Paddy field working machine

Abstract

This invention provides a paddy field work machine that reduces the possibility of partial contact between the marking device and other objects when the machine body turns, and makes it easy to make turns even in narrow places. The paddy field work machine of this invention is provided with a marking device (5A) for forming a driving target line in front of the driver's seat. The marking device (5A) includes: a support part (52) supported on the traveling body in a manner that can swing left and right about a first longitudinal axis (y1) in the vertical direction; and an extension rod part (53) that can swing up and down about a first transverse axis in the horizontal direction at the top end of the support part (52). The support part (52) is configured to switch between a lateral working posture (PS) extending laterally outward, a forward retracted posture (PF) extending forward, and a rearward retracted posture (PR) extending rearward.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a paddy field operation machine having a driver's seat in a riding-type motor body and a line marker for forming a travel target line for the subsequent travel in farmland at a position on the side of the motor body in front of the driver's seat. Background Technology

[0002] As described above, a paddy field work machine, for example, has a line marker located on the side of the machine body in front of the driver's seat for forming a travel target line on farmland. Patent Document 1 illustrates this. In this paddy field work machine, the line marker includes a support portion supported on the machine body and an extension rod portion provided at the top of the support portion. Furthermore, the support portion is supported on the machine body in a manner that allows it to swing left and right about a longitudinal axis in the vertical direction, and the extension rod portion is supported so that it can oscillate about a transverse axis in the horizontal direction provided at the top of the support portion.

[0003] In the paddy field work machine described in Patent Document 1, by extending the support part laterally outward relative to the traveling body and keeping the extension rod in a horizontal position, the marking device forms a travel target line at a position away from the traveling body. Moreover, by raising the extension rod and rotating the support part around the longitudinal axis to face forward, so that it is aligned with the traveling body, the entire paddy field work machine can be folded more compactly and stored more easily.

[0004] However, with this design, when turning the machine with the support facing forward, a portion of the line marker may come into contact with other objects when turning at field ridges. In particular, there is a more significant risk of impairing workability in confined spaces when the extension rod is shortened and the support length is extended to reduce the overall height of the line marker when retracted, which could compromise workability in narrow spaces. There is room for improvement in this regard.

[0005] Existing technical documents

[0006] Patent documents

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-180227 Summary of the Invention

[0008] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0009] This invention provides a paddy field work machine that reduces the possibility of local contact between the marking marker and other objects when the machine body turns, thereby making it easy to make turns even in narrow places.

[0010] Solution for solving the problem

[0011] The paddy field operation machine of the present invention is characterized in that a driver's seat is provided in the riding type of the machine body, and a line marker for forming a travel target line for the rear travel on the farmland is provided on the lateral side of the machine body in front of the driver's seat. The line marker includes: a support portion supported on the machine body in a manner that allows it to swing left and right about a first longitudinal axis in the vertical direction; and an extension rod portion supported so as to swing up and down about a first transverse axis in the horizontal direction provided at the top of the support portion. The support portion is configured to switch between a lateral working posture extending laterally outward from the first longitudinal axis toward the machine body, a forward retracted posture extending forward along the machine body from the first longitudinal axis, and a rearward retracted posture extending backward from the first longitudinal axis toward the rear of the machine body.

[0012] According to the present invention, the support portion is configured to be able to switch between a forward-folding posture and a rearward-folding posture, in addition to a lateral working posture extending laterally outward from the first longitudinal axis toward the traveling body.

[0013] Therefore, it is able to properly perform the formation of the desired driving target line in a lateral working posture, and can be retracted in a forward-retracted posture with the marking device compactly as a whole, and can also be retracted in a rearward-retracted posture, so it is easy to turn the machine in a state of avoiding contact with other objects.

[0014] In other words, the machine can turn while the track marker is roughly housed at the front of the machine by retracting the support portion in a rearward position extending from the first longitudinal axis toward the rear of the machine body. This makes it easy to avoid contact with other objects and ensures good workability even in narrow spaces.

[0015] In the above structure, preferably, an operating lever capable of rotating integrally with the support about the first longitudinal axis is fitted at the base end of the support part opposite to the top end of the extended rod part, and the operating lever is mounted to the support part in a manner that allows it to oscillate about a second transverse axis in a direction intersecting the first longitudinal axis. A locking recess is provided in the vehicle body, which can engage with the operating lever that is oscillating about the second transverse axis to restrict the rotation of the support part about the first longitudinal axis. The operating lever and the locking recess constitute a locking mechanism capable of fixing and releasing the posture of the support part relative to the vehicle body.

[0016] According to this structure, a locking mechanism is formed by an operating lever assembled to rotate the support part around the first longitudinal axis and a locking recess provided on the vehicle body, which can fix and release the posture of the support part relative to the vehicle body.

[0017] Therefore, the operating lever used for rotating the support can also be used as a component of the locking mechanism, and can also be used as an operating element for fixing and releasing the lock by the locking mechanism.

