AU2005204269A1 - Improvements in and relating to vine growth - Google Patents

Description

EDITOIAL NOTE: The dlescrjptlon starts on pacqe 2.

-2- FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in and relating to the growing of vines in particular, but not exclusively, to kiwi fruit vines.

BACKGROUND ART KNOWN TO THE APPLICANT Fruit or vegetable vines grown in a vineyard (or orchard) such as the tomato, grape or pea respectively are weak-stemmed plants that derive their support from climbing, twining, or creeping along or around a surface.

The cultivation of fruit vines such as the kiwifruit (also known as the Chinese gooseberry) or grapes requires this surface to be in the form of an elongate free standing support that has usually been driven into the ground. In the case of the kiwifruit, this support is usually temporary (either downwardly depending pieces of string from wires from a trellis (see below) or an upwardly projecting rod planted in the ground) and lasts until the vine (or cane) is able to be draped over rows of horizontal wires fitted to more permanent supports that form part of a trellis or pergola system.

If a trellis system is used, these are typically either of the "T or winged T bar" or "hitching post" type, in either case, a centre wire is usually used to support the main cordons and the outer wires are used to support the fruiting laterals.

The reality of the situation is somewhat more chaotic as the natural growth habit of the kiwifruit is haphazard and a large number of financially costly man hours are spent by highly skilled gardeners pruning back the unwanted canes and training the ones that are desired.

Furthermore and despite the best efforts of the orchard growers through the use of shelter belts, occasionally high winds will cause so called "blow outs" which is when young canes are snapped, torn or otherwise rendered useless because of the wind forcing the grower to start again with another cane.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and a method of using the apparatus to attempt to alleviate the cost and blow out problems associated with the current 190381NZ Spec CAP 25Aug JON.doc apparatus and methods of growing kiwifruit known at present or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

Furthermore, although the invention is disclosed in several different aspects it will be clear from this broad background review that each aspect is so linked as to form part of the same inventive concept.

STATEMENTS OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided vine supporting apparatus to assist in the growing of vines comprising a winch adapted to receive a cord or wire, a separate tensioning arm adapted to receive and place under tension the same cord or wire when the winch is operated and a number of height variable cord or wire supporting members.

The supporting members may be varied in height in a similar manner to that of a chimney sweeps brush, i.e. a series of rods or shafts that can be connected together via a bayonet, sliding, friction or screw fit) to extend the overall length of the cord or wire supporting moiety. However, preferably, the or each cord or wire supporting member is telescopically extendable to enable its height to be varied.

The tensioning arm may be different from the winch, it may also be similar or identical to it.

Preferably, the tensioning arm is another winch The winch and the tensioning arm may each or singly be adapted to be pile driven into the ground to enable one or both to be so fixed in use as to be able to be place a cord or wire used with the apparatus under tension. Then again, one or both pieces of apparatus may be adapted to be fitted to a pre-existing structure for example a post that has already been pile driven into the ground, thus enabling the apparatus to derive its ability to place a cord or wire under tension when in use and attached to an already pre-existing structure.

Preferably therefore, the winch and/or the tensioning arm is provided with means that are adapted to be fitted to a pre-existing ground engaging structure.

More preferably the means are in the form of a curved bracket with pre-drilled screw holes.

190381 INZ Spec CAP 25Aui JON.doc -4- Preferably, the means are so adapted as to be lockable in more than one position about the longitudinal axis of the winch or tensioning arm. The winch and/or tensioning arm may be provided with a pulley located at the top in use end of each item. The pulley may be fixed or substantially radially rotatable/moveable with respect to the longitudinal axis of the item so that it can be fixed or otherwise locked in any position.

If more than one cord or wire supporting member is used, then preferably the cord or wire supporting members need not necessarily be of the same type. For example, one could be a shaped hook within which the wire or cord sits, whilst the other could be a laterally projecting spigot upon which a wire or cord simply rests or is wound around. However, more preferably, that portion of each type of supporting member adapted to receive the wire or cord could a closed loop or an open loop in the form of a so-called "pig-tail". If only one type is used it could either of the types mentioned herein.

Furthermore the closed loop could be in the form of a snap hook. That way, one could be inserted along a cord or wire line if necessary without the need of undoing the existing cord or wire and re-threading it through the closed loop that you want to insert.

