Apparatus for relocating arranged plants
First Claim
1. An apparatus for relocating plants arranged in a predetermined order which are gripped one by one at a pick-up location and relocated to an unload station, said apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
a continuous transport element coupled to said frame, said transport element being guided along direction changing guiding elements, each of said direction changing guiding elements being rotatable about a corresponding first rotating shaft;
at least one carrier element coupled to said transport element;
a gripper coupled to each carrier element, each of said grippers being rotatably suspended via a second rotating shaft extending through its corresponding carrier element, said second rotating shafts being essentially parallel to said first rotating shafts, wherein each of said grippers includes two spreadable grip-fingers which grip a plant including the rootball at the pick-up location and releases it at the unload station;
a gripper bearing disposed between each carrier element and said corresponding second rotating shaft; and
whereby said gripper bearing is moved in a growing direction of the plants over a range substantially equal to a pick-up height of the plants;
wherein each of said direction changing guiding elements is circular and has a radius and one of said direction changing guiding elements is located at the pick-up station, and the distance between each of said gripper bearings and said corresponding first rotating shaft is less than the radii of the direction changing guiding element located at the pick-up station, and wherein a portion of said transport element leading away from the pick-up station is substantially parallel to the growing direction of the plants.
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Accused Products
Abstract
To relocate cutlings (22) contained in plant boxes (20), an endless transport element (2) with grippers (9) is used, which grip on a pick-up position (23) the plants (22) at their stems and transport these to an unload position comprising a direction changing wheel (4). To pull out the plants (22) as far as possible in the direction of growing and particularly vertically, every gripper (9) is rotatably journalled on a carrier (8) provided on a transport element (2). The distance between the gripper bearing (17) in the area of the pick-up position (23) and the shaft of the direction changing wheel (4) is substantially smaller than the radius of said direction changing wheel. Hence the plants (22) gripped by the gripper (9) are pulled out in essentially the grind direction thereof.
28 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An apparatus for relocating plants arranged in a predetermined order which are gripped one by one at a pick-up location and relocated to an unload station, said apparatus comprising:
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a frame; a continuous transport element coupled to said frame, said transport element being guided along direction changing guiding elements, each of said direction changing guiding elements being rotatable about a corresponding first rotating shaft; at least one carrier element coupled to said transport element; a gripper coupled to each carrier element, each of said grippers being rotatably suspended via a second rotating shaft extending through its corresponding carrier element, said second rotating shafts being essentially parallel to said first rotating shafts, wherein each of said grippers includes two spreadable grip-fingers which grip a plant including the rootball at the pick-up location and releases it at the unload station; a gripper bearing disposed between each carrier element and said corresponding second rotating shaft; and whereby said gripper bearing is moved in a growing direction of the plants over a range substantially equal to a pick-up height of the plants; wherein each of said direction changing guiding elements is circular and has a radius and one of said direction changing guiding elements is located at the pick-up station, and the distance between each of said gripper bearings and said corresponding first rotating shaft is less than the radii of the direction changing guiding element located at the pick-up station, and wherein a portion of said transport element leading away from the pick-up station is substantially parallel to the growing direction of the plants. - View Dependent Claims (2, 14)
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3. An apparatus for relocating plants arranged in a predetermined order which are gripped one by one at a pick-up location and relocated to an unload station, said apparatus comprising:
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a frame; a continuous transport element coupled to said frame, said transport element being guided along direction changing guiding elements, each of said direction changing guiding elements being rotatable about a corresponding first rotating shaft; at least one carrier element coupled to said transport element; a gripper coupled to each carrier element, each of said grippers being rotatably suspended via a second rotating shaft extending through its corresponding carrier element, said second rotating shafts being essentially parallel to said first rotating shafts, wherein each of said grippers includes two spreadable grip-fingers which grip a plant including the rootball at the pick-up location and releases it at the unload station; a gripper bearing disposed between each carrier element and said corresponding second rotating shaft; and whereby said gripper bearing is moved in a growing direction of the plants over a range substantially equal to a pick-up height of the plants; wherein said direction changing guiding elements are wheels, and wherein said transport element includes a pair of transport chains guided parallel to each other by said wheels, and wherein a plurality of said carriers are coupled to said chains; wherein each said gripper includes a grip-finger bearing coupled to said grip-fingers and extending parallel to said transport element, a clamping element disposed at a distal end of each of said grip-fingers, a spreading portion disposed at an opposite end of each of said grip-fingers, and a spring extending between said grip-fingers which biases said pair of clamping elements normally closed; and wherein each said gripper further includes a guide bracket in which said grip-finger bearing and said corresponding second rotating shaft are journalled.
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4. An apparatus for relocating plants arranged in a predetermined order which are gripped one by one at a pick-up location and relocated to an unload station, said apparatus comprising:
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a frame; a continuous transport element coupled to said frame, said transport element being guided along direction changing guiding elements, each of said direction changing guiding elements being rotatable about a corresponding first rotating shaft; at least one carrier element coupled to said transport element; a gripper coupled to each carrier element, each of said grippers being rotatably suspended via a second rotating shaft extending through its corresponding carrier element, said second rotating shafts being essentially parallel to said first rotating shafts, wherein each of said grippers includes two spreadable grip-fingers which grip a plant including the rootball at the pick-up location and releases it at the unload station; a gripper bearing disposed between each carrier element and said corresponding second rotating shaft; and whereby said gripper bearing is moved in a growing direction of the plants over a range substantially equal to the pick-up height of the plants; wherein a portion of the transport element immediately adjacent to and leading towards the pick-up station is substantially horizontal and perpendicular to a substantially vertical portion of the transport element immediately adjacent to and leading away from the pick-up station. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. An apparatus for relocating plants arranged in a predetermined order which are gripped one by one at a pick-up location and relocated to an unload station, said apparatus comprising:
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a frame; a continuous transport element coupled to said frame, said transport element being guided along direction changing guiding elements, each of said direction changing guiding elements being rotatable about a corresponding first rotating shaft; at least one carrier element coupled to said transport element; a gripper coupled to each carrier element, each of said grippers being rotatably suspended via a second rotating shaft extending through its corresponding carrier element, said second rotating shafts being essentially parallel to said first rotating shafts, wherein each of said grippers includes two spreadable grip-fingers which grip a plant including the rootball at the pick-up location and releases it at the unload station; a gripper bearing disposed between each carrier element and said corresponding second rotating shaft; and whereby said gripper bearing is moved in a growing direction of the plants over a range substantially equal to a pick-up height of the plants; wherein a plurality of said carrier elements are disposed on said transport element, and wherein the plants are contained within movable plant boxes in cavities arranged in a plurality of longitudinal and transverse rows, and wherein said frame of said transport element is pivotable about a pivot axis so as to present each of said grippers successively to a filled cavity. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification