GB2545167A

GB2545167A - Cloches and use thereof

Info

Publication number: GB2545167A
Application number: GB1520937.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donald William
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-11-27
Filing date: 2015-11-27
Publication date: 2017-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 2035-11-27
Also published as: GB2545167B; GB201520937D0

Abstract

A cloche comprises first and second panes 12 of light transmitting material, each pane having upper 18 and lower 16 edges, a first side and an opposed second side, at least one strut 20 operable to hold the lower edges apart, a securing element 26 located at the upper edges of the first and second pane, wherein the securing element is selectively operable to hold the panes in a first position in which the upper edges are in proximity to each other and a second position in which the upper edges are spaced apart. The securing element may comprise at least a first bar and a second bar which are engageable with each other, the engagement means may be a locking member configured to pass through aligned apertures in the at least first and second bars.

Description

CLOCHES AND USE THEREOF Field of the Invention

This invention relates to cloches for horticultural use and the use thereof. Background of the Invention

Cloches have been used for many years to protect growing plants from frost, and to raise the local temperature to promote growth. A typical cloche consists of two panes of glass fixed at an angle to form an apex. Alternatively, a curved sheet of glass may be used. Transparent plastics may be used instead of glass. Cloches may be used individually to protect a single plant or a group of plants, or may be placed end-to-end over a row of plants. The ends of a cloche or row of cloches may be closed by a sheet of glass or other material. A problem in the use of cloches is that operations such as watering, spraying of insecticide and the like, and reducing the number of seedlings require cloches to be removed and replaced one at a time. This is cumbersome and time consuming, especially where rows of cloches are closely spaced.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to obviate, or at least mitigate, at least some of these problems and the drawbacks associated with the prior art.

In particular, it would be of benefit to have cloches wherein the plants of the like can be easily and conveniently accessed.

Further aims and objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description.

Summary of the Invention A cloche comprising: a first pane of a light-transmitting material and a second pane of a light-transmitting material; each of the first pane and the second pane having an upper edge and a lower edge a first side and an opposed second side; at least one strut operable to hold the lower edges apart; and a securing element located at the upper edges of the first pane and the second pane, wherein the securing element is selectively operable to hold the panes in a first position in which the upper edges are in proximity to each other, and a second position in which the upper edges are spaced apart.

In the first position the upper edges may be in abutment.

In the second position the panes may be held substantially vertically.

The at least one strut may be configured to permit the lower edges of the panes to be brought into proximity to each other.

The at least one strut may be collapsible.

The at least one strut may comprise at least two substantially rigid members hinged together.

The at least one strut may comprise at least one hinge.

The at least one hinge may be located approximately equidistantly along the length of the at least one strut.

The at least one strut may be attached to the frame.

The securing element may be attached to the frame.

The securing element may comprise at least one bar having a first end and a second end. The first end of the at least one bar may be attached to the frame of the first pane by a hinge. The second end of the at least one bar may be engageable with the frame of the second pane.

The first end of the at least one bar may be attached to the frame of the first pane by a hinge, and the second end of the at least one bar may be engageable with the frame of the second pane.

The at least one bar may comprise one or more apertures, the one or more apertures being configured to receive a locking member.

The one or more apertures may be located proximal to the first end of the at least one bar and/or proximal to the second end of the at least one bar.

The securing element may further comprise a frame bracket, optionally attached to the frame of the first pane and/or the frame of the second pane. The frame bracket may comprise one or more apertures. The one or more apertures may be configured to receive a locking member.

In the open position, the aperture in the frame bracket of the frame of the second pane may be aligned with the aperture located proximal to the second end of the at least one bar, and the second end of the at least one bar may be engaged with the frame of the second pane by way of a locking member configured to pass through the aligned apertures.

In the closed positon, the aperture in the frame bracket of the frame of the first pane may be aligned with the aperture located proximal to the first end of the at least one bar, and the first end of the at least one bar may be engaged with the frame of the first pane by way of a locking member configured to pass through the aligned apertures.

