WO2022019783A1

WO2022019783A1 - Improved bud rubber tool for viticulture

Info

Publication number: WO2022019783A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2021/050110
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lindsay Bruce Dalziel; Thomas Michael DALZIEL
Original assignee: Tool Smart Limited
Priority date: 2020-07-21
Filing date: 2021-07-21
Publication date: 2022-01-27

Abstract

A tool comprising a bud rubber or sucker remover is particularly for use with grape vines. A shaped elastomeric sheet has a throat lined with tips of fingers formed into the sheet. A tool frame reversibly clamps the sheet by three edges and has a handle. An operator lifts the tool by the handle, pushes the throat of the tool around the vine, and moves it up and down over an affected length of the trunk while the fingers dislodge buds. A sheet may be removed for disinfection, reshaping or replacement.

Description

TITLE: IMPROVED BUD RUBBER TOOL FOR VITICULTURE

FIELD:

The invention is a tool, called a “bud rubber”, designed for manual removal of shoots or buds from vines, actions referred to as priming and/or preliminary pruning of vines.

PRIOR ART:

This collection is limited to publications for hand-operated bud rubber tools.

(PI) DE 3818640 to Lobmeyer (filed June 1, 1988) is hand-held and presents a brush with inwardly facing bristles at the working area.

(P2) DE 102015110982 to Schneider el al (filed 27 Oct 2016) also presents a brush; the bristles are bedded in a single turn of a bent strip and are directed inwardly. The beginning and end of the spiral are displaced vertically so that the user can feed the tool over the trunk of a plant.

(P3) US 5899019 to Groves (filed June 27, 1997) A tool that closes around and encloses the stem to be trimmed. A pair of cutting edges are placed about the trunk. Also usable for defoliating flower stems.

BACKGROUND:

The main trunk of an individual grape vine may seasonally produce side shoots, known as buds or as suckers, close to the ground. Different varieties of grape may vary. If not removed as by the task of bud rubbing, the growth pattern of the vine will become distorted when the shoots give rise to new branches of the vine at or near ground level, which interferes with efficiency of management, and reduces the yield. Vineyards are vulnerable to infections by organisms that thrive in a monoculture.

Bud rubbing is an unpleasant job using prior-art or current devices. In an environment where farm labour is sparse, bud rubbing is likely to be refused, even by contractors. Bud or sucker removal tools in the form of hand implements for viticulture purposes are known (PI, P2) , but fail to meet expectations of efficiency, durability, or easy maintenance. Powered knives are known. There are tractor-drawn implements having sets of flails attached to a cylinder rotated vertically which is towed along a row of vines. Problems remain in designing and using mechanical devices that will take off the buds successfully without damaging the trunk. Hence tractor-drawn implements are not well accepted by viticulturists. The predominant article on sale in New Zealand at this date is pairs of flexible “bud rubbing gloves” having textured palm surfaces that require a user to bend or kneel before each vine trunk and rub the gloves over the trunk. The gloves last for about one day.

P2 has this comment: “The main disadvantage here is that repetitive crouching is a strain on the knees of the joints and often leads to knee pain and knee problems. The stooping down required with this stripping technique is also very unfriendly and stressful for the intervertebral discs, which can cause back pain. The process is also stressful for the circulatory system, as the upper body always has to be brought down and up again. Another disadvantage of conventional stripping is that this work is very time consuming and therefore costly”.

P3 appears to require that the user kneels before the vine trunk. Both PI and P2 describe hand- operated tools including stiff brushes for bud-removal purposes that reach around the trunk and have an uprising handle that is grasped by a person with both hands and moved up and down. PI may be rotated to bring the bristles into action against a bud anywhere around the trunk of the vine. PI did not reach to the far side of the trunk. P2 provided a spiral configuration that was threaded on at an angle. Prior- Art documents PI and P2 are hand-operated bud rubbing tools that use bristles. A bristle can be regarded as an element that can be flexed in any direction. Bristles are likely to bend to the side upon making contact, rather than apply a unidirectional force (bearing down or up on a bud). As will be described in this specification, a rubber sheet is configured into fingers 107a using substantially vertical cuts 107 between the fingers through the sheet. Such fingers can be separately bent up or down, but unlike bristles are limited from sideways deflection by (a) the relatively large width of each finger, compared to its thickness, and (b) proximity of adjacent fingers.

