DEVICE FOR PICKING UP AND MOVING SEEDLINGS FROM A SEEDLING STORAGE CONTAINER

Description

2 the field, they will ensure that this part then extends mainly above ground. In the cultivation of crops whose seeds are relatively expensive, such as cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, celery, onions, lettuce, leeks, etc., planting material in the form of seedlings is frequently used. Seedlings are usually obtained by placing a seed in a clump and allowing this seed to germinate into a seedling. The clump with the seedling is then planted on the field by the planting machine; often, after their growth period, the plants are harvested individually (one by one). There are already various types of planting machines known for placing planting material in the soil. Such planting machines consist of a self-propelled or towed frame equipped with a furrow opener for creating one or more parallel furrows in the soil. Furthermore, they are often also equipped with feeding devices for feeding the planting material to be planted, a mechanism for placing individual plants in the created furrows, and a system in the form of pressure rollers or pressure wheels with which the furrows are returned.are sealed. With known planting machines, the planting material, and where applicable the seedlings to be planted, is usually fed into a seedling storage container, a so-called tray. Here, the seedlings are located in separate cells or cavities with a straight or conical shape, whereby these cells are situated in rows placed at a distance from each other. The underground parts of the seedlings are located in the cavities of the trays. 25 In practice, the planting machine comprises a removal device to remove the seedlings from the tray, for example row by row, and to transport the seedlings to the planting station of the planting machine using a transport device, possibly via a selection device. In such a selection device, the unsuitable seedlings are removed. The selected seedlings are subsequently transported in suitable ways to a downward-directed conveyor belt, which BE2024 / 5934 3 carries them to the planting station for intended regular delivery to the soil.Regular delivery is understood to mean the delivery of successive seedlings into the soil at a predetermined, essentially identical distance from one another, at the driving speed of the planting vehicle over the ground. 5 There are already known ways of removing the seedlings from the tray. A distinction is made between extraction devices that remove / pull the seedlings from the tray by grasping the above-ground part (first group), and other devices (second group) that do not grasp the above-ground part, but will hold the underground part. The device corresponding to this invention specifically relates to the second group. In the second group concerned, it is known to remove the seedlings from the tray ripening by means of needles—the so-called seedling-holding needles. These can be one, two, or more needles which, once the plants are positioned on the needles, transport them from the tray to the next step in the planting machine. Other machines in the second group work with a pincer-shaped mechanism.gripping tool to grasp the underground part (cover ball) after these clumps have been pressed out of the tray along the underside of the underground part (cover ball). 20 The known extraction devices comprise a seedling pick-up unit with a number of sets of reciprocating seedling-holding needles for picking up seedlings from a seedling container and a seedling pushing mechanism designed for pushing seedlings out of the seedling container. In a first known device, the pushing elements, which are located on the underside of the tray25, move upwards (in the direction of the needles) and press the root ball onto the needles which have positioned themselves above the tray during extraction, whereby the end of the needles extends over the root ball at a certain distance. The needles, with a length of approximately 4 to 5 cm, remain in position, i.e. do not move, at the moment that the pushing elements press the root ball onto the needles. The advantage30 here is that the movement of the needles is relatively limited, but has the disadvantage that BE2024 / 5934 4 'spongy' clumps can sometimes be difficult to press onto the needlescausing them to detach from the needles prematurely during the subsequent extraction process. A second well-known and widely used device is described in EP0900516.5. With this device, the needles, which are provided with a movable needle guide and whose end extends over a certain distance above the clod, are inserted into the clod. This ensures better placement of the needles in the clods. Subsequently, pushing elements push the needles upwards (almost) simultaneously until the bottom of the clod is located above the top of the tray10 and the top of the clod is positioned close to the bottom of the needle guide. With such a device, the needles must be considerably longer (approximately 8 to 10 cm) due to the longer distance they travel. As a result, they run the risk of bending over time, causing them to no longer fit in the But stick the root ball next to the root ball, on the tray on a neighboring root ball. This results in a loss of planting material. Such devices are therefore only suitable for root balls with a root ball size that is sufficiently large, in practice at least 2x2 cm.This invention aims to provide a device for picking up and moving seedlings from a seedling storage