GB2516822A

GB2516822A - Plant removal tool

Info

Publication number: GB2516822A
Application number: GB1312439.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Macnaghten
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-07-11
Filing date: 2013-07-11
Publication date: 2015-02-11
Also published as: GB201312439D0

Abstract

A plant removal tool comprises at least three legs 2, 3, 4, a ratchet winch 12 supportable above the ground by the legs and having a spool 13, a ratchet mechanism 14, 15 for resisting rotation of the spool in a first direction, and an operating handle 18coupled to the spool for rotating the spool in a second direction through reciprocating downwards motions of the handle; and a flexible flat strap 16 wound on the spool, the strap being suitable for engagement with a plant stem, tree trunk or shrub; whereby a plant stem can be drawn upwards to remove a plant from the ground by means of repeated downwards motions of the handle.

Description

PLANT REMOVAL TOOL

This invention relates to tools for removing plants from the ground.

It is sometimes desired to move an established plant from one place to another with as little impact as possible on the plant's viability. As an example, this may happen in a domestic garden if it is decided to move a plant for aesthetic reasons. It may also happen in a commercial nursery when established plants are to be removed from the soil for sale.

When plants have been growing for some time they put out root systems which anchor them to the soil. If such an established plant is to be moved, it is desirable to remove it from the ground with as little damage as possible to the root system since a strong root system is critical in allowing the plant to resume growing in a new location.

Damage to the plant's stem and leaf structures is generally more tolerable, and indeed it can be helpful to prune a plant's stems prior to transplanting so as to make it easier to handle and encourage vigorous growth when the plant is re-planted.

The conventional way to remove substantial plants is by digging out the root system using a manual tool such as a spade. Once the soil around the roots is removed, leaving a hole in which the roots of the plant are exposed, the plant can be lifted from the hole. This is a time-consuming job, and involves hard manual work which can be especially difficult for weak or elderly people.

US 2010/0200820 discloses a method of ripping shrubs from the ground for the purpose of permanently removing or killing the shrubs. A noose formed of chain is slipped around the shrub's base. The noose is attached to a vehicle, and the vehicle is driven away from the shrub. This causes barbs on the chain to embed themselves into the flesh of the shrub, gripping the shrub and allowing the vehicle to pull the shrub from the ground. The shrub can then be disposed of. This technique is undesirable for use on shrubs that are to be re-planted because it may cause substantial damage to the flesh of the shrub, and because the main stem of the shrub could be snapped as the vehicle drives away. Furthermore, many domestic gardens are too small or confined for it to be feasible to remove a shrub using a vehicle.

US 2005/0274935 discloses a device for extracting fence posts. The device comprises a tripod on which is mounted a cable winch. A cable attached to the winch terminates in a noose which can be slipped around a fence post. There is no suggestion that the device may be suitable for the removal of plants from the ground.

And if it were to be used in that way, the cable may cause substantial damage to the flesh of the shrub, or even snap the trunk of the shrub.

There is a need for a tool for removing plants from the ground which is relatively easy to use and can remove plants without substantial damage in order that they can be re-planted elsewhere.

According to the present invention there is provided a plant removal tool comprising: at least three legs; a ratchet winch supportable above the ground by the legs and having a spool, a ratchet mechanism for resisting rotation of the spool in a first direction, and an operating handle coupled to the spool for rotating the spool in a second direction through reciprocating downwards motions of the handle; and a flexible flat strap wound on the spool, the strap being suitable for engagement with a plant stem; whereby a plant stem can be drawn upwards to remove a plant from the ground by means of repeated downwards motions of the handle.

The operating handle may be coupled to the spool in such a way that it is free to move upwards without rotating the spool.

The width of the strap may be greater than 20mm.

The strap may have a distal portion, which may be the end portion of the strap remote from the spool. At least one face of the distal portion may be substantially smooth for resisting damage to the plant stem. The distal portion may carry a structure adapted for attachment to a plant. That structure may be at least as wide as the strap.

The strap may be formed of a woven material.

The tool may comprise one or more connectors extending between the legs for limiting movement of the legs away from each other.

The lower ends of the legs may be provided with spikes for engaging the ground and/or with plates for engaging the ground.

The distal end of the strap may be formed as a loop.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a plant removal tool.

Figure 2 shows the lower portion of the tool of figure 1 engaged with a plant.

The tool shown in the figures comprises a body 1. Attached to the lower side of the body are three legs 2, 3, 4. The legs are adjustable in length, a lower pad of each leg being capable of telescoping within an upper part of the respective leg. Each leg has a twistable locking mechanism 5 whereby the leg can be locked at a certain length.

