JPH09271221A - Seedling tray feeder for transplanter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stably place a seedling tray on the bottom plate of a guide frame without projectingly bending the seedling tray upward. SOLUTION: Concerning a seedling tray feeder for transplanter, for which a guide frame 28 is provided for supporting a seedling tray 21 formed by longitudinally and laterally providing a lot of pot parts 21 so as to freely move then in longitudinal feeding direction and the guide frame 28 has a bottom plate 29 for supporting the bottom part of the seedling tray 21, for intermittently and longitudinally feeding the seedling tray 21 while placing it on the bottom plate 29 of the guide frame 28, the bottom plate 29 is bent to be recessed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vertical feeding device for a seedling tray mounted on a vegetable transplanter or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional vegetable transplanter, a seedling tray feeder for intermittently transferring seedling trays for raising soilblock seedlings (soiled seedlings) vertically and horizontally and a planting device for planting soilblock seedlings in ridges. And a seedling removal device that removes the soil block seedlings one by one from the seedling tray and supplies the seedlings to the planting device, respectively, is mounted on the traveling body, and while the traveling body is running along the ridge, the soil block seedling is placed on the ridge. Some are automatically planted (for example, Japanese Utility Model Application
No. 4820, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-13118).

In this type of transplanter, seedling trays are intermittently fed laterally one pot at a time, and when the soil block seedlings have been taken out from the pots in one horizontal row, this time, , The seedling tray is fed vertically by one pot portion, and again the seedling tray is intermittently fed laterally to the opposite side. The conventional seedling tray feeding device in this case, as shown in FIG. 11, includes a guide frame 103 for movably supporting a seedling tray 102 in which a large number of pot portions 101 are vertically and horizontally arranged, Guide frame 103 is seedling tray 1
02 has a bottom plate 104 for supporting the bottom of the seedling tray 10.
2 is placed on the bottom plate 104 of the guide frame 103 and intermittently longitudinally fed.
The bottom plate 104 of No. 3 is formed in a flat shape inclined rearward and upward or over the entire length in the vertical feed direction or in a convex shape upward.

[0004]

Therefore, in the prior art, since the seedling tray 102 was placed on the bottom plate 104 of the guide frame 103 in an inclined state, as shown in FIG. The rear part in the feeding direction was lowered, and the rear side of the seedling tray 102 was likely to be bent upward in a convex shape, and the seedling tray 102 became unstable when the transplanter vibrated or swung at the end of the field.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention enables the seedling tray to be placed on the bottom plate of the guide frame in a stable state without being bent upward in a convex shape. is there.

[0006]

A first technical means for solving the problems in the present invention is to support a seedling tray 21 in which a large number of pot portions 21a are vertically and horizontally arranged so as to be movable in a vertical feed direction. And a guide frame 28 having a bottom plate 29 that supports the bottom of the seedling tray 21, and the seedling tray 21 is placed on the bottom plate 29 of the guide frame 28 and intermittently vertically fed. In the seedling tray feeder of the machine, the bottom plate 29 is bent in a concave shape.

A second technical means for solving the problems in the present invention is provided with a guide frame 28 for movably supporting the seedling tray 21 in which a large number of pot portions 21a are vertically and horizontally arranged. The guide frame 28 has a bottom plate 29 that supports the bottom of the seedling tray 21.
In the seedling tray feeder of the transplanter which is placed on the bottom plate 29 of the guide frame 28 and intermittently longitudinally feeds. The point is that it is slightly inclined to the rear.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, the vegetable transplanter 1 is a traveling body 2
Is a walking type having a transplanting device 3 and a steering handle 4 at the rear side of the plant, and is a plant for planting the soil block seedlings S in the ridge 5 at a predetermined interval while traveling in the longitudinal direction across the ridge 5.

In the following, the direction of movement of the transplanter 1 is called the front-back direction, and the lateral direction orthogonal to the direction of movement is called the left-right direction. The traveling machine body 2 is mainly configured by attaching a gantry 7 to the front part of the mission case 6 in a forwardly protruding shape, mounting an engine 8 and the like on the gantry 7, and providing front wheels 9 and rear wheels 10 on both left and right sides. ing.