The securing element may comprise at least a first bar and a second bar, the first end of the first bar being attached to the frame of the first pane, and the first end of the second bar being attached to the frame of the second pane, the first bar and the second bar being engageable with each other.

In the open position the aperture that is located proximal to the second end of the first bar may be aligned with the aperture located proximal to the second end of the second bar, and the second end of the first bar and the second end of the second bar may be engaged with each other by way of a locking member configured to pass through the aligned apertures.

In the closed position the aperture that is located proximal to the first end of the first bar may be aligned with the aperture located proximal to the first end of the second bar, and the first end of the first bar and the first end of the second bar may be engaged with each other by way of a locking member configured to pass through the aligned apertures.

The at least one bar may be curved, arcuate, or boomerang-shaped.

The locking member may be a pin.

The at least one bar may comprise one or more intermediate apertures. The one or more intermediate apertures may be configured to receive a locking member, and may be located between the first end of the at least one bar and the second end of the at least one bar.

The intermediate apertures may be positioned to permit partial opening and/or partial closing of the cloche.

The at least one bar may comprise at least two apertures, a first aperture located adjacent to the first end of the at least one bar, and a second aperture located adjacent to the second end of the at least one bar.

The locking member may be tethered to the frame of the first pane and/or the frame of the second pane by a flexible connection.

The flexible connection may be a wire or a chain.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided the use of a cloche as described herein.

The present invention provides a cloche comprising first and second panes of a light-transmitting material; each pane having an upper edge, a lower edge, and opposed sides; at least one strut operable to hold the lower edges apart; and securing means at the upper edges of the first and second panes selectively operable to hold the panes in a first position in which the upper edges are in abutment and a second position in which the upper edges are spaced apart.

In the second position the panes may be held approximately vertically.

The strut, or each strut, is optionally collapsible to permit the lower edges of the panes to be closed together for storage.

The strut, or each strut, may comprise two rigid members hinged together.

In some embodiments, each pane is held within a frame, and the strut(s) and securing means are attached to the frame.

In one form of the invention, the securing means comprises a bar hinged at one end to the frame of one pane and engageable at its other end with the frame of the other pane.

The other end of the bar is optionally engageable with the frame of the other pane by means of a pin passed through aligned holes in the bar and in a bracket attached to said frame. One or more intermediate holes may be provided in the bar to permit partial opening of the cloche, for example for ventilation

The bar may have a further aperture adjacent the hinge point through which a second pin can be passed to engage an aperture in a bracket attached to the first frame; this assists stability.

Each of the pins is optionally secured to its respective frame by a flexible connection such as a wire or chain.

Brief Description of the Drawings

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, from one end and above, of a cloche forming one embodiment of the invention, in a closed position;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the cloche of Fig. 1, in an open position;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a securing element used in the cloche, in the closed position of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar view but in the closed position of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of an alternative embodiment of a securing element used in the cloche.

Detailed Description

Referring to Fig. 1, a cloche comprises first and second halves 10a and 10b, each of which comprises a pane 12 of glass or other light-transmitting material held within a frame 14. The frames 14 may conveniently be of aluminium angle, but a wide range of other suitable framing materials will be apparent. Plastic framing would be most convenient for quantity production.

As seen in Fig. 1, the cloche is in a closed position for normal use over plants, with the lower edges 16 of the two halves spaced apart on the ground, and the upper edges 18 adjacent each other. The lower edges 16 are held apart by a strut 20 at one end of the cloche; optionally, there may be a similar strut at the opposite end of the cloche. The strut 20 comprises two rigid members or arms 22 pivoted to a centre plate 24 and pivoted at their outer ends to the frames 14. The strut 20 can be folded upwardly in the middle to allow the two halves 10 to be brought together face to face, thus minimising volume for storage.

