WO2000027184A1

WO2000027184A1 - A floor system, especially for a stable for animal husbandry, and a support rail and a flooring element for use in such a floor system

Info

Publication number: WO2000027184A1
Application number: PCT/DK1999/000613
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bjarne Kongsgaard
Original assignee: Ikadan System A/S
Priority date: 1998-11-09
Filing date: 1999-11-09
Publication date: 2000-05-18
Also published as: DK200000465A; AU1032500A; DK199801453A; DK173658B1; DK173532B1

Abstract

The present invention describes a floor system comprising flooring elements (2) and support rails (1). The flooring elements (2) are provided with circular grooves (6, 7) at the underside. These grooves interact with a circular section (5) on the support rail (1) so that there is formed a hinge connection at one side edge of the element (2), and at the other side edge there is provided releasable interaction with snap means (12, 13), making it possible to hold the element against unintentional opening. With this floor system it becomes possible to open the floor and to clean the underside together with creating access to liquid manure canals and other things below the formed floor surface.

Description

A FLOOR SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY FOR A STABLE FOR ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, AND A SUPPORT RAIL AND A FLOORING ELEMENT FOR USE IN SUCH A FLOOR SYSTEM

Background of the Invention

The present invention concerns a floor system, especially for livestock stables, and comprising a supporting construction with a number of parallel support rails together with a number of rectangular flooring elements, preferably floor gratings, disposed in a row on the support rails via projecting teeth at opposite side edges of the elements and which in use form a largely plane flooring as teeth of adjoining elements engage each other and rest on a common support rail via a groove at the underside of the teeth. The invention furthermore concerns a support rail and a flooring element for use in such a floor system.

It is known to make floors in livestock stables of flooring element that are modular and consisting of gratings or plates laid on the support rail. By the laying there is formed a largely plane floor surface as teeth at longitudinal side of the elements mesh so that grooves at the underside of the elements extend in continuation of each other and are located over common support rails.

Floor systems built up in this way will usually have elements placed in a locked position on the support rails in order to avoid that livestock unintentionally remove some of the elements.

Particularly for use in piggeries there is used elements consisting of gratings or plates, depending on whether we are speaking of stys for piglets or stys for porkers/sows.

In recent years there have been increasing requirements to environmental conditions in stables. Inter alia there has been a wish for reduction of ammonia gases and a possi- bility of cleaning the elements used for building the stable. Thus, flooring elements have be designed to reduce or avoid deposit of livestock manure which may give rise to ammonia evaporation and bacterial growth. Even though gratings have been made which in a satisfactory way solves the problem of deposits at the upper side of the gratings, there has been a problem with materials firmly hanging onto the underside of the gratings. Through several years there has thus been a need for cleaning the gratings at the underside. This is, however, a slow, labour-intensive task since it necessitates taking up the stable floor.

Furthermore, there has been a need for removing in an easy way the flooring elements located over liquid manure canals with the purpose of inspection, cleaning and main- tenance of liquid manure canals. Not here either there have been satisfactory solutions making possible a quick and efficient opening to liquid manure canals.

It is the purpose of the present invention to indicate a floor system remedying the above mentioned drawbacks by the floor systems mentioned in the introduction, which makes possible an easy and quick access to the underside of the flooring elements and to the liquid manure canal and the like which are situated under the flooring elements.

According to the present invention, this purpose is achieved by a floor system which is peculiar in that at least the support rails disposed at a first side edge of an element are provided with a partly circular section on their part facing upward in use, the partly circular section interacting with a corresponding partly circular groove formed at least at the underside of the teeth by the said first side edge of the element as the element hereby may be pivoted about the partly circular section, that by a second side edge of the element there is formed a recess in the upward facing part of the support rail, and that at the underside of the teeth by the said second side edge there is formed a groove accommodating said upward facing part of the support rail and which in its wall has a projection directed toward the inner of the groove and which is arranged for releasable snap engagement with the recess.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the floor system is peculiar in that the support rails are arranged to be disposed over a liquid manure canal and rest on a support section provided at each side of the liquid manure canal, that the support rails and at least one support section are arranged for mutual displacing in order to mutually disengage engagement means on the support section and the support rails, and that at least one of the support sections are pivotably suspended in order to pivot support rails and the floor gratings provided thereon to a position for exposing the liquid manure canal.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, the floor system is peculiar in that the support rails are arranged to be disposed over a liquid manure canal and rest on a support section provided at each side of the liquid manure canal, that the support rails at each end are arranged pivotably for pivoting the support rail provided therein about an axis of pivot coincident with the centre axis of the partly circular section in order to mutually disengage engagement means on the support section and the support rails for pivoting support rails and the floor gratings provided thereon to a position for exposing the liquid manure canal.