[0018] In the above structure, it is preferable that the locking mechanism has a plurality of engaging recesses so as to engage with the operating lever at multiple points along the longitudinal direction of the operating lever in the lateral working posture.

[0019] According to this structure, the operating lever is configured to engage with multiple engagement recesses in the longitudinal direction of the operating lever when the support is in a lateral working position. Therefore, it is easier to maintain the engagement state stably compared to the state where the operating lever is engaged with a single engagement recess.

[0020] Therefore, the operating lever and the engagement recess are stably maintained in the lateral working position. This allows for easy and stable maintenance of the lateral working position of the support unit, which can withstand significant loads in order to form a target driving line.

[0021] In the above structure, it is preferable to provide a force-applying spring that applies force to the side of the operating lever that is capable of undulating around the second horizontal axis and engaging with the engaging recess.

[0022] According to this structure, the operating lever, which can swing undulating around the second horizontal axis, is forced by the force-applying spring to the side that engages with the engaging recess, thus easily preventing the operating lever from disengaging from the engaging recess.

[0023] In the above structure, it is preferred that the driver's pedal in the driving body, which is located on the front side of the driver's seat, has a wide portion near the rear of the driver's seat and a narrow portion away from the driver's seat on the front side. The first longitudinal axis of the marking device is located next to the lateral side of the narrow portion, and the support portion in the forward-folded posture is located on the side of the body with a width in the left-right direction greater than that of the wide portion.

[0024] According to this structure, the support portion in the forward-folded position is located on the side of the body closer to the center of the unit than the width portion in the left-right direction. Therefore, when the marking marker is in the forward-folded position and the entire unit is stored in the storage compartment, it can be stored compactly in a state where the support portion does not protrude outward beyond the width portion of the driver's pedal.

[0025] In the above structure, preferably, an adjacent marker for using adjacent lines as driving indicators is provided on the lateral side of the body, which is forward of the driver's seat, below the movement trajectory of the marking marker around the first longitudinal axis.

[0026] According to this structure, adjacent markers will not interfere with the movement trajectory of the line marker around the first vertical axis, and it is easy to change the posture of the line marker.

[0027] In the above structure, preferably, the adjacent marker is supported on a mounting bracket for assembling the support portion to the vehicle body, and is configured to swing left and right independently of the marking marker about a second longitudinal axis in the vertical direction different from the first longitudinal axis.

[0028] According to this structure, the adjacent marker can be supported on the vehicle body using a mounting bracket for assembling the support portion, which simplifies the assembly structure of the adjacent marker. Furthermore, the adjacent marker is configured to swing left and right about a second longitudinal axis different from the first longitudinal axis, thus facilitating attitude change operations of the adjacent marker.

[0029] In the above structure, preferably, the adjacent marker is configured to be pivotally connected to multiple locations that are located in front of and behind the first longitudinal axis of the marking marker.

[0030] According to this structure, the adjacent marker is configured to be able to pivotally connect to multiple positions on the front and rear sides of the first longitudinal axis of the doodle marker.

[0031] Therefore, the pivot connection of the adjacent marker can be determined on the opposite side of the side with the higher frequency of posture change of the marking marker around the first longitudinal axis, based on whether the frequency of posture change of the marking marker is higher on the front or rear side. Thus, when a pointer component for easy observation of the positional relationship with the driving indicator is mounted at the top of the adjacent marker, the degree of interference between the posture changes of the adjacent marker and the marking marker can be reduced.

[0032] In the above structure, preferably, seedling mounting platforms are erected on the left and right sides of the traveling body, and a communication antenna is provided on the upper part of the seedling mounting platform. The communication antenna is configured to switch between an upright posture, which is located at a position higher than the top of the seedling mounting platform, and a folded posture, which is lower than the upright posture. In the forward folded posture and the backward folded posture, the top of the extension rod of the marking marker is located at a position lower than the top of the seedling mounting platform when the communication antenna is in the folded posture.

[0033] According to this structure, the top of the extension rod of the marking device is located lower than the top of the pre-planting platform when the communication antenna at the highest point of the vehicle body is in a folded position. Therefore, the vehicle body can be easily stored in a storage shed or the like, which is not very tall.

[0034] In the above structure, preferably, the pre-planting seedling platform includes: a support column erected on the left and right sides of the traveling body; and a seedling planting platform supported by the support column. The seedling planting platform includes an assembly member capable of fixing and releasing the vertical position relative to the support column. Connecting bolts are provided at multiple locations in the vertical direction to connect the assembly member and the support column. Fixing holes for inserting the connecting bolts are formed at more than three locations along the vertical direction of the support column, and the fixing holes are equally spaced in the vertical direction of the support column.

[0035] According to this structure, when assembling the pre-planted seedling platform onto the pillars erected on the left and right sides of the traveling body, the construction and processing for adjusting the height of the planting platform section are easily simplified. In this structure, fixing holes for connecting bolts are equally spaced at three or more locations along the vertical direction of the pillar. Therefore, when using the fixing holes at the top and bottom to set the height of the planting platform section, the fixing holes for fixing the lower side of the planting platform section located at the top can also be used as fixing holes for fixing the upper side of the planting platform section moved to the bottom position.