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED:

This invention intends to provide an improved bud rubber tool that at least overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION:

In a first broad aspect the invention provides a bud rubber tool for rubbing trunks of vines and thereby removing undesired items including buds, characterized in that the tool includes a shaped elastomeric sheet including a throat and including a series of fingers each defined by a cut made through the full thickness of the sheet along both sides of each finger; the tool also including a reversible sheet clamping apparatus and a socket for receiving an operator’s handle. Preferably, the reversible sheet clamping apparatus may be changed between a clamped or closed state and a released or open state without use of tools, so that, the sheet may be removed and replaced in the field.

Preferably, the operating handle is configured for use by a standing human operator and includes a straight element mounted at an inclination from a horizontal plane and capable of receiving handle attachments selected from a range of side grips and end grips.

In an alternative aspect, the tool is configured for operation by a machine after connection to mobile actuator apparatus selected from a range including mechanical, electromagnetic, hydraulic and pneumatic actuators; said actuator apparatus being controlled by an at least partially automatic control apparatus responsive to presence and position of trunks of vines to be rubbed, in order to approach a trunk of a selected vine, place the throat of the sheet around the trunk, and of agitating the tool along the trunk until visible items have been removed.

Optionally the apparatus uses a video connection to a remote operator.

Preferably the body of the tool includes a clamping apparatus capable when in use of maintaining the shaped elastomeric sheet in place.

In a related aspect the body of the tool includes a top frame to be located above the sheet, and a base plate to be located under the sheet; the top frame and base plate have in plan view a shape of an open curve like a letter “C” that encloses three edges of the elastomeric sheet and the throat extends inward from the fourth edge.

Preferably the “C” shaped base plate is hingedly mounted at two collapsible hinges; one on each tip of the top frame.

Preferably each hinge comprises a tongue extended from the ends of each arm of the base plate, retained within a socket within a buttress at each end of the top frame.

Preferably the middle of the “C” shaped base plate is secured against the underside of the top frame by at least one tongue rising from the base plate and positioned so as to enter a slot near the handle in the top frame from below; said tongue has an engagement hole capable of reversible engagement with a tongue on a resilient clip included in the top frame.

In a second broad aspect the invention provides a shaped elastomeric sheet configured for use in a bud rubber tool as previously described in this section, wherein the sheet is comprised of a selected elastomer, has a selected thickness, and is shaped in order to include at least one throat opening through the full thickness of the sheet extending from an edge into the sheet and having a width and a length; and a border of the throat comprises a plurality of free ends of a contiguous plurality of fingers; each finger having a selected width as defined by a length of a cut made on each side of the finger through the full thickness of the sheet and extending into the uncut sheet.

A preferred selected elastomer is a two-ply sheet of blended natural and synthetic rubber, having a hardness of about 65 Shore A and a thickness of about 9.4 mm, and includes a cotton reinforcement between the two plies.

Preferably the edges, including shaped edges of the elastomeric sheet are neither rounded nor not chamfered.

Preferably the sheet includes a series of locating holes aligned with a series of retaining dowels protruding from the top frame of the tool.

Preferably, both sides of each finger are separated from adjacent fingers with a straight cut made through the thickness of the sheet in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sheet so that, when in use a force applied at a free end of any finger may cause the finger to be resiliently bent up and down in relation to adjacent fingers while the width of any finger in combination with presence of adjacent fingers and the thickness of the sheet tends to prevent sideways movement of the finger.

Optionally the throat of the sheet may be extended in size by cutting through the sheet across the end of at least one finger in order to adapt the sheet to conditions pertaining to a particular group of vines.

Preferably the shaped elastomeric sheet includes a series of apertures cut through the sheet along a line produced away from the free end of any finger and beyond each cut line, so that when in use an operator may extend an edge of at least one finger by cutting through the sheet in order to reduce a stiffness of the finger and adapt the sheet to conditions pertaining to a particular group of vines.

In another alternative, the invention provides a shaped, co-moulded elastomeric sheet configured for use in a bud rubber tool that includes a moulded spine comprised of a thermoplastics material selected from a range including acetal and polypropylene, coated with a co-moulded elastomeric coating selected from a range including particulate rubbers within a matrix of a thermoplastics material, over the spine; the spine including extensions to pass along the interior of fingers.

