JP3234465B2 - Transplanter seedling tray feeder - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transplanter for transplanting seedlings such as vegetables into ridges.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a transplanting machine, a seedling tray feeding device for intermittently transferring a seedling tray for raising a soil block seedling to a traveling machine body, a planting device for planting a soil block seedling on a ridge, and a seedling tray. From the soil block seedlings to take out the soil block seedlings one by one and transport them to the planting equipment,
In some cases, soil block seedlings are automatically planted in ridges while running.

[0003] In this transplanter, the seedling tray is intermittently fed laterally, and when the removal of the soil block seedlings from the horizontal row of pots is completed, the seedling tray is fed vertically by one pitch. In addition, the seedling tray is again intermittently fed to the opposite side. Further, as a mechanism for vertically feeding the seedling tray, a vertical feed cam is provided on a horizontal feed shaft for horizontally feeding the seedling tray, and the vertical feed operating shaft is pushed by the vertical feed cam when the seedling tray reaches the end. Provide a follower for reciprocating the vertical feed operation shaft, and when this follower is pressed by the vertical feed cam, the vertical feed drive shaft for vertically feeding the seedling tray is rotated only in the vertical feed direction, There is a type in which a vertical feed operation shaft and a vertical feed drive shaft are linked and connected.

[0004]

In the conventional transplanter, a plurality of seedling trays having different vertical and horizontal pitches in pot portions of the seedling trays where seedlings are raised may be selectively used. In this case, since the vertical pitch of the pot portion of the seedling tray is different, it is necessary to change the vertical feed amount of the vertical feed mechanism, but there is a problem that the changeover of the setup is complicated.

[0005] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily switch the vertical feed amount of a seedling tray.

[0006]

The technical means taken by the present invention to achieve the above object is to intermittently rotate the seedling tray 21 having a large number of pots 21a in the vertical and horizontal directions by driving the vertical feed drive shaft 31 intermittently. Thereby, in the seedling tray feeding device of the transplanter, which is vertically fed by one pitch of the pot portion 21a,
The vertical feed drive shaft 31 is provided with a plurality of vertical feed gears 48, 49 which rotate together with the vertical feed direction A and are provided with engaging teeth 48 a, 49 a having different pitches.
Ratchet arms 63, 6 which engage with the engaging teeth 48a, 49a of the gears 8, 49 to restrict the rotation of the longitudinal feed gears 48, 49.
4 are provided corresponding to the respective vertical feed gears 48, 49. The ratchet arms 63, 64 disengage the vertical feed gears 48, 49 from the engaging teeth 48a, 49a, and the vertical feed gears 48, 49 are engaged. A longitudinal feed operating means for re-engaging after one pitch rotation of the teeth 48a, 49a is provided, and the other ratchet arms 63, 64 are engaged so that one ratchet arm 63, 64 is engaged with the longitudinal feed gears 48, 49. A selection member 68 having engagement portions 71, 72 for separating from the engagement teeth 48a, 49a of the vertical feed gears 48, 49 is provided. By operating the selection member 68, one of the plurality of ratchet arms 63, 64 is operated. Ratchet arms 63, 6
4 is selectively engaged with the engagement teeth 48a, 4 of the longitudinal feed gears 48, 49.
The point that a plurality of the engaging portions 71 and 72 are provided corresponding to the ratchet arms 63 and 64 in order to engage with the ratchet arm 9a.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 9, the vegetable transplanter 1
This is a walking type having a transplanting device 3 and a steering handle 4 at the rear of the traveling body 2, and in which soil block seedlings are planted at predetermined intervals in the ridges 5 while running in the longitudinal direction across the ridges 5. is there.

The direction of travel of the transplanter 1 is referred to as the front-rear direction, and the lateral direction perpendicular to the direction of travel is referred to as the left-right direction. The traveling body 2 has a mount 7 fixed to a front portion of a transmission case 6 in a protruding forward direction, an engine 8 and the like mounted on the mount 7, and a front wheel 9 and a rear wheel 10 on both left and right sides. Have been.

The power of the engine 8 is input to a power transmission mechanism in the transmission case 6, and the power input into the transmission case 6 is transmitted to a wheel transmission shaft 11 projecting to the left and right sides via a speed change mechanism. A first PTO shaft 12 provided rearward of the wheel transmission shaft 11 and protruding left and right, and a second PTO shaft 13 protruding rearward and upward.
And can be taken out from.