[0036] This reduces the number of fixing holes formed on the support, reduces the machining time for fixing holes, and makes it easier to simplify the structure. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a side view showing the overall structure of the paddy field work machine.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a top view showing the overall structure of the paddy field work machine.

[0039] Figure 3 This is the front view of the marking device on the left side when the marker is in the retracted state.

[0040] Figure 4 It is a partial cross-sectional view of the marking device when viewed from the front.

[0041] Figure 5 This is a top view showing the usage status of the marking device.

[0042] Figure 6 This is a top view showing the support structure and locking mechanism of the marker.

[0043] Figure 7 It is an exploded perspective view showing the support structure and locking mechanism of the marker.

[0044] Figure 8 This is an exploded perspective view showing the support structure of the pre-planted seedling platform.

[0045] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0046] 1: The running gear;

[0047] 5A: Line marker;

[0048] 5B: Adjacency marker;

[0049] 7: Locking mechanism;

[0050] 12: Prepare seedling placement platform;

[0051] 15: Assemble the bracket;

[0052] 16: Pillar;

[0053] 16a: Fixing hole;

[0054] 17: Rice planting platform section;

[0055] 18: Assembled components;

[0056] 19: Connecting bolts;

[0057] 25: Communication antenna;

[0058] 30: Driver's pedals;

[0059] 32: Driver's seat;

[0060] 33: Narrow section;

[0061] 34: Wide section;

[0062] 52: Support part;

[0063] 53: Extension rod section;

[0064] 70: Control lever;

[0065] 74: Force-applying spring;

[0066] a1~a5: engaging recess;

[0067] y1: First vertical axis;

[0068] x1: First horizontal axis center;

[0069] y2: Second vertical axis;

[0070] x2: The second horizontal axis;

[0071] PF: Forward-facing posture;

[0072] PR: The posture of pulling back;

[0073] PS: Horizontal work posture. Detailed Implementation

[0074] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings.

[0075] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the forward and backward directions and left and right directions in this embodiment are described as follows. That is, in the paddy field operation machine of the present invention, the forward direction of the machine body during operation (refer to...) Figure 1 , 2 Arrow F in the diagram indicates the "forward" direction, while the backward direction is indicated (see reference). Figure 1 , 2 Arrow B in the diagram represents "back," and the direction corresponding to the right is based on the forward posture in that forward-backward direction (see reference). Figure 2 The arrow R in the image represents "right," which is equivalent to the left direction (see reference). Figure 2 The arrow L in the diagram represents "left".

[0076] [Overall structure of paddy field operation machine]

[0077] Figure 1 This is a side view showing the overall structure of the paddy field operation machine of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a top view showing the overall structure of the paddy field operation machine of the present invention.

[0078] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the paddy field machine of the present invention is configured to have a pair of left and right front wheels 1F, 1F at the front of the traveling body 1, which can be turned freely, and a pair of left and right rear wheels 1R, 1R at the rear of the traveling body 1, which serve as drive wheels for self-propelled operation.

[0079] Power from the engine 20, located in the power unit 2 at the front of the machine body, is transmitted to the rear wheels 1R, 1R. The power from the engine 20 is also transmitted to the fertilization device 4 mounted at the rear of the machine body 1 and the seedling transplanting device 6, which is connected to the rear of the machine body frame 10 of the machine body 1 via a linkage mechanism 11 that can be freely operated by swinging up and down.

[0080] The vehicle body 1 has a driver's unit 3 located behind the power unit 2. The driver's unit 3 is configured such that a control unit 31 with a steering wheel 31a and the like is located in front of the driver's unit pedal 30, and a driver's seat 32 is located behind it, allowing the driver to ride and operate the vehicle. Boarding and alighting pedals 35 for use when getting on and off the ground are provided below the two lateral ends of the driver's unit pedal 30.

[0081] like Figure 2As shown, side steps 22, which connect to the front of the driver's side steps 30, are provided on the left and right sides of the engine hood 21, which houses the engine 20 in the power unit 2. This configuration allows passengers to enter the vehicle from the front of the fuselage via these side steps 22.

[0082] At the front of the traveling body 1, a seedling placement platform 12 is provided on the lateral outer side of the side pedals 22 on both the left and right sides.

[0083] With the driver's seat 32 positioned on the back side, a fertilizer hopper 40 for the fertilizer application device 4 is provided at the rear end of the vehicle body 1. The fertilizer hopper 40 is configured to store powdered fertilizer and supply a predetermined amount of powdered fertilizer to the farmland via a continuous dispensing device (not shown) and a fertilizer hose 41, which is fed into the furrow opener 42 of the seedling transplanting device 6 located at the rear of the vehicle body.

