GB2560169B

GB2560169B - Gutter support

Info

Publication number: GB2560169B
Application number: GB1703290.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Whatton Rolly
Original assignee: Haygrove Ltd
Current assignee: Haygrove Ltd
Priority date: 2017-03-01
Filing date: 2017-03-01
Publication date: 2019-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 2037-03-01
Also published as: WO2018158563A1; GB201703290D0; GB2560169A

Description

GUTTER SUPPORT

This invention relates to a support for use in supporting a gutter used in the cultivation of crops.

Where crops are grown in substrates or other growing media, as is commonly the case where crops are grown within polytunnels, greenhouses and the like, it is known for the substrate material or other growing medium to be located within a supporting gutter. The gutter may take a range of forms. For example, it may be of roll formed metallic construction. Alternatively, it may be of a flexible plastics material. In either case, the gutter is typically of generally channel shaped form and is supported above the ground on a series of supporting legs. Supporting the gutter and the crops grown therein above the ground is advantageous in that it undertaking procedures such as harvesting, pruning or the like on the plants growing in the gutters is simplified. In some instances, the height above the ground at which the gutter is supported may be adjustable.

The loads borne, in use, by the gutters can be significant. There is a risk that the gutter may deform in the sense that the sides thereof may splay apart from one another. This is undesirable as it may lead to insufficient support of the substrate or growing medium, and/or of the crop which may, in turn, result in crop damage. Also, in extreme situations, the substrate may no longer be adequately supported and there is a risk that some of the substrate and the associated plants may fall from the substrate.

One object of the invention is to provide a support for a gutter whereby the risk of such splaying is reduced.

Where the support is carried by a leg, it is desirable to ensure that the support is maintained in a vertical or substantially vertical orientation, in use, so as to properly function. Another object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a support which when carried by a leg, is better held in a vertical or substantially vertical orientation.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a gutter support comprising a material element which adopts a substantially U-shaped form including a base and opposing sides, wherein the base defines a substantially U-shaped mounting region, the U-shaped mounting region including a pair of side limbs and an interconnecting part, wherein the interconnecting part lies in a plane that is angled to a plane containing the base.

Such an arrangement is advantageous in that, if the mounting region is inserted into an end of a leg of tubular form, engagement will occur between the support and the leg at more than two points spaced apart around the circumference of the leg. The support will thus be better supported by the leg, and the risk of the support adopting an orientation in which it is non-vertical (when the associated leg is in a vertical orientation) is reduced.

Preferably, the plane containing the interconnecting part extends substantially perpendicularly to the plane containing the base. However, this need not always be the case and other arrangements are possible. By way of example, the plane containing the interconnecting part may be angled to the plane containing the base by an angle falling within the range of 30 - 150°.

The material element of the support preferably comprises a wire, rod or the like, bent to a desired shape. For example, it may be of diameter in the range of 5 - 15mm. However, arrangements formed of several interconnected components, for example connected together by welding, are also possible.

The support conveniently further includes upper sections connected to or formed integrally with the sides, the upper sections being connectable to one another. It will be appreciated that by interconnecting the upper sections with one another, the risk of the sides of the frame becoming splayed, in use, is reduced. The likelihood of the gutter becoming splayed is similarly reduced.

Preferably, each of the upper sections is formed, adjacent an end thereof, with a hook part, the hook parts being interconnectable with one another. The hook parts are conveniently orientated to lie in planes substantially perpendicular to one another. Preferably, neither of the planes containing the hook parts extend horizontally, in use. Such an arrangement is advantageous in that where a covering material is supported upon the top of the gutter support, for example to provide thermal insulation, shade or insect protection, the orientation of the hook parts is unlikely to result in snagging or other damage to the material.

Conveniently, one of the hook parts takes the form of an eye or loop within which the other of the hook parts can be received, in use. However, this need not always be the case and arrangements are possible in which the hook parts are both of substantially U-shaped, hooked form.

The invention also relates to a structure comprising a tubular leg to which a gutter support of the type set out hereinbefore is fitted, the mounting region being located within the tubular leg and engagement occurring between the mounting region and the leg at more than two angularly spaced points around the wall of the leg. A plurality of such structures may be arranged in a row and used, together, to support a gutter.

The interconnection of the opposing sides of the gutter support is also thought to be of benefit in mid-supports, that is to say gutter supports located intermediate a pair of adjacent legs, the gutter support being used to maintain the shape of the gutter but not to hold it at a desired position above ground in this application.

The invention will further be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a representation of a gutter support in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlargement of part of Figure 1; and

Figures 3a and 3b are diagrams illustrating the gutter support of Figure 1 supported by a leg.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, a gutter support 10 is illustrated, the support 10 taking the form of a length of a stiff metallic wire or rod element which has been bent to take the form of a U-shaped section 12 including a pair of sides 14 which are spaced apart from one another and extend substantially parallel to one another. The sides 14 are interconnected at their lower ends by a base 16.

The base 16 is defined by two coaxial sections of the wire or rod, the sections being spaced apart from one another and being interconnected by a mounting region 18. The mounting region 18 is of generally U-shaped form, defining a pair of limbs 20, the upper ends of which connect to respective ones of the coaxial sections of the base, the limbs 20 being interconnected by an interconnecting part 22.

