Riding type seedling planting machine

Abstract

To provide a riding type seedling planting machine equipped with a preliminary seedling loading part which is inexpensive and excellent in workability solving the problem with a conventional riding type seedling planting machine for planting seedlings while travelling in a farm field equipped with a preliminary seedling loading part having three loading tables on a travelling vehicle body, the three loading tables being switched between a developed state in which they are continuous on the same plane in a front-back direction of the machine body and a stacked state in which they are folded and there is room for improvement in workability and simplification of the configuration.SOLUTION: In a riding type seedling planting machine equipped with a seedling planting part at the rear part of a traveling vehicle body and a preliminary seedling loading part 50R equipped with a plurality of loading tables 51U and 51D for loading seedling boxes at the front part of the traveling vehicle body so as to be freely switched between a stacked state and a developed state, at least one loading table 51U is fixed on the traveling vehicle body and the other loading tables 51U are provided movably by links 54F and 54R.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a riding seedling planter equipped with a spare seedling carrier. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is a riding seedling planter that plants seedlings while traveling through a field, which is equipped with a spare seedling carrying section with three loading platforms on the traveling body, and which can be switched between an unfolded state in which the three loading platforms are connected in the same plane in the fore-and-aft direction of the machine body, and a folded, stacked state (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-135506 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there is room for improvement in terms of workability and simplification of the configuration.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has as its object to provide a riding seedling planter equipped with a spare seedling carrier that is inexpensive and easy to operate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The invention described in claim 1 is a riding seedling planting machine having a seedling planting section 30 attached to the rear of the running body 2 and a spare seedling carrying section 50 at the front of the running body 2 equipped with multiple loading platforms 51U, 51D for placing seedling boxes N, which can be freely switched between a stacked state and an unfolded state, in which at least one loading platform 51U is fixed on the running body 2 and the other loading platforms 51U are freely movable by links 54F, 54R.

[0007] According to the invention described in claim 1, at least one loading platform 51U is fixed to the traveling vehicle body 2, and the other loading platforms 51U are movably mounted via links 54F, 54R, so the configuration is simple, inexpensive, and easy to work with.

[0008] The invention described in claim 2 is a ride-on seedling planter described in claim 1, in which an empty box loading platform 56 is provided to the side of multiple loading platforms 51U, 51D, and when the multiple loading platforms 51U, 51D are switched to an unfolded state, the rear wall 51c of the loading platform 51D located at the rear is moved rearward to form a space S1 through which the seedling boxes N pass on the empty box loading platform 56 side of the loading platform 51D, and a guide rail 59 is provided in the space S1 to guide the seedling boxes N from the loading platform 51D to the empty box loading platform 56.

[0009] According to the invention as set forth in claim 2, the empty seedling boxes N on the loading platform 51D can be easily moved from the space S1 to the empty box loading platform 56, resulting in good workability. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a riding rice transplanter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the upper part of the seedling placing table of the ride-on rice transplanter. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of the right spare seedling loading section of the riding rice transplanter. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side view of the right spare seedling loading section of the riding rice transplanter. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the right spare seedling loading section of the riding rice transplanter. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a perspective view for explaining the operation of the lower loading platform and empty box loading platform of the riding rice transplanter. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a front view for explaining the operation of the lower loading platform and empty box loading platform of the riding rice transplanter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the riding seedling planter disclosed in the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown below.

[0012] <Overall structure> The overall configuration of a riding rice transplanter 1 as a riding seedling transplanter according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0013] The riding rice transplanter 1 is equipped with a traveling body 2 that can travel in a field. The traveling body 2 is equipped with a pair of left and right front wheels 3 and a pair of left and right rear wheels 4. The traveling body 2 is, for example, a four-wheel drive in which the front wheels 3 and rear wheels 4 are driven. A seedling planting unit 30 that can be raised and lowered by a lifting device 20 is provided at the rear of the traveling body 2.

[0014] A spare seedling carrying section 50 is provided on both the left and right sides of the front of the traveling body 2.

[0015] <Running vehicle 2> The traveling vehicle body 2 comprises a body frame 5, an engine E mounted on the body frame 5, and a power transmission device 6 that transmits the power generated by the engine E to the drive wheels and the seedling planting unit 30. In other words, the power generated by the engine E, which is the power source, is used not only to move the traveling vehicle body 2 forward or backward, but also to drive the seedling planting unit 30.

