Patent Publication Number: US-2022217924-A1

Title: Folding device, containerization device provided with the folding device, and storage trolley device provided with the containerization device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a folding device for folding the bag mouth side of a bagged culture medium block used for mushroom cultivation and relates to a containerization device provided with the folding device for storing the folded bagged culture medium block in a container. In particular, the present invention relates to a folding device that has a simpler structure and can fold more bagged culture medium blocks faster than the conventional folding devices and store them in a container, and relates to a containerization device provided with the folding device. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In recent years, regarding mushrooms such as shiitake mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms and nameko mushrooms, there has been a shift from natural collection to artificial cultivation. Among these artificial cultivations, shiitake mushrooms have been cultivated by planting fungi of shiitake mushrooms in logs that were cut to a predetermined length from trees such as  Quercus serrata, Quercus crispula  and  Quercus acutissima . However, since this log cultivation is mainly performed outdoors and thus affected by the weather conditions at that time and pests and harmful bacteria, it is difficult to secure a stable harvest. Therefore, in recent years, there has been a shift to mushroom bed cultivation in which air-conditioned environment suitable for indoor cultivation of shiitake mushrooms is used to cultivate mushrooms. 
     Common shiitake mushroom bed cultivation is carried out through a series of processes shown in  FIG. 68 . In this mushroom bed cultivation  1 , first, a plurality of mushroom cultivation bags and a preparation culture medium mixed with nutrients are prepared in advance, and then processes are performed, which consist of a bagging process  1 A in which a predetermined amount of this culture medium is filled in the cultivation bag, a bag folding process  1 B in which the unfilled portion of the bagged culture medium (hereinafter, also referred to as the bagged culture medium block) is folded, a containerization process  1 C in which the folded bagged culture medium block is stored in a container of a predetermined size, a sterilization process  1 D in which the bagged culture medium block is carried into a sterilization pot to be sterilized, a bag mouth opening process  1 E, an inoculation process  1 F for inoculating fungi of shiitake mushrooms, a bag mouth sealing process  1 G, a fungi cultivating process  1 H for cultivating the fungi over a predetermined period while adjusting temperature and humidity, a mushroom occurring/growing process  1 I in which the mushroom bed is taken from the cultivation bag, and shiitake mushrooms are occurred and grown while adjusting temperature and humidity and culturing the mushroom bed, and a harvesting process  1 J in which the cultivated shiitake mushrooms are harvested. 
     Until now, these processes were mostly performed manually, but in recent years, some processes have been automatically mechanized, and the mechanical devices have been introduced in patent literatures. 
     For example, a folding device for packaging bags is described in the patent literature 1. As shown in  FIGS. 69A and 69B , the folding device  4  is provided with shaping means  4 A for transporting in an upright state a packaging bag filled with filling materials in a filled portion thereof through a folding allowance in which the tip thereof is open upward, folding allowance closing means  4 B for pushing the folding allowance of the packaging bag from both the left and right sides with respect to the transport direction of the shaping means to close the folding allowance along the transport direction, adhesive application means  4 C for applying the adhesive to the left side or the right side of the outer circumferences of the filled portion or the unfilled portion of the packaging bag, and folding means  4 D for pushing down the folding allowance of the packaging bag so as to fold back the folding allowance downward toward the direction of the portions at which the adhesive is applied to adhere the folding allowance to the outer periphery of the filled portion of the packaging bag, and the folding means  4 D includes pushing means  4 E for pushing the folding allowance from the adhesive application side, folding-back means  4 F for, after pushing down the folding allowance to the adhesive application side, pushing the folding allowance downward so as to fold back the tip of the folding allowance, and pressing means  4 G for pressing the tip of the folding allowance folded by the folding-back means against the adhesive to adhere to the outer periphery of the filled portion of the packaging bag. 
     According to this folding device, the folding allowance of the packaging bag can be automatically folded and closed, can prevent foreign matters from entering from the bag mouth and can improve productivity. 
     Further, a folding device for packaging bags is also described in the patent literature 2. This device is an improvement of the device of the patent literature 1, and uses a brush as a folding member of the folding means. 
     Furthermore, an invention, in which a bagged culture medium block is carried and stored in a container, is described in the patent literature 3. According to the spawn cultivation method and the mushroom bed block loading device in mushroom cultivation described in the patent literature 3, four inoculated mushroom bed blocks are placed with ventilation intervals therebetween in a container in which the top surface thereof is open. Then, the container is transported to a shelving device by a roller conveyor, and the transported container is sequentially loaded by the shelving device to a rack pallet having a shelf of multiple stages capable of placing the containers in the vertical direction at a predetermined vertical interval. Then, the rack pallets loaded with the containers are transported to the cultivation chamber, and the rack pallets are placed side by side in the cultivation chamber, and the mushroom spawn is cultivated with the mushroom bed block loaded on the rack pallets. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     
         
         [Patent Literature 1] JP5-294302 A 
         [Patent Literature 2] JP6-144413 A 
         [Patent Literature 3] JP9-028182 A 
       
    
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Regarding the bagged culture medium before sterilization, that is, the bagged culture medium block before sterilization by the sterilizer, a series of operations are performed such as the shaping of the bagged culture medium, the folding of the unfilled portion of the bagged culture medium, and the transporting of the folded bagged culture medium block into a container. 
     On the other hand, in some existing mushroom cultivation factories using the mushroom bed, a bagged culture medium shaping device has been introduced. However, in such a factory, if an existing device is discarded and a fully automatic device is introduced, the past capital investment is wasted and a new large amount of capital investment is needed. Such an investment is difficult to be made. Therefore, as a measure for this problem, there is a demand for an automatic bag folding device and an automatic containerization device that can be connected to the existing device that can be used as it is. However, such an automatic bag folding device and an automatic containerization device that can be connected to the existing device have not yet been developed and commercialized. 
     Further, since the bag folding devices in the patent literatures 1 and 2 are configured to use the adhesive to adhere the folding allowance, the adhesive and its adhering means are required. As a result, the device becomes complicated. Further, once the folding allowance is adhered, it is difficult to open the bag when opening the bag mouth in the inoculation process (device) of the next process, and there is a risk of bag tearing, and there is a limit to further improve the productivity of the bagged culture medium block. That is, the number of the bagged culture medium blocks produced per unit time is about 400 at present, but in the future, the production of the 800 to 1000 of the bagged culture medium blocks per unit time is required. Due to the above-described limitation, such a demand cannot be met. 
     On the other hand, in some existing mushroom cultivation factories using the mushroom bed, a bagged culture medium shaping device has been introduced. However, in such a factory, if an existing device is discarded and a fully automatic device is introduced, the past capital investment is wasted and a new large amount of capital investment is needed. Such an investment is difficult to be made. Therefore, as a measure for this problem, there is a demand for an automatic bag folding device and an automatic containerization device that can be connected to the existing device that can be used as it is. However, such an automatic bag folding device and an automatic containerization device that can be connected to the existing device have not yet been developed and commercialized. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a folding device having a simple structure and capable of efficiently folding the unfilled portion of the bagged culture medium block. Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a containerization device having a simple structure and provided with a folding device capable of efficiently storing a folded bagged culture medium block in a container. Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a storage trolley device having a simple structure and capable of efficiently storing a container in a trolley provided with a plurality of container storage portions. 
     The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the following configuration. That is, the folding device of one embodiment of the present invention is characterized by being a folding device for folding an unfilled portion of a bagged culture medium block having a bag body, which has at least a bottom portion and a bag mouth, and having a filled portion in the bag body, in which a predetermined amount of culture medium is filled, and the unfilled portion, which is from an upper surface of the filled portion to the bag mouth, wherein the folding device comprises: an opening mechanism for blowing air from a side of the bag mouth into the bag body to keep the bag mouth open; a folding mechanism having one or more folding jigs for pushing the unfilled portion of the bag body from inside or outside; and a tilting mechanism for tilting the unfilled portion toward the direction approaching to the filled portion. 
     Further, a containerization device of one embodiment of the present invention includes the folding device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is characterized in that the containerization device transports a plurality of the bagged culture medium blocks folded by the folding device and stores the bagged culture medium blocks in a container. 
     Furthermore, a storage trolley device of one embodiment of the present invention includes the containerization device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is characterized in that the storage trolley device includes an elevating mechanism, which is for raising and lowering a container in which the bagged culture medium block is stored, and a storage mechanism, which is for storing the container in a trolley having a plurality of container storage portions. 
     The folding device of the embodiment has a simple structure and is capable of efficiently folding the unfilled portion of the bagged culture medium block. Further, the containerization device of the embodiment has a simple structure and is capable of efficiently storing a folded bagged culture medium block in a container. Furthermore, the storage trolley device of the embodiment has a simple structure and is capable of efficiently storing a container in a trolley provided with a plurality of container storage portions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view illustrating each device of manufacturing devices for a bagged culture medium block including a folding device and a containerization device according to the embodiment 1 of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view seen from the II side of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view seen from the III side of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a bag mouth of the bagged culture medium block is open. 
         FIG. 4B  is a perspective view illustrating a state in which an unfilled portion of the bagged culture medium block is folded. 
         FIG. 4C  is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the unfilled portion of the bagged culture medium block is folded-in. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view illustrating a block forming device of manufacturing devices for the bagged culture medium block. 
         FIG. 6A  is a side view illustrating first feeding means. 
         FIG. 6B  is another side view illustrating first feeding means. 
         FIG. 6C  is a side view illustrating opening means. 
         FIG. 6D  is a side view illustrating opening means. 
         FIG. 7A  is a front view illustrating a process of folding means. 
         FIG. 7B  is a side view illustrating a process of folding means. 
         FIG. 7C  is a front view illustrating a process of folding means. 
         FIG. 7D  is a side view illustrating a process of folding means. 
         FIG. 7E  is a front view illustrating a process of folding means. 
         FIG. 7F  is a side view illustrating a process of folding means. 
         FIG. 7G  is a front view illustrating a process of folding means. 
         FIG. 7H  is a side view illustrating a process of folding means. 
         FIG. 8A  is a front view illustrating a process of the folding means following that of  FIGS. 7A-7H . 
         FIG. 8B  is a side view illustrating a process of the folding means following that of  FIGS. 7A-7H . 
         FIG. 8C  is a front view illustrating a process of the folding means following that of  FIGS. 7A-7H . 
         FIG. 8D  is a side view illustrating a process of the folding means following that of  FIGS. 7A-7H . 
         FIG. 8E  is a front view illustrating a process of the folding means following that of  FIGS. 7A-7H . 
         FIG. 8F  is a side view illustrating a process of the folding means following that of  FIGS. 7A-7H . 
         FIG. 8G  is a front view illustrating a process of the folding means following that of  FIGS. 7A-7H . 
         FIG. 8H  is a side view illustrating a process of the folding means following that of  FIGS. 7A-7H . 
         FIG. 9A  is a plan view illustrating the operation of a container carrying device. 
         FIG. 9B  is a front view illustrating the operation of a container carrying device. 
         FIG. 9C  is a plan view illustrating the operation of a container carrying device. 
         FIG. 9D  is a front view illustrating the operation of a container carrying device. 
         FIG. 9E  is a plan view illustrating the operation of a container carrying device. 
         FIG. 9F  is a front view illustrating the operation of a container carrying device. 
         FIG. 10A  is a plan view illustrating a process of second feeding means. 
         FIG. 10B  is a front view illustrating a process of second feeding means. 
         FIG. 10C  is a plan view illustrating a process of second feeding means. 
         FIG. 10D  is a front view illustrating a process of second feeding means. 
         FIG. 11A  is a plan view illustrating a process of the second feeding means following the process of  FIGS. 10A-10D . 
         FIG. 11B  is a front view illustrating a process of the second feeding means following the process of  FIGS. 10A-10D . 
         FIG. 11C  is a plan view illustrating a process of the second feeding means following the process of  FIGS. 10A-10D . 
         FIG. 11D  is a front view illustrating a process of the second feeding means following the process of  FIGS. 10A-10D . 
         FIG. 12A  is a plan view illustrating a process of the second feeding means following the process of  FIGS. 11A-11D . 
         FIG. 12B  is a front view illustrating a process of the second feeding means following the process of  FIGS. 11A-11D . 
         FIG. 12C  is a plan view illustrating a process of the second feeding means following the process of  FIGS. 11A-11D . 
         FIG. 12D  is a front view illustrating a process of the second feeding means following the process of  FIGS. 11A-11D . 
         FIG. 13A  is a plan view illustrating folding-in means. 
         FIG. 13B  is a view seen from the XIIIB side of  FIG. 13A . 
         FIG. 13C  is a plan view illustrating folding-in means. 
         FIG. 13D  is a view seen from the XIIIB side of  FIG. 13A . 
         FIG. 13E  is a plan view illustrating folding-in means. 
         FIG. 13F  is a view seen from the XIIIB side of  FIG. 13A . 
         FIG. 14A  is a plan view illustrating a process of the folding-in means and the container carrying device. 
         FIG. 14B  is a view seen from the direction corresponding to that of  FIG. 13B . 
         FIG. 14C  is a plan view illustrating a process of the folding-in means and the container carrying device. 
         FIG. 14D  is a view seen from the direction corresponding to that of  FIG. 13B . 
         FIG. 14E  is a plan view illustrating a process of the folding-in means and the container carrying device. 
         FIG. 14F  is a view seen from the direction corresponding to that of  FIG. 13B . 
         FIG. 15A  is a plan view illustrating the process of the folding-in means and the container carrying device following the process of  FIGS. 14A-14F . 
         FIG. 15B  is a view seen from the direction corresponding to that of  FIG. 13B . 
         FIG. 15C  is a plan view illustrating the process of the folding-in means and the container carrying device following the process of  FIGS. 14A-14F . 
         FIG. 15D  is a view seen from the direction corresponding to that of  FIG. 13B . 
         FIGS. 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16E, 16F, 16G, and 16H  are views illustrating an application example of a pushing mechanism in the embodiment 1 and corresponding to  FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E, 7F, 7G and 7H , respectively. 
         FIGS. 17A, 17B, 17C, 17D, 17E, 17F, 17G and 17H  are views illustrating an application example of a pressing mechanism in the embodiment 1 and corresponding to  FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E, 8F, 8G and 8H , respectively. 
         FIGS. 18A, 18B and 18C  are perspective views illustrating the I-shaped folding of the bagged culture medium block. 
         FIGS. 18D, 18E and 18F  are front views illustrating an example of the I-shaped folding and corresponding to  FIGS. 7C, 7E and 7G , respectively. 
         FIG. 19  is a plan view illustrating another example of each device of manufacturing devices for the bagged culture medium block including the folding device and the containerization device according to the embodiment 1 of the present invention. 
         FIG. 20A  is a front view illustrating another example of a support member of the embodiment 1. 
         FIG. 20B  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XXB-XXB of  FIG. 20A . 
         FIG. 20C  is a front view illustrating still another example. 
         FIG. 20D  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XXD-XXD of  FIG. 20C . 
         FIG. 20E  is a front view illustrating still another example. 
         FIG. 20F  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XXF-XXF of  FIG. 20E . 
         FIG. 21A  is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the bag mouth of a bagged culture medium block in the modification example 1 is open. 
         FIG. 21B  is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the unfilled portion of the bagged culture medium block is folded. 
         FIG. 21C  is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the unfilled portion of the bagged culture medium block is folded-in. 
         FIG. 22  is a plan view illustrating each device of manufacturing devices for the bagged culture medium block including a folding device and a containerization device according to the modification example 1. 
         FIG. 23  is a side view seen from the XXIII side of  FIG. 22 . 
         FIG. 24A  is a plan view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block from the folding device to the container carrying device in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 24B  is a side view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block from the folding device to the container carrying device in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 25A  is a plan view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block from the folding device to the container carrying device following the movement of  FIGS. 24A-B  in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 25B  is a side view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block from the folding device to the container carrying device following the movement of  FIGS. 24A-24B  in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 26A  is a plan view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block from the folding device to the container carrying device following the movement of  FIGS. 25A-25B  in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 26B  is a side view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block from the folding device to the container carrying device following the movement of  FIGS. 25A-25B  in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 27A  is a plan view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block from the folding device to the container carrying device following the movement of  FIGS. 26A-26B  in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 27B  is a side view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block from the folding device to the container carrying device following the movement of  FIGS. 26A-26B  in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 28A  is a plan view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block from the folding device to the container carrying device following the movement of  FIGS. 27A-27B  in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 28B  is a side view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block from the folding device to the container carrying device following the movement of  FIGS. 27A-27B  in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 29A  is a plan view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block from the folding device to the container carrying device following the movement of  FIGS. 28A-28B  in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 29B  is a side view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block from the folding device to the container carrying device following the movement of  FIGS. 28A-28B  in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 30A  is a plan view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block to a container in the container carrying device in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 30B  is a side view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block to a container in the container carrying device in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 30C  is a plan view following  FIG. 30A , illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block to a container in the container carrying device in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 30D  is a side view following  FIG. 30B , illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block to a container in the container carrying device in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 31A  is a plan view illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block to the container in the container carrying device in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 31B  is a plan view following  FIG. 31A , illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block to the container in the container carrying device in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 31C  is a plan view following  FIG. 31B , illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block to the container in the container carrying device in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 31D  is a side view of  FIG. 31C , illustrating the movement of the bagged culture medium block to the container in the container carrying device in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 32A  is a plan view illustrating the movement of the container in the container carrying device in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 32B  is a side view illustrating the movement of the container in the container carrying device in the modified example 1. 
         FIG. 33  is a plan view of the folding device according to the modification example 2. 
         FIG. 34  is a side view of the folding device according to the modification example 2 seen from one direction. 
         FIGS. 35A, 35C, 35E and 35G  are views seen from the A side of  FIG. 33 , illustrating processes of folding means according to the modification example 2. 
         FIGS. 35B, 35D, 35F and 35H  are views seen from the B side of  FIG. 33 , illustrating processes of folding means according to the modification example 2. 
         FIGS. 36A, 36C, 36E and 36G  are views seen from the A side of  FIG. 33 , illustrating processes of the folding means according to the modification example 2 following the processes of  FIGS. 35A-H . 
         FIGS. 36B, 36D, 36F and 36H  are views seen from the B side of  FIG. 33 , illustrating processes of the folding means according to the modification example 2 following the processes of  FIGS. 35A-H . 
         FIGS. 37A, 37C and 37E  are plan views for explaining the operation of a container carrying device in the modification example 3. 
         FIGS. 37B, 37D and 37F  are front views for explaining the operation of a container carrying device in the modification example 3. 
         FIGS. 38A and 38C  are plan views for explaining processes of carrying a bagged culture medium block in the container carrying device in the modification example 3. 
         FIGS. 38B and 38D  are front views for explaining processes of carrying a bagged culture medium block in the container carrying device in the modification example 3. 
         FIGS. 39A and 39C  are plan views for explaining processes of carrying the bagged culture medium block in the container carrying device in the modification example 3 following the processes of  FIGS. 38A-38D . 
         FIGS. 39B and 39D  are front views for explaining processes of carrying the bagged culture medium block in the container carrying device in the modification example 3 following the processes of  FIGS. 38A-38D . 
         FIGS. 40A and 40C  are plan views for explaining processes of carrying the bagged culture medium block in the container carrying device in the modification example 3 following the processes of  FIGS. 39A-39D . 
         FIGS. 40B and 40D  are front views for explaining processes of carrying the bagged culture medium block in the container carrying device in the modification example 3 following the processes of  FIGS. 39A-39D . 
         FIGS. 41A and 41C  are plan views for explaining processes of carrying the bagged culture medium block in the container carrying device in the modification example 3 following the processes of  FIGS. 40A-40D . 
         FIGS. 41B and 41D  are front views for explaining processes of carrying the bagged culture medium block in the container carrying device in the modification example 3 following the processes of  FIGS. 40A-40D . 
         FIG. 42  is a side view illustrating another example of a tilting mechanism of the folding device according to the embodiment 1 and corresponding to  FIG. 2 . 
         FIGS. 43A, 43C, 43E and 43G  are views seen from the traveling direction of transporting means (from the A side of  FIG. 33 ), illustrating processes of the folding means according to the embodiment 2. 
         FIGS. 43B, 43D, 43F and 43H  are views seen from the direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the transporting means (from the B side of  FIG. 33 ), illustrating processes of the folding means according to the embodiment 2. 
         FIGS. 44A, 44C, 44E and 44G  are views seen from the traveling direction of the transporting means (from the A side of  FIG. 33 ), illustrating processes following the processes of  FIGS. 43A-H . 
         FIGS. 44B, 44D, 44F and 44H  are views seen from the direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the transporting means (from the B side of  FIG. 33 ), illustrating processes following the processes of  FIGS. 43A-43H . 
         FIGS. 45A, 45C, 45E and 45G  are views seen from the direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of transporting means (from the longitudinal side of a bagged culture medium block), illustrating processes of folding means according to the embodiment 3. 
         FIGS. 45B, 45D, 45F and 45H  are views seen from the traveling direction of the transporting means (from the short side of the bagged culture medium block), illustrating processes of folding means according to the embodiment 3. 
         FIGS. 46A, 46C, 46E and 46G  are views seen from the direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the transporting means (from the longitudinal side of the bagged culture medium block), illustrating processes following the processes of  FIGS. 45A-H . 
         FIGS. 46B, 46D, 46F and 46H  are views seen from the traveling direction of the transporting means (from the short side of the bagged culture medium block), illustrating processes following the processes of  FIGS. 45A-45H . 
         FIG. 47  are views illustrating processes of the folding means according to the embodiment 4. 
         FIG. 48  are explanatory views according to the embodiment 5. 
         FIG. 49  is a layout view of a shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 8. 
         FIG. 50  is a perspective view of the shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 8. 
         FIG. 51  is an explanatory view for transfer positions on a lower stage in the shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 8. 
         FIG. 52  is a layout view of the shelf insertion device according to the modified example 1 of the embodiment 8. 
         FIG. 53  is a layout view of the shelf insertion device according to the modified example 2 of the embodiment 8. 
         FIG. 54  is the first perspective view of the shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 9. 
         FIG. 55  is the second perspective view of the shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 9. 
         FIG. 56  is the third perspective view of the shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 9. 
         FIG. 57  is the fourth perspective view of the shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 9. 
         FIG. 58  is the fifth perspective view of the shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 9. 
         FIG. 59  is the sixth perspective view of the shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 9. 
         FIG. 60A  is an explanatory view for a fixed claw of a transfer device. 
         FIG. 60B  is an explanatory view for a movable claw of the transfer device. 
         FIG. 61  are explanatory views of a container filling machine according to the embodiment 10. 
         FIG. 62  is a perspective view of the container carrying device provided in a containerization device according to the embodiment 11. 
         FIG. 63A  is a view illustrating a state in which the unfilled portion is folded by the folding device. 
         FIG. 63B  is a view illustrating a state in which an underlay member is pulled out of the folding device side to the upper region of the container. 
         FIG. 63C  is a view illustrating a state in which culture medium clamping means is lowered to a position where the bagged culture medium block sent out from the folding device onto the underlay member can be clamped by the culture medium clamping means. 
         FIG. 64A  is a view illustrating a state in which the bagged culture medium block is clamped by the culture medium clamping means. 
         FIG. 64B  is a view illustrating a state in which the bagged culture medium block is stored in the container by the culture medium clamping means. 
         FIG. 64C  is a view illustrating a state in which the empty container is pulled out onto a rotating member of a rotating mechanism. 
         FIG. 65  is a schematic view illustrating the overall configuration of transport means according to the embodiment 12. 