The power of the engine 8 is input to the power transmission mechanism in the mission case 6. The power input into the mission case 6 is transmitted to a wheel transmission shaft 11 projecting to the left and right sides via a transmission mechanism (not shown), and projects to the left and right sides provided behind the wheel transmission shaft 11. First PTO
It can be taken out from the shaft 12 and the second PTO shaft 13 protruding upward and rearward.

A transmission case 14 is provided at the outer ends of the left and right wheel transmission shafts 11 so as to be vertically swingable about its axis.
The rear wheel 10 is pivotally supported on the lower portion of the transmission case 14. The power of the wheel transmission shaft 11 is transmitted to the rear wheel 10 via the chain transmission mechanism in the transmission case 14, and thereby the rear wheel 10 is rotationally driven. The transplanting device 3 is provided on a transplanting frame 15 extending to the rear of the traveling body 2, and has a planting cup 16 for planting seedlings in the ridges 5 and a seedling supplying device 17 for supplying seedlings to the planting cup 16. And a soil cover / squeeze roller 18. When the ridges 5 are covered with the mulch film, a punching device (not shown) for forming a hole for planting in the mulch film is provided in front of the planting cup 16.

The transplantation frame 15 is composed of a main frame 19 whose front portion is fixed to the upper rear portion of the mission case 6 and a pair of left and right movable frames 20 whose front portion is pivotally attached to the rear portion of the mission case 6. The movable frame 20 has a front end pivotally attached to the left and right first PTO shafts 12 so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis, and a rear end thereof suspended from the main frame 19 so that the vertical position thereof can be adjusted. The steering handle 4 is fixed to the rear end of the main frame 19, and the movable frame 2
The soil covering / squeezing roller 18 is attached to the rear portion of the 0.

The planting cup 16 is supported by a movable frame 20 so as to be able to swing up and down and back and forth through a parallel link mechanism (not shown), and is driven by power from the first PTO shaft 12. Moreover, seedlings are dropped and supplied at the upper part of the locus of the planting cup 16, and plunge into the ridges 5 at the lower part of the locus. Further, the planting cup 16 is provided with an opener that can be opened and closed back and forth at the lower part, and this opener opens forward and backward when the planting cup 16 plunges into the ridge 5 at the lower end side of the locus and forms a planting hole in the ridge 5. Simultaneously with the formation, the soil block seedling S held in the planting cup 16 is planted in this planting hole.

The seedling feeding device 17 is arranged above the rear end of the main frame 19, and has a seedling tray feeding device 22 for intermittently feeding a seedling tray 21 containing a large number of soil block seedlings S vertically and horizontally. The seedling take-out device 23 is provided in front of the seedling tray feeder 22 and takes out the seedlings S from the seedling tray 21 one by one and supplies them to the planting cup 16.

As shown in FIG. 2, the seedling tray 21 according to the present embodiment is made of thin and flexible plastic and has a large number of pot portions 21a arranged in a grid pattern in a vertical and horizontal direction at a predetermined pitch. Is independently provided, and the opening edge portions of the pot portion 21a are connected to each other in a planar shape. In this way, since the large number of pot portions 21a project to the back surface side of the seedling tray 21 and are vertically and horizontally independent from each other, they are formed between the pot portions 21a on the back surface side of the seedling tray 21. A vertical groove portion 21b in the vertical direction and a horizontal groove portion 21c in the horizontal direction are formed. In order to grow the soil block seedlings S on the seedling tray 21, all pot portions 21a are filled with bed soil, and then seeded there to raise seedlings.

The seedling take-out device 23 has a seedling take-out claw 24 supported by the main frame 19 via a swinging motion mechanism,
The claw 24 is driven via a universal joint 25 having a front end connected to the second PTO shaft 13 and a power transmission mechanism in a relay box 26 to which a rear end of the joint 25 is connected. The seedling take-out claw 24 has a pot portion 21a.
The block soil in the inside is pierced obliquely from the front, and while moving slightly upward, it moves forward to move the seedling S to the pot portion 21a.
Then, the seedling S is moved downward while changing its posture so as to be in a substantially vertical posture. Then, the seedling take-out nail 24 discharges the seedling S at the lower end position of the movement locus to supply the seedling S to the planting cup 16 which is at the upper end of the cup movement locus, and then returns to the original position. Reciprocate to.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the seedling tray feeder 22 is provided with a guide frame 28 supported by a main frame 19 and a guide rail 27 fixed to the handle 4 so as to be movable in the left-right direction. This guide frame 28
Has a bottom plate 29 that supports the bottom of the seedling tray 21 across the pots 21a arranged in a row, and side plates 30 are fixed to the left and right ends of the bottom plate 29.