[0016] The engine E is disposed in the center of the traveling body 2 in the left-right direction, at a position that protrudes above the floor step 7 on which an operator riding on the traveling body 2 places his or her feet. A heat engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine is used as the engine E. The floor step 7 is provided at the front of the traveling body 2 in the front-to-rear direction. The floor step 7 is provided from the front of the traveling body 2 to the rear of the engine E.

[0017] The floor step 7 is attached to the machine frame 5. Of the floor step 7, for example, a part near the cockpit 9 described below is formed in a grid pattern in a plan view so that mud adhering to the worker's shoes can be washed off into the field.

[0018] A front step 7F is provided at the front of the floor step 7, and left and right extension side steps 7S are provided on the left and right outer sides of the floor step 7. A rear step 7R that also serves as a fender for the rear wheel 4 is provided at the rear of the floor step 7, and boarding and alighting steps 7J for workers to get on and off the vehicle are provided on the outer sides of the left and right extension side steps 7S.

[0019] The engine E is covered by an engine cover 8. A pilot's seat 9 is provided above the engine cover 8. The pilot's seat 9 is a seat where an operator sits when operating the aircraft.

[0020] The power transmission device 6 includes a belt-type power transmission section 6a to which power is transmitted from the engine E, a hydraulic continuously variable transmission which is a transmission device that changes the speed of the power transmitted from the engine E via the belt-type power transmission section, and a transmission case 6b.

[0021] The hydraulic continuously variable transmission is, for example, a hydrostatic continuously variable transmission known as an HST. The hydraulic continuously variable transmission can change the output (rotation speed) and output direction (rotation direction) by operating the main speed change lever. In other words, the hydraulic continuously variable transmission can change the forward / reverse movement and traveling speed of the traveling vehicle body 2 by changing the rotation speed and rotation direction.

[0022] The transmission case 6b is provided with a transmission device that transmits power from the engine E, which is speed-shifted by the hydraulic continuously variable transmission, to various components. The transmission case 6b is equipped with an auxiliary transmission mechanism that switches the traveling speed during travel and work. When the auxiliary transmission lever of the transmission case 6b is operated, the traveling speed of the traveling vehicle body 2 can be switched, for example, to a traveling speed faster than the traveling speed during planting work, or to a seedling planting speed during planting work.

[0023] The traveling vehicle body 2 is equipped with a steering handle 10, a planting lever, and the like, in front of the driver's seat 9. The steering handle 10 is provided on the hood 11 of the traveling vehicle body 2, and is operated by the operator to steer the traveling vehicle body 2. The planting lever is a clutch lever, and is provided on the hood 11, and is operated to raise and lower the seedling planting unit 30 and to start and stop the seedling planting by the seedling planting unit 30.

[0024] The traveling body 2 also includes a main speed change lever and an auxiliary speed change lever. The main speed change lever (also called an HST lever) is a lever that is operated to change the forward / reverse movement and traveling speed of the traveling body 2. The auxiliary speed change lever is a lever that is operated to change the traveling speed of the traveling body 2 to a speed appropriate for the traveling location (field or road).

[0025] The hood 11 protrudes upward from the floor step 7 and is covered with a front cover 11a. A display unit (meter panel), for example, is provided on the hood 11. The display unit has a display surface that is tilted downward and rearward so as to face an operator seated in the operator's seat 9 and facing forward.

[0026] The display unit displays information from various sensors, such as a marker sensor that detects whether line-drawing markers that form a travel reference line on the field scene that serves as a guide for straight-line driving are displayed on the left and right sides of the vehicle body, a planting lever position sensor that detects the operating position of the planting lever, a fertilizer shortage sensor that detects when the amount of fertilizer stored in the storage hopper 41 of the fertilizer application device 40 falls below a specified amount, and a fertilizer clogging sensor that detects when the fertilizer sent from the storage hopper 41 has clogged the supply path.

[0027] The riding rice transplanter 1 is equipped with a lifting device 20 and a seedling planting unit 30. The lifting device 20 is equipped with a lifting link 21. The lifting link 21 is a parallel link that connects the rear of the traveling body 2 and the seedling planting unit 30, and is connected to the link frame at the rear of the traveling body 2 and the seedling planting unit 30 so that it can rotate freely in the vertical direction, thereby connecting the seedling planting unit 30 to the traveling body 2 so that it can be raised and lowered.

[0028] The lifting device 20 also includes a hydraulic lifting cylinder 22. The lifting cylinder 22 extends and retracts when the planting lever is operated and the hydraulic valve is switched. The lifting cylinder 22 extends and retracts to drive the lifting link 21, raising and lowering the seedling planting unit 30. That is, when the planting lever is operated, the lifting cylinder 22 switches between a non-working position where the seedling planting unit 30 is raised and a ground work position (planting position) where the seedling planting unit 30 is lowered.

