US3661682A

US3661682A - Apparatus for fabricating cylindrical tubes for raising and transplanting seedlings of farm crops

Info

Publication number: US3661682A
Application number: US883454A
Authority: US
Inventors: Yoshio Shoji; Toshiaki Kobayashi; Tadao Kudo
Original assignee: Nippon Beet Sugar Manufacturing Co Ltd
Current assignee: Nippon Tensai Seito KK; Nippon Beet Sugar Manufacturing Co Ltd
Priority date: 1969-07-23
Filing date: 1969-12-09
Publication date: 1972-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1989-05-09

Abstract

An apparatus useful in the production of the paper pot assembly for raising and transplanting the seedlings of farm crops, said paper pot assembly comprising a plurality of cylindrical pots each having a square configuration in section. The apparatus comprises means for applying equidistantly spaced parallel lines or a wide strip of adhesive to one-half the width of one side of each flattened tube, tape-gathering means for converging a plurality of the flattened tubes thus applied with the adhesive to superpose consecutively the flattened tubes on one another in such a manner that two adjacent flattened tubes are disposed in a transversely staggered relation to one another with adjacent tubes overlapping by one-half their width. A combined regulating and guide means controls the travel of the flattened tubes and guides them into pressure rollers where the flattened tubes are adhered together while correctly keeping the staggered or overlapped relation.

Description

United States Patent Shojiet al.

[ 1 May 9,1972

[54] APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING CYLINDRICAL TUBES FOR RAISING AND TRANSPLANTIN G SEEDLINGS OF FARM CROPS [72] lnventors: Yoshio Shoji; Toshiaki Kobayashi; Tadao Kudo, all of Hokkaido, Japan Nippon Tensai Seito Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Dec. 9, 1969 [21] Appl.No.: 883,454

[73] Assignee:

156/554, 556, 561, 563; 47/37, 37.2; 270/52, 52.5, 58, 59, 60; 226/180, 184;-29/12l R, 121 H, 122

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,114,478 10/1914 lbarra ..226/184X Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant E.\aminer-G. E. Montone ArtorneyRobert E. Burns and Emmanuel .l. Lobato 57 ABSTRACT An apparatus useful in the production of the paper pot assembly for raising and transplanting the seedlings of farm crops, said paper pot assembly comprising a plurality of cylindrical pots each having a square configuration in section. The apparatus comprises means for applying equidistantly spaced parallel lines or a wide strip of adhesive to one-half the width of one side of each flattened tube, tape-gathering means for converging a plurality of the flattened tubes thus applied with the adhesive to superpose consecutively the flattened tubes on one another in such a manner that two adjacent flattened tubes are disposed in a transversely staggered relation to one another with adjacent tubes overlapping by one-half their width. A combined regulating and guide means controls the travel of the flattened tubes and guides them into pressure rollers where the flattened tubes are adhered together while correctly keeping the staggered or overlapped relation.

7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures Patented May 9, 1972 3,661,682

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v I 31 lllln Alllk T:

FIGJ lbl FIG. 2/01 I Patented May 9, 1972 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 QOM Patented May 9, 1972 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING CYLINDRICAL TUBES FOR RAISING AND TRANSPLANTING SEEDLINGS OF FARM CROPS DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to apparatus for the production of cylindrical pot assemblies for raising and transplanting the seedlings of farm crops, and more particularly, relates to an assembly in which each cylindrical pot has a square configuration in cross section.

As is well-known to those skilled in the art, many kinds of cylindrical pot assemblies have been hereto utilized in raising and transplanting the seedlings of farm crops.

In the fabrication of the paper pot assemblies, heretofore available in raising and transplanting the seedling of farm crops, various techniques have been proposed and one practical technique is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,507. In accordance with the fabrication technique of this patent, the paper pot assembly is normally folded or collapsed so as to facilitate handling and particularly transportation and storage. In use, this paper pot assembly is expanded into a honeycombed construction and then filled with cultivating soil. Seeds of farm crops such as sugar beets are sown in the soil in the expanded paper pots, and raised for a desired period of time during which water is sprinkled over the paper pot as sembly as in the customary cultivating procedure.

