FEEDING FENCE FOR CATTLE STABLES

Abstract: A feeding fence for cattle stables, comprising at least one horizontal profile girder (3) and a number of passage openings each adapted for the head (16) and neck (17) of a piece of cattle with a catching apparatus per passage opening which is operated by the cattle. The catching apparatus each comprise at least one spike (15) pivoting on a fixed part of the fence and being movable parallel to the plane of the fence, said spike (15) being fixable in the catching position by an unlockable, central lock, which has a movable operating rod which extends along the feeding fence for the common locking or unlocking of the pivoting spikes. The novel device comprises an operating rod (18; 118) which is mounted substantially inside the horizontal profile girder (3) and cooperates with the upper ends of the spikes (15; 115) so that the locking device is protected against soiling and disturbances or mal functioning.

Description: Title : Feeding fence for cattle stables. The invention relates to a feeding fence for cattle stables, comprising at least one horizontal profile girder and a number of passage openings each adapted for the head and neck of a piece of cattle with a catching apparatus per passage opening which is operated by the cattle, which catching apparatus each comprise at least one spike pivoting on a fixed part of the fence and being movable parallel to the plane of the fence, said spike being fixable in the catching position by an unlockable, central lock which has a movable operating rod which extends alona the feeding fence for the common locking or unlocking of the pivoting spikes. A feeding fence of this type is known from practice. Thereoat the fence comprises a horizontal upper girder and a horizontal lower girder, between which a number of vertical spikes have been fastened at such a mutual distance, that a piece of cattle can not put its head between the spikes. On certain distances a passage opening is present each adapted for the head and neck of a piece of cattle. These passage openings are formed, by having in,stead of a continuous vertical spike a bent fixed spike supporting near its bending point a bracket, which carries by means of a pivot shaft a spike which is pivotable in the plane of the fence between two end positions. In the one end position the pivoting spike makes an acute angle with the vertical, by means of which a V-shaped passage opening is formed. When the cow puts its head through this opening and thereafter moves the head down to get at the fodder being present on the other side of the feeding fence, he presses with his neck on the lower halve of the pivoting spike, which th n pivots in the vertical position and is automatically locked. The opening between the pivoting spike and the adjoining, fixed vertical spike has been reduced in such a way with respect to the formerly present, substantially V-shaped opening, that the neck of the cow still fits easily in the opening, but that the cow can no longer withdraw his much broader head, so that he is inprisoned in the fence, while eating the fodder present behind the fence. When the cows have eaten enough fodder, the animal provider can open the catching devices again by means of the operating device of the central lock, in which the pivoting spike moves back into its sloping position and the cows can withdraw their head. Then the fence can be placed again in the catching or closed position, so that the cows being present at the one side of the fence can no longer get at the fodder being present at the other side. The invention relates specifically to the locking of the pivoting spikes. At the known feeding fence on top of the horizontal girder a movable operating rod is arranged, which carries at the upper side a number of cams, which can cooperate with pivotable catches or flaps at the upper side of the pivoting spikes. By turning or sliding the operating rod between two end positions the pivoting spikes are being locked or unlocked respectively. At this known locking device no protection is present against dirt, fodder residues and contact by the animals, whereas projecting parts are present, on which both the neck collars of the cattle as the clothing and body parts of the animal providers can become hooked. The object of the invention is removing these objections, which is reached, in that the movable operating rod of the locking mechanism is mounted substantially inside the horizontal profile girder. By application of the invention there is reached, that the operating rod is completely protected by the horizontal profile girder against dirt and mechanical influences, so that no soiling or hooking of people or animals can occur. According to a preferential embodiment of the invention the profile girder is provided at the side of the pivoting spikes with one or more openings for the passage of parts of one or more locking elements for the spikes. Appropriately these openings are slot shaped and have regular intervals. According to another preferential embodiment of the invention the movable operating rod comprises a channel profile, of which the opening is directed to the side of the pivoting spikes. Appropriately a number of locking pawls are pivoted between the flanges of the channel profile, which pawls can each lock or unlock one or more pivoting spikes. According to another embodiment of the invention the pivoting spikes each have such a length that in the locking position they each extend at the end cooperating-with the operating rod, within the area of the passage openings in the horizontal profile girder, into this horizontal profile girder. Hereby the locking is directly brought about between the movable operating rod and the ends of the pivoting spikes, so that with the conservation of the advantages already present a substantial simplification and ensuing cost