NZ196575A - Pivotable sheep shearing table with rollers for turning sheep - Google Patents

Description

196575 PATENTS FORM NO. 5 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION NO: 196575 Date: 20 March 19 81 Complete After Provisional ANIMAL HANDLING DEVICE I, GREGORY CHARLES MOFFATT of Gorge Road, Otaki, New Zealand, a British subject and New Zealand citizen, hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a Patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to improvements in and relating to animal handling devices and more particularly to a device facilitating the speedy and efficient shearing of a sheep.

Various proposals have in the past been put forward in an attempt to maximize the efficiency with which large numbers of sheep can be shorn.

However to the present time it is still customary for sheep to be shorn by being held on the 10 ground by the shearer while the various shearing strokes remove the fleece.

It is an object of the present invention to facilitate the efficient handling of a sheep before, during and subsequent to its being sheared and avoiding 15 the necessity for the shearer to bend his back during the shearing operation.

According to one embodiment of the present / invention there is thus provided an animal handling device for shearing of sheep 20 comprising a support frame providing a base support for a sub-frame which is mounted thereon and able to tilt substantially vertically and rotate substantially horizontally relative to said support frame, said sub-frame including a pair of elongate rollers having 25 their longitudinal axes normally in a substantially horizontal plane, said rollers being connectible with a drive means to be rotated in a common direction to rotate a sheep tethered in position on said rollers when in said substantially horizontal plane, whereby said sub-frame, tilted relative to said support frame, can receive a --sheep on said rollers whereby the weight " 2 ~ j$g4 ■■ i96 5 75 of said sheep, acting above a point about which said sub-frame tilts relative to said support frame, assists in the return of said rollers to said substantially horizontal plane for a shearing operation to commence and whereby rotation and tilting 5 of said sub-frame relative to said support frame at the end of said shearing operation is effected for the subsequent release of the now shorn sheep.

One embodiment of the presert;invention will now be described by way of example with reference to show,very diagrammatically, a sheep shearing apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention prior, during and subsequent to a ,sheep shearing operation; shows in greater detail a side view of the sheep shearing apparatus of Figure 1; shows an end view along arrows VItVI of the support frame of Figure 5; shows a plan view of the sub^ frame of the apparatus of Figure 1 along arrows Vll-Vll of Figure 5; shows an end view along arrows Vlll-Vlll of the sub-frame of Figure 7; the accompanying drawings; FIGURES 1 to 4 : FIGURE 5 : FIGURE 6 : FIGURE 7 : FIGURE 8 : lb 6575 FIGURE 9 : shows in greater detail a view along arrows IX-IX of Figure 5; FIGURE 10 : shows in greater detail a view along arrows X-X of Figure 5 FIGURE 5A : shows an alternative form of sub-frame/support frame coupling for use in another embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 11 : shows a view along arrows XI - XI of Figure 9.

The effective working life of a shearer is substantially reduced due to the manner in which 15 present day shearing of sheep is carried out. This generally entails the catching of a sheep which is then immoblized on its back by the shearer who bends over it to effect the required shearing strokes along the animal's fleece prior to the shorn sheep being 20 released and the operation repeated on the next sheep.

The continual stress that is thereby imposed on the shearer's back means however that only relatively young and fit shearers can meet the daily output required.

However the present invention in its preferred 25 embodiment provides a sheep shearing apparatus which facilitates the speedy and efficient successive shearing shearing of a large number of shfeep, reducing the physical effort required and the strain on the shearer's back thus enabling relatively old shearers to extend 3Q their working life and also enabling shearers with back trouble to continue shearing.

Additionally the sheep shearing apparatus of the present invention can be of valuable assistance to, , i V 6 5/5 a shearer with little experience and a small flock requiring to be sheared.

The broad aim of the invention in its preferred embodiment is to provide a sheep shearing apparatus which will enable a shearer to shear a sheep in under two minutes without any unnecessary bending of his back. 11 Referring to the accompanying drawings and firstly to Figures 1 to 4 thereof a sheep shearing N apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention is referenced generally by arrow 1.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2 15 the apparatus 1 is shown having a sub-frame 2 comprising a pair of rollers 3.

The sub-frame 2 is shown coupled through a joint 4 with a support frame 5.

The joint 4 is to enable the sub-frame to 20 tilt and rotate relative to the support frame 5.

