Title of Invention

"VEGETABLE TRANSPLANTER"

Abstract With regard to a vegetable transplanter, seedling planting prongs (16), which take out a seedling (N) from a seedling tray (15) on a seedling rack (14) and plant the seedling in a field, is provided. The seedling planting prongs (16) are vertically rockably pivoted on rotary tips of a rotary member (17) which rotates. A locus (A) of rocking fulcrums (49 and 53) of the seedling planting prongs (16) during one set of processes for taking out and planting a seedling is substantial triangular centering on a rotary fulcrum (31) of the rotary member (17). The seedling planting prong (16) takes out the seedling from the seedling tray (15) at one of vertexes of the triangular locus, and plants the seedling to the field at another vertex thereof. An extrusion cam (24) driving a seedling extrusion member (64) and an opening/closing cam (22) driving the seedling planting prong to be opened and closed are provided on a cam shaft (53) oppositely to the first and second rotary members (17 and 18) about the seedling planting prong (16).
Full Text
Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vegetable transplanter which takes out one seedling of an onion, a green spring onion, a white spring onion or the like by a seedling planting prong and plants the seedling directly to the field.
Background Art
As disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid Open Gazette 2001-211713 for example, conventionally, there is well known a relay-type vegetable transplanter comprising a pair of seedling taking out prong and seedling planting prong that the seedling taking out prong takes out a seedling from a seedling tray on a seedling rack and passes the seedling to the seedling planting prong so as to plant seedlings for one row.
However, with regard to such a relay-type vegetable transplanter as the above-mentioned, it is necessary to drive the seedling taking out prong and the seedling planting prong and to synchronize the drives thereof, whereby the structure is complicated. Furthermore, at the time of passing a seedling from the seedlmg taking out prong to the seedling planting prong, the posture of the seedling becomes turbulent. Especially, as high as the planting speed becomes, as more as the turbulence become noticeable, thereby reducing the accuracy of planting the seedling.
Summary of the Invention
The purpose of the invention is to provide a vegetable transplanter with simple construction which can plant seedlings certainly and quickly without requiring the above-mentioned relay of the seedlings causing to reduce the accuracy of planting.
For achieving the purpose, the vegetable transplanter according to the present invention comprises a seedling planting prong which takes out a seedling from a seedling tray on a

seedling rack and plants the seedling in a field. Accordingly, the seedling planting prong itself takes out the seedling from the seedling tray on the seedling rack, whereby the conventional seedling taking out prong is not required. Therefore, the relay of seedling causing the above-mentioned problem is omitted so as to improve the accuracy of planting the seedling.
For actualizing the seedling planting prong taking out the seedling, with regard to the vegetable transplanter according to the present invention, the seedling planting prong is vertically rockably pivoted on a rotary tip of a rotary member which rotates; a locus of a rocking fulcrum of the seedling planting prong during one set of processes for taking out and planting a seedling is substantial triangular centering on a rotary fulcrum of the rotary member; and the seedling is taken out from the seedling tray at one of vertexes of the triangular locus, and is planted to the field at another vertex thereof.
Accordingly, the substantial triangular locus of the rocking fulcrum of the seedling planting prong is made to appear by contriving a transmission mechanism (for example, a planetary gear mechanism or a cam mechanism) from the rotary fulcrum of the rotary member to the rocking fulcrum of the seedling planting prong. Then, by using the two vertexes of the locus, the forward and rearward movement of the seedling planting prong is made to appear easily so as to take out and plant the seedling.
Furthermore, the rotary member is set to a first rotary member; a basal end of a second rotary member is rotatably attached to a rotary end of the first rotary member which is rotated centering on the rotary fulcrum; a rocking fulcrum for the seedling planting prong is provided at a tip of the second rotary member so as to attach the seedling planting prong to the rocking fulcrum; rotation of the first rotary member in one direction and rotation of the second rotary member in opposite direction to the first rotary member are combined so as to make the substantial triangular locus appear; and the rotations of the first and second rotary members are combined with rocking of the seedling planting prong centering on the rocking fulcrum so as to take out and plant the seedling.
Accordingly, by combining the substantial triangular movement of the seedling planting prong made to appear by the rotation of the first and second rotary members with

