AU2002301028B2

AU2002301028B2 - Fastening System for Agricultural Materials

Info

Publication number: AU2002301028B2
Application number: AU2002301028A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jonathan Dallas Toye
Original assignee: Nine IP Ltd
Current assignee: Nine IP Ltd
Priority date: 2000-04-26
Filing date: 2002-09-16
Publication date: 2006-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 2020-04-26
Also published as: AU2002301028A1

Description

16-SEP-2002 14:36 FROM AJ PARK TO 0061262837999 P.04 -1- Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT, 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for service in Australia: EXTENDAY IP LIMITED JONATHAN DALLAS TOYE A J PARK, Level 11, 60 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra ACT 2601 Invention Title:

FASTENING

MATERIALS

SYSTEM FOR AGRICULTURAL The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us 28-JUL-2006 16:43 A J PPRK 28-UL-00616~3 PJ PPK64 9 3566990 P.09 FIELD OF INVENTION Z The invention comprises a fastening system in particular for use in anchoring 00 agricultural sheeting to a support.

BACKGROUND TO INVENTION 00 0 Ground cover materials in the form of woven or film sheeting can be used in association CC) with agricultural crops, to reflect light on to orchard fruit and fruit trees or vines in a o vineyard and/or to suppress weed growth. Such materials may simply be secured in o position by placement of weight(s) on top of the material, such as soil along edges of the material, or stones or rocks or similar. Alternatively, pegs or U-shaped wire staples or similar may penetrate the material and extend into the ground below.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION In broad terms in one aspect the invention comprises a fastening system for anchoring agricultural sheeting to a support or supports, including: at least one agricultural sheeting fitstening claw capable of connecting a length of elongated resiliently extensible material to a section of agricultural sheeting, textile or film under tension in the stretched resiliently extensible material in anchoring the agricultural sheeting, textile or film to a support, said claw including two arms, each arm including a prong adapted to Pierce the sheeting, textile or film to connect the claw to the sheeting, textile or film, the two arms also being joined at an attachment eye having an entry to the attachment eye defined between two intermediate portions of the two arms and the two arms being resiliently movable at least one away from the other when a hook or loop on one end of a said length of resiliently extensible material or of a length of inextensible material is manually pulled through said entry and into the eye to connect the hook or loop to the fastening claw, and at least one clip formed by a single length of material including two end portions which overlap so that the clip is a closed loop and which end portions are resiliently biased towards each other, the terminal end of at least one end portion extending away from the other end portion to form an entry aperture which enables the attachment eye COMB ID No:SB3MI-04300544 Received by IP Australia: Time 14:49 Date 2006-07-28 28-JUL-2006 16:44 A J PARK 28-UL-00616:4 Pj PRK64 9 3566990

IND

o of the fastening claw or a length of resiliently extensible and/or inextensible material 0 connectable to the fastening claw to be pulled through thie entry aperture to connect to 3 or disconnect from the clip, or which enables the clip to be connected to or disconnected oc from another link, 00 Preferably the clip is formed from a length of stiff metal wire.

00 o Preferably the terminal end of the clip extends into the area bound by a circumference o of the closed loop of the clip. Preferably the terminal end also extends away from a S plane of the clip.

In another aspect the the invention comprises a method of anchoring agricultural sheeting to a support including the steps of, in any order, connecting a length of resiliently extensible material to each of the fastening claw and the clip of the fastening system, attaching the fastening claw to the sheeting by piercing the prong(s) of the fastening claw through the sheeting, attaching the clip to a fixed support, and stretching the length of material to anchor the sheeting under tension.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred forms of the fastening system of the invention and it's use are described by way of example and without intending to be limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the preferred form fastening system in use;, Figure 2 shows a preferred form clip from one side;, Figure 3 shows a preferred form clip from one end; Figure 4 shows a preferred form clip from above; Figure 5 shows a preferred form fastening claw and clip connected by a length of extensible and/or inextensible material, and COMS ID No: SBMI-04300544 Received by P1 Australia: Time 14:49 Date 2006-07-28 16-SEP-2002 14:37 FROM RJ PARK TO 0061262837999 P.07 Figure 6 shows another preferred form of clip, from above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED FORM Figure 1 illustrates use of the fastening system of the invention. Agricultural sheeting I typically in the form of synthetic textile or film is anchored underneath agricultural crops such as rows of orchard trees 4 as a ground cover, which in a preferred form has reflective properties to reflect sunlight onto the frut trees and fruit from below. In Figure 1 only a part of the sheeting I is shown. Typically long sections of the sheeting are anchored along both edges between rows of orchard trees or vines. Typically the agricultural sheeting is a non-woven, woven or knitted textile or film material.

