WO2008132432A1

WO2008132432A1 - Scraper systems

Info

Publication number: WO2008132432A1
Application number: PCT/GB2008/001272
Authority: WO
Inventors: Adrian Philip Oldfield
Original assignee: Rtc Agricultural Limited
Priority date: 2007-04-25
Filing date: 2008-04-10
Publication date: 2008-11-06
Also published as: GB2448713A; GB0707941D0

Abstract

A scraper system for use in a cowshed or the like has a scraper (12) driven hydraulically. A flexible pipe (24) is arranged for a fluid to be driven therealong in either direction to drive a scraper carrier (14), which comprises a pair of rollers (22), each roller of the pair being on an opposite side of the flexible pipe and being spaced so as to pinch the pipe between them, whereby fluid feed along the pipe drives the rollers forwards.

Description

This invention concerns scraper systems for use in cowsheds and other livestock housings.

To ensure that cowsheds are kept clean, scraper systems are installed whereby a scraper is driven along the central passage of a cowshed. Systems are known in which a scraper blade is attached to a motor driven chain that travels around the passage in a loop. A problem with this type of system is that a cow's feet can become entangled in the chain or the chain can unbalance the cow, causing the cow to fall and be dragged along by the chain or the scraper resulting in injury to the cow. To overcome this problem it has been proposed to install the chain in a channel in the floor of the passage. The provision of such a channel is expensive, especially if provided as an addition to an existing cowshed.

An alternative system drives a scraper along the passage in a stepwise fashion by means of a ratchet mechanism. However, this system has the disadvantage of having a relatively slow cycle of operation.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved scraper system for use in cowsheds and the like.

According to the present invention there is provided a scraper system for use in a cowshed or the like, in which a scraper is driven hydraulically.

In a preferred embodiment a flexible pipe is arranged for a fluid to be driven therealong in either direction to drive a scraper carrier. Preferably the scraper carrier comprises a pair of rollers, each roller of the pair being on an opposite side of the flexible pipe and being spaced so as to pinch the pipe between them, whereby fluid flow along the pipe drives the rollers forwards.

The scraper system of the invention preferably includes a valve controlling fluid feed to a first end of the flexible pipe or to the opposite end of the flexible pipe. Fluid feed to the opposite end of the flexible pipe may be through one or more rigid pipes. Preferably a pair of spaced parallel rigid pipes are provided to feed fluid to the opposite end of the flexible pipe. This arrangement is convenient for providing a channel in which the flexible pipe can sit to avoid unnecessary displacement thereof.

The valve for controlling fluid feed is preferably arranged to reverse fluid feed direction when fluid pressure within the pipe reaches a threshold value when the scraper has reached an end of its run. When the scraper has reached the end of its run the valve shuts off fluid feed directly to the first end of the flexible pipe and switches fluid flow to the opposite end of the flexible pipe to drive the scraper back to the first end of the flexible pipe and so on. Preferably a sensor is provided to detect the scraper when it reaches the first end of flexible pipe to shut off the pump. Such a sensor may be of the "magic eye" type. The scraper apparatus of the invention may also include a timer, in order to control operation of the pump after a scrape run from one end to the other of the flexible pipe. For example, the timer may be set to restart the pump and hence the scraper movement sequence every 2 hours.

To provide fluid flow, the system of the invention preferably includes a pump. The pump may be fed from mains supply but will preferably be supplied from a header tank with the fluid used being recycled.

The preferred fluid for use in the system of the invention is water. The system of the invention may be provided with a manual valve for shutting down the system in an emergency.

The scraper used in the system of the invention preferably has a central scraper part and one or more wings hingedly mounted to the ends of the central part, whereby the same scraper arrangement can be used in passages of different widths.

This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end view of a scraper system of the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the scraper system of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a control system for the scraper system of Figures 1 and 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, a scraper system 10 for a cowshed has a pair of scrapers 12 mounted to on opposite sides of a carriage 14. Each scraper has a hingedly mounted wing scraper part 16 to allow the scraper system to fit different widths of cowshed passage 18.

