GB2187072A

GB2187072A - Apparatus for protecting a plant

Info

Publication number: GB2187072A
Application number: GB08704291A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Hardinge Monteith Hogg
Original assignee: CORRUPLAST Ltd
Current assignee: CORRUPLAST Ltd
Priority date: 1986-02-27
Filing date: 1987-02-24
Publication date: 1987-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 2007-02-24
Also published as: GB2187072B; GB8604845D0; GB8704291D0

Abstract

The invention relates to apparatus 1 for protecting a plant (not shown) such as a young tree during growth, comprising a member 1 which is a collapsed tube which can be erected to form a tubular housing 2 in which the plant is housed during growth, one end of the member 1 having a surface 3 which leads from the inside 4 to the outside 5 of the member (or housing 2 when erected) and presents no sharp edge to the plant. The material is suitably a fluted plastics material made by an extrusion process, and a single blank of the material is folded about opposite crease lines to form the tubular housing 2. Rigidifying means in the form of wires 10 maintain the housing as a tube, and securing means in the form of wire ties 12 enable the erected housing to be secured to a stake (not shown). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for Protecting a Plant The invention relates to apparatus for protecting a plant such as a young tree during growth.

Individual plants such as young trees are often protected during their initial growth period by an individual shelter, often known as a tree-shelter, which is essentially an open ended housing in which the young tree and a stake to support the housing upright, are received. The stakes not only limit the volume of the housing in which the tree can grow, but can physically adversely affect the condition of the growing plant because the stake is usually treated with a preservative which harms sensitive young shoots of the plant as it grows. Also, it is often difficult to fix the housing to the stake in the field.

It is an object of the invention to seek to mitigate these disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for protecting a plant such as a young tree during growth, comprising a member which is a collapsed tube which can be erected to form a tubular housing in which the plant is housed during growth, one end of the member having a surface which leads from the inside to the outside of the member and presents no sharp edge to the plant.

The apparatus may include means extending transversely to a longitudinal crease line and adapted to maintain the tubular housing erect when the member is erected.

The means may comprise two spaced substantially parallel metal rigidifying means secured at each end on adjacent side panels of the erected housing, which is substantially orthogonal in plan.

The metal rigidifying means may comprise a length of metal with the opposite ends passing through holes in opposite side panels of the member.

There may be securing means adapted to extend from the member for connection with an upright support member for supporting the erected housing substantially upright.

The securing means may comprise a substantially U-shaped tie, the free ends of which are externally of the housing for securing to an externally situated upright support member when the tubular housing is erected.

There may be two U-shaped ties spaced apart over the length of the member and being inclined to a crease line thereof. Preferably the free ends of the or each tie lie within the lateral extremeties of the collapsed tube.

The member may be made of a fluted material in which the flutes are substantially horizontal in use.

Alternatively, the flutes may be substantially vertical in use.

The material may be made of extruded plastic.

According to a second aspect of the invention there may be provided a set of parts for protecting a plant such as a young tree during growth, comprising apparatus as hereinbefore defined, and a stake to which the apparatus can be secured.

The invention extends to a tubular housing when erected from a member as hereinbefore defined.

Apparatus embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of apparatus embodying the invention; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a tubular housing which is an erected form of the apparatus of Fig.1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown apparatus 1 for protecting a plant (not shown) such as a young tree during growth, comprising a member 1 which is a collapsed tube which can be erected to form a tubular housing 2 (Fig. 2) in which the plant is housed during growth, one end of the member 1 having a surface 3 which leads from the inside 4 to the outside 5 of the member (or housing 2 when erected) and presents no sharp edge to the plant.

The member 1 is substantially rectangular in plan and has two pairs of opposite crease lines 6 and 7 so as to provide adjacent panels 4. The member 1 is made from a single sheet of fluted material such as extruded plastics material sold under the Registered Trade Mark CORREX. The crease lines 6,7 extend substantially at right angles to the length of the flutes 8. In other words the flutes 8 extend substantially horizontally when the housing 2 is erected and is supported substantially upright.

One end of a rectangular sheet of CORREX is folded back on itself and secured to form a double thickness or welt 9 at one end, the welt 9 forming the outside surface 3.

The crease lines 6 are formed at four opposite locations so there are two substantially parallel crease lines at each crease line location.

