Rice transplanter

Abstract

The present invention provides a rice transplanter that reduces the operator's operational burden when operating a locking mechanism that holds multiple spare seedling trays in use and in storage. [Solution] The machine is equipped with a support mechanism 40 provided on the machine body, a plurality of spare seedling trays 30 supported by the support mechanism 40 so as to be arranged vertically and configured to be switchable between an arrangement in use and a storage state, a connecting mechanism 50 connected to the plurality of spare seedling trays 30 arranged vertically, which allows the connected plurality of spare seedling trays 30 to be switched integrally between an arrangement in use and a storage state, and a locking mechanism 60 for locking the spare seedling trays in either the arrangement in use or the storage state, or both.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a rice transplanter equipped with a seedling stand for spare seedlings.

Background Art

[0002] The rice transplanter described in Patent Document 1 includes a seedling stand for spare seedlings that is configured to be foldable.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In addition, the rice transplanter described in Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of locking mechanisms (referred to as "front holding part" and "rear holding part" in the document) that lock (hold) each of the plurality of seedling stands for spare seedlings in a folded storage state.

[0005] In a rice transplanter with such a configuration, as the number of seedling stands for spare seedlings increases, the number of holding mechanisms increases, and the operation burden on the operator for operating the locking mechanisms becomes large, so there is room for improvement.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a rice transplanter that can reduce the operation burden on the operator when operating a locking mechanism for holding a plurality of seedling stands for spare seedlings in a use state and a storage state.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The rice transplanter of the present invention is equipped with a support mechanism provided on the machine body, a plurality of spare seedling trays supported by the support mechanism so as to be arranged vertically and configured to be switchable between an arrangement in use and a storage state in the vertical direction, a connecting mechanism connected to the plurality of spare seedling trays arranged vertically and enabling the connected plurality of spare seedling trays to be switched integrally between the arrangement in use and the storage state, and a locking mechanism for locking the spare seedling trays in either the arrangement in use or the storage state, or both.

[0008] According to this invention, the multiple spare seedling trays connected to the connecting mechanism are configured to switch seamlessly between a use state and a storage state. With this configuration, when any of the multiple spare seedling trays connected to the connecting mechanism are locked by the locking mechanism, the other spare seedling trays connected to the connecting mechanism are also locked. As a result, the operator can lock multiple spare seedling trays by operating a single locking mechanism, thereby reducing the operator's workload.

[0009] In the present invention, it is preferable that the plurality of reserve seedling stands are arranged vertically on one side and the other side of the support mechanism, and that the connecting mechanism and the locking mechanism are provided on the set of the plurality of reserve seedling stands on one side of the support mechanism and on the set of the plurality of reserve seedling stands on the other side of the support mechanism, respectively.

[0010] In this configuration, the spare seedling trays are arranged vertically on both sides of the width direction of the support mechanism's body. This allows for a larger number of spare seedling trays to be provided. Furthermore, both the set of spare seedling trays on the inside of the body and the set of spare seedling trays on the outside of the body can be locked using a locking mechanism. This allows the operator to lock or unlock only the set of spare seedling trays on the inside of the body when, for example, seedlings are being supplied to the planting device and no seedling trays are placed on them.

[0011] In the present invention, the connecting mechanism preferably has a rod-shaped connecting member connected to a plurality of the spare seedling trays arranged in the vertical direction.

[0012] This configuration makes it possible to realize a connecting mechanism with a simple structure that connects multiple spare seedling stands using rod-shaped connecting members.

[0013] In the present invention, it is preferable that the connecting member is connected to the end portion in the width direction of the reserve seedling stand.

[0014] With this configuration, the connecting members are attached to the end portions in the width direction of the spare seedling tray, resulting in a configuration where there are no connecting members in the front-to-back direction of the spare seedling tray. Generally, the planting device is located at the rear of the spare seedling tray, and when removing seedling mats, etc., from the spare seedling tray, they are sometimes removed towards the rear. Since there are no connecting members in the front-to-back direction of the spare seedling tray, the removal of seedling mats, etc., can be easily performed.

