Seedling transplanter

Abstract

To provide a seedling transplanter that can efficiently transplant sweet potato seedlings with long vines, and can be switched for transplantation work of short sweet potato seedlings.SOLUTION: A seedling transplanter 1 that transplants seedlings by charging them into a planting implement 28 lifting and lowering with a lifting and lowering link mechanism 29 is so constituted that: a charge chute 5 expanded upward is disposed on a supply port of the planting implement 28; a rear side chute guide 4R of the charge chute 5 is largely inclined backward; and a lateral face chute guide 4L to which a lateral face of the charge chute 5 at a counter arm 79 side of the lifting and lowering link mechanism 29 for lifting and lowering the planting implement 28 is fitted is perpendicularly raised, and is inclined sideward after avoiding the counter arm 79 so as to expand the charge chute 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a seedling transplanter for transplanting seedlings including sweet potato seedlings into fields.

Background Art

[0002] As prior art documents, the seedling transplanter is described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2. The seedling transplanter is a walking type seedling transplanter in which a seedling transplanting tool for supplying transplanted seedlings moves up and down while an operator follows and walks behind the machine body, and automatically transplants the seedlings.

[0003] The seedling transplanter described in the prior patent document 1 has a seedling supply device having a conveyor belt with crossbars provided at predetermined intervals on the outer peripheral surface. An operator holds one end of a sweet potato seedling with a seedling holder and places it thereon. The upper and lower conveying part conveys the seedling to a position where the seedling planting device on the lower side of the machine body takes out the seedling, and supplies the taken-out seedling to the seedling planting device to plant it in the field.

[0004] The seedling transplanter described in the prior patent document 2 circulates seedlings on a seedling supply table, and drops and supplies the seedlings to a seedling planting device that moves up and down along a certain locus to plant them in the field.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The seedlings transplanted by the seedling transplanter of the present invention are obtained by cutting the vines of sweet potatoes at a predetermined position, sticking them into the seedling-growing soil, and growing them until the appropriate transplanting time, and are approximately 25 to 30 cm long. Therefore, when trying to plant these seedlings with the transplanter of Prior Patent Document 2, the upper side of the long seedlings protrudes from the planting hopper, and when the planting hopper opens for transplanting, the seedlings get entangled in the planting hopper and cannot fall, and transplantation may not be performed.

[0007] Also, when the timing for the seedlings to come out of the planting hopper is delayed, when the planting hopper closes, a part of the seedlings is pinched and pulled up, resulting in not only the problem that the seedlings cannot be planted but also the problem that the seedlings are damaged.

[0008] In the transplanter of Prior Patent Document 1, the transmission system that determines the trajectory of the seedling planting device is fixed to oblique planting or bottom planting like a ship's bottom. When making it vertical upward, the transmission system has to be disassembled and a large number of parts have to be replaced, and it is necessary to consume a large amount of time and labor.

[0009] Also, in the transplanter of Prior Patent Document 2, since the seedlings are planted in a substantially vertical posture similar to the planting device of the conventional transplanter, it is only possible to transplant the seedlings that are 15 to 20 cm shorter than the conventional ones.

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a seedling transplanter that can efficiently transplant long-vine sweet potato seedlings and can also be switched for transplanting short-stemmed sweet potato seedlings.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] The above problems of the present invention are solved by the following technical means.

