is usually required to correctly position all of t±Lose devices on the flower calyx, and that can be time consuming and thus expensive. Even when those prior support devices are correctly positioned on the calyx they do not always remain so during the remaining life of the flower involved. Handling during transportation, retail sale, and consumer arrangement and appreciation of the flower can all lead to the prior support devices becoming loose or falling from the calyx. Moreover, it has been found with some prior support devices that they do not satisfactorily support the petals even though, the sepals are firmly pressed against those petals. Thus, those prior support devices do not satisfactorily repair the flower for the remaining life of that flower. In addition, the prior support, devices are often visually apparent in the display of the repaired flowers. That can detract from the overall appearance of those flowers and their display.

In the result, the prior support devices and their application to flowers are not entirely satisfactory. It is an object of the present invention to alleviate the afore¬ mentioned disadvantages of those prior support devices through the provision of a relatively simple and easily applied support collar for supporting the calyx of a harvested flower in bloom. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tool for assisting in the application of that support collar. _ς According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a support collar for a harvested flower in bloom, 5 the collar being composed of resilient material and including: a body portion defining a support aperture for receiving a calyx of the flower therein so that the body portion extends about the calyx; and, a plurality of retaining teeth portions on the body portion projecting inwardly from the body portion 10. into the support aperture and engageable with the received calyx to retain the support collar thereon, the support collar being constructed and arranged such that, in use, the support teeth portions coact with the body portion to resiliently urge the calyx into a cupped whorl configuration 15 extending about the petals of the flower in a generally regular formation.

Preferably, the support collar is adapted to extend about the flower calyx generally transversely to a longitudinal axis of the flower. Moreover, preferably, that support collar 20 is adapted to be located immediately adjacent the flower petals. In this way, the support collar acts as a support platform outstanding from the calyx on which the flower petals can rest and generally upstand therefrom. As a result petal droop as the flower dies may be minimised. _^25 Preferably, the body portion is generally planar and has inner and outer peripheral edges, the inner peripheral edge defining the support aperture thereof. Preferably, the body portion is so sized that, in use, the outer peripheral edge is spaced inside a locus described by the outer petals 30 of the flower so that the support collar will be generally

o_ hidden beneath those petals when in a regular formation. Preferably, the body portion is also so sized tna_, m use, the inner peripheral edge is generally spaced outwardly of the calyx of that flower. Preferably, a plurality of closely spaced apart retaining teeth portions are provided and those teeth portions, preferably, are connected to and extend about the inner peripheral edge of the body portion. Those teeth portions, preferably, project generally radially inwardly from that inner peripheral edge toward a centre point of the support aperture to a terminal edge. That projection is, preferably, only to an extent which is slightly greater than the space occurring between the inner peripheral edge and the calyx, in use of the support collar. - Preferably, the retaining teeth portions extend in the plane of the body portion but, because of the resilient material from which that collar is composed, can flex out of that plane in response to engagement with the flower calyx. That flexure will generally occur along the retaining teeth portions so that the body portion will not be involved.

Thus, irregularities in the shape of the flower calyx and varying sizes of that flower calyx may be accommodated by flexure of the retaining teeth portions.

Preferably, each of the retaining teeth portions at the terminal edge thereof is blunt so that the teeth portions firmly engage but do not penetrate into the flower calyx. This facilitates support collar application and results in the retaining teeth portions firmly retaining the suppport collar about the flower calyx without seriously damaging, such as by bruising, or weakening that calyx or other part of the flower .

The support collar may be of generally flat, ring-like configuration so as, in use, to encircle the generally cylindrical flower calyx and outstand transversely therefrom. 5 To that end, the body portion may be annular, and the retaining teeth portions are elongated, and extend about the inner peripheral edge thereof and project longitudinally radially inwardly into the support aperture. The support teeth portions may be of any suitable configuration which 10 provides the blunt terminal edge and flexibility. Those teeth portions may be generally quadrangular in plan, one transverse side being straight and forming the terminal edge, an opposing transverse side being convex and forming an arc of the inner peripheral edge of the body portion, 15 and remaining longitudinal side edges being concave so that, the teeth portions are longitudinally waisted to facilitate their flexure during use.

