GB2214773A

GB2214773A - Improvements in automatic egg collecting systems

Info

Publication number: GB2214773A
Application number: GB8803677A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bodo Ulrich David Rissmann; Francis Bernard Gill
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-02-17
Filing date: 1988-02-17
Publication date: 1989-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 2008-02-17
Also published as: GB2214773B; GB8803677D0

Abstract

An automatic egg collecting system comprises two or more lines of nest box units, wherein each unit comprises one or more tiers of two groups of nest boxes (18, 22 and 20, 24) similarly arranged on opposite sides of a conveying means (26, 28), each group including nest boxes which are respectively accessible to a chicken through openings (30, 32) from directions parallel to the path of the conveying means and a direction transverse to the path of the conveying means. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements in Automatic Egg Collecting Systems This invention relates generally to an automatic egg collecting system.

Pldjy chicken egg production i generally ridged ij a chicken shed which is conventionally relatively long and has a double row of nest boxes extending continuously down its longitudinal centre. Sometimes, in a wide shed, two such continuous double rows of nest boxes may be accommodated.

Eggs laid in the nest boxes roll down on to a conveyor means extending longitudinally between the two nest box rows and eggs are thence conveyed to a collecting point at the end of the shed, as by periodic operation of the conveyor means.

The conventional arrangement of nest boxes may be more than one tier high, but almost invariably consists, in the or each tier, of two continuous rows of nest boxes each accessible through an opening facing laterally outwards of the row.

Thus, given a balanced lighting system extending longtudinally in the shed, conditions in all the nest boxes are substantially identical.

In practice, any one group of chickens, together with a cockerel, generally dwell in one territory within the shed, i.e. a specific area adjacent one portion of the double row of nest boxes to one side thereof or the other. If all nest boxes appertaining to one territory are occupied, a chicken may have to pass through several other territories to find an empty box, and/or may possibly have to make a difficult passage from one side of the continuous double row of nest boxes to the other side. These difficulties can lead to relatively frequent egg laying other than in a nest box.

Moreover, chickens have differing preferences for egg laying conditions, both with respect to lighting and with respect to relative privacy. Generally, however, the conventional continuous double row of nest boxes is only able to offer substantially uniform conditions. This can also lead to egg laying outside a nest box, as a chicken searches in vain for a preforred egg laying condition.

A general object of the present invention is to provide an automatic egg collecting system in which the above-described disadvantages of the conventional nest box arrangement are substantially overcome or at least reduced.

According to the invention, there is provided a nest box unit which comprises an arrangement of two groups of nest boxes on opposite sides of an egg transport conveyor means, each group including nest boxes respectively accessible from differing directions relative to the longitudinal direction of the conveyor means.

According to a further feature of the invention, a plurality of the aforesaid nest box units are arranged in line in spaced apart relationship in a chicken shed, linked by a common conveyor means. Whereas, usually, the conventional double row of nest boxes extends down the longitudinal centre of the shed, there are preferably two parallel lines of nest box units in accordance with the invention, dividing the area of the shed into four longitudinally extending quarters, one on the outside of each line and two between the two lines.

In a wide shed, three or more parallel lines of nest box units in accordance with the invention may be accommodated, or even curved lines thereof.

The nest box unit in accordance with the invention may be one or more tiers high, with two groups of nest boxes as aforesaid in each tier. The nest boxes in one tier are preferably but not essentially arranged in the same manner as the nest boxes in the other tier or tiers.

A preferred nest box unit is square or rectangular, each group having nest boxes with openings accessible in a direction generally parallel to the length of the conveyor Ineaas-, both with and against tha a~recWio-n OL movement of the conveyor means, and in a direction generally perpendicular to the length of the conveyor means.

The nest box unit preferably includes support legs, and a perching platform, one for each tier, extending all round the unit, except for interruption by the conveyor means, at an appropriate level for assisting a chicken to enter a nest box. In the case of a multi-tier nest box unit, a perching platform at a higher level is preferably shallower in width, in the dimension measured towards (or away from) the nest boxes, than the perching platform below it.