container, preferably ripening-ready, which enables a more precise picking operation and where there is no or virtually no risk of the needles buckling. The purpose of the invention is achieved by providing a device for picking up and moving seedlings from a seedling storage container, comprising: -a movable support frame that is movable between a pick-up position and a release position, where the said support frame comprises a seedling pick-up unit with a number of sets of reciprocating seedling-holding needles for picking up seedlings from a seedling storage container; BE2024 / 5934 5 -a seedling pushing mechanism designed for pushing seedlings out of the seedling storage container; -support devices with a support surface for temporarily supporting a seedling storage container, where the seedling pick-up unit is movable at the pick-up position5positioned relative to the support surface, between a closest position with a first mutual distance and a furthest position, with a second mutual distance that is greater than the first mutual distance. The difference between the closest positions and the furthest position is at least the height of the root ball, so that the root ball can be completely removed from the seedling storage container. In practice10, a standard root ball has a height of 3 to 6 cm. The fact that the seedling picking unit is positioned movably at the picking position relative to the support surface, between the closest and furthest positions, is a major advantage. Specifically, it makes it possible to use shorter seedling-holding needles, preferably needles with a length of 4 to 5 cm, for picking up seedlings from a seedling storage container, whereby there is no or almost no risk that the needles will bend over time. Because one can work more accurately, it is now also possible to pick up smaller clumps, for example clumps of 1x1 cm.20In the aforementioned seedling picking unit, the needles holding the seedlings are placed in a row in order to pick up the seedlings row by row from a seedling storage container. A seedling storage container is preferably a box, tray, or dish, preferably made of plastic material, with base plates and rims suitable for seedlings. Preferably, the seedlings are located in separate cells or cavities with a straight or conical shape. The cells or cavities in question are arranged in a standard grid pattern, specifically in rows spaced at intervals. A drainage opening is provided in the base plate at the height of each cell or cavity. The seedling pushing mechanism, or at least part of it, will move through this drainage opening during use BE2024 / 5934 6 to push a seedling out of the cell or cavity in the direction of the seedling pickup unit. A seedling storage container comprises, for example, 13 x 20 cavities or cells. A seedling storage container has a width offor example 35–40cm, a length of for example 60–70cm and a height of the edges of for example 4–7cm.5 The seedling-holding needles are preferably straight. They have preferably pointed needle ends and are more particularly made of metal. The sets of seedling-holding needles are arranged in line with the direction of the row of cells or cavities of the seedling storage container with a spacing corresponding to the spacing between the respective cells or cavities of a row. Each set preferably comprises two or three seedling-holding needles. The needle points are directed towards the support surface, more particularly towards the cells or cavities of the seedling storage container. 15 Each set of seedling-holding needles is movable, preferably up and down, between a retracted position and an extended position. In a preferred load-bearing design of the device, the seedling-holding needles are provided in the closest position of the seedling picking unit to be insertedare placed in the seedling storage container. In use, in the tightest position, each set of seedling-holding needles will be moved from the retracted position to the extended position, whereby they will pierce the seedling's root ball. In practice, in the retracted position, the tip of the seedling-holding needle is located approximately 0.5 cm above the root ball of the seedling to be picked up. Because the seedling-holding needles can only move towards the seedling's root ball in the tightest position of the seedling picking unit, the device can be operated much more accurately, as the needle tips of the seedling-holding needles are located very close to the seedling's root ball, making it possible to pick up seedlings with smaller root balls as well, for example, root balls with a size of 1 x 1 cm. BE2024 / 5934 7 In a more preferential design of the device according to the invention, the movable support frame is designed to move from the furthest distance ofto move the seedling pick-up unit to the release position. At the release position, the picked-up seedlings are released onto a preferably horizontally extending conveyor belt, which will transport the picked-up seedlings in the direction of, for example, planting aids provided for gripping and placing these seedlings in the soil. The seedlings are released by the seedling pick-up unit at the release position in such a way that they are positioned lying down on the relevant conveyor belt. For the movement (displacement) of the support frame, the seedling pick-up unit and the set of seedling-holding needles, the device comprises drive means of a preferably load-bearing design, preferably hydraulic, pneumatic or electric drive means. In accordance with a special design of the device in accordance with the invention, the device comprises a stop frame with a stop surface for a seedling storage container in the lifting position. Such a stop frame will ensure that the seedling storage container is held in position on the support surface.during the picking up of seedlings, given the risk that with a horizontally positioned storage container, it will move upwards during the pushing out of the seedling clumps by the seedling pushing mechanism, because they are, for example, jammed in their specific cavity. In the case of a horizontally positioned storage container, the said stopping surface preferably extends above the seedling storage container. 