Improvements in Machines or Apparatus for Washing Hop Plants, Vines, and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 11th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines or Apparatus for Washing Hop Plants,
Vines, and the like.
I, EDMUND GASCOINE Junior, of Perseverance Iron Works, Maidstone in the
County of Kent Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to machines or apparatus to be employed for washing or
spraying liquid over hop plants vines and the like (I will refer to these as "the
plants") whilst the said machines or apparatus are traversed along in proximity to
the plants and it has for its object to provide an arrangement which is economical
in first cost, and not liable to readily get out of order, and by which a very efficient
spraying of the liquid over the plants is obtained. The apparatus is not only
applicable where the plants require washing at the side or sides of the machine but
also to the washing of plants which are trained overhead and require washing
above as well as at the sides of the machine. According to my invention I use, in
combination with a tank or reservoir (mounted on wheels) for the liquid to be used
and a pumping device (which may be of the ordinary or any suitable description),
a support, for the pipes which lead from the tank or reservoir and terminate in
nozzles through which the liquid issues, the said support consisting of a rod, or
frame, of inverted U form carried at its upper part by a bracket or brackets from
the framing of the machine and having its longitudinal members depending on
either side of the machine. The lower ends of the support may be weighted and
capable of moving in guides attached to the machine by the turning of the support
in its upper bearings or the said lever ends may be fixed in any position to which
they may be brought by any suitable fastening such as for instance a pin passed
through the guides and support. The support is preferably so shaped that its
lower ends diverge as they approach the ground. The pipes by which the nozzles
are carried are connected to the side and upper members of the said support so that
they can be adjusted angularly, and upwards or downwards, on the support, and
inwards or outwards as required. This may be effected by a clamp consisting of
two parts which grip the support between them and are secured together by a
screw bolt having a handle on its nut and having at its other end an eye for
desired
receiving the pipe so that by screwing up the nut the clamp is fixed in any
position on the support, and the pipe is, at the same time, fixed in position. The
pipes may be either rigid or flexible or partly rigid and partly flexible. If rigid
the support may be allowed to turn in its upper bearings when the tubes or nozzles
come in contact with the plants or any obstruction, the weights returning the
support to its normal position when the obstruction is passed. If the pipes be
flexible, or in part flexible, the support may be fixed and the obstruction be cleared
by the yielding of the pipes themselves or both the pipes and the support may
yield.
1000
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines or Apparatus for Washing Hop Plants,
Vines, and the like.
J; EDMUND GASCOINE Junior of Perseverance Iron Works, Maidstone in the
County of Kent, Engineer 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 machines or apparatus to be employed for washing or
spraying liquid over hop plants vines and the like (I will refer to these as the
plants) whilst the said machines or apparatus are traversed along in proximity to
the plants and it has for its object to provide an arrangement which is economical
in first cost and not liable to readily get out of order and by which a very efficient
spraying of the liquid over the plants is obtained. The apparatus is not only
applicable where the plants require washing at the side or sides of the machine but
also to the washing of plants which are trained overhead and require washing
above as well as at the sides of the machine. According to my invention I use in
combination with a tank or reservoir (mounted on wheels) for the liquid to be used
and a pumping device (which may be of the ordinary or any suitable description).
support for the pipes which lead from the tank or reservoir and terminate in
nozzles through which the liquid issues the said support consisting of a rod or
frame of inverted U form carried at its upper part by a bracket or brackets from
the framing of the machine and having its longitudinal members depending on
either side of the machine.
.
&
The lower ends of the support may be weighted and capable of a slight vibratory
movement in brackets or guides attached to the machine which brackets or guides
also serve to protect the ends of the support. Or the said lower ends may be fixed
in position by any suitable fastening such as for instance as a pin passed through
the guides and supports. The support is preferably so shaped that its lower ends
diverge as they approach the ground. The pipes by which the nozzles are carried
are connected to the side and upper members of the said support so that they can
be adjusted angularly and upwards or downwards on the support and inwards or
outwards as required. This is conveniently effected by a clamp consisting of two
parts which grip the support between them and are secured together by a screw
bolt having a handle on its nut and having at its other end an eye for receiving the
pipe or nozzle so that by screwing up the nut the clamp is fixed in any desired
position on the support and the pipe or nozzle is at the same time fixed in position.
The pipes may be either rigid or flexible or partly rigid and partly flexible.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the
several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in the figures.
Figures 1 and 2 represent side and back elevations respectively of a machine
constructed according to my invention for washing or spraying liquid over hop
plants vines and the like and
Figure 3 is a plan of one of my improved clips for securing the nozzles in any
position to which they have been adjusted on their carrying frame or support.
A is a tank or vessel containing the liquid to be distributed the said tank being
mounted on wheels B. At the back of the tank A is the air vessel D com-
municating with the pump or pumps which may be of the usual construction and
may be driven or worked by means of gearing or otherwise from the wheels or one
of the wheels B or by any other convenient or suitable means. Connected to the
vessel D are pipes E to which are connected the hose or flexible pipes E' carrying
branches n terminating in nozzles F the pipes E being provided with cocks or
valves by which the passage for the liquid may be regulated or cut off as required.

page_text: The branches n are each secured to a frame or support G by clips or clamping
devices H one of which is shewn in plan in Figure 3. The frame or support G
consists of a rod or tube bent into U form and mounted in an inverted position in
bearings I ou a bracket C fixed to the tank A the limbs g of the frame being
preferably splayed outwards so that they are wider apart at bottom than at top.
The lower ends of the limbs are shewn as being free to vibrate slightly in slots
or recesses formed in brackets K bolted to the tank A. and by these brackets the
said limbs are protected from injury by contact with stones or other obstructions.
The parts or jaws h of each clamping device H are formed to fit the frame or
support G and are connected together by a screw bolt i and nut k by which they
may be made to tightly grip the frame G and be securely retained in any required
position thereon. The screw bolt is formed with an eye or loop for the reception
of the branch n so that by turning the bolt in the holes in the jaws through
which it passes the nozzle may be turned and pointed in any desired direction and
be fixed in that direction (and also to project more or less as required) by the nut k
which is formed with a handle m by which it may be turned without the necessity
for the use of a spanner or other tool.
I have shewn several nozzles on each branch n secured to the top cross bar of
the frame G but I may use one or more than one nozzle on each branch n as
desired. The frame Ġ may be fixed but I prefer to mount it loosely in the
bearings I so that as the machine travels the frame will vibrate slightly and so give
a very efficient action equivalent to that imparted by the shaking movement of the
band of the operator in washing by hand.
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. In apparatus for washing or distributing liquids over hop plants vines and the
like the combination with a tauk or reservoir for the liquid to be used and having
a pump or pumps in connection therewith for forcing the liquid from the tank of
pipes terminating in nozzles and a carrying support or frame for supporting them
and means for adjusting the pipes on the said support or frame so as to vary as
desired the direction and position of the nozzles and the direction of the projection
of the liquid substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. For use in apparatus for washing or distributing liquid over hop plants vines
and the like the clamp herein before described with reference to Figure 3 the said
clamp consisting of parts or jaws fitted to grip a support or frame and connected
together by a screw bolt (i) having a ring or eye (1) to receive a nozzle branch or
pipe and a nut k for tightening up the parts or jaws substantially as bereinbefore
described.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the apparatus for
washing or distributing liquids over hop plants vines and the like substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 6th day of February 1893.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.