NL9000107A - Self catching cattle fodder gate - has top and horizontal girders with interconnected fixed and pivot bars - Google Patents

Abstract

The cattle fodder gate has horizontal girders and vertical bars. It incorporated hinging pivot bars. The fodder gate has horizontal top (2) and bottom girders (3) and vertical bars encompassing the fodder space (9). Each fodder space is enclosed with fixed bars (4) and a hinge pin (6) for pivot bars (5). When a cows head enters between pivot bar (59 and a fixed bar (4) feeding can proceed.

Description

FEEDING GATE

The invention relates to a self-catching feed fence for livestock comprising an upper and lower horizontal girder between which a number of feeding spots is defined by a bar connected to the beams in each case and a swivel bar mounted pivotally therebetween in the plane of the fence and pivotable between an open position in which the swivel bar with its upper end of the fixed bar is swung away to form an end above a passage for the head of an animal and an upright swung catching position in which the swivel bar is at a distance from the fixed bar greater than the width of the neck, but smaller than the width of the animal's head, with a locking device provided on one of the beams which can lock the swivel bar in the catching position in order to lock the animal with its head inserted through the feeding fence.

Such self-catching feed fences are generally known and are used, for example, in so-called cubicle stables. A function of locking the animal in the fence is that it is not possible to mess with food. Another function is that if an animal needs individual care, the farmer can easily treat this animal when it is stuck with its head in the feed fence. In this condition, for example, the claws of a cow can be trimmed.

It has been found that the known feeding fences have the drawback that not all animals can be reliably retained. The distance between the swivel bar and fixed bar parallel to each other in the catching position is generally adjusted such that all animals can eat without hindrance when the swivel bar is in the catching position. Some animals, for example younger animals, can pull their heads off with some difficulty. This makes individual treatment of these animals more difficult.

The object of the invention is now to provide a self-catching feeding fence of the type described in the preamble, which reduces or removes the above-mentioned objection.

With a self-catching feeding fence according to the invention this object is achieved in that in the catching position the distance between the fixed bar and the swiveling bar is greater at the bottom than at the top. While sufficient space can be set down in the feed fence so that even the heaviest animals can eat without hindrance, the distance between the bars at the top of the feed fence is also smaller. It has been found that animals such as cows, when pulled, do so in a position with their necks extending horizontally, ie in the extension of the back. When pulling away, the animal will therefore keep its head at the top of the feed fence, where the distance between the bars is smaller. As a result, the animals are more reliably confined in the feed fence.

A suitable embodiment is characterized in claim 2.

A further improvement of the invention is characterized in claim 3. The neck of a dairy cow is narrower in "cross section" at the top than at the bottom. By converging the fixed bar and the swiveling bar in the upward direction, a more precise enclosure of the neck and thus a more accurate confinement of the animal is thus achieved. In this way, the feed fence can reliably retain strongly varying animals in terms of gravity.

Since, as noted, an animal usually tends to pull out in a position in which its head is at the top of the feed fence, the distance between the bars below can be increased slightly without any problem. This achieves the additional advantage that animals that lie down with their head inserted through the feed fence will in many cases still be able to retract their head when they want to return to position. With the known feed fences it is a great problem to free animals that have been lying down. They must be forced to get up, which is difficult if the animal cannot withdraw its head from the fence.

In accordance with a further development of the invention, the measure as set out in claim 4 is preferably used. In the swing-out catch position, even the heaviest animals when lying down can pull their heads out of the fence and stand up again.

A favorable embodiment of the locking device is characterized in claim 5. By moving the stop outside engaging with the swivel bar, the swivel bar can be moved into the swung-in catch position.

By the measure of claim 6 it is possible to operate all locking devices of the feeding fence in the usual manner with a single operating rod extending along the feeding fence.

A favorable further development is characterized in claim 7. In this embodiment both standing and lying animals can withdraw their head from the feed fence without any problem, so that the supervision of the animals can be reduced.