A support rail for use in such a floor system is peculiar in that it is made of an extruded plastic section which at its side facing upward in use has a largely circular part which by a stalk-shaped part is connected with the remaining part of the support rail.

The flooring element used in the floor system is peculiar in that the groove at a first side edge together with an upward facing edge area of the support rail form a hinge connection, and that at the second side edge there is provided releasable interacting snap means in the grooves and on the support rail.

With a floor system according to the invention it will thus be possible in an easy and quick way to access the underside of the element and/or to liquid manure canals or the like under the floor surface. This occurs by releasing the snap engagement between the support rail and the teeth at one side edge of the element. Then the floor element is pivoted upward to an open position about the hinge connection established between the support rail and the groove at the other side edge of the element. Hereafter it becomes possible to clean the underside of the element by flushing, sweeping or the like, as well as it also becomes possible to make access to the underlying liquid manure canal.

With the floor system according to the invention there will be no need of performing a slow removal of the flooring elements and storing of these in a position outside the sty. Furthermore, cleaning by flushing or the like may be easily performed as polluted water runs down into canals under the floor and may thereby easily be disposed of in a usual way.

With a floor system according to the second aspect of the invention it becomes possible to access a liquid manure canal by swinging the support rails and the gratings provided thereon to an open position. A floor system according to this aspect thus makes possible a total clearing of the liquid manure canal as also the support rails are swung to the open position. Hereby there is created a completely unhindered access to the inner of the liquid manure canal. This may particularly be an advantage by servicing, maintenance work or other works to take place in the liquid manure canal.

According to the second aspect, the mutual displacement between the support rail and the support section may take place by one support section not being placed in contact with the side wall of a liquid manure canal. If the support section is situated at a small distance, it may be pressed against the side wall of the liquid manure canal due to inherent elasticity. Hereby, engagement means in the shape of a knob at the end of the support rail and a keyhole in the support section, or vice versa, may disengage. Then the support rails and gratings provided thereon may be swung to an open position about the hinge in the support sections at one side of the liquid manure canal. As alternative to the use of inherent elasticity in a support section, it will be possible to place spring means at the end of the support means. Hereby, there may be established a spring force which forces the engagement means into mutual engagement.

As an alternative to knob and keyhole there may be used other engaging means which establish a firm connection and which prevent an unintentional opening of the floor. With closed position and open position in the present description there is meant a position where the flooring element is situated in its normal horizontal situation of use or a situation, where the flooring element is pivoted to an upward oriented position, thereby giving access to the underside of the floor, respectively.

At the same time it will be possible to pivot a row of endwise adjoining element between an open and a closed position and to create access to the underside by rowwise opening/closing the flooring elements. Alternatively, it will be possible to perform a simultaneous opening of several juxtaposed rows of flooring elements in order to per- form opening of a whole floor surface. Alternatively, it will also be possible just to free a single flooring element and thereby only create access to underlying liquid manure canal or the like in a very limited area.

Accessing an underlying liquid manure canal may also be advantageous if one desires to dispose of bedding or the like which has difficulty in passing through floor gratings.

This may for instance be the case in stys where a part of the floor surface is formed by gratings and where the remaining part is closed floor surface where the animals walk on bedding.

According to a preferred embodiment of the floor system, the grooves at the underside of the teeth and the support rails are arranged so that each support rail has a partly circular section, and that the elements are made with partly circular grooves in the teeth at each side edge. Hereby it becomes possible to use identical support rails at both sides of the flooring elements. Thus the grooves at the underside of the teeth may be provided in continuation of each other in the same way as it is known from the traditional floor systems. As there will be no need for laying different support rails, the floor system may be built up implying the same efficiency as with the known floor systems which are not possible to open.

