Bouldin & Lawson, Inc.

Stephen F Springston

Floyd E Bouldin

E Lloyd Bouldin

An apparatus and method for transplanting seedling from a first tray to a second tray. The apparatus includes a frame, a moveable carriage connected to the frame, and a conveyor system. In the preferred embodiment, a first conveyor is used to shuttle seedlings into the operative reaches of the apparatus and a second conveyor shuttles the transplanted seedlings out of the operative reaches of the apparatus. The carriage includes a gripper assembly comprised of a plurality of grippers slidably mounted to a guide rod system or track. A positioning mechanism is employed to move the carriage and associated gripper assembly. The grippers includes an upright support and a pair of pivotally connected spaced apart gripper fingers. The gripper fingers are separated by a separating member and can be easily detached from the carriage by a disconnect mechanism. The method of the present invention is directed to a method of lateral grasping of a seedling elevated above a first tray and transplanting it into the soil of a second tray without the need of pre-dibbling the soil of the second tray.

Seedling transplanter with easily detachable gripper

An apparatus for transplanting seedling from a first ray to a second tray. The apparatus includes a frame, a moveable gantry connected to the frame, and a conveyor system. In the preferred embodiment, a first conveyor is used to shuttle seedlings into the operative reaches of the apparatus and a second conveyor shuttles the transplanted seedlings out of the operative reaches of the apparatus. The gantry includes a gripper assembly comprised of a plurality of grippers slidably mounted to a track. A positioning mechanism is employed to move the gantry and associated gripper assembly. The grippers includes an upright support and a pair of pivotally connected spaced apart gripper fingers. The gripper fingers are separated by a plunger mechanism preferably having a beveled surface for ease of insertion between the gripper fingers.

Growing community of inventors

McMinnville, TN, United States of America

Stephen F Springston