Slat carrier

A slat carrier for facilitating transporting a slat used in an animal pen, the slat carrier comprising:

• a support assembly being adapted for selectively receiving the slat to be transported;
• a mounting assembly being rotatably coupled to said support assembly, said support assembly being rotated with respect to said mounting assembly such that said support assembly is adapted for rotating the slat from a horizontal position to a vertical position said mounting assembly being adapted for being selectively coupled to a vehicle such that said mounting assembly permits the vehicle to transport the slat supported by said support assembly;
• and
• a wheel assembly being coupled to said mounting assembly, said wheel assembly being adapted for engaging a support surface such that said wheel assembly facilitates transportation of said support assembly across the support surface;
• wherein said support assembly comprises a frame member and a pivot member, said frame member being coupled to said pivot member such that said frame member is adapted for supporting the weight of the slat, said pivot member being positioned around a portion of said mounting assembly such that said pivot member selectively rotates around said mounting assembly to allow the slat to be selectively pivoted between a horizontal position and a vertical position;
• wherein said support assembly comprises a securing assembly, said securing assembly being operationally coupled to said frame member, said securing assembly being adapted for engaging the slat such that said securing assembly is for securing the slat to said frame member;
• wherein said securing assembly of said support assembly comprises a plurality of armature members, each of said armature members being pivotally coupled to said frame member, each of said armature members being adapted for being selectively pivoted over the slat to secure the slat between said armature members and said frame member to secure the slat member to said frame member when the slat is positioned adjacent said frame member.

A slat carrier for facilitating transporting a slat used in an animal pen, the slat carrier comprising:

• a support assembly being adapted for selectively receiving the slat to be transported;
• a mounting assembly being rotatably coupled to said support assembly, said support assembly being rotated with respect to said mounting assembly such that said support assembly is adapted for rotating the slat from a horizontal position to a vertical position said mounting assembly being adapted for being selectively coupled to a vehicle such that said mounting assembly permits the vehicle to transport the slat supported by said support assembly;
• and
• a wheel assembly being coupled to said mounting assembly, said wheel assembly being adapted for engaging a support surface such that said wheel assembly facilitates transportation of said support assembly across the support surface;
• a motor member being coupled to said mounting assembly, said motor member being operationally coupled to said support assembly such that said motor member rotates said support assembly with respect to said mounting assembly to rotate the slat between the horizontal position and the vertical position when said motor member is actuated by the user;
• a first gear member being coupled to said motor member such that said first gear member is selectively rotated by said motor member, a second gear member being coupled to said support assembly, said first gear member being operationally coupled to said second member such that said second gear member is rotated by said first gear member to rotate said support assembly with respect to said mounting assembly when said first gear member is rotated by said motor member.

A slat carrier for facilitating transporting a slat used in an animal pen, the slat carrier comprising;