         FIG. 66  is a perspective view of the periphery of a culture medium direction changing section illustrated in  FIG. 65 . 
         FIG. 67  is a side view seen from the LXVII side of  FIG. 65 . 
         FIG. 68  is a process block diagram showing general cultivation processes of shiitake mushroom bed cultivation. 
         FIG. 69A  is a perspective view illustrating a conventional folding-in device. 
         FIG. 69B  is a partial side view illustrating a conventional folding-in device. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, a folding device for a bagged culture medium block and a containerization device provided with the folding device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments described below only exemplify a folding device for a bagged culture medium block and a containerization device provided with the folding device for embodying the technical concept of the present invention. Thus, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and can be equally applied to other embodiments included in claims. 
     Embodiment 1 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 15 , a folding device  31  for folding an unfilled portion on the bag mouth side of the bagged culture medium block according to the embodiment 1 of the present invention (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as a folding device  31 ), and a containerization device  46  provided with the folding device  31  (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as a containerization device  46 ) will be described. As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the folding device  31  is a device for folding an unfilled portion  11   h  on the opened bag mouth  11   f  side of a bag body  11 , which is a mushroom cultivation bag made of plastic film filled with a predetermined amount of culture medium  12 , in a manufacturing process of a bagged culture medium block  14  for cultivating mushrooms. Further, the containerization device  46  is a device having a container carrying device  42  and for storing the bagged culture medium block  14 , which is folded by the folding device  31 , in a container  15 . 
     The folding device  31  and the containerization device  46  provided with the folding device  31  are devices provided in a series of operation processes for manufacturing the bagged culture medium block  14 . In a manufacturing process of the bagged culture medium block  14 , for example, there are provided a block forming device  21 , which is for performing a block forming process of filling the bag body  11  with the culture medium  12  to form the bagged culture medium block  14 , the folding device  31 , which is for performing a folding process of folding the unfilled portion  11   h  on the bag mouth  11   f  side of the bag body  11  of the bagged culture medium block  14 , and the containerization device  46 , which has the container carrying device  42  for performing a container carrying process of carrying the folded bagged culture medium block  14  into the container  15  of a predetermined size (see  FIGS. 1 to 3 ). 
     Here, the bagged culture medium block  14  that is folded by the folding device  31  according to the embodiment 1 will be described with reference to  FIG. 4 . The bagged culture medium block  14  is composed of the bag body  11  and the culture medium  12  filled in the bag body  11 . In  FIG. 4A , the bag mouth  11   f  is opened in a state where the culture medium  12  is filled in the bag body  11 , and the bagged culture medium block  14  is shown in the unfolded state. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4A , the bag body  11  has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and has a rectangular bottom surface  11   a , which has a predetermined length and width, and wide side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  with a predetermined height from the longitudinal side of the bottom surface  11   a , and narrow side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  with a predetermined height from the short side of the bottom surface  11   a . Here, the upper portion facing the bottom surface  11   a  is open, and this open portion is a bag mouth  11   f , through which the culture medium  12  as described later is filled. 
     As a material of the bag body  11 , a synthetic resin film such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, or a biodegradable film or a photocatalytic film is used, and the thickness thereof is, for example, 10 to 100 μm. In the embodiment 1, a synthetic resin film (plastic film) is used for the bag body  11  so that the bag body  11  is lightweight, easy to handle and can be produced at low cost. 
     Further, since the bottom surface of the bag body  11  of the embodiment 1 has a rectangular shape, the side surfaces of the bag body  11  are composed of the wide side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  and the narrow side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e . creases are formed in the longitudinal direction at the substantially center of the narrow side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e , thus, the bag body  11  is a so-called gusset bag. 
     Further, the bag body  11  is divided into a filled portion  11   g  filled with the culture medium  12  and the empty unfilled portion  11   h  above the filled portion  11   g . That is, when the culture medium  12  described later is filled, the filled portion  11   g  has a predetermined height from the bottom surface  11   a  to the upper surface of the culture medium  12 , and the unfilled portion  11   h  has a height from the top of the filled portion  11   g , which is the upper surface of the culture medium  12 , to the bag mouth  11   f.    
     The culture medium  12  filled in the bag body  11  is formed of, for example, a mixed material containing sawdust, rice bran, bran and the like as main components, and a nutritional supplement and water mixed in a predetermined ratio. The culture medium  12  is filled in a bag body  11  to form a certain shape. Here, the weight when the culture medium  12  is filled in the bag body  11  of the embodiment 1 is, for example, about 2.5 kg to 2.8 kg. 
     The size of the bag body  11  is not limited to the above dimensions, the bottom surface  11   a  may be square or circular, and the lengths of the filled portion  11   g  and the unfilled portion  11   h  may be changed depending on the amount of the culture medium  12 , and accordingly the weight may be increased or decreased. 
     Further, first, in the folding device  31  of the embodiment 1, the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is open as shown in  FIG. 4A . Then, as shown in  FIG. 4B , the bag mouth  11   f  of the bag body  11  is closed, and the boundary between the filled portion  11   g  and the unfilled portion  11   h  is folded along the upper surface of the filled portion  11   g.    
     Further, in the folding device  31 , the bagged culture medium block  14  in the state shown in  FIG. 4B  is further folded to be in the state shown in  FIG. 4C . That is to say, as shown in  FIG. 4C , in the bagged culture medium block  14 , the bag mouth  11   f  of the bag body  11  is closed, and the boundary between the filled portion  11   g  and the unfilled portion  11   h  is bent along the upper surface of the filled portion  11   g , and the block shape is formed by bending the unfilled portion  11   h  again along the side surface of the filled portion  11   g  so that the bag mouth  11   f  side faces downward. The bagged culture medium block  14  will be packed in the container  15  by the container carrying device  42  described later in a blocked shape in which the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bag body  11  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded. 
     Next, the folding device  31  will be described mainly with reference to  FIGS. 5 to 15 . As described above, the folding device  31  according to the embodiment 1 of the present invention is for folding the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bag body that is filled with the culture medium by the block forming device  21  in the manufacturing process of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Then, after the bagged culture medium block  14 , in which the unfilled portion  11   h  is folded, is folded-in by folding-in means  41  described later, the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the container  15  by the container carrying device  42 , or a predetermined number of the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the container  15  in the predetermined direction by human hands. 
     Here, since the folding device  31  of the embodiment 1 is a device provided in a series of operation processes for manufacturing the bagged culture medium block  14 , the manufacturing process of the bagged culture medium block  14  will be described. The manufacturing process of the bagged culture medium block  14  is provided with, as described above, the block forming device  21 , which is for forming the bagged culture medium block  14  in which the bag mouth  11   f  of the bag body  11  is open, the folding device  31  for folding the unfilled portion  11   h  so as to prevent foreign matters from entering the open bag mouth  11   f , and the container carrying device  42  for carrying the folded bagged culture medium block  14  into the container  15  having a predetermined size. 
     First, an example of the block forming device  21  will be described with reference to  FIG. 5 . In the block forming device  21 , there are provided bag setting means  22 , in which a plurality of bag bodies  11  prepared in advance are set, bag mounting means  23 , in which the bag body  11  is picked up one by one from the bag setting means  22  and mounted at a predetermined position with the bag mouth  11   f  being open, bag shaping means  24 , in which the mounted bag is expanded and shaped into a hollow shape, filling means  26 , in which the bag body  11  is filled with a predetermined amount of the culture medium  12  measured by measuring means  25 , shaping means  27 , in which the filled bagged culture medium block  14  is shaped into a predetermined shape, and delivery means  28 , in which the shaped bagged culture medium block  14  is sent out to the next device. The bagged culture medium block  14  with the open bag mouth  11   f  is formed via these means (see  FIG. 4A ). 
     In an automatic bag supply device  29  adjacent to the block forming device  21 , a bundle of bag bodies  11  is stored, and the bundle is arranged so that the orientation thereof can be automatically rotated by 180 degrees at a predetermined cycle. The bag body  11  is picked up from the automatic bag supply device  29  and moved to the block forming device  21 , and then, the bag setting means  22  is first operated. 
     In the bag setting means  22 , only one bag is taken out from the top of the bundle of the bag body  11 . The bag setting by the bag setting means  22  is performed by sucking the bag body  11  with negative pressure by using, for example, one suction cup member that is connected to a vacuum pump or a ring blower. 
     Then, after the bag body  11  is lifted upward by the one suction cup member, another suction cup member, which is connected to the vacuum pump or the ring blower, is brought into contact with the bag body  11  so as to face the one suction cup member with the bag body  11  being therebetween. Then, the bag body  11  is moved to the bag mounting means  23  in a state where the bag mouth  11   f  side of the bag body  11  is clamped by the one suction cup member and the other suction cup member. 
     In the bag mounting means  23 , the bag mouth  11   f  of the bag body  11  is opened by opening the distance between one suction cup member and the other suction cup member. Next, for example, an inner frame is inserted inside the bag mouth  11   f  of the bag body  11 , and at the same time, an outer frame is abutted from the outside of the bag mouth  11   f , and the bag mouth  11   f  of the bag body  11  is held to be clamped by the inner frame and the outer frame so that the bag mouth  11   f  of the bag body  11  is opened and held in a predetermined substantially rectangular shape. 
     Next, the bag shaping means  24  in the block forming device  21  is operated. In the bag shaping means  24 , for example, in a state where a substantially rectangular frame member is arranged under the bag body  11 , four rod-shaped bag shaping members are inserted toward the inside of the bag body  11  from the four corners of the bag mouth  11   f  of the bag body  11  opened in a rectangular shape. When the shaping of the bag body  11  is completed, the bag shaping members are taken out from the inside of the bag body  11 . When the above process with the bag shaping means  24  is completed, the filling means  26  for filling the culture medium  12  is operated while the bag mouth  11   f  is held and clamped by the inner frame and the outer frame. 
     In the filling means  26 , a hopper  30  for supplying the culture medium  12  is provided above the bag body  11 . The hopper  30  stores the culture medium  12  prepared in advance, and in the measuring means  25  for measuring the predetermined amount of the culture medium, the predetermined amount of the culture medium  12  to be supplied into one bag is taken out one by one. 
     Then, in the filling means  26 , the predetermined amount of the culture medium  12  filled from the measuring means  25  is supplied into the bag body  11 , and subsequently in the shaping means  27 , the culture medium  12  supplied into the bag body  11  is shaped. In the shaping means  27 , first, a substantially rectangular frame-shaped lower frame member is brought into contact with the bag body  11  from the outside of the lower portion of the bag body  11 , in which the culture medium  12  is stored, a compression shaping plate is inserted from the bag mouth  11   f  side of the bag body  11 , and the compression shaping plate is pressed toward the lower frame member to compress the culture medium  12  to shape the culture medium into the predetermined rectangular shape (substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape). 
     When the compression shaping of the culture medium is completed and the compression shaping plate is taken out from the bag, the shaping of the bagged culture medium block  14  is completed, and the culture medium block  14  is sent to transporting means  60  such as a belt conveyor by the delivery means  28  to be transported to the next folding device  31 . The bagged culture medium block  14  discharged from the block forming device  21  is in a state in which the bag mouth  11   f  is not closed and the unfilled portion  11   h  is not folded (see  FIG. 4A ). 
     Further, in the embodiment 1, the orientation of the bagged culture medium block  14  transported from the block forming device  21  by the transporting means is that, for example, the short sides of the bagged culture medium block  14 , which are the narrow side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  with the gusset folding lines, are along the transport direction of the transporting means  60 , and the wide side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  without the gusset folding lines of the bagged culture medium block  14  are directed to the upstream side and the downstream side in the transport direction (see  FIGS. 1 to 3 ). 
     Next, the folding device  31  will be described mainly with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 and 6 to 15 . The folding device  31  has first feeding means  33 , which is for feeding the bagged culture medium block  14  transported by the transporting means  60  from the transporting means  60  to the folding means, folding means  34 , which has an opening mechanism  32  for keeping the bag mouth  11   f  of the fed bagged culture medium block  14  open and which is for folding the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 , second feeding means  40 , in which the bagged culture medium block  14  with the unfilled portion  11   h  folded by the folding means  34  is fed to the container  15  in the container carrying device  42 , and the folding-in means  41  in which the folded unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  fed from the second feeding means  40  is folded-in on the container  15  in the container carrying device  42 . 
     The folding device  31  of the embodiment 1 is provided in a direction substantially orthogonal to the transport direction of the transporting means  60 , in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is transported from the block forming device  21 , and the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved in a direction substantially orthogonal to the transport direction of the transporting means  60  (see  FIGS. 1 to 3 ). 
     Therefore, when the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved, the short sides of the bagged culture medium block  14 , which is the narrow side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  with the gusset folding lines, face the upstream side and the downstream side. In addition, the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved in the direction along the wide side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  without the gusset folding lines. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3, 6A and 6B , the bagged culture medium block  14  is fed by the first feeding means  33  to the folding means  34 , in which the folding is performed, from the end of the transporting means  60 . In the embodiment 1, the first feeding means  33  is operated to push the bagged culture medium block  14  in the direction from the transporting means  60  to the folding means  34  with, for example, an arm-shaped feeding member  33   a . Here, in the embodiment 1, the first feeding means  33  pushes the narrow side surface side with the gusset folding line of the bagged culture medium block  14 . The first feeding means  33  is not limited to the feeding member  33   a , and may be a belt conveyor or the like. Further, on the opposite side of the first feeding means  33  in the folding means  34 , a regulating member  54  formed in, for example, a rod shape or a plate shape is provided to regulate the feeding movement of the bagged culture medium block  14 . The regulating member  54  allows the bagged culture medium block  14  fed by the first feeding means  33  to be positioned at a predetermined position at which the folding by the folding means  34  is performed. When the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved by the second feeding means  40  described later, the regulating member  54  is moved to a place away from the moving direction of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Therefore, the regulating member  54  is provided so as to be repeatedly movable. 
     Next, the folding means  34  will be described. In the folding means  34 , the bagged culture medium block  14  is transported thereinto in a state where the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bag body  11  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is upwardly opened and the bag mouth  11   f  is open (see  FIGS. 1 to 3 ). First, in the folding means  34 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3, 6C and 6D , the opening of the bag mouth  11   f  is performed by the opening mechanism  32  for ensuring that the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is open. That is, if the bag mouth  11   f  is not sufficiently opened or a part of the bag mouth  11   f  is closed (see the left side of  FIG. 6D ), it is difficult to fold the bag mouth  11   f  by the folding means  34 . Therefore, by providing the opening mechanism  32 , the bag mouth  11   f  is surely kept open (see the right side of  FIG. 6D ). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6C and 6D , in the opening mechanism  32 , air is blown by, for example, a blower  32   a  or the like from above the bagged culture medium block  14  that was fed by the first feeding means  33  and is positioned by the regulating member  54  in the first feeding means  33 , that is, from the bag mouth  11   f  side to keep the bag mouth  11   f  open. Here, it is preferable that the air blown from the blower  32   a  is evenly sent to the entire opened bag mouth  11   f . On the other hand, if the air is blown vigorously only to a part of the bag mouth, the bag mouth may be closed or deformed, and the bag mouth  11   f  may not be sufficiently opened. 
     In the embodiment 1, the opening mechanism  32  is operated at the time when the folding means  34  is operated, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and as shown in  FIGS. 1, 3 and 6C , in the phase before the bagged culture medium block  14  is fed from the transporting means  60  to the folding means  34 , another opening means  62  may be provided in addition to the opening mechanism  32  in the folding means  34 . The other opening means  62  is operated with the blower  62   a  similar to the opening mechanism  32  operated in the folding means  34 . Here, it is preferable that the wind power of the blower  62   a  of the other opening means  62  is substantially same as or slightly weaker than that of the blower  32   a  of the opening mechanism  32 . By providing the other opening means  62 , the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  can be opened more reliably in the folding means  34 . The other opening means  62  may be provided on the transporting means  60 . 
     Further, as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 and 7 to 8 , in the folding means  34  of the embodiment 1, there is provided an opening assist member  39  for assisting the opening of the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  by the opening mechanism  32 . The opening assist member  39  is provided at a position close to or in contact with both sides of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  so as to be along the direction in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is transported. The opening assist member  39  is formed of a rod-shaped body or a plate-shaped body having a predetermined width. The opening assist member  39  may have an inclined shape in which the predetermined width widens toward the upstream side in the transport direction of the bagged culture medium block  14  so that the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  can easily enter the opening assist member  39 . Further, this inclination may be provided on the downstream side of the opening assist member  39 . 
     By providing the opening assist member  39 , the opening mechanism  32  blows air from the bag mouth  11   f  side to open the unfilled portion  11   h  expandedly. Here, when the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is blown by the opening mechanism  32 , the bag mouth  11   f  expands in an elliptical shape close to a substantially circular shape. On the other hand, by providing the opening assist member  39 , the opening assist member  39  is brought into contact with the expanded unfilled portion  11   h  at the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . As a result, the expansion of the bag mouth  11   f  and the unfilled portion  11   h  is partially restricted, and the expanded shape of the bag mouth  11   f  becomes an elliptical shape so that the long axis side is longer than that in the case where the opening assist member  39  is not provided. Therefore, when a supporting member  35   a  of a supporting mechanism  35  described later is inserted, contact of the supporting member  35   a  with the narrow side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is suppressed, the supporting member  35   a  can be easily inserted from the bag mouth  11   f.    
     Next, the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  in which the bag mouth  11   f  side is opened by the opening mechanism  32  is folded by the folding means  34 . As shown mainly in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the folding means  34  is composed of the above-described opening mechanism  32  and opening assist member  39 , the supporting mechanism  35 , which is to be inserted into the unfilled portion  11   h  from the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  and supports the bag mouth  11   f  so that the bag mouth  11   f  is open, a pushing mechanism  36 , which pushes the narrow side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  with the creases of the bagged culture medium block  14  in a state where the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is supported by the supporting mechanism  35 , a pressing mechanism  37 , which presses the boundary between the filled portion  11   g  and the unfilled portion  11   h  to narrow the unfilled portion  11   h  to form a neck portion  11   i  in a state where the narrow side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the bagged culture medium block  14  are pushed by the pushing mechanism  36  and the unfilled portion  11   h  is narrowed, and a tilting mechanism  38 , which tilts down the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  pressed by the pressing mechanism  37 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2, 3, 7A and 7B , the supporting mechanism  35  is composed of the supporting members  35   a , which are to be inserted into the unfilled portion  11   h  from the opened bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  and are a pair of plates of a predetermined size. In the embodiment 1, these supporting members  35   a  are not along the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  with the ceases of the bagged culture medium block  14 , but along the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c . The respective supporting members  35   a  are arranged so as to face each other. That is, each supporting member  35   a  is arranged in the orientation along the feeding direction of the bagged culture medium block  14 . The supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  is configured to be able to be moved up and down. 
     Further, each supporting member  35   a  is connected to each other via, for example, a beam member  35   b  or the like, and is configured so that they can be repeatedly moved at the same time in a direction in which they approach each other and a direction in which they are separated from each other. Further, the supporting member  35   a  may be composed of a plurality of plate-shaped pieces or rod-shaped bodies instead of a single plate-shaped body. In a case where the supporting member  35   a  is composed of a plurality of plate-shaped pieces, rod-shaped bodies or the like, they are provided at least on the four corner sides of the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . The supporting member may be inclined or curved on the tip side, that is, the side that is first inserted into the bag mouth  11   f , so that the supporting member can be easily inserted from the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2, 3, 7A and 7B , the pushing mechanism  36  is composed of a pair of plate-shaped pushing members  36   a  that face each other with the bagged culture medium block  14  being therebetween, and the pushing members  36   a  are arranged on the side of the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  with the creases of the bagged culture medium block  14  and configured to be repeatedly moved in the direction of pushing the bagged culture medium block  14  and in the direction away from the bagged culture medium block  14 . The pushing members  36   a  are arranged on the upstream side and the downstream side of the bagged culture medium block  14  in the transport direction with the bagged culture medium block  14  being therebetween. The pushing member is not limited to a plate shape, but may be a rod shape. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, 7A and 7B , the pressing mechanism  37  is composed of a pair of plate-shaped pressing members  37   a . The pressing members  37   a  are moved at a height close to the upper surface of the culture medium  12  of the bagged culture medium block  14  from the sides of the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14  to the substantially central portion. Then, the pressing members  37   a  press the culture medium  12  side of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  to constrict the culture medium  12  side of the unfilled portion  11   h  so that the neck portion  11   i  is formed. The neck portion  11   i  functions as an axis when the unfilled portion  11   h  is tilted by the tilting mechanism  38  described later (see  FIG. 8B ). Further, in the embodiment 1, each pressing member  37   a  is substantially parallel to the surface on which the bagged culture medium block  14  is arranged in the folding means  34 , that is, the pressing member  37   a  is arranged substantially parallel to the upper surface of the culture medium  12  of the filled portion  11   g  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . The pressing members  37   a  of the pressing mechanism  37  are configured to be repeatedly moved from the side of the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14  to the substantially central portion. 
     The pressing members  37   a  of the pressing mechanism  37  are arranged so as to face each other in a direction substantially orthogonal to the transport direction of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Here, the pressing member  37   a  is not limited to a plate shape, but may be a rod shape. 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 and 7B , the tilting mechanism  38  tilts the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  along the upper surface of the culture medium  12 . This operation is performed by, for example, mechanically pushing down the unfilled portion  11   h  using a rod-shaped body or a plate or pushing down the unfilled portion  11   h  using wind pressure by blowing air. In the embodiment 1, the airflow generated by a blower or the like is applied to the unfilled portion  11   h , that is, this operation is performed by wind pressure (see  FIG. 8F ). The tilting mechanism  38  is provided at a position along the transport direction of the bagged culture medium block  14 , that is, along the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     Further, the tilting mechanism  38  is not limited to the wind pressure of a blower or the like, and for example, an arm member such as a rod-shaped body, a square-shaped body, or a plate-shaped body may be repeatedly moved in a direction of tilting and a direction away from the bagged culture medium block  14  to be brought into contact with the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  to tilt down the unfilled portion  11   h.    
     Next, in the second feeding means  40 , as shown in  FIGS. 1, 3, 10 to 12 , the folded bagged culture medium block  14  is fed from the folding means  34  onto the container in which the folding-in means  41  will be operated. In the second feeding means  40 , the bagged culture medium block  14  is pushed by, for example, an arm-shaped feeding member  40   a  to be moved from the folding means  34  in the direction toward the container carrying device  42  in which the container  15  is arranged. Here, the second feeding means  40  pushes the narrow side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  with the gusset folding lines of the bagged culture medium block  14  similar to the first feeding means  33 . When the second feeding means  40  is operated, the regulating member  54  is moved to a position away from the moving direction of the bagged culture medium block  14 , and after the bagged culture medium block  14  is fed by the second feeding means  40 , the regulating member  54  is moved again. Further, the regulating member  54  may be moved together with the second feeding means  40 . 
     Further, in the folding device  31 , there is provided an underlay member  56  having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined area for which the bagged culture medium block  14  is placed, which is taken in and out from the folding means  34  side to the container carrying device  42  side when the bagged culture medium block  14  is fed by the second feeding means  40 . For example, the underlay member  56  is stored in the folding device  31 . The underlay member  56  is sent out together with the movement of the bagged culture medium block  14  by the second feeding means  40 , and is placed above a rod-shaped body  48  of a elevating mechanism  51  of the container carrying device  42 , which will be described later, so that the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved onto the sent out underlay member  56  by the second feeding means  40  (see  FIGS. 10C and 10D ). Further, when the underlay member  56  is stored in the container  15  (described later), the underlay member  56  is pulled back and is stored in the folding device  31 . Therefore, the underlay member  56  is provided so as to be repeatedly movable in the moving direction of the bagged culture medium block  14  and in the opposite direction thereof. Although a state where a part of the underlay member  56  is protruding is shown in  FIGS. 1, 3, 10  and the like, all portion of the underlay member  56  may be stored inside the folding device  31 . 
