GB2147030A

GB2147030A - Beam for animal floor

Info

Publication number: GB2147030A
Application number: GB08423658A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Francis Ferguson; Dare Hurst
Original assignee: PUNCHBOWL PIPES
Current assignee: PUNCHBOWL PIPES
Priority date: 1983-09-20
Filing date: 1984-09-19
Publication date: 1985-05-01
Also published as: GB8423658D0

Abstract

A floor slat for an animal pen made of ceramic material especially vitrified clay or earthenware comprises a beam with at least one face, two sides and two ends, the beam having: (a) an upper wall (2) constituting the face and providing a pedestrian surface for the animal, the side edges (12) of the face being defined by a first pair of parallel longitudinal edges; and (b) a pair of load bearing sidewalls or webs (4) of equal depth located at or near the first pair of parallel longitudinal edges (12), the outer lower edges of the sidewalls or webs (4) being defined by a second pair of parallel longitudinal edges wherein the width of the beam face between the first pair of parallel longitudinal edges (12) exceeds the width between the sidewall or beam edges defined by the second parallel longitudinal edges. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Beam This invention concerns slats for animal pens.

The invention will be described particularly in relation to slats for pig pens but other intensive rearing installations, veterinary quarters and zoos also present opportunities for the use of slats of this kind. The shape and construction of the foot of pigs requires that the slats upon which they stand are comfortable and dirt-shedding.

In one known pen, a concrete floor which drains to a sump, supports short columns on which parallel bearers are placed. Rows of solid concrete slats are laid between adjacent bearers and the resulting floor is divided up into pens by rails. The concrete slats may be replaced by timber slats but neither of these materials is dirt-shedding, both absorb and retain water and concrete is chemically attacked by dung and urine. The large mass and consequent thermal capacity of concrete slats tends to chill recumbent pigs.

This invention provides a floor slat for an animal pen made of vitrified clay or earthenware comprising a beam having an upper wall constituting a pedestrian surface for an animal and two load-bearing sidewalls or webs of equal depth which are located at or near the two longitudinal edges of the beam such that when the beams are placed side by side with the respective longitudinal edges of two beams adjacent but spaced from each other, the gap between the adjacent sidewalls or webs of two beams is greater than the gap between the adjacent edges of the faces of the two beams.

Preferably the sidewalls of the beam and the longitudinal edges of the upper face are all mutually parallel.

In a preferred embodiment the sidewalls are located at the longitudinal edges of the upper face and are inclined towards each other giving the beam a tapered appearance in crosssection.

A more useful embodiment results if the beam has also a lower wall which is shorter than the upper wall serving to join the two sidewalls creating a hollow beam of trapezoidal section.

One end of the beam may have integral spacing means in order that the gap between adjacent beams when the latter are installed in an abutting array on the bearers is equal.

One embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a slat 1200mm long Figure 2 is a section of two beams of an alternative section Figure 3 is a section of two beams of yet another cross-section Figure 4 is a perspective view of a beam 1 200mm long Referring firstly to Fig. 1, the beam is a vitrified clay extrusion of substantially trapezoidal section, the walls of which are all of near equal thickness. The upper face 2 is 1 50mm wide. The beam is 1 OOmm deep. The two sides 4 slope toward each other and are braced by the lower wall 6. The upper wall has a spot pattern 8 to afford grip for example to boars during mating.No end of the upper wall has integral moulded spacing lugs 10 which extend 20mm from the longitudinal edges 1 2 of the upper wall. All edges are raidiussed to prevent injury to piglets.

In use the slats are placed directly on the bearers, side by side with the lugs of alternate beams situated at like ends. A gap of diverging cross-section is created between adjacent beams.

Figs. 2 and 3 show alternative sections which minimise the lodgement of dung in the gap between adjacent beams. Fig. 4 is of narrower cross-section and has lugs 1 2mm long.

We have found that the advantage of the Fig. 1 embodiment to be: 1. The chemical inertness of clay offers durable resistance to the adverse chemical environment on the pen floor.

2. Clay withstands the wear from trotters, teeth and noses better than reinforced concrete which has mesh which is eventually exposed and attacked.

3. The hollow section reduces the mass and eases installation while at the same time reducing the transfer of heat from recumbent pigs.

4. The beams are self spacing; do not need grouting or otherwise stabilising; can be cut to length using a masonry cutting saw and can be individually replaced.

CLAIMS:

1. A floor slat for an animal pen made of ceramic material comprising a beam having an upper wall constituting a pedestrian surface for an animal and two load bearing sidewalls or webs or equal depth which are located at or near the two longitudinal edges of the beam such that when the beams are placed side by side with the respective longitudinal edges of the two beams adjacent but spaced from each other, the gap between the adjacent sidewalls or webs of two beams is greater than the gap between the adjacent edges of the faces of the two beams.

