JP3122522B2 - Seedling control equipment in separation equipment for aligned seedlings - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to transplantation and cultivation of agricultural products.
The present invention relates to a separating device for separating individual seedlings from the aligned seedlings in a transplanter or the like that uses aligned seedlings such as a paper tube seedling by a paper tube seedling container that is separably connected to individual seedlings.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An apparatus that moves an aligned seedling such as a paper tube seedling and separates the individual seedlings from the side of the aligned seedling by a separator is disclosed in US Pat.
The present inventors have proposed this as Japanese Patent Application No. 3-207570.

The seedling regulating device of this separation apparatus is provided with a vertical movement mechanism for intermittently moving the aligned seedlings slightly more than one row of the aligned seedling rows, and a vertical movement mechanism for the aligned seedlings on the left and right sides of the separation rotating body. A pair of seedling regulators that regulate the position in the moving direction due to are provided, the aligned seedlings moved by the vertical movement mechanism are received at a certain position by the seedling regulator, and extra movement of one row or more of the vertical movement mechanism The slip was eliminated between the aligned seedlings and the vertical movement mechanism. As a result, the side surfaces of the aligned seedlings are moved and supplied to a fixed position of the separation device by the separation rotating body.

[0004]

In the seedling regulating body which receives the aligned seedlings moved by the vertical moving mechanism of the prior art at a fixed position, the pitch of one row of the aligned seedlings becomes narrow, and the seedlings are separated. In some cases, the next row of seedlings may be damaged, or even the next row of seedlings to be separated may be separated.

[0005] In other words, the aligned seedlings of the paper tube seedlings have considerable strength when the soil is sufficiently packed in the paper cylinder, but are pushed with a strong force when the paper soil is not sufficiently packed in the soil. It will be crushed. Then, if excess movement of one row or more of the vertical moving mechanism is eliminated by slipping between the aligned seedling and the vertical moving mechanism, when the number of aligned seedlings is small and light, it is not so much, but there are many aligned seedlings. When heavy, the separated seedlings on the side of the aligned seedlings are pushed by the following seedlings, causing crushing, and the separating rotating body contacts the next seedling row to be separated and may damage the seedlings. In some cases, separation errors occurred.

The present invention solves the above problems,
The seedlings on the side of the aligned seedlings are not strongly pushed even when the number of aligned seedlings is large and heavy, even if the number of aligned seedlings is large and heavy, The aim is to provide a high-performance and high-efficiency transplanter with a regulatory device, and to dramatically expand transplant cultivation.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a seedling regulating apparatus in an apparatus for separating aligned seedlings, wherein the aligned seedlings P which are separably and orderly connected to individual seedlings Pa are moved and separated by a separator 51. In the apparatus for separating the seedlings Pa, the separated bodies 51 are separated from the side surfaces of the aligned seedlings P, and a vertical movement mechanism 20 for intermittently moving the aligned seedlings P is provided. that side of the detector 8 for detecting provided, the detector 8 is vertical
The position of the moving mechanism 20 in the moving direction is adjustable, and the detector 8
The vertical movement mechanism 20 stops when the side surface of the aligned seedlings P is detected.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a seedling regulating device in the apparatus for separating seedlings, wherein the vertical moving mechanism 20 is provided with a driving mechanism 30 for slightly moving the seedling row of the aligned seedlings P by one row. Is provided with a pair of seedling regulators 5 on the left and right sides of the separation body 51 for regulating the position of the aligned seedlings P in the moving direction by the vertical movement mechanism 20 with a clutch 37 interposed therebetween. The detector 8 is provided, and when the detector 8 detects the side surface of the aligned seedlings P, the clutch 37 of the vertical movement mechanism 20 is disengaged and stopped.

