FR2736797A1 - Method for protection for vines cultivated in rows on wires - has plastics film held in place by upper wire, at top of each post and spacers located on side arms, with lower edge secured to posts by series of fasteners - Google Patents

Abstract

Protection is provided for a row of vines by means of a plastics film (8), which is supported in part, by at least one of the upper wires (2), which are attached to the top of the series of support posts (1). The film is also supported by the spacing elements (5 & 7), to separate the two sections of film. The film is held in place by fasteners (9), which are secured to the lower edge of the film and linked to attachment points (12 & 13), fixed on the posts. The lower edge (11) of the film, is arranged to be at the height of, or preferably slightly below the level of the lowest branches of the vine (V). Space is left between the two lower edges, so that the opening is sufficiently large to allow the circulation of air around the vines and out through the series of openings (14), in the upper sections of the film.

Description

PROTECTION AND THERMAL REGULATION OF THE VINE
PALISSEE
The present invention relates to a device for thermal regulation and protection, vines trellised on stake stakes, against the risks of spring frost, leaching out by rain after treatments, deterioration by hail.

Greenhouses and other crop shelters for various flowers and plants are known and widely used to protect flowers and plants from freezing during the cold hours of the night.

Many air conditioning systems for these greenhouses and shelters using solar collectors are commonly used, often combining large calorie storage tanks, heat pumps and other complex regulation installations.

These greenhouses are generally made up of sheets of transparent plastic material spread over arches covering several rows of flowers or plants.

Their transposition to the cultivation of vines is delicate for many reasons relating on the one hand to the specificity of the work to which the vines must be subject throughout the year and on the other hand to the very nature of this culture in trellised rows.

Generally the vines are protected against the risk of frost by the emission of smoke layers obtained by the combustion of smoke-producing products. The appropriateness of this emission is difficult to determine, difficult to carry out in homogeneous layers, difficult to stabilize when turbulence exists. In addition, the smoke emission is not permanent, the winemaker responsible for its implementation must exercise vigilance which is difficult to reconcile with his activity, particularly very late at night and very early in the morning when the risk of frost is higher.

The VOLTZ FR.A.2.271.764 patent relates to a device intended to prevent spring frost by using a transparent metallic plastic screen deployed above the vine so as to reflect the infrared radiation emitted by the ground.

This device having no side walls can hardly provide a greenhouse effect. In addition, the use of a metallized screen intended to reflect the infrared radiation emitted by the ground behaves like a filter for the ultraviolet radiation emitted directly by the sun.

The TOUPIN FR.A.2.512.635 patent protects a plant staking and hydration device with soil heating. This device comprises a water tank connected to a distribution circuit leading to black stakes each surrounded by a transparent tube so as, by capturing solar energy, to heat the water thus distributed and to transfer it to the ground by conductivity.

This complex and expensive device is difficult to exploit for growing vines.

For the maintenance of vines the CALVET patent FR.A.2.607.029 offers a versatile treatment device comprising a tunnel formed by a rigid frame dressed with flexible walls comprising nozzles for spraying treatment products. This device moved during the treatment can not be left permanently on a row of vines if only because of its too high cost.

The HUGONNARD-BRUYERE and AL FR.A.2.281.717 patent relates to a method of protection against freezing of vines in particular. The device applying the method comprises a T-shaped frame fixed on the stake stakes supporting stretched wires on which a plastic canvas is deployed. Only the plastic canvas is deposited when the risk of frost disappears, the frame and the stretched wires then remaining in place can be troublesome for most maintenance work on the vine. This device cannot be used against heavy rain or hail.

The OURY and Al FR.A. 2.678.805 protects a process and a device against the freezing of trellised plants. The process consists of reducing heat exchanges in the vertical direction using a device made up of strips of net unrolled on the top of the stakes and the structural wires of several rows of consecutive plants.

This device implemented is difficult to transpose to the rows of vines prohibiting movement and interventions between the rows.

The FIBER WEB SODOCA DE.U.93.15093 patent relates to a plastic sheet intended to protect crops comprising on two parallel edges a hem in which is integrated a cord sliding freely inside the hem. The plastic sheet is held on the ground using stakes on which the cords are stretched and fixed.

