JP2740111B2 - Walking animal separation device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a part of a taxiway for guiding a plurality of walking animals. Part is rotatably supported around the vertical axis, and is provided in a state where it is urged to return to the fully closed state, and the gate is in the fully closed state, and in the middle state between fully closed and fully open. And a walking animal separating device provided with gate opening / closing means for allowing the walking animal to be pushed open for passage in the middle state.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Such a walking animal separating apparatus advances when a forward view is obstructed when weighing or inspecting a walking animal in a herd (for example, a walking animal such as a cow, a sheep or a horse). Stop, utilizing the nature of the walking animal that moves forward when the front view is open, for example, while stopping the forward movement of the walking animal by completely closing the swinging gate provided in a pair of left and right, In order to avoid that the walking animal runs through the swing gate when the front view of the walking animal is opened more than necessary, and it is impossible to reliably perform weighing, inspection, etc. in the traveling direction side of the swing gate. By setting the swing gate in the middle, pass the walking animal at an appropriate speed and separate it from the herd one by one (in the case of cattle, etc., it is counted as one, so hereafter referred to as one). Is

As a structure for opening and closing the swing type gate, for example, the swing type gate is rotatably supported around a vertical axis and returned to a fully closed state. A locking position where the swinging gate that swings around the vertical axis is urged to open and can be locked on the open side, and the gate is locked by moving the gate in the vertical axis direction and the locking position A lock portion that can be switched to a lock release position for releasing the lock, and an actuator such as an electric motor that rotates the lock portion in one direction. The lock portion at the lock position is rotated by the actuator. Operate to open the gate from the fully closed state to the middle state, and when the walking animal pushes and opens through the gate in the middle state, the locking part moves to the unlocking position, and the passage of the walking animal is completed. Allow swinging gate to return to fully closed state Configuration in which the so that has been considered (for example, Japanese Patent Application No. present applicant previously proposed 5-1580
No. 7). The swing gate may be provided as a pair of left and right sides, or may be provided only on one side.

When the swinging gate is opened halfway by the operation of the actuator, the halfway state must be maintained until the walking animal enters the gate. By operating the electromagnetic brake using an electric motor with a lock, the rotation of the locking portion due to the urging force for returning the swinging gate to the fully closed state is prevented, and the intermediate state is maintained.

[0005]

Therefore, almost all of the return biasing force of the swing gate is applied as a load to the brake of the actuator, causing the actuator to generate heat and adversely affecting the life of the actuator. Therefore, improvement was desired. As a countermeasure, a mechanism that uses an actuator without a brake as an actuator and that locks and holds the gate in the middle state with a claw etc. independently of the swinging gate opening and closing mechanism is provided. Is possible to control the operation of the fixed holding mechanism based on the detection information of the sensor for detecting, but there is a disadvantage that the device configuration is complicated and the cost is increased. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost walking animal separating apparatus that reduces the load on an actuator that drives a swinging gate.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for separating a walking animal, wherein a swinging gate for blocking a forward view of the walking animal in a fully closed state is provided in a part of a guideway for guiding a plurality of walking animals. The end of the guideway in the width direction is rotatably supported around the vertical axis, and is provided in a state where it is urged to return to the fully closed state. A gate opening / closing means is provided which switches between a closed state and a fully opened state, and in which the walking animal is allowed to push and open for passage in the halfway state,
The characteristic configuration is that the gate opening / closing means can freely lock the gate on the opening side by rotation about the vertical axis center,
And a locking portion that can be switched between a locking position for locking the gate and a lock releasing position for releasing the locking by moving the gate in the vertical axis direction, and moving the gate from a fully closed state to an intermediate state. An actuator for rotating the locking portion in one direction so as to alternately operate a gate operating rotation range for switching and a subsequent locking state switching rotation range, and an initial state in the locking state switching rotation range. With the rotation in the range, the locking portion is operated to change the position from the locking position to the unlocking position, and with the rotation in the final range, the locking portion is moved from the unlocking position. A cam body for changing the position to the locking position, a contacted portion that rotates in one direction together with the locking portion, and rotation of the contacted portion when the gate transitions from a fully closed state to an intermediate state. Allow rotation Side and a rotation preventing side that contacts the contacted portion and prevents rotation in the opposite direction when the gate attempts to return to the fully closed state from the middle state by the return biasing force, In addition, a stopper urged to return to the rotation preventing side is provided.