The carriage 14 has sides 20 between which are mounted a pair of rollers 22 in vertical alignment. The rollers 22 are closely spaced so as to pinch a flexible pipe 24 between them. The flexible pipe is laid on the cowshed floor between a pair of spaced parallel rigid pipes 26. The flexible pipe 24 is connected at one end to a water supply (header tank) HT via a pump P and a valve V and at the other end is connected to the rigid pipes by a T-junction 28. Conveniently the flexible pipe normally rests in a channel created by the parallel rigid pipes. The rigid pipes 26 at their other ends are also connected to the water supply HT via the pump P and the valve V. The valve V is arranged to switch the flow of water from the pump either through the flexible pipe 24 to be returned via the rigid pipes 26 or through the rigid pipes to be returned through the flexible pipe. The valve has an outlet 34 to return the water to the header tank. Effectively the pipes 24 and 26 are part of a closed circuit, in which the direction of water flow can be in either direction according to the setting of the valve.

The carriage is driven along the flexible pipe by water pumped through it due to the pinching of the pipe by the rollers 22. Normally the carriage 14 will start at the pump end of the flexible pipe 24 and be driven to the remote end of the flexible pipe. The water supply line to the flexible pipe 24 includes a pressure switch PS, so that when the carriage 14 reaches a stop at the remote end thereof and pressure builds up in the flexible pipe above a predetermined level, the pressure switch PS will send a signal to the valve V to divert the pumped water to the rigid pipes 26. The water from the rigid pipes 26 then enters the flexible pipe 24 from the remote end thereof and drives the carriage 14 back to its start position, where the pressure switch PS will again detect when the pressure in the flexible pipe reaches a predetermined level and send a signal to the valve to reverse the direction of water flow. A contact switch MS is provided at the start position to detect the arrival of the carriage 14 and to send a signal to stop the pump P. A timer T is also provided that can be set to restart the pump P after a predetermined interval.

Not shown is a manual valve for shutting of the system in an emergency.

The above-described system has a number of advantages including that the only moving parts are the carriage and scraper blades, which means that there is much less likelihood of a cow being injured or caused to fall by the scraper system. Secondly, the scraper system can be installed in new and existing cowsheds without any significant structural alterations to the cowshed being required.

Whilst the invention has been described in relation to cowsheds, it will also be applicable to other animal sheds and the like requiring routine clearing of excrement.

Claims

Claims:

1. A scraper system for use in a cowshed or the like, in which a scraper is driven hydraulically.

2. A scraper system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a flexible pipe is arranged for a fluid to be driven therealong in either direction to drive a scraper carrier.

3. A scraper system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the scraper carrier comprises a pair of rollers, each roller of the pair being on an opposite side of the flexible pipe and being spaced so as to pinch the pipe between them, whereby fluid feed along the pipe drives the rollers forwards.

4. A scraper system as claimed in claim 2 or 3 including a valve for controlling fluid feed to a first end of the flexible pipe or to the opposite end of the flexible pipe.

5. A scraper system as claimed in claim 4, wherein fluid flow to the opposite end of the flexible pipe is through one or more rigid pipes.

6. A scraper system as claimed in claim 5, wherein a pair of spaced parallel rigid pipes are provided to feed fluid to the opposite end of the flexible pipe.

7. A scraper system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rigid pipes provide a channel in which the flexible pipe can sit to avoid unnecessary displacement thereof.

8. A scraper system as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the valve for controlling fluid feed is arranged to reverse fluid feed direction at said opposite end when fluid pressure within the pipe reaches a threshold value when the scraper has reached an end of its run.

9. A scraper system as claimed in claim 8, wherein when the scraper has reached the end of its run the valve shuts off fluid feed directly to the first end of the flexible pipe and switches fluid flow to the opposite end of the flexible pipe to drive the scraper back to the first end of the flexible pipe.

10. A scraper system as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein a sensor is provided to detect the scraper when it reaches the first end of flexible pipe to actuate the valve again to reverse the fluid flow direction in the flexible pipe.

11. A scraper system as claimed in 8, 9 or 10 including a timer, in order to delay movement of the scraper after a run from one end to the other of the flexible pipe.

12. A scraper system as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 11 including a pump to provide fluid flow.

13. A scraper system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the pump is supplied from a header tank with the fluid used being recycled.

14. A scraper system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 having a manual valve for shutting down the system in an emergency.

15. A scraper system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the scraper has a central scraper part and one or more wings hingedly mounted to the ends of the central part, whereby the same scraper arrangement can be used in passages of different widths.

16. A scraper system for use in a cowshed or the like substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.