Seedling transplanter

Abstract

Some seedling transplanters use a rail-like spare seedling platform to move seedlings to the rear of the machine, while others rotate a seedling frame on which fertilizer bags are placed to move the fertilizer bags to the vicinity of the fertilizer hopper. However, there are challenges in work efficiency because it is necessary to collect the empty trays after removing the seedlings and to collect the fertilizer bags by rotating them on the seedling frame. Therefore, we provide a seedling transplanter that improves the work efficiency of seedling supply and fertilizer supply operations. [Solution] By operating an operating lever 83 provided on the frontmost spare seedling tray 38a of the spare seedling trays 38a, 38b, and 38c, which are arranged on the same plane in the spare seedling tray section 38, the rearmost spare seedling tray 38c can be switched between a horizontal position on which seedling trays N are placed and an inclined position on which it rotates downward to move empty seedling trays N to the empty tray storage section 70. In addition, a fertilizer transport mechanism is provided, which is equipped with an extendable spiral transport device that transports and supplies fertilizer from a fertilizer supply hopper located at the front of the vehicle body to the fertilizer hopper.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seedling transplanter for planting seedlings in a field. [Background Art]

[0002] There are known seedling transplanters that have a rail-shaped preliminary seedling mounting table to move seedlings toward the rear of the machine body, and seedling transplanters that rotate a seedling frame carrying a fertilizer bag to move the fertilizer bag to the vicinity of a fertilizer hopper (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-004307 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2015-195742 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] It is necessary to collect empty boxes after taking out seedlings from the seedling boxes, and it is also necessary to collect fertilizer bags by placing them on the seedling frame and rotating the frame, which poses a problem in terms of working efficiency.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a seedling transplanter that improves the working efficiency of seedling supply work and fertilizer supply work. [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0006] The invention described in claim 1 is a seedling transplanter in which a seedling planting section 4 equipped with a seedling tray 51 is provided on the rear side of a traveling vehicle body 2, and a spare seedling tray section 38 equipped with a plurality of spare seedling trays 38a, 38b, 38c and an empty tray storage section 70 for storing empty seedling trays N is provided on the side of the traveling vehicle body 2, wherein by operating an operating lever 83 provided on the frontmost spare seedling tray 38a of the plurality of spare seedling trays 38a, 38b, 38c arranged on the same plane of the spare seedling tray section 38, the rearmost spare seedling tray 38c can be switched between a horizontal position on which seedling trays N are placed and an inclined position on which it rotates downward to move empty seedling trays N into the empty tray storage section 70.

[0007] According to the invention described in claim 1, by operating an operating lever 83 provided on the frontmost spare seedling tray 38a by an operator at the front of the machine, the rearmost spare seedling tray 38c can be moved between a horizontal and an inclined state, thereby storing the empty seedling trays N on the rearmost spare seedling tray 38c in the empty tray storage section 70. This improves the balance of seedling supply work between the operator on the machine and the operator at the front of the machine, thereby improving the efficiency of seedling supply work.

[0008] The invention described in claim 2 is a seedling transplanter according to claim 1, wherein when the rearmost spare seedling tray 38c is tilted, it contacts the upper end of the empty box storage section 70 to maintain the tilted position.

[0009] The invention described in claim 3 is a seedling transplanter according to claim 1, wherein support frames 80L, 80R supporting a pivot shaft 81 are provided on the outside of the rearmost spare seedling tray 38c, and the pivot shaft 81 is positioned behind the center of the rearmost spare seedling tray 38c and in front of the rear end of the rearmost spare seedling tray 38c.

[0010] The invention described in claim 4 is a seedling transplanter according to claim 1, wherein a fertilizer hopper 60 of a fertilizer application device 5 is provided on the rear of the traveling vehicle body 2, and a fertilizer conveying mechanism 90 equipped with an extendable spiral conveying device 92 that conveys and supplies fertilizer from a fertilizer supply hopper 91 into which an operator puts fertilizer, located at the front of the traveling vehicle body 2, to the fertilizer hopper 60.

