GB1584470A - Stall units - Google Patents

Description

(54) STALL UNITS (71) I, I(ENNETH HARTLEY PEARSON, a British subject of Stainton House Farm, West Marton, Skipton, Yorkshire, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to prefabricated buildings for sheltering animals, and to stall units from which such buildings may be made.

In this country, particularly in the North, it is often necessary for domestic animals to be sheltered,in buildings for the winter months. This is commonly done with cattle herds in buildings lined with stalls known as "cow cubicles". The cubicles may be separated one from the other by wooden or galvanised tubular metal partitions. The former are cheaper and easier to make but do not last very long, since the cattle tend to break them up after a time. The metal partitions have to be concreted in place and do last longer, but they are relatively expensive to use and even these will corrode through, especially at floor level, if not maintained scrupulously clean and well painted.

The invention seeks to provide animal stall units which are economical to make and long-lasting and which will assemble into a building suitable for sheltering animals.

According to the present invention there is provided a stall unit cast in one piece from concrete and comprising a substantially flat-base, an end wall, and a partition wall.

A number of such units may be stood side by side with their end walls in line to form a series of stalls. If a second row is positioned opposite the first, a roof may be suspended from the end-walls producing a suitable animal shelter bulding.

The invention further includes buildings or shelters incorporating the stall units of the invention.

The base will form the area where an animal stands or lies and this should be flat and smooth. If desired, a step up or down may be incorporated in the base at or near an edge thereof. The base also provides stability to the structure and may be thicker than the end wall or partition wall.

Preferably the underside of the base has a wide shallow recess so that only two areas adjacent opposite edges are of full thickness.

This has several advantages: firstly the forks of a fork-lift truck can easily be located in the recess for lifting the unit; the unit is lighter, and therefore cheaper than if the base was solid: and when the unit is in place the air space within the recess gives the unit better thermal insulation.

The end wall forms the back of the stall and the outer wall of a building made up from the stall units of the invention. It should be strong enough to support a roof, and may be shaped or have indentations designed to receive or co-operate with roof support members.

The partition walls divide the stalls when they are assembled together. Ideally they are formed centrally of each stall unit, bisecting it, but may be formed at either edge or at positions in between. The partition wall need not be, and preferably is not, as high or as thick as the end wall. It may be sloped or otherwise shaped, and preferably it has one or more apertures through which an animal may put its head.

For use in existing buildings, the invention further includes a stall unit cast in one piece from concrete and comprising a substantially flat base and a partition wall. In this case there is no end wall since the unit will be used adjacent an existing wall within the building. This form of unit is of course lighter and cheaper to produce than that unit with an end wall, and may be preferred in cases where there are already existing buildings available.

The stall units are cast in one piece from a concrete mixture. Concrete is long-lasting and relatively cheap, and so enables the units, and buildings made from them, to be produced very economically-at a fraction of the cost of econventional cow cubicle houses.

Ideally, the concrete used should be a "strong" mixture, and it is preferred to use rapid hardening cement, e.g. Velocrete (Registered Trade Mark) cement, rather than ordinary cement in its preparation. Similarly, it is preferred to use limestone dust rather than sand, and to use limestone chippings as aggregate. A preferred concrete mix comprises three parts chippings and two parts dust to one part Velocrete. Such a mix is quick setting and gives a hard durable cast product with smooth surfaces. The concrete may develop a crush strength in excess of 30N/m2 after 7 days and in excess of 50N/m2 after 28 days. For extra strength, it is preferred to reinforce the concrete with steel, in the form of rods and/or mesh as is known in the art. Such steel reinforcement is placed in a mould of the desired shape and the concrete mix poured in. The mould is agitated with a poker vibrator to expel air and consolidate the mix; after which it is allowed to set.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stall unit according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of part of a prefabricated cattle shelter made from another embodiment of the stall units of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, it can be seen that a stall unit 10 suitable for use in an existing building is cast from concrete and comprises a base 12 and a partition wall 16. The base 12 has a shallow recess 13 and therefore contacts the ground only at the edge portions 15. A number of such units, which are light, durable and cheap to produce, may be placed side by side along an internal wall in a building to provide cow stalls.

Referring to Figure 2, it can be seen that stall units 10 comprise a base 12 and an end wall 14. A partition wall 16 having an aperture 18 therein bisects the unit 10. Each unit 10 is cast in one piece from reinforced concrete. The units 10 are assembled side by side with end-walls 14 in line forming an outer wall. Each end of a row of stall units 10 may be completed by an end unit 20 which may also be cast in one piece or may be made or built where needed from bricks or ordinary concrete castings. The end units 20 comprise a base 22, an end wall 24 and a side wall 26 which is reinforced around its edges 28.

The building is constructed by providing concrete foundations (not shown) along the lines of the outer walls and a central concreted area 34. Two rows of units 10 are then assembled facing one another, each row of units having its end walls 16 above the perimeter foundations and the front end of the bases 12 supported on the central concreted area. Supports 30 are fixed to one row of units 10 and rafters 32 slope downwardly from the tops of the supports 30 to the top of the end walls 14 of the opposite row of units. Roofing material, e.g.

corrugated iron sheeting, is then fixed to the rafters. The gap between the roof supports 30 is also filled rn with a weather-proof sheeting material, and the end walls 24 are built up to roof level.

A building so-produced provides a simple, easily made and very economical cubicle house for the sheltering of cattle in bad weather. Further, the conrete stalls are very long-lasting. The central concrete area 34 provides a corridor between the rows of cubicles which is easily cleaned of droppings in the normal way. Alternatively, the rows of cubicles may be positioned on either side of a tank or pit covered by slats in which case the droppings fall into the pit which is emptied periodically and spread on the land.