25 In a more special form of the device according to the invention, the support frame comprises a fixed part and a movable part that is movable with respect to the fixed part, where the movable part is a seedling picking unit, and where the fixed part comprises a stop surface for a seedling storage container in the picking position. Such a 30 form offers the advantage that the seedling storage container is BE2024 / 5934 8 held in place by the fixed part when, in use, the seedling push mechanism pushes the seedlings out of the seedling storage container. This isof importance when the seedlings, particularly their clumps, have difficulty coming out of the storage container and as a result the seedling storage container is moved in a direction away from the support devices.5 The support devices are preferably designed to hold and guide one or more seedling storage containers. The support devices preferably have a width corresponding to the width of a seedling storage container. The support devices are preferably designed as a conveyor belt. In an economical design of the device according to the invention, the support surface is designed for horizontally supporting a seedling storage container. In an alternative design, the support surface is designed for vertically supporting a seedling storage container. 15 In a particularly advantageous form of the device according to the invention, the seedling picking unit comprises for each set of seedling-holding needles a needle guiding element in which the said set is movable. Preferably,in use, the underside of the needle guiding elements forms a stop surface for the clump of the seedlings picked up by the seedling-holding needles. The stop surface for the clump of the seedlings picked up by the seedling-holding needles can also be formed by a separate structure, for example an L-shaped structure, which forms part of the device. According to a preferred design of the device in accordance with the invention, the seedling push mechanism comprises a row of open-down movable push pins designed to push the seedlings ripely out of the seedling storage container. Preferably extending the seedling-holding needles, the push pins move outwards from each other. The push pins and the seedling-holding needles move upwards approximately simultaneously. Possibly the push pins move upwards slightly earlier than the seedling-holding needles. Bijeenmeerbijzondereuitvoeringvormvandeinrichting volgensdeuitvindingThe device comprises a holding device designed for the temporary holding of a seedling. In practice, temporary holding will take place at the moment the seedling picking unit is at its furthest position. Such a holding device can be designed in various ways. In a first possible design, the holding device comprises a movable mechanism with pins designed to drive the pins laterally into the root ball of a seedling. In a second possible design, the holding device comprises a movable mechanism with a support element designed to support the root ball of a seedling at its underside. Another subject of this finding concerns a planting device for placing seedlings into the soil, comprising a frame movable in a row direction, means of supply for supplying the seedlings to be planted and planting devices attached to the frame, provided for gripping and placing the supplied seedlings into the soil, whereby the said means of supplydevice for picking up and moving seedlings from a seedling container according to the invention as described above or as described in the relevant claims. This invention is now further explained on the basis of the detailed description below of a preferred form of execution of a device for picking up and moving seedlings from a seedling storage container according to this invention. The purpose of this description is solely to provide clarifying examples and to indicate further advantages and particulars, and can therefore in no way be interpreted as a limitation of the scope of application of the invention or of the patent rights claimed in claims. BE2024 / 5934 10 In this detailed description reference is made by means of reference figures to the attached drawing where: -figure 1: a perspective representation of a extraction device in accordance with the invention in combination with a seedling storage container; -figure 2: a detailed representation of the area A circled in figure 1,more5-figure 3: a schematic representation of a number of needle guiding elements through which seedling-holding needles move back and forth; -figure 4: a schematic representation of a planting device equipped with a removal device according to the invention, of which the movable support frame is positioned in the pick-up position; -figure 5: a representation of the seedling pick-up unit in its closest position at the height of the pick-up