[0011] According to the invention described in claim 4, when an operator supplies fertilizer into the fertilizer supply hopper 91 from the front of the vehicle body 2, the fertilizer in the fertilizer supply hopper 91 can be transported and supplied to the fertilizer hopper 60 of the rear fertilizer application device 5 by the spiral conveying device 92. This eliminates the need to carry fertilizer bags to the fertilizer hopper 60 at the rear of the vehicle, as in the conventional method, thus reducing labor and improving the efficiency of fertilizer supply operations. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a side view of a riding-type rice transplanter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of the spare seedling loading section of a riding-type rice transplanter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a side view of the spare seedling loading section of a riding-type rice transplanter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a side view of the spare seedling loading section of a riding-type rice transplanter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the vehicle body of a riding-type rice transplanter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the main part of the fertilizer transport mechanism of a riding-type rice transplanter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the main part of the fertilizer transport mechanism of a riding-type rice transplanter according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0014] <Overall Structure> Figure 1 is a side view of a riding-type rice transplanter equipped with a fertilizer application device, which is a typical example of the seedling transplanter of the present invention.

[0015] This riding rice transplanter 1 with a fertilizing apparatus has a seedling planting section 4 that is liftably mounted on the rear side of a traveling vehicle body 2 via a lifting link device 3, and a main body portion of the fertilizing apparatus 5 is provided on the upper side of the rear part of the traveling vehicle body 2. Note that, with respect to the forward direction of the riding seedling transplanter, the left-right direction is referred to as left and right respectively, and the forward direction and the reverse direction are referred to as front and rear respectively.

[0016] <走行車体2> The traveling vehicle body 2 is a four-wheel drive vehicle including a pair of left and right front wheels 10, 10 serving as driving wheels and a pair of left and right rear wheels 11, 11, wherein a transmission case 12 is disposed at a front portion of the machine body, front wheel final cases 13, 13 are provided on left and right lateral sides of the transmission case 12, and the left and right front wheels 10, 10 are respectively attached to left and right front wheel axles that protrude outward from respective front wheel support portions capable of changing the steering direction of the left and right front wheel final cases 13, 13.

[0017] Further, a front end portion of a main frame 15 is fixed to a rear surface portion of the transmission case 12, rear wheel gear cases 18, 18 are rollably supported with a rear wheel rolling shaft provided horizontally in the front-rear direction at a center portion between the left and right of the rear end of the main frame 15 serving as a fulcrum, and the rear wheels 11, 11 are attached to rear wheel axles that protrude outward from the rear wheel gear cases 18, 18.

[0018] An engine 20 is mounted on the main frame 15, and rotational power from the engine 20 is transmitted to the transmission case 12 via a belt transmission device 21 and an HST 23. The rotational power transmitted to the transmission case 12 is shifted by a transmission in the case 12, and then extracted separately as traveling power and externally extracted power. A part of the traveling power is transmitted to the front wheel final cases 13, 13 to drive the front wheels 10, 10, and the remainder is transmitted to the rear wheel gear cases 18, 18 to drive the rear wheels 11, 11. Further, the externally extracted power is transmitted to a planting clutch case 25 provided at a rear portion of the traveling vehicle body 2, then transmitted to the seedling planting section 4 via a planting transmission shaft 26, and is also transmitted to the fertilizing apparatus 5 via a fertilizing transmission mechanism.

[0019] An upper portion of an engine (20) is covered by an engine cover (30), and a seat (31) is provided on the engine cover (30). A front cover (32) that houses various operation mechanisms is provided in front of the seat (31), and a steering wheel (34) for steering operation of front wheels (10, 10) is provided above the front cover (32).

[0020] Note that the seat (31) is rotatably supported at a lower front portion of a seat portion thereof by a pivot shaft extending in a left-right direction of a vehicle body, and is switchable between a seated posture and a stored posture in which the seat (31) is rotated forward and a backrest portion is placed on the steering wheel (34).