In a second characteristic configuration, in the first characteristic configuration, the stopper rotates the gate in the halfway state when an external load greater than a predetermined value is applied in a closing direction of the gate. It is configured to move to the allowance side and allow the contacted portion to rotate in the opposite direction.

[0008]

According to the first characteristic configuration of the present invention, the actuator rotates the locking portion in one direction around the vertical axis which pivotally supports the swing type gate, and the rotation range for locking state switching. When the rotation portion is rotated to the end range, the locking portion is moved by the cam body in the vertical axis direction and is switched to the locking position for locking the swing type gate. Then, when the actuator rotates the locking portion continuously in the same direction and rotates the gate to the gate operating rotation range, the swinging gate locked by the locking portion is locked to the open side, and the entire gate is locked. The state can be switched from the closed state to the intermediate state. When the swing type gate shifts from the fully closed state to the intermediate state, the contacted part that rotates together with the locking part comes into contact with the stopper, but the stopper moves to the rotation allowable side and the locking part and The contacted part rotates in the same direction as it is. When the state is switched to the middle state, the stopper moves to the rotation preventing side by the return biasing force provided in the stopper, and the contacted portion comes into contact with the stopper moved to the rotation preventing side. The contact between the contacted portion and the stopper prevents the locking portion and the contacted portion from rotating in the opposite direction due to the return biasing force of the swinging gate, and the swinging gate is in an intermediate state. To maintain.

When a walking animal approaches an oscillating gate that is in the middle and has an open front view, the walking animal pushes the oscillating gate open and passes through the gate. Next, when the actuator continuously rotates the locking portion in the same direction and rotates the locking portion in the initial range in the rotation range for locking state switching, the locking portion at the locking position is moved vertically by the cam body. To the unlocking position for unlocking the swing gate. Therefore, the swinging gate in which the locked state is released is returned to the fully closed state by the return biasing force, thereby preventing a subsequent walking animal whose front view is obstructed from passing through the gate. After that,
The actuator rotates the locking portion continuously in the same direction to rotate to the end range in the locking state switching rotation range, and the above operation is repeated.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, for example,
When a walking animal that has passed through the gate moves backwards and hits a gate that is in the middle of the course, an external load exceeding the setting is applied to the gate that is in the middle in the closing direction of the gate. It moves to the permissible side, and permits the contacted portion and the locking portion to rotate in opposite directions. The separation device separates the walking animals one by one, so, for example, after the walking animal has traveled the set distance after passing through the gate, the gate is switched from the fully closed state to the middle state, and the following walking animal can pass It will be. In such a configuration, usually, it is unlikely that a backward walking animal collides with the gate in the middle state, but, for example, it seems that two walking animals have passed through the gate in succession. In such a case, when the gate is switched to the middle state based on the position of the front walking animal and the like and the rear walking animal is surprised by the behavior of the front walking animal and goes backward, It is possible for the animal to crash into the gate on the way.