[0015] In the present invention, the plurality of reserve seedling stands are provided as a plurality of one-side reserve seedling stands arranged on one side of the support mechanism and aligned vertically, and a plurality of other-side reserve seedling stands arranged on the other side of the support mechanism and aligned vertically, and the connecting mechanism preferably has as a connecting member a one-side connecting member connected to the plurality of one-side reserve seedling stands aligned vertically, and a other-side connecting member connected to the plurality of other-side reserve seedling stands aligned vertically.

[0016] In this configuration, the spare seedling trays are arranged vertically on both sides of the width direction of the machine body of a single support mechanism. This allows for a larger number of spare seedling trays to be provided. Furthermore, both the set of spare seedling trays on the inside of the machine body and the set of spare seedling trays on the outside of the machine body can be locked using a locking mechanism. This allows the operator to lock or unlock only the set of spare seedling trays on the inside of the machine body when, for example, seedlings are replenished to the planting device and no seedling trays are placed on the set of spare seedling trays on the inside of the machine body. In addition, the connection mechanism can be realized with a simple configuration in which multiple spare seedling trays are connected using rod-shaped connecting members on one side and the other side.

[0017] In the present invention, it is preferable that a fall prevention member is provided, which is made of a flexible string-like member and is supported by one of the multiple reserve seedling stands arranged in the vertical direction and another reserve seedling stand, thereby preventing the seedling trays placed on the reserve seedling stands from falling.

[0018] This configuration, with its simple design including fall prevention members, makes it possible to prevent the spare seedling trays from falling in multiple spare seedling trays. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] This is a side view of a rice transplanter. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing the configuration of the support mechanism and the spare seedling stand. [Figure 3] This is a rear view showing the configuration of the support mechanism and the spare seedling stand. [Figure 4] This is a rear view showing the configuration of the support mechanism and spare seedling tray in use and storage states. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the locking mechanism. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] A mode for implementing the present invention will be described based on the drawings. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the direction of arrow F in the drawings is defined as "front", the direction of arrow B is defined as "rear", the direction of arrow L is defined as "left", and the direction of arrow R is defined as "right". Also, the direction of arrow U in the drawings is defined as "up", and the direction of arrow D is defined as "down".

[0021] 〔Regarding the overall configuration of the rice transplanter〕 Hereinafter, a riding-type rice transplanter (an example of a "rice transplanter") of the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, in the riding-type rice transplanter, a link mechanism 4 is supported at the rear part of a machine body 3 provided with right and left front wheels 1 and right and left rear wheels 2. The link mechanism 4 extends rearward and is configured to be rotatable up and down. The link mechanism 4 is provided with a hydraulic cylinder 5 for lifting and lowering the link mechanism 4.

[0022] A seedling planting device 6 that can be connected to the rear part of the machine body 3 and can plant seedlings in the field is provided. The seedling planting device 6 is supported at the rear part of the link mechanism 4. A fertilizer application device 7 for supplying fertilizer to the paddy field is provided at the rear part of the machine body 3.

[0023] A hopper 20 for storing fertilizer is provided on the upper part of the fertilizer application device 7.

[0024] A transmission case 9 is arranged at the front part of the machine body 3. A support frame 10 extending forward is connected to the transmission case 9. An engine (not shown) is supported on the support frame 10. A bonnet 11 covering the engine is provided at the front part of the machine body 3.

[0025] A floor 14 is provided from the right and left sides of the bonnet 11 to the rear side of the bonnet 11. A driver's seat 15 on which an operator can sit is arranged at the upper part of the rear part of the floor 14.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, multiple spare seedling trays 30 are arranged on the upper right and left sides of the machine body 3, on which seedling trays containing seedling mats (hereinafter referred to as "seedlings" and "seedling trays") can be placed.

[0027] [Regarding the configuration of the support mechanism] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, multiple spare seedling trays 30 are supported by support mechanisms 40 provided on the machine body 3. The support mechanisms 40 are provided on the left and right sides of the front part of the machine body 3. Since the left and right support mechanisms 40 have similar configurations, the following explanation will focus on one of the left and right support mechanisms 40.