One of the major difiiculties encountered in such prior paper pot assemblies is that it is quite troublesome to develop a transplantingmachine adapted to work with such paper pot assemblies since the paper pots in which the seedlings have been raised have an irregular configuration by virtue of the honeycomb structure of the paper pot assembly.

T o cope with this problem, heretofore it has been the practice in transplanting the seedlings, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No; 3,374,752, to preliminarily, manually separate the paper pot assembly into the individual paper pots in which the seedlings have been raised, and then feed successively such individual paper pots into the hopper of the transplanting machine to carry out the transplanting procedure. This practice, however, necessitates very troublesome work in the preliminary separa tion step, resulting in time-consuming, costly labor and reducing the rate of transplanting.

The present invention has for its object the elimination of the disadvantages mentioned above. According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus useful in the fabrication of a unique paper pot assembly in which each paper pot, after being expanded, has a square configuration in. cross section so that a transplanting machine may easily separate the paper pot assembly into the individual paper pots and thus transplant the seedlings in the field with or without the individual paper pots in which said seedlings have been raised.

The paper pot assembly produced according to the present invention has a structure or appearance that resembles a honeycombed structure made by the fabrication technique disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,983,640. However, such prior expansible honeycomb structure is made by the steps of applying to one side of a web equidistantly spaced parallel lines of ad hesive extending transversely uninterrupted substantially the full width of said web, and superposing such webs consecutively one upon the other in a stack and adhering said webs together along the lines of adhesive of adjacent webs in said stack, so that it is quite impossible to separate the resulting honeycombed structure, after being expanded, into the individual paper pots in which the seedlings have been raised. On the contrary, the paper pot assembly of the present invention is fabricated by the steps of adhering together; opposite longitudinal side edges of an elongated web with a water-im soluble adhesive into a tube or pipe which is, in-tum, collapsed or flattened in the form of a tape, superposing a plurality of said flattened tubes one upon the other in such amanner that one-half the width along one side edge of each one of said flattened tubes is overlapped on one-half the width along one side edge of an adjacent one of said flattened tubes, of which onehalf the width along one side edge is overlapped on one-half the width along one side edge of a third flattened tube, then adhering together the overlapped portions of said adjacent flattened tubes by a water-soluble adhesive to provide a flattened tube subassernbly having a half-feather pattern in transverse section, and finally incorporating said subassembly with another similar subassembly by means of a water-soluble adhesive to form a paper pot assembly of full-feather pattern. Accordingly, the paper pot assembly thus manufactured in accordance with the present invention may be easily separated into the individual paper pots in which the seedlings have been raised.

To this end, the present invention provides an apparatus comprising means for applying equidistantly spaced parallel lines or a wide strip of adhesive to a one-half width area of a flattened tube, tape gatheri'rig means for converging a plurality of said flattened tubes thus applied with adhesive to superpose said flattened tubes consecutively one upon the other in such a manner that twoadja'cent flattened tubes are overlapped with one another by one=half their width, and a com biried regulating and guide means for regulating the travel 'of the flattened tubes and guiding them while correctly keeping the staggered or overlapped relation of the flattened tubes. In a more specific conception of the preseht invention, the means for applying equidistantly spaced parallel lines or a wide strip of adhesive to a one-half width area of one side of each flattened tube may consist of sizing-roller type means, nozzle type means, paddle type means or the like.

Further, the tape-gathering means is such that the flattened tubes may be converged without hindrance in such manner that two adjacent flattened tubes are overlapped one upon the other in a laterally staggered relation to one another by onehalf width thereof. As for such tape g'athe'ring means, there may be used tape-gathering means of the cone-guide type in which the flattened tubes are respectively trained over circular cones of different taper; or tape-gathering means of the square-crossing type in which the flattened tubes are laterally gathered by first perpendicularly changing its direction of travel from the initial direction and then back to the initial direction; or tape-gathering means of the oblique-crossing type in which the flattened tubes are twisted through while changed obliquely in the direction of travel,- and then untjwisted to the initial condition.

