US 4,495,897 AGranted

Cattle stanchion apparatus

OwnerTeo Albers, Sr.inventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Cattle stanchion apparatus in which a plurality of fixed and release stanchions define a row of head openings for animals, the release stanchions tending to pivot to open positions. Double latches at the upper extremities of the release stanchions are engageable by couplers carried by a rotatable and axially movable positioner. An operating mechanism is actuable to axially move the positioner and engage the latches of the release stanchions to move them in unison, and an associated rotating mechanism is actuable to rotate the positioner and thereby move the couplers into and out of possible engagement with the latches. The arrangement gives the operator the capability of moving all of the release stanchions to closed positions to lock the animals in the feeding stalls, or allowing the animals individually to actuate the system to lock themselves in, or allowing the animals to enter and leave the stalls as they wish. The latches are manually manipulatable to quickly and safely release downed cattle from individual feeding stalls.

Claims16

Dependent claims

In cattle stanchion apparatus including a fixed stanchion;

a release stanchion located adjacent and spaced from said fixed stanchion to define a head opening for an animal;
mounting means mounting said release stanchion for pivotal movement between an open position in which the upper part of said head opening is enlarged to enable an animal to place its head through said head opening, and a closed position in which said upper part of said opening is narrowed to hold the animal's head in said opening, said release stanchion being supported and arranged to fall into said open position;
coupler mounting means, including fixed structure and a generally horizontally extending positioner longitudinally movable between extended and retracted positions, and pivotable about a longitudinal axis;
rotating means operative to rotate said positioner about said longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position;
and operator means operative to move said positioner between said extended and retracted positions, the improvement comprising:
coupler means including a first coupler portion mounted to said positioner and a second coupler portion mounted to said coupler mounting means in longitudinally spaced apart relation;
and
a pair of latches mounted to the upper extremity of said release stanchion and adapted for location between said first and second coupler portions, said pair of latches being engageable by both said first and second coupler portions in said first position of said positioner whereby longitudinal movement of said positioner between said retracted and extended positions moves said release stanchion between said closed and open positions, said pair of latches being out of engagement with said first coupler portion in said second position of said positioner whereby said release stanchion is freely movable between said open and closed positions, at least one of said latches being manually actuable to clear said second coupler portion and thereby enable pivotal movement of said release stanchion in a direction oppositely of said open position and past said closed position to a downed animal release position wherein the lower extremity of said release stanchion is spaced farther from said fixed stanchion to define a wider space at the bottom of said head opening.

5 more elements

In cattle stanchion apparatus including fixed and release stanchions laterally spaced apart to define a head opening for an animal;

a horizontally extending top rail above said release stanchion;
mounting means mounting said release stanchion for pivotal movement between an open position in which the upper part of said head opening is enlarged to enable an animal to place its head through said opening, and a closed position in which said upper part of said head opening is narrowed to hold the animal's head in said opening;
a generally horizontally extending positioner adjacent and parallel to said top rail, longitudinally movable between extended and retracted positions, and pivotable about a longitudinal axis;
rotating means operative to rotate said positioner about said longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position;
and operator means operative to move said positioner between said extended and retracted positions, the improvement comprising:
a first coupler carried by said positioner and projecting outwardly thereof;
an elongated latch having an inner extremity pivotally mounted to the upper extremity of said release stanchion, the outer extremity of said latch being slidable along said positioner in one direction to enable movement of said release stanchion from said closed position to said open position, said outer extremity of said latch being slidable along said positioner in the opposite direction for engagement with said first coupler in said first position to stop movement of said release stanchion in a direction away from said open position and past said closed position to a downed cattle release position wherein the lower extremity of said release stanchion is spaced farther from said fixed stanchion to define a wider space at the bottom of said head opening, said latch being manually actuable to disengage said first coupler.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.