GB2500682A

GB2500682A - Slotted flooring plate

Info

Publication number: GB2500682A
Application number: GB1205623.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Glyn Edwin Baker
Original assignee: GE Baker UK Ltd
Current assignee: GE Baker UK Ltd
Priority date: 2012-03-30
Filing date: 2012-03-30
Publication date: 2013-10-02
Also published as: GB201205623D0

Abstract

The slotted flooring plate relates to a device for reducing the size of the gap between concrete flooring slats 8 in livestock housing. The slotted flooring plate comprises a rectangular plate 1 and a slot 2 to allow urine and faeces to fall through. The plate has sides 4 to lap over concrete slats 8 and is thin in profile to prevent livestock animals catching their feet on a sharp profiled edge. The slotted section has corners 3 with a radius to provide a smooth edge to livestock animals' feet and a returned section 5 to add strength to the thin profile. A number of slotted plates may be used to reduce the size of the gaps between the slats 8 to a conformal dimension. The slotted plates may be fixed to the concrete slats 8 using various methods including adhesive, clamping means 13 (see figure 6) and clamping means 11 (see figure 5).

Description

Slotted flooring plate This invention relates to a device for reducing the size of the gap between flooring slats used in livestock housing.

A system of using a series of precast concrete slats closely adjacent to one another in livestock buildings is commonplace. The slats form a durable floor and by casting a relief into adjacent sides of the slats, a gap between two slats can be formed to allow urine and faeces to fall through to a storage pit below.

However, due to a change in the requirements for welfare, it has been determined that the gap between these slats should not be larger than a specified width for a particular category of livestock to prevent injury to the housed, livestock animals' feet. Furthermore, due to the method of manufacture, the nature of the construction technique used to install the slats, and wear and tear, the gap between consecutive slats may be variable and can be significantly larger than the required width which contravenes animal welfare standards. By way of example, in the case of housing pigs a maximum gap of 18mm is the standard for finisher pigs with younger pigs requiring a smaller gap.

The construction method typically used in the installation of such concrete slats also prevents the removal and replacement of these slats without significant and expensive changes to the building structure.

To overcome this problem, the present invention proposes a slotted flooring plate with a precisely formed slot to provide means to cover a portion of concrete slats such that the slot is coincident with the gap located between the existing slats.

The slotted plate provides a simple and economic means of reducing the size of the gap between existing slats, thereby enabling the floor to be modified in situ so that it will comply with welfare regulations and be comfortable and safe for livestock animals' feet.

Preferably the slotted flooring plate is to be formed such that it has a minimal edge thickness to avoid a proud edge that can be caught on the livestock feet. The plate is preferable formed in a drawn section around the periphery of the slot such that there is either a chamfered or radius edge to the open slot, also to prevent damage to the livestock feet.

The slotted flooring plate may be fitted to the slat using, but not limited to one or more screwed clamps, sprung clips or adhesive as a fixing method.

The slotted plate may be installed in multiples to cover large areas of slatted floor and each plate may have one or more slots formed to align with one or more existing gaps.

An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings: * Figure 1 shows the slotted flooring plate in isolation; * Figure 2 shows a typical section through the slotted portion of a slotted flooring plate; * Figure 3 shows a slotted flooring plate with more than one slot; * Figure 4 shows an example of several slotted flooring plates installed on concrete slats; * Figure 5 shows a section of a slotted flooring plate installed on concrete slats with an anchor type fixing method.

Figure 6 shows a preferred method of fixing the slotted flooring plate with an expanding wedge.

A rectangular plate 1 has a slot 2 to allow urine and faeces to fall through. The plate has sides 4 to lap over concrete slats and is thin in profile to prevent livestock animals catching their feet on a sharp profiled edge. The slotted section has corners 3 with a radius to provide a smooth edge to livestock animals' feet and a returned section 5 to add strength to the thin profile. In an alternative embodiment the slotted plate can have two slots 6 & 7 or more than two slots.

In figure 4 a series of concrete slats 8, are shown as they would be aligned in a typical installation. A typical uncovered wide gap 9 is shown. In this installation a number of slotted plates 1 are used to reduce the size of the gaps in between the slats to a conformal dimension.

FigureS shows a method of fixing the slotted flooring plate ito the concrete slats 8 utilising a screw extending through a countersunk hole 16 in the slotted flooring plate 1 into an anchor clip 11.

Figure 6 shows an alternative method of fixing the slotted flooring plate 1 onto the concrete slats 8 with a screw retaining the slotted flooring plate in a countersunk recess 10. The screw extends through a clearance hole in an expanding wedge 12 to a tight retaining hole 14 such that when the screw is turned the wedge 13 is pulled towards the slotted flooring plate 1 expanding the sides of the wedge such that it presses onto the concrete slats at its outer most sections 15.

Claims

Claims 1. A slotted flooring plate with at least one precisely formed slot to provide means to cover a portion of concrete slats such that the slot is coincident with the gap located between the existing slats.
2. A slotted flooring plate according to claim 1, in which the edge of the slot or slots is returned either perpendicular to the plane of the plate or at a near perpendicular angle to create a stronger component.
3. A slotted flooring plate according to claim 1, where the material transition around the periphery of the slot or slots has a radius or a chamfer such that it presents a smoother edge for livestock animals' feet.
4. A slotted flooring plate according to any of the preceding claims, and a means for fixing the slotted flooring plate to the concrete slats.
5. A slotted flooring plate according to any of the claims 1 to 3, and a means for fixing the slotted flooring plate to the concrete slats where the fixing method is an adhesive to bond the slatted flooring plate to the concrete slats.
6. A slotted flooring plate according to any of the claims 1 to 3, and a means for fixing the slotted flooring plate to the concrete slats where the fixing means is a screw protruding through the slotted flooring plate into a wedge that is caused to clamp against the sides of the concrete slats as the screw is tightened.
7. A slotted flooring plate according to any of the claims 1 to 3, and a means for fixing the slotted flooring plate to the concrete slats where the fixing means is a screw protruding through the slotted flooring plate into an anchor piece that is caused to clamp against the undersides of the concrete slats as the screw is tightened.
8. A slotted flooring plate according to any of the claims 1 to 3, and a means for fixing the slotted flooring plate to the concrete slats where the fixing means is a sprung clamp that is retained by the slotted flooring plate and applies a retaining force in conjunction with the sides or undersides of the concrete slat.
9. A series of slotted flooring plates according to any of the preceding claims, whereby when installed in multiples, forms the means to cover the gaps created between concrete flooring slats used in livestock housing.