Transplanter

Abstract

To provide a transplanter which can reduce force required for pushing down a control lever, for lifting up a machine body front side in turning operation.SOLUTION: A transplanter comprises: a planting device for planting seedlings to a farm field; and control levers 404 for performing steering such as turning on a machine body rear part of the travel vehicle body. The control levers 404 extend in a rear side of the machine body around a handle frame 402 protruded toward an upper side of a machine body rear side in a shape of drawing an arc, as a center, the control levers extending in left / right sides of the machine body. Front end parts of left and right control levers 404 are coupled, respective step frames 411 are arranged on left and right sides downward from a coupling frame 410 extending in a machine body lateral direction, and on the step frame 411, an assisting step 412 for assisting lifting up of the machine body front part of the travel vehicle body by stepping of the assisting step in turning, is provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a transplanter for transplanting vegetable seedlings such as onions and lettuces into a field.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a transplanter is known that is provided with a seedling supply device and a seedling planting hopper at the rear of the machine body, and a steering handle for an operator to perform an operation of the traveling direction of the machine body or lifting the front side of the machine body during turning operation at the end of a ridge or moving outside the field, and is provided with an engine, a transmission case, and a work seat on which an operator rides during planting work on the front side of the machine body (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the transplanter of Patent Document 1, heavy objects such as a seedling supply device and a seedling planting hopper are arranged on the rear side of the machine body, while heavy objects such as an engine and a transmission case are also arranged on the front side of the machine body, and a corresponding force is required when pushing down the steering handle to lift the front side of the traveling vehicle body.

[0005] At this time, the operator mainly needs to perform this operation using the force of the upper body, especially the arms and back muscles, and needs to exert a large and unbalanced force. On the other hand, the force of the lower body, which is relatively easy to apply force, is difficult to utilize for lifting the front side of the traveling vehicle body. Therefore, there is a problem that the operator requires a large amount of labor during turning travel and the turning travel cannot be efficiently performed.

[0006] In view of the conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a transplanter capable of reducing the force required when pushing down the steering wheel in order to lift the front side of the machine body during a turning operation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the following technical means have been taken.

[0008] The invention according to claim 1 is provided with a planting device (20a, 20b) for planting seedlings in the field on a traveling vehicle body (40), and a steering wheel (404) for performing operations such as turning is provided at the rear part of the machine body of the traveling vehicle body (40). The steering wheel (404) is configured to extend rearward of the machine body on each side of the machine body with a handle frame (402) protruding in a shape that draws an arc upward toward the rear side of the machine body as the center. The front end portions of the left and right steering wheels (404) are connected, and step frames (411) are respectively arranged downward from a connecting frame (410) extending in the left-right direction of the machine body. An auxiliary step (412) for assisting in lifting the front part of the machine body of the traveling vehicle body (40) by stepping on it during turning is provided on the step frame (411). 、 A control panel (47a) is provided at the rear of the handle frame (402), and a step frame (411) and an auxiliary step (412) are provided below the control panel (47a). A transmission case (26) for operating the planting devices (20a, 20b) is provided, and a connecting plate (400) is provided on the transmission case (26). A step reinforcing member (413) is provided on the step frame (411), and the step reinforcing member (413) and the connecting plate (400) are connected by a reinforcing rod (414). It is characterized as a transplanter.

[0009]

[0010]

[0011] According to the present invention, since the force for lifting the front side of the machine body of the traveling vehicle body (40) can be applied by stepping on the auxiliary step (412), the force for pushing down the steering wheel (404) is reduced, and the labor required for the turning operation is reduced.

[0012] In addition, the feet of the operator do not come into contact with the operation panel 47a or the like, or the operator can reach the rear auxiliary step 412 without having to raise the feet with difficulty.

[0013] Further, by connecting the connecting plate (400) of the step reinforcing member (413) and the transmission case (26) with the reinforcing rod (414), the strength in the vicinity of the auxiliary step (412) where a load is likely to be applied by stepping can be improved, and the occurrence of breakage can be suppressed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, based on the drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a left side view showing a transplanter 10 for transplanting seedlings as an example of a transplanter according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a right side view, FIG. 3 is a rear view, FIG. 4 is a front view, and FIG. 5 is a plan view.

[0017] In the following description, the side where the steering handle 404 is arranged is regarded as the rear, and the opposite side, that is, the side where the engine 41 is arranged, is regarded as the front. And the right hand side is regarded as the right and the left hand side is regarded as the left toward the front side of the machine body.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the transplanter 10 of the present embodiment includes a traveling vehicle body 40 that enables the machine body to travel forward, a steering handle 404 for walking operation provided at the rear part of the traveling vehicle body 40, a planting device 42 for planting seedlings in a field, and a seedling supply device 43 for supplying seedlings to the planting device 42.

[0019] The traveling vehicle body 40 is provided with a transmission case 39 at the front part of the machine body, and an engine 41 as a driving device is provided in front of the transmission case 39. Axle covers 101 that can adjust the tread and cover axles for changing the left and right positions of the traveling wheels 44 serving as rear wheels are respectively connected to the lower parts on the left and right sides of the rear of the machine body of the transmission case 39, and traveling transmission cases 38 for transmitting driving force to the traveling wheels 44 provided on the rear side of the machine body are respectively mounted on the outer ends of the axle covers 101 so as to be rotatable up and down.

[0020] The engine 41 has an air intake port 41a, and this air intake port 41a is an aggregate of elongated slits at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. For this reason, there are problems that cut pieces of leaf parts from seedlings, weeds in the field, etc. enter from this air intake port 41a, increasing the labor for maintaining the engine 41 and reducing the performance of the engine 41.

[0021] To solve this problem, a dust cover 900 may be cut out from a metal plate or a magnet sheet to have the same shape as the air inlet 41a, and an innumerable number of small-diameter holes 901 may be formed by punching and then the dust cover 900 may be attached to the air inlet 41a.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 33, when the dust cover 900 is made of a magnet sheet, it may be simply attached by magnetic force. However, if the mounting position is displaced due to vibration or the like, the air intake will be obstructed and the effect of preventing foreign matter from entering will be reduced. Therefore, it is advisable to fix it at two locations, upper and lower or left and right, or four locations, upper, lower, left and right, using push rivets 902 or the like. When the air inlet 41a is not flat but dome-shaped or conical, the magnet sheet should be cut out considering this shape.

[0023] When the dust cover 900 is formed by processing a metal plate, it is advisable to subject the metal plate with the holes 901 formed by punching to a bending process so that the cross-sectional shape becomes mountain-shaped.

[0024] Alternatively, since the central portion of the air inlet 41a is originally blocked, as shown in FIG. 34, a spring steel material may be cut out in a C shape, mounting portions for the push rivets 902 may be formed at the upper and lower positions respectively, and mounting holes for blind rivets 903 for connection may be formed at both ends respectively.

[0025] Thereby, only the portion where the slit is formed in the air inlet 41a can be covered, so that an increase in weight can be reduced and the material cost can be reduced.

[0026] Note that depending on the type of seedlings and the environment of the planting operation, foreign matter may not easily enter, and providing the dust cover 900 may only reduce the air intake. Therefore, the dust cover 900 should be detachable according to the working environment. If the manufacturing cost is to be further reduced, the dust cover 900 may be composed of a heat-resistant sticker (seal) with innumerable holes formed.

[0027] Note that the left and right traveling wheels 44 are each arranged between the traveling transmission case 38 and the left and right sides of the front and rear frame 103 described later, so as to suppress the lateral width of the machine body. However, if the left and right traveling wheels 44 can be mounted on the outside of the machine body of the traveling transmission case 38 in order to cope with conditions such as the ridge width for performing the seedling planting operation, the workable conditions that can be handled can be increased.

[0028] More precisely, the left and right axle covers 101 are rotatably mounted with the internal axle (not shown) as a fulcrum, the traveling transmission case 38 is respectively mounted on these axle covers 101, and the axle covers 101 rotate due to the expansion and contraction of the lift hydraulic cylinder 300 and the rolling cylinder described later, so that the traveling transmission case 38 rotates up and down.

[0029] Then, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 and FIG. 10, a base plate 400 that covers at least the left and right side surfaces and the rear surface of the transmission case 26 is provided on the transmission case 26 that transmits power from the mission case 39 and branches and supplies the driving force to the planting device 42 and the seedling supply device 43. A frame stay 401 is detachably provided at the rear part of the base plate 400 via a fixing member such as a bolt. And a handle frame 402 that protrudes in an arc shape toward the upper rear side of the machine body is provided on the frame stay 401, and a control unit 403 for operating the vertical adjustment of the vehicle height, the on / off of the transmission for traveling and planting operations, etc. is provided at the rear part of the handle frame 402. At the same time, a control handle 404 is provided for the operator to hold when operating the machine body during movement when no seedlings are planted. The control handle 404 is bent in the left-right direction of the machine body and toward the rear of the machine body around the handle frame 402, and side clutch operation levers 405 for turning on and off the transmission to the traveling wheels 44 are respectively provided on the left and right rear parts. Also, a first throttle lever 406 for increasing and decreasing the output of the engine 41 is provided on either the left or right side of the control handle 404.

[0030] And between the left and right sides of the handle 404, an operation panel 47a is provided, and on the operation panel 47a, a vehicle height adjustment lever 123 for adjusting the vehicle height of the traveling vehicle body 40 by telescoping operation of the lifting hydraulic cylinder 300, a main clutch lever 125 for turning on and off the transmission of driving force to the left and right traveling transmission cases 38 and the transmission case 26, a first engine switch 407 for switching the permission of starting the engine 41 and performing a stop operation, and a main shift lever 150 for switching the traveling transmission of the traveling vehicle body 40 to any one of a forward speed, a planting operation speed, a traveling neutral, and a reverse are provided.

[0031] When permitting the start of the engine 41, the operator pushes in and rotates the first engine switch 407 to the on position. Thereby, when the starting operation of the engine 41 is performed, the engine 41 starts. Note that the engine 41 may be started using a cell starter or a recoil starter. Further, even when it is a drive device other than the engine 41, for example, one that operates with an electric motor, when the first engine switch 407 is in the on position, power is supplied to the electric motor and it starts.

[0032] When stopping the engine 41, when the operator lightly pushes in the first engine switch 407, it switches to the off position by the force of an internally installed torque spring (not shown), and thereby the engine 41 enters a stopped state.

[0033] At the time of the off operation, it is only necessary to lightly push in the first engine switch 407, so traveling and planting can be stopped immediately. Thereby, when reaching the end of the ridge, traveling and planting stop immediately, so the seedling planting operation at a non-ridge location is prevented and the seedlings consumed unnecessarily are reduced. Also, when moving the machine body to the ridge where the next planting operation is to be performed, unnecessary movement does not occur, so fuel consumption and working time are reduced.

