Rootstock cutting device

Abstract

To provide a rootstock cutting apparatus that can cut a rootstock in a short time by a large amount while suppressing a manufacturing cost.SOLUTION: A rootstock cutting apparatus comprises: a left mounting base and a right mounting base on which a rootstock is mounted; a left hand part and a right hand part which grip the mounted rootstock; a slide part which reciprocally moves a gripping position for gripping the left / right hand parts in a sliding manner between a cutting position for cutting the rootstock by a cutting blade and a release position for releasing the rootstock after cutting. The cutting blade is a single blade disposed such that an approximately intermediate part in left / right directions of the left mounting base and the right mounting base becomes a cutting position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for cutting a stock used for grafting plants.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, by grafting seedlings of different types of plants, seedlings having advantages such as disease resistance have been widely sold. Such seedlings can be grafted by cutting the seedling serving as the stock and the seedling serving as the scion, respectively, and bringing the cut surfaces thereof into contact with each other.

[0003] In cutting such seedlings, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a stock cutting apparatus capable of smoothly and surely cutting the stem part (hypocotyl) of a stock seedling using a cutting blade.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, since the stock cutting apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 has only one cutting blade, when it is necessary to prepare a large number of stocks with cut stems for grafting, there is a problem that the cutting operation takes too much time. Further, although it is conceivable to provide a plurality of similar cutting blades, in this case, there is a problem that the manufacturing cost increases.

[0006] In view of such a situation, an object of the present invention is to provide a stock cutting apparatus capable of cutting a large number of stocks in a short time while suppressing the manufacturing cost.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The objective of the present invention is to A mounting platform on which a timber base is placed by an operator, and a hand unit that performs a gripping operation to grasp the timber base placed on the aforementioned mounting platform and a release operation to release the grasped timber base, The hand portion is provided with a sliding portion that slides back and forth between a gripping position for gripping the rootstock placed on the aforementioned stand, a cutting position for cutting the stem portion of the rootstock with the cutting blade, and a release position for releasing the cut rootstock. A receiving box for housing the cut timber after it has been cut by the aforementioned cutting blade, The system includes a chute that guides the cut timber, which has been dropped and supplied by the release operation of the hand section, to the receiving box. The mounting platform comprises a left mounting platform located to the left of the cutting position and a right mounting platform located to the right of the cutting position. The hand portion comprises a left hand portion for gripping the base of the left mounting platform and a right hand portion for gripping the base of the right mounting platform. This is achieved by a timber cutting device characterized in that the cutting blade is a single blade positioned such that the cutting position is approximately midway between the left and right mounting bases in the left-right direction.

[0008] According to the present invention, the lumber placed on the left and right mounting platforms can be gripped by the left and right handles and slid from side to side to be cut with a single cutting blade. This allows operators to be positioned near each mounting platform, so that while one operator is cutting a lumber on one platform, another operator can place a lumber on the other platform, and vice versa. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the lumber cutting device can be reduced while cutting a large quantity of lumber in a short time.

[0009] Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the cutting blades cut the lumber and the lumber dropped from the left and right hand sections is provided with a chute that guides it to a receiving box, all the lumbers placed on the left and right mounting tables are collected in a single receiving box via the chute after cutting. This reduces the manufacturing cost of the lumber cutting device, and allows two operators to gather the cut lumbers placed on the left and right mounting tables in one place, eliminating the need to gather them after the lumber cutting work is completed.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, Control means for controlling the gripping and releasing movements of the hand portion and for controlling the driving of the slide portion, A first input operation means for an operator to input a first instruction signal to the control means to cause the worker to cut the timber placed on the left mounting platform, The system includes a second input operation means for an operator to input a second instruction signal to the control means for cutting the wooden block placed on the right mounting platform, Upon receiving the first instruction signal, the control means causes the left hand portion to grip the wooden base placed on the left mounting platform, drives the sliding portion to slide the left hand portion to the cutting position, and performs a cutting process. Upon receiving the second instruction signal, the system is configured to perform a cutting process by causing the right hand portion to grip the wooden block placed on the right mounting base, and then driving the sliding portion to slide the right hand portion to the cutting position. While the left hand unit or the right hand unit is performing a cutting process, if one or more of the first instruction signals or the second instruction signals are newly received, they are temporarily stored in the order they arrive. When the cutting process currently in progress is completed, the temporarily stored first instruction signals or the second instruction signals are read in a first-in, first-out manner, and new cutting processes are executed sequentially in the order they arrive.

[0011] According to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, since an input operation means is provided for inputting an instruction signal to the control means for cutting the lumber placed on each mounting platform, it is possible to prevent the gripping or cutting of the lumber from occurring at a timing unintended by the operator, and it is also possible to cut using only one of the mounting platforms and hand parts on the left or right side.

[0012] Furthermore, because the stud cutting device is equipped with an input operation means, the manufacturing cost of the stud cutting device can be reduced compared to a case where sensors or cameras are installed to detect when a stud is placed on the mounting table.

[0013] In addition, when the first input operation means and the second input operation means are operated almost simultaneously, the cutting of the timber placed on one of the mounting platforms is performed according to the instruction signal received earlier, and then the cutting of the timber placed on the other mounting platform is performed according to the instruction signal received later. Therefore, for example, the operator does not need to operate the second input operation means to time their operation to coincide with the completion of the cutting on one of the mounting platforms based on the operation of the first input operation means, and the cutting and placement of the timber on the mounting platforms can be carried out efficiently.

[0014] In a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, The aforementioned sliding portion includes a guide lane that guides the sliding of the hand portion in the left-right direction, An endless member extending in the left-right direction along the guide lane, to which the hand portion is connected, The system includes an electric motor that rotates the endless member, The aforementioned guide lane is configured with three sub-lanes detachably connected to each other, in the order of left sub-lane, center sub-lane, and right sub-lane from left to right. The aforementioned electric motor is mounted in the central sub-lane.