A handle 6 fixed to the sub-frame 2 enables a shearer to hold onto the sub-frame in controlling its movement relative to the support frame 5.

In Figure 1 a drive coupling 7 is shown 25 connected with one of the rollers 3. Operation of a lever 8 can, as described below, release the drive coupling enabling the sub-frame to be swivelled (into the paper) as shown in Figure 2 so that an end support 9 can rest on the ground and a sheep requiring to be sheared can 30 be lent against the sub-frame centrally between the , rollers 3. The weight, acting above the joint 4, of the sheep laid 'ii^ . on its back on the rollers 3 will assist the return of sub-frame 2 19657 to a substantially horizontal position and with its rotation relative to the support frame 5 the drive coupling 7 can be re-engaged.

At each end of the support frame 5 vertical 5 supports 10 include at their upper ends cleats 11 through which a rope 12• can pass and be held. At the end of the rope 12 a leg fetter 13 is shown suitably comprising a cross bar 14 from which depend a pair of rope loops 15 which can be looped around a 1Q respective leg of the sheep and tightened as tension is placed on the rope 12.

Tensioning the rope 12 to a desired degree will stretch the sheep's legs and immoblize the sheep.

An operating lever 16 can be operated by the 15 shearer's foot to drive through a linkage 17 a crank drive 18. This drive is transmitted to a roller 3 through the drive coupling 7. A chain 19 connecting the respective drive shafts of the rollers 3 together causes a common rotation of the rollers 3, 20 One of the rollers 3 is shown having a cover or coating 20 with a rough, surface to assist the opposite rotation of the sheep with the rotation of the rollers 3, The shearer will thus start off with the sheep 25 tethered in the position shown in Figure 3 lying on its back on the rollers 3. The belly fleece can then be removed before foot pressure on the lever 16 will rotate the sheep a desired amount as the subsequent shearing strokes are effected. ; o J / J After the rotation of the sheep in a completely controlled movement by the incremental rotation of the rollers 3 the shearing will be completed. At this time the fetters 13 can be released and the drive 5 coupling 7 released by means of the lever 8. The sub-frame 2 can then be turned in the opposite direction from that shown in Figure 2 (out of the page) as shown in Figure 4 so that the tilted sub-frame 2 rests on the bracket 9 on the ground and the shorn sheep released 10 into the tally pen.

The sub-frame 2 can then be immediately swung back to the opposite side of the support frame 5 into the position shown in Figure 2 for the next sheep to be loaded onto the rollers 3.

A tray 21 along one side of the sub-frame 2 collects the fleece during the shearing operation for speedy and efficient collection and transmission to the wool table.

Referring now to Figure 5 of the accompanying 20 drawings the sub-frame 2 is shown coupled with the support frame 5 by means of a universal joint 4. This joint 4 is shown providing a connection between a sub^ frame support member 22, itself connected with a longitudinal sub-frame support member 23 (see Figure 7),and a vertical 25 support member 24 extending upwardly from a framework base 25.

A spring 26 is shown connecting the bottom of the sub-frame 2 with the base 25. When the sub-frame 2 is moved from its horizontal position to receive a sheep - 7 - C. \<b„. 196575 the spring 26 will thus assist in returning the sub-frame to the horizontal position.

The bottom of the sub-frame 2 is also shown provided with a downwardly depending "L" shaped bracket 27 the bottom arm of which 28 is shown in Figure 5 accommodated within a pair of spaced apart; arms 29 extending outwardly, from a vertical frame member 30. The engagement of the bracket 27 within the arms 2 9 in the horizontal position thus assists in holding the sub-frame in this position so that reliance for this holding action is not placed on the interconnection between the sub-frame 2 and the frame 5 through the drive coupling 7.

An adjustable abutment (not shewn, but see Figure 5A) would preferably be provided in ccnjunction with the joint 4 so that the sub-frame member 22 is\ not able to travel past a vertical position from its tilted positions shown in Figures 2 and 4. Such an adjustable abutment would also assist in determining the horizontal position of the sub-frame 2 at which the drive coupling 7 can be re-^engaged and the arm 28 of the bracket 27 engaged between the hold-*-ing arms 29.