A preferred -nest box unit, excepting the conveyor means, can be assembled and disassembled into component parts without use of clips, screws or other fixing means, thereby to facilitate cleaning and maintenance.

As is conventional, each nest box has its own removable floor which initially can be positioned flat to assist a chicken in familiarising itself with a nesting box, and subsequently can be repositioned with a slope appropriate, having regard to the matting-type finishing layer conventionally provided on such a floor, to enable a laid egg to roll gently down on to the conveyor means through a shallow gap at the bottom of the appropriate wall of the nest box.

In the preferred unit in accordance with the invention, however, the nest box floors are positionable in the alternative flat or sloping conditions without the use of removable locating pegs or the like. This benefit can in part be enabled by employing a shallow and inverted V-shape egg conveying surface on the conveyor means.

The nest box unit in accordance with the invention preferably also clues a roof, convenie.tly a flat or ridged roo, which rests in position and can readily be lifted off. A single roof member, which may for example be made of pressed metal sheet or of timber or of fibre glass, preferably covers all the nest boxes of one unit or the-top tier of a multi-tier unit. In the case of a multi-tier unit, the floor sections of an upper tier can also constitute roof sections for the nest boxes in the underlying tier, especially if the nest boxes are similarly arranged in all the tiers.

An embodiment of nest box unit in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows one complete unit in perspective view; and Figure 2 shows, again in perspective, an integral nest box component structure forming part of the complete unit.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated nest box unit, conveniently made principally of timber, is generally of an overall square shape, and has two tiers 10 and 12 of nest boxes identically arranged in the two tiers. Each tier comprises two identical groups each of three nest boxes, respectively 14, 15 and 16, as indicated by thegroup constituted by the component structure shown in Figure 2.

Thus, this group of three nest boxes is manufactured as an integral component part, and the complete two -tier unit of Figure 1 has four such component parts, respectively referenced 18, 20, 22 and 24.

The two nest box groups 18, 20 of the upper tier, and likewise the two nest box groups 22, 24 of the lower tier, are similarly arranged, respectively on opposite sides of a centra upper cenvç 6 e. a lowei co.veyc),- 23 (only the static conveyor supports are illustrated).

In practical usage, two lines of the above-described units are arranged in a chicken shed, each line being spaced approximately one quarter of the width of the shed in from the adjacent side wall, and adjacent units being spaced apart along each line by approximately the same distance as the length of a unit. The upper and lower conveyors 26, 28 extend between and are common to all the units in a single line. At the end of the line, the two conveyors transfer eggs to further conveyors, at least one of which has a gradient, so that all eggs are fed to a single level collecting tray.

In accordance with the invention, each group of three nest boxes has boxes accessible from differing directions.

Thus, in each group, corner nest boxes 14 and 16 are accessible, respectively in opposite senses, from a direction parallel to the length of the conveyor means, whilst central nest box 15 is accessible from a direction normal to the length of the conveyor. Access openings for the corner nest boxes are designated 30 and access openings for the central nest boxes are designated 32 in Figure 1.

Conveniently, the unit stands on legs 34, and upper and lower perching platforms 36, 38 are provided all round the unit, except for interruption by the respective conveyors, at levels convenient to assist chickens in gaining access to the nest boxes. The upper perching platform 36 is of shallower width than the lower platform 38, at least along the sides of the unit extending parallel to the conveyor means.

Dacn nest box has its on removable flcol 4'J, haxlng r toy layer of imitation grass matting, and which can be positioned either flat, with its inner edge resting on the outer edge of the conveyor support, which is of a shallow inverted V-shape, or sloping, with its inner edge abutting the outside edge face of said conveyor support, whereby the outer edge of the floor wedges at a raised level against the opposite wall of the nest box.