The support collar may be composed of any suitable resilient sheet material and formed by any suitable 20 manufacturing process. In the example application of the present invention, the support collar may be stamped from plastic sheet material. That plastic sheet material may be thin and transparent, thereby minimising the likelihood of that support collar being visual to an observer of a 2.5 displayed flower containing that collar. In an example application, the support collar measures about 43 mm in diameter across the outer peripheral edge, about 21 mm in diameter across the inner peripheral edge, and the retaining teeth portions are about 5 mm long. 30 According to a further aspect of the present

there is provided a tool for assisting in the application of the support collar as claimed in any preceding claim, to a harvested flower in bloom, the tool including: a collar support member having a support surface thereon and defining a flower feed aperture opening onto the support surface, the support member arranged to support a support collar placed on the support surface such that the support aperture and the feed aperture are in at least substantial coaxial alignment and the teet portions project inwardly beyond the support surface and partially across the opening of the feed aperture, whereby as a harvested flower is progressively fed, stem first, through the support aperture and then .the feed aperture, the calyx is moved through the support aperture causing the retaining teeth portions to engage that calyx thereby to retain the support collar thereon and resiliently urge the calyx into a cupped whorl configuration extending about the petals of the flower in a generally regular formation.

Preferably, the support member has a support surface which lies in a single plane so that the planar support collar can rest in abutment therewith and extend in a plane which is at least substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the feed aperture. The support surface may be physically continuous, discontinuous, or intermittent, throughout its peripheral extent about the feed aperture. This support surface arrangement facilitates easy placement and retention of the support collar on the support collar.

Preferably, the support member includes a location shoulder on or adjacent the support surface which acts to locate the support collar on that surface so that the support aperture thereof is coaxially aligned with the feed aperture. That location shoulder may be arranged so that the outer peripheral edge of the body portion of the support collar ., abuts that location shoulder when correct alignment is achieved. This facilitates rapid location of the support 5 collar in the tool and thus application of the support collar to a flower.

Preferably, the support member also includes a release passage through which the flower and applied support collar can pass, as an alternative to reverse feeding that flower 10 through the feed aperture, thereby to remove the flower from the tool. That release passage preferably extends the length of the feed aperture and also extends laterally thereof between the feed aperture and the exterior of the tool. In this way, removal of the flower and support collar is 15 effected by laterally moving the flower from the feed aperture through the release passage.

Preferably, the tool further includes a collar dispensing member for holding a plurality of support collars in seriation and permitting sequential dispensing of those 20 support collars therefrom for subsequent placement on the support surface. In this way, a readily available supply of support collars is presented to a tool operator to enable rapid application of collars to flowers to be repaired.

Preferably, the dispensing member includes a storage ώ5 tube within which the plurality of support collars can be stored for use. Preferably, the support collars are stored in a stack along the storage tube. The storage tube, preferably, has opposed open end portions through one of which support collars are loaded into the storage tube 30 (hereinafter termed "the dispensing inlet") and through the

OMPI other end portion those support collars are withdrawn during dispensing (hereinafter termed "the dispensing outlet") . Support collars within the storage tube are preferably manually withdrawn in succession through the dispensing outlet to dispense those collars from the dispensing member. Preferably, the support member is mounted on the storage tube adjacent the dispensing outlet thereof. In this way, it becomes a relatively quick operation requiring minimal collar movement to withdraw a support collar through the dispensing outlet and place that support collar on the support surface of the support member.

Preferably, the dispensing member also includes a closure element adapted to close the dispensing inlet of the storage tube. Thus, the dispensing inlet can be closed when a stack of support collars are mounted within the storage tube. The closure element is preferably removably mountable on the storage tube to close the inlet thereof.

Preferably, the dispensing member further includes biasing means operable to bias support collars, stored in the storage tube, along the tube toward the dispensing outlet.

As a result, successive support collars within the dispensing tube are presented to the dispensing outlet for manual withdrawal. The hiasing means preferably resiliently biases the support collars. Preferably, the biasing means is located within the dispensing tube and reacts between the closure element and support collar stack to bias support collars along that tube. So positioning that biasing means also hides the biasing means thereby adding to the asthetics of the tool. The support member may be a support plate. That plate may include a body portion having a pair of opposed parallel, broad end faces between which the support aperture extends, and onto which the support aperture opens. A relief may be provided in one broad end face extending about the support aperture and thereby defining the support surface and location shoulder.

The release aperture may be defined by the body portion of the support plate and extend generally parallel to, and radially outwardly of, the feed aperture. In that regard, the release aperture may be in the nature of a slot extending outwardly of the feed aperture.

The support plate may also include a mounting portion through which the support plate is mounted to the storage tube of the dispensing member. The mounting portion may be formed integral with the body portion thereof.

The collar dispensing member may be a collar dispenser.

