GB2494997A

GB2494997A - Apparatus and method for growing crops on suspended carriers

Info

Publication number: GB2494997A
Application number: GB1216878.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Angus James Davison
Original assignee: Haygrove Ltd
Current assignee: Haygrove Ltd
Priority date: 2011-09-22
Filing date: 2012-09-21
Publication date: 2013-03-27
Anticipated expiration: 2032-09-21
Also published as: GB201216878D0; WO2013041874A1; GB201116378D0; GB2494997B

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for growing crops in a substrate medium wherein the substrate medium is supported by a carrier 1 which is slidably mounted to at least one upstanding support member 2 and the height of the substrate medium above the ground may be adjusted. The carriers are supported on the support member by a support bracket 11 in the form of a sleeve. A plurality of ropes or cables 3 are fixed to one end of the brackets passing over guide wheels 9 at the top of the support member. Also disclosed is a method of growing crops in a substrate medium using an apparatus according to the invention wherein the height of the substrate medium above the ground is varied in response to the climate.

Description

Improved substrate growing system This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for growing crops using a substrate system. The invention particularly relates to a method and apparatus for growing crops under the protection of a field scale tunnel.

There exists a pervasive need to maximise the output per square meter, or crop yield, for all cultivated crops. There further exists a need to control the ripening of crops, to facilitate the supply of crops throughout the year.

The growth of crops under field scale tunnels has become widespread. Planning constraints may hmit the ability of growers to move field scale tunnels onto new ground or to construct new tunnels on fresh ground. Where the ability to construct new tunnels is constrained, the total protected area of cultivation and crop yield becomes the limiting factor on output.

In order to achieve enhanced productivity per square meter, or crop yield, it is known to grow crops in a substrate medium such as coir, peat or a combination of both, rather than in the soil. A known method by which crops are grown in such a substrate medium is to grow crops in a bag of coir or peat placed on a wire or steel table. This method is simple and cheap, and provides both enhanced yield relative to growing in the ground and reduced harvesting costs due to the elevated position of the crops facilitating ready access.

There are two significant problems with this approach. Firstly plant densities are relatively low in such systems. More intensive systems are required to maximise crop yield. Secondly, the ripening of crops grown on an elevated substrate medium in this way takes place later than it would for crops grown on the ground. Picking may be delayed by, for example, 10 to 14 days and this may result in a lack of production during highly valuable periods of the growing season.

Systems are known in which growing supports are suspended from the frame of a greenhouse and can be raised and lowered to adjust the height thereof. However, these systems can only be employed in certain designs of greenhouse and so are of limited application.

It is an object of the present application to ameliorate at least some of the hereinbefore described problems.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for growing crops in a substrate medium wherein the substrate medium is supported by a carrier which is slidably mounted to at least one upstanding support member and the height of the substrate medium above the ground may be adjusted.

The carrier may be secured at a range of different heights by means of a cable or rope.

The cable or rope may be fixed at a first end to the carrier, the cable or rope being directed upwards to pass over a guide wheel secured to an upstanchng support member, and the second end of the cable or rope being wound around a winch shaft arranged to actuate height adjustment.

A plurality of cabtes or ropes may be wound around a common winch shaft.

The common winch shaft may be connected to an output shaft of a gearbox.

A crankshaft suitable for hand use may be connected to an input shaft of the gearbox.

The gearbox may comprise a worm drive reduction gearbox.

The gearbox may be self locking to prevent rotation when torque is applied into the gearbox by the output shaft.

In an alternative arrangement, the height of the carrier above the ground may be adjusted by means of a rack and pinion system.

According to a second embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method of growing crops in a substrate medium using an apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention wherein the height of the substrate medium above the ground is varied in response to the climate.

The height of the substrate medium may be held substantially at ground level during the winter, at a height of less than 0.8m during the spring and at a height of at least im during harvesting of the crop. These heights are merely examples, and it will be appreciated that the invention is not restricted in this regard.

The height of the substrate medium above the ground may be varied before spraying.

The height of the substrate medium above the ground may be varied before harvesting.

The crop may be protected by a field scale tunnel or a so called poly-tunnel'.

Alternatively, protection may be provided by a permanent greenhouse or glasshouse structure, or the invention may be used outdoors. The crop may comprise strawberries or other soft fruit.

