GB2413930A

GB2413930A - Poultry nest box with pivoted floor

Info

Publication number: GB2413930A
Application number: GB0410880A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ken Ford
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-05-15
Filing date: 2004-05-15
Publication date: 2005-11-16
Also published as: GB0410880D0

Abstract

A nest box has pivoted floor sections 4 and 5 which can be rotated to a vertical position to prevent birds from sleeping in the nest box and to remove droppings through the bottom of the box. When the nest box is in use, the floor sections slope down towards an intermediate conveyor belt 3 which is of slatted form so that eggs collect on the conveyor but droppings pass through. The conveyor is concave transverse to the direction of travel (see Fig 4) and is flanked by raised projections (Fig 5, 22) carrying pivoted flaps(Fig 5, 26). When the floor sections rotate, the flaps move upwards to retain eggs on the conveyor. Simultaneous rotation of cam rods and pivot rod (Fig 2, 13) causes the cam fingers (Fig 5, 30) to push flaps (Fig 5, 26) towards vertical.

Description

24 1 3930

POULTRY NEST BOX

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to nest boxes for use by poultry.

BACKGROUND

On poultry farms nest boxes are provided to give chickens a place to lay their eggs. They are opened up for the chickens to use during the day, but the chickens are usually prevented from using them during hours of darkness so that the birds are encouraged to sleep in a safe place.

Existing nest boxes have wires to stop the chickens from using them, but the birds may become caught in the wires, causing severe injury and distress. They also require frequent cleaning to maintain hygienic conditions.

The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive form of nest box which is safe for birds to use without risk of injury, which allows the eggs to be stored without damage for later collection, and which also requires less frequent cleaning. - 2 P1177

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a poultry nest box having a door opening and an internal floor section, adjacent to the door opening, which is downwardly inclined away from the door opening towards an egg collection area, in which the floor section is pivoted to enable it to be moved towards a vertical position when the nest box is not in use such that any birds entering the nest box through the door opening will drop through the bottom of the nest box.

Such movement of the floor section also allows any droppings or other debris to drop through the bottom of the nest box.

The floor section is preferably pivoted for rotation about an axis extending generally parallel to the door opening. The axis of rotation is preferably disposed substantially mid-way across the width of the floor section.

The egg collection area preferably includes a moveable conveyor. The upper surface of the conveyor is preferably concave transverse to the direction of travel. Preferably there are two such pivoted floor sections on opposite sides of the conveyor, and the concave surface is preferably flanked by flaps which are pivotally connected to opposite sides of the conveyor. By providing means for moving the flaps towards a vertical position when the floor sections are rotated any eggs near the sides of the conveyor are retained on the conveyor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to - 3 P1177 therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put into practice. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a poultry nest box in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is an end view of one of the pivoted floor sections of the nest box; Figure 3 is a plan view of an egg collection conveyor which is mounted in the nest box; Figure 4 is section IV-IV of Fig. 3; and Figure 5 is an enlarged end detail of Fig. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring firstly to Fig. 1, the nest box has four walls 1 which are surmounted by a roof (not shown). Two opposing wails are provided with door openings 2 by which chickens may enter the box to lay eggs. An egg collection conveyor 3 extends along the bottom of the nest box between a pair of elongate pivoted floor sections 4 and 5. The floor sections meet the respective walls 1 at or below the bottom of the door openings 2 and are downwardly inclined away from the openings to meet the longitudinal edges of the conveyor 3. Thus, if birds entering the house lay eggs on the floor sections they will gently roll onto the conveyor 3.

Each of the floor sections 4, 5 is pivoted to rotate about an axis 6 - 4 P1177 extending parallel to the adjacent wall 1, substantially mid-way across the width of the floor section. As shown in Fig. 2, the floor section includes a floor panel 10 with ribs 11 on the underside. The ribs have central semi- circular recesses 12 to receive a pivot rod 13, which is in turn secured to the ribs by saddle clamps 14 and bolts 15.

Referring to Fig. 3, the conveyor 3 is an endless belt mounted on spaced axles 18. Several such conveyors may be mounted end-to-end. The belt has a series of narrow vertical slats 19, extending transverse to the direction of travel, with intervening gaps for droppings to pass through.