Other mechanisms could be used to permit the length of the legs to be varied. For example, a pin could intercept through-holes in the upper and lower pads of a leg.

One, two or all three of the legs could be fixed in length. Each leg is attached to the body by a mounting 6 that permits the leg to rotate relative to the base about a horizontal axis. In that way the legs can be brought together so that the tool can be carried compactly or splayed, as shown in figure 1, so as to form a stable tripod for supporting the body above the ground. The device could have more than three legs.

On the lower end of each leg is a ground-engaging structure. Each ground-engaging structure comprises a plate 7 and a spike 8. When the leg is engaged with the ground the spike can penetrate the ground to hold the leg firmly in place. The plate can sit on the surface of the ground, spreading vertical load across the ground to resist the leg going further into the ground. This allows each leg to engage firmly with soil or similar substrates with substantial resistance both to lateral movement and to vertical movement further into the ground. When the tool is to be used on a hard surface such as paving stones, caps can be engaged over the spikes. The caps could be formed of a plastics material. Each plate may be able to rotate relative to its respective leg about an axis transverse to the leg so that it can be moved to a convenient configuration for transporting the tool.

Tension lines 9, 10 extend between the legs to inhibit excessive splaying of the legs.

The tension lines could be flexible cords or chains. Tension lines could extend between each pairing of legs, or between only two of the pairings, as shown in figure 1. By using only two tension lines the region between the legs is more accessible since the space between one pairing of legs is unobscured.

A handle 11 is attached to the body to aid in carrying the tool.

A ratchet winch 12 is attached to the upper surface of the body 1. The ratchet winch comprises a spool 13 around which is wound a flexible strap 16. The spool has a gear 14 mounted to it, which engages with a pawl so as to resist withdrawal of the strap from the spool. An exposed part 15 of the pawl can be moved by an operator to free the spool when the strap is to be unwound from the spool. The ratchet block has a handle 18 which can be operated to wind the strap on to the spool. The handle is linked to the spool by a one-way mechanism whereby downward motion of the handle will cause a length of strap to be wound on to the spool, where it will be held by the action of the pawl 15 on the gear 14, but upward motion of the handle will not unwind the strap from the spool. Thus the strap can be wound on to the spool by the operator pressing the handle downwards, and once wound on to the spool the strap will not unwind when the operator pulls the handle upwards to prepare for the next stroke.

The fact that the plant is drawn up only on downward strokes of the handle, whilst upward strokes do not alter the position of the spool, makes it easier for a user to apply force to the plant because the user can put his or her body weight behind the downwards strokes.

The strap may be removable from and re-attachable to the spool by a user. The spool may have a slot at its centre through which the proximal end of the strap can be threaded in order to attach it to the spool.

The ratchet action of the winch could be provided by a one-way slip clutch rather than a gear and pawl mechanism.

A hole 17 runs through the body 1 roughly centrally between the legs. The strap 16 passes from the upper side of the body, where the ratchet block 12 is located, through hole 17 to the lower side of the body.

When the tool is to be used to remove a plant from the ground, the legs are extended and splayed and positioned on the ground generally equidistantly around the plant.

This configuration is illustrated in figure 2. The operator unlatches the pawl l5so that the strap can be withdrawn from the spool, and pulls off a sufficient length of strap that it can be engaged around the base of the stem 20 of the plant. The pawl can then be latched again to the gear 14. The strap is wrapped around the base of the stem. (See figure 2). It has been found that putting several turns of a strap around a plant stem is sufficient to give a good grip because when the strap comes under tension it tightens around the stem. The initial tightening of the strap can be assisted by tucking the free end of the strap into the wrapping, or by tying or winding it around the length of strap that runs to the winch. With the strap bound to the stem the handle 18 can be reciprocated to reel in the strap. As the strap is drawn vertically, with the body 1 of the tool held above the ground by the legs 2, 3, 4, the strap exerts an upwards force on the stem 20. It has been found that for a typical shrub this action is sufficient to disengage the rootball 21 or the major part of it substantially intact from the ground without need for any loosening of the soil around the rootball. Once the rootball is disengaged the pawl can be unlatched to loosen the strap, the strap can be detached from the stem and the plant can easily be lifted free of the ground.

By operating the tool in this way the stem and rootball can be removed substantially undamaged from the ground, allowing the plant to be replanted elsewhere with a good chance that it will survive.