the rocking of the seedling planting prong centering on the rocking fulcrum, the seedling planting prong can he moved forward and rearward perpendicularly to the seedling tray and the field, thereby enabling the seedling planting prong to take out and plant the seedling smoothly.
For making the planting of the seedling of smooth, with regard to the above-mentioned vegetable transplanter according to the present invention, a seedling extrusion member extruding the seedling from the seedling planting prong so as to plant the seedling is provided in the seedling planting prong; and a seedling extrusion cam driving the seedling extrusion member is provided on an axle of the rocking fulcrum of the seedling planting prong oppositely to the first and second rotary members about the seedling planting prong.
Accordingly, the seedling extrusion cam can be included easily without influencing the attachment dimensions on the lateral direction (the direction of the rotary fulcrum or the rocking fulcrum) of the first and second rotary members and the seedling planting prong so as to enable the certain extrusion of the seedling with the compact and easily detachable construction, thereby improving the accuracy of planting the seedling.
For making the planting of the seedling of smooth, with regard to the above-mentioned vegetable transplanter according to the present invention, the seedling planting prong can be opened and closed; and a prong opening/closing cam driving the seedling planting prong to be opened and closed is provided on an axle of the rocking fulcrum of the seedling planting prong oppositely to the first and second rotary members about the seedling planting prong.
Accordingly, the prong opening/closing cam can be included easily without influencing the attachment dimensions on the lateral direction (the direction of the rotary fulcrum or the rocking fulcrum) of the first and second rotary members and the seedling planting prong so as to enable the certain opening and closing of the seedling planting prong with the compact and easily detachable construction, thereby improving the accuracy of planting the seedling.
These, other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear

more fully from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is an entire side view of a transplanter according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a side view of a planting unit.
Fig. 3 is a side view of a seedling planting prong part.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a rotary casing.
Fig. 5 is a drawing for explaining the drive of the seedling planting prongs.
Fig. 6 is a drawing for explaining a rocking cam part.
Fig. 7 is a drawing for explaining a grooved cam part.
Fig. 8 is a plan view for explaining the planting prong part.
Fig. 9 is a drawing for explaining a seedling extrusion member.
Fig. 10 is a drawing for explaining the locus of the seedling planting prongs.
Fig. 11 is a side view for explaining the rotary casing.
Fig. 12 is a side view for explaining the seedling planting prong.
Fig. 13 is a side view for explaining the seedling planting prong.
Fig. 14 is a drawing for explaining the seedling planting prongs at the positions of 0° and 180°.
Fig. 15 is a drawing for explaining the seedling planting prongs at the positions of 45° and 225°.
Fig. 16 is a drawing for explaining the seedling planting prongs at the positions of 90° and 270°.
Fig. 17 is a drawing for explaining the seedling planting prongs at the positions of 135° and 315°.
Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention
Explanation will be given below on an embodiment of the present invention according to drawings. Fig. 1 is an entire side view of a transplanter, and Fig. 2 is a side view of a

planting unit. In the drawings, numeral 1 designates a vehicle body which is mounted on its rear portion with an engine 2 and has front and rear wheels 3 and 4. Numeral 5 designates a transmission casing 5 driving the rear wheels 4. Numeral 6 designates a drive operation part having a steering wheel 7. Numeral 8 designates an operator's seat disposed behind the drive operation part 6. Numeral 9 designates a reserve seedling rack disposed at the substantial center of the vehicle body 1. Numeral 10 designates a seedling planting unit which is slidably vertically mounted on the lower surface of the substantial center of the vehicle body 1 through front and rear lifting links 11, 12 and a lifting cylinder 13. The seedling planting unit 10 comprises a seedling rack 14, which moves reciprocally laterally, and seedling planting prongs 16, each of which takes out one pot seedling N from a seedling tray 15 on the seedling rack 14 and plants the pot seedling N directly in a ridge of a field, so that pot seedlings N are moved to the ridge at an interval of a fixed distance of traveling of the vehicle.
As shown in Fig. 3, the seedling planting prongs 16 are constructed so that two seedling planting prongs 16 take out and plant seedlings N from one seedling tray 15. The two seedling planting prongs 16 are positioned on the same planting locus A while being different in the phase mutually for 180°, and seedlings are taken out and planted twice in one planting locus A so that two seedlings N are planted, whereby the seedling planting speed is increased twice substantially and the planting work is performed at high speed.
As shown in Figs. 3 to 13, the seedling planting unit 10 comprises first and second rotary casings 17 and 18 driving the seedling planting prongs 16, a rocking grooved cam 19 rocking the seedling planting prongs 16 vertically, opening/closing cams 22 opening and closing left and right prongs 20 and 21 of the seedling planting prongs 16, and seedling extrusion cams 24 actuating extrusion mechanisms 23 for seedlings N pinched between the left and right spatula-like prongs 20 and 21. The vehicle body supports and moves the seedling rack 14 reciprocally through a cross feed screw shaft 25 and a guide roller 26. A drive receiving shaft 28 is fixed to a fixed bracket 27. A planting input shaft 31, which is connected to an output shaft of a planting clutch casing through a

