JP7723912B2 - seedling transplanter - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a transplanter for planting vegetable seedlings and other crops in a field.

Patent Document 1 discloses a seedling transplanter capable of transplanting seedlings housed in a planting device into a field. Hereinafter, the seedling transplanter will also be referred to simply as the "machine."

The seedling transplanter disclosed in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a planting device (specifically, a planting hopper) that plants seedlings in the field, a seedling supply table that drops the seedlings into the planting device, and a traveling vehicle that supports the seedling supply table. The traveling vehicle is equipped with a work seat where an operator can sit to easily place seedlings into each seedling container (so-called cup) that moves around on the seedling supply table.

Each seedling container is moved around on a seedling supply table that is roughly elliptical when viewed from above. When positioned above the planting device, the bottom of the seedling container is rotated open, and the seedlings contained within the container are dropped into the planting device through an opening formed at the top.

The planting device is configured to repeat the planting action of rising and falling at regular intervals using a lifting link mechanism. When the seedlings fall from the seedling container, it receives them at the top dead center, inserts them into the soil in the field as it descends, and opens near the bottom dead center, planting the seedlings.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-184951

In this way, the planting device receives seedlings when it is positioned at top dead center, but even when it is positioned at top dead center, there is a vertical gap between the planting device and the seedling container positioned above it. Therefore, if the field slope causes the machine to tilt significantly to the left or right, or if strong winds blow during planting work, the seedlings falling from the seedling container may not enter the opening of the planting device, preventing them from being planted in the field.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a seedling transplanter that can reliably feed seedlings dropped from a seedling container into a planting device.

The object of the present invention is to
a traveling vehicle body that travels on a field;
A seedling supply table into which a plurality of seedling containers into which the seedlings are fed moves around;
A plurality of planting devices are provided below the seedling supply table and plant the seedlings dropped from the seedling container into the field;
A planting operation mechanism that performs a planting operation by lifting and lowering and opening and closing each of the planting devices;
A seedling transplanter comprising an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the left and right positions of each of the planting devices,
A transfer hopper for temporarily storing the seedlings dropped from the seedling container is provided between the seedling container where the seedlings are dropped on the seedling supply table and the planting device, and the transfer hopper is provided so that its position can be changed to the left and right.
An opening is formed at the bottom of the transfer hopper to drop seedlings into the planting device, and a shutter is arranged to close the opening.
This is achieved by the seedling transplanter, wherein the shutter is opened and closed in conjunction with the planting operation of the planting device by the planting operation mechanism.

According to this invention, a transfer hopper is provided above and below the seedling container on the seedling supply table where the seedlings fall and the planting device to temporarily store seedlings that have fallen from the seedling container. The transfer hopper relays the seedlings that fall from the seedling container on the seedling supply table into the planting device, ensuring reliable supply of seedlings from the seedling container into the planting device even in strong winds or when the machine is tilted significantly to the left or right, preventing planting errors.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, the shutter that closes the opening formed at the bottom of the transfer hopper opens and closes in conjunction with the planting operation of the planting device, i.e., the lifting and opening/closing operations, thereby preventing multiple seedlings from being dropped from the transfer hopper into the planting device at the same time.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
A planting transmission case is provided to transmit power to the plurality of planting devices and the seedling supply table,
The planting operation mechanism includes a lifting link mechanism that receives power from the planting transmission case to lift and lower the planting device, and an opening/closing mechanism that opens and closes the planting device,
A non-circular cam that forms part of the opening and closing mechanism determines the timing for opening and closing the planting device, and an arm to which a cable that opens and closes the shutter is attached is biased so as to abut against the cam.

In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, an arm to which a cable that opens and closes the shutter is attached is biased so as to abut against a non-circular cam that determines the timing for opening and closing the planting device. This allows the shutter to be opened and closed in conjunction with the planting operation of the planting device, thereby ensuring that the next seedling to be planted is reliably inserted into the planting device.

Furthermore, according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shutter that closes the opening formed at the bottom of the transfer hopper opens and closes in conjunction with the planting device's opening and closing mechanism. Therefore, even if the row spacing or number of plants planted by the planting device is changed, the opening and closing of the shutter can be synchronized with the planting of the seedlings, thereby preventing poor planting of the seedlings.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention,
In the seedling supply table, the seedling containers are connected to each other endlessly and are configured to move in a circular motion by the driving force transmitted from the planting transmission case,
Each seedling container has openings at the top and bottom, the upper opening having a larger diameter than the lower opening, and when connected to each other endlessly, the horizontal distance from the outer edge of the upper edge of the seedling container to the center point of the lower opening is longer than the horizontal distance from the inner edge of the upper edge of the seedling container to the center point of the lower opening.

In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the seedling container is shaped so that the horizontal distance from the outer edge of the upper edge to the center point of the lower opening is longer than the horizontal distance from the inner edge of the upper edge to the center point of the lower opening, thereby shortening the distance between the seedling container and the worker facing the seedling supply table. This makes it easier to load seedlings into the seedling container, reducing the burden on the worker.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention,
In the seedling supply table, the seedling containers are connected to each other endlessly and are configured to move in a circular motion by a driving force transmitted from a planting transmission case,
Each seedling container has openings at the top and bottom, the upper opening being larger in diameter than the lower opening, and when connected to each other endlessly, the outer edge of the upper edge of the seedling container is higher in height than the inner edge of the upper edge of the seedling container.

In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the seedling containers are connected together endlessly, and the outer edge of the upper edge, i.e., the edge of the upper edge of the seedling container facing the operator, is higher in height than the inner edge of the upper edge. This allows seedlings to be slid into the seedling container from near the outer edge, making it easy and reliable to insert the seedlings.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention,
a ridge end detection means for detecting when the traveling vehicle body has reached the end of the ridge;
a bridge diode that full-wave rectifies the AC voltage of the AC power supply;
a first notification means for notifying an operator when the ridge end detection means detects that the ridge has reached its end,
the first notification means is configured to operate on power rectified by the bridge diode;
the bridge diode is formed by combining a plurality of LEDs, which are second notification means for notifying an operator when the ridge end detection means detects that the ridge has reached its end,
At least one of the plurality of LEDs is disposed on the seedling supply table.

In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, a bridge diode that full-wave rectifies AC voltage is configured by combining multiple LEDs that indicate when the end of the ridge has been reached. This bridge diode has both the function of indicating when the end of the ridge has been reached and the function of rectifying voltage, thereby reducing the number of components and simplifying the circuit.

Furthermore, according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bridge diode can full-wave rectify the AC voltage of the AC power supply and convert it to DC voltage, thereby increasing the effective power and enabling the first notification means, which notifies that the traveling vehicle has reached the end of the ridge, to operate stably when powered on, thereby making it easier for the operator to know that the traveling vehicle has reached the end of the ridge.

Furthermore, according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the LEDs forming the bridge diode is provided on the seedling supply table, making it easier for workers who place seedlings in the seedling containers on the seedling supply table to notice when they have reached the end of the ridge.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention,
A work seat on which an operator sits is provided in front of the seedling supply table, and the work seat is arranged so that the operator faces away from the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body,
At the rear of the machine, there is a control handle that the operator holds from outside the machine, and an operation panel for operating the machine.
The first notification means is composed of a buzzer that notifies by sound and an LED that notifies by lighting up, and the LED and at least one LED of the plurality of LEDs are arranged in front of the seedling supply table,
Other LEDs of the plurality of LEDs are arranged at the rear of the seedling supply table and on the operation panel.

In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, power rectified by a bridge diode is sent to the buzzer and LED that constitute the first notification means and the multiple LEDs that constitute the second notification means. This prevents the buzzer sound from cutting out or becoming quieter, and the LEDs from flickering or lighting up at low intensity. This prevents situations in which the operating noise of the seedling transplanter or sunlight interfere with the notification that the end of the furrow has been reached.

