FR2780241A1 - Frost protector for vines - Google Patents

Abstract

The device protects the vines by covering them with a film or sheet of plastic, which is carried on a roller (2). The cover material is unrolled along the row of vines and is linked to the ground at intervals by means of elastic tensioners (4), fitted to eyelets (3) provided at intervals along the edge of the cover.

Description

PROTECTION OF VINES

AGAINST FREEZING

  The present invention relates to a device for protecting vines against frost, by covering a film or a plastic sheet, to

using a wheeled cart.

  The damage caused by frost against the vine is a real plague for an entire harvest, and this, every year. The currently existing devices have the annoying drawbacks of being polluting (oil-fired heaters, giant fans), expensive (helicopters in the Bordeaux region) and often only offer protection of 60 to 75% of the harvest. Io The device according to the invention overcomes these drawbacks. It's a

  fast, dismountable, recyclable, clean, ecological and non-polluting system.

  The covering of the vine is carried out using a film or a plastic sheet conditioned in rolls (2) of a width equivalent to a vine base and of a length determined by the user, it has an eyelet every 5 meters on each side (3). The roller (2) is introduced into an axis (1) then fixed on the two carriages (7) mounted on wheels (6). The center distance of the carriages is adjustable by a bar which connects them (5). The carriages are arranged on each side with a row of vines, so that the tarpaulin can cover them. 4o At the start of the row, the tarpaulin is firmly fixed to the ground, then it only remains to move the carriage forward with the help of two men until the end of the row, where the

  tarpaulin is then cut to the correct length to be fixed to the ground again.

  Every 5 meters or so, the tarpaulin is connected to the eyelet by an elastic tensioner

  (4) down to the ground, to prevent it from flying away during bad weather.

  2s The two carriages (7) mounted on wheels (6) are removable, adjustable in width (5) and made of light alloy in order to be able to transport and handle them easily. The assembly and disassembly takes place in a few minutes. When the risk of freezing has stopped, all that remains is to proceed in the opposite direction to remove the tarpaulin, and use it again. One can also fix the roller (2) 3o introduced in the axis (1) at the rear of a grape harvesting machine powered by motor and thus carry out the operations in an autonomous and less painful manner. Rightly we can also carry out the operations of recovery and removal using two men, without any machine, by simply carrying 3s the roller (2) introduced in its axis (1) on the shoulder and thus access safely on steep or steep terrain, to avoid

skid cart.

  The device according to the invention is particularly intended for the agricultural field,

  to protect the vines from frost.

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RE7 END I CAT I ONS

  1) Device to protect the vines against frost, characterized by covering the vines with a film or a plastic sheet, packaged in rolls (2 fig.l), fixed at the start and end of the row, and connected to the ground by a elastic tensioner (4 Fig.l) from the

tarpaulin eyelets (3 Fig.l).

  2) Method for installing the device according to claim

  1, characterized by the fact of unwinding the film or film

  plastic cheek (1 and 2 Fig.l) using a trolley (7 Fig.2) mounted on wheels (6 Fig.2) with adjustable center distance

  (5 fig. 2), driven by mechanical or human energy.