[0084] like Figure 2 As shown, the driver's side pedal 30 is configured such that the lateral width of the driver's side pedal 30 located further forward than the driver's seat 32 is not fixed, resulting in a portion with a different width at the front and rear. That is, the lateral width of the driver's side pedal 30 located further back than the driver's seat 32 is wider in the lateral direction than the driver's side pedal 30 located further forward than the driver's seat 32. Consequently, there is a narrow portion 33 located further forward than the driver's seat 32, and a wide portion 34 located further back than the driver's seat 32, which is wider in the lateral direction than the narrow portion 33.

[0085] More specifically, the lateral width of the narrow portion 33 is the same as or slightly wider than the distance between the outermost edges of the side pedals 22 on both sides of the power unit 2. The width of the wide portion 34 is set to be wider than the narrow portion 33, wider than the lateral width of the fertilizer hopper 40 of the fertilizer device 4 located on the back of the driver's seat 32, and not exceeding the lateral width of the seedling platform 60 of the seedling planting device 6, which has a seedling loading capacity of ten rows.

[0086] [Seedling transplanting device]

[0087] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the seedling transplanting device 6 is connected to the rear of the linkage mechanism 11.

[0088] The front end of the planting frame 61, which is connected to the rear of the linkage mechanism 11, is equipped with: ten seedling planting mechanisms 62 arranged in a row along the transverse direction of the traveling body and mounted at the rear end of the planting frame 61; a seedling carrier platform 60 located above the front of the planting frame 61; and five ground-contacting floats 63 arranged in a transverse direction along the traveling body and mounted at the lower part of the planting frame 61.

[0089] The planting frame 61 has five planting drive boxes 24 arranged at predetermined intervals along the transverse direction of the traveling body in a forward-backward orientation. The front end of each planting drive box 24 is connected by a transverse frame (not shown) along the left-right direction. Ten seedling planting mechanisms 62 are mounted on the planting frame 61 in a state where they are supported on both sides of the rear end of each planting drive box 24 and can be driven freely.

[0090] The seedling carrier 60 has ten seedling placement sections 60a arranged laterally along the traveling body and holding pad-shaped seedlings. The seedling carrier 60 is configured to be supported by support members provided on the planting frame 61 and can move freely back and forth in the lateral direction of the body. The seedling carrier 60 is moved back and forth in conjunction with the seedling planting movement of the seedling planting mechanism 62, supplying seedlings from the seedling placement sections 60a to each seedling planting mechanism 62. Each ground contact float 63 contacts the farmland surface in the lowered operating state of the seedling planting device 6, supporting the seedling planting device 6 in a manner that ensures the seedling planting depth of each seedling planting mechanism 62 reaches a predetermined depth, and also preparing the land at the seedling planting site of the seedling planting mechanism 62.

[0091] The rear of the seedling transplanting device 6 is equipped with a pesticide dispensing device 64 for distributing pesticides to the farmland after the seedlings have been transplanted.

[0092] [Marking device]

[0093] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, marking devices 5 are provided on both sides of the front of the vehicle body. Separately from the marking devices 5, a central marker 23 is provided at the left and right center of the front end of the vehicle body.

[0094] The marking device 5 includes a line marker 5A for forming a driving target line for subsequent travel on farmland and an adjacency marker 5B for using adjacent lines as driving indicators.

[0095] During operation, a target line is formed on the farmland surface on the lateral side of the machine body 1 using a line marker 5A. When operating at the work site adjacent to the end of the seedling planting completed by the operation stroke, the machine body aligns the central marker 23 with the previously formed target line while operating. This allows the machine body to operate with the seedling rows in the direction of the machine body during the previous operation stroke parallel or approximately parallel to the seedling rows in the direction of the machine body during this operation stroke.

[0096] The adjacent marker 5B is located below the line marker 5A and is configured to switch between a lateral outward use posture with the extension end facing the lateral outward of the vehicle body 1 and a retracted posture with the extension end along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 1.

[0097] When the adjacent marker 5B is used in a lateral outward position with its extended end facing the lateral outward of the vehicle body 1, it is equipped with an indicator rod 81 whose vertical position can be changed at its top. By driving the vehicle body 1 with the lower end of the indicator rod 81 aligned with the planting row and the end face of the field ridge, the adjacent marker 5B can be used in situations where it is difficult to observe the driving target line or when the driving target line has not yet been formed on the farmland.

[0098] Although the marking device 5 on the left and the marking device 5 on the right differ in the direction of protrusion from the vehicle body to the lateral outward, they have the same structure in other respects. Therefore, in this embodiment, a detailed description of the structure of the marking device 5 on the right is omitted.

[0099] like Figures 3-7 As shown, the marking device 5 is mounted on the lateral part of the front of the vehicle body and on the support part 14 of the tube frame located between the driver's pedal 30 and the side pedal 22.

[0100] That is, an assembly bracket 15, which is formed by a longitudinal piece 15a extending along the front-back direction and a transverse piece 15b extending laterally along the horizontal direction, is welded and fixed to the side of the support portion 14. The connecting bracket 50 supporting the marking device 5A and the adjacent marking device 5B is detachably assembled to the assembly bracket 15.

