A New or Improved Stump for Holding String and the like for Hop Growing and other like Purposes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left. 1st Feb., 1895-Accepted, 24th May, 1895
A New or Improved Stump for Holding String and the like for
Hop Growing and other like Purposes.
ROBERT FULLER Farmer Udiam Farm Ewhurst Hawkhurst do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Wire stump made to screw in the ground and the top so made as to hold fast any
number of strings.
Dated the 27th day of June 1894
A New or Improved Stump for Holding String and the like for
Hop Growing and other like Purposes.
I, ROBERT FULLER of Udiam Farm, Ewhurst, Hawkhurst, in the County of
Sussex, Farmer, 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 :-
This invention relates to devices for holding the string or the like employed
for hop-training and similar purposes and the manner of connecting the string
thereto.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the stump or string-holding device
Figures 2 to 10 inclusive are perspective views showing the preferred manner of
attaching the string to the stump and
Figures 11 and 12 are perspective views showing alternative ways of attaching
the string to the stump.
In Figures 1 and 11 the lower part of the stump is shown respectively in full and
dotted lines, in the other figures the lower part is not represented at all.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The improved stump or string attaching or holding device constructed according
to this invention' as shown in Figures 1 and 11, is preferably constructed of stout hard
tempered wire galvanized (though other material may be used if desired) and at the
lower part of the stem A by which it is intended to be. fixed in the ground it is
formed into a helix or screw. A having a sharpened end so that it may be readily
screwed into the ground and take such hold thereof by reason of its shape and of the
roots of the hop-plant intertwining with the convolutions of the helix, that it will
not be likely to be drawn up by any wind pressure on the twine or plants, although
when desired' it may readily be removed by unscrewing.
At say about the part A' the stem. A is deflected to one side so as to form an
overhanging arm C the end of which terminates in an eye or loop uniting the arm C
with the member E. This member E extends from the loop D across to a loop D¹
at the side of the device opposite to that at which is located the arm C and this
C

page_text: loop D unites the member E with the arm C¹ which extends down to the part Aª
where by its portion C2 it partly embraces the stem and terminates in a short arm
or projection F.
The wire is so coiled in forming the loops D and D₁ as to leave sufficient space
between the adjacent portions of the convolutions to admit of the free passage of
the string G Figures 2 to 12, at those parts.
"
The string may be attached to the before-described device in many different
ways, in most of which I attain the very important result of positively securing
said string against accidental detachment. This result has been the aim of others
besides myself but up to the present no reliable means have been devised for the
purpose. The stump or device shown on the drawings moreover readily adapts
itself to the "Worcester," "Kent or other sytems of hop plantation employed,
whether the string be continuous or non-continuous. For convenience in describing
the manner of threading the string through the loops D D', I refer to the side at
which the short arm F projects forward (that side presented in the drawings towards
the reader) as the "front," the opposite one as the "back" and the sides at which
the loops D and D₁ are located as the "left" and "right" respectively, in other
respects these terms have no significance as either side of the device may be regarded
as the front, back, left or right.
In threading the string G through the loops D D' as it is unrolled from say a
ball or equivalent shown diagrammatically at G' in Figures 2 to 10, it is first led
down from the usual over-head support (not shown in the drawing) to the front
of the member E and arm C¹ passed beneath the latter, round the back of the
stem A up at the right of and over the projection F and under the arm C all as
shown in Fig. 2. The string is then pulled between the parts A2 C2, which
normally under the resiliency of the wire are kept close together and constitute
what is hereinafter referred to as a "spring gate," so that the string passes directly
through the loop H as shown in Figure 3. The string G is then drawn toward the
left of the loop H and passed between the adjacent portions of the convolutions of
the loop D so that it will then appear as shown in Fig. 4. The string is next
passed downwards in front of the arm C¹, behind the part A2 of the stem A round
the back, left hand side and front of the stem A and upwards at the right-hand side
of and over the projection F as shown in Fig. 5 so that when the leading end of the
string or ball Gis drawn first towards the left and afterwards towards the back it
will assume the position shown in Figure 6 in which it is shown passing directly
through the loop D.
The string G is then led up and connected to the overhead support and then led
down to the back of the device, passed beneath the arm C, over the projection F
and behind the stem A and then appearing as shown in Figure 7. The string thus
arranged is then, by its leading end, drawn taut say in an upward direction so that
it passes first between the spring gate A2 C and then to the top of the loop D¹ as
shown in Figure 8. After this the string is passed from left to right and downwards
between the adjacent portions of the convolutions of the loop D₁ then towards the
left and under the arm C over the projection F and around the left and back of the
stem A as shown in Figure 9 so that when next it is drawn taut the string will pass
directly through the loop D' as shown in Figure 10. The string is then led up to
and connected to the overhead support and then led downwards for connection to the
next of the series of stumps.
The foregoing is a description of the method of stringing which would preferably
be employed for what is known as the "Kent" system that is, the system in which
four training strings are employed for each plant, but it will be readily seen that if
instead of leading the string, after it has been passed through the loop D as shown
in Figure 6, up to the overhead support, it be passed directly through the loop D
and thence led upwards only two training strings will be provided as in the
"Worcester system.
"
After the string G has been fixed or arranged in the manner previously described
it cannot, unless broken, become accidentally detached from the stumps say for

