JP3144505B2 - Continuous grafting device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the production of grafted seedlings by using mechanical technology, in which a large number of spikelets and rootstocks grown on a tray are grafted one by one continuously. The present invention relates to a continuous grafting device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional grafting means differ depending on crops, but are generally performed manually by farmers. Recently, research and development for mechanization and labor saving have been conducted. In order to save labor, there is a simple grafting method in which all farmers (National Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives) are promoting the activities.
As shown in JP-A-212810, there is a type in which a plurality of scions and rootstocks are simultaneously grafted.

[0003]

In the various grafting means described above, the grafting apparatus disclosed in the above publications is designed to graft a large number of seedlings at the same time, so that the grafting efficiency seems to be high. However, since a large number of seedlings were uniformly grafted, a series of operations were performed even on a plant where the seedlings were not grown, resulting in poor yield.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and it is possible to graft one plant at a time and graft only the seedlings that have grown well, thereby continuously performing grafting work with a high yield. It is an object of the present invention to provide a continuous grafting device capable of performing the above-mentioned operations.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a continuous grafting device according to the present invention comprises a stock tray conveyor 2 and a scion tray conveyor 3 provided in parallel with each other. A discharge tray conveyor 4 is provided at the downstream side in the feeding direction, and a rootstock cell conveyor 5 and a headboard cell conveyor 6 are disposed between the rootstock tray conveyor 2 and the scion tray conveyor 3. A stock cell 13 placed on the stock tray conveyor 2 is provided on the upstream side of the stock cell conveyor 5 and provided along the conveyor 2 and the scion tray conveyor 3, respectively. 5 is provided with a cell take-out arm device 16 for take-out, and the scion cell 14 placed on the scion tray conveyor 3 is located upstream of the scion cell conveyor 6. For scions to be taken out The provided cell extraction arm device 17,
The base of the rootstock 11 of the rootstock cell 13 sent one by one by the rootstock cell conveyor 5 is placed at a predetermined position of the rootstock cell conveyor 5 on the side of the rootstock cell conveyor 5. 0 ₁ rootstock cutting device 24 for cutting the upper and sandwiched between, also on the side of the cell conveyor 6 for scion, scions sent one by one in cell conveyors 6 for scion Hogi 1 of cell 14
A scion cutting device 25 for holding the tip of 2 and cutting the lower side thereof, and grafting the scion 12 to the cutting portion of the stock 11 whose upper part has been cut by the stock cutting device 24; A clip 56 is fitted to the grafted portion of the stock 11 and the scion 12 concentrically grafted by the two cutting devices 24 and 25 on the downstream side from the two cutting devices 24 and 25 respectively. A clip fitting device 55 is provided, and a take-out device 80 for taking out the cells grafted with the scions 12 to the stock 11 on the discharge tray conveyor 4 on the side of the downstream portion of the stock cell conveyor 5 for stock.
Are provided, and beside each of the cell conveyors 5 and 6,
In addition, seedling detectors 90a and 90b for detecting the presence and size of seedlings of the cells 13 and 14 sent by the cell conveyors 5 and 6 are provided upstream of the cutting devices 24 and 25.

[0006]

[Operation] The stock cell 13 and the scion cell 14 are sent by the stock tray conveyor 2 and the scion tray conveyor 3, respectively. And the root cell 1 on each of these tray conveyors 2 and 3
3. The hogi cell 14 is the respective cell take-out arm device 1
At 6 and 17, the stock 11 is taken out on the respective cell conveyors 5 and 6 for stock and scion, and in the middle of each feeding, the stock 11 is cut at its upper end by a stock cutting device 24. The lower part of the tree 12 is cut by the scion cutting device 25. The scion 12 is directly grafted to the cut portion of the stock 11, and the clip 56 is fitted to the grafted portion by the clip fitting device 55. The seedling to which the clip 56 has been fitted is extracted from the downstream part of the rootstock cell conveyor 5 onto the discharge tray conveyor 4 by the extraction device 80. The seedlings of the stock cell 13 and the scion cell 14 on the stock conveyors 5 and 6 are detected by the seedling detectors 90a and 90b, and the size of the seedlings is detected.

