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Patent Searching and Data


Title:
HANG UP SYSTEM FOR TOMATO PLANTS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/1999/062327
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A tomato plant hang up system and device, manually or remote controlled, including a revolving bobbin (2) which can be shoved along a suspended wire (13) by means of its bracket (12), eventually unrolling the bobbin (2) simultaneously. Actuating unrolling by a special brace (11), functioning as a brake as well due to male cams (9), corresponding with female cams (8) molded to the bobbin (2) flanges (3). When unrolling, the speed of the lowerated plant can be controlled by brake-blocks, fitted or molded to flanges and brace. The more manually the force applied, the more slowing down the operating speed.

Inventors:
BASTIAANSEN ANTONIUS CHRISTIAN (BE)
Application Number:
PCT/NL1998/000318
Publication Date:
December 09, 1999
Filing Date:
June 02, 1998
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
BASTIAANSEN ANTONIUS CHRISTIAN (BE)
International Classes:
A01G9/12; (IPC1-7): A01G9/12
Domestic Patent References:
WO1996029855A11996-10-03
Foreign References:
NL1004233C11997-01-24
FR2743258A11997-07-11
FR1356805A1964-03-27
EP0273491A11988-07-06
EP0349029A11990-01-03
US4187996A1980-02-12
Other References:
None
Download PDF:
Description:
Hang up system for tomato plants The invention relates to a system for hanging quick growing twines, especially tomato plants. According to the methode already being in use, the plants are climbing out of their seed-beds, in the rate of their growth, along a vertical hanging string or cord, lowerated from a not-revolving bobbin, until the top of the pertaining twine is touching the fastening point.

The bobbins are provided with brackets and interpolated movable connected to a horizontal suspended wire. The bobbins are manually unwinded, that means: the operator has to wriggle each coil over the side flange which must be repeated until the twine is given sufficient space for the next growth phase again. At the same time the bobbin is going to be shoved along the wire by means of its bracket, in such a way that the string finaly shows a noose. In this manner the adjacent twines shall become a bundle. The growth direction can be changed after each completed horizontal movement. Unwinding of the bobbins requires much labour and sometimes the operator will overtax his staying-power, for each coil is bearing the whole twine, so during unwinding this load must be beared by the operator also, which often results in overloaded arms (tennis elbows) and ultimately the worker will be disabled. The characteristic feature of the invention is such as to avoid the above mentioned disadvantages. For that purpose the bobbin is provided with taps, corresponding with tap-holes bored into the holder so it becomes revolving in its support. This support is not only provided with a bracket for suspension means but also with a brace, serving as a unloosing device. The unrolling speed of the climbing string, with the twine connected to it, can be cortrolled easely by a smooth serving movement of the vingers which are hooked behind the brace during lowerating. The flanges of the bobbin

according to the invention are provided with click-cams or tooths, corresponding with similar cams of the brace. By pulling this brace, the cams are no longer in gear, due to deformation. Thus the cams are positioned opposite a free pass on either side. On that particular moment the bobbin is allowed to revolve free and the plant already climbed ahead along the string should fall down out of control. In order to avoid this unwanted consequence of the invention, the brace is on its internal upperside provided with brake-blocks which, depending on the applied power with a certain force are pressed against the outside surface of the bobbin flanges, in this way causing a braking effect and this means control of the lowerating speed indeed. It must be clear that, doing so, a tomato hang system is created, demanding a minimum of effort combined with gain of time. Just as with the system already in use, it is also possible to combine the vertical movements with the horizontal moving-up along the supporting wire. As soon as the brace is released the click cams are reposing on their seats in the braces again and the rotation will be finished.

The bobbin-taps are fitted into the house via slotted holes, having a width which is just a little bit smaller than the tap diameter. In order to obtain the smallest possible friction, the tap-hole-diameter must be a little bit larger than the taps itself. The invention will now be described, by way of examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1. is a front view of the bobbin, Fig. 2. is a side view of the bobbin, Fig. 3. shows the complete system in front view and Fig. 4. dito in a side view.

The climbing string 1-having sufficient length for expected growing length of the plant-is winded on bobbin 2, while the side flanges 3 are avoiding axial pulling off. The hub 4-whether or not hollow-in

indissoluble connected to bobbin 2 and shall fit into the free spaces 5 of the holder 6 via slotted hole 7. This slotted hole 7 is dimensioned in such a way that the hub 4 after said handling is still in it's original position. The hub 4 can rotate freely due to the free spaces 5 of holder 6, until the fixing cams 8 on the side flanges 3 of bobbin 2 are blocking the rotation, namely on the moment that these cams 8 are touching the corresponding blocking cams 9 which are fitted to the underside of holder 6. On both sides of the blocking cams 9 are free spaces 10, providing for unhampered way to the brake cams 8 as long as a certain downwards tiring force is applied. For this vertical tension force results in a horizontal component, bringing the free spaces 10 nearer to each other. The above described situation remains maintained as long as the origin of the deformation of the brace 11 is still in force. The holder 6 is on its top side provided with a breacket 12 and by means of this, being suspended from the horizontal tightened wire 13. This wire 13, above the seed-bed the whole spanning, is acting as a supporting means for a large number of climbing twines. The procedure as far as related to the nature of the invention, can be described as follows: The twine of the plant is enabled to climb upwards via climbing string 1 until the twine touches bobbin 2. On that particular moment the operator hitches his forefinger to the brace 11 in order to dislock bobbin 2 as described above. From that moment the climbing string 1 will ease off, caused by the weight of the twine as long as the tension on the brace is maintained. by simultaneously showing the bracket 12 along the wire 13, the climbing string will show a wide noose and consequently the twine, firmly connected to it, also. The plant can grow on, undisturbed, until the bobbin 2 is reached again and the procedure must be repeated. Since unwinding of climbing string 1 from bobbin 2 can become out of control due to the heavy weight of the plant when fruit bearing (especially tomato

plants), the operator can take advantage of the break mechanism; so this mechanism is very essential for this invention and is part of it. The braking of the unwinding bobbin 2 can be controlled very accurate. It will be clear that the unwinding system allows a minimum of effort when lowerating the plant, eventually combined with showing the bracket along the suspended wire 13. Although injection molding of the complete device will be preferably, production of several separate components and fitting to a whole afterwards can also be considered. When chosen for the first option, chemical character, composition, physical behaviour such as elasticity, fatique etc. and strength shall meet the requirements for each seperate part, while the rigidity shall meet the requirement for suspension to the supporting wire.