| 摘要 |
<p>An apparatus (10) for continuously filling and preparing pots (23) for receiving plants including an endless conveyor chain (18) supporting a plurality of pot receiver elements (20) and for continuously carrying pots (23) from a pot loading station (27) through a filling station (28) for filling the pots (23) with potting soil (36), and through a pot drilling station (29) for drilling holes in the soil (36) for receiving plants and a pot ejector station (30). The pots (23) are loaded, filled, drilled, and ejected while the pots (23) move continuously through the various stations. The pot drilling mechanism (42) includes a rotary turret (43) supporting a plurality of circumferentially spaced rotating drills (50) which are adapted to reciprocate vertically as they revolve about the rotary axis of the turret (43), so that each drill (50) will be lowered into a pot (23) for drilling a hole in the soil (36) while moving at the same speed and direction as the pot (23). Rotary pot loading (33) and ejecting (73) mechanisms are incorporated to move in synchronism with the conveyor chain (18) for loading the pots (23) individually upon the apparatus (10) and for individually ejecting the pots (23) after they are filled and drilled.</p> |
