JPH07250511A - Apparatus for selecting soil-sticking young seedling - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a seedling selection apparatus capable of surely rejecting defective seedling from a transplanter, etc., for farm crops using a soil-sticking young seedlings connected with each other in a state separable into individual seedlings by using a selection member surely projecting and retreating to a transportation posture and a dropping posture even in the case of using a non- uniformly arranged seedling row moving at a high and varying speed. CONSTITUTION:Paper tube detectors 61, 62 for detecting the paper tube part of a seedling 92 and a leaf detector 64 for detecting the leaf part 93 of a seedling 91 are placed at the delivery end of a transfer conveyor. A selection member 42 is turned to a dropping posture when a paper tube part is detected by the paper tube detectors 61, 62 and the leaf part is not detected by the leaf detection part 64.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates to transplant cultivation of agricultural products,
Detects defective seedlings that have no leaves or small leaves in a transplanter that uses soil-based seedlings such as paper tube seedlings that are separably connected to individual seedlings. The present invention also relates to a soil-seedling sorting device that excludes this from the outside of the system and uses only good seedlings for transplantation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 58-44807 proposes a sorting apparatus for detecting defective seedlings such as paper tube seedlings, removing them out of the system, and providing only good seedlings for transplantation.

In this sorting device, a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt, which carry seedlings in a vertical posture and are conveyed in a line, are provided on a straight line at the same level and at predetermined intervals, and both conveyor belts are delivered. A sorting body is provided between the two, and a detector for detecting a leaf portion is provided in the middle of the first conveyor belt. Then, the seedlings are extruded and fed into the first conveyor belt row by row, conveyed at a predetermined interval where the soil portion is in close contact, and when the leaf portion comes into contact with the detector, the sorting body does not rotate and the seedlings are secondarily arranged. When the leaves are not in contact with the detector and the leaves are not in contact with the detector, the sorting body is rotated by the clutch after a predetermined time has passed (when the defective seedling is placed on the sorting body) to remove the defective seedling. This is a first conventional example.

Further, Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-46123 proposes a sorting device for an earthen seedling transplanting machine using an impeller and a seedling holding rod.

This sorting device is provided with an impeller that rotates in the lateral direction as an axis, and the impeller is provided with blades at predetermined intervals. A seedling supply conveyor is provided below the impeller. In addition, a cam is provided coaxially with the impeller at the same predetermined interval as the impeller, and an operation switch and a self-holding release limit switch are installed by sandwiching the cam, and the leaf portion of the seedling transferred by the impeller on the seedling presser rod side The light receiving portion and the light source of the photoelectric switch are provided so as to face each other on the trajectory of rotation.

Then, the seedlings are fed to the impeller in a horizontal position,
The impeller transfers each seedling by opening it at a predetermined interval. When the healthy seedlings of the leaves are sent to the photoelectric switch, the light is blocked, and the light receiving unit detects the seedlings and does not open the seedling retainer rod. Also, if the photoelectric switch has no leaves or poor seedlings are sent, it will not be detected by the light receiving part, so the operation switch will turn on and the seedling holding rod will be opened by the solenoid, the seedlings will lose their support and fall and the defective seedlings will be eliminated. It is what is done. This is a second conventional example.

[0007]

In the technique of the first conventional example, in which the soil portion is conveyed at predetermined intervals, the leaf portion is smaller than the soil portion, and the leaf is easily detected by the detector. The presence or absence of the leaf portion can be detected, but if the leaf portion is larger than the diameter of the soil portion as in the seedling of the second conventional example, the presence or absence of the leaf portion cannot be detected if the leaf portion is conveyed in close contact.

In the second conventional example, therefore, the presence or absence of the leaves is easily detected by conveying the seedlings by the impeller at predetermined intervals. However, the impeller conveys the seedlings. Therefore, there is a limit to the number of transports. In other words, the blades of the impeller need a certain size to send seedlings, and it takes a certain amount of time for the seedlings to fall into the blades and enter, so the number of seedlings transferred per unit time is Has a limit. In order to convey the seedlings at predetermined intervals, it is customary to convey the seedlings by a sectioned conveyor, but in this case as well, the number of conveyers is limited for the same reason.