[0009]

According to the invention of claim 1, detectors 8 are provided on the left and right sides of the separation body 51 to detect the side of the aligned seedlings P to be separated.
When the detector 8 detects the side surface of the aligned seedlings P, the vertical moving mechanism 20 is stopped. When the aligned seedlings P reach the position of the detector 8, the vertical moving mechanism 20 stops moving, and The relationship of the separated side surfaces of the aligned seedlings P is constant. In addition, inspection
The detector 8 can adjust the position of the vertical moving mechanism 20 in the moving direction.
Therefore, in the case of the aligned seedlings P that are easily crushed, the position of the detector 8 is set.
Can be moved slightly toward the aligned seedlings P.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a vertical moving mechanism 20 for intermittently moving the aligned seedlings P is provided, and the vertical moving mechanism 20 has a driving mechanism 30 for slightly moving the aligned seedlings P one row of seedlings.
Is provided, the vertical moving mechanism 20 attempts to transfer the aligned seedlings P more than one row of the seedling row, and the one row of the seedling row that has already been separated and lost is reliably transferred.

Further, a pair of seedling regulating bodies 5 for regulating the position of the aligned seedlings P in the moving direction by the vertical moving mechanism 20 is provided on the left and right sides of the separating body 51 with a clutch 37 interposed in the driving mechanism 30 of the vertical moving mechanism 20. The detector 8 is provided on the surface of the seedling regulating body 5 on the side of the aligned seedlings P, and when the detector 8 detects the side surface of the aligned seedlings P, the vertical movement mechanism is provided.
Since the 20 clutches 37 are disengaged and stopped, the relationship between the seedling regulating body 5 and the separated side surface of the aligned seedlings P is at a fixed position.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As the aligned seedlings P which are separably and orderly connected to the individual seedlings Pa, a paper tube seedling by a paper tube nursery container is shown. This paper tube nursery container is a container in which a hexagonal column-shaped paper tube which is open at the top and bottom is opened and then is laminated with water-soluble glue in an orderly manner. When seedlings are sown by cultivating the seedlings in this paper cylinder, the seedlings grow and become aligned seedlings P of the paper cylinder seedlings. However, at the time of transplantation, an appropriate connection strength is maintained. The aligned seedlings P of the paper tube seedlings form a rectangle in plan view, and the paper tubes are arranged in a line along the long side thereof.

Next, a separating device for separating the aligned seedlings P into individual seedlings Pa will be described.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a machine frame, and the machine frame 1 forms a substantially rectangular frame in plan view. And machine frame 1
A horizontal moving mechanism 10 and a vertical moving mechanism 20 are provided above.

The horizontal moving mechanism 10 includes a pair of rails 11 provided along the machine frame 1, a pair of horizontal moving mechanism frames 12 that can reciprocate along the rails 11, and a lower part of the horizontal moving mechanism frame 12. A shaft 16 is provided between the pair of rails 11 in parallel with the rails 11.

The lateral moving mechanism frame 12 is provided on a pair of rails 11, and guide rollers 14 that rotate in the direction of the rail 11 are provided on four lower surfaces of the lateral moving mechanism frame 12 corresponding to the rails 11. It is stopped by the lateral movement mechanism frame 12 so as to rotate freely.

The shaft 16 is engraved with a cylindrical cam 16a in which a forward groove and a return groove are formed in an endless cross shape. A frame receiver 17 that is movable in the longitudinal direction is fitted on the shaft 16, and a projection of a frame (not shown) provided in the frame receiver 17 is engaged with a cylindrical cam 16a of the shaft 16, so that the shaft 16 rotates. As a result, the frame receiver 17 reciprocates continuously. The frame receiver 17 is fixed to the lateral movement mechanism frame 12, and the rotation of the shaft 16 causes the lateral movement mechanism frame 12.
12 reciprocates continuously in the direction of the rail 11.

A pair of cams 18 which can move in the longitudinal direction and rotate together in the rotation direction of the shaft 16 are fitted into both ends of the shaft 16, and the cams 18 are urged toward the center by a spring 19. The cam 18 is slightly pushed by the side end of the frame receiver 17 at the moving end of the frame receiver 17 and moves.

The horizontal moving mechanism frame 12 of the horizontal moving mechanism 10 is provided with a vertical moving mechanism 20 that moves in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction M of the horizontal moving mechanism 10. Then, the aligned seedlings P are placed on the belt 25 of the vertical moving mechanism 20, and the horizontal moving mechanism 10 is moved at the moving end of the horizontal moving mechanism 10.
It is intermittently moved in a direction (downward direction in FIG. 1) orthogonal to the moving direction M of 10.