[0015] According to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the guide lane that guides the left and right hand portions so that they can slide linearly includes three detachable sub-lanes, and the electric motor that rotationally drives the endless member is attached to the central sub-lane located at the center in the left-right direction among the guide lanes extending in the left-right direction. Therefore, when only one of the left and right mounting tables is used in the operation by one operator, the width of the guide lane in the left-right direction can be shortened by removing the left sub-lane or the right sub-lane from the guide lane.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, The hand portion is configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction by the expansion and contraction of a rotation cylinder. The control means is configured to slide the hand portion to a release position where the cut log is released after the cut log is cut by the cutting blade by driving the slide portion, and then rotate the hand portion downward and then release the cut log.

[0017] According to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, by rotating the hand portion downward and then releasing the log, the log can be more reliably dropped from the hand portion.

Effects of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a log cutting device that can cut a large number of logs in a short time while suppressing the manufacturing cost.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main part of a log cutting device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of a log cutting device showing each stop position of the hand portion. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic front view showing a cutting position of a log by an operator and a log cutting device. [Figure 4]Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the hand section. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional side view of the vicinity of the slide and handle sections. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the process of cutting the rootstock. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the main part showing the left hand section slid to the right to the cutting position. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the guide lane. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a control block diagram of the rootstock cutting device shown in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0021] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the main part of a lumber cutting device 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the main part of the lumber cutting device 1 showing the various stopping positions of the hand unit 3. Figure 2 shows the lumber cutting device 1 shown in Figure 1 viewed from the rear and above. Figure 3 is a schematic front view showing the cutting points of the lumber 8 by the operator and the lumber cutting device 1. Although Figure 2 shows the hand unit 3 stopped at each stopping position P1 to P5 (gripping position P1, P2, cutting position P3, release position P4, P5), in reality there are only two hand units 3.

[0022] The stump cutting device 1 comprises a mounting table 2 on which the stump 8 is placed by the operator, a handle for gripping the stump 8 placed on the mounting table, a slide 4 for sliding the handle, a cutting unit 5 having a single cutting blade 5a for cutting the stem and one leaf of the stump 8, a single first receiving box 6 for receiving the stump 8 cut by the cutting unit 5, a second receiving box 7 for receiving the upper end of the stem and one leaf cut off and removed from the stump 8, a first chute 11 for guiding the cut stump 8 dropped from the handle to the first receiving box 6, a second chute 12 for guiding the stem and one leaf removed from the stump 8 to the second receiving box 7, and a control device 10 (see Figure 9) for controlling the entire stump cutting device 1. These components are arranged inside a transparent case (not shown). In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, the side of the second receiving box 7 relative to the first receiving box 6 will be referred to as "front," and the opposite side as "rear." The left side when facing forward will be referred to as "left," and the opposite side as "right." In addition, the stud cutting device 1 will also be simply referred to as the "cutting device."

[0023] The above-described mounting stand comprises a pair of left and right mounting stands 2 configured symmetrically to each other. Each mounting stand 2 is attached to the top surface of the case via a rod (not shown), and has a shape in which a notch 2a is formed in a flat plate, as shown as a plan view in the outlet in Figure 1. The worker places the rootstock 8 so that the stem portion (= hypocotyl) is inserted into the notch 2a of each mounting stand 2, thereby supporting the leaves of the rootstock 8. The rootstock 8 placed on the mounting stand 2 has its root portion pre-cut by the worker at position α shown in Figure 3, and is cut at position β shown in Figure 3 by the cutting section 5. The left mounting stand 2 of the pair of left and right mounting stands 2 corresponds to the "left mounting stand" of the present invention, and the right mounting stand 2 corresponds to the "right mounting stand" of the present invention.

[0024] The above-described hand unit comprises a pair of left and right hand units 3. The left hand unit 3 slides back and forth by a slide unit 4 between a gripping position P1 for gripping the timber 8 placed on the left mounting base 2, a cutting position P3 for cutting the stem of the timber 8 with the cutting blade 5a, and a release position P4 for releasing the timber 8 after cutting. The right hand unit 3 slides back and forth by a slide unit 4 between a gripping position P2 for gripping the timber 8 placed on the right mounting base 2, a cutting position P3 for cutting the stem of the timber 8 with the cutting blade 5a, and a release position P5 for releasing the timber 8 after cutting. In the following, the process by which the control device 10 causes the timber 8 placed on the mounting base 2 to be gripped by the hand unit 3 and drives the slide unit 4 to slide the hand unit 3 to the cutting position P3 is referred to as the "cutting process".

[0025] The rootstock cutting device 1 according to this embodiment requires one or two workers to perform a preliminary operation (hereinafter referred to as "placement operation") in which they stand side by side behind the cutting device 1, facing forward, i.e., towards the cutting device 1, and place the rootstock 8 on the placement platform 2. When two workers are performing the operation, one worker places (sets) the rootstock 8 with the roots cut on the left placement platform 2, and the other worker places (sets) the rootstock 8 with the roots cut on the right placement platform 2. Openings are formed on the front and rear of the case of the cutting device 1, and workers can reach their hands to the placement platform 2 through the opening on the front side. The rootstock cutting device 1 can cut rootstock seedlings of various plants, but examples of plants to be cut include pumpkins.