The inventors of the present invention have previously disclosed Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-51241.
As shown in the issue, we proposed a seedling separation device that automatically separates a single seedling group into individual seedlings, but by automatically separating seedlings in this way, high-speed separation of up to about 10 seedlings per second is possible. Therefore, the transplantation speed will be as high as 140 cm / sec, and the efficiency of transplantation work will be improved. When transplanting seedlings at such a high speed, it is customary to carry the seedlings with a pair of belts that do not have compartments. Is not conveyed at predetermined intervals. If the seedlings are not conveyed at a predetermined interval, it is impossible to sort out the defective seedlings by the sorting device of the conventional technique.

That is, in the first conventional example, when the leaves are not in contact with the detector, the sorting body rotates after a predetermined time and rejects defective seedlings. The container is not in contact for a predetermined time and the sorter rotates unnecessarily. Further, in the second conventional example, since the operation switch is turned on by the cam synchronized with the impeller to open the seedling retainer rod and the defective seedlings are eliminated, the synchronized cam is provided for the belt without the section. The operation switch for opening and closing the seedling retainer bar cannot be turned on or off.

In a transplanter provided with such a device for selecting defective seedlings, as shown in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-39563, only good seedlings are closely aligned and then planted in a field at predetermined intervals. Is customary. The rate of defective seedlings varies, and more seedlings have to be supplied by removing the defective seedlings. Therefore, the speed of seedlings passing through the sorting device increases and decreases irregularly.

When the speed of the seedlings passing through the sorter increases or decreases, it becomes impossible to control the advance / retreat of the sorter by time. In other words, if the defective seedlings pass the detection point and set the sorting body to the falling posture, and after returning for a predetermined time to the transporting posture, if the speed decreases in the middle, before the defective seedlings pass the sorting body in the falling posture. However, the defective seedlings are not returned to the transporting posture, and the defective seedlings are not eliminated, and if the speed increases during the process, the defective seedlings continue to fall even after passing through the sorting body in the falling posture, so that subsequent good seedlings are also eliminated.

As described above, in the case where the defective seedling sorting device is provided and the seedlings passing through the sorting device are increased / decreased to be closely aligned, the defective seedlings are sorted when the speed changes while moving from the detection point to the sorting body. The timing for the body to return to the transport position will not match.

Therefore, according to the present invention, seedlings are conveyed at intervals of almost a predetermined interval to facilitate the detection of leaves, and at the same time, the seedling rows are high-speed and the intervals are not uniform, and the speed is increased or decreased. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a high-performance and high-efficiency transplanter by a sorting device that reliably removes defective seedlings out of the system by a sorting body that accurately advances and retracts between the transporting posture and the dropping posture.

[0015]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a conveyor 20 for conveying separated seedlings 91 in a row, and a conveyor 91 for conveying seedlings 91 to the end of the conveyor 20. Sorting body that moves forward and backward in the transporting posture and the dropping posture in which the seedling 91 is dropped
In the sorting device 40 provided with 42, the good seedling transport belt 45 for receiving and transporting the seedlings 91 from the sorting body 42 in the transporting posture, the transport conveyor 20 transports the seedlings 91 at intervals of approximately predetermined intervals, and At least a part of the paper tube portion 92 and the leaf portion 93 are projected and conveyed, and the paper tube portion of the seedling 91 is provided at the end of the transfer conveyor 20.
While the paper tube detectors 61 and 62 for detecting 92 and the leaf sensor 64 for detecting the leaf 93 of the seedling 91 are provided, while the paper tube detectors 61 and 62 detect the paper tube 92. In addition, when the leaf portion detector 64 does not detect the leaf portion 93, the sorting body 42 is placed in the falling posture.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a second paper tube detector, which is provided with a second paper tube detector 65 for detecting the paper tube 92 of the seedling 91 in the vicinity of the selection body 42. The section detector 65 detects the paper tube portion 92 that passes when the sorting body 42 is in the falling posture, and returns the sorting body 42 to the transporting posture by the detection of the second paper tube portion detector 65.