[0034] In front of the machine body side of the steering handle 404 and above the transmission case 26, a seedling supply device 43 for conveying the seedlings input by the operator to the left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b, which will be described later, is provided. A reinforcing frame 152 in the front-rear direction is provided across the rear part of the seedling supply device 43 and the reinforcing connecting stay 151 provided at the upper rear side of the handle frame 402 and in front of the control panel 47a to improve the strength and reduce vibration in the vicinity of the steering handle 404 and the seedling supply device 43.

[0035] The movement of the seedlings from the above-mentioned seedling supply device 43 to the left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b is carried out by opening the bottom cover of the seedling container 22 at a predetermined position of the seedling supply device 43 and letting the seedlings fall. However, depending on conditions such as strong winds blowing at the work site, the seedlings may be blown away by the wind before reaching the planting hoppers 20a and 20b and fall onto the field without being planted.

[0036] To prevent this, as shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, in the seedling supply device 43, support arms 501 are respectively provided at the lower part of a timing plate 500 that can move in the left-right direction and determines the position where the bottom cover of the seedling container 22 is released to drop-feed the seedlings to the planting hoppers 20a and 20b. An arc-shaped guide arm 502 protruding in the conveying direction of the seedling supply device 43 is mounted from each of these support arms 501 toward the rear side of the machine body.

[0037] And a seedling guide cylinder 503 formed by winding an elastic plate such as rubber into a cylindrical shape is rotatably arranged inside the diameter of this guide arm 502. This seedling guide cylinder 503 is formed into a cylindrical shape by inserting a push rivet or the like from the inside of the winding area, and its lower end is projected to a position where it enters inside the diameter of the planting hoppers 20a and 20b that have risen to a predetermined height during the planting operation.

[0038] Thereby, when the seedlings are dropped and supplied from the seedling container 22 to the planting hoppers 20a and 20b, the seedlings can be moved into the planting hoppers 20a and 20b without being affected by the wind, so that the occurrence of places where the seedlings cannot be planted in the ridges is prevented.

[0039] In addition, by attaching a fixing member such as a push rivet from the inside of the winding area, even if the seedling comes into contact, it becomes the head part of the fixing member that is close to a spherical shape, so damage or snagging of the seedling is prevented.

[0040] In addition, if the fixing member is attached on the upper side in the conveying direction of the seedling supply device 43, it can be fixed at a position where the seedlings are less likely to fall due to the inertia during the conveyance of the seedling supply device 43, so contact between the seedlings and the fixing member is less likely to occur.

[0041] In addition, the seedling guide cylinder 503 is composed of an elastic plate and is rotatably attached. When the seedling guide cylinder 503 comes into contact with the inside of the planting hoppers 20a and 20b, it can elastically deform and follow, so damage or injury to the seedling guide cylinder 503 and the planting hoppers 20a and 20b is prevented.

[0042] Note that the seedling guide cylinder 503 has an up-and-down length suitable for short seedlings, but when transplanting long seedlings such as onion seedlings, the up-and-down length may be insufficient.

[0043] When accommodating the planting of seedlings under different conditions, as shown in Fig. 32, an elastic plate constituting another seedling guide cylinder 503 is wound around the lower side and the outer peripheral portion of the seedling guide cylinder 503, and the lower seedling guide cylinder 503 is rotatably connected by a connecting rivet 504 that also serves as a rotation shaft from the outside. At this time, the connecting rivet 504 is inserted slightly longer than the thickness of the inner and outer seedling guide cylinders 503 so as not to contact the seedlings that have entered inside as much as possible. At this time, if the tip is processed into a spherical shape, even if it comes into contact, the damage will be reduced.

[0044] As described above, since the length of the seedling guide cylinder 503 can be changed according to the length of the seedling, the occurrence of a location where the seedling cannot be planted due to the influence of the wind is prevented.

[0045] In addition, by rotatably connecting the lower seedling guide cylinder 503, it can rotate flexibly when coming into contact with the planting hoppers 20a and 20b, so damage is prevented.

[0046] When the seedling planting operation in one ridge is completed, the operator moves to the rear side in the traveling direction of the machine body, grips the steering handle 404 and the side clutch operation lever 405 on the inner side of the turning, cuts off the transmission to the traveling wheels 44 on the inner side of the turning, operates the turning of the traveling vehicle body 40, and moves to the start end side of the next planting operation strip. At this time, while gripping the steering handle 404, the operator applies weight downward to lift the front side of the machine body of the traveling vehicle body 40 upward from the field surface, making it easier to perform turning travel.

[0047] In front of the axle of the traveling wheel 44 on the front side of the machine body, there are arranged heavy objects such as a spare seedling frame 50 for loading seedling boxes, a work seat 46, an engine 41, a transmission case 39, etc. When lifting the front side of the traveling vehicle body 40 upward, it is necessary to apply a force that resists the weights of the above members and other component members.

[0048] At this time, if the weight can be applied using the feet, the force required for the work can be easily exerted. However, there is no part to rest the feet at the rear of the traveling vehicle body 40, and the operator needs to mainly use the upper body forces such as arm strength and back muscle strength for the work.

[0049] In order to apply weight through the feet during the turning operation, as shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, the front end portions of the left and right steering handles 404 are connected, and step frames 411 are respectively arranged downward from a connecting frame 410 extending in the left - right direction of the machine body. Between the left and right step frames 411, 411, a rear auxiliary step 412 on which the operator can place the feet as needed during turning or moving is provided.

[0050] Note that the left and right step frames 411, 411 are arranged in a posture substantially perpendicular to the ground or slightly inclined toward the rear side of the machine body when the traveling vehicle body 40 is on the ground with a slope of 0 degrees, and are configured such that the left and right step frames 411, 411 do not protrude to the rear of the machine body.

[0051] In addition to connecting the lower ends of the left and right step frames 411, 411, the rear auxiliary step 412 may be configured to connect the vicinity of the lower ends. Alternatively, it may be configured to connect at an upper and lower position above the body than the vicinity of the lower end, where the operator's feet do not touch the operation panel 47a or the like, or where the operator can reach the rear auxiliary step 412 without having to raise their feet forcibly.

[0052] Furthermore, a plurality of left and right step frames 411, 411 may be connected at a plurality of locations with a predetermined interval in the vertical direction for the rear auxiliary step 412, making it easier for the operator to select a rear auxiliary step 412 that is easy to reach according to their own physique, and having a configuration that increases strength and is less likely to break.

[0053] Since it is assumed that the operator steps on the rear auxiliary step 412 with their weight, not only the rear auxiliary step 412 but also the left and right step frames 411, 411 need to have a structure that is strong against loads. To ensure this strength, as shown in the figure, a step reinforcement frame 413 that connects the left and right step frames 411, 411 at a position different from the attachment position of the rear auxiliary step 412 is provided, and a reinforcement rod 414 is provided between the step reinforcement frame 413 and the rear part of the base plate 400, more specifically, between the front and rear of the frame stay 401.

[0054] If there is not enough space for attaching the reinforcement rod 414 to the frame stay 401, a recess for avoiding the handle frame 402 is formed, and an extended stay 401a with an attachment position for the front end side of the reinforcement rod 414 on the body side is provided.

[0055] If the rear auxiliary step 412 can change not only its vertical position but also its front-rear position depending on conditions such as the position where the turning operation is performed and the physique of the operator, the operator can step in a more comfortable posture and can lift the front side of the traveling vehicle body 40 with less force.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 16, the reinforcing rod 414 is divided into front and rear parts, and one of the front reinforcing rod 414a and the rear reinforcing rod 414b is inserted into the other so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. At the same time, the left and right step frames 411, 411 are attached to the steering handle 404 so as to be rotatable back and forth. By changing the front-rear length of the reinforcing rod 414 to change the inclination angle of the left and right step frames 411, 411, the front-rear position of the rear auxiliary step 412 can be configured to be changeable.

[0057] Note that the front reinforcing rod 414a and the rear reinforcing rod 414b may be configured such that their lengths can be fixed with fastening members such as bolts. However, they may also be configured such that their lengths are changed only when an operator performs a telescoping operation by using a hydraulic cylinder or the like.

[0058] Thereby, when the operator starts the turning travel, the front side of the vehicle body 40 of the traveling vehicle can be lifted with a lighter force. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the front wheels 45 or the like from contacting the field surface during the turning travel, which may hinder the turning travel and reduce the work efficiency, or damage the field surface.

[0059] In a configuration where a step reinforcing frame 413 is provided between the left and right step frames 411, 411, since the step reinforcing frame 413 occupies one of the attachment positions of the rear auxiliary step 412, the options for the vertical height of the rear auxiliary step 412 are reduced. Therefore, the upper part of the step reinforcing frame 413 may be configured to be flat, and the rear auxiliary step 412 may be configured to be arranged on the upper part.

[0060] Alternatively, taking the mounting position of the step reinforcement frame 413 as the uppermost position, the rear auxiliary step 412 is arranged only below the fuselage than the step reinforcement frame 413. At this time, as shown in FIG. 14, extension step frames 416, 416 are mounted on both the left and right sides of the rear auxiliary step 412 toward the upper side of the fuselage to ensure a sufficient range for mounting the rear auxiliary step 412 in the vertical direction, and one or more mounting holes (not shown) are formed in the extension step frames 416, 416. Further, among the left and right step frames 411, 411, a plurality of adjustment holes 417... are respectively formed below the mounting position of the step reinforcement frame 413 on the lower side of the fuselage, and fastening members 418 such as bolts are provided in the adjustment holes 417... at arbitrary vertical positions and the mounting holes of the extension step frames 416, 416.

[0061] Alternatively, mounting pins may be inserted into the adjustment holes 417... and the mounting holes, and the mounting pins may be fixed by split pins. In this configuration, since the operator can manually insert and remove the split pins, it is possible to adjust the vertical position of the rear auxiliary step 412 even without tools such as a wrench.

[0062] In addition, as shown in FIG. 15, the adjustment holes 417... and the mounting holes formed in a plurality in the vertical direction are respectively communicated to form long holes. When the fastening member is loosened, the extension step frames 416, 416 can move in the vertical direction, and when tightened, the vertical movement of the extension step frames 416, 416 is restricted and the vertical position of the rear auxiliary step 412 is fixed.

[0063] In FIGS. 14 to 16, the left and right extension step frames 416, 416 are in contact with the left and right step frames 411, 411 from the outside of the fuselage, but may be configured to be in contact with the left and right step frames 411, 411 from the inside of the fuselage.

[0064] The above-mentioned rear auxiliary step 412 is adjusted to a vertical position that is easy for the operator to step on. However, depending on the vertical position, it may contact the ridge during the planting operation. Therefore, after the turning is completed, it is necessary to move the rear auxiliary step 412 to a position higher than the ridge surface, which will reduce the working efficiency.

[0065] To prevent this, as shown in FIG. 17, the left and right extension step frames 416, 416 are provided so as to be movable vertically along the left and right step frames 411, 411, and one or both of the left and right extension step frames 416, 416 are connected to one end of the step cable 416a. Then, the other end of the step cable 416a is connected to the rear side of the arm 13 provided at the upper front part of the body of the traveling transmission case 38 that changes the vehicle height of the traveling vehicle body 40 by rotating.