[0026] The wooden block 8 placed on the left mounting base 2 is held by the left hand part 3, and the wooden block 8 placed on the right mounting base 2 is held by the right hand part 3. With these grips engaged, the sliding part 4 slides them toward the vicinity of the cutting blade 5a for cutting. The cutting blade 5a is a single blade located approximately midway between the left and right mounting bases 2 in the left-right direction, and the cutting position P3 is approximately midway between the left and right mounting bases 2 in the left-right direction. The left mounting base 2 is positioned to the left of the cutting position P3, and the right mounting base 2 is positioned to the right of the cutting position P3. Furthermore, the left hand part 3 corresponds to the "left hand part" of the present invention, and the right hand part 3 corresponds to the "right hand part" of the present invention.

[0027] The upper ends of the leaves and stems, cut off by the cutting section 5 and removed from the rootstock 8, fall downward and are collected in the second receiving box 7 via the second chute 12 located below the cutting blade 5a. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, by placing the second chute 12 above the first chute 11 and the second receiving box 7 on the opposite side (=front side) from the first receiving box 6, these components can be compactly arranged. A mirror 31 (see Figure 1) is attached to the front of the case, positioned above the second receiving box 7, allowing the worker to check the contents of the second receiving box 7 in front of them by looking into the mirror 31 while seated, without having to go around to the front of the case.

[0028] The timber 8, cut by the cutting section 5, is then moved outward in the left-right direction while being held by the hand section 3, and is released from the hand section 3 when it stops at the release position P4 or P5 (see Figure 2), falling and being stored in the first receiving box 6 via the first chute 11.

[0029] Here, the first chute 11 is wider in the left-right direction than the second chute 12, and the left and right ends of the first chute 11 are located further outward than the left and right ends of the second chute 12 in the left-right direction. After cutting by the cutting section 5, the left hand section 3 slides to a release position P4 (see Figure 2) above the first chute 11 and to the left of the left end of the second chute 12, and stops, releasing and dropping the baton 8. On the other hand, the right hand section 3 slides to a release position P5 (see Figure 2) above the first chute 11 and to the right of the right end of the second chute 12, and stops, releasing and dropping the baton 8.

[0030] In this way, by configuring the first chute 11 to be wider than the second chute 12, and by dropping the cut timbers 8 into the first chute 11 at positions further out to the left and right than the second chute 12, the timbers 8 that have been slid from the left and right mounting tables 2 and cut can be stored in a single first receiving box 6 through a single first chute 11, thus eliminating the need to collect the timbers 8 from the left and right mounting tables 2 after cutting.

[0031] Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the hand portion 3, and Figure 5 is a partial longitudinal side view of the vicinity of the slide portion 4 and the hand portion 3. Figure 5(a) shows the state before the hand portion 3 is rotated downward, and Figure 5(b) shows the state after the hand portion 3 has been rotated downward.

[0032] Each of the left and right hand sections 3 is equipped with a pair of left and right gripping bodies 3a and a gripping motor 3b shown in Figure 9, and is connected to the slide section 4 via a connecting section 35. The gripping motor 3b drives the pair of gripping bodies 3a to narrow the distance between their rear ends, thereby gripping the base 8, and conversely, widening the distance releases the base 8. In this specification, the action of each left and right hand section 3 gripping the base 8 is referred to as the "gripping action," and the action of releasing the base 8 is referred to as the "release action."

[0033] Each of the left and right connecting sections 35 is equipped with a rotation mechanism that rotates each hand section 3. Specifically, a rotation rod 35c is attached to the rear surface of each hand section 3, and the rotation rod 35c is rotatable around a rotation shaft 35c1 that extends in the left-right direction. The rotation shaft 35c1 is mounted so as to pass through the box 35b from left to right. The front and rear surfaces of the box 35b each have elongated holes (not shown) that extend in the vertical direction, and the rotation rod 35c is inserted through these two elongated holes. This allows the rotation rod 35c to rotate up and down. A plate 35e, which is bent in a roughly V-shape when viewed from the side, is attached to the rotation rod 35c. The box 35b is fixed to the lower surface of the support column 35a attached to the wires 4a1 and 4b1 of the slide section 4, and the support column 35a and the upper part of the plate 35e are connected by a rotation cylinder 35d. Therefore, the hand section 3 rotates downward (= backward and downward) around the pivot shaft 35c1 as the pivot cylinder 35d extends (see Figure 5(b)), and rotates upward (= backward and upward) as the pivot cylinder 35d retracts (see Figure 5(a)).

[0034] On the other hand, the slide section 4 includes a left slide section 4a for sliding the left hand section 3, a right slide section 4b for sliding the right hand section 3, and a guide lane 4c that guides the left and right hand sections 3 so that they can slide linearly in the left-right direction.

[0035] The left sliding section 4a and the right sliding section 4b each include an endless (closed-loop) wire 4a1 or 4b1 extending left and right along the guide lane 4c in a ring-like orientation when viewed from the front and rear, respectively, a left pulley 4a3 or 4b3 and a right pulley 4a4 or 4b4 that change the direction of extension of each wire 4a1 and 4b1 by 180°, and an electric motor 4a2 or 4b2 that rotates the wire 4a1 or 4b1. The left pulleys 4a3 and 4b3 and the right pulleys 4a4 and 4b4 are each rotatably and detachably mounted to the case, and are temporarily removed from the case when the guide lane 4c is separated into shorter sections, as will be described in detail later.

[0036] The support column 35a located in front and above the left hand section 3 is attached to the wire 4a1 of the left slide section 4a via the clamping section 35f, and the support column 35a located in front and above the right hand section 3 is attached to the wire 4b1 of the right slide section 4b via the clamping section 35f, as shown in Figure 5.