It may be that thick heavy pieces of metal, metal alloys, wood, plastics materials or any appropriate selection or combination of these materials are used to form the apparatus described herein, however it would be advantageous if the apparatus were light weight thus enabling individuals other than the 'body-builder' type to handle and erect the apparatus.

Therefore preferably, the winch or tensioning arm is fitted with one or more braces. This arrangement allows a thin light weight main rod supported by an adjacent spaced apart strip to be used which will allow the tensioning arm to be placed under tension without any undue flexing.

The tensioning arm and/or winch could be telescopically extendable. Preferably, the apparatus is also provided with useable amounts of string.

The invention includes within its scope vine supporting apparatus as specified herein.

The invention also includes within its scope a vineyard incorporating vine supporting apparatus as specified herein.

190381NZ Spec CAP 25Aug JON.doc According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of using a vine supporting apparatus as specified herein comprising the steps of: fitting a tensioning arm, a winch and a number of telescopically extendable rods substantially in a line between one or more vines, operatively linking a wire to the apparatus, attaching strings to the wire, tying offthe strings appropriately.

Preferably the method further comprises the steps of allowing the canes to grow up the strings, lowering the rods, cutting the strings, raising the rods and re tying the strings as before.

The invention includes within its scope a method substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any appropriate selection or combination of the appropriate drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates labelled side and rear views of a wire tensioning arm forming one part of one embodiment of a vine growing apparatus.

Figure 2 illustrates close up views of four of the labelled portions illustrated in figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates a close up view of another of the labelled portions illustrated in figure 1.

Figure 4 illustrates a close up view of another of the labelled portions illustrated in figure 1.

190381NZ Spec CAP 25Aug JON.doc -6- Figure 5 illustrates a side view of another wire tensioning arm forming another part of the embodiment illustrated in figures 1-4.

Figure 6 illustrates front close up views of a telescopic pole with a circular eye at its top.

Figure 7 illustrates front close up views of a telescopic pole with a pigtail eye at its top.

Figure 8 illustrates an isometric view of one part of a separate piece of kit of the same embodiment as the one described for use along a shelter belt together with some labelled portions, when in actual use.

Figure 9 illustrates close up views of both front and side profiles of one of the labelled portions illustrated in figure 8.

Figure 10 illustrates a close up view of the other labelled portion illustrated in figure 8.

Figure 11 illustrates side and isometric views of the embodiment illustrated in figures 1- 7 in use in a kiwifruit orchard.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENT Figure 1 shows front and sides views of a tensioning arm in the form of a winch forming part of one embodiment of a vine supporting apparatus of the present invention and is generally referenced 1. The tensioning arm 1 formed from mild steel comprises a main elongate straight rectangular tube 2 of substantially uniform cross section throughout its length. The longest sides of the tube 2 are deemed to be the front and rear faces of the tube 2 respectively.

Welded to (so that it is integral with) and located on the top surface of the arm 1 in its normal attitude of operation is an apertured rectangular tubular housing 4 of uniform cross section.

The dimensions of the shortest sides of the housing 4 are flush with and completely overlie the dimensions of the tube 2. The longitudinal axis of the housing 4 is concentric with the 190381 NZ Spec CAP 25Aug JON.doc longitudinal axis of the tube 2 and within the housing 4 is a centrally located pulley 3 that is free to rotate about a spindle generated by a nut 6 and a bolt 7.

The bolt 7 passes through the apertures located on the longest sides of the housing 4 and is secured by the nut 7. The diameter of the pulley 3 is greater than the depth of the housing 4 and as a result, partially projects from either side of the walls of the housing 4.

The pulley 3 itself, although formed from a single block of material, may be considered as two frusto-conical conical cones linked together via their smallest faces. The mutually opposing shape generated by this arrangement when looking at the pulley 3 from the front or rear face acts as a guide member for a wire that passes over the pulley 3 to keep it centrally located on the pulley 3 itself.

Five similarly sized equally spaced apart elongate tubular rectangular blocks 8 are welded to and project from the rear face of the tube 2, the blocks being in parallel overlying relationship. The first and last blocks 8 are equidistant from the top and bottom of the tube 2.

The width of each block 8 is substantially identical to the length of the longest side of the tube 2 and the length of the block 8 is substantially five times the length of the shortest side of the tube 2.

