JP2003102282A - Automatic feeder for pot seedling box in pot seedling transplanter and automatic feeding method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To directly load pot seedling boxes on a seedling transplanter without requiring much labor for taking out the pot seedling box from a seedling box- carrying cage and automatically feed the pot seedling box to a seedling-placing table. SOLUTION: This method for automatically feeding the pot seedling boxes comprises housing these pot seedling boxes into a seedling box-carrying cage 1 composed of a nearly rectangle opening frame through which the pot seedling box P is loaded or unloaded, a plurality of vertical frames for placing pot seedling boxes in parallel and bottom frames with which one ends of these pot seedling boxes are brought into contact and directly setting the seedling box-carrying cage 1 to a lifting and lowering base 29 of an automatic feeder 16, lowering the lifting and lowering base 29 by every interval of the vertical frame, taking out the pot seedling box from above the vertical frame whenever the lifting and lowering base 29 stops and sending out the pot seedling box to a seedling box-introducing part 20 of a planting device 15.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pot seedling transplanter (including a pot seedling transplanter) capable of automatically supplying a pot seedling box to a seedling feeding section of a planting device. The present invention relates to an automatic feeder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A pot seedling transplanter grows pot seedlings in a flexible seedling box (pot seedling box) formed by connecting a large number of pot-shaped seedling chambers and pushes the pot seedlings out of the seedling box for mechanical planting. It is known, for example, from JP-B-57-22288 and JP-B-55-38082. In the planting device of the pot seedling planting machine, a seedling mounting table in which the seedling box insertion port and the seedling box outlet are curved so as to open in substantially the same direction of the machine is arranged, and the pot seedling box is inserted. It is supplied from the mouth to the seedling placing table, the pot seedling is pushed out of the pot seedling box and mechanically planted in the planting part while the pot seedling box passes along the seedling placing table, while the pot seedling box becomes empty. Are sent to the seedling box outlet of the seedling stand.

In this pot seedling planting machine, it is generally done manually to supply the pot seedling box to the seedling box insertion port of the seedling table, but in order to improve planting efficiency in a large-scale field as in recent years. 6-row and 8-row planting type rice transplanters are required, and more and more spare seedlings will be loaded so that the time loss associated with seedling supply can be minimized and planting can be continued for a long time. The burden of supplying seedling boxes to many planting devices is also increasing. Therefore, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-238513, an automatic pot seedling feeder has been developed which can automatically feed a pot seedling box to the seedling box insertion port of the seedling mounting table.

On the other hand, when the pot nursery boxes for raising seedlings are transported from the nursery field to the field, the pot nursery boxes are stored in a basket for transporting the seedlings and are loaded and transported on a light truck or a mobile trolley. The nursery box carrying basket is generally formed by combining metal rods into a basket-like shape. For example, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14,
It is composed of a substantially rectangular opening frame through which the pot seedling box goes in and out, a plurality of vertical frames on which the pot seedling boxes are placed in parallel, and a bottom frame with which one end of the pot seedling box abuts.

In the nursery box carrying basket 1 shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the vertical frames 2 and 3 are arranged side by side at the same intervals in a plane substantially perpendicular to the opening frame 4, and Shoulders 6, 7 fixed inward on the long side 5 and directed inward
A pair of downwardly extending arm portions 8 and 9 and a horizontal connecting portion 10 that connects the lower ends of both arm portions (8-8, 9-9).
11, the opening frame 4 has an outwardly convex portion 12a on its short side 12 side, and the convex portion 12a is fitted between the shoulder portions 6 of the vertical frames 2 at both ends. Have a length. Also,
Regarding the vertical frames 2 at both ends, there are vertical connecting portions 13 which are respectively arranged outside the respective arm portions 8 and whose upper ends are connected to the shoulder portions 6, and their lower ends are connected to both ends of the horizontal connecting portions 10 and the shoulder portions 6 are formed. Is composed of a relatively short horizontal portion 6a and an inclined portion 6b formed obliquely downward. The inner vertical frame 3 has shoulders 7
Is formed obliquely downward, and the lower end of the arm portion 9 is connected to both ends of the horizontal connecting portion 11. Furthermore, the bottom frame 14 is provided inside the arm portions 8 and 9 of the vertical frames 2 and 3, and the horizontal connecting portion 10 and
It is fixed at 11.

