GB2278034A - Bracket for soil irrigation apparatus. - Google Patents

Abstract

A bracket 15, is adapted to engage a segment of a flexible conduit 11 to bend the segment through 90{. The bracket has two cap parts 25, 27, tethered to the body part of the bracket by strap portions 29, 31, the cap part 27 serving as a removable closure for the conduit end 23 and the cap part 25 serving as a closure for the other conduit end 35 when the conduit is bent as shown. In use, with the root system of a tree 45 positioned within a tree pit, the soil irrigation apparatus is assembled, in situ, with the conduit end as shown. The end 23 of the conduit, through which water may be supplied to the root system, projects 2 or 3 inches above soil level. After assembly and installation of the apparatus, the tree pit is backfilled with soil. With the apparatus so installed, the root system of the tree may be readily irrigated by the removal from time to time of the cap part 27 from the projecting conduit end and the introduction of water into the thus open end of the conduit. <IMAGE>

Description

SOIL IRRIGATION APPARATUS This invention relates to soil irrigation apparatus and to a novel bracket for use as part of such apparatus.

The apparatus hereinafter proposed has been devized to deal with the problem of ensuring that the root systems of trees, especially newly planted young trees, may reliably receive the copious quantities of water demanded for their establishment and for ensuring their successful growth. Not uncommonly, water applied around the trse tends to waterlog the top few inches of topsoil, much of the water running off and not reaching the root system for which it is intended. Generally, current watering methods tend to produce surface compaction, thereby aggravating the difficulty of getting water to the root system; waste water due to runoff as mentioned; tend to displace mulch if present around the tree; are inefficient in ensuring that the water gets to the correct place the root system that is; and, as a result of the foregoing factors, are time wasting.

The present soil irrigatiom system employs, as will be elaborated hereinafter, an imperforate flexible conduit. The use of such conduits in the watering of soil around trees has already been practised. Such known methods have, however, employed apparatus incorporating proprietary junctions that are both bulky and costly.

According to the present invention a bracket, for forming,in association with a conduit the wall of which is imperforate along the major part at least of its length, a soil irrigation apparatus, has: a body part; means integral with the said body -part adapted to engage a conduit along a segment thereof in the neighbourhood of one end thereof, being such as to constrain the said segment for flexible bending through a certain substantial angle; end a cap part tethered to the said bracket body part, being a cap part of such form and size as, with a conduit segment constrained, as aforesaid, by the said segment engagement means, when, in use of the bracket, the portion of the conduit extending between the segment engagement engagement means and the conduit end remote from the said one conduit end i8 flexibly bent so as to bring the said remote conduit end to appropriate proximity with respect to the said cap part, by movement of the cap part to the site then occupied by the said remote end, to effect closure thereof.

According to the invention, also, a soil irrigation spparatus comprises: a bracket as hereinbefore stated; and a length of flexible conduit imperforate along the major part, at least, of its length and having a segment in the neighbourhood of one end thereof engaged by the said engagement means; and in which the first mentioned cap part and the conduit are such that, the portion of the conduit extending between the segment engagement means and the said remote conduit end being flexibly bent, the first mentioned cap part may be deployed to close the said remote conduit end.

The foregoing and other aspects of the invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: rig. 1 shows, in perspective, a bracket for use as part of the soil irrigation apparatus; Fig. 2 is a pictcrial representation of a scil irrigation apparatus in relation to the roct system of a tree; and, Fig. 9 shows G side view of the irrigation apparatus of Fig. 2.

Soil irrigation apparatus (Figs. 2 & 3) comprises: a flexible conduit 11, the ! all 13 of ic is imperforate along the major part, at least, of its length, and a bracket 1 .

The bracket 15 nas: a body part 17; means 1, integral with the body part 17, adapted to engage a segment 21 of the conduit 11 in the neighbourhood of one end 23 thereof, so as to constrsin the said segment 21 for flexible bending through an angle of, substantially, 90; and first and second cap parts 25, 27, tethered to the said bracket body part 17 by strap portions 29,31, respectively.

The cap part 25 is of such form and size as, with a conduit segment 21 constrained, as shown, by the said segment engagement means 19, when, in use of the bracket, the major portion 33 of the conduit 11, extending between the segment engagement means 19 and the conduit end 35 remote from said one conduit end 23 is flexibly bent, as depicted, so as to bring the said remote conduit end 35 to appropriate proximity with respect to the cap part 25, by movement of the cap part 25 to the site occupied, as represented in Fig. 1, by the said remcte conduit end 35, to effect closure thereof.

The second cap part 27 is of such form and size as to be adapted with the conduit segment 21 engaged, as shown, by the segment means by movement thereof to the site then occupied by the conduit end 23 to effect closure thereof as depicted in rig. 2.

Considering the bracket 15 in more detail, the body part 17 thereof comprises a flat laminar member; and the segment engagement means 19 comprises first and second passage defining saddle portions 37a,37b, respectively, outstanding from the same side 39 of the laminar body part 17. The passages 41a, 4lib, respectively defined by the said saddle portions 37a, 37b, are inclined to one onother, in their directions of length whereby, with the said passages 41a, 41b, notionally extended through the space S intervening between the said saddle parts, the said notional passage extensions intersect at an intermediate plane which bisects the notional angle of intersection of the said notional extensions.

