Patent ID: 6487988
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: A01K

Abstract:
A poultry agitator to encourage the movement of birds within a poultry house having opposing ends walls and opposing side walls interconnecting said end walls to define an enclosure with a perimeter, comprising:an endless cable supported along a path oriented internally of the perimeter of the enclosure; first and second agitator members mounted on said cable at diagonally opposing positions, said agitator members being positioned to pass through said enclosure above a floor of said building; a drive mechanism for said endless cable to cause movement of said cable around said path and a corresponding movement of said agitator members, said drive mechanism including: a drive wheel engaged with said cable to effect a movement of said cable around said perimeter when operably rotated; and a motor operably connected to said drive wheel to drive the rotation thereof, said motor being reversible to change the direction of rotation of said drive wheel and a corresponding change in the direction of movement of said cable; and a control mechanism for controlling the operation of said motor, said control mechanism including a stop mechanism positioned for engagement with one of said agitator members to cause said motor to cease operation and to effect a reversing of the direction of operation thereof.