Potting machine

A plant potting machine comprising:

• a pot track for sequentially conveying plant pots along a potting path;
• a soil lift conveyor having a soil discharge chute for lifting soil above the pot track and discharging soil through the soil discharge chute and into those plant pots on the pot track positioned in the potting path therebelow;
• a soil infeed conveyor for conveying soil from a source thereof to said soil lift conveyor;
• a synchronizer operatively interconnecting said soil lift conveyor and said soil infeed conveyor;
• a soil flow-control motor connected to said synchronizer for continuously driving the same so that said soil infeed and lift conveyors respectively feed and lift soil in a continuous synchronous manner;
• an indexing assembly operatively connected to said pot track for sequentially advancing said pot track and thereby responsively sequentially advancing the plant pots along the potting path, wherein
• said indexing assembly includes a rate adjustment system to allow indexing rate adjustment of said indexing assembly to thereby adjust the rate at which the plant pots are sequentially advanced along the potting path, and wherein
• said rate adjustment system includes:
• (i) a constant speed motor;
• (ii) a gear box coupled operatively to said indexing assembly;
• and
• (iii) a variable speed belt-and-pulley assembly operatively interconnecting said motor and gear box, said variable speed belt-and-pulley system being adjustable to responsively cause belt speed variance at the constant speed of said motor so that said belt speed variance is applied as an input to said gear box to thereby drive said indexing assembly at said belt speed variance.

A plant potting machine comprising:

• a pot track which establishes a potting path;
• a soil lift conveyor which discharges soil at a position above pots located on the pot track to thereby fill the pots with soil;
• a soil infeed conveyor which conveys soil to the soil lift conveyor;
• and
• an indexing assembly operatively connected to said pot track for sequentially advancing said pot track and thereby responsively sequentially advancing the plant pots along the potting path:
• wherein
• said indexing assembly includes,
• (a) an indexing arm reciprocally movable in forward and back strokes;
• (b) a rotatable indexing wheel having a number of circumferentially spaced-apart push pins;
• (c) a pivotal support arm coaxially joined to said support arm so that said support arm pivots independently of rotation of said indexing wheel;
• and
• (d) a finger member pivotally connected to a terminal end of said indexing arm so as to be movable between (i) an operative position wherein said finger member contacts one of said push pins during said forward stroke of said indexing arm so as to rotate said indexing wheel to sequentially advance said pot track, and (ii) an inoperative position wherein said finger member is pivotally deflected upon contact with said push pin during said back stroke of said indexing arm so as to prevent said finger member from rotating said indexing wheel.

A plant potting machine comprising:

• a pot track for sequentially conveying plant pots along a potting path;
• a soil infeed conveyor;
• a soil lift conveyor positioned at a forward end of said soil infeed conveyor to receive soil therefrom and having a soil discharge chute, wherein
• said soil lift conveyor includes an ascending section positioned adjacent said forward end of said soil infeed conveyor for lifting soil above the pot track and discharging soil through the soil discharge chute and into a plant pot on the pot track positioned in the potting path therebelow;
• an AC electric soil flow-control motor having a driven output connected to at least one of said soil lift and infeed conveyors such that operation of said AC electric soil flow-control motor causes said soil infeed conveyor to convey soil to said forward end of said soil infeed conveyor and causes said ascending section of said soil lift conveyor to move upwardly relative to said adjacent forward end of said soil infeed conveyor;
• and
• a programmable adjustable speed AC drive controller operatively connected to said soil flow-control motor to allow selective adjustment of said driven output of said soil flow-control motor, wherein flow of soil from the source thereof may be controlled.

A plant potting machine comprising:

• a pot track which establishes a potting path;
• a soil lift conveyor which discharges soil at a position above pots located on the pot track to thereby fill the pots with soil;
• a soil infeed conveyor mechanically coupled to said soil lift conveyor which conveys soil to the soil lift conveyor;
• a soil flow-control motor connected operatively to said soil lift and soil infeed conveyors;
• and
• a drilling assembly which includes,
• (a) a reciprocally moveable drill carriage;
• (b) a drill motor carried by the drill carriage;
• and
• (c) a drill bit connected to the motor so as to be rotated thereby and extending downwardly therefrom;
• and
• a control system operatively connected to said soil flow-control motor and said drill motor to allow for independent speed control adjustment thereof.

A potting machine comprising:

• a pot track for sequentially conveying plant pots along a potting path;
• a soil infeed conveyor;
• a soil lift conveyor positioned at a forward end of said soil infeed conveyor to receive soil therefrom and having a soil discharge end vertically spaced above said pot track, wherein
• said soil lift conveyor includes an ascending section positioned adjacent said forward end of said soil infeed conveyor for lifting soil above the pot track and discharging soil at said discharge end thereof and into a plant pot on the pot track positioned in the potting path therebelow;
• and
• a soil flow-control motor having a driven output connected operatively to said soil lift conveyor to cause said ascending section of said soil lift conveyor to move upwardly relative to said adjacent forward end of said soil infeed conveyor.