Preferably the settable elastomer is selected from a range including a “Santoprene®” that will set to an elastomeric sheet having a hardness of about 65 Shore A. Preferably the shaped, co-moulded elastomeric sheet also has a plurality of apertures along each cut line separating fingers, and produced beyond the cut line so that a person extending the cuts in order to adapt the rubber sheet to conditions pertaining to a particular group of vines may cut in between components of the moulded spine.

In a third broad aspect the invention provides a method for manufacturing a shaped elastomeric sheet configured for use in a bud rubber tool that includes the steps of selecting an elastomeric sheet, cutting the sheet in order to create a plurality of fingers surrounding a throat and cutting a series of locating holes aligned with a series of dowels in the top frame of the tool, the cuts being made by a process selected from a range including: cutting with a knife, pressing an arrangement of knives in a die through the sheet, moulding the throat and cuts from a flowable material, and making the cuts with a numerically controlled knife, laser cutter or a water cutter.

Preferred methods for manufacture of shaped elastomeric sheets are selected from a range including: cutting with a knife, pressing an arrangement of knives held in a die through the sheet in a press, moulding the throat and the cuts from a flowable material, and making the cuts with a numerically controlled knife, laser cutter or a water cutter.

Preferably the shaped elastomeric sheet is sold as a replacement in a variety of configurations and hardnesses thereby allowing selection of any one sheet having a desired balance of resilience and flexibility.

Preferably, cuts made into the sheet including divisions defining a finger are formed during moulding using a shaped mould.

Alternatively, cuts are formed after moulding, using a cutting machine having a knife, or a stamper.

Optionally the moulded spine is provided with a set of engagement tongues disposed in order to engage with slots formed in buttresses of the moulded top frame, and is provided with an upstanding tongue including an aperture capable of engaging with a clip included with the moulded top frame, and then receives a covering of the settable elastomer; so that the combination serves both as the shaped elastomeric sheet and as the base plate.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

The term “upward” is with reference to a soil surface, referring to orientation of the tool when in use. Likewise, the term “forward” refers to a direction away from the position occupied by the standing operator and toward a vine to be rubbed. The description of the invention to be provided herein is given purely by way of example and is not to be taken in any way as limiting the scope or extent of the invention. The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Throughout this specification unless the text requires otherwise, the word "comprise" and variations such as "comprising" or "comprises" will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. Each document, reference, patent application or patent cited in this text is expressly incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. Reference to cited material or information cited in the text should not be understood as a concession that the material or information was part of the common general knowledge or was known in New Zealand or in any other country.

List of Drawings:

Fig 1 is an oblique view of an earlier version of the bud rubber tool.

Fig 1A is a plan view of a later version of the bud rubber tool. The handle appears foreshortened. Fig 2, as Figs 2a, 2b and 2c shows front, side and oblique views of the tool of Fig 1 A.

Fig 3 is an oblique underneath view of the bud rubber tool.

Fig 3A is an exploded oblique underneath view of the bud rubber tool, with a larger shaped elastomeric sheet..

Fig 4 is a face view of an early version of a sheet.

Fig 5 is a diagram to show the ‘keen edges” on the ends of two fingers within the throat.

Fig 6 shows a thermoplastics moulded spine, for co-moulding into a composite shaped sheet.

Fig 7 shows a moulded elastomeric sheet ready for use, including that internal spine.

Fig 8 is a cross-section along line B in Fig 7.

Fig 9 is a cross-section along line A in Fig 7.

Fig 10 shows a bud rubber tool with the base plate ready to be closed around a sheet.

Fig 11 shows a bud rubber tool with the base plate tongue being passed through a slot,.

Fig 12 shows a bud rubber tool with the base plate tongue almost engaged with the clip and a backstop guide.

Fig 13 shows a bud rubber tool with the base plate tongue held by a clip on the top frame.