[0007]

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a work table.
In this example, a stock tray conveyor 2 and a scion tray conveyor 3 are provided apart from each other in the front-rear direction and parallel to each other. A discharge tray conveyor 4 is provided in the same direction on the downstream side of the rootstock tray conveyor 2 and at a position separated therefrom. Rootstock and scion cell conveyors 5 and 6 are provided in parallel between the rootstock tray conveyor 2 and the scion tray conveyor 3 along the respective tray conveyors 2 and 3. The stock conveyor 5 has a length extending from the middle of the stock tray conveyor 2 to the middle of the discharge tray conveyor 4, and the scion cell conveyor 6 has the length of the scion tray conveyor 6. The length extends from the intermediate portion to a position beyond the scion tray conveyor 3 by a predetermined length. The end portions of both cell conveyors 5 and 6 are opposed to drop holes 7 and 8 provided in work table 1.

Reference numerals 9 and 10 denote a stock tray and a scion tray, which have the same shape.
For example, a storage hole 15 is provided in which 4 rows can be stored in an order of 5 × 6 rows. Each of the cells 13 and 14 has a pyramid shape and is fitted in a storage hole 15 of each of the trays 9 and 10 as shown in FIG.

At the upstream end of each of the cell conveyors 5 and 6, take-out arm devices 16 and 17 are arranged at positions above the respective cell conveyors 5 and 6 so that the respective tray conveyors 2 and 3 can be taken out.
To be able to turn over a range of 90 ° that is at right angles to the
Further, it is provided so as to be able to move up and down over a predetermined stroke. As described above, the two take-out arm devices 16 and 17 have the same configuration except that they have different turning directions. The following description will be made on the configuration of the take-out arm device 16 along one of the rootstock tray conveyors 2. Reference numeral 18 denotes a support shaft which is vertically supported on the work table 1 and is rotatable and vertically movable. A rotating device 19 such as a motor and a lifting device 20 such as a rodless cylinder are provided below the support shaft 18. Are linked. A base 21 is fixed to the upper end of the support shaft 18, and the base ends of the two arms 22a and 22b are slidably engaged with the base 21 in parallel in the facing direction. In addition, clamping and unclamping operations are performed by the telescopic actuator 23 in the facing direction.

A stock cutting device 24 is provided on the side of the stock cell conveyor 5 and a scion cutting device 25 is provided on the side of the scion cell conveyor 6 at the same position to face each other. ing. The stock cutting device 24 is as shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 6, wherein a clamping device 26 is provided on the lower side and a cutting device 27 is provided on the upper side. The left and right holding claws 30a, 30b are slidably supported in opposing directions on a sliding frame 29 slidably supported on the sliding frame 29, and are connected to sliding actuators 31, 31. Further, the cutting device 27 includes a cutter base 33 having a cutter 33a fixed to a sliding frame 32 slidably supported in the front-rear direction with respect to the bracket 28, and a cutting board member 34.
Are slidably supported in opposite directions and are connected to sliding actuators 35, 35.

The holding claws 30a, 30 of the holding device 26 are provided.
One of b has a U-shaped cross-section, and the other fits inside thereof. Further, holding portions 36a and 36b each having a V-shaped plane are provided on both opposing portions. The opposing surface 34a of the cutting board member 34 of the cutting device 27 is inclined such that the slope is directed upward, and the groove 37 into which the stock 11 fits is fitted to the opposing surface 34a.
Is provided. On the other hand, the cutter 33 fixed to the cutter base 33
a has elasticity, and the cutting board member 34 and the cutter base 33
When the cutter moves in a direction approaching, the tip of the cutter 33a moves upward along the slope of the facing surface 34a of the cutting board member 34.

The sliding frames 29 and 32 of the holding device 26 and the cutting device 27 are connected to sliding actuators 38a and 38b mounted on the bracket 28, respectively.
The holding device 26 is moved from a position where the tips of the holding claws 30a and 30b are shifted forward from the cell conveyor 5 for the stock.
Clamping portions 36a, 36b to slide over a range located above the widthwise center 0 ₁ of the cell conveyor 5, also similarly cutting device 27, a cell conveyor 5 for the tip of stock
From a more outside the front side position, adapted to slide over the range cutting portion is located above the widthwise center 0 ₁ of the cell conveyor 5. These sliding operations are individually performed by the respective sliding actuators 38a and 38b.