Furthermore, according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, an LED, which is one of the first notification means, and at least one of the multiple LEDs, which is the second notification means, are located at the front of the seedling supply table facing the operator seated in the work seat, making it easy for the operator to notice that the end of the ridge has been reached, even while he or she is placing seedlings in the seedling container of the seedling supply table. This prevents the traveling vehicle from continuing to travel after passing the end of the ridge, causing seedlings to fall onto the field or the vehicle to come into contact with the edge of the field.

Furthermore, according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, LEDs, which serve as second notification means, are also located at the rear of the seedling supply table near the control handle that the operator holds from outside the machine, and on the operation panel. This makes the LED light visible to an assistant near the control handle, or to an operator operating the operation panel 11 without being on the machine, making it easy to know when the end of the furrow has been reached, even in bright daylight, thereby ensuring safety.

This invention makes it possible to provide a seedling transplanter that can reliably feed seedlings dropped from a seedling container into the planting device.

FIG. 1 is a schematic right side view of a seedling transplanter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic rear view of the seedling transplanter shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the seedling transplanter shown in FIG. Figure 4(a) is a left side view showing the vicinity of the travel transmission case and the front wheel arm during planting work of the seedling transplanter shown in Figure 1, and Figure 4(b) is a left side view showing the vicinity of the travel transmission case and the front wheel arm during turning travel. 5 is a schematic left side view of the vicinity of a pair of left and right planting devices of the seedling transplanter shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a schematic rear view of the vicinity of a pair of left and right planting devices of the seedling transplanter shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of the hopper opening/closing cam shown in FIG. FIG. 8(a) is a schematic rear view of the vicinity of the takeover hopper with the shutter closed, and FIG. 8(b) is a schematic rear view of the vicinity of the takeover hopper with the shutter open. FIG. 9 is an enlarged side view of the vicinity of the work seat shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing a power supply circuit of the seedling transplanter shown in FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view showing the arrangement positions of the LED lamps for warning about the end of ridges provided on the seedling supply table of the seedling transplanter shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view showing the vicinity of a starter knob of a recoil starter for starting the engine of the seedling transplanter shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 13 is a schematic rear view showing the vicinity of a pressure wheel of a seedling transplanter according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a partially enlarged view showing the vicinity of the upper part of the crusher wheel frame supporting the crusher wheel shown in FIG. 15(a) is an enlarged perspective view showing the angle adjustment mechanism of the crusher wheel shaft shown in FIG. 13, and FIG. 15(b) is an enlarged side view of the angle adjustment mechanism shown in FIG. 15(a). FIG. 16 is a schematic perspective view showing the vicinity of a pressure wheel of a seedling transplanter according to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 17(a) is a schematic side view showing the state in which the outer periphery of the upper edge of the seedling container has been widened, Figure 17(b) is a schematic plan view of the seedling container shown in Figure 17(a), and Figure 17(c) is a schematic plan view of the vicinity of the seedling supply table showing the state in which the seedling containers shown in Figure 17(a) are connected to each other in a closed loop shape. Figure 18(a) is a schematic side view showing the state in which the outer periphery of the upper edge of the seedling container is formed wide and high, Figure 18(b) is a schematic plan view of the seedling container shown in Figure 18(a), and Figure 18(c) is a schematic plan view of the vicinity of the seedling supply table showing the state in which the seedling containers shown in Figure 18(a) are connected to each other in a closed loop shape. FIG. 19 is a schematic side view showing a state in which the pivot point of the work seat is located at a position below the center of the work seat in the front-rear direction. FIG. 20 is a schematic perspective view showing a guide bar of a starter knob with an improved winding portion.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic right side view of a seedling transplanter 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Furthermore, Figure 2 is a schematic rear view of the seedling transplanter 1 shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a schematic front view of the seedling transplanter 1 shown in Figure 1.

In this specification, as shown by the arrow in Figure 1, the side in the direction of travel of the seedling transplanter 1 is referred to as the front (F), and unless otherwise specified, the left side of the seedling transplanter 1 in the direction of travel is referred to as the "left" ("L" in the drawings), and the opposite side is referred to as the "right" ("R" in the drawings).

The seedling transplanter 1 comprises a traveling vehicle body 2 that moves the machine forward; a pair of left and right planting devices 3 attached to the traveling vehicle body 2 and used to plant seedlings in the field; a seedling supply table 6 that supplies seedlings to the planting devices 3; a pair of left and right transfer hoppers 45 that relay seedlings supplied from the seedling supply table 6 to the pair of planting devices 3; and two pairs of left and right compacting wheels 90 that compact the soil around the seedlings planted by each planting device 3. The seedling transplanter 1 in this embodiment has a two-row planting configuration with two planting devices 3 arranged side by side, but three or more rows may also be used. Hereinafter, the traveling vehicle body 2 will also be referred to simply as the "vehicle body."

The traveling vehicle body 2 comprises an engine 9 that drives the vehicle body 2, the planting device 3, and the seedling supply table 6; a transmission case 10 that changes the speed of the engine 9's power; a pair of left and right rear wheels 14 and a pair of left and right front wheels 13 (see Figure 3) that are idle wheels, which will be described in detail later; a planting transmission case 20 (see Figure 5) that branches and supplies power from the transmission case 10 (see Figure 3) to the planting device 3 and the seedling supply table 6; a work seat 18 on which the operator sits when dropping seedlings onto the seedling supply table 6; and a handle frame 23 that extends rearward from near the planting transmission case 20.

The work seat 18 is positioned facing rearward at the front of the vehicle body 2. In other words, the work seat 18 is positioned at the front of the vehicle body 2 so that the worker faces away from the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body 2.

The driving power output from the transmission case 10 is transmitted to the transmission mechanism inside the pair of left and right driving transmission cases 16, and then transmitted to the rear wheel axles to rotate the rear wheels 14, thereby moving the vehicle body 2 forward. The driving transmission cases 16 are provided with a tank holder 118 that supports a water tank 117.

The handle frame 23 is provided with a pair of left and right control handles 12 that are grasped from outside the machine when moving the machine without planting seedlings, and an operation panel 11 located between the pair of control handles 12 (see Figure 2). "Holding from outside the machine" as used here means that the handles are held by an operator who is not on board the machine.

The operation panel 11 is used to operate the vehicle 1, and in this embodiment, the operation panel 11 is equipped with a side clutch operation lever 24 (see Figure 1) that switches power transmission to the rear wheels 14 on and off, a throttle lever 26 that increases or decreases the output of the engine 9, a main speed change lever 27, a main clutch lever 17, and a vehicle height adjustment lever 25.

The vehicle height adjustment lever 25 is used to extend and retract the lifting hydraulic cylinder 28 shown in Figure 1, allowing the vehicle height of the traveling vehicle body 2 to be raised or lowered.

Specifically, an upwardly extending arm 29 is attached integrally to the attachment portion of the travel transmission case 16 to the transmission case 10, and this arm 29 is connected to both the left and right sides of a connector attached to the tip of the piston rod of a lifting hydraulic cylinder 28 fixed to the transmission case 10.

When the lifting hydraulic cylinder 28 extends rearward, the left and right arms 29 rotate rearward, causing the rear of the travel transmission case 16 to rotate downward, raising the vehicle height.

In contrast, when the lifting hydraulic cylinder 28 contracts, the left and right arms 29 rotate forward, causing the rear of the travel transmission case 16 to rotate upward, lowering the vehicle height.

