Sow lifter

A sow lifter for lifting a sow from a mold comprising:

• a vacuum hood having a lower working surface;
• a high temperature resistant gasket coupled to the vacuum hood in a position to establish a seal between the lower working surface and a sow during lifting of the sow;
• a vacuum source operable to establish a sufficient vacuum between the lower working surface and the sow such that upward movement of the vacuum hood lifts the sow from the mold;
• and
• a sow gripper coupled to the vacuum hood and shiftable from a first sow gripping position at least partially beneath a sow lifted as a result of the applied vacuum from the mold to a second release position in which the sow gripper is not positioned beneath the sow, whereby when in the first sow gripping position the sow gripper is in a position to support the sow in combination with the support provided by the vacuum hood as a result of the applied vacuum.

A sow lifter for lifting sows from a mold comprising:

• a vacuum hood having a lower working surface;
• a high temperature resistant compressible gasket detachably mounted to the vacuum hood in a position to establish a seal between the lower working surface and a sow which is to be lifted when the vacuum hood is moved to a sow lifting position, the gasket including a graphite coated material;
• a vacuum hood mover coupled to the vacuum hood and operable to move the hood to the sow lifting position and to a second position in which the sow is lifted from the mold;
• whereby drawing a vacuum between the working surface and the sow when the vacuum hood is in the sow lifting position releasably couples the sow to the vacuum hood for lifting the sow from the mold as the vacuum hood is moved to the second position by the vacuum hood mover;
• the sow lifter including a jet pump coupled to the vacuum hood which is operable to establish the vacuum in the vacuum hood;
• a sow gripper coupled to the vacuum hood and shiftable from a first position at least partially beneath a lifted sow to a second position in which the sow gripper is not positioned beneath the lifted sow, whereby when in the first position the sow gripper supports the sow, the sow gripper comprising plural sow gripping arms pivotally coupled to the vacuum hood and an actuator coupled to the arms and controlling the pivoting of the arms;
• and
• the actuator including a respective lever coupled to each arm, the actuator also including a fluid actuated cylinder coupled to the lever, the cylinder being extendable and retractable in response to fluid pressure and being operable to allow the arm to pivot to the sow gripping position under the influence of gravity.