[0021] Horizontal floor steps (35) are formed on left and right sides of lower ends of the engine cover (30) and the front cover (32). The floor steps (35) are partially formed in a grid shape, so that mud adhered to shoes of an operator walking on the steps (35) falls down into a field. A rear portion on the floor steps (35) serves as a rear step (36) that also functions as a rear wheel fender.

[0022] A lifting link device (3) has a parallel link configuration, and includes one upper link (40) and a pair of left and right lower links (41, 41). Base end sides of these links (40, 41, 41) are rotatably attached to a link base frame (42) of a gate shape in rear view that is erected on a rear end portion of a main frame (15), and a vertical link (43) is connected to a tip end side of the links. A connecting shaft (44) rotatably supported by a seedling planting section (4) is inserted into and connected to a lower end portion of the vertical link (43), and the seedling planting section (4) is connected so as to be freely rollable around the connecting shaft (44).

[0023] A lifting hydraulic cylinder (46) is provided between a support member fixed to the main frame (15) and a tip end portion of a swing arm (not shown) integrally formed on the upper link (40). By expanding and contracting the cylinder (46) by hydraulic pressure, the upper link (40) rotates up and down, and the seedling planting section (4) moves up and down while maintaining a substantially constant posture.

[0024] Spare seedling mounting sections (38, 38) are provided on both left and right sides of a front portion of a traveling vehicle body.

[0025] <Seedling planting section 4> The seedling planting unit 4 has a 6-row planting configuration and includes a transmission case 50 that also serves as a frame, a seedling platform 51 on which a mat of seedlings is placed and moves back and forth to supply one seedling at a time to a seedling outlet provided on a seedling receiving member 47 of each row, and a seedling feed belt 51a that transports the seedlings downward to supply all the seedlings for a horizontal row to the seedling outlet, and a seedling planting device 52 that plants the seedlings supplied to the seedling outlet into the field.

[0026] The lower part of the seedling planting section 4 is equipped with a center float 55 in the center and side floats 56, 56 on both the left and right sides. When the machine is moved with these floats 55, 56, 56 in contact with the mud surface of the field, the floats 55, 56, 56 glide along while leveling the mud surface, and seedlings are planted in the leveled area by the seedling planting device 52. Each float 55, 56, 56 is rotatably mounted so that its front end moves up and down according to the unevenness of the topsoil surface of the field. During planting, the vertical movement of the front of the center float 55 is detected by an angle of attack control sensor (not shown), and the hydraulic valve that controls the lifting hydraulic cylinder 46 is switched according to the detection result to raise and lower the seedling planting section 4, thereby maintaining a constant planting depth for the seedlings.

[0027] <Fertilizer 5> The fertilizer applicator 5 dispenses granular fertilizer stored in the fertilizer hopper 60 in fixed amounts via the dispensing unit 61, guides the fertilizer via the fertilizer hose 62 to the fertilizer guides 63 attached to both the left and right sides of the floats 55, 56, 56, and drops it into the fertilizer area formed near the side of the seedling planting row by the furrowing body 64 provided in front of the fertilizer guides 63.

[0028] Air generated by a blower 58, driven by an electric motor 53 for the blower, is blown into the fertilizer hose 62 via an air chamber 59 that is long in the left-right direction, and the fertilizer inside the fertilizer hose 62 is forcibly transported by air pressure.

[0029] <Reserve seedling loading section 38> On both the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle body 2, there are a pair of spare seedling holders 38, 38 on the left and right sides for holding replenishment seedlings supported by a support frame 49.

[0030] Each of the spare seedling trays 38 is configured in three upper and lower sections, consisting of the uppermost first spare seedling tray 38a, the second spare seedling tray 38b, and the third spare seedling tray 38c.