This detail of embodiment known in the making or in saddlery is an interesting way to stretch and maintain a sheet of plastic material in the same way in particular as a tarpaulin.

The AROVA patent CH.A.513.575 protects a vine protection device comprising a plastic sheet deployed on the row of vines connected between the rows by a net.

The plastic sheet is deployed on trellis wires maintained, one on the end of the stake stakes, the others at the ends of transverse supports fixed on the stake stakes. A transverse bracing stiffens the assembly.

This device, like that of the previous OURY patent, does not allow circulation and interventions between the rows.

Devices either made up of nets extended above the vines or made up of bands placed on each side of the vines protect the vines against hail (MACHAIDZE documents,
Soviet Inventions illustrated SU.A.895 357, BOCHORISHVILI, Soviet patent abstract SU.A.1.634.176).

These devices provide practically no protection against the risk of freezing or leaching by rain.

In addition, the FOREE patent and AL US.A.2.251.624 describes a detail of realization of a fabric deployed on the tobacco plans, detail relating to eyelets intended to facilitate the tensioning of the canvas using of stakes.

The invention aims on the one hand to achieve thermal regulation by locally creating a micro-climate with lower temperature variations than those of the ambient environment and therefore eliminating the risks of spring frost and on the other hand '' provide protection against leaching of the vine after treatments, but also in the event of high humidity, during the period preceding the harvest, to avoid attack by botrytis and other rots, otherwise remove the antibotrytis and anti-rotting treatments . One of its purposes is to provide anti-hail protection.

In addition, current trends recommend a return to "semi-organic" wines obtained from vines treated with products ensuring protection against leaching such as copper sulphate, Bordeaux mixture, wettable sulfur. Which is obtained using the device according to the invention.

The objectives of the invention are achieved by means of a device for the protection and thermal regulation of the smoothed and guyed vines on stakes, comprising against the risk of spring frost, of leaching by rain after treatments a plastic sheet flexible, waterproof, transparent and against the risk of damage by hail a fine mesh net, said sheet and said net being, depending on the risks - deployed in turn longitudinally above the row of vines so as to cover and protect the vine branches - arranged on the trellis wires at least one fixed on the upper end of the stake, the others separated by transverse supports fixed on the stake pegs held stretched on these trellis wires and other transverse guy wires by cords tensioners connecting the edges of the sheet or net to stake stakes, said device is characterized in that a su pport of adjustable length, vertical, fixed along the upper part of the stake stake supports the wire (s) of trellising usually fixed on the upper end of the stake stake allowing to adjust them in height, the transverse supports of wire trellises at least two arms articulated in rotation on an axis fixed on the stake stake allowing the latter to take at least three stable positions: raised against the stake stake, substantially horizontal maintained by a stop, folded down against the stake stake .

Preferably, the support of adjustable length is a strip supporting the upper trellis wire (s) sliding in a metal slide fixed along the upper part of the stake.
According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the support of adjustable length is a steel wire supporting the upper trellising wire sliding in a slide formed by the grooves of the metal stake stake.

Advantageously, the arms forming the transverse supports for trellising wires are articulated in rotation on a single axis mounted on a strip fixed on the stake stake.

According to another alternative embodiment, the arms forming transverse supports for trellising wires consist of a steel wire hinged on the grooves of the metal stake.

Advantageously, the arms forming transverse supports for trellising wires are articulated in rotation on at least two axes mounted on a strip fixed on the stake stake.

Thus according to the invention, the plastic sheet covers each row of vines by forming a tunnel so as to create a greenhouse around the vine branches and create a micro-climate such as to avoid freezing of the vines. This micro-climate significantly increases the temperature around the vine branches so that the ripening of the grapes is accelerated and occurs 10 to 15 days in advance on the unprotected vines. The uniformity of temperatures around the vines regulates flowering and promotes fruit setting, which improves the quality of the grapes and allows better programming of the yield, proving to be advantageous either for the production of table grapes or for the production of wine. This protection also has the advantage of ensuring better development of the woods, thus facilitating harvesting and pruning the following year. Furthermore, the protection provided by the plastic sheet prevents the vine from leaching out so that the number of treatments can be greatly reduced since its effectiveness is increased.

