Improvements in Devices for Training Hops.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Training Hops.
1, WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES, of Hill End, Weston Beggard, near Hereford,
Herefordshire, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists in the hereindescribed improvements in devices for
supporting and fixing continuous strings for training hops in bop yards.
Heretofore continuous wires of different kinds have been used for supporting the
strings along which the hops are trained. The first part of my invention has
reference to the construction of these continuous wires so as to facilitate the looping
tieing or otherwise securing of the strings thereto. The said continuous wire may
either be a single wire or two or more wires twisted together.
According to one method of carrying out this part of my invention I provide on
the said continuous wires and at certain intervals apart corresponding with the
points where the strings have to be fixed a series of short wires each of which is
coiled round the continuous wire so as to be fixed thereto the ends of the said short
wire pointing in opposite directions at about right-angles to the continuous wire.
The ends of these short wires are blunted so as not to scratch or catch the clothing
of the persons passing. The continuous string can readily be looped round the
projecting halves of the short wires and thus be fixed to the continuous wire where
required. Or the said short wires may be coiled round the continuous wire and
bent so that the two ends of each wire lie in the same or nearly the same direction
making a clip something like the letter V between which the continuous string can
be held. This V clip may either stand out from the continuous wire or lie parallel
therewith.
The second part of this invention consists in an improved form of string looper
for holding the continuous string and looping it on to the said short wires of the
continuous wire and for cutting the string when required.
a
Upon the top of a light rod which can readily be carried in the hand I provide
fork consisting of two prongs and between these prongs is a small pulley over which
the string passes. One or both of these prongs is or are bent into a hooked form
and the upper parts of the prongs are brought near together so as to only allow of
room for the string to pass between and on to the pulley.
The hooked form of the prong or prongs enables the string to be readily looped
round the said short wires of the high continuous wires as may be required the
other end of the rod meanwhile being held by a person standing on the ground.
The outside edge of one or both of the forks is or may be formed as a knife to
cut the string by an upward movement when required.
Dated this 1st day of February 1892.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Training Hops.
I, WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES, of Hill End, Weston Beggard, near Hereford,
Herefordshire, 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 consists in the hereindescribed improvements in devices for
supporting and fixing continuous strings for training hops in hop yards.

page_text: Heretofore continuous wires of different kinds have been used for supporting the
strings along which the hops are trained. The first part of my invention has
reference to the construction of these continuous wires so as to facilitate the
securely looping tieing or otherwise fixing of the strings thereto so that each
portion of the continuous string will be independent of the other portions then if
one portion of the string breaks that will not affect the other portions thereof.
The said continuous wire may either be a single wire or two or more wires twisted
together.
The second part of this invention consists in an improved form of string looper
for holding the continuous string and looping it on to the said short wires of the
continuous wire and for cutting the string when required.
I will describe my invention by referring to the accompanying drawings on
which
Fig. 1 shews on a small scale a piece of the said continuous wire made according
to this invention;
Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 each shew various methods of constructing the said
continuous wires;
Fig. 9 represents on a small scale a string looper constructed according to the
second part of this invention;
Fig. 10 is a back elevation Fig. 11 is a side elevation and Fig. 12 is a front
elevation of the upper part of the said looper drawn about full size;
Fig. 13 shews a slightly modified form of the same and
Fig. 14 shews a further modification.
According to one method of carrying out the first part of my invention as shewn
by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 I provide on the said continuous wires A and at certain
intervals apart, corresponding with the points where the strings have to be fixed, a
series of short wires B each of which is coiled round the continuous wire A so as
to be fixed thereto the ends of the said short wires B pointing in opposite
directions. The ends b¹ 62 of these short wires B are blunted so as not to scratch
or catch the clothing of the persons passing and the said short wires B are by
preference bent parallel or almost parallel with the continuous wire B as shewn
in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 so that when the continuous string is looped round the
projecting halves of the short wires B the string will be wedged in at 3 between
the short wires B and the continuous wire A and thereby be held more firmly as
the tension on the string increases.