If the plant is tall or bushy it may be desirable to prune the stem(s) of the plant before removing it from the ground. This can help to avoid it fouling the tool whilst it is being removed. The body of the tool has cut-outs between the legs (e.g. at 19) to reduce the chance of the plant fouling the tool. If the plant is sufficiently tall that it will reach the height of the body during the removal process then it can be directed through one of the cut-outs.

The fact that the plant is engaged by a flexible strap helps avoid damage to the plant's stem. The width of the strap spreads the force of engagement aver an area of the stem. The strap is preferably smooth, so as to avoid it biting into the stem: for example, the strap may be a fabric strap woven from fibres such as polyester, polyamide or polypropylene. Such straps are sometimes known as lashing straps or webbing. The strap is preferably free from significant protuberances, especially in the distal region of the strap -throughout the region within 30cm of the distal end of the strap. When the strap is woven, any surface unevenness in the strap is preferably a consequence solely of the texture of the weave. The width of the strap is preferably greater than 10mm, more preferably greater then 20mm, and most preferably 25mm or more.

It has been found that simply winding the strap around the stem of the plant can provide sufficient grip on the stem to permit it to be pulled from the ground. Preferably the free end of the strap is wound above the point at which the portion of the strap that leads to the winch meets the stem, but it could be wound the other way as shown in figure 2.

The strap can have a loop at its distal end. The loop could be formed by folding a portion of the strap back on itself about an axis transverse to the length of the strap and attaching the end of the folded back portion on to the main length of the strap, e.g. by sewing or welding. The main length of the strap can then be passed around the stem of the plant and through the loop. This allows the strap to readily gain purchase on the stem as the strap is tensioned. The strap could be pre-configured with its main length passing through the loop. Alternatively, the strap could be removed from the spool, passed around the stem and through the loop, and then re-attached to the spool. Preferably the length of the loop along the major axis of the strap is greater than the width of the strap. This allows the strap to remain flat where it exits the loop, reducing the chance of it biting into the stem and causing damaging when the plant is being removed.

The distal end of the strap can be fitted with a structure for securing it to a stem. Such a structure could comprise a flexible strip of elastomer that can be wrapped around, can clip around, or can self-tighten around the plant. It could be equipped with ridges or other formations that extend inwardly towards the plant to improve grip. Such ridges are preferably blunt and/or resiliently deformable, to prevent them causing significant damage to a woody stem. Such a structure is preferably at least as wide as the strap in order to inhibit its biting into the stem.

If desired, the structure of the soil around the plant could be loosened before the plant is removed. This may aid removal. The structure of the soil could be loosened by working it gently with a fork or by watering it.

The tool is particularly suitable for removing plants with woody stems, such as shrubs and small trees. However, it can be used with plants having fleshy stems provided they are sufficiently strong not to be damaged under the force needed to withdraw them from the ground. It could also be used to remove from the ground objects other than plants, such as garden posts and stakes.

The applicant hereby discloses in isolation each individual feature described herein and any combination of two or more such features, to the extent that such features or combinations are capable of being carried out based on the present specification as a whole in the light of the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the art, irrespective of whether such features or combinations of features solve any problems disclosed herein, and without limitation to the scope of the claims. The applicant indicates that aspects of the present invention may consist of any such individual feature or combination of features. In view of the foregoing description it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A plant removal tool comprising: at least three legs; a ratchet winch supportable above the ground by the legs and having a spool, a ratchet mechanism for resisting rotation of the spool in a first direction, and an operating handle coupled to the spool for rotating the spool in a second direction through reciprocating downwards motions of the handle; and a flexible flat strap wound on the spool, the strap being suitable for engagement with a plant stem; whereby a plant stem can be drawn upwards to remove a plant from the ground by means of repeated downwards motions of the handle.
2. A plant removal tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating handle is free to move upwards without rotating the spool.
3. A plant removal tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the width of the strap is greater than 20mm.
4. A plant removal tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the strap has a distal portion and at least one face of the distal portion is substantially smooth for resisting damage to the plant stem.
5. A plant removal tool as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the strap has a distal portion carrying a structure for attachment to a plant, the structure being at least as wide as the strap.
6. A plant removal tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the strap is formed of a woven material.
7. A plant removal tool as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising one or more connectors extending between the legs for limiting movement of the legs away from each other.
8. A plant removal tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the lower ends of the legs are provided with spikes for engaging the ground.
9. A plant removal tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the lower ends of the legs are provided with plates for engaging the ground.
10. A plant removal tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the distal end of the strap is formed as a loop.
11. A plant removal tool substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.