The soil-seedling sorting device according to the third aspect of the present invention is provided with a pulse generator 70 which is interlocked with the traveling of the conveyor 20.
The equivalent pulse P corresponding to a predetermined distance after the seedling 91 passes through the paper tube detectors 61, 62 until it passes through the sorting body 42 in the falling posture is set, and the leaf detector 64 detects the leaf 93. Instead, the sorting body 42 that is in the falling posture is returned to the transporting posture after the corresponding pulse P has elapsed.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sorting apparatus for soil seedling 91.
Paper tube detectors 61 and 62 are photoelectric switches, and leaf detectors
64 is a contact-type switch.

[0019]

[Operation] According to the first aspect of the invention, the paper tube detectors 61 and 62 for detecting the paper tube 92 of the seedling 91 at the end of the transport conveyor 20.
And a leaf part detector 64 for detecting the leaf part 93 of the seedling 91 are provided, and the leaf part detector 64 detects the leaf part 93 while the paper tube parts detectors 61 and 62 detect the paper tube part 92. If not, the sorting body 42 is placed in the falling posture. Therefore, control of the sorting body 42 to the falling posture is started with reference to the end of detection of the paper tube 92 of the paper tube detectors 61, 62.

According to the second aspect of the invention, seedlings are provided in the vicinity of the sorting body 42.
A second paper tube portion detector 65 for detecting the paper tube portion 92 of 91 is provided,
The second paper tube portion detector 65 detects the paper tube portion 92 that passes when the sorting body 42 is in the falling attitude, and the detection of the second paper tube portion detector 65 restores the sorting body 42 to the transporting attitude. The control of returning the sorting body 42 to the transporting posture is started when the seedling 91 passes through the sorting body 42.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the pulse generator 70 interlocked with the circulation of the conveyor 20 is provided, and the seedling 91 passes through the paper tube detectors 61 and 62 and then passes through the sorting body 42 in the falling posture. The equivalent pulse P corresponding to the predetermined distance is set, and the leaf detector 64 returns the sorting body 42 in the falling posture without detecting the leaf 93 to the transport posture after the corresponding pulse P has elapsed.
The control of returning the sorting body 42 to the transporting posture is started when the transport conveyor 20 travels enough to pass the seedling 91 through the sorting body 42.

According to the invention of claim 4, the paper tube portion detectors 61, 62
Is a photoelectric switch, since the leaf portion detector 64 is a contact-type switch, the timing of control to the falling posture of the sorting body 42 does not change, and the detection period of the leaf portion 93 of the leaf portion detector 64 is It can be taken long.

[0023]

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As a seedling group 90 that is separably connected to each individual seedling 91, a paper tube seedling by a paper tube raising container is shown. In this paper tube seedling raising container, a paper tube having a hexagonal columnar shape that is opened at the top and bottom when unfolded is orderly bonded with a water-soluble adhesive. When seedlings are sown in a paper tube portion 92 filled with soil in this paper tube and the seedlings are grown, the seedlings grow and the leaf portions 93 extend from the paper tube portion 92.
The water-soluble glue gradually dissolves and disappears by irrigation,
The paper cylinders are gradually connected to each other as the decay progresses, and the paper cylinder 92 is separably and orderly connected to each seedling 91 while maintaining an appropriate connection strength during transplantation.

Next, a defective seedling having no leaf portion 93 or a small leaf portion 93 is detected from the separated seedlings 91, which is excluded from the system and only a good seedling is selected for transplantation. apparatus
A transplanter equipped with 40 will be described.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a machine frame, and the machine frame 1 forms a frame body having a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, and is attached to a tractor (not shown) and towed. An upper frame 2 is provided above the machine frame 1, a seedling placing table 3 is provided above the upper frame 2, and a separating device 10 is provided in the upper frame 2 below the seedling placing table 3.
To provide. Grounding wheels 4 are provided on the lower left and right sides of the machine casing 1, and the grounding wheels 4 are grounded on the field E and rotate as the machine casing 1 advances to supply power to the apparatus. A sorting device 40 is provided between the machine frame 1 and the upper frame 2, and the sorting device 40 is supported by a sorting device frame 41.
A planting device 50 is provided between the sorting device 40 and the field E.