Or instead of the said short wires B being bent parallel or somewhere about
parallel with the continuous wire A as above described and shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4
and 5, the said short wires B may as shewn in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 be coiled round the
continuous wire A and bent so that the two ends b₁ 62 of each wire B together make
a clip something like the letter V between which the continuous string can be held.
This V clip may either stand out from the continuous wire as shewn in Figs. 6 and 7
or lie parallel therewith as shewn in Fig. 8.
Various methods of coiling the short wires B round the continuous wire A may
be adopted as shewn for instance by Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of my drawings,
which however are only intended as examples as I do not confine myself to any
particular coiling of the short wires B round the continuous wire A so long as
projecting parts and the ends 12 of the short wires B are arranged about as shewn
relatively to the continuous wire A. When the continuous wire A consists of two
or more strands of wire coiled together I prefer for the short wires B to be first
coiled round one or more of the strands (see Figs. 2, 3 and 6) and then round the
other strand or strands so as to prevent the short wires B turning round upon the
continuous wire A. When the continuous wire A is a single strand I prefer to
corrugate it as shewn in Fig. 4 so as to prevent the short wires B sliding thereon.
I will now describe the second part of my invention and refer to Figs. 9, 10, 11,
12, 13 and 14. Upon the top of a light rod C which can readily be carried in the
hand I provide a fork D consisting of two prongs d' d' hinged together at e so that
the outer ends d³ can move apart. The prongs d' d' are trough shaped inside to.

page_text: take the string J between them. The prongs d¹² may either be straight (Figs. 9,
10, 11, 12 and 13) or bent into a hooked form (Fig. 14) and the upper parts d³ of
the prongs are brought near together as shewn so as to only allow of room for the
string to pass between. An india rubber ring f (Figs. 11 and 14) or a coiled wire
spring (Fig. 13) or some other kind of spring keeps the prongs d' d² together.
his a guide formed on the prong d¹ embracing the prong d² to prevent the prongs
getting askew.
I is a small pulley over which the string passes but this pulley
may, if preferred, be dispensed with. K is a socket formed with the fork part D for
fixing the same to the rod C.
The continuous string J passes through the eye L on the socket part K and over
the pulley I and between the prongs d d and can thus readily be looped round the
said short wires B of the high continuous wires and the lower wires A as may be
required the lower end of the rod C meanwhile being held by a person standing on
the ground. If there should be any knots or thicker parts in the continuous string
the string will not thereby be jammed in the fork as the hinge e enables the prongs
to spring apart and allow the knots or thicker parts to pass through, the prongs then.
spring together again. On the outside of the fork there is or may be formed a
knife M having a cutting edge at the top so as to cut the string by an upward
movement when required the string meanwhile being guided by the V shaped
projection N.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-.
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is: :-
1. The improved construction of continuous wires for supporting the continuous
strings for training hops hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying.
drawings, that is to say, continuous single strand wires or two or more strand wires
for the purpose described provided with a series of short wires such as B coiled
round and fixed to the continuous wires at intervals each of the said short wires
being bent so that its ends point in opposite directions about in a line with the
continuous wire substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth and
illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
2. The improved construction of continuous wires for supporting the continuous
strings for training hops hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings, that is to say, continuous single strand wires or two or more strand wires
for the purpose described provided with a series of short wires such as B coiled
round and fixed to the continuous wires at intervals each of the said short wires
being bent so that it forms a clip like, or somewhat like, the letter V substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth and illustrated by Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of
the accompanying drawings.
3. The hereindescribed improved string looper for holding the continuous string
for training hops and for looping the string on to the continuous wires, the said looper
consisting of a light rod such as C having at its upper end a pair of spring prongs such
as d d hinged together and adapted to hold the string so as to allow of the string
passing between the prongs substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
4. The construction combination and arrangement of parts constituting the
improved string looper for the purpose stated, substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the accompanying:
drawings.
Dated this 1st day of November 1800