[0037] Each electric motor 4a2 and 4b2 is configured to rotate in both forward and reverse directions. The electric motor 4a2 of the left sliding section 4a rotates the wire 4a1, causing the left hand section 3 to slide from side to side. The electric motor 4b2 of the right sliding section 4b rotates the wire 4b1, causing the right hand section 3 to slide from side to side. The left sliding section 4a is basically positioned in front of the right sliding section 4b, but the electric motor 4a2 is positioned to the left and in front of the electric motor 4b2. The two wires 4a1 and 4b1 are examples of the "endless member" of the present invention, and in addition to wires, chains, belts, etc., can be used as the endless member.

[0038] As shown in Figure 5, the guide lane 4c has a roughly inverted U-shape in a longitudinal cross-sectional side view, and its upper part extends left and right inside the endless wires 4a1 and 4b1. A pair of front and rear wheels 23 are mounted freely on each support column 35a located in front and above each left and right hand section 3. The pair of wheels 23 roll on the front inner surface and the rear inner surface of the guide lane 4c, thereby keeping the frictional resistance between the guide lane 4c and the hand section 3 low.

[0039] The configuration of the left and right hand sections 3 and the slide section 4 has been described in detail above. Below, we will provide a detailed explanation of the operation of the hand section 3 and the control of the control device 10 in relation to cutting the base block 8. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the cutting process of the block 8, and Figure 7 is a perspective view of the main part showing the left hand part 3 slid to the right to the cutting position P3.

[0040] When the mounting operation is performed to place the support blocks 8 on one or both of the left and right mounting platforms 2, first, the worker steps on the first foot switch 25a and / or the second foot switch 25b shown in Figure 9 (step s1).

[0041] The first foot switch 25a is an operation switch that, when stepped on, transmits a first instruction signal to the control device 10 to cut the wooden block 8 placed on the left mounting platform 2, thereby enabling the operator to input the first instruction signal to the control device 10, and is located below the left mounting platform 2. The second foot switch 25b is an operation switch that, when stepped on, transmits a second instruction signal to the control device 10 to cut the wooden block 8 placed on the right mounting platform 2, thereby enabling the operator to input the signal to the control device 10, and is located below the right mounting platform 2. The first foot switch 25a is an example of the "first input operation means" of the present invention, and the second foot switch 25b is an example of the "second input operation means" of the present invention.

[0042] Next, the control device 10 performs a gripping operation on the hand unit 3 according to the input instruction signal (step s2). At this time, the control device 10 controls either the left or right hand unit 3, or both, according to the following three reception patterns. <Pattern 1>

[0043] When the first instruction signal is received by pressing the first foot switch 25a, the control device 10 temporarily stores in the recording unit 10b that the first instruction signal has been received, and drives the gripping motor 3b to perform a gripping operation on the left hand unit 3, which is located at the gripping position P1 directly in front of the left mounting platform 2. The gripping position P1 shown in Figures 1, 2, 7, etc., is the position of the left hand unit 3 for gripping the wooden base 8 placed on the left mounting platform 2. <Pattern 2>

[0044] When the second instruction signal is received by pressing the second foot switch 25b, the control device 10 temporarily stores in the recording unit 10b that the second instruction signal has been received, and drives the gripping motor 3b to perform a gripping operation on the right hand unit 3, which is located at the gripping position P2 directly in front of the right mounting platform 2. The gripping position P2 shown in Figures 1, 2, 7, etc., is the position of the right hand unit 3 for gripping the wooden base 8 placed on the right mounting platform 2. <Pattern 3>

[0045] If both the first foot switch 25a and the second foot switch 25b are pressed while the placement work is being carried out by two workers, the control device 10 temporarily stores in the recording unit 10b that it has received the first and second instruction signals, and then operates one of the left or right hand units 3 to grip according to the instruction signal that was received earlier. The process from step s3 onwards proceeds according to the flow shown in Figure 6, and after returning, it returns to step s1 again, and then operates the other left or right hand unit 3 to grip according to the second instruction signal that was received later and was temporarily stored, and proceeds with the process from step s3 onwards according to the flow.

[0046] Furthermore, the phrase "when both the first foot switch 25a and the second foot switch 25b are pressed" means, in other words, when the control device 10 receives the first instruction signal and the second instruction signal, and includes not only the case where the first foot switch 25a and the second foot switch 25b are operated almost simultaneously and the first instruction signal and the second instruction signal are input to the control device 10 almost simultaneously, but also the case where, after the first instruction signal or the second instruction signal is input, the other instruction signal is input to the control device 10 during the period before the hand unit 3 moves back to the gripping position P1 or P2 after the gripping operation (step s2) and sliding to the cutting position P3 in accordance with the instruction signal.

[0047] In other words, when the control device 10 receives one or more first instruction signals or second instruction signals while the left hand unit 3 or the right hand unit 3 is performing a cutting process, it temporarily stores them in the storage unit 10b in the order they arrive. When the cutting process being performed is completed, the control device 10 reads the temporarily stored first instruction signals or second instruction signals in a first-in, first-out manner and executes new cutting processes sequentially in the order they arrive.

[0048] Regardless of which of the above patterns is used, when either the left or right hand section 3 is operated to grip according to the first or second instruction signal, the control device 10 drives the electric motor 4a2 or 4b2 to slide the gripping hand section 3 to the cutting position P3 shown in Figures 2, 7, etc., in either the left or right direction (step s3). At this time, the hand section 3 slides while gripping the base 8. For example, when the first foot switch 25a is pressed, the control device 10 drives the electric motor 4a2 to slide the left hand section 3 to the cutting position P3, as shown in Figure 7. Conversely, when the second foot switch 25b is pressed, the control device 10 drives the electric motor 4a2 to slide the right hand section 3, which is gripping the base 8, to the cutting position P3.

[0049] Next, the control device 10 operates the cutting unit 5 and cuts the timber 8 held by the hand unit 3 at the cutting position (step s4).