Fastening claws 20 connected to the sheeting 20 usually along its edges, in turn connect to clips 10 usually by ioops or lengths of extensible or optionally inextensible material The clips 10 in turn attach to staples 5 hammered into the spaced trees 4 as shown.

A fastening claw 20 is shown in more detail in Figure 5 and includes two arms 21 which extend to prongs 22 on either side, which prongs in use are forced through and pierce the sheeting 1. Where the sheeting I is formed from a relatively weaker material such as some plastic films, the sheeting may include a reinforced or folded edge strip (not shown) around all or parts of the perimeter of the sheeting, through which the prongs of the fastening claws are forced. Alternatively the sheeting could be provided with reinforced apertures or eyelets or similar, into which the prongs may engage.

The preferred form fastening claws 20 are each formed from a single length of wire bent to shape, to form the arms 21, the ends of which are bent in turn to form the prongs 22.

The prongs 22 are preferably angled back to an acute angle to the two arms 21 as shown, and may optionally be angled towards each other, to give added resistance to unintended withdrawal in the field, once inserted (from wind, tractor traffic, or similar).

Successive lengths of wire may be cut at an angle before bending to form claws, to provide the prongs with sharp points to assist in piercing the sheeting in use.

Alternatively the fastening claws may be cast or injection moulded from a plastics 16-SEP-2002 14:36 FROM AJ PARK TO 0661262837999 P.08 material. Fastening claws which are produced from plastics may have one, two, or more prongs.

The fastening claws 20 also each comprise an attachment eye 24 enabling a length of material to be attached to the fastening claw. In the preferred form each of the arms 21 of the fastening claw is cranked away from the other and then towards the other arm part way along the length of each arm as shown to form the attachment eye 24.

A preferred form clip 10 is shown in Figures 2 to 4. It is formed'from a length of stiff wire bent to form a closed loop and so that the two end portions 11I and 12 overlap as shown, and are resiliently biased towards each other. Alternatively the clip could be moulded or cast from a plastics material. The terminal end 13 of at least one of the two end portions 11 and 12 extends away from the other end portion to form an entry aperture into the clip. While the terminal end 13 could extend in the main plane of the clip ie the plane of the page in Figure 2, and downwardly into the area bound by the circumference of closed loop of the clip, in a preferred forn the terminal end extends away from the main plane of the clip, as best seen from Figure 3. In alternative form again the terminal end may extend away from the main plane of the clip as in Figure 3, but not into the area bound by the circumference of the closed loop of the clip le the terminal end 13 may extend parallel to the other end portion 11, or outwardly from the circumference of clip.

Figure 6 is a view from above similar to Figure 5 but of another preferred form clip, in which the terminal end of the other end portion I11 is similarly angled, to form an entry aperture on the opposite side of the clip also.

The entry aperture formed by bent terminal end or ends 13 enable(s) loop 30 to be connected to the clip 10, or the clip 10 to also be connected to another link such as staple 5, by pulling the loop through the entry aperture defined by the terminal end 13 and between the overlapping end portions 11I and 12 and into the interior of the closed loop of the clip, or by engaging the clip on to the staple or similar which in the latter case can be done with one hand. Alternatively the clip may be attached to a piece of *16-SEP-2002 14:36 FROM AJ PARK TO 0861262637999 P.09 wire or twine around a Wree, or to a wire running along a row of trees or to any other suitable means. The ioop 30 may be disconnected from the clip or the clip disconnected from the staple 5 or other link, using the same entry aperture, or alternatively in a clip such as that shown in Figure 6 by using the other entry aperture.