[0012] The first invention of the present invention is In a seedling transplanter (1) that plants seedlings by feeding them into a planting tool (28) that moves up and down by a lifting link mechanism (29), an input chute (5) that expands upward is provided above the supply port of the planting tool (28). The side chute guide (4L) that attaches to the side surface of the input chute (5) on the counter arm (79) side of the lifting link mechanism (29) that raises and lowers the planting tool (28) is vertically erected to avoid the counter arm (79), and then inclined laterally to expand the input chute (5). This is a seedling transplanter characterized by this. The second invention of the present invention is In a seedling transplanter (1) that plants seedlings by feeding them into a planting tool (28) that moves up and down by a lifting link mechanism (29), an input chute (5) that expands upward is provided above the supply port of the planting tool (28). The input chute (5) is attached to the front, rear, left, and right chute guides (4F, 4R, 4L, 4R) with rivets (9). The front and rear chute guides (4F, 4R) are attached only at the top with rivets (9), and the left and right chute guides (4L, 4R) are attached at the top and bottom with rivets (9). This is a seedling transplanter characterized by this. The first invention related to the present inventionIn a seedling transplanter (1) that plants seedlings by feeding the seedlings into a planting tool (28) that is lifted and lowered by a lifting link mechanism (29), the seedling transplanter is characterized in that a feeding chute (5) that expands upward is provided above the supply port of the planting tool (28).

[0013] The second invention related to the present invention It is characterized in that the rear chute guide (4R) of the feeding chute (5) is inclined significantly rearward. The first invention related to the present invention as the seedling transplanter.

[0014] The third invention related to the present invention The side chute guide (4L) for attaching the side surface of the feeding chute (5) on the counter arm (79) side of the lifting link mechanism (29) for lifting and lowering the planting tool (28) is vertically erected to avoid the counter arm (79) and then inclined laterally to expand the feeding chute (5). The first invention related to the present invention as the seedling transplanter.

[0015] The fourth invention related to the present invention The feeding chute (5) is attached to the front, rear, left, and right chute guides (4F, 4R, 4L, 4R) with rivets (9). The front and rear chute guides (4F, 4R) are attached only at the upper part with rivets (9), and the left and right chute guides (4L, 4R) are attached at the upper and lower parts with rivets (9). The first invention related to the present invention as the seedling transplanter.

[0016] The fifth invention related to the present invention It is characterized in that a soil gathering tool (86) for pushing back the soil that bulges after transplantation to the ridge surface and a pressing wheel (15) for pressing the pushed soil are provided at the rear of the planting tool (28) that is lifted and lowered by the lifting link mechanism (29). Any one of the first to fourth inventions related to the present invention as the seedling transplanter.

Advantages of the Invention

[0017] In the first invention of the present invention, sweet potato seedlings are guided to the bottom of the planting tool (28), and during planting, the seedlings are sent into the soil of the ridge. There is no remaining sweet potato seedlings in the planting tool (28), and transplantation is performed well. Furthermore, the side chute guide (4L) provided to avoid the counter arm (79) of the lifting link mechanism (29) allows the side surface of the input chute (5) to expand without interfering with the lifting and lowering operation of the lifting link mechanism (29), making it easy to feed sweet potato seedlings with the expanded input chute (5). In the second invention of the present invention, sweet potato seedlings are guided to the bottom of the planting tool (28), and during planting, the seedlings are sent into the soil of the ridge. There is no remaining sweet potato seedlings in the planting tool (28), and transplantation is performed well. Furthermore, the installation of the input chute (5) is reliable, the seedlings can be reliably guided to the planting tool (28), and the seedling planting work is stabilized. The first invention related to the present inventionWhen the sweet potato vine is put into the planter (28), it is guided by the expanded input chute (5) and put into the planter (28). Therefore, the sweet potato vine is guided to the bottom of the planter (28), and when planting, the seedling is sent into the soil of the ridge, and no sweet potato vine remains in the planter (28), so the transplantation is carried out well.

[0018] The second invention related to the present invention When supplying the seedlings of the planter (28) from the rear side of the working machine, the rear chute guide (4R) that opens wide backward expands the input chute (5) to make it easier to put in the seedlings, and the seedlings can be supplied surely.

[0019] The third invention related to the present invention The side surface of the input chute (5) is provided with a side chute guide (4L) provided while avoiding the counter arm (79) of the lifting link mechanism (29). The sweet potato vine can be easily put into the expanded input chute (5) without hindering the lifting operation of the lifting link mechanism (29).