One end of an elongate straight circular rod 5 of substantially uniform cross section is welded to the centre of the rear face of the bottom of tube 2.

The cross sectional diameter of the rod 5 is about 1 /5th the length of the shortest side of the blocks 8. The rod 5 then passes up the rear face of the tube 2 and is welded to the centre of the rear face of each block 8, thus forming a triangle with the block 8, tube 2 and itself when seen from the side.

The rod 5 then remains parallel with the tube 2 as it is subsequently welded to the remaining blocks 8 before being folded away from the centre such that its top is welded to a side wall of the tube 2 adjacent the nut 6 and forming another similar triangle shape when viewed from the side as before. When seen from the side the rod 5 looks somewhat similar to sectional view of a keel of a ship.

190381NZ Spec CAP 25Aug JON.doc Between the lower most blocks 8, is a hand operable reel 9 which in use will contain a reel of wire 21 again welded to both the rear face of the tube 2 and the rod 5 to be integral with it.

;This is adapted to capture one end of a wire 21 to be used with the tensioning arm 1.

Located on the front face of the arm 1 and towards the base are two similarly shaped curved brackets 12 provided with screw holes 10 at either end. A bridging plate 11 is also provided 1 to enable a flat surface to be welded to a curved surface. The brackets 12 enable the arm 1 to Ni be fitted to a post (T bar or otherwise) or a strainer post 220 of conventional design.

Turning now to figure 5, this shows a separate but otherwise identical winch to that shown in figure 1 and is generally referenced 13 which forms another part of one embodiment of the vine supporting apparatus of the present invention. To distinguish it from the winch 1, some of the component parts of the winch 13 have been re-numbered and the reader is directed to the following paragraph for further details regarding this re-numbering.

The winch 13 comprises a tube 13 similar to the tube 2 fitted with a housing 15 and pulley 3 at its top (in its normal attitude of operation) that is similar in its design and special orientation to the housing 4. Blocks 8 and a rod 16 similar to the rod 5, as too are brackets 12 are also located in similar positions on the winch 13. The hand operable 19 reel 18 exists to wind and tension a wire 21. Located on a side face of the winch 13 is an shaped hook adapted to trap the wire 21 (present but not visible from the views shown in figure 1).

Figure 6 shows a telescopically extendable elongate straight steel rod or pole 22 that is concentrically circular in cross section with a circular steel eye 23 whose central axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod 22. The rod 22 forms another part of one embodiment of the vine supporting apparatus of the present invention.

Rod or pole 22 is provided with an aperture 82 towards its base. The rod 22 is adapted to slide within an extension pole 80 that is also provided with an aperture 82 at either end. Pole 80 is adapted to slide into another shorter pole 81 fitted with a pair of brackets 12 and a central aperture 82.

Figure 7 shows a telescopically extendable elongate straight steel rod or pole 24 that is concentrically circular in cross section with a circular "pigtail" steel eye 26 whose central axis is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod 24. In this particular 190381NZ Spec CAP 25Aug JON.doc -9instance the pigtail 26 sits on the top of a tapered portion 25 located at the top of the rod 24.

The rod 24 forms yet another part of this embodiment of the vine supporting apparatus of the present invention.

Rod or pole 24 is provided with an aperture 82 towards its base. The rod 24 is adapted to slide within an extension pole 80 that is also provided with an aperture 82 at either end. Pole is adapted to slide into another shorter pole 81 fitted with a pair of brackets 12 and a central aperture 82.

Ultimately, the parts mentioned thus far can be used in all parts of the vineyard or orchard other than against those vines growing adjacent a shelter belt of a vineyard. In this particular embodiment, a yet still further piece of apparatus needs to be used when dealing with shelter belts and this shall be described later. For now, the reader is directed to the following paragraphs which highlight the method of using the apparatus described so far.

In use, the winch 13 is bolted onto a post 220 at one end of a "male" line of new canes in a kiwifruit orchard, the arm 1 is bolted to a post at the other end. A number of rods 22 and/or 24 are then bolted via brackets 12 to additional posts 220 into the ground, spaced between the winch 13 and the arm 1 in a substantially straight line.

Rods 80 are then slotted into rods 81 and a pin (not illustrated) is slotted through apertures 82 to keep rods 80 in place. The rods 22 or 24 are slotted into rods 80 maintaining the rods in their lowered position.

