Apparatus for gripping balls containing plants

Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus for removing a ball (2) comprising a plant (1) from a cavity (4) provided in a container (3), wherein the container comprises a substantially vertical guiding channel (5), of which the axis is substantially identical with the axis of the cavity; wherein a pushing element (9) has been provided which is movable through the guiding channel; and wherein a gripping apparatus (13) has been provided comprising at least three gripping organs (18) which are able to grip the ball above the upper side of the container. This apparatus avoids damaging the plant or the ball, and allows to grip the ball in the sure way, so that the position of the ball is reproducable.

Description: The present invention relates to the field of gripping apparatus for plants, and relates in particular to an apparatus for removing a ball comprising a plant from a cavity provided in a container, the apparatus comprising: a gripping apparatus for gripping the ball; and a pushing element movable through a substantially vertical guiding channel in the container, the axis of the guiding channel being substantially identical with the axis of the cavity, wherein the pushing element is fit for pushing the ball substantially completely above the upper level of the container; Such an apparatus is known from FR-A-2580457. Such known apparartuses generally have the disadvantage, that as a consequence of a too large pushing force, which is required to remove the ball from the container, the ball is pulverised or the plant is damaged. It also may happen that it is not well possible to grip the ball, because the plant is approached from above. Of course such damages are undesired. The aim of the present invention is to provide an apparatus in which it is avoided that neither the plant nor the ball is damaged, and wherein the ball is gripped in a sure way, and wherein the position of the ball is reproducable. This aim is reached in that the guiding channel and the pushing element both have a star-configuration, comprising at least three gripping organs which are able to grip the ball at its sides, when it is substantially above the upper side of the container, and that the pushing element comprises elongations extending substantially upward from the ends of the star and engaging the sides of the ball. Subsequently, the present invention will be elucidated with the help of embodiments shown in the drawings, wherein: fig. 1: depicts a schematic perspective view, partly broken away, of a first embodiment of an embodiment according to the present invention; fig. 2: depicts a schematic perspective view of a variation of the embodiment shown in fig. 1, in which the apparatus is in another position; fig. 3A and 3B: are perspective detailed views of the variation of the first embodiment shown in fig. 2; fig. 4: is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention; and fig. 5: is a partly schematic perspective view of an apparatus for obtaining a full density of strips containing plants, in which the apparatus according to the present invention is used. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1 the ball 2 comprising a plant 1 has been provided in a strip-shaped container 3. The upper side of this container 3 comprises an array of substantially cylindrical cavities 4, while the lower side of the strip-shaped container comprises a groove 5 extending in the longitudinal direction of the container. Concentric with each of the cylindrical cavities 4 a cross- or star-shaped through aperture has been provided which, as a consequence of the presence of the cavities 4 and of the grooves 5, is shown in the drawing in the shape of four grooves 6 extending radially from the cavities 4. These grooves extend over the full height of the strip-shaped container 3, including the groove 5. Besides, a number of the strip-shaped containers 3 has been composed to a so-called tray 8 by means of connection strips 7. This facilitates the handling of such strips. Normally, the cavities 4 of the strip-shaped containers are filled with growing material and subsequently they are provided with a seed which actions are executed with apparatuses known per se, after which trays 8 comprising such strips are located in a propagator, after which the plants will germinate. As a consequence thereof, in most of the cavities 4 a ball 2 with a plant 1 will be present. For removing the ball 2 with the plant 1 from the container use is made inter alia of a pushing organ 9 which comprises a vertical rod 10 driven in vertical direction by means of a lineair driving apparatus not depicted in the drawing, on which vertical rod 10 four radially extending levers 11 have been provided, while on each of the ends of the levers 11 an elongation 12 extending upwardly has been provided. Preferably, the elongations 12 are beveled at their inner sides to facilitate the gripping of the balls 2. Of course, it is also possible to bevel the outer side of the elongation to some extend, so that the entering into the guiding grooves 6 is facilitated. Above the pushing organ 9 a gripping apparatus 13 has been provided which is located exactly above the pushing organ 9 and which is movable both in the horizontal and in the vertical direction for conveying the ball 2 with the plant 1 provided therein. The gripping apparatus 13 has been mounted to a hollow rod 14 being movable in substantially the vertical direction, at the lower side of which a bearing plate 15 has been provided. This bearing plate 15 comprises four notches distributed regularly over the circumference, in which notches substantially tangentially extending shafts 17 have been provided. A gripping lever 18 has been mounted around each of the shafts 17. Each of the gripping levers 18 extends from the shaft 17 initially downwardly, but also inwardly to some extend. Subsequently, the gripping lever extends substantially