[0101] like Figure 4 , Figure 7 As shown, the connecting bracket 50 is formed with a groove-shaped cross-section and has an upper piece 50b that protrudes laterally outward from the upper side of the longitudinal surface 50a along the front-rear direction and a lower piece 50c that protrudes laterally outward from the lower side of the longitudinal surface 50a.

[0102] The upper piece 50b of the connecting bracket 50 is connected and fixed with a pair of front and rear connecting bolts 54, 54 in a state of abutting against the lower side of the transverse piece 15b of the mounting bracket 15. Thus, the connecting bracket 50 is detachably connected to the mounting bracket 15 fixed to the support portion 14.

[0103] [Regarding the assembly of the line marker]

[0104] The line marking device 5A includes: a support portion 52, which is supported on the vehicle body 1 in a manner that allows it to swing left and right about a first longitudinal axis y1 along the vertical direction; and an extension rod portion 53, which is supported on the support portion 52 in a manner that allows it to swing up and down about a first transverse axis x1 along the horizontal direction provided at the top end of the support portion 52.

[0105] A connecting boss 52a is provided at the end of the support portion 52 on the side of the running body 1. The connecting boss 52a is positioned between the upper piece 50b and the lower piece 50c of the connecting bracket 50 and is connected and fixed with the pivot connecting bolt 51 inserted into the connecting boss 52a. This allows the support portion 52 to be mounted on the connecting bracket 50 in a manner that allows it to swing left and right around the first longitudinal axis y1.

[0106] like Figure 5 As shown, the assembled support portion 52 is configured to switch between three orientations: a lateral working posture PS extending laterally outward from the first longitudinal axis y1 toward the vehicle body 1; a forward-folded posture PF extending forward along the vehicle body 1 from the first longitudinal axis y1; and a rearward-folded posture PR extending obliquely rearward from the first longitudinal axis y1 toward the vehicle body 1. The rearward-folded posture PR of the support portion 52 is to avoid interference with the wide portion 34 of the driver's pedal 30.

[0107] At the top end of the support portion 52, that is, at the end opposite to the end of the support portion 52 on the side having the connecting boss 52a, a transverse connecting boss 52b is provided for supporting the extension rod portion 53 in such a way that the extension rod portion 53 can swing about the first transverse axis x1 along the horizontal direction.

[0108] By connecting the pivot pin 55 to the transverse connecting boss 52b, the extension rod 53 is supported so that it can swing about the first transverse axis x1 along the horizontal direction.

[0109] The extension rod 53 is connected to the undulating operating mechanism 56 with a drive motor 56a. That is, the base bracket 53a of the extension rod 53 is connected to the operating arm 56b of the undulating operating mechanism 56 via the operating spring 57. When an up or down command is input to the drive motor 56a using an operating switch (not shown), the operating arm 56b of the undulating operating mechanism 56 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise, causing the extension rod 53 to undulate.

[0110] A position holding spring 58 is provided between the base bracket 53a of the extension rod 53 and the outer housing 56c of the undulating operation mechanism 56. This position holding spring 58 is used to maintain the force applied to the extension rod 53 towards the inside of the machine body when the extension rod 53 is raised and in a retracted position, and the operating force of the drive motor 56a is lost.

[0111] The top end of the extension rod 53 has an arm 53b with the top side portion formed in a bent shape and a rotation mark 53c that is rotatably supported on the top end of the arm 53b.

[0112] [Regarding the assembly of the adjacency marker]

[0113] like Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, the adjacency marker 5B includes a rod-shaped member 80 and an indicator rod 81. The indicator rod 81 is pluggable relative to an insertion hole provided at the top end of the rod-shaped member 80, and the insertion length can be adjusted.

[0114] The end of the rod-shaped member 80 on the side of the traveling body 1 is supported by the fixing member 82 and the connecting bolt 83 in a state of abutting against the lower side of the lower piece 50c of the connecting bracket 50, so that it can swing in the horizontal direction about the second longitudinal axis y2.

[0115] As described above, by connecting to the lower side of the lower piece 50c of the connecting bracket 50, the rod-shaped member 80, except for the indicator rod 81, is located below the movement trajectory of the scribing mark 5A about the first longitudinal axis y1. When the indicator rod 81 is suspended upward relative to the rod-shaped member 80, it may sometimes interfere with the movement trajectory of the scribing mark 5A about the first longitudinal axis y1.

[0116] However, the connection points between the rod-shaped member 80 and the lower piece 50c of the connecting bracket 50 are formed at both the front and rear ends of the lower piece 50c of the connecting bracket 50. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the connection position, when viewed from above, is located at a position offset from the front and rear sides of the support portion 52. Therefore, the rod-shaped member 80 can be connected to either the front or rear side of the support portion 52. Consequently, the rod-shaped member 80 can be rotated about the second longitudinal axis y2 to retract into a forward position on the front side of the support portion 52, or rotated about the second longitudinal axis y2 to retract into a rearward position on the rear side of the support portion 52.

[0117] [Lockdown Agency]

[0118] A locking mechanism 7 is provided near the end of the line marker 5A on the side connected to the vehicle body 1 for fixing and releasing the line marker 5A in the selected mounting posture relative to the vehicle body 1.

