APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PLANTING TREES
A method and system for planting seedlings including a seedling handling system, a seedling chute system and a planting head. The method includes retrieving a row of seedlings and then delivering the row of seedlings to the planting head for individual planting of the seedlings.
1 . An apparatus for planting seedlings comprising:
a planting head for planting the seedlings;
a seedling handling system; and
a seedling chute system;
wherein seedlings are transferred from the seedling handling system to the planting head, via the seedling chute system, for automated individual planting of the seedlings by the planting head.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a frame portion for mounting the planting head to a vehicle, the frame portion including a mounting apparatus and a set of supports, each of the set of supports connected at one end to the mounting apparatus and at an opposite end to the planting head.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the set of supports are connected via spherical bushings to the mounting apparatus.
4 . The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the set of supports are connected to the planting head via spherical bushings.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the planting head comprises:
a bladed pocket including a set of retractable blades and a body;
wherein when the bladed pocket is in a closed position, the set of retractable blades and the body form a substantially continuous perimeter to hold a seedling and when the bladed pocket is in an open position, the set of retractable blades and the body retract relative to each allow allowing the seedling to pass through the bladed pocket.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the planting head further comprises at least one tamper portion.
7 . The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the planting head further comprises a set of pumps for controlling the retractable blades.
8 . The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the planting head further comprises a set of pumps for controlling the at least one tamper portion.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the set of pumps are pneumatic or hydraulic pumps.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the seedling handling system comprises:
a set of chambers for receiving a set of seedling trays, wherein the set of seedling trays house a set of seedlings arranged in individual rows within each seedling tray.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein adjacent rows within each seedling tray are offset with respect to each other.
12 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the set of chambers are controlled by a control system to position a new seedling tray in a loading position once a previous seedling tray is emptied.
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the seedling chute system comprises a loader wherein the loader includes:
a robotic arm;
a set of gripping mechanisms attached to the robotic arm; and
a sliding mechanism allowing the loader to move with respect to the seedling handling system to retrieve the row of seedlings.
14 . The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the gripping mechanisms comprise:
a pair of finger portions; and
an apparatus for moving the pair of finger portions towards and away from each other.
15 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a ripping blade.
16 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one soil fracturing disc.
17 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a set of fertilizer blades.
18 . The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a ripping blade where the set of fertilizer blades is integrated with the ripping blade.
19 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a water delivery system.
20 . A method of planting seedlings comprising:
retrieving a row of seedlings for planting;
delivering one of the seedlings from the row of seedlings to a planting head;
planting the seedling;
determining if there are any more seedlings from the row of seedlings for planting; and
delivering a next seedling for planting if there are more seedlings or retrieving a new row of seedlings for planting if there are no more seedlings.