[0066] When the traveling transmission case 38 is rotated downward, that is, in the direction in which the vehicle height of the traveling vehicle body 40 increases, the step cable 416a is loosened and the rear auxiliary step 412 descends to a vertical height that is easy to step on. When the traveling transmission case 38 is rotated upward, that is, in the direction in which the vehicle height of the traveling vehicle body 40 decreases, the step cable 416a is pulled and the rear auxiliary step 412 rises to a vertical height that does not contact the ridge surface.

[0067] With the above configuration, when the vehicle height of the traveling vehicle body 40 is set to the height during the turning travel, the rear auxiliary step 412 automatically moves to a height that is easy to step on, and when the height for the planting operation is set, the auxiliary step 412 automatically moves to a height that does not contact the ridge surface. Therefore, the time and labor required for the operation of changing the vertical height of the rear auxiliary step 412 before and after the turning travel can be reduced.

[0068] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 18, the left and right extension step frames 416, 416 are attached to the left and right step frames 411, 411 so as to be rotatable vertically. On the upper front side of the fuselage of the left and right extension step frames 416, 416, rotation restricting pins 418, 418 are respectively provided which contact the left and right step frames 411, 411 with a predetermined amount of rotation to restrict further rotation. Alternatively, a single rotation restricting pin 418 may be provided across the left and right extension step frames 416, 416. Then, lock springs 419, 419 are respectively provided across the rear side of the fuselage of the left and right step frames 411, 411. When the vertical rotation amount of the left and right extension step frames 416, 416 exceeds the fulcrum, the rear auxiliary step 412 is configured to switch to either the stepped-in position for turning or the storage position located above the ridge surface.

[0069] With the above configuration, the rear auxiliary step 412 can be switched between the stepped-in position and the storage position without using tools. In particular, due to the tension of the lock springs 419, 419, rotation does not stop at a position between the stepped-in position and the storage position, so that during the planting operation, the left and right extension step frames 416, 416 do not rotate downward and the rear auxiliary step 412 does not contact and damage the ridge surface, and it is prevented that when trying to step in, it rotates upward and moves back to the stepped-in position again.

[0070] Note that the rotation from the storage position to the stepped-in position can be performed by the operator stepping on the rear auxiliary step 412. Therefore, there is no need to touch the rear auxiliary step 412 by hand, preventing the operator's hands from being soiled by soil or the like, and there is no need to bend down during operation, reducing the operator's labor.

[0071] A separate configuration example using the above rear auxiliary step 412 will be described.

[0072] As shown in Fig. 19, sliding pins 420 are respectively formed on the left and right extension step frames 416, 416, and the sliding pins 420 are respectively inserted into sliding long holes 421, 421 formed vertically on the lower sides of the left and right step frames 411, 411, and the left and right extension step frames 416, 416 are mounted so as to be vertically movable within a predetermined range. Then, auxiliary pressing springs 422, 422 for biasing the left and right extension step frames 416, 416 downward are respectively provided across the left and right step frames 411, 411 and the left and right extension step frames 416, 416.

[0073] Furthermore, regarding the above-mentioned left and right step frames 411, 411 and left and right extension step frames 416, 416, they are arranged on the side of the seedling planting position close to the center in the left-right direction of the machine body in the front (rear) view, and auxiliary pressing wheels 423 for leveling and compacting the soil lifted during seedling planting while contacting the ridge surface are respectively rotatably provided at the lower parts of the left and right extension step frames 416, 416.

[0074] At this time, it is assumed that the rear auxiliary step 412 rises when the left and right auxiliary pressing wheels 423, 423 contact the ridge surface and descends when separated from the ridge surface.

[0075] With the above configuration, although it is only a part, the soil on the side of the planted seedlings can be leveled and compacted by the left and right auxiliary pressing wheels 423, 423, so that the roots of the seedlings are not exposed, growth disorders due to the influence of temperature are prevented, and the planted seedlings are prevented from falling due to the influence of wind or the like.

[0076] In addition, since the left and right auxiliary pressing wheels 423, 423 are in contact with the ridge surface under the load applied by the auxiliary pressing springs 422, 422, the traveling posture of the traveling vehicle body 40 is less likely to be disturbed, and the seedling planting accuracy is stabilized.

[0077] Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 20, a movable step 424 on which an operator rides during the planting operation is provided on either the left or right side, or both sides, of the left and right step frames 411, 411 so as to be rotatable left and right. A furrow grounding wheel 425 that contacts the furrow on the side of the ridge is rotatably attached to the bottom side when the movable step 424 is rotated to the use position. Then, a pulling spring (not shown) for pulling the movable step 424 toward the left and right step frames 411 is provided across the left and right step frames 411 and the movable step 424.

[0078] Note that the movable step 424 is composed of a thick plate body with strong load-bearing capacity. At this time, instead of a simple plate body, a reinforcing material may be arranged while avoiding the attachment position of the furrow grounding wheel 425, or the strength may be increased by arranging the attachment members of the furrow grounding wheel 425. An example of the arrangement at this time is to intersect a plurality of plate bodies to form a net shape and cover the plate body thereon.

[0079] Also, for the furrow grounding wheel 425, if it is desired to enhance the load-bearing capacity and suspension, an air-filled tire may be used. On the other hand, if emphasis is placed on the load-bearing capacity, a solid tire with a solid structure using resin or metal may be used.

[0080] With the above configuration, when the operator performs the seedling planting operation, there is no need to walk following behind the traveling vehicle body 40, so the labor of the operator is reduced. Since the ridges for performing the general vegetable seedling planting operation are formed linearly, basically no steering is required.

[0081] Also, when the movable step 424 rotates in the left-right direction, the operator is located behind and on the left and right sides of the seedling supply device 43, so the position is easy to confirm when the seedlings are input.

[0082] In addition, when another operator boards the work seat 46 and supplies seedlings to the seedling supply device 43, the operator on the moving step 424 supplements the supply of seedlings to the seedling supply device 43 when there is an input error, and otherwise checks the situation on the travel path of the traveling vehicle body 40, such as the state of the ridges, the slope of the field, the presence or absence of stones on the furrow, etc., and conveys it to the operator on the work seat 46 side, or checks the seedling planting state by looking at the rear of the traveling vehicle body 40.

[0083] On the front side of the machine body of the transmission case 39 and on both the left and right sides, bumper support frames 108 having a U-shaped cross section in a front cross-sectional view are provided so as to protrude forward of the machine body. And in front of the left and right bumper support frames 108, a bumper 109 protruding forward of the machine body is provided.

[0084] As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the bumper 109 is composed of a bumper plate 109a obtained by bending the front side and both the left and right sides of a plate body downward, a front weight 109b detachably attached to the upper surface of the bumper plate 109a, and a bumper rod 109c extending in the left-right direction from the bumper plate 109a. The front weight 109b is composed of a mass of a material having a relatively large weight and high hardness, such as iron, and has a shape protruding forward of the machine body more than the bumper plate 109a.

[0085] Thereby, since the front weight 109b, which is a mass having weight and hardness, protrudes most forward of the machine body, it is possible to prevent damage from reaching the bumper plate 109a when contacting an obstacle.

[0086] On the front side of the machine body of the left and right bumper support frames 108 and on the lower side of the machine body, recesses (not shown) with an opening at the lower side of the machine body are formed, and a front beam frame 110 having the longitudinal direction in the left-right direction of the machine body is inserted and fixed in these recesses.

[0087] By providing the front beam frame 110, a frame is assembled in a square shape on the front side of the machine body by the left and right bumper support frames 108 and the transmission case 39, so the strength of the front side of the machine body is improved. In particular, when the bumper 109 contacts an obstacle, since the left and right bumper support frames 108 are inserted into and fixed to the front beam frame 110, damage and impact are less likely to propagate to the rear side of the left and right bumper support frames 108.

[0088] Also, when assembling the transmission case 39 to the machine body, by inserting the concave portions of the left and right bumper support frames 108 into the front beam frame 110 and then moving them in the left-right direction, the front-rear position of the transmission case 39 is fixed and the left-right position can be adjusted. Thus, it is possible to prevent the assembly work from being delayed due to misalignment of the mounting position of the transmission case 39.

[0089] Note that the rear part of the engine 41 is loaded on the front side and on one side in the left-right direction of the transmission case 39, and the front part of the engine 41 is loaded on an engine mount arranged near the left-right center of the front beam frame 110. However, the bumper support frame 108 on the side where the engine 41 is arranged and the engine 41 are arranged with a vertical gap therebetween. That is, the bumper support frame 108 is not a member that receives the engine 41 from below.

[0090] With the above configuration, it is possible to prevent the impact when the bumper 109 contacts an obstacle from propagating from the bumper support frame 108 to the engine 41, so it is possible to prevent the engine 41 from being damaged or malfunctioning due to the impact.

[0091] Also, even if the bumper support frame 108 is deformed by an impact, it is less likely to affect the mounting state of the engine 41, and even if the bumper 109 is damaged, work and movement can be performed with the power of the engine 41.

[0092] On both the left and right sides of the bumper plate 109a, step support plates 111 each having left-right concave portions for mounting the bumper rods 109c are mounted. The left and right step support plates 111 are configured to be supported via reinforcing arms 112 provided on the rear side of the fuselage of the front beam frame 110 and on both the left and right sides thereof.

[0093] The upper surfaces of the left and right step support plates 111 are flat. On the left side of the fuselage of the traveling vehicle body 40, that is, on the left side of the fuselage, the front side portion of the front boarding step 113 on which an operator places their foot when getting on and off from the front side of the fuselage is mounted. On the other side of the fuselage left and right, that is, on the right side of the fuselage, when the front-rear interval between the seedlings planted by the planting hoppers 20a and 20b, that is, the so-called plant spacing, is set, and when the plant spacing main shift lever 801, the plant spacing sub-shift lever 802, and the main shift lever 150 are operated at the planting speed, a plant spacing switching cover 114 that supports the planting shift lever 803 for selecting the first planting speed or the second planting speed is formed.

[0094] The front boarding step 113 includes a lower footrest portion 113a located on the front side of the fuselage and on the lower side in the vertical direction, an upper footrest portion 113b located on the rear side of the fuselage and on the upper side in the vertical direction relative to the lower footrest portion 113a, and an intermediate inclined portion 113c located between the lower footrest portion 113a and the upper footrest portion 113b and twisted and inclined toward the outside of the fuselage. A plurality of anti-slip protrusions 113d are formed on the surface of the lower footrest portion 113a. The intermediate inclined portion 113c has an inclination angle at which it is difficult for the operator to place their foot psychologically when getting on and off, and has a front-rear length that allows the operator to straddle and pass through when moving between the lower footrest portion 113a and the upper footrest portion 113b.