As shown in Figure 3, a planting speed change lever 123 is provided on the right side of the machine body to change the seedling planting speed, i.e., the spacing between plants. The planting speed change lever 123 is supported by a spacing change cover 124.

Also located at the rear of the machine are a side step 121 that can be used as a foothold during work, a main inter-plant speed change lever 120, and an auxiliary inter-plant speed change lever 119.

Figure 4(a) is a left side view showing the vicinity of the travel transmission case and front wheel arm of the seedling transplanter shown in Figure 1 during planting work, and Figure 4(b) is a left side view showing the vicinity of the travel transmission case and front wheel arm during turning travel.

As shown in Figure 4(a), the travel transmission case 16 and the front wheel arm 38 (see also Figure 2) that supports the front wheel 13 are connected by a link mechanism 33 including multiple joints, and this link mechanism 33 is held in a contracted state by a cable 36 when the planting device 3 is traveling and planting. A spring 34 that urges the front wheel 13 and front wheel arm 38 upward is attached to the front of the link mechanism 33, and the cable 36 pulls the front wheel 13 and front wheel arm 38 in a direction that opposes the urging direction of the spring 34, i.e., downward.

When the pair of planting devices has finished planting seedlings in the furrows and the operator turns the seedling transplanter 1, the vehicle height adjustment lever 25 is operated to extend the lifting hydraulic cylinder 28, raising the vehicle height to near its highest position. As shown in Figure 4(b), the cam mechanism 35, which operates in conjunction with the rotation of the travel transmission case 16, slides the rear of the cable 36 forward, loosening the cable 36. As a result, the link mechanism 33 extends straight forward, and at the same time, the spring 34 rotates the front wheel 13 and front wheel arm 38 upward (see solid lines in Figure 4(b)).

In this way, when the vehicle height is raised by operating the vehicle height adjustment lever 25, the pair of front wheels 13 are automatically rotated upward. This makes it easy to raise the pair of front wheels 13 to a position above the top surface of the ridge without having to press down the steering handle 12 too hard, making it easy to turn the vehicle 1 across the ridge. In addition, when the vehicle height is raised to near its highest position, the cable 36 slackens, allowing the vehicle's forward tilt angle to be increased and the steering handle 12 to be easily pressed down.

The lifting hydraulic cylinder 28 is also configured to automatically extend and retract to adjust the vehicle height in response to the results of detection of the height position of the ridge surface by the ridge surface sensor 42 shown in Figure 1, thereby maintaining a constant planting depth for the seedlings planted by the pair of planting devices 3.

Figure 5 is a schematic left side view of the vicinity of the pair of left and right planting devices 3 of the seedling transplanter 1 shown in Figure 1, and Figure 6 is a schematic rear view of the vicinity of the pair of left and right planting devices 3 of the seedling transplanter 1 shown in Figure 1.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a transmission shaft 39 extends from the top of the planting transmission case 20, which receives power from the transmission case 10, to the seedling supply table 6 located above. This drives the seedling supply table 6 and allows multiple seedling containers 40 connected to the seedling supply table 6 in an endless (closed loop) shape to move in a circular motion.

Specifically, the rotational movement mechanism for the seedling containers 40 includes a sprocket that receives power from the transmission shaft 39. The rotational drive of this sprocket causes each seedling container 40 to move counterclockwise while connected to the adjacent seedling container 40 (see Figure 17, etc.).

Each seedling container 40 is cylindrical and has openings at the top and bottom, and a bottom lid that closes the lower opening is rotatably attached to the bottom of the cylindrical body.

The bottom lid of each seedling container 40 is normally held down from below by the frame of the seedling supply table 6 or similar, preventing it from opening. Therefore, seedlings placed in each seedling container 40 by an operator are retained within the seedling container 40. However, only when each seedling container 40 is positioned above its corresponding planting device 3 during circular movement is the bottom lid rotated downward, allowing the seedlings inside the seedling container 40 to fall through the opening at the bottom of the seedling container 40. Each seedling container 40 corresponds to either the left or right planting device 3.

On the seedling supply table 6, the position of the seedling container 40 into which the seedlings fall (two positions where the bottom cover is rotated downward and opened while moving around) can be adjusted left and right by sliding the drop position adjustment plate 43 to match the seedling planting position in the left-right direction, i.e., the row spacing.

When adjusting the planting position of the seedlings in the left-right direction, in addition to the position of the seedling container 40 into which the seedlings fall during its circular movement, it is necessary to adjust the left-right positions of the transfer hopper 45 (described in detail below), the left-right positions of the planting device 3 that plants the seedlings falling from the transfer hopper 45 in the field, and the left-right positions of the crushing wheel 90.

Seedlings that fall from the seedling container 40 are temporarily stored in the left and right transfer hoppers 45, then supplied to the left and right planting devices 3 and planted in the field.

As shown in Figures 17(a) and 17(b), the seedling container 40 is configured so that the upper opening has a larger diameter than the lower opening 69. Also, as shown in Figure 17(c), when multiple seedling containers 40 are connected to each other in a closed loop (endless), the outer peripheral end A of the upper edge of each seedling container 40 (in other words, when connected to each other endlessly by the seedling supply table 6, the part of the upper edge of the seedling container 40 that becomes the outer end in the short diameter direction of the seedling supply table 6, which is approximately elliptical in plan view) The horizontal distance Ax from the inner edge B of the upper edge of each seedling container 40 (part A) to the center point C of the lower opening 69 of the seedling container 40 when multiple seedling containers 40 are connected in a closed loop (endless) (in other words, when connected together endlessly by the seedling supply table 6, part B of the upper edge of the seedling container 40 that forms the inner end in the minor axis direction of the seedling supply table 6, which is generally elliptical in plan view) may be longer than the horizontal distance Bx from the inner edge B of the upper edge of each seedling container 40 to the center point C of the bottom of the seedling container 40.

This configuration allows the outer edge A of the upper edge of the seedling container 40 to be closer to the worker seated on the work seat 18. When placing seedlings into each seedling container 40 on the seedling supply table 6 while seated, the worker can easily reach out near the outer edge A of the seedling container 40 without having to bend forward, improving the worker's working posture. Seedlings placed near the outer edge A of the seedling container 40 slide smoothly along the inner surface of the container 40 and are stored within the container 40.

The seedling container 40 may also be configured so that the horizontal distance Ax from end A to the center point C of the opening 69 is longer than the horizontal distance Bx from end B to the center point C of the opening 69, and so that the height position of end A is higher than the height position of end B, as shown in Figure 18. In this case, the bottom of the seedling container 40 is closer to the operator, making it easier for the operator to slide the seedlings along the inner surface of the seedling container 40 and insert them while seated on the work seat 18.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5, a planting operation case 21 is connected to the side of the planting transmission case 20, and receives power from the planting transmission case 20 to move the planting device 3 up and down (raise and lower).

Each planting operation case 21 is equipped with a lifting link mechanism 19 including an upper link arm 47 and a lower link arm 48 that raise and lower the planting device 3, and an opening/closing mechanism that opens and closes the planting device 3 (more specifically, opens and closes the planting hopper 62 of the planting device 3).

Specifically, the system includes a lifting drive shaft 51 that receives power from the planting transmission case 20 to move the planting device 3 up and down; an unequal circular lifting cam 50 attached to the lifting drive shaft 51; a lifting crank 52, one end of which is attached to a rotating shaft that extends from the lifting cam 50 to the outside of the machine body and rotates the upper link arm 47 up and down; a connecting plate 53 attached to the other end of the lifting crank 52 and attached to the inside of the machine body of the upper link arm 47; a non-circular (non-perfectly circular) hopper opening/closing cam 46 that rotates with power from the planting transmission case 20; and an opening/closing arm 64 with an opening/closing wire 63 attached to its upper end that opens and closes the planting device 3. Hereinafter, the mechanism that causes the planting device 3 to perform the planting operation, i.e., the lifting link mechanism 19 and the opening/closing mechanism that raise and lower the planting device 3 and open and close it, will be collectively referred to as the "planting operation mechanism."