[0119] The locking mechanism 7 includes an operating lever 70 mounted on the support portion 52 of the marking device 5A and a position fixing member 71 welded and fixed to the support portion 14 of the traveling body 1.

[0120] The operating lever 70 is mounted to a support portion 52 that can rotate around the first vertical axis y1, in a manner that allows it to oscillate about a second horizontal axis x2 that intersects the first vertical axis y1. That is, by holding the operating lever 70 and pushing or pulling it horizontally, the support portion 52 can rotate around the first vertical axis y1, and together with the support portion 52, the operating lever 70 can also rotate around the first vertical axis y1.

[0121] Furthermore, when the operating lever 70 is swung vertically, it oscillates relative to the support portion 52 about the second horizontal axis x2. Through this oscillating operation, the operating lever 70 can be engaged or disengaged relative to the position fixing member 71.

[0122] The operating lever 70 is constructed entirely of a rod-shaped curved rod. Furthermore, at the end of the operating lever 70 on the swing fulcrum side, there is a pivot portion 70a along the axial direction of the second transverse axis x2, which is pivotally connected to a bracket 52c attached to the upper surface of the support portion 52.

[0123] A grip 70b is provided at the end of the operating lever 70 furthest from the second horizontal axis x2, which is in an upright position in the vertical direction. In this way, the grip 70b is upright, so that the support 52 can be easily rotated around the first vertical axis y1 by holding the grip 70b without switching hands.

[0124] The intermediate rod portion 70c of the operating lever 70, which connects the pivot portion 70a and the grip portion 70b, is configured to engage or disengage with the engaging recesses a1 to a5 (described later) relative to the position fixing member 71. A coil spring 74 (equivalent to a force-applying spring) that applies downward pressure to the intermediate rod portion 70c and swings towards the side that engages with the engaging recesses a1 to a5 is wound around the pivot portion 70a inside the bracket 52c.

[0125] The positioning member 71 is composed of a metal plate member that is bent into a groove shape when viewed from above. The lower part of this metal plate member is located at the front-to-back position of the support portion 14, which is bent into a U-shape when viewed from above.

[0126] The metal plate member constituting the position fixing member 71 has a slotted open side facing laterally outward from the vehicle body 1 when viewed from above. Furthermore, it includes: a first fixing member 72, which is welded and fixed in a position where its lower end crosses the support portion 14 along the longitudinal direction; and a second fixing member 73, which, similarly, has a slotted open side facing laterally outward from the vehicle body 1 when viewed from above, and is welded and fixed to the upper part of the first fixing member 72 in a position where it surrounds the first fixing member 72 from the outside (inner side of the vehicle body).

[0127] The upper edge of the position fixing member 71 is provided with a plurality of engaging recesses a1 to a5 that engage with the middle rod portion 70c of the operating lever 70.

[0128] These engaging recesses a1 to a5 are formed by recesses having a depth into which the intermediate rod portion 70c of the operating lever 70 enters. In the engaged state with the intermediate rod portion 70c engaged, the horizontal movement of the operating lever 70 is restricted. By restricting the horizontal movement of the operating lever 70, the rotation of the support portion 52 of the marking marker 5A around the first longitudinal axis y1 is restricted, creating a locked state. Furthermore, when the intermediate rod portion 70c engaged with any of the engaging recesses a1 to a5 is disengaged from the engaging recesses a1 to a5, the lock is released, allowing the support portion 52 of the marking marker 5A to rotate around the first longitudinal axis y1.

[0129] Specifically, Figures 4-7 In the middle, in such Figure 5 As shown by the solid line, when the support part 52 of the marking marker 5A is in a forward-folded position PF along the front-rear direction of the traveling body 1, the middle rod part 70c of the operating lever 70 engages with the engaging recess a5 and is locked.

[0130] In such Figure 5 When the support portion 52 of the marking marker 5A is in a rearward retracted position PR with the running body 1 facing diagonally behind, as shown by the imaginary line, the middle rod portion 70c of the operating lever 70 engages with the engaging recess a5 and is locked.

[0131] In such Figure 6 As shown by the solid line, in the lateral working posture PS with the support part 52 of the marking marker 5A facing laterally outward of the traveling body 1, the middle rod part 70c of the operating lever 70 engages with the engaging recesses a2 and a3, thus locking the lever.

[0132] In this lateral working posture PS, the engaging recesses a2 and a3 engage with the intermediate rod portion 70c of the operating lever 70 at multiple points (two in this embodiment) that are separated along the longitudinal direction of the intermediate rod portion 70c. By maintaining this engagement at multiple points separated along the longitudinal direction of the intermediate rod portion 70c during operation, the formation of the driving target line achieved by the line marker 5A can be easily and stably maintained. That is, even if the resistance of the farmland constituting the target line formation acts on the line marker 5A and other rearward external forces acting on the support portion 52, the potential for the support portion 52 to swing backward due to the influence of these external forces can be easily avoided.

