U.S. patent application number 09/918526 was filed with the patent office on 2002-04-18 for carousel-type distribution unit for handling and planting vegetable species.
This patent application is currently assigned to CHECCHI & MAGLI S.R.L.. Invention is credited to Pizzirani, Alberto.
Application Number | 20020043196 09/918526 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 11438680 |
Filed Date | 2002-04-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020043196 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pizzirani, Alberto |
April 18, 2002 |
CAROUSEL-TYPE DISTRIBUTION UNIT FOR HANDLING AND PLANTING VEGETABLE
SPECIES
Abstract
A carousel-type distribution unit for handling and planting
vegetable species, the carousel containing a plurality of conical
cups, each whereof is composed of two half-cones which are
articulated about substantially horizontal axes, the cups being
adapted to contain the vegetable species and to open in order to
plant them, the unit further comprises two arms which are fixed to
the center of the carousel and are adapted to open two of the cups
in order to release the plant species into two respective
conveyance channels for guiding into respective internal chambers
of respective hollow plowshares, from which the plant species are
expelled by respective ejector feet into the furrows of the soil
provided by the plowshares and arranged along two mutually
staggered adjacent rows.
Inventors: |
Pizzirani, Alberto;
(Molinella, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MODIANO & ASSOCIATES SRL
VIA MERAVIGLI 16-20123
MILAN
99940
IT
|
Assignee: |
CHECCHI & MAGLI S.R.L.
|
Family ID: |
11438680 |
Appl. No.: |
09/918526 |
Filed: |
August 1, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
111/109 ;
111/104 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01C 11/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
111/109 ;
111/104 |
International
Class: |
A01C 011/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 4, 2000 |
IT |
B02000A000490 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A carousel-type distribution unit for handling and planting
vegetable species, provided with a carousel containing a plurality
of conical cups, each whereof is composed of two half-cones which
are articulated about substantially horizontal axes, said cups
being suitable to contain the vegetable species and to open in
order to plant them, further comprising two arms which are fixed to
the center of said carousel and are adapted to open two of said
cups in order to release the plant species into two respective
conveyance channels for guiding into respective internal chambers
of respective hollow plowshares, from which the plant species are
expelled by respective ejector feet into the furrows of the soil
provided by said plowshares and arranged along two mutually
staggered adjacent rows.
2. The distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein the
actuation system for opening the cups that contain the plant
species comprises said two arms, which are mutually angularly
spaced and are substantially L-shaped, each arm being composed of a
first substantially radial horizontal portion and of a second
vertical portion which is perpendicular to said first horizontal
portion, said arms being further adapted to abut against respective
rollers which are mounted so as to be laterally rigidly coupled to
said half-cones.
3. The distribution unit according to claim 2, wherein said rollers
are mounted on said half-cones at different heights, a first half
of said cups having said rollers mounted on said half-cones in a
raised position with respect to the remaining ones, spacer arms
being interposed between said half-cones and said rollers in said
first half of the cups, said cups provided with half-cones which
have said spacer arms being alternated along the circumference of
the carousel with those that do not have said arms.
4. The distribution unit according to claim 3, wherein in said arms
the upper end of their respective vertical portions lies at
different heights with respect to said carousel, a highest vertical
portion being adapted to abut against and open all and only said
half-cones provided with said spacer arms, a lowest vertical
portion being adapted to abut against and open all, and only the
remaining half-cones.
5. The distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein said ejector
feet are actuated by respective linkages connected to respective
crank pivots arranged at ends of an auxiliary shaft which is
connected by means of two gears and first and second pinions which
mesh with a chain, said second pinion being connected to a driving
bar which is provided with a device for limiting a torque
transmitted to said second pinion.
6. The distribution unit according to claim 5, wherein said torque
limiter comprises a sleeve which is rotationally rigidly coupled to
said bar and can slide axially thereon, said sleeve being provided
with a series of shaped protrusions which engage respective seats
formed in the side of said second pinion, said sleeve being kept in
contact with said second pinion by a cylindrical spring which acts
between an adjustment ring screwed onto said bar and said sleeve,
said ring being further adapted to preset the torque that can be
transmitted by said driving bar to said second pinion.