A transmission case 14 is provided at the outer ends of the left and right wheel transmission shafts 11 so as to be able to swing up and down around the axis thereof, and a rear wheel 10 is supported at a lower portion of the transmission case 14.
Power is transmitted from the wheel transmission shaft 11 to the rear wheel 10 via a chain transmission mechanism in the transmission case 14, and the rear wheel 10 is driven to rotate. The transplanting device 3 is provided on a transplanting frame 15 attached to the rear of the traveling machine body 2, and transfers the seedlings to the ridges 5.
The plant is mainly provided with a planting cup 16 for planting seedlings, a seedling supply device 17 for supplying seedlings to the planting cup 16, and a soil covering / pressure reduction roller 18. In the case where the ridges 5 are covered with the multi-film, a perforation device for forming a planting hole in the multi-film is provided in front of the planting cup 16.

The transplant frame 15 is pivotally attached to the left and right first PTO shafts 12 whose front portions are fixedly mounted on the transmission case 6 and the left and right first PTO shafts 12 whose front portions protrude from the transmission case 6. A movable frame 20 whose rear portion is suspended on the main frame 16 side so that the vertical position can be adjusted.
The steering handle 4 is attached and fixed to the rear end of the main frame 19, and a soil covering / pressure reduction roller 18 is attached to the rear of the movable frame 20.

The planting cup 16 is supported on a movable frame 20 via a swinging link mechanism (not shown) so as to be able to swing up and down and back and forth, and is driven by power from the first PTO shaft 12. In the planting cup 16, the seedlings are dropped and supplied at the upper part of the locus, and rush into the ridge 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 a lower portion. The opener opens forward and backward when the planting cup 16 enters the ridge 5 at the lower end side of the track, and the planting hole is formed in the ridge 5. Is formed, and the seedling held in the planting cup 16 can be planted in the planting hole.

A seedling supply device 17 is disposed on the upper rear side of the main frame 19 and intermittently feeds a seedling tray 21 containing a large number of soil block seedlings vertically and horizontally, and a seedling tray feeding device 22. A seedling feeding device 23 is disposed in front of the feeding device 22 and takes out seedlings one by one from the seedling tray 21 and transports the seedlings to the planting cup 16.

The seedling tray 21 is made of plastic, is formed thin, has flexibility, and has a large number of pot portions 21a arranged in a grid pattern at predetermined pitches in the vertical and horizontal directions.
The opening edges of the pot portion 21a are connected to each other in a planar manner. Then, the pot portion 21a is filled with floor soil, sowed and seedling there, so that soil block seedlings are grown.

The seedling feeding device 23 is supported by a swinging motion mechanism driven by power transmitted from the second PTO shaft 13 via a universal joint 25, a power transmission mechanism in a relay box 26, and the like. The seedling extraction claw 24 pierces the lower side of the block soil in the pot portion 21a obliquely from the front, moves forward while slightly moving upward, and pulls out the seedling from the pot portion 21a. Is moved downward while changing the posture so as to assume a substantially vertical posture, the seedlings are released at the lower end position of the movement locus, dropped and supplied to the planting cup 16 positioned at the upper end of the planting cup movement locus, and then returned to the original position. It is configured to reciprocate back.

The seedling tray feeder 22 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 5, a movable frame 28 is supported on a main frame 19 and a guide rail 27 fixed to the handle 4 so as to be movable in the left-right direction. , And the support plate 29 is attached and fixed between the left and right side plates 30.

At the lower part between the left and right side plates 30, a vertical feed drive shaft 3 is provided.
1 are arranged in the left-right direction,
A vertical feed driven shaft 32 is provided in the upper portion between 0 and arranged in the left-right direction. A pair of left and right driving sprockets 33 is fixed to the driving shaft 30, and a pair of left and right driven sprockets 34 is fixed to the driven shaft 32. Fixed. An endless chain 35 is mounted between the driving sprocket 33 and the driven sprocket 34, and a transfer pin 36 is engaged with the chain 35 to be engaged with the gap between the vertical pot portions 21a. Have been. Therefore, the seedling tray 21 can be vertically fed by rotating the drive shaft 31 in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG.

The transport pin 36 is connected to the pot 21
pot portions 21a of several seedling trays 21 with different intervals a
It is provided at a position that matches the pitch between them, or the mounting position can be changed. Here, the lateral feed mechanism of the seedling tray 21 will be described. As shown in FIG.
A horizontal feed shaft 38 having an endless spiral groove and penetrating the left and right side plates 30 is rotatably mounted between left and right support members 37 fixed to the handle 4 and disposed on both left and right sides of the handle 8. A slider 39 having an engaging member that engages with the spiral groove is externally fitted to the lateral feed shaft 38, and the slider 39 is connected to the movable frame 28.

