Vineyard wire hanger

Abstract

A vineyard wire hanger configured to be releasably and adjustably mounted on a grape stake for supporting a vineyard or trellis wire. After installation of the hanger, the trellis wire may be tensioned without requiring any of a plurality of the hangers to be loosened, removed, or otherwise disturbed. The hanger includes a bracket configured to be mounted on a conventional grape stake. The bracket defines a central portion configured to substantially encompass a portion of the stake and a pair of terminal ends that are disposed parallel to each other. A wire receiving member defining a central opening is received between the terminal ends of the bracket. A portion of the central opening is exposed above the bracket terminal ends for loosely receiving the trellis wire. A bolt is received through cooperating openings defined by each of the bracket terminal ends and through the wire receiving member central opening to dispose each member in a fixed relative position. To install the hanger, a bracket is positioned on each stake. The wire receiving member is rotated about the bolt to expose a receiving slot. The trellis wire is then placed through the receiving slot to rest on the top surface of the bracket terminal ends and the spacer. The wire receiving member is then rotated to position the receiving slot such that the trellis wire cannot be removed from with the central opening thereof and the bolt is tightened. After the bolt has been tightened with the trellis wire in place, the trellis wire may be adjusted independently of the bracket.

Having thus described the aforementioned invention, I claim:  
     
         1 . A hanger for supporting a vineyard wire, said hanger comprising: 
 a bracket adapted to be mounted on a conventional stake, said bracket defining a central portion configured to substantially encompass a portion of the stake and a pair of terminal ends disposed parallel one to another;    a wire receiving member disposed between said terminal ends of said bracket, said wire receiving member defining a central opening, said central opening configured to define an exposed portion disposed above said bracket terminal ends, said exposed portion of said central opening being provided for loosely receiving the trellis wire; and    a fastener for fixing a relative position of said wire receiving member and said bracket.    
     
     
         2 . The hanger of  claim 1  further comprising a spacer disposed between said wire receiving member and one of said pair of bracket terminal ends.  
     
     
         3 . The hanger of  claim 1  wherein each of said pair of terminal ends of said bracket defines one of a pair of cooperating openings, wherein said fastener defines a post configured to be received through said pair of cooperating openings defined by said pair of bracket terminal ends and said central opening of said wire receiving member.  
     
     
         4 . The hanger of  claim 3  further comprising a spacer disposed between said wire receiving member and one of said pair of bracket terminal ends, said spaced defining an opening adapted to receive said fastener post.  
     
     
         5 . The hanger of  claim 1  wherein said wire receiving member defines a receiving slot for receiving the trellis wire when said wire receiving member is disposed in a first position relative to said bracket, said receiving slot being concealed when said wire receiving member is moved to a second position relative to said bracket, said fastener being actuated when said wire receiving member is disposed in said second position, whereby said trellis wire is installed on said hanger when said wire receiving member is disposed in said first position and is prevented from disengagement from said hanger when said wire receiving member is disposed in said second position.  
     
     
         6 . A hanger for supporting a vineyard wire, said hanger comprising: 
 a bracket adapted to be mounted on a conventional stake, said bracket defining a central portion configured to substantially encompass a portion of the stake and a pair of terminal ends disposed parallel one to another, each of said pair of terminal ends of said bracket defining one of a pair of cooperating openings;    a wire receiving member disposed between said terminal ends of said bracket, said wire receiving member defining a central opening, said central opening configured to define an exposed portion disposed above said bracket terminal ends, said exposed portion of said central opening being provided for loosely receiving the trellis wire, said wire receiving member defining a receiving slot for receiving the trellis wire when said wire receiving member is disposed in a first position relative to said bracket, said receiving slot being concealed when said wire receiving member is moved to a second position relative to said bracket, whereby said trellis wire is installed on said hanger when said wire receiving member is disposed in said first position and is prevented from disengagement from said hanger when said wire receiving member is disposed in said second position; and    a fastener for fixing a relative position of said wire receiving member and said bracket, said fastener defining a post configured to be received through said pair of cooperating openings defined by said pair of bracket terminal ends and said central opening of said wire receiving member, said fastener being tightened when said wire receiving member is disposed in said second position.    
     
     
         7 . The hanger of  claim 3  further comprising a spacer disposed between said wire receiving member and one of said pair of bracket terminal ends, said spaced defining an opening adapted to receive said fastener post.