GB2302252A

GB2302252A - Planting apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2302252A
Application number: GB9607329A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Gilchrist
Original assignee: DAISY D Ltd
Current assignee: DAISY D Ltd
Priority date: 1995-06-15
Filing date: 1996-04-09
Publication date: 1997-01-15
Anticipated expiration: 2016-04-09
Also published as: GB2302252B; GB9512202D0; GB9607329D0

Abstract

A planting apparatus for planting saplings, seedlings or other plants in ground comprises a frame or chassis 12, trenching means 20 for forming an open trench in the ground as the ground is being traversed by the planting apparatus, and trench closing means 18 for closing the trench after plants have been inserted into the open trench. The trenching means 20 comprises a cutting means 24 and two spaced-apart plates 22 which support the trench and provide access to the trench from an above-ground location on the planting apparatus, so that plants can be manually or automatically placed in the trench as the planting apparatus traverses. The trench closing means 18 comprises a pair of wheels which compact the ground around the newly planted saplings, seedlings or other plants.

Description

"Planting Apparatus" This invention relates to planting apparatus, and relates more particularly but not exclusively to planting apparatus for planting saplings or other forms of immature tree.

According to the present invention there is provided planting apparatus for planting saplings, seedlings or other plants in ground being traversed by the planting apparatus, said planting apparatus comprising trenching means for forming a trench in the ground as the ground is being traversed by the planting apparatus, said trenching means being such as to provide access to the trench from an above-ground location on the planting apparatus, said above-ground location being occupied by a plant feeding arrangement by which plants can be manually or automatically placed in the trench as the planting apparatus traverses.

The trenching means may comprise a pair of laterally spaced-apart plates defining between them a gap into which plants may be placed in use of the planting apparatus. The leading edges of the plates are preferably formed as or secured to ground-cutting means for cutting and spreading the ground as the planting apparatus traverses whereby to form a trench temporarily held open by the plates. The leading edges of the plates are preferably inclined from forward to rear in an upward direction, and are preferably mutually convergent in a forward direction to facilitate a ground-cutting effect. The leading edges of the plates may be bridged by a bar which cuts through the ground to form the trench as the planting apparatus traverses.The lower edges of the plates may be mutually joined by a sole plate, which sole plate is preferably formed to shatter ground at the bottom of the trench being formed by the trenching means. The sole plate preferably has a pointed leading end to facilitate penetration of the ground. The trailing edges of the plates preferably lack any mutually bridging component whereby the trenching means is open at the trailing end thereof to avoid disruptive collision with any plant placed between the plates during use of the planting apparatus.

The planting apparatus may further comprise trench closing means effective on the trench formed by the trenching means subsequent to the placement therein of plants to cause or encourage closure of the trench around the emplaced plants. The trench closing means may comprise ground contacting means effective to apply forces on the ground adjacent the lips of the trench, these forces preferably being directed downwardly and inwardly on both lips of the trench. The ground contacting means may comprise a pair of wheels disposed one on either side of the longitudinal centre-line of the trenching means with their respective rotational axes transverse the centre-line and inclined downwardly in respective directions laterally away from the centre-line. The wheels may also serve to support a rear end of the planting apparatus on the surface of the ground.

The planting apparatus may comprise a frame or chassis for the common mounting of the various parts of the planting apparatus. The planting apparatus may be self-propelled but is preferably adapted to be towed by a tractor or other suitable towing means, adaption of the planting apparatus for towing preferably being by forming a forward end of the frame or chassis as a three-point hitch for attachment to a tractor.

According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a planting apparatus for planting saplings, seedlings or other plants, said planting apparatus comprising: - trenching means comprising a pair of substantially vertical, laterally spaced-apart plates which extend longitudinally and form a gap therebetween, said gap being closed at the first longitudinal end and open at the second longitudinal end, said gap being open along at least part of the top edge so as to permit access to the gap; - trench closing means comprising a pair of wheels disposed one on either side of the longitudinal centreline of said pair of plates; and - means for attachment to a tractor.

The invention further includes a method of planting saplings, seedlings or other plants using apparatus as described above, the method comprising the steps of: - causing said apparatus to move forward; - forming a trench; - placing said plants in said trench; and - closing said trench around said plants.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, the sole figure of which is a schematic side elevation of a tree planter in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, a tree planter 10 comprises a frame 12 composed principally of steel strips which are mutually secured by welds and/or bolts. The frame 12 has a forward end 14 formed as a three-point hitch for attachment of the planter 10 to a tractor (not shown) by which the planter 10 is towed in use. The frame 12 has a rear end 16 which is supported by means of a pair of wheels 18 (only one of which is visible in the drawing). Between its forward end 14 and its rear end 16, the frame 12 is shaped somewhat as an elongate 'ly" in plan.

A hollow trench-forming plough 20 is secured to the frame 12 with the forward end of the plough 20 at about the middle of the frame 12. The plough 20 principally consists of a laterally spaced-apart pair of vertical steel plates 22 (only one of which is visible in the drawing). The leading edges 24 of the plates 22 incline rearwards in a direction upwards from a leading point 26 which is formed as a forwardly and slightly downwardly directed spike to cleave the ground through which the plough 20 runs in use of the planter 10. The lower edges 28 of the plates 22 are mutually joined by a sole plate (not visible in the drawing) which serves to shatter the soil through which the plough 20 is drawn, thereby to improve soil conditions for penetration by sapling rootlets.Neither the rear edges 30 nor the top edges 32 of the plates 22 are mutually joined, for reasons subsequently to be explained.