[0031] The central side of the uppermost first spare seedling tray 38a and the foremost side of the second spare seedling tray 38b are supported at both ends of the first movable link member 39a so as to be rotatable around pivot axes 38a1 and 38b1, respectively. The rearmost side of the uppermost first spare seedling tray 38a and the foremost side of the lowermost spare seedling tray 38c are supported at both ends of the second movable link member 39b so as to be rotatable around pivot axes 38a2 and 38c1, respectively. The central side of the second spare seedling tray 38b is supported at the center of the second movable link member 39b so as to be rotatable around pivot axis 38b2. Furthermore, the rearmost side of the second spare seedling tray 38b and the central side of the lowermost third spare seedling tray 38c are supported at both ends of the third movable link member 39c so as to be rotatable around pivot axes 38b3 and 38c2, respectively.

[0032] The second spare seedling tray 38b is fixed to the support frame 49, and the first spare seedling tray 38a and the third spare seedling tray 38c are arranged above and below the second spare seedling tray 38b, creating a three-tiered arrangement overall. Alternatively, the first spare seedling tray 38a and the third spare seedling tray 38c are arranged in front of and behind the second spare seedling tray 38b, respectively, allowing the first movable link member 39a, the second movable link member 39b, and the third movable link member 39c to be rearranged to be on approximately the same plane. In other words, since the second movable link member 39b is supported at its central portion by pivot points provided on both sides of the central portion of the second spare seedling tray 38b, the second movable link member 39b is rotated to move the first and third spare seedling trays 38a and 38c forward and backward of the second spare seedling tray 38b, and by arranging the first, second, and third spare seedling trays 38a, 38b, and 38c on the same plane, a wide seedling tray placement surface can be obtained.

[0033] Furthermore, the switching of the first, second, and third spare seedling trays 38a, 38b, and 38c, which consist of three upper and lower tiers, into a single flat surface can be done with the seedling trays N still in place.

[0034] Furthermore, when rearranging the first, second, and third spare seedling trays 38a, 38b, and 38c in three vertical rows or on the same plane, the first, second, and third movable link members 39a, 39b, and 39c are operated by electric motors M. For improved work efficiency, the electric motor M's operation switch should be located in two places: on the operator's side and on the side of an assistant located elsewhere around the seedling transplanter.

[0035] The support frame 49 is provided with an empty box storage section 70, which is a frame made of welded rods and is located below the third spare seedling tray 38c, the lowest of the three spare seedling trays 38, when the spare seedling trays 38 are arranged in three upper and lower tiers.

[0036] The detailed configuration of the left and right empty box storage sections 70 and the left and right third spare seedling trays 38c will be explained below, with the right empty box storage section 70 and the right third spare seedling tray 38c being representative examples. Note that the left empty box storage section 70 and the left third spare seedling tray 38c have a symmetrical configuration.

[0037] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the third spare seedling tray 38c is supported by pivot shafts 38c1 and 38c2 at the lower end of the second movable link member 39b and the lower end of the third movable link member 39c, and its rear end is rotatably mounted on a pivot shaft 81 provided between the rear ends of the left and right support frames 80L and 80R which are arranged to the left and right outer sides.

[0038] The pivot shaft 81 can be in any position as long as it is behind the front-to-back center position of the third spare seedling platform 38c.

[0039] Furthermore, the pivot shaft 81 is located below the seedling-holding surface of the third spare seedling stand 38c and in front of the rear end of the third spare seedling stand 38c.

[0040] Furthermore, an operating arm 82 is provided at the right end of a pivot shaft 81, which protrudes outward to the right of the rear end of the right support frame 80R, and whose base is fixed to it, extending downward.

[0041] On the right side of the first spare seedling tray 38a, an operating lever 83 is provided so as to be able to move back and forth along the front-to-back operating groove 84a of the lever guide 84, and the operating lever 83 and the lower end of the operating arm 82 are connected by an operating wire 85 (an operating rod may also be used) which is routed to the outside of the right support frame 80R.

[0042] Furthermore, the lever guide 84 is provided with a locking groove 84b that restricts the forward and backward movement of the operating lever 83.