[0095] On the other hand, the plant spacing switching cover 114 includes a lower base portion 114a located on the front side of the fuselage and on the lower side in the vertical direction, an upper base portion 114b located on the rear side of the fuselage and on the upper side in the vertical direction relative to the lower base portion 114a, and a lever mounting portion 114c located between the lower base portion 114a and the upper base portion 114b, twisted and inclined toward the outside of the fuselage, and forming moving grooves through which the plant spacing main shift lever 801, the plant spacing sub-shift lever 802, and the main shift lever 150 each move.

[0096] Note that the front boarding step 113 and the inter-row switching cover 114 have a bilaterally symmetric shape. The one provided on one side of the left and right sides of the aircraft body may be the inter-row switching cover 114, and the one provided on the other side of the left and right sides of the aircraft body may be the front boarding step 113.

[0097] And on the rear side of the aircraft body of the upper footrest portion 113b and the upper base portion 114b, side steps 118 are respectively provided for the operator to get on and off from the side of the aircraft body and to serve as a work platform during work. The side steps 118 are configured to form a plurality of space portions by arranging plate bodies vertically and horizontally within a frame, and to allow the soil adhering to the soles of the operator's shoes to fall downward. Also, a central step 119 serving as a work platform for the boarding operator is detachably provided between the left and right of the left and right side steps 118.

[0098] Thus, the floor step 122 is configured.

[0099] The front boarding step 113, the inter-row switching cover 114, the left and right side steps 118, and the central step 119 are each independently attached, that is, they are not fastened together with a single attachment member (such as a bolt). Thereby, when removing each step component during partial maintenance work, there is no need to remove another step component, and the efficiency of the maintenance work is improved.

[0100] An entry / exit assisting mechanism 170 for the operator to place their feet when getting on and off the front boarding step 113 is mounted on the lower front portion of the front boarding step 113. The entry / exit assisting mechanism 170 includes an outer support arm 171 located outside the aircraft body, having an L-shaped side view and a first protruding portion 171a protruding forward of the aircraft body below the bent portion; an inner support arm 172 located inside the aircraft body, having an L-shaped front view and a second protruding portion 172a protruding outside the aircraft body below the bent portion; and an entry / exit assisting step 173 provided across the first protruding portion 171a and the second protruding portion 172a.

[0101] The outer support arm 171 is attached to the traveling vehicle body 40 by tightening it together with the step support plate 111 using a clamping bolt 174... Also, the inner support arm 172 is attached to the traveling vehicle body 40 by tightening it together with the bumper plate 109a using a clamping bolt 174...

[0102] As a result, since a configuration is adopted in which a plurality of members are tightened with the clamping bolt 174..., the strength near the front side of the body of the traveling vehicle body 40 is improved, and a decrease in durability due to the load applied when the operator gets on and off is reduced.

[0103] In addition, by providing the boarding / alighting auxiliary step 173, even if the vehicle height of the traveling vehicle body 40 is increased according to the height of the ridge or the like, the operator can place their foot on the boarding / alighting auxiliary step 173 and step by step place their foot on the lower footrest portion 113a of the front boarding step 113 to board, and can get off by the reverse operation. Therefore, there is no need to raise the foot high or jump off to some extent when getting on and off, and the burden on the operator's body is reduced.

[0104] And by providing the boarding / alighting auxiliary step 173 across the first protruding portion 171a and the second protruding portion 172a, the outer support arm 171 and the inner support arm 172 are not located within the left - right width of the boarding / alighting auxiliary step 173, so it is possible to prevent the operator's foot from coming into contact with the outer support arm 171 and the inner support arm 172.

[0105] On the other hand, when the vehicle height of the traveling vehicle body 40 is lowered or during the planting operation, not only is the boarding / alighting auxiliary mechanism 170 unnecessary, but depending on the vehicle height, it may contact the ridge surface or the side surface of the ridge and collapse the ridge, reducing the seedling planting accuracy.

[0106] To prevent this, the bases of the outer support arm 171 and the inner support arm 172 are attached with double nuts (not shown), and the outer support arm 171 and the inner support arm 172 are rotatably attached with the clamping bolt 174... as a rotation fulcrum, and the boarding / alighting auxiliary mechanism 170 is configured to be rotatable up and down.

[0107] With the above configuration, when it is not needed, the boarding and alighting assistance mechanism 170 can be rotated upward to be separated from the ridge surface. Therefore, the boarding and alighting assistance mechanism 170 is prevented from collapsing the ridge, and the seedling planting accuracy is maintained.

[0108] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, at the lower part of the row spacing switching cover 114, there is provided a ridge end sensor stay 182a that supports a ridge end sensor 182 which rotates downward by its own weight to contact the ridge surface, and further rotates downward when the traveling vehicle body 40 reaches the end of the ridge and loses contact with the ground, thereby activating a notification device 181 that notifies the operator that the field end has been reached. The notification device 181 is a buzzer, a lamp, or the like mounted on each part of the traveling vehicle body 40, or a communication device that notifies the operator's information terminal (tablet, smartphone, etc.).

[0109] The ridge end sensor 182 is provided with a sensor arm 183 rotatably, a ridge surface grounding roller 184 is rotatably mounted on the lower part of the sensor arm 183, a grounding biasing spring 185 that biases the sensor arm 183 downward is provided, and a ridge end detection switch 186 that turns on (or off) when it reaches a predetermined angle or more is provided at the base of the sensor arm 183. The grounding biasing spring 185 has its upper end side mounted on a detection adjustment plate 187 that can be adjusted in angle along a long hole, and is configured to be able to change the operating angle according to the ridge height.

[0110] This ridge end sensor 182 is grounded to the ridge surface by adjusting the vehicle height of the traveling vehicle body 40 at the start of the seedling planting operation. By grounding the rotatable ridge surface grounding roller 184, it is difficult to collapse the ridge surface, and fine unevenness can be leveled, thereby improving the seedling planting accuracy.

[0111] Then, when the traveling vehicle body 40 continues to move forward and reaches the end of the ridge, and the ridge surface contact roller 184 no longer contacts the ridge surface, due to the biasing force of the ground biasing spring 185 and the self-weight of the sensor arm 183 and the ridge surface contact roller 184, the sensor arm 183 rotates downward, and the ridge end detection switch 186 is not pressed. When the ridge end detection switch 186 is no longer pressed, the notification device 181 is energized, so that the notification device 181 operates to notify the operator that the vicinity of the front end of the vehicle body of the traveling vehicle body 40 has reached the ridge end.

[0112] Incidentally, when the ridge end sensor 182 detects the ridge end, since there is still a planting space for several plants left in the ridge, the operator does not immediately stop the machine body, but prepares for the stop operation while putting the number of seedlings that can be planted in the remaining planting space into the seedling supply device 43.

[0113] Thereby, the operator can know the approach to the ridge end without looking back, so that the machine body can be stopped at the timing when the seedlings are finished being planted on the ridge, and the fuel consumption due to unnecessary running and the increase in the moving distance to the next working strip are prevented.

[0114] In addition, when the ridge end approaches, the number of seedlings input to the seedling supply device 43 can be adjusted, so that even if the stop operation of the planting operation traveling is delayed and the planting hoppers 20a and 20b perform the planting operation, the seedlings are prevented from being discharged to a location other than the ridge.

[0115] As shown in FIGS. 4, 6, and 7, the sensor arm 183 may be a pair of left and right sensor arms 183a and 183a, the ridge surface contact roller 184 may be rotatably mounted with left and right ridge surface contact rollers 184a and 184a, and left and right ridge end detection switches 186 and 186 may be provided respectively.

[0116] As a result, when either one of the left and right sensor arms 183, 183 rotates downward and one of the corresponding ridge end detection switches 186, 186 is not pressed, the notification device 181 operates. Thus, even if the ridge end collapses due to wind and rain and its shape is distorted, the ridge end is easily detected, and the operator can perform the planting operation travel stop operation at the right timing.

[0117] Also, on the left and right sides of the front side of the vehicle body 40 of the traveling vehicle body, and on the front side of the traveling wheels 44, front wheels 45 are provided which are rotatably supported via a horizontal frame 16 provided on the lower side of the front beam frame 110 and protruding in the left - right direction of the vehicle body.

[0118] And at the rotation axis position of the front part of the traveling transmission case 38, the tips of the wheel drive shafts extending from the transmission case 39 to both the left and right outer sides enter, and the traveling power that has passed through the traveling part transmission and speed change transmission part in the transmission case 39 is transmitted to the transmission mechanism in the traveling transmission case 38. And the traveling power is transmitted to the transmission axle of the traveling transmission case 38 via the transmission mechanism in the traveling transmission case 38, and the traveling wheels 44 are configured to be driven and rotated.

[0119] Also, a driving means for moving the traveling wheels 44 up and down with the front side of the traveling transmission case 38 as a rotation fulcrum is connected to the traveling transmission case 38. Specifically, an arm 13 extending upward is integrally attached to the attachment portion of the traveling transmission case 38 to the transmission case 39, and the arm 13 is connected to both the left and right sides of a connecting body attached to the tip of the piston rod of the lift hydraulic cylinder 300 fixed to the transmission case 39. One side (right side) of the left and right is connected by a connecting rod, and the other side (left side) is connected by a left - right control hydraulic cylinder capable of expanding and contracting corresponding to the inclination of the vehicle body.

[0120] When the lifting hydraulic cylinder 300 operates and its piston rod protrudes rearward of the machine body, the left and right arms 13 rotate rearward, and accordingly, the traveling transmission case 38 rotates downward, causing the machine body to rise. Conversely, when the piston rod of the lifting hydraulic cylinder 300 moves forward of the machine body and retracts into the cylinder, the left and right arms 13 rotate forward, and accordingly, the traveling transmission case 38 rotates upward, causing the machine body to descend.

[0121] This lifting hydraulic cylinder 300 is operated by a field surface sensor 14 that is grounded on the ridge surface and operates as the vertical distance between the machine body and the ridge surface changes. The operation of the field surface sensor 14 is to detect the height of the upper surface of the ridge based on the position of the machine body, and based on the detection operation of the field surface sensor 14, the lifting hydraulic cylinder 300 is configured to operate so that the machine body reaches a set height corresponding to the height of the upper surface of the ridge.

[0122] Also, when the left and right horizontal control hydraulic cylinders expand and contract, the left arm 13 connected to the left and right horizontal control hydraulic cylinders rotates, moving only the left traveling wheel 44 up and down and tilting the machine body left and right. This left and right horizontal control hydraulic cylinder is configured to operate based on the detection result of a sensor that detects the left and right tilt of the machine body with respect to the left and right horizontal, and to level the machine body.

[0123] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, the horizontal frame 16 is mounted on the front beam frame 110 so as to be rollable and rotatable about an axis in the front-rear direction. Vertical frames 17 that are long in the vertical direction are mounted on both the left and right sides of the horizontal frame 16. The left and right front wheels 45 are rotatably attached to a front wheel axle 18 fixed to the side of the lower end of the vertical frame 17. Therefore, the left and right front wheels 45 are rollable and rotatable about the axis in the front-rear direction at the center of the left and right of the machine body. Also, based on both the left and right sides of the horizontal frame 16, the vertical frames 17 are provided so as to be vertically adjustable, and the height of the front wheels 45 can be adjusted.

