Patent ID: 9661800
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: A01C

Claim:
1. An independently automated mechanical transplanter unit for transplanting seedlings into an open furrow in the ground or in a field comprising: a trundle configured to selectively position a plurality of gripper fingers, a seedling tray for presenting a plurality of seedlings to the trundle gripper fingers to grip and extract the seedlings from the seedling tray, the seedling tray being configured to move vertically upward or downward relative to the trundle gripper fingers when the gripper fingers are positioned to extract seedlings, a delivery chute, a planting shoe disposed below the delivery chute; a conveyor belt defined by a plurality of linked pockets configured to receive individual seedlings from the gripper fingers; the axis of rotation of said conveyor belt being substantially perpendicular to the open furrow; and each individual pocket configured to open when positioned directly over the delivery chute for dropping a seedling therefrom into the planting shoe for delivery into the open furrow.