DEVICE FOR COVERING A DUNG COLLECTION AREA

Abstract: Device for covering a dung collection area (3), which dung collection area (3) is bounded by a floor and vertical walls and at the top side by a runway grid (2) on which animals can walk, which runway grid (2) is provided with openings for allowing through dung and urine coming from the animals, which device comprises a number of adjacent covering elements (5) which are fitted below the runway grid (2) and above the entire surface of the floor, and in that an opening is left between two adjacent covering elements (5), each covering element (5) consisting of at least one slanting part (18) which slants downwards in the direction of an adjacent opening, while each opening can be shut off by means of a shut-off element (12) in such a way that dung falling down is allowed through, while gases rising upwards are not allowed through.

Description: Device for covering a dung collection area The invention relates to a device for covering a dung collection area. Such a dung collection area is found in a stall below a runway grid. The droppings of the animals in the stall fall through openings in the runway grid into the dung collection area, where the dung and urine are collec¬ ted for removal. A disadvantage of the known stalls is that the dung which has collected in the collection area emits ammonia. This causes environmental problems. The regulations as regards ammonia emissions have become considerably stricter in recent years, with the result that livestock farmers are being forced to make considerable investments in order to counteract the ammonia emissions. The object of the invention is a device by which ammonia emissions from the dung collection area of a stall can be reduced to acceptable quantities at low cost. The object of the invention is achieved through the fact that the device consists of covering means for completely covering the open top side of a dung collection area, while the device also has guide means for guiding dung which has fallen down to at least one discharge opening, which di- scharge opening can be shut off with the aid of shut-off means which can be opened only in the direction of the dung collection area. The guide means can consist of, for example, V-shaped elements which extend along the lengthwise direction or in the transverse direction of the dung collection area, the discharge openings being left clear between a first bottom edge of each V-shaped element and a second bottom edge of an adjacent V-shaped element. The dung which has fallen down consequently slides to the discharge openings and falls through the discharge openings into the dung collec- tion area, following which the shut-off means shut off the discharge opening again. The first bottom edge of each of the V-shaped elements is preferably situated above the second bottom edge, and the shut-off means preferably consist of a lap fixed to the first bottom edge. The lap will consequently rest against the second bottom edge of the adjacent V-shaped element and shut off the discharge opening. Dung sliding downwards will be able to push the lap aside without any difficulty. The V-shaped elements can be made of stainless steel or another smooth material such as a plastic, possibly a fibre-reinforced plastic. The V-shaped elements can also be made of a plastic sheet, for example of high-density polye- thylene (HDPE), the sheet being stretched between suppor¬ ting elements or tensioning elements. Said tensioning elements can be, for example, stainless steel cables which are tensioned in the lengthwise direction or in the trans¬ verse direction of the dung collection area. The invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to the drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows a cross-section of a stall provided with a device according to the invention Figure 2 shows a connection between a steel cable and a sheet in the case of a device according to Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a device according to Figure 1 in perspecti¬ ve. Figure 1 shows a stall 1, in which a runway grid 2 is provided. Animals can walk on the runway grid 2. The drop¬ pings of the animals fall through openings in the runway grid 2 into a dung collection area 3. In order to limit the ammonia emissions from the dung collection area 3, the dung collection area 3 is covered by means of a device 4. Said device 4 consists of V-shaped elements 5, which are fitted with the point facing upwards. These V-shaped elements 5 are made of a material with a smooth surface, and in the example shown in the drawing are made of a sheet of, for example, a plastic, such as polyethylene, PVC or polystyre¬ ne. One of the sides, the first side 7, of each V-shaped element 5 is somewhat longer than the other side 6. The V- shaped elements 5 are suspended from supporting elements 8, which in the example shown in the drawing consist of tensi- oned stainless steel cables. Each V-shaped element 5 is suspended from three steel cables, namely a