Mechanical seedling transplanter

摘要

A mechanical transplanter device for transplanting seedlings along a path includes a frame, a furrow opening shoe mounted on the frame and engaging the ground for opening a furrow in the ground, and seedling delivery means including a reciprocating stabilizing arm mounted on the frame. The transplanter of the present invention delivers seedlings to the furrow at specific predetermined distance intervals input by the operator into the electronic control system, which utilizes a variable speed electric drive motor that isolates the speed or frequency of the transplanter from variations in ground speed or engine speed of the tractor towing the transplanter along the ground. The control system includes a sensing wheel for generating a distance signal as a function of the distance travelled by the transplanter along the path, and the control unit automatically adjusts the speed of the drive motor as a function of that distance, so that the seedlings are always planted at the desired distance interval regardless of the speed of the tractor.