Wire 21 located on the reel 19 is then fed up the winch 13 through the housing 15 and over the pulley 4 of the housing 15. The wire 21 is then fed through the eyes 23 26 of each of the rods 22 24 before being passed through the housing 4 and over the pulley 3 of the arm 1 and through the each of the tubular blocks 8 before being wound onto the wire reel 9.

The wire 21 is then looped under the hooks 20 of each of the winches 1 13 and tensioned by turning the handle 19 of the reel 18 in a clockwise direction, the rods 22 24 remaining locked substantially in their retracted or non-telescopically extended positions. The height of the wire 21 in this position is of a sufficient height to enable separate strands of string 27 to be easily tied along the entire length of the wire 21 between the hooks 20 by a group of vineyard/orchard labourers.

190381NZ Spec CAP 25Aug JON.doc Each piece of string 27 is tied to the wire 21 about substantially the centre of the length of the piece of string 27. This leaves effectively two bits of string or string ends dangling from the wire 21 once it has been tied.

Once all of the strings 27 have been attached the tension in the wire 21 is slackened slightly to enable the wire 21 to be unhooked from the hooks 20 and then the rods 22 24 are raised and another pin (not illustrated) is pushed into apertures 82 to lock the telescopically extended poles to their desired height, whereupon the wire 21 is tensioned again to the full height of the winch 13 as shown in figure The two string ends of each strand of string 27 are then each tied off to the centre wire of mutually adjacent "female" lines to provide to all intents and purposes 'an inverted line' of strings downwardly depending at an angle from the wire tensioned and supported by the apparatus described so far (as shown in figure 11).

The new female canes either side of the male line are now left to grow up the inverted "V" line of strings 27. Those that establish themselves (after approximately two months) are left and those that have not bound themselves around the strings 27 are simply pruned away, which may be carried out by un-skilled labour.

Once this pruning has taken place, the wire 21 is lowered by reducing the height of the telescopic extensions of the rods 22 24 (by removing the pins) and the winches 1 13 are unwound. This enables the canes that have established themselves on the strings 27 to overlie the wires forming the pergola or trellis system in place and then the ends of the strings that were each tied off to the centre wire of mutually adjacent "female" lines are undone or cut.

The wire 21 is then raised once again, the strings 27 are re-tied to the centre wire of mutually adjacent "female" lines as before ready for the next growth season and the existing canes now draped over the pergola or trellis system are harvested once the fruiting laterals are ripe.

Which type of rod (22 or 24) is placed where, is dependent upon the rise and fall of the land in between the winch 13 and the arm or winch 1. For example, if the land is about to rise, and fall, rod 22 should be used just before the rise and just after the fall. If the land is level, rod 24 should be used.

190381NZ Spec CAP 25Aug JON.doc -11- This is because the wire 21 will be under tension in use and the wire 21 is likely to exert a force (upward or downward) on the eye of a rod 22 that is located just before or just after a rise or fall in the land as the wire 21 will be contacting and exerting a force on the rim of the eye 23 in these situations.

If a pigtail 26 is used just prior to or just after a rise or fall in the land and the wire 21 does contact the internal rim of the pigtail 26, the force applied to the pigtail 26 may be sufficient to cause it to unravel. If the unravelling is sufficient the wire 21 may fly off the pigtail 26 and the wire 21 may then not be taught enough to serve its purpose.

Figures 8, 9 10 show the remaining parts of this particular embodiment of the present invention and these, together with their method of use will now be described in detail.

The remaining parts of the embodiment show firstly a pulley system 28 (fig 9) that comprises an oblong steel plate 29 with three substantially evenly spaced apart screw threaded apertures 30, 32 running down the longitudinal axis of the plate 29. Welded centrally to one side of the plate 29 is a smaller oblong housing 34 the longitudinal axis of the housing 34 overlying the longitudinal axis of the plate 29. Housed within the housing 34 is a pulley 33 secured therein by a screw threaded bolt 31, the screw thread of the bolt 31 passing through a complementary screw threaded aperture in the housing 34 and the complementary female screw thread 32 of the plate aperture to secure the pulley 33 (similar to those previously described) to the pulley system 28.