The length s of the convex portion 12a formed on the short side 12 of the opening frame 4 has such a length that it is just fitted between the shoulders 6 of the vertical frame 2. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, when the two nursery box transporting baskets are stacked so that the short sides 12 are arranged vertically, the convex portion 12a of the short side 12 of the lower nursery box transporting basket is on the upper side. It enters between the shoulders 6 of the vertical frame 2 of the nursery box carrying basket, which restrains the lateral movement of the upper nursery box carrying basket, so that it does not shift to the left or right due to some vibration, and tilts during transportation. It is prevented from falling. Note that, in FIG. 16, P is a pot seedling box, and as is well known from, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-34247, the outer shape is generally rectangular in plan view and has flexibility, and a large number of pots having cracks on the bottom surface. The seedling chamber is formed in a grid pattern, and feed holes are formed at equal intervals on both left and right (long side) side edges thereof.

[0007]

By the way, JP-A-9-
In the pot seedling transplanter disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 238513, the pot seedling boxes carried by the seedling box transporting basket to the field are manually taken out one by one from the seedling box transporting basket and set on a spare seedling stand, which is automatically supplied. Transfer to equipment and set a spare pot seedling box on the spare seedling stand for planting. However, the above setting work not only takes a lot of work, but also the number of spare pot seedling boxes that can be set on the spare seedling stand is not large, so it is necessary to frequently stop and receive the supply of pot seedling boxes.

On the other hand, as one of the conventional methods which does not use the automatic seedling box feeding device, a large number of pot seedling boxes carried by the seedling box transporting basket are loaded as a spare seedling together with the seedling box transporting basket on the pot seedling transplanter. It is practiced to take out one pot seedling box from the seedling box transportation basket and supply it to each seedling mounting table. But,
Since the pot seedling boxes are manually picked up one by one from the seed box transporting basket and supplied to the seedling mounting table, it is busy in the case of a large 6-row or 8-row pot seedling planter, and the main operator (driver) Besides, there is a problem that an assistant (supply section) for the pot seedling box must be on board.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems of the conventional pot seedling transplanter (the same problem occurs not only in transplanting rice transplanters but also in transplanting vegetables etc.). An object of the present invention is to provide a method for loading a pot seedling transplanter as it is into the pot seedling transplanter and automatically supplying the pot seedling box to the planting device without the trouble of taking it out from the pot, and to obtain a pot seedling transplanter that enables it.

[0010]

A method for automatically supplying a pot seedling box according to the present invention includes a substantially rectangular opening frame through which a pot seedling box goes in and out, a plurality of vertical frames for mounting pot seedling boxes in parallel, and With the pot seedling box set in the seedling box carrying basket configured with a bottom frame against which one end of the pot seedling box abuts, the seedling box carrying basket is placed at a predetermined position of the pot seedling transplanter with the vertical frame being substantially horizontal. It is characterized in that the pot seedling boxes are automatically taken out sequentially from the vertical frame through the opening frame and sent directly to the seedling box introducing part of the planting device.

Further, the automatic pot seedling box supply device according to the present invention includes a substantially rectangular opening frame through which the pot seedling box goes in and out, a plurality of vertical frames for mounting the pot seedling boxes in parallel, and a pot seedling box. A seedling box carrying basket composed of a bottom frame with which one end abuts, an elevating table on which the vertical frame is placed so as to be substantially horizontal,
Elevating means capable of lowering or raising the elevating table at intervals of vertical frames, and delivery means for taking out pot seedling boxes from the vertical frame that sequentially stops at a predetermined position through the opening frame and delivering them to the seedling box introduction part of the planting device. It is characterized by consisting of.

As a specific example of the feeding means, the pot seedlings on the vertical frame are provided with feed rollers that engage with feed holes formed at equal intervals along the vertical edges of the pot seedling box. The delivery roller is adapted to be engaged with the feed hole of the box, and in that case, the other end side of the pot seedling box projects from the opening frame of the seedling box transport basket, and the delivery roller is an elevating table. It is arranged on the side of the opening frame of the seedling box carrying basket placed on the above, and is adapted to be engaged with the feeding hole on the other end side which is projected.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIGS.
A method and apparatus for automatically supplying a pot seedling box according to the present invention will be specifically described. First, FIG. 1 shows a state in which an automatic supply device 16 is installed above each planting device 15 in a mid-mount type pot nursery planter. A large number of seedling box transport baskets 1 (each of which is described above) accommodating a plurality of pot seedling boxes P (raised seedlings) are loaded in the pot seedling transplanter in the same state as they were when transported, and each automatic feeder 16 is also loaded. One is set. The planting device 15 is movable up and down, and as is well known, the seedling mount 17, the pot seedling take-out portion 18, and the planting portion 1
9. In this case, a seedling box introducing section 20 is further installed above the seedling mounting table 17. In addition, on the rear side of the planting device 15 (on the exit side of the seedling stand 17), a basket-shaped empty box storage container 21 is provided.
Is installed.

