AU2021103188A4

AU2021103188A4 - Fence Post Cap

Info

Publication number: AU2021103188A4
Application number: AU2021103188A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Brian O'malley
Original assignee: Ocag Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Ocag Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2021-03-17
Filing date: 2021-06-08
Publication date: 2021-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 2029-06-08
Also published as: WO2022192952A1

Abstract

A cap for mounting or attachment to an agricultural post, such as a vineyard post or fence post, that has a main cap body, having a top section, outer cap surface and a post engaging portion and a water conduit having a first end adapted to receive a supply of water and at least one water outlet. The conduit is attached to a sprinkler head allowing water to be sprayed out over the area adjacent to the post. The cap can be readily secured or attached to the post and includes a top surface profile to reduce entanglement with agricultural netting. 13 55 110 120 110 75 05 50a0 15 57 30 57 6 10 21 41 Figure 1

Description

55 110 120 110

75 05 50a0

15

57 30

57 6

21 41

Figure 1

FENCE POST CAP FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an agricultural, orchard and horticulture post cap, in particular a post cap useful in vineyards and other agricultural settings that is readily mountable to a post and is adapted to provide a bird netting cap and watering function.

BACKGROUND

In various agricultural settings, such as in vineyards, there are a large number of posts used to construct vine trellis, which are essential is to commercial production of fruit.

Grapes, and other agricultural produce, grow well in good sunlight conditions, where the plant can be trained over an area, usually provided in the form of trellis wire, which allows the plant leaves to be spread out over a greater area and makes it easier for the harvest of fruit. The production of grapes, and other fruits, is of significant economic importance and the integrity and protection of growing fruit is of great concern to winegrowers.

Frost can be a significant threat in certain grape growing regions, and wine growers are keen to mitigate exposure of produce to frost events. During the winter dormant buds on the grape vine are more resistant to front events and are able to resist temperatures down to -10°C however new growth can be severely affected at such temperatures.

In an attempt to combat the effects of frost on grape vine, winegrowers can take a number of measures such as covering their vines with covers to help prevent heat loss from the soil, use vineyard heaters to try to keep air temperatures above the point where frost occurs, or use over vine sprinklers, which spray water over the young green vine growth, which forms a coating over the vine buds and shoots to protect the shoot by sprays of water that freezes with an outer layer of ice and the water is trapped inside in liquid form .That stops the buds from freezing and dying .Heat and rise in the temperature melts the outer layer and the bud is safe and continues to grow .

Over vine sprinklers are typically large agricultural impact sprinklers set on dedicated sprinkler poles that are placed and intervals around the vineyard, each of which have to be set in place and have their own dedicated high volume water supply attached, which requires the use of relatively large diameter tubing. The impact sprinklers are set above the height of the vines and vineyard posts so as to provide appropriate coverage of the vineyard, or attached to each of the vineyard post which spray down the rows

Impact sprinklers pivot about a central axis, the head of the impact sprinkler being driven in a circular motion by the force of water escaping from the sprinkler nozzle pushing upon a pivoting arm in the waters path, the arm being repeatedly pushed back into the water stream by a spring and so the impact sprinkler requires room to be able to freely pivot.

One of the problems associated with impact sprinklers of the type used in vineyards is that are high on water use and the water stream escaping from the sprinkler results in large, heavy droplets. Additionally, the impact sprinkler present as a problem when used in conjunction with vineyard covers and netting requiring great care by works in installing and retrieving such covers/nets from the vineyard area to avoid tearing or catching on the post or the spay heads with sprays attached. Currently the vineyard staff have to remove the spray heads, cover with a cap or plastic flowerpot to then apply bird netting. When the picking process starts the netting has to be removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In first embodiment of the present invention there is a cap for a mounting on a post, including a main cap body, having a top section, outer cap surface and a post engaging portion a water conduit having a first end adapted to receive a supply of water and at least one water outlet.

In preference the post engaging section is an opening shaped to accept an upper portion of a post within.

In preference, the water outlets are recessed.

In preference the water outlets are recessed relative to the outer cap surface.

In preference, the water outlets are recessed within a water outlet passage.

In preference, there are at least two water outlets.

In preference, there are is one water outlets or a plurality of water outlets.

In preference the water outlet is adapted to receive an irrigation fitting therein.

In preference, the irrigation fitting is at least one of the irrigation fittings selected from the group of irrigation fittings including misters, microjets, drippers, sprayers, spinners or sprinklers.

In preference, the post is a vineyard post.

In preference, the vineyard post supports trellis wires.

In preference, the water conduit is internal within the cap.

In preference, the water conduit is external to the cap.