Fig 14 is a cross-section from B-B of the adjacent Fig 1A showing a tongue in engagement.. EXAMPLE 1 :

The invention is a hand-held tool comprising a bud rubber or sucker remover particularly for use with grape vines. The whole tool is shown as Fig 1 (oblique view), Fig 1A (plan view), and Figs 2a, 2b and 2c. The operator would stand behind the tool of Fig 1 as shown and would walk to one side of the front of the vine trunk to be treated. He or she would lift the tool by the handle 101 with optional hand grips 102, 102A, push the throat 106 of the tool around the vine, and push the tool down, perhaps lift it and push down again. The tips of the fingers 107a of the shaped elastomeric sheet scrape the surface of the trunk and cause the buds or suckers to be rubbed off by contact with the edges of the resilient fingers. The shaped elastomeric sheet is selected in order to be able to flex rather than injure the bark or cambium. Then the person may remove the tool, move to the other side of the vine trunk, and repeat the motion, since objects may have been missed. Finally, the outer edge of the tool (112a or 112b in Fig 1 or in Fig 1 A) can be used to dislodge any remaining objects. The inventors expect that a person using the tool for an extended period will not bend down, and will maintain a straight back, so that forces of up and down motions of the bud rubber do not become concentrated on the lips of the vertebral joints, as they may if the back is curved.

We attempted to optimise the shape, configuration and material properties of the elastomeric rubber sheet. It will be appreciated that sheet thickness, flexibility and hardness; width and depth of the throat; and finger flexibility are variable, as are the physical characteristics of any group of grape vines.

Fig 1, Fig 1A, Figs 2a, 2b and 2c include a wooden shaft or handle 101. The shaft may carry a detachable (103) side handle grip 102 (Fig 1), or a spade-like end handle 102 A (Fig 1A). The shaft is attached to the tool at a rigid top frame 111 including stiffening ribs such as 11 lc. A basic handle is a straight wooden shaft 101, diameter 25-28 mm and of a selected strong wood. A spade-handle “D” grip 102A in Fig 1A, or one or more side handles 102 clamped with an adjustable attachment 103 at an ergonomic position along the pole 101 may be provided. A user can place any side handle ergonomically at any height and in any direction, and change it about from time to time. The spade handle 102A may be best for applying up and down forces, while the side handle 102 may be used to turn the tool. Preferably the base plate 112 and associated elements of the bud rubber tool will have a minimised thickness in case a particular bud or sucker is close to the ground. The tool ‘s upper profile 111 as shown in Fig 14 has nothing to catch in wires or foliage.

Handle length is ergonomically important, if a “D” grip is used. Rather than a telescoping handle, the inventor prefers to select a handles 101 of suitable length and attach the handle to the top frame 111 by means of screws 101b (axial; located under a socket tool illustrated in place) and 101c (transverse) as shown in Fig 3A. A preferred angle is 97.5 degrees for the handle as shown in the lateral view, Fig 2b.

The top frame and a removable base plate 112 (see later) firmly support three edges of a shaped elastomeric sheet by clamping together. The sheet is flexible and resilient, though hard, and has keen edges especially about a shaped throat 106 intended to receive each vine trunk. A quick- release catch 113a that engages with a perpendicular extension 110 of the base plate 112 allows easy opening of the tool by separating the base plate from under the top frame. (The tool in Fig 1 includes a pair of the catches, awhile Figs 1A and 3A use a single catch). The catch releases the sheet for replacement with another, or for disassembly for cleaning and disinfection, without tools. A mechanism for the quick-release catch system is described below in relation to Figs 10-14.

The narrow-throated sheet 105 shown in Fig la or in Fig 7 may suit young vines. Larger vines may require a larger throat as in Fig 1. The inventor proposes to distribute replaceable shaped elastomeric sheets 105 that can be cut to size by the users in order to reduce the inherent costs of stocked sheets. Each replaceable shaped elastomeric sheet 105, comprised of a sheet of a selected flexible and resilient material, provides a contiguous series of ‘cutting’ or rubbing elements at finger edges surrounding the throat 106. See Fig 5. Each sheet is configured with perpendicular, non-chamfered, non-rounded edges comprising ‘keen edges’ according to an overall outline, such as the examples shown in Fig 1A, 3A, 4, and 7. The term “keen edge” is used herein to refer to the non-rounded 90 degrees edge between either surface and a border of the sheet as on the end of a finger; a detail of which is shown diagrammatic ally in Fig 5 as it would appear within the throat 106. The inventors have noted that wear dulls the keen edge by abrasion against vine trunks and buds, but the tool remains effective even after wear following extensive use over one season.