Reference will now be made, by way of example, to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus according an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a further schematic diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus showing a winching mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus showing an alternative winching mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 is a further schematic diagram of an alternative winching mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram including miniature tunnels, with the carrier at ground height according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 7 is a schematic diagram including miniature tunnels, with the carrier at the picking height according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram including a gantry system according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 9 is a further schematic diagram including a gantry system according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 10 is a schematic diagram including a further carrier that is mounted on top of the upstanding support members.

Referring to the drawings, in which like features are labelled with like numerals, there are shown a number of structures for cultivating crops in a substrate medium wherein the substrate medium is supported by a carrier t The structures may be used under a field scale tunnel 20. However, this need not always be the case, and the structures may be used outdoors. Both crops and substrate medium are omitted n the drawings for clarity. Some duplicate reference numerals are omitted for clarity.

The substrate medium carrier I comprises a tray or a number of tray sections which are provided with a profile to give the carrier the appropriate stiffness to support containers andfor bags in which the substrate material is carried and the crop is grown.

The carrier 1 may alternatively be arranged so that it is suitable to directly carry the substrate material in which the crop is planted. The carrier 1 may for example comprise an elongate channel or gutter made from steel. Two parallel rows of carriers I are shown for each row of crop to facilitate intensive crop growing, but the invention may employ a single row of carriers 1. or may comprise more than two parallel rows, or may comprise rows at different heights. The carriers may further support, for example, irrigation lines, heater devices and/or other devices or mechanisms to assist in the growth of crops.

The carriers 1 are supported by a plurality of support brackets 11 which are slidabcy connected to respective upstanding support members 2. The upstanding support members 2 are metal poles of circular section, and each support bracket 11 comprises a sleeve which is concentric with the support member 2 and a shaped wire section 12 designed to support the carriers 1 and substrate material containers. The shaped wire section 12 is welded to the concentric sleeve.

The lower end of each upstanding support member 2 is conveniently filled into a suitable ground anchor, or is otherwise secured in an upstanding, generally vertical orientation.

S

A plurality of cables or ropes 3 are fixed at a first end to respective ones of the plurality of support brackets 11, passing over guide wheels 9 at the top of the support members 2, with a second end thereof wound around a common winch shaft 4 which is located near to the ground. The winch shaft 4 is of circular section and is constrained within a plurality of guide hoops 5. The winch shaft 4 is arranged to rotate within the guide hoops 5 such that the cable or rope 3 can be taken up by winding around the shaft, or let out by unwinding from the shaft. The guide hoops 5 may be secured to the associated support members 2 or ground anchors.

The winch shaft 4 is connected at one end to a gearbox 6 which is secured to the ground. The gearbox 6 comprises an input shaft to which is connected a universal joint 7 which is in turn connected to a crankshaft 8. The gearbox 6 may be arranged to provide reduction gearing between the crankshaft S and the winch shaft 4. The crankshaft 8 is suitable for hand use. The gearbox 6 is arranged to provide an input shaft orthogonal: to the output shaft to which the winch shaft 4 is connected. The gearbox may conveniently be self locking, so that the crankshaft 8 may not be driven by the torque from the winch shaft 4. The gearbox 6 may conveniently comprise a worm gear arrangement En which the crankshaft 8 is connected to the worm, and the winch shaft 4 is connected to the gear. The gearbox may alternatively be driven by an electric motor. It will be appreciated. however, that these are merely options and that a wide range of other arrangements are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that rotating the winch shaft 4 to take up the cable 3 will result in the plurality of support brackets 11 moving up the support members 2, away from the ground. Similarly, rotating the winch shaft 4 to let out the cable 3 will result in the plurality of support brackets 11 moving down the support members 2, towards the ground. Arranging the gearbox 6 with a suitable reduction gear between the crank shaft 8 and the winch shaft 4 allows the height of a plurality of carriers I to be easily adjusted in this way by hand. Providing a self locking gearbox 6 means that the carriers will remain at the height to which they are moved by winding, if the gearbox 6 is not self locking, an additional locking mechanism may be employed to fix the height of the carriers 1. For example, appropriate detent mechanisms could be associated with the brackets 11 and support members 2, The crankshaft 8 and universal joint 7 may be removably fixable to the gearbox 6 for instance with a quick release mechanism.