In an alternative form the clips may be the same or similar in shape as the preferred form clips shown in the drawings but may be formed from a plastic material also.

The fastening system preferably includes lengths of resiliently extensible material such as the loops 30 of rubber or a synthetic elastic cord 30. Loops are preferred as shown but alternatively lengths of elastic cord may be provided with loops at each end by for example doubling the cord back on itself. Loop 30 or equivalent may be formed entirely of an extensible or inextensible material, or may be formed of an extensible material along part of its length and an inextensible material along part of its length.

For example, length(s) of elastic cord could be attached to plastic strapping for part of its length. The plastic strapping or alternatively twine is generally less expensive than elastic materials, therefore reducing cost. Such a length of plastic strap or twine may also be arranged to have variable length to act as an adjustment system to vary the tension on the cord, depending on the requirements of the system.

In use, the elastic cord 30 is connected to clip 10 by pulling the cord through the entry aperture and into the clip. The other end of the elastic cord is attached to the fastening claw and the cord 30 is stretched by pulling the fastening claw away from the tree 4 and piercing the fastening claw 10 into the sheeting 1, while the cord 30 is stretched to also place the sheeting under tension. Alternatively the fastening claw may be first connected to the sheeting and to the cord 30. The cord may then be connected to the clip 10 and the cord stretched so that the clip can be connected to the tree 4 (via staples), or to any other fixed point.

The fastening system of the invention combining clips, cords and fEastening claws allows quick and easy fastening and unfastening of the sheeting so that it may be put in place and then subsequently removed and replaced or moved to another area of land.

*16-SEP-2002 14:36 FROM AJ PARK TO 0061262837999 When the sheeting is used as ground cover, the fastening system allows the sheeting to be detached along one side of a row of frees or vines and folded back to the other row, then later unfolded and reattached, or unattached along both s ides of the sheeting and removed from the field. Such easy and quick reattachment can be desirable during installation of the sheeting in the spring and removal in the autumn. Easy and quick reattacbment is also desirable for time critical activities such as during spring frosts to fold back the material to allow ground heat being held by the sheeting to be more easily released to reduce frost damage, and for crops with multiple harvest picks where it is desirable to have the material in place between picks and where it is desirable to fold back the material at each harvest pick.

Also once the sheeting is fastened in accordance with the invention, for example, as ground cover, a tractor or similar traffic may be driven over the sheeting. The elastic loops or lengths 30 stretch and relax as the traffic passes over the ground cover.

In areas of high wind, the force of the wind may tend to lift the sheeting from the ground. Wind force is partly absorbed by the tensioned cord, which acts as a shock absorber. The sheeting lifts on one side due to the wind, and under pressure from the wind and rubber cord or band, the other side of the sheeting then lifts to release the pressure. The sheeting can move with pulsing or wave action along its surface in response to the wind. This can absorb wind force. This action can also assist to clean soil, leaves or fruit from the sheeting.

As stated, in an alternative form the fastening claws may have more thian two rmis, for example four arms.

The fastening system may be used to support sheeting for example between 10 mim and 500 mm and preferably between 100 mm and 200 mm, above the ground surface.

Alternatively the fastening system may be used to suspend the sheeting above a crop if the sheeting needs to be positioned above the crop to impart its benefits such as to 16-SEP-2002 14:39 FROM AJ PARK TO 0061262837999 P.11 provide shade, wind cover or protection from pests. Reflective sheeting may also be support at an angle to the ground ie higher on one side than the other.

It will be appreciated that the fastening system may be used to anchor ground covers, but may also be used to anchor greenhouse or other crop covers, shade cloth, windbreak, bird netting or similar.

