New or Improved Means for Raising, Lowering, and Straining or Tightening the Top or Horizontal Wire, to which are Attached the Strings in a Hop Row, for Training and Cultivating Hops.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Means for Raising, Lowering, and Straining or
Tightening the Top or Horizontal Wire, to which are Attached
the Strings in a Hop Row, for Training and Cultivating Hops.
I, JOSEPH TOVEY of Shelwick, Hereford in the same county, Gentleman do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a new or improved system for training and
cultivating hops and the object in view is to provide simple and effective means
whereby the top or horizontal wire to which the strings are attached can be readily
raised, lowered, or strained tight as required.
The top wire is carried by posts situated at each end and intermediate between
the ends, of each hop row, and is passed over a pulley suspended by means of
a book or other contrivance from a cross carrying wire or rod situated upon
the end post of cach row, it is then made fast by means of a cotter pin or such like
attachment which is passed through one of a series of loops upon or near the end
of the top wire, and through an eyelet upon an anchor or supporting wire cr rod
to the post.
The top wire is supported in its length when strained by suitable hooks upon a
cross carrying wire or rod on the intermediate post and upon a similar arrangement
upon the post at the other end of the hop row and made fast; the wire is
then strained or tightened by means of a lever working on a pin upou the end post
of each row.
In order to lower the top wire the cotter pin before referred to is withdrawn thus
releasing the attachment to the anchor wire, one of the loops is then placed onto a
fixed hook on the end post when the wire can be slackened down to the required
height, to secure the desired slackness the wire is taken off the carrying hooks of
the cross wires or rods, and is placed over fixed hooks lower down the posts which
thus supperts it, or a sling rod may be suspended from one or each of the cross
carrying wires, the top wire having been thus lowered, say, to attach the strings
this can Le casily accomplished as will be seen, the wire is then replaced on the
first named hooks and strained tight by the lever.
By these menus for slackening and tightening the hops can be readily picked
from the wires at any convenient. height required by the pickers, thus saving the
cost of cutting and carrying the bine and hops to the cribs and the waste of hops
in cutting thein from the top wire and becoming soiled by falling to the ground is
avoided.
Morcover in dry and hot seasons when the hops are ripe they will keep much
better by being lowered on the wires and will not be so liable to become damaged
by winds. Further, the bine should not be cut but allowed to go through the
course of nature, when the sap will return to the roots charging them with vitality
for the next crop, and thus requiring less manure to cultivate them.
All these advantages are gained by my present system and method of
arrangement.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1896.
EDWD. J. PAYNE & SON,
104, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: New or Improved Means for Raising, Lowering, and Straining or
Tightening the Top or Horizontal Wire, to which are Attached
the Strings in a Hop Row, for Training and Cultivating Hops.
I, JOSEPH TOVEY of Shelwick Hereford in the same county, Gentleman, 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 has reference to a new or improved system for training &
cultivating hops and the object especially in view is to provide simple & effective
means whereby the top wire to which the strings are attached and also the middle
and bottom wires can be readily lowered raised and strained tightly as required
and my improvements consist in the employment of a lever or levers and pulleys and
reels in addition to the wire and string courses.
In my Provisional Specification I have referred to the means for lowering
raising and straining of the top wire only but I have since found in working
out my invention that I can as effectively employ similar means for lowering
raising & tightening the intermediate or middle & the bottom wires, improve!
means are also provided for straining the cross carrying wires and adjustably
connecting the same as hereinafter described.
Hitherto the longitudinal wires have in all cases been permanently connectel to
the cross carrying wires that support them, thus rendering it difficult to reach the
top wire for the purpose of attaching the strings or for picking the hops moreover
the middle and bottom wires when permanently attached are in the way for
working the land all of which inconveniences are obviated by my hereinafter
described improvements.
It will be understood that the wires are carried by posts in the usual way
situated at each end and intermediate between the ends of each hop row and
I will proceed to describe firstly, the arrangement and manipulation of the top
wire to which as stated the strings are attached.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings and to the figures and letters
shewn thereon in which similar letters refer to similar parts,
Figure 1. represents a side view shewing the apparatus arranged over a part of
a hop row.
Figure 2 represents an end view of same.
A are the posts situated at convenient distances apart longitudinally and
transversely in each hop row and as many as may be required, B is an anchor wire
connected to an anchor rod B' said anchor wires and rods retain the top and
bottom posts in an upright position and counteract the strain when tightening
the wires as hereafter described Care cross carrying wires arranged at right
angles with the longitudinal wires though for the purpose of clearer illustration
they are shewn somewhat at an oblique angle thereto Figure 1 and broken off said
cross carrying wires C are supported on the posts A. by suitable hooks loops or
other means D through which they run, a pulley E is suspended from the cross
carrying wires C upon the end posts A. by means of a hook E or other
contrivance.
A detachable lever F fulcrums upon an adjustable pin or spindle F in the end
posts of each row.
The cross carrying wires C are first of all connected by loops D and strained
transversely upon the posts A. The top wire G is then placed upon the hooks D¹
of the cross carrying wires C the wire G is passed over the pulley E upon
the cross carrying wire C attached to the end posts A it is then carried down the

page_text: same and passed round a reel H upon the lower end thereof and is then carried up
and looped over the lever F.