Figures 4 and 5 show an alternative arrangement by which the height of the carrier 1 may be varied in which a plurality of winches 30 are supported at or near the top of the upstanding members 1. A row of support members 1 is shown, and a rail 35 is fixed to the top of the support members. The rail 35 may comprise a metal tube of circular section and may be fixed to the upstanding members 2 by means of a rail bracket which'sits over the rail 35 and bolts to the upstanding member 2. The upstanding members are provided with holes 16.

Each winch 30 comprises a winch bracket 34, spool 32, cable 33, crankshaft 31 and gearbox. The crankshaft 31 is connected to the input of the gearbox, and the spool 32 is connected to the output of the gearbox. The gearbox comprises a worm gear and is arranged to provide appropriate torque multiplication between the crankshaft 31 and the spool 32 to enable hand operation of the crank 31. Winding the crankshaft 31 results in rotation of the spool 32. The cable 33 is wrapped around the spool 32, and rotation cxf the spool results in the cable 33 being taken up or let out from the spool depending on the direction or rotation.

In use each winch 30 is removably affixed to the rail 35 by means of the winch bracket 34 which is arranged to slot over the rail 35. The winch 30 may subsequently be slid along the rail 35 so that further features of the winch bracket 34 slot around the upstanding member 2 under the rail bracket. The cable 33 is fixed to the support bracket 11 at a point near the upstanding member by placing a fixed loop at the end of the cable 33 over a cleat provided on the support bracket 11 and/or winding the cable around the cleat.

When the cable 33 is secured to the support bracket 11, winding the crankshaft 311o take up the cable 33 on the spool 32 raises the carrier 1. Similarly, winding the crankshaft 31 to let out the cable 33 from the spool 32 lowers the carrier 1. The winch may be wound to move the carrier I to a required position on the upstanding member 2.

The support bracket 11 and carrier 1 are secured at the selected height by a rod (not shown) inserted under or through openings formed in the support bracket 11 and through a hole 16 in the upstanding member 2. Alternatively the carrier I may simply rest on the ground where the required carrier height is ground level.

A plurality of winches 30 may be used to adjust the height of the carrier 1, for instance with a winch arranged at or near the top of each upstanding member 2. and with each winch being wound at the same time to move the carrier the same distance.

The support bracket 11 pictured in Figures 5 and 6 is shown with a structural re-enforcement 14 to increase the strength and stiffness of the support bracket II. The upstanding members 2 are provided with a cross member 15 which engages with the ground to assist in maintaining the upstanding members 2 in a vertical orientation.

Although a winching system using cable or ropes is preferable, the invention may be implemented using a number of different actuation approaches. A shaft may be provided with pinion gears that drive a rack to which the support brackets 11 are affixed. The support brackets 11 may be manually Lifted from one posftion to another and secured in place with rods which are received En apertures 16 in the support members 2.

It is envisaged in that! in this arrangement, the carrier can be fixed in position at two different heights -a relatively low position during the growing season, and a raised position for harvesting. However, this need not always be the case and other arrangements are possible.

In Figure 6 an embodiment of the invention is shown in which miniature tunnels 37 are provided around the carrier 1 to provide a sheltered growing environment. The miniature tunnels 37 comprise a wire framework 36 mounted to the shaped wire section 12 of the support bracket 11. A transparent or transducent material 38 is supported by the wire framework 36. The transparent material 38 may comprise a plastics material such as polyethylene. The carrier I is shown at ground level in Figure 6, and the support bracket 11 is resting on the ground 50 and the miniature tunnel 37 extends to ground level 50.

The height of the upstanding member 2 of this embodiment is adjustable, and with the carrier I at ground level, the upstanding member is reduced in height so that is accommodated within the envelope enclosed by the transparent material 38.

In Figure 7, the carrier and miniature tunnels 37 are elevated above ground level, To raise the height of a carrier I with a miniature tunnel 37, the upstanding members 2 are increased in height, for instance by the addition of an additional structural element that mechanically engages with the upstanding member 2 to extend it upwards. A winch may subsequently be used as described hereinbefore to raise the height of the carrier 1. If desired, the transparent material 38 may be removed prior to such lifting and subsequently replaced if required. However, this need not always be necessary.