As shown in FIG. 2, a vertical feed drive shaft 31 is erected in the left-right direction at the lower portions (front portions in the vertical feed direction) of the left and right side plates 30, while the upper portions (vertical length) of the left and right side plates 30 are provided. A vertical feed driven shaft 32 is installed in the left-right direction at the rear of the feed direction). A drive sprocket (drive wheel) 33 is fixed to both ends of the drive shaft 31, and the driven shaft 32
Driven sprockets (driven wheels) 34 are attached to both ends of the
Has been fixed.

Between the drive sprocket 33 and the driven sprocket 34, there is a conveying chain 35 extending therebetween.
The engagement pin 36 that is cantilevered around the inside of the frame 35 so as to be fitted to the lateral groove portion 21c formed between the pot portions 21a arranged in the vertical direction on the inside of the chain 35 facing each other. Are attached at predetermined intervals.

On the outer peripheral portions of the left and right side plates 30 facing each other,
A flange portion 47 that covers the transport chain 35 from the outside is provided so as to protrude toward the inside, and a pressing frame 48 that presses the edge portion of the seedling tray 21 from above is provided at the flange portion 47. On the other hand, at the center of the bottom plate 29, a guide plate 49 that fits in the vertical groove 21b at the center of the seedling tray 21 and guides in the vertical feed direction is provided extending in the vertical direction. This guide plate 49 is the bottom plate 2
It also has a function to reinforce the bottom plate 29 as a spine of 9.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the holding frame 4
When the tray 21 is inserted from above the guide frame 28 so that the seedling tray 21 is sandwiched between the bottom plate 29 and the bottom plate 29, the engaging pin 36 of the transport chain 35 causes the seedling tray 2 to move.
1 is fitted in the lateral groove portion 21c to hook the pot portion 21a,
In this state, the seedling tray 21 is vertically fed by rotating the drive shaft 31 in the direction of arrow A in FIG.

Further, the lower part of the bottom plate 29 (the front part in the longitudinal feed direction)
Has a curved portion 50 curved inward so as to have the same radius when viewed from the vertical feed drive shaft 31,
Below the left and right side plates 30, a pressing member 51 for pressing the upper surface of the seedling tray 21 from above and bending it along the bending portion 50 is provided. This pressing member 51 is
The tip portion is fixed to a mounting shaft 52 that is erected between the lower portions of the side plates 30 while being biased toward the bottom plate 29.

For this reason, the seedling tray 21 which is sequentially fed vertically
Is curved downward along the curved portion 50 of the bottom plate 29,
Eventually, it returns to the bottom of the steering wheel 4 which is the operator's hand. The transport chain 35
The engaging pins 36 are provided at positions that match the pitches between the pot portions 21a of the seedling trays 21 of several types with different intervals between the pot portions 21a, or their attachment positions can be changed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a chain tightener 53 for displacing the transport chain 35 to the outer peripheral side of the side plate 30 is provided at the center of the side plate 30. The engaging pin 36 that has passed through the sprocket 34 quickly and deeply enters the deep side of the lateral groove portion 21c of the seedling tray 21 so that the seedling tray 21 can be vertically fed more reliably.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, on the vertical feed drive shaft 31 to which the drive sprocket 33 is fixed,
A pair of left and right guide disks (guide wheels) 55 that are fitted in the vertical groove portions 21b between the pot portions 21a of the seedling tray 21 and guide the tray 21 in the vertical feed direction are provided. Each guide disc 55 has a boss portion 56 to which the drive shaft 31 is fitted.
A disk portion 57 is provided so as to project from the outer periphery of the drive shaft, and a set screw 58 penetrating the boss portion 56 radially inward prevents the drive shaft 31 from moving axially in the left and right ends of the drive shaft 31 and rotating around the shaft center. It is installed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first vertical groove portion 21b is located at both left and right ends of the curved portion 50 and from the end of the seedling tray 21.
A slit 59 is formed at a position corresponding to, and the disc portion 57 of the guide disk 55 projects into the slit 59 and enters the curved surface 50. Therefore, the outer peripheral edge portion of the disc portion 57 is as close to the engagement pin 3 as possible.
The first vertical groove portion 21b is fitted in the slit 59 so as to come close to the tip of the slit 6.

