GB2541867A - Polytunnel arrangement - Google Patents

Polytunnel arrangement Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2541867A
GB2541867A GB1514917.2A GB201514917A GB2541867A GB 2541867 A GB2541867 A GB 2541867A GB 201514917 A GB201514917 A GB 201514917A GB 2541867 A GB2541867 A GB 2541867A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
generally
shaped part
rope anchor
anchor bracket
arrangement
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB1514917.2A
Other versions
GB2541867B (en
GB201514917D0 (en
Inventor
Whatton Rolly
Cormack James
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Haygrove Ltd
Original Assignee
Haygrove Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Haygrove Ltd filed Critical Haygrove Ltd
Priority to GB1514917.2A priority Critical patent/GB2541867B/en
Publication of GB201514917D0 publication Critical patent/GB201514917D0/en
Priority to PCT/GB2016/052534 priority patent/WO2017032979A1/en
Publication of GB2541867A publication Critical patent/GB2541867A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2541867B publication Critical patent/GB2541867B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01GHORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G9/00Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
    • A01G9/14Greenhouses
    • A01G9/1407Greenhouses of flexible synthetic material
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01GHORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G13/00Protecting plants
    • A01G13/02Protective coverings for plants; Coverings for the ground; Devices for laying-out or removing coverings
    • A01G13/0231Tunnels, i.e. protective full coverings for rows of plants
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01GHORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G9/00Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
    • A01G9/14Greenhouses
    • A01G9/1476Greenhouse gutters
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02ATECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02A40/00Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production
    • Y02A40/10Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production in agriculture
    • Y02A40/25Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
  • Suspension Of Electric Lines Or Cables (AREA)
  • Lining Or Joining Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

A polytunnel arrangement comprises a pair of rows of legs 10, 12, each leg 10, 12 having, at its upper end, a generally U-shaped part 14 arranged to carry ends of a pair of hoop members, in use, the generally U-shaped part 14 having a rope anchor bracket 22 secured thereto. The rope anchor bracket may extend in a plane perpendicular to a plane in which the limbs of the generally U-shaped part is located. The rope anchor bracket may curve downwardly from a point at which it is secured to the U-shaped part. The arrangement may further comprise a gutter member 24 supported by the U-shaped part and an auxiliary rope anchor bracket 26 may be located in a channel defined by the gutter member.