The vertical moving mechanism 20 has a shaft 21, which is long and parallel to the moving direction M of the horizontal moving mechanism 10 at the same height in the horizontal moving mechanism frame 12.
A pulley 23 is provided, and pulleys 22 and 24 are fixedly fitted to the shafts 21 and 23, and a belt 25 is stretched between the pulleys 22 and 24.

The drive mechanism 30 of the vertical movement mechanism 20 has a shaft 31 provided on the machine frame 1 in parallel with the shaft 16, and a pair of arms 32 and a pair of cams 33 are fixedly fitted on the shaft 31. Below the lateral movement mechanism frame 12, a shaft 34 and a shaft 35 are provided in a straight line parallel to the shaft 31.
A pair of arms 36 are fixedly fitted on the shaft 35, and a clutch 37 is provided at an end of the shaft 34 on the shaft 35 side.
38 and 39 are fitted, and the sprocket wheel 40 is fixed and fitted. On the side of the lateral movement mechanism frame 12, the shaft is parallel to the shafts 34 and 35.
A sprocket wheel 42, 43 is fixedly fitted on the shaft 41, and a roller chain 44 is stretched between the sprocket wheel 40 and the sprocket wheel 42. Axis 21
, A sprocket wheel 45 is fixedly fitted therein, and a roller chain 46 is stretched between the sprocket wheel 43 and the sprocket wheel 45.

The pair of arms 32 are located slightly outside the pair of cams 18 of the shaft 16, and do not come into contact with the cam 18 during the movement of the frame receiver 17 shown in FIGS. At the moving end of 17, it comes into contact with the cam 18 pressed by the frame receiver 17, and rotates by a predetermined angle to move the belt 25 slightly more than one row of the row of aligned seedlings P as shown in FIG. 9. That is, one of the arms 32 rotates at both moving ends of the lateral moving mechanism 10 to rotate the shaft 31. A pair of cams 33 are provided at both ends of the shaft 31,
The rotation of causes the pair of cams 33 to rotate. A return spring (not shown) is hung on the pair of cams 33. When the arm 32 is disengaged from the cam 18, the pair of cams 33 pivots back to the initial position and returns, and the shaft 31 and the pair of arms 32 fixed integrally with the pair of cams 33 are provided. Also returns.

As shown in FIG. 6, the pair of arms 36 is at the moving end of the lateral moving mechanism 10 at a position where one of the arms 36 is engaged with the cam 33, and as shown in FIG. To rotate in contact with the cam 33 to rotate the shaft 34. A return spring (not shown) is hung on the pair of arms 36. When the arm 36 comes off the cam 33, the arm 36 rotates back to the initial position, and the shaft 34 fixed integrally with the pair of arms 36 also returns.

The clutch 37 is an electromagnetic clutch, and is provided between the shaft 34 and the one-way clutch 38. When the clutch 37 is engaged, the rotation of the shaft 34 is performed by the one-way clutch.
When the clutch 37 is disengaged without power, the shaft
The rotation of 34 is not transmitted to the one-way clutch 38.

The one-way clutch 38 has an indexing action that transmits rotation to the shaft 35 in the direction of rotation of the shaft 34 by the cam 33 and does not transmit rotation to the shaft 35 in the direction of rotation by the return spring. Thus, only rotation of the shaft 34 in the rotation direction by the cam 33 is transmitted to the shaft 35. The one-way clutch 39 has a backstop function in which the outer ring is fixed to the lateral movement mechanism frame 12 and rotates the shaft 35 freely in the direction of rotation of the shaft 34 by the cam 33 but does not rotate in the opposite direction.

The sprocket wheels 40, 42, 43, 45 and the roller chains 44, 46 transmit the rotation of the shaft 35 to the shaft 21,
When the shaft 21 rotates, the pulley 22 rotates. And pulley
At 22, the horizontal moving mechanism frame 12 moves in the horizontal direction, the rotation of the shaft 16 is transmitted only at its moving end, and when the clutch 37 is engaged, the seedlings of the aligned seedlings P are moved at the moving end of the horizontal moving mechanism 10. The pulley 22 rotates so as to move the belt 25 slightly more than one line.