According to a preferred embodiment, the substantially horizontal position of the arms forming the transverse supports for trellising wires is obtained by a retractable stop which retracted allows the arms to rotate to put them in the raised or folded position.

Advantageously, the arms forming the transverse supports for trellising wires are held in the raised position and folded back by retainers.

According to a preferred embodiment, the arms forming the vertical and transverse supports of the trellising wires each comprise a section of tube fixed substantially orthogonally to the end of the arms so as to remain parallel to the axis of the vines while maintaining inside said section of tube each of the trellising wires while avoiding damaging the plastic sheet or the net during handling.

Preferably the trellising wires are held against the periphery of each of the tube sections using immobilization means such as circlips
Thus according to the invention the plastic sheet or the fine mesh wire which covers the vines rests both on the trellis wires and on the tube sections fixed on the vertical support and the transverse arms. The side walls of this sheet of plastic or of the fine-meshed net are stretched downwards using cords or extendable strands fixed by hooks to the lower part of the stake stakes.

The height of the side walls allowing the ventilation of the vines is variable depending on the position of the vertical support so that to ensure the downward tension of the side walls it is advantageous to provide several hooks fixed on the lower end of the stake stake .

The device according to the invention is easy to implement, of limited cost, or at least depreciable in a short time, capable of creating the desired greenhouse effect, and capable of protecting the vine against hail and against phenomena leaching after treatments.

The present invention proposes to avoid the drawbacks of the prior art and to meet the objectives specified above.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the description of an exemplary embodiment given by way of nonlimiting illustration with reference to the appended drawings in which - FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the device according to the invention. 'invention.

- Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the vertical support.

- Figures 3 are schematic views of an alternative embodiment of the vertical support.

- Figures 4 are schematic sectional views of the retractable stop.

- Figure 5 is a schematic front view of an alternative embodiment of the transverse supports.

Some characteristics and approximate dimensions will be given by way of illustration.

There is shown in Figure 1 in a schematic perspective view of the device according to the invention.

The vine stocks are arranged between the stakes 1 at the rate of four stocks on average between two stakes. In the Entre-Deux-Mers region of Aquitaine, these stake stakes 1 have a height of about 1.70 m above the ground.

The two trellising wires 4 are arranged on either side of the staking post 1 at about 60 cm from the end of the staking post on which the third trellising wire 4 is fixed.

Generally, these two trellising wires 4 are held against the stake stakes 1 by simple recessed headless nails inclined to facilitate the detachment of the wires when it is necessary in particular to carry out various treatments. Two other wires are generally used fixed on the same side of the stake. This type of vine known as "five sons" represents approximately 80% of the Bordeaux vineyards.

This device is fixed to a wooden stake stake 1. The plastic sheet 2, the fine mesh 3 are not shown in this figure but in Figure 5. The version thus shown has five trellising wires 4. A slide 10a is fixed to the stake stake 1 by screws wood 15. This slide is a U-shaped profile but other types of profiles such as an IPN could be used or even a flat iron. In the upper part, a section of tube 13 guides and supports the trellising wire 4, a groove 16 produced on the tube makes it possible to introduce the wire into the tube. This tube section 13 is welded orthogonally to the strip 7a which slides in the slide 10a. Two upper and lower positions can be taken by this strip 7a using fixings 15a such as screws. Continuous adjustment can also be envisaged but does not seem essential, the travel is limited to 30-50 cm. An alternative embodiment is shown in Figure 2. When two upper trellis son are required an angle iron 17 on which are fixed the two sections of tube 13 is welded to the end of the strip 7a. In this figure another mode of holding the trellis wire 4 is shown on the periphery of the tube using a circlip 14. Any other method of fixing can be usefully envisaged such as a fastener.

This FIG. 1 also shows an embodiment of two transverse supports 5 comprising four arms 5a, b, c, d, of lengths 20 to 60 cm. Two of the arms 5a, 5b are articulated in rotation on an axis 8b, the other two 5c, 5d on an axis 8c. At the end of each of these arms are orthogonally welded the tube sections 13 supporting the trellis wires 4.

A retractable stop 9 is mounted on each of these axes so as to allow not only the horizontal position of the arms when the stop fulfills its function but also the raised and folded positions against the stake stakes 1.