The combined regularihg and guide means is such that the flattened tubes are controlled so as to be correctly adhered together one upon the other in predetermined positions. Such means may comprise an iron panel in which transverse slits are provided through which the flattened tubes are passed, said transverse slits being vertically arranged in a stair step manner so that two adjacent slits overlap one another by one-half the width thereof, or the guide means may be of the type in which guide members are slidably mounted on a plurality of horizontal bars, respectively, or the type in which guide members are mounted on base members which are arranged in a stair step manner.

These and other features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the followirig description of preferred embodimentof the invention, shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view illustratingappara'tus accord ing to the present invention,- wherein FIG. la is an elevatioiial view of a first section thereof and FIG. lb is an elevational view of a second section; I i Y FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 2a is a plan view of the first section and FIG. 2b is a plan view of the second section;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a' preferred embodimerit of a combined regulating and guide meaiis;

FIG. 4 is a schematic elevational view showiiig a modified apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4; r v

FIG. 6 is a view showing a paper pot suba's'sembly fabricated by an apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a-view showing a complete paper pot assembly; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a cone type combined regulating and guide means employed in the apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a preferred embodiment of apparatus according to the present invention, in which a gathering means of the square-crossing type is incorporated. The apparatus comprises a machine frame 1 provided with a horizontal driving shaft 3 on which a rotary drum 4 is mounted by means of a sleeve 2 closely fitted around the driving shaft 3. Paper tubes 5 pass around the rotary drum 4 in a juxtaposed relationship, the paper tubes being collapsed or flattened into the form of a tape having a desired width. In the embodiment here disclosed, rows of flattened paper tubes 5 are wound around the common rotary drum 4 in a juxtaposed relation to each other to fabricate 20 rows of paper cylinders which are pasted or linked together.

In the embodiment disclosed, there is provided a common rotary drum 4 around which are affixed axially spaced, radially extended annular partition walls 4'. Alternately, a plurality of axially narrow spools may be mounted on the driving shaft 3 and the flattened tubes may be each wound around one of the spools.

It will be apparent that the flattened tubes 5, thus accommodated on the drum 4, may be successively delivered for the purpose that will be described below. Following the drum 4, there is provided a sizing roller 6 around which are provided at least two radially extended, axially spaced annular flanges 6 to apply at least two lines of size or paste on each of the flattened tubes 5. Size is supplied to the flanges 6' by a size takeup roller 7 which is partially immersed in the size contained in a size reservoir or bath 8, and is engaged with or abutted against the annular flanges 6 on the sizing roller 6.

Guide rollers

9a, 9b, 9c and 10 cause the flattened or collapsed tubes 5 to undergo a change in travel direction. A guide roller 11 guides a flattened tube to be arranged in the uppermost layer location, namely, the flattened tube 5-1 which is supplied from the coiled flattened tube supported on the drum ,4 at its axially outer end.

Guide rollers

12a, 12b and 120 guide a flattened tube 5-2 to be arranged in the second layer location. It will be understood, from FIGS. 1 and 2, that the guide roller 120 is at a position lower than that of the guide roller 11 and staggered laterally relative to the guide roller 11 by one-half the width of the latter, and that the guide roller 12b is installed on the lower base of the machine frame.

Guide rollers

13a, 13b, 13c and 13d guide a flattened tube 56 to be arranged in the third layer location, the first two guide rollers 13a and 13d being provided at the upper portion of the frame while the remaining rollers 13b and 130 are provided at the lower portion of the frame. It will be further understood that the guide roller 13b is just below the roller 13a, while the roller 13d is just above the roller 13c, and that the guide roller l3dis arranged at a position slightly lower than that of the guide roller 12c and also staggered laterally relative to the guide roller 12c by one-half the width of the latter.

In addition, further guide rollers 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d to 30a, 30b, 30c and 30d for guiding additional tubes are provided in the same arrangement as the guide rollersl3a, 13b, 13c and 13d. It will thus understood that these series of guide rollers constitute the tape-gathering means.

