ANIMAL STALL WITH GATE ADAPTED FOR GOADING THE ANIMAL

Abstract: The present invention relates to an animal stall defining an animal space (11) for one animal, comprising an entrance gate (14) openable and closable by means of a first driving means (18) associated with a control means, and an exit gate (16) openable and closable by means of a second driving means (28) associated with said control means. According to the invention, at least a part of the entrance gate (14) is adapted to be moved into an animal space (11) for goading the animal to leave the animal space via said exit gate (16).

Description: ANIMAL STALL WITH GATE ADAPTED FOR GOADING THE ANIMAL TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an animal stall defining an animal space for one animal, comprising an entrance gate openable and closable by means of a first driving means associated with a control means, and an exit gate openable and closable by means of a second driving means associated with said control means. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Such a stall is known from EP-A-0 270 165. The therein described animal stall is intended to be used for automatically performing milking on a cow present in the animal space. After milking has been performed, the exit gate is opened and the cow is allowed to move away from the stall. The same document also describes pushing members for pushing a cow through a passage. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to allow a more efficient use of the known animal stall. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This has been solved by an animal stall of the type defined in the introduction which is characterised in that at least a part of the entrance gate is adapted to be moved into the animal space for goading the animal to leave the animal space via said exit gate. Hereby is achieved an efficient and inexpensive means for goading the animal present in the animal space to quickly leave the stall, and without the need for separate equipment. Preferably, said animal exit gate is opened before or at the same time as the movement of the entrance gate into the animal space. In this way the situation of the animal being goaded while at the same time it is prevented from leaving the space is avoided. Suitably, said entrance gate is adapted to move a predetermined distance into said animal space. Hereby, uniform goading is achieved. Preferably, said entrance gate is movable towards an adjacent part of the animal stall. In particular, said entrance gate is movable to an end position while leaving a space between said entrance gate and said adjacent part of the animal stall. Specifically, said space is at least 5 cm. Hereby it is possible to ensure that the tail of an animal will not be caught between the entrance gate and the adjacent part. Suitably, said animal stall is elongated and said entrance gate is arranged on one of the long sides. Preferably, said exit gate is arranged on one of the long sides of the stall. Suitably, said entrance gate is movable into said animal space by means of a second driving means. Preferably, said second driving means comprises a first and a second pneumatic cylinder, the pistons rods of which being interconnected in series to a common shaft, said first pneumatic cylinder being adapted to open and close said entrance gate, said second pneumatic cylinder being adapted to move said entrance gate into the animal space. Hereby is achieved a two-stage movement of the gate; the first cylinder closes the gate and the second cylinder moves the gate into the animal space. Suitably, the piston rods (20a, 20b) are interconnected to form said common shaft by means of a connection piece. Alternatively, or additionally, said part of the entrance gate is a bar, movable into said animal space by means of a third driving means, such as a pneumatic cylinder. Suitably, an animal identification means associated with said control means is provided for allowing identification of individual animals. Preferably, an operation means associated with said control means is provided for performing an animal related operation on an animal in the animal space. Suitably, said exit gate is adapted to be opened and said entrance gate is adapted to be moved into the animal space after an animal related operation has been performed. Preferably, the gates are manoeuvred following a time delay after the end of the performed operation has been established. Suitably, said operation means comprises a robot arm and at least one animal related device. In particular, said animal related device comprises at least one teatcup adapted to be attached to a teat of the animal by means of said robot arm, for performing milking of the teat, and/or a teat cleaning device, and/or a teat after- treatment device. Preferably, each teatcup is associated with a sensor for establishing a ceasing milk flow from a corresponding teat, wherein the end of the milking session is established when the sensor of each attached teatcup has sensed a ceasing milk flow. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the following, the invention will be described in more detail by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates an animal stall comprising an entrance gate and an exit gate, Figure 2 illustrates a cow inside the animal stall of figure 1, Figure 3 illustrates a cow being goaded by the entrance gate to leave the animal stall, Figure 4 illustrates a second embodiment of the animal stall, and Figure 5 illustrates a cow being goaded by a part of the entrance gate to leave the stall, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 shows an animal stall 2 having a front fencing 4, a right long side fencing 6, a rear fencing 8 and a left long side fencing 10 defining an animal space 11. The left long side fencing 10 comprises a rigid part 12, an entrance gate 14 and an exit gate 16, each gate being hinged about a vertical axis. A first driving means 18 is provided for moving the entrance gate 14. According to a first embodiment of the invention, the first driving means 18 comprises a first pneumatic cylinder 20 having a first piston rod 20a and a second pneumatic cylinder 22 having a second piston rod 22a. The first and second piston rods 20a and 22a being interconnected via a connection piece 24, thus forming a common shaft 26. A second driving means 28 is provided for moving the exit gate 16 between an open and a closed state. Both the first and the second driving means 26,-28 are associated with a control means (not shown). A cow 30 provided with a transponder 32 is shown about to enter the stall 2. The entrance