[0124] The steering handle 404 is provided at the rear of the machine body and is located on the rear side of the machine body from the drive axle of the traveling wheels 44. Specifically, it is attached to the rear end of the machine body frame 19 with its front end fixed to the transmission case 39.

[0125] The machine body frame 19 extends rearward at the center of the left and right of the machine body and also extends obliquely rearward and upward from the middle part in the front-rear direction.

[0126] The steering handle 404 extends rearward to the left and right from the rear end of the machine body frame 19, and each rear end thereof serves as the grip portion of the steering handle 404.

[0127] In addition, in FIG. 2, the grip portion is configured to be divided into left and right, but the left and right rear ends of the steering handle 404 may be connected to each other left and right, and the connecting portion may be used as the grip portion.

[0128] The planting device 42 includes a plurality of beak-shaped planting tools with their tips facing downward, a vertical movement mechanism 21 for vertically moving the planting tools to positions above and below the field surface at the lower ends of the planting tools, and an opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing the planting tools between a closed state in which the lower end of the beak-shaped planting tool is closed to receive seedlings from above and accommodate the seedlings inside and an open state in which the lower end of the planting tool is opened left and right to release the seedlings accommodated inside downward.

[0129] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the planting device 42 of the present embodiment has a two-row planting configuration in which the first planting hopper 20a and the second planting hopper 20b are arranged side by side left and right. These first planting hopper 20a and second planting hopper 20b are respectively mounted on the vertical movement mechanisms 21 provided on both left and right sides of the transmission case 26 driven from the transmission case 39.

[0130] The above-mentioned planting hoppers 20a and 20b take over the seedlings at the position closest to the seedling supply device 43 or in the vicinity thereof while ascending. However, there is a vertical gap between the seedling supply device 43 and the planting hoppers 20a and 20b, and this vertical gap remains exposed. There is no particular problem during normal operations. On the other hand, when performing planting operations on a windy day, if the weight of the seedlings is light, the falling trajectory of the seedlings supplied from the seedling supply device 43 is significantly disrupted, and the seedlings may not enter the interior of the planting hoppers 20a and 20b, resulting in the possibility of a missing plant section where the seedlings cannot be planted.

[0131] In order to prevent supply errors of the seedlings due to wind, as shown in Fig. 21, on both left and right sides of the supply table cover 430 that covers the front side and the side of the machine body of the seedling supply device 43, windproof support plates 431, 431 in a triangular shape in side view are provided. The hypotenuse of the windproof support plate 431 is arranged to be located on the rear side of the machine body.

[0132] Then, a position adjustment frame 432 for adjusting the falling supply position of the seedlings and a load adjustment shaft 374 that rotatably supports a plurality of load adjustment rods 373... provided on each pressure arm 370 are provided with a windproof cover 433 across them, and both left and right sides of the windproof cover 433 are attached to the left and right windproof support plates 431, 431. Both left and right sides of the windproof cover 433 are to cover up to the front side of the outer surface of the left and right windproof support plates 431, 431.

[0133] The windproof cover 433 may be formed by forming a single metal or resin plate body into a corresponding shape, or by combining a plurality of plate bodies. However, a part of the operation of the planting hoppers 20a and 20b becomes difficult to visually recognize, making it difficult to perform an operation test, and at the same time, the weight of the machine body and the manufacturing cost increase. Also, since it is necessary to match the dimensions with metal or resin, it takes time when attaching and detaching.

[0134] Therefore, it is desirable that the wind shield cover 433 be made of a transparent, flexible, relatively inexpensive, and easily procurable material such as vinyl chloride. When using a transparent soft material for the wind shield cover 433, it is attached to the wind shield support plates 431, 431 and the position adjustment frame 432 with plastic rivets or the like, and the rear side of the machine body is wound around the load adjustment shaft 374 and the overlapping portions are fastened together with plastic rivets or the like to form a structure that is at least double-layered.

[0135] Note that the wind shield cover 433 is formed with a cutout that allows the visual recognition rotation arm 154 of the visual recognition member 155 to pass through rotatably, and a space portion that avoids the load adjustment rod 373, according to the configuration of the machine body.

[0136] The soft material wind shield cover 433 is preferably installed in a tensioned state to prevent interference with the up and down movement of the planting hoppers 20a, 20b, etc. However, if the tension is too strong, the plastic rivets may come off due to the wind pressure of strong winds and part of it may be rolled up, and the seedlings dropped and supplied to the planting hoppers 20a, 20b may be blown away by the wind. To prevent this, slits can be cut into the outer peripheral portion of the wind shield cover 433 and the portions where wind is less likely to enter, to prevent it from coming off due to wind pressure.

[0137] In the above-described working environment where the supply of seedlings by dropping is hindered by the wind, the workers who board the traveling vehicle body 40 to supply the seedlings and the seedlings loaded on the spare seedling frame 50 are also exposed to strong winds, and there is a possibility that the work efficiency may decrease due to a decrease in the perceived temperature and the dust lifted by the wind.

[0138] In order to reduce the influence of wind on the traveling vehicle body 40, as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, first cover bosses 434, 434 are provided at the front part of the machine body of the seat support frame 46a that supports the work seat 46, and a front second cover boss 435 and a rear third cover boss 436 are respectively provided on the outer sides of the left and right spare seedling frames 50, 50, and a fourth cover boss 437 is provided on the rear part side of the machine body of the seedling supply device 43. Then, mounting support shafts 438a, 438b that are vertically long in the longitudinal direction are respectively inserted into the left and right first cover bosses 434, 434 and second cover bosses 435, 435, which are provided before and after the first cover arm 438, and the second cover arm 439 is arranged across the left and right third cover bosses 436, 436 and the fourth cover boss 437 via a support column part that is vertically long in the longitudinal direction.

[0139] Note that the first cover arm 438 is an arc-shaped member obtained by cutting out about one-fourth to one-sixth of a circle, and the second cover arm 439 is an arc-shaped member obtained by cutting out about one-half to two-thirds of a circle. Also, the front mounting shaft 438a and the rear mounting shaft 438b of the first cover arm 438 are configured such that the vertical length of one of them is longer than that of the other, and even if one is completely withdrawn from the first cover boss 434 or the second cover boss 435, a part of the other is located inside the first cover boss 434 or the second cover boss 435.

[0140] Then, a windproof cover 433 made of a soft material is mounted across the outer circumferences of the left and right first cover arms 438, 438 and the second cover arm 439. At this time, the vertical length of the windproof cover 433 is set to extend from the upper surface of the side step 118 to the upper end of the spare seedling frame 50, or to protrude above the upper end of the spare seedling frame 50, making it difficult for wind and dust to affect the operator and the supplementary seedlings. Note that if only the left and right first cover arms 438, 438 and the second cover arm 439 are provided step by step in the vertical direction and the windproof cover 433 lacks tension and bends, the left and right first cover arms 438, 438 and the second cover arm 439 may be arranged at a plurality of levels in the vertical direction with intervals in the vertical direction with respect to the front mounting shaft 438a, the rear mounting shaft 438b, and the support column part.

[0141] As an example of attaching the wind shield cover 433, it is conceivable that the starting end is the inner end of one of the first cover arms 438 on the left or right side of the machine body, and the ending end is wound around the inner end of the other first cover arm 438 on the inner side of the machine body.

[0142] At this time, the vertical length of the front mounting shaft 438a is made shorter than that of the rear mounting shaft 438b. When the first cover arm 438 is lifted upward, it is configured to rotate in the outer direction of the machine body with the rear mounting shaft 438b as the rotation fulcrum. Therefore, an entrance / exit can be secured from the front part of the traveling vehicle body 40. Further, since the winding start end and the winding end of the wind shield cover 433 are the inner ends of the first cover arms 438 and 438 on the inner side of the machine body respectively, when getting on and off from the front side of the traveling vehicle body 40, one can get off from either the left or the right side.

[0143] As another arrangement of the wind shield cover 433, it is conceivable to attach it by dividing it into the left and right first cover arms 438 and 438 and the second cover arms 439 respectively. At this time, if the front mounting shaft 438a of the first cover arm 438 is made longer vertically than the rear mounting shaft 438b and the first cover arm 438 is configured to be rotatable in the outer direction of the machine body with the front mounting shaft 438a as the rotation fulcrum, an entrance / exit can be secured on the left and right sides of the traveling vehicle body 40.

[0144] In the above configuration, the wind shield cover 433 is wound in a circular shape. However, the first cover arm 438 and the second cover arm 439 may be configured by connecting bar materials, and the wind shield cover 433 may be mounted in a shape that depicts a hexagon, an octagon, or a polygon. At this time, considering the ease of getting on and off and the wind shielding effect, the polygon may be equilateral or non-equilateral.

[0145] Note that the above-mentioned wind shield cover 433 can be removed when it is not needed, such as when the wind is weak. Therefore, it is not necessary to reduce the freedom of getting on and off and the visibility when there is no influence from the wind.

[0146] Although the plurality of load adjustment rods 373... can determine the current planting depth based on the upward protrusion amount, when an operator views them from above the traveling vehicle body 40, the operator looks down diagonally from above, making it difficult to visually determine.

[0147] To make it easier for the operator on the traveling vehicle body 40 to visually determine the current planting depth, a depth display plate 450 in an inverted L-shape in side view is attached to the rear part of the seedling supply device 43 facing the rear side of the machine body, and the load adjustment rod 373 penetrates through the depth display plate 450. At this time, a scale indicating the planting depth in, for example, 1 cm units is provided on the upper side of the load adjustment rod 373 over the vertical direction, and the operator is to visually read the numerical value located on the upper surface of the depth display plate 450.

[0148] Thereby, the operator can grasp the current planting depth while remaining on the traveling vehicle body 40. So, as soon as a scale deviated from the set planting depth is visible, the operation can be immediately interrupted and correction can be made. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the seedlings from being continuously planted at a planting depth different from the set planting depth, and the planting accuracy of the seedlings is improved.

[0149] Note that the depth display plate 450 may be configured to be long in the left-right direction of the machine body, and the load adjustment rods 373... with scales may be arranged side by side so that the planting depth of each row can be visually observed.

[0150] Each seedling container 22 has a cylindrical body that opens upward and downward and a bottom cover that opens and closes the lower opening of the cylindrical body, and they are connected to each other in a loop shape.

[0151] The moving mechanism 23 rotates the connected seedling containers 22 counterclockwise in an oval loop-shaped locus that is long in the left-right direction in a plan view of the machine body in a state where the connected seedling containers 22 pass near the upper sides of the left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b.

[0152] The seedling dropping mechanism opens the bottom cover of the seedling container 22 at a position above the planting hoppers 20a and 20b corresponding to the seedling container 22.

