US168111A - Improvement in poultry-coops - Google Patents

Description

SHEPARD.

Poultry-Coup.

Patgnted Sept 28,1875.

N.FETERS. PHOTQJJTHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTONv D C,

embodies my invention.

UNITED STArns PATENT C'FFICE.

JAMES SHEPARD, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN POULTRY-COOPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 168,1 l 1, dated September 28, 1875; application filed March 11, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I. JAMES SHEPARD, of

' Bristol, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Exhibition Coops, which I term a collapsible coop, and of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists of the peculiar construction, combination, and arrangement of devices, all as hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevation of an exhibition-coop which Fig. 2 is a perspectiveviewof the same as it appears when collapsed for transportation or storage. ;Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same on -line w w of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the same on line yy of Fig. 1, and Fig.5 is an enlarged view of a detached part.

A A designate the top and bottom portions of the coop, the same consisting of drawershaped frames boarded upon the bottom of the lower-part, as shown in Fig. 8, and the upper part slatted at the top, as shown in Fig. 2;

but, if desired, stead of slatted.

The front rails to a of the top and bottom A A are bored to receive the vertical rounds c c, the top rail a being bored entirely through, and the bottom rail a is bored from its top partway through, so that the ends of the holes form a stop for the rods or rounds c c. I prefer to make the bottom holes a little smaller than the holesin the upper rail, so that the rods 0 cmay be crowded in so snugly as to hold the top might be boarded inthem in place beyond any liability to become accidentally removed.

The top and bottom A A are held apart by four removable posts, I) b b b, an enlarged view of one end of which is shown in Fig. 5, and in I v which at designates a supporting-shoulder,

against which the rails of the top and bottom rest, as shown in Fig. 3. One sideof the posts 12 b b b are beveled, as shown in Fig. 4. The ends of said posts rest in dovetailed recesses c c, Fig. 2, and with their beveled edge toward the corners of the coop, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. Dovetailed wedges or keys h h are driven into the dovetailed recesses and at the square side of the post, which keys hold the posts firmly in place, so that the top and bottom A A are well supported.

In Figs. 1, 3, and 4, the rounds or rods 0 c are represented as in place, so as to form the open-work front of the coop, which may be provided with any ordinary or suitable slide or gate, B.

The back and two sides of the coop are of cloth, the upper and lower edges (which are generally the selvage edges) of which cloth are permanently secured to the top and bottom A A. I prefer to secure the edges of the cloth in a rabbet by means of strips n and small nails. The end edges of the cloth are hemmed, and are passed a short distance inward toward each other at the front, and should stop either back of or inside of the posts b b, as shown at 0 0, Figs. 1 and 4. By thus passing the edge of the cloth around the corner, it will tend to prevent the fowls in two coops placed side by side from getting their heads together and fighting, and if a bird attempts to push back the edge 0 of the cloth, it is prevented from so doing by the post 12, whereas, if the edge of the cloth were outside the post, it might be pushed open so far as to let the birds escape. Therefore, I securely fasten the edge of the cloth without the trouble of passing a rod through a shirr formed at its end, as is necessary with some other coops having cloth sides.

The cloth, when the coop is expanded, should be so slack as not to draw horizontally, but

should be drawn quite taut in a vertical direction, so as to hold the cloth smooth.

In order to secure the cloth properly I first set up the coop with posts that are about onehalf of an inch shorter than the post proper, and then secure the clothso that it is just smooth, but without stretching it, so that when the coop is 'set up with the posts properthe cloth is strained vertically just enough to hold it smooth. In case, however, that posts are placed upon the inside of the cloth to strain it over it may be drawn horizontally; but in order to prevent injury to the feathers of the caged birds I place all the posts upon the outside of the cloth walls, so that the interior of said cloth walls are smooth and free from all obstructions.

2 I I idsuii By following the foregoing directions the cloth will conform substantially to the shape of the top and bottom parts; butif itis strained much horizontally, when the posts are upon the outside, theportion midway between the top and bottom or framed sides will be rounded so much as to be unsightly and objectionable. If desired, a piece of cloth may be sewed upon the inside of the folding cloth walls upon two sides of the coop to form pockets p p, which may be used as feed-bags to put grain or other food in; or adrinking-cup, 1", may be placed in one of the bags or pockets, as shown at the right in Fig. 4. These pockets answer all the purposes of an ordinary feed box or cup, and are readily folded with the cloth sides, so as to be entirely out of the way and always ready for use. V

When desired to contract the coop into a small space for convenience of transportation or for storage, the rods 0 c and posts I) b b b are removed and placed inside at the bottom of the coop, when the cloth sides are folded inward with a bellows fold, and the top and bottom collapse or come together, all as shown in Fig. 2. The wedges h h are placed at the back and upon the outside of the cloth, which, when folded inward, form a tight bag, from which the wedges cannot escape so long as the top and bottom frames are held together.

Several ooops thus collapsed may be placed together, and a lath or thin strip nailed at the corners, as in bunching window-sash, which is all the packing that will ordinarily be required for shipping.

I have herein described the details which I consider preferable for an exhibition-coop; but

it is, of course, evident that-some of these details may be varied without changing the operation of the other parts; for instance, the cloth might be nailed to the side or edges of the frames without letting it into a rabbet, and the posts and rounds may be differently secured in place without changing the operation of the other parts, provided the rounds and posts are removable.

In case it is desired to make a coop for transporting fowls instead of exhibiting them, the rounds may bGOlllllJtBd, and the whole of the sides formed of cl0th,,and the post placed outside of the cloth, as before described.

I claim as my invention 1. 1n a poultrycoop, the top and bottom A A, in combination with the removable posts and flexible cloth sides, all operating together so as to expand or collapse the coop, substantially as described.

2. In a poultry-coop, the combination of the top and bottom A A, having dovetailed recesses e e 0 0, with the removable and shouldered posts b b I) b and wedges h h h h, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a poultry-coop, the two framed sides, in combination with the removable posts placed at the outer edges of said framed sides, and three or more cloth sides placed inside of said posts, the form of the cloth walls being imparted by means of the two framed sides, all substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES SHEPARD.

Witnesses:

GEo. A. GOWDY, HENRY A. MITCHELL.

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