The storage tube of that dispenser may be of an annular profile and sized so as to slidably receive the ring-like support collars therein. The support plate may be mounted on the storage tube through the mounting portion thereof. That mounting of the support plate may be such that the support plate extends generally radially outwardly from the storage tube. That mounting portion may extend so as to partially cover the dispensing outlet and thereby present an abutment face extending partially across that outlet and against which successive support collars abut when presented for dispensing from the dispenser. In this way, successive support collars are generally laterally drawn through the dispensing outlet during dispensing.

OMPI The closure element of the collar dispenser may be a closure lid adapted to extend over to close the dispensing inlet. That closure lid may be releasably securable to the dispensing tube in any suitable manner such as by frictional 9P_ip or through cooperating screw-threads.

The biasing means of the collar dispenser may be a biasing assembly. That biasing assembly may tend to bias the stack of support collars into abutment with the abutment face provided by the mounting portion of the support plate. That biasing assembly may include a biasing cup slidably located within the dispensing tube and adapted to bear against the stack of support collars. The biasing assembly may also include a biasing spring adapted to extend between the biasing cup and closure lid and react therebetween to urge the biasing cup and thus support collars along the dispensing tube. The biasing spring may be a helically coiled tension spring. In one arrangement of the present invention, the tool may be hand held by an operator repairing flowers with the support collar. With that arrangement, the operator may simply grip and hold the support member during location of the support collar on the support surface, subsequent feeding of the flower through the support aperture and feed aperture to apply the support collar to the flower, and removal of the flower and applied support collar therefrom. Alternatively, with that arrangement the tool may be provided with separate grip means which when gripped by the operator, support the support member remote from the operator and thereby allow relatively free access to that support member during location of the support collar, flower feeding, and flower removal. The grip means may be an elongated grip member with opposed end portions, one end portion of which is connected to the support member. The grip member may be provided by the storage tube of the collar dispenser.

In another arrangement, the tool may be mounted on a suitable structure such as a table top. Such a mounting may be preferred as it would leave both hands of an operator free to separately locate the support collars on the support surface and feed the flowers therethrough. With this other arrangement, the tool may include mounting means by which the tool may be mounted to the structure. That mounting means may be a mounting assembly adapted to removably mount the tool to. that structure. That mounting may be such that the storage tube of the dispenser upstands from the structure with the support plate extending generally horizontally and the longitudinal axis of the feed aperture extending generally vertically.

The mounting assembly may include a mounting stud fixed to the closure lid of the collar dispenser, and extendable through a mounting aperture in the structure. The mounting stud may extend coaxially of the storage tube when the closure lid is on that tube. The mounting assembly may also include a mounting nut screw-threadably engageable with the mounting stud to secure that stud in the mounting aperture, and thus the tool on the structure. The following description refers in more detail to the above features of the present invention. To facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings where these features are illustrated in a preferred embodiment. It should be understood, however, that the features of the invention are not limited to the

OMPI specific embodiments of the features as illustrated in the drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a support collar according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of a tool, incorporating support collars, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view ofthe tool of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the tool of Fig. 2 showing initial feeding of a harvested flower therethrough during application of a support collar thereto;

Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 4 but showing the harvested flower having a support collar applied thereto; and Fig. 6 is also similar to Fig. 4 but showing removal of a harvested flower and an applied support collar from the tool.

Referring initially to Fig. 1, there is shown support collar 1, composed of thin and transparent plastic sheet material. Support collar 1, includes annular body portion 2, having inner peripheral edge 4, defining support aperture 3, and outer peripheral edge 5.

Support collar 1, also includes a plurality of retaining teeth portions 6, formed integral with inner peripheral edge 4, of body portion 2. Teeth portions 6, are closely spaced about inner peripheral edge 4, and extend radially inwardly thereof into support aperture 3.

Each retaining teeth portion 6, is elongate and extends longitudinally from inner peripheral edge 4, to terminal edge 7, remote therefrom. Each retaining teeth portion 6, has spaced longitudinally extending edges 8, which concave toward each other thereby causing a longitudinal waisting of each teeth portion 6. Turning now to Figs. 2 and 3, there is generally shown

5 tool 9, for assisting in the application of support collar 1, to a harvested flower (not s ownl. Tool 9, includes support plate 10, having body portion 11, providing planar support surface 12, thereon for supporting support collar 1, placed thereon. Body portion 11, of support plate 10, also defines Q flower feed aperture 13, extending therethrough and opening onto support surface 12, through opening 14. Feed aperture 13, is so sized such, that when support collar 1, is positioned thereon with support aperture 3, and feed aperture 13, in coaxial alignment, retaining teeth, portions 6, project beyond 5 support surface 12, partially across opening 14, of feed aperture 13.