[0028] The support mechanism 40 includes a base 41 fixed to the machine body 3, a rotating support 42 rotatably supported on the base 41, and two support frames 43 that support the spare seedling tray 30. The rotating support 42 is configured to rotate around a rotation axis X1 extending in the vertical direction. The two support frames 43 are identical in shape and consist of a vertical frame portion 43a extending in the vertical direction and horizontal frame portions 43b extending horizontally from both the upper and lower ends of the vertical frame portion 43a. The end of the horizontal frame portion 43b opposite to the vertical frame portion 43a is fixed to the rotating support 42. The two support frames 43 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the rotating support 42.

[0029] The support mechanism 40 is equipped with two handles 44 on the lower part of the rotating support section 42. The operator can rotate the rotating support section 42 using the handles 44. Although not described in detail, the handles 44 have a rotation locking mechanism 44a that locks and unlocks the rotation of the rotating support section 42 when the vertical frame sections 43a of the two support frames 43 are aligned in the front-rear direction relative to the rotating support section 42. With this configuration, the operator can use the handles 44 to rotate each of the spare seedling trays 30, which are located on both sides of the machine body 3 in the width direction relative to the rotating support section 42, to the side of the machine body 3 where the driver's seat 15 is located and the opposite side.

[0030] [Regarding the configuration of the spare seedling stand] In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, it is assumed that the rotation of the rotating support section 42 is locked by the rotation locking mechanism 44a so that the vertical frame sections 43a of the two support frames 43 are aligned in the front-rear direction relative to the rotating support section 42. In the following explanation, in the width direction of the machine body 3, the side on which the driver's seat 15 is located relative to the rotating support section 42 will be referred to as the "lateral inward side," and the side opposite to the side on which the driver's seat 15 is located relative to the rotating support section 42 will be referred to as the "lateral outward side."

[0031] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, each spare seedling tray 30 has a tray 31 on which a seedling tray is placed and a support 32 which is supported by a support mechanism 40.

[0032] The mounting section 31 is constructed by combining rod-shaped members and is configured to extend in the front-to-back direction. In this embodiment, this configuration allows two seedling trays to be placed side by side in the front-to-back direction on the upper surface of the mounting section 31.

[0033] The mounting section 31 has side walls 33 on both sides in the width direction and front and rear walls 34 on both sides in the front and rear direction.

[0034] The support portion 32 is fixed to the side of the mounting portion 31 opposite to the side on which the seedling tray can be placed. The support portion 32 is supported by a support member 45, which will be described later.

[0035] [Regarding the support structure of the reserve seedling stand] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, multiple (four in this embodiment) support members 45 for supporting the spare seedling tray 30 are fixed to the vertical frame portion 43a of each support frame 43 at regular intervals in the vertical direction. The support members 45 have holes (not shown) formed on both the lateral inward and lateral outward sides of the support frame 43 through which bolts Bo for supporting the spare seedling tray 30 are inserted.

[0036] Each spare seedling stand 30 is supported by a support member 45 fixed to the vertical frame portion 43a of one support frame 43, and by another support member 45 fixed to the vertical frame portion 43a of the other support frame 43 at the same height as the first support member 45. In other words, each spare seedling stand 30 is supported by two support members 45 arranged in the front-to-back direction.

[0037] With the above configuration, in the width direction of the machine body 3, multiple (four in this embodiment) spare seedling trays 30 are arranged vertically on both the lateral inward side and the lateral outward side of the rotating support section 42.

[0038] Furthermore, the support portion 32 of each spare seedling tray 30 is rotatably supported using bolts Bo at a point on the same rotation axis Y1 extending in the front-rear direction, among two front and rear support members 45. Thus, each spare seedling tray 30 is configured to be rotatably supported around the rotation axis Y1. With this configuration, the spare seedling tray 30 is configured to be switchable between a usage state in which the spare seedling tray 30 extends laterally inward or laterally outward from the rotation support portion 42 and support frame 43, allowing seedling trays to be placed in a vertical line, and a storage state in which the spare seedling tray 30 extends diagonally upward from the rotation support portion 42 and support frame 43. In Figure 4, the spare seedling tray 30 shown to the left of the support mechanism 40 is in the usage state, and the spare seedling tray 30 shown to the right of the support mechanism 40 is in the storage state.

