FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a clip, a clip and cord system, a nd method for fixing a sheet material particularly but not exclusively a ground cover material, or a netting in place.

BACKGROUND

Ground cover materials are used in agriculture for a number of purposes, such as moisture retention, water conservation, weed or sward suppression, soil wa rmth retention, a nd light reflecting .

Typically where the materia l is used primarily as a light reflective ground cover, the material is rolled out in lengths onto the g round between rows of trees in an orchard, rows of vines in a vineyard, or rows of berry fruit pla nts for example, to increase the amount of light to which the pla nts and in particula r fruit are exposed, by reflection of light from the material towards the fruit above. Each length of the sheet materia l needs to be suitably secured in place aga inst movement due to wind, which may apply substantial loading, or traffic over the materia l.

The sheet materia l will typically rema in in place for some months, before being removed and reused in a subseq uent growing season or on another crop in the same growing season.

US patent 6823565 discloses a fastening system for anchoring agricultural sheet material by fastening claws including prongs to pierce the material, and elastic cords.

Nettings a re used in agriculture over or adjacent plants to protect the plants from birds, insects, excessive sun, wind or hail.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In broad terms in a first aspect the invention comprises a clip comprising :

two inter-engageable parts, each part having a jaw at one end for g ripping sheet materia l or netting between the jaws when the two inter-engageable parts are closed together,

a locking tab on one of the inter-engagea ble pa rts,

a locking bar on the other of the inter-engageable parts, the locking bar engageable by the locking tab when the parts are inter-engaged, to lock the two clip pa rts closed together, and

cord engaging formations at an opposite end of at least one of the inter- engageable clip parts, adapted to grip a cord between the cord engaging formations to lock the cord to the clip.

In broad terms in a second aspect the invention comprises a clip and cord system comprising :

a cord,

a clip attached to a first end of the cord, and

a hook engagable with the cord attached to a second end of the cord.

In broad terms in a third aspect the invention comprises a clip engagable on an edge of a sheet material or netting to grip the sheet material or netting edge and comprising cord engaging formations on either side of a lengthwise cord channel from opposite sides of the cord channel and adapted to grip a cord to lock the cord to the clip

In broad terms in a fourth aspect the invention comprises a method for fixing a sheet material or netting, the method comprising :

• providing cord(s) comprising first and second ends, and clips(s) and hook(s) engageable with the cord(s), each clip comprising two inter-engageable parts, each part having a jaw at one end for gripping sheet material or netting between the clip jaws when the clip is closed, and cord engaging formations at an opposite end of at least one of the clip parts, adapted to grip a cord between the cord engaging formations to lock the cord to the clip,

• engaging clip(s) at spaced locations along a material or netting edge, closing the clip(s) by sliding the first inter-engageable clip part into the second inter- engageable part until the clip jaws are fully closed onto the material or netting edge, and locking the clip parts together to fix the clip on the material or netting edge,

• attaching the first end of the cord(s) to the cord engaging formation of the clip(s),

• attaching the second end of the cord(s) to the hook(s), and looping each cord around or otherwise attaching the cord to an object and then hooking back onto itself.

The term "comprising" as used in this specification means "consisting at least in part of". When interpreting each statement in this specification that includes the term

"comprising", features other than that or those prefaced by the term may also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprises" are to be interpreted in the same manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show one or more embodiments by way of exa mple only, in which :

Figure 1 shows use of a ground cover material and fixing of the ground cover materia l in place by the use of a clip and cord system of the invention,

Figure 2 is a closer view of a first embodiment of a clip attached to a sheet of the ground cover material,

Figure 3 is a view of the clip approaching a n edge of the sheet of ground cover material,

Figure 4 is a view of the clip of Figure 3 closed on and attached to an edge of the sheet of ground cover materia l,

Figure 5 is a cross-section view along line A-A of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the clip, with the two parts of the clip assembled together,

Figure 6a is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention clip,

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one part of the first embodiment clip, dis-assembled from the other part,

Figure 7a is a perspective view similar to Figure 7 but of one pa rt of the second embodiment clip dis-assembled from the other part,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the other part of the first embod iment clip,

Figure 8a is a perspective view similar to Figure 8 but of the other part of the second embodiment clip,

Figure 9 is a view of one end of one pa rt of the clip without a cord attached,

Figure 10 is a view of one end of one part of the clip with a cord attached, Figure 11 is a view of the hook on the other end of the cord approaching an intermediate part of the cord to attach to it,