[0011]

According to the first feature, the mechanism provided for opening and closing the oscillating gate, such as the locking portion, is simple in that a contacted portion and a stopper are simply added. In this configuration, the swinging gate can be maintained in the middle state by the contact between the contacted portion and the stopper, and it is not always necessary to provide the actuator itself with a mechanism for maintaining the middle state. This has led to the provision of a low-cost walking animal separation device that reduces the load on the actuator that drives the gate. According to the second characteristic configuration, even in the case where an external load greater than the setting is applied to the gate in the middle state in the closing direction of the gate, the opposite direction of the contacted portion and the locking portion occurs. Is allowed, so that damage to the mechanism for maintaining the intermediate state can be prevented.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an entire configuration of a walking animal separation device according to the present invention. The separation device is provided with a taxiway 1 for guiding a herd of cows, which is an example of a walking animal. A part of 1 is provided with a weighing platform 2 for weighing one cow in the herd separately from the cows before and after. A pair of fences 1A, 1B are provided on both sides of the weighing platform 2 and the passages before and after it.
The width of the guideway 1 is set to be slightly larger than the width of one cow by the pair of fences 1A and 1B. In addition, at the entrance of the weighing table 2, entrance gates 3A, 3B as a pair of left and right swinging gates,
A gate opening / closing mechanism 8 for opening and closing the entrance gates 3A and 3B is provided, and an exit gate 4 is provided at an exit portion of the weighing table 2.

The weighing platform 2 includes four load cells 21 and
The four corners are supported by 2, 23, and 24.
The total value of the outputs of the two load cells 21, 22, 23, 24 is the load applied to the weighing platform 2. The weighing information from the four load cells 21, 22, 23, and 24 is transmitted to a control device 9 using a microcomputer. In the control device 9, only one cow is present on the weighing table 2 as described later. In the state, the four load cells 21, 22, 23, 24
Is calculated as the weighed value of the cow.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the entrance gate 3
A and 3B are provided on the gate frame 5 so as to be rotatable around the vertical axis so that the lateral ends of the guideway 1 are rotatable around the vertical axis. And a pair of left and right doors 31 integrally attached to each of the rotation support portions 30. Left and right door body 31
Has a structure in which a distal end portion 31A on the free end side is formed of a hard rubber member, and the other portions are formed of a magnetic material, and can swing open and close in a double-opening manner. Further, both springs (not shown) attached to the rotation support portion 30 cause both of the pair of left and right door bodies 31 to intersect with the guideway 1 at an intersection angle 90.
It is urged to return to the fully closed state where it crosses over at °. And
In this fully closed state, the tip portions 31A of the pair of left and right door bodies 31 are provided.
Overlap and obstruct the view of the front of the cow.

A first operation for detecting an operation of the left gate 3A of the pair of left and right entrance gates 3A, 3B toward the open side.
The proximity sensor 6 is formed of a magnetic proximity sensor, and is provided at a position slightly closer to the outlet side than the rotation support portion 30 of the entrance gate 3A. When the cow passes through the entrance gates 3A and 3B and pushes open the door body 31 of the left entrance gate 3A, the first proximity sensor 6 detects the approach of the magnetic portion of the door body 31 and detects the entrance. The operation of the gate 3A toward the open side is detected. The gate opening / closing mechanism 8 includes, as shown in FIG.
It is provided at a position above the rotation support portion 30 of the right entrance gate 3B. The configuration will be described below with reference to FIGS.

An electric motor 81 is attached to a mounting plate 11 fixed to the gate frame 5, and a driving force of a rotating shaft 82 of the electric motor 81 is transmitted to a shaft 84 via a coupling 83. A boss 85 is externally fitted to the shaft 84, and a vertical cutout 85 at an upper portion of the boss 85 is provided.
a, a horizontal pin 84 provided to penetrate the shaft portion 84 in the horizontal direction.
A is engaged in a state where the movement in the left-right direction is restricted and the movement in the up-down direction is possible. Note that the horizontal pin 84A further projects outward beyond the thickness of the notch 85a so as to function as a contacted portion that contacts the stopper 12 described later. The boss portion 85 is urged downward in the axial direction by a spring 87 whose upper position is regulated on the lower surface of the coupling 83, and a pair of boss portions 85 are provided on the outer peripheral portion of the boss portion 85 at 180 ° rotationally symmetric positions. Horizontal pins 85B, 85B '
Is in contact with the support base 10 extending in the horizontal direction from the lower end of the mounting plate 11, and its lower limit position is set (see FIG. 4A). Note that this lower limit position corresponds to a locking position for locking the entrance gate 3B when the boss 85 rotates around the vertical axis.

