Planting finger assembly

Abstract

A planting finger assembly having paired planting fingers is disclosed for use with a planter of the type wherein plants are removed from a nursery tray, preferably by the stem, and transported to a secondary growing location preferably in a field for harvest. Each planting finger assembly has a pair of planting finger shafts mounted in parallel. The finger shafts each terminate in radially extending wedged shaped gripping fingers for holding and releasing the plant. The two fingers on each plant finger assembly rotate on the finger shafts towards and away from one another responsive to oppositely disposed spiral cams and a joined pair of cam followers. Opposite rotation of the fingers moves the fingers from an opened position for receiving or discharging a plant to a closed position for gripping and transporting the plant. When paired finger assemblies are disposed in side-by-side relation and the respective planting fingers of each assembly are opened, the wedge shaped fingers of adjacent assemblies form separating wedges for the plants. Typically, the separating wedges separate the foliage of plants in adjacent cells and direct them into the receiving pockets formed by the open gripping fingers on each finger assembly. Thereafter, when the fingers are closed, adjacent fingers on each finger assembly grab only the immediately intended plant and do not entangle the foliage of adjacent plants.