NZ562398A - Animal drafting means - Google Patents

Abstract

A split gate for use in drafting animals in a stockyard race. The gate includes an upper gate section that is jointly and/or separately movable with a lower gate section. The upper gate section is configured and arranged to be movable, in use, to pass behind or over the back of an animal travelling through a stockyard. The lower section is configured and arranged to be movable, in use, to assist in providing a barrier to an animal for drafting out of a stockyard race.

Description

562398 Our ref: CBD001 Patents Form No. 5 No. 562398 Dated: 11 October 2007 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 40 ANIMAL DRAFTING MEANS We, Clever By Design Limited, a New Zealand company, of 5 Ross Street, Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent 45 may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 1 562398 ANIMAL DRAFTING MEANS TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to an animal drafting apparatus and system. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to an animal drafting means in the form of a split gate system locatable in a stockyard race adapted to assist in drafting animal stock.

BACKGROUND ART Conventional animal drafting gates commonly comprise a single flat planar gate that opens across the front of the animal to be drafted with the gate hinge being positioned at the farthest point from the animal. This gate is typically driven open and the animal is then 15 only presented with the option of walking out of the main race in the draft direction.

When animals, such as farmyard stock including dairy cows, sheep, cattle, deer, goats and the like, are being drafted in single file, they can bunch close together as they pass through a stockyard race. In such situations, it is common for the animals to walk with their heads 20 over or near to over the rear of the animal in front. This leads to a problem in that the animal to be drafted can get its head on the wrong side of the draft gate or race. Once this situation occurs, the animal will either push very hard in an attempt to pass through the wrong side of the gate, or will stop and back up causing delays to the flow of stock animals passing through the race. In either case the animal can become stressed as will the animals 25 following behind this animal. Furthermore, the stopper gate can act very quickly and if it hits an animal it can cause physical harm to the animal.

It is a non-limiting object of the invention to provide an animal drafting means in the form of a split drafting gate which overcomes at least some of the abovementioned problems, or 30 at least to provide the public with a useful choice. 2 562398 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a broad aspect of the invention there is provided a split gate for use in drafting animals in a stockyard race, the gate including an upper gate section that is jointly and/or 5 separately movable with a lower gate section, the upper gate section being configured and arranged to be movable, in use, to pass behind or over the back of an animal travelling through a said stockyard, and wherein the lower section is configured and arranged to be movable, in use, to assist in providing a barrier to a said animal for drafting out of a said stockyard race.

. Preferably the upper gate section and the lower gate section are associated by way of a link means being attachable between a lower edge of the upper gate section and a top edge of the lower gate section. Desirably the link means is elastic in form to allow, in use, the upper gate section to stretch ahead of the lower gate section.

Desirably the upper gate section and the lower gate section are movable by being rotatable about a substantially vertically aligned hinge.

Advantageously the upper gate section is rotatable about a substantially vertically aligned 20 first hinge and the lower gate section is rotatable, in use, about a substantially vertically aligned second hinge.

Desirably the upper gate section is adapted with a flexible curtain means attachable adjacent to and/or below the top edge of the upper gate section.

Alternatively the upper gate section is rigid. Desirably the upper gate section includes a flexible curtain being adapted to be suspended below a rigid top bar.

Optionally the flexible curtain is provided with a pocket at the top edge of the curtain, and 30 wherein the curtain is sleeved into, and is associated with and moves with, the top bar.

Advantageously the flexible curtain is attachable to the top bar by a cord, rope, chain, wire, loops, hooks, hinges, elastic links or by any combination thereof. 3 562398 Alternatively the upper gate section and the lower gate section are rigid in form.

Preferably the upper gate section is adapted with a means to drive the upper gate section 5 between a closed position and an open position. Alternatively the upper gate section and the lower gate section are adapted with a means to drive the upper gate section and/or the lower gate section between a closed position and an open position. It will be appreciated that there are many configurations with the invention, and all variants are envisaged as being within the scope of the invention.

Preferably the split gate further includes a computer means being suitably programmed to carry out the steps of determining the speed and/or position of an animal to be drafted when it is moving through the stockyard race, and driving the upper gate section and/or the lower gate section to draft the animal out of the stockyard race.

Preferably the split gate further includes an animal sensing means for detecting the presence of an animal and forwarding data to the computer means. Desirably wireless communication means is provided to allow, in use, components of the invention to communicate with associated components to carry out the operation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred and alternative embodiments of the invention will now be described and illustrated, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1: illustrates a split gate arrangement according to one preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 2a: illustrates a plan view of the split gate of figure 1 operating in part of a stockyard race 10; Figure 2b: illustrates a plan view of the split gate of figure 1 in an open position; 4 562398 Figure 3: illustrates a split gate arrangement according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 4: illustrates a split gate according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention; and Figure 5: illustrates a plan view of the split gate of figure 4 operating in part of a stockyard race 40.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to figures 1,2a, 2b, a split gate arrangement, generally referred to as 1, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, is illustrated.