The shaped elastomeric sheet includes a throat 106 surrounded by a plurality of contiguous fingers 107a; ten in the Fig 1 example and sixteen in Fig 1A, that are made by cutting into the sheet from the throat. Fingers are created and remain separated from each other by perpendicular cuts 107 extending partway from the sheet edge 107 toward an outer edge. The actual cutting, knocking or rubbing action (see Fig 5) occurs along the free edges of the fingers, which are resilient edges of the throat. According to the principles of this invention, each finger can be bent up or down during use as described above, but is difficult to bend sideways. A more easily deflected finger is obtained by cutting further along the sides into the elastomeric sheet or by creating a narrower root. The inventors have carried out trials in order to determine a suitable finger flexibility by varying the kind and thickness of material of the shaped elastomeric sheet, and by varying the depth and spacing of the cuts 107. Optional intermediate cuts can be included. A box-cutter knife is suitable. In Fig 1A the shaped elastomeric sheet 105 includes a number of perforations; holes 115 each about 5-8 mm in diameter, in rows extending from the throat 106 and produced from the lines of the cuts 107 between the fingers into the surrounding sheet. The holes serve as cutting guides, should an operator want to enlarge the throat to fit around larger trunks, or to lengthen the cuts between the fingers. A second use for the holes is to protect the sheet from propagation of tears, by ensuring that any operator’s cut line will terminate at a hole. The co-moulded version shown in Fig 7 includes many holes such as 115, and also includes depressions 801 shown in section in Fig 8 which had been occupied by pegs extending from the inner surface of the die used for injection of the elastomer, to prevent the spine from being moved during the over-moulding process.

The currently preferred shaped elastomeric sheet is approximately 225 mm wide (dimension “A” in Fig 2a) while the tool is about 239 mm from front to back (dimension “B” in Fig 2b) although the sheet (presently 175 mm deep), may not extend to the back plane. It will be appreciated that for some purposes a different width is preferable. Figs 4 and 7 show examples of shaped elastomeric sheets ready for use. The shaped elastomeric sheet 105 includes the throat 106 and a number of cuts or slits, for example 107, that allow any one finger to be displaced up or down in relation to an adjacent finger. Holes are provided for the dowels 108b, that locate the sheet during use. Holes such as 119B receive the buttresses that catch the ends of the arms of the base plate when closed around a shaped elastomeric sheet. Example but non-limiting dimensions for the throat of Fig 1 A and Fig 7 are: narrowest width 6 mm, the diameter at the end is 12 mm and depth is 50 mm.

Four optional clamping bolts or screws 108 are shown, as in Fig 3A. They traverse the openings shown in the shaped elastomeric sheet, the top frame and the base plate. They traverse some of the series of dowels 108b formed under the moulded top frame.

The optimum thickness for sheets cut from preferred rubber sheet stock appears to be 9.4 mm for a two-ply sheet including a cotton fabric reinforcement (Shuk Rubber & Gaskets of 388D Church St, Penrose, Auckland 1061, New Zealand) supplied as code GMNRI 9.5, a black blend of natural and synthetic rubber having a hardness of about 65 Shore A. Specific gravity: 1.35. Hardness: 65+ 5 °Shore A units, by ASTM D2240. Abrasion resistance: 300 mm³ (max), by ASTM D5963. Tensile strength minimum is 7 MPa by ASTM D412. Elongation at break is 35% by ASTM D412. This product appears to be hard enough for the intended purpose, so that active edges of the selected shaped elastomeric sheet are inflexible enough to dislodge aberrant buds or shoots by contact with an edge, but not so inflexible that the trunk or stem from which the shoots arise will be damaged in the process. It wears well. The mass of the shaped elastomeric sheet using 9.4 mm rubber stock is about 0.45 kg, depending on the amount cut away.