A coulter disc 34 is mounted on the frame 12 ahead of and in line with the plough 20 so as to assist ground penetration by the leading edge 24, and subsequent formation of a trench by the ground-spreading action of the laterally spaced-apart plates 22.

A rearward-facing operator's seat 36 is mounted on the frame 12 above the forward part of the plough 20. On one or both sides of the seat 36 (but not shown in the drawing) is(are) mounted a rack(s) or tray(s) for holding the saplings (or other plants) to be planted.

In use of the tree planter 10, the forward end 14 is hitched to a tractor, the racks on either side of the operator's seat 36 are loaded with saplings, and the hitch is adjusted to lift the plough 20 off the ground until the planting site is reached. When the planter 10 arrives at the planting site, the frame 12 is lowered until the plough 20 rests on (or partially in soft) ground, and the operator (not illustrated) climbs into the seat 36. The tractor then tows the planter 10 forwards across the ground (right to left as viewed in the drawing), the plough 20 sinks into the ground until the wheels 18 land on the surface, and the disc 34 cuts a furrow which is opened up into a trench by the plough 20 between and for a certain distance behind the plates 22. The operator on the seat 36 lifts saplings from the adjacent racks and drops or otherwise places the saplings one at a time between the top edges 32 and into the newly opened trench between the plates 22, between the operator's feet which will straddle the open top of the plough 20. Since the rear end of the plough 20 is open by reason of the absence of any component joining the rear or trailing edges 30 of the plates 22, the newly emplaced saplings are left in place in the ground.

As soon as the plough 20 has passed, the trench dug thereby is no longer held open and is then free to close under the inherent pressure of the soil. The rear wheels 18 are laterally displaced, one on each side of the longitudinal centre-line of the plough 20.

The rotational axes of the wheel 18 are each aligned outwards and downwards from the centre-line such that the notional planes in which each wheel 18 respectively rotates converge to intersect along a hypothetical line parallel to the centre-line and below ground. Thus the wheels 18 not only provide vertical support for the rear end 16 of the planter frame 12, but also provide convergent tamping forces on the lips of the trench which encourages the trench to close around the newly emplaced saplings.

Modifications and variations of the above-described tree planter 10 can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the wheels 18 can be shrouded by one or more guards 38 to shield the operator from clods or stones thrown up by the wheels 18.

Claims

1. A planting apparatus for planting saplings, seedlings or other plants in ground being traversed by the planting apparatus, said planting apparatus comprising trenching means for forming a trench in the ground as the ground is being traversed by the planting apparatus, said trenching means being such as to provide access to the trench from an above-ground location on the planting apparatus, said above-ground location being occupied by a plant feeding arrangement by which plants can be manually or automatically placed in the trench as the planting apparatus traverses.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the trenching means comprises a pair of laterally spaced-apart plates defining between them a gap into which plants may be placed in use of the planting apparatus.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the leading edges of the plates are formed as or secured to ground-cutting means for cutting and spreading the ground as the planting apparatus traverses whereby to form a trench temporarily held open by the plates.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein the leading edges of the plates are inclined from forward to rear in an upward direction, and are mutually convergent in a forward direction to facilitate a ground-cutting effect.

5. Apparatus according to one of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the leading edges of the plates are bridged by a bar which cuts through the ground to form the trench as the planting apparatus traverses.

6. Apparatus according to one of Claims 2 to 5, wherein the lower edges of the plates are mutually joined by a sole plate, which sole plate is preferably formed to shatter ground at the bottom of the trench being formed by the trenching means.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the sole plate has a pointed leading end to facilitate penetration of the ground.

8. Apparatus according to one of Claims 2 to 7, wherein the trailing edges of the plates lack any mutually bridging component whereby the trenching means is open at the trailing end thereof to avoid disruptive collision with any plant placed between the plates during use of the planting apparatus.

9. Apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the planting apparatus further comprises trench closing means effective on the trench formed by the trenching means subsequent to the placement therein of plants to cause or encourage closure of the trench around the emplaced plants.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein the trench closing means comprises ground contacting means effective to apply forces on the ground adjacent the lips of the trench, these forces preferably being directed downwardly and inwardly on both lips of the trench.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 10, wherein the ground contacting means comprises a pair of wheels disposed one on either side of the longitudinal centre-line of the trenching means with their respective rotational axes transverse the centre line and inclined downwardly in respective directions laterally away from the centre-line.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 11, wherein the wheels also serve to support a rear end of the planting apparatus on the surface of the ground.

13. Apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 12, wherein the planting apparatus further comprises a frame or chassis for the common mounting of the various parts of the planting apparatus.

14. Apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 13, wherein the planting apparatus is provided with means for self-propulsion.

15. Apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 13, wherein the planting apparatus is adapted to be towed by a tractor or other suitable towing means.

16. Apparatus according to Claim 15, wherein the planting apparatus further comprises a three-point hitch for attachment to a tractor.

17. A planting apparatus for planting saplings, seedlings or other plants, said planting apparatus comprising: - trenching means comprising a pair of substantially vertical, laterally spaced-apart plates which extend longitudinally and form a gap therebetween, said gap being closed at the first longitudinal end and open at the second longitudinal end, said gap being open along at least part of the top edge so as to permit access to the gap; - trench closing means comprising a pair of wheels disposed one on either side of the longitudinal centre-line of said pair of plates; and - means for attachment to a tractor.

18. A method of planting saplings, seedlings or other plants using apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 17, comprising the steps of: - causing said apparatus to move forward; - forming a trench; - placing said plants in said trench; and - closing said trench around said plants.