Figure 12 is a view similar to that of Figure 11 but now with the hook attached to the intermediate part of the cord,

Figure 13 is a side view of the hook with the cord locked between a longitudinal cut-out of the hook,

Figure 14 is a view similar to that of Figure 13 but now with the cord unlocked from the longitudinal cut-out of the hook,

Figure 15 is a view similar to that of Figure 13 but now with one end of the cord knotted and locked between the longitudinal cut-out of the hook,

Figure 16 is a view similar to that of Figure 15 but now with a knotted end of the cord retained in a cord retaining clip a nd the intermediate part of the cord locked between the longitudinal cut-out of the hook, and

Figure 17 is a view similar to that of Figure 12 but now with the hook mounted onto the cord in reverse and with the hook attached to the intermediate part of the cord.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to Figure 1, agricultural sheet material S, which may for example have reflective properties to reflect solar radiation onto the fruit trees and fruit from below, is anchored underneath agricultural crops such as rows of orchard trees as a ground cover. In Figure 1 only part of the sheeting is shown. Typically long sections of the sheet material are a nchored a long both edges between rows of orchard trees or vines. The material may be for example woven from flat warp and weft tapes of a plastics material . Fastening clips 1 connect to the sheet material S along its edges, and in turn each clip 1 connects to an elastic or extensible cord 2. Each cord 2 at its other end may loop a round the trunk of one of spaced trees as shown and be hooked back on itself as shown in Figure 2 by hook 3 carried on an opposite end of cord 2 to clip 1, or may be attached to a staple hammered into the trunk, or alternatively to stakes or pegs hammered into the ground, or to a wire extend ing along the row of the trees or vines, for example. Figure 2 is a closer view of a clip 1 attached to the sheet of the ground cover materia l S (shown only in part).

Figure 3 is a view of an open clip 1 approaching an edge of sheet material S and Fig ures 4 and 5 show the clip closed on and attached to the material edge.

Figure 6 shows clip 1 with the two pa rts of the clip assembled together, and Figures 7 and 8 show the two dis-assembled clip parts. Referring in particular to Figures 6 to 8, the clip comprises parts 4 and 5 which inter-engage together. The clip parts 4 and 5 have jaws 6 a nd 7 at one end for gripping sheet materia l between the clip jaws when the clip is closed - see Figure 5. Fig ure 6a shows a second embodiment of clip 1 having wider jaws 6 a nd 7. Figures 7a and 8a show the two dis-assembled clip parts, each having wider jaws 6 and 7. One of the cl ip parts 4 comprises a tra nsverse locking bar 8 which defines beneath it tra nsverse aperture 9, into which the other clip part 5 is inserted when the two pa rts of the clip a re assembled together. When the two pa rts of the clip are assembled together but the clip is open, as shown in Fig ure 3, the jaws 6 a nd 7 a re spaced from each other, a nd the clip can be engaged onto a materia l edge, so that the materia l edge is ful ly home between the clip jaws. Then in use to close the clip, the clip pa rt 5 is pushed further home through the a perture 9 beneath locking bar 8 on clip part 4 to close the clip, until the clip jaws a re fully closed onto the material edge, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Clip pa rt 5 comprises a longitudinally extending detent 13 adapted to engage the locking bar 8 to lock the clip parts together when the clip is closed, and in particula r in the embodiment shown, on the underside of locking ba r 8. The detent 13 comprises one or more teeth 14 which ratchet engage the locking ba r 8. Also in the embod iment shown, complementary ratchet teeth 15 a re provided on the underside of the locking bar 8 - see Figure 5, which engage the teeth 14 on detent 13. The multiple ratchet teeth 14 on detent 13 provide a number of d iscrete positions in which the clip part 5 can be locked with the clip part 4. Flowever in other embodiments the two clip parts may comprise only a sing le lock or sna p fit together position.