The mounting plate 11 is brought into contact with a horizontal pin 84A provided on the shaft portion 84 so that the entrance gate 3B is in a state in which it waits for cows to enter the weighing platform 2. A limit switch 15 for detecting the change is attached. A boss 85 is provided on the support base 10 as shown in FIG.
(B), the horizontal pins 85B and 8B rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow P.
The rotation range R for locking state switching represented by the rotation range of 5B '
2, the horizontal pins 85B and 85B 'provided on the boss portion 85 are pushed upward (see FIG. 4B), and the boss portion 85 continues to rotate, and the locking state is maintained. When rotated to the end range of the switching rotation range R2, the horizontal pin 8 pushed upward as described above.
A pair of cam bodies 88 for returning 5B and 85B 'to the lower limit position are provided in a symmetrical position with respect to the rotation center of the boss 85 (see FIG. 7). The position where the boss 85 is pushed upward is the position where the boss 85 is positioned at the entrance gate 3B.
Corresponds to a lock release position for releasing the lock.

A lower portion of the boss 85 is provided with a first locking pin 85A protruding downward. On the other hand, a boss is provided on the upper outer peripheral surface of the rotation supporting portion 30 on which the boss 85 is fitted. 8
When the first rotation pin 5 rotates at the lower limit position,
A second locking pin 86 protruding in the lateral direction is provided so as to be locked to 5A. Note that a pair of second locking pins 86 are provided at 180 ° rotationally symmetric positions on the outer peripheral portion of the rotation support portion 30 (see FIG. 6). A position adjacent to the boss portion 85 on the support base 10 contacts the horizontal pin 84A,
A stopper 12 for preventing the boss portion 85 from rotating in the direction opposite to the direction of arrow P in FIG. 5A, and one end fixed to the support base 10 to return the stopper 12 in the direction of arrow P Spring 13 and a positioning protrusion 14 fixed on the support base 10 to prevent the stopper 12 from excessively rotating in the direction of the arrow P due to the return biasing force of the spring 13.
Are provided.

The stopper 12 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 12 a fixed on the support table 10, and a spring 13.
And a vertical protrusion 12c that contacts the horizontal pin 84A. The operation of the gate opening / closing mechanism 8 will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the following description, (a) to (f) will be referred to simultaneously in both figures. FIG. 4A shows the initial position. In this position, as shown in FIG. 4A, the boss 85 has moved to the lower limit position, that is, the locking position. At this time,
The entrance gates 3A and 3B are in the fully closed state, that is, the Y position in FIG. When the electric motor 81 rotates from the initial position,
The first locking pin 85 attached to the boss portion 85 by rotating the boss portion 85
A also rotates and comes into contact with the second locking pin 86 so that the entrance gate 3
The swing of B toward the open side starts. This position is shown in FIG.
In (a), this corresponds to the start position of the gate operation rotation range R1 represented by the rotation range of the horizontal pins 85B and 85B 'of the boss portion 85.

When the electric motor 81 is further rotated from this position, as shown in FIG.
The rotation supporting portion 30 to which the second locking pin 86 is fixed is rotated by the locking pin 85A to the open side. At this time, the horizontal pin 84 </ b> A provided on the shaft portion 84 that rotates together with the boss portion 85 is attached to the vertical protruding portion 12 formed on the stopper 12.
5C, but continues to rotate while pressing the stopper 12 in the direction of arrow Q in FIG. 5B against the return biasing force of the spring 13. The rotation operation of the electric motor 81 continues until the limit switch 15 contacts the other end of the horizontal pin 84A.