A co-moulded assembly to replace sheets cut from rubber stock is made by moulding a thermoplastic elastomer around an internal spine. See Figs 6 and 7. It will have a final thickness of about 4.5 mm; perhaps less. The mass of the article may be reduced to 200 g, perhaps as low as 100 g, substantially reducing the mass of the tool. Tool inertia (mass) should be low, to reduce work by the operator. The preferred elastomer is a blend of elastic granules in a thermoplastics such as polypropylene supplied as “Santoprene®” (Elastochem NZ Ltd - PO Box 217 122, Botany Junction, Auckland 2164, New Zealand). A preferred grade will have a hardness of about 65 Shore A after moulding is complete.

The internal spine is moulded from a thermoplastics such as acetal or polypropylene and equivalents into a shape like that shown as 600 in Fig 6. The spine includes broad projections

601 and narrow projections 603 that add internal stiffness to the fingers. As shown in Fig 8, the internal spine is hidden after moulding. The smaller holes serve as cutting guides and are placed over the separations 604 between the finger components of the spine 600. Sector-shaped cutouts

602 may enhance finger mobility about the base of the throat where otherwise the finger has a broad base. Figs 8 and 9 show sections through a co-moulded shaped sheet, along lines A _ and B _ , with apertures identified as elsewhere.

The selastomeric sheets as shown may be cut to shape during manufacture with a custom-made die resembling an array of knives to be pressed through a sheet of material in a press against a cutting surface, may be cut with a numerically controlled blade cutter or a water jet, or may be formed in another way such as by casting, or by a combination. It may not be easy to mould the divisions into the co-moulded elastomer, using currently available products.

Further non-limiting examples of elastomeric material are:

(A) Natural rubber in sheet form; example thicknesses are 6, 8, 10 or 12 mm.

(B) Vulcanised rubber; a stiffer material.

(C) Elastomers, including but not limited to polybutadiene and polyisoprene and including vulcanised elastomers.

(D) Blends of any of the above. (Note that Shuk code GMNRI 9.5 is a preferred blend)

(E) A moulded, suitably resilient and flexible plastics material such as a plasticised PVC. For the tool structure, please refer to Figs 1, 1A (above views), and 3, 3A (oblique underneath views) of bud rubbing tools. The shaped elastomeric sheet 105, seen naked in Figs 4 and 7 is partly covered by, and retained by pressure between the top frame 111 and the base plate 112. A clamping apparatus is described below, in relation to Figs 10 to 13.

The top frame 111 is preferably moulded from a thermoplastics material such as glass-filled Nylon, or acetal, or polypropylene. The frame has strengthening ribs such as 111c and includes a socket supported by ribs such as 104 and 104A for accommodating an end of the handle. A transverse screw passed through socket 101a into the handle prevents twisting.

Fig 3A shows an exploded, oblique underneath view of the tool. The pole handle 101 extends to lower right and would be secured to the top frame 111 with an axial screw 101b and a transverse screw or bolt 101c. One slide within the top frame mould is used to create an unthreaded socket (not shown) for the transverse screw. The top frame includes, from left to right, buttresses 119 at the lower end of each of the two arms; and two pairs of pre-tensioning bumps 122a, 122b which assist in maintaining a resilient grip on the shaped elastomeric sheet when the bud rubber tool has been clipped together. One of a further set of pre-tensioning bumps is shown as 122c. Preferably seven (as shown) dowels are moulded as short cylindrical moulded formations, as part of the moulded top frame. Some dowels are traversed by the four clamping bolts 108. Dowels are intended to pass through formed holes such as 108c in the shaped elastomeric sheet and maintain its position relative to the top frame. They serve as a primary locating means to hold the sheet in place during use, when flexing could result in “creep” of position. Large diameters of the dowels as shown distributes forces. Toward the right of Fig 10 the top frame has a single release clip 113, with a protruding tongue 113a shown. (Some prototypes such as that of Fig 1 had two clips).

The shaped elastomeric sheet is described below.

In Fig 3A the base plate 112 is a “C”-shaped item formed of a pressed and bent metal sheet, of 304 type stainless steel; 1.5 mm thick or zinc-coated steel plate. It is intended to be stiff when pressed against the underside of the moulded top frame. At the left edge the tips of the base plate are formed as two flat tongues 109a and 109b extended from the base plate as shown in Fig 3A. (Actually, Fig 3A shows those tongues configured as a variant; as joggle hooks but Figs 10 and 14 show them as straight, as items 109s.) In combination with a buttress 119 moulded at the end of each arm of the top frame, each lug forms part of a collapsible hinge. For locking, each straight tip enters the corresponding pocket 117 under a corresponding buttress 119. Small protrusions such as 122a, 122b and 122c on each top frame arm assist in maintaining pre-tension for a resilient grip on the shaped elastomeric sheet when the bud rubber tool has been clipped together. A curved base plate would have a similar effect of creating pretension at the clip.

