GB2053808A

GB2053808A - Carrying livestock in ships

Info

Publication number: GB2053808A
Application number: GB8021873A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Hydroconic Ltd
Current assignee: Hydroconic Ltd
Priority date: 1979-07-14
Filing date: 1980-07-03
Publication date: 1981-02-11
Also published as: GB2053808B

Abstract

A ship for the transport of livestock has its hold space divided into vertical cells and in each cell horizontal trays are fitted that can receive a number of livestock pens, e.g. eight or sixteen, one or two tiers high, in an arrangement that leaves walkways between the pens and passages for feeding and watering. The trays can be lowered into and lifted out of the cells by overhead cranes or gantries and have couplings for connection to a ventilating system, supplies of drinking and wash water, and so forth. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to the carriage of livestock This invention relates to the transportation by sea of cattle and sheep.

Cattle and sheep and other livestock which are presently transported on the hoof by sea are housed in multi-deck vessels with permanently erected pens or stalls. Sheep are often carried two tiers high per 'tween deck which normally houses a single tier of cattle.

Loading and discharge of the animals is by means of a fixed or portable ramp or ramps eitherthrough hatches or shipside openings or both, with the animals herded on the hoof. This process is very time-consuming - a typical loading or discharging time being about seven days for 30,000 head of sheep. Additionally, with large fitted pens, the cleaning of excrement, etc. is very difficult and sometimes impossible, particularly when carrying sheep closely packed.

According to the invention, there is provided a ship for the transport of livestock in which the hold space is divided into horizontally-spaced verticallyextending cells, in combination with horizontal trays of a size to fit the cells and adapted to be lowered into and raised out of the cells vertically from above, each tray itself being fitted with a plurality of livestock pens in one or two tiers with at least one passageway through the tray between the pens.

Loading and unloading of the trays can be either by shipboard or shore-based cranes or gantries which can employ lifting spreaders with locking arrangements to engage automatically into the trays for lifting them.

The horizontal trays can incorporate access for drovers, feeding, watering, ventilation, washing down and excrement cleaning arrangements by means of simple coupling or plug-in arrangements provided in the ship's hull. All sewage can either be pumped directly overboard or drained into a tank for retention, pulping, and discharge.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in diagrammatic cross-section a ship equipped in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic partial plan of the ship's hold, and Figures 3 and 4 are, respectively, diagrammatic side and end elevations of one of the portable trays receiving the livestock pens.

The hold space 12 within the ship's hull 11 is fitted with vertical cell guides 13 which define the corners of horizontally-spaced vertically-extending rectangular cells into which are lowered portable horizontal trays 14 loaded with livestock pens 15 one or two tiers high. The cells may, if desired, be of standard international dimensions to accomodate standard cargo containers when the ship is not carrying livestock. In the example shown, the pens 15 are two tiers high in each tray 14, for the carriage of sheep, with eight pens loaded into each tray in each tier making sixteen pens in all. A walkway 16 extends centrally from end to end of the tray between the pens and a second central passageway 17 extending from side to side of the tray and communicating with the walkway 16 gives access to all the pens in the tray for livestock feeding and watering.Access to the walkway 16 is gained through portals 18 in the end walls of the tray.

In each tier 19 of a tray, the pens 15 are carried spaced above the floor of the tier so as to provide space beneath the pens for the collection and removal of animal excrement. Each tray has couplings for ventilation ducts, drinking water and wash water pipes; mechanical feed supply and excrement removal means can also be provided.

The sheep pens are loaded into and unloaded from each tray ashore, the loaded trays being transferred between a shore park and the ship's hold by a transporter vehicle 20, that conveys the trays between the park and the wharf 21, and by a crane or gantry. Although a shore crane or gantry can be employed, in the example shown in Figure 1 the ship equipped with its own travelling gantry crane 22 which has a laterally extending beam 23 to lift from the wharf. For lifting of the trays, a lifting spreader is employed with locking arrangements that automatically engage into co-operation locking means at the tops of the trays. Aboard the ship, trays can be loaded on deck as well as into the hold cells.

Within the ship's hold, platforms 24 are provided around and amongst the cells defined by the cell guides 13 at a series of levels corresponding to the top and bottom of every tray 14. This gives the drovers entry to every tray to reach all the sheep pens.

The equipping of vessels in the manner described reduces the port time to a fraction of that required with the present conventional vessels. The living conditions for the animals are improved due to improvements in ventilation, watering and feeding, and the hazard to animals (breaking legs, etc.) using ramps is eliminated.

The hardship to animals on a long voyage is reduced due to the much shorter time they are below decks in pens compared with the previous arrangement. The number of drovers can also be reduced, with the easier shipment arrangements.

