A squeeze apparatus for a worker to restrain a large animal for treating and weighing, comprising:
- (a) a chute including:
- (1) a base having an entrance end, an exit end, and a floor;
- (2) a superstructure rigidly secured to said base;
- and
- (3) opposing sidewalls, each having:
- (A) a frame adapted to be spaced above said floor such that the worker is protected from sidewise kicking by said animal as the animal is positioned in the chute and such that cleaning of said apparatus is facilitated;
- (B) a pair of opposing stub axles such that said sidewall is pivotable about a generally horizontal axis situated near lower extremities thereof;
- (c) a lower panel connected to said frame such that it is pivotable about a generally horizontal axis situated near lower extremities thereof;
- said lower panel adapted to provide access to lower extremities of the animal positioned in said chute;
- said lower panel having a substantially planar inner surface;
- (D) an upper panel connected to said frame such that it is pivotable about a generally horizontal axis situated near lower extremities thereof;
- said upper panel adapted to provide access to upper extremities of the animal positioned in the chute;
- said upper panel comprising a plurality of sections spaced side-by-side, with each section having a plurality of generally vertically oriented bars which are sufficiently spaced apart for the worker to reach therebetween;
- and
- (E) a plurality of latches adapted to latch said lower panel in a closed configuration and to latch each of said upper panel sections in a closed configuration;
- (b) a pair of fixing levers for each said sidewall;
- each of said pair of fixing levers having a plurality of cooperating notches adapted to encircle said stub axles of respective said sidewall;
- each of said pair of fixing levers pivotally connected to said superstructure such that said notches selectively provide a plurality of pivoting axes for respective said sidewall;
- (c) a squeezing mechanism adapted to synchronously pivot said opposing sidewalls inwardly and outwardly about respective said axes;
- said squeezing mechanism comprising:
- (1) a overhead bar generally oriented along the fore-and-aft centerline of said chute;
- (2) first and second elongate flanges rigidly secured to, and extending radially outwardly from, said bar;
- (3) a first pair of links, one pivotally connecting one end of said first elongate flange to an upper extremity of one of said sidewalls and the other pivotally connecting the other end of said first elongate flange to an upper extremity of the other one of said sidewalls;
- (4) a second pair of links similarly connecting said second elongate flange to said sidewalls;
- (5) a control flange rigidly secured to, and extending radially outwardly from, said bar;
- and
- (6) a hydraulically driven piston pivotally connected to said control flange and said superstructure;
- (d) a neck clamping mechanism adapted to selectively clamp opposing sides of the neck of the animal positioned in said chute such that the animal cannot move backwardly in said chute;
- said neck clamping mechanism comprising:
- (1) a pair of opposing neck clamp side portions situated at said exit end of said chute;
- (2) a plurality of first noise reducing mountings adapted to mount said neck clamp side portions to said superstructure such that said neck clamp side portions are pivotable about respective, generally vertical axes and such that the neck of the animal positioned is said chute can extend between said neck clamp side portions as said neck clamp side portions are in a closed configuration;
- and
- (3) a neck clamp controlling mechanism for synchronously opening and closing said neck clamp side portions;
- said neck clamp controlling mechanism comprising:
- (A) an overhead first cross arm pivotally connected to each of said neck clamp side portions;
- and
- (B) a hydraulically driven first piston pivotally connected to one of said neck clamp side portions and said superstructure;
- (e) an entrance gate mechanism adapted to selectively prevent the animal positioned in said chute front backing out of said chute;
- said entrance gate mechanism comprising:
- (1) a pair of opposing entrance gate side portions situated at said entrance end of said chute;
- (2) a plurality of second noise reducing mountings adapted to mount said entrance gate side portions to said superstructure such that said entrance gate side portions are pivotable about respective, generally vertical axes;
- and
- (3) an entrance gate controlling mechanism for synchronously opening and closing said entrance gate side portions;
- said entrance gate controlling mechanism comprising:
- (A) an overhead second cross arm pivotally connected to each of said entrance gate side portions;
- and
- (B) a hydraulically driven second piston pivotally connected to one of said entrance gate side portions and said superstructure;
- (f) a substructure;
- (g) an electronic scale adapted to weigh the animal positioned in said chute;
- said scale having a plurality of transducers sandwiched between said base and said substructure;
- and
- (h) a plurality of support spacers adapted to substantially remove the weight of said base and components supported thereby from said transducers as said apparatus is being transported and to allow the weight of said base and components supported thereby to bear against said transducers as the animal positioned in said chute is being weighed.