The seedling box introducing section 20 is continuously installed above the seedling table 17, and has a bottom plate 22, both side plates 23, and a pair of feeding rollers 24 projecting upward through the bottom plate 22. The feeding roller 24 has a pot seedling box P around it.
The pot seedling box P is sent out toward the seedling placing table 17 below, which is provided with an engaging portion (projection) that engages with the feeding hole. The structure and function of this portion are described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-2 of the present applicant.
6047. The empty box container 21 automatically receives an empty pot seed box sent from the seedling stand 17, and its structure and function are described in detail in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-335812 by the present applicant. .

As shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, the automatic feeder 16 is a frame part formed by combining a plurality of vertical frames 26, horizontal frames 27 and main frames 28, and an elevating and lowering device for mounting the nursery box carrying basket 1. A platform 29, an elevating means for elevating the elevating platform 29, and a delivery means 30 for delivering the pot seedling box P on the vertical frame 2 or 3 of the seedling box transporting basket 1 stopped at a predetermined position to the seedling box introducing section 20. . As shown in detail in FIG. 5, the lifting platform 29 includes a bottom plate 32 having an opening at the center, stepped side walls 33 on the left and right of the bottom plate 32, and a step on the front side of the bottom plate 32 (the forward direction of the machine body is the front side). Attached to the stepped inner side wall 34 installed inside the attached side wall 33, the stepped front wall 35 at the center of the front end of the bottom plate 32, the pair of rear walls 36 at the rear end of the bottom plate 32, and the front end lower side of the bottom plate 32. It is composed of a pair of connecting portions 37 and an engaging portion 38 attached to the rear side thereof.

When the seedling box carrying basket 1 is placed on the elevator 29, the horizontal connecting portion 10 of the vertical frame 2 of the seedling box carrying basket 1 is brought into contact with the stepped front wall 35 as shown in FIGS. The vertical connection portion 13 is placed on the step portion of the stepped inner side wall 34 in contact with the step portion, and the short side 12 side of the opening frame 4 is placed on the bottom plate 32. At this time, the convex portion 12a of the short side 12 is directly placed on the bottom plate 32, and both ends of the short side 12 are placed on the stepped portion of the stepped side wall 33. Further, the short side 12 enters inside the rear wall 36, and the lower end of the long side 12 of the opening frame 4 enters inside the rising portion of the stepped side wall 33. As a result, the seedling box transporting basket 1 is placed on the elevating table 29 so that the vertical frames 2 and 3 thereof are substantially horizontal, and the front-rear, left-right displacement is restricted.

The raising and lowering means for raising and lowering the raising and lowering table 29 includes a motor 41 installed on the main frame 28 and a horizontal frame 27.
A rod 42 which is axially supported in the left-right direction and which is rotated by the motor 41, a rod 43 which is axially supported in the lateral frame 27 in the front-rear direction, and which is connected to the rod 42 through a bevel gear, The rod 4 pivotally supported in the horizontal frame 27 at a position below the rods 43 and 44.
5 and 46, a chain 47 to a sprocket attached to these rods 43 to 46, which is vertically wound around a sprocket.
50 (50 is not shown), inwardly protruding fixing pieces 51 attached at the same heights of the opposing positions of the chains 47 and 48 and the opposing positions of the chains 49 and 50, and both ends attached to the fixing pieces 51. Lifting rods 52, 5
It consists of three.

The engaging portion 38 on the rear side of the elevating table 29 engages with the elevating rod 53, and the connecting portion 37 on the front side is fixed to the elevating rod 52 with bolts or the like. When the motor 41 is driven, its driving force is transmitted to the chains 47 to 50 via the rods 42 to 44, the chains 47 and 48 rotate in opposite directions at the same speed, and the chains 49 and 50 move.
Also rotate in opposite directions at the same speed, and their movements are perfectly synchronized. Therefore, the elevating rods 52 and 53 are moved horizontally while maintaining the same height, and the elevating table 29 can always be kept horizontal. The motor 41 operates intermittently when the lifting table 29 descends from the highest position (so that the lifting table 29 intermittently descends at intervals between the vertical frames of the nursery box transporting basket 1) and descends to the lowest level. It is controlled by a limit switch or the like so that it is continuously operated when it is lifted from the position (so that the lift table 29 is continuously lifted to the highest lift position).