When the electric motor 81 is stopped with the limit switch 15 in contact with the other end of the horizontal pin 84A,
As shown in (c), the horizontal pin 8 attached to the boss 85
5B and 85B 'are at positions immediately before contact with the cam body 88, and the horizontal pin 84A is in contact with the longitudinal end of the vertical protrusion 12c formed on the stopper 12. In this state, the return urging force of the entrance gate 3B applies a force to the boss portion 85 and the like in the direction indicated by the arrow R in FIG. 5C, but the horizontal pin 84A and the stopper 12 come into contact with each other. The boss 85 and the like are prevented from rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow R in FIG. In this state, the positions of the horizontal pins 85B and 85B 'in the boss portion 85 correspond to the end positions of the rotation range R1 for gate operation, and the right entrance gate 3B.
Are in the middle state (X position in FIG. 3).

Next, it is detected that a cow has entered the entrance gates 3A and 3B by an optical sensor (not shown) or the like.
When the electric motor 81 further rotates as shown in (d) to (e), as shown in FIG. 4 (b), in the initial range of the locked state switching rotation range R2, the horizontal The pins 85B and 85B 'come into contact with the cam body 88 and are pushed upward to move to the unlocked position, and the first locking pin 85A pushing the second locking pin 86 escapes upward, so that the second The locking pin 86 is in a free state, and is in a state of allowing the rotation support portion 30 to return to the fully closed state,
When the cow has completed the passage through the entrance gates 3A and 3B, the entrance gates 3A and 3B return to the fully closed state. Then, based on the detection information of the second proximity sensor 7 that detects the opening of the exit gate 4 to be described later, it is detected that the cow has fallen from the weighing platform 2, and when the electric motor 81 is further rotated, the locking state switching is performed. In the end range of the rotation range R2, the horizontal pin 85B,
85B 'is disengaged from the cam body 88 and moves downward to change the position from the unlocked position to the locked position.

The electric motor 81 rotates to the position shown in (f), which is another initial position rotated 180 degrees from the initial position shown in (a), and stops. After the position (f), the horizontal pins 85B and 85B 'provided on the outer peripheral portion of the boss portion 85 pass through the gate operating rotation range R1 and the locked state switching rotation range R2 in the same manner as described above. , And operates to switch between the locking position and the unlocking position. As described above, the gate opening / closing mechanism 8 performs one operation by １ ／ rotation of the electric motor 81.

Next, the operation of the gate opening / closing mechanism 8 when the cow that has entered the weighing platform 2 goes backwards for some reason and collides with the entrance gate 3B in the middle state will be described. When the entrance gate 3B is in the middle state, the gate opening / closing mechanism 8 moves the shaft portion 84 as shown in FIG.
The horizontal pin 84A provided in the vertical protrusion 1 of the stopper 12
2c. The arrangement and the shape of the stopper 12 are set such that the direction of the force applied to the stopper 12 from the horizontal pin 84A indicated by the arrow S in FIG. As a result, the horizontal pin 84
From A, a rotational moment acts.

On the other hand, a spring 13 is
Rotation torque acts on the spring 13
9A is sufficiently larger than the rotational moment received from the lateral pin 84A, and the stopper 12 keeps the posture shown in FIG. 9A while being pressed against the positioning projection 14, and the entrance gate 3B is in the intermediate state. To maintain. Here, when the cow that has once passed through the entrance gates 3A and 3B moves backward and collides with the entrance gate 3B in the middle state, and pushes the entrance gate 3B to the fully closed state side, the pushing force is increased by the boss portion 85.
To the horizontal pin 84A. As a result, the rotational moment acting on the stopper 12 from the lateral pin 84A is
Exceeds the rotational moment acting from the spring 13,
As shown in FIG. 9B, the stopper 12 swings in the direction of arrow T. Thereby, the horizontal pin 84A and the boss 85
5A can rotate in the direction of arrow U opposite to the original rotation direction indicated by arrow P in FIG. 5A, and the swing of the entrance gate 3B toward the fully closed state is allowed.

