DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING A PLANT

Abstract: Device for supporting a plant by means of a string (16) attached to the device, whereby the device is provided with a supporting part (7) with which the device can be coupled to a horizontally extending wire, such that the device can be moved along the wire, whilst the device also com­ prises means for fixing the string relative to the device, wherein that the device is provided with a casing in which a first roll (9) is rotatable relative to the casing about an axis of rotation (10) assuming a fixed position relative to the casing, and a second roll (14) which is freely rotatable about an axis of rotation extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the first roll and which is also movable up-and-down in the casing between a first position in which, seen in the normal operating position of the device, the second roll is located at a distance from the first roll and lower than the axis of rotation of the roll and a second position, in which the second roll bears against the first roll and against a boundary wall of the casing, such that the second roll is locked against a further upward movement.

Description: The invention relates to a device for supporting a plant by means of a string attached to the device, whereby the device is provided with a supporting part by which the device can be coupled to a horizontally extending wire, such that the device can be moved along the wire, whilst the device also comprises means for fixing the string relative to the device. Such a device, which is e.g. used to supporting tomato plants, is known from the Dutch patent appliclation 8202226. At first the part of the string along which the plant is to be trained up is tightened between the device and the ground, after which the growing plant can be trained up along the string. During the period that fruits of the plant are harvested fruits are regularly picked near the lower side of the plant and the part from which the fruits have been removed is laid on the ground, so that the higher part of the plant on which the fruits to be harvested later are forming will come closer to the ground. For said lowering and laying down the lower part of the plant at regular intervals the device is moved along the horizontally extending wire supporting the device, whilst at the same time the string supporting the plant is paid out. In order to effect said paying out of the string the device known from the Dutch patent application 8202226 must be turned by hand through an angle of about 90° relative to the wire supporting the device. As such a wire is usually arranged at a distance of 3 metres or more above the ground surface it will be apparent that the device, in particular once the plants are grown, is difficult to reach, so that paying out the many tomato plants present in a glasshouse or the like will be a difficult and time-consuming activity. The invention aims at obtaining a device of the above kind, whereby the operation of the device, in particular with regard to the paying out of a part a string supporting a plant, can be carried out more easily. According to the invention this can be achieved because of the fact that the device is provided with a casting in which a first roll is rotatable relative to the casing about an axis of rotation assuming a fixed position relative to the casing, and a second roll which is freely rotatable about an axis of rotation extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the first roll and which is also movable up-and-down in the casing between a first position in which, seen in the normal operating position of the device, the second roll is located at a distance from the first roll and lower than the axis of rotation of the roll and a second position, in which the second roll bears against the first roll and against a boundary wall of the casing, such that the second roll is locked against a further upward movement. When using the device according to the invention the string may be passed between the two rolls, such that a pair of string parts hang down. The one part will thereby be led over the first roll, going down at the side of the first roll remote from the second roll, and be fixed in the ground in order to be used for training up and supporting a plant therealong. Under the influence of the weight of the plant and the frictional forces occurring between the rolls and the string the second roll will automatically be pulled up in order to grip the string tightly between the first and the second roll. When it is necessary to pay out the string supporting the plant said string only needs to be displaced such that said part will lie at the side of the second roll remote from the first roll. As a result it will be possible for the second roll to go down and allow paying out of the part supporting the plant. When the part supporting the plant has been paid out sufficiently said part is taken back to its orginal position, i.e. at the side of the first roll remote from the second roll, as a result of which the string will automatically be gripped tightly between the two rolls again. Said displacement of the string