It is preferred that the projection used for the snap engagement is a hook-shaped projection with a width which only extends over a part of the width of the tooth. At the upper side of the tooth there will be an opening in the floor surface opposite to such a projection. Hereby it becomes possible to pass a tool through the opening and to press the hook-shaped projection out of its engagement with the recess in the support rail. Such a releasing tool may be provided with one, two, three or more engaging parts intended for simultaneous engagement with several juxtaposed projections along the side edge of a floor grating. Hereby it becomes possible simultaneously to release snap engagement of all hook-shaped projections in an element or in a row of elements.

The tool extending through the opening establishes a great lever effect as there is a relatively small distance from the opening in the floor surface to the part on which the hook-shaped projection is placed, and a large handle part can be provided above the floor surface. The opening itself will preferably be performed by the hook-shaped projection being moved outwards away from the underside of the flooring element. Hereby the force used to move the projection outward could simultaneously be used to swing the flooring element to its open position. Alternatively, though, it is possible to dispose the hook-shaped projection at a side of the groove facing inward toward the underside of the floor element.

Alternatively, the support rails can be provided with suspensions for a rod located under the floor surface and extending over the length of a row of elements. Such a rod may have knobs disposed at positions opposite to the projections so that by central activation/rotation of such a rod there is possibility of simultaneous releasing the snap engagement in one or more rows of flooring elements.

It is preferred that the support rail has an approximately full circular section at the up- ward facing side at the side where the hinge connection is established, and that this full circular section via a stalk-shaped portion is connected with the remaining part of the support rail. Hereby it becomes possible to pivot the flooring element through a large angle.

Such an angle is preferred to be more than 90°, or at least of such a magnitude that the element, when it is pivoted to its open position, is situated in a position where the point of gravity is displaced past a vertical plane through the axis of rotation of the hinge connection. Hereby the element will stay in its open position because of the action of gravitational force.

In order to establish a secure connection there is established a projecting flange above the groove at the side where the hinge connection is established. This projecting flange extends outward and downward and has an outer edge intended for contact to a contact surface when the element has pivoted to its open position. By providing the projecting rim with an extension so that in the closed position it is situated at a plane above the top of the circular section, it becomes possible to pivot the flooring element through more than 90° to an open position.

In order to achieve reinforcement of the stalk-shaped part and to avoid a lateral load, it is preferred to provide a bead on the stalk-shaped part so that the contact surface is formed at an upward facing side of a bead. Hereby the load exerted by the weight of the open grating will be directed downward through the support rail and thereby reduce the risk of breaking.

Even though the floor system preferably is made of plastic materials, it will be possible to use the same idea forming the basis of the present invention in connection with making floor systems with other materials, as for example steel.

Description of the Drawing

The invention will be explained hereafter in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing where:

Fig. 1 shows an end view of a support rail for use in a floor system according to the invention, Fig. 2 a top view of a flooring element for use in floor system according to the invention, Fig. 3 a view from below of the element shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 a sectional view through the element shown in Figs. 2 and 3, Figs. 5 and 6 partial, sectional views for illustrating the engagement between flooring element and support rails in a normal situation of use, Fig. 7 a partial view for illustrating the engagement between a flooring element and the support rail in an open position, Fig. 8 a partial view of a tool for releasing the engagement,

Fig. 9 a partial view for illustrating the use of the tool shown in Fig. 8, Fig. 10 a partial view for illustrating a second embodiment of a tool, Fig. 11 a partial, sectional view through a liquid manure canal in which there is provided a floor system according to the invention, Fig. 12 a side view of a support section used in the liquid manure canal shown in Fig.

11, Fig. 13 a section through the support section shown in Fig. 12, Fig. 14 a schematic view of a pivotable support section of a support rail, and Figs. 15 and 16 partial, sectional views for illustrating two positions of the support rail when supported by the support sections shown in Fig 14.

In the different Figures identical or corresponding elements are designated with the same reference numbers. No specific explanation is given to each Figure.

In Figs. 1, 5 and 6 there is shown end view of a support rail 1 forming a part of a floor system according to the invention. In Figs. 5 and 6 is seen how a flooring element 2 is placed on the support rails 1. The support rail 1 is intended to be placed with it underside 3 on a base. This base may be provided in the shape of a floor or in the shape of support sections 48,49 (see Figs. 11-13) or a pivotably suspended support section 61 (see Figs. 14-16).