Rigidifying means 10 are inserted into the blank so as to extend obliquely or transversely to the flutes 8 and to extend across one of the crease lines 6, as shown in Fig. 1. The rigidifyihg means 10 comprise flexible metal wires which are substantially parallel, the ends of which are bent round to form hooks so that the wires are held in place. The wires extend through holes 11 in adjacent panels 4 of the apparatus.

Securing means 12 in the form of U-shaped metal wire staples are passed through the thickness of a panel 4 from the opposite side to the securing means 10 so that the limbs of the metal wire staples 12 project on the opposite side of the blank to the bent ends of the hooks, the webs of the securing means also extending obliquely or transversely to the longitudinal extent of the flutes 8. The limbs extend through holes 13 in the material of the sheet of CORREX. The wires 13 and staples 10 can be "fired" through the thickness of the sheet of CORREX from a gun or like inserter.

The blank is folded round the longitudinal axis so that opposite longitudinal edges overlap and the overlapping edges are secured as by welding to provide the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1. In this condition, the rigidifying means 10 extend as shown, and the free ends of the tie means 12 lie within the lateral extremities of the apparatus 1. This provides for simple stacking/packing of the apparatus, with no metal ends projecting. To erect the tubular housing 2, the apparatus is "sprung" about opposite hinge lines 6, and this action bends the wires 10 about the hinge line 6, and they flex and exceed their Youngs' Modulus, so they maintain an essentially right angle shape which rigidifies the housing in the erected condition, that of a right rectanglar or orthogonal tube.

The tube can then be placed over a growing plant such as a young tree adjacent an external support means such as a stake (not shown) inserted in the ground. The free ends of the ties can then be bent round the stake and secured to it and/or each other to provide a secure tying of the housing 2 to the stake so that the housing 2 is supported upright or substantially so. It will be appreciated that in this position the smooth curved surface 3 leads from the inside 4 to the outside 5 of the tube 2 so that there is no sharp edge inside or at the top of the housing on which the growing plant can snag or catch and which snagging or catching would otherwise damage the delicate young, growing plant, for example by stripping off bark where the plant is a young tree.It will also be appreciated that as the rigidifying means 10 and the ties 12 extend obliquely across several of the flutes 8 of the material of the blank for which the apparatus 1 is formed, there is no tendency for the material to tear when lateral forces are exerted on the erected housing 2, either as a result of pressure from the inside from the plant, or external lateral pressure from wind etc. The housing thus maintains its upright attitude and maintains its constructional integrity while providing a smooth internal surface and top, so protecting the growing plant through all stages of its growth in the housing.

In a further embodiment, not shown, the flutes 8 extend vertically in use, or stated in another way, the flutes 8 and the crease lines 6 and 7 are substantially parallel. In all other respects, the apparatus is similar two that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Thus in the embodiment with vertically extending (in use) flutes, the rigidifying means comprise flexible metal wires like the wires 10, and they are positioned and function as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Further, the securing means comprise staples like the staples 12, and again they are positioned and function as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, that is the webs extend obliquely or transversely of the vertical flutes and the limbs pass through holes like the holes 13.

Claims

1. Apparatus for protecting a plant such as a young tree during growth, comprising a member which is a collapsed tube which can be erected to form a tubular housing in which the plant is housed during growth, one end of the member having a surface which leads from the inside to the outside of the member and presents no sharp edge to the plant.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, including means extending transversely to a longitudinal crease line and adapted to maintain the tubular housing erect when the member is erected.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, the means comprising two spaced substantially parallel metal rigidifying means secured at each end on adjacent side panels of the erected housing, which is substantially orthogonal in plan.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, the metal rigidifying means comprising a length of metal with the opposite ends passing through holes in opposite side panels of the member.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, comprising securing means adapted to extend from the member for connection with an upright support member for supporting the erected housing substantially upright.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, the securing means comprising a substantially U-shaped tie, the free ends of which are external of the housing for securing to an externally situated upright support member when the tublar housing in erected.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, there being two U-shaped ties spaced apart over the length of the member and being inciined to a crease line thereof.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, the free ends of the or each tie lying within the lateral extremities of the collapsed tube.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, the member being made of a fluted material in which the flutes are substantially horizontal in use.

10. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, the member being made of fluted material in which the flutes are substantially vertical in use.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, the material being made of extruded plastic.

12. Apparatus for protecting a plant such as a young tree during growth, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. Atubular housing when erected from a member according to any of Claims 1 to 12.

14. A set of parts for protecting a plant such as a young tree during growth, comprising apparatus according to any preceding claim, and a stake to which the apparatus can be secured.