One of the slats 19 is shown in side view in Fig. 4. It will be noted that the slats are curved along their length such that the upper surface 20 of the conveyor is slightly concave transverse to the direction of travel, with its lowest point substantially mid-way between the longitudinal edges of the conveyor. This ensures that eggs tend to collect at the centre of the conveyor. As shown in Fig. 5, the opposite longitudinal edges of the conveyor have short outward projections 22, the upper faces 23 of which are downwardly inclined towards the slats 19 while the bottom faces have depending lips forming hooks 24. The sides of the conveyor are flanked by flaps 26 which are connected to the top of the projections 22, e.g. by integral web hinges 27. A respective cam rod 28 is mounted below the outer edge of each flap 26. These rods carry a series of spaced cam fingers 30 which support the underside of the flaps 26, as shown.

The cam rods 28 are connected to rotate with the pivot rods 13, e.g. by belts or gears, operated manually or by a motor controlled by a timer.

Such rotation enables the floor sections to be pivoted towards a vertical position when the nest box is not in use, indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1. In this condition, any birds entering the nest box through the door openings 2 will drop through the bottom of the nest box without risk of P1177 injury and are thus prevented from sleeping in the nest box. Any droppings on the floor sections will also fall through the bottom of the nest box when the sections are rotated. Simultaneous rotation of the cam rods causes the cam fingers 30 to push the flaps towards a substantially vertical position ensuring that any eggs near the sides of the conveyor will be prevented from dropping off the belt.

Eggs may be collected by moving the conveyor, either manually or by means of a motor, to carry the eggs to a collection point at one end of the conveyor.

The nest box is therefore humane and clean. Eggs are collected on the conveyor, free of contamination by droppings, until they can be removed.

More then one pivoted floor section could be provided on each side of the conveyor if desired.

It will be appreciated that the features disclosed herein may be present in any feasible combination. Whilst the above description lays emphasis on those areas which, in combination, are believed to be new, protection is claimed for any inventive combination of the features disclosed herein.

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Claims

P1 177 CLAIMS

1. A poultry nest box having a door opening and an internal floor section, adjacent to the door opening, which is downwardly inclined away from the door opening towards an egg collection area, in which the floor section is pivoted to enable it to be moved towards a vertical position when the nest box is not in use such that any birds entering the nest box through the door opening will drop through the bottom of the nest box.

2. A poultry nest box according to Claim 1, in which the floor section is pivoted for rotation about an axis extending generally parallel to the door opening.

3. A poultry nest box according to Claim 2, in which the axis of rotation is disposed substantially mid-way between opposite edges of the floor section.

4. A poultry nest box according to any preceding claim, in which the egg collection area includes a moveable conveyor.

5. A poultry nest box according to Claim 4, in which the conveyor comprises a plurality of apertures for droppings to pass through.

6. A poultry nest box according to Claim 5, in which the apertures are formed between slats extending transverse to the direction of travel.

7. A poultry nest box according to Claim 4, 5 or 6 in which the upper surface of the conveyor is concave transverse to the direction of P1177 travel.

8. A poultry nest box according to any of claims 4 to 7, in which there are two such pivoted floor sections on opposite sides of the conveyor.

9. A poultry nest box according to Claim 8, in which opposite sides of the conveyor are provided with raised egg-retaining projections.

10. A poultry nest box according to Claim 9, in which the upper surfaces of the projections are downwardly inclined towards the centre of the conveyor.

11. A poultry nest box according to any of Claims 4 to 10, in which the conveyor is flanked by vertically moveable elements which are arranged to move upwards when the floor sections are pivoted.

1 2. A poultry nest box according to Claim 11, in which the vertically moveable elements comprise flaps.

13. A poultry nest box according to Claim 12, in which the flaps are pivotally connected to opposite sides of the conveyor.

14. A poultry nest box according to Claim 12 or 13, in which the flaps are supported and moved by cam elements.

15. A poultry nest box according to Claim 15, in which the cam elements are moved by cam rods which are linked to the floor sections to rotate therewith. - 8 P1177

16. A poultry nest box substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

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