FR2576176A2 - Improvement to micro-climate shelters for cultivating vegetables - Google Patents

Abstract

The shelter consists of a film 3 of plastic comprising hoops which are manufactured flat and fixed at an appropriate spacing to the said film. The hoops each consist of an upper slat 1 and a lower slat 2 made from elastically deformable material so as to allow them to be shaped into a hoop. The lower slat 2 comprises a bevel at its ends 15, 16; the upper slat 1 comprises, in the vicinity of its end 17, 18, a fold line 4, 5 and holes for positioning anchoring stakes 21, 22 of the parts 17, 18 resting on the ground.

Description

Improvement in micro-climatic shelters for growing plants.

The invention relates to an improvement made to the micro-climatic abrims described in the main patent No. 84 13664.

In the main patent, the wall of the shelter is openwork and has a protective function mainly against the sun.

In a first addition, provision was made for the possibility of covering this greenhouse in winter with a plastic film, the greenhouse serving to support the additional protective film.

This present addition aims to provide a shelter consisting of a thin plastic film integrating arches secured to the film at a suitable pitch depending on the width of this film and its mechanical strength, intended for the protection of winter crops.

The advantages of this shelter are the same as those presented by known greenhouses of the same kind, but whose hoops are not incorporated.

This greenhouse has the following additional advantages: - much faster installation and removal - storage in a roll with its hoops without any manipulation of them because they are resiliently flattened, their installation in the ground s '' by bending continuous production on automatic machines from which it comes out in rolls - allow the summer to water the plants without removing the greenhouse thanks to holes drilled in sufficient quantity in the plastic film letting the water pass when 'we water it. Of course these holes are only drilled in greenhouses used in summer.

The invention is described in detail in the text which follows with reference to the appended drawings given by way of nonlimiting examples and in which: - Figures 1A and 1B show, seen in end, the arrangement of the slats forming each hoop flat; - Figure 2 is a top plan view of a shelter according to the invention incorporating its arches; - Figure 3 shows an example of a lower batten secured to the plastic film; - Figure 4 shows an example of shelter according to the invention in place on the ground and anchored by stakes; - Figure 5 shows, seen in perspective, the roll shelter for storage and transport.

Fig. 1 shows, seen at the end, the arrangement of the upper 1 and lower 2 slats taking the plastic film 3 in sandwiches. The integration of the slats 1 and 2 into the film 3 can be obtained by any known means such as for example stapling, nailing, gluing, etc. The upper slat 1 has, in the vicinity of its ends, a fold line 4.5 made for example with a thumbwheel, designed to limit the insertion of the batten 2 into the ground and to anchor each hoop by means of at least one stake passing through holes 6.7 drilled at each end of the batten 1.

The lower slats 2 are terminated at a bevel 8, as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, to facilitate digging into the ground.

In the case where it is possible to obtain a homogeneous and sufficiently resistant fastening of the slats on the film 3-, it may be sufficient to add only a part of the slat 1 at each end as shown in FIG. 1B to lighten the together and reduce the cost.

In Figure 2 the shelter according to the invention has been shown in top view. The arches 10,11,12 ... are fixed on the film 3 at a pitch 13 depending on its width and its mechanical strength. For summer use, holes are drilled in the film when the greenhouse is manufactured.

In Figure 4 an example of a shelter according to the invention has been shown in place. On the ground. The arches made of slats 1 and 2 were curved by elastic deformation at the time of installation. The ends 15, 16 of the lower batten 2 have been sunk into the ground, while the ends 17, 18 of the upper batten 1 are bent and resting on the ground surface, a strip 19.20 of the film 3 also rests On the ground. The anchoring of each hoop is carried out by means of a stake 21,22 passed through the holes of the ends 17,18 of the upper batten 1.

The upper 1 and lower 2 slats can be made of any material of sufficient rigidity and elastically deformable for arching, for example peeled wood, plywood, plastic material in profile or cut from plies with similar double-wall injected walls. corrugated cardboard or sheets sold in France under the brand "AKYLUX" or similar.

In Figure 5 there is shown a shelter according to the invention presented in a roll wound on a core R not shown.

The manufacture of this shelter greenhouse can be carried out continuously on automatic machines comprising, a reel of film in roll, sequential laying stations and fixing of the slats forming the arches, a drum for roll-up and sequential traction of the film under the control of a hoop counting cell also delivering a signal and stopping the machine each time a roll, of predetermined length, is finished.

Rolls can be delivered in various widths and lengths as required.

Claims (9)

R E V E N D I C A T I O N S: 1 - Microclimatic shelter for the cultivation of plants according to claim 1 of the main patent, consisting of a thin film of plastic material cooperating with arches to form a plant protection arch, characterized in that the arches (10,11, 12 ...) are integrated into the film. (3) at a suitable pitch (13), and in that the shelter thus formed is rolled up with its hoops flat, and in that said hoops are made of elastically deformable material to allow their placement on the ground. 2 - Shelter according to 1, characterized in that said arches are each made in two parts, a first part consisting of a flat slat (1) fixed on the film (3) and a second part consisting of a fixed slat (2) under the film in front of the premiere. 3 - Shelter according to 1 and 2, characterized in that the slats (1,2) are stapled together on the film (3). 4 - Shelter according to 1 and 2, characterized in that the slats (1,2) are nailed or glued to the film (3). 5 - Shelter according to 1 and 2, characterized in that the upper batten (1) comprises, in the vicinity of its ends, at least one hole (6,7) for each receiving an anchor stake (21, 22), and in that said slat also comprises, in the vicinity of its ends, a fold line (4,5) allowing the flattening on the ground of said ends (17,18) to ensure their anchoring. 6 - Shelter according to 1 and 2, characterized in that the lower slat (2) has a bevel (8) at its ends to allow it to sink into the ground after shaping, and in that the width of the film (3 ) is less than the length of the slats (1,2), the latter nevertheless resting on the ground by a strip (19,20). 7 - Shelter according to the urquelconque of the preceding claims characterized in that for use in summer, the film may have holes in sufficient quantity so that by watering it, the protected plants receive a normal amount of water. 8 - Shelter according to 1 and 5, characterized in that the upper slats (1) are reduced to two small pieces attached to the ends receiving the fold lines (4,5) and the anchoring holes (6,7). 9 - Shelter according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is manufactured on automatic machines comprising a reel of film on a roll, stations for laying and fixing the slats (1,2) on the film and a drum (R) for rewinding the finished shelter and for sequential traction of the film under the control of a cell for counting the arches also delivering a signal each time a roll, of a predetermined length , is finished and stops the machine.