Apparatus for transplant propagation
AssigneeEdward John Simon
InventorsEdward J. Simon, Anthony Visser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for transplant propagation comprising a unitary lower tray-forming member and a separate unitary upper tray-forming member carried on lower tray-forming member and cooperatively forming a regular array of transplant plug cells for containing a transplant medium for growing of seedlings. In one embodiment, the upper tray-forming member is removable from the lower tray-forming member and carriers transplant plugs out of the array of cells. In another embodiment, the upper tray-forming member is removable from the lower tray-forming member and leaves the transplant plugs in place on the lower tray-forming member to be carried thereby.
Claims28
Apparatus for transplant propagation comprising a unitary lower tray member and a separate unitary upper tray member carried on said lower tray member and cooperatively forming a regular two dimensional array of transplant plug cells arranged as separate but interconnected rows and columns adapted to receive a transplant medium for growing of seedling in each of said transplant plugs thereby formed in said transplant plug cells, said upper tray member being removable from said lower tray to carry simultaneously all of said rows and columns of transplant plugs out of said two dimensional array of cells and said upper tray member consisting of parallel rows partial cell-forming sidewall portions joined at lower edges by bottom wall portions such that each of said transplant plugs is supported by said upper tray member solely on two of its opposing sides and bottom.
In transplant propagation and planting apparatus, in combination:
- a plurality of transplant propagation trays each comprising a unitary lower tray member and a separate unitary upper tray member carried on said lower tray member and cooperatively forming a regular array of transplant plug cells for containing a transplant medium for growing of seedlings, said unitary upper tray member being removable from said unitary lower tray member to carry transplant plugs out of said array of cells;
- a transplant plug conveyer for carrying individual ones of said transplant plugs away from a plug transfer station;
- and
- a plug removal module positioned at said plug transfer station and comprising
- first support means for supporting said upper tray member in a fixed position adjacent said transplant plug conveyer and independent of support of said lower tray member;
- second support means for supporting said lower tray member in a vertically movable relation to said upper tray member and including means for moving said lower tray member from an initial position in which said lower tray member is nested with said upper tray member to a separated position in which said lower tray member is fully separated from transplant plugs supported on said upper tray member;
- and
- plug pusher means adapted to be selectively positioned adjacent each row of transplant plugs carried on said upper tray member and having a pusher element operative to push said transplant plugs in said row one at a time onto said transplant plug conveyer.
Apparatus for transplant seedling propagation comprising a lower tray-forming member and a separate upper tray-forming member carried in removably mated relationship on said lower tray-forming member so as to form a complete seedling propagation tray, each of said lower tray-forming member and said upper tray-forming member having a plurality of rows of partial cell-forming wall structures adapted to mate together and thereby combining together to form the completed walls of a regular two-dimensional array of separate cells for containing transplant plugs, each of said separate cells being adapted to be filled with a transplant propagation medium for growing of a seedling from a seed deposited therein and thereby forming a transplant plug, said separate upper tray-forming member being separable from said lower tray-forming member such that each and every one of said transplant plugs is thereafter carried solely on a prearranged one of said upper tray-forming member and said lower tray-forming member and supported only by said partial cell forming wall structures thereof such that said transplant plugs may thereafter be easily removed therefrom for transplanting.
Apparatus for transplant seedling propagation comprising a lower tray member and a separate upper tray member carried in removably mated relationship on said lower tray member so as to form a complete seedling propagation tray consisting of a regular two-dimensional array of transplant propagation cells arranged as separate but interconnected rows and columns, each of said lower tray member and said upper tray member having a plurality of rows of partial cell-forming wall structures adapted to mate together and thereby combining together to form the completed walls of said regular two-dimensional array of transplant propagation cells, each of said transplant propagation cells being adapted to be filled with a transplant propagation medium for growing of a seedling from a seed deposited therein and thereby forming a transplant plug, said separate upper tray member being separable from said lower tray member after growing of said seedlings for simultaneously removing and carrying each of said transplant plugs out of said two-dimensional array of separate cells such that each and every one of said transplant plugs is thereafter supported only by said partial cell-forming wall structures of said upper tray member and may thus be easily removed from said upper tray member for transplanting.
In transplant propagation and planting apparatus, in combination:
- a plurality of transplant propagation trays each a lower tray member and a separate upper tray member carried in removably mated relationship on said lower tray member so as to form a complete seedling propagation tray consisting of a regular two-dimensional array of transplant propagation cells arranged as separate but interconnected rows and columns, each of said lower tray member and said upper tray member having a plurality of rows of partial cell-forming wall structures adapted to mate together and thereby combining together to form the completed walls of said regular two-dimensional array of transplant propagation cells, each of said transplant propagation cells being adapted to be filled with a transplant propagation medium for growing of a seedling from a seed deposited therein and thereby forming a transplant plug, said separate upper tray member being separable from said lower tray member after growing of said seedlings for simultaneously removing and carrying each of said transplant plugs out of said two-dimensional array of separate cells such that each and every one of said transplant plugs is thereafter supported only by said partial cell-forming wall structures of said upper tray member and may thus be easily removed from said upper tray member for transplanting:
- a tray conveyer module, including a tray conveyor for receiving a sequence of consecutive ones of said upper tray members after being separated from said lower tray members and thus carrying mature transplant plugs and for carrying each of said upper tray members in sequence to a plug transfer station, and a plug removal means positioned at said plug transfer station for removing said transplant plugs from said upper tray member one row at a time;
- and
- a plug transfer module positioned at said plug transfer station and adapted to receive each row of transplant plugs from an upper tray member positioned at said plug transfer location and to carry each of said transplant plugs to a plug delivery location station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.