The last part shown in figure 10 is a winch generally referenced 36 comprising an oblong steel plate 35 with two apertures 30 located in similar positions as the plate 29. Welded to the plate 35 is a reel 9.

In use, plates 29 and 35 are mounted on a terminal post of a shelter belt. At the opposite end of the shelter belt a similar pair is also mounted. Wire 21 is fed up through the pulley system 28. Strings 27 are tied to the wire 21 but the strings can be tied to the wire 21 at their ends and not at their centre as only one string is needed. The ends of the strings are then attached to the adjacent post carrying either the male or female vines to provide instead of an inverted of strings, a "lean to" arrangement of strings. These are shown in figure 8.

190381NZ Spec CAP 25Au2 JON.doc 12- Having established this lean to arrangement the method of growth pruning and harvesting is substantially the same as before and as a result need not be described again in this specification.

In alternative embodiments not illustrated, the eye 23 need not be a permanent closed loop, but could be a snap hook akin to such closed loops used in mountaineering whereby a rope can be attached by pressing it against the exterior surface of the hook which is spring biased and collapses allowing the rope to enter the eye and then the eye as it is biased springs back to its closed position to reform the closed loop.

The winch 13 and or arm 1 could be so formed as to be telescopically extendible and formed from circular or square tubing. Such an arrangement could allow for the brackets 12 to be removeable or at least moveable to allow the tubing to be fixed to a post in different positions.

If the pulley housings 4 are made to be rotatable so that they can lock in deferent positions perhaps the elements making up the shelter belt aspect of the embodiment described herein above can be dispensed with. The arm 1 need not have a winch associated with it but it would be useful if it did.

Of course in small orchards or vineyards, it is quite conceivable that only the poles 22 and/or 24 are necessary and wire 21 can be tied to the eyes.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification the word "comprise" and variations of that word, such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

Furthermore, the use of the word integral is intended to cover not only something which is formed from the outset as one single entity component, but also anything which, whilst being assembled from a plurality of initially disparately produced integers, ends up as one overall and normally non-dismantleable structure.

PIPERS

Attorneys for MCISAAC, Andrew Noel 190381NZ Spec CAP 25Aug JON.doc

Claims (13)

1. A vine supporting apparatus to assist in the growing of vines comprising a winch adapted to receive a cord or wire, a separate tensioning arm adapted to receive and place under tension the same cord or wire when the winch is operated and a number of height variable cord or wire supporting members.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the or each cord or wire supporting member is telescopically extendable to enable its height to be varied.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the tensioning arm is another winch.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the winch and/or the tensioning arm is/are provided with means that are adapted to be fitted to a pre- existing ground engaging structure. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means are in the form of a curved bracket with pre-drilled screw holes.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the means are so adapted as to be lockable in more than one position about the longitudinal axis of the winch or tensioning arm.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the winch or tensioning arm is provided with a pulley at the top of the winch or arm and wherein the pulley is moveable with respect to the longitudinal axis of the item so that it can be fixed or otherwise locked in any position at the top of the winch or arm.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the or each cord or wire supporting member need not necessarily be of the same type.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein that portion of each type of supporting member adapted to receive the wire or cord could a closed loop or an open loop in the form of a so-called "pig-tail". 190381NZ Spec CAP 25Aug JON.doc

14- Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the closed loop is in the form of a snap hook. 11. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the winch and/or tensioning arm is fitted with one or more braces. 12. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the winch and/or tensioning arm are telescopically extendable. 13. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus is also provided with useable amounts of string and wire or cord. 14. Apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and/or as illustrated in any appropriate selection or combination of the accompanying drawings. A vineyard or orchard incorporating vine supporting apparatus as claimed in any any preceding claim.

16. A method of using a vine supporting apparatus as specified herein, comprising the steps of: fitting a tensioning arm, a winch and a number of telescopically extendable rods substantially in a line between one or more vines, operatively linking a wire to the apparatus, attaching strings to the wire, and tying off the strings appropriately.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the method further comprises the steps of allowing the canes to grow up the strings, lowering the rods, cutting the strings, raising the rods and re tying the strings as before.

18. A method substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any appropriate selection or combination of the appropriate drawings.

19. A vineyard or orchard incorporating a method as claimed in claims 16 18. 190381NZ Spec CAP 25Aug JON.doc