[0050] The cutting unit 5 includes a forward / backward movement cylinder 26 that moves the cutting blade 5a in the forward / backward direction, and a cutting cylinder 27 that slides the cutting blade 5a forward and upward in a direction approximately parallel to the orientation of the cutting blade 5a. The control device 10 controls the forward / backward movement cylinder 26 to retract, moving the cutting blade 5a forward and approaching the base 8, and then controls the cutting cylinder 27 to extend, sliding the cutting blade 5a forward and upward to cut the base 8. Alternatively, a fixed cutting blade that does not change position may be used instead of such a movable cutting blade 5a. In this case, it is preferable to position the cutting blade so that the hand unit 3 slides to the cutting position to cut the base 8. The cutting blade may also be a rotating blade.

[0051] After cutting the timber 8, the control device 10 slides the hand unit 3, which was slid to the cutting position P3 in step s3, outward in the left-right direction to the release position P4 or P5 (see Figure 2) where the cut timber 8 is released (step s5). At the same time, the control device 10 extends the forward / backward movement cylinder 26 and retracts the cutting cylinder 27 to return the cutting blade 5a to its position before cutting.

[0052] Subsequently, the control device 10 extends the rotation cylinder 35d to rotate the left hand section 3, which is in the release position P4, or the right hand section 3, which is in the release position P5, downward (downward and backward) (see Figure 5(b), step s6). After the rotation, the control device 10 drives the gripping motor 3b to release the hand section 3 (step s7). Furthermore, the control device 10 extends and retracts the rotation cylinder 35d to rotate the hand section 3 upward (see Figure 5(a)) and downward a predetermined number of times (step s8). If the hand section 3 were simply released, there would be a risk that the lumber 8 would not fall while still attached to the pair of gripping bodies 3a of the hand section 3. By rotating the hand section 3 up and down multiple times in this manner, the cut lumber 8 can be reliably dropped into the first chute 11.

[0053] When the wooden blocks 8 are dropped into the first chute 11, the control device 10 drives the vibration device 28 attached to the underside of the first chute 11 to vibrate the first chute 11 (step s9). This ensures that the wooden blocks 8 that have fallen into the first chute 11 slide reliably to the first receiving box 6, preventing the wooden blocks 8 from accumulating on the first chute 11. The vibration device 28 can be a vibration motor, a piezoelectric vibrator, or the like.

[0054] Next, the control device 10 increments the number of cuts S by the cutting blade 5a recorded in the recording unit 10b by 1 (step s10). Then, the control device 10 determines whether the updated number of cuts S exceeds a predetermined reference number Sref (step s11).

[0055] If the determination shows that the number of cuts S exceeds the reference number Sref, the control device 10 drives the pump 29a of the alcohol spraying device 29 and sprays the cleaning alcohol stored in the storage tank 29b onto the cutting blade 5a through the nozzle 29c (step s12). In this embodiment, the value of the reference number Sref is set to 999, and when the number of cuts S of the rootstock 8 reaches 1000, exceeding the reference number Sref, the cutting blade 5a is automatically cleaned by the alcohol spraying device 29. As a result, the sap of the rootstock 8 that adheres to the cutting blade 5a during cutting can be washed off, the cutting capacity of the cutting blade 5a can be kept high, and the frequency of replacement of the cutting blade 5a can be reduced. Note that the value of the reference number Sref is not limited to this. After cleaning the cutting blade 5a, the control device 10 updates the number of cuts S to a value of 0 (zero) (step s13).

[0056] Finally, the control device 10 slides the hand portion 3, which was rotated up and down in step s8, to the gripping position P1 or P2 (step s14). If the hand portion 3 involved in steps s2 to s8 is the left hand portion 3, the control device 10 drives the electric motor 4a2 to slide the hand portion 3 to the left to the gripping position P1. Conversely, if it is the right hand portion 3, the control device 10 drives the electric motor 4b2 to slide the hand portion 3 to the right to the gripping position P2.

[0057] On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step s11 is that the number of cuts S is less than or equal to the reference number Sref, the control device 10 proceeds to step s10 without performing alcohol cleaning of the cutting blade 5a, slides the hand unit 3 to the gripping position P1 or P2, and erases the recorded instruction signal for the completed cut from the recording unit 10b.

[0058] Thus, once the wooden base 8 placed on one of the mounting platforms 2 is cut and the hand unit 3 is returned to the gripping position P1 or P2, the process returns to step s1. In the case of pattern 3 described above, after the return, the control device 10 performs the processing from step s2 onward according to the flow chart, following the instruction signal that was received later and temporarily stored.

[0059] For example, if the first foot switch 25a and the second foot switch 25b are operated almost simultaneously, and the second instruction signal is received immediately after the first instruction signal, the control device 10 first grips the left hand unit 3 according to the first instruction signal, drives the electric motor 4a2 to move the left hand unit 3 to the cutting position P3 and cut it, and then slides it to the release position P4. Then, it performs steps s10 to s13, or steps s10 and s11, and slides the left hand unit 3 back to the gripping position P1.

[0060] Subsequently, the control device 10, in accordance with the second instruction signal received earlier with a delay after the first instruction signal, performs a gripping operation on the right hand portion 3, then drives the electric motor 4b2 to move it to the cutting position P3 to cut, and then slides it to the release position P5. Then, it performs steps s10 to s13, or steps s10 and s11, and slides the right hand portion 3 back to the gripping position P2.

[0061] In other words, the control device 10 is configured to proceed with the flow shown in Figure 6 according to the instruction signal received earlier, while suspending processing according to the instruction signal received later. After the return, it proceeds with processing according to the flow according to the instruction signal received later.