FIG. 1, FIG. 5, FIG. 7
A cutting device 40 is provided on the lower side, and a holding device 41 is provided on the upper side. The cutting device 40 is mounted on a sliding frame 43 slidably supported in a front-rear direction with respect to a bracket 42.
Cutter base 45 to which cutter 45a is fixed, and cutting board member 4
6 are slidably supported in the facing direction and are connected to sliding actuators 47, 47. The holding device 41 includes a sliding frame 48 slidably supported in the front-rear direction with respect to the bracket 42, and left and right holding claws 49a,
49b is slidably supported in the opposite direction and is connected to the sliding actuators 50,50. In the holding device 41, one of the holding claws 49a and 49b has a U-shaped cross section, and the other fits inside the holding claw 49a, 49b, similarly to the holding device 26 on the stock side. . Further, clamping portions 51a and 51b having a V-shaped planar shape are provided on both opposing portions. The facing surface 46a of the cutting board member 46 of the cutting device 40 has a slope facing downward, and the cutting device 2 of the stock cutting device 24
7 is inclined at the same angle as the inclination of the facing surface 34a of the cutting board member 34, and the facing surface 46a is provided with a groove 52 into which the scion 12 is fitted. On the other hand, the cutter 45a fixed to the cutter base 45 has elasticity,
When the cutter table 45 moves in the approaching direction, it moves downward along the slope of the cutter 45a.

The sliding frames 43 and 48 of the cutting device 40 and the clamping device 41 of the scion cutting device 25 are provided with sliding actuators 53a and 53b mounted on a bracket 42.
Be coupled to the cutting device 40, from the tip comes off the front side of the cell conveyor 6 for scion position, sliding over the range cutting portion is located above the widthwise center 0 ₂ of the cell conveyor 6 It works. Further, the holding device 41 has a tip portion having the cell conveyor 6 for the scion described above.
From the position where it comes off in front of the cell conveyor 6
A position located above the widthwise center 0 ₂ of, as further clamping portion moves to move the two-step position located above the widthwise center 0 ₁ of the cell conveyor 5 for the stock Has become.

The stock cutting device 24 and the scion cutting device 25
Are the cell conveyors 5 for rootstock and scion as described above.
6, the cutting devices 27 and 40 in the respective devices 24 and 25 are at the same position in the height direction.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 55 denotes a clip fitting device for fitting a clip 56 to a graft portion of the stock 11 and the scion 12 as shown in FIG. This clip 56 has a shape as shown in FIG. 9A, that is, a groove portion 57 to be fitted into the graft portion, and flange portions 58 protruding from both sides of the back surface.
a, 58b, and is made of a material having elasticity in the form of a string, and is cut to a required length for use. The clip fitting device 55 is configured as shown in FIG.
The lever 60 provided with a central portion 0 ₁ This clip holding mechanism 59 cell conveyor 5 for the stock, provided rotatably now in a position retracted, and over a position opposite to the clip feeder 61 ing. 61a is the rotation drive mechanism.

The clip holding mechanism 59 includes a clip 56
Support 62 in contact with the back surface of the
Left and right claw members 63a and 63b engaging with the first and second claw members 8a and 8b, and an actuator 6 for rotating the two claw members 63a and 63b.
It consists of four. The support table 62 is configured to abut only on the center of the back of the clip 56, and the left and right claw members 63a and 63b have lever 60
It is pivotally supported by a pivot pin 66 provided on a sliding piece 65 slidably provided in the front-rear direction on the upper surface of the device, and is attached by being urged in the opposite direction by a spring 65a. Also, the two claw members 63
Guide pins 67a, 67b abutting inside of a, 63b
Are projected from the lever 60, and when the sliding piece 65 is pushed by the actuator 64, the two claw members 63a, 6
As shown in FIG. 9 (d), the two claw members 63a, 3b are positioned in a positional relationship between the pivot pin 66 and the left and right guide pins 67a, 67b.
As shown in FIG. 9C, when the sliding member 65 is opened and the sliding piece 65 is pulled by the actuator 68, the both claw members 63a and 63b are guided by the two guide pins 67a and 67b to be parallel to the front side. Is to be moved to. By this operation, the flanges 58a, 58b of the clip 56 are pulled by the tips of the claw members 63a, 63b, and the clip 57 is deformed so that the groove 57 is opened.

