IES70904B2 - Animal bail apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A row of animal bails 7 is disclosed each having a catch type head retaining bar 30. The bails are arranged for sequential retaining of animals. Initially the bar at A is held in an animal receiving position and the others are held in a closed position. The act of pivoting the bar at A into a closed, animal held position, releases the adjacent bar into a receiving position and so on. The bars may be simultaneously released.

Description

Animal bail apparatus The present invention relates to apparatus for securing the heads of animals, for example, for securing the heads of animals such as cattle, cows and the like during feeding, milking and the like.

Such apparatus is known, and in general, such apparatus comprises a plurality of bails, one bail for securing the head of each animal. The bails, typically, are arranged in an elongated row, with the bails being arranged side by side. The heads of the animals, typically, cows and cattle are secured, one in each bail. However, known bails suffer from a number of disadvantages, in particular, in general, it is not possible to arrange for an orderly entry of the animals into the bails.

The present invention is directed towards providing apparatus which overcomes this problem.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for securing the heads of a plurality of animals, the apparatus comprising an elongated framework forming a plurality of bails arranged side by side relative to each other for sequentially receiving animals for securing the heads thereof, the framework extending S7090* 1 from an upstream end to a downstream end, and the animals being received sequentially from the upstream end to the downstream end, a plurality of retaining means, one retaining means being located in each bail, each retaining means being operable between a retaining condition for securing the animal in the corresponding ball, and a release condition for releasing the animal from the ball, the retaining means being operable into the retaining condition by respective animals in the respective bails, all but the first most upstream retaining means being operable into the release condition in response to the retaining means of the immediately adjacent upstream bail having been operated into the retaining condition by an animal for permitting access to the next animal to the bail, so that the animals are sequentially received and retained in the respective bails from the upstream end to the downstream end, the retaining means being operable simultaneously from the retaining condition to the release condition for releasing the animals.

Preferably, all but the first retaining means are operable simultaneously from the release condition to the retaining condition for resetting the apparatus for « sequentially receiving animals.

In one aspect of the invention a first urging means is provided for urging each retaining means from the retaining condition to the release condition. Preferably, each first urging means comprises a spring, and ideally, a torsion spring.

In another aspect of the invention each retaining means is pivotally connected to its corresponding bail, and ideally, each retaining means comprises an elongated retaining bar which is pivotal from the retaining condition extending substantially vertically for engaging the neck of the animal to the release condition with the retaining bar inclined relative to the vertical.

I In one aspect of the invention a releasable securing means for releasably retaining each retaining means in the retaining condition is provided, and preferably, each securing means comprises a ratchet type securing mechanism. Preferably, an elongated reset bar slidably mounted relative to the framework and extending parallel to the framework carries a plurality of abutment members, one abutment member being provided corresponding to each bail for forming one of the members of the corresponding ratchet type securing mechanism, another member of each ratchet type securing mechanism being formed by an elongated pivot member pivotally connected to the retaining means for engaging the corresponding abutment member with ratchet type action so that on longitudinal sliding movement of the reset bar in one direction the abutment members cooperate with the corresponding pivot members of the ratchet type securing mechanisms for simultaneously moving the respective retaining means into the retaining condition, and on movement of the pivot members in the same direction, the pivot members move freely relative to the abutment members with ratchet type action. Ideally, the reset bar is movable in a reverse direction for permitting simultaneous movement of the retaining means into the release condition for releasing the animals from the bails.

In another aspect of the invention a plurality of trip means are provided for releasing the respective ratchet type mechanisms for permitting movement of each retaining means from the retaining condition to the release condition in response to its immediately adjacent upstream retaining means having been moved into the retaining condition by an animal. Preferably, each trip means comprises an elongated trip bar rotatably mounted in the framework, each rotatably mounted trip bar extending between an adjacent pair of bails, a trip member extending radially from each trip bar for co-operating with the pivot member of the corresponding securing mechanism for releasing the pivot member from its corresponding abutment member on rotation of the bar, and a camming member extending radially from each trip bar for co-operating with a corresponding cam follower on the pivot member of the ratchet mechanism of the immediately adjacent upstream bail so that on movement of the retaining means of the said immediately adjacent upstream bail from the release condition to the retaining condition by an animal, the retaining means of the other bail is released for moving into the release condition.

In one aspect of the invention the action of each cam follower on the camming member of the corresponding trip bar as the retaining means corresponding to the cam follower is being moved into the retaining condition by an animal rotates the trip bar for causing the trip member of that trip bar to release the pivot member of the retaining means of the other bail from the corresponding abutment member for releasing the retaining means of that other bail to move into the release condition.