When the lifting drive shaft 51 is rotated by the power transmitted from the planting transmission case 20, the lifting link mechanism 19 is activated, and the planting device 3 is raised and lowered. Specifically, the rotation of the lifting drive shaft 51 drives the lifting cam 50, lifting crank 52, and connecting plate 53, causing the upper link arm 47 and lower link arm 48 to alternately rotate upward and downward toward the rear. As a result, the planting device 3 is raised and lowered.

The lower link arm 48 rotates up and down in conjunction with the upper link arm 47, and the lower end of the opening/closing arm 64 is rotatably attached to the front end of the lower link arm 48.

The front end of the upper link arm 47 is attached to the hopper opening/closing cam 46 via an adjustment plate 54, and its attachment position is set to a position on the static trajectory of the planting device 3 that causes the planting device 3 to change from a backward-inclined position to a substantially vertical position relative to the field surface between receiving seedlings from the transfer hopper 45 and heading toward the bottom dead center, and also changes from a substantially vertical position to a forward-inclined position as it begins to rise from the bottom dead center.

Note that in Figure 5, the front portion of the upper link arm 47 is omitted to expose the hopper opening/closing cam 46, which has a non-circular cross section.

The rear end of the upper link arm 47 and the rear end of the lower link arm 48 are connected by a link holder 55, and a row-spacing adjustment plate 56 is fixed to the rear of this link holder 55.

As shown in Figure 6, a long hole 57 is formed in the row spacing adjustment plate 56, and a hopper holder 58 that supports the planting device 3 is fixed to the long hole 57 using the fastening member 59 shown in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 6, the long hole 57 extends in the left-right direction. Therefore, the left-right position of the planting device 3 can be adjusted by changing the left-right position of the hopper holder 58 within the range of the long hole 57 to match the row spacing. Note that Figure 2 shows the planting device 3 moved to the right end.

Each planting device 3 on the left and right sides is equipped with a planting hopper 62 having a pair of left and right hopper components 60 that are inserted into the field, a seedling guide 61 that guides seedlings that fall from the transfer hopper 45 into the pair of hopper components 60, a pivoting support shaft 66 for the pair of hopper components 60, and a pair of pivoting arms 67 attached to each pivoting support shaft 66.As the pair of upper and lower link arms 47, 48 move up and down, the planting hopper 62 rises to a position directly below the transfer hopper 45, lowers to a position where it is inserted into the furrow, and then rises to a position directly below the transfer hopper, repeating this operation.

Here, one end of the planting hopper opening/closing wire 63 is attached to the upper end of the opening/closing arm 64 shown in Figure 5, and the other end of the planting hopper opening/closing wire 63 is attached to a pivoting arm 67 as shown in Figure 6.

The opening/closing arm 64 is provided with a contact roller 65. When the outer surface of the large diameter part of the hopper opening/closing cam 46, which rotates due to the driving force received from the planting transmission case 20, comes into contact with this contact roller 65, the opening/closing arm 64 rotates forward around the pivot point 70, pulling the planting hopper opening/closing wire 63 and closing the planting hopper 62.

Furthermore, when the outer surface of the large diameter portion of the hopper opening/closing cam 46 no longer contacts the contact roller 65, the opening/closing arm 64 rotates rearward, loosening the planting hopper opening/closing wire 63 and opening the planting hopper 62. The opening and closing operation of the planting hopper 62 by the planting hopper opening/closing wire 63 is performed in conjunction with the lifting and lowering operation (up and down movement) of the planting hopper 62, which accompanies the up and down movement (up and down rotation) of the pair of upper and lower link arms 47, 48.

Specifically, the planting hopper 62 opens and plants the seedlings in the furrows from the time it receives the seedlings from the transfer hopper 45, descends, and inserts them into the furrows until it passes bottom dead center and begins to rise. After the seedlings are planted, the planting hopper 62 closes and holds the seedlings received from the transfer hopper 45 inside the planting hopper 62 from the time it begins to rise until it receives the seedlings from the transfer hopper 45, descends again, and inserts them into the furrows. The shape of the hopper opening/closing cam 46 corresponds to the above-mentioned opening/closing and lifting operations, and the hopper opening/closing cam 46 is a cam that determines the timing for opening and closing the planting hopper 62.

On the other hand, each transfer hopper 45 located above each planting device 3 and below the position of each seedling container 40 where the seedlings fall on the seedling supply table 6 (in other words, the position where the bottom lid of the seedling container 40 is opened during circular movement) is cylindrical.

An opening is formed at the top of each transfer hopper 45 to receive seedlings dropped from the seedling container 40 on the seedling supply table 6, and an opening is formed at the bottom of the transfer hopper 45 to drop the seedlings into the planting device 3.

As shown in Figure 6, a shutter 49 is provided at the bottom of each transfer hopper 45. This shutter 49 opens and closes the opening formed at the bottom, and when closed, receives seedlings dropped from the seedling container 40. The shutter 49 swings around the edge of the bottom of the transfer hopper 45 as a fulcrum to open and close.

In this embodiment, the shutters 49 are swingably attached to the right edge of the bottom of the transfer hopper 45 by a hinge 76 shown in Figure 8. The opening and closing mechanism of each shutter 49 is described below.

Figure 7 is an enlarged partial view of the hopper opening/closing cam 46 and its vicinity shown in Figure 5.

Figure 8(a) is a schematic rear view of the area near the transfer hopper 45 with the shutter 49 closed, and Figure 8(b) is a schematic rear view of the area near the transfer hopper 45 with the shutter 49 open.

In Figure 7, the pair of upper and lower link arms 47, 48, etc. are omitted to expose the area around the hopper opening/closing cam 46.

As shown in Figures 5 and 7, a shutter opening/closing arm 71 is rotatably attached to the pivot point 70 of the lower link arm 48.

The shutter opening/closing arm 71 is biased to rotate upward and rearward by the biasing force of a spring (not shown), and a protrusion 72 formed on the rear of the shutter opening/closing arm 71 is constantly in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the hopper opening/closing cam 46. One end of a shutter opening/closing cable 73 is attached to the rear end of the shutter opening/closing arm 71, and the other end of the shutter opening/closing cable 73 is attached from above to the edge of the shutter 49 (see Figure 8).

While the hopper opening/closing cam 46 rotates and the convex portion 72 of the shutter opening/closing arm 71 abuts against the outer surface of the large diameter portion of the hopper opening/closing cam 46, the shutter 49 closes the bottom of the transfer hopper 45 (see Figure 8 (a)). At this time, seedlings fall from the seedling container 40 and are temporarily stored in the transfer hopper 45.

Then, as the rotation of the hopper opening/closing cam 46 continues, the convex portion 72 of the shutter opening/closing arm 71 abuts against the outer surface of the small diameter portion 74 of the hopper opening/closing cam 46 (in other words, when the small diameter portion of the hopper opening/closing cam 46 rotates to a position diagonally below and behind where it abuts against the convex portion 72), the shutter opening/closing arm 71 is rotated upward and rearward.

As a result, as the shutter opening/closing cable 73 is pulled, the right edge of the shutter 49 is pulled upward, as shown in Figure 8 (b), causing the shutter 49 to swing open around the bottom edge of the transfer hopper 45 as a fulcrum, and the seedlings contained in the transfer hopper 45 are dropped into the planting device 3.