[0043] When the operating lever 83 is moved forward along the front-rear operating groove 84a of the lever guide 84, the operating wire 85 is pulled, and the third spare seedling tray 38c is set to a horizontal position with its rear end as the pivot axis on the pivot support shaft 81. When the operating lever 83 is moved backward along the front-rear operating groove 84a of the lever guide 84, the operating wire 85 is loosened, and the third spare seedling tray 38c is switched to an inclined position with its front end rotated downward with its rear end as the pivot axis on the pivot support shaft 81.

[0044] Therefore, when the first spare seedling tray 38a, the second spare seedling tray 38b, and the third spare seedling tray 38c are arranged on the same plane, the operating lever 83 is located at the front of the first spare seedling tray 38a, which is located at the front end, and the third spare seedling tray 38c, which is located at the rear end, can freely rotate its front end between a horizontal position and an inclined position with the rear end as the pivot axis 81.

[0045] Then, when the third spare seedling stand 38c is rotated downwards on its rear end by the pivot shaft 81, the front-to-back length L of the third spare seedling stand 38c is set to be longer than the seedling box N, and the front end of the third spare seedling stand 38c comes into contact with the rear end of the empty box storage section 70, restricting the downward tilt and maintaining the tilted position, so that the empty seedling box N placed on the third spare seedling stand 38c slides downwards and is stored in the empty box storage section 70.

[0046] Therefore, during rice planting work in the field, the operating switch of the electric motor M is operated to switch the left and right spare seedling trays 38 to a planar state in which the first, second, and third spare seedling trays 38a, 38b, and 38c are arranged on the same plane.

[0047] Furthermore, the operating lever 83 is moved forward along the front-rear operating groove 84a of the lever guide 84 to engage with the locking groove 84b, thereby keeping the third spare seedling tray 38c in a horizontal position.

[0048] The operator seated in the seat 31 of the riding-type rice transplanter 1 steers the machine to bring the front of the riding-type rice transplanter 1 to the ridge or road.

[0049] A worker on the ridge or road places the seedling trays N containing the seedlings, which are placed on the ridge or road, onto the first spare seedling tray 38a located in front and arranged on the same plane, then pushes the machine backward to move it, sliding it to the third spare seedling tray 38c located at the rear.

[0050] The operator on board the machine uses a seedling retrieval plate to remove seedlings with mat-like soil attached from seedling trays N that have been slid to the third reserve seedling tray 38c, and supplies them to the seedling tray 51 of the seedling planting section 4.

[0051] A worker on a ridge or road moves the operating lever 83 located at the front end of the machine from the locking groove 84b of the lever guide 84 to the front-rear operating groove 84a and operates it backward to tilt the third spare seedling tray 38c so that its front side is rotated downward, then slides the empty seedling tray N placed on the third spare seedling tray 38c downward and stores it in the empty tray storage section 70. After that, the operating lever 83 is operated forward along the front-rear operating groove 84a of the lever guide 84 to lock it into the locking groove 84b and raise the third spare seedling tray 38c to a horizontal position, and the worker places the seedling tray N that has been raised on the ridge or road onto the first spare seedling tray 38a located in front and on the same plane, pushes it backward to move it, and slides it to the third spare seedling tray 38c located behind.

[0052] Thereafter, the seedling supply operation is carried out in the same manner to the seedling tray 51 of the seedling planting unit 4.

[0053] In short, by operating the control lever 83 located at the front of the machine, a worker on the ridge or road can switch the third spare seedling tray 38c between a horizontal and an inclined position, thereby storing the empty seedling trays N on the third spare seedling tray 38c in the empty tray storage section 70. This improves the balance of seedling supply work between the worker on the machine and the workers on the ridge or road, and increases overall work efficiency.

[0054] <Fertilizer conveying mechanism 90> As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a fertilizer conveying mechanism 90 is provided on the right side of the vehicle body 2 to transport and supply fertilizer from the front end of the vehicle body 2 into the fertilizer hopper 60 of the fertilizer application device 5.

