Improvements in Appliances for Training Hops and other Twining Plants.
Year: 1894

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Training Hops and other Twining
Plants.
I, JOHN WATKINS, of Pomona Farm, Withington, in the County of Hereford,
Nurseryman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to appliances for training hops and other twining plants, so
arranged that when it is desired to gather the crop, all the upper parts of the
plants can be brought down within easy reach of the hand and readily stripped off
the material on which they are trained.
For this purpose, I stretch sets of high parallel horizontal wires between tops of
poles in the usual way, and on or under these I rest or suspend other horizontal
parallel wires at about right angles to the former, and preferably in pairs, from
which vertical or nearly vertical wires, light sticks, canes or bamboos extend down
to horizontal wires stretched at a height about midway between the ground and
the wires above, and from these lower wires 1 hang other vertical wires, light
sticks, canes or bamboos, down to the ground.
The plants are trained up the two lengths of vertical wires, sticks, canes or
bamboos to the horizontal wires above. When the crop has to be gathered the
horizontal wires above are unfastened from the wires which carry them, and
lowered thus bringing the upper parts of the plants within reach; and after the
is gathered all the upper wires, light sticks, canes or bamboos can be raised
crop
again.
As a convenient arrangement for lowering the upper pair of wires they are
stretched between wires fixed at intervals sloping downward to points at a distance
about equal to the length of the upper vertical wires or sticks. The upper pair of
wires being slid down the sloping wires, the wires or sticks carried by them which
were vertical or nearly so now lie down horizontal at about half the height of the
poles, all the crop upon them being thus brought within easy reach of the hand.
The vertical wires, or sticks instead of being fixed to the horizontal wires may be
made with heads and passed through rings or eyes strung on the horizontal wires,
so as to hang by their heads, or they may be made with hooks so that they can be
readily fastened or detached, and when the crop is gathered they can be withdrawn,
leaving the plants quite free. In some cases when light sticks, canes or bamboos
are used the upper sticks may be dispensed with their place being taken by strings
preferably made waterproof, and these strings being in short lengths can easily be
withdrawn from the vines which envelope them and can then be replaced in position
and used again for the same purpose as before. In this case I prefer to have two
lower horizontal wires, one a short distance above the other, the upper
attached to the strings, the lower ends of which are fastened to the lower
horizontal wire from which the pendant sticks or canes extend to the ground.
The upper of the two horizontal wires not being fixed to the posts will descend as
the strings above it stretch, thus keeping them tight, the only slack of the strings
occurring in the short distance between these two wires.
wire
In some cases it is of advantage to make the vertical wires or sticks in two

page_text: lengths attached together so that they can be separated about the middle if
required, and one of the lengths may be wire, the other a stick or bamboo.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1894.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Appliances for Training Hops and other Twining
Plants.
1, JOHN WATKINS, of Pomona Farm, Withington, in the County of Hereford,
Nurseryman, 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 appliances for training hops and other twining plants, so
arranged that when it is desired to gather the crop, all the upper parts of the
plant can be brought within reach and readily stripped off the materials on which
they are trained.
For this purpose, as shewn in the accompanying drawing, I stretch sets of high
parallel horizontal wires B carrying them on hooks K from cross wires L, or
resting them on the cross wires L, which are carried on posts A. in the usual way.
Instead of cross wires bars of wood or iron or pieces of tube may be fixed on
the tops of the posts A, and on or under these may be rested or suspended the
horizontal parallel wires B from which in whatever way they are supported
vertical or nearly vertical wires E extend down to a horizontal wire C stretched
at a height about midway between the ground and the upper wires Band from the
lower wire hang other vertical wires D down to the ground.
The plants are trained up the two lengths D and E of the vertical wires to the
horizontal wire B above.
When the crop has to be gathered the wires B above are unfastened from
the wires or bars which carry them, and are lowered along with the upper parts of
the plants bringing them within reach of the hand.
After the crop is gathered all the upper wires B and E can be mised again to
their former positions. When the wires B are permanently fixed, the crop can be
gathered by employing ladders or stages to strip the wires E.
I prefer to attach strainers to the ends of the horizontal wires B so that they
can be sinckened before being lowered and tightened again after being replaced.
The vertical wires or sticks instead of being fixed to the horizontal wires may
be made with heads or they may be made with hooks so that they can be readily
fastened or detached, and when the crop gathered they can be withdrawn leaving
the plants quite free.
The horizontal wire C may be placed high enough for a horse to pass under it
so as to allow of cultivation. In this case prefer to make the upper vertical
wires long enough to reach a little below the lower wire C so that they may be
fastened by clips, bast, string or other temporary means to the lower vertical
wires a little below the wire C.
Instead of the wires D and E, light sticks such as canes or bamboos inay be
employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
For training hops or other twining plants, the combination of upper horizontal

page_text: wires, vertical wires or their equivalents suspended therefrom and reaching about
half way to the ground, a lower horizontal wire fixed about midway bet veen the
upper horizontal wires and the ground, and vertical wires or their equivalents
extending from the lower wire to the ground, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Daki 001 dan of Man 1805
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.