The segment engagement means 19 further includes a multiplicity of post portions 43 also outstanding from the side 39 of the laminar part 17, being distributed such as to bound a quadrantal curved strip 45 or the surface of the side 39 and being of a width substantially equal to the diameter of the conduit 11 received thereby.

Whilst a bracket 15 having the aforedescribed characteristics may be produced by any suitable process, the bracket construction depicted lends itself, for cheapness of production. where substantial quantities are called for, to manufacture as a unitary device using an injection moulding process.

The 8oil irrigation apparatus with the conduit 11 engaged, as mentioned, with the bracket 15, and with the conduit 11 flexibly bent to form a loop, with the cap part 29 in place closing off the so-called remote conduit end 35, is represented in Figs. 2 & 3, the other cap part 27 being shown in place, acting as a closure member in Fig. 2.

In use, with a tree pit prepared to receive the tree 45, the soil irrigation apparatus is constituted, in situ, the operative passing one end of the conduit 11 through the passages 41b,41a, in turn, of the saddle portions 37b, 37a, of the bracket 15, with the conduit segment 21 therebetween extending along the quadrantal strip 45 defined by the distribution of posts 43.

The said major portion 33 of the conduit 11 is flexibly bent to form a closed loop placed to occupy the site above and in proximity to the root system 47 of the tree 45.

Suitably, the end 23 of the conduit 11 should be from 2 to 3 inches above the final level of the soil after backfilling of the tree pit. This requirement must, of course, be taken into account in determining the positioning of the bracket 15 with respect to the conduit 11.

Prior to such backfilling, the conduit end 35 of the looped conduit is closed by the cap part 29, the strap portion 29 deflecting to permit this. Additionslly, the strap portion 31 is deflected such that, after backfilling, the cap part 27 is accessible.

After backfilling, and with the conduit end upstanding, as depicted, above the soil level, the cap part 27 is applied to close off the conduit end 23, thereby protecting the conduit against the ingress of soil or other debris such, for example, as mulch which may have been applied around the tree stem above the root system.

Subsequent removal of the cap part 27 enables ready introduction of water, using a hose, as 51, to irrigate the root system 47 by leakage thereof through the perforations distributed along the conduit 11.

The laminar body part 17 has a hole 53 therethrough to receive a nail securing the bracket to the trunk of the tree 45 should this be considered necessary.

Claims (12)

1. A bracket which has: a body part; means integral with the said body part adapted to engage a segment of a conduit in the neighbourhood of one end thereof, being a conduit the wall of which is imperforate along the major part at least of its length, 80 as to constrain the said segment for flexible bending through a certain substantial angle; and a cap part tethered to the said bracket body part, being a cap part of such form and size as, with a conduit segment constrained, as aforesaid by the said segment engagement means, when,in use of the bracket, the portion of the conduit extending between the segment engagement engagement means and the conduit end remote from the said one conduit end is flexibly bent so as to bring the said remote conduit end to appropriate proximity with respect to the said cap part, by movement of the cap part to the site then occupied by the said remote end, to effect closure thereof.

2. A bracket as claimed in claim 1 in which the said segment engagement means is such as, by engagement with a said conduit segment segment, flexibly to bend the said segment through substantially a right angle.

3. A bracket as claimed in claim 1 or 2 which has a second cap part tethered to the said bracket body part, being a cap part of such form and size as to be adapted, with a conduit segment engaged as aforesaid by the said segment engagement means, by movement thereof to the site then occupied by the said one conduit end, to effect closure thereof.

4. A bracket as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3 in which the said bracket body portion is constituted as a substantially flat laminar part; and the segment engagement means outstands from the said laminar body part at one side thereof.

3. A bracket as claimed in claim 4 in which the segment engagement means comprises first and second passage-defining parts located spaced apart outstanding from the said laminar body part at the same side thereof with the directions of length of the said passage portions inclined to one another whereby, with the said passages defined by the said parts notionally extended through the space intervening between the said passage-defining parts, the said notional passage extensions intersect at an intermediate plane bisecting the angle between the said notional passage extensions.

6. A bracket as claimed in claim 5 in which the said first and second passage-defining parts each comprise a saddle portion raised from the laminar body part.

7. A bracket as claimed in any preceding claim in which the said segment engagement means comprises a multiplicity of post portions outstanding from the said laminar body part at the same side thereof, being distributed such as to bound a notional curved strip of the surface of the said laminar body part of width substantially equal to that of the conduit segment to be engaged therebetween.

8. A bracket as claimed in any preceding claim being formed as a unitary plastic moulding.

9. A soil irrigation apparatus which comprises: a bracket as claimed in any preceding claim; and a length of flexible conduit, imperforate conduit along the major part, at least, of its length and having a segment in the neighbourhood of one end thereof engaged by the said engagement means; and in which the first mentioned cap part and the conduit are such that the said remote conduit end may, the portion of the conduit extending between the segment engagement means and the said remote conduit end being flexibly bent, the first mentioned cap part may be deployed to close the said remote conduit end.

10. A kit for an apparatus as claimed in claim 9 which comprises: a bracket es claimed in any of claims 1 to 8; and a length of flexible conduit, imperforate along the major part, at least,of its length, the flexible conduit being capable of being engaged by the said segment engagement means, and the first mentioned cap pert being of a form and size adapted to effect closure of the said remote conduit end.

11. A bracket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.

12. An irrigation apparatus substantially SB hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drauings.