Accordingly, the boss portion 85 is capable of locking the right entrance gate 3B to the open side by rotation about the vertical axis, and engages the right entrance gate 3B by the movement in the vertical axis. A locking portion that can be switched between a locking position for stopping and a locking releasing position for releasing the locking,
Also, the electric motor 81 alternately operates the rotation range R1 for the gate operation for switching the right entrance gate 3B from the fully closed state to the intermediate state and the rotation range R2 for the subsequent locked state in order to switch the right entrance gate 3B. The cam body 88 is configured to rotate the boss 85 in one direction, and the cam body 88 locks the boss 85 with the rotation in the initial range of the locking state switching rotation range R2. A cam body for changing the position from the lock position to the unlock position, and changing the position of the boss portion 85 from the unlock position to the lock position with rotation in the final range. Become.

In the state shown in FIG.
The second lock pin 86 is pushed by the first lock pin 85A so that the right entrance gate 3B is opened halfway, but the movement of the entrance gates 3A and 3B toward the fully open side is performed. Is not regulated, and this condition gives the following cows a forward view, stirs the willingness of the cow to move forward and enters the weighing platform 2, and the cow passes through the entrance gates 3A and 3B and enters the weighing platform 2. This is a state that allows entry. On the other hand, FIG.
In the state shown in (a) and (f), since the second locking pin 86 of the rotation support part 30 is not pushed by the first locking pin 85A, the entrance gates 3A and 3B return to the fully closed state. This state is a state in which the forward view of the succeeding cow is obstructed, the motivation of the cow is reduced, and the cow is prevented from entering the weighing platform 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the exit gates 4 are symmetrically erected at locations corresponding to the exits of the weighing platform 2 on both sides of the fences 1A and 1B, and rotate around a pair of left and right vertical axes. It comprises a free rotating shaft 4a and a pair of left and right doors 4b integrally attached to each of the rotating shafts 4a. The pair of left and right doors 4b of the exit gate 4 is made of a magnetic material, and has a structure that can swing open and close in a double-opening manner, like the pair of left and right doors 31 of the entrance gates 3A and 3B. In a fully closed state in which both of the pair of left and right doors 4b intersect with the taxiway 1 at a crossing angle of 90 °, both ends of the pair of left and right doors 4b are slightly separated from each other to keep the front view of the cow. It has become. Further, it is urged to return to the fully closed state by a spring (not shown) attached to the rotating shaft 4a.

A second proximity sensor 7 for detecting the opening of the exit gate 4 is constituted by a magnetic proximity sensor, and corresponds to an exit portion of the weighing table 2 at each of the fences 1A and 1B on both sides of the guide path 1. It is provided in the place where it does. Then, the cow passes through the exit gate 4 and a pair of left and right doors 4 of the exit gate 4.
When b is pushed to the fully open state, the second proximity sensor 7 detects the approach of the door 4b and detects the opening of the exit gate 4.

As shown in FIG. 1, the weighing information from the four load cells 21, 22, 23, and 24 and the detection information of the first proximity sensor 6 and the second proximity sensor 7 are stored in the control device 9. The controller 9 outputs a drive signal for operating the gate opening / closing mechanism 8. The control device 9 includes the first proximity sensor 6
A gate opening / closing controller 9A that controls the operation of the gate opening / closing mechanism 8 based on the detection information of the second proximity sensor 7, and
A weighing value calculation unit 9 that calculates a weighing value of a cow based on the weighing information from the four load cells 21, 22, 23, and 24.
B is configured. Therefore, the gate opening / closing controller 9
A and the gate opening / closing mechanism 8, the entrance gate 3
A gate opening / closing means C for switching A and 3B between the fully closed state and the halfway state, and allowing the walking animal to be pushed and opened for passing in the halfway state is configured. Means C is the entrance gate 3A,
Only one of the gates 3B (only the gate 3B on the right side) is opened and closed between the intermediate position and the fully closed position.