The top wire in its length is supported by the hooks D' upon the cross carrying
wire C of the first intermediate post and so on from post to post being similarly
supported by hooks D' to the end of the row where it is attached to the other end
post in a similar manner to the first from where it started.
By operating the lever F the top wire G is strained tightly over the pulley E
upon the cross carrying wire C and reel H as great power can obviously be
brought to bear by the lever which it may be stated is notched as shewn to receive
and securely hold the looped end of the wire, the wire G having thus been tightly
strained a movable loop on the wire at each end is made secure by passing it over
a fixed stud or hook I upon the posts.
When required to lower the top wire G it is unlooped from the stud or hook I
when it can be slackened down to the required height for which purpose it is taken
off the carrying hooks D' of the cross wires C and is placed over fixed hooks D'
lower down the posts which thus support it or a sling rod may be suspended
if preferred from one or each of the cross carrying wires, the top wire G having
thus been lowered say to attach the strings J or to pick the hops this can be
easily accomplished as will be seen, the wire when required is then replaced on the
hooks D' and again strained tightly by the lever.
The dotted lines on Figure 1 shew the position the top wire G takes when
lowered.
I will now describe the arrangement for tightening or slackened the middle wire
which is represented by G. When tightly strained as shewn it is carried in its
length by hooks D³ attached to the intermediate posts, a reel H' is located upon the
end post or posts and as before stated the lever F is detachable and when required
to strain the middle wire it is unshipped from its spindle for straining the top wire
and attached by a pin or spindle situated above the reel H, having been
tightened in manner before described it is looped over the fixed stud or hook
as at D, to slacken same a similar operation takes place as in the first instance
when the wire G¹ can be raised and passed over the aforesaid fixed hooks D or
lowered as may be required.
In like manner the bottom wire G is tightened or slackened similar means being
provided to support the wire in its length, the end of same passing round a reel H
at the base of the post A at each end of the hop row and is carried up and looped
over a stud or hook D' when strained tightly as shewn, the detachable lever F
working on the pin or spindle F above the reel H', when slackened the wire G'
can be raised to the fixed hooks D³.
By the above described arrangements the wires can be slackened and lowered, or
raised and tightened at will so that when required to attach detach or repair the
strings J connected to the top and bottom wires this can readily be effected
moreover the strings can be used more than one season and until they are rotten as
after picking they can be taken off and stored for the following year.
Referring to Figure 2 K K' shews the anchor wire and anchor rod to each end
post A tightened up by adjustable screw arrangement K. C shows a length
of the cross carrying wire adjustably connected and strained at will from the
anchor wire and rod K K' aud which wire C runs over a pulley or reel L
upon the end posts and through loops or hooks D on the posts across the hop yard
from post to post.
Hitherto these cross wires have been permanently attached.
For picking the hops the wires are released as above described and lowered
to any convenient height required by the hop pickers, enabling the bine and the hops
to be taken off the wires thus saving the cost of cutting and carrying the bine and
hops to the cribs as the bine of the hops need not be torn or cut off for the purpose
of picking inasmuch as the whole arrangement can be let down over the cribs and
the hops be picked with ease and the waste in cutting them from the top wire and
becoming soiled is avoided, moreover in dry and hot seasons when the hops

page_text: are ripe they will keep better by being lowered on the wires and will not be
so liable to be damaged by winds furthermore the bine should not be cut but
be allowed to remain intact with the roots to go through the course of nature
when the sap will return to the roots charging them with vitality for the next crop
-and thus requiring less manure for cultivating them-adding to the productiveness
of the plant in the following season.
It will clearly be seen by my improvements that a great saving is effected not
only in time but in labour and cost as the old method of pole pulling or bine
cutting from the fixed strings wires and poles is abolished.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I would have it understood
that I do not restrict myself to the precise arrangements or to the special details
herein described in connection therewith as I may require to deviate from the same
without departing in any material degree from the essential features and principle
of my invention but what I claim is―
Firstly. The new or improved arrangements herein described in connection with
the means for raising lowering and straining or tightening the wires in a hop row
in combination with the arrangements for supporting the end posts all operating in
manner substantially as set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Secondly. The improved means herein described for adjustably connecting and
for raising lowering and straining the wires and the application and use of the
pulleys, reels, studs, hooks, loops, and lever or levers all of which said arrange-
ments operate in conjunction with each other and with the other working parts of
the apparatus and are carried out in manner and for the purpose or purposes
substantially as set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Thirdly. The arrangements herein described in connection with the cross
carrying wires for adjustably attaching them and for slackening or tightening the
same consisting of the application and use of the anchor wires and rods and
adjustable screw connection and the pulleys, loops or hooks, and other attachments
operating all for the purpose substantially as set forth.
Fourthly. In the cultivation and gathering of hops the general arrangements
comprising my improved apparatus and the means to be employed for carrying the
same into practical effect for the purpose and operating in manner set forth.
Dated this 25th day of August 1896.
EDWD. J. PAYNE & SON,
Warwick Chambers, 104, Colmore Row, Birmingham,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.