# US 5,707,283 A · Dual baffle system in automatic air inlets for livestock facilities

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- Number: US 5,707,283 A
- Document ID: US5707283A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/688,386
- Filed: 1996-07-30
- Granted: 1998-01-13
- Earliest claimed: 1996-07-30
- Assignees: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
- Inventors: Mark E. Oberreuter; Steven J. Hoff; Fernando Perez-Munoz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5707283A

## CPC

- A01K 1/0064: {Construction of air inlets or outlets in walls}
- F16K 15/035: {with a plurality of valve members}
- F24F 11/0001: {for ventilation (F24F11/30 takes precedence)}
- Y10T 137/7845: With common biasing means
- Y10T 137/7846: Mechanically interconnected
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}
- F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A dual baffle system which can be incorporated into automatic air inlets used in livestock facilities. This system consists of four different components: two baffles, spring, opening mechanisms, and stationary bracket. This baffle system is positioned inside an automatic air inlet. The two baffles are hinged at the top and bottom of the inlet respectively and the opening between the baffles is allowed to increase or decrease. The opening mechanism is connected to the bottom baffle and allowed to slip through the stationary bracket. These two components allow the two baffles to open and close simultaneously. The spring allows the system to open and close to maintain the desired flow rate through the inlet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An automatic air inlet for livestock facilities, comprising,
a housing having an air inlet end, air outlet end, a top, a bottom, sides, and an open interior compartment,
a first baffle pivotally secured to said housing intermediate its ends and having an effective length and width to close one half of said compartment to air flow when in a transverse position with respect to said housing,
a second baffle opposite to said first baffle and pivotally secured to said housing and having an effective length and width to close one half of said compartment opposite to said first baffle to air flow when in a transverse position with respect to said housing,
said first and second baffles being interconnected together by a mechanism to pivot in unison with respect to said housing so as to create a widening air passage therebetween when pivoted in one direction, and to create a narrowing air passage therebetween when pivoted in a second direction; said mechanism being rigidly connected to one baffle, and slidably secured to the other baffle by means of a curved actuating surface whereby the two baffles will pivot together in unison through equal pivotal arcs.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein a resilient means is secured to one of said baffles to cause said baffles to move to a transverse position with respect to said housing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein said curved actuating surface slides through a slot in a bracket rigidly secured to the other baffle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2 wherein said resilient means is a spring.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein said baffles are secured to the top and bottom of said housing so as to be able to create a horizontal air flow space therebetween.