[0039] With the above configuration, multiple spare seedling trays 30 are supported on the lateral inward side and lateral outward side of the support mechanism 40, arranged vertically.

[0040] [Regarding the configuration of the coupling mechanism] As shown in Figure 2, the multiple spare seedling stands 30 are equipped with a connecting mechanism 50 that allows the multiple spare seedling stands 30, which are arranged vertically on the lateral inward side and lateral outward side of the support mechanism 40, to be switched integrally between a use state and a storage state. In the following description, the multiple spare seedling stands 30 arranged vertically on the lateral inward side of the support mechanism 40, and the multiple spare seedling stands 30 arranged vertically on the lateral outward side of the support mechanism 40, will each be referred to as "one set of spare seedling stands 30".

[0041] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the connecting mechanism 50 includes a rod-shaped connecting member 51 connected to each of the spare seedling trays 30 of a set of spare seedling trays 30, and a connecting portion 52 provided in the width direction of each spare seedling tray 30 at the end opposite to the side where the rotating support portion 42 of the mounting portion 31 of each spare seedling tray 30 is located.

[0042] The connecting member 51 has a vertically extending portion 51a that extends in the vertical direction, and a plurality of engaging portions 51b that engage with each of the connecting portions 52 provided on the plurality of spare seedling holders 30.

[0043] The connecting portion 52 is constructed by bending a plate-shaped member, and two plate surface portions 52a having a surface in the front-rear direction of the machine are formed at both ends of the connecting portion 52 in the front-rear direction. Holes (not shown) are formed in each plate surface portion 52a through which the engaging portion 51b of the connecting member 51 is inserted in a direction along the rotation axis Y1.

[0044] The connecting parts 52 are provided on the front and rear portions of the mounting portion 31 of each spare seedling stand 30. In other words, each spare seedling stand 30 is equipped with two connecting parts 52.

[0045] Two connecting members 51 are attached to each set of spare seedling trays 30. One of the two connecting members 51 connects the connecting parts 52 provided on the front portion of the mounting portion 31 of each of the spare seedling trays 30, while the other connects the connecting parts 52 provided on the rear portion of the mounting portion 31 of each of the spare seedling trays 30. With this configuration, the connecting members 51 are connected to the end portions in the width direction of the spare seedling trays 30.

[0046] The connecting mechanism 50 is provided on a pair of spare seedling stands 30 located on the lateral inward side of the support mechanism 40, and on a pair of spare seedling stands 30 located on the lateral outward side of the support mechanism 40. In other words, the connecting mechanism 50 has a connecting member 51 on the pair of spare seedling stands 30 located on the lateral inward side of the support mechanism 40, and also has a connecting member 51 on the pair of spare seedling stands 30 located on the lateral outward side of the support mechanism 40.

[0047] With the above configuration, when the operator switches one of the spare seedling trays 30 in a set to the use state or the storage state, all of the spare seedling trays 30 in the set are switched to the use state or the storage state as a whole.

[0048] [Regarding the configuration of the locking mechanism] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, one of the multiple support members 45 provided on the vertical frame portion 43a of each support frame 43 is equipped with a locking mechanism 60 that locks the spare seedling tray 30 in both the use and storage states. In other words, the support mechanism 40 is equipped with two locking mechanisms 60, one at the front and one at the back. Hereafter, the support member 45 equipped with the locking mechanism 60 will be referred to as "support member 45A". In this embodiment, the second support member 45 from the top among the multiple support members 45 provided on the vertical frame portion 43a is the support member 45A equipped with the locking mechanism 60. With this configuration, as shown in Figure 3, the locking mechanism 60 is positioned at a height that is easily accessible from the operator seated in the driver's seat 15.

[0049] As shown in Figure 5, the locking mechanism 60 consists of a locking member 61 formed by bending a rod-shaped member, support holes 62 and locking holes 63 formed in the support member 45A, a spring 64 that applies a biasing force to the locking member 61, and two holes 65 formed in the support portion 32 of the spare seedling stand 30.