References to an animal in this specification include any animal capable of being handled in a drafting system, including all bovine, ovine, equine, goat and deer, and animals of any age, gender or farming type.

The split gate system arrangement 1 of the invention, hereinafter referred to as a split gate 20 1, includes an upper gate section 2 and a lower gate section 3. The upper gate section in this non-limiting preferred embodiment includes a rigid top bar 4 that is preferably rotatably movable by being attached to a first hinge 5. The hinge 5 is advantageously mounted to a support structure 6 and substantially vertically aligned to allow, in use, the top bar 4 to rotate at its distal end across the stockyard race 10. The top bar 4 is of a 25 sufficient length to extend across a stockyard race when extended or moved between a closed position allowing an animal to pass through a stockyard race, and an open position across the race to serve as a barrier or obstacle to an animal that is to be drafted out of the stockyard race, as seen in figure 2b. Any other drafting arrangement usually set up as a drafting gate is envisaged as being within the scope and application of the present 30 invention.

The top bar 4 may include a manually actuated gate actuation means 7 in the form of a rope or other such item locatable at any desirable position along the top bar for allowing a 562398 user to move the upper gate section 2 between the closed and open positions during operation. Alternatively the top bar 4 may be pneumatically driven, or driven by a motor hinge means as described with reference to figure 4.

The top bar 4 is made of any suitable durable and resilient material capable of supporting a rigid and/or flexible gate section 2. In this embodiment a flexible gate section 2 is shown and described.

The flexible gate section 2 is preferably made of any suitable durable and resilient flexible 10 material capable of flexing over the back of an animal such as, for example, canvas, a plastics material, and/or a fabric weave formed as a sheet, or chains or any other suitable material providing a barrier or screen capable of functioning as a deterrent or barrier for restricting and deterring an animal from moving through the race. It may well be arranged in one non-limiting alternative embodiment that a plurality of strips of flexible material 15 hang below the top bar 4 to any desirable length to the ground to provide a desired barrier. Other configurations with flexible material are envisaged within the scope of the present invention.

The flexible material of the gate section 2 is attachable to the top bar 4 by any form of 20 attachment means such as by cord, rope, chain, wire, loops, hooks, hinges, elastic links or by any combination thereof, or the top section of the material forms a pocket and is sleeved about the top bar 4 allowing the two components to move together between the closed position and the open position, as desired.

The lower gate section 3 is desirably planar and rigid in form, and may be made of any suitable rigid material such as, for example only, metal, wood, plastics material, or any combination thereof. The gate section 3 is of a sufficient width and height to suitably span across a stockyard race 10 during use, and in one configuration is optionally provided with a manually actuated gate actuation means 11 in the form of a rope or other such item 30 allowing a user to manipulate the gate section 3 as required. Alternatively, a pneumatically driven or motor driven gate actuation means may be incorporated with the opening and closing operation of the gate sections 2,3. A further development of this aspect of the invention will be described with reference to figure 4. 6 562398 In operation, it is seen that when animals are moving in single file along a stockyard race 10, if a lead animal is to pass through the race 10 and a trailing animal is to be drafted out of the race, the top bar 4 and upper gate section 3 can be moved across the back of the lead 5 animal, as seen in figure 2a. In this instance it may well be that the lower gate section 3 is blocked by the lead animal. As the lead animal passes the gate, the lower gate section 3 can be moved open and across the race toward the upper gate section 2 so as to draft the trailing animal out of the race 10, as seen in figure 2b. An advantage of the present invention is to allow sections of a drafting gate to move at different angles across the 10 stockyard race 10 so to assist with effectively separating and drafting animals, particularly if they are bunched together or close when they are moved through a stockyard.

Referring to figure 3, a split gate arrangement, generally referred to as 20, according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, is illustrated.

The split gate arrangement 20, hereinafter referred to as a split gate 20, includes an upper gate section 21 and a lower gate section 22. The upper gate section in this non-limiting second preferred embodiment includes a rigid and substantially planar upper gate section 21 that is preferably rotatably movable by being attached adjacent one edge to a first hinge 20 23. The gate section 21 may desirably be spring loaded and biased toward the closed position. The hinge 23 is advantageously mounted to a support structure 24 such as a preexisting stockyard race or an additional support structure, and the hinge 23 is substantially vertically aligned to allow, in use, the upper gate section 21 to rotate across a stockyard race when extended or moved between a closed position allowing an animal to pass 25 through a stockyard race, and an open position across the race to serve as a barrier or obstacle to an animal that is to be drafted out of the stockyard race.