page_text: example under the influence of the wind as is frequently the case with other
arrangements for, even supposing that the string become sufficiently slack to allow
a bight or bend to pass over the projection F subsequent tension would not draw the
string in any direction which would release it from the loops D D'.
Where this last described provision is not necessary the improved stump may be
used for the "Worcester" system by merely passing the string G from the underside
of the loops D D¹ upwards between the adjacent portions of their convolutions as
shown in Fig. 12 in which case the string is somewhat tightly gripped by these
parts.
When three training strings are required for each plant I use the string in
separate lengths, each length serving to string two stumps, by fastening one end of
each as at G Figure 13 to the member E, then leading it up and connecting it to
the overhead support and then leading it down to the stump and passing it under
the loops D D as shown in Fig. 12. If five training strings are required from each
stump the last described arrangement is followed and the string between the
loops D D is led up and connected to the overhead support.
The device may be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention
for example instead of the loops DD' being formed each of one convolution of the wire,
as shown in the drawings they may be formed of two or more convolutions, and
moreover instead of the stumps being arranged for the holding of the strings at say
five or six inches above or approximately close to the surface of the ground as
indicated in the drawings they may be arranged for holding the strings at a
greater height, for example say about four or five feet above ground so as to admit
of the ground being cultivated in both ways by horses if preferred. In an arrange-
ment such as last described I may if desired use auxiliary strings leading from the
loops D D¹ down to or nearly down to the ground so as to allow the plants to climb
up these auxiliary strings to reach the main strings G.
The before described device besides securing the important advantages above set
forth also secures a further advantage over the devices hitherto used for the same
purpose for, whereas, as in these only one point of attachment for the strings is
provided and the strings all consequently diverge from this point and at this part
are little or no better than one string as regards the training of the plant, in my
improved device the strings or portions of the string are held apart so as to
virtually present at least two, or it may be more, separate strings for the training
of the plant.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A screw stump for the attachment to the ground of the training strings for
hops and other plants in which the string is threaded in the manner substantially
as described.
2. A screw stump for the attachment to the ground of the training strings of
hops and other plants constructed so as to hold the strings or portions of the same
string at a distance apart substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. A screw stump for the attachment to the ground of the training strings of
hops or the like provided with loops such as D D³ through which the string may be
passed without necessarily passing the string end through the loop and from which
the string while intact cannot become accidentally detached.
4. The combination with a device for the attachment to the ground of the training
strings of hops or the like of a helix or screw such as A' substantially as and for the
purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. In a screw stump for the attachment to the ground of the training strings of
hops or the like the combination of a stem A arms C C₁ loops such as D D¹
member E and projection such as F substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
6. In a device for the attachment to the ground of the training strings of hops or

page_text: the like the combination of a stem A helix or screw such as A¹ arms C C¹
loops such as D D¹ member E and projection such as F substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
7. In a device for the attachment to the ground of the training strings of hops or
the like the combination of a stem A helix or screw such as A₁ arms C C¹
spring gate such as A2 C2 loops' such as D D' member E and projection such as F
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Deted this 24th dor of Fah 1005
R. FULLER..
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.
R. FULLER..
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.