The sub-frame 2, as shown in Figures 5, 7,8 and .9 particularly, includes a pair of elongate rollers 3, The rollers 3 may suitably comprise elongate plastic or metal tubes or cylinders mounted between respective pairs of end plates and supported on shafts 31 mounted in bushes 32 secured by U-^Bolts 33. + Referring particularly to Figure 7, while the front roller 3 is shown substantially parallel with. 196575 the longitudinal axis of the sub-frame, the back roller 3 is shown to be inclined away from the longitudinal axis by an amount shown as •©-°. This is to give extra width between the rollers where the pelvis of the sheep 5 is to be accommodated and enables pressure to be put dn the sheep's nerve system in the pelvic/lumbar region which tends to immobilize it.

Where the rollers 3 are parallel and sufficiently close to enable lambs to be sheared thereon, it has been 10 found that a sheep's nerve system in the pelvic/lumbar region can be pinched causing the sheep to be highly agitated.

The angle 0° may be of the order of 1 or 2° so that with a roller length of the order of 1150mm an 15 increase in width i.e. over that which would be present if the rollers were parallel, of the order of 15 to 30mm can be achieved between the rollers in that area.

This,it has been found, enables the sheep to be held on its back between the two rollers 3 with the 20 added widtfi pressuring but not pinching the nervous system of the sheep about its lumhar/pelvic region to immobilize it.

Referring particularly to Figure 9, at the drive end of the shafts 31, sprockets 34 are shown 25 coupled by a chain 35. The front shaft 31, or alternatively an extension of the front sprocket 34, has a shaped en^ larged end 36 forming the male part of the drive coupl— ing 7. 196575 The drive coupling 7 on the drive side includes a female socket member 37 including a correspondingly shaped recess 70 adapted to receive and rotate the male portion 36, Referring also to Figure 11, the socket member 37 is shown provided at the reduced end 38 of a tube 41 within which the end of the drive shaft 54 extends. A pin 39 secured to the drive shaft 54 adjacent its end extends through a slot 40 in the tube 41. In Figures 9 10 and 11 the drive coupling 7 is- shown in its disconnected position with the socket member 37 withdrawn against the bias of a spring 63 positioned within the tube 41 and its reduced end 38 and between the end of the drive Shaft 54 and the back of the socket member 37.

A collar 42 is shown mounted about the reduced tube end 38 and can slide therealong in a direction indi-*-cated by arrows A. The tube end 38 is also free to rotate within the collar 42. The collar 42 is shown connected with, a linkage 43 connecting it with a lever 8 which can 20 be operated by the shearer's knee in withdrawing the socket member 37 from the male portion 36 in disconnecting the drive coupling 7. The spring. 63 will normally bias the socket member 37 into engagement with the male portion 36. Operation of the lever 8 will cause the collar 42 to 25 slide along the reduced tube end 38 until it abuts the shoulder 71 on the tube 41. Continued pressure on the lever 8 will withdraw the tube 41 against the bias of the spring 63 until the pin 39 comes to the end of the slot 40,which is the position shown in both Figures 9 and 196575 11. The pin 39 also defines the amount of forward travel of the tube 41 and socket 37 relative to the end of the drive shaft 54 by its engagement with the other end of the slot 40.

The drive coupling 7 will thus be biassed into its operative condition but can be readily dis^-connected by the shearer simply by operation of the lever 8.

A cowl or cover 44 is shown provided about 10 the chain 35 and sprockets 34 so as to protect against fleece getting entangled therein.

A holder 45 may be provided as shown in Figure 196575 9 to hold'the shearing gun when not being used.

The tray 21 positioned on the far side of the rollers 3 is shown to have an inclined floor 46 and a back wall 47 facilitating the receipt in 5 the tray 21 of the fleece and its rapid collection and transference to the wool table.

The supporting structure of the sub-frame 2 is seen to comprise the longitudinal horizontal support member 23 having at each end transverse 10 sub-frame members 48 providing a support for the shafts 31. It is mentioned that in Figure 7 the cover 44 and handle 6 have been omitted for clarity.

The roughened surface or cover 20 for at least one of the rollers 3 may for example be the 15 type of material sold for providing a non-slip surface around swimming pools or may alternatively be a roughened surface formed on the actual material of the roller 3 itself.

Referring now to Figure 6 of the accompany-20 ing drawings an end elevational view shows an end frame member 10 having at its upper end a pair of spring biassed cleats 11 biassed together so as to grip a rope which has been pulled therethrough so as to maintain the tension on the rope. Such cleats 11 25 are well known for use in boats in maintaining tension on sail ropes.