The foregoing describes the invention including preferred forms thereof. Alterations and modifications as will be obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be incorporated within the scope hereof, as defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

28-JUL-2006 16:44 A J PARK 28-UL-08616~4 PJ PRK64 9 3566990 P.11 o CLAIMS Z 1. A fhstening system for anchoring agricultural sheeting to a support or supports, 00 including: at least one agricultural sheeting fastening claw capable ao' connecting a length of elongated resiliently extensible material to a section of agricultural sheeting, textile or 00 ci film under tension in the stretched resiliently extensible material in anchoring the 0 agricultural sheeting, textile or film to a support, said claw including two anus, each arm including a prong adapted to pierce the sheeting, textile or film to connect the claw to the sheeting, textile or film, the two arms also being joined at an attachment eye having an entry to the attachment eye defined between two intermediate portions of the two anus and the two arms being resiliently movable at least one away from the other when a hook or loop on one end of a said length of resiliently extensible material or of a length of inextensible material is manually pulled through said entry and into the eye to connect the hook or loop to the fastening claw, and at least one clip formecd by a single length of material including two end portions which overlap so that the clip is a closed ioop and which end portions are resiliently biased towards each other, the terminal end of at least one end portion extending away from the other end portion to form an entry aperture which enables the attachment eye of the fastening claw or a length of resiliently extensible and/or inextensible material connectable to the fastening claw to be pulled through the entry aperture to connect to or disconnect from the clip, or which enables the clip to be connected to or disconnected from another link. 2. A fastening system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the terminal ends of both end portions of the clip extend to form an entry aperture which enables the attachinent eye of the fastening claw or a length of resiliently extensible and/or extensible material to be pulled through the entry aperture to connect to or disconnect from the clip, or which enables the clip to be connected to or disconnected from another link. 3. A fastening system according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the clip is formed ftrm a length of stiff metal wire. 9 COMS ID No: SBMI-04300544 Received by IP Australia: Time 14:49 Date 2006-07-28 28-JUL-2006 16:44 A J PARK 28-UL-00616:4 PJ PRK64 9 3566990 P.12 Nl 4. A fastening system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the clip is SZ formed from a plastics material. 00 A fastening system according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said terminal end of the clip extend(s) into the area bound by a circumference of the closed loop of 00 the clip. 6. A -fastening system according to claim 5 wherein said terminal end(s) also extend S away from a plane of the clip. 7. A fastening system according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the fastening claw is formned from a single length of stiff metal wire bent to form the fastening claw. 8. A fastening system according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the fastening claw is formed from a plastics material. 9. A fastening system according to any one of the preceding claims also including a length of resiliently extensible material connectable between the fastening claw and the clip to connect the fastening claw and the clip. A fastening system according to claim 9 wherein said length of resiliently extensible material is a closed loop. 11. A fastening system according claim 9 wherein said length of resilient extensible material is a single length with a loop at both ends. 12. A fastening system according to any one of claims 9 to I I wherein the resiliently extensible material is cord formed of rubber or a synthetic elastic material. 13. A method of anchoring agricultural sheeting to a support including the steps of, in any order, connecting lengths of resiliently extensible material to a number of the COMS ID No: SBMI-04300544 Received by IP Australia: lime 14:49 Date 2006-07-28 28-JUL-2006 16:45 A J PARK 28-UL-006 16:5 P.1 PRK64 9 3566990 P.13 fastening claws and the clips of the fastening system as claimed in claim 1, attaching the fastening claws to the sheeting by piercing the prong(s) of the fastening claws through the sheeting, attaching the clips to fixed supports, and including stretching the lengths of material to anchor the sheeting under tension. 14. A method according to claim 13 including the sheeting between about 10 nun and about 500 mm above the ground. Agricultural sheeting anchored under tension to a support or supports by the method of either one of claims 13 and 14. 16. A fastening system substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. I TOTAL P.13 COMS ID No: SBMI-04300544 Received by IP Australia: Time (I-tm) 14:49 Date 2006-07-28