[0029] <Seedling planting section 30> As described above, the seedling planting unit 30 is attached to the rear of the traveling vehicle body 2 via the lifting link 21. The seedling planting unit 30 is capable of planting seedlings in multiple rows (rows), for example. The seedling planting unit 30 includes a seedling placement table 31, a float 32, and a planting device 33.

[0030] As shown in Figure 2, the seedling placing table 31 has seedling placing surfaces 31a in the left-right direction of the machine body, the number of which corresponds to the number of planting rows. Each seedling placing surface 31a is a downward-sloping inclined surface on which multiple mat-like seedlings with soil can be placed in the vertical direction.

[0031] At the upper end of the seedling placing table 31, a movable seedling placing table 35 is provided which is movable from side to side along a rail 34 provided across the left and right ends.

[0032] The movable seedling placing table 35 is provided with an arc-shaped placing surface 35a for placing seedlings with mat-like soil, left and right side walls 35b, and left and right gripping portions 35c that an operator can grip when moving the movable seedling placing table 35 left and right.

[0033] At the lower end of the movable seedling tray 35, a cylinder 35f is fixed which is supported so as to be rotatable by a predetermined angle on a support body 35e which has left and right guide rollers 35d which engage with the guide grooves of the rails 34 and rotate.

[0034] In other words, the movable seedling placing table 35 can be freely moved left and right along the upper end of the seedling placing table 31 by the operator holding the gripping portion 35c, and can also be freely rotated at a steep incline so that the lower part of the placing surface 35a is on the same plane as the upper part of the seedling placing surface 31a of the seedling placing table 31, allowing the seedlings with mat-like soil placed on the placing surface 35a to slide down onto the seedling placing surface 31a of the seedling placing table 31 and be replenished.

[0035] Therefore, when supplying seedlings to the seedling loading surface 31a of the seedling loading table 31, the worker takes out seedlings with mat-like soil from the seedling boxes N placed on the spare seedling loading section 50 and places them easily and efficiently on the loading surface 35a of the movable seedling loading table 35 which has been moved immediately behind the spare seedling loading section 50, then grasps the gripping section 35c and moves the movable seedling loading table 35 left and right along the upper end of the seedling loading table 31 to the seedling loading surface 31a of the seedling loading table 31 to be supplied, and then rotates it at a steep incline, thereby allowing the seedling supply work to be carried out easily and efficiently.

[0036] The floats 32 level the ground while gliding over the farmland (paddy field) as the traveling body 2 moves. The floats 32 are equipped with a center float located in the center of the machine body in the left-right direction, and side floats located on the outside in the left-right direction, sandwiching the center float. In the illustrated example, the riding rice transplanter 1 further includes a soil leveling rotor 13, which is a soil leveling device.

[0037] Each float (center float and side float) of the float 32 is rotatably attached to the traveling vehicle body 2 so that the front portion moves up and down in response to the unevenness of the field surface.

[0038] During planting work, the up and down movement of the front part of the center float is detected by a rotation sensor, and in response to the detection results of the rotation sensor, the control unit switches the hydraulic valve that controls the extension and contraction movement of the lifting cylinder 22 to raise and lower the seedling planting section 30, thereby adjusting the seedling planting depth.

[0039] The planting device 33 is supported by the planting support frame of the seedling placing table 31 and is positioned below the seedling placing table 31. The planting device 33 takes out the seedlings with the mat-like soil attached that are placed on the seedling placing table 31 and plants them in the field. The planting device 33 is equipped with a planting rod 331, a rotary case 332, and a planting case 333. The planting rod 331 takes out the seedlings one by one from the lower end of the seedlings with the mat-like soil attached that are placed on the seedling placing table 31 and plants them in the field.

[0040] The rotary case 332 rotatably supports the planting case 333. The rotary case 332 is provided with a variable speed transmission mechanism that can rotate the planting rod 331 while changing the rotation speed of the planting rod 331. The planting rod 331 rotates while changing its rotation speed depending on the rotation angle relative to the rotary case 332.

[0041] <Fertilizer 40> The riding rice transplanter 1 is equipped with a fertilizer applicator 40. The fertilizer applicator 40 is an apparatus for spreading fertilizer over a field. In the riding rice transplanter 1, the seedling planting unit 30 plants seedlings in the field, while the fertilizer applicator 40 spreads fertilizer over the field.