The rail will thus stand upright and support the flooring elements 2 with its upward facing end 4. At the upward facing end 4 there is provided a circular section 5 which may interact with corresponding circular grooves 6 and 7, respectively, (see Fig. 4) at the underside of the elements. The circular section 5 is connected with the remaining part 9 of the support rail 1 via a stalk-shaped part 8. On the stalk-shaped part 8 there is formed a bead 19, the use of which will be explained later. The circular section 5 has a throughgoing boring 11 , and in the surface of the circular section 5 there is formed a recess 12. The recess 12 is arranged for releasable snap engagement with a hook-shaped projection 13 formed at the free end of a flange 14 on the element 2.

The flooring element 2 appears particularly from Figs. 2-4. In the shown embodiment the element is designed as a grating. Between grating bars 15 there is formed a row of spaces 16 making possible for animal droppings to pass through the grating to a liquid manure canal below a floor surface which is formed by the upper side of the element.

The grating is of a kind provided with tooth- shaped projections 17 at each of two opposite longitudinal sides 18 of the element 2. The teeth 17 are intended to engage corresponding spaces 19 between teeth on a juxtaposed element. Hereby the grooves 6,7 from two juxtaposed elements 2 are lined up so that they rest on one and the same support rail 1.

The element 2 has been provided with projecting knobs 21 at its two opposite transverse sides 20. These adjoin each other and thus form an interspace between elements 1 disposed in line, resting on the support rails. In the realised design there is not pro- vided engaging means in the transverse sides 20, and therefore it is possible to take up and lay down a single element 2 in the middle of a floor surface.

As it mainly appears from Fig. 4, the grooves 6 and 7 are different at each side of the element 1. At a first side edge 46 of the element 2, the groove 7 is provided at the un- derside of the teeth 17. The groove 7 is formed as a partly circular section interacting with the circular section 5. Hereby the element 1 may pivot about the circular section 5. The pivoting may be performed until the bead 10 (see Fig. 7) abuts on a side edge 22 on projecting flange 23 which extends outward and downward from the upper side 24 of the tooth 17. In this situation, the gravitational force from the element 2 will be pivoted to a position past a vertical plane 25 extending through the axis of pivot 26 of the element 2. The element 2 will thus remain in the open position due to the action of the force of gravity. The side edge 22 of the flange 23 may abut on an outer side 27 of the bead 10 or on the upper side 28 of the bead 10. By abutting the upper side there is achieved a largely downward directed force through the stalk-shaped part 8. This is advantageous with respect to load considerations.

In order to release the element 2 from its normal, horizontal, closed position as shown in Fig. 5 to the open position illustrated in Fig. 7, the engagement between the hook- shaped projection 13 and the recess 12 is to be released.

This may occur by use of a tool 33 extending inside the boring 11. This tool is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. From Fig. 8 is seen that there is an elongated section having a milled recess 34 at positions opposite to the hook-shaped projections 13. The tool 33 is a rod-shaped section extending in the boring 11 through the whole length of the support rail 1. At its end inside the boring 11, the section has projecting parts 35,36 and 37 serving as contact to the inner side of the boring 11. There is provided a projecting part 38 with a greater length which may pass out through a slot 39 formed in the side of the circular section 5 and connecting the boring 11 with the outside.

The recesses 34 are provided in the projecting part 38. When the tool 33 is displaced by translation the boring 11, the hook-shaped projection 13 will abut on a sloping side edge 40 in the milled recess 34 and be pressed out against an outer side edge 41 on the projecting part 38. Hereby the hook-shaped projection 13 is pressed out of engagement with the recess 12 at the side of the circular section 5. Then the element 1 may be swung to the open position illustrated in Fig. 7.

The tool 33 may be displaced by engaging suitable activation means placed at the end of each support rail 1 and which by such an activation tool may operate one or more tools 33.

Alternatively, the engagement may be released via openings 29 passing through the upper side of the tooth at positions opposite to each hook-shaped projection 13. Such an embodiment is illustrated in Fig. 10. Fig. 10 shows a tool 42. The tool 42 may thus be pressed down through the opening 29 and may by an engaging means 43 press against the flange 14 so that the hook-shaped projection 13 is disengaged. When such a tool 42 is used, it will have several engaging means 43 acting simultaneously in a number of openings provided in a single element 1. In the shown embodiment there are four tools 42 which simultaneously are brought through the openings 29.

