US978759A

US978759A - Folding chicken-coop.

Info

Publication number: US978759A
Application number: US55571210A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fredrick W Koesters
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1910-04-15
Filing date: 1910-04-15
Publication date: 1910-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 1927-12-13

Description

P. W. KOESTERS. FOLDING CHICKEN COOP. APPLICATION FILED APR. 15, 1910,

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDRICK W. KOESTERS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FOLDING CHICKEN-COOP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRIoK W. Kons TERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Chicken- Coops, of which the following is a specification. 7

This invention relates to a coop for poultry, the coop being of that type which can be folded into a small space when it is to be shipped back from the market or to be stored away.

The invention has for one of its objects to provide a comparatively simple, inexpensive and durable coop of this character which can be easily and conveniently set up or knocked down, and which is of such design that all the parts are permanently attached so that there is no danger of the parts being lost.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a coop composed of side, end and top frames of novel design and hingedly connected together to the bottom of the coop so that when the coop is folded it will be perfectly flat.

With these objects in view, and others as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the coop set up for use. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof folded. Fig. 3 is a side view of the folded coop.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts through the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the bottom of the coop which is preferably, although not necessarily, a wooden plate or board stiffened by cross pieces or cleats 2. Secured to the ends of the bottom 1 are end. frames A and B, and attached to these end frames is a top frame C and side frames D, the top and side frames being so connected with the end frames that they can fold Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 15, 1910.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910. Serial No. 555,712.

downwardly in a direction longitudinal of the coop so as to lie close to and parallel with the bottom 1.

The end frame A consists of symmetrically disposed or inwardly inclined corner pieces 3 which have their lower ends con nected by hinges 4 with the ends of the bottom plate 1 at the corners thereof, and these standards or corner pieces 3 are connected together and held in spaced relation by horizontal slats or bars 5 which close the end of the coop.

The frame A is preferably provided with a door 6, of any approved construction, that closes an opening 7 in the said frame, the door being adapted to swing on hinges 8 and is locked closed by a hasp 9 engaging a staple 10. The inner edges of the members 3 are provided with serrations so as to present a plurality of vertically disposed hearing faces 11 for the purpose of connecting therewith the side bars or slats 12 which form the side frames D of the coop. The slats 12 are disposed parallel with each other and one above another and stepped inwardly from a vertical plane so that the sides of the coop will be upwardly and inwardly inclined. The front ends of the slats 12 are connected with the end frames by bolts or rivets 13 that extend from the slats and corner members 3 of the front end frame so as to form pivotal connection between the side frames and side slats 12.

The rear end frame B is composed of two upstanding members 14 that form the corner pieces of the end frame, and secured to these corner pieces are horizontally spaced slats 15. The outer edges of these corner pieces are stepped or serrated to provide bearing pieces 16 for the rear ends of the side slats 12, the latter being connected with the rear end frame by horizontal pivots in the form of bolts 16 which pass through the ends of the side slats and corner pieces 14:. The rear end frame B is connected with the bottom 1 by hinges 17 secured to the bottom 1 and lower ends of the members 14 of the end frame, the hinges being located at the inside of the end frame so that the latter can swing inwardly and downwardly against the bottom 1 of the coop while the front end frame swings downwardly and outwardly beyond the front end of the bottom 1 of the coop.

The top frame C comprises parallel slats 18, all of which except the middle one are secured to end pieces 19 and a middle piece 20. The front end piece 19 is disposed under the slats 18 of the frame and secured to and disposed between the top side slats l2, and a single rod or bolt 21 passes through the corner members 3 of the front frame, the front ends of the top side slats and the front end piece of the top frame so that the top frame will be pivotally connected with the top of the front end frame. The rear end piece 19 of the top frame extends between the upper ends of the corner members 14 of the rear frame, and a single rod or bolt 22 passes through the rear ends of the top side slats, the upper ends of the corner pieces 14 and end member 19, so that the rear end of the frame will be pivotally connected at its rear end to the frame B.

The middle slat 23 of the top frame is adapted to be removable so that chickens can be placed into the coop at the top. The ends of the slat 23 slide in staples or loops 24: on and projecting from the end pieces 19, and the slat is held in place by the projection 25 on one of the slats 18 engaging in a recess 26 in the adjacent edge of the removable slat or gate element 23, interlocking relation of the projection with the recess being maintained by a bowed spring 27 secured to the edge of the slat 23 oppo site from that having the recess, so that the middle portion of the spring can be brought into sliding engagement with the adjacent fixed slat 18 of the top frame. In order to release the slat or gate element 23 it is moved longitudinally so as to release one end from the loop or staple that holds it and during this sliding movement the slat rides on the projection 25 while the spring 27 is compressed, and as soon as one end of the slat 23 leaves its retaining loop 24, the released end of the slat can be raised sufficiently to clear the loop and then moved longitudinally in a direction to release the opposite end of the slat from its retaining loop or staple 24. By providing this opening on the top frame the chickens can be readily placed into or removed from the coop without danger of any chickens escaping. The front gate or door can be used also for taking out or removing chickens especially when the coops are piled one on top of the other.

The coop is locked in set-up position by means of brace rods 28 that have their upper ends hingedly connected at 29 to the rear side of the upper ends of the corner pieces 3 of the front frame, and the lower ends of the brace rods are bent into hooks 30 for engaging eyes or staples 31 on the bottom 1 adjacent the middle thereof, the hooks engaging the eyes or staples from the outside. The hooks are locked in place by turn buttons 32 or latches pivoted to the outside of the bottom side slats 12 so that the said buttons or latches can be turned down to engage over the lower end of the brace rods 28 to prevent the hooks thereof from working out of the eyes or staples 31. hen the coop is knocked down or folded the brace rods are disconnected from the bottom 1 and then the coop is folded, as shown in Fig. 2. In order to fasten the brace rods so as to be out of the way they are engaged under the hooks 33 on the cross piece of the top frame and the hooks of the brace rods are engaged in the eyes or staples 31 projecting from the sides of the slat 18 of the top frame. When the coop is folded, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the side slats 12 will lie flat against the bottom 1, and the rear frame B will also be disposed flat against the bottom 1 and occupy a position between the rear ends of the side slats. The front ends of the side slats will be disposed within the front frame A which is disposed parallel with the bottom 1 but projecting from the end thereof. The top frame B will lie between the two groups of the side slats which form the side frames of the coop. A coop constructed in this manner will be readily folded or unfolded and is of durable and substantial design.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A structureof the class described comprising a bottom, an outwardly and downwardly swinging frame having upwardly and inwardly inclined members, an inwardly and downwardly swinging end frame having spaced members, slats pivoted at their ends to the inner faces of the members of the first frame and to the outer faces of the members of the second frame, a top frame having its ends hingedly connected to the end frames, brace rods hingedly connected with one of the end frames and detachably connected with the bottom of the coop, and a .clevice mounted on the bottom slat at one side of the structure and movable into and out of engagement with the brace rods for holding the latter connected with said bottom.

2. A structure of the class described comprising end frames having spaced members, slats extending from one frame to the other and having their ends engaging the outer.

faces of the members of one frame and the inner faces of the other frame, a top frame 10 having its ends set in between the upper ends of the said members, and bolts extending entirely across the structure for hingedly connecting each end of the top frame with the members of the end frames.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 15 in presence of two witnesses.

FREDRICK W. KOESTERS. Vitnesses:

JOHN H. KOESTERs, LAURENCE R. RUEVE.