sprocket 29 and a chain 30, is spline-engaged with an outer cylinder shaft 32. The outer cylinder shaft 32 is supported by the receiving shaft 28, and one of ends of the outer cylinder shaft 32 is fixed to the first rotary casing 17. A sun gear 38 is fixed to the receiving shaft 28 in the first rotary casing 17. Each of planetary gears 40 of output shafts 39 at both ends of the first rotary casing 17 is connected to the sun gear 38 through idle gears 42 of intermediate shafts 41. The number of teeth of the sun gear 38 is equal to that of the idle gear 42, and the gear ratio between the planetary gear 40 and the gears 38 and 42 is set to 1:3. Accordingly, during the first rotary casing 17 rotates once forward, the output shafts 39 are rotated twice rearward.
Each of the second rotary casings 18 is arranged at the right of the first rotary casing 17 and one of ends of the second rotary casing 18 is fixed to the output shafts 39 so that a segment gear 45 at one of ends of a rocking arm 44 is connected to a gear 43a at one of ends of a prong output shaft 43 rotatably inserted into the output shaft 39. The middle portion of the rocking arm 44 is rockablly supported by the first rotary casing 17 through a fulcrum shaft 46. A roller 47 at the other end of the rocking arm 44 is inserted into a grooved cam 19, endlessly formed in the receiving shaft 28 centering on the input shaft 31, and guided.
A sun gear 48 is fixed to the prong output shaft 43 in the second rotary casing 18. The sun gear 48 is connected through a first idle gear 52 of an intermediate shaft 51 to an output gear 50 which is a planetary gear of a rocking shaft 49 of the other end of the second rotary casing 18. An output gear 54, which is a planetary gear of a cam shaft 53 rotatably inserted into the rocking shaft 49, is connected to a second idle gear 55 integral with the first idle gear 52. The number of teeth of the sun gear 48 is equal to that of the first idle gear 52, the second idle gear 55 and the output gear 54, and the gear ratio between the first idle gear 52 and the output gear 50 is set to 2:3. Accordingly, the difference of rotation between the output gear 50 of the rocking shaft 49 and the output
gear 54 of the cam shaft 53 is set to one rotation. When the seedling planting prong 16 t
connected to the rocking shaft 49 is rocked, the cam shaft 53 is always rotated in a fixed speed against the seedling planting prong 16. Therefore, the opening/closing cam 22