The clip feeder 61 is provided with the clip feeder 7
And a roll support portion 73 for supporting the cutter 71 and the clip roll 72. The clip feeder 70 is a feed roller 74a, 74b for feeding the string-shaped clip 56.
And a bracket 75 for supporting the roller and the roller 74
a, 74b. The cutter 71 is moved up and down by the actuator 77 to protrude, so that the clip 56 is cut above the clip holding mechanism 59 of the clip fitting device 55.

A cell take-out device 80 is provided beside the terminal end of the root cell conveyor 5 for taking out the root cells 13 sent so far to the discharge tray conveyor 4 side by side. This cell take-out device 80 is a work table 1
A main body 82 supported by a lifting table 81 provided to be raised and lowered with respect to the base 83; a base 83 supported movably in a horizontal direction with respect to the main body 82; A pair of arms 84a, 8 slidably engaged in parallel to
4b. An actuator 85 for moving the base 83 is housed in the main body 82, and a pair of arms 84a and 84b are driven by an actuator 86 interposed therebetween. The actuator 85 for moving the base 83 includes:
The arms 84a and 85b are operated so as to stop at a position on the near side of the stock conveyor 6 for the stock, above the cell conveyor 6, and above each storage hole 15 of the discharge tray 87 on the discharge tray conveyor 4. It is supposed to.

The stock cell 13 and the scion cell 14 sent by the cell conveyors 5 and 6 are located on the side of the cell conveyors 5 and 6 and upstream of the positions where the cutting devices 24 and 25 face each other. Seedling detectors 90a and 90b such as an eye tracer for detecting the presence or absence of each seedling and the extremely small size are provided.

The operation of the above configuration will be described below.
The stock tray 9 containing the stock cells 13 in the storage holes 15 is placed on the stock tray conveyor 2 and the scion tray 10 containing the scion cells 14 in the storage holes 15 is put on the tray tray conveyor 3. Each of them is placed and sent in parallel at a predetermined speed.
The stock 11 and the stock 12 are grown to a predetermined size in the stock cell 13 and the stock cell 14, respectively, and these are grown in a greenhouse or the like while being stored in the trays 9 and 10. You. Each tray 9,10 on each tray conveyor 2,3
Are intermittently fed at the same phase and at every pitch in the feed direction of the storage holes 15 of the trays 9 and 10.

In synchronism with the feed of the tray conveyors 2 and 3, the cell take-out arm devices 16 and 1 for the stock and scion are used.
7 is activated to remove the five cells in a row on the tray onto each cell conveyor 5,6. This take-out operation is performed by turning and raising / lowering the take-out arm devices 16, 17, and the arms 22a, 22.
This is performed by the clamping and unclamping operations by b. Each of the cell conveyors 5, 6 also operates intermittently at intervals of the cells placed thereon, sequentially moves the cells, synchronizes with this feeding operation, and stops the cell conveyors 5, 6 in a stopped state. The cutting device 24, the scion cutting device 25, and the clip fitting device 55 operate.

In the stock cutting device 24, first, the clamping device 26
There both clamping claws 30a, it is advanced and 30b in the open state, are located on opposite sides of the cell of the stock 11 in the widthwise center 0 ₁ of the cell conveyor 5 for the stock, then close it, the this The base of the stock 11 is held between the holding portions 36a and 36b. Next, the cutting device 27 advances the cutter base 33 and the cutting board member 34 in an open state, and positions them on both sides of the stock held by the holding device 26.
By closing the cutting board member 34, the rootstock 1
1 is cut by the cutter 33a. FIG. 10 shows this state, in which the stock 11 is firmly held by the holding portions 36a and 36b of the holding device 26. In the cutting device 27, the stock 11 is fitted into the groove 37 of the cutting board member 34. In this state, the cutter 33a faces the opposing surface 34a of the cutting board member 34.
The upward movement while bending along the slope of the base material 11 causes the stock 11 to be cut at an inclination along the slope of the facing surface 34a.