supporting the plant between the various positions can easily be done from the ground, so that the operation can be carried out in a simple manner. It is noted that from the Dutch patent appliclation 8002867 there is known a further device for supporting growing plants. Said device is mainly formed by a reel which is supported on the supporting wire. In one of the side plates of the reel there are provided holes for passing the string with a view to effecting a gripping action. Also here the reel will have to be adjusted by hand for paying out the string, so that the same problems occur here as with the construction according to the Dutch patent application 8202226. The invention will be further explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures which diagrammatically illustrate an embodiment of a device according to the invention. Fig 1 is a view of an embodiment of a device according to the invention. Fig 2 is a smaller-scale cross-section of the casing of the device illustrated in fig 1. Fig 3 is a view of a combination of a casing with a string reel. Fig 4 is a section of the reel. Fig 5 is a top view of fig 4. Fig 6 is a section of the casing. Fig 7 is a top view of fig 6. Fig 8 is a view, corresponding with fig 1, of a second embodiment of a device according to the invention. Fig 9 is a side view of the device illustrated in fig 8. Fig 10 is a view of a second embodiment of a combination of a casing and a string reel. Fig 11 is a section of the reel illustrated in fig 10. Fig 12 is a top view of fig 11. Fig 13 is a section of the casing illustrated in fig 10. Fig 14 is a bottom view of fig 13. The casing 1 of the device illustrated in the figs 1 and 2 comprises a front wall 2, a rear wall 3 and side walls 4 and 5 connecting the front wall and the rear wall together. The rear wall 3 is provided with an upwardly extending extension piece 6, whose upper end is bent over for forming a hook-shaped part 7, by means of which the device can be suspended from a horizontally extending supporting wire. As will furthermore be apparent, in particular from fig 1, the transverse walls 4 and 5 slope upwards from the bottom of the device in a direction towards each other. The inner side of the supporting wall 4 has a knurled surface 8, obtained by providing a number of horizontal grooves, whose section is substantially triangular, in said surface. Inside the casing there is furthermore located a roll 9. The roll 9 is supported freely rotatably about a horizontal axis of rotation by means of pins 10 integral with the roll, said pins being accommodated in bores 11 and 12 which are provided in the front wall and the rear wall respectively. As appears in particular from fig 2 grooves 13, extending upwards from the bottom edges of the front and rear walls 2 and 3 and gradually decreasing in depth, are provided in the sides of said facing walls, through which grooves the projecting pins 10 of the wheel 9 can be moved upwards when the wheel is being mounted while simultaneously the relevant pins 10 are pressed together somewhat resiliently until they slip into the bores 11 and 12. Between the front and rear walls 2 and 3 there is located a further roll 14, such that said roll 14 is freely rotatable about an axis of rotation extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the roll 9. Furthermore the roll 14 can freely move up-and-down in the casing. The downward movement of the roll 14 is limited by ribs or stops 15 fixed to the bottom edges of the walls 2 and 3. The roll 14 can move upwards over a certain distance from the lowermost position of the roll 14 illustrated in fig 1, in which the knurled outer circumference of the roll 14 is located at some distance from the outer circumference of the roll 9 and lower than the axis of rotation of said roll 9. Said upward movement is limited because of the fact that at a given moment the outer circumference of the roll 14 bears against both the side wall 4 and the outer circumference of the roll 9 at a point under the axis of rotation of said roll 9. As is indicated by chain-dotted lines in fig 1 a string may be led upwards from below between the rolls 14 and 9 and then be led downwards over the roll 9 and the side of the roll 9 remote from the roll 14 along the outer side of the side wall 5, so that the relevant string will have two parts 16 and 17 hanging down from the device. Said parts 16 and 17 extend downward from the device, which is e.g. suspended from a horizontally extending supporting wire located ± 3 metres above the ground. The bottom end of the string 17 is fixed in the ground surface, whilst the part 16 may join a remaining part of the string wound on a reel or the like. The plant to be supported, e.g. a tomato plant, will be guided along the part 17 in the usual manner during its period of growth. Under the influence of the force exerted on the part 17 the string will be gripped tightly between the roll 9 and the roll 14 taken along by the string. When it is desired to pay out the part 17 during the harvesting period the part 16 is pulled down a little from the position in which said part 16 is gripped between the rolls, after which the roll 14 will fall