Cantilevered planter shelf systems

Abstract

A cantilevered planter shelf for installation on a floor ledge adjacent to a railing of a balcony, porch, deck or stoop is disclosed. The planter shelf includes a horizontal base, a vertical back spine extending upward from a rear portion of the base, a top lip extending forward from an upper portion of the back spine, and a stake inserted through the top lip. The base has a rear support portion adjacent to the back spine that rests on the floor ledge when the planter shelf is installed, and a front cantilevered portion that extends horizontally beyond an edge of the floor ledge. The back spine has a front surface that contacts an interior surface of the railing when the planter shelf is installed. A method of installing a cantilevered planter shelf on a floor ledge adjacent to a railing is also disclosed. The method includes sliding the base of the planter shelf under the railing above the floor ledge, positioning the top lip between adjacent balusters of the railing, and contacting a front surface of a base spine of the planter shelf against an interior surface of the railing to thereby position the planter shelf in a free-standing position. A supported portion of the base rests on the floor ledge, and an extended cantilevered portion of the base extends beyond the edge of the floor ledge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cantilevered planter shelf for installation on a floor ledge adjacent to a railing, the planter shelf comprising:
 a horizontally extending base;   a vertically extending back spine extending upward from the base; and   a planter securement member adjacent to the back spine horizontally extending in a region vertically above at least a portion of the base, wherein   the base comprises a rear support portion adjacent to the back spine structured and arranged to rest on the floor ledge when the planter shelf is installed, and a front extended portion structured and arranged to extend horizontally beyond an edge of the floor ledge when the planter shelf is installed, and   the back spine comprises a front surface structured and arranged to contact an interior surface of the railing when the planter shelf is installed.   
     
     
         2 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a bottom surface structured and arranged to contact the floor ledge when the planter shelf is installed, a top surface structured and arranged to contact a bottom of a planter when the planter is placed on the planter shelf, and a perimeter edge between the bottom surface and the top surface. 
     
     
         3 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 2 , wherein the base includes at least one drain opening extending through the base from the top surface to the bottom surface. 
     
     
         4 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 1 , wherein the base has a length L B  of from 6 to 18 inches and a width W B  of from 4 to 12 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 4 , wherein the back spine has a height H S , and a ratio of L B :H S  is from 0.5:1 to 2:1. 
     
     
         6 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 1 , wherein the base has a width W B , the back spine comprises a lower portion having a width W SL  and an upper portion having a width W SU , W SL  is greater than W SU , and W B  and W SL  are substantially equal. 
     
     
         7 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 1 , wherein the planter securement member comprises a top lip extending horizontally forward from an upper porton of the back spine comprising at least one stake hole extending therethrough structured and arranged to removably receive a stake, and the stake comprises at least one downwardly extending rod structured and arranged for insertion into a planter when the planter is placed on the planter shelf. 
     
     
         8 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 7 , wherein the stake comprises two downwardly extending rods connected by an upper connecting rod, and the top lip comprises at least three of the stake holes selectively receiving the two downwardly extending rods of the stake. 
     
     
         9 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 7 , wherein the top lip has a length L T  less than a length of the base L B , a width W T  less than a width of the base W B , and W T  is selected to be less than a gap G B  between adjacent balusters of the railing. 
     
     
         10 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 1 , wherein the planter shelf does not include mechanical fasteners for attaching the planter shelf to the railing. 
     
     
         11 . A cantilevered planter shelf consisting essentially of:
 a horizontally extending base;   a vertically extending back spine extending upward from a rear portion of the base;   a horizontally extending top lip extending forward from an upper portion of the back spine; and   a stake movably mounted on the top lip.   
     
     
         12 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 11 , wherein the base comprises a substantially planar bottom surface lying in a first horizontal plane, and a substantially planar top surface lying in a second horizontal plane above the first horizontal plane. 
     
     
         13 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 12 , wherein the base has a length L B  of at least 6 inches, and a width W B  of at least 4 inches. 
     
     
         14 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 11 , wherein the back spine comprises a substantially planar front surface lying in a vertical plane. 
     
     
         15 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 14 , wherein the back spine comprises a lower portion having a width W SL  and an upper portion having a width W SU  less than W SL . 
     
     
         16 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 11 , wherein the base has a length L B , the back spine has a height H S , and a ratio of L B :H S  is from 0.5:1 to 2:1. 
     
     
         17 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 11 , wherein the top lip has a width W T , the base has a width W B , W T  is less than W B , and W T  is less than 4 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 11 , wherein the base has a width W B , a lower portion of the back spine has a width W SL , an upper portion of the back spine has a width W SU  less than W SL , W B  is equal to W SL , and W T  is equal to W SU . 
     
     
         19 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 11 , wherein the base has a length L B , the top lip has a length L T , and a ratio of L B :L T  is from 10:1 to 2:1. 
     
     
         20 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 11 , wherein the top lip comprises at least one stake hole extending vertically through the top lip structured and arranged to receive the stake. 
     
     
         21 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 20 , wherein the stake comprises a first rod with a first stake tip, a second rod with a second stake tip, and a connecting rod between the first and second rods, and the top lip comprises at least two of the stake holes receiving the first and second rods. 
     
     
         22 . The cantilevered planter shelf of  claim 21 , wherein the top lip comprises at least three of the stake holes aligned along a length of the top lip to provide a front stake hole, a middle stake hole, and a rear stake hole, the first rod is selectively insertable in the front or middle stake hole, and the second rod is selectively insertable in the middle or rear stake hole. 
     
     
         23 . A method of installing a cantilevered planter shelf on a floor ledge adjacent to a railing, the method comprising:
 sliding a base of the planter shelf under the railing above the floor ledge; and   contacting a front surface of a base spine of the planter shelf against an interior surface of the railing to thereby position the planter shelf in an installed free-standing position in which a supported portion of the base rests on the floor ledge, an extended cantilevered portion of the base extends beyond an edge of the floor ledge, and the front surface of the base spine maintains contact with the interior surface of the railing.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the supported portion of the base has a length L S , the extended cantilevered portion of the base has a length L C , and a ratio of L S :L C  is greater than 0.1:1. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein L S :L C  is from 5:1 to 0.2:1. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the front surface of the back spine contacts a lower rail of the railing at a railing height H R  of from 1 to 6 inches. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising inserting a top lip of the planter shelf between two balusters of the railing during the sliding of the base under the railing, wherein the top lip extends horizontally forward from the back spine and has a width W T  less than a gap between the railing balusters G B . 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising inserting a stake through at least one stake hole extending through the top lip after the top lip has been inserted between the two balusters. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the stake has a length substantially equal to a height of the back spine H S .