     Further, in a case where the folding device  34  and the container carrying device  42  are away from each other, there may be provided with a transport path for connecting them, and the underlay member  56  may be sent in and out from the transport path side to the container carrying device  42  side. Here, the underlay member may be stored inside the mechanism provided with the transport path. 
     Further, when the underlay member  56  is pulled back, the bagged culture medium block  14  can be kept in place by the folding-in means  41  described later, so that the bagged culture medium block  14  is placed on top of the rod-shaped body  48  of the elevating mechanism  51  provided in the container carrying device  42  arranged below (see  FIGS. 11A and 11B ). When the bagged culture medium block  14  is fed to the folding means  34 , the second feeding means  40  is moved and is at a position away from the moving direction of the bagged culture medium block  14 , and after the bagged culture medium block  14  is arranged in the folding means  34 , the second feeding means  40  is arranged at a position where the second feeding means  40  pushes the bagged culture medium block  14 . The second feeding means  40  may be a belt conveyor or the like. 
     As shown mainly in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the folding-in means  41  further folds-in the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  folded by the folding means  34  so as to shape the bagged culture medium block  14  into a state of being carried into the container  15  (see  FIGS. 4C and 12 ). Further, as shown in  FIGS. 1, 3, 9, 12 and 13 , the folding-in means  41  includes a tubular folding-in member  41   a  having plate-shaped side walls  41   b   1 ,  41   b   2 ,  41   b   3  and  41   c , which surround each of the wide side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14  and narrow side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the bagged culture medium block  14 , and the tubular folding-in member  41   a  has a bottom portion on the bagged culture medium block  14  side and an upper portion facing the bottom portion are open. The folding-in member  41   a  has a shape corresponding to the bagged culture medium block  14  to be carried into the container  15 . 
     As will be described later, the folding-in member  41   a  has the side walls  41   b   1 ,  41   b   2 ,  41   b   3  and  41   c  constituting the folding-in member  41   a , and is formed of a tubular body having a size through which the bagged culture medium block  14  can be inserted. Further, among the side walls  41   b   1 ,  41   b   2 ,  41   b   3  and  41   c , the folding-in side wall  41   c  is for folding-in the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Specifically, among the side walls of the folding-in member  41   a , the long side wall which is arranged on the side where the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded is the folding-in side wall  41   c  (see  FIG. 9A ,  FIG. 9B ). The folding-in member  41   a  is formed of a tubular body, but the corners may not be closed, and the side walls of the four plate-shaped bodies may be arranged so as to face each other in pairs. Further, the side walls of the folding-in member  41   a  other than the folding-in side wall  41   c  are shown as the side walls  41   b   1 ,  41   b   2  and  41   b   3 , and are sometimes collectively referred to as  41   b  below. 
     Then, the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded-in by a bottom portion  41   d  of the folding-in side wall  41   c  located at a lower portion of the folding-in member  41   a , that is, on the side of the arranged on the bagged culture medium block  14  side (see  FIG. 13 ). 
     The folding-in means  41  is configured to be able to move the folding-in member  41   a  upward and downward. After the folding-in member  41   a  is brought into contact with the unfilled portion  11   h  folded substantially parallel to the upper surface of the culture medium  12  of the bagged culture medium block  14  arranged on the container  15 , the folding-in member  41   a  is further moved down along the side surface of the bagged culture medium block  14  to fold-in the unfilled portion  11   h . Here, the movement of the folding-in member  41   a  is linked with the operation of the container carrying device  42 , which will be described in detail later. 
     Next, the operation of the folding device  31  in the embodiment 1 will be described mainly with reference to  FIGS. 7 to 13 . First, as described above, the bagged culture medium block  14  transported by the transporting means  60  is fed by the first feeding means  33  from above the transporting means  60  to the folding means  34  (see  FIGS. 6A and 6B ). Here, the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved until it is brought into contact with the regulating member  54  provided on the side opposite to the first feeding means  22   d  of the folding means  34 , and by being brought into contact with the regulating member  54 , the positioning of the bagged culture medium block  14  in the folding means  34  is performed. 
     Here, as shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , the opening mechanism  32 , the opening assist member  39 , the supporting mechanism  35 , the pushing mechanism  36  and the pressing mechanism  37  of the folding means  34  are arranged in the position at which the bagged culture medium block  14  is fed by the first feeding means  33 . 
     Then, as shown in  FIGS. 7C and 7D , in the folding means  34 , the blower  32   a  as the opening mechanism  32  first blows air toward the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  from above the bag mouth  11   f  to keep the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  open (see  FIGS. 6C and 6D ). Regarding the bagged culture medium block  14 , by providing the other opening means  62  for blowing air before the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved to the folding means  34 , the bag mouth  11   f  is more easily opened. Further, by providing the opening assist member  39 , due to the blower  32   a  of the opening mechanism  32 , the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is expanded into an elliptical shape having a long axis. 
     Further, together with the operation of the opening mechanism  32 , each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  and the pushing members  36   a  of the pushing mechanism  36  are moved downward from above the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14 , and among them, each supporting member  35   a  is inserted into the unfilled portion  11   h  from the opened bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Each supporting member  35   a  is arranged along the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Here, since each supporting member  35   a  is inserted into the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  while the blower  32   a  of the opening mechanism  32  blows air to keep the bag mouth  11   f  open, each supporting member  35   a  can be easily inserted. Further, by providing the opening assist member  39 , the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is expanded into an elliptical shape having a long axis, so that the supporting member  35   a  can be easily inserted. 
     Next, after each supporting member  35   a  is inserted into the unfilled portion  11   h , each pushing member  36   a  of the pushing mechanism  36  is moved toward the bagged culture medium block  14  as shown in  FIGS. 7E and 7F . In the pushing mechanism  36 , each of the pair of the pushing members  36   a  is moved from the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the bagged culture medium block  14  so as to push the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Then, each of the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is pushed by each pushing member  36   a  so that the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  are pushed along the creases, and each of the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved toward the center side to close the bag mouth  11   f.    
     Here, each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  is moved to the center side in accordance with the movement of the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c , and, as shown in  FIG. 7F , each supporting member  35   a  is collected in the central portion together with the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . When the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is collected on the centrer side, the boundary between the unfilled portion  11   h  and the filled portion  11   g , that is, the unfilled portion  11   h  on the upper surface side of the culture medium  12 , is not flat, that is, not substantially parallel to the upper surface of the culture medium  12 , and for example, the central portion may be in a convex shape or distorted (see  FIG. 7F ). 
     After each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  and each pushing member  36   a  of the pushing mechanism  36  are collected together with the unfilled portion  11   h  in the central portion and the opposing supporting members  35   a  are in close proximity to each other, as shown in  FIGS. 7G and 7H , the pressing mechanism  37  presses the upper surface side of the culture medium  12  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  and the neck portion  11   i  is provided, which functions as an axis when the unfilled portion  11   h  is tilted. In the pressing mechanism  37 , the pair of the pressing members  37   a  are moved from the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14  toward the center on the upper surface side of the culture medium  12  of the filled portion  11   g , and clamp the unfilled portion  11   h . Here, the upper surface side of the culture medium  12  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is prepared to be substantially flat. In the embodiment 1, plate-shaped pressing members are used, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and a rod-shaped bodies along the longitudinal direction of the bagged culture medium block  14  may be used. 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B , each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  and each pushing member  36   a  are moved upward. Here, the pushing members  36   a  of the pushing mechanism  36  maintain the state in which the pushing member  36   a  pushes the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     After that, as shown in  FIGS. 8C and 8D , each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  and each pushing member  36   a  are moved upward. Here, a blower  38   a  of the tilting mechanism  38  blows air before each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  and each pushing member  36   a  are pulled out from the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Further, also in a case where a mechanical arm member such as in a rod-shaped body, a square-shaped body, or a plate-shaped body is used as a tilting mechanism, each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  and each pushing member  36   a  are moved upward, but before they are pulled out from the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 , the mechanical arm member is moved to the unfilled portion  11   h  side of the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     Then, as shown in  FIGS. 8E and 8F , the unfilled portion  11   h  is pressed by the wind pressure from the side of the longitudinal side surface  11   b  of the bagged culture medium block  14  due to the air blown by the blower  38   a  of the tilting mechanism  38 , and the unfilled portion  11   h  is rotated around the neck portion  11   i  that is pressed by the pressing member  37   a  and tilted down. Here, the tilting mechanism  38  is operated in a state where each supporting member  35   a  is inserted in the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 , so that the neck portion  11   i  is tilted down in a state where the upper portion of the unfilled portion  11   h  is supported. In this way, the deformation of the unfilled portion  11   h  can be suppressed. 
     Then, as shown in  FIGS. 8G and 8H , after the unfilled portion  11  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is tilted down, the blowing of the blower  38   a  of the tilting mechanism  38  is stopped. In a case where a mechanical arm member such as in a rod-shaped body, a square-shaped body, or a plate-shaped body is used as a tilting mechanism, the arm member is moved to the original position before the operation. Here, the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is in a tilted state. When the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is tilted down, the blower  32   a  of the opening mechanism  32  may be operated to blow air from above to keep the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  tilted down. This completes the folding of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  with the folding means  34 . 
     Next, the second feeding means  40  will be described. The bagged culture medium block  14  is fed onto the container  15  of the container carrying device  42 , which will be described later, by the second feeding means  40 , and the unfilled portion  11   h  is folded-in by the next folding-in means  41 . 2. Here, the container carrying device  42 , in which the container  15  into which the bagged culture medium block  14  fed by the second feeding means  40  is carried is arranged, will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 and 9 . In  FIG. 9 , the opening assist member  39  is omitted. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9A and 9B , the container carrying device  42  is provided with a plurality of the rod-shaped bodies  48 , on which the bagged culture medium block  14  is to be placed, the elevating mechanism  51  for raising and lowering these rod-shaped bodies  48 , a rotating member  49  for rotating the placed container, and a rotating mechanism  47  for rotating the rotating member  49 . Further, the elevating mechanism  51  has a mechanism, in which the plurality of the rod-shaped bodies  48  are raised and lowered and are inserted into and pulled out from a plurality of gaps  15   b  provided in a bottom portion  15   a  of the container  15  to store the plurality of bagged culture medium blocks  14  in the container  15  in an aligned state. Further, the rotating member  49  of the rotating mechanism  47  is provided with a convex member (not shown) for positioning and fixing the container  15 , and is configured to move in and out the convex member according to the movement of the container  15 . 
     The rotating mechanism  47  has a rotatable, for example, disk-shaped rotating member  49  having a predetermined size, and a rotating shaft portion  50  for rotating the rotating member  49 . The rotating member  49  is rotatable together with the container  15  and the bagged culture medium block  14  placed on the upper surface thereof. Further, the rotating member  49  is formed with a plurality of openings  58  through which each rod-shaped body  48  of the elevating mechanism  51  can be inserted. 
     Further, as shown in  FIGS. 9A and 9B , the elevating mechanism  51  repeatedly raises a plurality of the rod-shaped bodies  48 . The rod-shaped bodies  48  are configured to be inserted into and pulled out from the openings  58  formed in the rotating member  49  of the rotating mechanism  47  and from the plurality of gaps  15   b  formed in the bottom portion  15   a  of the container  15 . Further, the rod-shaped bodies  48  are arranged below the underlay member  56  sent out from the folding means  34  described above, and as will be described later, when the underlay member  56  is pulled back, the bagged culture medium block  14  placed on the underlay member  56  is placed on the upper portions of the rod-shaped bodies  48 . Here, the folding-in means  41  regulates the movement of the bagged culture medium block  14 , and even if the underlay member  56  is moved, the bagged culture medium block  14  can be placed on the rod-shaped bodies  48 . 
     Then, in a state where the container  15  is not carried in, that is, in a state before the container is carried in, as shown in  FIGS. 9A and 9B , each rod-shaped body  48  is lowered by the elevating mechanism  51 , and is placed below the rotating member  49  and has a height at which the container  15  can be carried. 
     Then, as shown in  FIGS. 9C and 9D , after the container  15  is carried in a predetermined position, each rod-shaped body  48  is raised by the elevating mechanism  51  as shown in  FIGS. 9E and 9F . Here, each rod-shaped body  48  is penetrated through the gap  15   b  provided in the bottom portion  15   a  of the container  15  and the opening  58  of the rotating member  49 , respectively. In this state, the bagged culture medium block  14  will be sent onto the rod-shaped bodies  48  so that the bagged culture medium block  14  can be placed on the rod-shaped bodies  48 . 
     Further, in the container carrying device  42 , there are provided container setting means  43 , which takes out a container from a plurality of the containers  15  prepared in advance and set the container, and a container transporting means  44 , in which the container  15  in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is carried is fed to a next machine, for example, a sterilizer (see  FIGS. 1 and 3 ). As the container transporting means  44 , a configuration which transport the container to a movable shelf for transporting the container to the sterilizer is included. 
     In the container setting means  43 , after the container  15  on the container carrying device  42 , in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored, is transported to the next machine, one container  15  is automatically set in the container carrying device  42  from the plurality of stacked containers  15 . When the container  15  is transported from the container carrying device  42 , the empty container  15  pushes out the container  15  storing the bagged culture medium block  14  from the container setting means  43 , so that the container  15  is replaced. Further, in the container transporting means  44 , the container  15  storing the bagged culture medium block  14 , which is pushed out by the new empty container  15 , is transported by a conveyor or the like. 
     Further, the number of the rod-shaped bodies  48  of the elevating mechanism  51  and the openings  58  in the rotating member  49  of the rotating mechanism  47  may be arbitrarily provided, but it is preferable that they are provided at least in portions on which the bagged culture medium block  14  fed by the second feeding means  40  can be supported, for example, portions including the size of the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     Next, the second feeding means  40  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 10 to 12 . As shown in  FIGS. 10 to 12 , the second feeding means  40  feeds the bagged culture medium block  14  to the container carrying device  42  in a state where the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is tilted down. Here, in order to prevent the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  from rising, the folding-in means  41  may be provided with a blower such as the opening mechanism  32  or the other opening means  62  as described above. In  FIGS. 10 to 12 , the opening assist member  39  is omitted. 
     When the bagged culture medium block  14  is fed by the second feeding means  40 , first, as shown in  FIGS. 10A and 10B , the second feeding means  40  is brought into contact with the bagged culture medium block  14  from the opposite side in the moving direction of the bagged culture medium block  14  in which the unfilled portion  11   h  is folded by the folding means  34 . Here, the container  15  in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is to be stored is arranged in the container carrying device  42 . 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 10C and 10D , there is provided the underlay member  56  which is taken in and out from below the position, at which the bagged culture medium block  14  in the folding means  34  is placed, to the container carrying device  42  side. The second feeding means  40  feeds the bagged culture medium block  14  so that the bagged culture medium block  14  is once placed on the underlay member  56 . Here, when the bagged culture medium block  14  is fed by the second feeding means  40 , the regulating member  54  is moved away from the traveling direction of the bagged culture medium block  14 . The regulating member  54  may be configured to be repeatedly moved together with the second feeding means  40 . Further, in the container carrying device  42 , the rod-shaped bodies  48  are raised by the elevating mechanism  51 , and is moved to a position arranged under the underlay member  56 . 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 11A and 11B , the second feeding means  40  is pulled back and placed at a predetermined position in the folding means  34 . Here, the second feeding means  40  is moved to a position away from the moving direction of the bagged culture medium block  14  so that the next bagged culture medium block  14  can be sent to the folding means  34 , and after the bagged culture medium block  14  is arranged in the folding means  34 , the second feeding means  40  is moved to a position where the second feeding means  40  can push the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     After that, as shown in  FIGS. 11C and 11D , the folding-in means  41  is moved downward, and the bagged culture medium block  14  is surrounded by the folding-in member  41   a . Here, the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded-in by a folding-in wall portion  41   c  of the folding-in means  41  so that the bag mouth  11   f  faces downward, that is, toward the container  15  (see  FIGS. 13A to 13D ). 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 12A and 12B , the underlay member  56  is pulled back in a state where the bagged culture medium block  14  is surrounded by the folding-in member  41   a  of the folding-in means  41 . Here, since the folding-in member  41   a  does not move, the bagged culture medium block  14  is stopped at the sent out position by the second feeding means  40 , so that even when the underlay member  56  is moved, the bagged culture medium block  14  stays in place. Then, by moving the underlay member  56 , the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved downward and placed on the rod-shaped bodies  48 . 
     After that, as shown in  FIGS. 12C and 12D , the rod-shaped bodies  48  of the container carrying device  42  are lowered by the elevating mechanism  51 , the folding-in means  41  is also moved downward, and the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the container  15 . After the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the container  15 , the folding-in means  41  is moved upward (see  FIGS. 13E and 13F ). 
     Next, with reference to  FIGS. 13A to 13F , the folding-in means  41  for folding-in the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  will be described. Here, in  FIGS. 13B, 13D, 13F  and the like, the orientation of the unfilled portion  11   h  is shown in a different direction from that in  FIGS. 12B, 12D  and the like for easy understanding the folding-in operation of the unfilled portion  11   h.    
     First, the bagged culture medium block  14 , which is fed from the folding means  34  by the second feeding means  40  and the underlay member  56 , is arranged on the upper portions of the rod-shaped bodies  48  as shown in  FIGS. 13A and 13B . The container  15  is arranged in the container carrying device  42 , and the rod-shaped bodies  48  are arranged so as to penetrate the gaps  15   b  in the bottom portion  15   a  of the container  15  and the openings  58  of the rotating member  49 . Further, the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is in a folded state where the unfilled portion  11   h  is substantially parallel to the culture medium  12 . 
     After that, as shown in  FIGS. 13C and 13D , the folding-in member  41   a  of the folding-in means  41  is moved downward, that is, toward the bagged culture medium block  14 , and folds-in the folded unfilled portion  11   h , and the rod-shaped bodies  48  of the container carrying device  42  are lowered by the elevating mechanism  51 , so that the bagged culture medium block  14  in which the unfilled portion  11   h  is folded-in is stored in the container  15 . Here, the rod-shaped body  48  are lowered below the container  15  and the rotating member  49 . 
     In the folding-in means  41 , the bottom portion  41   d  of the folding-in wall portion  41   c  of the folding-in member  41   a  pushes the unfilled portion  11   h , and the unfilled portion  11   h  is folded-in downward along the longitudinal side surface  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14  so that, as shown in  FIG. 13D , the bagged culture medium block  14  is shaped in a substantially cubic shape (see  FIG. 4C ). 
     After that, as shown in  FIGS. 13E and 13F , the folding-in member  41   a  of the folding-in means  41  is moved upward, and the folding of the bagged culture medium block  14  by the folding device  31  is completed. Here, by storing a bagged culture medium block  14  in the container  15 , the process of storing a bagged culture medium block  14  in the container carrying device  42  of the containerization device  46  is also completed. 
     The unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  may be folded-in by the folding-in means  41  at the same time as the rod-shaped bodies  48  are lowered by the elevating mechanism  51 , or after the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the container  15 . 
     Next, with reference to  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the storing and carrying of a plurality of (in embodiment 1, four) bagged culture medium blocks  14  into the container carrying device  42  in the containerization device  46  will be described. 
     First, in the above-described process, a bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the container  15  of the container carrying device  42  (see  FIGS. 13E and 13F ). After that, as shown in  FIGS. 14A and 14B , the rotating member  49  is rotated, for example, counterclockwise by approximately 90 degrees, and the bagged culture medium block  14  is rotated together with the container  15 . The rotating member  49  may be rotated clockwise. 
     After that, as shown in  FIGS. 14C and 14D , the rod-shaped bodies  48  are raised by the elevating mechanism  51 , penetrate the openings  58  of the rotating member  49  and the gaps  15   b  of the container  15 , and are placed in the predetermined positions, that is, positions below the underlay member  56  of the folding device  31  and having a height on which the bagged culture medium block  14  is placed. Then, the next bagged culture medium block  14  is arranged on the rod-shaped bodies  48  of the container carrying device  42  by the second feeding means  40  and the underlay member  56 . 
     Then, as shown in  FIGS. 14E and 14F , the folding-in member  41   a  of the folding-in means  41  is moved downward, and the rod-shaped bodies  48  are lowered by the elevating mechanism  51 , so that the bagged culture medium block  14  in which the unfilled portion  11   h  is folded-in is stored in the container  15 . Here, the unfilled portion  11   h  of the previously stored bagged culture medium block  14  is folded-in again by a wall portion  41   b  different from the folding-in wall portion  41   c  of the folding-in member  41   a  in the folding-in means  41 , and is brought into contact with the newly stored next bagged culture medium block  14 , so that the folded-in state can be maintained. 
     Then, as shown in  FIGS. 15A and 15B , the rotating member  49  is rotated counterclockwise by approximately 90 degrees again to store the next bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     Then, the above processes are repeated, and as shown in  FIGS. 15C and 15D , the four bagged culture medium blocks  14  are stored in the container  15  of the container carrying device  42  in a so-called spiral shape, and the feeding of the bagged culture medium blocks  14  to the container carrying device  42  is temporarily suspended. 
     After that, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the container  15  in which the bagged culture medium blocks  14  are stored is transported to the next device, for example, a sterilizer by the container transporting means  44 , and the empty container  15  is set in the container carrying device  42  by the container setting means  43 . Then, through the above-described processes again, the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the container  15 . 
     The folded bagged culture medium block  14  can be fed from the folding device  31  to the container  15  of the container carrying device  42  by using a robot arm. 
     Through the above processes, a series of operation processes for manufacturing the bagged culture medium block  14  including the folding of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bag mouth of the bagged culture medium block  14  is completed. 
     Application Example 1 
     In the folding device  31  of the embodiment 1, the folding means  34  uses the pair of the pushing members  36   a  as the pushing mechanism  36  for pushing the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and wind pressure may be used as the pushing mechanism  36  for pushing the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the unfilled portion  11   h.    
     That is, as shown in  FIG. 16 , pushing mechanisms  36 A for pushing the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  may be configured to blow air from the sides of the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  with blowers  36 Aa such as nozzles to push the sides of the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  by wind pressure to fold the unfilled portion  11   h . In  FIG. 16 , the opening mechanism  32  and the opening assist member  39  are omitted. 
     Specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 16A and 16B , the supporting mechanism  35 , the pushing mechanisms  36 A and the pressing mechanism  37  of the folding means  34  are arranged with respect to the bagged culture medium block  14  fed by the first feeding means  33 , respectively. 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 16C and 16D , in the folding means  34 , the opening mechanism  32  blows air, and each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  is moved downward from above the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14 , and each supporting member  35   a  is inserted into the unfilled portion  11   h  from the opened bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Each supporting member  35   a  is arranged along the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Here, the blowers  36 Aa of the pushing mechanisms  36 A do not need to move since the blowers  36 Aa are arranged at positions where the wind pressure reach the side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e.    
     After each supporting member  35   a  is inserted into the unfilled portion  11   h , the pushing mechanisms  36 A are operated. As shown in  FIGS. 16E and 16F , the pushing mechanisms  36 A blow air to the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  from the sides of the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the bagged culture medium block  14  using a pair of the blowers  36 Aa to push the side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  by wind pressure. Then, each of the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is pushed by the wind pressure of each blower  36 Aa, so that the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  are pushed along the creases. At the same time, each of the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved toward the center side to close the bag mouth  11   f.    
