Arrangement for training plants and operating procedure and device for the embodiment of the aforementioned arrangement

Abstract: Arrangement for training plants, consisting of a holder (2) and a rope (3) attached to the holder (2), characterized in that it is provided with means permitting a predetermined quantity of rope to be released from the arrangement (1) at once.

Description: This invention applies to an arrangement for training plants as well as an operating procedure and device for the embodiment of the aforementioned arrangement. The invention has been intended primarily to be utilized in the culture of tomatoes, especially the culture of tomatoes in hothouses. In general the invention can, however, also be applied to the training of all kinds of plants. It is known that during their growth tomato plants are trained along a suspended rope, in addition this rope is being extended and more and more inclined during the plant's growth, in such a manner that the plants attain a great length, with consequently a large yield. It is also known that to this end arrangements for training plants are used consisting of a holder and a piece of rope wound on this holder. Upon the beginning of growth the holder is attached over the plant involved and unwound untill the rope reaches the plant. During growth the plant is trained by means of the rope. During the progression of the plant's growth it is trained ever more into an inclined direction. To this end the holder is moved sideways by continuously attaching it in another position, further away from the plant, all the while unwinding rope from the holder. The aforementioned arrangements are generally realized by means of specialized firms, equipping each holder with a well-determined quantity of rope. An example of such known arrangement is disclosed in NL-A-8902036, in which a rope is wound on a holder constructed of folded steel wire. These known arrangements show the characteristic that the rope can only be removed from the holder by unwinding. Upon starting it is therefore necessary to first undo ten to fifteen windings in order to let the rope reach the plant. In applying such arrangements the disadvantage arises that the initial unwinding of the rope is a time consuming activity, especially in the case of several thousands of arrangements to be hung in a hothouse. An arrangement in which the rope can be removed without unwinding, only by exerting a pulling force to its end, is known from EP-A-0 343 285. This arrangement comprises a holder with a receptacle which can be provided with a quantity of rope and with means for the fixation of the rope to the holder. This arrangement also shows the disadvantage that the release of the initial portion of rope, i.e. the portion of rope to be provided between the holder and the soil, which is aproximately 2 meters, is time consuming as the rope has to be taken by its end, and has to be pulled down by said end until this end reaches the soil, wherafter it has to be fixed once again to said fixation means. This is a time consuming and difficult movement, especially when a hothouse has to be provided of some thousands of said arrangements. Furthermore the length of the initially released portion of rope is dependent on the action carried out by the person which is installing the arrangements in the hothouse and it is clear that due to inaccuracy the length may be too short or too long. The present invention aims at an arrangement excluding the aforementioned disadvantage. To this end the invention relates to an arrangement for the training of plants, comprising a holder and a rope connected to the holder, characterized in that said rope comprises two distinctly formed quantities, one of which being of predetermined length, and in that the arrangement is equipped with means allowing that said quantity of rope of predetermined length can be released from the arrangement at once without the necessity of unwinding this quantity of rope. The aforementioned means preferably consist of arrangements with the rope in the device being present in the shape of at least two stocks, respectively a first stock intended to be unwound systematically and a second stock able to be detached completely in one go. In a preferred implementation the first stock consists of a number of windings completely wound on the holder whereas the second stock consists of a number of windings kept together by means of an assisting means, such as an elastic band. During the placement of the device in a hothouse it suffices to hook the holder to a specially provided support, followed by loosening the aforementioned elastic band, which causes the windings of the second stock to be released in one go, dropping the rope down the plant. The invention also relates to an operating procedure and a device to realize the aforementioned arrangement, especially to provide the aforementioned holder with two stocks of rope. The device according to the invention mainly consists of a winding mechanism; a support system into which a holder can be placed; and means, at least switchable between two positions, allowing by their switching two stocks of rope to be arranged at or on the holder. With the intention to better show the characteristics of the invention, some preferred embodiments are described in the following