In order to limit the size of the locking device for each swing bar, despite the large swing between the open position and the swing-through catch position, the measure as set out in claim 8 is preferably used.

A favorable design is characterized in claim 9.

The measure of claim 10 is applied to a further developed feeding fence according to the invention. Due to the enclosure of the locking device by the box-shaped bar, it is not accessible for manipulation by the cattle themselves. In addition, the locking device is protected against contamination.

A further favorable embodiment is characterized in claim 11. The entire locking device with operating mechanism is thereby completely enclosed.

The invention is further elucidated in the following description with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures.

Fig. 1 shows a front view of a first embodiment of the feeding fence according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows a view corresponding with FIG. 1 of another embodiment.

Fig. 3 shows a corresponding view of a third embodiment.

Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the locking device according to arrow IV in fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of another locking device as can be used with the feeding fence according to the invention.

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of yet another locking device.

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a feeding fence according to another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 8 shows a partly broken away view of a feeding place of the feeding fence of fig. 7.

Fig. 9 and 10 show two alternative operating means for the locking device of the feed fence of fig. 7 and 8.

The self-catching feeding fence 1 shown in Fig. 1 comprises an upper horizontal beam 2, a lower horizontal beam 3 and a number of bars extending between these beams.

In fig. 1 only a part of the feeding fence 1 is shown, i.e. a part around a feeding place 9. As is known, fences of this type each comprise a number of these feeding places 9.

Each feeding location 9 is bounded by a fixed bar 4 and a pivotally mounted pivot bar 5 between its ends in the plane of the fence 1, the pivot 6 being supported by a support bar 7. To the left of the support bar stretches two further bars 8 extend between the upper beam 2 and the lower beam 3. To the right of the part shown in fig. 1 there is usually again a fixed bar 8, a supporting bar 7 with pivotal bar 5 hingedly attached thereto, and a fixed bar 4. This series is repeated a number of times in order to obtain the said number of feeding spots 9.

The pivot bar 5 is pivotable between an open position 10 indicated by dashed lines and the catch position drawn by solid lines. In the open position, an animal, such as a cow, can insert its head between the swivel bar 5 and the fixed bar 4, at the top of the feeding fence, that is to say at a height above the hinge 6. When the cow then moves its head downwards, it pushes this one with its neck against the lower end of the pivot bar 5, which thereby pivots from the open position drawn by dashed lines into the catch position drawn by a line. The feeding fence 1 further comprises a locking device with which the swivel bar 5 can be locked in the catching position, in order to lock the animal with its head inserted through the feeding fence. The locking device comprises a locking pawl 12, which is mounted by means of a hinge 13 in a fork 14 arranged at the top end of the pivot bar 5, which grips around the upper beam 2 and an operating rod 16. The locking bar 16 carries a cam 15. When moving from the open position to the catching position, the locking catch 12 slides over the top of the operating bar 16 and over the cam 15 thereon. In the catch position, the end of the locking pawl falls behind the cam 15, so that the swivel bar 5 is locked in the catch position. The lock can be released in a manner known per se by rotating the operating rod 16 with the operating lever 17, whereby the cam 15 comes out of the movement path of the locking pawl 12 and thus releases the locking pawl 12. The operating rod 16 is rotatably mounted for this purpose on the upper beam 2 with the aid of a bracket 18. The operating rod 16 extends along the entire feeding fence 1 and thus along all feeding places 9, in order to move with the movement of the operating lever. tree 17 to be able to release the lock on all swivel bars.

As indicated with arrows 21 and 20, respectively, in the catching position the distance between the fixed bar 4 and the swivel bar 5 is greater at the bottom than at the top. The feeding fence 1 is dimensioned such that the distance 21 is sufficiently large for each animal to be able to feed without hindrance. When the animal pulls back its head between the fixed bar 4 and the swing bar 5, while the swing bar 5 is locked in the catching position, it does so with its neck approximately in line with its back, i.e. with its neck above space defined in the intermediate swivel bar 5 and the fixed bar 4. However, according to the invention the distance between the bars is smaller there, so that the pulling away of the head, even for lighter animals, becomes impossible. A cow's neck is narrower at the top than at the bottom, so that due to the upwardly converging position of the fixed bar 4 and swivel bar 5 in the catching position, an animal with a wide neck is not hindered that it can't move its head all the way up.

