NZ620607B2 - An Elongate Supportive Extender Arm - Google Patents

Abstract

620607 An elongate supportive extender arm suitable for extending a cross piece of a main support, the extender arm having a connective part and a thread engaging part, the connective part adapted to fit onto the cross piece so that it at least partially wraps around the cross piece and cantilevers the extender arm at a downward angle to the main support without the need for fasteners, with the thread engaging part held remote from the connective part and able to support a length of thread. rs the extender arm at a downward angle to the main support without the need for fasteners, with the thread engaging part held remote from the connective part and able to support a length of thread.

Description

Patents Form No. 5 THE PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION AN ELONGATE SUPPORTIVE EXTENDER ARM I, David Wayne Barrett, a Permanent Resident of New Zealand of 531c Kerikeri Road, RD 3, Kerikeri, New Zealand hereby declare this invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement.

TITLE An elongate supportive extender arm.

FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to an elongate supportive extender arm. In a preferred embodiment the invention relates to this type of arm, adapted to support a thread (eg a wire or cable) on which a vine is growing or placed.

BACKGROUND Fruit vines such as kiwifruit are typically grown on wires which are elevated by supports. The supports usually consist of posts which are driven into the ground in rows and each has a cross piece mounted on top to form a T-shape. The wires are run between the cross pieces, and vines are grown or otherwise supported along the wires. The outmost wires can in some instances damage the vine as the weight of the fruit can cause the vine to sag at right angles to the cross pieces. It is an object of a preferred form of the invention to go at least some way towards addressing this problem. However this objective should not be seen as limiting the invention. In its broadest form the object of the invention is simply to provide the public with a useful choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an elongate supportive extender arm suitable for extending a cross piece of a main support, the extender arm having a connective part and a thread engaging part, the connective part adapted to fit onto the cross piece so that it at least partially wraps around the cross piece and cantilevers the extender arm at a downward angle to the main support without the need for fasteners, with the thread engaging part held remote from the connective part and able to support a length of thread.

Preferably the thread engaging part comprises a loop through which thread can pass.

Preferably the connective part has three straight running edges adapted to wrap around three sides of said cross piece of a main support when the cross piece is square or rectangular in transverse cross section, and also has a tail piece that extends in a different plane to the three edges.

Preferably the extender arm has at least a second thread engaging part between the connective part and the first mentioned thread engaging part.

Preferably the extender arm has substantially been formed from a steel bar or bars.

Preferably the extender arm has been formed from a bar bent into shape.

Preferably the extender arm is adapted to angle downwards at approximately a 45 degree angle when fitted to a horizontal cross piece of a main support.

Preferably the extender arm is secured to a cross piece of a main support to hold at least an extra thread alongside existing threads of the main support Preferably the extender arm is used to support a kiwifruit vine.

Preferably the extender arm is installed on a main support and holds thread on which a vine is grown or growing on.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Some preferred forms of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of elongate supportive extenders fitted to a T- shaped support; Figure 2 is an isometric view of one of the supportive extenders; and Figure 3 is an isometric view of the extenders when in use with vine supporting wires.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to figure 1, a vertically disposed post 1 is set in the ground and has a cross piece 2 on top of it to form a T-shaped support 3. The post 1 and cross piece 2 are preferably square or rectangle in transverse cross section and can be made from wood, steel or any other suitable material. As shown in figure 1, supportive extenders 4 cantilever outwards and downwards from the cross piece 2. Preferably, the extenders are at an angle of approximately 45 degrees.

Figure 2 shows that the extender 4 is a rod which, at one end, is looped to provide an eye 5. The eye 5 serves to support a thread such as a wire or cable (not shown) on which vines can grow on. Although not shown, the extender 4 can have a number of eyes 5 or attachments along it to support more threads if needed. The other end 7 of the extender 4 is bent in such a way that it has three straight edges 7 and a tail piece 8 which extends away from the edges 7 in a direction away from the eye 5. This allows the extender 4 to wrap around a cross arm 2 of a T-shaped support 3 and cantilever outwards and downwards without the need for any screw or other fasteners. The extender 4 is preferably made from steel. More preferably, it is a steel bar or rod which has been bent into shape.

As illustrated in figure 3, a plurality of the T-shaped supports 3 are arranged similarly in a line at spaced intervals. Wire threads 9 pass through the eyes 5 and run between the extenders 4 to provide support for growing vines. Only two threads 9 are shown but it will be appreciated that more threads 9 can be arranged so that they run between the cross pieces 2 and/or extenders 4.

When a fruit vine such is kiwifruit is grown, the problem of the vine sagging at right angles to the cross piece is avoided. This is because the vine generally follows the 45 degree angle of the extenders 4. The arrangement also helps create a larger canopy by allowing the vine to spread further outwards, which in turn improves the yield of the plant.

Although the invention has been described in the context of growing kiwifruit it should be appreciated that it can be used similarly for other types of vine fruits. The height of the T-shaped supports will be set depending on the type of vines that are being grown.

While some preferred aspects of the invention have been described by way of example, it should be appreciated that modifications and improvements can occur without departing from the scope of the following claims.

WHAT I

Claims (8)

CLAIM IS

1. An elongate supportive extender arm suitable for extending a cross piece of a main support, the extender arm having a connective part and a thread engaging part, the 5 connective part adapted to fit onto the cross piece so that it at least partially wraps around the cross piece and cantilevers the extender arm at a downward angle to the main support without the need for fasteners, with the thread engaging part held remote from the connective part and able to support a length of thread. 10

2. An elongate supportive extender arm according to claim 1, wherein the thread engaging part comprises a loop through which thread can pass.

3. An elongate supportive extender arm according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the connective part has three straight running edges adapted to wrap around three 15 sides of said cross piece of a main support when the cross piece is square or rectangular in transverse cross section, and also has a tail piece that extends in a different plane to the three edges.

4. An elongate supportive extender arm according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the 20 extender arm has at least a second thread engaging part between the connective part and the first mentioned thread engaging part.

5. An elongate supportive extender arm according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the extender arm has substantially been formed from a steel bar or bars.

6. An elongate supportive extender arm according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the extender arm has been formed from a bar bent into shape.

7. An elongate supportive extender arm according to any one of the preceding claims, 30 when the extender arm is adapted to angle downwards at approximately a 45 degree angle when fitted to a horizontal cross piece of a main support.

8. An elongate supportive extender arm according to any one of the preceding claims, secured to a cross piece of a main support to hold at least an extra thread 35 alongside existing threads of the main support.