Electric gate with semi-protected electrode

An electrode, connected to a fence charger or the like is secured across the bottom of a gate, fence or the like. A shield partially surrounds the electrode to prevent animals from contacting the electrode unless the animals attempt to put their heads under the gate or fence or attempt to crawl under the gate or fence.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to new and useful improvements in electric fences, 
gates or the like, particularly fences or gates which are designed to be 
used to separate livestock in a crowded area. 
Electric fences or gates are well known for their ability to separate 
livestock, but in a crowded area, a totally exposed electrode, as 
conventionally used, punishes indiscriminately and in crowded areas, 
animals will fear to enter that portion of the pen where the electrode is 
exposed. 
This is important when designing an animal confinement system with an 
exposed scraper inasmuch as the animal will receive frequent and 
indiscriminate punishment so that they will not use the portion of the pen 
near the scraper where the exposed electrode is used. 
However, under normal circumstances it is desirable to provide a 
semi-shielded electrode which will only operate to deter the animal if it 
places its head under the gate or fence or attempts to crawl under the 
gate or fence. 
Prior art devices include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,023,835, 2,376,630, 2,540,562, 
2,711,037 and 3,747,897, but none of these teach the discriminate use of a 
deterrent electrode. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages inherent with known prior 
art devices and in accordance with the invention there is provided an 
electric fence, gate or the like which includes a transverse lower side 
spaced above the floor, ground or the like, an ungrounded electrode 
spanning said lower side and being connectable to a source of electrical 
energy, and a partial shield on at least one side of said conductor and 
being spaced therefrom, thereby providing restricted access to said 
conductor from said one side. 
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a device of the 
character herewithin described in which the shield partially encloses both 
sides of the transversely extending electrode so that animals upon either 
side of the gate or fence may lie against gate or fence without contacting 
the electrode yet which will contact the electrode if they attempt to 
place their heads under the gate or attempt to crawl under the gate. 
In other words, the main advantage of the present device is to provide a 
semi-protected electrode which administers only discriminate punishment 
and only if the animal attempts to put its head under or to crawl under 
the gate or fence. The animal may walk or stand or lie beside the 
electrode without receiving indiscriminate punishment so that the device 
is selective in its operation. 
A further advantage of the present invention is that it is simple in 
construction, economical in manufacture and otherwise well suited to the 
purpose for which it is designed. 
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to 
those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this 
specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to 
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a 
description of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the 
present invention, in which:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Before proceeding with the description of the invention, it should be 
appreciated that in the drawings, and in the subsequent description, the 
invention is described as being applied to a gate situated across an alley 
in an animal confinement system. However, it should be appreciated that 
the invention can readily be applied to any gate system wherein the bottom 
edge of the gate is spaced above the floor or ground or in any electrical 
fence environment. 
In FIG. 1, reference character 10 illustrates the outside wall of an animal 
confinement system extending upwardly from one side of an alley floor 11 
with the end 12 of a pen divider wall also extending upwardly from the 
floor 11 spaced from the outer wall 10 thus defining an alleyway 13 
adapted for use with a manure scraping device (not illustrated). 
A gate assembly collectively designated 14, which in this instance, is an 
alley gate, extends between the pen divider wall 12 and the outer wall 10 
and divides the animal confinement system into two or more individual 
areas (not illustrated). The alley gate 14, in this embodiment, includes 
spaced and parallel vertical frame members 15 and 16, transverse base 
member 17 and wire mesh 18 spanning the frame. This gate may be hinged to 
the pen divider wall 12 by means of hinges 19 and latch means (not 
illustrated) may extend between the outer wall 10 and the vertical frame 
member 15. 
It will be observed that the base frame member 17 is spaced from the ground 
surface 20 of the alleyway 13 for clean-out purposes and the device 
collectively designated 21 is secured to the lower frame member 17 and 
spans the width of the alleyway 13 in order to prevent animals from 
putting their heads under the gate assembly or crawling under the gate 
assembly. 
The device 21, in this embodiment, consists of a semi-protected electrode 
assembly collectively designated 22 mounted to the underside of a 
semi-protecting mounting base plate or shield collectively designated 23 
which in turn is secured to the lower frame member 17 by any convenient 
means such as bolts, welding or the like (not illustrated). 
In the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the shield or 
electrode mounting base comprises a shallow channel member 24 having a 
horizontal web portion 25 and downwardly extending flange portions 26, one 
upon each edge of the web portion 25, so that it forms an inverted U 
configuration when secured to the lower frame member 17. Thimble type 
insulators 27 are secured at spaced intervals within the channel, by 
U-bolts 28 and nuts 29, with the U-bolts passing around the thimble shaped 
insulators 27 and passing through the web 25 so that the nuts engage the 
ends of the U-bolts upon the upper side of the web and upon each side of 
the lower frame member 17 at the gate. 
A bare wire or rod conductor or electrode 30 is supported by the insulators 
in spaced and parallel relationship with the channel 23 and is operatively 
connected to a source of electrical energy such as a fence charger 31 
which may include a plug 32 engageable with a conventional wall plug (not 
illustrated). This charger is grounded on one side as indicated by 
reference character 33 and the electrode 30 is ungrounded due to the fact 
that it is insulated by the insulators 27. Alternatively, a source of 
electrical energy such as a battery and step-up transformer (not 
illustrated) may be utilized. 
It will be observed that the lower edges 34 of the flanges 26 are spaced 
slightly above the electrode 30 and that the flanges being spaced upon 
either side of the electrode, provide semi-protection or partial shielding 
of the electrode so that animals standing, walking or even lying against 
the gate, on either side thereof, will not contact the electrode but if 
they attempt to put their heads under the gate or to crawl under the gate, 
they will engage the electrode and receive an electric shock which 
discourages them from this action. 
Although FIG. 3 shows the preferred embodiment of the shield 23, FIGS. 4, 5 
and 6 show alternative embodiments. In FIG. 4, the shield is provided with 
a flange 35 on one side only, if the gate is merely for confinement 
purposes. The shield 36 in FIG. 5 is in the form of an inverted angle iron 
in a V-shaped configuration and in FIG. 6, the shield 37 is semi-circular 
in cross sectional configuration. However, in all cases, the lower edges 
of the shield are spaced above the electrode and are spaced either on one 
or both sides thereof as clearly shown. 
Needless to say, the size of the electrode mounting base, the insulators 
and the electrode itself, can vary to accommodate different sized animals 
and to get the desired discriminate punishment. 
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove 
described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made 
within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such 
spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the 
accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and 
not in a limiting sense.