7. The distribution unit according to claim 6, wherein said shaped
protrusions of said sleeve comprise one protrusion which is the
largest and is suitable to provide a single position for engagement
with the respective seats provided in a side of said second pinion,
said single engagement position being further adapted to ensure
that mutual synchronization for the opening of said cups and said
ejector feet is maintained.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a carousel-type
distribution unit for handling and planting vegetable species.
[0002] It is known that currently there is a demand for devices for
agricultural use capable of facilitating the transplanting of new
plants, such as for example tomato plants.
[0003] In particular, devices are known having a carousel in which
the plants to be planted are placed manually. The carousel is
provided with mechanisms which periodically expel a plant from the
carousel and convey it, within a guiding channel, to the furrow
produced by an appropriate plowshare which cuts through the soil
below said channel. In this manner it is possible to plant rows of
new plants simply by loading the carousel of the distribution
unit.
[0004] Although these devices considerably facilitate
transplanting, there is still the limitation of having to use an
operator assigned to refilling the distribution unit in order to
deposit a single row of plants at each pass over the field.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The aim of the present invention is to obviate the
above-mentioned shortcomings of known devices, by providing a
carousel-type distribution unit for handling and planting vegetable
species, which is capable of planting simultaneously two adjacent
rows of plants arranged at a mutual presettable distance and
staggered quincuncially, managed by a single operator for two rows
of plants.
[0006] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to
provide a structure which is simple and sturdy, relatively easy to
provide in practice, and can be handled by a single operator.
[0007] Still another object of the present invention is to provide
a structure which is safe in use, effective in operation and
relatively low in cost.
[0008] This aim and these and other objects which will become
better apparent hereinafter are achieved by the present
carousel-type distribution unit for handling and planting vegetable
species, provided with a carousel containing a plurality of conical
cups, each whereof is composed of two half-cones which are
articulated about substantially horizontal axes, the cups being
suitable to contain the vegetable species and to open in order to
plant them, characterized in that it comprises two arms which are
fixed to the center of said carousel and are adapted to open two of
said cups in order to release the plant species into two respective
conveyance channels for guiding into respective internal chambers
of respective hollow plowshares, from which the plant species are
expelled by respective ejector feet into the furrows of the soil
provided by said plowshares and arranged along two mutually
staggered adjacent rows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Further characteristics and advantages of the present
invention will become better apparent from the detailed description
of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a carousel-type
distribution unit for handling and planting vegetable species,
according to the invention, illustrated only by way of
non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a carousel-type distribution
unit according to the present invention, mounted on an agricultural
machine;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the carousel-type distribution unit
according to the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a sectional view, taken along the line III-III of
FIG. 2, of a constructive detail of the carousel-type distribution
unit;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an enlarged-scale elevation view of the
carousel-type distribution unit according to the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 5 is an enlarged-scale elevation view of the
constructive details of the ejector foot and of the dispenser of
microgranular weed and pest control agent;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a sectional view, taken along the line VI-VI of
FIG. 2, of the constructive detail of the torque limiter of the
carousel-type distribution unit according to the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1
generally designates a carousel-type distribution unit for handling
and planting vegetable species according to the invention.
[0017] The distribution unit 1 is of the type that can be mounted
on a frame 2 of an agricultural machine and is composed of a
carousel 3, along the circumference of which there are twelve
conical cups 4, each of which is composed of two half-cones 4a and
4b mutually articulated about two respective pivots 5 which have a
substantially horizontal axis.
[0018] The cups 4 are adapted to contain the plant species and to
open and drop the plants contained therein into two underlying
conveyance channels 6.
[0019] The conveyance channels 6 are arranged symmetrically with
respect to the vertical axis of rotation of the carousel 3 in a
peseudodiametrical position.