Cord engaging formations 16 are provided at a n opposite end of at least one of the clip pa rts, and in the embodiment shown at the end of both clip parts 4 and 5, ada pted to grip cord 2 between the formations to lock the cord to the clip. Figure 9 is a view of the end of clip part 5 without a cord attached, a nd Figure 10 is a view of the same clip part with cord 2 attached . In the embodiment shown, the cord engag ing formations 16 a re on either side of a lengthwise cord channel 17 for the cord in the end of the clip pa rt. In the embodiment shown the formations 16 comprise three projections from either side towards the cord cha nnel as shown, each with a tooth edge to bite into the cord, but in alternative embod iments there may be more, or less such as a pa ir of adjacent projections from each side of the cord channel. In the embodiment shown the three cord engaging formations or projections 16 on each side of the cord channel define two slots 17 between them.

In the embod iment shown the formations 16 a re transverse to a longitudina l axis of the clip pa rt, a nd in use to engage the cord 2 with the clip part the cord is pushed down into the cord channel between the clip parts, but in other embod iments the formations 16 may be angled relative to the longitud ina l axis of the clip part and in use the cord is pushed down and also pulled rearwa rdly to lock the cord to the clip part. In the embodiment shown, the first pair of formations 16 is a ngled away from the jaw end of the clip and the second and third pairs of formations are a ngled towards the jaw end of the clip to prevent movement of cord 2 in both directions. In an alternative embod iment however the cord engaging formations may be similarly a ngled relative to the longitud ina l axis of the clip, such as all a ngled towa rds the jaw end of the clip.

One or both (as in the embodiment shown) of the clip pa rts 4 and 5 may comprise the cord engag ing formations 16 at the end opposite the jaws of the clip parts.

In the embodiment shown where both of the clip parts 4 and 5 a re provided with the cord engag ing formations 16, cord a pertures 19 a nd 20 are provided through each of the clip parts, near the cord engaging formations 16. The a perture 20 throug h one of the clip parts is a n elongate slot a perture. The cord engaging formations 16 are provided on the respective sides of the clip parts 4 and 5 such that when the clip parts are assembled together, the cord 2 may be 'jammed' into the cord engaging formation on one clip pa rt, pass through cord apertures 19 and 20, and be also jammed into the cord engag ing formation on one clip part - see Figures 4 and 5.

As stated an attachment system according to the invention comprises a clip 1 as described, a cord 2, and may also comprise a hook 3 engagable with the cord . Figure 11 is a view of a hook 3 on the other end of the cord approaching an intermediate pa rt of the cord to attach to it, and Figure 12 is a view simila r to that of Figure 11 but now with the hook attached to the intermediate part of the cord . Figure 17 is a view of hook 3 mounted onto cord 2 in reverse when compared to the arra ngement in Figures 11 and 12. The clip 1 is attached to one end of the cord 2 and the hook 3 is attached to the other end . In the embodiment shown the hook comprises a n elongate body 20 having a n aperture 21 through which the cord passes so that the hook is slidably mounted on the cord 2, and a curved hook section 22. In use, usually after the clip has been attached to the sheet material or netting edge, or multiple clips spaced along the sheet material or netting opposite edges, then each cord is looped around a tree or trees or stakes etc or otherwise attached to a n object, and then hooked back onto itself. The position of the cord in the cord engaging formations 16 on the clip is then adjusted so that the cord is tight, for each clip.

Figure 14 is a view of the elongate body 20 of hook 3 slidably mounted onto cord 2. The body 20 comprises a longitud inal cut-out at the at the curved hook section end. In the embodiment shown, the elongate body 20 comprises a cord retaining clip 23 at the end opposite the curved hook section adapted to hold a cord . Figure 15 shows one end of the cord 2 knotted and locked between the longitudina l cut-out of the hook, Figure 16 shows a knotted end of the cord 2 reta ined in a cord reta ining clip 23 integrally formed as part of the hook 3, and the intermed iate part of the cord locked between the longitudinal cut-out of the hook. When in use, hook 3 is slidably mounted onto cord 2, the cord 2 may be 'jammed' into the longitudinal cut-out to prevent movement of hook 3 relative to cord 2 - see Figures 13 and 15.

The invention is described above in relation to fixing a sheet material over ground as a ground cover. Alternatively the clips and attachment system of the invention may be used for fixing a sheet material approximately vertica lly or at a n angle between horizonta l a nd vertica l as a wind break or sunshade, or for light reflecting, in relation to agricultural trees or plants. Alternatively again the clips and attachment system of the invention may be used for fixing in place agricultura l netting, over or adjacent agricultural trees or plant.

The foregoing describes the invention including preferred forms thereof and alterations and modifications as will be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be incorporated in the scope thereof as defined in the accompanying claims.