A regulating body frame 2 is provided outside the machine frame 1 in the direction of movement of the vertical moving mechanism 20 in parallel with the rail 11, and a plurality of supporting shafts 3 are provided vertically above the regulating body frame 2. A pair of guide plates 7 are provided at the upper end, and a regulating body pulley 4 is provided at the left and right ends of the guide plates 7.
And a pair of freely rotating seedling regulating belts 5 serving as seedling regulating bodies are stretched between the regulating body pulleys 4.

The seedling regulating belt 5 is provided long on the left and right sides in the moving direction of the horizontal moving mechanism 10, and the surface on the aligned seedling P side is a belt.
The upper end of the belt 25 is slightly higher than the upper surface of the belt 25, the lower end is slightly lower than the upper surface of the aligned seedlings P, and the middle is open. A guide plate 7 is in contact with the rear surface of the seedling regulating belt 5 on the side of the aligned seedlings P, so that the guide plate 7 does not bend even when the seedling regulating belt 5 is pushed by the aligned seedlings P. In order to slide the guide plate surface of the guide plate 7, it is processed to be slippery. An interval is provided between the inner ends of the pair of left and right seedling regulating belts 5 to accommodate a pair of rollers 51 as a separating body for separating and feeding out the aligned seedlings P.

A switch 8 serving as a detector for detecting the side surface of the aligned seedlings P is provided on the surface of the seedling regulating belt 5 on the side of the aligned seedlings P. The switch 8 is a small switch in the form of a limit switch, and has a lever 8a and a roller 8b. When the roller 8b is pressed, the switch 8 is turned off. The switch 8 is provided from the guide plate 7 at the left and right ends of the seedling regulating belt 5 between the upper and lower two of the pair of seedling regulating belts 5, and the roller 8 b moves in the direction of the side surface of the aligned seedlings P to move the vertical moving mechanism 20. The position in the direction is adjustable. The four switches 8 are connected in series,
When the roller 8b of any switch 8 is pressed, the switch 8 is turned off, and is inserted into the energizing circuit of the clutch 37. When the roller 8b of the switch 8 is pressed against the side surface of the aligned seedling P and the detection is performed, the power is cut off and the clutch 37 of the vertical movement mechanism 20 is disengaged.

A pair of belt driving frames 26 are provided above the pair of lateral movement mechanism frames 12 at the ends on the side of the seedling regulating belt 5, and two upper and lower belt driving pins 27 are moved from the belt driving frame 26 toward the seedling regulating belt 5. Provide. The belt driving pin 27 passes through a hole provided on the surface of the seedling regulating belt 5 on the side of the aligned seedlings P, and the lateral movement mechanism 10
Reciprocates, the surface on the aligned seedling P side of the seedling regulating belt 5 reciprocates in the same direction via the belt drive pin 27.

A narrow elastic body 6 is provided on the upper surface and lower end of the seedling regulating belt 5. The elastic body 6 has a thickness of at least one row of the seedling row of the aligned seedlings P.
Is elastic enough to be crushed by the aligned seedlings P moved in by the belt 25, and the switch 8
The roller 8b is a sponge-shaped roller to the extent that the roller 8b is pressed against the side surface of the aligned seedlings P. The elastic body 6 does not need to be provided on the entire circumference of the surface of the seedling regulating belt 5, and may be provided only on at least the surface corresponding to the aligned seedlings P.

A pair of lateral regulating belts 28 for regulating the aligned seedlings P in contact with the side of the laterally moving mechanism 10 of the aligned seedlings P in the moving direction M, inside the pair of laterally moving mechanism frames 12. Is provided. The lateral regulation belt 28 is stretched around a freely rotating pulley, and circulates so as not to hinder the movement of the aligned seedlings P by the belt 25.

A pair of seedling guides 29 are provided inside the pair of lateral movement mechanism frames 12 on the opposite side of the seedling regulating belt 5 to guide the aligned seedlings P on the belt 25.

A separating unit frame 50 is provided outside the machine frame 1 above the center in the moving direction of the vertical moving mechanism 20, and a pair of shafts is provided below the separating unit frame 50. A pair of elastic rollers 51 are fitted and provided. The roller 51 is a cylindrical sponge body, and the roller 51 is located at a position where it contacts the upper and lower sides of the aligned seedlings P placed on the belt 25, and the pair of rollers 51 is narrower than the paper cylinder diameter of each individual seedling Pa. The rollers 51 are rotated at the same speed in a direction in which the opposing surfaces of the rollers 51 move away from the aligned seedlings P, and the peripheral speed thereof is about five times the moving speed of the lateral moving mechanism 10.