As shown in FIG. 5, the seedling tray feeder 22 is provided.
The lateral feed mechanism 22A has a pair of left and right support members 37 arranged on both left and right sides of the guide frame 28 and fixed to the handle 4, and a horizontal groove having a spiral groove rotatably installed between the support members 37. And a feed shaft 38. The lateral feed shaft 38 is inserted into the lateral holes 54 formed in the left and right side plates 30, and the power in the right side support member 37, which is composed of a winding transmission mechanism and a transmission case (not shown) from the relay box 26. It is rotationally driven via the transmission mechanism.

A slider 39 having an engaging member that meshes with the spiral groove is fitted onto the lateral feed shaft 38, and the slider 39 is connected to the guide frame 28. Therefore, when the lateral feed shaft 38 is intermittently driven to rotate by the power transmission mechanism, the slider 39 moves left and right, and the guide frame 28 intermittently reciprocates in either the left or right direction.

Next, the vertical feed mechanism 22B of the seedling tray feeder 22 is provided with a vertical feed cam 40 fixed to both left and right ends of the horizontal feed shaft 38 and a vertical feed operation provided between the side plates 30 of the guide frame 28. It is provided with a shaft 41 and the guide frame 28 on which an endless member composed of a transport chain 35 for intermittently feeding the seedling tray 21 vertically is mounted. At both ends of the vertical feed operating shaft 41, followers 42 that engage with the vertical feed cam 40 when the guide frame 28 moves to the left end or the right end are provided. The left end projects from the left side plate 30. Further, a swinging link 43 is fixed to the left end projecting portion of the vertical feed operating shaft 41, and a pair of left and right drive gears 44 having engaging teeth with which the swinging link 43 engages is provided on the projecting portion of the drive shaft 31. One-way clutch 4 for rotating 45 and the vertical feed operating shaft 41 only in the vertical feed direction of the seedling tray 21.
6 is fixed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bottom plate 29 of the guide frame 28 is inclined rearward and upward as a whole. The rear side of the bottom plate 29 in the vertical feed direction projects rearward more than the left and right side plates 30.
A pair of left and right side wall portions 61 is provided on both left and right sides of the rear end portion, and a front end portion of the side wall portion 61 is provided along the outer surface of the side plate 30 and is fastened and fixed to the side plate 30 by a fastener 62 such as a set screw. There is. Then, the rear portion side of the bottom plate 29 is bent in a concave shape, whereby the rear portion 29b of the bottom plate 29 in the longitudinal feed direction is formed.
However, the rear part 29b is tilted slightly rearward and upward as compared with the front part.

In the above-mentioned feeding device 22, when the guide frame 28 reaches the left or right movement limit, the follower 42 engages with the vertical feed cam 40 to slightly rotate the vertical feed operating shaft 41, and the swing link. 43 is rocked. Then
The swing of the swing link 43 causes either one of the drive gears 4 to move.
4, 45 rotate by one engaging tooth to rotationally drive the vertical feed drive shaft 31 by a fixed angle, whereby the transport chain 35 in the guide frame 28 vertically feeds by one pot portion 21a. To be done.

In this way, when the soil block seedlings S have been taken out from all the pot portions 21a arranged in a row, the seedling tray 21 is fed by one pitch in the vertical direction. In this case, according to the seedling tray feeding device 22 according to the present embodiment, the guide disc 55 is fixed to the vertical feeding drive shaft 31, and the seedling tray 21 is guided while rotating in synchronization with the drive sprocket 33 and the transport chain 35. Since the guide disc 55 is vertically fed, the seedling tray 21
In contrast, the tray 21 can be guided in the vertical direction with almost no sliding.