An exemplary embodiment of this stop is represented by the sections of Figures 4. In Figure 4A the actual stop 9a allows the arms 5a, 5b to remain in a substantially horizontal position. To do this, a spacer 9b is placed behind the stop 9a against the slide 10a. This spacer 9b includes a light facilitating the retractable position of the stop 9a shown in Figure 4B. The spacer 9b is placed in front of the stop 9a so as to present a surface slightly projecting from the ends of the wings of the slide 10a. In this case, the arms 5a 5b can take the raised, folded positions.

The axis 8 is held by a head on the slide side and by a circlip 8d on the side of the arms. A washer and a pin or nut could also have been used. I1 is however interesting to avoid the threads always susceptible to oxidize.

Depending on the type of trellising and the destination given to the plastic sheet it may be useless to fold the arms 5 down against the stake stake 1, in which case the stop 9 does not need to be retractable then it suffices to produce a strip whose lower end is folded at 90 to form said stop. Depending on the slide 10a used, such as a flat iron, the spacer 9b is unnecessary.

In this FIG. 1, the arms 5a, 5b are shorter than the arms 5c, 5d, the latter serve as guidance and support for the plastic sheet 2 or the net 3 with fine meshes while the former make it possible to raise the vine, the wires being introduced into the sections of tube 13 or simply guided by the arms 5a, 5b.

Another way of operating may consist in placing these longest arms 5c, 5d above the arms 5a, 5b so that the latter serve to hold the ends of the plastic sheet 2 or of the net 3 fixed on the trellising wires 4 and kept in tension by tensioning strands.

It has not been shown that the arms 5 are held in the raised or folded position by retainers 12 made up of wire or usual fasteners.

Figures 3 show the use of a stake stake consisting of a metal profile. According to FIG. 3A seen from above, the grooves 10b serve as slides for the support of adjustable length constituted by a steel wire 7b shown in FIG. 3B. A simple clip 14a plays the role of holding the trellising wire 4 in the same way as the preceding circlip 14 or the section of tube 13 provided with its slot 16.

Figure 5 shows in a schematic front view an alternative embodiment of the transverse supports.

The arms 5 are articulated on a single axis of rotation 8a mounted on a strip 11 fixed on the slide 10b consisting of a flat iron. A single stop 9 is used for all the arms 5. In this configuration, the arms 5a, 5b are shown without the preceding tube sections 13. These arms are used to raise the branches, most often the trellising wires either remain hooked against the stake stake or free are held in the raised position by the arm itself.

The plastic sheet 2 is deployed on the vine held by the upper trellising wire 4 and the support 7 shown in the high position as well as by the lateral trellising wires 4 and the arms 5c, 5d of the transverse supports provided with their sections of tube 13. The plastic sheet 2 is stretched by tensioning strands 6 hung on the one hand on the ends of the side walls of the plastic sheet and on the other hand on hooks fixed on the stake stake 1. This sheet of plastic material 180 micrometers thick measures approximately 2.60 m wide.

A similar assembly can be obtained with stake stakes 1a made of metal sections as described in FIG. 3A.

In this case, it is always possible to adopt a simple mechanical assembly making it possible to position the axis of rotation 8a on a strip 11 sliding in the grooves of the profile. Similarly, the strip 7 for vertical support of the trellising wire is then advantageously replaced by the steel wire 7b as shown in FIG. 3B. I1 is then possible to use another steel wire to replace the arms 5a, 5b by keeping it in the notches with which the grooves 10b are provided (FIG. 3A) the trellising wires are then held by a simple loop made at the ends steel wire. The lifting of the wire is simply obtained by twisting it upwards.

In the same FIG. 5, the positioning of the fine mesh 3 is shown in dotted lines. I1 rests at the top on the trellis wire 4 and the tube section 13, the strip 7 being in the low position, laterally on the lateral trellis wires 4 held by the transverse arms 5c, 5d, the net 3 is also stretched by the tensioning strands 6.

In the same way as envisaged previously, it is possible to keep the net 3 by the arms 5a 5b shorter than the arms 5c, 5d and mounted below the latter.