Further, the roller 51 on the side farther from the roller 51 on the side where the aligned seedlings P approach by the lateral moving mechanism 10 is positioned slightly closer to the aligned seedlings P, and the roller 51 on the side farther away.
Is positioned a little further from the aligned seedling P than the surface of the elastic body 6 of the seedling regulating belt 5 on the aligned seedling P side. First, the roller 51 on the side approaching the seedling Pa to be separated comes into contact with the seedling Pa from which the aligned seedlings P are separated, and then the roller 51 on the side moving away from the seedling Pa. Then, the side faces of the aligned seedlings P are sequentially contacted with a pair of rotating rollers 51 to be successively separated into individual seedlings Pa, and the separated individual seedlings Pa are sandwiched by the rollers 51 to form the aligned seedlings P. Pull out while standing upright on the other side.

The pair of rollers 51 move in the horizontal direction at the moving end of the horizontal moving mechanism frame 12 of the horizontal moving mechanism 10 because the horizontal moving mechanism frame 12 moves in the horizontal direction and the moving direction of the aligned seedlings P changes at the moving end. The position in the movement direction of the mechanism 20 is alternately moved forward and backward.

As shown in FIG. 12, on the side of the separation section frame 50 inside the pair of lateral movement mechanism frames 12 above the left and right ends of the belt 25, a separation body frame 59 as an advance / retreat mechanism of the roller 51 is engaged. A pair of bolts 60 are provided. A pair of engaging body frames 61 are provided above the inner side of the pair of lateral moving mechanism frames 12 from the side of the separating section frame 50, and inward to a height corresponding to the separating body frame 59 at the upper end of the engaging body frame 61. A pair of bolts 60 are provided, and the bolts 60 are screwed into the engagement body frame 61 in an adjustable manner. Then, as shown in FIG. 13, the lateral moving mechanism frame 12 moves in the lateral direction, and at its moving end, the inner end of the bolt 60 comes into contact with the separating body frame 59 and is pushed and rotated by a predetermined angle, so that the shaft of the roller 51 is rotated. By moving forward and backward, the pair of rollers 51 move forward and backward by a predetermined distance.

A pair of flat belts 52 is provided outwardly from the opposite side of the aligned seedlings P of the rollers 51 by a shaft provided below the separating portion frame 50. The flat belt 52 receives the individual seedlings Pa that have been separated and fed from the rollers 51, conveys them across the middle part of the paper cylinder, and feeds them to the opposite side of the aligned seedlings P.

A pair of flat belts 53 are provided at right angles to the conveying end of the flat belt 52 by a shaft provided below the separation frame 50.
Is provided. The flat belt 53 receives the individual seedlings Pa fed from the transport end of the flat belt 52, and transports and feeds the seedlings Pa across the upper part of the paper cylinder.

Below the flat belt 53, a sorting / aligning unit frame 62 is provided, and each belt provided on the sorting / aligning unit frame 62 is a flat belt 53.
The individual seedlings Pa fed out of the factory are received and supplied to a seedling planting device (not shown).

Next, the operation will be described.

The horizontal moving mechanism frame 12 of the horizontal moving mechanism 10 has a predetermined moving end, and the aligned seedlings P are moved vertically on the horizontal moving mechanism 10.
The seedlings are placed on a belt 25 serving as 20 and are fed to a position where the separated seedling row at the front end of the aligned seedlings P crushes the elastic body 6 of the seedling regulating belt 5 and comes into contact with the retreated roller 51.

When the shaft 16 and the like are rotated by appropriate means and the horizontal moving mechanism frame 12 is moved in the horizontal direction, the aligned seedlings P are moved in the horizontal direction, and the rollers 51 and the flat belt 52 are rotated.