The separating device 10 comprises a pair of rails on the upper frame 2.
11, a seedling supply frame 12 that reciprocates on the rails 11 in the longitudinal direction thereof, a seedling supply belt 13 provided on the seedling supply frame 12, and a pair of shafts projecting upward from the sorting device frame 41, and two upper and lower parts are provided above the shafts. It consists of a pair of separating rollers 15 fitted in the step. The seedling supply belt 13 intermittently travels toward the separation roller 15 by one row of the seedling group 90 at the reciprocating end of the seedling supply frame 12, and is inclined low toward the separation roller 15. Pair of separation rollers
The pair of belts 21 and 22 of the conveyor 15 start from between the rollers 15 above and below the rollers 15 so that the surfaces facing each other face toward the conveyor 20.

The seedling group 90 is placed on the seedling feeding belt 13 in a standing state, moved together by the reciprocating movement of the seedling feeding frame 12, and successively comes into contact with the pair of separating rollers 15 so that the individual seedlings 91 are continuously fed. The separated seedlings 91 are sandwiched by a pair of separation rollers 15 and fed out at substantially equal intervals.
Delivered to 20. When all the rows of the seedling group 90 have been separated, the seedling supply belt 13 runs intermittently to start the separation of a new seedling row, but during this time, the seedlings 91 are not separated and are fed out.
The interval of 91 becomes wide.

The conveyer 20 comprises a separating device 10 and a sorting device.
The seedlings 91, which are provided between 40 and separated by the separating device 10 in a standing state, are continuously turned in a horizontal state in a row to be conveyed. The sorting device 40 includes a terminal end of the transfer conveyor 20, a good seedling transfer belt 45 that is horizontally connected from below the transfer end, and a transfer end of the transfer conveyor 20 and a good seedling transfer belt 45.
And a sorting body 42 provided between the transport start ends of the.

The conveyor 20 is provided with a pair of belts 21 and 22, a large number of elastic projections are provided on the surfaces of the pair of belts 21 and 22, and the pair of belts 21 and 22 have elastic projections between their contact surfaces. Thus, the intermediate portion of the paper tube portion 92 is sandwiched and both end portions are projected so that the paper tube portion 92 is conveyed at a predetermined interval (about 73 mm in the embodiment). The pair of belts 21 and 22 are rotated at a speed higher than the reciprocating movement speed of the seedling supply frame 12 so that the separated seedlings 91 can be spaced widely.

The pair of belts 21 and 22 are stretched between a shaft projecting upward from the sorting device frame 41 and a pulley shaft 26 projecting rearward from the sorting device frame 41 in the advancing direction of the transplanter. The contact surfaces are rotated in opposite directions so that they travel in the same direction. The pair of belts 21 and 22 extends from the separating device 10 in the horizontal outward direction, bends backward in the horizontal direction to direct the seedling 91 toward the rear, and bends vertically downward to turn the seedling 91 to the sideways state, The lower end that extends further downward is the transport end.

Guide rails 31 and 32 corresponding to the bending of the belts 21 and 22 are provided on both traveling side surfaces of the pair of belts 21 and 22, and the guide rails 31 and 32 are fixed to a sorting device frame 41. Grooves are formed along the running direction of the belts 21 and 22 on the sides of the guide rails 31 and 32 facing the belts 21 and 22, and the belts 21 and 22 are slid and run to maintain the bent state. It

The sorting body 42 has a carrying posture in which the seedlings 91 from the carrying conveyor 20 are carried to the good seedling carrying belt 45, and a carrying conveyor.
The seedling 91 from 20 moves forward and backward in a falling posture in which the seedling 91 is dropped without being transferred to the good seedling conveyance belt 45.

The sorting body 42 is fitted in the front end of the sorting body shaft 43 which is provided in parallel with the pulley shaft 26 and penetrates the sorting device frame 41, and the sorting body 42 is positioned below the conveying end of the pair of belts 21, 22. And A rotary solenoid 44 is provided at the other end of the sorting body shaft 43, and the main body of the rotary solenoid 44 is fixed to the sorting device frame 41, and the shaft is coupled to the sorting body shaft 43. The rotary solenoid 44 is set to the initial position of the transporting posture of the sorting body 42 without being energized, and is energized to a predetermined angle (70 in the embodiment).
The axis rotates by a certain degree) to advance and retreat to the drop position, and when the power supply is cut off, the return spring returns to the initial position and the transfer position is set.