In use, the mounting region 18 is inserted into the open top of a tubular leg 30 which is supported in a substantially vertical orientation.

As best shown in Figures 3a and 3b, the base 16 lies on a plane 24, and the part 22 lies on a plane 26. The planes 24, 26 are angled to one another relative to the axis of the supporting leg 30, in use, by an angle 28. In the arrangement shown, the angle 28 is approximately 90°. However, it will be appreciated that this need not always be the case and that the invention extends to the use of other non-zero angles 28. By way of example, the angle 28 could be in the range 30-150°.

By arranging the base 16 and the part 22 to lie in planes 24, 26 angled to one another relative to the axis of the leg 30, it will be appreciated that contact may be established between the gutter support frame 10 and the leg 30 at a number of angularly spaced points around the leg 30. If the angle 28 were 0°, then contact between the gutter support 10 and the leg 30 would only be established at two opposing points around the leg 30. However, by arranging for the angle 28 to be non-zero, and preferably in the region of 90°, contact is established at a range of angular positions, thereby enhancing the stability with which the gutter support 10 is mounted upon the leg 30, and increasing the magnitudes of loads that can be borne by the gutter support 10 without resulting in the gutter support 10 becoming unstable.

The upper parts of the sides 14 are interconnected with one another. This is achieved by forming at the upper ends of the sides 14 inwardly extending, substantially coaxially arranged upper sections 32, at the ends of which are formed hook parts 34 arranged to interengage with one another and thereby restrict movement of the sides 14 apart, in use.

The hook part 34 provided on one of the sections 32 is conveniently in the form of an eye, the hook part 34 of the other of the sections 32 taking the form of a hook, part of which is receivable within the eye to secure the sections 32 to one another. However, other shapes are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, both hook parts could take the form of generally U-shaped hooks.

Each hook part 34 preferably takes the form of a bent section of the wire or rod material, each hook part preferably lying in a respective plane. The planes containing the two hook parts 34 are preferably substantially perpendicular to one another, and both planes are preferably angled to the horizontal, in use. By way of example, both planes may be angled at approximately 45° to the horizontal.

As set out hereinbefore, in use the gutter support 10 is mounted to the top of a leg 30. A row of legs 30, each carrying a respective gutter support 10 is provided, and the gutter supports 10 are used to support a length of gutter material on or in which a substrate of other growing medium is located to allow the cultivation of crops therein. Where the gutter material is of flexible form, it will adopt a substantially channel shaped cross-sectional form substantially conforming with the U-shape of the gutter support 10. Typically, the gutter material will be introduced prior to hooking together the hook parts 34, the hook parts 34 then being hooked together to provide the required support to the gutter material.

In use, a material may be provided over the gutter support 10 to provide thermal insulation, shade or insect protection to crops growing in a substrate or another growing medium contained within the gutter, in use. By orientating the hook parts 34 in the manner set out hereinbefore, the risk of such a material snagging or being otherwise caught and/or damaged is reduced.

Whilst the description hereinbefore relates to a gutter support 10 intended to be mounted to the top of a tubular leg 30 for use in supporting a gutter member (not shown), it will be appreciated that the gutter support 10 may be used elsewhere. For example, in some applications it is desired to provide additional, intermediate gutter supports at locations between adjacent ones of the legs 30 to provide additional support to the gutter against splaying, and to provide additional support for materials located over the gutter. By appropriate shaping of the gutter support 10, it may be used in such applications, being carried by the gutter and being used to restrict splaying, etc, thereof. In such applications, as the gutter support 10 is not intended to be mounted to the top of a leg 30, the mounting region 18 may be omitted and instead the base 16 may take the form of a single, continuous length of the wire or rod extending between the sides 14.

It will be appreciated that whilst specific embodiments of the invention are described hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying drawings, a number of modifications or alterations may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A gutter support comprising a material element which adopts a substantially U-shaped form including a base and opposing sides, wherein the base defines a substantially U-shaped mounting region, the U-shaped mounting region including a pair of side limbs and an interconnecting part, wherein the interconnecting part lies in a plane that is angled to a plane containing the base.

2. A support according to Claim 1, wherein the plane containing the interconnecting part extends substantially perpendicularly to the plane containing the base.

3. A support according to Claim 1, wherein the plane containing the interconnecting part is angled to the plane containing the base by an angle falling within the range of 30 - 150°.

4. A support according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the material element of the support comprises a wire, rod or the like, bent to a desired shape.

5. A support according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising upper sections connected to or formed integrally with the sides, the upper sections being connectable to one another.

6. A support according to Claim 5, wherein each of the upper sections is formed, adjacent an end thereof, with a hook part, the hook parts being interconnectable with one another.

7. A support according to Claim 6, wherein the hook parts are orientated to lie in planes substantially perpendicular to one another.

8. A support according to Claim 7, wherein neither of the planes containing the hook parts extends horizontally, in use.

9. A support according to any of Claims 6 to 8, wherein one of the hook parts takes the form of an eye or loop within which the other of the hook parts can be received, in use.

10. A structure comprising a tubular leg to which a gutter support according to any of the preceding claims is fitted, the mounting region being located within the tubular leg and engagement occurring between the mounting region and the leg at more than two angularly spaced points around the wall of the leg.