1. A ship for the transport of livestock in which the hold space is divided into horizontally-spaced vertically-extending cells, in combination with horizontal trays of a size to fit the cells and adapted to be lowered into and raised out of the cells vertically from above, each tray itself being fitted with a plurality of livestock pens in one or two tiers with at least one passageway through the tray between the pens.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the pens are disposed in the tray on either side of a central walkway extending from end to end of the tray, and a central feed passage extends from side to side of the tray communicating with the walkway and giving access to every pen.

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to the carriage of livestock This invention relates to the transportation by sea of cattle and sheep. Cattle and sheep and other livestock which are presently transported on the hoof by sea are housed in multi-deck vessels with permanently erected pens or stalls. Sheep are often carried two tiers high per 'tween deck which normally houses a single tier of cattle. Loading and discharge of the animals is by means of a fixed or portable ramp or ramps eitherthrough hatches or shipside openings or both, with the animals herded on the hoof. This process is very time-consuming - a typical loading or discharging time being about seven days for 30,000 head of sheep. Additionally, with large fitted pens, the cleaning of excrement, etc. is very difficult and sometimes impossible, particularly when carrying sheep closely packed. According to the invention, there is provided a ship for the transport of livestock in which the hold space is divided into horizontally-spaced verticallyextending cells, in combination with horizontal trays of a size to fit the cells and adapted to be lowered into and raised out of the cells vertically from above, each tray itself being fitted with a plurality of livestock pens in one or two tiers with at least one passageway through the tray between the pens. Loading and unloading of the trays can be either by shipboard or shore-based cranes or gantries which can employ lifting spreaders with locking arrangements to engage automatically into the trays for lifting them. The horizontal trays can incorporate access for drovers, feeding, watering, ventilation, washing down and excrement cleaning arrangements by means of simple coupling or plug-in arrangements provided in the ship's hull. All sewage can either be pumped directly overboard or drained into a tank for retention, pulping, and discharge. One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in diagrammatic cross-section a ship equipped in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic partial plan of the ship's hold, and Figures 3 and 4 are, respectively, diagrammatic side and end elevations of one of the portable trays receiving the livestock pens. The hold space 12 within the ship's hull 11 is fitted with vertical cell guides 13 which define the corners of horizontally-spaced vertically-extending rectangular cells into which are lowered portable horizontal trays 14 loaded with livestock pens 15 one or two tiers high. The cells may, if desired, be of standard international dimensions to accomodate standard cargo containers when the ship is not carrying livestock. In the example shown, the pens 15 are two tiers high in each tray 14, for the carriage of sheep, with eight pens loaded into each tray in each tier making sixteen pens in all. A walkway 16 extends centrally from end to end of the tray between the pens and a second central passageway 17 extending from side to side of the tray and communicating with the walkway 16 gives access to all the pens in the tray for livestock feeding and watering.Access to the walkway 16 is gained through portals 18 in the end walls of the tray. In each tier 19 of a tray, the pens 15 are carried spaced above the floor of the tier so as to provide space beneath the pens for the collection and removal of animal excrement. Each tray has couplings for ventilation ducts, drinking water and wash water pipes; mechanical feed supply and excrement removal means can also be provided. The sheep pens are loaded into and unloaded from each tray ashore, the loaded trays being transferred between a shore park and the ship's hold by a transporter vehicle 20, that conveys the trays between the park and the wharf 21, and by a crane or gantry. Although a shore crane or gantry can be employed, in the example shown in Figure 1 the ship equipped with its own travelling gantry crane 22 which has a laterally extending beam 23 to lift from the wharf. For lifting of the trays, a lifting spreader is employed with locking arrangements that automatically engage into co-operation locking means at the tops of the trays. Aboard the ship, trays can be loaded on deck as well as into the hold cells. Within the ship's hold, platforms 24 are provided around and amongst the cells defined by the cell guides 13 at a series of levels corresponding to the top and bottom of every tray 14. This gives the drovers entry to every tray to reach all the sheep pens. The equipping of vessels in the manner described reduces the port time to a fraction of that required with the present conventional vessels. The living conditions for the animals are improved due to improvements in ventilation, watering and feeding, and the hazard to animals (breaking legs, etc.) using ramps is eliminated. The hardship to animals on a long voyage is reduced due to the much shorter time they are below decks in pens compared with the previous arrangement. The number of drovers can also be reduced, with the easier shipment arrangements. CLAIMS

3. The combination according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the cells are dimensioned to accommodate alternatively standard cargo containers.

4. The combination according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3, wherein each tray has couplings for connection of a ventilation duct and drinkingiwash water.

5. The combination according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pens in each tray are mounted therein with a space beneath.

6. The combination according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the trays are adapted to be raised and lowered by a lifting spreader with automatic locks.

7. The combination according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ship is equipped with a travelling gantrytrane for handling the trays.

8. The combination according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein platforms are provided in the ship around and amongst the cells at levels corresponding to the top and bottom of each tray.

9. The combination of a ship and portable trays with pens for the carriage of livestock, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.