Then, when the hopper opening/closing cam 46 rotates and the convex portion 72 of the shutter opening/closing arm 71 abuts against the outer surface of the large diameter portion of the hopper opening/closing cam 46 again, the shutter opening/closing arm 71 is rotated backward and downward, the end of the shutter opening/closing cable 73 attached to the shutter 49 extends downward, and the shutter 49 is closed. A separate spring may also be used to close the shutter 49. In this case, the shutter opening/closing cable 73 must be pulled with a force greater than the spring's biasing force to open the shutter 49.

As described above, the shutter 49 is repeatedly opened and closed in accordance with the rotation of the hopper opening/closing cam 46, which determines the timing for opening and closing the planting hopper 62. This opening and closing operation of the shutter 49 is performed in conjunction with the planting operation of the planting device 3, but is also performed in conjunction with the dropping and supplying of seedlings from the seedling container 40 of the seedling supply table 6, which is also powered by the planting transmission case 20.

Specifically, when seedlings fall from the seedling container 40 on the seedling supply table 6, the shutter 49 of the transfer hopper 45 located below it is closed. When the planting device 3 is positioned near top dead center, the shutter 49 opens, allowing the seedlings to be dropped into the planting device 3. The opened shutter 49 is then closed until the next time seedlings fall from the seedling container 40. When seedlings are dropped into the planting device 3, the planting device 3 is closed (more specifically, the planting hopper 62 of the planting device 3 is closed), and the seedlings are accommodated within the planting device 3. The planting device 3 is then lowered and inserted into the furrow in the field and opened. After the seedlings are planted, the planting device 3 is raised and closed. At this time, the seedlings that fell from the seedling container 40 are contained within the transfer hopper 45, and when the planting device 3 is again positioned near top dead center, the shutter 49 opens, allowing the seedlings to be dropped into the planting device 3. By repeating the above steps, seedlings are planted continuously and reliably in the furrows of the field.

In this manner, in this embodiment, transfer hoppers 45 are placed above and below each of the two planting devices 3 and at the two locations where seedlings fall as the seedling containers 40 move around. Seedlings that fall from the seedling containers 40 on the seedling supply table 6 are temporarily stored in the transfer hopper 45 located below. When each planting device 3 is near its top dead center, the shutter 49 opens and the seedlings are supplied from each transfer hopper 45 to the planting device 3 located directly below it.

As a result, even in strong winds or when the machine tilts significantly to the left or right, it is possible to prevent mistakes in the supply of seedlings from the seedling containers 40 into which workers have placed seedlings on the seedling supply table 6 to each planting device 3, preventing areas from not being planted.

The left and right planting devices 3 are alternately lowered and raised, and seedlings are planted alternately, so the timing at which the shutters 49 are opened and closed differs between the left and right transfer hoppers 45. In other words, the hopper opening and closing cams 46 provided on the left and right planting operation cases 21 have different rotational phases.

In addition, in this embodiment, the left and right transfer hoppers 45 are fixed to the drop position adjustment plate 43 of the seedling supply table 6 using bolts, and the left and right positions of the left and right transfer hoppers 45 and shutters 49 can be changed by changing the fastening holes into which the bolts are inserted from among the multiple fastening holes formed in the drop position adjustment plate 43. However, it is also possible to form elongated holes extending left and right in the drop position adjustment plate 43, and to configure the left and right positions at which the left and right transfer hoppers 45 are fixed using bolts so that they can be adjusted as desired. Note that in Figure 6, the transfer hoppers 45 and shutters 49 after their positions have been changed are shown by dashed lines.

In this way, by making it possible to change the left-right positions of the left and right transfer hoppers 45, the left-right positions of the transfer hoppers 45 can be adjusted to match the drop position of the seedling container 40 and the position of the planting device 3 when changing the row spacing between plants.

Furthermore, if the upper opening of each transfer hopper 45 is made wider in the left-right direction, adjusting the planting position does not require adjusting the left-right position of the seedling container 40 into which the seedlings fall by sliding the drop position adjustment plate 43. The planting position can be adjusted simply by adjusting the left-right position of the transfer hopper 45 and planting device 3.

As the traveling vehicle body 2 moves forward, the soil around the seedlings planted by the pair of left and right planting devices 3 is compressed by two pairs of left and right compression wheels 90 rotating on the top surface of the ridges.

The crushing wheels 90 are fixed to crushing arms 91 (see Figure 1), which are formed by bending a single rod into a roughly J-shape in plan view. The crushing arms 91 are attached to the rear of the vehicle body 2 so that they can rotate freely up and down. The rear of the crushing arms 91 are formed with avoidance portions 92 that extend upward, which create spaces between each pair of crushing wheels 90. The left and right positions of the spaces between each pair of crushing wheels 90 correspond to the left and right positions of the planting hopper 62, so the crushing wheels 90 pass on the left and right of the planted seedlings, preventing contact between the seedlings and the crushing wheels 90.

On the other hand, Figure 9 is an enlarged side view of the vicinity of the work seat 18 shown in Figure 1.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a ridge end detection sensor 30 having a ridge contact ground roller 32 is provided at the front of the traveling vehicle body 2. The ridge end detection sensor 30 is supported by a ridge end detection stay 31 and rotates downward due to the biasing force of a ground contact spring 37 and its own weight, contacting the ridge surface during planting. When the traveling vehicle body 2 reaches the end of the ridge and no longer makes contact with the ground, it rotates further downward to detect the end of the ridge. The ridge end detection sensor 30 is an example of the "ridge end detection means" of the present invention.

When the end of the ridge is detected, the seedling transplanter 1 is configured to alert the operator with a buzzer sound and a light (see Figure 10).

When the ridge end detection sensor 30 detects the end of the ridge, and the traveling vehicle body 2 continues to move forward, and the ridge surface sensor 42 passes the ridge edge and no longer touches the ground, the control unit of the seedling transplanter 1 is configured to automatically stop the engine 9, preventing overrun. The safety mechanism that automatically stops the engine 9 is activated on the condition that the seat sensor detects that someone is sitting on the work seat 18.

In conventional seedling transplanters, the work seat is designed to be rotatable around a fulcrum located at the lower rear of the seat (in this case, "rear" refers to the seedling supply table side, the side the operator faces), and the seat sensor is located below the center of the work seat in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, when a small operator sits in a slouched position (leaning forward toward the seedling supply table), the work seat does not fully rotate downward and forward. As a result, the seat sensor cannot detect that the operator is seated, and the above-mentioned safety mechanism may not activate.

In light of this situation, in this embodiment, the cushioning rubber 78 that was located below and in front of the seat in conventional seedling transplanters is located below and behind the work seat 18, as shown in Figure 9, and the pivot point 77 of the work seat 18 is located below and in front of the seat (in this case, "in front" means behind the operator seated facing the rear of the machine).

As a result, even if the worker sits leaning forward (leaning forward toward the seedling supply table), the work seat 18 is reliably rotated to the full extent, and the seating sensor 79, located below the approximate center of the work seat 18 in the fore-and-aft direction, can reliably detect that the worker is sitting. The fore-and-aft position of the pivot point 77 can be changed by changing the hole into which the pin is inserted.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 19, even if the rear portion of the seat stay 81 supporting the work seat 18 is made short and the pivot point 77 and seating sensor 79 of the work seat 18 are located directly above the upper end of the seat frame 80 supporting the seat stay 81 and below the center of the work seat 18 in the fore-and-aft direction, it is still possible to reliably detect whether the worker is seated.

Figure 10 is a circuit diagram showing the power supply circuit of the seedling transplanter 1 shown in Figure 1, and Figure 11 is a schematic plan view showing the placement of each ridge end warning LED lamp provided on the seedling supply table 6 of the seedling transplanter 1 shown in Figure 1.