[0020] The fourth invention related to the present invention The sweet potato vine put into the input chute (5) is guided by the front and rear surfaces of the input chute (5). However, only the upper parts of the front and rear surfaces of the input chute (5) are attached by rivets (9), so the leaves are not easily entangled, and the left and right side surfaces of the input chute (5) with less contact with the sweet potato vine are firmly attached to the upper and lower parts by rivets (9). Therefore, the installation of the input chute (5) is reliable, the seedlings can be surely guided to the planter (28), and the seedling planting work is stabilized.

[0021] The fifth invention related to the present invention After the sweet potato vine is inserted into the soil of the ridge by the planter (28), the raised soil is pushed onto the ridge surface by the soil pusher (86) and compacted by the compaction wheel (15), so that the ridge after transplantation is stable and the growth of the seedlings is improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] Hereinafter, based on the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic left side view of the seedling transplanter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the seedling transplanter shown in FIG. 1.

[0025] In this specification, when referring to "front" or "rear", the side where the steering handle is arranged is referred to as "rear", and the side where the engine is arranged is referred to as "front". On the other hand, when referring to "right" or "left", looking from the rear of the machine body towards the front of the machine body, the right hand side is referred to as "right", and the left hand side is referred to as "left".

[0026] The seedling transplanter according to this embodiment is for transplanting sweet potato seedlings which are vine-shaped seedlings, and the length of the vine-shaped seedlings is about 15 cm in the case of small seedlings.

[0027] Small sweet potato seedlings are grown as follows, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2016-123359.

[0028] Seeds of rice, which are plants for forming root balls, are sown in a plurality of cells formed vertically and horizontally in a seedling tray, and rice seedlings are raised in a temperature-controlled seedling raising house or the like until they germinate. Then, sweet potato seedlings for transplanting are transplanted one by one into each cell.

[0029] In the seedling raising house, rice seedlings and sweet potato seedlings are raised in the same cell. As the roots of the rice seedlings grow, root balls are formed, and the roots of the sweet potato seedlings grow slightly to about 15 cm, at which point the seedling raising is completed.

[0030] According to this seedling raising method, after raising rice seedlings for root ball formation in a predetermined quantity or for a predetermined period, sweet potato seedlings are raised in the same cell. Therefore, before the roots of the sweet potato seedlings grow too much, the sweet potato seedlings can be taken out of the cell and transplanted to the field, suppressing the sweet potatoes cultivated in the field from becoming small or deformed, and enabling the cultivation of sweet potatoes suitable for raw consumption.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, the seedling transplanter 1 according to this embodiment includes a traveling vehicle body 10, the traveling vehicle body 10 includes an engine 11, a main transmission case 12, a pair of left and right front wheels 13 as traveling wheels, a pair of left and right rear wheels 14 which are traveling wheels and serve as traveling propulsion bodies, a planting device 19, a seedling supply unit 31, a soil gathering tool 86 for gathering the soil that has swelled after transplantation to the ridge surface, a pressing wheel 15 that functions as a pressing tool for pressing the ridge surface after transplantation, and a steering handle 16. The soil gathering tool 86 is a plate body provided on the left and right so as to gather the soil with its raised front end.

[0032] The seedling transplanter 1 according to this embodiment is configured such that the front wheels 13 and the rear wheels 14 travel in the grooves of the ridge U so that the traveling machine body straddles the ridge U in the field, and seedlings are planted by the planting device 19 at the central position in the left-right width direction of the upper surface of the ridge U.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 2, extension cases 40 that can rotate vertically with respect to the main transmission case 12 are provided at the left and right ends of the main transmission case 12, respectively, and traveling transmission cases 20 are attached to the respective ends of the left and right extension cases 40. Therefore, the power in the main transmission case 12 input from the prime mover 11 is configured to be transmitted into the traveling transmission case 20.