     Here, each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  is moved to the center side in accordance with the movement of the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c , and, as shown in  FIG. 16F , each supporting member  35   a  is collected in the central portion together with the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . When the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is collected on the center side, the boundary between the unfilled portion  11   h  and the filled portion  11   g , that is, the unfilled portion  11   h  on the upper surface side of the culture medium  12 , is not flat, that is, not substantially parallel to the upper surface of the culture medium  12 , and for example, the central portion may be in a convex shape or distorted (see  FIG. 16F ). 
     After each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  is collected together with the unfilled portion  11   h  in the central portion and the opposing supporting members  35   a  are in close proximity to each other, as shown in  FIGS. 16G and 16H , the pressing mechanism  37  presses the upper surface side of the culture medium  12  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  and the neck portion  11   i  is provided, which functions as an axis when the unfilled portion  11   h  is tilted. Here, the blowers  36 Aa of the pushing mechanism  36 A may be kept in a state where the wind pressure is applied to the bagged culture medium block  14 . Hereinafter, the same processes as in the embodiment 1 are performed. 
     In this way, the number of mechanical processes can be reduced and the cost can be reduced. Since the other operations of the application example 1 are common to those of the embodiment 1, detailed description thereof is omitted. 
     Application Example 2 
     In the folding device  31  of the embodiment 1, the case where, in the folding means  34 , the pair of the pressing members  37   a  is used as the pressing mechanism  37  for pressing the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is described, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. Wind pressure may be used as the pressing mechanism  37 A for pressing the unfilled portion  11   h.    
     That is, as shown in  FIG. 17 , at the neck portion  11   i  between the unfilled portion  11   h  and the filled portion  11   g  collected in the central portion of the bagged culture medium block  14 , a blower  37 Aa such as a nozzle is used from the side opposite to the tilting mechanism  38  to apply wind pressure, so that the root portion of the unfilled portion  11   h , that is, the neck portion  11   i  is formed, which functions as a support axis when the unfilled portion  11   h  is tilted by the tilting mechanism  38 . In  FIG. 17 , the opening mechanism  32  and the opening assist member  39  are omitted. 
     Specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 17A and 17B , the upper surface side of the culture medium  12  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is pressed by the wind pressure of the blower  37 Aa of the pressing mechanism  37 A, and the neck portion  11   i  is formed, which functions as an axis when the unfilled portion  11   h  is tilted. In the pressing mechanism  37 A, air is blown from one side, that is, the side of the longitudinal side surface  11   b  of the bagged culture medium block  14  opposite to the tilting mechanism  38 , toward the central portion on the upper surface side of the culture medium  12  of the filled portion  11   g  to apply wind pressure to the unfilled portion  11   h.    
     Then, after the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is pressed by the wind pressure of the blower  37 Aa of the pressing mechanism  37 A, as shown in  FIGS. 17C and 17D , the supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  and the pushing members  36   a  of the pushing mechanism  36  are pulled out from the unfilled portion  11   h.    
     Then, as shown in  FIGS. 17E and 17F , the unfilled portion  11   h  is pressed by the wind pressure from the side of the longitudinal side surface  11   b  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  due to the air blown by the blower  38   a  of the tilting mechanism  38 , and the unfilled portion  11   h  is rotated around the neck portion  11   i  that is pressed by the blower  37 Aa and tilted down. Here, as in the embodiment 1, the tilting mechanism  38  blows air in a state where the supporting member  35   a  and the pushing members  36   a  are in the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     Then, as shown in  FIGS. 17G and 17H , the blower  38   a  of the tilting mechanism  38  stops blowing, and in a state where the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is tilted down, the blower  37 Aa of the pressing mechanism  37 A stops blowing. After that, the same processes as in the embodiment 1 are performed. 
     In this way, the number of mechanical processes can be reduced and the cost can be reduced. Since the operations other than that of the pressing mechanism  37 A in the application example 2 are common to those in the embodiment 1, detailed description thereof is omitted. 
     Further, in the application example 1, the blowers  36 Aa are used as the pushing mechanisms  36 A, and in the application example 2, the blower  37 Aa is used as the pressing mechanism  37 A. However, the present invention is not limited to these configurations. The blowers  36 Aa may be used as the pushing mechanisms  36 A and the blower  37 Aa may be used as the pressing mechanism  37 A so that both of the pushing mechanisms  36 A and the pressing mechanism  37 A apply the wind pressure. 
     Application Example 3 
     Further, in the embodiment 1, the case where the so-called gusset type bag body  11  is used for the bagged culture medium block  14  is described, but the present invention is not limited to this case, and the bagged culture medium block  14  may be folded in the I-shaped folding or in the bundled folding. The gusset folding is a method of folding a bag in a substantially M shape according to the creases on the short side surfaces of the bag, and the opening side of the bag has four layers at the short side ends and two layers at the central portion. The I-shaped folding is a method of folding a bag with both short sides straightly extended outward, and the opening side of the bag has two layers everywhere. The bundled folding is a method of folding a bag in which the opening of the bag is bundled, and the folding lines are irregularly formed. 
     Here, as shown in  FIG. 18A , the I-shaped folding is a method of folding a bag with both short sides  11   d  and  11   e  straightly extended outward when the bag mouth  11   f  side of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is closed, thus, the bag mouth  11   f  side of the bag has two layers everywhere. With this I-shaped folding, as shown in  FIGS. 18B and 18C , the unfilled portion  11   h  can also be folded to form the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     Further, in the case of the I-shaped folding, the I-shaped folding can be performed by, for example, using the structure of the folding means  34  of the folding device  31  of the embodiment 1 and changing a part of the operation. That is, as shown in  FIG. 18D , after inserting each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  and the pushing members  36   a  of the pushing mechanism  36  in the folding means  34  from the opened bag mouth  11   f  side of the bagged culture medium block  14 , respectively, the pushing members  36   a  are moved to and pushed outward both short sides  11   d  and  11   e  of the bagged culture medium block  14  as shown in  FIG. 18E , so that the bag mouth  11   f  can be closed in the I-shape. After that, as shown in  FIG. 18F , after pulling out the supporting mechanism  35  and the pushing mechanism  36 , the subsequent processes of the pressing mechanism  37  and the tilting mechanism  38  are operated in a state where the bag mouth  11   f  of the unfilled portion  11   h  is folded in the I-shaped folding, and then, the bagged culture medium block  14  is carried into the container. When the tilting mechanism  38  is operated, the supporting member  35   a  is inside the unfilled portion  11   h , as in the embodiment 1. 
     Application Example 4 
     Further, in the embodiment 1, the case where the transporting means  60  from the block forming device  21  and the folding device  31  are arranged at a substantially right angle is described, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and as shown in  FIG. 19 , transporting means  60 B from the block forming device  21  and a folding device  31 B may be arranged so as to be substantially linear. 
     In this case, the first feeding means described in the embodiment 1 can be omitted, and the bagged culture medium block  14  can be directly transported from the block forming device  21  to the folding device  31 B by the transporting means  60 , and the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded by the folding means  34 . Here, the bagged culture medium block  14  is brought into contact with the regulating member  54  by the movement of the transporting means  60 B, and is positioned for being folded by the folding means  34 . 
     Here, regarding the orientation of the bagged culture medium block  14 , as in the embodiment 1, the short sides of the bagged culture medium block  14 , that is, the narrow side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  with the gusset folding lines face the upstream side and the downstream side, and the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved in the direction along the wide side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  without the gusset folding line of the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     Application Example 5 
     Furthermore, the case where the supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  of the embodiment 1 is composed of one plate-shaped body or a plurality of plate-shaped pieces or rod-shaped bodies is described, but the supporting member  35   a  may have the thickness at least at the portions corresponding to the four corners of the bag mouth  11   f  of the culture medium block  14 . 
     That is, as shown in  FIGS. 20A and 20B , for example, in a case where a supporting member  35 Ca of the supporting mechanism  35 C is formed of a single plate-like body, the thickness of both ends is thicker than the thickness of portions other than both ends, so that, for example, they are formed to have quadrangular shapes, that is, they are formed in quadrangular columnar shapes. In addition, they may be formed in columnar. Further, as shown in  FIGS. 20C to 20F , in a case where the supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  is formed of a plurality of plate-shaped pieces or rod-shaped bodies, the cross section is a circular shape whose thickness is thicker than the supporting member  35   a  shown in the embodiment 1, that is, the supporting members are columnar supporting members  35 Da of the columnar mechanism  35 D (see  FIGS. 20C and 20D ), or the cross section is a square shape, that is, the supporting members are square columnar supporting members  35 Ea of the columnar mechanism  35 E (see  FIGS. 20E and 20F ). 
     By using the supporting members  35 Ca to  35 Ea having such configurations, when the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded, at the time when the thick portion around the supporting members  35 Ca to  35 Ea is folded, gaps are provided on each side surface  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d  and  11   e  of the unfilled portion  11   h . Then, by folding or folding-in the bagged culture medium block  14  in this state, when the bagged culture medium block  14  is shaped into a block shape, gaps are formed in the bag mouth  11   f  of the unfilled portion  11   h , and the sealing of the inside of the bag body  11  is suppressed. By suppressing the sealing of the bag body  11 , for example, in a sterilization process in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is carried into a subsequent sterilization pot to be sterilized, the generation of the pressure difference between the inside of the bag body  11  and the atmospheric pressure can be suppressed. 
     In a case where a plurality of the supporting members, for example, a pair of supporting members in which each supporting member is arranged on each side is provided, arbitrary shape and size can be adopted as long as the shape is thicker than the portion where the supporting members are not provided, that is, as long as the shape can generate a gap. 
     Modified Example 1 
     Next, a containerization device  46 F, which is a modification example 1 of the containerization device  46  of the embodiment 1, will be described. In the embodiment 1, the case where the bagged culture medium block  14  having a volume of about 2.5 kg to 2.8 kg is mainly used is described, but in the modified example, a case where the volume is smaller than that of the bagged culture medium block  14  of the embodiment 1 and is about 1.0 kg to 1.3 kg and a bagged culture medium block  14 F having a size of about ½ to ⅓ is used will be described. 
     When such a small bagged culture medium block  14 F is used, in the containerization device  46 F, a part of the carrying and storing operation of the container carrying device  42  connected to the folding device  31  is changed, and in the process of carrying the bagged culture medium block  14 F into the container  15  after the operation of the folding means  34 , a part of the carrying and storing operation is different from the embodiment 1, so that the bagged culture medium block  14 F can be carried into the container  15  more efficiently. 
     Since the block forming device  21  is commonly used, detailed description thereof will be omitted. Since a folding device  31 F is partially different from the folding device  31 , the same reference numerals will be given to the common configurations, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
     Here, the bagged culture medium block  14 F having a volume of about 1.0 kg to 1.3 kg (hereinafter, simply referred to as the bagged culture medium block  14 F) will be described. As shown in  FIG. 21 , the bagged culture medium block  14 F is composed of a bag body  11 F and the culture medium  12  filled in the bag body  11 F, as in the embodiment 1. In  FIG. 21A , a case where a bag mouth  11 Ff is open in a state where the culture medium  12  is filled in the bag body  11 F and the bagged culture medium block  14 F is not folded is shown. 
     As shown in  FIG. 21A , the bag body  11 F has a circular bottom surface  11 Fa, which has a predetermined length and width, and a side surface  11 Fb, which has a predetermined height from the long side of the bottom surface  11 Fa, and the bag body  11 F is columnar. Here, the upper portion facing the bottom surface  11 Fa is open, and this open portion is the bag mouth  11 Ff, through which the culture medium  12  described later is filled. The material of the bag body  11 F is the same as that of the embodiment 1. 
     Further, the bag body  11 F is divided into a filled portion  11 Fg filled with the culture medium  12  and an empty unfilled portion  11 Fh above the filled portion  11 Fg. That is, when the culture medium  12  described later is filled, the filled portion  11 Fg has a predetermined height from the bottom surface  11 Fa to the upper surface of the culture medium  12 , and the unfilled portion  11 Fh has a height from the top of the filled portion  11 Fg, which is the upper surface of the culture medium  12 , to the bag mouth  11 Ff. 
     The culture medium  12  to be filled in the bag body  11 F is common to that of the embodiment 1, and the weight when the culture medium  12  is filled in the bag body  11 F is, for example, about 1.0 kg to 1.3 kg. 
     The size of the bag body  11 F is not limited to the above dimensions, the bottom surface  11 Fa may be rectangular, and the lengths of the filled portion  11 Fg and the unfilled portion  11 Fh may be changed according to the amount of the culture medium  12  to be used, and the weight may be increased or decreased. 
     Further, as in the embodiment 1, first, in the folding device  31 F, the bag mouth  11 Ff of the bagged culture medium block  14 F is open as shown in  FIG. 21A . Then, as shown in  FIG. 21B , the bag mouth  11 Ff of the bag body  11 F is closed, and the boundary between the filled portion  11 Fg and the unfilled portion  11 Fh is folded along the upper surface of the filled portion  11 Fg. In addition, in the bagged culture medium block  14 F of the modified example 1, it is folded in the I-shaped folding. 
     Further, in the folding device  31 F, the bagged culture medium block  14 F in the state shown in  FIG. 21B  is further folded-in by the folding-in means to be in the state shown in  FIG. 21C . That is to say, as shown in  FIG. 21C , in the bagged culture medium block  14 F, the bag mouth  11 Ff of the bag body  11 F is closed, and the boundary between the filled portion  11 Fg and the unfilled portion  11 Fh is bent along the upper surface of the filled portion  11 Fg, and the block shape is formed by bending the unfilled portion  11 Fh again along the side surface of the filled portion  11 Fg so that the bag mouth  11 Ff side faces downward. The bagged culture medium block  14 F will be packed in the container  15  in a blocked shape in which the unfilled portion  11 Fh of the bag body  11 F of the bagged culture medium block  14 F is folded. 
     Next, with reference to  FIGS. 22 to 32 , the carrying and storing of the bagged culture medium block  14 F from the folding device  31 F to the container carrying device  42 F in the containerization device  46  of the modified example 1 will be described. Since the opening mechanism  32 , the first feeding means  33  and the folding means  34  of the folding device  31 F in the modified example 1 are the same as those in the embodiment 1, detailed description thereof will be omitted. A belt conveyor or the like may be used as the first feeding means  33 . Therefore, the processes after the operation of the folding means  34  of the folding device  31 F, which are different from those in the embodiment 1, will be mainly described. 
     In the modified example 1, as shown in  FIG. 22 , the bagged culture medium blocks  14 F are arranged in a 3×3 row in the container  15 , so that the nine bagged culture medium blocks  14 F are stored. Here, the unfilled portion  11 Fh of each bagged culture medium block  14 F is arranged so that the folded side faces inward. 
     Further, as shown in  FIGS. 22 and 23 , in the folding device  31 F of the modified example 1, an alignment section  70 F having a predetermined size is provided before the container carrying device  42 F, in which a predetermined number (three in the modified example 1) of the bagged culture medium blocks  14 F are aligned as described later. 
     Further, in the folding device  31 F of the modified example 1, there is provided an alignment member  72 F for aligning and moving the bagged culture medium block  14 F. The alignment member  72 F is provided with a plurality of (four in the modified example 1) separating means  74 F for restricting the movement of the bagged culture medium block  14 F and for partitioning each bagged culture medium block  14 F. The separating means  74 F are attached so that the separating means  74 F can be repeatedly moved with respect to the moving direction of the bagged culture medium block  14 F between a position at which the movement of the bagged culture medium block  14 F is blocked and a position at which the movement is not blocked. 
     Further, a folding-in member  41 Fa of folding-in means  41 F of the modified example 1 is different in shape from the folding-in member  41   a  of the embodiment 1, and is configured to have two rows of plate bodies  41 Fc. That is, the two rows of the plate bodies  41 Fc are provided side by side substantially in parallel in the direction in which the bagged culture medium block  14 F is carried into the container  15 . Further, the opposite side of a bottom portion  41 Fd, which folds-in the unfilled portion  11 Fh of the bagged culture medium block  14 F, of the plate body  41 Fc is configured to integrally connect the two rows of the plate bodies  41 Fc. 
     Further, in the container carrying device  42 F of the modified example 1, the movement of the container  15  is different from that of the embodiment 1, but the details thereof will be described later. 
     Hereinafter, with reference to  FIGS. 22 to 32 , regarding the carrying of the bagged culture medium block  14 F of the modified example 1 into the container  15 , the processes after the operation of the folding means  34  for the bagged culture medium block  14 F is completed will be described. 
     First, as shown in  FIG. 24 , in the folding device  31 F of the modified example 1, the bagged culture medium block  14 F folded by the folding means  34  is aligned in the alignment section  70 F. That is, after the bagged culture medium block  14 F is folded at the position positioned by the regulating member  54 , the bagged culture medium block  14 F is fed to the alignment section  70 F. 
     Here, in the alignment member  72 F provided in the alignment section  70 F, the separating means  74 F on the farthest side that is farthest from the folding means  34 , that is, on the side closest to the container  15 , is closed, and the other separating means  74 F are in the opened state. Therefore, the bagged culture medium block  14 F in which the unfilled portion  11 Fh is folded is fed so as to be in contact with or close to the separating means  74 F on the farthest side in the alignment section  70 F and aligned. The second feeding means  40  for feeding the bagged culture medium block  14 F to the alignment section  70 F may push the bagged culture medium block  14 F with an arm-shaped member, or a belt conveyor or the like may be used. Further, the elevating mechanism  51  of the container carrying device  42 F was moved upward and is arranged below the position of the underlay member  56 . 
     In addition, in  FIGS. 22 and 23 , the transporting means  60  and the folding device  31 F are arranged at a substantially right angle, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the transporting means  60  and the folding device  31 F may be arranged so as to be substantially linear (see  FIG. 19 ). 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 25A and 25B , the second bagged culture medium block  14 F newly folded by the folding means  34  is fed to the alignment section  70 F. Here, in the alignment member  72 F provided in the alignment section  70 F, the separating means  74 F on the second side from the back farthest from the folding means  34 , that is, the separating means  74 F next to the bagged culture medium block  14 F previously aligned in the alignment section  70 F is closed. Then, the bagged culture medium block  14 F in which the unfilled portion  11 Fh is folded is fed to a position where the bagged culture medium block  14 F is brought into contact with or close to the second separating means  74 F, and is aligned. 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 26A and 26B , the third bagged culture medium block  14 F newly folded by the folding means  34  is fed to the alignment section  70 F. Here, in the alignment member  72 F provided in the alignment section  70 F, the separating means  74 F on the third side from the back farthest from the folding means  34 , that is, the separating means  74 F next to the second bagged culture medium block  14 F previously aligned in the alignment section  70 F is closed. 
     Then, the bagged culture medium block  14 F in which the unfilled portion  11 Fh is folded is fed to a position where the bagged culture medium block  14 F is brought into contact with or is close to the third separating means  74 F, and is aligned. Further, after the three bagged culture medium blocks  14 F are arranged in the alignment section  70 F, the separating means  74 F on the folding means  34  side is closed. 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 27A and 27B , the alignment member  72 F is moved so that each bagged culture medium block  14 F aligned in the alignment section  70 F is moved from the alignment section  70 F onto the underlay member  56 . Here, in a case where a belt conveyor is used, the belt conveyor may be operated. 
     After that, as shown in  FIGS. 28A and 28B , the underlay member  56  is pulled back. Here, each bagged culture medium block  14 F is caught by each separating means  74 F of the alignment member  72 F, so that the bagged culture medium blocks  14 F stay in places against the movement of the underlay member  56 . Then, since the underlay member  56  is removed, each bagged culture medium block  14 F is placed on the upper portions of the rod-shaped bodies  48 . 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 29A and 29B , the elevating mechanism  51  is moved downward and the rod-shaped bodies  48  are lowered, so that each bagged culture medium block  14 F on the rod-shaped bodies  48  is stored in the container  15 . Further, the folding-in member  41 Fa of the folding-in means  41 F, which is arranged above each bagged culture medium block  14 F, is moved downward, and the unfilled portion  11 Fh of each bagged culture medium block  14 F is folded-in. Here, each bagged culture medium blocks  14 F is shaped into a block shape. The detail of the storing the bagged culture medium block  14 F from the underlay member  56  into the container  15  is the same as that in the embodiment 1. 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 30A and 30B , after the folding-in member  41 Fa of the folding-in means  41 F is moved upward, the rotating member  49  of the rotating mechanism  47  of the container carrying device  42  is rotated by about 180 degrees. Here, the plurality of (three in the modified example 1) the previously stored bagged culture medium blocks  14 F are arranged on the opposite side, that is, at positions away from the movement direction of the underlay member  56  and the folding means  34 . The folded unfilled portion  11 Fh of each bagged culture medium block  14 F faces the center side of the container  15 . 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 30C and 30D , the above-described processes shown in  FIGS. 24 to 29  are performed, and the three bagged culture medium blocks  14 F are stored in the container  15  again. Then, the folding-in member  41 Fa of the folding-in means  41 F is moved downward again to fold-in the unfilled portion  11 Fh of each newly stored bagged culture medium block  14 F. Here, since the folding-in member  41 Fa of the folding-in means  41 F is formed in two rows, the unfilled portion  11 Fh of each bagged culture medium block  14 F previously stored is also folded-in again. Therefore, the bagged culture medium blocks  14 F are arranged side by side on both ends of the container  15 , and the bagged culture medium blocks  14 F are not stored in the central portion of the container  15 . 
     Next, as shown in  FIG. 31A , after the folding-in member  41 Fa of the folding-in means  41 F is moved upward, the container  15  is moved in the container carrying device  42 F. The container  15  is moved such that the row of the central portion in which the bagged culture medium block  14 F is not stored is substantially in line with the underlay member  56 , that is, in line with the moving direction of the newly fed bagged culture medium blocks  14 F. The folding-in member  41 Fa of the folding-in means  41 F remains in its original position without being moved. 
     Then, as shown in  FIG. 31B , the processes shown in  FIGS. 24 to 29  are repeated to align the three bagged culture medium blocks  14 F in the central portion of the container  15 . 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 31C and 31D , after the container  15  is moved to the original position by the container carrying device  42 F, the folding-in member  41 Fa of the folding-in means  41 F is moved downward. Then, the unfilled portions  11 Fh of the stored bagged culture medium blocks  14 F stored at the central portion of the container  15  is folded-in, and the previously stored bagged culture medium blocks  14 F on both ends are folded-in again. Here, the unfilled portions  11 Fh of the bagged culture medium blocks  14 F are arranged so that any of the unfilled portions  11 Fh do not face the outside of the container  15 , that is, the unfilled portions  11 Fh face inward. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the bag mouth  11 Ff of the unfilled portion  11 Fh of the bagged culture medium block  14 F from being open in the container  15 . 
     After that, as shown in  FIGS. 32A and 32B , the container  15  storing the nine bagged culture medium blocks  14 F is fed to the next process (sterilization process) by the container transporting means  44 , and a new container  15  is set by the container setting means  43 , and these processes are repeated. 
     This completes the processes of the bagged culture medium block  14  from the operation in the folding means  34  of the folding device  31 F to the storage in the container  15  in the modified example 1. 
     In the embodiment 1 and the modified example 1, the case where the number of rod-shaped bodies  48  of the elevating mechanism  51  of the container carrying devices  42  and  42 F corresponds to the number of the bagged culture medium blocks  14  that are to be stored is described. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and by adopting the configuration in which each rod-shaped body can be raised and lowered independently, arbitrary number of the rod-shaped bodies may be provided and the rod-shaped bodies at necessary positions may be raised and lowered. Here, the number of gaps in the container may be changed according to the number of rod-shaped bodies of the elevating mechanism  51 , and conversely, the number of rod-shaped bodies may be changed according to the number of gaps in the container. 
