Supports – Brackets – Of wire
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-26
2001-07-03
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Brackets
Of wire
C047S014000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254049
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of devices used in orchards or the like for releasably supporting a plant sapling or like immature growth against a rigidly mounted supporting wire and in particular to resilient clips or clamps or brackets adapted for supporting such plants against rigid support wires where such devices may be employed to also support irrigation lines generally parallel to the support wire.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Saplings or like immature plants in an orchard typically have to be supported and irrigated. It is known in the prior art to use a single generally horizontal line of heavy gauge high-density wire rigidly supported between spaced apart generally vertical poles. Plastic hooks or clamps are releasably suspended from the horizontal line of heavy gauge high-density wire to support sapling trunks generally vertically. It is known in the prior art to use plastic clips for releasably mounting saplings to the horizontal wire line. However, such plastic clips do not display the versatility of the supporting device of the present invention and typically due to harsh weather environments have a relatively high failure rate and must be seasonally replaced.
Canadian Patent No. 967,750 which issued May 20, 1975 to Zelinka for a Clip for Plant and Vine Line Suspension is one example of an attempt in the prior art to support a growing immature plant from a horizontal support line. Zelinka teaches using a generally rectangular sheet body having a plurality of transversely disposed line engaging slots formed in the body. The spaced apart slots cooperate to grip a vertical supporting line frictionally when the line is woven through the slots in the sheet body. It is neither taught nor suggested to provide a resilient supporting bracket which may be releasably mounted directly on to the horizontal supporting line.
In the prior art, applicant is however aware of a supporting bracket which is mounted onto a horizontal wire so as to support the wire adjacent a generally vertical member. In particular, applicant is aware of Canadian Patent No. 299,197 which issued Apr. 8, 1930 to Davidson for a Wire Securing Clip. Davidson discloses a U-shaped clip provided with loops for securing fence wires to fence posts. The loops are provided at the distal ends of the generally U-shaped clips and, once the clip is positioned around a fence post so as to extend the distal ends of the clip over the fence wire, the loops may be bent so as to wrap around the wire thereby securing the wire against the fence post. What is neither taught nor suggested is to provide a generally U-shaped clip or bracket having the spacial orientation of the present device whereby the ends of the device may be releasably secured to a supporting wire by resiliently deforming the clip rather than by bending of the ends of the clip so as to wrap the ends of the clip around the wire.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a support bracket for mounting on a support wire. It comprises a resilient U-shaped member having mutually orthogonal partial loops formed at the distal ends thereof wherein the legs of the U-shaped member lie in planes which diverge by an acute angle and which intersect through the base of the U-shaped member.
In particular, the support bracket of the present invention for mounting on a support wire includes a generally U-shaped resilient member. The U-shaped member has a base segment, and a first leg extending from a first end of said base segment to a distal end of said first leg. The U-shaped member also has a second leg extending from a second end of said base segment, wherein the second end of the base segment is opposite said first end of said base segment. A first loop is formed at said distal end of said first leg. A second loop is formed at said distal end of said second leg.
The said first loop, said first leg, and at least a portion of said base segment lie generally in a first plane. The said second loop and said second leg lie generally in a second plane. The said second leg and at least a portion of said base segment lie generally in a third plane. The said first and third planes are generally orthogonal to said second plane. The said first and third planes intersect along a line of intersection generally co-extensive with at least a portion of said base segment. The said first and third planes are disposed at an acute angle relative to each other so as to define an acute angle of divergence therebetween.
The said second loop is formed so as to lie outside of an area between said first and third planes swept out by said acute angle of divergence. The said first loop has a first gap therethrough in proximity to said first leg for passing a support wire into said first loop. The said second loop has a second gap therethrough in proximity to said second leg for passing said support wire into said second loop. The first loop may thus be hooked over said support wire, so that said support wire is in said first loop. This leaves the U-shaped member depending from said support wire. The U-shaped member may then be rotated in a first direction of rotation into a support wire first engaging position wherein said support wire is in contact with opposite interior sides of said first loop. The U-shaped member may then be further rotated in said first direction of rotation from said support wire first engaging position into a support wire second engaging position by resilient bending of said U-shaped member to hook said second loop over said support wire. The support wire is thus resiliently urged against an interior side of said second loop.
Advantageously, said first and second legs are generally parallel and generally linear, and said base segment is generally linear. The acute angle of diversion may be approximately 20 degrees. The first and second loops may be generally circular. The U-shaped member may be made of heavy gauge wire.
Further advantageously, said first loop is sized so that, in said support wire first engaging position, said U-shaped member must be resiliently bent so as to further rotate said U-shaped member in said first direction of rotation into said support wire second engaging position. In addition to the first loop being sized sufficiently small, advantageously the acute angle of diversion is also sufficiently small so that, in said support wire first engaging position, said U-shaped member must be resiliently bent so as to further rotate said U-shaped member in said first direction of rotation into said support wire second engaging position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3749346 (1973-07-01), Cherniak
patent: 4893788 (1990-01-01), Chave
patent: 5004211 (1991-04-01), Rayner
patent: 6000172 (1999-12-01), Ballarino
patent: 271481 (1927-06-01), None
patent: 279684 (1928-04-01), None
patent: 299197 (1930-04-01), None
patent: 781675 (1968-04-01), None
patent: 967750 (1975-05-01), None
patent: 1029266 (1978-04-01), None
patent: 1138648 (1983-04-01), None
Edwards Anthony C.
Ramirez Ramon O.
LandOfFree
Irrigation line and plant support does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Irrigation line and plant support, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Irrigation line and plant support will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2496759