Improvements in Apparatus or Devices for Training Hop Plants.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus or Devices for Training Hop Plants.
1, HENRY THOMAS BENSTED, of Teynham Court, uear Sittingbourne, in the
County of Kent, Farmer and Hopgrower, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in apparatus or
devices for training hop plants, the said improvements being more particularly
applicable to the well known "3 wire system."
The main object of my invention is to provide an improved method of supporting
the sloping strings used in the aforesaid system, with the attendant advantages
hereinafter described.
In the accompanying three sheets of drawings, which form part of this
Specification,
Fig. 1 is a general perspective view of a corner of a hop garden, with devices
arranged in accordance with my invention for training the hops.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation, shewing three sets of the said devices.
Figs. 3 & 4 are elevations to an enlarged scale of one of the details of
construction.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the drawings.
It may be assumed that the rows A A, of hills in the hop garden, are
6 ft. 6 ins. apart and that the hills B in each row, are 6 ft. 6 ins. apart from each
other. At one side of the garden a series of strong poles C about 14 ft. 6 ins. long
are placed 2 ft. deep in the ground, one at the end of each row AA and a similar
pole (not shewn in the drawing) is placed at the opposite end of each row on the
other side of the garden, while intermediate poles Dare placed in each row at
every third hill, as shewn in Fig. 1, or a greater or less distance apart, if desired.
The poles, in accordance with the usual custom, would be placed on the south side
of their respective hills.
A strong wire E, of about No. 9 gauge, is stretched tightly over each row of
hills and supported by the poles C and D about 12 ft. from the ground. These
wires are made fast at the ends to stumps F driven into the ground. Cross-wires H,
running at right angles to the wires E, and at the same height, are also supported
by and made fast to the poles.
ii.
Billets J, about 24 inches long, made of wood, or iron, are suspended from the
wires E by thinner wires K, of about No. 13 gauge, at a point exactly over each
hill. Each suspending wire K is of such length as to allow its billet when brought
forward over the alley to the next hill, in the position shewn in the drawing, to be
about 3 ft. 6 inches from the ground. The wires K may be attached to the billets
by being passed through galvanised iron eyes a screwed into the centres of the
billets, or in any other suitable manner, and runners L are provided to enable the
length of the wire to be regulated and to allow the work to be tightened up at any
time during the growth of the hops.
In place of the said runners, a screw arrangement, or any other suitable device
for adjusting the lengths of the wires may be employed. A wooden or iron notched
stump M, or other convenient device is driven about 18 inches into the ground, about
6 inches distant on the south side of each hill.
In stringing the hops the billet J is first suspended by means of the wire K from
the horizontal wire E, which is over the hill behind the hill to be strung.
The said billet is then brought forward until exactly over the stump M of the hill
to be strung. Three or four separate strings N, are then made fast to the wire E
over the hill in front of the hill to be strung. The said strings are placed at equal

page_text: thereto, training strings N extending diagonally from said billet to an overhead
wire E, and training strings P descending from said billet to an attachmente,.
substantially as described.
.
5. In a device for training hop plants, the combination of billets J, suspended
between overhead wires E by wires K and strings N and secured by strings P, and
poles D having billets J loosely attached thereto with strings N and P, substantially
as described.
6. A device for training hops plants, consisting of the combination of poles C
and D, parallel overhead wires E, and H, supported by said poles, billets J
suspended from said wires E billets J loosely attached to said poles D, training
strings N extending diagonally from said billets to said wires E and training
strings P descending from said billets to attachments M and e, substantially as
described.
7. In a device for training hop plants billets J over certain of the hills loosely
attached to poles D, and billets Jover the intermediate hills suspended by wires K,
so that when the hops are picked the spaces between said poles are free, substan-
tially as and for the purpose described.
8. In a device for training hop plants, the combination of training strings N
and P and billets suspended by wires K and billets loosely attached to poles D, so
that free passages are left across the alleys while the hops are growing, substan-
stantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 18th day of January 1893.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.