[0050] The locking member 61 has a gripping portion 61a that can be grasped by the operator, a support portion 61b that is inserted through a support hole 62 formed in the support member 45A, and an engaging portion 61c that is inserted through a locking hole 63.

[0051] The locking member 61 is supported by the support member 45A by inserting its support portion 61b through a support hole 62 formed in the support member 45A, facing the side where the rotating support portion 42 is located. A cylindrical tubular member 66 having a hole continuous with the support hole 62 is fixed to the side of the support member 45A opposite to the side where the gripping portion 61a of the locking member 61 is located.

[0052] The spring 64 is inserted through the support portion 61b of the locking member 61. One end is supported by a pin Pi attached to the end of the support portion 61b via a washer Wa, and the other end is supported by the edge of a cylindrical member 66 fixed to the support member 45A via a washer Wa. With this configuration, the spring 64 biases the locking member 61 toward the side where the rotation support portion 42 is located.

[0053] The engaging portion 61c of the locking member 61 is inserted through a locking hole 63 formed in the support member 45A, and further inserted through one of the two holes 65 formed in the support portion 32 of the spare seedling stand 30. Here, of the front and rear locking mechanisms 60, the engaging portion 61c of the locking member 61 of the rear locking mechanism 60 is inserted through a hole 65 in the spare seedling stand 30 located on the lateral inward side of the support mechanism 40. Also, of the front and rear locking mechanisms 60, the engaging portion 61c of the locking member 61 of the front locking mechanism 60 is inserted through a hole 65 in the spare seedling stand 30 located on the lateral outward side of the support mechanism 40.

[0054] One of the two holes 65 formed in the support portion 32 of the spare seedling stand 30 is located at a position corresponding to the lock hole 63 formed in the support member 45A when the spare seedling stand 30 is in use, and the other of the two holes 65 is located at a position corresponding to the lock hole 63 formed in the support member 45A when the spare seedling stand 30 is in storage.

[0055] The operator grasps the gripping portion 61a and moves the locking member 61 against the biasing force of the spring 64 to the side opposite to the side where the rotating support portion 42 is located, causing the engaging portion 61c of the locking member 61 to disengage from the hole 65 in the support portion 32 of the spare seedling stand 30. After changing the orientation of the spare seedling stand 30 to the use state or the storage state, the engaging portion 61c is inserted back into the hole 65 of the support portion 32. In this way, the spare seedling stand 30 is locked in the use state and the storage state by the locking mechanism 60. A cylindrical tubular member 67 having a hole continuous with the locking hole 63 is fixed to the side of the support member 45A where the gripping portion 61a of the locking member 61 is located. When the operator grasps the gripping portion 61a and moves the locking member 61, the engaging portion 61c is configured to move inside the cylindrical member 67 in the direction in which the engaging portion 61c extends, without coming out of the cylindrical member 67.

[0056] Here, the connecting mechanism 50 connects a pair of spare seedling trays 30 on the lateral inward side of the support mechanism 40. In other words, by locking and unlocking with the rear locking mechanism 60 of the front and rear locking mechanisms 60, not only the spare seedling trays 30 supported by the support member 45A, but all of the pair of spare seedling trays 30 on the lateral inward side of the support mechanism 40 are locked and unlocked.

[0057] Similarly, the connecting mechanism 50 connects a pair of spare seedling trays 30 on the lateral outward side of the support mechanism 40, and by locking and unlocking with the front locking mechanism 60 of the front and rear locking mechanisms 60, all of the pair of spare seedling trays 30 on the lateral outward side of the support mechanism 40 are locked and unlocked. Here, by rotating the rotating support part 42, the locking mechanism 60 that was located in the front is moved to the rear, and by locking and unlocking with the locking mechanism 60 that is located in the rear after rotation, the pair of spare seedling trays 30 that were located on the lateral outward side of the support mechanism 40 before rotation can be locked and unlocked.