At this time, the separated seedling row of the aligned seedlings P is held by the large deformation of the elastic body 6, and the surface of the seedling regulating belt 5 on the aligned seedling P side is moved by the movement of the belt drive pin 27 of the lateral movement mechanism frame 12. Move in the same direction in response to the movement of the lateral movement mechanism frame 12. The roller 8b of the switch 8 in the portion where there is no aligned seedling P is not pushed, but the roller 8b of any switch 8 in the portion where there is the aligned seedling P is pushed on the side surface of the aligned seedling P, and The clutch 37 is disconnected.

By the horizontal movement of the horizontal moving mechanism frame 12, the row of separated seedlings in the front row of the aligned seedlings P is moved rightward in the drawing as shown in FIG. Touch At this time, the rotation direction of the retreated roller 51 is
And the rotation speed is the same, and the circumferential speed is
Is higher than the moving speed of the seedlings Pa to be separated and rolled sandwiched between the next succeeding seedling row and the roller 51,
By being moved at a speed higher than the moving speed of the aligned seedlings P while rolling, the connection to the next seedling Pa or the subsequent seedling row that is sequentially separated is peeled off, and each individual seedling Pa can be effortlessly removed.
Is separated into

The seedling Pa separated and fed by the retreated roller 51 contacts the subsequently advanced roller 51, and the advanced roller 51 is rotating in the opposite direction to the retreated roller 51. It is fed out between the rollers 51. Also, the seedlings Pa that are not separated by the retreated rollers 51 are separated and fed by the rollers 51 that have advanced. Then, the seedlings Pa nipped and fed by the pair of rollers 51 are immediately nipped by the pair of belts 52 and fed further.

At this time, when the row of separated seedlings P is separated and fed by a pair of rollers 51, the row of seedlings is retracted, and the next row of seedlings to be separated is exposed. Seedling regulation belt 5 corresponding to the row of seeds to be separated
The seedling regulating belt 5 is held by a small deformation of the elastic body 6, and the surface of the seedling regulating belt 5 on the aligned seedling P side moves in the same direction in response to the movement of the lateral movement mechanism frame 12. Further, the roller 8b of the switch 8 in the portion of the seedling regulating belt 5 where the deformation of the elastic body 6 is small is hidden by the elastic body 6 and is not pushed on the side surface of the aligned seedlings P.

When the separation of all the seedlings in the front row of the aligned seedlings P has been completed and the horizontal moving mechanism frame 12 reaches the moving end, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the roller 8b of the switch 8 in front of the aligned seedling P is hidden in the elastic body 6 and is not pushed on the side of the aligned seedling P, and the roller 8b of the switch 8 in the portion where there is no aligned seedling P is pushed. As a result, all the rollers 8b are not pushed, and the clutch 37 of the vertical movement mechanism 20 is engaged.

At the end of the movement, the rollers 51 advance and retreat and change their roles. Immediately thereafter, the aligned seedlings P are moved vertically by one row of the row of seedlings by the belt 25, and the horizontal moving mechanism frame 12 is opposite to the conventional one. The separation of the next row is started by laterally moving the aligned seedlings P in the direction.

When the lateral moving mechanism frame 12 reaches the moving end, the inner ends of the bolts 60 come into contact with the separating body frame 59 and are pushed together as shown in FIG. Move back and forth to take over the role of separation.

In the drive mechanism 30 of the vertical moving mechanism 20, the frame receiver 17 moving by the cylindrical cam 16a of the shaft 16 at the moving end of the horizontal moving mechanism frame 12 pushes the cam 18, and the arm 32 contacts the cam 18. The arm 36 comes into contact with the cam 33, and rotates.
Since the clutch 37 is engaged, the rotation of the shaft 34 is transmitted to the one-way clutch 38 to rotate the shaft 35, and the sprocket wheels 40,
The rotation of the shaft 35 is transmitted to the shaft 21 via 42, 43, 45 and the roller chains 44, 46. When the shaft 21 rotates, the pulley 22 rotates, the belt 25 moves, and the aligned seedlings P move.

When the aligned seedlings P move, as shown in FIG. 14, a new row of separated seedlings is sent by crushing the elastic body 6 of the seedling regulating belt 5, and when the elastic body 6 is deformed by a predetermined amount, the aligned seedlings P are moved. When the side of the switch 8 presses the roller 8b of the switch 8, the clutch 37 is disengaged and the drive mechanism 30 does not work, so that the movement of the aligned seedlings P is stopped.