     Further, although the description of the opening assist member  39  is omitted in the modified example 1, the opening assist member  39  may be provided in the folding device  31 F as in the embodiment 1. 
     Further, in the folding device  31  of the embodiment 1, a space such as the alignment section  70 F as shown in the modified example 1 may be provided between the folding means  34  of the folding device  31  and the container carrying device  42 . 
     Modified Example 2 
     Next, a folding device  31 G according to the modified example 2 will be described with reference to  FIGS. 33 to 36 . The same reference numerals are given to the configurations common to those in the embodiment 1, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 33 and 34 , the folding device  31 G according to the modified example 2 has a folding means  34 G for folding the bagged culture medium block  14  transported by transporting means  60 G. The folding device  31 G in the modified example 2 is a device in which the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded so as to be substantially parallel to the culture medium  12 . 
     Further, the bagged culture medium block  14  transported by the transporting means  60 G of the modified example 2 has a different orientation from that in the embodiment 1 in transportation, and the wide side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14  face the upstream side or the downstream side in the transport direction when transported. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 33 and 34 , the folding device  31 G of the modified example 2 is composed of the opening mechanism  32 , the supporting mechanism  35 , the pushing mechanism  36  and a pressing mechanism  37 G which are provided at a place where the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded. 
     Further, in the folding device  31 G of the modified example 2, after the transporting means  60 G stops the bagged culture medium block  14  at a position, at which the folding operation is to be performed by the folding means  34 G, the folding operation is performed, and the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is pressed by the final pressing mechanism  37 G. After that, the moving operation by the transporting means  60 G is performed, and the bagged culture medium block  14  is transported in a state where the unfilled portion  11   h  is pressed, so that the folding operation of the pressed unfilled portion  11   h  is performed in accordance with this transportation. 
     The opening mechanism  32 , the supporting mechanism  35  and the pushing mechanism  36  have substantially the same configuration as those in the embodiment 1. That is, as shown in  FIGS. 33, 34, 35A and 35B , the opening mechanism  32  blows air from above the positioned bagged culture medium block  14 , that is, from the bag mouth  11   f  side, for example, using the blower  32   a  or the like, so that the bag mouth  11   f  is kept open (see  FIGS. 6C and 6D ). In the modified example 2, as in the embodiment 1, in addition to the opening mechanism  32 , the other opening means  62  including a blower or the like may be provided before the folding device  31 G. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 33, 34, 35A and 35B , the supporting mechanism  35  is composed of the supporting members  35   a  that is a pair of plates of a predetermined size, which is to be inserted into the unfilled portion  11   h  from the opened bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . In the modified example 2, these supporting members  35   a  are not arranged along the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the bagged culture medium block  14  on which the gusset folding lines are formed, but along the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  so as to face each other. That is, each supporting member  35   a  is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the feeding direction of the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     Further, each supporting member  35   a  is connected to each other via, for example, the beam member  35   b  or the like, and is configured so that they can be repeatedly moved at the same time in a direction in which they approach each other and a direction in which they are separated from each other. Further, the supporting member  35   a  may be composed of a plurality of plate-shaped pieces or rod-shaped bodies instead of a single plate-shaped body. In a case where the supporting member  35   a  is composed of a plurality of plate-shaped pieces, rod-shaped bodies or the like, they are provided at least on the four corner sides of the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . The supporting member may be inclined or curved on the tip side, that is, the side that is first inserted into the bag mouth  11   f , so that the supporting member can be easily inserted from the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 33, 34, 35A and 35B , the pushing mechanism  36  is composed of a pair of plate-shaped pushing members  36   a  that face each other with the bagged culture medium block  14  being therebetween, is arranged on the side of the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  with the creases of the bagged culture medium block  14 , and is configured to be repeatedly moved with respect to the bagged culture medium block  14 . The pushing members  36   a  are arranged on the side orthogonal to the transport direction of the bagged culture medium block  14  with the bagged culture medium block  14  being therebetween. The pushing member is not limited to a plate shape, but may be a rod shape. 
     The pressing mechanism  37 G in the modified example 2 has a configuration different from that in the embodiment 1. As shown in  FIGS. 33, 34, 35A and 35B , the pressing mechanism  37 G of the modified example 2 is composed of a downstream side pressing member  37 Ga, which presses the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  on the downstream side in the transport direction of the bagged culture medium block  14 , downstream side rotation means  37 Gb, which rotationally moves the downstream side pressing member  37 Ga, an upstream side pressing member  37 Gc, which presses the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  on the upstream side in the transport direction of the bagged culture medium block  14 , and upstream side rotation means  37 Gd, which rotationally moves the upstream side pressing member  37 Gc. Further, around the downstream side rotation means  37 Gb and the upstream side rotation means  37 Gd, the downstream side pressing member  37 Ga and the upstream side pressing member  37 Gc are moved to open and close, respectively. 
     Here, the pressing mechanism  37 G is moved from the side of the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  to the substantially central portion by the supporting mechanism  35  and the pushing mechanism  36  described above. Then, by clamping the portion close to the culture medium  12  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  with the downstream side pressing member  37 Ga and the upstream side pressing member  37 Gc, the culture medium  12  side of the unfilled portion  11   h  can be clamped and pressed. 
     Further, since the transporting operation by the transporting means  60 G is performed in a state where the unfilled portion  11   h  is pressed by the downstream side pressing member  37 Ga and the upstream side pressing member  37 Gc of the pressing mechanism  37 G, the unfilled portion  11   h  is tilted to the upstream side in the transport direction. Details of this operation will be described later. 
     Next, with reference to  FIGS. 35 and 36 , the folding operation of the bagged culture medium block  14  by the folding device  31 G in the modified example 2 will be described. The bagged culture medium block  14  that is to be transported to the folding device  31 G in the modified example 2 is transported in a state in which the culture medium  12  is filled in the bag body  11  by the block forming device  21  (see  FIG. 1  and the like) as shown in the embodiment 1. Further,  FIG. 35A  is a view seen from the A side of  FIG. 33 ,  FIG. 35B  is a view seen from the B side of  FIG. 33 , and hereinafter figures are shown in this manner. 
     First, as shown in  FIGS. 35A and 35B , the bagged culture medium block  14  in which the bagged body  11  is filled with the culture medium  12  is transported by the transporting means  60 G in a state where the wide side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14  face the upstream side and the downstream side, and the bagged culture medium block  14  is arranged at a position where the folding operation by the folding device  31 G is performed (see  FIGS. 33 and 34 ). Here, regarding a method of arranging the bagged culture medium block  14  at the position where the folding operation by the folding device  31 G is performed, the transporting means  60 G may stop the bagged culture medium block  14  at a predetermined position, or a regulating member for regulating the movement of the bagged culture medium block  14  may be provided on the transporting means  60 G to stop the movement of the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     Regarding the folding of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 , as shown in  FIGS. 35C and 35D , the blower  32   a  as the opening mechanism  32  first blows air toward the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  from above the bag mouth  11   f  to keep the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  open (see  FIGS. 6C and 6D ). Regarding the bagged culture medium block  14 , by providing the other opening means  62  for blowing air before the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved to the folding means  34 , the bag mouth  11   f  is more easily opened. Further, together with the operation of the opening mechanism  32 , each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  and the pushing members  36   a  of the pushing mechanism  36  are moved downward from above the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14 , and among them, each supporting member  35   a  is inserted into the unfilled portion  11   h  from the opened bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Each supporting member  35   a  is arranged along the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Here, since each supporting member  35   a  is inserted into the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  while the blower  32   a  of the opening mechanism  32  blows air to keep the bag mouth  11   f  open, each supporting member  35   a  can be easily inserted. 
     Next, after each supporting member  35   a  is inserted into the unfilled portion  11   h , the pushing mechanism  36  is moved toward the bagged culture medium block  14  as shown in  FIGS. 35E and 35F . In the pushing mechanism  36 , the pair of the pushing members  36   a  is moved from the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the bagged culture medium block  14  so as to push the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Then, each of the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is pushed by each pushing members  36   a  so that the short side surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  are pushed along the creases, and each of the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved toward the center side to close the bag mouth  11   f.    
     Here, each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  is moved to the center side in accordance with the movement of the longitudinal side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c , and, as shown in  FIG. 35F , each supporting member  35   a  is collected in the central portion together with the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . When the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is collected on the center side, the boundary between the unfilled portion  11   h  and the filled portion  11   g , that is, the unfilled portion  11   h  on the upper surface side of the culture medium  12 , is not flat, that is, not substantially parallel to the upper surface of the culture medium  12 , and for example, the central portion may be in a convex shape or distorted (see  FIG. 35F ). 
     Next, after each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  and each pushing member  36   a  of the pushing mechanism  36  are collected together with the unfilled portion  11   h  in the central portion and the opposing supporting members  35   a  are in close proximity to each other, as shown in  FIGS. 35G and 35H , the pressing mechanism  37 G presses the upper surface side of the culture medium  12  of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Here, the pressing mechanism  37 G is operated by moving the downstream side pressing member  37 Ga and the upstream side pressing member  37 Gc with the downstream side rotation means  37 Gb and the upstream side rotation means  37 Gd to clamp the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Then, the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is in a state in which the portion close to the culture medium  12  is pressed by the downstream side pressing member  37 Ga and the upstream side pressing member  37 Gc. 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 36A and 36B , each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  and each pushing member  36   a  of the pushing mechanism  36  are moved upward, and the transporting operation of the transporting means  60 G is started to move the bagged culture medium block  14 . Here, since the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is clamped with the downstream side pressing member  37 Ga and the upstream side pressing member  37 Gc of the pressing mechanism  37 G, as shown in  FIGS. 36C and 36D , the unfilled portion  11   h  is tilted down according to the movement of the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     When the bagged culture medium block  14  is transported, it is preferable that the bagged culture medium block  14  is transported in a state where at least each supporting member  35   a  of the supporting mechanism  35  or each pushing member  36   a  of the pushing mechanism  36  is in the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14 . In this way, it is possible to suppress the defect of the folding of the unfilled portion  11   h . This is because the upper portion on the bag mouth  11   f  side of the unfilled portion  11   h  being tilted down is temporarily supported, so that the unfilled portion  11   h  is tilted down gradually from the lower side, that is, the side close to the culture medium  12 . 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 36E and 36F , after the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is tilted down, the downstream side pressing member  37 Ga and the upstream side pressing member  37 Gc of the pressing mechanism  37 G that pressed the unfilled portion  11   h  are moved away from the unfilled portion  11   h . Similarly, the supporting mechanism  35  and the pushing mechanism  36  are also moved away from the unfilled portion  11   h.    
     After that, as shown in  FIGS. 36G and 36H , the supporting mechanism  35  and the pushing mechanism  36  are moved to their original positions, and similarly, the downstream side pressing member  37 Ga and the upstream side pressing member  37 Gc of the pressing mechanism  37 G are moved to be opened so as to be arranged for folding the next bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     This completes the operation of the folding device  31 G of the modified example 2. The folded bagged culture medium block  14  may be carried into the container  15  by, for example, connecting the above-mentioned container carrying device  42  to the transporting means  60 G, or may be manually carried into the container. 
     The folding device  31 G in the modified example 2 may be also provided with the opening assist member  39  for partially restricting the expansion of the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  when the opening mechanism  32  is operated as in the embodiment 1. 
     Modified Example 3 
     Next, with reference to  FIGS. 37 to 41 , a container carrying device  42 H related to a containerization device  46 H according to the modified example 3 will be described. The container carrying device  42 H according to the modified example 3 is different from the container carrying device  42  shown in the embodiment 1 in the method of storing the bagged culture medium block  14  in the container  15 . Since, the processes up to the folding operation of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  are common to those in the embodiment 1, the same reference numerals are given to the configurations common to those in the embodiment 1, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
     Further, in the containerization device  46 H of the modified example 3, the configuration from the completion of the folding operation of the bagged culture medium block  14  by the folding means  34  in the folding device  31  to the container carrying device  42 H in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is carried into the container  15  is different. Therefore, the description will be given regarding the processes after the completion of the common folding operation of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  by the folding device  31 . In  FIGS. 37 to 41 , the opening assist member  39  is omitted. 
     In the carrying of the bagged culture medium block  14  into the container  15  in the container carrying device  42 H of the modified example 3, the configurations different from those in the embodiment 1 are mainly the configuration of an underlay member  56 H provided in the folding device  31  and the configuration of the folding-in member  41   a  that constitutes folding-in means  41 H. Further, the configuration, in which the rod-shaped bodies  48  and the elevating mechanism  51  for raising and lowering the rod-shaped bodies  48  provided in the container carrying device  42  of the embodiment 1 are omitted, is also different. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 37A, 37C and 37E , the underlay member  56 H relating to the container carrying device  42 H in the modified example 3 is, compared with the underlay member  56  of the container carrying device  42  provided in the embodiment 1, provided with notch portions  56 Ha, in which both sides along the direction of the repeated movement of the underlay member  56 H are notched, so that the width of the central portion of the underlay member  56 H is narrower than that of the underlay member  56  of the embodiment 1. This width is formed so that movable claw members  41 He, which are provided on side walls  41 Hb 2  and  41 Hc of a folding-in member  41 Ha provided in the folding-in means  41 H (described later), can be moved through the notch portion  56 Ha and the bagged culture medium block  14  can be mounted on the underlay member  56 . Here, the bagged culture medium block  14  placed on the underlay member  56 H of the modified example 3 is placed so as to partially exist on the notch portion  56 Ha. The underlay member  56 H of the modified example 3 is also arranged on the folding device  31  side, and is configured to be movable so as to be taken in and out of the container carrying device  42  side. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 37A to 37D , the folding-in member  41 Ha of the folding-in means  41 H in the modified example 3 has a tubular body having a size that allows the bagged culture medium block  14  to be inserted and composed of each side wall  41 Hb 1 ,  41 Hb 2 ,  41 Hb 3  and  41 Hc like the folding-in member  41   a  of the folding-in means  41  of the embodiment 1. Here, one of the side walls is the folding-in side wall  41 Hc as in the embodiment 1. 
     Further, in the folding-in member  41 Ha according to the modified example 3, among the side walls, on the lower side of the side walls  41 Hb 2  and  41 Hc arranged on the side of the wide side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14 , that is, on the side close to the underlay member  56 H, a plurality of the movable claw members  41 He are provided. The movable claw members  41 He are portions on which the bagged culture medium block  14  is placed from the folding device  31  for lifting the bagged culture medium block  14  when the bagged culture medium block  14  is carried into the container  15 . The movable claw members  41 He are configured to be repeatedly moved between the position for supporting the bottom surface  11   a  side of the bagged culture medium block  14  in which the unfilled portion  11   h  is folded and the position for releasing the support of the bagged culture medium block  14 , that is, between the direction substantially parallel to the bottom surface  11   a  of the bagged culture medium block  14  and the direction away from the bottom surface  11   a  of the bagged culture medium block  14  (that is substantially orthogonal to the bottom surface  11   a  of the bagged culture medium block  14 ). The movable claw members  41 He can be moved by using the power of a motor, a cylinder or the like. 
     Further, as shown in  FIGS. 37E and 37F , the container  15  is conveyed to the container carrying device  42 H as in the embodiment 1. Since this configuration is common to the container setting means  43  in the embodiment 1, detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
     Next, in the containerization device  46 H of the modified example 3, the process of carrying the bagged culture medium block  14 , in which the unfilled portion  11   h  is folded, from the folding device  31  into the container  15  in the container carrying device  42 H will be described with reference to  FIGS. 38 to 41 . 
     First, as shown in  FIGS. 38A and 38B , the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded by the folding device  31 , as in the embodiment 1. Here, the container  15  in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is to be stored is arranged in the container carrying device  42 . Further, each movable claw member  41 He provided below the side walls  41 Hb 2  and  41 Hc of the folding-in means  41 H is arranged so as to be along, that is parallel to, each side wall  41 Hb 2  and  41 Hc. 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 38C and 38D , the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved by the second feeding means  40 , and the underlay member  56 H, which is taken in and out from the folding device  31  in the direction to the container carrying device  42 H, is protruded, and the bagged culture medium block  14  is placed on this protruded underlay member  56 H and moved onto the container  15 . 
     Here, the underlay member  56 H in the modified example 3 is formed so that the width on the side orthogonal to the direction of repeated movement is narrower than that of the underlay member  56  in the embodiment 1, but the underlay member  56 H has a size that is large enough for the bagged culture medium block  14  to be placed. Further, when the bagged culture medium block  14  is placed on the underlay member  56 H, the bagged culture medium block  14  is placed in a state where a part of the wide side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14  exists on the notch portion  56 Ha of the underlay member  56 H. 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 39A and 39B , the second feeding means  40  is pulled back and placed at a predetermined position in the folding means  34 , and the folding-in means  41 H is moved downward, and the bagged culture medium block  14  is surrounded by the folding-in member  41   a . Here, the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded-in by the folding-in side wall  41 Hc of the folding-in means  41 H so that the bag mouth  11   f  faces downward, that is, toward the container  15  (see  FIGS. 13A to 13D ). Here, the second feeding means  40  is moved to a position away from the moving direction of the bagged culture medium block  14  so that the next bagged culture medium block  14  can be sent to the folding means  34 , and after the bagged culture medium block  14  is arranged in the folding means  34 , the second feeding means  40  is moved to a position where the second feeding means  40  can push the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     After that, as shown in  FIGS. 39C and 39D , the movable claw members  41 He provided at lower portions of the side walls  41 Hb 2  and  41 Hc that are arranged, in the folding-in means  41 H, on the side of the wide side surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the bagged culture medium block  14  (in other words, provided on the bottom on the underlay member  56 H side in the folding-in means  41 H) are operated, so that the movable claw members  41 He are moved from positions substantially parallel to each side wall  41 Hb 2  and  41 Hc in a direction substantially orthogonal to each side wall  41 Hb 2  and  41 Hc. Here, since the notch portions  56 Ha are formed in the underlay member  56 H, each movable claw member  41 He is moved through each notch portion  56 Ha, and is arranged at substantially the same height as the underlay member  56 H or slightly below the underlay member  56 H. Then, in this state, the bagged culture medium block  14  can be placed on the movable claw members  41 He. 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 40A and 40B , the underlay member  56  is pulled back in a state where the bagged culture medium block  14  is surrounded by the folding-in member  41   a  of the folding-in means  41 H. Here, since the folding-in member  41   a  does not move, the bagged culture medium block  14  is stopped at the sent out position by the second feeding means  40 , so that even when the underlay member  56  is moved, the bagged culture medium block  14  stays in place. Then, by moving the underlay member  56 , the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved downward so as to be placed on the movable claw members  41 He provided on the side walls  41 Hb 2  and  41 Hc of the folding-in means  41 H. 
     After that, as shown in  FIGS. 40C and 40D , the folding-in means  41 H is moved downward, and the bagged culture medium block  14  is arranged at a position where the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the container  15 . 
     Next, as shown in  FIGS. 41A and 41B , each movable claw member  41 He provided on each side wall  41 Hb 2  and  41 Hc of the folding-in means  41 H is moved in a direction so as to be parallel to each side wall  41 Hb 2  and  41 Hc, respectively, so that the bagged culture medium block  14  placed on each movable claw member  41 He is moved into the container  15  and placed on the bottom portion  15   a  of the container  15 . 
     After that, as shown in  FIGS. 41C and 41D , each folding-in means  41 H is raised and moved to the original position. As a result, the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded-in and the bagged culture medium block  14  is carried into the container  15 . This completes the carrying of one bagged culture medium block  14  into the container  15 . 
     After that, as in the embodiment 1, the container  15  is rotated by the rotating mechanism  47 , the four bagged culture medium blocks  14  are carried into the container  15 , and after the completion of the carrying, the container  15  in which the bagged culture medium blocks  14  are stored is advanced to the next process. 
     In this way, by adopting the configuration of the container carrying device  42 H in the modified example 3, the process of inserting the rod-shaped bodies  48  from below the container  15  can be omitted. Therefore, even in a case where it is difficult to insert the rod-shaped bodies  48 , or various containers having different sizes are used, the bagged culture medium block  14  can be carried into the containers. 
     Here, in the folding device  31  according to the embodiment 1, the case where the blower  38   a  is used as the tilting mechanism  38  is shown, but the present invention is not limited to the use of the wind pressure of the blower or the like. For example, a tilting member  38   a ′ of the arm member in a rod-shaped body, a cuboid-shaped body, a plate-shaped body or the like similar to a tilting mechanism  38 ′ shown in  FIG. 42  may be used and repeatedly moved to be brought into contact with the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  so that the unfilled portion  11   h  is tilted down. 
     Further, in the embodiment 1 and the like, in addition to the above-described case, the bagged culture medium block  14  can be carried from the folding device  31  to the container  15  of the container carrying device  42  by using a robot arm. 
     Embodiment 2 
     The folding device  31 G according to the embodiment 2 will be described with reference to  FIGS. 43 and 44 . The folding device  31 G according to the embodiment 2 is different form the folding device  31 G ( FIGS. 35 and 36 ) in the modified example 2 of the embodiment 1 in that the folding device  31 G has a fixed bag mouth regulating member  70 , a movable bag mouth regulating member  72  and a positioning block  71  as bag mouth expansion range adjusting means. The same reference numerals are used for the configurations common to those in  FIGS. 35 and 36 , and the description thereof will be omitted. 
       FIG. 43  are views illustrating processes of the folding means according to the embodiment 2, and  FIGS. 43A, 43C, 43E and 43G  are views seen from the traveling direction of the transporting means (A side of  FIG. 33 ), and  FIGS. 43B, 43D, 43F and 43H  are views seen from the direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the transporting means (B side of  FIG. 33 ). Further,  FIG. 44  are views illustrating processes following  FIG. 43 , and  FIGS. 44A, 44C, 44E and 44G  are views seen from the traveling direction of the transporting means (A side of  FIG. 33 ), and  FIGS. 44B, 44D, 44F and 44H  are views seen from the direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the transporting means (B side of  FIG. 33 ). The bagged culture medium block is transported in the A direction by the transporting means so that the long side faces the traveling direction, as shown in  FIG. 33 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 43A and 43B , the bagged culture medium block transported by the transporting means is stopped at the position of the positioning block  71  and the fixed bag mouth regulating member  70 . The fixed bag mouth regulating member  70  is, for example, a plate-shaped member. In particular, the fixed bag mouth regulating member  70  has, but is not limited thereto, the width wider than the length of the long side of the bagged culture medium block, and the height corresponding to the height range of the unfilled portion of the bagged culture medium block. The bottom position of the fixed bag mouth regulating member  70  is higher than the pressing mechanism  37 G by a predetermined distance, and the gap thereof is provided so that the pressing mechanism  37 G is not brought into contact with the bottom portion of the fixed bag mouth regulating member  70  when the pressing mechanism  37 G is moved. The top position of the fixed bag mouth regulating member  70  is not particularly limited, but may be set to a position slightly lower than the bag mouth  11   f.    