Secured with each frame member "10 adjacent the cleats 11 are holders 4 9 on which the bars 14 of the fetters 13 can be accammcdated until needed for use. 196575 A bracket 50 may also be provided around which the rope end can be wound after it has been passed through the cleats 11.

The framework members 10 can extend downwardly 5 to the bottom of the apparatus so as to form part of the framework base 25, together with angularly extended base members 51 diverging outwardly therefrom.

The base 25 on the left hand side of figure 5 is shown including a plurality of adjustment holes 52 10 whereby a first base member 25A can be telescoped within base member 25B so that the overall length of the appar^-atus 1 can accordingly be adjusted. A pin (not shown) may in known manner be passed through the respective holes 52 once aligned and once the required overall length has 15 been achieved. Such length adjustment can be desirable to enable the apparatus 1 to accommodate different sized animals such as stud rams, goats and the like.

In order to rotate the rollers 3 it is necessary for a rotating drive to be applied through drive coupling 20 7 between socket member 37 and the male driven member 36.

A ratchet drive arrangement 53 may suitably be provided for this purpose providing a rotation of a drive shaft 54 by operation of the foot lever 16..

The foot lever 16 is shown pivoted at 55 to a 25 base member 56 and connected through a ball joint 57 with an arm 58.

At its upper end the arm 58^ see Figure 10 particularly, is'pivotally connected with a bifurcated arm 59 having a pawl .60 biassed by spring 61 thereon into engage-^ i ■' r; *7 c i > o j ( J merit with a ratchet 62.

A single downward movement of the lever 16 will thus be translated into an upward movement of the linkage 58;arm 59 and pawl 60 thus rotating the ratchet 62 through 5 a predetermined distance. Release of the foot lever 16 will then enable the pawl 60 to return to the position shown in Figure 10 ready for its next operation of the ratchet 62.

In one embodiment of the invention each operation 10 of the foot lever 16 can move the ratchet 62 through a distance represented by four of its teeth to thus rotate drive shaft 54 by a corresponding distance. This movement of the drive shaft 54 will then be transmitted through the drive coupling to the first roller 3 and through the sprockets 15 34 and chain 35 to the other roller 3. At its outer end the drive shaft 54 may be mounted in a bush arrangement 55 mounted on the frame member 10 by mounting bracket 56.

It is thus seen that with the socket member 37 in its retracted position to thus decouple the drive to 20 the rollers 3 the sub-frame can be tilted down to receive a sheep before being returned to the horizontal position and locked and the drive re-coupled. Incremental rotation of the rollers then enables the sheep to be rotated until totally shorn. At that time the sub-frame can be again 25 released and tilted to an opposite side to release the sheep before being swung back again to the first side to receive the next sheep. ^9657 5 Referring now to Figure 5A an alternative embodiment of the invention can utilize instead of the universal joint 4 shown in Figure 5 another suitable type of coupling enabling the tilting and rotational 5 movement between the siib-^frame 2 and the support frame '5. .

Thus in Figure: 5A the sub-=--frame member 22A depending downwardly from the sub-^frame longitudinal member 23 is shown pivotally mounted on a pin 64 extends 10 ing between a pair of spaced apart support arms 69. The arms 69 at their respective bottom ends extend into a plate member 66.

An adjustable stop member comprising a bolt 67 threadedly engaged with, nuts 68 on either side of the 15 plate member 66 provides an adjustable stop engageable with the base 65 of the framework member 22A when that member has. returned to a vertical position i.e. the sub---frame 2 has returned to a horizontal position. The plate member 66 is shown connected with a downwardly depending 20 shaft member 24A which can be rotatably fitted within a base framework member 24 such as shown in Figure 5 utilize ing as necessary suitable bearings, bushes or the like to provide a rotational relationship therebetween.

Thus: the sub~frame 2 can be tilted relative to 25 the framework 5 by the pivoting of the member 22A about the pivot pin 64 and the sub'-frame 2 rotated relative to the framework 5 by, the rotational relationship between the shaft 24A and the framework member 24, 196575 Other couplings enahling the required tilting/ rotational relationship between the sub-frame 2 and the support frame 5 will be apparent.

It will be appreciated therefore that a small flock could be sheared utilizing the .apparatus of the present invention in a one man operation but more particularly that with the shearing platform being at approximately waist height the back bending required for normal shearing can be totally avoided.