The cloche also comprises a securing element, generally designated at 26, at the upper edges of the two halves 10, which is selectively operable to hold the upper edges in the closed position seen in Fig. 1 or in an open position as seen in Fig. 2. The open position is used to enable work to be carried out on the plants, such as watering and pest treatments, without having to move the cloche from its location. This is particularly useful where cloches are arranged over rows of plants.

The securing element 26 is seen in greater detail in figs. 3 and 4. The first cloche half 10a has a right-angled bracket 28 secured to the top of its frame 14. A bar 30 is pivoted to the bracket 28, for example by a loose nut and bolt as illustrated. The other cloche half 10b has secured to it a right-angled bracket 32. As seen in Fig. 4, the distal end of the bar 30 can be secured to the bracket 32 by a pin 34 passing through aligned holes in the bar 30 and bracket 32, to hold the cloche in the open position. A second pin 36 is passed through aligned holes in the first bracket 28 and the bar 30 to make the connection more rigid. In the closed position (see Fig. 3), the pin 36 is passed through aligned holes in the bar 30 and bracket 32 to secure the two halves together. The pins 34 and 36 may conveniently be attached to the adjacent parts of the frames by a wire or chain, to prevent loss.

The length of the bar 30 is suitably such that the panes are approximately vertical when the cloche is in the open position. The bar 30 may be provided with intermediate holes to allow a smaller opening of the cloche, for example to provide ventilation.

An alternative securing element 26 is seen in detail in Fig.5. The first cloche half 110a has a bar 130a secured to the top of its frame 114a. The second cloche half 110b has a bar 130b secured to the top of its frame 114b. The bars 130a, 130b are fixed in position by a nut and bolt as illustrated. As seen in Fig. 5, the middle of bars 130a, 130b can be secured together by a pin 136 passing through aligned intermediate holes in the bars 130a, 130b, to hold the cloche in a partially open or partially closed position. In the closed position, the pin 136 is passed through aligned apertures that are located proximal to the ends of the bars 130a, 130b that are attached to the top of the frame 114a, 114b, thereby securing the two halves of the cloche 110a, 110b together and in proximity to each other. In the open position, the pin 136 is passed through aligned apertures that are located distal to the ends of the bars 130a, 130b that are attached to the top of the frame 114a, 114b, thereby securing the two halves of the cloche 110a, 110b together and spaced apart from each other. The pin 136 may conveniently be attached to the adjacent parts of the frames by a wire or chain 150, to prevent loss.

The ends of a single cloche or of a row of adjacent cloches may be closed if desired in any suitable manner, for example by placing a sheet of glass over the end or by use of a piece of flexible plastic sheeting supported by canes or the like.

Modifications may be made to the foregoing embodiment within the scope of the present invention. For example, the securing element may be other than pins engaging in aligned holes, such as one or more screw clamps engaging over the bar, or projections on the bar engaging in open topped slots. Different forms of strut may be used, such as a stiff wire formed at one end as a loop engaging a hole in the frame and at the other end as a hook engageable with an eye on the opposed frame.

The panes could in principle be frameless, although this may be more difficult to fabricate.

One or more lifting handles may be provided at the upper edge of the cloche. A temperature ram, as used for greenhouse ventilators, could be used to connect the panes.

The invention thus provides a cloche which can be opened in situ to facilitate operations on the plants beneath, thus simplifying and speeding up horticultural activity.

While this invention has been described with reference to the sample embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that modifications can be made to the structure and elements of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as a whole.

Claims

1. A cloche comprising: a first pane of a light-transmitting material and a second pane of a light-transmitting material; each of the first pane and the second pane having an upper edge and a lower edge a first side and an opposed second side; at least one strut operable to hold the lower edges apart; and a securing element located at the upper edges of the first pane and the second pane, wherein the securing element is selectively operable to hold the panes in a first position in which the upper edges are in proximity to each other, and a second position in which the upper edges are spaced apart.

2. A cloche as described in claim 1, wherein in the first position the upper edges are in abutment.

3. A cloche as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein in the second position the panes are held substantially vertically.