first steel cable 9, near the edge of the first side 7, a second steel cable 10, near the highest point of the corresponding V- shaped element 5, and a third steel cable 11, near the short side 6 of the V-shaped element 5. The steel cable 11 lies below the steel cable 10 of the adjacent V-shaped element 5 and preferably projects slightly below the short side 6 of the adjacent V-shaped element 5. This produces an essentially vertical opening 12. Dung or urine falling onto the device 4 slides along the smooth surface of the device 4 to the opening 12 and falls into the dung collection area 3. In order to ensure that no ammonia vapours rise through the openings 12 into the area above the device 4, the openings 12 are shut off by means of shut-off elements 13, which in the example shown in the drawing consist of an extension of the sheet from which the V-shaped element 5 is made. The laps 13 are attached at one end to the underside of the short side 6 of the corresponding V-shaped element 5. The other end of the laps 13 hangs a certain distance below the bottom point of the long side 7 of the adjacent V-shaped element 5. Due to the fact that the steel cable 9 of one V-shaped element 5 projects just below the short side 6 of the adjacent V-shaped element, the lap 13 rests against the bottom edge of the long side 7 of the adjacent V-shaped element 5. This means that the opening 12 is shut off. However, droppings falling down through the runway grid 2 push the lap 13 to the side without difficulty and can pass through the opening 12. The device 4 adjoins one of the walls of the dung collection area 3 with a slanting element 14, which in the example shown in the drawing consists of a sheet stretched between a top supporting element or steel cable 15 and a bottom supporting element or steel cable 16. The top steel cable 15 lies at the same height as the steel cables 10 in the highest point of the V-shaped elements, while the bottom cable 16 lies at the same height as the steel cables 9 at the underside of the short sides 6 of the V-shaped elements 5. The sheet of the element 14 runs from the highest point downwards along the wall of the dung collection area 3. until it is near the bottom of the dung collection area 3. This means that no ammonia can escape through the gap between the wall of the dung collection area 3 and the top side of the element 14. In another possible embodiment the element 14 can be attached in an airtight manner to the wall by means of, for example, a stainless steel strip, instead of by means of a steel cable 15. The device 4 adjoins the other side with a short side 6 of a V-shaped element 5 against the other wall of the dung collection area 3. The corresponding lap 13 rests against a bar 17, which projects to slightly below the short side 6 of the V-shaped element. The cables 9, 11 are held at a fixed distance by means of transverse bars 18. In another possible embodiment these transverse bars 18 can also be omitted. An extractor 22 is placed in one or more of the walls, which extractor' extracts and guides the ammonia vapours to, for example, a filter unit. The vacuum created as a result in the dung collection area causes the dung coming in through the openings 12 to be sucked in¬ wards. It has been found that it is preferable for the angle of inclination between the faces 6 and 7 of the V-shaped elements to lie between 40 and 90 degrees. The collection of the dung is even better if the angle of inclination lies between 45 and 85 degrees, and is optimum if the angle of inclination lies between 50 and 80 degrees. The angle of inclination which is optimum depends partly on the type of dung which is to be collected, for example cow dung, pig dung, chicken dung etc. Figure 2 shows the connection between a steel cable 11 and the sheet of a V-shaped element 5. A piece of sheet 19 is fitted around the steel cable 11. Both ends of this piece of sheet 19 are fixed, for example welded, to the sheet of the V-shaped element 5. In order to pull the sheet of the V-shaped element 5 taut between the steel cables with this method of fixing, the sheet of the V-shaped element 5 runs on from the underside of the long side 7 into an extension 20, which is weighted at the end by means of a weight 21 (see Figure 1). The laps 13 are not weighted, so that they can easily be pushed to the side by the droppings falling down. In the case of shorter dung collection areas 3, where the V-shaped elements 5 span a shorter distance, the steel cables 9 can also be attached in this way to the sheet, and the weights 21 for making it heavier can be omitted. Figure 3 shows the stall 1 with the device 4 according to Figure 1 viewed from the top in perspective. The taut steel cables 9, 10, 11 will stretch through the constant pulling force. In order to keep the steel cables 9, 10, 11 taut, the steel cables will have to be pulled taut again. The steel cables 9, 10, 11 are diverted by way of guide means 23 to a tensioning device, where the cables can be tensio- ned. The place where