[0042] The fertilizer application device 40 comprises a storage hopper 41 for storing fertilizer, which is located above the rear of the running body 2 and behind the driver's seat 9, a delivery section 42 that delivers fertilizer from the storage hopper 41, a fertilizer pipe 44 that transports the fertilizer delivered from the delivery section 42 using the wind power of an electric blower 43, and a furrow former 45 that creates a furrow to the side of the seedling planting position and spreads the fertilizer transported by the fertilizer pipe 44 into the furrow.

[0043] <50 spare seedling carriers> The riding rice transplanter 1 is provided with a spare seedling carrying section 50 consisting of a left spare seedling carrying section 50L and a right spare seedling carrying section 50R on the left and right sides at the front of the traveling body 2. The spare seedling carrying section 50 is provided with two upper loading tables 51U and a lower loading table 51D.

[0044] The detailed configuration of the right preliminary seedling rest section 50R will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 5. The left preliminary seedling rest section 50L has an identical configuration that is symmetrical to the right preliminary seedling rest section 50R.

[0045] The right spare seedling loading section 50R has two loading tables, an upper loading table 51U and a lower loading table 51D. The upper loading table 51U and the lower loading table 51D are pallet-shaped and have side walls 51a, a bottom surface 51b, and a rear wall 51c.

[0046] The right spare seedling loading section 50R is configured to be switchable between a stacked state in which the upper loading platform 51U and the lower loading platform 51D are arranged in two layers, one above the other, overlapping each other in a planar view (see Figure 4), and an expanded state in which the upper loading platform 51U and the lower loading platform 51D are expanded in a linear manner in the front-to-back direction (see Figures 3 and 5).

[0047] That is, a lower platform frame 53D is fixed to the upper end of the left seedling platform frame 52L, the base of which is fixed to the machine frame 5 of the traveling body 2, and a lower loading platform 51D is fixed to the lower platform frame 53D.

[0048] An upper platform frame 53U is pivotally supported on the upper ends of front and rear parallel links 54F, 54R whose bases are pivotally supported on the lower platform frame 53D, and an upper loading platform 51U is fixed to the upper platform frame 53U.

[0049] Therefore, by grasping the gripping portion 55 fixed to the front of the upper loading platform frame 53U and rotating the front and rear parallel links 54F, 54R to move the upper loading platform 51U in parallel, it is possible to switch between a stacked state in which two layers, one above the other, overlap in a planar view, and an expanded state in which the upper loading platform 51U and the lower loading platform 51D are expanded linearly in the front-to-back direction.

[0050] In this configuration in which the right spare seedling loading section 50R can be switched between a stacked state and an unfolded state, the lower loading platform 51D is fixed to a lower loading platform frame 53D which is fixed to the upper end of the left seedling loading platform frame 52L, the base of which is fixed to the body frame 5 of the traveling vehicle body 2, and the upper loading platform 51U moves by front and rear parallel links 54F, 54R, so the configuration is simple, inexpensive, and easy to work with.

[0051] In addition, the lower loading platform frame 53D is mounted on the upper end of the left seedling platform frame 52L, whose base is fixed to the machine frame 5, so that it can be rotated and fixed freely by a vertical pivot axis 57, and the upper loading platform 51U and lower loading platform 51D can be rotated and fixed freely between a use state in which they protrude outward from the machine body and a storage state in which they are stored inside the machine body.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 5, when the upper loading platform 51U and the lower loading platform 51D are in an operating state in which they protrude outward from the vehicle body, the pivot shaft 57 is located further outward from the front and rear parallel links 54F, 54R.

[0053] 6 and 7, empty box platforms 56 are fixed to the upper platform frame 53U and the lower platform frame 53D, respectively, on the outer sides of the upper and lower loading platforms 51U and 51D. The length of the empty box platform 56 is approximately the same as the length of the upper and lower loading platforms 51U and 51D.

[0054] Each empty box loading platform 56 is configured to store one empty seedling box N in a horizontally long and vertically placed position and to be freely slidable in the front-to-rear direction, and when the upper loading platform 51U and the lower loading platform 51D are in an expanded state in which they are linearly expanded in the front-to-rear direction, the empty seedling box N that is connected in the front and rear and placed vertically can be freely slidable in the front-to-rear direction.

[0055] In other words, when the upper loading platform 51U and the lower loading platform 51D are deployed in a linear fashion in the front-to-back direction, each empty box loading platform 56 is in a linear, connected state in the front-to-back direction, and the front-to-back length of the two empty box loading platforms 56 is approximately the same as the length of the upper loading platform 51U and the lower loading platform 51D in the deployed state in a linear fashion in the front-to-back direction.