Fig. 2 shows a slightly different embodiment of the feeding fence according to the invention. Only the relative to FIG.

1 Other parts are referenced in the FIGURE and are described in more detail below.

The fixed bar 23 and the pivot bar 24 of the feeding fence 21 are of kinked design. This also achieves that in the catch position the distance between the fixed bar 23 and the swivel bar 24 is greater at the bottom than at the top. The space determined between the bars 23 and 24 has a constant width over the bottom half. Therefore, no nuisance can be experienced when eating.

The catching position shown with solid lines is determined at the feed gate 21 by a stop pin 25 which extends through the top beam and is secured in place by means of a hairpin spring 26. By removing the stop pin 25, the pivot bar 24 can be seen in the figure 2. clockwise swing-out catch position in which the distance between the fixed bar and the lower end of the swing bar 24, as indicated by 27 at the bottom, is greater than in the normal catch position. As a result, a passage opening is formed below which is so large that an animal can move its head through it. In the event that the animal has passed its head through the fence, the farmer can move the pivot bar 24 in the pivoted catch position by simply removing the stop pin 25, so that the animal can withdraw its head and get up easily. Without this possibility it is difficult to free a single animal.

Fig. 3 shows a feeding fence 30 according to a third variant of the invention. Again, only the parts that deviate from the previous embodiments are indicated. The pivot bar 31, just like the pivot bar 24 at the feed fence 21 of Fig. 2, has the option of adopting a pivoted catch position. In the normal catching position drawn with solid lines, the distance between the fixed bar 32 and the swivel bar 31 is greater at the bottom than at the top. In the swing-through catch position as indicated by dotted lines, the distance below is even greater than in the normal catch position, so that the lower part of the feed fence 30 passage openings can also be formed therein.

The pivot bar 31 is locked in the catching position drawn by means of a drawn line by means of a hinged locking pawl 33 which cooperates with a cam 35 on the operating rod 37 in the same manner as explained with reference to Fig. 1. At the feed fence 30 the catch position also by a locking pawl, i.e. locking pawl 34 determined in conjunction with a cam 36 on the operating rod.

As shown more clearly in Figure 4, the cam 36 extends approximately 90 degrees circumferentially of the operating rod 37, while the cam 35 extends only a small circumferential angle. In the position of the operating rod 37 shown in Fig. 4, with the operating lever 38 pointing upwards, both cams 35 and 36 can come into active engagement with the associated locking pawls 33 and 34. When the pivot bar 31 is pivoted from the open position into the catching position, by an animal inserting its head between the pivot bar 31 and fixed bar 32 and then moving downwards, the pivoting movement is limited by the locking pawl 34 coming into contact with the cam 36 and the swing-back is prevented and the catch position is thus locked, because the locking pawl 33 falls behind the locking cam 35. The swivel position 31 can be unlocked from the catching position by turning the operating rod 37 with the aid of the operating lever 38. It will be apparent from Fig. 4 that when the operating lever is turned to the left, the cam 35 is moved out of the path of the locking pawl 33, but the cam 36 is not moved out of the path of the locking pawl 34. In the counterclockwise rotation of the locking lever, the swing bar 31 so swing freely between the open position and the catch position. The catch in the catch position can of course also be released by manually lifting one of the locking catches 33 or 34.

This possibility can be used when an individual animal has to be cleared, while the others must remain confined with their heads in the fence.

The operating lever 38 can also be pivoted to the right from the position shown in fig. 34 move. In that situation, the pivot bar 31 can pivot freely between the open position indicated by dashed lines in Fig. 3 and the pivoted catch position. All standing and lying animals can easily liberate themselves from the fence in this way.

