Powered corral system
AssigneeRK Industries
InventorWayne D. Schwartz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A folding corral system is operable to define an enclosed space and to selectively adjust the size of the enclosed space. The folding corral system broadly includes a corral structure, a swingable corral panel, and a powered drive system. The corral structure is operable to be installed adjacent the enclosed space. The corral panel is pivotally supported relative to the corral structure to swing about an upright pivot axis. The corral panel is swingable relative to the corral structure into and out of a deployed condition where the swingable corral panel at least partly defines the enclosed space. The powered drive system is drivingly attached relative to the swingable corral panel. The powered drive system is operable to drive the swingable corral panel into and out of the deployed condition.
Claims13
A folding corral system operable to define an enclosed space and to selectively adjust the size of the enclosed space, said folding corral system comprising:
- a corral structure operable to be installed adjacent the enclosed space;
- a swingable corral panel pivotally supported relative to the corral structure to swing about an upright pivot axis,
- said swingable corral panel being swingable relative to the corral structure into and out of a deployed condition where the swingable corral panel at least partly defines the enclosed space;
- a powered drive system drivingly attached relative to the swingable corral panel,
- said powered drive system operable to drive the swingable corral panel into and out of the deployed condition;
- another swingable corral panel pivotally supported relative to the corral structure,
- said corral panels being shiftably attached to one another, with the corral panels cooperating to at least partly define the enclosed space in the deployed condition,
- said corral panels being pivotally attached to one another at a pivot joint spaced from the pivot axis to swing relative to each other about another upright pivot axis,
- each of said corral panels including a panel frame and a corral wheel rotatably mounted on the panel frame,
- said corral wheel spaced laterally from the respective pivot axis,
- each of the corral wheels swingably supporting the respective panel frame above the ground, with the corral wheels permitting the respective corral panels to be swung laterally along the ground,
- said powered drive system including a drive frame and a powered wheel rotatably mounted on the drive frame,
- said drive frame operable to be removably shiftably mounted relative either of the corral panels to selectively move the powered wheel into and out of frictional engagement with a corresponding one of the corral wheels;
- and
- a plurality of mounting brackets, with each mounting bracket fixed to a respective corral panel,
- said drive frame and said mounting bracket of each corral panel including complemental connectors that are selectively engageable with one another to pivotally mount the drive frame to the mounting brackets,
- said connectors being arranged to permit the powered drive system to pivot about a lateral axis when the connectors are engaged with one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.