and the seedling extrusion cam 24 fixed to the cam shaft 53 are rotated smoothly with reasonable shape of the grooved cam 19.
As shown in Fig. 10, against one rotation of the first rotary casing 17 which is clockwise (along an arrow of a solid line) centering on the input shaft 31, the second rotary casings 18 are rotated twice counterclockwise (along an arrow of a broken line) centering on the prong output shafts 43. Accordingly, by one rotation of the first rotary casing 17 (two rotations of the second rotary casings 18), the cam shafts 53 are moved on a substantial triangular (especially, equilateral triangular) planting basic locus K shown in the diagram.
Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 11, a base plate 57 is fixed through an adapter plate 56 to the rocking shaft 49 projected outward from the second rotary casing 18. The left and right prongs 20 and 21 are supported by the base plate 57 through left and right opening/closing shaft 58 and 59 so as to be able to open and close. Left and right opening/closing plates 60 and 61, which engages their convex portion and hollow portion with each other at the center thereof, are fixed to the left and right opening/closing shaft 58 and 59. A closing torsion coil spring 62 for closing is interposed between the left opening/closing plate 60 and the base plate 57. An opening/closing operation bolt 63 is provided in the right opening/closing plate 60. The plate-like opening/closing cam 22 is fixed to the outer end of the cam shaft 53 projected outward from the rocking shaft 49. The bolt 63 touches an outer cam surface 22a of the opening/closing cam 22. Accordingly, the left and right prongs 20 and 21 are opened and closed by the rotation cam effect of the opening/closing cam 22.
A seedling extrusion member 64 extruding a seedling N to the left and right prongs 20 and 21 is provided in the extrusion mechanism 23. The seedling extrusion member 64 is supported through a shaft 65 and an extrusion arm 66 by an arm shaft 67 of the base plate 57. The plate-like seedling extrusion cam 24 is fixed to the outer end of the cam shaft 53 inside the opening/closing cam 22. A cam roller 69 attached to the extrusion arm 66 through a shaft 68 is made to touch an outer cam surface 24a of the seedling extrusion cam 24 by the force of the torsion spring 70. Accordingly, the seedling extrusion

member 64 is moved vertically along the left and right prongs 20 and 21 by the rotation cam effect of the seedling extrusion cam 24.
With regard to the seedling extrusion member 64, either a linear seedling extrusion member 71 or an elastic plate-like seedling extrusion member 72 shown in Fig. 9 is used. In the case of using the linear seedling extrusion member 71, a basal end ring portion 71a is supported by the shaft 65 of the extrusion arm 66, and a tip end ring portion 71b is freely fitted on the left and right prongs 20 and 21 so as to extrude a seedling N by the ring portion 71b. On the other hand, in the case of using the elastic plate-like seedling extrusion member 72, inside the left and right prongs 20 and 21, two elastic plates 73 of rubber or a resinous material whose tip ends rub with each other are fixed to an adapter plate 74 so as to be form a forked shape, and the basal end of the adapter plate 74 is supported by the shaft 65 of the extrusion arm 66. Accordingly, when the elastic plates 73 are moved downward along the inner surfaces of the left and right prongs 20 and 21, a seedling N is extruded and mud adhering to the inner surfaces of the prongs 20 and 21 is removed.
As shown in Fig. 13, a guide 75 restricting the position of the elastic plate-like seedling extrusion member 72 is fixed to a stand 57a of the base plate 57 through an adjusting bolt 76 so as to be adjustable the height of the guide 75. The portal guide 75 is fixed to the head of the bolt 76. Accordingly, the vertical and lateral sides of the seedling extrusion member 72 is restricted by the guide 75 so as to extrude a seedling N effectively.
The base plate 57 equipped with the seedling planting prong 16 and the seedling extrusion member 64 is detachably fixed to the adapter plate 56 to the rocking shaft 49 through a bolt 77. Accordingly, at the time of maintenance inspection or part exchange of the seedling planting prong 16 or the seedling extrusion member 64, the base plate 57 can be removed so as to simplify the work.
Furthermore, the drive of the cam shaft 53 is branched at the middle of the drive of the rocking shaft 49, (at the idle gears 52 and 55) which is the drive of the planting prong 16, below a rocking mechanism formed by the grooved cam 19 and the rocking arm 44. The difference of one rotation exists between the output gear 50 of the rocking shaft 49