4. A cloche as described in any preceding claim, wherein the at least one strut is configured to permit the lower edges of the panes to be brought into proximity to each other.

5. A cloche as described in claim 4, wherein the at least one strut is collapsible.

6. A cloche as described in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the at least one strut comprises at least two substantially rigid members hinged together.

7. A cloche as described in claim 6, wherein the at least one strut comprises at least one hinge.

8. A cloche as described in claim 7, wherein the at least one hinge is located approximately equidistantly along the length of the at least one strut.

9. A cloche as described in any preceding claim, wherein the first pane and the second pane are held within a frame.

10. A cloche as described in claim 9, wherein the at least one strut is attached to the frame.

11. A cloche as described in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the securing element is attached to the frame.

12. A cloche as described in claim 11, wherein the securing element comprises at least one bar having a first end and a second end.

13. A cloche as described in claim 12, wherein the first end of the at least one bar is attached to the frame of the first pane by a hinge, and the second end of the at least one bar being engageable with the frame of the second pane.

14. A cloche as described in claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the at least one bar comprises one or more apertures, the one or more apertures being configured to receive a locking member.

15. A cloche as described in claim 14, wherein the one or more apertures are located proximal to the first end of the at least one bar and/or proximal to the second end of the at least one bar.

16. A cloche as described in claim 15, wherein the securing element further comprises a frame bracket attached to the frame of the first pane and/or the frame of the second pane, the frame bracket comprising one or more apertures, the one or more apertures being configured to receive a locking member.

17. A cloche as described in claim 16, wherein in the open position the aperture in the frame bracket of the frame of the second pane is aligned with the aperture located proximal to the second end of the bar, and wherein the second end of the bar is engaged with the frame of the second pane by way of a locking member configured to pass through the aligned apertures.

18. A cloche as described in claim 16 or claim 17, wherein in the closed positon the aperture in the frame bracket of the frame of the first pane is aligned with the aperture located proximal to the first end of the bar, and wherein the first end of the bar is engaged with the frame of the first pane by way of a locking member configured to pass through the aligned apertures.

19. A cloche as described in any one of claims 12 to 18, wherein the securing element comprises at least a first bar and a second bar, the first end of the first bar being attached to the frame of the first pane, and the first end of the second bar being attached to the frame of the second pane, the first bar and the second bar being engageable with each other.

20. A cloche as described in claim 19, wherein in the open position the aperture that is located proximal to the second end of the first bar is aligned with the aperture located proximal to the second end of the second bar, and wherein the second end of the first bar and the second end of the second bar are engaged with each other by way of a locking member configured to pass through the aligned apertures.

21. A cloche as described in claim 19 or claim 20, wherein in the closed position the aperture that is located proximal to the first end of the first bar is aligned with the aperture located proximal to the first end of the second bar, and wherein the first end of the first bar and the first end of the second bar are engaged with each other by way of a locking member configured to pass through the aligned apertures.

22. A cloche as described in any one of claims 12 to 21, wherein the at least one bar is curved, arcuate, or boomerang-shaped.

23. A cloche as described in any one of claims 14 to 22, wherein the locking member is a pin.

24. A cloche as described in any one of claims 14 to 23, wherein the at least one bar comprises one or more intermediate apertures, the one or more intermediate apertures being configured to receive a

25. A cloche as described in claim 24, wherein the intermediate apertures are positioned to permit partial opening and/or partial closing of the cloche.

26. A cloche as described in any one of claims 14 to 25, wherein the at least one bar comprises at least two apertures, a first aperture located adjacent to the first end of the at least one bar, and a second aperture located adjacent to the second end of the at least one bar.

27. A cloche as described in any one of claims 14 to 26, wherein the locking member is tethered to the frame of the first pane and/or the frame of the second pane by a flexible connection.

28. A cloche as described in claim 27, wherein the flexible connection is a wire or a chain.

29. Use of a cloche as described in any one of claims 1 to 28.