A good seedling conveyance belt 45 is horizontally provided from below the sorting body 42. Below the pulley shaft 26,
In the same direction in parallel with the sorting device frame 41 to the pulley shafts 46, 47
Is provided, and the good seedling conveyance belt 45 is hung between the pulley shafts 46 and 47. Then, the laterally oriented seedlings 91 delivered from the sorting body 42 are placed and transported.

In order to remove defective seedlings out of the system by the sorting device 40 and closely align the seedling rows with uneven intervals, the seedling 91 is separated and conveyed from the reciprocating movement of the seedling supply frame 12 to the good seedling conveying belt 45. Increase or decrease the speed of the path. That is, by detecting the detector 49 of the seedling 91 provided on the stacking conveyor 48 at the next stage of the good seedling conveying belt 45, if the closely aligned seedling row is short, the seedlings are separated and conveyed by increasing the speed to the sorting device 40. 91 seedlings are increased, and if the seedling row is long, the speed to the sorting device 40 is slowed and the seedlings are separated and conveyed 91
To a predetermined length of closely aligned seedling rows.

Then, the seedlings are closely arranged on the collecting conveyor 48.
91 is delivered to the planting device 50 at predetermined intervals. Planting equipment
Reference numeral 50 is a pair of elastic disks, and the seedlings 91 transferred from the sorting device 40 in a lateral direction are planted on the field surface E in a standing state.

Next, the control of the sorting body 42 will be described.

[0039] The paper tube portion of the seedling 91 is provided at the end of the transport conveyor 20.
The paper cylinder detectors 61 and 62 that detect 92 and the leaf detector 64 that detects the leaf 93 of the seedling 91 are provided, and the paper cylinder 92 of the seedling 91 is detected in the vicinity of the sorting body 42. A paper tube detector 65 is provided, and a microcomputer or sequencer for operating the rotary solenoid 44 in response to signals from these detectors is provided.

Brackets 66, 67 are provided on the lower side of the guide rails 31, 32 of the conveyor 20 on the side where the leaf 93 of the seedling 91 passes.
The brackets 66, 67 are provided with photoelectric switches 61, 62 as paper cylinder detectors, and the bracket 66 is provided with a contact type switch 64 as a leaf detector.

The photoelectric switches 61 and 62 are provided at positions close to the transport conveyor 20, and are provided so as to face the transport locus of the paper tube portion 92 from which the seedlings 91 transported by the transport conveyor 20 project. The photoelectric switches 61 and 62 have a light emitting side and a light receiving side, and the optical axis is located between them.
63 passes through, and the optical axis 63 is blocked by the paper tube 92 to detect the paper tube 92.

The contact-type switch 64 is provided at a position distant from the transfer conveyor 20, and the seedlings 91 transferred by the transfer conveyor 20 are transferred.
It is provided across the transportation locus of the leaf portion 93. The switch 64 is provided with an elongated detection needle 64a so that the tip of the detection needle 64a crosses the conveyance path of the leaf portion 93, and the detection needle 64a is elastically supported and pushed when the leaf portion 93 comes into contact. When the detection needle 64a is bent by a predetermined angle, the switch 64 is turned off and the leaf portion 93 is detected.

The detection of the leaf portion 93 of the switch 64 is started almost at the same time as the detection start of the paper tube portion 92 of the photoelectric switches 61 and 62, or slightly earlier, and the detection of the leaf portion 93 is ended. The irregular leaf portion 93 can be surely detected within the detection period of the paper tube portion 92 of the photoelectric switches 61 and 62 by being ended almost at the same time as the detection end or slightly later.

A guide rod 69 is provided from the guide rail 32 on the opposite side of the guide rail 31 provided with the bracket 66 of the switch 64 toward the tip of the detection needle 64a, and the leaf portion 93 of the seedling 91 is conveyed by the conveyer conveyor 20. Guides toward the tip of the detection needle 64a.

Then, the seedling 91 conveyed by the conveyer 20
Is a good seedling with a large leaf portion 93, the optical axis 63 of the photoelectric switches 61, 62 is blocked by the paper tube portion 92, that is, the paper tube portion 92 in the horizontal direction is blocked.
While the lower end to the upper end (about 20 mm) passes the optical axis 63,
While the photoelectric switches 61 and 62 are detecting the paper tube 92, the detection needle 64a of the switch 64 is pushed by the leaf 93 and bends. When the switch 64 detects the leaf 93, the sorting body 42 is dropped. Instead of the posture, keep the transport posture. An off-delay timer may be applied to the detection signal of the switch 64 to lengthen the apparent detection time to ensure the detection of the leaf portion 93.