[0034] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, left and right rear wheels 14 are attached to the rotating tip ends of the traveling transmission case 20, and the machine body is configured to travel by driving the left and right rear wheels 14. The main transmission case 12, the extension case 40, and the traveling transmission case 20 function as a transmission device that transmits power to the rear wheels 14 as traveling wheels.

[0035] On the other hand, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a front wheel support frame 41 extending in the left - right direction is rotatably provided around a rolling shaft 18 in the front - rear direction below the engine mounting table 91, and left and right front wheels 13 are attached to both left and right ends of the front wheel support frame 41.

[0036] Also, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a rear frame 21 extending in the left - right direction is fixed to the rear end of the main transmission case 12, and a main frame 22 extending in the front - rear direction is provided at a position on the right side of the machine body at the right end of the rear end face of the rear frame 21. A steering handle 16 is provided at the rear end of the main frame 22, and the steering handle 16 is configured to be supported by the main transmission case 12 via the main frame 22 and the rear frame 21. The front lower end of the planting transmission case 26 is placed on the upper surface on the right side of the rear frame 21, and the planting transmission case 26 is fixed.

[0037] Furthermore, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a hydraulic lifting cylinder 23 is provided at the rear side and the central portion in the left - right direction of the main transmission case 12. The hydraulic lifting cylinder 23 is fixed to a hydraulic switching valve portion 24 attached to the main transmission case 12, and the hydraulic lifting cylinder 23 is operated by switching the oil passage from a hydraulic pump 92 attached to the main transmission case 12 by the hydraulic switching valve portion 24.

[0038] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, a horizontal bar 43 extending left and right is provided at the rear end of the cylinder rod of the hydraulic lift cylinder 23. One ends of a left rear wheel lift rod 44 and a right rear wheel lift rod 45 serving as rods are respectively connected to the left and right ends of the horizontal bar 43. The other ends of the left wheel lift rod 44 and the right rear wheel lift rod 45 are pivotally attached to upper arms 40a attached to respective extension cases 40, and the horizontal bar 43 and the extension cases 40 are connected. Therefore, with the expansion and contraction of the hydraulic lift cylinder 23, the traveling transmission case 20 is rotated around the left and right output shafts of the main transmission case 12 via the horizontal bar 43, the left rear wheel lift rod 44, and the right rear wheel lift rod 45. With the rotation of the traveling transmission case 20, the rear wheels 14 move up and down, and the traveling body is configured to move up and down. Note that the cylinder rod of the hydraulic lift cylinder 23, the horizontal bar 43, the left rear wheel lift rod 44, and the right rear wheel lift rod 45 are configured to be positioned below a lift link mechanism 29 described later in a side view of the body depending on the advanced position of the cylinder rod, effectively utilizing the space and making the body more compact.

[0039] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, a left and right tilt hydraulic cylinder 25 that is operated by the hydraulic pressure from a hydraulic pump 92 is provided at an intermediate portion of the left rear wheel lift rod 44 so that the left rear wheel lift rod 44 expands and contracts. With the expansion and contraction of the left and right tilt hydraulic cylinder 25, the left rear wheel 14 is moved up and down with respect to the vertical position of the right rear wheel 14, and the traveling body is configured to be controlled to a desired left and right tilt posture regardless of the unevenness of the trough portion of the ridge U. A pendulum-type left and right tilt sensor 42 is provided on the right side of the main transmission case 12. Based on the detection result of the left and right tilt sensor 42, the left and right tilt hydraulic cylinder 25 is operated via a left and right tilt switching valve provided in a hydraulic switching valve portion 24, and the traveling body is configured to be controlled to a desired left and right tilt posture.