reduction of the feeding fence structure is reached, whereas now also no single part of the locking members projects outside the profile girder and have thereby become less susceptible for soiling, as a result of dust, fodder residues, straw, hay, etc., which soiling can lead to mal functions of the locking device. Preferentially this embodiment of the invention has at the end of each pivoting spike that extends into the horizontal profile girder a flattend end, that extends with its plane into or parallel to the plane of the feeding fence. The invention will now further be elucidated referring to the accompanying drawing of some embodiments. Fig. 1 shows a side view of a feeding fence according to the invention in the open position. Fig. 2 shows the feeding fence according to fig. 1 in the closed or catching position. Fig. 3 shows a detail of the upper side of a feeding place with catching apparatus according to fig. 1 on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a side view in partial cross section over the line IV-IV in fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side view in cross section over the line V-V in fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail of the upper part of the fence with a feeding place and the catching apparatus in the closed position on a larger scale. Fig. 7 is a side view in cross section over the line VII-VII in fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a side view in cross section over the line Vill-Vill in fig. 6. Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of a locking pawl in the retracted or unlocking position on an enlarged scale. Fig. 10 shows a similar view as fig. 9, in which the locking pawl is, however, in the extended or locking position. Fig. 11 shows a detail of fig. 2 according to another preferential embodiment, in which the upper side of a feeding place with catching apparatus is shown in the closed and locked position, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 12 shows the same part of the feeding fence as fig. 11, but now in the opened and unlocked position. Fig. 13 shows a side view of the feeding fence according to fig. 11 and 12, in the open and unlocked position, whereas the locked position is indicated with chain lines. Fig. 14 shows a cross section over the upper profile girder over the line XIV-XIV in fig. 3, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 15 shows a cross section over the upper profile girder over the line XV-XV in fig. 12, on the same scale as fig. 14. Fig. 16 and 17 are cross sections over the lines XVI-XVI and XVII-XVII respectively in fig. 11. According to the drawing and in particular fig. 1 and 2 the feeding fence according to the invention is made up from a number of mutually coupled, fence elements, 2a, 2b, 2c and so forth according to the desired length of the fence. For the sake of simplicity here only the fence element 2b will be described, that comprises five feeding places with corresponding catching aparatuses. Each fence element 2 is built up from an upper and a lower horizontal profile girder 3 and 4 respectively, for instance with a square or round or channel shaped cross section, which have been fastened between the vertical, fixed columns 5 and 6. The profile girders 3 and 4 are substantially mutually parallel, lie in one substantially vertical plane and are connected by a number of fixed spikes 7, 8 which extend substantially vertical and are fastened at the one end to the upper girder 3 and the other end at the lower girder 4. Furthermore another type of fixed spike 9 is present, which is bent and is formed by a lower, substantially vertical part 10, that is fastened to the lower profile girder 4, and extends over about one third of the total height of the fence. On the lower, substantial vertical spike part 10 connects with a bend an upper spike part 11, of which the upper end is fastened to a support 12 which extends with an acute angle with the vertical. The support 12 is at the one end connected near the upper end of the fixed, vertical spike 8, and at the other end to the lower side of the horizontal, upper girder 3, vertically at some distance on the right side of the (imaginary) extension of the substantially vertical spike part 10. The fastening of the oblique spike part 11 to the sloping support 12 takes place at a short distance if the connection of the support 12 with the spike 8. Near the bend in the fixed, bent spike 9 a two armed bracket 13 is fastened, whereas between the arms of this bracket a pivot shaft 14 extends which extends through the pivoting spike 15. This spike 15 can pivot between the one end position, shown in fig. 1 and 5, in which a substantially V-shaped passage opening is liberated for the schematically indicated head 16 of a cow, and another end position or catching position, viz. fig. 2 and the chain line in fig. 5, in which the neck 17 of the cow is locked up between the fixed spike 7 and the pivoting spike 15 In this feeding position the cow can reach with its head, shown in fig. 2 with chain lines, over the lower partion 35 the (non shown) fodder lying on the floor 36. In figs. 3 through 10 the details are shown of the locking device according to the first main preferential embodiment of the invention. In the upper horizontal profile girder 3 for the locking mechanism an operating rod 18 is arranged which has a channel shaped cross section. This channel profile 18 rests with the lower side of the substantially vertical flanges 19 and 20 on the inside of the horizontal lower leg of the square profile girder 3 and is slidable thereover. Between the flanges 19 and 20, which have recesses starting from the lower side, of which only the recess 21 is visable, the stub shafts 22 and 23 are pivoted of the generally with 24 indicated locking pawls. Such as shown in figs. 9 and 10, the locking pawls 24 are provided