WO2013093430A1

WO2013093430A1 - Polytunnel gutter

Info

Publication number: WO2013093430A1
Application number: PCT/GB2012/053125
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rolly WHATTON
Original assignee: Haygrove Limited
Priority date: 2011-12-22
Filing date: 2012-12-13
Publication date: 2013-06-27
Also published as: GB2497941A; GB201122108D0; GB2497941B

Abstract

A method is described for producing and installing a gutter system for a poiytunnel comprising the steps of: erecting at a site a poiytunnel comprising a cover extending over a structural framework; on the site, forming from a coil of sheet metal a continuous gutter channel; and arranging the continuous gutter channel to be supported by the structural framework to catch rain water running off the cover of the poiytunnel.

Description

POLYTUNNEL GUTTER

This invention relates to a gutter for use with a polytunnel system. A polytunnel intended for use in a fieid typically comprises a pair of rows of legs, each leg of one row together with a corresponding leg of the other row supporting a hoop member. A plastics material covering is extended over the hoop members to form a tunnel. Where multiple polytunnels are placed side by side, each row of legs may support two hoop members that define adjacent tunnels.

The covering of the polytunnel prevents precipitation from falling on the ground under the tunnel. Rainwater falling on the covering of the polytunnel is channelled by the covering to the edges of the tunnel near the supporting legs where it may be collected by a gutter system. Such a gutter system enables the grower to collect, conserve and recycle rain water. Rain water is at the optimum electro-conductivity level for re-use onto the crop and therefore needs no treatment to reduce the level of total dissolved salts before use in irrigation.

Such gutter systems are typically comprised of a number of pre-formed plastic or metal sections, which are assembled on site to form a sectional gutter extending the full length of the polytunnel. Gutter sections are typically joined together by overlapping sections, or using a joining piece that overlaps two abutting sections of gutter. Joints between gutter sections often leak, and require additional material to provide the joining pieces or overlap. Sectional gutter systems are bulky to transport, and considerable effort is required in the positioning, fixing and joining of the many sections required for a typical field scale polytunnel installation. Furthermore, each section of a sectional gutter must be individually secured to the structural framework of the polytunnel. Another difficulty with such gutter arrangements is that the elongate form of the sections of gutter makes them large, and so difficult and inconvenient, to transport to the site. ft is an object of the invention to provide an improved method of making and installing a gutter system for polytunnels. According to the present invention, there is provided a method for producing and installing a gutter system for a polytunnel comprising the steps of erecting at a site a polytunnel comprising a cover extending over a structural framework, on the site, forming from a coil of sheet metal a continuous gutter channel, and arranging the continuous gutter channel to be supported by the structural framework to catch rain water running off the cover of the polytunnel.

Conveniently, the structural framework comprises a pair of rows of legs that support hoop members extending between the rows, with each leg of one row, together with the corresponding leg of the other row, supporting each hoop member. The gutter may extend along at least one of the rows of legs. A plurality of polytunnels may be erected side by side. Conveniently, each leg between adjacent polytunnels comprises a Y piece which supports a first hoop member of a first adjacent polytunnel and a second corresponding hoop member of a second adjacent poiytunnel, and the gutter is supported by the Y piece and/or iower portions of the hoop members.

The method may further comprise the additional step of attaching brackets to the gutter to which ropes securing the cover may be secured.

The forming step may comprise rolling. The forming may be carried out using a mobile rolling machine. The gutter may be extended along the length of the polytunnel as it is formed. The gutter is preferably supported by the structural framework of the polytunnel as it is extended. A mobile rolling machine may be positioned to extend the gutter between adjacent polytunnels.

The forming step may comprise cutting the gutter to length using a guillotine. The gutter conveniently extends continuously for the full length of the polytunnel without any joins.

The gutter may be arranged along the length of the structural framework of the polytunnel before the polytunnel cover is extended over the structural framework.

The cot! conveniently comprises steel or aluminium. The invention will further be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagram of a gutter made and installed according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a diagram showing a more detailed view of the gutter of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a schematic of a mobile roller forming a continuous gutter according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 is a schematic of a mobile roller extending a continuous gutter along the length of a polytunnel as it is formed. Figure 1 is a schematic end view of part of two adjacent polytunnels 1 and 2 with a gutter 10 according to an embodiment of the invention installed in the valley between them. Each polytunnel 1 , 2 comprises a cover 7 which is extended over and supported by a structural framework. The cover 7 is transparent or translucent and is substantially impermeable, typically being made from polyethylene, thereby providing a sheltered growing environment with plenty of light. The structural framework is typicaliy of galvanised tubular steel, and comprises a pair of rows of legs that support hoop members extending between the rows, with each leg of one row, together with the corresponding leg of the other row, supporting each hoop member. Corresponding arch members 4 of adjacent polytunnels 1 , 2 share a single supporting leg 3 which supports an end of each corresponding arch member 4 via a Y piece 6 at the end of the leg 3. The end of each arch member 4 slides over the end of the Y piece 6, and may be secured thereto.

