Abstract:
A vineyard trellis system that includes a ground anchored upright post, at least one foliage wire passing by the post and having a supporting interengagement with the post, and lifting means arranged to effect a lifting or lowering of the wire in relation to the post where said lifting means include a support member slidably engaging with the post and engaging with the foliage wire, and a winch arrangement adapted to assist in a lifting or lowering of the support member to effect a change in height of the foliage wire with respect to the post.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the training, growth and harvesting of vine fruit, especially grapes. 
     In particular, the present invention relates to a vineyard trellis system that allows the controlled training, growing and harvesting of grapevines. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     The growth and maintenance of vine crops, in particular grapevines, is paramount in the production process. 
     The grapevine itself is a relatively hardy plant that with appropriate training and pruning can produce prolific amounts of fruit. Therefore, to increase the quality and commercial production of the products of the vine, trellis wires are typically used to support the wood laid down and allow the shoots arising from it to be trained vertically, exposing leaves and fruit for quality improvement. The growth of the vine and the fruit are influenced by the amount of sunlight received by the vine leaves and the use of stakes and trellis wires are typically used to permit lateral branching of the grapevine canes from central vine root stock. This is also commonly referred to as vertical shoot positioned (VSP) trellis in which vine shoots grow upwards and across guide wires in a generally vertical plane aligned with the grapevine trunk. 
     The support of the grapevine foliage and the fruit in a vertically trellised system is typically accomplished by using foliage support wires connected to grape stakes. The stakes are simply driven into the ground and the foliage support wires attached to the grape stakes by nails or clips attached to the grape stake. Typically, there is at least one or two foliage support wires that are mounted on the grape stakes so that these movable foliage support wires can be adjusted over the particular growing season by the simple action of physically lifting the moveable foliage support wire from one set of connectors to another. In this way then, the foliage is raised upwards and the underlying fruit is subjected to increased amount of sunlight which can have a positive effect on the various characteristics of the fruit. 
     The process of manually lifting the foliage support wires from their lower position to an upper position, as the vine grows, is extremely taxing and time consuming especially for large scale situations in which there may be hundreds of rows required to be lifted. 
     This then is a very labour intensive operation which subsequently adds significant costs to the grape grower. 
     It has now been found by the present inventors that an improved vineyard trellis system is capable of significantly reducing the not insubstantial costs associated with management of vines. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a vineyard trellis system useful in supporting vines. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vine trellis system for the support of vines that permits the growth of the vine and enhances growth and development of the vine as well as facilitate harvesting of the fruit. 
     It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a vine trellis system that allows for the optimum positioning of the fruit growing on the vine for mechanical harvesting equipment. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a vine trellis system that allows the repositioning of the foliage support wires with minimal effort. 
     It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least substantially ameliorate, the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taking in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, although this should not be seen as being the broadest form of the invention, there is provided a vineyard trellis system that includes a ground anchored upright post, at least one foliage wire passing by the post and having a supporting interengagement with the post, and lifting means arranged to effect a lifting or lowering of the wire in relation to the post where said lifting means include a support member slidably engaging with the post and engaging with the foliage wire, and a winch arrangement adapted to assist in a lifting or lowering of the support member to effect a change in height of the foliage wire with respect to the post. 
     In a further form of the invention, there is provided a vine trellis system with at least two spaced apart ground anchored upright posts and at least one laterally extending foliage wire extending between the said posts and being supported by each respective post by a support carriage which is supported by the respective post so that the said wire at a respective post location has two support positions for the said wire a first position being higher that a second position, and there being a lifting and lowering arrangement including for each post an elongate member secured to the support carriage slidably retained within the post and being connected to tension applying or releasing means. 
     In yet a further form of the invention there is provided a vineyard trellis system including at least two spaced apart ground anchored post, having a lower portion and an upper portion, at least one foliage wire extending laterally between the at least two spaced apart ground anchored posts, each post having a supporting member in sliding engagement therein, the supporting member adapted to securely engage the at least one foliage wire, and a lifting means to effect lifting or lowering of the supporting member, such that when in use each supporting member is operated at least substantially at the same time so that the at least one foliage wire can be raised or lowered with respect to the ground anchored post. 