[0055] The fertilizer conveying mechanism 90 consists of a fertilizer supply hopper 91 at its front end and an extendable spiral conveying device (zoom auger) 92 that conveys the fertilizer in the fertilizer supply hopper 91 to the rear.

[0056] The spiral conveying device 92 consists of an outer cylinder 92a and an inner cylinder 92b, both containing a conveying spiral. By gripping the gripping lever 92c located on the right outer side of the outer cylinder 92a and operating it towards the rear, the outer cylinder 92a extends backward relative to the inner cylinder 92b, extending the spiral conveying device 92 towards the rear. By operating it towards the front, the outer cylinder 92a retracts forward relative to the inner cylinder 92b, shrinking the spiral conveying device 92 towards the front.

[0057] At this time, since the gripping lever 92c is located above the worker's feet, the operation of gripping the gripping lever 92c and extending or retracting the spiral conveying device 92 can be easily performed.

[0058] Furthermore, by providing an electric motor 92d at the front end of the fertilizer supply hopper 91 to drive the screw shaft 92e in forward and reverse rotation, and moving the nut complete 92f fixed to the outer cylinder 92a back and forth, the outer cylinder 92a is moved back and forth relative to the inner cylinder 92b, thereby automatically extending and retracting the spiral conveying device 92, the labor of the worker can be reduced.

[0059] The conveying spiral of the spiral conveying device 92 may be driven by the electric motor described above, or it may be driven by a gear shaft powered by an HST installed on the vehicle body 2.

[0060] The drive configuration for the spiral conveying device 92 is simplified and the rotational drive becomes stable, allowing for even fertilizer transport. This is achieved by positioning the electric motor on the front end side of the fertilizer supply hopper 91 and aligning the spiral axis of the conveying spiral of the spiral conveying device 92 with the drive axis of the electric motor.

[0061] The fertilizer conveying mechanism 90 is provided with a vertical axis located to the right and outward of the floor step 35 and to the side of the front cover 32, on which the rear of the spiral conveying device 92 is rotatably mounted to span the left and right sides of the fertilizer hopper 60 of the fertilizer applicator 5.

[0062] Therefore, fertilizer can be uniformly and evenly transported and supplied to the fertilizer hopper 60, which is long in the left-right direction.

[0063] Furthermore, when the spiral conveying device 92 is retracted, the operator can get on and off from the entrance on the right side of the vehicle body 2. When the spiral conveying device 92 is extended to transport and supply fertilizer into the fertilizer hopper 60 of the fertilizer application device 5, the seat 31 can be rotated forward to a storage position where the backrest rests on the handle 34, preventing interference even when the spiral conveying device 92 is rotated.

[0064] The fertilizer transport mechanism 90 described above may be rotated manually or driven by an electric motor.

[0065] Furthermore, a support stay 93 is provided on the handrail 37 at the rear of the vehicle body 2, positioned in front of the fertilizer hopper 60 of the fertilizer application device 5, to support the spiral conveying device 92 from below when it is extended backward and to guide its sliding rotation.

[0066] The support stay 93 suppresses vibration and distortion of the long, spiral-shaped conveying device 92, thereby stabilizing fertilizer transport.

[0067] Then, multiple sensors are installed at equal intervals on the left and right sides and in the center of the fertilizer hopper 60 of the fertilizer application device 5 to detect whether the fertilizer is nearly full. A spiral conveying device 92 rotates and extends from the right end to the left end of the fertilizer hopper 60 each time a sensor detects that it is full, supplying the fertilizer.

[0068] Therefore, since it does not rotate continuously but rotates sequentially from the right end to the left end, the conveying and supply is stabilized, and fertilizer can be uniformly conveyed and supplied to the fertilizer hopper 60.

[0069] Furthermore, after the fertilizer hopper 60 is filled with fertilizer, the drive system of the spiral shaft of the conveying spiral of the spiral conveying device 92 is reversed (or the electric motor is reversed in the case of an electric motor), and the fertilizer in the spiral conveying device 92 is returned to the fertilizer supply hopper 91.