"After leaving the guide rollers, the tubes are guided and controlled by combined regulating and guide means 31a and 31!: as seen in FIG. lb. As illustrated in FIG. 3, each of the combined regulating and guide means comprises substantially L-shaped channel members 31'-l, 3l'-2, 3l-3 etc., each having a'predetermined width and also having on its lower surface a downwardly protruding tape-presser lug 31", said channel members being arranged in such a manner that each adjacent two channel members are overlap one another by one-half their width.

The tape-presser lug 31" is positioned to press down the flattened tube at its transverse portion between the spaced parallel lines of adhesive applied by means of the sizing flanges 6. It will be noted that the channel members 3I'-l, 31'-2 etc. each have an inner transverse width that is substantially equal with the transverse width of the flattened tube 5.

The tubes then pass between pressure rollers 32a and 32b and onto a take-up drum 33 supported by a shah 34. Power is supplied by an electric motor 35. I A power-transmitting endless chain 36a driven from the electric motor 35 drives a pulley 41 which is mounted on a sprocket shaft 38b. An endless belt 39 looped over the driving pulley 41 and

idle pulleys

42, 43, 40a, 40b, 44 and 45 is frictionally engaged with the lower peripheral outer surface of an outermost convolution of flattened paper tube subassembly 5, which has been wound around the take-up drum 33, to take up the flattened tube subassembly 5'.

The belt is tensioned by

tension pulleys

40a and 40b respectively connected to lever arms 46a and 46b on which are, respectively, provided weight blocks as shown in FIG. lb.

There is provided a leather strap band brake 47 for controlling rotation of the drum 4, which band brake merely rests upon the flattened tubes wound around the drum 4.

Operation of the apparatus according to the present invention, constructed as mentioned above, will be' hereinafter described in detail.

With the electric motor 35 running, the sprocket wheel 38a is driven by the endless chain 36 from the motor 35 to rotate the pulley 41 which, in turn, causes positive rotation of the take-up drum 33 to take up thereon the flattened tube subassemblies 5' of half-feather pattern in transverse section, as shown in FIG. 6.

This causes delivery of the flattened tubes 5 adhered together into the flattened tube subassembly having a halffeather pattern in transverse section. Under such conditions, the first flattened tube 5-1 supported on the drum 4 at its axially outer end is introduced, through the

guide rollers

9c, 10 and 11, into the laterally outermost channel member 3l-1 of the combined regulating and guide means.

Next, the second flattened tube 5-2 is trained over the guide rollers 9a and 9b provided at the lower portion of the machine framework, and is thereby extended upwardly, then frictionally engaged with the annularflanges 6' on the sizing roller 6 with the result that at least two spaced parallel lines of adhesive are applied on one-half the width of its lower surface. F ollowing the foregoing steps, the second flattened tube 5-2 is further extended upwardly, bent back through the guide roller 9c, then extended to the guide roller 10 in an upside down situation, bent downwardly at the guide roller 12a and then upwardly again at the guide roller 12b, further changed in its travel direction into a substantially horizontal direction at the guide roller 12c, and finally guided into the second channel member 3l-2 of the combined regulating and guide means. In the last-mentioned step, the second flattened tube 5-2 is located below the first flattened tube 5-1 with a vertical spacing that is substantially equal to the difference of elevation between the guide rollers 11 and 12.

In addition, the third flattened tube 5-3 is guided in the same way as the second flattened tube 5 -2. Namely, the third flattened tube 5-3 is extended through the guide rollers 9a and 9b, applied with at least two spaced parallel lines of adhesive by means of the spaced annular flanges 6 on the sizing roller, then extended through the guide rollers and 10, bent downwardly at the roller 130, further directed to a horizontal direction and transversely shifted to overlap with the second flattened tube 5-2 by one-half its width, furtherchanged upwardly in its travel direction by the roller 13c and bent again to a horizontaldirection by the guide roller 13d, and extended horizontally with its sized surface being exposed upwardly and finally guided into the third channel member 31 '-3 of the combined regulating and guide means. In this last-mentioned step, such third flattened tube 5-3 travels horizontally in such manner that it is just below the second flattened tube 5-2 by one-half the width thereof with a vertical spacing that is substantially equal to the difference of elevation between the

guide rollers

13d and 120.