[0058] [Regarding the mounting configuration of the fall prevention component] As shown in Figure 2, the rice transplanter is equipped with a fall prevention mechanism 70 to prevent seedling trays placed on the reserve seedling tray 30 from falling. The fall prevention mechanism 70 includes a fall prevention member 71 made of a flexible string-like member, a mounting part 72 for attaching the fall prevention member 71, and a locking part 73 for hooking the central part of the fall prevention member 71.

[0059] In this embodiment, the fall prevention member 71 is composed of a string-like portion 71a made of rubber cord and hooks 71b provided at both ends of the string-like portion 71a.

[0060] The connecting portion 52 of the spare seedling tray 30 has two plate-like surfaces 52a formed at both ends in the front-rear direction of the connecting portion 52, with surfaces in the front-rear direction of the machine. The engaging portion 51b of the connecting member 51 is inserted through holes (not shown) formed in the two plate-like surfaces 52a, thereby forming the mounting portion 72 of the fall prevention mechanism 70.

[0061] Here, the reserve seedling support stand 30 has a lateral extension reinforcing member 35 that extends in the width direction in the central part of the front-rear direction of the mounting section 31. The lateral extension reinforcing member 35 is made up of a rod-shaped member and extends downward from a position higher than one side wall 33 of the mounting section 31, extends along the surface of the mounting section 31 opposite to the mounting surface, and is provided to extend to a position higher than the other side wall 33 of the mounting section 31.

[0062] The lateral extension reinforcing member 35 extends to a height position above the upper end of the side wall portion 33 of the mounting portion 31 of the spare seedling stand 30. As a result, the portion of the lateral extension reinforcing member 35 located above the upper end of the side wall portion 33 is configured as the locking portion 73 of the fall prevention mechanism 70.

[0063] With the above configuration, the mounting portion 72 is provided on the front and rear portions of the mounting portion 31 of each spare seedling stand 30, and the locking portion 73 is located between the front mounting portion 72 and the rear mounting portion 72 in the front-rear direction. As shown in Figure 2, the hook 71b of the fall prevention member 71 is hooked onto the front and rear mounting portions 72 of one of the spare seedling stands 30 in the set of spare seedling stands 30, and the central portion of the string-like portion 71a is hooked onto the locking portion 73 provided on the spare seedling stand 30 located at a higher position than the spare seedling stand 30 to which the hook 71b of the fall prevention member 71 is hooked, thereby attaching the fall prevention member 71 in an inverted V shape to the side of the spare seedling stand 30 opposite to the side where the support mechanism 40 is located. As a result, seedling boxes placed on the spare seedling tray 30 to which the hook 71b of the fall prevention member 71 is attached, and seedling boxes placed on the spare seedling tray 30 located between the spare seedling tray 30 to which the fall prevention member 71 is supported, are prevented from falling by the fall prevention member 71.

[0064] [Another embodiment] The following are examples of alternative embodiments that modify the above embodiments.

[0065] (1) In the above embodiment, the support mechanism 40 is described as having a base part 41, a rotating support part 42 rotatably supported on the base part 41, and a support frame 43 supported by the rotating support part 42 and supporting the spare seedling stand 30, so that the spare seedling stand 30 is rotatable around the rotation axis X1. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the support mechanism 40 may consist of a base part 41 and a support frame 43 supported on the base part 41 and supporting the spare seedling stand 30, and the spare seedling stand 30 may be configured not to rotate.

[0066] (2) In the above embodiment, the locking mechanism 60 was described as being configured to lock the spare seedling tray 30 in both the use state and the stored state, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The locking mechanism 60 may be configured to lock the spare seedling tray 30 only in the use state, or the locking mechanism 60 may be configured to lock the spare seedling tray 30 only in the stored state.

[0067] (3) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which a plurality of spare seedling stands 30 are provided on the lateral inward side and the lateral outward side of the support mechanism 40 was described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The plurality of spare seedling stands 30 may be provided on either the lateral inward side or the lateral outward side of the support mechanism 40.