Where in the aforegoing description reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to one possible embodiment thereof it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (20)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS;

1. An animal handling device for shearing of sheep comprising a support frame providing a base support for a sub-frame which is mounted thereon and able to tilt substantially vertically and rotate substantially horizontally relative to said support frame, said sub-frame including a pair of elongate rollers having their longitudinal axes normally in a substantially horizontal plane, said rollers being connectible with a drive means to be rotated in a common direction to rotate a sheep tethered in position on said rollers when in said substantially horizontal plane, whereby said sub-frame, tilted relative to said support frame, can receive a sheep on said rollers whereby the weight of said sheep, acting above a point about which said sub-frame ti.lts relative to said support frame, assists in the return of said rollers to said substantially horizontal plane for a shearing operation to commence and whereby rotation and tilting of said sub-frame relative to said support frame at the end of said shearing operation is effected for the subsequent release of the now shorn sheep.

2. An animal handling device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sub-frame is connected with a substantially vertical support member of said support frame by a pivotal joint which enables said sub-frame to tilt and rotate relative to said support frame. ^ V " \ m- wi x^ - 17 -

3. An animal handling device as claimed in claim 2 wherein an adjustable stop member associated with said pivotal joint provides a stop for said sub-frame when said rollers return to said substantially horizontal plane.

4. An animal handling device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a spring is connected between said sub-frame and said support frame to bias said rollers towards said substantially horizontal plane.

5. An animal handling device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said support frame includes a base including a pair of telescopic base members which can be moved relative one to the other to adjust the overall length of said support frame.

6. An animal handling device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said support frame includes at either end thereof a substantially vertical end member at a top end of each of which is provided a respective rope engaging means adapted to receive and hold a rope under tension of an animal leg fetter means. - 18 -

7. An animal handling device as claimed in claim 6 wherein said fetter means each comprises a bar positionable behind the animal's legs and having a pair of rope loops extending outwardly therefrom to be engaged about a respective animal's leg and to be closed therearound upon said tension being placed on said rope.

8. An animal handling device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said drive means is connectable to said rollers to drive same through a drive coupling means which can be disconnected to enable said sub-frame to be moved relatively to said support frame.

9. An animal handling device as claimed in claim 8 wherein said drive coupling means comprises a male coupling member engageable with a female socket member, said female socket member being biassed into engagement with said male coupling member but movable therefrom.

10. An animal handling device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said female socket member is mounted at the end of a tube, a drive shaft extending into and coupled with to rotate said tube, a spring mounted 19 I 96575 within said tube between a rear surface of said socket member and a free end of said drive shaft, a collar operable by a lever means to slide along said tube and to engage a shoulder provided thereon to move said tube and said socket member against said bias of said spring towards said free end of said drive shaft and away from said male coupling member.

11. An animal handling device as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein said drive means comprises a ratchet engageable by a spring biassed pawl means, said pawl means being connected by a linkage means to a foot lever means operable by the shearer's foot.

12. An animal handling device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the length of said sub-frame and its mounting with said support frame is such that in its tilted positions to receive and discharge sheep a lower end thereof can abut against the ground.

13. An animal handling device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said lower end of said sub-frame includes a support bracket to provide said abutment with the ground. - 20 - 1 —? c I / DJ/ J

14. An animal handling device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein each of said rollers has an outwardly extending shaft at each respective end thereof, two of said shafts of respective rollers at adjacent ends thereof being provided with a respective sprocket and a chain connecting said sprockets together so as to cause said common rotation of said rollers.

15. An animal handling device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a tray extending alongside one of said rollers and having a floor extending downwardly therefrom to a rear wall, said tray being adapted to receive fleece as it is removed from the sheep.

16. An animal handling device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one of said rollers is provided with a roughened surface or cover so as to facilitate the gripping and rotation of the sheep.

17. An animal handling device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said sub-frame includes a downwardly depending bracket and said support frame includes a bracket receiving means so - 21 - IS' 6 5 7 5 positioned that it can receive and hold said bracket when said rollers are in said substantially horizontal plane.

18. An animal handling device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein one of said rollers is inclined away from the other of said rollers so as to increase the width therebetween in the area along said rollers where the sheep's pelvic region is to be supported such that pressure on, but not pinching of, the sheep's nerve system in the pelvic/lumbar region can occur.

19. An animal handling device as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 or any one of claims 4 to 18 when dependent on claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said pivotal joint is a universal joint.

20. An animal handling device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. BALDWIN, SON & CAREY attoh:; APPLICANTS - 22 -