In the locking device 45 as shown in Fig. 5, the bottom beam 47 has a half-moon profile shape. The cavity of the profile 47 is directed to the side and forms a bearing for an operating rod 49 which is slidable in its longitudinal direction and rotatable about its longitudinal axis by means not shown. The operating rod 49 carries a locking cam 50 near each feeding location which has a wedge-shaped cross-section viewed in the longitudinal direction.

The locking cam 50 interacts with a slider 48 slidably received in the lower end of the swing bar 46. This slider 48 can remain in contact with the surface of the lower beam 47 under its own weight, or possibly under spring load. In the drawn line drawn position, the pivot bar 46 can pivot freely. When the locking cam 50 is moved to the right in the position drawn by the lines drawn by sliding the control rod 49 in Fig. 5, it will pivot backward with the lower end of the swing bar 46 moving to the right are prevented by the sliding piece 48 coming into contact with either face of the locking cam 50. The swing bar 46 is thereby locked in the catch position. This lock can be released by rotating the operating rod 49 in the direction indicated by the arrow, whereby the locking cam 50 is retracted outside the path of movement of the sliding piece 48 and thus leaves the pivot 46 free.

Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of the locking device partly corresponding to FIG. 5. This locking device 51 also works with the aid of a sliding piece 53 included in the pivot bar 52. The bottom beam 54 here has the form of a corner profile, in the cavity of which is received an operating rod 55 which carries a locking cam 56. The operation of the locking device is identical to that of the locking device 45 of Fig. 5.

The feeding fence 60 shown in Fig. 7 is a further development. A number of feeding spots 61 have been determined in the usual manner between an upper beam 62 and a lower beam 63. As shown in more detail in Fig. 8, each feeding location 61 is bounded on one side by a pivot bar 65 which is hingedly mounted near its center by a pivot pin 66 interlocked between the upper beam 62 and lower beam 63 welded box-shaped fixed bar 64. in its center is a laterally projecting locking arm 67. The end of this locking arm 67 cooperates with a locking hook 68 which is hinged in the box-like beam 64 by means of a hinge pin 69. The locking hook 68 carries on one of the hinge 69, seen in the right-hand projection in fig. 8, a bowl 70 which receives an upper end of an operating pin 71 freely movable. The actuating pin 71 rests with its lower end in a recess 73 of an actuating rod 72 which is longitudinally mounted slidably in the hollow beam 63. The hollow beam 63 comprises an opening 74 on the location of each box-shaped beam 64 connecting the inner space of the beam 64 to the interior of the bottom beam 63. Furthermore, the beam 63 is completely closed. The operating rod 72 can be slid back and forth in its longitudinal direction by means of an operating lever 73 shown in Fig. 7 hinged to the gate at 74. When the actuating rod in FIG. 8 is slid to the right, the actuating pin 72 presses the locking hook 68 into a counterclockwise pivoted position, releasing the end of the locking arm 67 of the pivot spindle 65. The pivot bar 65 can then pivot freely between the aforementioned open position drawn with dotted lines and a pivoted catch position. Due to the weight of the locking arm 67, the swing bar 65 will normally assume the position drawn by dotted lines. By sliding the operating rod 72 to the drawn position in this position, the locking hook 68 can pivot clockwise due to the weight of the leg projecting to the right. In this state, the locking device is "sharp". Now when a cow puts its head through the feeding place 61 and thereby pivots the swivel bar 65 in the upright position drawn with drawn lines, the end of the locking arm 67 will slide upwards along the vertical leg of the locking hook 68, whereby, as a result of the inclined surface 75, the locking hook 68 is pivoted slightly to the side, and is finally caught by the locking hook in the position shown. This condition can be overcome by sliding the operating rod 72 to the right in the manner described above. The caught animals can then withdraw their heads through the opening both at the top and at the bottom of the feed fence.

Since the locking device does not act on the end of the swivel bar 65 as usual, but on a locking arm 67 which can have a structurally suitable, shorter length, the locking device can be designed as a whole in a compact manner, while the swivel bar 65 nevertheless has a large pivoting stroke. The locking mechanism can, of course, be designed differently than shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 9 and 10 show, for example, some alternative embodiments for the operating mechanism.