[0062] As described above, in this embodiment, when the first foot switch 25a is pressed, the left hand unit 3 is activated, and when the second foot switch 25b is pressed, the right hand unit 3 is activated. Therefore, even if one worker interrupts the work while two workers are performing the loading operation, the left and right hand units 3 will not be operated alternately. Instead, the other worker can press either the first foot switch 25a or the second foot switch 25b to proceed with gripping and cutting the base 8 using only one of the loading platform 2 and hand unit 3, which is efficient.

[0063] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the guide lane 4c. The guide lane 4c is configured with a left sub-lane 4c1, a central sub-lane 4c2, and a right sub-lane 4c3 arranged in that order from left to right along its longitudinal direction (left to right), and these three sub-lanes are detachably connected to each other.

[0064] The central sub-lane 4c2 is shorter in width and height in the front-to-back direction than the left sub-lane 4c1 and the right sub-lane 4c3. As a result, the left and right ends of the central sub-lane 4c2 can be inserted inside the left sub-lane 4c1 and the right sub-lane 4c3, allowing these three sub-lanes 4c1 to 4c3 to be connected. In addition, the left sub-lane 4c1 of the guide lane 4c is pulled to the left, and the right sub-lane 4c3 is pulled to the right, allowing the three sub-lanes 4c1 to 4c3 to be separated.

[0065] Here, the central sub-lane 4c2 is equipped with an electric motor 4a2 that drives wire 4a1 and an electric motor 4b2 that drives wire 4b1. When only one worker is performing the loading operation on the right-side loading platform 2, the left sub-lane 4c1 can be removed from the guide lane 4c, leaving only the central sub-lane 4c2 and the left sub-lane 4c1, thereby making the width in the left-right direction more compact. Conversely, when loading is performed only on the left-side loading platform 2, the right sub-lane 4c3 can be removed from the guide lane 4c, leaving only the central sub-lane 4c2 and the left sub-lane 4c1, thereby making the width in the left-right direction more compact.

[0066] When shortening the guide lane 4c, the clamping portion 35f located in front and above each hand portion 3 is removed from the wire 4a1 or 4b1 by the operator, and the left pulleys 4a3 and 4b3 and the right pulleys 4a4 and 4b4 are removed from the case. Then, the wire 4a1 or 4b1 that slides one of the left or right hand portions 3 to be used is replaced with one that has a shorter width corresponding to the length of the central sub-lane 4c2 and one of the left or right sub-lanes 4c1 or 4c3, and is attached to the pulley of the electric motor 4a2 or 4b2. After that, the left pulley 4a3 or 4b3 and the right pulley 4a4 or 4b4 are reattached to the case. At this time, the distance between the left pulley 4a3 or 4b3 and the right pulley 4a4 or 4b4 in the left-right direction is narrower than before one of the sub-lanes 4c1 or 4c3 was removed, in order to match the length of the replaced wire.

[0067] Figure 9 is a control block diagram of the rootstock cutting device 1 shown in Figure 1. The control device 10 is configured as a well-known information processing device comprising a processing unit 10a having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a recording unit 10b having ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory). The recording unit 10b stores various programs and data that control the entire cutting device 1.

[0068] The input side of the control device 10 is connected to a pump switch 30 located on the case, a first foot switch 25a for the operator to input a first instruction signal to the control device 10 to cut the wooden block 8 placed on the left mounting platform 2, a second foot switch 25b for the operator to input a second instruction signal to the control device 10 to cut the wooden block 8 placed on the right mounting platform 2, and a weighing scale 32 for measuring the weight of the first receiving box 6.

[0069] When two workers are operating the machine, the first foot switch 25a is operated by the worker positioned to the rear left of the cutting device 1, and the second foot switch 25b is operated by the worker positioned to the rear right of the cutting device 1.

[0070] The output side of the control device 10 is connected to a gripping motor 3b that adjusts the distance between a pair of gripping bodies 3a, a rotating cylinder 35d that rotates the hand section 3, an electric motor 4a2 that rotationally drives the wire 4a1, an electric motor 4b2 that rotationally drives the wire 4b1, a vibrating device 28 that vibrates the first chute 11, a buzzer 33 that signals when the first receiving box 6 is full, a display device 34 that indicates that the first receiving box 6 is full, and the pump 29a of the alcohol spraying device 29. The control device 10 corresponds to the "control means" of the present invention that controls the gripping and releasing operations of the left and right hand sections 3 and the driving of the slide section 4.

[0071] The pump switch 30 is located on the left side of the case, and while the operator presses the pump switch 30, the control device 10 continues to drive the pump 29a, spraying alcohol onto the cutting blade 5a through the nozzle 29c. This allows the cutting blade 5a to be cleaned not only after the 1000th cut, but also at any time and for any duration desired by the operator. If cutting is not performed for a long period of time after a cut, the sap adhering to the cutting blade 5a will harden, reducing its sharpness. Therefore, the timing for spraying alcohol is, for example, when taking a break after completing the loading work or at the end of the workday.

[0072] In the cutting device 1 configured as described above, the control device 10 performs full-volume control in addition to the control shown in Figure 6 and the alcohol injection control described above.

[0073] In full-capacity control, the control device 10 acquires the measured weight of the first receiving box 6 measured by the weighing scale 32. If the measured weight is equal to or greater than a predetermined standard weight, the control device 10 recognizes that the first receiving box 6 is full. This is then displayed on the display device 34, and the buzzer 33 sounds to notify the worker. In addition, after sounding the buzzer 33, the control device 10 slows down the sliding speed of the hand unit 3, i.e., the rotation speed of the electric motor 4a2 or 4b2, to a predetermined speed for a predetermined period of time. This gives the worker time to replace the first receiving box 6 or to transfer the cut timber 8 contained in the first receiving box 6 to another container. Alternatively, instead of slowing down the sliding speed of the hand unit 3, the operation of the hand unit 3 (gripping, releasing, and sliding) may be stopped. Furthermore, instead of the weighing scale 32, a proximity sensor may be used to detect the full capacity of the first receiving box 6. In this case, when the base blocks 8 are stacked up to a predetermined height, the first receiving box 6 can be detected as full by detecting the base blocks 8 with a proximity sensor.