When the seedling 91 transported by the transport conveyor 20 is a defective seedling without the leaf portion 93 or a small leaf portion 93, the optical axes 63 of the photoelectric switches 61 and 62 are blocked by the paper tube portion 92, and the photoelectric switch 63 is blocked. While the switches 61 and 62 are detecting the paper tube portion 92, the detection needle 64a of the switch 64 is pushed by the leaf portion 93 and does not bend, and when the switch 64 does not detect the leaf portion 93, the sorting body 42 Is the falling posture.

A bracket 68 is provided on the lower end of the guide rail 31 of the conveyor 20 on the side where the leaf 93 of the seedling 91 does not pass, and the bracket 68 is provided with a contact type switch 65 as a second paper tube detector. Is provided in the vicinity of the sorting body 42.

The contact-type switch 65 is provided at a position close to the transfer conveyor 20 and is transferred by the transfer conveyor 20 to select the sorting body.
It is provided across the transportation path of the paper tube portion 92 of the seedling 91 through which the seedling 91 passes when 42 is in the falling posture. The switch 65 is provided with an elongated detection needle 65a, and the tip of the detection needle 65a is made to cross the conveyance trajectory of the paper tube portion 92 that passes through the sorting body 42 in the falling posture, and the detection needle 65a is elastically supported. The paper cylinder 92
When the contact point is touched, it is pushed and bends, and when the detection needle 65a bends by a predetermined angle, the switch 65 is turned off and the paper tube portion 92 is detected.

The photoelectric switches 61 and 62 and the switch 64
The detection needle 65a of the switch 65 is pushed and bent by the paper tube portion 92 that passes through the sorting body 42 in the falling posture, which is regarded as a defective seedling by the detection of
The paper tube part that the switch 65 passes through when the sorting body 42 is in the falling posture.
When 92 is detected, the sorting body 42 is returned to the transporting posture. When the switch 65 is turned off, the sorting body 42 is not returned to the transporting posture, but when the switch 65 is turned back on, the sorting body 42 is returned to the transporting posture so that the defective seedlings are sorted in the falling posture. body
You may make sure to pass 42.

Next, the operation of the sorting device 40 will be described.

The seedling group 90 is separated into individual seedlings 91 by the separating device 10, and the seedlings 91 are transported by the transporting conveyor 20 with the both ends of the paper tube portion 92 protruding at almost every predetermined interval.
Toward the sorting device 40 at the end of the.

In the sorting device 40, the photoelectric switches 61 and 62 for detecting the paper tube portion 92 and the switch 64 for detecting the leaf portion 93 are used to switch while the photoelectric switches 61 and 62 are detecting the paper tube portion 92. When 64 detects the leaf portion 93, the sorting body 42 is kept in the transporting posture, and the good seedlings are transferred to the good seedling transport belt 45.
When 93 is not detected, the sorting body 42 is set in the dropping posture to exclude the defective seedlings outside the system.

At this time, the control of the dropping posture of the sorting body 42 is started on the basis of the end of the detection of the paper tube portion 92 of the photoelectric switches 61, 62, so that the seedlings 91 are properly conveyed even if they are not conveyed at a predetermined interval. In addition, the sorting body 42 can be moved back and forth in the falling posture.

Further, the paper tube detector is the photoelectric switches 61, 62.
Therefore, the timing of controlling the dropping posture of the sorting body 42 does not change, so that defective seedlings can be reliably excluded from the system even in a seedling row conveyed at high speed. Furthermore, since the leaf detector is the contact type switch 64, and the detection period of the leaf portion 93 of the switch 64 can be long, even if the leaf portion 93 is irregular, good seedlings can be printed on the paper of the photoelectric switches 61 and 62. The detection can be reliably performed within the detection period of the tubular portion 92, and good seedlings are not unnecessarily excluded from the system.

The defective seedling passes through the sorting body 42 that has advanced to the falling posture and is removed from the system. However, a switch 65 for detecting the paper cylinder 92 of the seedling 91 is provided near the sorting body 42, and the switch 65 is When the sorting body 42 is in the falling posture, the paper tube portion 92 passing therethrough is detected, and when the switch 65 is detected, the sorting body 42 is returned to the transporting posture.