position, where the seedling-holding needles have not yet been inserted into a seedling; -figure 6: a detailed representation of the area B framed in figure 5; -figure 7: a representation of the seedling picking unit in its closest position at the picking position, where the needles holding the seedling are inserted into a seedling which is provided in a cavity of a seedling storage container;-figure 8: a detailed representation of the area C framed in figure 7; -figure 9: a representation of the seedling pick-up unit in its furthest position at the height of the pick-up position, where the seedling has been removed from the cavity of a seedling storage container;25 -figure 10: a detailed representation of the area D framed in figure 9; -figure 11: a representation of a first possible design of a holding device for the temporary holding of a seedling; -figure 12: a representation of a second possible design of a holding device for the temporary holding of a seedling.30 BE2024 / 5934 11 The device(1) for picking up and moving seedlings from a seedling storage container(2) according to this invention, also called a extraction device, is shown in figure 1. Such a device(1) in practice forms part of a planting device(15), as schematically shown in figures 3 and 4. Such a planting device(15) is provided for the application of planting material,5such as seedlings(6), in a field where the planting material, after being placed in the field, has an above-ground part that extends above ground and an underground part (root ball(11) with roots) that extends underground. The planting device(15) will move across a field in a direction of travel(R). 10 The planting device(15) comprises a self-propelled or towed frame(16). The frame(16) is moved over the soil and contains guide wheels(18). The frame(16) is equipped with a furrow opener(19) for creating one or more parallel furrows in the soil, feeders for feeding the planting material to be planted, planting devices(17) for placing individual plants in the furrows created, and pressure rollers (or pressure wheels) with which the furrows are closed again after the planting material has been placed. The planting aids(17), preferably in the form of two-disc-shaped organs (so-called planting discs), are rotatable relative to the framework(16) and are 20 designed to grip and insert the supplied material into the soilplanting material. They are positioned in relation to each other in such a way that a gap is created at certain places along part of the periphery of both discs to introduce the planting material between the discs in a receiving area and to let the planting material fall from the planting media into the soil in a discharge area. To move the planting material from the receiving area to the discharge area, the two discs are pressed against each other along another part of the periphery, so that it is possible to clamp and move the introduced planting material.30 BE2024 / 5934 12 The planting material, specifically the seedlings(6), is introduced using feeding devices. The extraction device according to this invention forms part of these feeding devices. Also comprising concerning the feeding devices conveyor belt(20) and a discharge belt(21). On the planting setup shown(15), the conveyor belt(20) extends horizontally and transversely in the direction of travel(R), while 5discharge belt(21) extends vertically towards the soil. The laying belt(20) is designed to pick up the seedlings picked up by the extraction device lying down and move them to the discharge belt(21), which in turn is designed to move the seedlings(6) downwards to a position where they are picked up one by one by the planting equipment(17) which will plant them in the soil. When in use, the seedlings are always placed at a desired position on the transport surface of the laying belt(20), so that the relevant seedlings are always picked up at the correct place by discharge belt(21). 15 The device(1) corresponding to the invention comprises a movable support frame(3) that can be moved between a pick-up position, shown in figure 3, and a release position, shown in figure 4. The support frame(3) comprises a seedling pick-up unit(4) with a number of sets of reciprocating seedling-holding needles(5) for picking up seedlings(6) from a seedling storage container(2). As can be seen from figures 1 and 2, the seedlings in question areholding needles(5) placed in a row in the seedling picking unit(4) in order to pick up the seedlings(6) per row from a seedling storage container(2). 25 The seedling holding needles(5) are preferably straight. They have preferably pointed needle ends and are more specifically made of metal. Each set preferably contains two or three seedling holding needles. Each set of seedling holding needles(5) is movable, preferably up and down, between a retracted position and an extended position.30 BE2024 / 5934 13 For each set of seedling holding needles(5) there is a needle guide element(10) in which the said set is movable. The seedling storage container in question (2) is usually a box, tray or dish, in which the seedlings (6) are located in separate cells or cavities with a straight or conical shape. Typical of this is that each cell or cavity has a drainage opening for e.g. the draining of excess water. The device (1) according to the invention is further equipped with aseedling push mechanism(7) designed for pushing seedlings(6) out of the seedling storage container(2). The seedling push mechanism(7) comprises a row of open, movable push