and the output gear 54 of the cam shaft 53 (for example, the rotation of the output gear 54 is one when that of the output gear 50 is 0). Accordingly, the cams 22 and 24 always rotates in a fixed speed against the rocking of the seedling planting prongs 16, whereby the left and right prongs 20 and 21 can be opened and closed and the seedling extrusion member 64 can perform the extrusion smoothly with reasonable shape of the cams 22 and 24.
Namely, even if the first and second rotary casings 17 and 18 is rotated, at the time of stopping the rocking of the rocking arm 44 for example, the rotation of the rocking shaft 49 is 0 against one rotation of the cam shaft 53 so as to keep the rocking of the seedling planting prongs 16 stopping. In the case that the rocking arm 44 is rocked reciprocally like this embodiment, the rocking shaft 49 is rotated for fixed degrees corresponding to the rocking of the rocking arm 44 so as to make the seedling planting prong 16 rock vertically while keeping one rotation of the cam shaft 53.
The seedling rack 14 laterally slidably supported through the guide roller 26 is disposed at the center of the vehicle body in the traveling direction. The seedling tray 15 is held substantially vertically near the taking off position and the opening removal side of the seedling tray 15 is directed rearward. The seedling planting prong 16 of the seedling planting unit 10 disposed behind the seedling rack 14 is plunged into a pot in the seedling tray 15 substantially horizontally from the rear downside so as to take out a seedling N. As shown in Figs. 3, 10, 14 to 17, while the first rotary casing 17 is rotated once counterclockwise (along an arrow of a solid line) centering on the input shaft 31, the second rotary casings 18 are rotated twice clockwise (along an arrow of a broken line) centering on the output shaft 43. While the casings 18 are rotated centering on the shaft 43, the output shafts 53 are moved on the substantial (equilateral) triangular locus K shown in Fig. 11. Under the movement, by the relative change between the rocking grooved cam 19 provided on the receiving shaft 28 and the rocking arm 44, the casing 17 is made to rock,the seedling planting prong 16 so that the seedling planting prong 16 are moved vertically on the planting locus A. Accordingly, a series of planting work from taking out a seedling N from the seedling tray 15 to planting in a ridge M of the field is

performed by one seedling planting prong 16.
The planting locus A is projected forward downward at the upper seedling taking off position and the lower seedling planting position, gradually slanted rearward backward between the seedling taking off position and the seedling planting position, substantially vertical between the seedling planting position and the middle position toward the seedling taking off position, and slanted forward upward from substantial horizontal between the middle position and the seedling taking off position. Accordingly, the seedling planting prong 16 approach upward the substantial vertical seedling tray 15 and take out a seedling N rearward without damaging the seedling. By the downward rearward movement of the prong 16, the seedling N taken out leaves the seedling tray 15 without disarranging seedlings N on the upper portion of the seedling tray 15. Near the seedling planting position of the seedling N, the seedling N is planted fine while the posture of the seedling is substantially vertical.
As a result, while the first rotary casing 17 is rotated once clockwise and the second rotary casings 18 are rotated twice counterclockwise, each of the seedling planting prongs 16 goes round the planting locus A once, and two seedling planting prongs 16 different in the phase mutually for 180° plant twice. The positions of the seedling planting prongs
16 in Fig. 14 is set to the positions of 0° and 180° on the planting locus A. While the
first rotary casing 17 is rotated for 45° clockwise and the second rotary casings 18 are
rotated for 90° counterclockwise from this state, the seedling planting prongs 16 move
counterclockwise on the planting locus A from the positions of 0° and 180° to the
positions of 45° and 225° as shown in Fig. 15. Furthermore, while the first rotary casing
17 is rotated for 90° clockwise and the second rotary casings 18 are rotated for 180°
counterclockwise from the first, the seedling planting prongs 16 move to the positions of
90° and 270° as shown in Fig. 16, and while the casing 17 is rotated for 135° clockwise
and the casings 18 are rotated for 270° counterclockwise from the first, the seedling
planting prongs l 6 move to the positions of 135° and 315° as shown in Fig. 17. While
the first rotary casing 17 is rotated once clockwise and the second rotary casings 18 are
rotated twice counterclockwise from the first, the prongs return to the state in Fig. 14.

