GB2395648A - Staking belt - Google Patents

Abstract

Staking belt for holding a young tree against a stake, comprising a strip of flexible material lined internally with a cord of reinforcing wire which extends beyond the ends. The head 2 of the strip 1 comprises two dual openings 4, 5, which are separated by a branch 7, to allow the threading end 3 of the strip 1 to pass either through only one opening 4, 5 or through both openings 4, 5, with a loop which surrounds the branch 7 being formed. The cord of reinforcing wires 6 surrounds (65, 66, Fig 3) two openings 4, 5 without passing by way of the branch 7. Under the effect of significant tension, the strip 1 of the belt can tear off the branch 7 which separates the two openings 4, 5, into which the strip and the loop thereof extend. This allows the strip to extend and relax the hold around the trunk and the stake.

Description

i Scope of the invention The present invention relates to a staking belt

comprising a strip of flexible material lined internally with a cord of reinforcing wire which extends beyond the ends, this strip comprising, at one of the ends thereof, a head having an opening for passing the other end of the strip into this eyelet, the trunk of the tree being surrounded, and then for attaching the two ends of the reinforcing cord around the stake. Prior art

A staking belt of this type is already known from FR 83 02 565. This staking belt comprises a cord of galvanized steel wires which ensure that the belt is reinforced. In the case of this belt, the strip of flexible material, generally plastics material which is more or less flexible, is intended to surround the trunk of the tree in order to be knotted, the ends of the reinforcing cord surrounding the stake.

This staking belt provides excellent results since it allows the stresses, to which a still very young tree is exposed, to be withstood in an effective manner. This holding is primarily due to the presence of a reinforcing cord of galvanised steel wire, which cord is integrated in the mass of the strip. This cord does not risk damaging the bark of the tree since it is pressed against the tree by the belt.

The holding of this belt is excellent and, owing to the reinforcement thereof, the belt withstands the recurring stresses resulting from the action of the wind on the tree which has been staked in this manner.

The disadvantage of this cord lies in the fact that it is adjusted to a specific size of tree trunk and, if the user subsequently forgets to release the staking belt when the tree is well rooted, the cross-section of the trunk of the tree will increase at both sides of the staking belt; the belt will be progressively integrated in the trunk as it develops since this belt is not expendable owing to the presence of the reinforcing cord.

Such situations, which are particularly serious for the future development of the tree, are not uncommon, because either the person who planted the tree and fixed it to the stake no longer maintains the planting or his attention is no longer drawn to the staking belt which, having become commonplace, is considered a normal element which he forgets to remove after the first two or three years during which the stake is required for the rooting process.

Object and advantages of the invention The object of the present invention is to develop a staking belt which overcomes the disadvantages of a non-extendable belt and which is reinforced by a reinforcing cord, and to prevent the tree from being obstructed by the cross-section available inside the loop formed by the staking belt, without this being detrimental to the initial holding of the tree, even if it is forgotten to release the belt after the rooting period. To this end, the invention relates to a staking belt of the type defined above, characterized in that - the head of the strip comprises two dual openings, which are separated by a branch, to allow the threading end of the

strip to pass either through only one opening or through both openings, a loop which surrounds the branch being formed, - the cord of reinforcing wires surrounding the two openings without extending by way of the branch.

This belt affords the advantage of firmly holding the tree trunk which is attached to the stake even when external conditions, such as the wind, are particularly extreme since this non-extendable belt, which is provided with a reinforcing cord, can be fixed in a relatively tight manner around the tree trunk in order to fixedly join the trunk against the stake in an excellent manner.

Furthermore, the loop formed by the end of the staking belt which extends into the two openings also constitutes a damping means between the tree trunk and the stake which prevents friction of the tree trunk against the stake whilst further constituting a damping means both counter to this movement towards each other and in relation to vibrations.

In this manner, a non-extendable staking belt is provided which firmly holds the trunk of the tree. However, as the tree develops, the trunk requires more and more space.

It is then possible for the strip of the belt to tear off the branch which separates the two eyes in order to release the loop of the belt which extends through the two eyes and which is held around the branch. In this manner, a considerable length is obtained which affords the tree a greater cross-

section and which prevents, if it is forgotten to release the staking belt, the belt of fixed length from being progressively integrated in the tree trunk and constituting a

foreign body, which significantly impairs the development of the trunk and the tree by impairing the circulation of sap.