Such a tool 42 may easily be activated as there will be a large lever action. Thus the tool will rest on a side edge 30 in the opening and be pressed out toward the flange part 14. There is a very short lever 44 whereas the handle part 45 extending up over the surface 31 of the element may be imparted an arbitrary length. With such a tool 42, the releasing movement will take place in a direction which at the same time is used for pivoting the element upward to a vertical position. By the pivoting the other side edge 32 of the element will pivot upwards through a circular arc about the axis of pivot 26.

The section 61 comprises a fixed plate 65 with a groove 66. The plate 65 may be fastened to a support. The section further comprises a pivotable plate 67 with two knobs 68 engaging the groove 66. The groove 66 contains a stop 69 which limits the pivoting by contact with a knob 68.

Alternatively, release of the element 2 from its closed position may occur by using a pivotable support section 61 shown in Figs. 14-16. The support section has an extension 62 which may firmly engage the hollow inner 63 of the support rail 1 while at the same time the underside 3 is placed on a projecting plate (not shown) in order to make a secure support of the rail 1 in the section 61. The extension 62 and the plate are pivotable about an axis 64 which is coincident with a centre axis of the boring 11. Thus the rail 1 can pivot between the position shown in Fig. 15, where the element 2 is in its closed position, to the position shown in Fig. 16 where the element 2 is released as the hook-shaped projection 13 is released from the recess 12. The section 61 may be placed on a corner 50 of a liquid manure canal 47 or on another suitable support. In the shown embodiment, the section 61 is arranged for pivoting the extension 62 to both sides of a vertical plane in order to make it universally usable. The section is furthermore provided with a lock (not shown) at each side for holding firm the rail so that the element 2 is released in a secure way.

In the figures the rails 1 are shown with a recess 12 at one side of the circular section 5. It is sufficient to have a recess at one side.

In the embodiment shown, the rails 1 at each side of a row of flooring elements 1 are identical. However, only the support rail at the first side edge 21 needs to be partly circular and to interact with a partly circular section on the support rail in order to form a hinge connection making it possible to pivot the element 2 to the open position.

The groove 6 and the support rail 1 at the second side edge 32 may have any shape which makes possible a releasable snap engagement so that the flooring elements may be secured in a closed position.

Furthermore, it is an advantage that the grooves 6,7 at both side edges 21,32 are iden- tical so that it is possible to lay the flooring elements 2 over the support rail 1 with the teeth 17 engaging each other and with the grooves 6,7 forming an elongated groove which interacts with a single support rail at each side edge of a row of elements 1.

In Fig. 11 there is seen a partial view of a liquid manure canal 47. A support rail 1 is disposed across the liquid manure canal. The support rail is supported by a support section 48 and 49, respectively, at each side of the liquid manure canal 47. The support sections 48,49 are provided at an upper corner 50 of the liquid manure canal. The support sections 48, 49 are fastened to the stable floor by means of screws 51 or the like.

One support section is placed in contact with a side wall 52 in the liquid manure canal. The other support section 49 is provided at a distance 53 from the opposite side wall 52 in the liquid manure canal. Hereby the legs 54 of the support section can be pivoted inwards toward the side wall 52 of the liquid manure canal because of their inherent elasticity. Hereby a knob 55 may disengage a keyhole 56 in the support section 48. When the knob 55 is disengaged, the support rail 1 together with the legs 54 of the fitting 49 may be pivoted about a hinge connection 57 in order thereby to expose the inner of the liquid manure canal 47.

As it appears particularly from Figs. 12 and 13, the support rails are provided with C- shaped groove 58. This is designed with recesses 59 serving for accommodating out- ward directed flanges 60 (see Fig. 1) at the bottom of the support rail 1.