Body portion 11, of support plate 10, also has location shoulder 15, for support collar 1, extending circumferentially about feed aperture 13. Location shoulder 15, together with 0 support surface 12, are provided by relief 16, in body portion 11. Relief 16, is so selected as to neatly receive support collar 1, therein so that outer peripheral edge 5, thereof abuts location shoulder 15. This in turn automatically co- axially aligns flower support aperture 3, with feed aperture 5 13.

Body portion 11, further defines release passage 17, which extends from feed aperture 13, radially outwardly therefrom in the nature of a slot and thereby provides lateral access from feed aperture 13, to the exterior of Q body portion 11. Support plate 10, also has mounting portion 17, which merges from and forms a continuation of body portion 11.

Tool 9, further includes collar dispenser 19, connected to support plate 10, through mounting portion 18, thereof for conveniently storing support collars 1, prior to use. Dispenser 19, includes storage tube 20, for storing a plurality of support collars 1, in stacked seriation within that tube 20. Storage tube 20, has dispensing outlet 21, provided by an open end of the tube partially closed by mounting portion 18. Mounting portion 18, provides abutment face 22, within storage tube 20, adjacent dispensing outlet 21, and against which support collars 1, can sequentially abut whilst awaiting dispensing. Storage tube 20, is provided with access slot 23, to facilitate manual access to support collars 1, within tube 20, and subsequent removal through dispensing outlet 21.

Storage tube 20, also has dispensing inlet 24, provided by an opposite open end of tube 20, through which support collars 1, can be inserted for filling of storage tube 20. Dispenser 19, includes closure lid 25, adapted to removably extend over dispensing inlet 24, and frictionally engage with storage tube 20, to close dispensing inlet 24.

Dispenser 19, further includes biasing assembly 26, adapted to bias the support collars 1, in storage tube 20, into abutment with abutment face 22, thereby presenting those support collars 1, for dispensing. Biasing assembly 26, is located between support collars 1, and closure lid 25, and reacts therebetween to urge support collars 1, toward abutment face 22. Biasing assembly 26, includes biasing cup 27, for bearing against support collars 1, and biasing spring 28, coacting between biasing cup 27, and closure lid 25, to slidably urge biasing cup into engagement with support collars 1, and thereafter collars 1, into abutment with abutment face 22. Tool 9, also includes mounting assembly 29, for removably mounting tool 9, on a support structure such as table top 30. Mounting assembly 29, includes mounting stud 31, mounted on closure lid 25, and arranged so as to extend coaxially of storage tube 20, through mounting aperture 32, in table top 30. Mounting assembly 29, also includes mounting nut 33 , screw-threadably engageable with mounting stud 31, to securely draw closure lid 25, and thus tool 9, into firm engagement with table top 30.

Referring now to Figs. 4 to 6, application of a support collar 1, using tool 9, to harvested flower 34, will now be outlined. Flower 34, includes flower stem 35, having butt 36, and petals 37, held in formation by flower calyx 38. Calyx 38, is composed of a series of sepals 39, one of which has drooped away from the others and which collar support 1, proposes to correct.

A support collar 1, is initially withdrawn from storage tube 20, through dispensing outlet 21, and placed in relief 16, on support surface 12, of tool 9. Then, as shown in Fig. 4, harvested flower 34, is then longitudinally fed progressively downwardly through aligned support aperture 3, and then feed aperture 13, butt 36, of flower stem 35, leading in that feeding. Feeding continues until flower calyx 38, reaches and bears upon retaining teeth portions 6, of support collar 1. Flower stem 35, is then firmly gripped and pulled slightly in the direction of previous feeding thereby forcing flower calyx 38, through support aperture 3, until support collar 1, extends about flower calyx 38, immediately adjacent flower petals 37, as shown in Fig. 5. During this pulling movement, retaining teeth portions 6, flex in response to engagement with calyx 38, and resiliently urge calyx 38, and particularly drooped sepals 39, radially inwardly into a cupped whorl configuration. Any drooped petals 37, follow that generally inward urging to form those petals into a regular formation. Support collar 1, is thus applied to flower 34, and flower 34 with collar 1, can then be removed from tool 9. That is achieved by longitudinally raising flower 34, until support collar 1, clears location shoulder 15, and then withdrawing flower 34, radially from feed aperture 13, through release passage 17, as shown in Fig. 6.

The support collar of the present invention, when applied to a flower, is firmly retained thereon and securely supports any deranged calyx and petals. Moreover, when so applied the support collar is not easily visible to observer of a display of the flower.

The support collar of the present invention is relatively easy to apply to a flower without damaging that flower. That is particularly so when the tool of the present invention is used to assist that application. Use of that tool enables unskilled labour to place the support collars on the flowers.