[0040] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, power from within the main transmission case 12 is transmitted to the planting device 19 via a planting transmission case 26 provided at the rear of the main transmission case 12 and a planting device drive case 27 attached to the planting transmission case 26, so that the planting device 19 operates to plant seedlings one by one into furrows U in the field.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 1, the planting device 19 is equipped with a cup-shaped planting tool 28 with a pointed lower tip, and a lifting link mechanism 29 that raises and lowers the planting tool 28. The tip (lower end) of the planting tool 28 is configured to repeatedly move downward at the front and upward at the rear as the planting tool 28 is raised and lowered, tracing a loop-shaped trajectory T whose width in the front-to-rear direction is greater at the bottom than at the top.

[0042] The seedling supply section that supplies seedlings to the planting device 19 includes a seedling supply guide 33 that supplies seedlings to the planting tool 28 and an auxiliary guide 34 that guides the seedlings to the seedling supply guide 33.

[0043] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the seedling supply guide 33 and the auxiliary guide 34, and FIG. 4 is a schematic vertical sectional view of FIG.

[0044] 3 and 4, the seedling supply guide 33 is made of a hard plastic tubular member and has an elliptical cross section, the cross section of which is maximum at the upper opening 33A at the top and gradually decreases downward, with the cross section of the lower opening 33B facing the planting tool 28 being the smallest. The auxiliary guide 34 is a soft plastic tubular member having an upper opening 34A at the top through which the worker inserts the seedlings and a lower opening 34B at the bottom that is connected to the upper opening 33A of the seedling supply guide 33, and has an elliptical cross section that is long in the front-to-rear direction and is configured so that the cross section is maximum at the upper opening 34A and gradually decreases to the smallest at the lower opening 34B.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cross-sectional area of the lower opening 34B of the auxiliary guide 34 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the upper opening 33A of the seedling supply guide 33, and the outer wall of the lower end of the lower opening 34B of the auxiliary guide 34 is configured to be in surface contact with the inner wall of the upper end of the upper opening 33A of the seedling supply guide 33. Therefore, when the operator puts the seedlings into the auxiliary guide 34, the seedlings can be smoothly sent into the seedling supply guide 33.

[0046] In this way, by providing the auxiliary guide 34 having a substantially elliptical cross-section that is long in the front-rear direction, even if the long seedlings are in a front-rear inclined posture, they can be supplied to the seedling supply guide 33 via the auxiliary guide 34. Also, since the auxiliary guide 34 is formed of a soft plastic, by elastically deforming the auxiliary guide 34 and bringing it into contact with the inner surface of the seedling supply guide 33, it is possible to prevent the formation of steps or the like that prevent the seedlings from falling between the auxiliary guide 34 and the seedling supply guide 33.

[0047] A flat seedling placing table 7 is provided from the planting transmission case 26 surrounding the periphery of the seedling supply guide 33, and the sweet potato seedlings taken out from the seedling supply table 8 are once placed on the seedling placing table 7 and then put into the seedling supply guide 33.

[0048] Such a working mode of supplying sweet potato seedlings to the seedling supply guide 33 is carried out with small sweet potato seedlings. Next, the transplanting mode with long sweet potato seedlings will be described.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 1, a feed chute 5 is provided so as to protrude from the inside of the seedling table 7 to a chute frame 2 supported by a planting transmission case 26 and located above an auxiliary guide 34. As shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the chute frame 2 is provided with a seedling guide 3 downward and chute guides 4F, 4R, 4L, and 4R that project upward from the front, rear, left, and right. A funnel-shaped feed chute 5 that opens upward with a resin film is attached to these chute guides 4F, 4R, 4L, and 4R with rivets 9. The front chute guide 4F is slightly inclined forward and upward, the rear chute guide 4B is greatly inclined rearward, the right chute guide 4R is slightly inclined rightward and upward, and the left chute guide 4L opens to the left side after standing upright while avoiding the elevating link mechanism 29 of the planter 28.

[0050] Fig. 8 is a schematic side view of the elevating link mechanism 29.

