Livestock cutter gate apparatus

A livestock cutter gate apparatus, comprising:

• an elongated alley including a first end presenting an entrance and a second end presenting a main exit and a sort exit;
• a first gate positioned in the alley between the main exit and the sort exit, the first gate being shiftable between a sorting position in which the first gate blocks the main exit and opens the sort exit, and a non-sorting position in which the first gate blocks the sort exit and opens the main exit;
• a first air cylinder assembly for shifting the first gate between the sorting and non-sorting positions;
• a pair of saloon gates positioned on opposite sides of the alley from one another at the entrance and being shiftable between a closed position in which the saloon gates block the entrance from incoming livestock and an open position in which the saloon gates open the entrance to incoming livestock;
• a second air cylinder assembly for shifting the saloon gates between the closed and open positions;
• a sensor means for identifying livestock entering the alley and providing a signal indicative of the presence in the alley of an animal that is to be sorted;
• a control means responsive to the sensor means for actuating the first and second cylinder assemblies to shift the first gate to the sorting position and the saloon gates to the closed position upon receipt of the signal from the sensor means that an animal to be sorted is in the alley, the control means including a manual actuating means for actuating the first and second cylinder assemblies to shift the first gate between the sorting and non-sorting positions and the saloon gates between the closed and open positions upon receipt of a manual input;
• an indicator means adjacent the manual actuating means for providing a visual indication of the position of the first and second gates, wherein the indicator means senses the air pressure in the first and second cylinder assemblies, and provides a visual indication of the position of the cylinder assemblies;
• an exit gate positioned in the sort exit and being shiftable between a first position in which the gate in disposed in the path of movement of livestock through the sort exit and a second position in which the gate is removed from the path of movement, the exit gate including a biasing means for biasing the exit gate toward the first position, and being movable to the second position by livestock passing through the sort exit;
• and
• a limit switch associated with the exit gate for providing a signal indicative of movement of the exit gate to the second position, the control means actuating the first and second cylinder assemblies in response to the signal from the switch to shift the first gate to the non-sorting position and the saloon gates to the open position.

A livestock cutter gate apparatus comprising:

• an elongated alley including a first end presenting an entrance and a second end presenting a main exit and a sort exit;
• a first gate positioned in the alley between the main exit and the sort exit, the first gate being shiftable between a sorting position in which the first gate blocks the main exit and opens the sort exit, and a non-sorting position in which the first gate blocks the sort exit and opens the main exit, the first gate including a face plate that blocks the view of the main exit by livestock being sorted;
• dampening means for dampening the sound made by the first gate when it is moved to the sorting and non-sorting positions;
• a first air cylinder assembly for shifting the first gate between the sorting and non-sorting positions;
• a pair of saloon gates positioned on opposite sides of the alley from one another at the entrance and being shiftable between a closed position in which the saloon gates block the entrance from incoming livestock and an open position in which the saloon gates open the entrance to incoming livestock;
• a second air cylinder assembly for shifting the saloon gates between the closed and open positions;
• a sensor means for identifying livestock entering the alley and providing a signal indicative of the presence in the alley of an animal that is to be sorted;
• a control means responsive to the sensor means for actuating the first and second cylinder assemblies to shift the first gate to the sorting position and the saloon gates to the closed position upon receipt of the signal from the sensor means that an animal to be sorted is in the alley;
• an exit gate positioned in the sort exit and being shiftable between a first position in which the gate in disposed in the path of movement of livestock through the sort exit and a second position in which the gate is removed from the path of movement, the exit gate including a biasing means for biasing the exit gate toward the first position, and being movable to the second position by livestock passing through the sort exit;
• and
• a limit switch associated with the exit gate for providing a signal indicative of movement of the exit gate to the second position, the control means actuating the first and second cylinder assemblies in response to the signal from the switch to shift the first gate to the non-sorting position and the saloon gates to the open position.