[0153] In this embodiment, a cylindrical outer peripheral portion is formed on the outer periphery of the seedling container 22, and an engaging portion (round hole) that is rotatably connected from the outside is provided on the cylindrical outer peripheral portion, and a plurality of connecting bodies that connect two seedling containers 22 are formed. Then, the engaging portion of the connecting body is rotatably connected to the cylindrical outer peripheral portion of the seedling container 22, and with the cylindrical outer peripheral portion as the rotation axis, the adjacent seedling containers 22 are rotatably connected, and a configuration is adopted in which a plurality of seedling containers 22 are connected to each other. That is, it is a configuration in which the seedling container 22 and the connecting body are connected like an endless chain.

[0154] As a result, the distance between the seedling container 22 and the adjacent seedling container 22 does not change whether it is the linear portion 28 that moves linearly or the arcuate portion 29 that moves in an arc shape. Therefore, at the location where seedlings are supplied from the seedling container 22 to the left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b, it is difficult for a positional deviation to occur with respect to the left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b of the seedling container 22, and the seedling supply is properly performed, enabling accurate seedling planting.

[0155] The moving mechanism 23 of the seedling supply device 43 winds the seedling containers 22 that are connected to each other like an endless chain around the arc-shaped notches on the outer peripheries of the left and right sprockets, and drives and rotates the left and right sprockets with the power taken out from within the transmission case 26, thereby configuring to rotate each seedling container 22 in a circular motion.

[0156] The circular movement path along which the seedling container 22 circulates is an oval shape including a linear portion 28 that extends in the left-right direction in plan view and an arcuate portion 29 that curves in an arc shape from the linear portion 28 to the front side or the rear side by a sprocket, and is arranged inside the machine body from the left and right traveling wheels 44.

[0157] The seedling container 22 of the seedling supply device 43 moves relatively stably in a predetermined direction in the linear portion 28. However, in the arcuate portions 29 on both the left and right sides, the distance between the seedling containers 22 may become narrower or wider, imposing a load on the drive of the seedling supply device 43 and causing damage, or the timing of the dropping and supplying of the seedlings may become unstable. To prevent this, star wheels 240, 240 that rotate upon driving are provided respectively at the inner peripheral edges of a plurality of the seedling containers 22 and on both the left and right outer sides of the seedling supply device 43. Protrusions are formed at equal intervals on the outer peripheral edges of these star wheels 240, 240. By inserting these protrusions into the spaces between the seedling containers 22, the positions of the respective seedling containers 22 are maintained when passing through the arcuate portions 29 on both the left and right sides of the seedling supply device 43, thereby preventing the occurrence of overloading and the deviation in the dropping and supplying timing of the seedlings.

[0158] The operator sits on the work seat 46 or stands on the floor step 122 to perform the operation of supplying seedlings to the seedling supply device 43. However, when the supplementary seedlings run out or some problems occur, such as the continuous abnormality in the planting posture of the seedlings or the seedlings cannot be planted, etc., it is necessary to stop the running of the traveling vehicle body 40 and stop the drive of the planting hoppers 20a, 20b. Also, when the traveling speed or the lifting and lowering pace of the planting hoppers 20a, 20b is faster than the pace of the operator, it is necessary to reduce the output of the engine 41 and change it to a speed at which the work can be easily performed.

[0159] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in order to perform the above operations without getting off the floor step 122 or while remaining seated on the work seat 46, a second engine switch 408 for switching the startability of the engine 41 and performing a stop operation is provided at the front side of the machine body of the seedling supply device 43 and at one end on the left or right, that is, on the right side of the operator seated on the work seat 46. A second throttle lever 409 for increasing or decreasing the output of the engine 41 is provided at a position closer to the inner side of the machine body (the other side in the left - right direction of the machine body) than the second engine switch 408 so that it can be rotated in the left - right direction of the machine body.

[0160] Note that the second engine switch 408 has the same operation method as the first engine switch 407, but the engine 41 shall not start unless both the first engine switch 407 and the second engine switch 408 are operated to the on position.

[0161] Accordingly, when the operator holds the steering handle 404 at the rear of the machine body and steers during movement or the like, the first engine switch 407 can be used for the stop operation, and when the operator is on board the traveling vehicle body 40 during the seedling planting operation or the like, the second engine switch 408 can be turned off to stop the engine 41. Therefore, there is no need to get off the traveling vehicle body 40 during boarding and turn off the first engine switch 407, and the operation that may cause problems in planting or the machine body can be interrupted.

[0162] In addition, since the second throttle lever 409 can be operated from above the traveling vehicle body 40, there is no need to get on and off the traveling vehicle body 40 when increasing or decreasing the output of the engine 41, and the work efficiency and work accuracy are improved.

[0163] In addition, the left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b are arranged behind the position of the transmission shaft.

[0164] The seedling supply device 43 is configured such that the seedling container 22 rotates around once in accordance with the left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b to supply seedlings.

[0165] The seedlings are dropped and supplied from the seedling container 22 to the planting hoppers 20a and 20b at the first dropping supply positions 31a and the second dropping supply positions 31b, respectively.

[0166] Separate seedling containers 22 for accommodating the seedlings dropped and supplied to the left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b are provided. The bottom lids open only when the seedling container 22 comes above the corresponding left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b, and the bottom lids do not open above the non-corresponding left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b.

[0167] That is, the seedling container 22 corresponding to the planting hopper 20a has its bottom lid opened and supplies seedlings to the corresponding planting hopper 20a only when it reaches the first dropping supply position 31a, and the seedling container 22 corresponding to the planting hopper 20b has its bottom lid opened and supplies seedlings to the corresponding planting hopper 20b only when it reaches the second dropping supply position 31b.

[0168] Note that the first dropping supply position 31a and the second dropping supply position 31b are configured to be movable to corresponding positions when adjusting the row spacing between the left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b.

[0169] The operating cycle of the moving mechanism 23 is set to be synchronized with the operating cycle of the vertical movement mechanism 21. By combining the seedling containers 22 corresponding to the left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b into one seedling container unit and connecting a plurality of such seedling container units, the seedling containers 22 can pass through the left and right dropping supply positions 31a and 31b in series, and seedlings can be supplied to the left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b without causing seedling supply leakage. Also, in order to prevent the occurrence of seedling containers 22 that have not had seedlings supplied after passing through the left and right dropping supply positions 31a and 31b, it is configured to be able to supply seedlings to the left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b without omission.

[0170] The transplanter 10 of the present embodiment is provided with soil covering and compressing wheels 37, which are used for soil covering and compressing in accordance with the seedlings planted by the left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b, at positions near the left and right rear sides of each seedling planting location of the left and right planting hoppers 20a and 20b. The left and right soil covering and compressing wheels 37 are each composed of a compressing arm 370, 370 that is individually rotatable up and down, formed by bending a single bar into a J shape in plan view, and a compressing rotating body 371, 371 that is provided rotatably in a pair on the left and right at the rear side of the left and right compressing arms 370, 370.

[0171] Note that one end of the pressing arm 370 located inside the machine body is pivotally mounted on the rear side of the traveling vehicle body 40 so as to be rotatable up and down. After bending the rear part of the straight part protruding rearward upward, it is bent outward of the machine body, and further bent downward and then bent forward of the machine body at the same vertical position as the straight part inside the machine body. Among the left and right pressing rotators 371, 371, the pressing rotator 371 outside the machine body is provided on the straight part outside the machine body that bends forward of the machine body, and the pressing rotator 371 inside the machine body is mounted on the straight part inside the machine body.

[0172] With the above configuration, an avoidance part 372 protruding upward of the machine body is formed at the rear part of the pressing arm 370, and the left and right pressing rotators 371, 371 are arranged with a space therebetween. Thereby, the seedlings planted by the planting hoppers 20a, 20b are leveled with the surrounding soil while passing through the left and right spaced parts of the left and right pressing rotators 371, 371, and pass below the avoidance part 372, so that they are not pushed down by the covering and pressing wheels 37, 37, and the planting posture is prevented from being disturbed.

[0173] Note that the left and right pressing arms 370, 370 are each mounted so as to be adjustable in the left and right positions of the machine body, and are configured to be able to change the pressing position in accordance with the row spacing setting of the planting hoppers 20a, 20b. Further, if the left and right pressing rotators 371, 371 are each configured to be adjustable in the left and right positions, the soil around the seedlings after planting can be surely compacted, and the seedlings can be prevented from growing poorly due to lodging or low temperature.

[0174] In the transplanting machine of this case, a work seat 46 on which an operator sits is provided so that an operator who supplies seedlings to the seedling supply device 43 can board and perform the seedling supply work. Specifically, the work seat 46 is arranged backward at the center position of the left and right of the machine body on the front side of the seedling supply device 43. The operator sitting on the work seat 46 sits in a rearward posture facing the front side part of the seedling supply device 43, and performs the seedling supply work corresponding to the front side part of the seedling supply device 43, particularly the front straight part 28 in the circumferential movement path of the seedling container 22.

[0175] On the left and right outer sides of the operation panel 47a, a main clutch lever 125 is provided which is installed inside the mission case 39 and engages and disengages the transmission of driving force to the left and right traveling transmission cases 38 and the transmission case 26.

[0176] In the transplanter of the present invention, the operation by the operator using the operation handle 404 at the rear of the machine body is performed when moving to the field, loading and unloading from the transport means, storing in the warehouse, or turning at the edge of the field. On the other hand, during the seedling planting operation, the operator is on board the working seat 46 of the traveling vehicle body 40, and it is difficult to operate on the operation panel 47a of the operation handle 404.

[0177] Therefore, on the traveling vehicle body 40, an on-vehicle operation unit 126 for the operator on board the working seat 46 is provided.

[0178] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 11, a rear step 127 that slopes upward toward the rear side of the machine body is provided below the seedling supply device 43. On either the left or right side of the rear step 127, in this case, at the end on the right side of the machine body (left side when based on the operator seated on the working seat 46), as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 11, an on-vehicle operation unit 126 is provided.

[0179] The on-vehicle operation unit 126 has, on the outermost side of the machine body, a second vehicle height adjustment lever 128 that adjusts the vehicle height of the traveling vehicle body 40 to adjust the planting depth of the planting hoppers 20a and 20b, and a second main clutch lever 129 is arranged inside the machine body relative to the second vehicle height adjustment lever 128.

[0180] During the seedling planting operation, since it is basically not necessary to fix the vehicle height, the second vehicle height adjustment lever 128 is configured to have only a "high" position and a "low" position.

[0181] And at the outer end of the rear step 127, a vehicle height adjustment lever guide 130 that houses the second vehicle height adjustment lever 128 within the frame and forms a display scale indicating the vehicle height reference is provided in an upwardly inclined posture toward the front side of the machine body. On the inner side of the vehicle body of the vehicle height adjustment lever guide 130, a main clutch lever guide 131 that houses the second main clutch lever 129 within the frame is provided in an upwardly inclined posture toward the front side of the machine body.

[0182] Note that the second vehicle height adjustment lever 128 has a larger protrusion amount toward the front side of the machine body than the second main clutch lever 129.