The machine's power supply, consisting of the engine's lighting coil wire, is AC, and the ridge end warning buzzer, which sounds and alerts the operator when the ridge end detection sensor detects the end of a ridge, and the ridge end warning LED lamp, which lights and alerts the operator, are AC-powered. Therefore, conventional seedling transplanters only utilize half-wave pulsation, which results in unstable buzzer sounds and ridge end warning LED lamp light output. Specifically, the buzzer sound would cut out or become quieter, and the ridge end warning LED lamp would sometimes flicker or light up at low brightness.

In consideration of this situation, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, a bridge diode 88 formed by combining four ridge end warning LED lamps 84 to 87 is placed in the power circuit of the ridge end warning buzzer 82 and the main ridge end warning LED lamp 83.When the ridge end detection sensor 30 detects the end of the ridge, as shown in Figure 10, current is passed through the bridge diode 88, which is configured to full-wave rectify the AC voltage of the AC power supply consisting of the lighting coil wire of the engine 9.

The power (voltage and current) full-wave rectified by the bridge diode 88 is supplied to and drives the ridge end warning buzzer 82 and main ridge end warning LED lamp 83, which are examples of the first warning means of the present invention. This increases the effective power supplied to the ridge end warning buzzer 82 and main ridge end warning LED lamp 83, improving and stabilizing the volume of the buzzer sound from the ridge end warning buzzer 82 and the brightness of the main ridge end warning LED lamp 83.

Of the four ridge end warning LED lamps 84 to 87 that form the bridge diode 88, two ridge end warning LED lamps 84, 85 are located at the rear of the seedling supply table 6, spaced apart from each other on the left and right (see Figure 11), while one ridge end warning LED lamp 86 is provided on the operation panel 11 located at the rear of the machine body (see Figure 2), and the remaining one ridge end warning LED lamp 87 and the main ridge end warning LED lamp 83 are located side by side at the front of the seedling supply table 6.

As a result, the light from the four ridge end warning LED lamps 83 to 85 and 87 is visible to the operator seated in the work seat 18, and the light from the ridge end warning LED lamp 86 is also visible to an assistant near the control handle 12 or an operator operating the operation panel 11 without being on the machine, making it easy to know when the ridge end has been reached, ensuring safety.

It is desirable to place one or more of the four ridge end warning LED lamps 84 to 87 forming the bridge diode 88 at the front of the seedling supply table 6 (towards the work seat 18) and one or more at the rear of the seedling supply table 6 (towards the control handle 12). However, all four ridge end warning LED lamps 84 to 87 may be placed in a row on the seedling supply table 6, or one to three ridge end warning LED lamps 84, 85, 86 or 87 may be placed on the seedling supply table 6. The four ridge end warning LED lamps 84 to 87 correspond to the "second notification means" of the present invention.

Figure 12 is a schematic perspective view showing the vicinity of the starter knob of the recoil starter that starts the engine 9 of the seedling transplanter 1 shown in Figure 1.

In conventional seedling transplanters, the guide bar that holds the starter knob of the recoil starter, which is pulled to start the engine 9, has a large winding section, which makes it difficult for the operator to grasp the starter knob when letting go and winding it up.

In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 12, the diameter of the winding portion 111a of the guide bar 111 that holds the starter knob 110 is smaller than in the conventional case, and the position of the starter knob 110 can be stabilized when the end face on the base side of the starter knob 110 abuts against the outer surface of the winding portion 111a.

As shown in Figure 20, it is desirable for the end portion 111a1 of the winding portion 111a of the guide bar 111 to extend linearly and sufficiently from the wound portion. This prevents the edge of the end portion from interfering with the starter knob 110, making the position of the starter knob 110 even more stable. This allows for greater freedom in designing the orientation of the guide bar 111.

In this embodiment, a transfer hopper 45 is provided above and below the seedling container 40 on the seedling supply table 6 where the seedlings fall, and the planting device 3 to temporarily store seedlings that have fallen from the seedling container. The seedlings that fall from the seedling container 40 on the seedling supply table 6 into the planting device 3 are relayed by the transfer hopper 45. Therefore, even in strong winds or when the machine body 1 is tilted significantly to the left or right, seedlings can be reliably supplied from the seedling container 45 into the planting device 3, preventing planting errors.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the shutter 49 that closes the opening formed at the bottom of the transfer hopper 45 opens and closes in conjunction with the planting operation of the planting device 3, i.e., the lifting and opening/closing operations, thereby preventing multiple seedlings from being dropped from the transfer hopper 45 into the planting device 3 at the same time.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the shutter opening/closing arm 71, to which the shutter opening/closing cable 73 that opens and closes the shutter 49 is attached, is biased so as to abut against the non-circular hopper opening/closing cam 46 that determines the timing for opening and closing the planting device 3. This allows the shutter 49 to be opened and closed in conjunction with the planting operation (lifting and opening/closing operation) of the planting device 3, thereby ensuring that the next seedling to be planted can be reliably introduced into the planting device 3.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the shutter 49 that closes the opening formed at the bottom of the transfer hopper 45 opens and closes in conjunction with the opening and closing mechanism of the planting device 3. Therefore, even if the row spacing or number of plants planted by the planting device 3 is changed, the opening and closing of the shutter 49 can be synchronized with the planting of the seedlings, thereby preventing poor planting of the seedlings.

In addition, according to this embodiment, four ridge end warning LED lamps 84 to 87 that notify the user when the end of the ridge has been reached are combined to form a bridge diode 88 that full-wave rectifies the AC voltage. This bridge diode 88 serves both to notify the user when the end of the ridge has been reached and to rectify the voltage, thereby reducing the number of components and simplifying the circuit.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the bridge diode 88 shown in Figure 10 can full-wave rectify the AC voltage of the AC power supply consisting of the lighting coil wire of the engine 9 and convert it into DC voltage, thereby increasing the effective power and enabling the ridge end warning buzzer 82, which is the first notification means for notifying that the traveling vehicle body 2 has reached the end of the ridge, and the main ridge end warning LED lamp 83 to operate stably when powered on, thereby making it easier for the operator to know that the traveling vehicle body 2 has reached the end of the ridge.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, at least one of the four ridge end warning LED lamps 84 to 87 that form the bridge diode 88 is provided on the seedling supply table 6, making it easier for workers who place seedlings into the seedling container 40 on the seedling supply table 6 to notice that they have reached the end of the ridge.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, power rectified by the bridge diode 88 is sent to the first notification means, the ridge end warning buzzer 82 and the main ridge end warning LED lamp 83, and the second notification means, the four ridge end warning LED lamps 84 to 87. This prevents the buzzer sound from cutting out or becoming too quiet, and prevents the LEDs 83 to 87 from flickering or lighting up at low intensity. This prevents situations in which the operating noise of the seedling transplanter 1 or sunlight interfere with the notification that the end of the ridge has been reached.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the ridge end warning LED lamp 83, which is one of the first notification means, and one of the ridge end warning LED lamps 84 to 87, ridge end warning LED lamp 87, which is the second notification means, are located at the front of the seedling supply table 6 facing the operator seated in the work seat 18. This makes it easy for the operator to realize that the end of the ridge has been reached, even while they are putting seedlings into the seedling container 40 of the seedling supply table 6. This prevents the traveling vehicle body 2 from continuing to travel after passing the end of the ridge, causing the planting hopper 62 to open without being inserted into the ridge, causing seedlings to fall onto the field, or the vehicle body 1 from coming into contact with the edge of the field.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 11, the second notification means, ridge end warning LED lamps 84, 85, and 86, are also located on the rear of the seedling supply table 6 near the control handle 12 that the operator holds from outside the machine body 1, and on the operation panel 11. This makes the LED light visible to an assistant near the control handle 12 or an operator operating the operation panel 11 without being on the machine body, making it easy to know when the ridge end has been reached, ensuring safety.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 17, by configuring each seedling container 40 that moves around on the seedling supply table 6 so that the horizontal distance from the outer edge A of its upper edge to the center point C of the lower opening 69 is longer than the horizontal distance from the inner edge B of its upper edge to the center point C of the lower opening 69, the distance between the worker facing the seedling supply table 6 and the seedling container 40 can be shortened. This makes it easier to load seedlings into the seedling container 40, reducing the burden on the worker.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 18, each seedling container 40 that moves around on the seedling supply table 6 is configured so that the outer edge A of the upper edge, i.e., the edge A of the upper edge of the seedling container facing the operator, is higher than the inner edge B of the upper edge. This allows seedlings to be slid into the seedling container 40 from near the outer edge A, making it easy and reliable to insert the seedlings.

