Planting – Plant setting – Drilling machine
Patent
1987-10-05
1990-11-20
Hafer, Robert A.
Planting
Plant setting
Drilling machine
A01C 1100
Patent
active
049709720
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a seedling planting machine of the type adapted to remove growing seedlings from receptacles or support members in which they have been grown and to transfer the seedlings to and transplant them in the earth in position for further growth.
The objective of the present invention is to provide a machine of the aforementioned type which is capable of planting seedlings as desired with minimum manual input by the operator.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,443, there is disclosed a chain of rigid individual cells formed together in substantially rigid lengths which are hinged one to another. The hinge arrangement enables each rigid length to be folded against another length to provide a compact array of seedling propogating and growing support receptacles. When the hinged rigid lengths are extended they form a chain capable of being driven transplanting the seedlings to any desired location. The present invention is particularly useful with cell chains of this type but it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited thereto. Any array, mechanism or means of presenting individual seedlings in sequence to the apparatus of the present invention is capable of being usefully employed therewith.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided planting apparatus for seedlings propagated in seedling support means, said apparatus comprising transfer means for removing seedlings from the seedling support means and delivering the seedlings sequentially to a transport mechanism, said transport mechanism being adapted to deliver and deposit the seedlings in a prepared planting position. Conveniently the apparatus further includes planting preparation means adapted to prepare the said planting position.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a handling mechanism adapted for handling seedlings in a planting machine, said handling mechanism comprising a first rotatable member having seedling gripping regions, said seedling gripping regions being adapted to receive and hold root regions of seedlings during at least predetermined zones of a first movement path defined by said seedling gripping regions of the first rotatable member, a second rotatable member having seedling gripping regions adapted to receive and hold foliage regions of seedlings over a predetermined zone of a second path of movement located adjacent said first path of movement over at least a predetermined region, said handling mechanism being adapted to transfer seedlings between said first and second rotatable members over said predetermined region.
Preferably the first and second rotatable members are formed by pairs of flexible discs with the gripping regions being formed by confronting internal peripheral surface zones of the respective disc pairs. Conveniently each of the pairs of flexible discs have their peripheral surface zones urged together over predetermined lengths of the peripheral surface zones. This in either case may be achieved by angling the planes of the respective discs or by using outer and inner pressure members such as rollers. It will of course be apparent that both these means might be employed simultaneously if desired.
The transfer apparatus thus described enables seedlings to be delivered in an upright condition to the first pair of rotatable members to be gripped thereby, the seedlings then being automatically inverted by being gripped by the second pair of rotatable members so that they are then in a suitable configuration for planting.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a seedling transfer mechanism for use in planting apparatus of the aforementioned type, said transfer mechanism being arranged to remove seedlings from a support means in which the seedlings have been grown and to move such seedlings to a transport position for subsequent movement to a planting position, said transfer mechanism comprising means for moving said support means whereby seedlings are positioned in sequence in a delivery guide tra
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Hafer Robert A.
Rimell S.
Williames Hi-Tech International Pty. Ltd.
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