As shown more clearly in Figure 2, a gutter 10 is placed in the valley between the adjacent arch members 4 of the polytunnels, extending along the row of supporting tegs 3. The gutter is conveniently supported in this position by the Y piece 6 of the supporting leg 3 and/or the lower portions of the arch members 4 near the Y piece 6. The cover 7 extends into the gutter 10, so that rainwater running down the cover will end up in the gutter 10. The gutter is in the form of a channel 11 which has two sloping walls and a substantially horizontal base, and is formed from a sheet of metal of substantially uniform thickness. The metal may for example be steel or aluminium, and may comprise a surface coating to inhibit corrosion (for example, may be galvanised or pre- coated with a polymer).

The gutter 10 is secured to the framework of the poiytunnei by brackets 13, which pass around the framework and are fixed to the sloping walls of the gutter channel 1 1 by bolts. A rope bracket 12 is provided, secured to the base of the gutter channel 1 1 (for instance by a bolt), to which ropes used for securing the cover 7 may be secured.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the gutter channel 11 is formed on the site where the polytunnels 1 , 2 are located, and extends along the full length of the polytunnels 1 , 2 in a continuous unbroken length. Forming the gutter channel 11 in this way removes the need for a sectional gutter system to be transported to the site and assembled. A continuous gutter system uses less material than a sectional gutter, not requiring joining pieces or overlap at joints, and does not suffer from the problems of leaking at joints. A continuous channel is more stiff than a channel comprising many sections, and may require less points of attachment to the structural frame to satisfactorily secure it.

As shown in Figure 3, according to an embodiment of the invention, the gutter channel 11 is produced by roll forming a coil of metai sheet 20 using a mobile rolling machine 21. As a length of coil 20 is taken up by the mobile rolling machine 21 , a corresponding length of continuous gutter channel 11 emerges from the other end of the machine 21. In this way a continuous gutter channel 11 of arbitrary length may be formed on the site of the polytunnels 1 , 2. The rolling machine 21 further comprises a guillotine which cuts the continuous gutter channel 11 at an appropriate length. As shown in section AA, the gutter channel 11 is formed into a profile that substantially conforms to the shape of the structural frame of the poiytunnei to which it is to be attached and/or by which it will be supported. The gutter channel profile may include ribs to increase its stiffness. Figure 4 shows the mobile rolling machine 21 located in front of a row of supporting legs 3 shared by two adjacent poiytunnels 1 , 2. The rolling machine 21 is arranged to extend the gutter channel 1 1 along the valley between the adjacent poiytunnels 1 , 2 as it is formed. The gutter channel 1 1 is thereby supported by the structural frame of the poiytunnel as it is extended. In an alternative embodiment the gutter 10 may be extended along an outer row of support legs along an edge of a poiytunnel that is not shared by an adjacent poiytunnel. A gutter may be supported along such an outer row of legs by brackets mounted on the outer row of support legs. Such a row of brackets along an outer row of legs may similarly support the gutter as it is extended along the length of the poiytunnel.

One the gutter is extended along the length of the poiytunnel 1 , 2, it is secured to the framework, for instance by bolting it to the Y piece 6 of the legs 3, or by securing it to the hoop members 4 and/or Y piece 6 using brackets 13.

The continuous gutter system according to an embodiment of the invention is less prone to leaking, more robust, consumes less materials and is faster to install than prior-art pre-formed sectional systems. By forming the gutter on site and directly installing it onto the poiytunnel, the need for laboriously assembling and joining together a sectional system is avoided, along with ail the problems associated with joints. A continuous gutter according to an embodiment of the invention, may be retrofitted to existing poiytunnels, or installed as the poiytunnel is being erected.

Whilst a specific form of gutter and poiytunnel has been described hereinbefore, it will be appreciated that a number of modifications and alterations may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method for producing and installing a gutter system for a polytunnel

comprising the steps of:

erecting at a site a polytunnel comprising a cover extending over a structural framework;

on the site, forming from a coil of sheet metal a continuous gutter channel; and

arranging the continuous gutter channel to be supported by the structural framework to catch rain water running off the cover of the polytunnel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the structural framework comprises a pair of rows of legs that support hoop members extending between the rows, with each leg of one row, together with the corresponding leg of the other row, supporting each hoop member.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the gutter extends along at least one of the rows of legs.

4. The method of any preceding claim, wherein a plurality of polytunnels are

erected side by side.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

each leg between adjacent polytunnels comprises a Y piece which supports a first hoop member of a first adjacent polytunnel and a second corresponding hoop member of a second adjacent polytunnel; and

the gutter is supported by the Y piece and/or lower portions of the hoop members.

6. The method of any preceding claim comprising the additional step of attaching brackets to the gutter to which ropes securing the cover may be secured.

7. The method of any preceding claim, wherein forming comprises rolling.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the forming is carried out using a mobile rolling machine.

9. The meihod of any preceding claim wherein the gutter is extended along the length of the polytunnel as it is formed.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the gutter is supported by the structural

framework of the polytunnel as it is extended.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a mobile roiling machine is positioned to

extend the gutter between adjacent polytunneis.

12. The method of any preceding claim, wherein forming comprises cutting the gutter to length using a guiilotine.

13. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the gutter extends continuously for the full length of the polytunnel without any joins.

14. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the gutter is arranged along the length of the structural framework of the polytunnel before the polytunnel cover is extended over the structural framework.

15. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the coil comprises steel or

aluminium.