PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a seedling transplanter capable of digging an enlarged hole to become a bottom, while planting seedling, at predetermined positions to form seedling planting holes.SOLUTION: A seedling transplanter comprises: a seedling planting device U mounted on a mobile machine body T and having a seedling planting tool U1 caused by the rotations of a planting drive shaft 30 to move periodically up and down and to protrude into a ridge R thereby to implant seedling N while forming seedling planting holes W1 and a seedling feeder K arranged above the seedling planting device U for feeding the seedling N to the seedling planting tool U1 at an elevated position. Further comprised is an enlarged hole digging mechanism 130 for forming enlarged holes W2 shallower and larger than the seedling planting holes W1, in front of the seedling planting tool U1 of the seedling planting device U, from this side to the front of the formation scheduled positions of the seedling planting holes W1. The enlarged hole digging mechanism 130 is equipped with a spade member 131 made movable up and down in association with the vertical movements of the seedling planting tool U1, thereby to form a cup-shaped enlarged holes W2 having bottoms at the positions which are scheduled to form the seedling planting holes W1.COPYRIGHT: (C)2014,JPO&INPIT【課題】 苗の植え付けをしながら、苗植付用穴の形成予定位置で底になる拡大穴を掘ることができるようにする。【解決手段】 移動機体Tに設けられていて植付駆動軸30の回動により周期的に上下動して畝Rに突入して苗植付用穴W1を形成しながら苗Nを植え付ける苗植付具U1を有する苗植付装置Uと、この苗植付装置Uの上方に配置されていて上昇位置の苗植付具U1へ苗Nを供給する苗供給装置Kとを備え、苗植付装置Uの苗植付具U1の前方に苗植付用穴W1の形成予定位置の手前から前方まで苗植付用穴W1より浅くかつ大きい拡大穴W2を形成する拡大穴掘り機構130を設けている。前記拡大穴掘り機構130は、苗植付具U1の上下動と連動して上下動することにより苗植付用穴W1の形成予定位置で底になる椀形状の拡大穴W2を形成する鍬部材131を有する。【選択図】図6