down. Then said part 16 is moved upwards along the roll 9 until the part 17 has been paid out sufficiently. When the part 16 is then moved a little to the right-hand side, seen in fig 1, said part will touch the roll 14 again and the roll 14 will be carried upwards by the part 16 in order to grip the part 16 tightly between the two rolls 9 and 14 again. Manipulating the parts 16 and 17 can easily be done by a person standing on the ground, so that the paying out of the part 17 supporting the plant can be done simply and quickly. During the beginning of the period of growth of the plant it may happen that the force exerted on the part 17 is insufficient for effecting the intended gripping operation between the rolls 14 and 9. In order to be able to secure the part 17 relative to the device yet, also during said period of growth, the device may furthermore be provided with a projecting hook 18 around which the part 16 can be wound a few times in order to secure the string. Towards the end of the first period of growth the part 16 can be freed from the hook 18 and during harvesting the device can be used in the manner described above. The trailing part of the string may present problems when it hangs free. The figs 3 - 7 illustrate an efficient combination of a casing and a string reel for stowing away the part of the string that hangs free. As appears in particular from the figs 4 and 5 the reel 19 has a hollow core 20, on whose ends flanges 21 and 22 are mounted. On the upper surface of the upper flange 21 there are mounted a pair of diametrically opposed L-shaped ears 23. The construction is thereby such that the external diameter of the upper flange 21 is a little smaller than the external diameter of the lower flange 22. As appears in particular from fig 6 the casing 24 has a jacket 25 whose internal diameter gradually decreases from the open bottom side in the direction of the inwardly projecting flange 26 joining the upper edge of the casing 24. The inner edge of the flange 26 defines a centrally arranged hole 27 which is in open communication with a pair of diametrically opposed notches 28 provided in the flange. Joining one boundary edge of each notch is a rib 29 which is mounted on the flange, said rib extending concentrally from the relevant notch in a clockwise direction around the centre line of the casing 24 and gradually increasing in thickness thereby. At some distance from the notches 28 there are provided recesses 30 in the upper surfaces of the ribs 29. The loose part of the string can be wound around the core 20 of the reel between the flanges 21 and 22. Then the reel can be slid into the casing, such that the ears 23 are pressed upwards through the recesses 28, after which the reel can be turned, as a result of which the ears 23 will be moved over the tapering ribs 29 in the direction of the recesses 30, into which the ears 23 will slip. The construction is thereby made such that the string part led outwards between the outer circumference of the flange 22 and the inner circumference of the jacket 25 and wound up on the reel joins the remaining part of the string, which is led through the device illustrated in figs 1 and 2 and gripped tightly there. When it is desired to pay out the string the required string length can be pulled from the reel by pulling at the part protruding from the casing. In order to wind a string on an empty reel 19 the end of the string can be inserted into a hole 31 provided in the core 20 so that said end of the string will lie in the through hole 32, having an unround section, in the core 20. Then a correspondingly shaped part of a winding shaft can be inserted into the opening, as a result of which the end of the string is gripped tightly between the winding shaft and the core wall. Then the reel with the winding shaft can be rotated for winding up the string. Of course alterations to the embodiment described hereinabove will be possible within the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus figs 8 and 9 show a second embodiment of a device according to the invention, which at least substantially corresponds with the device illustrated in the figs 1 and 2. Those parts in fig 8 that correspond with the parts described above and illustrated in figs 1 and 2 are indicated by the same reference numbers as used in figs 1 and 2, therefore. As will be apparent from figs 8 and 9 reinforcing ribs 6′ are provided on upwardly extending edges of the extension piece 6. Furthermore the front wall 2, at the left-hand top side in fig 8, is constructed somewhat higher, so that the part 17 (not shown in fig 8) of the string will less easily slide off the upper side of the roll 9. The reel illustrated in figs 11 and 12 at least substantially corresponds with the reel illustrated in the figs 4 and 5 and consequently corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference numbers in the various figures. In the embodiment illustrated in the figs 11 and 12, however, an annular part 33 is provided on the upper side op the flange 21 instead of the ears 23, in which annular part there is formed an annular groove 34 at some distance above the flange 21. The diameter of the part of