the cables come up is shut off in an airtight manner with a cover cap, which is attached to the wall and connects to the V-shaped elements 5. Figure 4 shows a cross-section along the line IV-IV in Figure 3. It is shown here how the steel cables are atta¬ ched to the walls of the dung collection area 3. A C-shaped section 24 with inward flanged ends at the open side is attached to a wall 25 of the dung collection area, for example by means of bolts or other fastening means. A block 26 is pushed into the C-shaped section. The block 26 com¬ prises a threaded projection or threaded stub 27, which projects outwards through the open side of the C-shaped section 24. A clamping nut 28 is fitted thereon. By tighte¬ ning said nut, the block 26 can be fixed in the C-shaped section 24, after the block 26 with the steel cable 9, 10 or 11 has been set in the correct place. Fitted at the end of the threaded stub 27 is a ring 29, through which the steel cable 9, 10, 11 is diverted. Figure 5 shows in cross-section another possibility for keeping the steel cables taut. In this case the ends of t steel cables 9, 10, 11 are weighted with a weight 30. An advantage of this is that no special cover cap need be fixed against the wall of the dung collection area. Figure 6 shows another possibility for keeping the steel cables 9, 10, 11 taut. In this case the steel cables 9, 1 11 are interrupted, and at the ends a threaded stub 31 is fixed around the interruption. Both threaded stubs 31 are fitted in a tensioner 32. When the tensioner 32 is rotate both threaded stubs 31 rotate simultaneously further in- wards into the tensioner, or outwards. Figure 7 shows in cross-section another possible embodime of a V-shaped element 33 for a device according to the invention. This embodiment can be made of, for example, stainless steel or another smooth material. The V-shape comprises a long leg 34 and a short leg 35. The V-shaped element 33 comprises at the ends two flanges 37, 38 which can be fixed on the wall of a dung collection area. A fla 39 of an ammonia-resistant material, for example of an ammonia-resistant type of rubber, is attached to the unde side of the short leg 35 by means of fixing elements 40. The short leg 35 together with the flap 39 is longer than the long leg 36. When used in a device according to the invention, the bottom edge of the long leg 36 projects slightly below the short leg 35 of the adjacent V-shaped element.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Device for covering a dung collection area, which dung collection area is bounded by a floor and vertical walls and at the top side by a runway grid on which animals can walk, which runway grid is provided with openings for allowing through dung and urine coming from the animals, characterized in that the device comprises a number of adjacent covering elements which are fitted below the runway grid and above the entire surface of the floor, and in that an opening is left between two adjacent covering elements, each covering element consisting of at least one slanting part which slants downwards in the direction of an adjacent opening, while each opening can be shut off by means of a shut-off element in such a way that dung falling down is allowed through, while gases rising upwards are not allowed through. 2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that each covering element comprises a second part which toge¬ ther with the slanting part forms an inverted V-shaped element, which extends over the full length or breadth of the dung collection area. 3. Device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the two adjacent bottom edges of two adjacent V-shaped elements lie essentially above one another, and in that the shut-off element consists of a lap or flap which hangs from the uppermost of the two bottom edges and rests against the other bottom edge. 4. Device according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the V-shaped elements consist of a sheet which is stretched between three horizontal cables placed in the form of a triangle, which cables are pulled taut by means of tensioning elements between two opposite walls of the dung collection area. 5. Device according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the V-shaped elements are made of a smooth, rigid, corrosion-resistant and acid-resistant material, such as stainless steel. 6. Dung collection area provided with a device accordi to one of the preceding claims , characterized in that extraction means for obtaining a vacuum are fitted in at least one of the walls in the space below the covering elements .

Inventors: CREMERS JOHANNES HENDRIKUS MAR, WOLTERS JOHANNES STEPHANNES JO, CREMERS, JOHANNES, HENDRIKUS, MARIA, WOLTERS, JOHANNES, STEPHANNES, JOSEPHUS
Applicants: CREMERS JOHANNES HENDRIKUS MAR, WOLTERS JOHANNES STEPHANNES JO, WOLTERS WX B V, CREMERS, JOHANNES, HENDRIKUS, MARIA, WOLTERS WX B.V., WOLTERS, JOHANNES, STEPHANNES, JOSEPHUS
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A01K1
IPC codes: A01K1