• a support assembly being adapted for selectively receiving the slat to be transported;
• a mounting assembly being rotatably coupled to said support assembly, said support assembly being rotated with respect to said mounting assembly such that said support assembly is adapted for rotating the slat from a horizontal position to a vertical position said mounting assembly being adapted for being selectively coupled to a vehicle such that said mounting assembly permits the vehicle to transport the slat supported by said support assembly;
• a wheel assembly being coupled to said mounting assembly, said wheel assembly being adapted for engaging a support surface such that said wheel assembly facilitates transportation of said support assembly across the support surface;
• said support assembly comprising a frame member and a pivot member, said frame member being coupled to said pivot member such that said frame member is adapted for supporting the weight of the slat, said pivot member being positioned around a portion of said mounting assembly such that said pivot member selectively rotates around said mounting assembly to allow the slat to be selectively pivoted between a horizontal position and a vertical position;
• said support assembly comprising a securing assembly, said securing assembly being operationally coupled to said frame member, said securing assembly being adapted for engaging the slat such that said securing assembly is for securing the slat to said frame member;
• said securing assembly of said support assembly comprising a plurality of armature members, each of said armature members being pivotally coupled to said frame member, each of said armature members being adapted for being selectively pivoted over the slat to secure the slat between said armature members and said frame member to secure the slat member to said frame member when the slat is positioned adjacent said frame member;
• each of said armature members comprising a pivot portion and an extension portion, said pivot portion of each of said armature members being pivotally coupled to said frame member, said extension portion being coupled to said pivot portion of the associated one of said armature members opposite said frame assembly, said extension portion of each of said armature members being adapted for being selectively extended over the slat to secure the slat to the frame member when said pivot portion of the associated one of said armature members is pivoted with respect to said frame member;
• said securing assembly comprising a handle member, said handle member being pivotally coupled to said frame member, said handle member being operationally coupled to said armature members such that pivoting of said handle member in a first direction pivots each of said armature members with respect to said frame member to secure the slat to said frame member, said handle member being pivotal in a second direction to pivot said armature members with respect to said frame member to allow the slat to be removed from said frame member;
• a motor member being coupled to said mounting assembly, said motor member being operationally coupled to said support assembly such that said motor member rotates said support assembly with respect to said mounting assembly to rotate the slat between the horizontal position and the vertical position when said motor member is actuated by the user;
• a first gear member being coupled to said motor member such that said first gear member is selectively rotated by said motor member, a second gear member being coupled to said pivot member of said support assembly, said first gear member being operationally coupled to said second member such that said second gear member is rotated by said first gear member to rotate said support assembly with respect to said mounting assembly when said first gear member is rotated by said motor member;
• said mounting assembly comprising a main member, said pivot member of said support assembly being rotationally coupled to said main member of said mounting assembly, said main member being adapted for being selectively coupled to the vehicle such that said main member is for supporting the weight of the slat when the slat is being transported by the vehicle;
• said mounting assembly comprising a mounting plate, said mounting plate being coupled to said main member such that said mounting plate is positioned opposite said wheel assembly, said mounting plate being adapted for being coupled to the vehicle such that said mounting plate secures said main member to the vehicle;
• said mounting assembly comprising a sleeve portion, said sleeve portion being coupled to said mounting plate, said sleeve portion being adapted for being operationally coupled to the vehicle such that said sleeve portion permits said mounting assembly to maintain a substantially parallel orientation with the support surface when said mounting assembly is raised and lowered by the vehicle;
• said mounting assembly comprising a plurality of bracing members, each of said bracing members extending between said main member and said mounting plate of said mounting assembly such that said bracing members are for bracing said main member when said main member is supporting the weight of the slat;
• said wheel assembly comprising an arm member and a pair of wheels, said wheels being rotatably coupled to said arm member such that said wheels are adapted for rolling across the support surface, said arm member being pivotally coupled to said main member of said mounting assembly such that said arm member changes angle with respect to said main member of said mounting assembly to maintain contact between said wheels and the support surface when the vehicle raises and lowers said mounting assembly;
• said arm member comprising a tongue portion and a stabilizing portion, said tongue portion being pivotally coupled to said main member of said mounting assembly) said stabilizing portion being coupled to said tongue portion such that said stabilizing portion is positioned opposite said mounting assembly, said wheels being rotatably coupled to said stabilizing portion such that said wheels are positioned in a spaced relationship to inhibit tipping of said support assembly, said mounting assembly and said wheel assembly when in use;
• and
• a biasing member being coupled to said main member of said mounting assembly and said arm member of said wheel assembly, said biasing member biasing said arm member of said wheel assembly away from said mounting assembly such that said biasing member is for biasing said wheels against the support surface when said mounting assembly is being raised and lowered by the vehicle.

A slat carrier for facilitating transporting a slat used in an animal pen, the slat being of the type having opposite broad faces and substantially parallel side edges and substantially parallel end edges, the slat carrier comprising:

• a support assembly configured to selectively receive the slat to be transported, said support assembly being configured to engage opposite edge portions of the broad faces of the slat;
• a mounting assembly being rotatably coupled to said support assembly, said support assembly being rotatable with respect to said mounting assembly such that said support assembly is configured to rotate the slat from a position with one of the broad faces in a substantially horizontal orientation to a position with one of the broad faces in a substantially vertical orientation;
• and
• a wheel assembly coupled to said mounting assembly, said wheel assembly being configured to at least partially support said mounting assembly on a support surface and permit movement of said mounting assembly across the support surface with the slat in the substantially vertical orientation.