The wall of each nest box adjacent the conveyor has a shallow gap 42 at the bottom to enable a laid egg to roll gently down on to the conveyor, which comprises a moving, endless, non-rigid fabric belt, periodically operated, substantially conforming to and running on the upper inverted V-shaped surface of the corresponding conveyor support.

The above-described arrangement in accordance with the invention has the advantage that a chicken can readily gain access to nest boxes on four sides of any one unit adjacent its territory, reducing the chance that it will be required to pass through a number of other territories to find an empty box. Moreover, given overhead lighting of a generally conventional type, egg boxes facing in different directions will be lit differently. Moreover, again because of the pattern of the nest boxes, some will give private conditions whilst others give conditions in which chickens are able to see one another. Thus, each chicken will usually readily be able to find a nest box offering the eca laying conditions which the particular chicken prefers. Various modifications of the above-described arrangement are possible within the scope of the invention hereinbefore defined. For example, it is possible to design a generally round nest box unit divided by a conveyor means into two generally semi-circular groups of nest boxes.

Claims

1. A nest box unit comprising an arrangement of two groups of nest boxes on opposite sides of an egg transport conveyor means, each group including nest boxes respectively accessible from differing directions relative to the longitudinal direction of the conveyor means.

2. A plurality of the nest box units each according to claim 1, arranged in line in spaced apart relationship in a chicken shed, linked by a common conveyor means.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein two parallel lines of nest box units divide the area of the shed into four longitudinally extending quarters, one on the outside of each line and two between the two lines.

4. An arrangement according to claim 2, having three or more parallel lines of nest box units.

5. An arrangement according to claim 2, having curved lines of nest boxes.

6. A nest box arrangement according to any preceding claim, which is one or more tiers high, with two groups of nest boxes as aforesaid in each tier.

7. A nest box arrangement according to claim 6, in which the nest boxes in one tier are arranged in the same manner as the nest boxes in the other tier or tiers.

8. A nest box arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein each nest box unit is square or rectangular, each group having nest boxes with openings accessible in a direction generally parallel to the length of the conveyor means, both with and against the direction of movement of the conveyor means, and in a direction generally perpendicular to the length o th collSeywr me s. ~

9. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each nest box unit includes support legs, and a perching platform, one for each tier, extending all round the unit, except for interruption by the conveyor means, at an appropriate level for assisting a chicken to enter a nest box.

10. An arrangement according to claim 9, wherein, in the case of a multi-tier nest box unit, a perching platform at a higher level is preferably shallower in width, in the dimension measured towards (or away from) the nest boxes, than the perching platform below it.

11. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each nest box unit, excepting the conveyor means, can be assembled and disassembled into component parts without use of clips, screws or other fixing means, thereby to facilitate cleaning and maintenance.

12. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each nest box has its own removable floor which initially can be positioned flat to assist a chicken in familiarising itself with a nesting box, and subsequently can be repositioned with a slope appropriate, having regard to a matting-type finishing layer provided on such a floor, to enable a laid egg to roll gently down on to the conveyor means through a shallow gap at the bottom of the appropriate wall of the nest box.

13. An arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the nest box floors are positionable in the alternate flat or sloping conditions without the use of removable locating pegs or the like.

14. Al carc-rt :,. according claim 13, wherein a snaltc;, and inverted V-shape egg conveying surface is provided on the conveyor means.

15. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each nest box unit includes a roof, conveniently a flat or ridged roof, which rests in position and can readily be lifted off.

16. An arrangement according to claim 15, wherein a single roof member, which may be made of pressed metal sheet or of timber or of fibre glass, covers all the nest boxes of one unit or the top tier of a multi-tier unit.

17. An arrangement according to claim 15 or claim 16, wherein, in the case of a multi-tier unit, the floor sections of an upper tier constitute roof sections for the nest boxes in the underlying tier.

18. A nest box unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.