In preference, water is received from a water source into the water conduit and redirected out to the water outlet through the irrigation fitting.

In preference, the cap include a wire receiving slot shaped to captively hold a wire therein.

In preference, the wire is an agricultural wire that can hold netting.

In preference, the wire is a vine trellis wire.

In preference, the water conduit is a T junction or L junction.

In preference, the cap include a retaining means to retain the cap to the fence post.

In preference, the retaining means is a securing screw.

In a further form of the invention, the irrigation fittings are moulded within the cap.

In preference, the post engaging portion is an opening to receive a fastener for securing the cap to the post.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the fence post cap of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front view of the fence post cap of figure 1;

Figure 3A is an underside view of the fence post cap of figure 1;

Figure 3B is a review perspective view of the fence post cap of figure 1;

figure 4 is a view of the present invention attached to a top of a fence post;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention showing in figure 3;

Figure 6 is an exploded view of the device shown in figure 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the figures 1-6, figure 1 shows a first embodiment of fence post cap of the present invention having a main body 15, the main body having a top section 20 and an outer surface 30, with a front face 21 and a rear face 22, a post engaging portion 40, water outlet 50a and 50b and a post securing means 60, and base 41. The post securing means 60 is located in a recessed opening and shaped to reduce entanglement with any vine covering such as bird netting. In the present embodiment, the post cap 10 has the top section 20 comprising the curved top portions 50 and 55, both of which are formed in a way to smoothly travel from the curved top portion 50 to the side 61 of the outer surface 30, with openings 70 and 75 located beneath the curved top portions 50 and 55 are provided to allow for the insertion of additional wire as required by the user. In other forms of the invention, such openings may not the necessarily present.

Additionally, located on the top section 20 of the 10 is a wire receiving slot 100 shaped to receive or capture a fence or trellis wire that travels from one fence post to an adjacent fencepost along the length of the role of fence /trellis posts. The wire slot 100 is shaped to allow for the insertion of a wire there between, the regions 110 of the wire slot 100 holding the wire within the groove 120. A vineyard worker can then readily engage or disengage a wire within the groove 120 as required as it is designed to take a wire when hedge trimming and pruning or as a netting support. In addition, the regions 110 are shaped so as to ensure that when a bird net is placed over the top of the cap 10 they do not become caught or catch any of the netting. This is due to the low profile shape of the regions 110 as well as their compact size.

The post engagement portion 40 includes a plurality of internal ribs 150 shaped to releasably engage with an upper portion of a vineyard post. The configurations and orientation of the internal ribs 150 is dependent upon the shape of the post to which the post 10 is to be fitted. For example, for a round vineyard post, the internal ribs 150 would be configured so as to provide a post receiving shape that provides a nesting fit with the round vineyard post and allows for the ready placement on top of the post. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the post 10 has internal ribs 150 shaped to receive an Ocloc-A@, Ocloc-B@ or Ocloc-C@ post which has a specific profile, or other post shapes such as star dropper posts or round posts.

At the top of the post engagement portion 40 of the 10 is the water conduit opening 160 having an internal diameter of between 2-8mm to receive a water supply conduit, such as poly pipe, either with or without a suitable poly pipe connection fitting. In some forms of the invention the water conduit opening may include an internal for receiving a barbed, nipple or threaded poly pipe connector. In other embodiments the water conduit opening 160 may have a smooth internal opening to allow for press fitting or friction fitting of suitably sized poly pipe.

As shown in the cross-sectional view, the fence post 200 can be seen recessed inside the cap 10, the water conduit 200 being a T shaped conduit with the water conduit opening 160 connected to the water supply conduit, poly pipe, 180, using a poly pipe connection fitting 185, which may be threaded, nipple or barbed. The water conduit 200 having first chamber 220 and second chamber 230, each of the first and second chambers having a collar 225 and 235 respectively, each of the collars having an internal section and suitable diameter for receiving an irrigation fitting within. Each of the collars 225 and 235 project into the chambers 240 and 250 of the water outlets 50a and 50b. The length of each collar 225 and 235 is such that when and irrigation fitting 300 is attached, the body of the irrigation fitting does not substantially extend beyond the outer surface 30 of the cap 10.

As show in figure 3B, the rear face 22 has a cut out portion 33 to provide a clear view of the insertion point for the water delivery conduit to the water conduit 200. Openings 57 are on the outer surface 30 of the cap 10, the openings 57 allow for ventilation of heat from the interior of the cap 10 as well as being attachment points for clip on brackets suitable to the attachment of various tapes, for example horse tape, hazard tape and poly-electric tape.

As shown in figure 5 each of the first and second chambers 220 and 230 include an irrigation fitting 300, with the and 310 substantially in line with the outer to surface 30 of the cap 10 so as to provide a relatively smooth profile.