Figure 13 is a schematic rear view showing the vicinity of the pressure wheel 90 of a seedling transplanter 1 according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 14 is a partially enlarged view showing the vicinity of the upper part of the crusher wheel frame supporting the crusher wheel 90 shown in Figure 1; Figure 14(a) is a partially enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the upper part of the crusher wheel frame supporting the crusher wheel 90 shown in Figure 1, viewed from the left rear; Figure 14(b) is a partially enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the upper part of the crusher wheel frame shown in Figure 14(a), viewed from the left front; and Figure 14(c) is a partially enlarged rear view showing the vicinity of the upper part of the crusher wheel frame and the shaft.

In this embodiment, the planting device 3 (not shown), the transfer hopper 45, the position where the seedlings drop from the seedling supply table 6, and the pairs of crushing wheels 90 are each provided with four pairs, and the configuration near the crushing wheels 90, which will be explained below, is different, but the configuration is the same as the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 11.

As shown in Figure 13, four pairs of crushing wheels 90 are provided corresponding to the four planting devices 3.

Each pair of crushing wheels 90 is supported by a separate crushing wheel frame 93, and each of the four crushing wheel frames 93 is attached to a crushing wheel shaft 94 extending in the left-right direction of the aircraft. In addition to each crushing wheel frame 93, a partition frame 35 is fixed to the crushing wheel shaft 94, separating the crushing wheel frames 93 from each other to the left and right.

Of the four crushing wheel frames 93, the two crushing wheel frames 93 located on the left and right are each fixed in their left and right positions by fixing members 102.

On the other hand, of the four crusher wheel frames 93, the two crusher wheel frames 93 located in the center in the left-right direction each have their left-right positions determined by a first mounting member 96 fixed to the partition frame 35 and a second mounting member 97 attached to and stacked on the first mounting member 96.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 14(b), a pair of upper and lower mounting holes 98 are formed in the first mounting member 96, and as shown in Figures 14(a) and 14(c), the second mounting member 97 is formed with two pairs of left and right mounting holes 99 and a clamping portion 100 that clamps the arm plate 93a of the suppression wheel frame 93. The left and right position of the suppression wheel frame 93, whose arm plate 93a is clamped by the clamping portion 100, is determined by which of the two pairs of left and right mounting holes 99 the upper and lower pair of mounting holes 98 are aligned with when a bolt (not shown) is inserted into the mounting holes 98 and 99 and fastened.

Therefore, the operator can change the left-right position of the crushing wheel frame 93 by changing the pair of mounting holes 99 into which the bolts are inserted.

In this way, in this embodiment, the arm plate 93a of the crusher wheel frame 93 is clamped by the second mounting member 97, and the left and right position of the crusher wheel frame 93 can be determined by changing the mounting hole of the second mounting member 97 relative to the first mounting member 96. This eliminates the need to use the C-shaped groove and C-shaped fastening configuration of the crusher wheel shaft 94, thereby reducing the number of parts.

As shown in Figures 14(a) and 14(c), the arm plate 93a of the suppression wheel frame 93 is configured so that its angle can be adjusted by adjusting the degree of extrusion of the flat button (receiving bolt) 101 attached to the second mounting member 97.

Figure 15(a) is an enlarged perspective view showing the angle adjustment mechanism 89 of the crusher wheel shaft 94 shown in Figure 13, and Figure 15(b) is an enlarged side view of the angle adjustment mechanism 89 shown in Figure 15(a).

As shown in Figure 15, the angle adjustment mechanism 89 includes an angle adjustment plate 113 connected to the crusher wheel shaft 94 and rotatable integrally with the crusher wheel shaft 94, a bolt 112 that restricts the rotation of the angle adjustment plate 113 and maintains the angle of the crusher wheel shaft 94, and a plate 114 that is fixed in contact with the angle adjustment plate 113.

A notch 114a extending generally vertically is formed in the plate 114, and a flange 115 is provided within this notch, to which a pressing bolt 116 is attached.

The tip (upper end) 116a of the pressure bolt 116 protrudes from the flange 115 and abuts the underside of the angle adjustment plate 113. As the pressure bolt 116 is tightened upward, the angle adjustment plate 113 is rotated upward and rearward, changing the angle of the suppression wheel shaft 94.

Here, with conventional crusher wheel shaft angle adjustment mechanisms, if there is no jig (a jack-like base) to determine the angle of the crusher wheel shaft, the worker must grip the crusher wheel frame to maintain the angle of the crusher wheel shaft while tightening the bolt that holds the angle of the crusher wheel shaft, posing the problem of requiring a great deal of time and effort to adjust the angle of the crusher wheel shaft.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the vertical position relative to the flange 115 can be changed by tightening or loosening the pressing bolt 116, and the rotation angle of the angle adjustment plate 113 and the angle of the suppression wheel shaft 94 can be adjusted, making adjustment work easy.

In addition, if the bolt 112 that maintains the angle of the crushing wheel shaft 94 becomes loose, the push bolt 116 will come into contact with the angle adjustment plate 113, preventing the angle adjustment plate 113 from being rotated excessively backward and downward. This prevents the angle of the crushing wheel 90 from changing significantly during planting work, and prevents a decrease in the effectiveness of the crushing wheel 90 in crushing the soil.

Figure 16 is a schematic perspective view showing the vicinity of the pressure wheel 90 of a seedling transplanter 1 according to yet another preferred embodiment of this embodiment.

The seedling transplanter 1 in this embodiment has a four-row planting configuration with four planting devices 3 arranged in the left-right direction, and is configured in the same way as the embodiment shown in Figures 13 and 14, except for the following points.

As shown in Figure 16, a pair of scraper arms 105 are provided in front of the pair of crushing wheels 90 located on the outer side in the left-right direction (left side of the drawing) of the four pairs of crushing wheels 90, and a pair of scraper arms 105 are provided in front of the pair of crushing wheels 90 located in the center in the left-right direction (right side of the drawing). Each of these has the ability to open left and right depending on the opening of the planting hopper 62.

Specifically, a plate-shaped base member 104 is welded to the arm 103 of the suppression wheel frame 93. The pin portions 106 of a pair of scraper arms 105 (left and right), to which scrapers (not shown) made of rubber sheets that remove mud adhering to the outer surface of the planting hopper 62 are attached, are inserted into hubs 107 attached to the base member 104 and secured in place with a split pin. The hub 107 on the right side of the drawing is welded to the curved surface of the base member 104.

When the planting hopper 62 is lowered, its lower part is inserted into the field through a notch carved into the scraper, and when it is raised again, the scraper removes mud that has adhered to the lower part of the planting hopper 62.

In addition, springs 108 are attached to holes formed in the front of each pair of scraper arms 105, preventing the scraper arms 105 from opening excessively when the planting hopper 62 is opened. Scrapers are attached to the other holes formed in each pair of scraper arms 105.