Accordingly, by one rotation of the first rotary casing 17 and one rotation of the second rotary casings 18, one seedling planting prong 16 finishes one loop on the planting locus A.
When the seedling planting prong 16 comes just behind the seedling taking off position during the movement of the seedling planting prong 16 along the locus A, the left and right prongs 20 and 21 are opened and plunged into the seedling tray 15 so that a seedling N is pinched by closing the left and right prongs 20 and 21. When the seedling planting prong 16 reaches the lowest planting position, the seedling N is released by opening the left and right prongs 20 and 21, and then the seedling N is extruded from the prongs 20 and 21 by moving the seedling extrusion member 64 downward so as to plant the seedling N in the field. The substantial vertical movement of the seedling planting prong 16 is caused by the movement of passing through the vertex at the lower end of the locus of the rocking shafts 49 (the cam shafts 53) which is equilateral triangular when viewed in side.
In the traveling direction, the seedling rack 14 is disposed in front and the seedling planting prongs 16 are disposed in rear. The right seedling planting prongs 16 are moved counterclockwise on the rotation locus A against the left seedling rack 14 when viewed in side. Accordingly, at the time of taking out a seedling by the seedling planting prong 16, the prong 16 is plunged into the seedling tray 15 finely without damaging the seedling N by the prong 16, and at the time of extracting the seedling from the seedling tray 15, the seedling N is extracted without disarranging upper seedlings N so as to improve the accuracy of taking off a seedling. The substantial longitudinal movement of the seedling planting prongs 16 is caused by the movement of passing through the vertex at the front end of the locus of the rocking shafts 49 (the cam shafts 53) which is equilateral triangular when viewed in side.
The output shafts 39 of the first rotary casing 17, which are first rotary members rotating centering on the input shaft 31 being a center rotary shaft, are connected to the basal end of the, second rotary casings 18 which are second rotary members. Each of the seedling planting prong 16 is attached to the rocking shaft 49, which is a front end output shaft of the second rotary casing 18. Accordingly, the seedling planting prongs 16 are

rocked centering on the rocking shafts 49 and the tips of the seedling planting prongs 16 are moved on the seedling planting locus A, whereby during one rotation of the first rotary casing 17, seedlings are planted twice by two seedling planting prongs 16 moved through the second rotary casing 18 so as to enable the planting work at high speed easily.
Furthermore, the grooved cam 19, which is a rocking cam rocking the seedling planting prong 16 centering on the rocking shaft 49 (the cam shaft 53) of the second rotary casing 18, is provided at the center of the first rotary casing 17 so as to enable the rocking of the seedling planting prongs 16 optimum for taking out and planting a seedling easily, thereby improving the workability of the planting.
As the above mentioned, the basal ends of the second rotary casings 18 are connected to the output shafts 39 provided at both ends of the first rotary casing 17 which rotates centering on the input shaft 31, the rocking shafts 49 at the tips of the second rotary casings 18 are moved on the substantial (equilateral) triangular locus when viewed in side, and the seedling planting prongs 16 are attached to the rocking shafts 49 so as to be rocked centering on the rocking shafts 49, whereby the seedling planting prongs 16 are moved on the seedling planting locus A.
Furthermore, as the above mentioned, the seedling extrusion member 64 extruding a seedling N pinched by the seedling planting prong 16, is provided in the seedling planting prong 16, and the extrusion cam 24 for the extrusion is provided on the cam shaft 53 oppositely to the rotary casings 17 and 18 about the seedling planting prong 16. Accordingly, the extrusion cam 24 can be included easily without influencing the lateral attachment dimensions of the first and second rotary casings 17 and 18 and the seedling planting prongs 16 so as to enable the certain extrusion of a seedling N with the compact and easily detachable construction, thereby improving the accuracy of planting the seedling.
The prong opening/closing cams 22 opening and closing the left and right seedling planting prongs 16 are provided on the cam shaft 53 oppositely to the rotary casings 17 and 18 about the seedling planting prongs 16. Accordingly, the prong opening/closing cams 22 can be included easily without influencing the lateral attachment dimensions of