     The vine post of the present invention is thus preferably a post capable of engaging securely, in a suitable manner, the ground such that the post is securely resilient to movement under tension normally applied by the weight of vine plants. 
     In preference, the supporting member has a sliding portion and a foliage wire holding portion. 
     In preference, the foliage wire holding portion is remote from the sliding portion. 
     In preference, the lifting means is a first wire rope attached to a winch, and a second wire rope, the second wire rope having a first and second end, wherein the first end is attached to the first wire rope and the second end is attached to the supporting member, such that by applying tension to the first wire rope, tension is applied to the second wire rope. 
     In preference, the supporting member is of integral construction. 
     In preference, the supporting member is adapted to at least partially reside within the ground engaging post, such that during lifting or lowering the sliding portion of the supporting member travels longitudinally along the inside of the post. 
     In preference, the lifting means is electronically controlled. 
     In preference, there is a pulley system located within the post. 
     In preference, the pulley system is further characterised in that the sliding portion has an upper portion with an aperture there through and a shaft passing through said aperture supporting at least one pulley wheel thereon and the post has at least one pulley located on the lower portion and at least one pulley located on the upper portion and a wire connecting said pulleys in an operable manner so that lifting of the sliding portion is facilitated. 
     In preference, the ground engaging post is “C”-shaped. 
     In preference, the winch is remotely controlled. 
     An apparatus for lifting a vine plant substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       By way of example, an employment of the invention is described more fully the renown for with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a pictorial representation of a grapevine, with the trellis system in a raised position. 
         FIG. 2  is a pictorial representation of an embodiment of the invention showing a cut away view of the post. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the slider section that fits within the trellis system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the featured figures, there is a vineyard trellis system  10 , which includes a ground anchored post  20 . The post  20  has an upper portion  25  and a lower portion  30  suitable for anchoring into the ground. The lower portion  30  may be forcibly driven into the ground or otherwise anchored by placing in a hole and securing with cement or similar. 
     The post  20  is “C”-shaped (shown in  FIG. 2  in outline), having a slot  40  traversing longitudinally from the upper portion  25  the lower portion  30 , punctuated by the bridging section  50 , added to increased stability and internal strength of the post  20 . The bridging section  50  is positioned within the lower portion  30  of the post. 
     The post  20  is made from a suitable resilient material such as galvanized steel to enable it to withstand repeated exposure to the elements and general agricultural impacts. Other materials may well be employed such as high impact plastics or similar with minor changes in shape to ensure that post  20  remains rigid. 
     The post  20  has flanges  32  and  34  at either side of the slot  40 . The flanges  32  and  34  assist in holding the slider  60  within the confines of the post  20 . If required a protective cover may be attached to the post  60  so as to cover the slot  40  to provide better protection to the inside of the post  20  from weather elements such as rain and dirt. 
     The slider  60  is shaped so as to allow relatively unrestricted vertical movement  231  within the interior of the post  20 . The slider  60  has an upper projection  70  positioned on an upper surface  75 , and a lower projection  80  positioned on the lower surface  85 . The upper projection  70  has an aperture  90  through it for receiving a shaft  95  in a rotating manner. The shaft  95  shaped to accommodate pulley wheels  100  and  105  on either side of the upper projection  70 . 
     The lower projection  80  has an aperture  86  for receiving an end of a biasing means, such as the hook end  110  of spring  120  is a secure manner. Hook end  125  of spring  120  is inserted in aperture  130  located on the lower portion  30  of post  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the slider  60  has recesses  140  and  145  on sides  150  and  155  respectively. The recesses  140  and  145  allow for the passage or movement of pulley wires  180 . The front surface  190  of the slider  60  has a foliage wire holding portion  200  in an inverted “U”-shape. Located at each remote end  210  and  215  are apertures  220  and  225  for receiving foliage wire  230  there through. It would be well appreciated that the shape of the apertures  220  and  225  can vary to other shapes such as slots or recesses that allow for the secure attachment of foliage wire to the ends  210  and  215 . In some instances, a slot may be preferable in that it allows for the easy removal of the foliage wire  230  from  200 . 
     It is to be understood that the foliage wires  230  run the entire length of the row and the number of posts  20  required in each row is dependant on the size of each row. 