in radial direction outwardly, while after which a curve of about 180° is described, so that at the end of the curve the lever stretches inwardly. The last part of the gripping lever 18 stretches downwardly and forms the gripping part 19 of the gripping lever 18. An inner rod 20 extends through the hollow rod 14, at the lower side of which a guiding plate 21 has been provided. The guiding plate 21 comprises four apertures 22, through each of which the gripping lever 18 extends. As a consequence of the shape of the gripping levers 18, the movement in vertical direction of the rod 20 and the movement of the guiding plate 21 as a consequence thereof, will make the gripping levers 18 rotate around the shafts 17. As a consequence thereof, the gripping part 19 of each of the gripping levers 18 will move in radial direction inwardly or outwardly, so that a ball 2 can be gripped and can be released. The curve of each of the gripping levers 18 has been provided to leave space to the leaves, flowers and stems of the plants. Subsequently, the working of the embodiment shown in this figure will be described. The tray comprises strips 3 positioned such above a pushing organ 9, that a cavity 4 is exactly above the pushing organ 9. Then the driving apparatus will move the rod 10 with the levers 11 and elongations 12 thereof upwardly, so that these will move through the guiding grooves 6 provided in the strip-shaped container 3, so that the ball 2 is engaged at its lower side body arms 11 and at its side by the elongations 12, and is moved upwardly. Herein ball 2 and the plant 1 provided is released from the cavity 4, until it is above the upper side of the strip-shaped container 3. The gripping apparatus 13 also positioned just above the pushing organ will be lowered by a driving apparatus not depicted in the drawings, after which the gripping parts 19 of the gripping levers 18 are on the level of the ball 2. Also the guiding plate 21 has been located in its lowest position, so that the gripping parts 19 are in their outer position. By moving the rod 20 upwardly and away from the guiding plate 21, the upper parts of the gripping levers 18 are drawn inwardly, so that also the gripping parts of the gripping levers 18 are drawn inwardly and these are gripping the ball 2. Care has to be taken that the gripping parts 19 grip between the elongations 12. Subsequently, the whole gripping apparatus 13 is moved upwardly and thus the plant can be transported to another position, for instance to a planting machine or to an apparatus for locating the ball and the plant in a bigger container. The pushing organ can be moved downwardly, after which the container can be relocated over one position and the next ball can be gripped. The position, in which the ball has been moved until above the pushing organ by the gripping apparatus 13, is depicted in fig. 2. The embodiment shown in fig. 2 deviates from the embodiment depicted in fig. 1 to such an extend, that the pushing organ has been constructed differently. This pushing organ is depicted more in detail in fig. 3A and 3B. The embodiment shown in fig. 3A and 3B of the pushing organ comprises again a hollow rod 23, movable in the vertical direction which is split at its upper side into four gripping levers 24. Just as in the case of the gripping apparatus 13 the gripping levers 24 extend initially in subsequently vertical direction, but also somewhat in radial direction inwardly, in which each of the gripping arms comprises a vertical part, a horizontal part, directed radially outwardly, and the vertical part which is meant to grip the ball. Within the hollow rod 23 an inner rod 26 extends, which comprises at its upper side a cross 27, as shown in fig. 3B, which is surrounded by a ring 28. On top of the cross 27 a conical element 29 has been located. By moving the rod 26 in vertical direction relative to the rod 24 the gripping parts 25 of the gripping arms can be relocated in a radial direction, so that the pushing element according to this embodiment also has a gripping function which can be important in the case of some plants. To offer room for the thickness of the gripping arms 24 guiding grooves provided in the strip-shaped containers 3 comprises thickenings 30. In the embodiment of the present invention shown in fig. 4 each of the cavities 4 provided in the strip-shaped container 3 comprises only three guiding grooves 6. Consequently, it is necessary that the pushing organ 9 comprises three rods 10 comprising an elongation 12 at every end. Further, this embodiment equals the embodiment described with the help of fig. 1. The gripping apparatus deviates, however, substantially; the gripping apparatus has been mounted on a supporting element 31 which is movable over two rods 32. For driving this a driving rod 33 has been provided which is depicted only partially. Under the bearing element a vertical rod 34 has been provided, which is movable in the vertical direction by means of a lineair driving organ 35. At the under side of the rod 34 a plate 36 has been mounted, to which three rods 37 extending partially in the vertical direction downwardly and partially radially outwardly have been mounted. At the end of each of the rods 27 a U-shaped rod 38 has been provided, of which the legs extend downwardly in the vertical direction. Each of said rods 38 is connected with a ring 39. At the lower side of each pair of legs of the rod 38 a shaft 55 has been mounted, around which rod 40 is movable. At the inner end of each of the rods 40 a gripping plate 41 has been provided, while at the other end of the rod 40 one end of the lineair driving organ 42 has been provided. This linear driving organ can take the shape of a hydraulic or pneumatic cilinder or a lineair electromotor. Subsequently, the working of the present embodiment will be described. The working of the pushing organ 9 is therein equal to that of the pushing organ 9 described with the help of fig. 1. The