The support collar and tool used to assist in the application of that support collar to a flower are both relatively simple in construction, and the support collar can be rapidly applied to lowers. As such, the cost of

repairing flowers prior to retail sale may be minimal.

It is to be understood that various modifications and/or alterations may be made without departing from the ambit of the present inyention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

Oϊ.iPI

Claims

1. A support collar for a harvested flower in bloom, the collar being composed of resilient material and including: a body portion defining a support aperture for receiving a calyx of the flower therein so that the body portion extends about the calyx;, and, a plurality of retaining teeth portions on the body portion projecting inwardly from the body portion into the support aperture and engageable with the received calyx to retain the support collar thereon, the support collar being constructed and arranged such that, in use, the support teeth portions coact with the body portion to resiliently urge the calyx into a cupped whorl configuration extending about the petals of the flower in a generally regular formation.

2. A support collar as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body portion is at least substantially planar and, in use of the support collar, extends in a plane generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the flower and is positioned immediately adjacent the flower petals.

3. A support collar as claimed in claim 2, wherein the teeth portions extend in closely spaced apart relationship about the body portion and project into the support aperture in the plane of the body portion.

4. A support collar as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the teeth portions each have a blunt terminal edge remote from the body portion which, in use, engages the received calyx to retain the support collar and urge the calyx into the regularly formed cupped whorl configuration.

5. A support collar as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the body portion has inner and outer peripheral edges, the inner peripheral edge defining the support aperture, the body portion being sized relative to the flower so that, in use, the outer peripheral edge is spaced radially inwardly of a locus described by outermost petals of the flower and the inner peripheral edge is spaced radially outwardly of the 5 calyx when in the regularly formed cupped whorl configuration.

6. A support collar as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the teeth portions are elongated and project longitudinally inwardly from the body portion, each teeth portion being longitudinally waisted to facilitate resilient 0 flexure during engagement with the received calyx.

7. A support collar as claimed in claim 5, wherein the body portion is of a flat, continuous ring configuration defining a circular support aperture, and the teeth portions are each formed integral with and extend radially 5 inwardly of the inner peripheral edge of the body portion.

8. A support collar for a harvested flower in bloom substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A tool for assisting in the application of the support 0 collar as claimed in any preceding claim, to a harvested flower in bloom, the tool including: a collar support member having a support surface thereon and defining a flower feed aperture opening onto the support surface, the support member arranged to support a support collar placed on the support 5 surface such that the support aperture and the feed aperture are in at least substantial coaxial alignment and the teeth portions project inwardly beyond the support surface and partially across the opening of the feed aperture, whereby as a harvested flower is progressively fed, stem first, through Q the support aperture and then the feed aperture the calyx is oved through the support aperture causing the retaining teeth portions to engage that calyx thereby to retain the support collar thereon and resiliently urge the calyx into a cupped whorl configuration extending about the petals of the flower in a generally regular formation.

10. A tool as claimed in claim 9, wherein the support member includes a location shoulder on or adjacent the support surface and against which the body portion of the support collar placed on the suppor surface abuts to coaxially align the support aperture with the feed aperture.

11. A tool as claimed in claim 10, wherein the support surface and location shoulder are provided by a relief formed in the support member about the feed aperture and into which the support collar is placed to be simultaneously supported by the support surface, and the support aperture and feed aperture coaxially aligned.

12. A tool as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the support member includes a release passage extending laterally from the feed aperture so as to allow removal of a flower and applied support collar by laterally moving the flower from the feed aperture through the release passage.

13. A tool as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12, and further including a collar dispensing member for holding a plurality of support collars in seriation and permitting sequential dispensing of the support collars therefrom for subsequent placement on the support surface.

14. A tool as claimed in claim 13, wherein the dispensing member includes a storage tube within which the plurality of support collars can be stacked in seriation, the storage tube having a dispensing outlet from which the support collars can be manually withdrawn for dispensing from the dispensing member.

15. A tool as claimed in claim 14, wherein the support member is mounted on the storage tube adjacent the dispensing outlet, and the dispensing member also includes biasing means biasing the support collars in the storage tube toward the dispensing outlet thereby to present them for dispensing therefrom.

16. A tool as claimed in claim 15, wherein the dispensing member includes an abutment face adjacent the dispensing outlet, and the biasing means includes a biasing spring arranged to resiliently bias the support collars in the storage tube along the tube into abutment with the abutment face thereby to present the collars for dispensing from the dispensing member.

17. A tool as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 16, and further including a mounting means for rigidly mounting the tool on a support structure.

18. A tool for assisting in the application of a support collar to a harvested flower in bloom, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.