The provision of a miniature tunnel 37 provides an arrangement whereby crops may be grown in sheltered conditions without the need for the provision of field scale tunnels, for instance where planning restrictionslimits the use of the field-scale tunnels. Such an arrangement may be used to grow strawberries without the need for a field-scale tunnel 20. Alternatively, embodiments of the invention with miniature tunnels 37 may be used within field scale tunnels 20, for instance to force earlier crop maturity than would otherwise occur.

Figures 8 and 9 show an embodiment of the invention in which a gantry system 40 is provided. The gantry 40 comprises locating rollers 41 and flat rollers 42, a structural frame 44. and a high container 44, a low container 43 and a mid-level container 45.

The gantry is arranged to operate between two rows of upstanding members 2 supporting carriers 1, supported by the rails 35 at the top of the members 2. The gantry is provided with two flanged locating rollers 41, the profile of which is adapted to conform to the profile of the rail 35. The two locating rollers 41 are arranged to engage with a first rail 35a carried by a first row of upstanding members 2. A further two flat rollers 42 are arranged to engage with a second rail 35b carried by a second row of upstanding members. The flat rollers 42 can accommodate a change in distance between the first rail 35a and the second rail 35b. The locating rollers 41 on one side of the gantry maintain the alignment of the gantry 40 with the first rail 35a, and the flat rollers 42 on the other side of the gantry allow for the second rail 35b to be less accurately positioned and aligned. The rollers 411 42 allow the gantry 40 to be conveniently repositioned at any point along the rails 35.

The high, low and mid-level containers (44, 43, 45) provide convenient storage which can be moved with workers who are tending to the crops. During spraying for example, a reservoir filled with the liquid to be sprayed on the crop may be placed into the high container 44, and the crops sprayed as the gantry is moved from one end of the rail tO the other During harvesting of the crop, the mid-level and low level containers may receive crops as they are harvested, moving with the harvesters and reducing the need for journeys to and from the crop.

Figure 10 shows an embodiment of the invention in which a further carrier 46 is provided that is not slidably mounted to the upstanding support members 2, but is removeably mounted to the upstanding members 2 at a fixed height. In Figure 10, the further carrier 46 is fixed on top on of the upstanding members 2, but it will be appreciated that other arrangements are possible. In this arrangement there are therefore two parallel carriers 1 with adjustable height, either side of the row of upstanding members 2, and a further carrier 46 at a fixed height on top of the upstanding members.

In use the present invention may be used to vary the height of the growing substrate and crops in response to both the growing season and in order to facilitate improved access to the crop. The crops may be kept at ground level during the wthter to minimise frost risk during growth or spring to ensure that the maturation of crops takes place as early as possible. Early maturation of crops is frequently key in obtaining best value from the crop since prices vary depending on the time of year.

The height of the crop may be varied to improve access for spraying and for harvesting. Access to the plants for spraying is improved when the crops are elevated, and significant improvements in the harvesting process result from elevating the crops to a more readily accessible height. Conveniently, the height of the crops may only be varied twice per growing season It will be appreciated that as the invention is independent of the design of any associated greenhouse structure or the like, it is suitable for use in a wide range of applications.

6 As illustrated in Figure 10, in some embodiments a further carrier 46 may be added when the Fight levels are highest (for example in summer, when the adjustable height carriers are in an elevated position), and a crop grown in a carrier medium supported in the further carrier. The crop yield per square meter may thereby be significantly improved. When light levels are lower, the further carrier may be removed, and the height of the adjustable carriers reduced to produce an autumn crop therein. Ft will be appreciated that the provision of such a carrier provides significant advantages, aHowing the crop density and yield to be enhanced and increasing the flexibility of use of the system.

In at least some of the arrangements described hereinbefore the upper ends of the upstanding members 2 are interconnected by rails 35. In a modification, the rail may be replaced by an additional substrate medium carrier adapted to support, for example containers and/or bags containing a growing substrate material. The additional substrate medium carrier may take the form of, for example, an elongate channel or gutter fabricated from, for example, steel. It will be appreciated, however, that other arrangements are possible. In such an arrangements, it is envisaged that the additional substrate medium carrier will be held at a substantially fixed height, in use, being mounted to the upper ends of fixed height upstanding members 2. It witl be appreciated, however, that this need not always be the case and arrangements may be possible in which raising and lowering of this carrier can be achieved, for example by arranging for the upstanding members themselves to be of telescopic design.