Fig. 9 of a feeding fence only shows the lower beam 7 with the operating rod 78 slidably received therein in the longitudinal direction. The operating rod 78 carries on its top surface a cam 79 which has an oblique run-up surface. A bore 81 is provided in the base 77, which slidably accommodates an operating pin 80 corresponding to the actuating pin 71 of FIG. By sliding the operating rod 78 to the right as seen in Fig. 9, the operating pin 80 will be pushed upwards and thereby move a locking member, such as the locking hook of Fig. 8, into its active or just its inactive state.

Fig. 10 shows, in the same manner as FIG. 9, only a lower bar 85 of a feeding fence according to another embodiment. An operating rod 86 is also included in this lower beam 85. However, this operating rod 86 is rotatable about its longitudinal axis. The actuating rod 86 carries an eccentric 87 which cooperates with an actuating pin 88 which is guided in a bore 89 in the lower beam 85. Rotating the actuating rod 86 back and forth moves the actuating pin 88 up and down to form an associated locking member in an active resp. inactive position to move.

The invention can almost always be applied without far-reaching modifications to catch fences already known at this time. In its simplest form, instead of a straight swivel bar, a kinked bar can be used to achieve that the distance from the fixed bar and the swing bar becomes smaller. To achieve a relatively greater distance at the bottom, so that animals can pull their heads away, it is only necessary to slightly change the support bar or to place the fixed bar at a slightly greater distance and at an angle. Also, modifying the locking device to allow a swing-through trapping position can be accomplished without many problems in many existing feed gate designs. The invention therefore also includes all existing feed fence designs modified in accordance with the invention.

Claims (11)

Self-catching feed fence for livestock, comprising a top stone lower horizontal beam between which a number of feeding places is determined by each of a bars connected to the beams and a pivotally mounted pivot bar mounted between its ends in the plane of the fence between an open position in which the pivot bar is pivoted away with its upper end from the fixed bar so as to form an aperture opening for the head of an animal and an upright pivot catch position in which the pivot bar is at a distance from the fixed bar greater than the width of the neck over its length but smaller than the width of the head of the animal, wherein a locking device is provided which can lock the swivel bar in the catching position in order to lock the animal with its head inserted through the feeding fence, characterized in that in the catching position the distance between the fixed bar and the pivot arrow below is greater than above. Feeding fence as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the fixed bar and the swiveling bar is bent near the middle. Feeding fence as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fixed bar and the pivoting bar converge in an upward direction at least over an upper part. Feeding fence according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the swivel bar can assume a swung-in catching position, in which the distance between the fixed bar and the swiveling bar is greater at the bottom than in the normal catching position, in order to form a passage opening for the head below of the animal. Feeding fence as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the locking device comprises a stop for determining the catch position of the swivel bar, wherein the stop is movable outside engagement with the swivel bar. Feeding fence as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the locking device has a first position, in which the swivel bar can pivot freely between the open position and the catch position determined by the stop, a second position in which the swivel bar moves from the open position to the catch position. is locked in the catch position and a third position in which the swivel bar can swing freely between at least the catch position and the swing-out catch position. Feeding fence as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the pivot bar can pivot freely in the third position of the locking device between the open position and the pivoted catch position. Feeding fence as claimed in any of the claims 4-7, characterized in that the swivel bar is hinged substantially near its center and that the locking device can engage the swivel bar in locked manner near this center. Feeding fence as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the swivel bar carries a transversely protruding locking arm near its center. Feeding fence as claimed in claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the swivel bar is hingedly mounted on a box-shaped bar, which encloses parts of the locking device co-acting with the swivel bar. Feeding gate as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that an operating rod of the locking device is accommodated in a closed horizontal hollow beam of the gate, which window has location where a box-shaped bar is arranged in the inner space of the box-shaped bar in the outgoing wall opening for passage of a connecting element between the operating rod and the parts of the locking device co-operating with the swivel bar.