the annular means 33 located above the groove 34 gradually decreases in a direction remote from the flange 21, as will be apparent from fig 11. Also in the figs 13 and 14 the same reference numbers as used in figs 6 and 7 are used for those parts that correspond with the parts of the casing illustrated in figs 6 and 7. However, as will be apparent in particular from fig 13 the side of the flange 26 remote from the jacket 25 is constructed completely flat, in contrast to the embodiment according to the figs 6 and 7. In this embodiment the reel can be put into the space surrounded by the jacket 25 and the tapering end of the annular means 33 can thereby be pressed through the hole 27, whereby the material of said tapering end is compressed a little in order to spring back again after having passed the flange 26, so that the inner edge of the flange will be retained in the groove 34 provided in the annular means 33. As is furthermore illustrated in fig 12 a hole 35 is provided in the part of the flange 21 protruding from the core 20 and located inside the annular means 33 for checking the quantity of string wound around the core.

Claims: 1. Device for supporting a plant by means of a string attached to the device, whereby the device is provided with a supporting part with which the device can be coupled to a horizontally extending wire, such that the device can be moved along the wire, whilst the device also comprises means for fixing the string relative to the device, characterized in that the device is provided with a casing in which a first roll is rotatable relative to the casing about an axis of rotation assuming a fixed position relative to the casing, and a second roll which is freely rotatable about an axis of rotation extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the first roll and which is also movable up-­ and-down in the casing between a first position in which, seen in the normal operating position of the device, the second roll is located at a distance from the first roll and lower than the axis of rotation of the roll and a second position, in which the second roll bears against the first roll and against a boundary wall of the casing, such that the second roll is locked against a further upward movement. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second roll and the side of the boundary wall directly towards the second roll are provided with a knurled surface. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the operating position the boundary wall of the casing which co-operates with the second roll slopes upwards from its lower boundary wall in a direction towards the first roll. 4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two rolls extend between a pair of opposed boundary walls of the casing which at their bottom ends are provided with stops which hold up the second roll in the casing. 5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first roll is supported freely rotatably by means of pins integral with said roll, said pins being journalled in holes provided in opposed walls of the casing, whilst in the facing sides of said walls having holes recesses are provided, which extend upwards from the lower boundary edges of said walls in the direction of the holes, the depth of said recesses gradually decreasing from the lower edges of the boundary walls in the direction of the holes. 6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device is provided with a projection around which the string can be wound. 7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the part of the string hanging free from the device is wound on a reel which is accommodated in a casing. 8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the reel is provided with a core part and flanges provided on the ends thereof, whereby the one flange has a larger diameter than the other flange, whilst the room in the casing accommodating the reel is constructed correspondingly conically. 9. Device according to any one of the claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the core part is provided with a through passage having an unround section, said passage being in communication with a hole in the wall of the core part. 10. Device according to any one of the claims 7 - 9, characterized in that the smaller flange of the reel is provided with projecting ears which may be led through recesses in a wall bounding the casing at one end, said wall being provided with wedge-shaped ribs at the side remote from the room accommodating the reel, along which ribs the ears can be led in the direction of recesses formed in the rib for taking up the ears. 11. Device according to any one of the claims 7 - 9, characterized in that the smaller flange of the reel is provided with a projecting annular part, the diameter of whose upper end gradually decreases in a direction remote from the flange of the reel, and that a circular groove is provided in the annular part for taking up the inner boundary edge of an opening provided in a wall bounding the casing at one end.

Inventors: DELISSE, WILLEM JOZEF
Applicants: DELISSE, WILLEM JOZEF
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A01G9
IPC codes: A01G9