The relay box 26 is attached to the transverse feed shaft 38.
Is transmitted through a power transmission mechanism in a right support member 37 constituted by a winding transmission mechanism and a transmission case, and the transverse feed shaft 38 is rotationally driven intermittently, and the transverse feed shaft 38 is intermittently driven. , The slider 39 moves left and right, and the movable frame 28 reciprocates intermittently in the left and right direction.

Next, the vertical feed mechanism of the seedling tray 21 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 10, a vertical feed cam 40 is fixed to the left and right sides of the horizontal feed shaft 38, and the movable frame 28 is fixed. A vertically-moving operation shaft 41 is rotatably supported between the left and right side plates 30.
A pair of left and right followers 42 that engage with the vertical feed cam 40 when the 8 moves to the leftmost end or the rightmost end are provided.

The vertical feed operating shaft 41 has a left end protruding from the left side plate 30, and a first link 43 is fixed to the protruding portion, and a second link 44 is attached to the first link 43.
A lock release lever 45 having an engagement pin 45a is pivotally connected to the second link 44. The lock release lever 45 is provided at a left end side of the vertical feed drive shaft 31 protruding from the left side plate 30 of the movable frame 28.
a is fixed to a one-way clutch 46 rotatably supported by a. Arm part 4 of this lock release lever 45
A tension coil spring 47 is engaged with 5b, and the lock release lever 45 is urged to rotate in the direction of arrow A in FIG.

On the left end side of the vertical feed drive shaft 31, first and second vertical feed gears 4 having engagement teeth 48a, 49a are provided.
The first and second vertical feed gears 48 and 49 are fixed to a boss 50 supported on the vertical feed drive shaft 31 so as to be relatively rotatable around the left and right axes. . The first longitudinal feed gear 48 rotates together with the one-way clutch 46 only in the longitudinal feed direction (indicated by an arrow A in FIGS. 1 and 10) (therefore, the idle rotation in the reverse direction). ).

The engagement teeth 48 of the first longitudinal feed gear 48
a and the engaging teeth 49a of the second vertical feed gear 49 are formed at different pitches, and the second vertical feed gear 49 is spline-fitted to the left end side of the vertical feed drive shaft 31 so as to be axially movable. Connecting pin 5 fixed to combined clutch shifter 51
A hole 53 through which the hole 2 is inserted is formed. 6 and 7
As shown in FIG. 2, the clutch shifter 51 is formed with an engagement groove 55 in which the shift fork 54 is engaged. The shift fork 54 is fixed to the lever shaft 56, and the lever shaft 56 is attached and fixed to the outer surface of the left side plate 30. The supporting plate 57 is rotatably supported about an axis in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the vertical feed drive shaft 31.

An operation lever 58 is fixed to the lever shaft 56 so as to protrude leftward. By vertically operating the operation lever 58, the shift fork 54 is swung about the axis of the lever shaft 56, Thereby, the clutch shifter 51 moves in the axial direction on the longitudinal feed drive shaft 31, and the connecting pin 52 is inserted into and removed from the hole 53. In the illustrated example, when the operating lever 58 is swung upward, the connecting pin 52 is inserted into the hole 53 to engage the clutch. When the operating lever 58 is swung downward, the connecting pin 52 is swung downward. The operation lever 58 is urged upward by a tension coil spring 59.

The operating lever 58 is inserted through a side wall of a cover 60 covering the first and second links 43 and 44, the first and second vertical feed gears 48 and 49, and protrudes from the cover 60 to the outside. As shown in FIG. 8, when the operation lever 58 is operated to the clutch disengaged position, the operation lever 58 is held in the insertion hole 61 of the operation lever 58 formed on the side wall of the cover 60. Is formed on the stepped portion 62 for hooking.

At the front upper side of the first and second vertical feed gears 48 and 49, first and second ratchet arms 63 and 64 for regulating the rotation of the vertical feed gears 48 and 49 are arranged. . These first and second ratchet arms 63, 6
4 are engagement teeth 48a of corresponding longitudinal feed gears 48, 49,
It has engaging portions 63a and 64a which engage with 49a, and upper portions thereof are pivotally supported by left and right support shafts 65 provided on the support plate 57 so as to be swingable up and down. Each of the engaging portions 63a, 64a is engaged with the engaging teeth 48a, 49a of the first and second vertical feed gears 48, 49.