without any limiting character, referring to the enclosed drawings, in which: drawing 1 shows an arrangement according to the invention; drawing 2 shows a detail of the arrangement in drawing 1; drawing 3 shows the utilization of the arrangement in drawing 1; drawings 4 to 7 show 4 variations of the arrangement according to the invention; drawings 8 and 9 show a device according to the invention, for two different positions; drawing 10 shows a cut along line X-X in drawing 9; drawing 11 shows another device according to the invention. As shown in drawing 1 the arrangement 1 according to the invention mainly consists of a holder 2 and a rope 3 attached to holder 2. The particularity of the invention consists of the fact that the arrangement has been provided with means allowing a predetermined quantity of, rope 3 to be detached from the device at once. In the example shown these means consist of the fact that the rope 3 in arrangement 1 is present in the shape of at least two stocks, respectively a first stock 4, intended to be systematically detached, and a second stock 5 which can be completely detached in one go, by a simple action. In the embodiment or drawing 1 the holder 2 has been constructed of folded steel wire or such. The holder 2 in addition shows a winding core 6 and two hooks 7 and 8. The winding core 6 has been constructed from 2 recessed parts 9 and 10 surrounded by the raised edges 11-12 and 13-14. The hooks 7 and 8 allow the arrangement 1 to be attached to a wire or support in a hothouse. The rope 3 has been attached to the holder 2 by means of a knot 15 or such. The first stock 4 of rope 3 has been wound on the winding core 6 and can only be detached, because of the presence of the raised edges 11-14, by systematically unwinding the rope 3. The second stock 5 consists or a number or windings of rope 3 who are located next to the winding core 6 or who are as shown in drawing 1, only wound to one side 16 of it. To prevent the second stock 5 from falling apart, means 17 can be provided to keep the rope 3 of the second stock 5 together. In the embodiment of drawing 1 these means 17 consist of an elastic band 18 put through the windings of the second stock 5 and fixed around the holder 2. The procedure to attach the elastic band 18 has been shown in detail in drawing 2. The utilization of arrangement 1 has been shown in drawing 3. The arrangement 1 is attached to a support, such as a drawn wire 19, by means of the hook 7 or 8 over the plant 20 to be trained. In order to let the rope 3 reach the plant 20, it suffices to loosen the elastic band 18, which results in releasing the second stock 5 then dropping down and apart. This offers enormous savings in time compared with the known arrangements in which the quantity of rope between the holder and the soil must be unwound. During the plant's growth the holder 2 is systematically moved sideways along the support or wire 19 and the second stock 5 is systematically unwound as more rope 3 for the training of the plant 20 is being needed. In drawing 4 a variation of arrangement 1 is shown in which the means 17 to keep the second stock 5 together consist of a winding part 21 created on holder 2, in such a way that during manufacture of arrangement 1 the second stock 5 can be wound around one side 16 of the aforementioned winding core 6 and the aforementioned winding part 21. The winding part 21 shows thereby a winding plane 22 that is directed in such a way that the second stock 5 can simply be detached by sliding it off the winding plane 22, especially as shown by arrow A in drawing 4. In drawing 5 a variation is shown in which the means 17 consist of a separate winding core 23 for the second stock 5, constructed from two opposite winding parts 24 and 25. The winding planes 26 and 27 thereof are so located that the second stock 5 can be slid off winding core 23 without the windings having to be unwound one after the other. In drawing 6 a variation of the embodiment of drawing 5 is shown, in which the winding core 23 shows another design. The second stock 5 need not necessarily be attached to the holder 2. In drawing 7 for instance the second stock 5 consists of a number of windings kept together by a clamp 28 or such without this stock 5 being kept on the holder 2. For the realization of arrangement 1 according to the invention a device 29 is preferably used as shown in drawings 8 to 10. The device 29 shown is here specifically intended to construct arrangement 1 as shown in drawing 1. Device 29 consists mainly of a winding mechanism 30; a support 31 for attaching a holder 2; and means 32 to switch between at least two positions, allowing by their switching two stocks of rope, 4 and 5 respectively, to be formed on or at holder 2. The winding device 30 mainly consists of a winding arm 33 preferably mounted on a vertical shaft 34 provided at its free end with a wire guiding eye 35 or such. The winding arm 33 is driven via transmission 36 by means of a motor 37. The shaft 34 is hollow, in such a fashion that a rope 3 from a stock 38, such as a bobbin, can be guided through this shaft 34 to the wire guiding eye 35. The support system 31 consists in the example shown of two clamps, between which holder 2 can be fixed by its ends. As shown in drawing 10 the clamps can consist of a fixed jaw 39 and a