[0183] Also, if the second vehicle height adjustment lever 128 and the second main clutch lever 129 are rotatably attached to the mounting support plate 105 on one side (right side of the machine body) of the machine body left and right and the front and rear beam frames 106f, 106r at the base side, there is no need to provide a separate mounting member, and the number of parts can be reduced.

[0184] Furthermore, on the other side of the machine body left and right, that is, on the left side of the machine body, rather than the upper control part 126 on the vehicle body, side clutch pedals 132L, 132R for turning on and off the left and right side clutches are provided so as to be exposed on the upper surface of the rear step 127.

[0185] The vehicle height adjustment lever guide 130 and the main clutch lever guide 131 are arranged with a certain vertical interval S between them and the upper surface of the side step 118. The above vertical interval S is set to such an extent that space is ensured even when the operator inserts their foot (for example, about 15 to 20 cm).

[0186] With the above configuration, an operator on the floor step 122 and on the working seat 46 can manually operate the planting depth and turn on and off the planting operation without getting off the traveling vehicle body 40, so the work efficiency is improved and the planting accuracy of the seedlings is improved.

[0187] In addition, by arranging the second main clutch lever 129 inside the machine body closer to the work seat 46 than the second vehicle height adjustment lever 128, the operator can easily reach the second main clutch lever 129 used during replenishment of seedlings, correction of planting conditions, breaks, etc., reducing the labor.

[0188] In particular, when a problem occurs, the seedling planting operation can be quickly interrupted, eliminating the need for replanting the seedlings and reducing the number of seedlings that are unsuitable for growth and discarded.

[0189] Also, by protruding the second vehicle height adjustment lever 128 forward of the machine body more than the second main clutch lever 129, there is no need to greatly extend the arm when operating the second vehicle height adjustment lever 128 on the far side from the work seat 46, reducing the labor of the operator.

[0190] And, by providing the left and right side clutch pedals 132L, 132R on the rear step 127, when the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body 40 is deviating from the straight-ahead direction with respect to the ridge, by operating either of the side clutch pedals 132L, 132R to temporarily disengage the corresponding side clutch, the course of the traveling vehicle body 40 can be corrected, preventing the planting position of the seedlings from meandering in the left-right direction.

[0191] In addition, by adopting a configuration in which an upper-lower interval S is formed between the vehicle height adjustment lever guide 130 and the main clutch lever guide 131, that is, between the upper and lower parts of the vehicle body upper control part 126 and the side step 118, the movement of the feet of the operator boarding the work seat 46 is not hindered, and the operator can board the control seat 46 in a comfortable posture, reducing the labor.

[0192] On both the left and right sides of the work seat 46, at a position above the transmission axle of the traveling wheel 44 in a side view of the machine body, a spare seedling frame 50 capable of accommodating the seedlings to be supplied to the seedling supply device 43 is provided.

[0193] The preliminary seedling frame 50 is provided with a support stay 52 at the upper part of a seedling-carrying support column 51 that protrudes outside the machine body of the traveling vehicle body 40, and a seedling-carrying rotating arm 53 that can be switched between a rotating state and a non-rotating state is provided on the support stay 52. The seedling-carrying rotating arm 53 is provided with vertical seedling frame frames 54, 54 spaced apart from each other, and one side end of a mounting table 55 for mounting containers such as seedling boxes and seedling trays for accommodating supplementary seedlings is mounted on the same surface of the seedling frame frames 54, 54.

[0194] Only one mounting table 55 may be provided in the vertical direction, or a plurality of mounting tables 55 may be arranged at vertical intervals that do not hinder the removal of the container.

[0195] The preliminary seedling frame 50 configured as described above is provided on both the left and right sides of the traveling vehicle body 40, and the seedling-carrying rotating arm 53 is rotated on the support stay 52 according to the situation.

[0196] For example, during the seedling planting operation, by orienting the longitudinal direction of the mounting table 55 in the longitudinal direction of the machine body, it is possible to improve the work efficiency by making it easier to take out the seedling container from the mounting table 55 or return the emptied container.

[0197] Also, at this position, since the mounting table 55 is located on both the left and right sides of the traveling vehicle body 40, it becomes easier for the operator to grasp the ends of the part of the traveling vehicle body 40 where they can board, and it is possible to prevent their feet from sticking out from the traveling vehicle body 40 and their posture from collapsing.

[0198] Also, when the operator gets on and off the traveling vehicle body 40, the seedling-carrying rotating arm 53 is rotated by about 90 degrees.

[0199] Thereby, space parts for getting on and off are formed on both the left and right sides of the traveling vehicle body 40.

[0200] In addition, although the operator can also get on and off from the front side of the traveling vehicle body 40, when the seedling mounting rotating arm 53 is rotated so that the seedling frames 54, 54 are located on the front side of the vehicle body and the mounting table 55 is located on the rear side of the vehicle body, the operator can use the seedling frames 54, 54 as handrails, so that getting on and off the traveling vehicle body 40 can be performed smoothly.

[0201] In addition, when loading or unloading the seedling container on the mounting table 55, since there is no member that obstructs the loading or unloading of the container from the rear side of the vehicle body, the work efficiency is improved.

[0202] The attachment of the work seat 46 to the traveling vehicle body 40 is U-shaped in a front view or a rear view, and is attached to the upper part of the portion in the left-right direction of the vehicle body of the seat frame 49 that straddles the vehicle body cover 48 that covers the upper part of the engine 41 and the like. At the upper part of the seat frame 49, the bases of the left and right seat stays 49a facing the front side of the vehicle body are attached, and the work seat 46 is rotatably attached in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body around the left-right rotation fulcrum on the base side of the left and right seat stays 49a.

[0203] Thereby, since the work seat 46 can be placed in a posture in contact with the vicinity of the front end of the seedling supply device 43 on the vehicle body side, it is possible to prevent sand and rainwater from adhering to the seating portion of the operator during work interruption.

[0204] When transplanting seedlings in the field, a so-called irrigation operation of supplying water to the vicinity of the planted seedlings may be performed in consideration of conditions such as the soil quality of the field, the surrounding water environment, or the weather before work.

[0205] In the transplanting machine of this case, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, water tank holders 601 for loading water tanks 600 are respectively provided on the left and right traveling transmission cases 38, 38.

[0206] The above water tank holder 601 shall be mounted via the drive shaft 12 of the traveling wheels 44. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 26 to 28, a water tank frame 602 having a shape that covers the outer periphery of the drive shaft 12 and protrudes upward is detachably mounted. A collar is provided between the bearing and the left and right sides of the water tank frame 602 so that the drive shaft 12 can drive and rotate the traveling wheels 44 without co-rotating with the water tank frame 602.

[0207] Then, a receiving shaft 606 is provided to protrude in the outer direction of the machine body above the position where it is mounted on the drive shaft 12 in the water tank frame 602, and the front and rear water tank support plates 603 of the water tank 600 are placed on the upper part of the receiving shaft 600. However, no connection is made. The front side and the rear side of the front and rear water tank support plates 603 are each bent upward to form a configuration for receiving the water tank 600.

[0208] Also, on the upper surface of the front and rear water tank support plates 603, left and right water tank support plates 607 having the longitudinal direction in the left and right direction are provided to intersect by welding or bolting, and the left and right both side portions are bent upward.

[0209] Furthermore, the upper end portion vicinity of the upward protruding portion inside the machine body of the left and right water tank support plates 607 is rotatably connected to the upper part of the water tank frame 602. That is, the left and right water tank support plates 607 and the front and rear water tank support plates 603 are configured to be suspended from the water tank frame 602 and supported from below by the receiving shaft 606.

[0210] As a result, it becomes a configuration that is less likely to be damaged even when receiving the load due to the overweight of the water tank 600.

[0211] Then, a frame-shaped water tank guard 608 that surrounds and supports the outer periphery of the water tank 600 is mounted on the upward protruding portions on both the left and right sides of the left and right water tank support plates 607 and the upward protruding portions on both the front and rear sides of the front and rear water tank support plates 603.

[0212] The above-mentioned water tank guard 608 can surely prevent the water tank 600 from falling off if it is provided near the upper ends of the upward protruding portions on both the left and right sides of the left and right water tank support plates 607 and the upward protruding portions on both the front and rear sides of the front and rear water tank support plates 603. However, since the water stored in the water tank 600 needs to be replenished, the water tank 600 needs to be detached and attached regularly. At this time, if the vertical positions of the water tank guard 608 are the same everywhere, the operator needs to lift the water tank 600 to a height higher than the vertical position of the water tank guard 608 when detaching and attaching the water tank 600, which requires additional labor.

[0213] To reduce this labor, the water tank guard 608 is configured to be connected and mounted at positions slightly below the upper ends of the upward protruding portions on the inner side of the machine body of the left and right water tank support plates 607, slightly above the upper central portions of the upward protruding portions on the outer side of the machine body of the left and right water tank support plates 607, and slightly above the upper central portions of the upward protruding portions on both the front and rear sides of the front and rear water tank support plates 603. In other words, the water tank guard 608 is mounted in an inclined posture facing downward on the outer side of the machine body.

[0214] As a result, the vertical position of the water tank guard 608 on the outer side of the machine body, which is easily accessible to the operator, becomes lower, and the water tank can be detached and attached from the diagonally forward or diagonally backward side on the outer side of the machine body that can avoid the upward protruding portions on the outer side of the left and right water tank support plates 607. Therefore, the operator can reduce the lifting distance when detaching and attaching the water tank 600, and the labor of the operator is reduced.

[0215] The transmission axle 12 that supports and drives the running wheels 44 to rotate while mounting the above-mentioned water tank frame 602 has a structure with relatively high strength. However, since there is a limit to the strength of the receiving shaft 606 and the like to continuously bear the load of the water tank 600 filled with water, it is desirable to adopt a configuration that can disperse the load.

[0216] Since the inside of the machine body of the drive shaft 12 has a strong-structured traveling transmission case 38, a load-receiving plate 610 is provided so as to protrude upward at the rear side of the machine body of this traveling transmission case 38. If the positions of the load-receiving plate 610 and the upper end portion of the water tank frame 602 are made to be approximately the same vertical position, unnecessary upward protrusion will not occur.

[0217] Note that the attachment portion of the load-receiving plate 610 is formed as a long hole 610a, and the loading angle of the water tank 600 is changed in accordance with the front-rear tilting posture of the traveling vehicle body 40 to stabilize the weight balance. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the planting angle of the seedlings from being disturbed due to the front-rear tilting of the traveling vehicle body, and the planting accuracy can be improved.

[0218] Then, the vicinity of the upper end portions of the load-receiving plate 610 and the water tank frame 602 are connected by a U-shaped load-receiving connection frame 611 in a plan view. The load-receiving connection frame 611 is arranged so as to straddle the upper part of the rear side of the traveling transmission case 38 and the traveling wheels 44.