[0020] The channels 6 have an upper inlet 6a shaped like a
truncated pyramid and extending with a lower tube-shaped portion 6b
which has a square cross-section and leads into a chamber 7 defined
inside a respective hollow plowshare 8 which forms a furrow in the
soil.
[0021] The plowshare 8 is provided by two mutually connected side
walls 9 and contains a plant ejector foot 10.
[0022] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the kinematic chain of the
mechanical elements that transmit the rotary motion to the carousel
3.
[0023] The carousel 3 is driven by a vertical shaft 11 internally
coaxial to a sleeve 12, which is rigidly coupled to the frame 2 and
is designed to support the carousel 3.
[0024] The vertical shaft 11 is rotatably supported within the
sleeve 12, with the interposition of two bearings 14, and is
rigidly coupled to the carousel 3 by means of a contoured nut 15
screwed onto the upper end of the shaft 11.
[0025] A first bevel gear 16 is instead arranged at the lower end
of the shaft 11 and meshes with a second bevel gear 17 which is
keyed to a shaft 18 arranged substantially horizontally.
[0026] The shaft 18 is rotatably supported by two bearings 19
accommodated in seats which are fixed on the frame 2.
[0027] The bevel gear 17 is keyed in a central position on the
shaft 18 and a cylindrical gear 20 and a first pinion 21 are keyed
to the shaft 18 respectively at its opposite ends which lie on the
outside of the bearings 19.
[0028] The pinion 21 meshes with a transmission chain 22, in turn
driven by a second pinion 23 which is actuated by a driving bar 24
coaxial thereto.
[0029] As shown more clearly in FIG. 6, a torque limiter, generally
designated by the reference numeral 25, is interposed between the
second pinion 23 and the driving bar 24.
[0030] The torque limiter 25 is composed of a sleeve 26, which
rotates rigidly with the bar 24 and can slide axially thereon, and
is provided with a series of six contoured protrusions 27 which
engage respective seats 28 formed in the front side 29 of the
second pinion 23.
[0031] The sleeve 26 is kept in contact with the second pinion 23
by a cylindrical spring 30 acting between an adjustment ring 31,
which is screwed onto the bar 24, and the end of the sleeve 26.
[0032] In this manner, by adjusting the compression of the spring
30 against the sleeve 26 by means of the ring 31, it is possible to
preset the torque to be transmitted by the driving bar 24 to the
second pinion 23.
[0033] As to the torque limiter 25, it should be noted that among
the protrusions 27, there is one which is larger. A direct
consequence of this particularity is that if the transmissible
torque is exceeded and the connection between the sleeve 26 and the
second pinion 23 is lost, the protrusions 27 of the sleeve 26 must
perform a full turn about their rotation axis, in order to reengage
the seats 28 of the pinion 23. This ensures that synchronization is
maintained between the corresponding parts of the distribution unit
1 and in particular that the quincuncial layout of the plants in
the soil is not altered.
[0034] FIGS. 1 and 4 illustrate more clearly the mechanical
elements that control the opening of the cups 4 containing the
plant species to be planted.
[0035] Such figures show that at the center of the carousel 3 there
are two arms 32, 33 which lie one above the other, are rigidly
coupled to the sleeve 12, and are mutually angularly spaced.
[0036] The arms 32, 33 are substantially L-shaped, since each one
is composed of a first horizontal portion 32a, 33a, which is
substantially radial, and of a second vertical portion 32b, 33b,
which is perpendicular to the first horizontal portion 32a,
33a.
[0037] The arms 32, 33 are adapted to abut against respective
rollers 34 which are mounted so as to be laterally rigidly coupled
to the half-cones 4a of the cups 4.
[0038] The second portions 32b, 33b abut periodically, at each turn
of the carousel 3 against the rollers 34 of the cups 4 which move
together with the carousel 3. In this manner, the arms 32, 33 act
as cams for the rollers 34.