Claims

1. A floor system, especially for livestock stables, and comprising a supporting construction with a number of parallel support rails together with a number of rectangular flooring elements, preferably floor gratings, disposed in a row on the support rails via projecting teeth at opposite side edges of the elements and which in use form a largely plane flooring as teeth of adjoining elements engage each other and rest on a common support rail via a groove at the underside of the teeth, characterised in that at least the support rails disposed at a first side edge of an element are provided with a partly circular section on their part facing upward in use, the partly circular section interacting with a corresponding partly circular groove formed at least at the underside of the teeth by the said first side edge of the element as the element hereby may be pivoted about the partly circular section, that by a second side edge of the element there is formed a recess in the upward facing part of the support rail, and that at the underside of the teeth by the said second side edge there is formed a groove accommodating said upward facing part of the support rail and which in its wall has a projection directed toward the inner of the groove and which is arranged for releasable snap engagement with the recess.

2. A floor system according to claim 1, characterised in that each support rail has a partly circular section, and that the elements are made with partly circular grooves in the teeth at each side edge.

3. A floor system according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the projec- tion is provided as a hook-shaped projection made with a width which only extends over a part of the width of the tooth.

4. A floor system according to any preceding claim characterised in that the support rails are provided with suspensions for a rod extending over the length of a row of elements and which has knobs disposed at positions opposite to the projections and which are arranged for releasing the snap engagement by rotation of the rod.

5. A floor system according to any of the claims 1 -3, characterised in that at positions opposite to a projection there is formed an opening at the upper side of the tooth for receiving a tool for releasing the snap engagement.

6. A floor system according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the teeth at the first side edge of the element has a projecting flange extending outwards and downwards from the upper side of the tooth, and that the interacting partly circular section on the support rail is an approximately full circular section which by a stalk-shaped part is connected with the remaining part of the support rail, and that on the stalk-shaped part there is provided a contact surface for the projecting rim when the element has pivoted to an open position.

7. A floor system according to claim 6, characterised in that the flange and the contact surface are dimensioned so that contact occur when the element has piv- oted to a position where the point of gravity is situated past a vertical plane through the axis of pivot of the element.

8. A floor system according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the contact surface is formed at an upward facing side of a bead projecting from the stalk-shaped part and which extends in parallel with the section.

9. A floor system, especially for livestock stables and comprising a supporting construction with a number of parallel support rails together with a number of rectangular flooring element, preferably floor gratings, disposed in rows on the support rails via projecting teeth at opposite side edges of the elements and which in use form a largely plane flooring as teeth of adjoining elements engage each other and rest on a common support rail via a groove at the underside of the teeth, characterised in that the support rails are arranged to be disposed over a liquid manure canal and rest on a support section provided at each side of the liquid manure canal, that the support rails and at least one support section are arranged for mutual displacing in order to mutually disengage engagement means on the support section and the support rails, and that at least one of the support sections are pivotably suspended in order to pivot support rails and the floor gratings provided thereon to a position for exposing the liquid manure canal.

10. A floor system according to claim 9, characterised in that the support rail at each side of its bottom has an outward directed flange, and that the support section has C-shaped groove for accommodating the flanges.

11. A floor system, especially for livestock stables, and comprising a supporting construction with a number of parallel support rails together with a number of rectangular flooring element, preferably floor gratings, disposed in rows on the support rails via projecting teeth at opposite side edges of the elements and which in use form a largely plane flooring as teeth of adjoining elements engage each other and rest on a common support rail via a groove at the underside of the teeth, characterised in that the support rails are arranged to be disposed over a liquid manure canal and rest on a sup- port section provided at each side of the liquid manure canal, that the support rails at each end are arranged pivotably for pivoting the support rail provided therein about an axis of pivot coincident with the centre axis of the partly circular section in order to mutually disengage engagement means on the support section and the support rails for pivoting support rails and the floor gratings provided thereon to a position for expos- ing the liquid manure canal.

11. A support rail for use in a floor system according to any preceding claim, characterised in that it is made of an extruded plastic section which at its side facing upward in use has a largely circular part which by a stalk-shaped part is con- nected with the remaining part of the support rail.

12. A flooring element for use in a floor system according to any of the claims 1 -8, and which by two opposite side edges has teeth intended for interacting with corresponding teeth on an interacting element as the elements rest on a support rails via grooves at the underside of the teeth, characterised in that the groove at a first side edge together with an upward facing edge area of the support rail form a hinge connection, and that at the second side edge there is provided releasably interacting snap means in the grooves and on the support rail.