[0070] Therefore, by emptying the fertilizer from the spiral conveying device 92 after fertilizer transport and supply, the spiral conveying device 92 can be reduced in size and stored.

[0071] As another embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the spiral conveying device 92 may be configured in a simpler way that does not rotate, with a fertilizer guide plate 95 extending horizontally along the fertilizer hopper 60 above the fertilizer hopper 60 on the handrail 37, thereby conveying and supplying fertilizer to the entire fertilizer hopper 60.

[0072] The fertilizer guide plate 95 is positioned with its right end below the fertilizer discharge port of the spiral conveying device 92, extending horizontally along the fertilizer hopper 60, and is inclined so that it slopes downwards from the right end to the left end below the fertilizer discharge port of the spiral conveying device 92, and is also inclined backwards so that the rear side is lower than the front side (inclined backwards so that the fertilizer hopper 60 side is lower).

[0073] Therefore, the fertilizer discharged from the fertilizer discharge port of the spiral conveying device 92 flows along the fertilizer guide plate 95 from the right end to the left end of the fertilizer hopper 60 and is supplied into the fertilizer hopper 60, allowing the fertilizer to be uniformly conveyed and supplied to the fertilizer hopper 60.

[0074] In short, when an operator supplies fertilizer into the fertilizer supply hopper 91 from the front of the vehicle 2, the fertilizer in the fertilizer supply hopper 91 can be transported by the spiral conveying device 92 to the fertilizer hopper 60 of the rear fertilizer application device 5 and supplied to the vehicle. This eliminates the need to carry fertilizer bags to the fertilizer hopper 60 at the rear of the vehicle, as was done in the past, thus reducing labor. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 2. Running vehicle 4 Seedling planting department 5 Fertilizer application equipment 38 Reserve seedling loading section 38a Reserve seedling stand (1st reserve seedling stand) 38b Reserve seedling stand (Second reserve seedling stand) 38c Spare seedling stand (3rd spare seedling stand) 51 Seedling stand 60 Fertilizer Hopper 70 Empty Box Storage Section 80L Left Support Frame 80R Right Support Frame 81 Rotation spindle 83 Operating lever 90 Fertilizer Conveying Mechanism 91 Fertilizer supply hopper 92. Helical conveying device N seedling box

Claims

1. A seedling transplanter is provided with a seedling planting section (4) equipped with a seedling tray (51) at the rear of a traveling vehicle (2), and a spare seedling tray section (38) equipped with a plurality of spare seedling trays (38a, 38b, 38c) and an empty tray storage section (70) for storing empty seedling trays (N) at the side of the traveling vehicle (2), characterized in that an operating lever (83) provided on the frontmost spare seedling tray (38a) of the plurality of spare seedling trays (38a, 38b, 38c) arranged in the same plane of the spare seedling tray section (38) can be switched by operating the rearmost spare seedling tray (38c) between a horizontal position on which seedling trays (N) are placed and an inclined position on which it rotates downward to move empty seedling trays (N) into the empty tray storage section (70).

2. The seedling transplanter according to claim 1, characterized in that when the rearmost spare seedling tray (38c) is tilted, it comes into contact with the upper end of the empty box storage section (70) and maintains the tilted position.

3. The seedling transplanter according to claim 1, characterized in that a support frame (80L, 80R) for supporting a pivot shaft (81) is provided on the outside of the rearmost spare seedling tray (38c), and the pivot shaft (81) is provided behind the center of the rearmost spare seedling tray (38c) and in front of the rear end of the rearmost spare seedling tray (38c).

4. The seedling transplanter according to claim 1, characterized in that a fertilizer hopper (60) of a fertilizer application device (5) is provided on the rear of the traveling vehicle body (2), and a fertilizer conveying mechanism 90 equipped with a retractable spiral conveying device (92) that conveys and supplies fertilizer from a fertilizer supply hopper (91) into which an operator puts fertilizer, located at the front of the traveling vehicle body (2), to the fertilizer hopper (60).

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