After the above operation is completed in the stock cutting device 24, only the cutting device 27 is opened and retracted to a standby state.

On the other hand, the scion cutting device 25 is operated in synchronization with the operation of the stock cutting device 24. This scion cutting device 2
In 5, similarly to the rootstock cutting device 24, first, the holding device 41 advances the both holding claws 49 a and 49 b in an open state, and moves the holding claws 49 a and 49 _{b to the} center 0 _{2 in} the width direction on the cell conveyor 6 for scion.
The cell is located on both sides of the scion 12 and then closed, and the upper portions of the scion 12 are clamped by the clamping portions 51a and 51b. Next, the cutting device 40 advances the cutter base 45 and the cutting board member 46 in an open state and positions them on both sides of the scion 12 clamped by the clamping device 41, and then closes the cutter base 45 and the cutting board member 46. By doing
The lower part of the scion 12 is cut by the cutter 45a. FIG. 11 shows this state.
In the cutting device 40, the cutter 45a moves downward while bending along the slope of the opposing surface 46a of the cutting board member 46 with the scion 12 fitted in the groove 52 of the cutting board member 46. By this operation, the scion 12 is cut at an inclination along the slope of the facing surface 46a.

After the cutting operation of the scion cutting device 25 is completed, the cutting device 40 opens and retreats to a standby state. However, the holding device 41 remains in the holding state, and the cut scion 12 is placed on the stand. Width center 0 _{1 of} wood cell conveyor 5
Move forward. Thus, as shown in FIG. 12 (a), the stock 11 and the scion 12 are arranged coaxially with their cut portions facing each other.

In this state, the clip fitting device 55 operates. That is, the clip fitting device 55 causes the clip holding mechanism 59 thereof to face the clip supply device 61 by the rotation of the lever 60, and as shown in FIG.
The clip 56 is gripped by the left and right claw members 63a and 63b. Then, the cutter 71 cuts the upper side of the gripping portion. Then, the both claw members 63a and 63b are pulled, and FIG.
The groove 57 of the clip 56 is deformed so as to open as shown in FIG.

This operation is performed by the above-mentioned rootstock and scion cutting device 2.
The operation is performed during the operation of steps 4 and 25 and is in a standby state.
Then, with the stock 11 and the scion 12 arranged as shown in FIG. 12A, the lever 60 moves toward the stock cell conveyor 5 side, and the center of the groove 57 of the clip 56 gripped by the lever 60 is rotates so as to coincide with the width direction center 0 _1.
As a result, the clip 5 is attached to the grafted portion of the stock 11 and the scion 12.
6 are fitted. Then, in this state, the two claw members 63a, 6
3b, the two members 63a, 63b are pushed.
The clip 56 is detached from the clip 56 as shown in FIG. 9D, and the clip 56 is tightly fitted to the graft portion of the stock 11 and the scion 12 as shown in FIG. The clip insertion device 55 returns to the standby position again and performs the clip gripping operation.

The grafting operation of one seedling is completed by the above series of operations. In this state, the cell conveyors 5 and 6 for the rootstock and the scion move by one cell, and the grafting of the next cell is performed. Actuation takes place at positions 0 ₁ and 0 ₂ . The grafting cells 13 for which grafting has been completed are stored one by one in the storage holes 15 of the discharge tray 87 on the discharge tray conveyor 4 by the cell take-out device 80.

In the above grafting operation, the seedlings of the rootstock cell 13 and the scion cell 14 on each of the cell conveyors 5 and 6 are each determined by the seedling detectors 90a and 90b before the seedlings reach the grafting position. The size is detected. If there is no or very small seedlings in one or both cells being sent synchronously, this is detected, and the paired rootstock cells and spike cells are moved to the grafting position. Also, the above-described series of grafting operations are not performed, and are sent to the end as they are on the scion cell conveyor 6 and are discarded from the drop hole 8. On the other hand, the cell take-out device 80 does not operate even on the stock cell conveyor 5 and is discarded from the drop hole 7 at the end. In the above operation, the cells of the seedlings that are detected to be small for grafting may not be discarded as described above, but may be collected, raised again, and used for grafting.