2. A floor slat for an animal pen made of ceramic material comprising a beam with at least one face, two sides and two ends, the beam having: (a) an upper wall constituting the face and providing a pedestrian surface for the animal, the side edges of the face being defined by a first pair of parallel longitudinal edges; and

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Beam This invention concerns slats for animal pens. The invention will be described particularly in relation to slats for pig pens but other intensive rearing installations, veterinary quarters and zoos also present opportunities for the use of slats of this kind. The shape and construction of the foot of pigs requires that the slats upon which they stand are comfortable and dirt-shedding. In one known pen, a concrete floor which drains to a sump, supports short columns on which parallel bearers are placed. Rows of solid concrete slats are laid between adjacent bearers and the resulting floor is divided up into pens by rails. The concrete slats may be replaced by timber slats but neither of these materials is dirt-shedding, both absorb and retain water and concrete is chemically attacked by dung and urine. The large mass and consequent thermal capacity of concrete slats tends to chill recumbent pigs. This invention provides a floor slat for an animal pen made of vitrified clay or earthenware comprising a beam having an upper wall constituting a pedestrian surface for an animal and two load-bearing sidewalls or webs of equal depth which are located at or near the two longitudinal edges of the beam such that when the beams are placed side by side with the respective longitudinal edges of two beams adjacent but spaced from each other, the gap between the adjacent sidewalls or webs of two beams is greater than the gap between the adjacent edges of the faces of the two beams. Preferably the sidewalls of the beam and the longitudinal edges of the upper face are all mutually parallel. In a preferred embodiment the sidewalls are located at the longitudinal edges of the upper face and are inclined towards each other giving the beam a tapered appearance in crosssection. A more useful embodiment results if the beam has also a lower wall which is shorter than the upper wall serving to join the two sidewalls creating a hollow beam of trapezoidal section. One end of the beam may have integral spacing means in order that the gap between adjacent beams when the latter are installed in an abutting array on the bearers is equal. One embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a slat 1200mm long Figure 2 is a section of two beams of an alternative section Figure 3 is a section of two beams of yet another cross-section Figure 4 is a perspective view of a beam 1 200mm long Referring firstly to Fig. 1, the beam is a vitrified clay extrusion of substantially trapezoidal section, the walls of which are all of near equal thickness. The upper face 2 is 1 50mm wide. The beam is 1 OOmm deep. The two sides 4 slope toward each other and are braced by the lower wall 6. The upper wall has a spot pattern 8 to afford grip for example to boars during mating.No end of the upper wall has integral moulded spacing lugs 10 which extend 20mm from the longitudinal edges 1 2 of the upper wall. All edges are raidiussed to prevent injury to piglets. In use the slats are placed directly on the bearers, side by side with the lugs of alternate beams situated at like ends. A gap of diverging cross-section is created between adjacent beams. Figs. 2 and 3 show alternative sections which minimise the lodgement of dung in the gap between adjacent beams. Fig. 4 is of narrower cross-section and has lugs 1 2mm long. We have found that the advantage of the Fig. 1 embodiment to be: 1. The chemical inertness of clay offers durable resistance to the adverse chemical environment on the pen floor. 2. Clay withstands the wear from trotters, teeth and noses better than reinforced concrete which has mesh which is eventually exposed and attacked. 3. The hollow section reduces the mass and eases installation while at the same time reducing the transfer of heat from recumbent pigs. 4. The beams are self spacing; do not need grouting or otherwise stabilising; can be cut to length using a masonry cutting saw and can be individually replaced. CLAIMS:

2. A floor slat for an animal pen made of ceramic material comprising a beam with at least one face, two sides and two ends, the beam having: (a) an upper wall constituting the face and providing a pedestrian surface for the animal, the side edges of the face being defined by a first pair of parallel longitudinal edges; and (b) a pair of load bearing sidewalls or webs of equal depth located at or near the first pair of parallel longitudinal edges, the outer lower edges of the sidewalls or webs being defined by a second pair of parallel longitudinal edges wherein the width of the beam face between the first pair of parallel longitudinal edges exceeds the width between the sidewall or beam edges defined by the second parallel longitudinal edges.

3. A floor slat as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the sidewalls of the beam are mutually parallel.

4. A floor slat as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the sidewalls of the beam are mutually inclined toward each other giving the beam a tapered cross-section.

5. A floor slat as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein a lower wall of iesser width joins the lower edges of the sidewalls or webs creating a hollow beam of trapezoidal section.

6. A floor slat as claimed in any one of the preceding claims having integral spacing means in order that the gap between adjacent beams when the latter are installed in abutting array on bearers, is equal.

7. A floor slat as claimed in claim 6 wherein the spacing means is a pair of lugs both sides of the beam each having an integrally moulded lug projecting therefrom.

8. A floor slat as claimed in claim 7 wherein the lugs are at the same end of the beam.

9. A floor slat as claimed in any one of the preceding claims when made of vitrified clay or earthenware.

10. A floor slat substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompaning drawing.