In a further aspect of the invention, a support member is provided connected to the framework for supporting the pivot member of the securing mechanism of the retaining means of the first bail clear of the corresponding abutment member of the securing mechanism for preventing engagement of the said pivot member with the abutment member of the securing mechanism when the retaining means of the first bail is in the release condition and the reset bar is being moved for moving the retaining means from the release condition to the retaining condition.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof which is given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of apparatus according to the invention for securing the heads of a plurality of animals during feeding, milking and the like, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 illustrating parts of the apparatus in a different condition, Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 1 illustrating parts of the apparatus in a still further different condition, Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating parts of the apparatus in a still further different condition, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a detail of the apparatus of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional end elevational view 5 of the detail of Fig. 5 on the line VI-VI, Fig. 7 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 5 of the detail of Fig. 5 showing parts of the detail of Fig. 5 in a different condition, Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 on the line 10 VIII-VIII of Fig. 7 illustrating the parts in the condition of Fig. 7, and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a further detail of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated 15 apparatus according to the invention which is indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 for securing the heads of a plurality of animals, typically, cattle, cows or the like during feeding, milking and the like. The apparatus 1 comprises a framework 5 which extends from an upstream end 6 to a downstream end 8, and which forms a plurality of bails 7 within which the heads of the animals are secured. In Figs. 1 and 2 only four bails 7 are illustrated, although it will be appreciated that the framework 5 will, in general, be provided with many more bails 7. The bails 7 are arranged and operable as will be described below so that animals enter the bails 7 sequentially commencing with the first bail 7a at the upstream end 6 and ending with the last bail 7b at the downstream end 8.

Additionally, the bails 7 are operable so that the next animal cannot enter the next downstream bail 7 until the animal in the adjacent upstream bail 7 has secured itself in the said upstream bail 7. This is described in detail below.

The framework 5 comprises a lower horizontal member 9 of tubular steel, which in use is secured to the ground. An upper horizontal member 10 also of tubular steel extends parallel to and is spaced apart above the lower member 9. A plurality of vertically extending members 11 also of tubular steel extend between the lower and upper members 9 and 10 and form the bails 7.

An intermediate member 12 of tubular steel material * extends from the lower member 9 to the upper member 10 between each pair of adjacent vertical members 11, and · a plate member 14 of steel plate material extending between each intermediate member 12 and the lower member 9 closes part of each bail 7. Each intermediate member 12 is cranked at 15 and inclines towards one of the adjacent vertical members 11 for defining with the other vertical member 11 an upper access opening 16 for accommodating the head of the animal through the bail 7.

A plurality of retaining means for securing the animals in the respective bails 7 comprises respective retaining bars 17 of tubular steel material which are pivotally connected to the intermediate members 12 of the bails 7 by pivot brackets 18 which are secured to the retaining bars 17 by welding. Pivot pins 19 extending through the pivot brackets 18 of the retaining bars 17 pivotally connect the respective retaining brackets 18 to their corresponding intermediate members 12 at the cranked portion 15 thereof. Each retaining bar 17 is pivotal between an inclined release condition illustrated in Fig. 2 for permitting access by an animal's head through the access opening 16 of the bail 7, and a vertical retaining condition, whereby the spacing between the retaining bar 17 and the adjacent vertical member 11 of the bail 7 forms a vertical opening, the horizontal width of which is sufficient for comfortably accommodating the neck of the animal but is insufficient for accommodating the head of the animal therethrough, thereby securing the animal in the bail 1. The retaining bars 17 of all the bails 7, with the exception of that of the bail 7a are illustrated in the retaining condition in Fig. 1. A plurality of urging means for urging the respective retaining bars 17 into the release condition comprises torsion springs (not shown) which are mounted within the pivot brackets 18 of the retaining bars 17.

A U-shaped carrier bracket 20 extends upwardly from each retaining bar 17 and carries a releasable securing means for retaining the corresponding retaining bar 17 in the retaining condition. Each securing means comprises a ratchet type securing mechanism 22 which comprises a pivot member 23 pivotally carried on a pivot pin 24 extending between opposite webs 25 of the corresponding carrier bracket 20. A plurality of abutment members 27 which are carried on a reset bar 28 s which is described below form the other part of the respective securing mechanisms 22 and are engagable with the corresponding pivot members 23 of the securing mechanisms 22 for retaining the corresponding retaining bars 17 in the retaining condition. The reset bar 28 is of partly box section material, and extends parallel to and is slidable on the upper member 10 of the framework 5. The reset bar 28 is slidable longitudinally in the direction of the arrows A and B from a release position illustrated in Fig. 4 with the retaining bars 17 in their release condition to a reset position illustrated in Fig. 1 with all the retaining bars 17 but the first retaining bar 17a of the first bail 7a in the retaining condition. The operation of the reset bar 28 is described in detail below.

