GB1582498A - Animal treatment trough - Google Patents

Description

(54) AN IMPROVED ANIMAL TREATMENT TROUGH (71) We, JOHN CHARLES ROBIN SON and SUSAN ROBINSON, both subjects of the Queen of Great Britain, of Cotton Heath Farm, Cruwys Morchard, Tiverton, Devon EX16 8LY, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to animal treatment troughs such as sheep dips and has for an object to provide a compact construction which permits economy of manpower and treatment liquor. Hitherto, sheep dip troughs have normally been long linear structures. Each animal must remain immersed for at least one minute, so that several operators are required to ensure that the fleeces are properly wetted during the passage of the animals from the entry to the exit. A further disadvantage of the long linear trough is the relatively large quantity of expensive chemicals required to produce an adequate depth of bath. It also occupies a considerable space when allowance is made for operators to stand or walk on either side during use.

It has been proposed to construct an animal dip consisting of a circular tank with an annular run for the animals extending around a substantial proportion of the rim of the tank. There is no animal barrier between the run and the tank, but a fence along the outer boundary of the run confines the animals in positions on the rim of the tank from which they can be pushed into it.

In another proposal. a generally circular swimming pool for horses has a central island and collinear entry and exit ramps which are substantially tangential to the pool.

The present invention is a generally circular bowl having a smooth internal wall surface out of which opens an exit ramp having means for controlling access thereto from the bowl. An entry ramp in the form of a smooth gently sloping slipway opens at its lower end through the outer wall of the bowl and is wide enough to allow an animal to stand transversely on it. Its length is at least sufficient to span a conventional access race by which each animal to be treated is initially presented sideways-on to the bowl.

By adopting this layout it is found that the majority of sheep turn as they slide down the slipway to enter the trough tail first.

Where the purpose of the dip is to medicate the animal against scab or other diseases, tail-first entry ensures rapid penetration of the liquor up under the fleece and a minimum risk of painful splashing in the eyes.

Preferably, the material - for example, G.R.P. - of the trough is inert to the chemical formulation of the treatment liquor.

Advantageously, a central pillar or island whose height is at least equal to that of the rim has a top of an area sufficient to permit an operator to stand thereon and supervise the passage of the immersed animals around it and to open the gate giving access to the exit ramp. The walls of the bowl and of the island between them define an annular trough for treatment of the animals.

In the annular design of trough, the gate controlling the exit is so pivoted and dimensioned that, when opened to allow access to the exit ramp it swings across the trough to prevent the animals from making unnecessary numbers of circuits. The island also preferably carries a fence or railing to prevent the shepherd from accidentally stepping into the trough during ducking of the animals.

A practical embodiment of the present invention will now be described. by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan of an annular sheep dip trough; Figure 2 is a section on the line II-II of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of Figure 1.

The trough 10 is defined by an outer substantially circular bowl 12 and a central upstanding pillar 14 having a flat circular top 16 which constitutes the central island. The sides of the bowl 12 and a pillar 14 are steeply inclined to form a narrow Veeshaped trough 10 with a flat floor 18. A generally radial slipway 20 extends outward from the bowl 12 and comprises a gently sloping smooth floor 22 which breaks laterally through the side of the bowl 12 at an angle of about 15 to the horizontal. One side wall 24 of the slipway 20 is tangential to the bowl whilst the opposite side wall 26 is spaced parallel thereto at a distance sufficient to allow an animal to stand across the slipway between the side walls. The generally radial length of the slipway 20 is sufficient to enable its tangential side 24 to extend fully across an access race 28 at right angles thereto so that a sheep coming along the race and stepping onto the slipway 20 slides gently sideways into the trough, usually rotating sufficiently to ensure that the animal enters the trough tail-first.

Once in the trough, the animal will swim around the island in a counter clockwise direction as seen in Figure 1. Immediately after immersion. the animal will encounter a lateral or generally tangential exit opening 30 giving access to an exit ramp 32. This exit opening can be closed by a gate 34 hinged on the "downstream" corner between the side of the bowl 12 and the exit opening and proportioned so that. when swung to allow access to the exit ramp 32, the gate closes the trough 10. Thus. an animal swimming round the island 14 encounters a barrier across the trough beyond the open exit 30, 32.

A fence or railing 36 is mounted around the circumference of the flat top 16 of the pillar 14 and has an opening to allow the ducking operator or shepherd to step over the trough 1() onto or off the island.

The island 14 can be omitted if desired, in which case the gate 34 controlling access to the exit ramp 32 is hinged horizontally above the exit opening 30 to swing upwards towards the ramp 32 in the open position.

If a longer trough is required. the bowl 12 and island 14. 16 can be made oval.

In all cases. the material of the trough is inert to the chemicals likely to be used - e.g.

phenols, organo-phosphates. etc. This quality of inertness prevents the erosion of the inner surfaces to form a rough. high-friction surface which could impede an animal during its passage through the trough.

By such a substantially circular shape the volume of medication or treatment liquor is greatly reduced, whilst one man standing on the island of an annular structure can duck three or four animals, thus reducing the labour required to operate the system.