The stall units of the invention may be used to make larger or more complicated buildings. For example, four rows of units may be arranged parallel to each other in two sets of two facing rows, separated by three corridors. The central corridors may be provided with feeding troughs, while each of the side corridors may be left clear as before. The whole may be roofed over, preferably with a flat roof over the central section sloping downwards over each of the side corridors, being supported on the stall end walls as before.

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A stall unit cast in one piece from concrete and comprising a substantially flat base, an end wall and a partition wall.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1 in which the underside of the base has wide, shallow recess therein.

3. A unit as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 in which the end wall is shaped or has indentations to receive or cooperate with roof support members.

4. A unit as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which the partition wall is central of the unit and bisects it.

5. A unit as claimed in claim 4 in which the partition wall has one or more apertures.

6. A unit as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 in which the concrete used is a strong mixture, that is capable of developing a crush strength in excess of 30N/m2.

7. A unit as claimed in claim 6 in which the concrete mix used comprises three parts limestone chippings and two parts limestone dust to one part rapid hardening cement, reinforced with steel.

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

Claims (14)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. and relatively cheap, and so enables the units, and buildings made from them, to be produced very economically-at a fraction of the cost of econventional cow cubicle houses. Ideally, the concrete used should be a "strong" mixture, and it is preferred to use rapid hardening cement, e.g. Velocrete (Registered Trade Mark) cement, rather than ordinary cement in its preparation. Similarly, it is preferred to use limestone dust rather than sand, and to use limestone chippings as aggregate. A preferred concrete mix comprises three parts chippings and two parts dust to one part Velocrete. Such a mix is quick setting and gives a hard durable cast product with smooth surfaces. The concrete may develop a crush strength in excess of 30N/m2 after 7 days and in excess of 50N/m2 after 28 days. For extra strength, it is preferred to reinforce the concrete with steel, in the form of rods and/or mesh as is known in the art. Such steel reinforcement is placed in a mould of the desired shape and the concrete mix poured in. The mould is agitated with a poker vibrator to expel air and consolidate the mix; after which it is allowed to set. The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stall unit according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of part of a prefabricated cattle shelter made from another embodiment of the stall units of the invention. Referring to Figure 1, it can be seen that a stall unit 10 suitable for use in an existing building is cast from concrete and comprises a base 12 and a partition wall 16. The base 12 has a shallow recess 13 and therefore contacts the ground only at the edge portions 15. A number of such units, which are light, durable and cheap to produce, may be placed side by side along an internal wall in a building to provide cow stalls. Referring to Figure 2, it can be seen that stall units 10 comprise a base 12 and an end wall 14. A partition wall 16 having an aperture 18 therein bisects the unit 10. Each unit 10 is cast in one piece from reinforced concrete. The units 10 are assembled side by side with end-walls 14 in line forming an outer wall. Each end of a row of stall units 10 may be completed by an end unit 20 which may also be cast in one piece or may be made or built where needed from bricks or ordinary concrete castings. The end units 20 comprise a base 22, an end wall 24 and a side wall 26 which is reinforced around its edges 28. The building is constructed by providing concrete foundations (not shown) along the lines of the outer walls and a central concreted area 34. Two rows of units 10 are then assembled facing one another, each row of units having its end walls 16 above the perimeter foundations and the front end of the bases 12 supported on the central concreted area. Supports 30 are fixed to one row of units 10 and rafters 32 slope downwardly from the tops of the supports 30 to the top of the end walls 14 of the opposite row of units. Roofing material, e.g. corrugated iron sheeting, is then fixed to the rafters. The gap between the roof supports 30 is also filled rn with a weather-proof sheeting material, and the end walls 24 are built up to roof level. A building so-produced provides a simple, easily made and very economical cubicle house for the sheltering of cattle in bad weather. Further, the conrete stalls are very long-lasting. The central concrete area 34 provides a corridor between the rows of cubicles which is easily cleaned of droppings in the normal way. Alternatively, the rows of cubicles may be positioned on either side of a tank or pit covered by slats in which case the droppings fall into the pit which is emptied periodically and spread on the land. The stall units of the invention may be used to make larger or more complicated buildings. For example, four rows of units may be arranged parallel to each other in two sets of two facing rows, separated by three corridors. The central corridors may be provided with feeding troughs, while each of the side corridors may be left clear as before. The whole may be roofed over, preferably with a flat roof over the central section sloping downwards over each of the side corridors, being supported on the stall end walls as before. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A stall unit cast in one piece from concrete and comprising a substantially flat base, an end wall and a partition wall.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1 in which the underside of the base has wide, shallow recess therein.

3. A unit as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 in which the end wall is shaped or has indentations to receive or cooperate with roof support members.

4. A unit as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which the partition wall is central of the unit and bisects it.

5. A unit as claimed in claim 4 in which the partition wall has one or more apertures.

6. A unit as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 in which the concrete used is a strong mixture, that is capable of developing a crush strength in excess of 30N/m2.

7. A unit as claimed in claim 6 in which the concrete mix used comprises three parts limestone chippings and two parts limestone dust to one part rapid hardening cement, reinforced with steel.

8. A stall unit cast in one piece from

concrete and comprising a substantially flat base and a partition wall.

9. A unit as claimed in claim 8 in which the underside of the base has a wide, shallow recess therein.

10. A unit as claimed in either of claims 8 or 9 in which the partition wall is central of the unit and bisects it.

11. A unit as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10 in which the concrete used is a strong mixture, that is capable of developing a crush strength in excess of 30 N/m2.

12. A unit as claimed in claim 11 in which the concrete mix used comprises three parts limestone chippings and two parts lime-stone dust to one part rapid hardening cement.

13. A stall unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A stall unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.