The delivery means 30 for delivering the pot seedling box P is
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, it is arranged on the rear side of the lifting table 29, that is, on the opening frame 4 side of the seedling box carrying basket 1 mounted on the lifting table 29. Both ends are axially supported by the main frame 28 and are connected to each other by a sprocket and a chain to rotate synchronously, a motor 58 for rotating the rods 55 and 56, and fixed to the rods 55 and 56 at predetermined intervals. And the delivery rollers 59 to 62. The delivery rollers 59 to 62 have engaging portions (projections) on the outer peripheral portion that engage with the left and right feeding holes (shown as Pa in FIG. 3) of the pot seedling box P. Front delivery roller 5
The positions of 9, 60 in the front-rear direction are feed holes Pa near the end of the pot seedling box P protruding from the opening frame 4 of the seedling box transporting basket 1.
The position in the up-and-down direction is the position for engaging the
Is stopped, the position is set to engage from below with the feed hole of the pot seedling box on the vertical frame 2 on the lower side of the seedling box transporting basket 1 on the lifting table 29. Further, as for the positions of the delivery rollers 61, 62 on the rear side, the rear end of the pot seedling box 1 (the front end in the traveling direction of the machine) sent out by the delivery means 30 is located at the seedling box introduction section 20. It is set to fall properly.

Next, regarding the operation of the automatic feeder,
This will be described with reference to FIGS. (1) First, as shown in FIG. 6, the raising / lowering table 29 is set to the most raised position, and the seedling box transporting basket 1 in which the pot seedling boxes P are housed 1
Is placed so that the opening frame 4 side faces the rear side, the feeding hole near the rear end of the pot seedling box (P ₁ ) on the lowermost vertical frame 2 of the seedling box transporting basket 1 is exactly the feeding roller 5
It engages with the engaging portion formed on the outer periphery of 9, 60. (2) When the pot seedling box P on the seedling stand 17 passes a predetermined position, the limit switch detects it and the motor 58
Is activated and the delivery rollers 59 to 62 are rotated, as shown in FIG.
As shown in, the pot seedling box P ₁ is sent toward the seedling box introducing section 20.

(3) The pot seedling box P ₁ is sent out by the sending rollers 59 to 60, and the bottom plate 2 of the seedling box introducing section 20.
When the pot seedling box P ₁ is about to slip off the feeding rollers 61 and 62 as shown in FIG. 8 and slides up, the feeding roller 6 as shown in FIG.
With the rotation of 1, 62, the engaging portion presses the rear end of the pot seedling box P ₁ downward, whereby the pot seedling box P ₁ is stably placed on the bottom plate 22 of the seedling box introducing portion 20. It (4) The limit switch on the seedling box introducing section 20 detects that the pot seedling box P ₁ has been introduced into the seedling box introducing section 20, and the feeding rollers 59 to 62 are stopped, while the pot seedling box P ₁ is It slides on the bottom plate 22 and is stopped when the tip comes to the position of the feeding roller 24, and stands by here. When the distance between the preceding pot seedling box and the pot seedling box P ₁ is about 1 box, the limit switch detects it and the feeding roller 2
4 rotates to lower the pot seedling box P ₁ and bring it into contact with the rear end of the preceding pot seedling box. At the same time, the motor 41 is actuated to lower the lifting table 29, and as shown in FIG. 10, when the vertical frame 3 of the next stage comes to a predetermined position (the position where the vertical frame 2 of the lowest stage was first), the limit switch Is detected, the motor 41 stops, and the lift table 29 stops. At this time, the feeding hole near the rear end of the pot seedling box P ₂ on the vertical frame 3 of the next stage is engaged with the engaging portion formed on the outer periphery of the feeding rollers 59 and 60.