[0051] The elevating link mechanism 29, which is a link mechanism, has its upper end portions rotatably connected to a swing cam drive shaft 62 and an upper rear shaft 60 of a planting device drive case 27, respectively, and its lower end portions rotatably connected to a lower front shaft 63 and a lower rear shaft 65 by a connecting support plate 68, respectively, and includes a front swing arm 50 and a rear swing arm 51 provided in parallel front and rear. Further, upper arms 52 and lower arms 53 are provided, with their front ends rotatably connected to an upper shaft 64 and a lower rear shaft 65 of the connecting support plate 68, respectively, and their rear ends rotatably connected to a rotating upper shaft 73 and a rotating lower shaft 74 provided on a support plate 72 of the planter 28, respectively.

[0052] The elevating link mechanism 29 further includes a crank arm 55 whose base is fixed and rotated to a crank arm drive shaft 61 protruding from a side surface (left side) of the planting device drive case 27, and a connecting arm 56 whose one end is rotatably pivotally supported by a first connecting shaft 66 provided at the tip of the crank arm 55 and whose other end is rotatably connected to a second connecting shaft 67 provided at an intermediate portion in the front-rear direction of the lower arm 53.

[0053] The elevating link mechanism 29 also includes a swing drive cam 54 that is fixed to and rotates with the swing cam drive shaft 62. A rotation roller 57 is rotatably provided at an intermediate portion of the rear swing arm 51 near the upper rear shaft 60 so as to abut against the peripheral edge of the swing drive cam 54.

[0054] The elevating link mechanism 29 further includes a tension spring provided between a support pin provided on the planting device drive case 27 and the lower end portion of the rear swing arm 51, which biases the front swing arm 50 and the rear swing arm 51 forward and brings the swing drive cam 54 and the rotation roller 57 into contact with each other.

[0055] FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view of the planting device 19, and FIG. 10 is a schematic rear view of the planting device 19.

[0056] The lower part of the beak-shaped planting tool 28 is composed of a beak-shaped left planting hopper 70L and a beak-shaped right planting hopper 70R. As will be described later, when the left planting hopper 70L and the right planting hopper 70R are in a closed state, the planting tool 28 holds the seedlings inside, and when the left planting hopper 70L and the right planting hopper 70R open left and right, it is configured to plant the seedlings in the ridge U.

[0057] Here, the left planting hopper 70L and the right planting hopper 70R of the planting tool 28 are opened and closed as follows. The planting tool 28 is configured to receive the seedlings from the seedling supply guide 33 and open at a predetermined position to plant the seedlings in the ridge U.

[0058] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, a counter arm 79 for the opening and closing operation of the planting tool 28 is rotatably provided on a rotation upper shaft 73 provided at one end portion (rear end portion) of the upper arm 52. An opening and closing arm 76 is rotatably provided on an upper shaft 64 provided at the other end portion (front end portion) of the upper arm 52, and the opening and closing arm 76 and the counter arm 79 are connected by a connecting rod 78. Further, a pin 80 is provided on the counter arm 79.

[0059] In addition, together with the oscillating drive cam 54, an opening / closing drive cam 75 that is fixed to the oscillating cam drive shaft 62 and rotates is provided. An opening / closing roller 77 that contacts the peripheral edge of the opening / closing drive cam 75 is rotatably provided on the opening / closing arm 76. As the oscillating cam drive shaft 62 rotates, the opening / closing drive cam 75 rotates, and thereby the opening / closing arm 76 is actuated via the opening / closing roller 77.