Description

POLYTUNNEL ARRANGEMENT
This invention relates to a polytunnel arrangement for use in the cultivation of crops, providing protection for the crops and/or enabling the growing environment to improved or optimised to increase production.
One form of polytunnel arrangement in common use comprises a pair of rows of legs, each of which is secured in position on a ground surface. A series of cover support hoop members are provided, each hoop member being supported at one end by being fixed to or carried by one of the legs of one of the rows, the other end of the hoop member being fixed to or carried by a respective one of the legs of the other of the rows. A cover, for example of a flexible plastics material, is supported by the hoop members and is anchored in position using ropes or straps that are secured to fastening points provided on the legs and extend over the cover.
It is often the case that several polytunnel arrangements of this type are provided side-by-side, in which case where appropriate the legs of certain of the rows may carry the ends of the hoop members of two adjacent ones of the polytunnel arrangements, thereby reducing the number of component parts required, and allowing the polytunnel arrangements to be provided closer to one another. In such an arrangement, the upper ends of the legs are typically of bifurcated, generally, U-shaped form, one of the limbs of which is used to support the hoop member associated with one of the polytunnel arrangements, and the other of which is used to carry the associated hoop member of the other of the polytunnel arrangements. The U-shaped parts of the legs may further carry a gutter member arranged to catch and carry rainwater draining from the covers of the polytunnel arrangements to an end thereof.
The fastening points to which the ropes or straps used to anchor the cover in position are attached, in use, are typically welded or otherwise secured to the legs at a position beneath the level of the U-shaped parts of the legs, and are only used when no gutter is provided.
There are circumstances in which it is desired to use legs that are of relatively short length, with the result that the ends of the hoop members are supported at relatively low positions, and any gutter provided between adjacent polytunnel arrangements is at a low level. Whilst, potentially, legs of the type described hereinbefore could be used in the provision of such an arrangement, the positioning of the fastening points at a level beneath the U-shaped parts of the legs results in the fastening points being difficult to access, the clearance between the fastening points and the ground surface being small, and hence in the process attaching the ropes or straps to anchor the cover in position being unnecessarily complex and time consuming. Furthermore, since the fastening points of such a structure cannot be used in arrangements in which a gutter is provided, they are of limited use.
It is an object of the invention to provide a polytunnel arrangement in which at least some of the disadvantages associated with known arrangements are overcome or are of reduced effect.
According to the present invention there is provided a polytunnel arrangement comprising a pair of rows of legs, each leg having, at its upper end, a generally U-shaped part arranged to carry ends of a pair of hoop members, in use, the generally U-shaped part having a rope anchor bracket secured thereto. The rope anchor bracket conveniently extends in a plane perpendicular to a plane in which the limbs of the generally U-shaped part are located. The rope anchor bracket conveniently curves downwardly from a point at which it is secured to the generally U-shaped part. It is preferably attached, for example, by welding to an upper face of a base part of the generally U-shaped part.
Such an arrangement is advantageous in that the rope anchor bracket is secured to the leg at a higher level than is the case in the known arrangement, and thus is still readily accessible even where the leg is of relatively short form, the rope anchor bracket being spaced above the underlying ground surface by an increased distance compared to the known arrangement. Consequently, lacing of ropes or straps to the rope anchor bracket is relatively straightforward.
As the rope anchor bracket depends downwardly from its point of attachment to the generally U-shaped part, the presence of the rope anchor bracket does not impede the provision of a gutter supported by the generally U-shaped part (although is not normally used where a gutter is so located).
The invention also relates, in a second aspect thereof, to a polytunnel arrangement comprising a pair of rows of legs, each leg having, at its upper end, a generally U-shaped part arranged to carry ends of a pair of hoop members, in use, a gutter member supported by the generally U-shaped part, and an auxiliary rope anchor bracket located within a channel defined by the gutter member and secured to the generally U-shaped part. The gutter member may be of a flexible plastics material. Alternatively, it could be of a suitable metallic material. A rope anchor bracket as defined hereinbefore may also be provided.
Such an arrangement is advantageous in that it permits anchoring of the cover of a polytunnel arrangement in position whilst also permitting the provision of a gutter. Furthermore, the gutter can, if desired, be at a relatively low level.
The invention will further be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a polytunnel arrangement;
Figure 2 illustrates a leg used in a typical polytunnel arrangement;
Figure 3 illustrates a leg used in a polytunnel arrangement in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and
Figure 4 is a view illustrating the leg of Figure 3 modified in accordance with the second aspect of the invention.
