Patent ID: 7341024
Filing Date: 2008-03-11
Classification: A01K

Abstract:
1. A mobile apparatus comprising: (A) a mechanism that allows the apparatus to move through a building as the apparatus processes animal waste; (B) a pickup mechanism that continuously picks up the animal waste from the floor of the building as the apparatus moves through the building, the pickup mechanism spanning a full width of the building so the apparatus processes substantially all of the animal waste in the building in a single pass; (C) a processing mechanism that receives the animal waste from the pickup mechanism, and heats the animal waste to at least a predetermined temperature sufficient to kill bacteria and insects in the animal waste, wherein the processing mechanism comprises a screw-type extruder; (D) a spreader mechanism that receives processed animal waste from the processing mechanism, and that spreads the processed animal waste as the apparatus moves through the building, wherein the spreader mechanism comprises at least one rotary broadcast spreader that spreads the processed animal waste the frill width of the building as the apparatus moves through the building; (E) an automatic material adding mechanism that senses moisture content of the animal waste and adds at least one liquid to the animal waste when the moisture content is lower than a desired moisture content range and adds a dry material to the animal waste when the moisture content is higher than the desired moisture content range; (F) a belly spreader mechanism for spreading dry material on the floor of the building after the pickup mechanism picks up the animal waste and before the spreader mechanism spreads the processed animal waste; (G) a sprayer mechanism for spraying at least one liquid as the apparatus moves through the building; and (H) a steam cleaning mechanism for spraying steam as the apparatus moves through the building.