[0060] When opening and closing the left planting hopper 70L and the right planting hopper 70R of the planter 28, the counter arm 79 is operated in parallel with the opening / closing arm 76 via the connecting rod 78, and the opening / closing arm 76 is operated by the opening / closing drive cam 75 via the opening / closing roller 77. With such a configuration, the opening / closing timing and the opening / closing amount can be set with high precision by the opening / closing drive cam 75 having a simple shape.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 10, the planter 28 is provided with a left holder 71L and a right holder 71R. The left holder 71L is integrally fixed to the left planting hopper 70L, and the right holder 71R is integrally fixed to the right planting hopper 70R. The left holder 71L is configured to rotate around the left fulcrum shaft 125 in the front-rear direction, and the right holder 71R is configured to rotate around the right fulcrum shaft 126 in the front-rear direction. The left holder 71L and the right holder 71R are connected by an interlocking shaft 127 provided at the central position in the left-right direction of the planter 28. In addition, an opening / closing rod 131 extending in the vertical direction is connected to a rotation operation arm 128 provided integrally with the left holder 71L, and a pin 80 of the counter arm 79 is connected to the opening / closing rod 131. An opening / closing spring 130 is provided between the left holder 71L and the right holder 71R. By the spring force of the opening / closing spring 130, the left beak member 70L and the right beak member 70R are pressed against each other inward in the left-right direction, and the lower part (the left planting hopper 70L and the right planting hopper 70R) of the planter 28 is configured to close. Further, by the spring force of the opening / closing spring 130, the opening / closing roller 77, and further the opening / closing arm 76 are pressed against the opening / closing drive cam 75 side (upper side).

[0062] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, when the opening / closing drive cam 75 rotates as the swing cam drive shaft 62 rotates, the opening / closing roller 77 moves along the peripheral shape of the opening / closing drive cam 75, and the opening / closing arm 76 is swung. Along with the swinging of the opening / closing arm 76, the connecting rod 78 moves rearward, the counter arm 79 rotates, the opening / closing rod 131 moves in the vertical direction, and the left holder 71L is rotated via the rotation operation arm 128. At the same time, the right holder 71R is rotated via the interlocking shaft 127, and the left holder 71L and the right holder 71R are rotated to symmetric positions with respect to each other left and right, and the lower part of the planter 28 (the left planting hopper 70L and the right planting hopper 70R) is opened and closed. Specifically, as the connecting rod 78 moves forward, the opening / closing rod 131 is moved upward, and the lower part of the planter 28 (the left planting hopper 70L and the right planting hopper 70R) is opened. When the planter 28 is lifted, a local protrusion on the outer periphery of the opening / closing drive cam 75 temporarily opens the lower part of the planter 28 wide so that a separately provided scraper for cleaning can pass through the planter 28 in the vertical direction.

[0063] In the seedling transplanter according to the present embodiment, the lower end of the planter 28 is moved along a locus T as follows by the lifting link mechanism 29.

[0064] When the swing cam drive shaft 62 rotates in the B direction, the swing drive cam 54 fixed to the swing cam drive shaft 62 rotates in the B direction, and the front swing arm 50 and the rear swing arm 51 swing back and forth via the rotation roller 57 that contacts the swing drive cam 54.

[0065] On the other hand, when the crank arm drive shaft 61 rotates, the crank arm 55 fixed to the crank arm drive shaft 61 rotates in the C direction, and the lower arm 53 and the upper arm 52 swing up and down via the connecting arm 56.

[0066] Here, since the front swing arm 50, the rear swing arm 51, the upper arm 52, and the lower arm 53 are all parallel link mechanisms, the planter 28 maintains a vertically oriented posture, and its lower end operates while tracing the planting locus T, enabling the seedlings received in the planter 28 to be planted in the ridge U in an appropriate posture.

[0067] In this way, when descending from near the top dead center of the locus T, the left planting hopper 70L and the right planting hopper 70R of the planter 28 are in a closed state, and at the bottom dead center, the left planting hopper 70L and the right planting hopper 70R of the planter 28 are opened. When ascending from the bottom dead center, the left planting hopper 70L and the right planting hopper 70R of the planter 28 are in an open state.