The fourth to 20th flattened tubes are, respectively, guided by means of the corresponding set of guide rollers in the fourth set of rollers 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d to the 20th set of

rollers

30a, 30b, 30c and 30d, and at the same time transversely shifted so that any two adjacent flattened tubes are overlapped one upon the other by their one-half width, then transported with their sized surface exposed upwardly, and finally introduced into the corresponding channel member 31 The travel of the flattened tubes is regulated by the combined regulating and guide means 31a, 31b so that the flattened tubes are correctly kept in a condition where they are superposed consecutively one upon the other in a laterally staggered relationto one another with an overlap of one-half their width. It will be understood that the channel members 31-1, 3l'-2 etc. prevent the flattened tubes from being displaced transversely while the downwardly protruding lug 31" prevents the same from deflecting vertically. The flattened tubes, thus kept correctly in superposed relationship, are adhered to one another by passing them between the vertically opposite pressure rollers 32a and 32b into a flattened tube subassembly of half-feather pattern in transverse section without any error, which is in turn wound up on the take-up drum 33.

As the result of the procedures described above, the subassembly of half row-feather pattern as shown in FIG. 6 is manufactured. It will be seen that the overlapping flattened tubes 5 are secured together by adhesive A. The final paper pot assembly may be manufactured by the steps of arranging two sheets of the flattened tube subassemblies face-to-face one over the other while adhering together such subassemblies by a water-soluble adhesive into a flattened tube assembly of fullfeather pattern in transverse section, which is in turn cut into short units of a predetermined length, and finally superposing a suitable number of said short units one upon the other to define the paper pot assembly as a finished product as shown in FIG. 7. A conveyor is provided at the outlet side of the cutting means for receiving and transporting the short piece units of the paper pot assembly. This conveyor is intermittently operated so that it is stopped when the cutting means is actuated to cut the paper pot assembly into a number of short piece units which are piled up on the conveyor surface.

Referring next to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown a modified embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention, wherein a tape-gathering means of cone type is utilized. A suitable number of the rolled stacks 101 of web having a desired width are supported side by side on a horizontal bearing shaft. The webs delivered from the rolled stacks 101 are guided, through guide rollers 102 and-103, onto a sizing roller 104 provided with axially spaced, radially extended annular flanges to apply to one side of each continuous web 101 uniformly spaced parallel lines of adhesive extending along transversely opposite side edges of said continuous web 101. A pressure roller 105 is arranged in an opposed relation to the sizing roller 1041 to urge the continuous web 101 against the sizing roller 104. The continuous webs 101, each having adhesive lines on one side thereof, are respectively fed into funnelform passages 107 where the webs 101 are transversely curled up into hollow tubes which are, in turn, flattened or collapsed through opposed rollers 108 and 108'. The flattened tubes are then passed onto a dryer roller 109 which is heated by steam or high-temperature gas, and further guided through rollers 110, 111, 111' and 111" onto a sizing roller 112 where adhesive lines of a desired number are applied on a predetermined width of one side of each flattened tube. Following the sizing step the flattened tubes are trained over a cone type tapegathering means consisting of circular cones which are different from each other in the angle of taper, said circular cones being arranged end-to-end in series as seen in FIG. 8. It will be understood that the angle of taper of each circular cone is varied or determined depending upon the transverse shifting distance of the flattened tube which is to be trained over the cone.

The flattened tubes then pass over a second cone type tapegathering means 114 in which the circular cones are each oriented reversely in direction of taper with respect to the circular cones of the first tape-gathering means 113. Where the flattened tubes are, respectively, trained over the circular cones of the second tape-gathering means 114, it is necessary to twist the flattened tubes through 180 in order to prevent the adhesive on the flattened tubes from engaging with the peripheral surfaces of the circular cones.

Regulating means 115 is further provided in which the flattened tubes from the second tape-gathering means 114 are guided and controlled so as to be exactly overlapped with one another over a desired width. In the embodiment disclosed, the regulating means 115 includes a transversely extending iron panel wherein transverse slits are provided through which the flattened tubes are passed, said transverse slits being vertically arranged in a stair step manner so that each adjacent two slits overlap one another by one-half their width.

Pressure rollers 116 and 116' forcibly adhere together the flattened tubes delivered from the regulating means 115, to form a flattened tube subassembly of half-feather pattern in transverse section, which is in turn guided onto

dryer rollers

117, 117' and 117" heated by steam or high-temperature gas. The flattened tube subassembly, thus manufactured, is passed through a guide roller 118 and opposite drawing rollers 119 and 119' into roller-cutter means 120 where the subassembly delivered from the drawing

rollers

119 and 119 is cut into short pieces of a predetermined length. There are further provided opposed sizing rollers 121 and 121' having a grating on their peripheries. There are also provided

nozzles

122 and 122 directed to the sizing rollers for supplying adhesive to the rollers. Rotation of the sizing rollers 121 and 121' causes application of adhesive onto the short pieces of the flattened tube subassembly, delivered out from the roller-cutter means 120.

The short pieces of the flattened tube subassembly 123, thus applied with adhesive, are stored in a receiving box 124 in such a manner that each adjoining two pieces in the stack are in an upside-down relation to one another.

Power is supplied by

electric motors

125, 126 and 127 respectively. The first motor 125 causes rotation of the sizing roller 104, tube-flattening

rollers

108 and 108 and dryer roller 109 through an intennediate wheel 128, while the second motor 126 drives the size take-up roller 112, pressure rollers 116 and 116' and

dryer rollers

117, 117' and 117" through an intermediate wheel 129. Finally, the third motor 127 rotates the drawing

rollers

119 and 119, roller-cutter means 120 and sizing

rollers

121 and 121 through an intermediate wheel 130.

It will be thus understood that the desired stack of the short pieces of flattened tube subassembly, stored in the receiving box 124, is subjected to heat treatment under pressure to manufacture the final paper pot assembly as a finished product in which a plurality of square paper pots are included when in an expanded condition.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to preferred embodiments, it will be understood that corresponding features of the several embodiments are interchangeable and that various omissions and substitution and changes in form and details may be made by those skilled in the art.

WHAT WE CLAlM AND DESIRE TO SECURE BY LET- TERS PATENT IS:

1. Apparatus for fabricating a tubular paper pot assembly for raising and transplanting seedlings comprising:

means for arranging a plurality of like flattened paper tubes side-by-side parallel to one another in the same plane and moving them lengthwise in parallel paths, means for applying adhesive to one side only of each of said flattened tubes for approximately one half of its width,

means for thereafter directing said flattened tubes laterally in converging paths to bring them into an overlapping relation with each tube other than the laterally outermost tubes underlying an adjacent tube on one side approximately half its width and overlying an adjacent tube on the opposite side approximately half its width,

7 regulating and guiding means thereafter engaging both sides of said flattened tubes to keep said tubes in correct overlapping relationship and preventing said tubes from being displaced either transversely or vertically,

means for thereafter pressing said overlapped tubes together to form a two-layer assembly in which the lower face of one flattened tube is adhered directly to the upper face of an adjacent flattened tube on one side for approximately half the width of the tube and the upper face of said tube is adhered directly to the lower face of an adjacent flattened tube on the opposite side for approximately half the width of the tube and,

means for intermittently cutting said assembled and adhered tubes transversely of the length of said tubes into predetermined lengths equal to the desired height of said paper pots.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said regulating and guiding means comprises a panel having slits through which said flattened tubes pass and are guided, said slits being arranged in stairstep manner with adjacent slits overlapping by one-half their width.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said directing means comprises sets of rollers engaging said flattened tubes respectively and shifting them laterally.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, in which each set of rollers comprises a. roller for twisting the respective flattened tube 90 degrees to change its direction of travel to a direction laterally of said row of flattened tubes and a second roller for untwisting said respective tube and changing its direction of travel back to a longitudinal direction.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for forming strips of material into said flattened tubes and feeding said flattened tubes continuously to said arranging means.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said regulating and guiding means comprises L-shaped channel members which prevent lateral deflection of the tubes and associated protruding lugs which prevent vertical deflection of the tubes.