[0133] The engaging recess a4 in the engaging recesses a1 to a5 of the position fixing member 71 can be used to temporarily position the marking marker 5A slightly towards the front of the machine before or after changing its posture to the forward-folded posture PF, so as to avoid contact with other objects.

[0134] [Preparation of seedling placement platform]

[0135] The pre-planting seedling platform 12 is located on the left and right sides of the traveling body 1, on the outer side of the side steps 22. A gate-shaped support column 16 is erected on the left and right sides of the traveling body 1. The upper half of the support column 16 is equipped with a multi-layer seedling planting platform 17. The lowest seedling planting platform 17 has a foldable and unfoldable structure, and is configured to be longer in the front and back direction when unfolded.

[0136] like Figure 8 As shown, at the assembly points of the lowest-level planting platform section 17 relative to each portal-shaped support column 16, there are assembly members 18 that can fix and release the vertical position relative to the support column 16. Each support column 16 has fixing holes 16a through which connecting bolts 19, which connect the assembly members 18 and the support column 16 at multiple locations in the vertical direction, are inserted. The fixing holes 16a are formed at three or more locations along the vertical direction of the support column 16 and are evenly spaced in the vertical direction.

[0137] Therefore, when changing the vertical position of the assembly component 18 relative to the support column 16 to change the height of the planting platform portion 17, this can be easily achieved by changing the insertion point of the connecting bolt 19 relative to the fixing hole 16a formed in the support column 16. Furthermore, since the fixing holes 16a are evenly spaced at three or more locations along the vertical direction of the support column 16, when setting the height of the planting platform portion 17 using the fixing holes 16a at both the upper and lower positions, the fixing holes 16a used to fix the lower side of the planting platform portion 17 in the upper position can also be used to fix the upper side of the planting platform portion 17 in the lower position. This reduces the number of fixing holes 16a formed in the support column 16 and also reduces the machining time for the fixing holes 16a.

[0138] On the left and right sides of the pre-planting platform 12, an assembly frame 26 for communication antenna 25 is provided so that the upper parts of the left and right side pillars 16, 16 are connected to each other.

[0139] The communication antenna 25 is used for communication with the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). During operation, it is positioned at the highest point of the traveling aircraft 1, which is higher than the top of the pre-loaded seedling platform 12.

[0140] The mounting frame 26 of the aforementioned communication antenna 25 is connected to the upper part of the left and right side supports 16, 16 in a manner that allows it to rotate about a horizontal axis x3 along the left and right direction, and is configured to switch its posture as follows: Figure 1 and Figure 3The solid lines show the upright position where the communication antenna 25 is positioned higher than the top of the pre-planting platform 12, and the imaginary lines show the flipped-down and folded-down position where it is lower than the upright position.

[0141] Moreover, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in either the forward-folded posture PF or the backward-folded posture PR of the marking marker 5A with the extension rod 53 erected relative to the support 52, the relative height between the top of the marking marker 5A and the top of the marking marker 5A is set such that the top of the marking marker 5A is lower than the top of the preparation seedling platform 12 when the mounting frame 26 of the communication antenna 25 is switched to the inverted posture.

[0142] [Other Implementation Methods]

[0143] Other embodiments will be described below. Multiple embodiments described below can be combined as long as they do not conflict. It should be noted that the scope of this invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0144] (1) In the above embodiment, an example is shown of a paddy field operation machine that is equipped with both a line marker 5A for forming a driving target line for the subsequent travel on the farmland and an adjacent marker 5B for using adjacent lines as driving indicators. However, the adjacent marker 5B may be omitted and only the line marker 5A may be provided.

[0145] Other structures can use the same structure as the above-described implementation method.

[0146] (2) In the above embodiment, for example, a line marker 5A for forming a driving target line on farmland and an adjacent marker 5B for using adjacent lines as driving indicators are mounted on a common connecting bracket 50 and mounted on the driving body 1. However, the line marker 5A and the adjacent marker 5B may also be mounted separately on the driving body 1, and may be mounted at separate locations in the front-rear direction.

[0147] Other structures can use the same structure as the above-described implementation method.

[0148] (3) In the above embodiment, the locking mechanism 7 is shown to be composed of an operating lever 70 and a position fixing member 71. In the forward retracted posture PF and the backward retracted posture PR, there is one locking point for position fixing, and in the lateral working posture PS, there are two locking points for position fixing, but it is not necessarily limited to this structure.

[0149] For example, the locking points for fixing the position in the lateral working posture PS can be set to one or more than three points. In addition, for the forward retracted posture PF and the backward retracted posture PR, multiple locking points can also be set.

[0150] Other structures can use the same structure as the above-described implementation method.

[0151] (4) In the above embodiment, an example is shown that the position change based on the swivel of the line marker 5A around the first longitudinal axis y1 is shown at the three preset positions of forward retraction posture PF, backward retraction posture PR and lateral working posture PS, but it is not necessarily limited to this structure.