[0068] The shape of the swing drive cam 54 and the orientation in which the swing drive cam 54 is fixed to the swing cam drive shaft 62 are set such that the change in the diameter of the swing drive cam 54 at the position where it contacts the rotation roller 57 is small when near the top dead center of the locus T where the seedlings are supplied to the planter 28, i.e., near the position where the planter 28 operates, and the change in the diameter of the swing drive cam 54 at the position where it contacts the rotation roller 57 is large when near the bottom dead center of the planter 28, i.e., near the position where the seedlings are planted.

[0069] By configuring the shape of the swing drive cam 54 and the orientation in which it is fixed to the swing cam drive shaft 62 in this way, the moving speed of the tip of the planter 28 can be made extremely slower when supplying the seedlings than when planting the seedlings.

[0070] Further, in the present embodiment, at the top dead center and bottom dead center of the locus T, the crank arm 55 and the connecting arm 56 are in a position where they linearly overlap in the vertical direction and are configured to be parallel to the front swing arm 50 and the rear swing arm 51. Therefore, when the seedlings are supplied to the planter 28, that is, when the planter 28 is near the top dead center, and when planting the seed potatoes, that is, when the planter 28 is near the bottom dead center, the direction of the crank arm 55 is set so that the change in the vertical position of the connecting arm 56 due to the rotation of the crank arm 55 becomes small. With such a configuration, during the planting operation, the planter 28 is operated so that the tip of the planter 28 draws a loop-shaped locus T, and the moving speed of the planter 28 near the top dead center (the position where the seedlings are supplied) is configured to be slower than the moving speed at the bottom dead center (the position where the seedlings are planted).

[0071] Furthermore, the locus T drawn by the tip of the planter 28 is configured such that the front-rear width is maximized during planting, that is, the front-rear width is maximized below the center of the vertical movement width of the planter 28.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 1, the main frame 22 is provided with a vertically rotatable upper and lower rotation frame 87. The upper and lower rotation frame 87 is provided with a soil-accumulating tool 86 for pulling the soil that swells around the seedlings planted by the planter 28 toward the ridge surface, and a pressing wheel 15 for pressing the soil around the planted seedlings. Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the soil-accumulating tool 86 is arranged immediately behind the planter 28, and a pair of left and right pressing wheels 15 are arranged behind the soil-accumulating tool 86. Therefore, as the machine body moves forward, the seedlings planted in the field by the planter 28 are stabilized.

[0073] As described above, when the length of the sweet potato vine is about 25 to 30 cm, by providing the input chute 5 at the upper part of the planting device 19, the sweet potato seedlings are fed to the bottom of the planter 28 and are inserted into the soil of the ridge without getting caught by the planter 28 during transplantation, so that transplantation can be performed reliably.

Explanation of Signs

[0074] 1 Seedling transplanter 5 Feeding chute 4F Front chute guide 4R Front and rear chute guide 4L Left chute guide 4R Right chute guide 9 Rivet 15 Pressing wheel 28 Planting tool 29 Lifting link mechanism 86 Soil pushing tool

Claims

1. In a seedling transplanter (1) that plants seedlings by feeding the seedlings into a planting tool (28) that is lifted and lowered by a lift link mechanism (29), an inlet chute (5) that expands upward is provided above the supply port of the planting tool (28). The side chute guide (4L) that attaches to the side surface of the inlet chute (5) on the counter arm (79) side of the lift link mechanism (29) that raises and lowers the planting tool (28) is vertically erected to avoid the counter arm (79), and then inclined laterally to expand the inlet chute (5). A seedling transplanter characterized by this.

2. In a seedling transplanter (1) that plants seedlings by feeding the seedlings into a planting tool (28) that is lifted and lowered by a lift link mechanism (29), an inlet chute (5) that expands upward is provided above the supply port of the planting tool (28). The inlet chute (5) is attached to the front, rear, left, and right chute guides (4F, 4R, 4L, 4R) with rivets (9). The front and rear chute guides (4F, 4R) are attached only at the upper part with rivets (9), and the left and right chute guides (4L, 4R) are attached at the upper and lower parts with rivets (9). A seedling transplanter characterized by this.

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