[0219] Note that although the load-receiving plate 610 is mounted inside the machine body in FIGS. 26 to 28, when the traveling wheels 44 are mounted inside the traveling transmission case 38, when mounted outside, or when it is possible to adjust the tread, it may be made possible to be mounted outside the machine body. Therefore, at a position on the rear side and closer to the upper side of the traveling transmission case 38, attachment portions for mounting the load-receiving plates 610 on both the left and right sides are formed.

[0220] At this time, the load-receiving connection frame 611 may be configured by combining a plurality of pipes and moving either the left or right one in the left-right direction of the machine body to have a left-right width that matches the left-right interval between the load-receiving plate 610 and the water tank frame 602. However, in order to receive the load more reliably, it is more desirable to adopt a configuration in which it is replaced with another load-receiving connection frame 611 obtained by bending a single pipe having different left-right widths.

[0221] In the above configuration, since both the water tank frame 602 and the load receiving plate 610 are detachably configured, when moving the aircraft by a truck or the like, it is possible to easily remove the water tank stay 601 and make the left and right width of the aircraft compact.

[0222] In the above, by lowering the vertical positions on the outer side of the aircraft body of the water tank guard 608, it is easy to take out the water tank 600 from the diagonally forward or diagonally backward of the outer side of the aircraft body of the water tank stay 601, and the detachment of the water tank 600 is prevented. From here, another configuration example is shown in which the water tank 600 can be made without more labor, that is, the height to be lifted upward during attachment and detachment can be lowered.

[0223] As shown in FIG. 29, an L-shaped water tank guard 612 is connected to the upward protruding portions on the inner side of the aircraft body of the left and right water tank support plates 607 and the upward protruding portions on the rear side of the aircraft body of the front and rear water tank support plates 603 in a plan view.

[0224] This L-shaped water tank guard 612 has a structure that receives the inner side and the rear part of the water tank 600, but does not receive the outer side and the front of the aircraft body. Therefore, when attaching and detaching the water tank 600, it is only necessary to lift the water tank 600 slightly above the height at which the water tank stay 601 is mounted, and the labor can be reduced.

[0225] At this time, in order to prevent the water tank 600 from falling off from the outer side or the front side of the aircraft body during work or the like, at the rear side and the outer side of the aircraft body of the L-shaped water tank guard 612, the base of a guard belt 613 made of a member having a certain degree of flexibility such as rubber or a chain is mounted. An attachment hook 614 is provided on the end side of this guard belt 613, and by hooking the attachment hook 614 to a hook receiving portion 615 provided on the front side and the inner side of the aircraft body of the L-shaped water tank guard 612, the guard belt 613 receives the front side and the outer side of the water tank 600 to prevent it from falling off.

[0226] Note that a plurality of hook receivers 615 may be provided in the front-rear direction, or may be configured to be movable to an arbitrary position in the front-rear direction, and may be configured to be adjustable according to the left-right width and front-rear length of the water tank 600.

[0227] The water for irrigation stored in the water tank 600 is pumped up by the operation of an irrigation pump 700 provided near the center in the front-rear direction at the bottom of the traveling vehicle body 40, and is discharged to the positions where the planting hoppers 20a and 20b plant the seedlings. The irrigation pump 700 is arranged according to the number of the planting hoppers 20a and 20b, and is arranged on the left and right with a space therebetween with reference to the center portion in the left-right direction of the traveling vehicle body 40.

[0228] Although it is also possible to configure such that a hose is attached to the irrigation pump 700 and water is discharged from the sprinkler nozzle 710 via the irrigation pump 700 from the water tank 600, a part of the water sent out in the discharge direction may be returned to the water tank 600 side due to the operation of the gear pump 800 of the irrigation pump 700. As a result, the amount of irrigation water supplied to the field per time is reduced, and there is a risk that the growth of the seedlings may be delayed due to water shortage, or the quality of the harvested product may be deteriorated due to poor growth.

[0229] To prevent this, check valves 720 for restricting the water supply direction to one side are respectively provided at the lower portions outside the machine body of the left and right side steps 118. The water supply side of the water tank 600 and the check valve 720 are connected by a suction hose 721, and the drain side of the check valve 720 and the drain nozzle 710 are connected by a drain hose 722. Further, the check valve 720 and the irrigation pump 700 are connected by a relay hose 723.

[0230] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, first, a water suction check valve 724 and a drain check valve 725 that allow water to be sent from the front side to the rear side of the machine body are arranged vertically and mounted on the lower part of the outer end of the side step 118 outside the machine body. Then, one side of the water suction hose 721 is inserted into the water tank 600, and the other side is connected to the inlet of the water suction check valve 724, that is, the front side of the machine body. One side of the drain hose 722 is connected to the outlet of the drain check valve 725, that is, the rear side of the machine body, and the other side is connected to the drain nozzle 710.

[0231] The irrigation pump 700 is equipped with the base side of the first relay hose 723a in the left - right direction of the machine body, and the convergent port of the bifurcated joint 723d in a Y - shape is mounted on the end side. Then, a second relay hose 723b is provided between the water suction port of the bifurcated joint 723d and the outlet (rear side of the machine body) of the water suction check valve 724, and a third relay hose 723c is provided between the drain port of the bifurcated joint 723d and the inlet (front side of the machine body) of the drain check valve 725.

[0232] Note that the drain nozzle 710 may directly supply water to the field, but it may also be configured to pour water into the inside from the upper openings of the planting hoppers 20a and 20b with a certain water pressure and use it to remove the mud adhering to the inside of the planting hoppers 20a and 20b.

[0233] As a result, while the planting hoppers 20a and 20b are open, there is no need for a scraper to enter the inside to remove mud, so the number of parts can be reduced.

[0234] If the above - mentioned scraper moves along a predetermined trajectory in conjunction with the raising and lowering of the planting hoppers 20a and 20b, the parts of the mechanism for raising and lowering along the predetermined trajectory can be reduced, so a significant reduction in the number of parts and a simplification of the machine body configuration can be achieved.

[0235] Furthermore, since the mud can be returned to the field by irrigation, it is possible to prevent the contamination of the outside of the field by the mud and reduce the outflow of nutrients in the field.

[0236] With the above configuration, since the check valve 720 is arranged in the space on the left and right outer sides of the machine body, it is easy to investigate the cause and perform maintenance work when problems such as clogging occur, reducing labor and shortening the working time.

[0237] In addition, since the water supply directions of the water absorption check valve 724 and the drainage check valve 725 are arranged to be the same, it is difficult to misalign the mounting direction during the assembly work after disassembly, improving the work efficiency.

[0238] Also, since the check valve 720 is arranged behind the water tank 600, in front of the planting hoppers 20a and 20b, and outside the machine body of the irrigation pump 700, the bending of the water absorption hose 721, the drainage hose 722, the first relay hose 723a, the second relay hose 723b, and the third relay hose 723c can be minimized, and an arrangement where they do not easily overlap can be achieved.

[0239] If the water absorption check valve 724 and the drainage check valve 725 are made of transparent cylinders and the internal springs and backflow prevention balls can be confirmed from the outside, the water supply direction can be visually recognized, and it becomes even more difficult to make a mounting mistake.

[0240] As shown in Fig. 24, for the above gear pump 800, a joint 802 is attached to its input shaft 801, and this joint 802 and the engine output shaft 803 that transmits the driving force of the engine 41 are respectively inserted into the shaft holes of the irrigation input gear 804. In other words, the irrigation input gear 804 becomes a coupling member that connects the input shaft 801 and the engine output shaft 803. This irrigation input gear 804 is mounted via a bearing 805, and a collar 806 for protecting the engine output shaft 803 from contact with foreign matters such as earth and sand and weeds is provided on the outer periphery of the part of the engine output shaft 803 that does not enter the shaft hole of the irrigation input gear 804.

[0241] Then, in order to synchronize the rotation of the input shaft 801 and the engine output shaft 803, at least the portion of the engine output shaft 803 that enters the shaft hole of the irrigation input gear 804 is formed to have a diameter smaller than the diameter of the shaft hole, and a key 807 is attached to this smaller diameter portion. On the other hand, a key groove into which the key 807 is inserted is formed in the joint 802, and one end of the key 807 that protrudes beyond the end of the smaller diameter portion of the engine output shaft 803 is inserted into the key groove.

[0242] As a result, the power of the engine 41 is surely transmitted to the gear pump 800, so that a fixed amount of water is supplied by the irrigation pump 700, and water can be surely supplied to the planted seedlings.

[0243] Note that the smaller diameter portion of the engine output shaft 803 described above has a part of the shaft made smaller in diameter, and it is sufficient to provide one key 807. However, in that case, the width of the key 807 needs to be widened, and the key groove of the joint 802 also has to be formed offset, resulting in a structure with a bias in strength.

[0244] Instead of the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 25, the smaller diameter portion of the engine output shaft 803 may be formed by evenly cutting the shaft diameter, and a pair of keys 807 may be provided at positions symmetric with respect to the shaft center of the engine output shaft 803. At that time, key grooves are also formed in the joint 802 at positions symmetric with respect to the shaft center of the joint 802, and the keys 807 are inserted into these key grooves 802a and connected respectively.

[0245] As a result, a configuration in which bias in strength is less likely to occur is obtained, so that durability is improved.

Industrial Applicability

[0246] The transplanter according to the present invention can be applied to improving the ease of getting on and off a transplanter for transplanting seedlings, etc., and has high industrial applicability.

Explanation of Signs

[0247] 12 Transmission axle (axle) 20a Planting hopper (planting device) 20b Planting Hopper (Planting Device) 38 Travel Transmission Case 40 Travel Vehicle Body 44 Travel Wheels (Travel Device) 600 Water Tank 601 Water Tank Stand 602 Water Tank Frame 603 Front and Rear Water Tank Support Plates (Water Tank Support Members) 606 Receiving Shaft (Receiving Member) 607 Left and Right Water Tank Support Plates (Water Tank Support Members) 608 Water Tank Guard (Guard Body) 610 Load Receiving Plate 612 Load Receiving Connecting Frame (Connecting Frame)

Claims

【Claim 1】 a planting device (20a, 20b) for planting seedlings in a field on a traveling vehicle body (40), and a steering handle (404) for performing operations such as turning is provided at the rear of the vehicle body of the traveling vehicle body (40), the steering handle (404) is configured to extend rearward of the vehicle body to the left and right of the vehicle body with a handle frame (402) protruding in a shape that draws an arc upward and rearward of the vehicle body side as a center, the front end portions of the left and right steering handles (404) are connected, and step frames (411) are respectively arranged downward from a connecting frame (410) extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, the step frame (411) is provided with an auxiliary step (412) that assists in lifting the front part of the vehicle body of the traveling vehicle body (40) by stepping on it during turning, a control panel (47a) is provided at the rear of the handle frame (402), and the step frame (411) and the auxiliary step (412) are provided below the control panel (47a), a transmission case (26) for operating the planting devices (20a, 20b) is provided, and a connecting plate (400) is provided on the transmission case (26), a step reinforcing member (413) is provided on the step frame (411), and the step reinforcing member (413) and the connecting plate (400) are connected by a reinforcing rod (414), characterized in that it is a transplanter.

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