Initially, prior to the animals engaging the bails 7, the reset bar 28 is in the reset position.

Accordingly, for convenience, the securing mechanisms 22 will be described with the reset bar 28 in the reset position.

The retaining bars 17 and the securing mechanisms 22 are arranged so that when all the retaining bars 17 of the bails 7 with the exception of the first retaining bar 17a of the first bails 7a are in the retaining condition, the retaining bars 17 are sequentially released into the release condition as the animals sequentially enter their heads into the bails 7 and urge the retaining bars 17 of bails into the retaining condition, as will be described below, in other words, each retaining means 17 is tripped into the release condition on the retaining bar 17 of the immediately adjacent upstream bail 7 having been pivoted into the retaining condition by an animal. Each retaining bar 17 comprises a lower portion 30 which projects downwardly beyond the pivot bracket 18 for engaging the neck of an animal as the animal bends its neck downwardly usually to eat animal feed at the opposite side of the bails, having entered its head through the access opening 16 of the bail 7. Downward movement of the animal's neck on the portion 30 of the retaining bar 17 urges the retaining bar 17 into the vertical retaining condition. On being urged into the retaining condition by the action of the animal's neck on the lower portion 30, the pivot member 23 of the securing mechanism 22 of each retaining bar 17 engages the corresponding abutment member 27 for retaining the corresponding retaining bar 17 in the retaining condition.

A plurality of trip means for sequentially tripping the securing mechanism 22 of the retaining bars 17 of the bails 7 with the exception of the first retaining bar 17a of the first bail 7a for releasing the corresponding retaining bars 17 to pivot into the release condition comprises a plurality of trip bars 32 which are rotatably carried in bearings 34, which are in turn, secured at spaced apart intervals to an elongated channel bracket 35. The channel bracket 35 extends along the upper member 10 and is welded thereto. The trip bars 32 extend between adjacent bails 7 so that the respective pivot members 23 of the securing mechanisms 22 are tripped by the corresponding trip bar 32 in response to the immediately adjacent upstream retaining bar 17 having been pivoted into the retaining condition by the action of an animal's neck on the lower portion 30 of the retaining bar 17. Each trip bar 32 comprises a flag shaped trip member 37 of steel plate material extending radially therefrom for engaging a corresponding roller 38 which is rotatably carried on a shaft 39 extending from the corresponding pivot member 23. A camming member 44 of steel plate material is secured to each trip bar 32 and comprises a horizontal portion 45 which extends radially from the corresponding trip bar 32 and a ramped portion 46 extending from the horizontal portion 45. The ramped portion 46 is arranged on each trip bar 32 for engaging the roller 38 associated with the retaining bar 17 of the immediately adjacent upstream bail 7 so that as the retaining bar 17 of the immediately adjacent upstream bail 7 is being pivoted into the retaining condition under the action of an animal, the roller 38 engages beneath the ramped portion 46 for pivoting the trip bar 32 in the direction of the arrow C for in turn pivoting the trip member 37 on that trip bar 32 also in the direction of the arrow C for raising the roller 38, and in turn, the pivot member 23 of the retaining bar 17 of the next adjacent downstream bail 7. This action thus releases the pivot member 23 from the corresponding abutment member 27 so that the retaining bar 17 of the said adjacent downstream bail 7 is released to pivot into the release condition for receiving the next animal.

As mentioned above, the reset bar 28 is slidable longitudinally in the direction of the arrow B into the release position for permitting pivoting of all the retaining bars 17 simultaneously into the release condition, and is also slidable in the direction of the arrow A into the reset position for simultaneously moving the retaining bars 17 with the exception of the first retaining bar 17a of the first bail 7a into the retaining condition, see Fig. 1. On sliding the reset bar 28 in the direction of the arrow B with the pivot members 23 engaging the corresponding abutment members 27 of the securing mechanisms 22, the retaining bars 17 are permitted to pivot into the release condition for simultaneously releasing the animals from the bails, typically, at the end of feeding or milking. On returning the reset bar 28 into the reset position in the direction of the arrow A with the pivot members 23 engaging the corresponding abutment members 27 of the securing mechanisms 22 pivots the retaining bars 17 of all the bails 7 with the exception of the first bail 7a into the retaining condition for resetting the apparatus for the next batch of animals, a ramp shape support member 49 mounted in the channel member 35 engages the roller 38 associated with the first retaining bar 17a when the first retaining bar 17a of the first bail 7a is in the release condition for supporting the pivot member 23 above and clearing the corresponding abutment member 27 of the securing mechanism 22 of the first retaining bar 17a. Thus, on sliding the reset bar 28 in the direction of the arrow A from the release position to the reset position, the abutment member 27 is disengaged from the pivot member 23, and thus, the first retaining bar 17a of the first bail 7a remains in the release condition.