Next, the gate opening / closing control section 9A of the control device 9
However, based on the detection information of the first proximity sensor 6 and the second proximity sensor 7 and the weighing information of the weighing platform 2, the entrance gates 3A, 3
B to switch between the fully closed state and the halfway state,
The operation over time when controlling the operation of the gate opening / closing mechanism 8 will be described. As shown in FIG. 8A, the state in which the preceding cow has passed through the exit gate 4 and there is no cow on the weighing platform 2 depends on the information of the second proximity sensor 7 and the load cells 21 and 22.
When detected by the weighing information 2, 23, and 24, the control device 9 switches the right entrance gate 3B to the halfway state (operates the gate opening / closing mechanism 8 to the position shown in FIG. 5C). Therefore, the front view of the cow located in front of the cow is opened, and the cow is motivated to move forward and tries to enter the weighing platform 2. And a pair of left and right entrance gates 3A,
3B is allowed to rotate to its open side, and is pushed open by the passage of a cow to be in a fully open state.
As shown in (b), the cow can enter the weighing platform 2.

When the first proximity sensor 6 detects the approach of the left entrance gate 3A and the passage of the cows at the entrance gates 3A and 3B is detected, the control device 9 controls the right entrance gate 3B to completely close the entrance gate 3B. The state is switched to the closed state (the gate opening / closing mechanism 8 is operated to the position shown in FIG. 5E). In this state, as shown in FIG. 8C, when the cow passes through the entrance gates 3A and 3B and enters the weighing platform 2, the action of the spring that biases the entrance gates 3A and 3B in the closing direction causes the entrance gate. 3A and 3B rotate to the closing side and return to the fully closed state.

Subsequently, the cow that has reached the position before the exit gate 4 keeps the front view of the cow even when the exit gate 4 is fully closed, so that the cow is motivated to move forward.
Go forward and try to pass through exit gate 4. Then, as shown in FIG. 8 (d), the exit gate 4 is pushed open by the passage of the cow and is fully opened, and the second proximity sensor 7 detects the approach of the pair of left and right doors 4b, and weighs. The passage of a cow at the exit of the platform 2 is detected. At this time, if the weighing value of the weighing platform 2 at this time is smaller than the set value, the control device 9 recognizes that there is no cow on the weighing platform 2 and, as shown in FIG. Then, the right entrance gate 3B is switched to the halfway state. Therefore, the front view of the cow located in front of the cow is opened, and the cow is motivated to move forward and tries to enter the weighing platform 2.

The second proximity sensor 7 comprises a pair of left and right doors 4.
If the weighing value of the weighing unit 2 is larger than the set value when the approach of b is detected, it is determined that another cow is on the weighing platform 2 immediately after the cow passing through the exit gate 4. Then, the control device 9 controls the operation of the gate opening / closing mechanism 8 so as not to switch the right entrance gate 3B to the halfway state. That is, the entrance gates 3A and 3B are maintained in the fully closed state. Then, when the rear cow of the two cows moves forward and comes to the state shown in FIG. 8D, the control device 9 reads the information of the second proximity sensor 7 and The same processing as described above is performed based on the weighed value information. The set value is obtained by collecting a large number of data of the weighing values in the state shown in FIG. 8D (the state in which the cow is passing through the exit gate 4), and for example, based on the collected data, A value that is the same or larger, but sufficiently smaller than the load of one cow, is appropriately selected and set.

[Another embodiment] Next, another embodiment will be described. In the above-described embodiment, the gate opening / closing means C opens and closes only the right gate 3B of the pair of left and right swing gates 3A and 3B. However, the gate opening / closing means C opens and closes only the left gate 3A. You may do it. Alternatively, the opening and closing operation of the entrance gates 3A and 3B on both the left and right sides may be performed.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the means for detecting the operation of the gate 3A, which is not opened / closed by the gate opening / closing means C, on the opening side is constituted by the magnetic proximity sensor 6 is exemplified. For example, an optical sensor or the like may be used. The second proximity sensor 7
Can also be constituted by an optical sensor or the like.