According to a known practice the net 3 with fine meshes can be produced in two strips placed laterally so as to allow the branches to protrude at the top facilitating work on the vines. The net is then held at its upper end on the tube section 13 of the strip 7 of each stake stake 1 and between two posts by a staple.

Thus the device according to the invention comprising a plastic sheet and an anti-hail net is capable of meeting all the needs of winegrowers. In winter the arms are folded down, the plastic sheet and the net are removed. When the risk of frost appears towards the end of February in Entre-Deux-Mers, or to avoid leaching by rain, the plastic sheet is put in place. It is removed as soon as the branches become too large and too vigorous, risking deterioration on contact with the polyethylene sheet, around May 20 in this region. The leaf thus removed is recovered for the following year.

Like the plastic sheet, the net creates a micro-climate, but the fine mesh lets the treatment products through and allows the aeration of the vines.

The shortest arms are then raised so as to raise the branches. At the end of summer to eliminate the risk of hail or heavy rain before the harvest, the fine mesh net is put in place. This operation lasts as for the plastic sheet about one hour per hectare for four people.

Thus the device according to the invention is simple, easy to implement making it possible to adjust the dimensions of the micro-greenhouse thus produced as a function of weather elements.

Of course, also within the scope of the present invention, the modifications or substitutions likely to be made, by those skilled in the art, to the device described and which, without altering the original provisions thereof, would only be to simple technical equivalents.

Claims (10)

1). Device for protection and thermal regulation of trellised and guyed vines on stakes (1), comprising against the risk of spring frost, leaching out by rain after treatments a sheet (2) of flexible, waterproof, transparent plastic material and against risks of damage by hail a fine mesh (3), said sheet and said net being, depending on the risks - deployed in turn longitudinally above the row of vines so as to cover and protect the vine branches - arranged on the wires trellising (4) at least one fixed on the upper end of the stake, the others separated by transverse supports (5) fixed on the stakes (1) - held taut on these trellis wires (4) and other transverse guy wires by tensioning cords (6) connecting the edges of the sheet (2) or the net (3) to the stake stakes (1), said device is characterized in that a support (7) for adjustable length, vertical, fixed along the upper part of the stake stake supports the trellis wire (4) usually fixed on the upper end of the stake stake (1) thus allowing them to be adjusted in height, the transverse supports ( 5) of trellising wires (4) consist of at least two arms (5a, 5b) articulated in rotation on an axis (8) fixed on the stake stake (1) allowing the latter to take at least three stable positions : raised against the stake stake (1), substantially horizontal held by a stop (9), folded down against the stake stake (1). 2) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the support (7) of adjustable length is a strip (7a) supporting the trellis wire or wires (4) upper sliding in a metal slide fixed along the upper part of the stake tutor (1). 3) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the support (7) of adjustable length is a steel wire (7b) supporting the trellising wire (4) upper sliding in a slide formed by the grooves (10b) of the stake metal guardian. 4) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the arms (5) forming the transverse supports of trellising wires (4) are articulated in rotation on a single axis (8a) mounted on a strip (11) fixed on the stake stake .  5) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the arms (5) forming transverse supports of trellising wires (4) consist of a steel wire articulated on notches made on the grooves (10b) of the metal stake stake ( the). 6) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the arms (5) forming transverse supports of trellising wires (4) are articulated in rotation on at least two axes (8b, 8c) mounted on a strip (11) fixed on the stake stake (1). 7) Device according to any one of claims 4 - 5 or 6 characterized in that the substantially horizontal position of the arms forming the transverse supports of trellising wires (4) is obtained by a retractable stop (9) which retracted allows rotation (5) arms to put them in the raised or folded position. 8) Device according to any one of claims 4 to 7 characterized in that the arms (5) forming the transverse supports of trellising wires (4) are held in the raised position and folded up by retainers (12). 9) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the arms (5) forming the vertical and transverse supports of the trellising wires (4) each comprise a section of tube (13) fixed substantially orthogonally to the end of the arm (5) so as to remain parallel to the axis of the vines while maintaining inside said tube section (13) each of the trellising wires (4) while avoiding damaging the plastic sheet (2) or the net (3) during handling. 10) Device according to claim 9 characterized in that the trellising wires (4) are held against the periphery of each of the tube sections (13) using immobilizing means (14) such as circlips