Furthermore, even when the tree once more reaches the extension limit made possible within the non-extendable loop formed by the belt, after the branch which separates the two openings has been torn off, owing to the presence of the stake, it will not be possible for the staking belt, even when pushed to the limit, to become embedded over the entire periphery thereof in the surface and the outer layers of the trunk of the tree.

According to one advantageous feature, the cord of reinforcing wire is constituted by two twisted annealed galvanised steel wires which form a frame in the region of the head in order to surround the two openings and merge upstream and downstream of the two openings in the strip and emerge from the strip to constitute the ends which knot the belt around the stake.

According to a further advantageous feature, the head comprises starting points for a breakage at the joint between the branch and the outer portion of the head in order to facilitate the breaking of the branch, depending on the circumstances and according to the nature of the material used for the strip.

According to a further advantageous feature, the inner surface of the strip comprises projections to form support points against the trunk of the tree.

s Finally, the invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a staking belt of the above-defined type, characterized in that - the structure of the reinforcing cord is produced by twisting at least two annealed galvanised steel wires, with the two wires being left separate in order to form a frame around future openings, - the structure is fixed in the cavity of the mould by being held at fixing points, - the material of the belt is injected into the mould.

The strip of the staking belt is preferably produced from a plastics material which has the resilience or the flexibility of rubber. This strip comprises, on the inside, projections to form support points against the trunk of the tree and to allow the flow of water. These projections can be continuous or discontinuous. The surface is preferably ribbed and forms protruding strips which are directed transversely to the longitudinal direction of the strip, that is to say, in a substantially vertical direction.

Drawings The present invention will be described below in greater detail with reference to one embodiment which is illustrated in the appended drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a staking belt according to the invention, - Figure 2A is a plan view of the belt of Figure 1, - Figure 2B is a side view of the belt of Figure 2A,

- Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the head of the staking belt, - Figure 4A is a plan view of the cavity of a mould for moulding the strip of the staking belt according to Figure 1, - Figure 4B is a side view of the shape of the mould of the belt, - Figure 4C is an end view, - Figure 5 shows the shape of a reinforcing half-cord which is constituted by a single wire, - Figure 6A is a schematic view showing the installation of the staking belt according to the invention around a tree and a stake, at the beginning of the positioning, - Figure 6B is a view similar to that in Figure 6A but after the branch of the head has been broken off by the increase in the cross-section of the trunk.

Description of one preferred embodiment

According to Figure 1, the invention relates to a staking belt which is composed of a strip 1 having a head 2 and a threading end 3. The head 2 is provided with two rectangular openings 4, 5 which form loops and the belt as a whole is reinforced by a cord of reinforcing wire which is constituted in this case by two twisted steel wires 6 which extend beyond the two ends 2, 3 of the belt by way of portions 61, 62 which are not embedded in the mass which forms the strip. This strip is preferably produced from a plastics material or similar material which has a degree of flexibility. The inner face of the strip 1 comprises projections 11 to constitute support points or surfaces for the belt against the tree trunk and to allow the ventilation of the contact zone and the passage of surface water along the trunk.

The strip 1 itself has a length which allows, on the one hand, the trunk of the planted tree which is attached to the stake to be surrounded and, on the other hand, a sufficient length to extend into the openings 4 and 4 and to form a loop around the branch 7 which separates the two openings 4, 5 to allow the threading end 3 to emerge via the opening 5 and to knot the belt, which surrounds the tree trunk in this manner, to the stake using the two ends 61, 62 of the reinforcing cord 6.

The reinforcing cord 5 is integrated in the material of the belt as shown in the plan view in Figure 4, this integration not being illustrated in a transparent manner in Figure 2B.

Figure 2A shows the twisted structure of the cord 6 outside the strip 1 and, at the same time, at the ends 61, 62 which extend beyond and preferably terminate in welded ends 63, 64 to facilitate use. The twisted arrangements also extend into the body of the strip 1. However, in the region of the head 2, the reinforcing cord 6 opens and the strands 65, 66 thereof extend around the two openings 4, 5 and the branch 7; the two cord strands 65, 66 separate away from the twisted cord downstream 67 and upstream 68 of the head 2. In this manner, neither one strand 65 nor the other 66 extends through the branch 7. Only the head 2 as a whole is globally reinforced at the periphery thereof.