     When the bagged culture medium block is positioned at the position of the positioning block  71 , the movable bag mouth regulating member  72  moves to the bag mouth regulating position by, for example, being rotated upward. The height position of the movable bag mouth regulating member  72  at the bag mouth regulating position corresponds to the height range of the unfilled portion of the bagged culture medium block. The movable bag mouth regulating member  72  is, for example, a plate-shaped member. In particular, the movable bag mouth regulating member  72  has, but is not limited thereto, the width wider than the length of the long side of the bagged culture medium block, and the height range corresponding to the height of the unfilled portion of the bagged culture medium block. The length dimension of the movable bag mouth regulating member  72  in the height direction can be smaller than that of the fixed bag mouth regulating member  70 . The movable bag mouth regulating member  72  is movable between the storage position and the bag mouth regulating position. The movable bag mouth regulating member  72  can be moved from the storage position to the bag mouth regulating position by, for example, being rotated upward, and can be moved from the bag mouth regulating position to the storage position by being rotated in the opposite direction. The top position of the movable bag mouth regulating member  72  is not particularly limited, but may be set to a position slightly lower than the bag mouth  11   f.    
     In a state where the movable bag mouth regulating member  72  is moved to the bag mouth regulating position, the blower  32   a  blows air from the bag mouth  11   f  side, so that the bag mouth is kept open. Here, the opening range of the bag mouth is regulated to a predetermined range by being clamped with the fixed bag mouth regulating member  70  and the movable bag mouth regulating member  72 . The bagged culture medium block does not always have an accurate rectangular parallelepiped shape. Therefore, the position of the bottom surface of the culture medium and the opening position of the bag mouth may be different from each other. Even in such a case, the bottom surface side of the bagged culture medium block is positioned at the position of the positioning block  71 , and the bag mouth is kept open within a predetermined range regulated by being clamped with the fixed bag mouth regulating member  70  and the movable bag mouth regulating member  72 . Therefore, the supporting mechanism  35  can be reliably inserted, and the pushed positions by the pushing mechanism  36  are also stable, so that the unfilled portion  11   h  can be accurately folded in the Z-shape. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 43C and 43D , the pushing mechanism  36  is inserted from the bag mouth in a state where the blower  32   a  blows air from the bag mouth  11   f  side. The time when the blower  32   a  starts blowing, the time when the movable bag mouth regulating member  72  is moved to the bag mouth regulating position, and the time when the pushing mechanism  36  is inserted can be appropriately set. However, it is desirable that the pushing mechanism  36  is inserted into the bag mouth at least after the blowing is started. For example, the time can be set so that the blower  32   a  starts blowing air, and then the movable bag mouth regulating member  72  is moved to the bag mouth regulating position, and then the pushing mechanism  36  is inserted. Further, for example, the time can be set so that the blower  32   a  starts blowing air, and then the movable bag mouth regulating member  72  is moved to the bag mouth regulating position, and at the same time the insertion of the pushing mechanism  36  is started. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 43G and 43H , when the bag mouth of the bagged culture medium block is pressed by the pressing mechanism  37 G, the movable bag mouth regulating member  72  is no longer in contact with the bag mouth. Therefore, the movable bag mouth regulating member  72  is moved to the storage position. 
     In  FIGS. 44A and 44B , the position of the positioning block  71  is moved so that the bagged culture medium block can be moved toward the right direction in the drawing. In addition, in  FIGS. 44A to 44H , the positioning block  71  is shown to be retracted downward for easy explanation, but the present embodiment is not limited to this configuration, and for example, the positioning block  71  may be retracted laterally or upward. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 44C to 44F , since the bagged culture medium block is moved toward the right direction in the drawing in a state where the bag mouth of the bagged culture medium block is pressed by the pressing mechanism  37 G, the bag mouth is folded toward the left side in the drawing. Further, since the fixed bag mouth regulating member  70  is arranged above the pressing mechanism  37 G at a predetermined distance, the bag mouth of the bagged culture medium block is in a folded state below the fixed bag mouth regulating member  70 . 
     Embodiment 3 
     The folding device  31  according to the embodiment 3 will be described with reference to  FIGS. 45 and 46 . The folding device  31  according to the embodiment 3 is different from the aspects of  FIGS. 7 and 8  in the embodiment 1 in that a bending member  75  is used as the tilting mechanism  38  instead of the blower  38   a.    
       FIG. 45  are a view illustrating processes of the folding means according to the embodiment 3, and  FIGS. 45A, 45C, 45E and 45G  are views seen from the direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the transporting means (long side direction of the bagged culture medium block), and  FIGS. 45B, 45D, 45F and 45H  are views seen from the traveling direction of the transporting means (short side direction of the bagged culture medium block). Further,  FIG. 46  are views illustrating processes following  FIG. 45 , and  FIGS. 46A, 46C, 46E and 46G  are views seen from the direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the transporting means (long side direction of the bagged culture medium block), and  FIGS. 46B, 46D, 46F and 46H  are views seen from the traveling direction of the transporting means (short side direction of the bagged culture medium block). The same reference numerals are used for the same configurations as those in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , and the description thereof will be omitted. 
     In  FIGS. 45A and 45B , the bagged culture medium block is transported with the short side thereof facing the traveling direction. The bagged culture medium block is transported in the direction toward the right side of  FIG. 45A . Although not shown in  FIG. 45B , by providing the bag mouth expansion range adjusting means on both sides of the bag mouth, the opening range of the bag mouth can be regulated when the blower  32  blows air from the bag mouth  11   f  side. 
     As shown in  FIG. 46F , in a state where the bag mouth pressed by the pressing mechanism  37  and a predetermined gap is provided above the pressing mechanism  37 , the bending member  75  is moved from the right side to the left side in  FIG. 46F  so that the bag mouth can be bent. The bending member  75  is not particularly limited, but may be composed of, for example, a plate-shaped member. In  FIG. 46H , the bending member  75  is moved to a retracted position. 
     Embodiment 4 
     The folding device  31  according to the embodiment 4 will be described with reference to  FIG. 47 . The same reference numerals are used for the same configurations as those of the folding devices  31  according to the embodiments 1 to 3, and the description thereof will be omitted. 
     In the embodiments 1 to 3, the case of the gusset folding is mainly described, but in the present embodiment, the case of the I-shaped folding will be described. In the case of the gusset folding, the pushing members  36   a  are moved from the outside to the inside, but in the case of I-shaped folding, the pushing members  36   a  are moved from the inside of the bag mouth to the outside (see  FIG. 47B ). That is, in  FIG. 47A , in a state where a fan blows air from above to open the bag mouth, a pair of the pushing members  36   a  and a pair of the supporting members  35   a  that are in a state of being spaced from each other are inserted from the bag mouth into the inside of the bag body. In  FIG. 47B , each of the pair of the pushing members  36   a  inserted inside the bag body are moved outward, and the pair of supporting members  35   a  are brought close to each other to narrow the interval, so that the bag mouth becomes in the I-shape. Next, in  FIG. 47C , the pair of the pushing members  36   a  and the pair of the supporting members  35   a  are pulled upward from the bag mouth. 
     In  FIG. 47 , an example in which the pair of the supporting members  35   a  and the pair of the pushing members  36   a  are used is described, but the present embodiment is not limited to this configuration, and the I-shaped folding may be performed only with the pair of the pushing members  36   a  without using the pair of the supporting members  35   a  as the supporting mechanism  35 . That is, in  FIG. 47A , in a state where the fan blows air to open the bag mouth, the pair of the pushing members  36   a  are inserted from the bag mouth into the inside of the bag body, and in  FIG. 47B , each of the pair of the pushing members  36   a  inserted inside the bag body is moved outward so that the bag mouth is in the I-shape, and in  FIG. 47C , the pair of the pushing members  36   a  are pulled upward from the bag mouth. Here, the pair of the supporting members  35   a  shown in  FIG. 47  can be omitted. 
     Further, in the present embodiment, when the bag mouth of the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded in the I-shape by the folding device, the string member is inserted from the bag mouth. In the sterilization process, the bagged culture medium block  14  is sterilized with high-pressure steam in the sterilization chamber, and then the sterilization chamber is returned to normal pressure. In a case where the string member is not inserted into the bag mouth, the bag mouth is kept closed by the pressure of the high-pressure steam and the culture medium in the bagged culture medium block  14  may be hardened. If a string member is inserted into the bag mouth of the bagged culture medium block  14  when the bag mouth is folded, an air flow path can be formed in the bag mouth, so that the culture medium of the bagged culture medium block  14  can be finished softly compared with the case where the string member is not inserted. The material of the string member is not particularly limited, but for example, it is desirable to use a natural material such as a hemp string. This is because the string member is removed after the sterilization process, but even if the string member is mixed in the culture medium, if the string member is a natural material such as hemp string, it will not affect the growth of mushrooms, and the environmental load can also be reduced in the subsequent treatment of the culture medium. 
     Hereinafter, a method of inserting the string member will be described with an example in which the I-shaped folding is performed only with the pair of the pushing members  36   a  and without the pair of the supporting members  35   a  as the supporting mechanism  35 . At the folding position in the folding device, in a state where the fan blows air to open the bag mouth, the pair of the pushing members  36   a  are inserted into the bag mouth, and the string guide member is provided toward the bag mouth from the position corresponding to one of the supporting members  35   a  in  FIG. 47  (here, the supporting member  35   a  is not used), and the string member is inserted into the bag mouth from above by being guided by a string guide member. Here, the string member is guided along the inside of the long side on the string guide member side of the bag mouth and inserted into the bag. Further, the string member is inserted into the bagged culture medium block  14  so that one end of the string member touches the upper surface of the culture medium and the other end protrudes from the bag mouth. 
     Embodiment 5 
     The folding device  31  according to the embodiment 5 will be described with reference to  FIG. 48 . The same reference numerals are used for the same configurations as those of the folding devices  31  according to the embodiments 1 to 4, and the description thereof will be omitted.  FIG. 48  schematically illustrate a method of changing the direction and the orientation of the bagged culture medium block. In  FIGS. 48A and 48C , the transport direction is changed by 90 degrees.  FIGS. 48B and 48D  show a method of rotating the orientation of the bagged culture medium block by 90 degrees during transportation by providing a rotation fulcrum member  77  on the transport path. 
     Embodiment 6 
     In the embodiment 6, various aspects of the containerization device  46  will be described with reference to a plurality of examples. In the embodiment 1, as shown in  FIGS. 9 to 15 , an aspect in which the bagged culture medium blocks  14  are stored one by one in the container  15  by the folding-in member  41 , the underlay member  56 , the rod-shaped bodies  48  and the like is described. However, the aspect in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the container  15  is not limited to this configuration, and various aspects including, for example, examples 1 to 3 can be adopted, and any aspect can be adopted as long as the bagged culture medium block  14  can be stored in the container  15 . 
     Example 1 
     In the example 1, a plate-shaped member, which has vacuum suction nozzles facing at least two side surfaces, for example two opposing surfaces, three surfaces or four surfaces of the bagged culture medium block  14 , is used to lift the bagged culture medium block  14  one by one so that the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the container  15 . 
     Example 2 
     In the example 2, by using an arm robot provided with means for holding the bagged culture medium block  14 , for example, an articulated arm robot, the bagged culture medium block  14  can be held and moved by the arm robot and stored in the container  15 . Further, since the arm robot can not only hold and move the bagged culture medium block  14  but also adjust the posture of the bagged culture medium block  14 , the posture of the bagged culture medium block  14  can be adjusted without rotating the container  15 . Therefore, the bagged culture medium block  14  can be stored in the container in a state where a plurality of the bagged culture medium blocks  14  are aligned in the container  15 , for example, in a state where the four bagged culture medium blocks  14  are aligned in a spiral shape as shown in  FIG. 15C . 
     Example 3 
     In the example 3, there are provided the plate-shaped members, which face at least two side surfaces, for example, two opposing surfaces, three to four surfaces, or the entire side surfaces of the bagged culture medium block  14 , and claw members for supporting the bottom portion of the bagged culture medium block  14  on the bottom portion of at least one surface, for example, one surface, two surfaces, or three or four surfaces of the plate-shaped members. The claw members can be moved, transform, change the posture between a position where the claw members engage with the bottom portion of the bagged culture medium block  14  to hold the bagged culture medium block  14  and a position where the claw members do not engage with the bottom portion of the bagged culture medium block  14  and do not hold the bagged culture medium block  14 . For example, in a case where the angle of the claw members can be changed by hinges, the angle of the claw members can be changed so that the claw members can be moved between a position where the claw members engage with the bottom portion of the bagged culture medium block  14  and a position where the claw members do not engage with the bottom portion of the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     At least one or more claw members, for example, a plurality of claw members such as three claw members can be provided. At the bottom portion of the plate-shaped member provided around the outer periphery of the bagged culture medium block  14 , recesses or holes are provided in portions corresponding to the claw members, and the claw members can be moved from the recess or hole of the plate-shaped member to the position where the claw members protrude and engage with the bottom portion of the bagged culture medium block  14 . The number of the recesses or holes in the plate-shaped member corresponds to the number of claw members. For example, in a case where there are three claw members, the number of recesses or holes in the plate-shaped member is three. The protruding length of the claw member from the inside of the plate-shaped member to the position where the claw members engage with the bottom portion of the bagged culture medium block  14  may be such that the bagged culture medium block  14  can be held, for example, 50 mm or less and, for example, about 5 mm to 10 mm. 
     By holding the bagged culture medium block  14  with the plate-shaped member and the claw members, it is possible to lift the bagged culture medium block  14  without using the rod-shaped bodies  48  or the like as in the embodiment 1, and by lifting the bagged culture medium block  14  one by one, the bagged culture medium block  14  can be stored in the container  15 . 
     In a case where the four bagged culture medium blocks  14  are stored in the container  15  in a spiral shape as shown in  FIG. 15C , if the claw members are provided on one surface of the plate-shaped member, the claw members are arranged between the inner circumference of the outer peripheral wall of the container and the outer circumference of the long side of the bagged culture medium block  14 . By arranging the claw members in this way, when the bagged culture medium blocks  14  are lifted one by one and stored in the container  15  and then the plate-shaped member is lifted in a state where the claw members are at the engaging position, it is possible to prevent the claw member from interfering with the folded bag mouth  11   f  of other bagged culture medium block  14  and from raising the bag mouth  11   f.    
     Embodiment 7 
     In the embodiment 7, an embodiment in which the containerization device  46  is provided with a fan for blowing air from above toward the bagged culture medium block  14  will be described. In a state where a plurality of bagged culture medium blocks  14  are arranged and stored in the container  15 , for example, four bagged culture medium blocks  14  are arranged and stored in a spiral shape as shown in  FIG. 15C , a fan is provided above the container  15  and blows air toward the bagged culture medium block  14  stored in the container  15  so that the bag mouth  11   f  of each bagged culture medium block  14  folded by the folding device  31  is not raised again. 
     There may be provided a large-capacity fan capable of simultaneously blowing air from above to the plurality of bagged culture medium blocks  14 . Alternatively, there may be provided a plurality of individual fans having a capacity capable of individually blowing air from above toward the positions corresponding to each bagged culture medium block  14  stored in the container  15 . For example, there may be provided the number of fans equal to the number of the bagged culture medium blocks  14  stored in the container  15 , for example, specifically four of fans. Alternatively, one fan can blow air above two or more, for example, two bagged culture medium blocks  14 . As described above, the number of fans can be appropriately set so that air can be blown from above to each bagged culture medium block  14  according to the capacity of the fans. 
     Embodiment 8 
     A shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 8 will be described with reference to  FIGS. 49 to 53 . The same reference numerals are used for the same configurations as those in the above-described drawings, and the description thereof will be omitted. 
       FIG. 49  is an example of a layout view of the shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 8. In a filling machine  80 , the culture medium transported from a mixer is filled in the bag body  11  to manufacture the bagged culture medium block  14 . The bagged culture medium block  14  manufactured by the filling machine  80  is conveyed to the folding device  31  by a conveyor  81 , and the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded in the folding device  31 . The container  15  for storing the bagged culture medium block  14  is supplied from a container supply section  82 . A container storage area  84  is provided in the vicinity of the container supply section  82 . The bagged culture medium block  14  in which the bag mouth  11   f  is folded in the folding device  31  is stored in the container  15  by the containerization device  46 . 
     Empty sterilization trolleys  85  stocked in a spare trolley storage area  85   a  are moved to a standby position  85   b  one by one. The container  15  storing the plurality of bagged culture medium blocks  14  is transferred to the sterilization trolley  85  at a shelf insertion position  85   c  by a shelf insertion device  83 . When the containers  15  are transferred to all the shelves, the sterilization trolley  85  is moved to a carry-out position  85   d , and one of the empty sterilization trolleys  85  stocked in the spare trolley storage area  85   a  is moved to the standby position  85   b , and the sterilization trolleys  85  standing by at the standby position  85   b  is moved to the shelf insertion position  85   c . If the sterilization trolley  85  at the standby position  85   b  is connected to the sterilization trolley  85  at the shelf insertion position  85   c , the sterilization trolley  85  at the standby position  85   b  can be moved in conjunction with the movement of the sterilization trolley  85  at the shelf insertion position, onto which the containers  15  were transferred. As a result, as the sterilization trolley  85  is moved to the carry-out position  85   d , the next empty sterilization trolley  85  is arranged at the shelf insertion position  85   c.    
     In the layout example of the shelf insertion device  83  of  FIG. 49 , the flow of the bagged culture medium block  14  in the folding device  31  is downward from the folding device  31  to the containerization device  46 , and then, the flow of the container  15  in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored is in the left direction of  FIG. 49  from the containerization device  46  to the shelf insertion device  83 . Here, the present embodiment is not limited to this layout, and various layouts can be adopted in which, for example, the folding device  31  is arranged on the lower side of the containerization device  46  in  FIG. 49 . 
       FIG. 50  is a perspective view of the shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 8. In  FIG. 50 , the X direction is the right-left direction, the X12 direction is the right direction, the X2 direction is the left direction, the Y direction is the depth direction, the Y1 direction is the depth direction, the Y2 direction is the front direction, the Z direction is the height direction, the Z1 direction is upward direction, and the Z2 direction is downward direction. 
     The shelf insertion device  83  includes an elevating device  83   a , a transfer device  83   b , a fixed conveyor  83   c , a movable conveyor  83   d , conveyor moving means  83   e  and sterilization trolley moving means  83   f . After the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded in the folding device  31 , the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the container  15  supplied from the container supply section  82 , and the container  15  in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored is conveyed to the transfer device  83   b  via the fixed conveyor  83   c  and the movable conveyor. The container  15  conveyed to the transfer device  83   b  is raised and lowered by the elevating device  83   a  together with the transfer device  83   b , so that the container  15  can be transferred onto the sterilization trolley  85  one by one in a state where the height of the container  15  is adjusted to the height of each stage of the sterilization trolley  85 . The configuration of the sterilization trolley  85  is not particularly limited, but in the example of  FIG. 50 , the sterilization trolley  8  is composed of a shelf having six stages, and each stage stores three containers  15 . 
     As an example of the procedure for transferring the containers  15  to the sterilization trolley  85  one by one, a case where the containers  15  are transferred to the sterilization trolley  85  one by one while the sterilization trolley  85  moves in the Y1 direction will be described. In the example in which the three containers  15  are transferred to each stage of the sterilization trolley  85 , each stage has a transfer position on the Y1 side, a transfer position at the center, and a transfer position on the Y2 side. First, the empty sterilization trolley  85  is located at a position on the Y2 side, and is moved to a position at which the transfer position on the Y1 side of the sterilization trolley  85  corresponds to the position of the transfer device  83   b . At this position, the containers  15  are transferred to each stage one by one. 
     Next, the sterilization trolley  85  is moved in the Y1 direction by a distance approximately corresponding to one container  15 , and to a position at which the transfer position at the center of the sterilization trolley  85  corresponds to the position of the transfer device  83   b . At this position, the containers  15  are transferred to each stage one by one. Finally, the sterilization trolley  85  further is moved in the Y1 direction by a distance approximately corresponding to one container  15 , and to a position at which the transfer position at the Y2 side of the sterilization trolley  85  corresponds to the position of the transfer device  83   b . At this position, the containers  15  are transferred to each stage one by one. At each position, the container  15  conveyed onto the transfer device  83   b  is raised and lowered by the elevating device  83   a  together with the transfer device  83   b , so that the containers  15  can be transferred to the sterilization trolley  85  one by one in a state where the height of the container  15  is adjusted to the height of each stage of the sterilization trolley  85 . It is arbitrary from which stage the container  15  is started to be transferred at each position, for example, the containers  15  may be transferred in order from the upper stage to the lower stage, or in order from the lower stage to the upper stage. 
       FIG. 51  is an explanatory view of the transfer positions on the lower stage in the shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 8. When the container  15  is transferred to the lower stage of the sterilization trolley  85 , the movable conveyor  83   d  is moved in the Y2 direction by the conveyor moving means  83   e  in a state where the container  15  is held by the transfer device  83   b . In the empty space provided by the movement of the movable conveyor  83   d , the transfer device  83   b  holding the container  15  is lowered to the lower stage of the sterilization trolley  85  by an elevating device  83   a , and the container is transferred to the sterilization trolley  85  in a state where the height of the container  15  is adjusted to the height of the lower stage. 
     Modified Example 1 
       FIG. 52  is a layout view of the shelf insertion device according to the modified example 1 of the embodiment 8. In  FIG. 52 , the layout of the shelf insertion device is different from the example of  FIG. 49 . In the layout example of the modified example 1, the flow of the bagged culture medium block  14  in the folding device  31  is downward in  FIG. 52  from the folding device  31  to the containerization device  46 , and then the flow of the container  15  in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored is also downward in  FIG. 52  from the containerization device  46  to the shelf insertion device  83 . The present embodiment is not limited to this layout, and various layouts such as those in which the arrangement of the folding device  31  and the shelf insertion device  83  are reversed can be adopted. 
     Modified Example 2 
       FIG. 53  is a layout view of the shelf insertion device according to the modified example 2 of the embodiment 8. The modified example 2 is a layout example having two filling machines  80 A and  80 B. The bagged culture medium block  14  manufactured in the filling machine  80 A is conveyed via conveyors  81 A and  81 E. The bagged culture medium block  14  manufactured in the other filling machine  80 B is conveyed via a conveyor  81 B, a curved conveyor  81 C, a conveyor  81 D and the conveyor  81 E. 
     Embodiment 9 
     The shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 9 will be described with reference to  FIGS. 54 to 60 . The same reference numerals are used for the same configurations as those in the above-described drawings, and the description thereof will be omitted. The shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 9 is different from that of the embodiment 8 in that an elevating conveyor  86   d  is adopted. 
       FIG. 54  is a first perspective view of the shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 9. In  FIGS. 54 to 59 , the X direction is the transport direction of the elevating conveyor, the X1 direction is the right direction, the X2 direction is the left direction, the Y direction is the transport direction of the sterilization trolley, the Y1 direction is the left direction, and the Y2 direction is the right direction, the Z direction is the height direction, the Z1 direction is upward direction and the Z2 direction is downward direction. 
     A plurality of the bagged culture medium blocks  14  in which the bag mouths  11   f  are folded by the folding device  31  are stored in the container  15  in an aligned state, and the container  15  storing the plurality of bagged culture medium blocks  14  is transferred to the shelf of the sterilization trolley  85  by a shelf insertion device  86 . 
     The shelf insertion device  86  includes an elevating device  86   a , a transfer device  86   b , a fixed conveyor  86   c , the elevating conveyor  86   d , a position sensor  86   e , and sterilization trolley moving means  86   f . After the bag mouth  11   f  of the bagged culture medium block  14  is folded in the folding device  31 , the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the container  15  supplied from the container supply section  82 , and the container  15  in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored is conveyed to the transfer device  86   b  via the fixed conveyor  86   c  and the elevating conveyor  86   d . The transfer device  86   b  and the elevating conveyor  86   d  can be integrally raised and lowered by the elevating device  86   a . The container  15  conveyed to the transfer device  86   b  is raised and lowered together with the transfer device  86   b  and the elevating conveyor  86   d , so that the container  15  can be transferred onto the sterilization trolley  85  one by one in a state where the height of the container  15  is adjusted to the height of each stage of the sterilization trolley  85 . The configuration of the sterilization trolley  85  is not particularly limited, but in the example of  FIG. 54 , the sterilization trolley  8  is composed of a shelf having six stages, and each stage stores three containers  15 . 