[0039] When the rollers 34 encounter the arms 32, 33, they pass
over and beyond them, imparting the opening movement to the
half-cones 4a. In turn, the half-cones 4a lift the half-cones 4b,
since they are connected thereto by way of lobe-shaped portions 35
which affect the region proximate to the articulation pivots 5. In
this manner, the two half-cones 4a and 4b open together, dropping
the plant that they contain into the respective underlying
conveyance channels 6 and thence into the chamber 7 defined inside
each one of the two hollow plowshares 8 that form a furrow in the
soil.
[0040] In particular, the rollers 34 are mounted on the half-cones
4a at different heights; more specifically, six of the twelve
half-cones 4a are connected to said rollers 34 in a raised position
with respect to the remaining ones, since spacer arms 36 are
interposed on the former.
[0041] It should be noted that the half-cones 4a that have the
spacer arms 36 are alternated with the half-cones that do not have
them along the circumference of the carousel 3. Moreover, the
respective ends of the portions 32b and 33b of the arms 32 and 33
are at different heights inside the carousel 3.
[0042] Since the rollers 34 and the portions 32b, 33b are arranged
in this manner, it is evident that only the highest vertical
portion 32b is adapted to open all and only the half-cones 4a
provided with said spacer arms 36, while the remaining half-cones
4a are opened only by the lowest portion 33b.
[0043] This solution allows to open one half of the cups 4 with one
arm 32 and the other half with the other arm 33, and it is also
possible to provide equal timing gaps between the events for
opening the cups 4 on the opposite sides of the carousel 3,
allowing to provide arrangements of plants arranged in a
quincuncial pattern, i.e., arranged along mutually staggered rows,
by using the same carousel-type distribution unit 1.
[0044] As clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each ejector foot 10 has
a profile which is generally C-shaped, with a contoured lower end
10a. The end 10a is adapted to delicately plant the plants that
arrive from the conveyance channel 6, while the upper end 10b is
rotatably articulated to a pivot 37 for connection to the frame
2.
[0045] Each one of the two ejector feet 10 is further connected, in
a central position, to a linkage 38 which makes it move with a
reciprocating curved motion centered on the pivot 37. The linkage
38 is arranged between said central portion of the ejector foot 10
and a pivot 39 of a crank 40.
[0046] The cranks 40 are arranged at the opposite ends of an
auxiliary shaft 41 (see FIG. 2) which can rotate on bearings 42
accommodated in respective seats of the frame 2.
[0047] The auxiliary shaft 41 is substantially parallel to the
shaft 18 and is driven thereby by means of the cylindrical gear 20,
which meshes with a respective cylindrical gear 43 being keyed in
the central portion of the auxiliary shaft 41.
[0048] As shown in FIG. 5, the ejector foot 10 further actuates the
dispensing of the microgranular weed and pest control agent
contained in the funnel 44 of a dispenser 45.
[0049] The ejector foot 10 is rigidly connected, proximate to the
pivot 37 for articulation to the frame 2, to a rocker 46 acting on
a rod 47, in turn connected to a plate-like valve 48 which controls
the outflow of the weed and pest control agent from a lower part
45a of the dispenser 45.
[0050] The plate-like valve 48 has, across its thickness, a through
hole 49 of presettable volume, in which a dose of weed and pest
control agent is arranged. The valve 48 moves with a reciprocating
rectilinear motion between a first position, in which the through
hole 49 is aligned with a duct 50 that exits from the funnel 44,
containing the weed and pest control agent, and a second position,
in which the through hole 49 is aligned with an inlet 51 of a tube
52 for conveying the weed and pest control agent onto the soil.
[0051] In this manner, the dose of weed and pest control agent
required to protect each planted plant is alternately loaded and
released inside the through hole 49.
[0052] It has thus been shown that the invention achieves the
intended aim and objects.
[0053] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous
modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of
the appended claims.
[0054] All the details may further be replaced with other
technically equivalent ones.
[0055] In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and
dimensions, may be any according to requirement without thereby
abandoning the scope of the protection of the appended claims.
[0056] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No.
BO2000A000490 from which this application claims priority are
incorporated herein by reference.
* * * * *