(5) The same process is repeated, the elevating table 29 stops at the lowermost position, and as shown in FIG. 11, the uppermost vertical frame in the seedling box transporting basket 1 on the elevating table 29. When the pot seedling box P ₄ on 3 is sent out, the motor 41 operates in reverse due to the detection of the limit switch, and as shown in FIG. 12, the lifting table 29 is raised to the initial highest position, and the limit is reached here. The switch stops the motor 41. Note that empty pot seedling boxes that have emerged from the exit side of the seedling mounting table 17 are automatically stored and loaded in the empty box storage container 21 in sequence. (6) Subsequently, the empty seedling box transporting basket 1 on the elevator 29 is removed, a seedling box transporting basket 1 containing a new pot seedling box P is placed, and the above process is repeated. It should be noted that the nursery box transporting basket 1 may be placed on the lift table 29 by an assistant who normally sits in the seat 65 (see FIG. 1).
Even the main worker who is driving in the seat 66 can do so by temporarily stopping the machine body, so that when the manpower is insufficient, even one main worker can efficiently perform rice transplanting.

In the above example, the seedling box introducing section 20 is newly provided on the normal seedling placing table 17, but for example, the seedling placing table is extended upward so that the pot seedling box can be removed from the automatic feeding device. You may make it double as the seedling box introduction part to receive. In this case, the seedling mounting table itself is the seedling box introducing section in the present invention.

[0024]

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, since the seed box transporting basket for transporting the pot seedling box from the nursery field to the field is set as it is on the automatic feeder, the pot seedling can be automatically fed. A large number of pot seedling boxes can be loaded into the transplanter without the need to take them out from the box transporting basket, and only the main operator can perform the transplanting work.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a pot seedling planting machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the seedling box automatic supply device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a front view (viewed from arrow I in FIG. 3).

FIG. 5 is a plan view (a), a side view (b), and a front view (c) viewed from the arrow II of the lifting platform of the automatic seedling box feeder according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of an essential part of a pot seedling planting machine for explaining a seedling box supply process.

FIG. 7 is a side view of an essential part for explaining the same process.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the main parts for explaining the same process.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the main parts for explaining the same process.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the main parts for explaining the same process.

FIG. 11 is a side view of the main part, which also illustrates the process.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the main part, which similarly illustrates the process.

[Fig. 13] Perspective view of a basket for transporting seedling boxes (vertically raised)
Is.

FIG. 14 is a plan view (a), a side view (b) and a front view (c) thereof.

FIG. 15 is a view of the baskets carrying the seedling boxes stacked, viewed from the side of the opening frame and a partially enlarged perspective view thereof (fine dots are attached to the bottom basket).

FIG. 16 is a side view (a pot seedling box is also shown).

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Seedling box carrying basket A few vertical frames 4 Opening frame 14 Bottom frame 15 Planting device 16 Automatic feeder 17 seedling stand 20 Nursery box introduction section 29 Lifting platform 30 sending means 47-50 chains 52, 53 Lifting rod 59-62 Sending roller

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A nursery box carrier comprising a substantially rectangular opening frame through which a pot nursery box moves in and out, a plurality of vertical frames for mounting pot nursery boxes in parallel, and a bottom frame with which one end of the pot nursery box abuts. An elevating table on which the basket is placed so that the vertical frame is substantially horizontal, an elevating means capable of lowering or elevating the elevating table at intervals of the vertical frame, and a pot seedling from a vertical frame which is sequentially stopped at a predetermined position. An automatic feeder for pot seedling boxes in a pot seedling transplanter, which comprises a sending means for taking out the box through an opening frame and sending it to a seedling box introducing portion of the planting device. 2. The delivery means comprises delivery rollers that engage with feed holes formed at equal intervals along both vertical edges of the pot nursery box, and the pot nursery box on the vertical frame stopped at a predetermined position. The automatic feeding device for a pot seedling box in a pot seedling transplanting machine according to claim 1, wherein the feed roller is engaged with the feed hole. 3. The other end side of the pot seedling box projects from the opening frame of the seedling box transporting basket, and the delivery roller is arranged on the opening frame side of the seedling box transporting basket placed on the lifting table.
The automatic feeding device for the pot seedling box in the pot seedling transplanting machine according to claim 2, wherein the feeding device is engaged with the projecting feed hole on the other end side. 4. A seedling box carrier comprising a substantially rectangular opening frame into and out of the pot seedling box, a plurality of vertical frames for respectively placing the pot seedling boxes in parallel, and a bottom frame to which one end of the pot seedling box abuts. With the pot seedling box set in the basket, place the seedling box carrying basket at a predetermined position of the pot seedling transplanter with the vertical frame being substantially horizontal, and put the pot seedling box through the opening frame from above the vertical frame. A method for automatically supplying pot seedling boxes in a pot seedling transplanting machine, which automatically takes out sequentially and sends it directly to the seedling box introduction part of the planting device.