At this time, when the aligned seedlings P reach the position of the switch 8, the movement of the vertical moving mechanism 20 stops, and even when the aligned seedlings P on the belt 25 are large and heavy, the aligned seedlings P place the elastic body 6. Since it does not deform and move more than the fixed amount, the relation between the elastic body 6 of the seedling regulating body 5 and the separated side surface of the aligned seedling P is a fixed position that can be pressed with a predetermined force. Seedlings Pa separated on the side are not pressed strongly. Also,
In the case of the aligned seedlings P that are easily crushed, the position of the switch 8 is slightly moved toward the aligned seedlings P to reduce the deformation of the elastic body 6, and the roller 51 that has advanced moves to the next seedling row to be separated. You can avoid contact.

Further, since the relationship between the pair of rollers 51 and the side surface from which the aligned seedlings P are separated is also constant, the seedlings from which the aligned seedlings P are separated and the pair of rollers 51 have a predetermined positional relationship, so that Is separated into

The vertical moving mechanism 20 attempts to transfer the aligned seedlings P more than one row of the seedling row, and the one row of the seedling row that has been separated and lost is surely transferred. Since no accumulated error occurs in the moving mechanism 20,
The relationship between the seedling row to be separated and the pair of rollers 51 is correctly maintained, and the seedlings are surely separated.

When the horizontal moving mechanism frame 12 reaches the moving end, the frame
17 is moved by the cylindrical cam 16a of the shaft 16 in the opposite direction, so that the aligned seedlings P are laterally moved and separated in the opposite direction. Further, the belt 25 similarly intermittently moves the aligned seedlings P at the moving end on the opposite side of the lateral moving mechanism frame 12, and the pair of rollers 51 alternately advance and retreat to be continuously separated into individual seedlings Pa.

The seedlings Pa nipped and fed by the pair of rollers 51 are immediately nipped by the flat belts 52 and 53 and sent out further, and are planted in the main field by an appropriate seedling planting device.

In the above embodiment, a paper tube seedling in a paper tube seedling container is shown as the aligned seedlings P, but the soil itself is hardened into a predetermined shape, or the inorganic fiber or the high-growth medium to which the seedling culture medium itself is orderly connected. Even those based on molecular compounds may be used as long as they are orderly and separably connected to individual seedlings Pa.

Although the separating member is shown by a pair of rollers 51, the separating member may be any member as long as it can be separated from the side surface of the aligned seedlings P, and may be a single roller or a belt. Alternatively, a projection may be provided on the surface. Further, a mechanism for laterally moving the seedlings P in which the separated body is aligned at a certain position.
Although the moving member is separated by 10, the separating member may be moved and separated.

Although the vertical movement mechanism 20 has been described as being constituted by the belt 25 that moves intermittently in the horizontal direction, the vertical movement mechanism 20 may be any mechanism that moves the aligned seedlings P intermittently.
The aligned seedlings P themselves may be moved, the container on which the aligned seedlings P are placed may be moved, or they may be moved vertically.

The cam 18 and the arm 32, the cam 33 and the arm 36, the one-way clutch 3
The drive mechanism 30 is not limited to these mechanical ones, but may be one using hydraulic or pneumatic pressure or an electric motor.

Although the clutch 37 is shown as an electromagnetic clutch, it may be a mechanical clutch or any other electrical clutch having a fast response.

The detector 8 is a small switch in the form of a limit switch and has a lever 8a and a roller 8b. However, the detector 8 is a contact type in which the roller 8b comes into contact with the side surface of the aligned seedling P to detect the operation. Not only that, but also a photoelectric switch or an ultrasonic switch that detects the side surface of the aligned seedlings P in a non-contact manner may be used.

Although the sprung elastic body 6 is provided on the surface of the seedling regulating belt 5 as the seedling regulating body, the seedling regulating body moves together with the movement of the lateral moving mechanism 10 like the seedling regulating belt 5. It is not necessary to provide the elastic body 6, and when the aligned seedlings P are moved upward by the vertical movement mechanism 20, the seedling regulating body itself is not necessarily required.