with a cylindrical part 25, that carries the stub shafts 22 and 23, whereas in the middle of the cylindrical part 25 the plate shaped pawl wing 26 is fastened. On both sides of the pawl wing 26 and on the cylindrical body 25 an abutment plate is fastened, of which only the abutment plate 27 is visable. The profile girder 3 is provided at the lower side with a number of passage slots 28, through which the pawl wing 26 can project into the locking engagement with the upper side of the pivoting spike 15, such as shown in fig. 6. Then the abutment plates 27 on both sides of the slot 28 rests on the upper side of the inner side of the horizontal lower leg of the profile girder 3. In the operating rod 18 per fence element 2 one elongated slot 29 in the upper leg of the horizontal upper profile girder 3 is arranged, below which slot 29 the operating rod 18 is provided with a bore 30. In the operating rod 18 also a filling block 31 is fastened having a bore 36 with the same diameter as the bore 30 in the operating rod 18 and is aligned with the latter. Then the lower leg of the horizontal profile girder 3 is provided with at least two bores 32 and 33 of the same size as the foregoing bores 30, 36. These former bores 32, 33 of the same size have a mutual distance which is equal to the stroke distance S of the operating rod 18. In the elongated slot 29 and in the bores 30, and 32 or 33 an operating hand grip 34 is placed, which is provided with an abutment collar 35 which rests on the outside of the upper leg of the horizontal upper profile girder 3. By pulling the rod shaped operating hand grip 34 out of the bore 33, moving this hand grip over the stroke distance S to the left in figs 3 and 6 and placing this hand grip 34 in the bore 32 has as a consequence, that the operating rod 18 is displaced in a horizontal direction to the left side. During this displacement the cam wing 26 turns upwardly counter clockwise, so that the upper end of the pivoting spike 15 is unlocked and this spike can move from the position according to fig. 6 to that of fig. 3. Although in the shown embodiment the locking pawls rotate clockwise by gravity to the locking position, it will be clear, that also springs or other biasing elements can be applied, with which the locking pawls 24 can be moved between the unlocked and the locked position. In figs. 11 through 17 the details are shown of the locking device according the second main preferential embodiment of the invention. In the upper, horizontal profile girder 103, which is substantially channel shaped in cross section, for the locking mechanism an operating rod 118 is arranged which has a strip shaped cross section. This operating rod 118 rests with the lower side of the longitudinal outer edged on the substantially horizontal lying edges of the legs of the channel profile 103, that have been bent over substantially 1800 inwardly, and is slidable over the edges. This flat operating rod 118 is provided with regular intervals with preferentially longitudinal locking slots 119, in such a way, that per feeding place at least one slot 119 is present. In the locking or catching position of the feeding fence the preferentially somewhat flattend end 120 of the pivoting spike 15 can project into this slot 119 through the opening 128 at the lower side of the channel section. The locking takes place by moving the operating rod 118, for instance by means of the external operating element 121, over a distance in the drawing to the right, by means of which the left end of the slot 119 is brought into abutment against the end of the pivoting tube spike 115, that is flattend into the longitudinal direction of the fence and extends into the slot. Preferentially this flattend end is also bevelled in a transverse direction, in such a way that a sharp point is formed which is locked inside the slot 119 of the flat operating rod 118. An operating element 121 with a handle 122 is fastened to the flat operating rod 118, in which the operating element 121 is fastened with a pivoting connection 123 to a bracket 124 projecting above the horizontal web 125 of the channel section 103, which bracket 124 is in its turn fastened on the flat operating rod 118. With the operating element 121 the operating rod 118 can be moved into and out of the locking position, in which on the opposing end of the operating rod a spring device can be arranged in order to have the unlocking take place under the influence of the force of the tensioned spring. The movable operating rod is preferentially relatively elastically resilient in a transverse direction in order to allow local bends in the area of the locking. The invention is not limited to the shown and described embodiments but covers all variations thereof.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Feeding fence for cattle stables, comprising at least one horizontal profile girder and a number of passage openings each adapted for the head and neck of a piece of cattle with a catching apparatus per passage opening which is operated by the cattle, which catching apparatus each comprise at least one spike pivoting on a fixed part of the fence and being movable parallel to the plane of the fence, said spike being fixable in the catching position by an unlockable, central lock which has a movable operating rod which extends along the feeding fence and is for the common locking or unlocking of the pivoting spikes, characterized in that the movable operating rod (18, 118) of the locking mechanism is substantially mounted inside the horizontal profile girder (3, 103). 2. Feeding fence according to claim 1, characterized in that, the profile girder (3; 103) is provided at the side of the pivoting spikes (15, 115) for each catching apparatus with one or more openings (28, 128) for the passage of parts of one or more locking elements for the spikes (15, 115). 