PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stably transport empty boxes to an empty box holding part after taking a pot seedling from the box and arrange the boxes in separated and ordered state.SOLUTION: The seedling transplanter is provided with an empty box holding apparatus to continuously transport an empty box N through an empty box transportation path 8 after pushing the seedling out of a seedling box N with a seedling pushing apparatus 6 and hold the empty box N in an empty box holding part 9. Feed gears 20 having protruded claws engaging with holes Nb of a seedling box to transport the box are arranged along the transporting direction interposing prescribed spaces a feed gear positioned at the upstream side of the empty-box transportation path of the seedling pushing apparatus side is rotated with a driving means the other feed gears are passively rotated via the adjacent upstream-side feed gear and a link 38, and the rotational angle of the final feed gear at the most downstream-side of the empty-box holder side is made to be larger than those of the other feed gears to form a gap between a seedling box transported and dropped to the empty box holding part with the final feed gear and the following seedling box.COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT【課題】ポット苗が取り出された空箱を空箱収容部に安定して搬送すると共に、1枚づつ分離して整然と収容する。【解決手段】苗箱Nより苗押出装置6で苗が押し出された後の空箱Nを、連続的に空箱搬送路8で搬送して空箱収容部9に収容する空箱収容装置を備えた苗移植機であって、空箱搬送路に、苗箱に設けられている孔部Nbに係入して搬送する爪を突設した送り歯車20を搬送方向に沿って所要間隔をあけて配置し、苗押出装置側の空箱搬送路の上流に配置した送り歯車は駆動手段で回転駆動させると共に、他の送り歯車は隣接する上流側の送り歯車とリンク38を介して従動回転させ、かつ、空箱収容部側の最下流の最終送り歯車は他の送り歯車の回転角度よりも大として、該最終送り歯車で空箱収容部へ搬送して落とし込む苗箱と、後続の苗箱との間に隙間があけられる構成としている。【選択図】図1