7. Apparatus for fabricating a tubular paper pot assembly for raising and transplanting seedlings comprising:

means for arranging a plurality of like flattened paper tubes parallel to one another and moving them lengthwise, means for applying adhesive to one side of each flattened tube for approximately one half of its width, means for directing said flattened tubes in converging paths to bring them into an overlapping relation with each intermediate tube underlying an adjacent tube on one side approximately half its width and overlying an adjacent tube on the opposite sideapproximately half, said directing means comprising a plurality of cones, one for each said flattened tube, said cones being arranged end-toend in series on a shaft and having cone angles progressively increasing from one side to the other of said row of flattened tubes, said cones engaging said tubes respectively and shifting them laterally, regulating and guiding means engaging both sides of said flattened tubes to keep said tubes in correct overlapping relationship and preventing said tubes from being displaced either transversely or vertically, means for pressing said overlapped tubes together to adhere the lower face of one flattened tube directly to the upper face of an adjacent flattened tube on one side for approximately half the width of the tube and to adhere the upper face of said tube directly to the lower face of an adjacent flattened tube on the opposite side for approximately half the width of the tube and, means for intermittently cutting said assembled and adhered tubes transversely of the length of said tubes into predetermined lengths equal to the desired height of said paper pots.

Claims

1. Apparatus for fabricating a tubular paper pot assembly for raising and transplanting seedlings comprising: means for arranging a plurality of like flattened paper tubes side-by-side parallel to one another in the same plane and moving them lengthwise in parallel paths, means for applying adhesive to one side only of each of said flattened tubes for approximately one half of its width, means for thereafter directing said flattened tubes laterally in converging paths to bring them into an overlapping relation with each tube other than the laterally outermost tubes underlying an adjacent tube on one side approximately half its width and overlying an adjacent tube on the opposite side approximately half its width, reguLating and guiding means thereafter engaging both sides of said flattened tubes to keep said tubes in correct overlapping relationship and preventing said tubes from being displaced either transversely or vertically, means for thereafter pressing said overlapped tubes together to form a two-layer assembly in which the lower face of one flattened tube is adhered directly to the upper face of an adjacent flattened tube on one side for approximately half the width of the tube and the upper face of said tube is adhered directly to the lower face of an adjacent flattened tube on the opposite side for approximately half the width of the tube and, means for intermittently cutting said assembled and adhered tubes transversely of the length of said tubes into predetermined lengths equal to the desired height of said paper pots.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, in which each set of rollers comprises a roller for twisting the respective flattened tube 90 degrees to change its direction of travel to a direction laterally of said row of flattened tubes and a second roller for untwisting said respective tube and changing its direction of travel back to a longitudinal direction.

7. Apparatus for fabricating a tubular paper pot assembly for raising and transplanting seedlings comprising: means for arranging a plurality of like flattened paper tubes parallel to one another and moving them lengthwise, means for applying adhesive to one side of each flattened tube for approximately one half of its width, means for directing said flattened tubes in converging paths to bring them into an overlapping relation with each intermediate tube underlying an adjacent tube on one side approximately half its width and overlying an adjacent tube on the opposite side approximately half, said directing means comprising a plurality of cones, one for each said flattened tube, said cones being arranged end-to-end in series on a shaft and having cone angles progressively increasing from one side to the other of said row of flattened tubes, said cones engaging said tubes respectively and shifting them laterally, regulating and guiding means engaging both sides of said flattened tubes to keep said tubes in correct overlapping relationship and preventing said tubes from being displaced either transversely or vertically, means for pressing said overlapped tubes together to adhere the lower face of one flattened tube directly to the upper face of an adjacent flattened tube on one side for approximately half the width of the tube and to adhere the upper face of said tube directly to the lower face of an adjacent flattened tube on the opposite side for approximately half the width of the tube and, means for intermittently cutting said assembled and adhered tubes transversely of the length of said tubes into predetermined lengths equal to the desired height of said paper pots.