[0031]

According to the present invention, the rootstock 11 and the scion 12 can be grafted one by one, and only the seedlings that have grown well can be grafted. Can be done

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall front view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a relationship between a tray and a cell.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a stock cutting device.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the scion cutting device.

FIG. 6 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 4;

7 is a view as viewed in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a clip fitting device and a clip supply device.

FIG. 9A is a sectional view of a clip. (B),
(C), (d) is an operation explanatory view of the clip holding mechanism.

FIG. 10 is an operation explanatory view showing a cutting state of a rootstock.

FIG. 11 is an operation explanatory view showing a cutting state of a scion.

FIGS. 12A and 12B are operation explanatory diagrams showing a graft state of a stock and a scion.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Work table, 2 ... stock tray conveyer, 3 ... hogi tray conveyer, 4 ... discharge tray conveyer, 5,6 ... cell conveyer, 7,8 ... fall hole, 9,10,87 ... tray,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... stock, 12 ... scion, 13, 14 ... cell, 15 ... storage hole, 16, 17 ... cell take-out arm device, 24 ... stock cutting device, 25 ... scion cutting device, 55 ... clip fitting device , 55 ... clip, 59 ... clip holding mechanism, 61 ...
Clip supply device, 80 ... Cell take-out device, 90a, 9
0b: Seedling detector.

Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tatsuya Mori 1200 Manda, Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture, Komatsu Ltd.Laboratory (72) Inventor Yasuo Kojima 1200, Manda, Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa Komatsu Ltd.Laboratory (56) References 2-211810 (JP, A) JP-A-4-187029 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A01G 1/06

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A stock tray conveyor 2 and a scion tray conveyor 3 are provided in parallel with each other.
A discharge tray conveyor 4 is provided at a position downstream of the feed direction, and the stock tray conveyor 2 and the scion tray conveyor 3 are provided.
Between the rootstock cell conveyor 5 and the scion cell conveyor 6, a rootstock tray conveyor 2 and a scion tray conveyor 3 are provided.
A cell for rootstock, which is provided along each of the above, and takes out the rootstock cell 13 placed on the rootstock tray conveyor 2 to the rootcell conveyor 5 on the upstream side of the rootstock cell conveyor 5. A take-out arm device 16 is provided, and a scion cell pick-up for taking out scion cells 14 placed on the scion tray conveyor 3 upstream of the scion cell conveyor 6 to the scion cell conveyor 6. An arm device 17 is provided, and the base of the rootstock 11 of the rootstock cell 13 sent one by one by the rootstock cell conveyor 5 is attached to the side of the rootstock cell conveyor 5. the rootstock cutting device 24 for cutting the upper and clamping in place 0 ₁ of the conveyor 5 and the side portions of the cell conveyor 6 for scion, one by one in cell conveyors 6 for scion The tip of the scion 12 of the sent scion cell 14 is clamped and the lower side is cut. Rutotomoni, the scion cutting device 25 the scion 12 grafting the cut portion of the stock 11 that are cut upper in the stock cutting unit 24, arranged to face each
The stock 11 and the scion 1 concentrically grafted by the cutting devices 24 and 25 downstream of the cutting devices 24 and 25.
2 is provided with a clip fitting device 55 for fitting a clip 56 to the grafted portion of the second tray, and a discharge tray conveyor for discharging the cells grafted with the scion 12 to the stock 11 beside the downstream portion of the cell conveyor 5 for the stock. 4 is provided with an unloading device 80 for unloading,
Beside each of the cell conveyors 5 and 6 and each cutting device 2
A continuous grafting apparatus, comprising seedling detectors 90a and 90b for detecting the presence and size of seedlings of cells 13 and 14 sent by cell conveyors 5 and 6, respectively, on the upstream side of cells 25.