[0056] In particular, the lower loading platform 51D, which is located at the rear when the unit is in the unfolded state, is composed of a base loading platform 51D-1 fixed to the lower loading platform frame 53D and a movable loading platform 51D-2 that can freely come into contact with and move away from the base loading platform 51D-1.

[0057] The movable loading platform 51D-2 is equipped with left and right support rods 58 that are inserted into left and right fitting cylinders fixed to the bottom of the base loading platform 51D-1, and can be freely switched between a contracted state in contact with the base loading platform 51D-1 and an expanded state in which it is separated rearward from the base loading platform 51D-1.

[0058] The base loading platform 51D-1 has a portion of the side wall 51a and bottom surface 51b on the empty box loading platform 56 side cut out on the movable loading platform 51D-2 side, and the movable loading platform 51D-2 does not have a side wall 51a on the empty box loading platform 56 side and has a portion of the bottom surface 51b cut out.

[0059] Therefore, when the right spare seedling loading section 50R is switched to a stacked state, the movable loading platform 51D-2 of the lower loading platform 51D is brought into a contracted state in contact with the base loading platform 51D-1, so that one seedling box N can be placed on the bottom surface 51b and held by the left and right side walls 51a and the rear wall 51c.

[0060] Furthermore, when the right spare seedling carrier 50R is switched to the unfolded state and the movable carrier 51D-2 of the lower carrier 51D is placed in an expanded state away from the base carrier 51D-1, the rear wall 51c moves rearward, the side wall 51a on the empty box carrier 56 side is removed, and part of the bottom surface 51b is cut out, forming a space S1 large enough for one seedling box N, allowing the seedling box N to be easily rotated and dropped from the space S1 onto the empty box carrier 56. Note that on the opposite side of the lower carrier 51D from the empty box carrier 56, the side wall 51a forms a space S2 smaller than one seedling box N to prevent the seedling box N from falling.

[0061] Further, in the space S1 of the lower loading platform 51D, a guide rail 59 made of a rod for guiding the seedling boxes N from the lower loading platform 51D to the empty box loading platform 56 is provided.

[0062] In addition, the empty box platform 56 may be divided into a base empty box platform fixed to the base loading platform 51D-1 and a movable empty box platform 56a fixed to the movable loading platform 51D-2, so that when the movable loading platform 51D-2 of the lower loading platform 51D is expanded and moved rearward away from the base loading platform 51D-1, the movable empty box platform 56a also moves to a position further rearward.

[0063] <Seedling planting work> The right spare seedling carrier 50R is switched to the open state. That is, the gripping portion 55 fixed to the top of the upper carrier frame 53U is gripped, and the front and rear parallel links 54F, 54R are rotated to move the upper carrier 51U forward in parallel, thereby switching to the open state in which the upper carrier 51U and the lower carrier 51D are opened linearly in the front-to-rear direction.

[0064] As a result, the empty box carriers 56 are aligned in a row and communicate with each other in the front-to-rear direction.

[0065] An operator seated in the operator's seat 9 of the riding rice transplanter 1 operates the machine to place the front of the riding rice transplanter 1 on a ridge or road.

[0066] A worker on a ridge or road unfolds the seedling boxes N containing raised seedlings placed on the ridge or road, places them on the upper loading platform 51U at the front, pushes them toward the rear of the machine body, and slides them to the lower loading platform 51D at the rear.

[0067] An operator on board the machine takes out seedlings with mat-like soil from the seedling boxes N that have been slid to the lower loading platform 51D and supplies them to the seedling loading platform 31 of the seedling planting section 30 with good workability using the movable seedling loading platform 35.

[0068] Then, the operator moves the movable loading platform 51D-2 of the rear lower loading platform 51D to an expanded state away from the base loading platform 51D-1 rearward, and easily rotates and drops the seedling boxes N from the space S1 onto the empty box loading platform 56.

[0069] Then, the worker pushes the empty seedling box N that has rotated and fallen to the rear of the empty box carrier 56 to the front of the empty box carrier 56 and moves.

[0070] An operator on the ridge or road takes out the empty seedling boxes N that have been transported to the front of the empty box loading platform 56 and places them on the ridge or road, unfolds the seedling boxes N filled with seedlings that have been placed on the ridge or road, places them on the upper loading platform 51U at the front, pushes the seedling boxes N on the upper loading platform 51U toward the rear of the machine, and slides them to the lower loading platform 51D at the rear.