     The foliage wire holding portion  200  may be a separate member that is welded to the slider  60  or it may be of integral construction such as from a mounding. 
     The post  20  has apertures  240  and  245  positioned on sides  250  and  260  on the upper portion  25 . The apertures  240  and  245  are shaped to receive a shaft  250  that accommodate pulley wheels  260  and  265  within the post  20 . Additionally, there are apertures  270  and  275  positioned on sides  250  and  260  located on the lower portion  30 . A shaft  280  is received within the apertures  270  and  175  and a pulley wheel  285  is rotatably connected thereto. Note that each pulley wheel has a groove around its circumference shaped to assist in keeping the pulley wire  180  in position. 
     Pulley wire  180  is attached to a winch  185  and passes around pulley wheel  285  through the inside of the post  20 , and through the recess  140  to pass to the side of pulley wheel  105 . The wire  180  then travels up to pulley wheel  260 , down to pass around pulley wheel  105 , back up to pulley wheel  265 , then back down to pulley wheel  100 . Finally, the wire  180  travels to a fixed point  266  located on the upper portion  25  of the post  20 . This then describes a pulley system that is commonly referred to as a “block and tackle”, of which the mechanical advantages are well known. Other types of pulley systems could also be employed with departing from the scope of the invention, such as systems of six pulley wheels. 
     In use, the post  20  is securely mounted in the earth, either by forcing the post  20  directly into the earth or by excavating the soil and cementing the post  20  therein. In either case the post  20  must be mounted such that it will be able to withstand the usual forces encountered in an agricultural environment such as bearing the weight of the fully laden vine plant as well as being struck by machinery and so on. 
     The growing vine plant  300  attaches to the foliage wire  230 . As the vine plant  300  grows over time the foliage wire holding portion  200  can be raised so as to open up the vine plant and provide increased exposure of the fruit  310  to the sun. As the vine plant  300  continues to grow, so the foliage wire holding portions  200  can be raised until such a time that harvesting of the fruit occurs and the vines are pruned then the foliage wire holding portions  200  can then be lowered. The resultant exposure of the fruit  310  further facilitates the process of mechanical harvesting. 
     The spring  120  attached to the lower portion  30  of the post  20  and the slider  60  provides a biasing means that assists in the return of the slider  60  to its position when the tension in the wire  180  is released. 
     The vine trellis system  10  can be utilized so that each of the post in a row is capable of lifting a vine plant positioned between each post. That is each post is equipped with a pulley set (or lifting mechanism) and is connected to the winch that is set up at the end of each vine row. The technique employed then would be that each pulley wire  180  is connected to a synchronisation wire  300  by way of a swage connection  310 . 
     The synchronisation wire  300  then passes through the conduit  320  positioned on the post  20  and on to the next post having a pulley mechanism contained therein as described above. In this way as the synchronisation wire  300  is taken up by the winch  185 , each of the pulley wires  180  are also pulled thus lifting each of the foliage wire holding portions  200  in unison. Although the wires  300  and  180  are joined together by a swage  310 , it is understood that other mechanisms of joining the wires can be applied without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     Alternatively, the pulley mechanism may only be present in each second or third post, if appropriate; to provide the necessary lifting force required to lift the vine shoots. Those posts without the pulley system still have the slider  60  therein so that it can then travel freely within the post  20 . As can be immediately recognized, this would add to the cost savings and simplicity of the system by having less “lifting” posts per row. 
     In use, the vine cane is attached to the cordon wire  217  and the growing vine shoots are then attached to the foliage wires  230 . As the vine shoot grows the wires  230  are raised by the supporting members  200  through activation of the pulley mechanism in the trellis system  10 . This then more effectively exposes the foliage of the vine to the sun and further provides more effective canopy management. 
     The current invention as described can also employ additional foliage wire holding portions to hold additional foliage wires to accommodate vine growth. 
     The current vine trellis system also lends itself to be part of a total horticultural management system, and can be controlled be a single operation point, thus saving on labor costs and reducing injuries to workers. Another advantage is that the described system is modular in that it can be adapted to various vine plants, or other plant systems in which there is a need to provide such lifting of the canopy. 
     Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures can be made within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details described herein but it is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.