     In the first perspective view of the shelf insertion device of the present embodiment of  FIG. 54 , the container  15  in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored is conveyed in the direction to the elevating conveyor  86   d  from the fixed conveyor  86   c  to the elevating conveyor  86   d .  FIG. 55  is the second perspective view of the shelf insertion device of the present embodiment, and in  FIG. 55 , the container  15  was conveyed to a predetermined transfer position of the transfer device  86   b . The container  15  is conveyed along the elevating conveyor  86   d  by the momentum of being sent out from the storing means, which is for storing a plurality of the bagged culture medium blocks  14  in an aligned state in the container  15 , to the fixed conveyor  86   c  so as to be set in the predetermined transfer position of the transfer device  86   b . The transfer device  86   b  is provided with a fixed claw  86   b   1  and a movable claw  86   b   2  as described later, and the container  15  sent out with momentum along the fixed conveyor  86   c  is just fixed at the predetermined transfer position of the transfer device  86   b  by the fixed claw  86   b   1  and the movable claw  86   b   2 . 
       FIG. 56  is the third perspective view of the shelf insertion device of the present embodiment, in which the container  15  is conveyed in the Z2 direction together with the transfer device  86   b  and the elevating conveyor  86   d , and the transfer device  86   b  slides along the upper portion of the elevating conveyor  86   d  in the X1 direction together with the container  15 , and the container  15  is stored in the bottom row of the sterilization trolley  85  at the deepest position in the Y1 direction. The height of the transfer device  86   b  when the transfer device  86   b  slides in the X1 direction is set such that there is an appropriate gap between the bottom surface of the container  15  and the upper surface of a predetermined stage of the sterilization trolley  85 . If this gap is too small, the bottom of the container  15  may rub against the upper surface of the stage of the sterilization trolley when the transfer device  86   b  slides in the X1 direction, and this is not preferable. On the other hand, if this gap is too large, the height of the container  15  is too high with respect to the height of the predetermined stage of the sterilization trolley, and the upper surface of the container  15  may come into contact with the upper stage of the predetermined stage. 
       FIG. 57  is the fourth perspective view of the shelf insertion device of the present embodiment, in which, when the container  15  is carried to a predetermined position on a stage of the sterilization trolley  85 , the transfer device  86   b  and the elevating conveyor  86   d  are integrally moved a little in the Z2 direction so that the container  15  is released from the restraint of the transfer device  86   b .  FIG. 58  is the fifth perspective view of the shelf insertion device of the present embodiment, in which only the transfer device  86   b , which is released from the engagement with the container  15 , is moved back in the X2 direction along the upper portion of the elevating container  86   d  while the container  15  is placed on the predetermined position of the sterilization trolley  85 . 
       FIG. 59  is the sixth perspective view of the shelf insertion device of the present embodiment, in which the transfer device  86   b  and the elevating conveyor  86   d  are integrally moved in the Z2 direction by the elevating device  86   a , and the transfer device  86   b  and the elevating conveyor  86   d  are returned to a limited position at which the height of the elevating conveyor  86   d  corresponds to the height of the fixed conveyor  86   c . Although not particularly limited, it is desirable that the height of the elevating conveyor  86   d  is a height at which the container  15  can be directly transferred to a predetermined stage of the sterilization trolley  85 . For example, in the example of  FIG. 59 , the height of the elevating conveyor  86   d  is set to a height at which the container  15  can be directly transferred to the second stage from the bottom of the sterilization trolley  85 . 
       FIG. 60  illustrates the fixed claws  86   b   1  and the movable claws  86   b   2  of the transfer device  86   b . As shown in  FIG. 60A , a pair of the fixed claws  86   b   1  is provided at positions nearer to the X1 direction in the transfer device  86   b . A flange extending outward is provided on the upper surface of the container  15 . The container  15  is conveyed along the fixed conveyor  86   c  by the momentum of being sent out from the storing means, which is for storing a plurality of the bagged culture medium blocks  14  in an aligned state in the container  15 , to the fixed conveyor  86   c , but the fixed claws  86   b   1  restrict the flange on the upper surface of the container  15  in the X1 direction. In  FIG. 60A , the front side along the transfer device  86   b  is the X1 direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 60B , a pair of the movable claws  86   b   2  is provided at positions nearer to the X2 direction in the transfer device  86   b . In  FIG. 60B , the front side along the transfer device  86   b  is the X2 direction. The X2 side of the movable claw  86   b   2  is fixed with an end portion of the transfer device  86   b  on the X2 side by, for example, a hinge so that the movable claw  86   b   2  can be moved around the hinge. The X1 side of the movable claw  86   b   2  has an open end, but is urged inward in the width direction by an elastic member, and when the container  15  enters the transfer device  86   b  from the X2 direction to the X1 direction, the container  15  can enter the transfer device  86   b  in the X1 direction so that the end face in the width direction of the container  15  advances along the inner surface side in the Y direction of the movable claw  86   b   2 . On the other hand, once the container  15  advances in the X1 direction from the movable claw  86   b   2 , the free end on the X1 direction side of the movable claw  86   b   2  is urged by the elastic member in the direction of narrowing the width in the Y direction, so that the container  15  is engaged with the open end in the X1 direction of the movable claw  86   b   2 , thus the container  15  is prevented from coming out in the X2 direction. 
     In  FIG. 60B , the movable claws  86   b   2  are only urged by the elastic member and do not require any power other than the elastic member. Further, the fixed conveyor  86   c  and the elevating conveyor  86   d  also do not require power. The container  15  is conveyed along elevating conveyor  86   d  by the momentum of being sent out from the storing means, which is for storing a plurality of the bagged culture medium blocks  14  in an aligned state in the container  15 , to the fixed conveyor  86   c , and is conveyed along the elevating conveyor  86   d , and is set at a predetermined transfer position of the transfer device  86   b  by the fixed claws  86   b   1  and the movable claws  86   b   2 . 
     Here, an example in which the fixed conveyor  86   c  and the elevating conveyor  86   d  are not provide with the power unit is described, but the present embodiment is not limited to this configuration. For example, in a case where the fixed conveyor  86   d  and/or the elevating conveyor  86  are/is provided with a power unit, the container  15  is always conveyed in the X1 direction by this power unit. Therefore, since the container  15  does not go backward in the X2 direction of the transfer device  86   b , the movable claw  86   b   2  can be omitted in this case. 
     The fixed claws  86   b   1  regulate the flange on the upper surface of the container  15  in the X1 direction. Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 57 , when the transfer device  86   b  and the elevating conveyor  86   d  are integrally moved a little in the Z2 direction, the engagement between the flange on the upper surface of the container  15  and the fixed claws  86   b   1  is released, and the container  15  is released from the restraint of the transfer device  86   b.    
     The folding device for the bagged culture medium block and the containerization device provided with the folding device according to the embodiment of the present invention have been described above, but these embodiments are for exemplifying the folding device for the bagged culture medium block and the containerization device provided with the folding device in order to embody the technical concept of the present invention, and do not specify the present invention to these embodiments. Thus, the present invention can be equally applied to a modification of each embodiment, a combination of each embodiment or the like. For example, the shape of the supporting member  35  is illustrated as a substantially square plate shape, but the shape is not limited to this shape, and various shapes such as, for example, those having a pair of rod-shaped or thin plate-shaped members on the left and right are available. 
     Embodiment 10 
     The shelf insertion device according to the embodiment 10 will be described with reference to  FIG. 61 . The same reference numerals are used for the same configurations as those in the above-described drawings, and the description thereof will be omitted. In  FIGS. 61A to 61D , the combinations of the directions, in which the bag mouth  11   f  is folded by the folding device  31 , and cases whether the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the container  15  with the traveling direction being the short side ( FIGS. 61A and 61B ) or being the long side ( FIGS. 61C and 61D ), are shown. Depending on the folding-in direction of the bag mouth  11   f  and whether the traveling direction of the bagged culture medium block  14  is on the long side or the short side, the position where the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the container varies, thus, various variations of the system can be constituted. Further, since the direction and the orientation of the bagged culture medium block  14  can be changed as shown in  FIG. 48 , the degree of freedom of this combination can be further increased, and the degree of freedom of the design can be increased according to the installation environment of the system. 
     Embodiment 11 
     Next, a container carrying device  42 I provided in a containerization device  46 I according to the embodiment 11 will be described with reference to  FIGS. 62 to 64 . The same reference numerals are given to the configurations common to the embodiments 1 to 10, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.  FIG. 62  is a perspective view of the container carrying device  42 I provided in the containerization device  46 I according to the embodiment 11.  FIG. 63  are views simply illustrating processes of carrying the bagged culture medium block from the folding device into the container,  FIG. 63A  is a view illustrating a state in which the unfilled portion is folded by the folding device, and  FIG. 63B  is a view illustrating a state in which the underlay member is pulled out of the folding device side to the upper region of the container, and  FIG. 63C  is a view illustrating a state in which the culture medium clamping means is lowered to a position where the bagged culture medium block sent out from the folding device onto the underlay member can be clamped by the culture medium clamping means.  FIG. 64  are views simply illustrating processes of carrying the bagged culture medium block from the folding device into the container,  FIG. 64A  is a view illustrating a state in which the bagged culture medium block is clamped by the culture medium clamping means,  FIG. 64B  is a view illustrating a state in which the bagged culture medium block is stored in the container by the culture medium clamping means, and  FIG. 64C  is a view illustrating a state in which the empty container is pulled out onto the rotating member of the rotating mechanism. The container carrying device  42 I in the containerization device  46 I according to the embodiment 11 is different from the container carrying device  42  in the containerization device  46  shown in the embodiments 1 to 10. However, the process up to the folding of the unfilled portion  11   h  of the bagged culture medium block  14  in the folding device  31  are the same as those in the embodiment 1 and the like. Therefore, the same reference numerals are given to the configurations common to those in the embodiment 1, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, in  FIG. 63A ,  FIG. 63B  and  FIG. 64C , the culture medium clamping means  91  is omitted. 
     The configuration in which the container carrying device  42 I of the embodiment 11 is different from the container carrying device  42  of the embodiment 1 is mainly the configuration of the culture medium clamping means  91  for clamping the bagged culture medium block  14 , and further, the rod-shaped bodies  48  and the elevating mechanism  51  for raising and lowering the rod-shaped bodies  48  provided in the container carrying device  42  in the embodiment 1 are omitted. 
     The container carrying device  42 I has culture medium feeding means  92 , which feeds the bagged culture medium block  14  from the two filling machines  80 A and  80 B to the folding device  31  by the transporting means  60  and feeds the bagged culture medium block  14  folded by the folding device  34  to a position where the bagged culture medium block  14  can be clamped by the culture medium clamping means  91 , the culture medium clamping means  91 , which clamps the bagged culture medium block  14  fed by the culture medium feeding means  92  to carry the bagged culture medium block  14  into the container  15 , elevating means  93  for raising and lowering the culture medium clamping means  91 , a container transfer mechanism  94  for transferring the container  15 , and the rotating mechanism  47 . 
     The culture medium feeding means  92  feeds the bagged culture medium block  14  toward the folding device  31 , and the feeding direction thereof is changed from that of the transporting means  60  by substantially right angle. Further, the culture medium feeding means  92  feeds the bagged culture medium block  14  in which the unfilled portion  11   h  has been folded by the folding device  31  onto the underlay member  56  that is pulled out onto the container  15 . 
     The culture medium feeding means  92  includes a sending-out extending plate portion  92   a  extending parallel to the feeding direction of the bagged culture medium block  14 , four protruding plate portions  92   b  protruding from the sending-out extending plate portion  92   a  in the direction orthogonal to the delivery direction, and a protruding plate rotating mechanism (not shown) for rotating the protruding plate portion  92   b  with one end that is connected to the sending-out extending plate portion  92   a  being a fulcrum. The culture medium feeding means  92  constitutes a culture medium receiving portion  92   c  for receiving one bagged culture medium block  14  between two adjacent protruding plate portions  92   b  of the four protruding plate portions  92   b . That is, the culture medium feeding means  92  can receive the bagged culture medium block  14  in each of the two culture medium receiving portions  92   c , and the two protruding plate portions  92   b  can clamp the bagged culture medium block  14  received in the culture medium receiving portion  92   c  by tilting the tip portions thereof inward. 
     Such culture medium feeding means  92  can be moved by a driving mechanism (not shown) in the direction in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is sent out, and the direction in which the culture medium feeding means  92  retreats from the moving region of the bagged culture medium block  14 , that is more specifically, the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the bagged culture medium block  14  is sent out. Therefore, the culture medium feeding means  92  can simultaneously move the two bagged culture medium blocks  14  in a state of being arranged in line in the moving direction. More specifically, the culture medium feeding means  92  sends out the bagged culture medium block  14  that is received in the culture medium receiving portion  92   c  on the left side of  FIGS. 63 and 64  from the transporting means  60  to the folding device  31 , and sends out the bagged culture medium block  14  that is received in the culture medium receiving portion  92   c  on the right side from the folding device  31  onto the underlay member  56 . 
     The culture medium clamping means  91  includes a clamping main body  91   a  constituting the main body of the culture medium clamping means  91 , a pair of culture medium longitudinal side clamping plates  91   b  arranged to face each other in the longitudinal direction of the bagged culture medium block  14 , a pair of culture medium short side clamping plates  91   c  arranged to face each other in the lateral direction of the bagged culture medium block  14 , and a clamping plate driving portion  91   d  for moving the clamping plates  91   b  and  91   c  so that the facing distances between the pair of the culture medium longitudinal side clamping plates  91   b  and between the pair of the culture medium short side clamping plates  91   c  can be expanded or contracted. 
     The clamping main body  91   a  has a ceiling wall of the culture medium clamping means  91 , and is connected to the elevating means  93  via an arm portion  93   a . The pair of the culture medium longitudinal side clamping plates  91   b , the pair of the culture medium short side clamping plates  91   c  and the clamping plate driving portion  91   d  are assembled to the clamping main body  91   a.    
     The pair of the culture medium short side clamping plates  91   c  is to be in contact with the short side surface of each side surface of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Therefore, the width between the pair of the culture medium short side clamping plates  91   c  corresponds to the longitudinal width of the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     The pair of the culture medium longitudinal side clamping plates  91   b  is to be in contact with the longitudinal side surface of each side surface of the bagged culture medium block  14 . Therefore, the width between the pair of the culture medium longitudinal side clamping plates  91   b  corresponds to the width of the short side of the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     As the clamping plate driving portion  91   d , for example, an air cylinder is used. The clamping plate driving portion  91   d  may be provided for each of the clamping plates  91   b  and  91   c , or for each pair of the culture medium longitudinal side clamping plates  91   b  and each pair of the culture medium short side clamping plates  91   c.    
     As the elevating means  93 , for example, an electric actuator is used, and the elevating means  93  raises and lowers the culture medium clamping means  91  via the arm portion  93   a . More specifically, the elevating means  93  raises and lowers the culture medium clamping means  91  among a standby position above the container  15 , a clamping position at which the bagged culture medium block  14  sent out onto the underlay member  56  below the standby position is clamped, and a storing position that is further below the clamping position and in the container  15 . 
     The container transfer mechanism  94  pulls out an empty container  15  from a container stock mechanism (not shown) for stocking a plurality of empty containers  15  and transfers the empty container  15  onto the rotating member  49  of the rotating mechanism  47 . 
     Next, processes of carrying the bagged culture medium block  14 , in which the unfilled portion  11   h  is folded, from the folding device  31  into the container  15  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 63 and 64 . In this description, the four bagged medium blocks  14  are to be stored in a spiral shape while the rotating member  49  of the rotating mechanism  47  is rotated approximately 90 degrees counterclockwise. And in this description, a series of flows from the state, in which the three bagged culture medium blocks  14  among the four bagged culture medium blocks  14  are completely stored, to the carrying of the remaining one bagged culture medium block  14  into the container  15  will be described. Further, in this description, the description of the series of flows is started from the state in which the bagged culture medium block  14  on the transporting means  60  is received in one of the culture medium receiving portions  92   c  of the culture medium feeding means  92  and the bagged culture medium block  14  received in the other culture medium receiving portion  92   c  is in a state where the unfilled portion  11   h  thereof is folded by the folding device  31 . 
     First, in the bagged culture medium block  14  sent out from the transporting means  60  to the folding device  31  by the culture medium receiving portion  92   c , the unfilled portion  11   h  is folded by the folding device  31  (see  FIG. 63A ). 
     Next, the underlay member  56  is pulled out from the folding device  31  side to the upper region of the container  15  (see  FIG. 63B ). The container  15  is arranged so that there is an empty space for storing the next one bagged culture medium block  14  below the underlay member  56 . 
     Next, the bagged culture medium block  14  is sent out from the folding device  31  onto the underlay member  56  by the culture medium feeding means  92 , and then the culture medium clamping means  91  is lowered from the standby position to the clamping position for the bagged culture medium block  14  on the underlay member  56  by the elevating means  93  (see  FIG. 63C ). In the culture medium clamping means  91 , which is moved downward to the clamping position for the bagged culture medium block  14 , the pair of the culture medium longitudinal side clamping plates  91   b  are arranged outside of the two protruding plate portions  92   b  that constitute the culture medium receiving portion  92   c . Further, by moving the culture medium feeding means  92 , the bagged culture medium block  14  on the transporting means  60  is sent out to the folding device  31 . 
     Next, the bagged culture medium block  14  is clamped by the culture medium clamping means  91  (see  FIG. 64A ). Here, the clamping plate driving portion  91   d  drives the pair of the culture medium longitudinal side clamping plates  91   b  and the pair of the culture medium short side clamping plates  91   c  so as to contract their facing distances. Further, the culture medium feeding means  92  is moved to the retracted position. As a result, the bagged culture medium block  14  is clamped in the longitudinal direction by the pair of the culture medium longitudinal side clamping plates  91   b  of the culture medium clamping means  91 , and is clamped in the lateral direction by the pair of the culture medium short side clamping plates  91   c.    
     That is to say, the bagged culture medium block  14  is stably held by the culture medium clamping means  91  in a state where the four side surfaces are in contact with the pair of the culture medium longitudinal side clamping plates  91   b  and the pair of the culture medium short side clamping plates  91   c  of the culture medium clamping means  91 , respectively. Therefore, the culture medium clamping means  91  can stably hold the bagged culture medium block  14  without a portion for supporting the bottom surface side of the bagged culture medium block  14 . After the bagged culture medium block  14  is clamped by the culture medium clamping means  91 , the underlay member  56  is returned to the folding device  31  side, so that the bagged culture medium block  14  held by the culture medium clamping means  91  is located above the empty space of the container  15 . 
     Next, the bagged culture medium block  14  is stored in the remaining empty space in the container  15  by the culture medium clamping means  91 , and the processes of carrying the bagged culture medium block  14  into one container  15  is completed (see  FIG. 64B ). As a result, the four bagged culture medium blocks  14  are stored in the container  15  in a spiral shape. Here, after the culture medium clamping means  91  clamping the bagged culture medium block  14  is lowered toward the storing position in the container  15  by the elevating means  93 , the clamping plate driving portion  91   d  expands the facing distances between the pair of the culture medium longitudinal side clamping plates  91   b  and between the pair of the culture medium short side clamping plates  91   c . The retracted culture medium feeding means  92  is moved to a position where the bagged culture medium block  14  transported from the transporting means  60  can be received in one of the culture medium receiving portions  92   c . As a result, the bagged culture medium block  14  on the transporting means  60  is received in one of the culture medium receiving portions  92   c , and the bagged culture medium block  14  that was located in the folding device  31  is received by the other culture medium receiving portion  92   c.    
     When the processes of carrying the bagged culture medium block  14  into the one container  15  are completed in this way, the empty container  15  is pulled out onto the rotating member  49  of the rotating mechanism  47  by the container transfer mechanism  94 , so that the carrying processes of the bagged culture medium block  14  into the container  15  are performed again (see  FIG. 64C ). Here, when the empty container  15  is pulled out onto the rotating member  49  of the rotating mechanism  47  by the container transfer mechanism  94 , the empty container  15  pushes out the container  15  on the rotating member  49  from above the rotating member  49  onto the fixed conveyor  83   c  (see  FIG. 50 ) connected to the shelf insertion device  83  (see  FIG. 50 ). The container  15  pushed out onto the fixed conveyor  83   c  in this way is conveyed to the shelf insertion device  83  via the fixed conveyor  83   c.    
     Embodiment 12 
     Next, the transporting means  60  according to the embodiment 12 will be described with reference to  FIGS. 65 to 67 .  FIG. 65  is a schematic view illustrating the overall configuration of the transporting means  60  according to the embodiment 12.  FIG. 66  is a perspective view of the periphery of a culture medium direction changing section  65  shown in  FIG. 65 .  FIG. 67  is a side view seen from the LXVII side of  FIG. 65 . The transporting means  60  according to the embodiment 12 has various additional functions related to the transport of the bagged culture medium block  14  as compared with the conveyor shown in the modified example 2 of the embodiment 8. The same reference numerals are given to the configurations common to the embodiments 1 to 11, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
     The transporting means  60  according to the embodiment 12 transports the bagged culture medium block  14  from the two filling machines  80 A and  80 B to the folding device  31 . The transporting means  60  is provided with two pre-merging transporting sections  61 , on which each of the bagged culture medium blocks  14  sent out from the two filling machines  80 A and  80 B is transported, a merging transporting section  63 , at which each of the bagged culture medium blocks  14  transported by the two pre-merging transporting sections  61  is merged and transported, a culture medium temporary standby section  64  for making the bagged culture medium blocks  14  on the two pre-merging transporting sections  61  temporarily stand by at predetermined positions, and the culture medium direction changing section  65  for assist the direction change of the bagged culture medium block  14 . 
     The pre-merging transporting sections  61  and the merging transporting section  63  are composed of, for example, belt conveyors, and the merging transporting section  63  is connected to the two pre-merging transporting sections  61  connected to each filling machines  80 A and  80 B. 
     Each pre-merging transporting section  61  has a first transporting section  61   a  and a second transporting section  61   b  that are connected from upstream to downstream. The second transporting section  61   b  is connected to the first transporting section  61   a , and the directions thereof are changed at a substantially right angle. The second transporting section  61   b  of each pre-merging transporting sections  61  is connected to each of the end portions of the merging transporting section  63  so as to be substantially in line. 