Fig 3A shows a tongue 110 for engagement with a clip 113. Figs 10-13 show the mechanism in action. That clip ensures that the base plate and top frame together clamp the shaped elastomeric sheet within the tool during use. Horizontal pressure on clip 113 releases the base plate. An earlier prototype shown in Fig 1 used two such tongues and clips.

Please refer to Figs 10 to 13 for a description of the clamping apparatus. They show cross-sections passing though one of the tongues 109s of the base plate 112. (Note that Fig 3A shows an earlier type of tongue 109a, 109b bent to act as a joggle hook). In Fig 10, the base plate 112 is loosely placed with a tongue 109s engaged with a an opening 117 inside a protrusion 119 and the shaped elastomeric sheet has been fitted over the dowels. The bent end is shown approaching a slot at the operator side of the moulded top frame. It will be guided into the slot by slanted or backstop guides 301. In Fig 11, the base plate 112 has been rotated so that the bent end 110 has entered the slot. In Fig 12, the base plate 112 has been rotated some more, and the bent end 110 has made contact with the spring clip 113 and the slanted guides 301. Note that a rib is located between the clip 113 and the socket for the handle, in order to limit movement of clip 113. Finally, in Fig 13, the aperture within the bent end 110 has allowed engagement of the protrusion 113a of the spring clip 113 of the moulded top frame. This is a stable configuration and the shaped elastomeric sheet 105 is held in place until the operator pushes the top edge of clip 113 toward the handle and frees the protrusion 113a from the slot in order to access or change the shaped elastomeric sheet.

VARIATIONS

Some vines become infected with a mealybug parasite. The invention may help with control.

A bud rubber may be mounted from a powered vehicle such as a tractor. The tool as previously described is used, although not held by a handle 101. A person, or a machine-vision apparatus may be used to position the bud rubber against each vine having buds or shoots. Machine vision apparatus to find vine stems and then to locate buds requiring rubbing is feasible and may be supplemented with an Internet connection to a remote operator who can take control. The tool is coupled to a mechanical, electromagnetic, hydraulic or pneumatic actuator operating in a vertical reciprocating cycle on demand, to replace the manual work of moving the bud rubber up and down. It may be preferable to use two tools, facing each other from each side of a tractor so that a bud located anywhere around the vine can be reached without also requiring a rotatable actuator.

ADVANTAGES 1. The inventor expects that people moving from one area of vines to another and between vineyards will repeatedly disinfect the tool to minimise transfer of pathogenic organisms, which are always a risk especially because the integrity of the bark on the trunk of the vine will be reduced wherever a bud has been rubbed away. The removable shaped elastomeric sheet 105 can be removed by unclipping and allowing the base plate to open. The sheet can be scrubbed and soaked while the disassembled top frame 111 and base plate 112 can be scrubbed clean, using a suitable disinfectant. An operator may hold several shaped elastomeric sheets in a container of disinfectant. Absent that ability for complete and easy opening, crevices that may enclose or support bacteria or fungi will not be cleaned.

2. The tool is compatible with farming practice. As shown in Fig 5, fingers 107a have ends with sharp 90-degree ends between a typically 9.4 mm thick end (for the bulk sheet option) and either a top surface or a bottom surface. Those edges help to apply a focused force on to a bud to be removed.

3. The shaped elastomeric sheet can be cleaned and changed without use of tools.

4. A variety of shapes of elastomeric sheets can be selected.

5. Effective bud rubbing can be carried out as a manual task with low ergonomic cost since the operator need not bend down. Chronic back injury is common among manual labourers.

