Abstract:
The present disclosure describes a system composed of a principal pipe joining a secondary pipe by means of a T, and that at the end of the secondary pipe is located a threaded adapter by which comes to connect a spout that one can to disconnect and clean , and which the threaded adapter comes itself to connect at the external stem of T located on the principal pipe in closing the secondary pipe in order to avoid the accumulation of bacteria or detritus at the inside of the secondary pipe.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to tree sap harvesting and, more particularly, to a spout system for collecting sap. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Sap harvesting methods have evolved from mostly manual operations to become generally automated sap collecting systems. Traditionally, sap was collected by having buckets hanging underneath spouts inserted in tree trunks of trees, such as maples. The sap was then gathered from the buckets and brought to a central shed, wherein syrup and sugar was produced. 
     In order to minimize labour operations, collecting line networks have been provided in groves in order to collect or pump sap from the trees and convey the sap to the central shed. For instance, Canadian Patent No. 1,158,868, issued on Dec. 20, 1983 to Foote et al. and Canadian Patent No. 1,227,043, issued on Sep. 22, 1987 to Lamb both describe such spout network collecting systems. Both these patents disclose spouts connected to a collecting line network, the spouts being removable from the tree trunks and sealable so as to close the network from bacteria infiltration. The network thus becomes a closed system and may be kept in the grove during the off-seasons (i.e. summer, fall and part of the winter). This closing-off of the collection line network is thus particularly important. If the collection line network required to be removed, fully re-installing it prior to harvesting would involve a substantial amount of labour. 
     Dried sap accumulates on the exterior surface of the spouts. The exterior surface of the spout is in direct contact with the cortex of the tree. When the spout remains on the collecting line network in the off-seasons, the risk of bacteria development with the dried sap is increased. Therefore, cleaning and even sterilizing of the spouts is recommended. In fact, sterilized spouts may increase by up to 15 to 20% the sap harvesting of a tree. A paraformaldehyde treatment sterilizes the spouts on site, but may have a negative effect on the parenchyma of the tree, thereby enhancing the blight of the tree. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a spout system having spouts removable from the collecting line network in order for them to be sterilized and stored during the off-season. This would also protect the spouts from rodents. It would however be required to seal the spoutless ends of the collecting lines for them to remain installed to the line network in the groves. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a feature of the present invention to provide a spout system having spouts which are easily removable from a sap collecting line network. 
     It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a method of removing the above described spouts from the sap collecting line network. 
     According to the above feature of the present invention, and from a broad aspect thereof, the present invention provides a spout system for collecting sap from a tree and directing the sap to a sap collecting line. The spout system comprises a spout having a spout portion at a first end thereof adapted to be received in a borehole in a tree trunk for collecting sap therefrom. An outlet at a second end thereof is connected to an adapter. The spout defines a passageway extending between the spout portion and the outlet for sap circulation therethrough. The adapter has at a first end thereof an inlet for being matingly engaged with the spout and in fluid communication with the passageway, a fitting at a second end thereof, the fitting being adapted for being connected to the sap collecting line. The adapter is detachable from the spout and sealable so as to remain connected to the sap collecting line when the spout is disconnected from the sap collecting line. 
     According to a further broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a spout adapter for connecting a sap collecting line to a spout collecting sap from a tree. The spout adapter comprises an adapter having an inlet at a first end thereof adapted for being matingly engaged with the spout and in fluid communication therewith. A fitting at a second end thereof is adapted for being connected to a tubing. The adapter has a passageway extending between the inlet and the fitting. The passageway is adapted for sap circulation therethrough. A line connector comprises a body having a hollow cavity, a plurality of fittings projecting from the body, passageways between the fittings and the hollow cavity. A first of the fittings is adapted for being connected to the tubing for sap flow connection between the adapter and the line connector. Other fittings are adapted for being connected to the sap collecting line. A plug portion projects from the body. The plug portion is adapted for sealingly receiving the inlet of the adapter when the adapter is detached from the spout. 