pins(12) designed to push the seedlings(6) out of the seedling storage container(2). The seedling-holding needles and the push pins are aligned. To push the seedlings(6) out of the storage container, they move through the previously described drainage openings. The push pins and the seedling-holding needles move approximately simultaneously. The setup also includes support devices with a support surface(8) for temporarily supporting a seedling storage container(2). The support devices are designed to hold and guide one or more seedling storage containers(2). The support devices preferably have a width corresponding to the width of a seedling storage container(2). The support devices are preferably designed as a conveyor belt. The standard support surface is a horizontal conveyor belt. However, it is also possible to configure the setup of, among other things, the support frame and theadapt the seedling push mechanism so that the said support surface is formed by a vertical conveyor belt designed to vertically support a seedling storage container(2). A characteristic feature of the design according to the invention is that the seedling picking unit (4) is positioned at the height of the picking position relative to the support surface (8), between a closest position with a first distance between BE2024 / 5934 14 and a furthest position, with a second distance between, which is greater than the first distance between. The difference between the closest position and the furthest position is at least the height of the root ball, so that the root ball can be completely removed from the seedling storage container. In practice, a standard root ball has a height of 3 to 6 cm.5 The fact that the seedling picking unit (4) is positioned at the height of the picking position relative to the support surface (8), between a closest position and a furthest position is a great advantage. It makes it possible to to use shorter seedling-holding needles(5), preferably needles with a 10a length of 4 to 5 cm, for picking up seedlings from a seedling storage container, so that there is no or almost no risk that the needles will bend over time. Because one can work more accurately, it is now also possible to pick up smaller clumps, for example clumps of 1 x 1 cm.15 Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the closest position of the seedling picking unit(4) at the picking position, where the seedling-holding needles(5) have not yet been inserted into the clump of a seedling. They are in their retracted position. In practice, the tip of the seedling-holding needle20 is located, in the retracted position, about 0.5 cm above a clump(11) of the seedling to be picked(6). In the closest position, the seedling-holding needles are moved from the retracted position to the extended position, whereby they will pierce the seedling's root ball. Figures 7 and 8 show the situation where the seedling-holding needles (5) are inserted into the root ball (11) of a seedling. Because the seedling-The gripping needles (5) can move towards the clumps (11) of the seedlings (6) at the closest position of the seedling picking unit (4) will allow the device (1) to work much more accurately, as the 30 needle points of the seedling gripping needles (5) are located very close to the seedlings, making it possible to pick up seedlings with smaller clumps, for example clumps with a size of 1x1cm. Once the clumps of the seedlings have been pierced, the seedling picking unit will move to the furthest position. This movement, in combination with the upward movement of the push pins, moves the seedlings out of the storage container. At the furthest position, the seedlings in question (6) are completely out of the storage container. This situation is shown in figures 9 and 10. Given the risk that the storage container will move upwards during the removal of the seedlings, for example because they are jammed in their specific cavity, the device includes a stop frame (13) with a stop surface (9) for a seedling storage container in thepick-up position. Once the seedling pick-up unit is in the furthest position, the support frame will move to the release position. At the release position, the picked-up seedlings are released onto a laying belt (20), preferably one that extends horizontally, which will transport the picked-up seedlings in the direction of the planting materials. It is important to note that in the release position, the seedling pick-up unit can also move forwards and backwards in order to deposit the seedlings at the desired location. In this way, the depositing location can be arranged. After the seedlings (6) have been released, the support frame (3) with the seedling pick-up unit (4) will return to the previously described furthest or closest position in the pick-up position. To move the support frame, the seedling pick-up unit and the 25 sets of seedling holding needles, the device (1) includes drive mechanisms, preferably hydraulic, pneumatic or electric drive mechanisms. To avoid the seedlings coming loose during the seedling's journeypicking unit, the device is equipped with a holding device(14) designed30 for temporarily holding a seedling. Such a holding device can be designed in different ways. In a first possible design, as shown in figure 11, the holding device comprises a movable mechanism with one or more pin-shaped elements(22). The mechanism in question is designed to place the pin-shaped elements(22) laterally into a root ball(11) of a seedling. In a second possible design, as shown