3. Feeding fence according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, the openings (28, 128) are slot shaped. 4. Feeding fence according to claims 1-3, characterized in that, the openings (28) are arranged with regular intervals. 5. Feeding fence according to claims 1-4, characterized in that, the movable operating rod (18) comprises a channel section, of which the opening is directed to the side of the pivoting spikes (15). 6. Feeding fence according to claims 1-5, characterized in that, between the flanges (19, 20) of the channel section (18) a number of locking pawls (24) are pivoted, which can each lock or unlock one or more pivoting spikes (15). 7. Feeding fence according to claims 1-6, characterized in that, the pawls (24) each have on both sides protruding stab shafts (22,23) which can pivot in recesses (21) in the flanges (19, 20) of the channel section (18). 8. Feeding fence according to claims 1-7, characterized in that, the pawls (24) each comprise a plate shaped pawl wing (26), which can protrude outside the channel section (18), through the slot (28) of the profile girder (3) and into a locking engagement with the pivoting spikes (15). 9. Feeding fence according to claims 1-8, characterized in that, the pawls (24) each have at least on one side of the pawl wing (26) an abutment (27) which can contact the inside of the profile girder (3) and limit the protruding of the pawl wings (26). 10. Feeding fence according to claims 1-9, characterized in that, a force is acting on the pawls (24), which tries to move the pawl wing (29) to the outside of the profile girder (3). 11. Feeding fence according to claims 1-10, characterized in that, the pawls (24) are influenced by gravity. 12. Feeding fence according to claims 1-11, characterized in that, by moving the movable operating rod (18) over the stroke distance (S) the pawls (24) are retracted inside the profile girder (3). 13. Feeding fence according to claims 1-12, characterized in that, the profile girder (3) is provided with an elongated slot (29) for the passage of an operating hand grip (34) connected with the operating rod (18), with which operating hand grip (34) the operating rod (18) can be moved back and forth over at least the stroke distance (S) inside the profile girder (3). 14. Feeding fence according to claims 1-13, characterized in that, the operating hand grip (34) is a rod Provided with an abutment collar (35), said rod fitting into a correstondinqlv formed bore (30) in the operating rod (18). 15. Feedinq fence according to claims 1-14, characterized in that, in the operating rod (18) a filling block (31) is arranged, having a bore (36) of the same diameter as the bore (30) in the operating rod (18) and being aligned therewith, whereas the profile girder (3) is provided at the lower side with at least two bores (32, 33) of the same size, which are spaced at the same distance as the stroke distance (S), so that by means of the operating hand grip (34) the operating rod (18) can be locked in the end positions of the stroke movement. 16. Feeding fence according to claims 1-15, characterized in that, the operating rod (18) is arranged in a substantially horizontal profile girder (3) arranged at the upper side of the fence. 17. Feeding fence according to claims 1-16, characterized in that, the profile girder (3) for the operating rod (18) has a square cross section. 18. Feeding fence according to claims 1-17, characterized in that, the profile girder (4) extending at the other side of the fence has also a square cross section. 19. Feeding fence according to one or more of the claims 1-4, characterized in that, which profile girder comprises for each catching apparatus at the side of the pivoting spikes one or more openings for the passage of parts of one or more locking elements for the spikes, characterized in that, the pivoting spikes (115) each have such a lenath that the each extend at the end cooteratina with the oneratina rod (118). with in the area of the nassaae openings in the horizontal profile girder, into this horizontal profile girder (103). 20. Feeding fence according to claim 19, characterized in that, the end of each pivoting spike (115) extending into the horizontal profile girder (103) having a flattend end, that extends with its plane into or parallel to the plane of the feeding fence. 21. Feeding fence according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that, the movable operating rod (118) comprising a flat strip lying substantially horizontal with its broad side. 22. Feeding fence according to claims 19-21, characterized in that, the strip shaped operating rod (118) has been provided with reaularlv spaced lockina slots (119) inside the area of the passage openings in the horizontal profile girder (103) each lockinq slot beinq able to lock the end of a pivoting spike (115) extendina throuah the slot (128) of the nrofile airder into this profile girder (103). 23. Feedina fence accordina to claims 19-22 characterized in that, the striP shaPed operatinq rod being relatively elastically resilient in a transverse direction in order to allow local bends in the area of the lockinqs. 24. Feeding fence according to claims 19-23, characterized in that, the profile girder (103) is a channel section, of which the opening is directed to the pivoting spike (115), such that the flattend end thereof can extend into the opening (128) of the channel section. 25. Feeding fence according to claims 19-24, characterized in that, the legs (123) of the channel section (103) that are directed to the pivoting spike (115) are inwardly bent over 1800, in which the horizontal, free edges of these legs form a support for the operating rod (118).

Inventors: TEERNSTRA PIETER, WILDSCHUT GERBEN, TEERNSTRA, PIETER, WILDSCHUT, GERBEN
Applicants: DE ERVEN G.DE BOER B.V.
Application year: 1981
Main classification: A01K1
IPC codes: A01K1