[0066]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, detectors are provided on the left and right sides of the separating body for detecting the side surfaces of the aligned seedlings to be separated,
The vertical movement mechanism stops when the detector detects the side of the aligned seedling, so when the aligned seedling reaches the position of the detector, the vertical movement mechanism stops moving, and the side where the separated body and the aligned seedling are separated Is constant, the seedlings from which the aligned seedlings are separated and the separated body have a predetermined positional relationship, and are reliably separated. In addition, the detector adjusts the position of the vertical movement mechanism in the movement direction
When the seedlings are easily crushed,
Move the position slightly toward the aligned seedlings and let the isolates separate
Can not be in contact with the next seedling row.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the vertical moving mechanism for intermittently moving the aligned seedlings is provided, and the vertical moving mechanism is provided with a driving mechanism for slightly moving the aligned seedlings more than one row. The vertical moving mechanism attempts to transport the aligned seedlings more than one row of the seedling row, and one row of the seedling row that has already been separated and lost is reliably transported, causing cumulative errors in the vertical moving mechanism that moves intermittently. Since there is no seedling row, the mutual relationship between the seedling row to be separated and the separation rotating body is properly maintained and separated.

Further, a pair of seedling regulators for regulating the position of the aligned seedlings in the direction of movement by the vertical movement mechanism are provided on the left and right sides of the separator with a clutch interposed in the drive mechanism of the vertical movement mechanism. A detector is provided on the side of the seedling, and when the detector detects the side of the aligned seedling, the clutch of the vertical movement mechanism disengages and stops,
Since the relationship between the seedling regulating body and the separated side surface of the aligned seedling is at a fixed position, the separated seedling on the side surface of the aligned seedling is not strongly pushed by the seedling regulating body, and therefore does not collapse.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of a seedling regulating device in an apparatus for separating aligned seedlings.

FIG. 2 is a front view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a side view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a drive mechanism in which a part of FIG. 1 is cut away.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a drive mechanism in which a part of FIG. 2 is cut away.

6 is a partially enlarged view showing an operation state in which a part of FIG. 4 is cut away.

FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged view showing another operation state in which a part of FIG. 4 is cut away.

FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 3 with a part cut away.

9 is a partially enlarged view showing an operation state of a drive mechanism in which a part of FIG. 8 is cut away.

FIG. 10

11 is a partially enlarged view showing another operation state of the drive mechanism in which a part of FIG. 8 is cut away.

FIG. 12

FIG. 13 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 8 with a part cut away.

14 is a partially enlarged view showing an operation state in which a part of FIG. 1 is cut away.

FIG. 15

FIG. 16

FIG. 17 is a partially enlarged view showing a seedling regulating body in which a part of FIG. 11 is cut away.

FIG. 18 is a partially enlarged view showing a switch in which a part of FIG. 11 is cut away.

19 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 4 with a part cut away.

FIG. 20 is a partially enlarged view showing a switch in which a part of FIG. 4 is cut away.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 Seedling control belt as seedling control body 8 Switch as detector 20 Vertical movement mechanism 30 Drive mechanism 37 Clutch 51 Roller as a separator P Aligned seedling Pa Seedling

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An apparatus for moving aligned seedlings separably and separably to individual seedlings and separating them into individual seedlings by a separator, wherein the separator is separated from the side of the aligned seedlings and the aligned seedlings are intermittently separated. the vertical moving mechanism for moving the provided, the right and left of the separator provided with a detector for detecting a side that is separated alignment seedlings, test
A seedling regulating device in a sorting device for sorted seedlings , wherein the detector is capable of adjusting the position of the vertical shifting mechanism in the moving direction, and the vertical shifting mechanism is stopped when the detector detects the side surface of the aligned seedling. 2. The vertical movement mechanism is provided with a drive mechanism for moving the seedlings slightly more than one row of aligned seedlings, a clutch is interposed in the drive mechanism, and the left and right of the separated body is moved by the vertical movement mechanism on the separated body. A pair of seedling regulating bodies that regulate the position in the direction are provided, and a detector is provided on the surface of the seedling regulating body on the aligned seedling side, so that when the detector detects the side surface of the aligned seedling, the clutch of the vertical movement mechanism is disengaged and stopped. A seedling regulating device in the apparatus for separating aligned seedlings according to claim 1.