     Steps are formed in the connecting portion between the first transporting section  61   a  and the second transporting section  61   b  and in the connecting portion between the second transporting section  61   b  and the merging transporting section  63 . Hereinafter, the step of the connecting portion between the second transporting section  61   b  and the merging transporting section  63  will be described in detail. Since the same applies to the step of the connecting portion between the first transporting section  61   a  and the second transporting section  61   b , detailed description thereof will be omitted. More specifically, as shown in  FIG. 67 , the second transporting section  61   b  and the merging transporting section  63  are connected so that the transport surface of the merging transporting section  63  is lower in step than the transport surface of the second transporting section  61   b . More specifically, the plate P, which is for example in the shape of a bent stainless steel flat plate and is fixed to the second transporting section  61   b , is arranged so that a part of the plate P is above the transport surface of the merging transporting section  63  between the second transporting section  61   b  and the merging transporting section  63 . On the bottom surface of the bagged culture medium block  14 , there is a protruding portion  14   a  in which the joint portion of the bag protrudes like a tongue. In a case where the protruding portion  14   a  of the bag is bent toward the traveling direction, the protruding portion  14   a  may be caught by the first transporting section  61   a , the second transporting section  61   b , the connecting portion between the first transporting section  61   a  and the second transporting section  61   b , and particularly the end portions thereof. If the protruding portion  14   a  is caught, the extent of the direction change of the bagged culture medium block  14  may be deviated, and the bagged culture medium blocks  14  may not be transported in a uniform direction. By providing the plate P, two steps are formed so that the heights of the transport surface of the second transporting section  61   b , the upper surface of the plate P, and the transport surface of the merging transporting section  63  become lower in step in the order of the transport surface of the second transporting section  61   b , the upper surface of the plate P, and the transport surface of the merging transporting section  63  in the transport direction from the transport surface of the second transporting section  61   b  to the transport surface of the merging transporting section  63 . There are formed two steps in which the height becomes lower in step in the order of the transport surface of the second transporting section  61   b , the upper surface of the plate P, and the transport surface of the merging transporting section  63 . That is, there are formed the first step between the transport surface of the second transporting section  61   b  and the upper surface of the plate P, and the second step between the upper surface of the plate P and the transport surface of the merging transporting section  63 . In the present embodiment, even if there is the protruding portion  14   a  on the bottom surface of the bagged culture medium block  14  in which the joint portion of the bag protrudes like a tongue, when the bagged culture medium block  14  goes over the first step, the protruding portion  14   a  is not caught since the protruding portion  14   a  can move between the end portion of the second transporting section  61   b  and the end portion of the plate P at a distance from the second transporting section  61   b  and the plate P. Further, when the bagged culture medium block  14  goes over the second step, the protruding portion  14   a  is not caught since the protruding portion  14   a  can move between the end portion of the plate P and the end portion of the merging transporting section  63  at a distance from the plate P and the merging transporting section  63 . As a result, the protruding portion  14   a  is not caught by the second transporting section  61   b  or the merging transporting section  63 , so that, when the bagged culture medium block  14  is transferred from the second transporting section  61   b  to the merging transporting section  63 , the extent of the direction change is stable, and the transport posture of the bagged culture medium block  14  can be uniformly adjusted. Similarly, when transferred from the first transporting section  61   a  to the second transporting section  61   b , the extent of the direction change is stable, and the transport posture of the bagged culture medium block  14  can be uniformly adjusted. 
     The culture medium temporary standby section  64  is provided around the end of the pre-merging transporting section  61  on the side connected to the merging transporting section  63 , and has a stopper mechanism, which is provided with a pair of contact plates  64   a  with which the bagged culture medium block  14  moved in the transport direction is brought in to contact, and a culture medium clamping mechanism provided with a pair of clamping plates  64   b  with which the bagged culture medium block  14  is clamped from the sides thereof. 
     The pair of the contact plates  64   a  of the stopper mechanism are provided so as to be movable between a culture medium stop position, at which the bagged culture medium block  14  is brought into contact with the pair of the contact plates  64   a  in the transport direction to be stopped, and a culture medium pass position at which the pair of the contact plates  64   a  are retracted from the transport line so that the bagged culture medium block  14  passes through the pair of the contact plates  64   a.    
     The pair of the clamping plates  64   b  of the culture medium clamping mechanism are provided to be movable between the culture medium clamping position at which the pair of the clamping plates  64   b  are brought into contact with both sides of the bagged culture medium block  14  on the pre-merging transporting section  61  to clamp the bagged culture medium block  14  and the culture medium release position at which the pair of the clamping plates  64   b  is moved away from and release the both sides of the bagged culture medium block  14 . The pair of the clamping plates  64   b  are provided on the upstream side with respect to the stopper mechanism, and in the present embodiment, the length thereof is set such that two bagged culture medium blocks  14  arranged close to each other in the transport direction can be held from the sides. The pair of the clamping plates  64   b  is only needed to have a length that can hold at least one bagged culture medium block  14  from the sides. That is, the pair of the clamping plates  64   b  may have a length that allows one bagged culture medium block  14  to be held from the sides, or three bagged culture medium blocks  14  to be held from the sides. 
     In the culture medium temporary standby section  64  of the present embodiment, the pair of the clamping plates  64   b  of the culture medium clamping mechanism is arranged at a position at which the pair of the clamping plates  64   b  can clamp two bagged culture medium blocks  14 , which are lined up behind one bagged culture medium blocks  14  that is brought into contact with the pair of the contact plates  64   a  of the stopper mechanism to be stopped. 
     The culture medium direction changing section  65  changes the direction of the bagged culture medium block  14  at a position where the transport direction of the transporting means  60  changes. In the embodiment 12, each of the culture medium direction changing sections  65  is arranged at a position, at which the transport direction changes from the first transporting section  61   a  to the second transporting section  61   b  of the pre-merging transporting section  61  at a substantially right angle, and at a position, at which the transport direction changes from the second transporting section  61   b  of the pre-merging transporting section  61  to the merging transporting section  63  at a substantially right angle, respectively. More specifically, the culture medium direction changing section  65  is arranged around the side portions of the pre-merging transporting section  61  and the merging transporting section  63  so that the side portions of the bagged culture medium block  14  moved onto the pre-merging transporting section  61  or the merging transporting section  63  are slidably contacted with the culture medium direction changing section  65 . 
     The culture medium direction changing section  65  has small-diameter guide rollers  65   a  and large-diameter guide rollers  65   b  having a larger diameter than that of the small-diameter guide roller  65   a  (see  FIG. 66 ). The small-diameter and large-diameter guide rollers  65   a  and  65   b  are fixed in a non-rotatable state by support shafts arranged at different positions. 
     The small-diameter guide rollers  65   a  are arranged on the upstream side in the transport direction as compared with the large-diameter guide rollers  65   b . A plurality of the small-diameter and large-diameter guide rollers  65   a  and  65   b  are provided so as to be stacked in the height direction so that the rollers are to be widely in contact with the region filled with the culture medium  12  in the bagged culture medium block  14 . The number of the small-diameter and large-diameter guide rollers  65   a  and  65   b  is not limited as long as the widths in the height direction are ensured, and the number may be one, two or more. Further, although the shapes thereof are substantially cylindrical in  FIG. 66 , the present embodiment is not limited to this configuration, and various shapes such as an elliptical shape and a trochoidal shape can be adopted. 
     Next, the transport flow of the bagged culture medium block  14  from the two filling machines  80 A and  80 B to the folding device  31  by the transporting means  60  according to the embodiment 12 will be described. Since the transport flows until the bagged culture medium blocks  14  sent out from each of the two filling machines  80 A and  80 B are merged in the merging transporting section  63  are the same, only the transport flow of the bagged culture medium block  14  sent out from the filling machine  80 A will be described. 
     First, when the bagged culture medium block  14  sent out from the filling machine  80 A is transported by the first transporting section  61   a  to the periphery of the connecting portion with the second transporting section  61   b , one side portion thereof is slidably come into contact with the culture medium direction changing section  65 , and the direction is changed substantially at right angles toward the transport direction of the second transporting section  61   b . Here, in the bagged culture medium block  14 , the side portion is first slidably come into contact with the small-diameter guide rollers  65   a  of the culture medium direction changing section  65 , so that the side that is slidably contacted with the small-diameter guide rollers  65   a  has a large resistance. Therefore, the amount of movement in this side is more limited than that in the other side, and the direction changes diagonally toward the small-diameter guide rollers  65   a  side. Thus, the direction changes greatly by being applied with the rotation force in this state due to the movement in the transport direction from the first transporting section  61   a  to the second transporting section  61   b . Here, the amount of rotation of the bagged culture medium block  14  is adjusted by slidably coming into contact with the large-diameter guide rollers  65   b , and is directed in the transport direction of the second transporting section  61   b . With the culture medium direction changing section  65  having such a simple structure, the transport posture of the bagged culture medium block  14  can be uniformly aligned and stabilized. Further, in order to make the transport posture at the time of the direction change more stable, it is desirable to provide two steps between the first transporting section  61   a  and the second transporting section  61   b . This amount of rotation is determined according to the arrangements, shapes, sizes of the small-diameter guide rollers  65   a  and the large-diameter guide rollers  65   b , the transport speed of the first transporting section  61   a  and the second transporting section  61   b , the frictional resistance of each transport surface, and the like. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the arrangements of the small-diameter guide rollers  65   a  and the large-diameter guide rollers  65   b  can be adjusted. 
     Since the above-described steps are provided in the connecting portion between the first transporting section  61   a  and the second transporting section  61   b , when the bagged culture medium block  14  is transported from the first transporting section  61   a  to the second transporting section  61   b , the protruding portion  14   a  in which the joint portion of the bag protrudes like a tongue on the bottom surface of the bagged culture medium block  14  is not caught in the first transporting section  61   a  or the second transporting section  61   b . Therefore, the bagged culture medium block  14  is transported from the first transporting section  61   a  to the second transporting section  61   b  while changing the direction thereof in a desired direction. 
     The bagged culture medium block  14  transported from the first transporting section  61   a  to the second transporting section  61   b  in this way is transported on the second transporting section  61   b  toward the merging transporting section  63 . On the second transporting section  61   b , the culture medium temporary standby section  64  performs a temporary standby operation of the bagged culture medium block  14 . The culture medium temporary standby section  64  provided on each second transporting section  61   b  alternately transfers the bagged culture medium blocks  14  transported from each of the filling machines  80 A and  80 B to the merging transporting section  63  at predetermined intervals. Here, the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved to the merging transporting section  63  by the stopper mechanism of the culture medium temporary standby section  64  at timings at which a predetermined transport interval is maintained with respect to the bagged culture medium block  14  that is moved from the other first transporting section  61   a  to the merging transporting section  63 . The predetermined transport interval herein is an interval in the transport direction between the bagged culture medium blocks  14  that are separated from each other in the range within the processing capacity of the folding device  31 . In a case where the predetermined transport interval cannot be maintained, the bagged culture medium block  14  is brought into contact with the contact plate  64   a  at the culture medium stop position and stopped. On the other hand, in a case where the predetermined transfer interval can be maintained, the contact plate  64   a  is moved to the culture medium passing position, and the bagged culture medium block  14  is started to move in the transfer direction. The transport direction of the bagged culture medium block  14  that was started to move is changed in the transport direction toward the merging transporting section  63  by the culture medium direction changing section  65  that is similar to that of described above, and the bagged culture medium block  14  passes through the same steps as those of described above and is moved from the second transporting section  61   b  to the merging transporting section  63  to reach the folding device  31 . 
     Therefore, even in a case where a plurality of bagged culture medium blocks  14  are congested on the second transporting section  61   b , each culture medium temporary standby section  64  interlocks the operation of the pair of the contact plates  64   a  of the stopper mechanism and the operation of the pair of the clamping plates  64   b  of the clamping mechanism so that the bagged culture medium block  14  can be alternately transported toward the merging transporting section  63  at a predetermined interval. More specifically, the temporary standby operation of the bagged culture medium block  14  is as follows. 
     (1) When the pair of the contact plates  64   a  of the stopper mechanism is moved to the culture medium stop position and the pair of the clamping plates  64   b  of the culture medium clamping mechanism is moved to the culture medium release position, the leading first bagged culture medium block  14  comes into contact with the upstream side of the pair of the contact plates  64   a , and following this leading first leading bagged culture medium block  14 , the second and third culture medium blocks  14  are arranged at the clamping position of the pair of the clamping plates  64   b  of the culture medium clamping mechanism. Further, in the upstream thereof, the subsequent bagged culture medium blocks  14  in contact with each other is stopped.
 
(2) From this state, when the pair of the clamping plates  64   b  of the culture medium clamping mechanism is moved to the culture medium clamping position, the second and third culture medium blocks  14  are clamped by the clamping plates  64   b , and the movements thereof are stopped.
 
(3) At the timing of moving the bagged culture medium block  14  from the second transporting section  61   b  to the merging transporting section  63 , the pair of the contact plates  64   a  of the stopper mechanism is moved to the culture medium passing position. Then, only the first bagged culture medium block  14  passes through the pair of the contact plates  64   a  and is moved from the second transporting section  61   b  to the merging transporting section  63 . Here, since the second and subsequent bagged culture medium blocks  14  are clamped by the clamping plates  64   b  and the movements thereof are stopped, they are not transported together.
 
(4) When the pair of the contact plates  64   a  of the stopper mechanism is moved to the culture medium stop position and the pair of the clamping plates  64   b  of the culture medium clamping mechanism is moved to the culture medium release position, the state of above (1) is restored. Then, these operations are repeated.
 
     Here, a case where three or more bagged culture medium blocks  14  are congested in the second transporting section  61   b  is described, but even in a case where only two bagged culture medium blocks  14  are congested, it is similarly possible to alternately transfer the bagged culture medium blocks  14  to the merging transporting section  63  one by one. Further, since each culture medium temporary standby section  64  is provided with a sensor for detecting the bagged culture medium block  14 , in a case where the bagged culture medium block  14  is supplied only from one of the second transporting sections  61   b , or in a case where the bagged culture medium block  14  is congested only in one of the second transporting sections  61   b , the bagged culture medium blocks  14  are appropriately sent out from the second transporting section  61   b  to the merging transporting section  63  one by one at predetermined intervals. 
     When the bagged culture medium block  14  is moved from the second transporting section  61   b  to the merging transporting section  63 , due to the above-described culture medium direction changing section  65  and the two steps, the extent of the direction change of the bagged culture medium block  14  is stabilized, and the bagged culture medium block  14  is transported toward the folding device  31  in a uniform posture. 
     The folding device  31  is designed to stably fold the bag mouth of the filling medium block  14 , but the folding device  31  is assumed to be stopped emergently in a case where stable folding is not possible due to some factor, or from the viewpoint of safe operation. In this case, the transport of the bagged culture medium block  14  is stopped by the stopper mechanism on the second transporting section  61   b , and the transport of the bagged culture medium block  14  to the merging transporting section  63  is stopped. In this case, since the operations of the filling machines  80 A and  80 B are not suddenly stopped, the plurality of bagged culture medium blocks  14  may be in a densely congested state due to the stopper mechanism on the second transporting section  61   b . Even in such a congested state, when the operation of the folding device  31  is resumed, it is possible to alternately transport the bagged culture medium blocks  14  from the filling machines  80 A and  80 B to the merging transporting section  63  at predetermined intervals by interlocking and controlling the stopper mechanism and the culture medium clamping mechanism on each second transporting section  61   b.    
     Even in the case of the congestion in which a plurality of the bagged culture medium blocks  14  are lined up on the second transporting section  61   b , the culture medium temporary standby section  64  performs the temporarily standby operation for the bagged culture medium block  14  on each second transporting section  61   b . Therefore, the culture medium temporary standby section  64  provided on each second transporting section  61   b  allows the bagged culture medium blocks  14  transported from the filling machines  80 A and  80 B to be alternately transferred to the merging transporting section  63  at predetermined intervals. In the culture medium temporary standby section  64 , since one or two subsequent bagged culture medium blocks  14  are clamped by the pair of the clamping plates  64   b  of the culture medium clamping mechanism and held at that position, in a case where the pair of the contact plates  64   a  of the stopper mechanisms is moved to the culture medium passing position, only the leading first bagged culture medium block  14  can be moved from the second transporting section  61   b  to the merging transporting section  63 . In a case where the bagged culture medium block  14  is transported from the upstream side with respect to the bagged culture medium block  14  clamped by the pair of the clamping plates  64   b , these subsequent bagged culture medium blocks  14  comes into contact with the bagged culture medium blocks  14  that is clamped by the pair of the clamping plates  64   b  and is stopped. 
     When one bagged culture medium block  14  passes through the pair of the contact plates  64   a , as described above, the pair of the contact plates  64   a  of the stopper mechanism are moved to the culture medium stop position again, and the pair of the clamping plates  64   b  of the culture medium clamping mechanisms are moved to the culture medium release position, and the series of temporary standby operations described above are repeated. 
     According to the transporting means  60  of the embodiment 12, there are provided the two pre-merging transporting sections  61  to which each of the bagged culture medium blocks  14  sent out from the two filling machines  80 A and  80 B is transported, the merging transporting sections  63  at which each of the bagged culture medium blocks  14  transported from the two pre-merging transporting sections  61  merges and from which the bagged culture medium blocks  14  are transported to the folding device  31 , and the culture medium temporary standby sections  64  at which one or more bagged medium blocks  14  on the two pre-merging transporting sections  61  temporarily stand by at predetermined positions and at which the bagged culture medium blocks  14  are moved one by one from the pre-merging transporting sections  61  to the merging transporting section  63 . Thus, the bagged culture medium blocks  14  are moved from the two pre-merging transporting sections  61  to the merging transporting section  63  at timings at which a predetermined transport interval is maintained. Therefore, even if congestion occurs on the two pre-merging transporting sections  61 , since the bagged culture medium blocks  14  can be sent out from each pre-merging transporting section  61  to the merging transporting section  63  one by one, the bagged culture medium blocks  14  can be smoothly transported between the two filling machines  80 A and  80 B and the folding device  31 , and as a result, the productivity can be improved. 
     The transporting means  60  according to the embodiment 12 exemplifies the transport of the bagged culture medium block  14  from the two filling machines  80 A and  80 B to the folding device  31 , but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the bagged culture medium block  14  may be transported from three or more filling machines to the folding device  31 . That is, the transporting means  60  may have three or more pre-merging transporting sections  61  connected to the merging transporting section  63 . 
     Further, the transporting means  60  according to the embodiment 12 takes out each of a plurality of bagged culture medium blocks  14  at the predetermined interval by providing a clamping mechanism on the upstream side of the stopper mechanism, but instead of the configuration in which the clamping mechanism is provided on the upstream side of the stopper mechanism, for example, a configuration in which conveyors having different transfer speeds are combined may be adopted. For example, a switching point for conveyors having different transport speeds may be provided on the downstream side of a predetermined distance from the stopper mechanism, the conveyor on the upstream side of the switching point may be a conveyor having a slow transport speed, and the conveyor on the downstream side of the switching point may be a conveyor having a faster transfer speed than the conveyer having the slow transport speed. In a case where conveyors with different transport speeds are used in this way, if the stopper mechanism is opened when congestion occurs, a plurality of congested bagged culture medium blocks  14  are in line in contact with each other on the conveyor having the slow transport speed, but when the bagged culture medium block  14  is transferred to the conveyor having the faster transport speed, the bagged culture medium block  14  transferred to the conveyor having the faster transport speed has a faster transport speed than the subsequent bagged culture medium block  14  on the conveyor having the slow transport speed, so that the distance between the bagged culture medium blocks  14  are increased. Therefore, a predetermined interval can be provided between the plurality of congesting bagged culture medium blocks  14  because of the difference in the transport speeds of both conveyors. 
     Further, in the present embodiment, in the culture medium direction changing section  65 , the small-diameter guide rollers  65   a  and the large-diameter guide rollers  65   b  are fixed, but the present embodiment is not limited to this configuration. Various configuration in which each roller is rotatably fixed with a rotary support shaft, the third or more guide rollers are arranged in addition to the small-diameter guide rollers  65   a  and large-diameter guide rollers  65   b , guide rollers are arranged at one position, or the like, may be adopted. 
     The folding device and the containerization device provided with the folding device according to the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, but each embodiment described herein is only for exemplifying a folding device and a containerization device provided with the folding device in order to embody the technical concept of the present invention. Thus, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention can be equally applied to other embodiments, such as those in which appropriate additions or modifications are made to each embodiment, or combinations of each embodiment. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
           11 ,  11 F: bag body 
           11   a ,  11 Fa: bottom surface 
           11   b ,  11   c : wide side surface 
           11   d ,  11   e : narrow side surface 
           11 Fb: side surface 
           11   f ,  11 Ff: bag mouth 
           11   g ,  11 Fg: filled portion 
           11   h ,  11 Fh: unfilled portion 
           11   i : neck portion 
           12 : culture medium 
           14 ,  14 F: bagged culture medium block 
           14   a : protruding portion 
           15 : container 
           15   a : bottom portion 
           15   b : gap 
           21 : block forming device 
           31 ,  31 B,  31 F,  31 G: folding device 
           32 : opening mechanism 
           32   a : blower 
           33 : first feeding means 
           33   a : feeding member 
           34 ,  34 G: folding means 
           35 : supporting mechanism 
           35   a : supporting member 
           35   b : beam member 
           36 ,  36 A: pushing mechanism 
           36   a : pushing member 
           36 Aa: blower 
           37 ,  37 A,  37 G: pressing mechanism 
           37   a : pressing member 
           37 Aa: blower 
           37 Ga: downstream side pressing member 
           37 Gb: downstream side rotation means 
           37 Gc: upstream side pressing member 
           37 Gd: upstream side rotation means 
           38 ,  38 ′: tilting mechanism 
           38   a : blower 
           38   a ′: tilting member 
           39 : opening assist member 
           40 : second feeding means 
           40   a : feeding member 
           41 ,  41 F,  41 H: folding-in means 
           41   a ,  41 Fa,  41 Ha: folding-in member 
           41   b  ( 41   b   1 ,  41   b   2 ,  41   b   3 ),  41 Hb ( 41 Hb 1 ,  41 Hb 2 ,  41 Hb 3 ): side wall 
           41   c ,  41 Hc: folding-in side wall 
           41 Fc: plate body 
           41   d ,  41 Fd: bottom portion 
           41 He: movable claw member 
           42 ,  42 H,  42 I: container carrying device 
           46 ,  46 F,  46 H,  46 I: containerization device 
           47 : rotating mechanism 
           48 : rod-shaped body 
           51 : elevating mechanism 
           54 : regulating member 
           56 ,  56 H: underlay member 
           56 Ha: notch portion 
           58 : opening 
           60 ,  60 B,  60 G: transporting means 
           62 : other opening means 
           61 : pre-merging transporting section 
           61   a : first transporting section 
           61   b : second transporting section 
           63 : merging transporting section 
           64 : culture medium temporary standby section 
           64   a : contact plate 
           64   b : clamping plate 
           65 : culture medium direction changing section 
           65   a : small-diameter guide roller 
           65   b : large-diameter guide roller 
           70 F: alignment section 
           72 F: alignment member 
           74 F: separating means 
           80 ,  80 A,  80 B: filling machine 
           81 ,  81 A,  81 B,  81 C,  81 D,  81 E: conveyor 
           82 : container supply section 
           83 : shelf insertion device 
           83   a : elevating device 
           83   b : transfer device 
           83   c : fixed conveyor 
           83   d : movable conveyor 
           83   e : conveyor moving means 
           83   f : sterilization trolley moving means 
           84 : container storage area 
           85 : sterilization trolley 
           85   c : shelf insertion position 
           85   d : carry-out position 
           86 : shelf insertion device 
           86   a : elevating device 
           86   b : transfer device 
           86   b   1 : fixed claw 
           86   b   2 : movable claw 
           86   c : fixed conveyor 
           86   d : elevating conveyor 
           86   e : position sensor 
           86   f : sterilization trolley moving means 
           91 : culture medium clamping means 
           91   a : clamping main body 
           91   b : culture medium longitudinal side clamping plate 
           91   c : culture medium short side clamping plate 
           91   d : clamping plate driving portion 
           92 : culture medium feeding means 
           92   a : sending-out extending plate portion 
           92   b : protruding plate portion 
           92   c : culture medium receiving portion 
           93 : elevating means 
           93   a : arm portion 
           94 : container transfer mechanism