In addition, when the pair of left and right scraper arms 105 close inward in the left-right direction due to the spring 108, the stopper portions 109 of the pair of left and right scraper arms 105 abut against the curved surface of the base member 104, restricting movement. This prevents the scraper arms 105 from closing excessively toward the center in the left-right direction, and prevents excessive load from being placed on the planting hopper 62.

In this way, this embodiment uses a simple configuration to maintain the opening angle of the pair of left and right scraper arms 105 that support the scraper within an appropriate range.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and it goes without saying that these modifications are also encompassed within the scope of the present invention.

For example, in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 12, there are two planting devices lined up on the left and right, two seedling containers 40 on the seedling supply table 6 where the seedlings are dropped, and two takeover hoppers, while in each of the embodiments shown in Figures 13 to 16, there are four. However, there are no particular limitations on the number of planting devices lined up on the left and right, two seedling containers 40 on the seedling supply table 6 where the seedlings are dropped, and two or more takeover hoppers.

Furthermore, in each embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 16, the bridge diode 88 is formed by four ridge end caution LED lamps 84 to 87, but it may also be formed by six LEDs.

1 Seedling transplanter 2 Traveling vehicle body 3 Planting device 6 Seedling supply table 9 Engine 10 Transmission case 11 Operation panel 12 Control handle 13 Front wheel 14 Rear wheel 15 Rear wheel axle 16 Travel transmission case 17 Main clutch lever 18 Work seat 19 Lifting link mechanism 20 Planting transmission case 21 Planting operation case 23 Handle frame 24 Side clutch operation lever 25 Vehicle height adjustment lever 26 Throttle lever 27 Main speed change lever 28 Lifting hydraulic cylinder 29 Arm 30 Ridge end detection sensor 31 Ridge end detection stay 32 Ridge contact ground roller 33 Link mechanism 34 Spring 35 Cam 36 Cable 37 Ground biasing spring 38 Vertical frame 39 Transmission shaft 40 Seedling container 42 Ridge surface sensor 43 Drop position adjustment plate 44 Cylindrical body 45 Transfer hopper 46 Hopper opening and closing cam 47 Upper link arm 48 Lower link arm 49 Shutter 50 Lifting cam 51 Lifting drive shaft 52 Lifting crank 53 Connecting plate 54 Adjustment plate 55 Link holder 56 Row spacing adjustment plate 57 Slot 58 Hopper holder 59 Fastening member 60 Hopper structure 61 Seedling guide 62 Planting hopper 63 Planting hopper opening/closing wire 64 Opening/closing arm 65 Contact roller 66 Rotating support shaft 67 Rotating arm 69 Seedling container opening 70 Rotation fulcrum of lower link arm 71 Shutter opening/closing arm 72 Convex portion 73 Shutter opening/closing cable 74 Small diameter portion 76 Hinge 77 Seat rotation fulcrum 78 Buffer rubber 79 Seat sensor 80 Seat frame 81 Seat stay 82 Ridge end warning buzzer 83 Ridge end warning LED lamp 84 Ridge end warning LED lamp 85 Ridge end warning LED lamp 86 Ridge end warning LED lamp 87 Ridge end warning LED lamp 88 Bridge diode 89 Angle adjustment mechanism 90 Suppression wheel 91 Suppression arm 92 Avoidance portion 93 Suppression wheel frame 93a Arm plate, arm 94 Suppression wheel shaft 95 Partition frame 96 First mounting member 97 Second mounting member 98 Mounting hole 99 Mounting hole 100 Clamping portion 101 Flat button 102 Fixing member 103 Arm 104 Base member 105 Scraper arm 106 Pin portion 107 Hub 108 Spring 109 Stopper portion 110 Starter knob 111 Guide bar 111a Winding portion 112 Bolt 113 Angle adjustment plate 114 Plate 114a Notch 115 Flange 116 Press bolt 117 Water tank 118 Tank holder 119 Inter-plant sub-speed change lever 120 Interplant main speed change lever 121 Side step 123 Planting speed change lever 124 Interplant switching cover

Claims (6)

a traveling vehicle body that travels on a field;
A seedling supply table into which a plurality of seedling containers into which the seedlings are fed moves around;
A plurality of planting devices are provided below the seedling supply table and plant the seedlings dropped from the seedling container into the field;
A planting operation mechanism that performs a planting operation by lifting and lowering and opening and closing each of the planting devices;
A seedling transplanter comprising an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the left and right positions of each of the planting devices,
A transfer hopper for temporarily storing the seedlings dropped from the seedling container is provided between the seedling container where the seedlings are dropped on the seedling supply table and the planting device, and the transfer hopper is provided so that its position can be changed to the left and right.
An opening is formed at the bottom of the transfer hopper to drop seedlings into the planting device, and a shutter is arranged to close the opening.
The shutter is opened and closed in conjunction with the planting operation of the planting device by the planting operation mechanism ,
The seedling supply table is provided with a drop position adjustment plate that is slidably attached in the left and right direction,
This seedling transplanter is characterized in that by sliding the drop position adjustment plate left and right, the bottom cover of the seedling container can be rotated downward to change the position at which the seedlings are dropped and the left and right position of the transfer hopper can be changed simultaneously . A planting transmission case is provided to transmit power to the plurality of planting devices and the seedling supply table,
The planting operation mechanism includes a lifting link mechanism that receives power from the planting transmission case to lift and lower the planting device, and an opening/closing mechanism that opens and closes the planting device,
The seedling transplanter described in claim 1, characterized in that an arm to which a cable for opening and closing the shutter is attached is biased so as to abut against a non-circular cam that constitutes part of the opening and closing mechanism and determines the timing for opening and closing the planting device. In the seedling supply table, the seedling containers are connected to each other endlessly and are configured to move in a circular motion by the driving force transmitted from the planting transmission case,
The seedling transplanter of claim 2, characterized in that each seedling container has openings at the top and bottom, the upper opening having a larger diameter than the lower opening, and when connected to each other endlessly, the horizontal distance from the outer edge of the upper edge of the seedling container to the center point of the lower opening is longer than the horizontal distance from the inner edge of the upper edge of the seedling container to the center point of the lower opening. In the seedling supply table, the seedling containers are connected to each other endlessly and are configured to move in a circular motion by a driving force transmitted from a planting transmission case,
The seedling transplanter of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each seedling container has openings at the top and bottom, the upper opening having a larger diameter than the lower opening, and when connected to each other endlessly, the outer edge of the upper edge of the seedling container is higher in height than the inner edge of the upper edge of the seedling container. a ridge end detection means for detecting when the traveling vehicle body has reached the end of the ridge;
a bridge diode that full-wave rectifies the AC voltage of the AC power supply;
a first notification means for notifying an operator when the ridge end detection means detects that the ridge has reached its end,
the first notification means is configured to operate on power rectified by the bridge diode;
the bridge diode is formed by combining a plurality of LEDs, which are second notification means for notifying an operator when the ridge end detection means detects that the ridge has reached its end,
5. The seedling transplanter according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of LEDs is disposed on the seedling supply table. A work seat on which an operator sits is provided in front of the seedling supply table, and the work seat is arranged so that the operator faces away from the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body,
At the rear of the machine, there is a control handle that the operator holds from outside the machine, and an operation panel for operating the machine.
The first notification means is composed of a buzzer that notifies by sound and an LED that notifies by lighting up, and the LED and at least one LED of the plurality of LEDs are arranged in front of the seedling supply table,
6. The seedling transplanter according to claim 5, wherein other LEDs of the plurality of LEDs are arranged at the rear of the seedling supply table and on the operation panel.