The lower gate section 22 includes a rigid and substantially planar lower gate preferably rotatably movable by being attached adjacent one edge to the first hinge 23, or to a second 30 hinge 25 as shown. The hinge 25 is advantageously mounted to the support structure 24, and the hinge 25 that trails or leads the first hinge 23 is substantially vertically aligned to allow, in use, the lower gate section 22 to rotate across a stockyard race when extended or moved between a closed position allowing an animal to pass through a stockyard race, and 7 562398 an open position across the race to serve as a barrier or obstacle to an animal that is to be drafted out of the stockyard race.

It will be appreciated that a manually actuated gate actuation means 26 in the form of a 5 rope or other such item in any convenient location allowing a user to manipulate the gate section 21 may be provided on or adjacent the top edge of the upper gate section 21. Furthermore, the lower gate section 22 may be movable when the upper gate section 21 is moved by use of a gate attachments means in the form of an elastic cord or cords 27 at or adjacent the bottom edge of the upper gate section 21 and adjacent the top edge of the 10 lower gate section 22. The cords 27 can be adjusted to any desirable length. It is seen that the lower gate section 22 may be movable when the upper gate section 21 is moved by way of a spring operated mechanical linkage beatable between the upper gate section 21 and the lower gate section 22. In this respect when the upper gate section 21 is moved to an open position, it can pull or drive open the lower gate section 22 in a leading/trailing 15 manner.

Referring to figures 4 and 5, a split gate arrangement, generally referred to as 30, according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention, is illustrated.

The split gate 30 includes an upper gate section 31 and a lower gate section 32. The upper gate section 31 in this non-limiting preferred embodiment includes a rigid top bar 33 that is preferably rotatably movable by being attached to a driven hinge 35. Driving means 36 is associated with the hinge 35 to enable the top bar 33 and gate section 34 to open and close preferably by remote operation. Remote operation may include an actuation switch 51 25 locatable in any convenient position in the race and/or be triggered by a wireless remote switch means and associated microprocessor or computer being configured and arranged, and suitably programmed, to drive the system of the invention. The driving means 36 and the first hinge 35 and the second hinge 35a can be supported by a support post 39 that may form part of the stockyard race 40.

The upper gate section 31 desirably includes a flexible curtain 34 of a sufficient width and height to span across a stockyard race. The flexible curtain 34 is made of any suitable durable and resilient material, and is desirably a canvas or plastics material such as 8 562398 polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene, or other such material. A pocket 37 is advantageously formed at the top of the curtain 34 through which the top bar 33 is located. Tie means in the form of elastic cords 38 can optionally and desirably be provided at the lower edge of the curtain 34 to the lower gate section 32 to tie or connect the upper gate section 31 and 5 the lower gate section 32. The cords 38 are optionally adjustable allowing a user to set a desirable distance of separation between the upper gate section 31 and the lower gate section 32 during operation. Alternatively the tie means may be omitted in an alternative embodiment whereby the upper gate section 31 and the lower gate section 32 are independently driven as required.

The lower gate section 32 in this non-limiting embodiment is advantageously formed by way of a top rail 40, a bottom rail 41, an outer rail 42 and an inner rail 43, and optionally a centre rail 44 for additional stability. Other rails are envisaged within the scope of the invention. Alternatively, the inner rail 43 may be dispensed with by the top rail 40 and the 15 bottom rail 41 being attached directly to the hinge 35 a.

The rails in this non-limiting embodiment can be made of galvanised box steel and suitably welded together, or more desirably made of tube section or other such durable material or a combination thereof. A board 45 is attached to the rails forming a solid and rigid lower 20 gate section 32 that is mounted to the second hinge 35a that can be separately movable to the hinge 35 but which pivots about the same central axis. The lower gate section 32 is driven by driving means 36 that is associated with the second hinge 35a to enable the lower gate section 32 to open and close by remote operation. Remote operation can include an actuation switch 51 locatable in any convenient position in the race, and/or be triggered by 25 a wireless remote switch means and optionally by an associated microprocessor or computer being configured and arranged, and suitably programmed, to drive the gate sections 31, 32 jointly and/or separately, as desired. Alternatively the second hinge 35a can be driven by a second drive means (not shown), the second drive means being substantially similar in form to the driving means 36, and being triggered by remote 30 operation.

In operation, it is seen that when animals are moving in single file along a stockyard race 40, if a lead animal is to pass through the race and a trailing animal is to be drafted out of 9 562398 the race, the upper gate section 31 can be moved across the back of the lead animal. In this instance it may well be that the lower gate section 32 is restrained by the presence of the lead animal. As the lead animal passes the gate, the lower gate section 32 can be moved or rotated open and across the race so as to draft the trailing animal out of the race. An 5 advantage of the present invention is to allow sections of a drafting gate to move at different angles and at different moments across the stockyard race so to assist with effectively separating and drafting animals, particularly if they are bunched together or close when they are being moved through a stockyard race 40.