At this time, the control to restore the conveying posture of the sorting body 42 is started when the seedling 91 passes through the sorting body 42.
When 91 passes through the photoelectric switches 61 and 62 and the defective seedling is detected, the sorting body 42 is in the falling posture, and the sorting body 42 is in the transporting posture even if the speed of the seedling 91 increases or decreases while the seedling 91 moves to the sorting body 42. It is possible to eliminate defective seedlings outside the system without causing the timing of restoration to be out of sync.

The seedling rows of the good seedlings, which have been delivered to the good seedling conveying belt 45 and have the irregular intervals, are closely aligned by the collecting conveyor 48 and the detector 49, and then at predetermined intervals by the planting device 50. Planted on the field E.

Next, the soil seedling sorting device of the second embodiment
40 will be described.

In the second embodiment, a pulse generator 70 is used in place of the contact type switch 65 as the second paper tube detector of the previous embodiment. The pulse generator 70 is the conveyor 20.
It is composed of a slit disk 71 fitted in the pulley shaft 26 and a photomicrosensor 72 for detecting the slit.

The slit disc 71 is fitted on the pulley shaft 26 inside the sorting device frame 41, and a large number of slits (12 in the embodiment) are provided on the outer periphery of the slit disc 71 so that the inside of the sorting device frame 41 is A bracket 73 is provided in the vicinity of one pulley shaft 26, and a photomicrosensor 72 is provided on the bracket 73.
The detection unit of the photo micro sensor 72 fits into the outer periphery of the slit disk 71 to detect the passage of the slit, and when the slit disk 71 rotates, the photo micro sensor 72 generates a pulse corresponding to the rotation of the slit disk 71.

The rotation speed of the slit disk 71 fitted on the pulley shaft 26 of the transfer conveyor 20 is linked to the increase / decrease in the traveling speed of the transfer conveyor 20, and the pulse generator 70 generates a pulse corresponding to the rotation of the transfer conveyor 20. To do. Then, a corresponding pulse P (six pulses in the embodiment) corresponding to a predetermined distance after the seedling 91 has passed through the photoelectric switches 61 and 62 and before passing through the sorting body 42 in the falling posture is set, and the photoelectric switches 61 and 62 are set. The switch 42 detects the seedling as a defective seedling and returns the sorting body 42 in the falling posture to the transporting posture after the corresponding pulse P has elapsed.

The operation of the sorting body 42 by the pulse generator 70 is performed after the defective seedling passes through the sorting body 42 that has advanced to the falling posture and is removed from the system, and the seedling 91 passes through the photoelectric switches 61 and 62. The sorting body 42 is returned to the transporting posture after an equivalent pulse P corresponding to a predetermined distance until passing through the sorting body 42 in the falling posture.

At this time, the control to restore the transporting posture of the sorting body 42 is started when the transporting conveyor 20 goes around as much as the seedling 91 passes through the sorting body 42.
When the seedlings 42 pass through the path and the defective seedlings are detected, the sorting bodies 42 fall into the falling posture, and even if the speed of the seedlings 91 increases or decreases while the seedlings 91 move to the sorting bodies 42, the timing at which the sorting bodies 42 return to the transport posture does not match. It is possible to exclude defective seedlings out of the system with certainty.

In the above-mentioned examples, the seedling 91 is shown in a paper-tube raising container, but the seedling-growing medium itself is made of the inorganic fibers or polymer compounds forming the seedling-growing container, or the medium is hardened with a binder. However, as long as it can be separated into individual seedlings 91, the paper tube portion 92 corresponds to these seedling growing media.

Further, although the selection body 42 has been shown to rotate and advance and retreat by a predetermined angle, the selection body 42 can be moved to and from a transportation posture for conveying the seedlings 91 and a falling posture for dropping the seedlings 91. Well, it may be one that reciprocates linearly.

Further, photoelectric switch 61, 62 and contact type switch 64, 65 are shown as the paper tube portion detector, the leaf portion detector, and the second paper tube portion detector. Anything that can reliably detect the paper tube portion 92 and the leaf portion 93 may be used, and a capacitance type proximity switch or an ultrasonic switch may be used.