supporting element 31 is positioned such, that the shaft 34 is precisely above the cavity 4. Herein the lineair driving organs 42 have been pulled inwardly, so that the gripping plates 41 are in their outer position. Herein the vertical rod 34 is moved downwardly, until the gripping plates 41 are at the level of the ball 2. Thereafter the lineair driving organs will stretch, so that the gripping plates 41 will be moved inwardly and upwardly. To compensate this movement the lineair driving organ 35 will move the vertical rod 34 such in downward direction, that this vertical component of movement is eliminated and the gripping plates 41 are moved in substantial horizontal direction. This movement is continued, until the ball has been gripped. Subsequently, the pushing organ can be moved downwardly, while the ball 2 with the plant 1 located therein can be transported to another position, for instance the position 43 depicted with dashed lines. Fig. 5 shows an application of the apparatus according to the present invention. In this application use is made of a supply apparatus 44 for supplying strip-shaped containers 3 in the shape of trays and in the cavities 4, whereof plants 1 have been provided. To further process these trays 8 they are separated by a saw apparatus 45, so that separate strip-shaped containers 3 are developed. These are moved in a direction extending perpendicular to the original direction of supply by means of a transporting organ 46, after which they are subsequently step-wise drawn through a second pushing apparatus 47, wherein plants 1 located in the cavities 4 of the relevant strip-shaped container are examined. Such an examination apparatus can be composed by a light source 49 located at one side of the path to be traveled over by the plants and a light sensitive element located at the other side of the relevant path. This examination apparatus 48 determines whether a plant 1 is present in the cavity concerned, and when this is the case, whether the size of the plant is sufficient. When the plant 1 does not need the requirements, the relevant ball and the plant 1 present therein is removed from the relevant cavity by means of a removal apparatus 51, after which a plant 1 from another strip-shaped container 3 is supplied by means of an apparatus depicted only schematically. Consequently, all cavities 4 of the relevant strip-shaped container are completely filled with healthy plants. To have a healthy plant available always a second examination organ 48 has been provided which examines plants located in the other strip-shaped container. When all healthy plants have been removed from this second container, a next container is supplied by the transport apparatus, so that also the examination organ 48 has a sufficient supply of healthy plants. The apparatus according to the present invention can also be used with a planting machine or in a machine for locating the plants in bigger containers.

Claims: Apparatus for removing a ball (2) comprising a plant from a cavity provided in a container (3), the apparatus comprising; a gripping device (13) for gripping the ball (2); and a pushing element (9) movable through a substantially vertical guiding channel (6) in the container (3), the axis of the guiding channel being substantially identical with the axis of the cavity, wherein the pushing element (9) is fit for pushing the ball substantially completely above the upper level of the container (3); characterized in that the guiding channel (6) and the pushing element (9) both have a star-configuration, that the gripping device (13) comprises at least three gripping organs (18) which are able to grip the ball (2) at its sides, when it is substantially above the upper side of the container (3), and that the pushing element (9) comprises elongations (12) extending substantially upward from the ends of the star and being fit for engaging the sides of the ball. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the guiding channel and the pushing element both have a three- or fourpointed star-configuration. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the gripping organs (18) are fit for gripping the ball between the elongations. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the gripping organs (18) are movable in the substantially horizontal direction. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the gripping organs (18) each comprise bars bended around the space for the plants, which bars are at their upper ends each mounted for rotation around a pivot. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that each of the gripping organs (18) extends from the relevant pivot downwardly and radially inwardly and subsequently along a curve, and finally comprise a straight part, while each of the parts extending radially inwardly and downwardly extend through an aperture provided in a guiding plate being movable in the vertical direction, so that when the guiding plate is moved in the vertical direction, the gripping organs will move substantially in the horizontal direction. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the gripping organs (18) have all been mounted at the end of a lever which is mounted for rotation around a horizontal tangential shaft, while the other end of the lever has been mounted to a lineair driving organ, of which the other end has been mounted to the frame, while the frame is movable in at least the vertical direction, wherein the vertical direction of the frame is such, that the gripping organs are moved substantially only in the horizontal direction, when these are moving. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gripping organs (18) are movable together both in the vertical direction and in the horizontal direction.

Inventors: VISSER ANTHONY, VISSER, ANTHONY
Applicants: VISSER S GRAVENDEEL HOLDING, VISSER 'S-GRAVENDEEL HOLDING B.V.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A01G9
IPC codes: A01G9