movable jaw 40. The movable jaw 40 can be moved by means of a transmission 41. Transmission 41 can be of any kind. In the example shown it exists of an eccentric cam 42 which can be rotated by means of an electromagnetic drive element 43, in such a fashion that jaw 40 can be moved toward jaw 39 or away from it. The aforementioned switchable means 32 mainly consist of a tip-up element 44, on which the support 31 has been mounted and a winding support 45. The tip-up element 44 can be turned around a shaft 46, all of which in such a fashion that a holder 2, having been placed in the support system 31 is on one side 16 always located on the winding plane 47 of the winding device 30, without regard to the position of element 44, whereas the other side 48 of holder 2 is located on the winding plane 47 or outside of it depending on the position of element 44. The rotation can be obtained by means of a drive cylinder 49 or such like mounted between element 44 and frame 50 of the device. The aforementioned winding support 45 can be moved, in such a manner that it can be brought into the winding plane 47. To this end the winding support 45 can be rotated around a shaft 51. As shown in drawing 10 the winding support 45 preferably consists of two elements 52 and 53 that can be presented on both sides of the support system. To move the winding support 45 it has been provided with a lever arm 54, with an adjusting screw 55, able to cooperate with the tip-up element 44, in such a manner that when the side 48 of holder 2 is outside winding plane 47 the winding support 45 is located inside the winding plane 47 and vice versa. Motor 37, the drive elements 43 and the drive cylinder 49 are preferably controlled by a control and operating unit 56. This way the number of windings applied is checked by controls such as a revolution counter 57 or any other means. When the number of revolutions of the winding arm is known, the number of windings applied can also be determined from the time the winding arm has been switched on. The use and the operation of the arrangement can simply be deduced from drawings 8 and 9. First a holder 2 is fixed in the support system 31. Next the rope 3 is fixed to holder 2 by means of a knot 15. The drive cylinder 49 is in the extended position, in such a manner that the element 44 is in its highest position. Next motor 37 is switched on which causes the formation of a first stock 4 on the winding core 6 of holder 2 as shown in drawing 8. After a predetermined number of windings is present on the winding core 6, which can for instance be detected by means of the revolution counter 57, element 44 is tipped down, preferably in an automatic manner, with the result that a situation arises as shown in drawing 9, in which now a second stock 5 is wound around, on the one hand, side 16 of the holder 2 and on the other hand, the winding support 45. After both stocks 4 and 5 have been formed the rope 3 is cut and the second stock 5 fixed by means of an elastic band 18, for instance in the way shown in drawing 2. It is clear that winding and switching can be done automatically. In drawing 11 a variation of device 29 is shown. The aforementioned switchable means 32 in this instance exclusively consist of a movable winding support 58. In the example shown this support 58 can be rotated around a shaft 59, this by means of a drive cylinder 60. The winding support 58 shows a guide 61, so constructed that during winding rope 3 is moved across this guide 61, by which means a second stock 5 next to winding core 6 can be formed, this in another winding plane. During winding of the first stock 4 the winding support 58 is tipped over untill it extends outside winding plane 47. This way rope 3 is wound around winding core 6. After the first stock 4 has dropped down the winding support 58 is presented to winding plane 47, which, as shown in drawing 11, causes rope 3 to slide upwards along guide 61, so that the windings of the second stock are positioned around, on the one hand the winding support 58 and on the other hand side 16 of holder 2. It is clear that according to a variation the winding mechanism 30 can also consist of the drive of support system 31. A winding arm 33 is no longer necessary then as the winding of rope 3 in that case is carried out by rotating holder 2. The present invention also relates to the procedure followed, in that this procedure consists of first connecting rope 3 to a holder 2; next winding a quantity of this rope 3 on a winding core 6; and finally winding a second quantity of this rope 3 at least partly next to the aforementioned winding core 6 where it is kept together. The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described as examples and shown in the drawings, but such an arrangement for training plants and the operating procedure and the device for the embodiment of the aforementioned device can be executed in different variations without exceeding the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims: Arrangement for the training of plants, comprising a holder (2) and a rope (3) connected to the holder (2), characterized in that said rope (3) comprises two distinctly formed quantities, one of which being of predetermined length, and in that the arrangement (1) is equipped with means allowing that said quantity of rope (3) of predetermined length can be released from the arrangement (1) at once without the necessity of unwinding this quantity of rope. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforementioned means consist of the rope (3) being present in the arrangement (1) in the form of at least two stocks (4,5), respectively a first stock (4) intended to be unwound systematically and a second stock (5) that can be completely released at once. Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that it is equipped with means (17) to keep the second stock (5) together. Arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the means (17) mainly consist of an elastic band. Arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the means (17) mainly consist of a clamp (28). Arrangement according to one of the claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the holder (2) shows a winding core (6); that the first stock (4) is wound on this winding core (6); and that the second stock (5) has been wound on one side (16) of the aforementioned winding core (6), but is located on the other side (48) next to this winding core (6). Arrangement according to one or the claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the holder (2) shows a winding core (6) as well as a separately attached winding part (21) next to the winding core (6) and that the first stock (4) is wound on the winding core (6) and the second stock (5) is wound on, on the one hand one side (16) of the winding core (6) and on the other hand the aforementioned winding part (21), in addition to which the winding part (21) shows a winding plane (22) allowing the second stock (5) to be slid off the winding part (21). Arrangement according to one of the claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the holder (2) shows two winding cores (6, 23); that the first stock (4) and the second stock (5) each have been wound on one of these winding cores (6, 23); and that the winding core (23) on which the second stock (5) has been wound shows a winding plane, respectively winding planes (26, 27) allowing the second stock (5) to be slid off this winding core (23). Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bolder (2) consists of a folded wire. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holder (2) is provided with a hook (7, 8) in order to attach the holder (2). Procedure to manufacture an arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises attaching a rope (3) to a holder (2); the winding of a first quantity of the rope (3) on a winding core (6) of the holder (2); and the winding of a second quantity of rope (3), in addition to which this second quantity is wound at least in part next to the aforementioned winding core (6). Device for the manufacture of an arrangement according to claim 2, comprising a winding mechanism (30), characterized in that it further comprises a support system (31) for the attachment of a holder; and switchable means (32) switchable between two positions permitting by their switching that two distinctly formed quantities of rope are created on or at the holder, i.e. wound on said holder and/or near said holder. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the winding mechanism (30) mainly consists of a winding arm (33) driven by a motor (37). Device according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the support system (31) consists of a number of jaws (39, 40) between which a holder (2) can be fixed. Device according to claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the switchable means (32) mainly consist of a tip-up element (44) on which the support system (31) has been mounted and a movable winding support (45), in addition to which the tip-up element (44) and the winding support (45) are alternately movable in such a manner that the rope (3) in one position of the device is wound completely around a holder (2) placed in the support system (31), whereas in an other position the rope (3) is wound around on the one hand one side (16) of the aforementioned holder (2) and on the other hand the aforementioned winding support (45). Device according to claim 15, characterized in that the winding support (45) can be freely tipped-up around a shaft (51) and cooperates with the aforementioned tip-up element (44) , especially that it is turned when the tip-up element (44) touches it. Device according to one of the claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the switchable means (32) mainly consist of a moveable winding support (58) which can be positioned in the winding plane or the winding mechanism (30), in addition to which this winding support (58) is provided with a guide (61), in such a manner that the rope (3) can be wound in another plane than the aforementioned plane (47). Device according to one of the claims 12 to 17, characterized in that it is provided with checking means (57) to count the number of windings and that it is furthermore provided with a control unit (56) in such a manner that the switchable means (32) are moved automatically after the aforementioned first stock (4) has been created.

Inventors: SEBRECHTS JAN, SEBRECHTS, JAN
Applicants: SEBRECHTS JAN, SEBRECHTS JOZEF, SEBRECHTS, JAN, SEBRECHTS, JOZEF
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A01G9
IPC codes: B65H54, B65H75, A01G9