As seen diagrammatically in figure 5, it is envisaged that an animal sensing means is configured and arranged at or adjacent the drafting area to enable the speed and/or position of an animal passing through a race to be determined. In one embodiment the sensing means are two spaced apart light beam means 52 configured to transfer data to a computer system controller means 53. The controller means 53 can include any form of 15 programmable microprocessor controller unit or suitably programmed computer for carrying out the processing tasks of the invention including controlling the operation of the split gate 1.

The controller means 53 can also receive data from an animal identification means 20 preferably in the form of an electronic ear tag reader 54 and can consult a database and/or other information to determine whether the animal requires drafting for treatment and/or other purposes. For example only, data can be obtained from other sources in the form of weight measurements, somatic cell counts or otherwise. In operation, the controller means 53 may trigger a gate controller means 55 to initiate the drafting method by driving, via 25 driving means 36, the upper gate section 31 open in front of the animal to be drafted, and can also drive open the lower gate section 32 at a predetermined time period. It will be seen that the timing for driving the gates open can be determined in part by the speed measurement calculated by the animal sensing means or otherwise as desired. It will be appreciated that components of the invention are preferably adapted with wireless 30 communication means with appropriate transmitters and receivers and associated decoders and the like to carry out the operation of the invention. Alternatively the system may operate with wired communication means, or a combination of wired and wireless configurations depending on preferences, and distances between components. 562398 It will be appreciated that materials vised for components of the invention include any suitable and durable materials, for example only but not limited to, timber, metal, plastics materials, fabrics, rubber or any combination thereof.

Wherein the aforegoing reference has been made to integers or components having known equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that changes may be made to the above described embodiments of the invention without departing from the principles taught herein.

It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Additional advantages of the present invention will become apparent for those skilled in the art after considering the principles in particular form as discussed and illustrated. Thus, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments 15 described or illustrated, but is intended to cover all alterations or modifications which are within the scope of the appended claims. 11 562398

Claims (17)

Claims: 10

1. A split gate for use in drafting animals in a stockyard race, the gate including an upper gate section that is jointly and/or separately movable with a lower gate section, the upper gate section being configured and arranged to be movable, in use, to pass behind or over the back of an animal travelling through a said stockyard, and wherein the lower section is configured and arranged to be movable, in use, to assist in providing a barrier to a said animal for drafting out of a said stockyard race.

2. A split gate according to claim 1 wherein the upper gate section and the lower gate section are associated by way of a link means being attachable between a lower edge of the upper gate section and a top edge of the lower gate section. 15

3. A split gate according to claim 2 wherein the link means is elastic in form to allow, in use, the upper gate section to stretch ahead of the lower gate section.

4. A split gate according to claim 1 wherein the upper gate section and the lower gate section are movable by being rotatable about a substantially vertically 20 aligned hinge.

5. A split gate according to claim 1 wherein the upper gate section is rotatable about a substantially vertically aligned first hinge and the lower gate section is rotatable, in use, about a substantially vertically aligned second hinge. 25

6. A split gate according to claim 1 wherein the upper gate section is adapted with a flexible curtain means attachable adjacent to and/or below the bottom edge of the upper gate section. 30

7. A split gate according to claim 1 wherein the upper gate section is rigid.

8. A split gate according to claim 1 wherein the upper gate section includes a flexible curtain being adapted to be suspended below a rigid top bar. 12 562398

9. A split gate according to claim 8 wherein the flexible curtain is attachable to the lower gate section by an elastic means. 5

10. A split gate according to claim 8 wherein the flexible curtain is provided with a pocket at the top edge of the curtain, and wherein the curtain is sleeved into, and is associated with, the top bar.

11. A split gate according to claim 8 wherein the flexible curtain is attached to the 10 top bar by a cord, rope, chain, wire, loops, hooks, hinges, elastic links or by any combination thereof.

12. A split gate according to claim 1 wherein the upper gate section and the lower gate section are rigid in form. 15

13. A split gate according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the upper gate, section is adapted with a means to drive the upper gate section between a closed position and an open position. 20

14. A split gate according to any one claims 1 to 12 wherein the upper gate section and the lower gate section are adapted with a means to drive the upper gate section and the lower gate section between a closed position and an open position. 25

15. A split gate according to any one of the preceding claims further including a computer means being programmed to carry out the steps of determining the speed and/or position of an animal to be drafted when it is moving through the stockyard race, and driving the upper gate section and/or the lower gate section to draft the animal out of the stockyard race. 30

16. A split gate according to claim 15 further including an animal sensing means for detecting the presence of an animal and forwarding data to the computer means. 13 562398

17. A split gate substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings. 5 CLEVER BY DESIGN LIMITED By their Agents SCHUCH & COMPANY 15 20