The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 19, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 23, 1996
Floyd E Bouldin, McMinnville, TN (US);
Stephen F Springston, McMinnville, TN (US);
Bouldin & Lawson, Inc., McMinnville, TN (US);
Abstract
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.