Each of the ratchet arms 63 and 64 has arcuate engagement surfaces 63b and 64b which engage with the engagement pin 45a of the lock release lever 45. First
A selection member 68 is provided near the lower part of the second ratchet arms 63 and 64. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the selection member 68 includes a pair of left and right support walls 70L and 70R that are rotatably supported around a central axis by a left and right pivot 69 fixed to the support plate 57. These support walls 70
The first and second engaging pieces (engaging portions) 71 and 72 provided between the L and 70R and located below the first and second ratchet arms 63 and 64 are integrally formed of a plate material. Become.

The first engagement piece 71 is located below the lower portion 63c of the first ratchet arm 63, and contacts the lower portion 63c of the first ratchet arm 63 as shown in FIG. Pushes up the first ratchet arm 63 so that the first ratchet arm 63 separates from the engagement teeth 48 a of the first vertical feed gear 48. The second engagement piece 72 is located below the lower portion 64a of the second ratchet arm 64, and contacts the lower portion 64a of the second ratchet arm 64 as shown in FIG.
The second ratchet arm 64 is pushed up so that a is separated from the engagement teeth 49a of the second vertical feed gear 49.

The first engagement piece 71 and the second engagement piece 72
Means that the selection member 68 is disposed at an angle of approximately 90 °.
When the first engagement piece 71 is brought into contact with the lower part 63c of the first ratchet arm 63,
Of the second ratchet arm 64 lower portion 64a
When the second engagement piece 72 is brought into contact with the lower portion 64c of the second ratchet arm 64, the first engagement piece 72
Of the first ratchet arm 63 lower portion 63a
It is constituted so that it may separate from.

A pivot 69 is provided on the right support wall 70R.
A pair of insertion holes 73 are formed on the circumference centered on the axis of the fixing plate. The fixing holes are selectively inserted through these insertion holes 73 and screwed into nuts 74 fixed to the back surface of the support plate 57. The position where the first engagement piece 71 contacts the lower part 63c of the first ratchet arm 63 and the position where the second engagement piece 72 contacts the lower part 64c of the second ratchet arm 64 by the bolt 75. The selection member 68 can be fixed.

The fixing place by the fixing bolt 75 is located outside the cover 60, so that the rotating operation and the fixing operation of the selecting member 68 can be performed without removing the cover 60. The operation of the intermittent vertical feed mechanism of the seedling tray 13 in the above configuration will be described. Vertical feed gear 4
The other one of the first and second ratchet arms 63 and 64 is selected so as to be pushed up so as to be engaged with the engagement teeth 48a and 49a of 8,49.

In FIG. 1, the first ratchet arm 63 is pushed up and the engagement portion 6 of the second ratchet arm 64 is
4a is engaged with the engaging teeth 49a of the second vertical feed gear 49. The vertical feed cam 40 rotates intermittently in the direction of arrow B together with the horizontal feed shaft 38. When the movable frame 28 moves to the left and right end portions, the follower 42 is pushed in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 1 by the vertical feed cam 40, and the follower 42 moves in the direction of arrow C in FIG. The first link 43 is rotated to pull the second link 44 rearward and upward through the first link 43, whereby the lock release lever 45 moves together with the one-way clutch 46 around the axis of the vertical feed drive shaft 31 as indicated by an arrow A. The engagement pin 45a is moved in the opposite direction to the rear direction, and the engagement pin 45a pushes the engagement surface 64b of the second ratchet arm 64 to push the second ratchet arm 64. As a result, the engaging portion 64a is disengaged from the engaging teeth 49a of the second vertical feed gear 49. At this time, the one-way clutch 46 idles and the first and second vertical feed gears 4
8, 49 does not rotate.

Next, the follower 42 and the first link 4 are urged by the tension coil spring 47 and other return springs.
3, the second link 44 and the lock release lever 45 return to their original positions. At this time, the first and second vertical feed gears 48 and 49 are rotated in the direction of arrow A via the one-way clutch 46, The longitudinal feed drive shaft 31 rotates in the direction of arrow A via the clutch shifter 51, while the engaging portion 64 a of the second ratchet arm 64 engages with the engaging tooth 49 a of the second longitudinal feed gear 49. As a result, the rotation of the vertical feed drive shaft 31 is regulated.

The vertical feed cam 40, the follower 42, the first
The ratchet arm 63, the second link 43, 44, the lock release lever 45, the one-way clutch 46, etc.
The longitudinal feed operation means for releasing the engagement of the 64 longitudinal feed gears 48, 49 with the engaging teeth 48a, 49a and re-engaging after the vertical feed gears 48, 49 rotate the engaging teeth 48a, 49a by one pitch. It is configured.