     According to a still further broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for disconnecting a sap collecting system from a spout in a tree. The sap collecting spout system is of the type wherein a spout is secured in a borehole in a tree, the spout being connected to a sap collecting line by a tubing having at an end a line connector having a plug portion and linking the tubing to the sap collecting line, and a spout adapter at an opposed end linking the tubing to the spout. The method comprising the steps of (i) disconnecting the spout adapter from the spout; and (ii) plugging the spout adapter by engaging it on the plug portion of the line connector, whereby the spout adapter portion remains on site and the sap collecting line is sealed at the spout adapter. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail having reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a branch line and spout secured to a collecting line system of the present invention for sap harvesting; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the spout system sealed during the off-season; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a line connector of the spout system; 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the line connector; 
     FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the line connector; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the line connector; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the spout; 
     FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the spout; 
     FIG. 9 is a rear elevational view of the spout; 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the spout taken along cross-section line  10 — 10  of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a spout adapter of the spout system; 
     FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the spout adapter taken along cross-section line  12 — 12  of FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 13 is a rear elevational view of the spout adapter; and 
     FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of the spout adapter. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, the spout system of the present invention is generally shown at  10 . For simplicity purposes, the spout system  10  is illustrated with one branch line  12  connected to a main sap collecting line  14 . It is pointed out that a plurality of such branch lines  12  are connected thereto to form a sap collecting line network. The branch line  12  is connected to the sap collecting line  14  through a line connector  16 . On the opposed end of the branch line  12  is a spout adapter  18  to which is connected a spout  20 . The spout  20  is mounted in a borehole in the trunk or lower portion of a tree, and this will be described hereinafter. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 3 to  6 , the line connector  16  is shown having a generally cubic body  22 . Fittings  24  and  26  project outwardly from opposed side surfaces of the cubic body  22 , and a fitting  28  projects from a bottom surface of the cubic body  22 . The fittings  24 ,  26  and  28  each comprise ribs  24 A,  26 A and  28 A, respectively, so as to be adapted for receiving tubing thereon in press-fit. As best seen in FIG. 5, the fittings  24 ,  26  and  28  are interrelated by a T-shaped passageway  30 , through which a fluid may circulate. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the line connector  16  is shown having the sap collecting line  14  connected to the fittings  24  and  26 , whereas the branch line  12  is connected to the fitting  28 . The sap collecting line  14  and the branch line  12  are preferably flexible plastic tubing. Plastic tubing is well-adapted to be used as sap collecting line. As the plastic tubing is resilient, its connection to fittings having ribs (such as ribs  24 A of fitting  24 ) is easily achieved by forcing it over the fitting, whereby the junction therebetween is watertight. It is pointed out, however, that other types of conduits may be used for the sap collecting lines  14  and the branch line  24 . A solid plug  32  projects outwardly from a front surface of the cubic body  22 . The plug  32  has a tapered end  34 . The line connector  16  may consist of various materials, such as moldable plastics, metal, etc. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 7 to  10 , the spout  20  is shown having a generally cubic body  36 . The cubic body has four rounded edges  38  to ensure the safe handling thereof. A knob  40  projects outwardly from a rear surface of the cubic body  36 , whereas a tapered spout portion  42  projects from a front surface thereof. A tapped cylinder portion  44  projects from a bottom surface of the cubic body  36 . As best seen in FIG. 10, a passageway  46  is defined extending from the tapped cylinder portion  44  to the tapered spout portion  42 . 
     The spout  20  is adapted to be inserted in a borehole drilled in a tree, such as a maple tree. The borehole is made in the tree trunk and the tapered spout portion  42  of the spout  20  is inserted therein. Therefore, the knob  40  is adapted for the spout  20  to be hammered in the borehole B. Thus, the spout  20  consists of a material capable of withstanding the impacts of a hammer and of being forcibly inserted in the borehole of the tree trunk. As seen in FIG. 10, once the spout  20  is installed in the borehole B, the tapered spout portion  42  reaches the cortex C of the tree, whereby sap flowing in the cortex C may be collected by the spout  20  through the passageway  46 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 11 to  14 , the spout adapter  18  is shown in detail. The spout adapter  18  has a generally cylindrical body  48  defining a passageway  50 . A first end portion of the cylindrical body  48  comprises threads  52 , whereas the other portion of the cylindrical body  48  has ribs  54  thereon. The ribs  54  portion and the threads  52  portion are separated by a pair of wings  56 . The spout adapter  18  is adapted for being engaged to the spout  20  by means of the threads  52  being correspondingly received in the tapped cylinder portion  44  of the spout  20 , as shown in FIG.  1 . The opposed end, comprising the ribs  54 , is mounted to the branch line  12 , as described above. The wings  56  are provided for torquing the screwing of the spout adapter  18  in the spout  20 . Accordingly, the spout  18  may easily be attached to or separated from the spout  20 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, the spout system  10  of the present invention is shown in its off-season configuration. Accordingly, the spout adapter  18  is removed from the spout  20 . The spout adapter  18  is received on the solid plug  32  of the line connector  16  through its passageway  50 . The tapered end  34  of the plug  32  ensures the complete sealing of the connection between the spout adapter  18  and the line connector  16 . Therefore, the branch line  12  forms a closed loop, thereby preventing infiltration of bacteria therein. Furthermore, water may be blown through the lines prior to closing off the branch lines  12  on the plugs  32  in order to empty or flush the lines of sap residues. Following the water cleaning of the various branch lines  12  and the sap collecting line  14 , the closing-off of the various branch lines ensures the tidiness and cleanliness of the system. 
     Advantageously, the spouts  20  may be removed from the boreholes B on the trees in order to be stored during off-season. This permits the cleaning and sterilizing of the inside and the outside of the spouts  20 , and greatly reduces the risks of infection between a spout  20  and a borehole in a tree at the next insertion and consequently lower yield. Furthermore, removing the spouts  20  prevents the clogging of the boreholes B, which causes the premature stoppage of the spring flow of sap. 
     It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications of the embodiments described herein, provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.