When made in G.R.P., the trough can readily be fabricated in a mould in a short space of time with sufficient mechanical strength to permit its use without the necessity of a concrete back-fill. It is also light in weight, facilitating handling and economising on transport costs.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An animal treatment trough comprising a substantially circular bowl having a smooth internal surface, which is adapted to contain treatment liquor and to receive the animals to be immersed therein; an exit ramp opening out of the bowl through the side wall thereof; means for controlling access to the exit ramp; and a smooth entry slipway which is inclined gently downwardly into the bowl, is wide enough to accommodate an animals transversely thereof, and has a length at least as great as the width of a conventional access race.

2. A trough according to claim 1 wherein the material of the bowl and its exit ramp and entry slipway is inert to the chemicals which constitute the treatment liquor.

3. A trough according to claim 1 or 2 wherein a central pillar is upstanding from the base above the level of the treatment liquor to constitute an island which defines an annular path through the trough.

4. A trough according to claim 3 wherein the pillar has a flat top at a level at least as high as that of the rim of the bowl and of an area sufficient to permit an operator to stand thereon.

5. A trough according to claim 3 or 4 wherein access to the exit ramp is governed by a gate hinged to the wall of the trough at the side of the exit opening remote from the entry ramp and adapted, when open for access to the exit ramp, simultaneously to block the annular path round the island.

6. A trough according to claim 1 or 2 wherein access to the exit ramp is governed by a gate hinged horizontally above the exit opening so as to swing upwards to the open position.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Figure 1 is a plan of an annular sheep dip trough; Figure 2 is a section on the line II-II of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of Figure 1. The trough 10 is defined by an outer substantially circular bowl 12 and a central upstanding pillar 14 having a flat circular top 16 which constitutes the central island. The sides of the bowl 12 and a pillar 14 are steeply inclined to form a narrow Veeshaped trough 10 with a flat floor 18. A generally radial slipway 20 extends outward from the bowl 12 and comprises a gently sloping smooth floor 22 which breaks laterally through the side of the bowl 12 at an angle of about 15 to the horizontal. One side wall 24 of the slipway 20 is tangential to the bowl whilst the opposite side wall 26 is spaced parallel thereto at a distance sufficient to allow an animal to stand across the slipway between the side walls. The generally radial length of the slipway 20 is sufficient to enable its tangential side 24 to extend fully across an access race 28 at right angles thereto so that a sheep coming along the race and stepping onto the slipway 20 slides gently sideways into the trough, usually rotating sufficiently to ensure that the animal enters the trough tail-first. Once in the trough, the animal will swim around the island in a counter clockwise direction as seen in Figure 1. Immediately after immersion. the animal will encounter a lateral or generally tangential exit opening 30 giving access to an exit ramp 32. This exit opening can be closed by a gate 34 hinged on the "downstream" corner between the side of the bowl 12 and the exit opening and proportioned so that. when swung to allow access to the exit ramp 32, the gate closes the trough 10. Thus. an animal swimming round the island 14 encounters a barrier across the trough beyond the open exit 30, 32. A fence or railing 36 is mounted around the circumference of the flat top 16 of the pillar 14 and has an opening to allow the ducking operator or shepherd to step over the trough 1() onto or off the island. The island 14 can be omitted if desired, in which case the gate 34 controlling access to the exit ramp 32 is hinged horizontally above the exit opening 30 to swing upwards towards the ramp 32 in the open position. If a longer trough is required. the bowl 12 and island 14. 16 can be made oval. In all cases. the material of the trough is inert to the chemicals likely to be used - e.g. phenols, organo-phosphates. etc. This quality of inertness prevents the erosion of the inner surfaces to form a rough. high-friction surface which could impede an animal during its passage through the trough. By such a substantially circular shape the volume of medication or treatment liquor is greatly reduced, whilst one man standing on the island of an annular structure can duck three or four animals, thus reducing the labour required to operate the system. When made in G.R.P., the trough can readily be fabricated in a mould in a short space of time with sufficient mechanical strength to permit its use without the necessity of a concrete back-fill. It is also light in weight, facilitating handling and economising on transport costs. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An animal treatment trough comprising a substantially circular bowl having a smooth internal surface, which is adapted to contain treatment liquor and to receive the animals to be immersed therein; an exit ramp opening out of the bowl through the side wall thereof; means for controlling access to the exit ramp; and a smooth entry slipway which is inclined gently downwardly into the bowl, is wide enough to accommodate an animals transversely thereof, and has a length at least as great as the width of a conventional access race.

2. A trough according to claim 1 wherein the material of the bowl and its exit ramp and entry slipway is inert to the chemicals which constitute the treatment liquor.

3. A trough according to claim 1 or 2 wherein a central pillar is upstanding from the base above the level of the treatment liquor to constitute an island which defines an annular path through the trough.

4. A trough according to claim 3 wherein the pillar has a flat top at a level at least as high as that of the rim of the bowl and of an area sufficient to permit an operator to stand thereon.

5. A trough according to claim 3 or 4 wherein access to the exit ramp is governed by a gate hinged to the wall of the trough at the side of the exit opening remote from the entry ramp and adapted, when open for access to the exit ramp, simultaneously to block the annular path round the island.

6. A trough according to claim 1 or 2 wherein access to the exit ramp is governed by a gate hinged horizontally above the exit opening so as to swing upwards to the open position.

7. An animal treatment trough substan

tially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.