The post securing opening 60 includes flange 61 and a post securing screw 62 that screws into a threaded opening 201 of the fence post 200. Tightening of the screw 62 secures the cap 10 to the fence post 200. Other retaining means may be used, such as a grub screw, retaining clips or other such means and devices that would allow the cap to be safely yet removably secured to the fence post.

Although the arrangement/embodiment shown in the figures utilises a T junction for a water supply conduit, is considered that other arrangements of conduits would fall within the scope of the invention, for example a simple L-shaped conduit or a straight conduit with a single spraying nozzle fitted to provide a single water outlet or there may be multiple water outlets.

In other embodiments, the poly pipe may be located on the outside surface of the 30 rather than running up the internal section, and fluidly attached to a water distribution channel arrangement within the. However, in the present embodiment as shown, the location of the poly pipe 180 is considered useful as they provide the additional feature of being able to retain the poly pipe 80 within an internal channel of the fence post 200 and thus protects the poly pipe 180 from damage by farm machinery. In the present embodiment the outer diameter of the poly pipe 180 may the relatively small diameter domestic poly pipe, suitable to supply sufficient water flow to the irrigation fittings 300. Such poly pipe is readily available and commercially inexpensive.

In use, the post 10 can be readily fitted with the appropriate irrigation fitting into the water outlets and fluidly connected to a suitable irrigation system throughout the vineyard. By using relatively inexpensive and readily available poly pipe fittings, vineyard owners can fit out a suitable irrigation supply system throughout the vineyard and quickly attach the caps 10 to the vineyard posts. Water supplied to the cap 10 is then directed out through the irrigation fittings and on to the vineyard foliage. As each cap 10 provides a spray of water and as the caps 10 are fixed to each of the vineyard posts then a greater control of water is supplied to the crops with less water used. In addition, vineyard workers are able to easily install and/or retrieve bird netting or vineyard covers that may from time to time be applied to the vineyard posts so as to protect the crops from damage by birds. By using the caps of the present invention, the netting and covering material is protected from damage. In addition, due to the profile of caps 10 and their ease of fitting to the post, they can be retained on the post throughout the year, or readily removed as required and also the cap can function as a fire protection mechanism or as a plant cooling device used in vineyards.

The cap of the present invention means no removal of spray heads, no applying of caps or plastic flowerpots, netting will slide over and not get caught in the netting profile.

The slot 110 in the middle of the cap 10 holds a top wire which stops in upward movement on the post and the cap. Vines are top trimmed with mechanical trimers so this acts as a guide and to keep the vines post in a vertical position.

In other forms of the invention, the post engagement portion is an opening to receive a fastener for securing the cap to the post. A lower section of the post engagement section can have a slot or recess into which a fastener, such as a screw or nail can be used to hold the cap to a surface of the post. In this way the cap can be secured to a side or top of a wooden or metal post without the need to insert the end of the post into the cap itself, giving the user additional flexibility to the use situation.

Claims

1. A cap for a mounting on a post, including

a main cap body, having a top section, outer cap surface and a post engaging portion.

a water conduit having a first end adapted to receive a supply of water and at least one water outlet.

2. The cap of claim 1, wherein the post engaging section is an opening shaped to accept an upper portion of a post within.

3. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein the water outlets are recessed.

4. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein the water outlets are recessed relative to the outer cap surface.

5. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein the water outlets are recessed within a water outlet passage.

6. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein there are at least two water outlets.

7. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein there are a plurality of water outlets.

8. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein the water outlet is adapted to receive an irrigation fitting therein.

9. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein the irrigation fitting is at least one of the irrigation fittings selected from the group of irrigation fittings including misters, microjets, drippers, sprayers, spinners or sprinklers.

10. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein the post is a vineyard post.

11. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein the vineyard post supports trellis wires.

12. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein the water conduit is internal within the cap.

13. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein the water conduit is external to the cap.

14. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein water is received from a water source into the water conduit and redirected out to the water outlet through the irrigation fitting.

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15. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein the cap includes a wire receiving slot shaped to captively hold a wire therein.

16. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein preference, the wire is an agricultural wire.

17. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein the wire is a vine trellis wire.

18. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein the water conduit is a T junction or L junction.

19. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein the cap includes a retaining means to retain the cap to the fence post.

20. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein the retaining means is a securing screw.

21. The cap of any one of the above claims, wherein, the irrigation fittings are moulded within the cap.

22. The cap of any one of the above claims wherein the post engaging portion is an opening to receive a fastener for securing the cap to the post.