[0074] <Technical significance of this embodiment> According to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 9, the wooden blocks 8 placed on the left and right mounting tables 2 can be gripped by the left and right hand parts 3 and slid from side to side to be cut with a single cutting blade 5a. Therefore, by positioning workers near each mounting table 2 (specifically, immediately behind them), one worker can place a wooden block 8 on the other mounting table 2 while the wooden block 8 on one mounting table 2 is being cut, and the other worker can place a wooden block 8 on the first mounting table 2 while the wooden block 8 on the other mounting table 2 is being cut. This allows for the cutting of a large quantity of wooden blocks 8 in a short time while keeping the manufacturing cost of the cutting device 1 down.

[0075] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the timbers 8 placed on the left and right mounting tables 2 are all stored in a single first receiving box 6 via a single first chute 11 after cutting, the manufacturing cost of the timber cutting device can be reduced, and the timbers 8 that have been placed on the left and right mounting tables 2 and cut can be gathered in one place by two workers, eliminating the need to gather them after the timber cutting work is completed.

[0076] In addition, according to this embodiment, a first foot switch 25a and a second foot switch 25b are provided as input operation means for inputting an instruction signal to the control device 10 to cut the wooden blocks 8 placed on each mounting base 2. This prevents the gripping or cutting of the wooden blocks 8 from occurring at a timing unintended by the operator, and also allows cutting using only one of the mounting bases 2 and hand unit 3.

[0077] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the cutting device 1 is equipped with a first foot switch 25a and a second foot switch 25b, the manufacturing cost of the cutting device 1 can be reduced compared to the case in which a sensor or camera is provided to detect when a timber is placed on the mounting base 2.

[0078] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the operation of the first foot switch 25a by one worker and the operation of the second foot switch 25b by the other worker are performed almost simultaneously, the cutting of the timber 8 placed on one of the mounting platforms 2 is performed according to the instruction signal received earlier, and then the cutting of the timber 8 placed on the other mounting platform 2 is performed according to the instruction signal received later. Therefore, for example, the other worker does not need to time their operation of the second input means to coincide with the completion of the cutting on the left side based on the operation of the first foot switch 25a by the first worker, and the cutting and placement of the timber 8 on the mounting platforms 2 can be carried out efficiently.

[0079] In addition, according to this embodiment, the guide lane 4c that guides the left and right hand sections 3 so that they can slide linearly is equipped with three detachable sub-lanes 4c1 to 4c3, and the electric motors 4a2 and 4b2 that rotate the wire 4a1 or 4b1 are mounted on the central sub-lane 4c2 located in the center of the guide lane 4c that extends in the left-right direction. Therefore, when one worker is operating the machine and only one of the mounting platforms 2 is used, the width of the guide lane 4c in the left-right direction can be shortened by removing the left sub-lane 4c1 or the right sub-lane 4c3 from the guide lane 4c.

[0080] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, by extending the rotating cylinder 35d to rotate the hand portion 3 downwards before releasing the base block 8, the base block 8 can be dropped more reliably from the hand portion.

[0081] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as described in the claims, and these modifications are also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0082] For example, in the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 9, a vibrator 28 is provided on the first chute 11, but a vibrator may also be provided under the first receiving box 6 instead of the first chute 11, or together with the first chute 11. By periodically driving the vibrator, the piled-up timbers 8 inside the first receiving box 6 can be leveled, eliminating the need to frequently replace the first receiving box 6. Furthermore, the tilt angle of the first chute 11 may be configured to be automatically changed each time by the drive of a motor. This changes the supply position of the timbers 8 from the first chute 11 into the first receiving box 6, thus preventing the timbers 8 from piling up in a specific location inside the first receiving box 6.

[0083] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the control device 10 is configured to operate the hand unit 3 on the condition that the first foot switch 25a or the second foot switch 25b is pressed. However, detection means such as weight sensors or proximity sensors for detecting the placement of the base block 8 may be provided on the left and right mounting bases 2, and the hand unit 3 may be configured to operate on the condition that the placement of the base block 8 is detected.

[0084] In addition, in the above embodiment, after releasing the hand portion 3, the rotating cylinder 35d is extended and retracted a predetermined number of times to rotate the hand portion 3 up and down and drop the base block 8. However, a vibration motor may be provided at the connecting portion 35 above the hand portion 3, and the control device 10 may be configured to drive the vibration motor to vibrate the hand portion 3 after releasing the hand portion 3. This makes it possible to drop the base block 8 from the hand portion 3 more reliably.

[0085] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a single first receiving box 6 is provided for accommodating the cut timbers 8. However, a separate receiving box may be provided for receiving the cut timbers 8, which is placed on the left mounting base 2, and another receiving box for receiving the cut timbers 8, which is placed on the right mounting base 2. In this case, the fullness of one receiving box is detected by a fullness detection means such as a weighing scale, and while the receiving box is being replaced, the sliding speed of the hand unit 3 that supplies the cut timbers 8 to the other receiving box, i.e., the rotation speed of the electric motor 4a2 or 4b2, can be increased compared to before the fullness detection, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0086] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a weighing scale 32 is provided to detect when the first receiving box is full, but a separate detection means such as a weighing scale or proximity sensor may be provided to detect when the second receiving box 7 is full. In this case, when the detection means detects that the second receiving box 7 is full, it is desirable to display this fact on the display device 34, sound the buzzer 33, and slow down the sliding speed of the hand unit 3 or stop its operation so that the worker can replace the second receiving box 7.