As a result, the seedling tray 21 is
The paper is fed vertically by an amount corresponding to the vertical interval 1a. That is, the engagement teeth 48a of the first and second vertical feed gears 48, 49,
The interval of 49a is formed so as to correspond to one vertical pitch of the pot portion 21a of the seedling tray 21 placed on the movable frame 28. Therefore, in the present embodiment, two types of seedling trays 21 can be handled.

As described above, the pot portions 21 in a row
When the removal of the soil block seedlings from a is completed, the seedling tray 21 is fed vertically by one pitch. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and further includes a third vertical feed gear having different engagement tooth pitches and a third ratchet arm engaged with the third vertical feed gear. May be adapted to the seedling tray 21. In this case, the selection member is provided with a third engagement piece, the first engagement piece pushes up the second and third ratchet arms, and the second engagement piece pushes up the first engagement piece. , The third ratchet arm is pushed up, and the first and second ratchet arms are pushed up by the third engagement piece.

In the same manner as described above, four or more types of seedling trays 21 may be adapted. Furthermore, the selection member is made to rotate, but
A push-pull operation or a swing operation may be performed.

[0038]

According to the present invention, a seedling of a transplanting machine in which a seedling tray having a large number of pots vertically and horizontally is vertically fed one pitch at a time by intermittent rotation of a vertical feed drive shaft. In the tray feeder, the vertical feed drive shaft includes:
A plurality of vertical feed gears are provided, which rotate together with each other in the vertical feed direction and are provided with engaging teeth having different pitches. Each ratchet arm engages with the engaging teeth of the vertical feed gear and regulates rotation of the vertical feed gear. A plurality of longitudinal feed gears are provided corresponding to the longitudinal feed gears, and a longitudinal feed operation means for releasing the engagement of the ratchet arm with the engagement teeth of the longitudinal feed gear and re-engaging after the vertical feed gear rotates by one pitch of the engagement teeth. A selection member having an engagement portion for separating another ratchet arm from engagement teeth of the vertical feed gear so that one ratchet arm is engaged with the vertical feed gear; In order to selectively engage one of the ratchet arms among the ratchet arms with the engagement teeth of the vertical feed gear, a plurality of the engaging portions are provided corresponding to the respective ratchet arms. By selectively selecting one of the number of vertical feed gears, the vertical feed rotation amount of the vertical feed drive shaft for vertically feeding the seedling tray can be changed, and the use of seedling trays having different pitches can be supported. Therefore, the vertical feed amount of the seedling tray can be easily switched.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a vertical feeding mechanism of a seedling tray.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a vertical feeding mechanism of a seedling tray as viewed obliquely from the front.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a ratchet arm selection mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ratchet arm selecting mechanism viewed obliquely from the front.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a ratchet arm selection mechanism showing a mode different from that of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of a clutch mechanism of the vertical feeding mechanism of the seedling tray.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a clutch mechanism of the vertical feed mechanism of the seedling tray.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a shape of an insertion hole of an operation lever formed in a cover.

FIG. 9 is an overall side view of the transplanter.

FIG. 10 is a front sectional view of the seedling tray feeding device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 21 seedling tray 21a pot portion 31 vertical feed drive shaft 48 first vertical feed gear 48a engaging teeth 49 second vertical feed gear 49a engaging teeth 63 first ratchet arm 64 second ratchet arm 68 selecting member 71 1 engagement piece (engagement part) 72 second engagement piece (engagement part) A vertical feed direction

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A seedling tray having a large number of pots vertically and horizontally is intermittently rotated by a vertical feed drive shaft so that one of the pots is rotated.
In the seedling tray feeder of a transplanter that feeds vertically by pitch, the vertical feed drive shaft is provided with a plurality of vertical feed gears that rotate together with the vertical feed direction and are provided with engaging teeth of different pitches. A plurality of ratchet arms are provided corresponding to each vertical feed gear to engage with the engaging teeth of the vertical feed gear and regulate the rotation of the vertical feed gear, and the engagement of the ratchet arm with the engaging teeth of the vertical feed gear is released. And a vertical feed operating means for re-engaging the vertical feed gear after one pitch rotation of the engagement teeth, and engaging another ratchet arm with the vertical feed gear so that one ratchet arm is engaged with the vertical feed gear. A selection member provided with an engaging portion for separating the tooth from the teeth;
A seedling tray feeding device for a transplanter, wherein a plurality of said engaging portions are provided corresponding to each ratchet arm so as to selectively engage one ratchet arm with an engaging tooth of a vertical feed gear.