Referring firstly to Figure 1, a polytunnel arrangement is illustrated, diagrammatically, which comprises first and second rows of legs 10, 12. Each leg 10, 12 includes, at its upper end, a generally U-shaped part 14, the limbs 14a, 14b of which each carry, in use, an end part of a hoop member 16. As illustrated, each hoop member 16 is support, at one end, by a leg 10 in one of the rows, and at its opposite end, by a leg 12 of the other of the rows. A flexible plastics material cover 18 is carried by the hoop members 16, supported in such a manner as to define a barrel shaped roof profile, the cover 18 being anchored in position by anchor ropes or straps 20. Whilst not shown, each leg may carry the adjacent ends of two hoop members associated with a pair of adjacent polytunnel arrangements.
Figure 2 illustrates a typical design of the leg 10, from which it is clear that, beneath the generally U-shaped part 14, rope anchor hooks 22 are welded to the leg 10. The rope anchor hooks 22 lie in the same plane as the limbs 14a, 14b. As described hereinbefore, whilst in some applications, the use of a leg of the type shown in Figure 2 allows the construction of a polytunnel arrangement of desired characteristics, it has been found that where the leg is of relatively short length, used in the provision of a polytunnel arrangement of the type in which the ends of the hoop members are supported above the ground surface by only a short distance, the location of the rope anchor hooks 22 beneath the generally U-shaped part impede the operation of attaching the ropes or straps 20 in position, resulting in the assembly or construction of the polytunnel arrangement being of greater complexity and being more time consuming.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, as shown in Figure 3, rather than provide rope anchor hooks 22 located beneath the generally U-shaped parts 14, the rope anchor brackets or hooks 22 are secured, for example by being welded, to an upper surface of the base 14c of the generally U-shaped part 14 of each leg, the rope anchor hooks 22 extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to a plane containing the limbs 14a, 14b of the generally U-shaped part 14. The rope anchor hooks 22 depend downwardly from their points of attachment to the generally U-shaped parts 14.
In use, with respective hoop members 16 supported by the generally U-shaped parts 14, and a cover 18 carried by the hoop members 16, ropes or straps 20 may be laced between the rope anchor hooks 22 to secure or anchor the cover 18 in position.
Turning to Figure 4, it is apparent that the rope anchor hooks 22 of the arrangement shown in Figure 3 do not impede the location of a gutter material 24 carried by the generally U-shaped parts 14 of the legs. In such an arrangement, as with the known arrangement, the presence of the gutter material prevents the rope anchor hooks 22 from being used to anchor the cover 18 in position, the gutter material 24 blocking the path that would need to be followed by the ropes or straps 20. In order to allow the anchoring of the ropes or straps 20 in an arrangement in which a gutter material 24 is provided, an auxiliary rope anchor bracket or hook 26 is provided, the auxiliary rope anchor hook 26 being located within the channel defined by the gutter material 24 and being secured to the limbs 14a, 14b of the generally U-shaped part 14 by mounting brackets 28 which are clamped or otherwise affixed to the limbs 14a, 14b, and which include parts that extend through openings formed in the gutter material 24 to engage the auxiliary rope anchor hook 26 and fix the hook 26 in position. As illustrated, the auxiliary rope anchor hook 26 conveniently includes two hook parts 26a, 26b thereby allowing a single hook 26 to be used in the attachment of ropes or straps 20 associated with a pair of adjacent tunnel arrangements, the hook 26 being secured, by a pair of mounting brackets 28 to both limbs 14a, 14b of the generally U-shaped part 14. Flowever, this need not always be the case and arrangements are possible in which only a single hook part is present and/or in which only a single mounting bracket 28 is used.
It will be appreciated that the invention is advantageous in that it enables the provision of a relatively low level polytunnel arrangement, allowing the attachment of ropes or straps to anchor the cover thereof in a relatively simple and convenient manner. Furthermore, it allows such a structure to be provided with a gutter, at a relatively low level, if desired.
Whilst a specific embodiment of the invention is described herein, it will be appreciated that a wide range of modifications and alterations may be made to the arrangement described hereinbefore without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS:
1. A polytunnel arrangement comprising a pair of rows of legs, each leg having, at its upper end, a generally U-shaped part arranged to carry ends of a pair of hoop members, in use, the generally U-shaped part having a rope anchor bracket secured thereto.
2. An arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein the rope anchor bracket extends in a plane perpendicular to a plane in which the limbs of the generally U-shaped part are located.
3. An arrangement according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the rope anchor bracket curves downwardly from a point at which it is secured to the generally U-shaped part.
4. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the rope anchor bracket is attached to an upper face of a base part of the generally U-shaped part.
5. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the rope anchor bracket is welded to the generally U-shaped part.
6. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a gutter member supported by the generally U-shaped part, and an auxiliary rope anchor bracket located within a channel defined by the gutter member and secured to the generally U-shaped part.
7. A polytunnel arrangement comprising a pair of rows of legs, each leg having, at its upper end, a generally U-shaped part arranged to carry ends of a pair of hoop members, in use, a gutter member supported by the generally U-shaped part, and an auxiliary rope anchor bracket located within a channel defined by the gutter member and secured to the generally U-shaped part.
GB1514917.2A 2015-08-21 2015-08-21 Polytunnel arrangement Active GB2541867B (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1514917.2A GB2541867B (en) 2015-08-21 2015-08-21 Polytunnel arrangement
PCT/GB2016/052534 WO2017032979A1 (en) 2015-08-21 2016-08-16 Polytunnel arrangement