Although not illustrated, the support member 49 is hingedly connected to the channel member 35 so that the support member 49 may be pivoted downwardly out of engagement with the roller 38 of the first retaining bar 17a. Thus, when the support member.49 is pivoted downwardly out of engagement with the roller 38, the first retaining bar 17a can be pivoted into the retaining condition as the reset bar 28 is being slide in the direction of the arrow A into the reset position, should this be desired.

In use, before animals are brought to the apparatus 1 the reset bar 28 is in the reset position with all the retaining bars 17 except the first retaining bar 17a of the first bail 7a in the retaining condition. The first retaining bar 17a of the first bail 7a is in the release condition for receiving the first of the animals to arrive at the apparatus 1. On the first animal having entered its head through the access opening 16 of the first bail Ta, downward movement of the animal's neck engages the lower portion 30 of the first retaining bar 17a thereby pivoting the first retaining bar 7a into the retaining condition, see Fig. 1. On the first retaining bar 17a being pivoted into the retaining condition, the pivot member 23 engages the abutment member 27 of the ratchet mechanism 22 associated with the first bail 7a. Thus the first retaining bar 17a of the first bail 7a is retained in the retaining condition, and in turn, secures the first animal in the first bail 7a. As the first retaining bar 17a is pivoting from the release condition to the retaining condition, the roller 38 which is carried on the pivot member 23 of the first retaining bar 17a engages beneath the camming member 44 of the corresponding trip bar 32 thereby pivoting the trip bar 32 in the direction of the arrow C, see Figs. 3 and 7. This pivoting of the trip bar 32 pivots the trip member 37 on that trip bar 32 in the direction of the arrow C for raising the roller 38 and releasing the pivot member 23 of the retaining bar 17x of the immediately adjacent downstream bail 7x, namely, the second bail Tx, see Figs. 3, 7 and 8. On release of the pivot member 23 from the abutment member 27 of the retaining bar 17x the retaining bar 17x pivots under the action of its torsion spring (not shown) into the release condition for permitting access to the next animal into the second bail 7x. And so the operation of the apparatus 1 continues for sequentially permitting animals to be secured in the respective bails 7.

On it being desired to release the animals from the bails 7, the reset bar 28 is moved in the direction of the arrow B into the release position for simultaneously permitting all the retaining bars 17 to pivot into the release condition, see Fig. 4. The apparatus 1 is then reset by sliding the reset bar 28 in the direction of the arrow A into the reset position, see Fig. 1. As mentioned above, on being moved into the reset position, all the retaining bars 17 are moved into the retaining condition with the exception of the first retaining bar 17a of the first bail 7a for receiving the first of the animals to arrive at the apparatus 1.

While the apparatus has been described for use with cattle and cows, it will be appreciated that the , apparatus may be used for other animals.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described which may be varied in construction and detail.

Claims (5)

1. Apparatus for securing the heads of a plurality of animals, the apparatus comprising an elongated framework forming a plurality of bails arranged side by 5 side relative to each other for sequentially receiving animals for securing the heads thereof, the framework extending from an upstream end to a downstream end, and the animals being received sequentially from the upstream end to the downstream end, a plurality of 10 retaining means, one retaining means being located in each bail, each retaining means being operable between a retaining condition for securing the animal in the corresponding bail, and a release condition for releasing the animal from the bail, the retaining means 15 being operable into the retaining condition by respective animals in the respective bails, all but the first most upstream retaining means being operable into the release condition in response to the retaining means of the immediately adjacent upstream bail having 20 been operated into the retaining condition by an animal for permitting access to the next animal to the bail, so that the animals are sequentially received and retained in the respective bails from the upstream end to the downstream end, the retaining means being 25 operable simultaneously from the retaining condition to the release condition for releasing the animals.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which all but the first most upstream retaining means are operable simultaneously from the release condition to the retaining condition for resetting the apparatus for 5 sequentially receiving animals.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which a first urging means is provided for urging each retaining means from the retaining condition to the release condition. 10

4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which each retaining means comprises an elongated retaining bar which is pivotally connected to its corresponding bail, and which is pivotal from the retaining condition extending substantially vertically 15 for engaging the neck of the animal to the release condition with the retaining bar inclined relative to the vertical.

5. Apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying 20 drawings.