Further, although the pulse generator 70 is shown as having the slit disk 71 and the photomicrosensor 72, it may be a rotary encoder or a proximity switch.

[0068]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the control of the dropping posture of the sorting body is started on the basis of the completion of the detection of the paper tube portion of the paper tube portion detector, so that the seedlings are conveyed at a predetermined interval. Even if it is not, it is possible to accurately move the sorting body back and forth to the falling posture.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the control to restore the transporting posture of the sorting body is started when the seedling passes through the sorting body. Therefore, the seedling passes through the paper tube detector and the defective seedling is detected. As a result, the sorting body will be in a falling posture, and even if the seedling speed increases or decreases while the seedling moves to the sorting body, the timing for the sorting body to return to the transport posture will not be out of sync, and defective seedlings will be reliably excluded from the system. it can.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the control for restoring the transporting posture of the sorting body is started when the transport conveyor circulates enough for the seedlings to pass through the sorting body. If the seedlings pass through the path and the defective seedlings are detected, the sorting body will be in a falling posture, and even if the speed of the seedlings increases or decreases while the seedlings move to the sorting body, the timing for the sorting body to return to the transport posture does not become incorrect Bad seedlings can be excluded from the system.

According to the invention of claim 4, since the paper tube detector is a photoelectric switch and the timing of controlling the dropping posture of the sorting body does not deviate, the seedling row conveyed at high speed can be surely operated. Bad seedlings can be excluded from the system.

Further, since the leaf portion detector is a contact type switch and the detection period of the leaf portion of the switch is long, even if the leaf portion is irregular, good seedlings can be detected by the paper tube portion of the paper tube portion detector. Can be reliably detected within the detection period of, and good seedlings are not unnecessarily excluded from the system.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of a sorting apparatus for soil-seeded seedlings.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged rear view of the same.

3 is a partially enlarged view of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of FIG.

6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a partial rear view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a side view with a part thereof cut away.

9 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG.

FIG. 10 is an operation diagram in the case of a good seedling.

FIG. 11 is similar to FIG.

FIG. 12 is similar to FIG.

FIG. 13 is an operation diagram in the case of defective seedlings.

FIG. 14 is similar to FIG.

FIG. 15 is similar to FIG.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of waveforms according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a waveform explanatory diagram of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of sign]

 20 Transport conveyor 40 Sorting device 42 Sorting body 45 Ryo Nae transport belt 61, 62 Photoelectric switch as paper cylinder detector 64 Switch as leaf detector 65 Second paper cylinder detector 70 Pulse generator 91 Seedling 92 Paper cylinder 93 Leaf P equivalent pulse

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A conveyor for sorting separated seedlings is provided, and a conveyor for conveying the seedlings in a row and a sorter for advancing and retreating to a terminal for conveying the seedlings and a dropping attitude for dropping the seedlings. In a sorting device provided with a good seedling carrying belt for receiving and carrying seedlings from the body, the carrying conveyor carries the seedlings at almost every predetermined interval and carries at least a part of the paper tube part and the leaf part. A paper tube part detector that detects the paper tube part of the seedling and a leaf part detector that detects the leaf part of the seedling are provided at the end of the transfer conveyor, and the paper tube part detector detects the paper tube part. A soil seedling sorting device that puts the sorting body in a falling posture when the leaf detector does not detect a leaf portion during the operation. 2. A second paper tube portion detector for detecting a paper tube portion of seedlings is provided in the vicinity of the selection body, and the second paper tube portion detector passes the paper tube portion when the selection body is in a falling posture. The sorting device for soil-embedded seedlings according to claim 1, wherein the sorting body is returned to the transporting posture by detecting the second sheet cylinder portion detector. 3. A pulse generator interlocked with the circulation of the conveyor is provided, and a pulse corresponding to a predetermined distance from the time when the seedling passes through the paper tube detector to the time when the seedling passes through the sorting body in the falling posture is set. 2. The sorting apparatus for soil-emerging seedlings according to claim 1, wherein the leaf detector does not detect the leaf portion and returns the sorting body in the falling posture to the transporting posture after a lapse of a corresponding pulse. 4. The soil seedling sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the paper tube detector is a photoelectric switch, and the leaf detector is a contact switch.