In the above embodiment, the first proximity sensor 6
And when the second proximity sensor 7 detects the passage of the oscillating gates 3A and 3B on the entrance side of the walking animal and the exit of the weighing platform 2, it detects that the cow is passing. A state where the passage has been started or a state where the passage has been completed may be detected.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the gate opening / closing mechanism 8 is configured to be operated by the electric motor 81 is exemplified. However, the gate opening / closing mechanism 8 may be configured by, for example, a cylinder instead of the electric motor 81. In the above embodiment, the electric motor 8
Although the first rotation shaft is arranged so as to be coaxial with the rotation axis of the locking portion 85, the electric motor 81 is not arranged in the coaxial state but on the side of the locking portion 85. It is also possible to drive the pinion gear that meshes with the rack gear provided on the outer peripheral surface.

In the above embodiment, the opening and closing operation of one (right side) of the pair of left and right swinging gates 3 A and 3 B is automatically performed by the control device 9. An instructing switch may be provided, and an operator who monitors the walking animal may open and close one of the gates by operating the switch.

The walking animal separation device of the present invention can be applied not only to the case where weighing is performed as in the above embodiment, but also to the case where processing such as inspection is performed. Further, the present invention can be applied to a case where a walking animal other than a cow, for example, a walking animal such as a goat, a horse, or a chicken is processed.

Incidentally, reference numerals are written in the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the structure of the attached drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an overall configuration of a walking animal separation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a main part according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the operation of the gate opening / closing means according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part showing gate opening / closing means according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view for explaining the operation of the gate opening / closing means according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view for explaining the operation of the gate opening / closing means according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a cam body according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating the operation of the walking animal separating apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating the operation of the gate opening / closing means according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Guideway 3A, 3B Oscillating gate 12 Stopper 81 Actuator 84A Contacted part 85 Locking part 88 Cam body C Gate opening / closing means

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-6-225657 (JP, A) JP-A-6-225656 (JP, A) JP-A-5-260875 (JP, A) JP-A-2-107142 (JP) , A) JP-A-4-16135 (JP, A)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A taxiway for guiding a plurality of walking animals (1)
A swinging gate (3A, 3B) that blocks the front view of a walking animal in a fully closed state is provided at a part of the guideway (1A) so that the lateral end of the taxiway (1) is rotatable around the vertical axis. The gates (3A, 3B) are switched between the fully-closed state and the halfway between fully-closed and fully-opened positions. In a state, the separation device for a walking animal is provided with a gate opening / closing means (C) that allows a walking animal to push and open for passage, wherein the gate opening / closing means (C) is provided around the vertical axis. The gate (3A, 3
B) can be freely locked to the open side, and can be switched between a locking position for locking the gates (3A, 3B) and a locking release position for releasing the locking by moving in the vertical axis direction. A gate operating rotation range for switching the gates (3A, 3B) from a fully closed state to an intermediate state and a subsequent rotation range for locking state switching for alternately operating the gates (3A, 3B). ,
An actuator (81) for rotating the locking portion (85) in one direction; and rotating the locking portion (85) to the locking position with rotation in an initial range in the locking state switching rotation range. A cam body (88) for changing the position from the unlocked position to the unlocked position and for changing the position of the locking portion (85) from the unlocked position to the locked position with rotation in the end range.
A contact portion (84A) that rotates in one direction together with the locking portion (85); and the contact portion (84A) when the gates (3A, 3B) transition from a fully closed state to an intermediate state. ) And the gate (3A, 3B) contacts the contacted portion (84A) when the gates (3A, 3B) attempt to return from the intermediate state to the fully closed state by the return biasing force, and vice versa. A separation device for a walking animal, comprising: a stopper (12) movable to a rotation-inhibiting side for preventing rotation in a direction and being urged to return to the rotation-inhibiting side. 2. The stopper (12), when an external load greater than a set value is applied to the gate (3A, 3B) in the intermediate state in the closing direction of the gate (3A, 3B). The walking animal separating device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to move to the rotation allowing side and allow the contacted portion (84A) to rotate in a reverse direction.