Automatic coop loader
OwnerAlfred Napierinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Multiple fence units span a chicken house or the like and herd the animals toward a series of coops provided in a trench extending transversely across the house for selective introduction of the animals into the coops by means of overlying weight responsive traps. The coops are loaded into, supported within and discharged from the trench by underlying conveyor means. The traps are selectively lockable against movement to provide a trench overlying continuation of the floor. Each coop includes an automatic closure operable in conjunction with discharge of the coop from the trench.
Claims13
For use in an animal enclosure, an automatic loading system, said system comprising trap means located at a point within the enclosure, fence means located remote from said trap means and also within said enclosure, and power means engaged with said fence means for selective movement of the fence along a path of travel toward said trap means for a herding of animals into said trap means, said fence means comprising multiple parallel fences spaced laterally from each other along the path of travel, said spaced parallel fences providing separate herding areas, said power means effecting a simultaneous movement of all of said fences, said trap means comprising a series of individual traps aligned transversely across the path of travel of the fence means, each trap being operative to receive and confine an approximate predetermined number of animals, said trap means further including a coop associated with each trap with the trap defining a closure for the associated coop.
For use in an animal enclosure, an automatic loading system, said system comprising trap means located at a point within the enclosure, fence means located remote from said trap means and also within said enclosure, and power means engaged with said fence means for selective movement of the fence means along a path of travel toward said trap means for a herding of animals into said trap means, said trap means comprising a series of individual traps aligned transversely across the path of travel of the fence means each trap being operative to receive and confine an approximate predetermined number of animals, said trap means further including a coop associated with each trap with the trap defining a closure for the associated coop.
For use in an animal enclosure, an animal loading system, said system comprising trap means located at a point within the enclosure, fence means located remote from said trap means and also within said enclosure, means engageable with said fence means for selective movement of the fence means along a path of travel toward said trap means for a herding of animals into said trap means, said trap means including a trench transversely across and below the path of travel of the fence means, at least one trap panel overlying and enclosing the top of the trench, and means for enabling a selective downward opening of said trap panel into the trench upon movement of a predetermined animal load thereon, and a coop underlying said trap panel for the reception of the animal load therein, means for moving said coop away from said trap panel subsequent to reception of an animal load therein, and closure means on said coop automatically responsive to movement of the coop for a closing thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.