[0152] For example, the engaging recesses a1 to a5 on the position fixing member 71 may be formed not only at three locations around the first longitudinal axis y1, but also allow for posture changes to multiple locations including the forward retracted posture PF, the backward retracted posture PR, and the lateral working posture PS, so that the position can be fixed at any angle around the first longitudinal axis y1.

[0153] Other structures can use the same structure as the above-described implementation method.

[0154] (5) In the above embodiments, an example is shown in which the operating lever 70 used to change the position of the marking marker 5A around the first longitudinal axis y1 is also used as a component of the locking mechanism 7, but it is not necessarily limited to this structure.

[0155] For example, other components that engage with the engagement recesses a1 to a5 of the position fixing member 71 may be used in addition to the operating lever 70, and a structure that is used in conjunction with the operating lever 70 may also be used.

[0156] Other structures can use the same structure as the above-described implementation method.

[0157] Industrial availability

[0158] In addition to being applicable to paddy field operation machines equipped with seedling transplanting device 6, this invention can also be applied to paddy field operation machines equipped with direct seeding device.

Claims

1. A paddy field operation machine, characterized in that, A driver's seat is provided in the passenger-type vehicle body. A line marker is provided on the side of the fuselage, located in front of the driver's seat, for marking a travel target line for the subsequent journey on farmland. The marking device includes: a support portion supported on the vehicle body in a manner that allows it to swing left and right about a first longitudinal axis along the vertical direction; and an extension rod portion supported so as to swing up and down about a first transverse axis along the horizontal direction provided at the top end of the support portion. The support portion is configured to switch between a lateral working posture extending laterally outward from the first longitudinal axis toward the vehicle body, a forward-folding posture extending forward along the vehicle body from the first longitudinal axis, and a rearward-folding posture extending rearward from the first longitudinal axis toward the rear of the vehicle body. An operating lever is fitted to the support portion, capable of rotating integrally with it about a first longitudinal axis, and the operating lever is mounted to the support portion in a manner that allows it to oscillate about a second transverse axis intersecting the first longitudinal axis. The traveling body is provided with a locking recess, which can engage with the operating lever that is oscillating about the second transverse axis to limit the rotation of the support about the first longitudinal axis. The operating lever has: a pivot portion located at the end of the operating lever on the swing fulcrum side, along the axial direction of the second horizontal axis; a grip portion located at the end on the side opposite to the swing fulcrum side; and an intermediate rod portion connecting the pivot portion and the grip portion. By engaging and disengaging the middle rod portion of the operating lever with the engaging recess, a locking mechanism is formed that can fix and release the posture of the support portion relative to the traveling body.

2. The paddy field operation machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The operating lever is mounted at the base end of the support portion on the opposite side to the top end portion where the extension rod portion is located.

3. The paddy field operation machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The locking mechanism has multiple engaging recesses to engage with the operating lever at multiple points along its longitudinal dimension in the lateral working position.

4. The paddy field operation machine according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, A force-applying spring is provided to apply force to the side of the operating lever that is capable of oscillating about the second horizontal axis and engaging with the engaging recess.

5. The paddy field operation machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The driver's pedals of the vehicle body, located on the front side of the driver's seat, have a wide portion near the rear of the driver's seat and a narrow portion away from the front of the driver's seat. The paddy field operation machine is configured such that the first longitudinal axis of the marking device is located on the lateral side of the narrow section, and the support part in the forward-folded posture is located on the side of the machine body with a width greater than that of the wide section in the left-right direction.

6. The paddy field operation machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, On the lateral side of the fuselage, which is located forward of the driver's seat, below the movement trajectory of the marking marker around the first longitudinal axis, there is an adjacent marker for using adjacent lines as driving indicators.

7. The paddy field operation machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The adjacent marker is supported on a mounting bracket for assembling the support portion onto the vehicle body, and is configured to swing left and right independently of the marking marker about a second longitudinal axis in the vertical direction, which is different from the first longitudinal axis.

8. The paddy field operation machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The adjacency marker is configured to be pivotally connected to multiple locations, both in front of and behind the first longitudinal axis of the marking marker.

9. The paddy field operation machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Seedling placement platforms are erected on both the left and right sides of the traveling machine body. A communication antenna is installed on the upper part of the prepared seedling platform. The communication antenna is configured to switch between an upright position, which is higher than the top of the prepared seedling platform, and a folded-down position, which is lower than the upright position. The top of the extension rod of the marking marker in the forward-folded and backward-folded positions is located lower than the top of the pre-seeded seedling platform when the communication antenna is in the inverted position.

10. The paddy field operation machine according to claim 9, characterized in that, The prepared seedling platform includes: support pillars erected on the left and right sides of the traveling machine body; and a seedling planting platform supported by the support pillars. The seedling planting platform is equipped with an assembly component capable of fixing and releasing the vertical position relative to the support column. The assembly components and the support column are connected by connecting bolts at multiple points, both vertically and horizontally. The fixing holes through which the connecting bolts can be inserted are formed in more than three locations along the vertical direction of the support column. The fixing holes are evenly spaced in the vertical direction of the support column.

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