[0068] (4) In the above embodiment, the hooks 71b of the fall prevention member 71 are hooked onto the front and rear mounting portions 72 of one of the spare seedling stands 30 in a set of spare seedling stands 30, and the central portion of the string-like portion 71a is hooked onto a locking portion 73 provided on a spare seedling stand 30 located at a higher position than the spare seedling stand 30 to which the hooks 71b of the fall prevention member 71 are hooked. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The fall prevention member 71 attached to the spare seedling stand 30 only needs to be supported by the spare seedling stand 30 in a set of spare seedling stands 30 and the other spare seedling stands 30. The central portion of the string-like portion 71a may be hooked onto a locking portion 73 of a spare seedling stand 30 located at a lower position than the spare seedling stand 30 to which the hooks 71b of the fall prevention member 71 are hooked onto the mounting portion 72.

[0069] (5) In the above embodiment, the fall prevention member 71 was described as having a string-like portion 71a which is a flexible string-like member, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the string-like portion 71a of the fall prevention member 71 may be made of an elastic material such as rubber or a spring so that its length can be adjusted according to the number of spare seedling trays 30.

[0070] (6) In the above embodiment, the fall prevention member 71 was described as being configured to be hooked onto one locking portion 73, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the fall prevention member 71 may be configured to be hooked onto multiple locking portions 73.

[0071] (7) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which one fall prevention member 71 is attached to a set of spare seedling stands 30 has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, a configuration in which multiple fall prevention members 71 are attached to a set of spare seedling stands 30 may be used. In this case, a configuration in which multiple fall prevention members 71 are attached at regular intervals in the longitudinal direction (front and back direction) of a set of spare seedling stands 30 may be used, or a configuration in which one fall prevention member 71 is attached to each of the spare seedling stands 30 of a set of spare seedling stands 30.

[0072] Furthermore, the configurations disclosed in the above embodiments (including other embodiments, the same applies hereinafter) can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no inconsistencies arise. In addition, the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative, and the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the object of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0073] This invention can be used in a rice transplanter equipped with multiple spare seedling trays. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 3: Aircraft 30: Spare seedling stand 40: Support mechanism 50:Connection mechanism 51: Connecting member 52:Connection part 60: Locking mechanism 71: Fall prevention component

Claims

1. The support mechanism provided on the aircraft, Multiple spare seedling trays are supported by the support mechanism so as to be arranged vertically, and are configured to be switchable between a vertically arranged usage state and a storage state, A connecting mechanism that connects to a plurality of the aforementioned spare seedling stands arranged in the vertical direction, and that allows the connected plurality of the aforementioned spare seedling stands to be switched integrally between the usage state and the storage state, A rice transplanter equipped with a locking mechanism for locking the spare seedling tray in either the aforementioned usage state or the aforementioned storage state, or both.

2. Multiple of the aforementioned reserve seedling stands are provided so as to be arranged vertically on one side of the support mechanism and on the other side of the support mechanism, The rice transplanter according to claim 1, wherein the connecting mechanism and the locking mechanism are provided in each of the sets of the multiple reserve seedling trays on one side of the support mechanism and the sets of the multiple reserve seedling trays on the other side of the support mechanism.

3. The rice transplanter according to claim 1, wherein the connecting mechanism has a rod-shaped connecting member connected to a plurality of the spare seedling trays arranged in the vertical direction.

4. The rice transplanter according to claim 3, wherein the connecting member is connected to the end portion in the width direction of the spare seedling tray.

5. The support mechanism is provided with multiple spare seedling stands, which are arranged on one side of the support mechanism and aligned vertically, and multiple spare seedling stands on the other side of the support mechanism and aligned vertically. The rice transplanter according to claim 3, wherein the connecting mechanism comprises, as connecting members, one-side connecting members connected to a plurality of one-side reserve seedling trays arranged in the vertical direction, and other-side connecting members connected to a plurality of other-side reserve seedling trays arranged in the vertical direction.

6. The rice transplanter according to claim 1, further comprising a fall prevention member made of a flexible string-like member, which is supported by one of the multiple reserve seedling trays arranged vertically and another reserve seedling tray, thereby preventing seedling trays placed on the reserve seedling trays from falling.

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