PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that seedling boxes fed to a seedling box feeding apparatus and vertically stacked are fitted to each other and prevented from falling down.SOLUTION: In an automatic seedling box feeding apparatus, a seedling box feeding apparatus 10 is provided which is mounted above the starting end of a seedling box conveyance device 1 having conveyance means 2 for conveying seedling boxes A, and with which is equipped a catch-and-feed part 20 for feeding the seedling boxes one by one. The catch-and-feed part 20 feeds empty seedling boxes one by one to the conveyance device 1 from a group of empty seedling boxes A, the group including empty seedling boxes received and stacked in plural stages in a receiving space 63 which is formed above an upper frame 11. In the catch-and-feed part 20, a pair of front and rear spiral bodies 21 each having a spiral blade 23 for catching and lowering the group of seedling boxes A are provided on both right and left sides in a conveyance direction of the seedling box A on the seeding box conveyance device 1 in the upper frame 11. The upper frame 11 comprises a forced fall unit 70 including an engagement body 74, which forcibly brings, by engaging a side rib 9 of a seedling box A down a lower seedling box A fitted to an upper seedling box A and prevented from falling down, among the vertically stacked seedling boxes.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1COPYRIGHT: (C)2017,JPO&INPIT【課題】育苗箱供給装置に供給した上下に重ねた育苗箱が嵌って落下しないという課題がある。【解決手段】育苗箱Aを移送する移送手段2を有する育苗箱移送装置1の始端部上方位置に設置する、育苗箱Aを1枚ずつ供給する受止供給部20を設けた育苗箱供給装置10において、上部フレーム11の上方に形成した収容空間63に収容した空の複数段積みした育苗箱A群を、移送装置1に一枚ずつ供給する前記受止供給部20を設け、該受止供給部20は、前記段積み育苗箱A群を受け止めて下降させる螺旋翼23を有する螺旋体21を、前記上部フレーム11に前記育苗箱移送装置1の育苗箱Aの移送方向の左右両側に前後一対設けて構成し、前記上部フレーム11には、育苗箱Aの側リブ9に係合して、上下に重なった育苗箱Aのうち、上の育苗箱Aに嵌って落下しない下の育苗箱Aを強制的に落下させる係合体74を有する強制落下部70を設けた育苗箱自動供給装置。【選択図】図1