In a manner not shown, the fixing zone between the branch 7 and the outer frame of the head 2 can be weakened to constitute one or two starting points for a breakage which facilitates the tearing-off of the branch 7 under circumstances which will be seen below.

Finally, Figure 2A shows the traces 9, 10 left by the supports of the reinforcing cord 5 inside the mould.

Figure 3 shows, drawn to an enlarged scale, the structure of the belt in the region of the end of the strip 1, close to the head 2, and of the head 2 itself, also showing the path of the strands 65, 66 inside the head, the arrangement of the openings 4, 5 and the branch 7.

It should be noted that the cross-section of the openings 4,5 clearly corresponds to the cross-section of the strip 1, including the projections 11, in order to allow the end 3 of the strip 1 to be threaded through, either for the case of passage 5 through only one of the openings 4 or 5 or, as recommended, to form a loop by first being introduced into the opening 4 in order to extend around the branch 7 and return through the opening 5 before the ends 61, 62 are knotted around the stake.

Figures 4A, 4B and 4C show the shape of the cavity of the mould which serves to mould the strip 1 with the head 2 thereof around a reinforcing cord 6.

Figure 4A shows in particular the studs 12, 13 which receive the cord inside the mould in order to position the cord over the cross-section of the strip.

Figure 5 shows the shape of a strand 14 which constitutes an element of the reinforcing cord. If the cord is formed by two twisted strands, it will be composed of two strands such as the strand 14, which strands are shaped so as to have the rectangular deformation 141 which corresponds to the arrangement of the strands 65, 66 in Figure 3 in order to

extend around the openings 4, 5 and extend into the outer portion 8 of the head 2.

Figure 6A is a schematic cross-section of the positioning of the staking belt 100 according to the invention around a tree A which is to be fixed to a stake B. The belt 100 surrounds the tree A with the strip thereof, such as the strip 1, the projections being turned against the bark of the tree in order to form only discontinuous support points which allow surface water to pass.

The belt 100 forms a loop 101 by passing through the two openings 103, 104 of the head 102. The ends of the strip 1 and the head have the references E1, E2. Downstream of these ends E1, E2, the free ends 151, 152 of the reinforcing cord emerge and are knotted around the stake B in a secure manner by a twisted arrangement 153.

Figure 6B shows the belt 100 once the branch 7 (Figure 1) has been torn off by the force applied by the growth of the tree trunk A' so as to increase in this manner the length of the belt 100 which is still attached to the stake B.

Claims (5)

1. Staking belt for holding a young tree against a stake, comprising a strip of flexible material lined internally with a cord of reinforcing wire which extends beyond the ends; this strip comprising, at one of the ends thereof, a head having an opening for passing the other end of the strip into this eyelet, the trunk of the tree being surrounded and then for attaching the two ends of the reinforcing cord around the stake, characterized in that - the head (2) of the strip (1) comprises two dual openings (4, 5), which are separated by a branch (7), to allow the threading end (3) of the strip (1) to pass either through only one opening (4, 5) or through both openings (4, 5), a loop which surrounds the branch (7) being formed, - the cord of reinforcing wires (6) surrounding (65, 66) the two openings (4, 5) without extending by way of the branch (7).

2. Staking belt according to claim 1, characterized in that the cord of reinforcing wires (1) is constituted by at least two annealed and twisted, galvanized steel wires which form a frame (8) in the region of the head (2) in order to surround the two openings (4, 5) and merge (67, 68) upstream and downstream of the two openings (4, 5).

3. Staking belt according to claim 1, characterized in that

the head (2) comprises starting points for a breakage at the joint between the branch (7) and the outer portion (8) of the head (1).

4. Staking belt according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner surface of the strip (1) comprises projections (11) to form support points against the trunk of the tree.

5. Method for manufacturing a staking belt according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that - the structure of the reinforcing cord (1) is produced by twisting at least two annealed galvanised steel wires, with the two wires being left separate in order to form a frame around future openings (4, 5), - the structure is fixed in the cavity (200) of the mould by being held at fixing points (12, 13), - the material of the belt is injected into the would.