Transplanting machine

A machine adapted to be moved in a direction horizontally over the ground for transplanting cylindrical plugs, each plug enclosing and protecting the root system of a seedling, said machine comprising:

• a machine frame;
• means attached to said frame for conveying gripping mechanisms around a loop, said conveying means including a horizontal path portion extending parallel to and adjacent the ground, said horizontal path portion extending parallel to the direction of machine movement for temporarily retaining gripping mechanisms on said horizontal path portion at selected locations relative to the ground at a substantially constant level at least partially below ground level;
• a plurality of gripping mechanisms attached to said conveying means at regulator positions, each gripping mechanism comprising a clip having first and second blade-like pieces, said blade-like pieces being disposed to abut to one aother at a tip end along opposing faces, each said blade-like piece being disposed on said horizontal path portion of said conveying means to present its narrowest cross-section in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of machine movement, and to displace said tip ends only in a plane perpendicular to the direction of machine movement;
• means for driving said conveying means to produce movement along said horizontal path portion at a speed relative to said machine in a range generally corresponding to ground speed when said machine is in motion over the ground, such that a gripping mechanism moving along said horizontal path portion is in the range of near zero velocity relative to the ground;
• means for sequentially presenting said plugs for take-up by said gripping mechanisms in synchronization with said conveying means so that succeeding clips on said conveying means confront succeeding plugs;
• means for sequentially opening each one of said clips by spreading said first and second blade-like pieces to displace said tip ends at a position immediately adjacent said take-up position;
• means operative to cause said clip to close about each of said plugs at said take-up position;
• means attached to said frame for opening a furrow in the ground ahead of each one of said gripping mechanisms when along its said horizontal path portion, said furrow opening means being operative to laterally divert soil of sufficient depth to accommodate a gripped plug;
• means for thereafter closing soil into said furrow about all sides of said gripped plug;
• means for releasing said gripped plug at a planting position after said furrow is closed;
• and
• means associated with said conveying means for withdrawing said clips through said soil of said furrow without displacing said released plug at said planting position.

A machine adapted to be moved in a direction horizontally over the ground for transplating cylindrical plugs, each plug enclosing and protecting the root system of a seedling, said machine comprising:

• transport means for transporting said plugs;
• means attached to said transport means for conveying gripping mechanisms around a loop, said conveying means including a horizontal path portion extending parallel to and adjacent the ground in a vertical plane along the direction of machine movement for temporarily retaining gripping mechanisms on said horizontal path portion at selected locations relative to the ground at a substantially constant level at least partially below ground level;
• a plurality of gripping mechanisms attached to said conveying means at regular positions, each gripping mechanism comprising a clip having a first and a second blade-like piece, said blade-like pieces being disposed to abut to one another at a tip end along opposing faces, each said blade-like piece being disposed on said horizontal path portion of said conveying means to present its narrowest cross-section along said plane of said conveying means and to displace said tip ends only in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said conveying means;
• means for driving said conveying means to produce movement along said horizontal path portion at a speed relative to said machine in a range generally corresponding to ground speed when said machine is in motion over the ground such that a gripping mechanism moving along said horizontal path portion is in the range of near zero velocity relative to the ground;
• means for sequentially presenting said plugs in a position for take up by said gripping mechanisms in synchronization with said conveying means so that succeeding clips on said conveying means confront succeeding plugs;
• means for sequentially opening each one of said clips by spreading said first and second blade-like pieces in a direction perpendicular to said plane of said conveying means at a position immediately adjacent said take-up position;
• bias means operative to cause said clip to close about each of said plugs at said take-up position, said conveying means being inclined over a further portion of said conveying means path including said take-up position in a manner to cause said clip in a take-up position to be inclined relative to a central axis of a plug in a take-up position in order to compensate for inertial mass of said plug, which inertial mass causes said plug to angle downwardly in line with said clip as said plug is initially grasped but prior to said plug being fully gripped thereby to place said gripped plug in a position substantially perpendicular to said conveying means;
• means attached to said transport means for opening a furrow in the ground ahead of each one of said gripping mechanisms when along said horizontal path portion, said furrow opening means being operative to laterally divert soil of sufficient depth to accommodate a gripped plug;
• means for thereafter closing soil into said furrow about all sides of said gripped plug;
• means for releasing said gripped plug at a planting position after said furrow is closed;
• and
• means for withdrawing said clips through said soil of said closed furrow without displacing said released plug at said planting position.