Tree planting apparatus and method of using same

Planting – Plant setting – Excavating transplanter

Utility Patent

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Utility Patent

active

06167819

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of agriculture, including forestry and horticulture. More particularly, this invention relates to means and methods for planting trees and the like.
Trees are often harvested and processed for paper, cardboard, or other wood-based products. It is common, and in some localities required, to plant new trees to replace the trees harvested so as to replenish and maintain our forests.
Hybrid trees, which produce no seeds, can only be reproduced from cuttings (“slips”) taken from existing trees. These cuttings or slips are often available from nurseries in the form of sticks having a plurality of bud sites thereon. The sticks come in various lengths and diameters depending upon the type of tree and cultural practices in the local area.
Manually planting the sticks by driving them into the ground at desired locations has been the primary conventional method utilized, but this method is slow, highly labor-intensive and generally costly. The slips must be carefully planted at predetermined intervals so that they protrude a given distance above the ground and at least one of the bud sites is exposed. Recently, mechanized planting has been attempted, but the early prototype tree planting machines had circular shaped stick drivers with a tangentially mounted hammer head that struck the slips in an essentially arcuate motion to drive them into the ground as the planter moved. This tended to damage the slips and often left the planted slip leaning at an undesirable angle with respect to vertical. Furthermore, the ground speed of such tree planting machines had to be matched closely to the rotational speed of the driver, thus limiting the speed of planting. Improved means and methods for planting trees are needed.
Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved means and method for planting trees.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a machine for planting trees that can be drawn behind a tractor with a conventional three-point hitch.
A further objective the present invention is the provision of a method for planting trees that can utilize global positioning technology to precisely position the trees, whereby cultivation can take place between the planted trees to control weeds.
A further objective of this invention is the provision of a machine for planting trees that drives the slips into the ground with a purely vertical linear force so as not to damage or split the slips.
A further objective of this invention is the provision of a means for planting trees that utilizes a planting signal from a sensor that locates nozzles in a drip hose and plants the slips closely adjacent to the nozzles.
A further objective of the present invention is a provision of a means and method for planting trees that is economical, accurate and reliable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a planter and a method of using it to plant trees and the like. The planter is drawn along the ground behind a tractor with a three point hitch. The planter has a frame, a stick hopper, a main conveyor assembly, a operator platform, one or more row planting units with brakes thereon, a generator, an electrical panel having a programmable logic controller (PLC), a planting signal generator, a coulter wheel to open the soil, and a vertical stabilizing mechanism.
The main conveyor assembly extends transversely across the planter and over the row planting unit(s). The row planting unit has a plurality of unit conveyors therein that guide the slip dropped by gravity into the space between the face plates of the row planting unit. The unit conveyors deliver the slip to a position above the receiver.
The receiver has a plurality of uniquely arranged receiver plates, the top portion of which a rotary motor pivots forwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the tractor to allow the slip above the receiver to be fed or loaded into the receiver by gravity. Some of the receiver plates have a toe portion to stop the fall of the slip. Another receiver plate, which has no toe portion, is connected to a linkage that pushes the slip off the toe portion of the other receiver plate as the receiver plates move from the load position and under the path of a substantially vertical driver mechanism in the plant position. A set of fingers prevents the slip from falling once the slip is no longer supported by the toe portion(s).
When the planting signal is received, the driver mechanism applies a downward planting force to the slip. The fingers resiliently deflect to allow the slip to be driven downwardly. In one embodiment, one or more wheels are provided on the row planting unit. As the downward force is applied to the slip, a hydraulic brake engages one of the wheels while a hydraulic cylinder pivots the entire lower row planting unit with respect to the frame to maintain the drive assembly in a constant position over the planting site, despite the forward movement of the planter. In another embodiment, a sled provided on the bottom of the row planting unit frictionally contacts the ground to provide braking action while the slip is driven into the ground.
Various methods of using the tree planter and generating a planting signal to the planter's programmable logic controller are disclosed.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5299857 (1994-04-01), Zanetis
patent: 5485691 (1996-01-01), Stevens et al.

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