Such an arrangement is advantageous in that an additional crop row may be provided, thereby increasing the quantity of crop that can be grown in a given area. It Es envisaged that a single additional substrate medium carrier will be provided. However, it may be possible for provide more than one and/or for the additional carrier to be capable of carrying more than one row of growing substrate.

Whilst specific embodiments of the invention are described hereinbefore, it will be appreciated that a wide range of modifications and alterations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

<claim-text>CLAIMS: 1. An apparatus for growing crops in a substrate medium wherein the substrate medium is supported by a carrier which is slidably mounted to at least one upstanding support member and the height of the substrate medium above the ground may be adjusted.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. An apparatus according to claim I wherein each support member comprises a plurality of holes at different heights, and the cagier may be supported at a number of different heights by a rod or other height support means inserted through the hole in the support member.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 comprising a plurality of upstanding support members arranged in at least one row, and a rail which is mounted to and between the tops of the support members of each raw.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. An apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the carrier may be supported at a range of different heights by means of a cable or rope.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. An apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising a winch, mountable at or near the top of the upstanding support member and operable to adjust the height of the carrier by means of the cable or rope which is attachable to the carrier.6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the winch is further provided with a gearbox and a crankshaft suitable for hand use.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the cable or rope is fixed at a first end to the carrier, the cable or rope being directed upwards to pass over a guide wheel secured to an upstanding support member, and the second end of the cable or rope being wound around a winch shaft arranged to actuate height adjustment.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein a plurality of cables or ropes are 8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the common winch shaft connected to an output shaft of a gearbox.9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein a crankshaft suitable for hand use is connected to an input shaft of the gearbox.10. An apparatus according to any of claims 6, 8 or 9 wherein the gearbox is worm drive reduction gearbox, 11. An apparatus according to any of claims 6, 9 or 10 wherein the gearbox is self locking to prevent rotation when torque is appUed into the gearbox by forces on the cable or rope.12. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a miniature tunnel for sheltering the crop comprising translucent or transparent material, secured to and arranged to move with the carrier.13. An apparatus according to any preceding claim comprising, and further comprising a rail secured to the top of each row of support members.14. An apparatus according to cLaim 13 comprising a first row and a second row of support members, further comprising a gantry system arranged for use between the first and second row, wherein the gantry is arranged to be supported by, and move along the rails of each row.15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the gantry comprises two flanged rollers arranged to cooperate with a first rail fixed to the first row of support members and at least one flat roller arranged to cooperate with a second rail fixed to the second row of support members.16. An apparatus according to claim 14 or 15 wherein the gantry is arranged with containers suitable for carrying picking trays for harvesting the crop, or a sprayer for spraying the crop.17. An apparatus according to claim I in which the height is adjusted by means of a rack and pinion system.18. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the height of the upstanding support members is adjustable.19. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein a further carrier is provided attached to the upstanding support member at a fixed height.20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the further carrier is removably attached to the at least one upstanding support member.21. An apparatus according to claim 19 or 20, wherein the further carrier is mounted on top of the at least one upstanding support member.22. An apparatus according to any of ciaims 19 to 21, wherein a plurality of carriers are &ideably attached to the upstanding support member, on two opposite sides thereof.23. A method of growing crops in a substrate medium using an apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 22 wherein the height of the substrate medium above the ground is varied in response to the climate.24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the height of the substrate medium is held substantially at ground level during the winter and at a height of at [east 1 m during harvesting of the crop.25. A method of growing crops in a substrate medium using an apparatus according to any of claims I to 22 wherein the height of the substrate medium above the ground is varied before spraying.26. A method of growing crops in a substrate medium using an apparatus according to any of claims I to 22 wherein the height of the substrate medium above the ground is varied before harvesting.27. A method according to any one of claims 23-26 wherein the crop is protectedby a field scale tunnel28. A method according to any preceding claim, when dependant on claim 20, wherein the further carrier is attached, in response to the climate and crops are grown in a substrate medftim supported by the further carrier.29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the further carrier is removed in response to the climate, and a further crop is grown in the substrate medium supported by the carrier that is s!idably mounted to the upstanding support member.30. A method according to any one of claims 23-29 wherein the crop is strawberries.</claim-text>