Seedling planting apparatus having an operation platform

A seedling planting apparatus comprising:

• a body, including a main frame and a unit frame, connected to the rear portion of a traveling vehicle, said unit frame having at least one planting unit for picking up a seedling from a pot provided in a seedling tray wherein the planting unit is resiliently supported on the main frame of said body, and wherein the seedling planting apparatus is provided with at least one leveling wheel located at a front portion of the planting unit for leveling the ground for planting the seedling;
• at least one pair of covering wheels located at a rear portion of the planting unit for covering the planted ground with soil;
• and
• a pair of gauge wheels located at the front portion of the body.

A seedling planting apparatus comprising:

• a body connected to the rear portion of a traveling vehicle, said body having at least one planting unit for picking up a seedling from a pot provided in a seedling tray;
• a pair of steerable gauge wheels provided at a front portion of the body for effecting the steering of the gauge wheels;
• an operating member being operatively connected to the steering mechanism and located at a front portion of the seedling planting apparatus for controlling the steering degree of the gauge wheels;
• and
• means for vertically adjusting the height of the gauge wheels.

A seedling planting unit for picking a seedling from a pot provided in a seedling tray, said seedling planting unit being installed in a body of a seedling planting apparatus wherein the body is connected to a rear portion of a traveling vehicle, said body comprising:

• a unit frame mounted on the body that is capable of being vertically moved;
• a table for placing the seedling tray in a vertical position;
• a traverse feeding mechanism for moving the table back and forth;
• a longitudinal feeding mechanism for downwardly moving the table;
• seedling picker means for picking the seedling from the pot;
• and
• seedling planting means for receiving the seedling from the seedling picker means to plant it in the field, the seedling picker means and the seedling planting means being located at a central portion in the longitudinal direction of the planting unit;
• and
• a transmission device for the seedling picker means and the seedling planting means being located at one side of the seedling picker means and the seedling planting means, wherein the planting unit is arranged such that an empty seedling tray is caused to fall into a corresponding guide rail located below and extending along the planting unit and withdrawn from the front portion of the body.