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1514917.2A GB2541867B (en) 2015-08-21 2015-08-21 Polytunnel arrangement

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201514917D0 GB201514917D0 (en) 2015-10-07
GB2541867A true GB2541867A (en) 2017-03-08
GB2541867B GB2541867B (en) 2021-08-04

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB1514917.2A Active GB2541867B (en) 2015-08-21 2015-08-21 Polytunnel arrangement

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GB (1) GB2541867B (en)
WO (1) WO2017032979A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2575634A (en) * 2018-07-16 2020-01-22 Haygrove Ltd Polytunnel structure
GB2618098A (en) * 2022-04-26 2023-11-01 Haygrove Ltd Greenhouse structure

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2549469B (en) * 2016-04-14 2019-12-25 Haygrove Ltd Polytunnel structure

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2289111A1 (en) * 1974-10-30 1976-05-28 Tosello Ugo Metal frame for greenhouses - has tubular construction, with plastic sheet cover, grill and sky-light
FR2527420A1 (en) * 1982-05-28 1983-12-02 Serradimigni Fernand Sheet tensioning and gutter for multi-arch roof - anchors sheet edges to trapezoidal section gutter retained by Y=shaped column head arms
US5197238A (en) * 1989-06-15 1993-03-30 Alexander Peleg Enclosed structures
GB2397005A (en) * 2003-01-07 2004-07-14 Haygrove Ltd Polytunnel system
GB2407105A (en) * 2003-10-14 2005-04-20 Haygrove Ltd Gutter comprising flexible member
FR2868907A1 (en) * 2004-04-16 2005-10-21 Serres Du Val De Loire Sarl Light weight building construction e.g. greenhouse structure, for growing plants, has tension rope made up of plastic material to support part of tarpaulin cover, and transverse bars whose free ends are fixed to posts through sleeve
GB2497941A (en) * 2011-12-22 2013-07-03 Haygrove Ltd A method of making a polytunnel gutter using a coil of sheet metal

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB0210091D0 (en) * 2002-05-02 2002-06-12 Haygrove Tunnels Ltd Support system
GB201508976D0 (en) * 2015-05-26 2015-07-01 Haygrove Ltd Tunnel arrangement

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2289111A1 (en) * 1974-10-30 1976-05-28 Tosello Ugo Metal frame for greenhouses - has tubular construction, with plastic sheet cover, grill and sky-light
FR2527420A1 (en) * 1982-05-28 1983-12-02 Serradimigni Fernand Sheet tensioning and gutter for multi-arch roof - anchors sheet edges to trapezoidal section gutter retained by Y=shaped column head arms
US5197238A (en) * 1989-06-15 1993-03-30 Alexander Peleg Enclosed structures
GB2397005A (en) * 2003-01-07 2004-07-14 Haygrove Ltd Polytunnel system
GB2407105A (en) * 2003-10-14 2005-04-20 Haygrove Ltd Gutter comprising flexible member
FR2868907A1 (en) * 2004-04-16 2005-10-21 Serres Du Val De Loire Sarl Light weight building construction e.g. greenhouse structure, for growing plants, has tension rope made up of plastic material to support part of tarpaulin cover, and transverse bars whose free ends are fixed to posts through sleeve
GB2497941A (en) * 2011-12-22 2013-07-03 Haygrove Ltd A method of making a polytunnel gutter using a coil of sheet metal

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
http://www.haygrove.co.uk/polytunnels/accessories/gutters/ *

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2575634A (en) * 2018-07-16 2020-01-22 Haygrove Ltd Polytunnel structure
GB2575634B (en) * 2018-07-16 2020-12-16 Haygrove Ltd Polytunnel structure
GB2618098A (en) * 2022-04-26 2023-11-01 Haygrove Ltd Greenhouse structure

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2017032979A1 (en) 2017-03-02
GB2541867B (en) 2021-08-04
GB201514917D0 (en) 2015-10-07

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