the first and second rotary casings 17 and 18 and the seedling planting prongs 16 so as to enable the certain opening and closing of the seedling planting prongs 16 with the compact and easily detachable construction, thereby improving the accuracy of planting the seedling.
Industrial Applicability
The present invention is typically applicable to a walking vegetable transplanter, or applicable to any transplanter which comprises a seedling rack carrying a seedling tray and a seedling planting prong planting a seedling from the seedling tray in a field. The planted seedling is not limited to a seedling of vegetables, and any seedling, which can be planted by the construction disclosed in the below claims, is available.
We Claim:
1. A vegetable transplanter comprising:
a. a seedling planting prong (16) which takes out a seedling from a
seedling tray (15) on a seedling rack (14) and plants the seedling in a
field;
b. wherein the seedling planting prong is vertically rockably pivoted on a
rotary tip of a rotary member (17) which rotates,
c. wherein a locus of a rocking fulcrum (48) of the seedling planting prong
during one set of processes for taking out and planting a seedling is
substantial triangular centering on a rotary fulcrum (31) of the rotary
member, and
d. wherein the seedling planting prong takes out the seedling from the
seedling tray at one of vertexes of the triangular locus, and plants the
seedling to the field at another vertex thereof.
2. The vegetable transplanter as claimed in 1,
a. wherein the rotary member serves as a first rotary member,
b. wherein a basal end of a second rotary member is rotatably attached to
a rotary end of the first rotary member which is rotated centering on the
rotary fulcrum,
c. wherein a rocking fulcrum for the seedling planting prong is provided at
a tip of the second rotary member so as to attach the seedling planting
prong to the rocking fulcrum,
d. wherein rotation of the first rotary member in one direction and rotation
of the second rotary member in opposite direction to the first rotary
member are combined so as to make the substantial triangular locus
appear, and
e. wherein the rotations of the first and second rotary members are
combined with rocking of the seedling planting prong centering on the
rocking fulcrum so as to take out and plant the seedling.
3. The vegetable transplanter as claimed in claim 2,
a. wherein a seedling extrusion member extruding the seedling from the
seedling planting prong so as to plant the seedling is provided in the
seedling planting prong, and
b. wherein a seedling extrusion cam (24) driving the seedling extrusion
member (64) is provided on a shaft serving as the rocking fulcrum of the

seedling planting prong oppositely to the first and second rotary members about the seedling planting prong.
4. The vegetable transplanter as claimed in claim 2,
a. wherein the seedling planting prong is opened and closed, and
b. wherein a prong opening/closing cam (22) driving the seedling planting
prong to be opened and closed is provided on a shaft serving as the
rocking fulcrum of the seedling planting prong oppositely to the first and
second rotary members about the seedling planting prong.

Documents:

3890-DELNP-2005-Abstract-(02-01-2009).pdf

3890-delnp-2005-abstract.pdf

3890-DELNP-2005-Claims-(02-01-2009).pdf

3890-DELNP-2005-Claims-(30-01-2009).pdf

3890-DELNP-2005-Claims-(31-03-2009).pdf

3890-delnp-2005-claims.pdf

3890-DELNP-2005-Correspondence-Others-(02-01-2009).pdf

3890-delnp-2005-corrrespondence-others.pdf

3890-DELNP-2005-Description (Complete)-(30-01-2009).pdf

3890-DELNP-2005-Description (Complete)-(31-03-2008).pdf

3890-delnp-2005-description (complete).pdf

3890-DELNP-2005-Drawings-(02-01-2009).pdf

3890-delnp-2005-drawings.pdf

3890-delnp-2005-form-1.pdf

3890-delnp-2005-form-18.pdf

3890-DELNP-2005-Form-2-(02-01-2009).pdf

3890-delnp-2005-form-2.pdf

3890-DELNP-2005-Form-3-(02-01-2009).pdf

3890-delnp-2005-form-3.pdf

3890-delnp-2005-form-5.pdf

3890-DELNP-2005-GPA-(30-01-2009).pdf

3890-delnp-2005-gpa.pdf

3890-delnp-2005-pct-210.pdf

3890-delnp-2005-pct-308.pdf

3890-delnp-2005-petition-other.pdf


Patent Number 233897
Indian Patent Application Number 3890/DELNP/2005
PG Journal Number 18/2009
Publication Date 01-May-2009
Grant Date 17-Apr-2009
Date of Filing 31-Aug-2005
Name of Patentee YANMAR AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
Applicant Address 1-32, CHAYAMACHI, KITA-KU, OSAKA-SHI, OSAKA 530-0013 JAPAN
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 TAKEYAMA TOMOHIRO 1-32, CHAYAMACHI, KITA-KU, OSAKA-SHI, 530-0013 JAPAN
PCT International Classification Number A01C 11/02
PCT International Application Number PCT/JP2004/003154
PCT International Filing date 2004-03-10
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 2003-76923 2003-03-20 Japan