[0087] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, while driving one of the left or right hand units 3 to cut the base block 8 (steps s1 to s14), if the control device 10 receives an instruction signal to cut the base block 8 placed on the other left or right mounting base 2, it temporarily stores this instruction signal and cuts the other left or right base block 8 after the cutting of one left or right base block 8 is completed (steps s1 to s14). However, it is also possible to further configure the control device 10 to temporarily store an instruction signal to cut the base block 8 placed on the other left or right mounting base 2 while driving one of the left or right hand units 3 to cut the base block 8, and then cut the other left or right base block 8 after the cutting of one left or right base block 8 is completed. For example, if the control device 10 receives an instruction signal to cut the block 8 placed on the left-side mounting platform 2 while cutting the block 8 on the left-side mounting platform 2, the control device 10 temporarily stores this instruction signal. After the cutting of the block 8 on the left-side mounting platform 2 is completed, the control device 10 immediately has the handle unit 3 grip the block 8 on the left-side mounting platform 2 again. This configuration allows the cutting work to proceed more efficiently.

[0088] In addition, in the above embodiment, the control device 10 is configured to control the hand unit 3, slide unit 4, cutting unit 5, etc., according to the input first instruction signal or second instruction signal, in order to cut the timber 8 placed on the left or right mounting base 2. However, a cancellation means may be provided to cancel the instruction signal resulting from the foot operation after the timber 8 has been placed on the mounting base 2 and the first or second foot switch 25 has been pressed. For example, if an operator places the timber 8 on the left mounting base 2 and presses the first foot switch 25a to input the first instruction signal to the control device 10, the operator can then use the cancellation means to input a cancellation signal to the control device 10 to cancel the first instruction signal, thereby erasing the record of the received instruction signal. This further prevents unintended cutting of the timber 8 and enhances safety. The cancellation means may be a switch that is pressed by hand, or the system may be configured so that the cancellation signal can be input to the control device 10 by pressing the first or second foot switch 25 again after it has been pressed once. Alternatively, the system may be configured such that a cancellation signal is input to the control device 10 when the removal of the support block 8 from the mounting base 2 is detected by a proximity sensor, a weight sensor, or the like. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0089] 1. Cutting device for stumps 2. Mounting platform 3. Hand section 4. Sliding part 5 cutting blade 6. First receiving box 7. Second receiving box 8 rootstock 10 Control device 11. First shot 12. Second shot 23 wheels 24 Clamping part 25 Foot switch 26 Cylinder for forward and backward movement 27 Cutting Cylinder 28 Vibration device 29. Alcohol spray device 30 Pump switch 31 Mirror 32 Weight scale 33 Buzzer 34 Display device 35 Connecting part

Claims

1. A mounting platform on which a timber base is placed by an operator, and a hand unit that performs a gripping operation to grasp the timber base placed on the aforementioned mounting platform and a release operation to release the grasped timber base, The hand portion is provided with a sliding portion that slides back and forth between a gripping position for gripping the rootstock placed on the aforementioned stand, a cutting position for cutting the stem portion of the rootstock with the cutting blade, and a release position for releasing the cut rootstock. A receiving box for housing the cut timber after it has been cut by the aforementioned cutting blade, The system includes a chute that guides the cut timber, which has been dropped and supplied by the release operation of the hand section, to the receiving box. The mounting platform comprises a left mounting platform located to the left of the cutting position and a right mounting platform located to the right of the cutting position. The hand portion comprises a left hand portion for gripping the base of the left mounting platform and a right hand portion for gripping the base of the right mounting platform. The cutting blade is a single blade positioned such that the cutting position is approximately midway between the left and right mounting bases in the left-right direction, and is provided for the lumber cutting device.

2. Control means for controlling the gripping and releasing movements of the hand portion and for controlling the driving of the slide portion, A first input operation means for an operator to input a first instruction signal to the control means to cause the worker to cut the timber placed on the left mounting platform, The system includes a second input operation means for an operator to input a second instruction signal to the control means for cutting the timber placed on the right mounting platform, Upon receiving the first instruction signal, the control means causes the left hand portion to grip the wooden base placed on the left mounting platform, drives the sliding portion to slide the left hand portion to the cutting position, and performs a cutting process. Upon receiving the second instruction signal, the system is configured to perform a cutting process by causing the right hand portion to grip the wooden block placed on the right mounting base, and then driving the sliding portion to slide the right hand portion to the cutting position. The lumber cutting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, while the left hand unit or the right hand unit is performing a cutting process, if one or more of the first instruction signals or the second instruction signals are newly received, they are temporarily stored in the order in which they arrive, and when the cutting process being performed is completed, the temporarily stored first instruction signals or the second instruction signals are read in a first-in, first-out manner, and new cutting processes are sequentially executed in the order in which they arrive.

3. The aforementioned sliding portion includes a guide lane that guides the sliding of the hand portion in the left-right direction, An endless member extending in the left-right direction along the guide lane, to which the hand portion is connected, The system includes an electric motor that rotates the endless member, The aforementioned guide lane is configured with three sub-lanes, each detachably connected to the other, in the order of left sub-lane, center sub-lane, and right sub-lane from left to right. The stump cutting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the electric motor is mounted on the central sub-lane.

4. The aforementioned hand section is configured to be rotatable around a pivot axis extending in the left-right direction by the extension and retraction of a rotating cylinder. The block cutting device according to claim 2, characterized in that the control means is configured to, after the block is cut by the cutting blade, slide the hand portion to a release position that releases the cut block by driving the slide portion, then rotate downward before releasing the cut block.

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