The guide disks 55 are attached to both ends of the drive shaft 31 so that the outer peripheral edge of the disk portion 57 is close to the tip of the engaging pin 36 (see FIG. 3).
The load from the engagement pin 36 is as much as possible to the guide disc 55.
The seed tray 21 is prevented from being deformed or twisted due to the deformation. Further, since the rear portion of the bottom plate 29 is bent in a concave shape, the rear portion 29b of the bottom plate 29 in the longitudinal feeding direction is inclined rearward slightly larger than the front portion of the rear portion 29b. The weight does not lower the rear part of the seedling tray 21 in the vertical feeding direction. Therefore, the seedling tray 21 does not become unstable when the machine vibrates or turns at the end of the field. Guide frame 28 in a stable state
It can be placed on the bottom plate 29 of the. Then, the seedling tray 21 is not bent during the work, the seedling tray 21 can be planted at a high speed, and it is not necessary to pay attention to the fall of the seedling tray 21 when the transplanting machine 1 is turned, and the speedy work can be performed. Further, in the past, the chain 3 was used to prevent the seedling tray 21 from being bent in a convex shape.
The length of the chain 35 had to be long so that the engaging pins 36 protruding from the side of 5 could be hooked on the seedling tray 21 as much as possible, but as described above, the seedling tray 21 is convex upward. Since it can be placed on the bottom plate 29 of the guide frame 28 in a stable state without bending,
It is possible to make the length of the chain 35 as short as possible. Therefore, the durability of the chain 35 is improved, and the adjustment interval of the chain 35 is lengthened. In addition, the entire guide frame 28 is lightweight and compact, which leads to cost reduction and workability improvement. Further, the seedling tray 21 can be easily set on the guide frame 28, and the soil block seedlings S can be replenished in a short time, and the work time for replenishing the seedlings can be shortened.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned respective embodiments are merely illustrative and not restrictive. That is, the scope of the present invention is shown by the above claims, and all the modifications that come within the meaning of the claims are included in the scope of the present invention. For example, as the winding transmission mechanism for vertically feeding the seedling tray 21, the sprocket 33,
It is possible to employ not only a chain transmission mechanism including 34 and the transport chain 35, but also a belt transmission mechanism including a pulley and a V-belt, and a pinion and a timing belt.

Further, as a hooking member for hooking the endless member constituting the winding transmission mechanism to the seedling tray 21, engaging holes formed at regular intervals on the left and right edges of the seedling tray 21 are hooked. The hooking member in this case may be provided so as to project from the outer peripheral surface of the endless member. Further, the present invention is not limited to a walk-type transplanter,
It can also be used in boarding type transplanters.

[0036]

According to the present invention, the weight of the seedling S does not lower the rear portion of the seedling tray 21 in the longitudinal feed direction, and the seedling tray is vibrated even when the transplanter vibrates or turns at the end of the field. It is possible to place the seedling tray 21 on the bottom plate 29 of the guide frame 28 in a stable state without the 21 bending upward in a convex shape.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an essential part showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the seedling tray feeder.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front sectional view of the feeding device.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the feeding device.

FIG. 5 is a plan sectional view of the feeding device.

FIG. 6 is an overall side view of the transplanter equipped with the feeding device.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a sectional side view of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Transplanter 21 Seedling tray 21a Pot part 28 Guide frame 29 Bottom plate

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A guide frame (28) for movably supporting a seedling tray (21) in which a large number of pots (21a) are arranged vertically and horizontally, the guide frame (28) being a seedling. The bottom plate (2 supporting the bottom of the tray (21)
9) having a seedling tray (21) and a guide frame (2
8) A seedling tray feeder for a transplanter which is placed on the bottom plate (29) and is vertically fed intermittently, wherein the bottom plate (29) is bent in a concave shape. Tray feeder. 2. A guide frame (28) for movably supporting a seedling tray (21) in which a large number of pots (21a) are vertically and horizontally arranged, the guide frame (28) being a seedling. The bottom plate (2 supporting the bottom of the tray (21)
9) having a seedling tray (21) and a guide frame (2
8) In the seedling tray feeder of the transplanter, which is placed on the bottom plate (29) and is vertically fed intermittently, the rear portion (29b) of the bottom plate (29) in the vertical feeding direction is the rear portion (29b). A seedling tray feeder for transplanters, which is tilted slightly higher than the front tilt.