Accessible tree protector

A fruit tree protector has a plurality of stretchable netting pieces fastened together by hooks which may be C-shaped, and made of plastic, or copper wire, and the like.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The invention herein disclosed relates to devices for protecting the fruit 
in trees from birds. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The Prior Art 
For many years efforts have been made to protect the fruit ripening in the 
orchard from the depredations of birds, which are disposed to eat the 
fruit just as it ripens and before it can be picked. This is a 
particularly vexing problem to homeowners and small orchard proprietors. 
Whereas large commercial growers solve the problem by picking the green 
fruit long before it becomes attractive to birds, specialty growers and 
homeowners prefer to pick the fruit at its peak of ripeness (the quality 
of fruit picked green is not as good as tree-ripened fruit) for immediate 
consumption or for sale to the premium fruit market. 
Consequently, there is a long history of efforts to find an ideal fruit 
tree protector: Typical of such efforts are patents to Hale, Pat. No. 
2,197,929; Stevason, Pat. No. 1,780,950; Liljegran Pat. No. 1,072,339; 
McAdie, Pat. No. 994,083; Morris, Pat. No. 633,528; Zimmerman, Pat. No. 
614,921; Shepherd, Pat. No. 427,921; Crow, Pat. No. 343,533 and Stahl Pat. 
No. 349,066. Although designed primarily for fumigating rather than 
protection, Culver, Pat. No. 367,134; Miller Pat. No. 510,079 and 
Scheuermann, Pat. No. 1,108,521 also show tree covers. Many provide access 
to the fruit without removing the entire cover but none provides a 
convenient, effortless access to the fruit in various parts of the tree. 
Some devices require machinery to install and remove, and many are awkward 
to handle. 
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a tree protector 
that keeps birds away from the ripe fruit, is simple to install on the 
tree, is convenient to remove, but permits easy access by the grower to 
selected parts of the tree. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
I provide a tree protector that is constructed with a desired number of 
individual pieces or swatches of light-weight netting, held together by 
hooks, preferably C-shaped, which may cover all or a significant part of 
the tree. The netting is, preferably, stretched at least to some extent 
when the hooks are fastened. The resulting tension firmly holds the hooks 
and netting together, but does not hamper access between the hooks to a 
human hand to pick the fruit. If need be, one or more hooks may be 
removed, whereupon the netting may be turned back and rehooked in a 
temporary open position for fruit harvesting. Thus, the fruit may be 
selected and removed from any part of the tree when ideally ripe. 
Because the swatches may be made a convenient size for individual handling, 
clothing a fruit tree with the protective covering is feasible by one 
person without the use of machinery. On larger trees, ladders and other 
supports may be required to reach the tops of the trees. Disassembly is 
equally simple and can be handled by one person working alone.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Turning now to the drawings, which show a presently preferred embodiment of 
the invention, a tree T is covered by independent, elongated swatches of 
netting N (as in FIG. 3, A, B, C, D and E) the sides of which are held 
together in stretching tension (FIG. 4) solely by C-shaped hooks H (FIG. 
2). The elasticity of the netting puts tension on the hooks which fasten 
the swatches of netting around the tree (FIG. 3). Any number of swatches 
may be employed, depending on the size of the tree and the need for access 
to the fruit. The number shown in the drawings is merely exemplary. 
In FIG. 6, for example, the edges 7, 8 of swatches C and D of netting N are 
easily unfastened and turned back on the swatches C and D and re-fastened 
by hooks 2 to permit convenient access to the fruit F. The edges of the 
netting N are closed by hooks 2 when picking is not in progress, so that 
the birds cannot gain entrance. Thus, fruit may be left on the tree until 
it ripens to the stage desired without being eaten or spoiled by birds. 
For small quantity picking the picker's hand may be inserted between the 
hooks and the closed swatches of netting to reach nearby selected fruit, 
but the birds will not force an entry in that fashion. 
The presently preferred embodiment employs hooks H made of plastic. The 
hooks may be white or colored, e.g. in a distinctive color such as 
international orange, to identify their locations. The plastic hooks may 
be U.V. protected to add to longevity. Copper wire, bare or coated, is one 
of several acceptable alternatives to plastic. 
The embodiment of the best mode is plastic netting to take advantage of the 
stretch tension property and low cost. Suitable netting having 
satisfactory values of strength, tension and flexibility may be obtained 
from the following firms, among others: Ross-Daniels, Inc., 1720 Fuller 
Road, P.0. Box 65430, West Des Moines, Ia. 50265; Dalen Products, Inc., 
11110 Gilbert Drive, Knoxville, Tenn. 37932; Weather Shade Corp., Apopka, 
Fla. 32703. 
Persons ordinarily skilled in the art will understand the range of 
structures and materials equivalent to those discussed in the foregoing 
specification, all of which equivalents are embraced in the invention as 
defined in the appended claims.