[0071] In this way, seedling boxes N filled with seedlings placed on the ridges or roads can be supplied to the seedling placement table 31 of the seedling planting section 30 efficiently and easily using the unfolded upper loading table 51U and lower loading table 51D, and empty seedling boxes N on the lower loading table 51D can be easily rotated and dropped onto the empty box loading table 56, allowing the work of removing empty seedling boxes N from the empty box loading table 56 to be carried out easily and efficiently.

[0072] Needless to say, the left spare seedling carrier 50L may also be used to carry out the seedling supplying work in the same manner.

[0073] Then, after completing the seedling supply work to the seedling placement table 31 of the seedling planting section 30, the worker on the ridge or road unfolds the seedling boxes N containing the raised seedlings that have been placed on the ridge or road, places them on the upper loading table 51U at the front, pushes them towards the rear of the machine body, slides them to the lower loading table 51D at the rear, and then places the raised seedling boxes N on the upper loading table 51U as well.

[0074] Also, the fertilizer bag placed on the ridge or road is picked up and carried to the storage hopper 41 of the fertilizer applicator 40, and the fertilizer is supplied.

[0075] An operator sitting in the operator's seat 9 of the riding rice transplanter 1 operates the machine to move along a predetermined route in the field, and drives each part to perform seedling planting and fertilizing work.

[0076] When there are only a few seedlings with mat-like soil remaining on the seedling placing table 31 of the seedling planting section 30, the machine stops, picks up the seedling boxes N placed on the left spare seedling placing section 50L or the right spare seedling placing section 50R, removes the seedlings with mat-like soil from the seedling boxes N and supplies them to the seedling placing table 31 of the seedling planting section 30, and places the empty seedling boxes N on the empty box placing table 56. Then, the machine is moved forward again to drive each section and perform the seedling planting and fertilizing work.

[0077] When the seedlings with mat-like soil remaining on the seedling placing table 31 of the seedling planting section 30 become scarce and the spare seedlings on the left spare seedling placing section 50L and the right spare seedling placing section 50R also become exhausted, the front of the riding rice transplanter 1 is parked on the ridge or road, and seedlings with mat-like soil are supplied to the seedling placing table 31 of the seedling planting section 30 in the manner described above, and seedling boxes N containing raised seedlings are placed on the left spare seedling placing section 50L and the right spare seedling placing section 50R. Also, if the fertilizer in the storage hopper 41 of the fertilizer applicator 40 is running low, fertilizer is also supplied to the storage hopper 41.

[0078] When work in the field is completed and the load is to be loaded onto a truck or stored in a barn, etc., the gripping portion 55 of the upper platform frame 53U is grasped and the front and rear parallel links 54F, 54R are rotated to move the upper loading platform 51U in parallel to the rear, switching the upper loading platform 51U and the lower loading platform 51D into a stacked state in which they overlap in a plan view, forming two levels, one above the other.

[0079] Although the above describes an embodiment of a spare seedling loading section 50 having two upper loading trays 51U and two lower loading trays 51D, the present invention can also be applied to a configuration having three or more loading trays that can be switched between a stacked state and an unfolded state. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 2 Running vehicle 30 Seedling planting department 50 Spare seedling storage section 51c back wall 51D Loading platform (lower loading platform) 51U Loading Platform (Upper Loading Platform) 54F, 54R link (front and rear parallel link) 56 Empty Box Platform 59 Guide Rail N seedling box S1 space

Claims

1. This riding seedling planter has a seedling planting section (30) attached to the rear of a traveling body (2) and a spare seedling carrying section (50) equipped with a plurality of loading platforms (51U, 51D) for placing seedling boxes (N) on the front of the traveling body (2) that can be freely switched between a stacked state and an unfolded state, characterized in that at least one loading platform (51U) is fixed on the traveling body (2) and the other loading platforms (51U) are freely movable by links (54F, 54R).

2. A riding seedling planter as described in claim 1, characterized in that an empty box loading platform (56) is provided on the side of a plurality of loading platforms (51U, 51D), and when the plurality of loading platforms (51U, 51D) are switched to the unfolded state, the rear wall 51c of the loading platform (51D) located at the rear is moved rearward to form a space S1 through which the seedling boxes (N) pass on the empty box loading platform (56) side of the loading platform (51D), and a guide rail (59) is provided in the space S1 to guide the seedling boxes (N) from the loading platform (51D) to the empty box loading platform (56).

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