6. The entire tool can be disassembled and cleaned easily as compared with prior-art bristles that are typically mounted as a set of packed ends in a hole in a substrate. The present invention has only the crevices between fingers to be cleaned. There are 15 such crevices in the most preferred rubber sheet, which is not excessive. The terminating holes 115 formed in the rubber sheet help to provide access for a disinfecting liquid including by capillary flow to the between-finger crevices 107.

Finally it will be understood that the scope of this invention as described and/or illustrated herein is not limited to the specified embodiments. Those of skill will appreciate that various modifications, additions, known equivalents, and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. A bud rubber tool for rubbing a trunk of a vine and removing undesired items including buds from the trunk, characterized in that the tool includes a shaped elastomeric sheet having a throat bounded by a series of fingers each defined by a cut made through the sheet along both sides of each finger; the tool also including a reversible clamping apparatus for the sheet, a rigid top frame, and a socket for receiving an operating handle.

2. The bud rubber tool as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the reversible sheet clamping apparatus may be changed between a clamped or closed state and a released or open state without use of tools, so that, when in use, the sheet may be removed and replaced.

3. The bud rubber tool as claimed in claim 1 or in claim 2, characterized in that the operating handle is configured for use by a standing human operator and includes a straight rod mounted at an inclination from a horizontal plane and capable of receiving handle attachments selected from a range of side grips and end grips.

4. The bud rubber tool as claimed in claim 1 or in claim 2, characterized in that the tool is configured for connection to mobile actuator apparatus selected from a range including mechanical, electromagnetic, hydraulic and pneumatic actuators; said actuator apparatus being controlled by a control apparatus responsive to presence and position of trunks of vines to be rubbed, in order to approach a trunk of a selected vine, place the throat of the sheet around the trunk, and agitate the tool along the trunk until visible items have been removed.

5. The shaped elastomeric sheet configured for use in a bud rubber tool as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the sheet is comprised of a selected elastomer, has a selected thickness, and is shaped in order to include at least one throat opening through the full thickness of the sheet extending from an edge into the sheet and having a width and a length; and a border of the throat comprises a plurality of free ends of a contiguous plurality of fingers; each finger having a selected width as defined by a length of a cut made on each side of the finger through the full thickness of the sheet and extending into the uncut sheet.

6. The sheet as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the sheet includes a series of locating holes that, when in use, are placed over a series of retaining dowels under the top frame of the tool.

7. The sheet configured for use in a bud rubber tool as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that both sides of each finger are separated from adjacent fingers with a straight cut made through the thickness of the sheet in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sheet so that, when in use, a force applied at a free end of any finger may cause the finger to be resiliently bent up and down in relation to adjacent fingers while the width of any finger in combination with presence of adjacent fingers and the thickness of the sheet tends to prevent sideways movement of the finger.

8. The sheet configured for use in a bud rubber tool as claimed in claim 7 characterized in that the throat of the sheet may be extended in size by cutting through the sheet across the end of at least one finger in order to adapt the sheet to conditions pertaining to a particular group of vines.

9. The sheet configured for use in a bud rubber tool as claimed in claim 7 characterized in that the sheet includes a plurality of pre-cut fingers and includes a series of apertures cut through the sheet along a line produced away from the free end of any finger and beyond each cut line, so that when in use an operator may extend an edge of at least one finger by cutting through the sheet.

10. A method for manufacturing a shaped elastomeric sheet configured for use in a bud rubber tool as claimed in claim 7 that includes the steps of selecting an elastomeric sheet, cutting the sheet in order to create a plurality of fingers surrounding a throat and cutting a series of locating holes aligned with a series of dowels in the top frame of the tool, the cuts being made by a process selected from a range including: cutting with a knife, pressing an arrangement of knives in a die through the sheet, moulding the throat and cuts from a flowable material, and making the cuts with a numerically controlled knife, laser cutter or a water cutter.

11. A shaped, elastomeric sheet configured for use in a bud rubber tool as claimed in claim 7 that has been co-moulded and includes a moulded spine comprised of a thermoplastics material selected from a range including acetal and polypropylene, and coated with a co moulded elastomeric coating selected from a range including particulate rubbers within a matrix of a thermoplastics material, over the spine; the spine including extensions to pass along the interior of fingers.

12. The shaped, co-moulded elastomeric sheet further including a plurality of apertures along each cut line separating fingers so that a person extending the cuts may cut in between components of the moulded spine.