gate 14 has been opened in response to a transponder reader 34 associated with the control means and adapted to read the transponder 32. The control means has established that the cow is allowed to enter the stall 2. During the opening movement of the entrance gate 14 only the cylinder 22 is activated. A robot 36 with a robot arm and gripper 40 is provided for performing different operations, such as pre-treatment, milking, after-treatment, cleaning of the fur, examination of health state etc. Furthermore, suitable devices to be handled by the robot are provided, such as teatcups 42 - in the figure shown from above in a teatcup magazine 44 - a teat cleaning device 46 and a teat after-treatment device, such as a teat spray. Figure 2 shows the animal stall of figure 1 in which the cow has entered the stall 2 and the entrance gate 14 is in a closed state. The cow is now inside the animal stall. The robot is started in response to a sensor (not shown) associated with said control means and indicating that the entrance gate 14 is closed. After performing an operation, such as milking and optionally after-treatment of the udder, the cow should be let out of the animal stall 2 as soon as possible, in order to allow another cow to be treated in the stall. This is performed by opening the exit gate 16 by means of the second driving means 28 and by moving the gate 14 into the stall 2 by means of the second pneumatic cylinder 22 of the first driving means 18. The cylinder 20 is adjusted to move the gate 14 until it is in a closed state. In order to prevent catching the cow's tail between the edge of the entrance gate 14 and the right long side fencing 6, the cylinder 22 is adjusted to stop the movement of the entrance gate 14 at a predetermined distance from the right long side fencing 6. The predetermined distance is of course different for different animals and different breeds, but for normal sized cows it should be about 5 cm. According to a second embodiment (see figures 4 and 5), only a part 50 of the entrance gate 14 is moved into the animal stall 2 by means of a third pneumatic cylinder 52. It is contemplated that it would be possible to combine the first and the second embodiments such, that when the whole entrance gate 14 has moved into the stall, the part 50 is allowed to perform a continued movement. It should be noted, that it would be possible to allow the gate 14 or the part of the gate 50 to perform repeated movements towards the cow, in order to more emphatically goad the cow to leave the stall 2. It should also be noted that the invention is not restricted to the embodiments shown in the figures. Accordingly, it would be possible to arrange either of or both of the entrance gate and the exit gate at the front fencing 4 and the rear fencing 8. It should be noted that the animal stall according to the invention is intended to be adapted to different kinds of lactating animals, such as cows, sheep, goats, horses and buffaloes.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An animal stall defining an animal space (11) for one animal, comprising an entrance gate (14) openable and closable by means of a first driving means (18) associated with a control means, and an exit gate (16) openable and closable by means of a second driving means (28) associated with said control means, characterised in that at least a part of the entrance gate (14) is adapted to be moved into the animal space (11) for goading the animal to leave the animal space via said exit gate (16). 2. An animal stall according to claim 1, wherein said exit gate (16) is opened before or at the same time as the movement of the entrance gate (14) into the animal space (11). 3. An animal stall according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said entrance gate (14) is adapted to move a predetermined distance into said animal space (11). 4. An animal stall according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said entrance gate (14) is movable towards an adjacent part of the animal stall. 5. An animal stall according to claim 4, wherein said entrance gate (14) is movable to an end position while leaving a space between said entrance gate (14) and said adjacent part of the animal stall. 6. An animal stall according to claim 5, wherein said space is at least 5 cm. 7. An animal stall according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said animal stall is elongated and said entrance gate (14) is arranged on one of the long sides (10). 8. An animal stall according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said exit gate (16) is arranged on one of the long sides (10) of the stall. 5 9. An animal stall according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said entrance gate (14) is movable into said animal space (11) by means of said second driving means (28). 10. An animal stall according to claim 9, wherein said second driving means (28) •10 comprises a first and a second pneumatic cylinder (20, 22), the pistons rods (20a, 22a) of which are interconnected in series to a common shaft (26), said first pneumatic cylinder (20) being adapted to open and close said entrance gate (14), said second pneumatic cylinder (22) being adapted to move said entrance gate into the animal space. 15 11. An animal stall according to claim 10, wherein the piston rods (20a, 20b) are interconnected to form said common shaft (26) by means of a connection piece (24). 20 12. An animal stall according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said part of the animal stall is a bar (50), movable into said animal space (11) by means of a third driving means (52), such as a pneumatic cylinder. 13. An animal stall according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein an animal 25 identification means (32, 34) associated with said control means is provided for allowing identification of animal individuals (30). 14. An animal stall according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein an operation means (36) associated with said control means is provided for 30 performing an animal related operation on an animal in the animal space. 15. An animal stall according to claim 14, wherein said exit gate (16) is adapted to be opened and said entrance gate (14) is adapted to be moved into the animal 5 space (11) after said animal related operation has been performed. 16. An animal stall according to claim 15, wherein the gates are manoeuvred following a time delay after the established end of said performed operation. •10 17. An animal space according to anyone of claims 14 to 16, wherein said operation means (36) comprises a robot arm (38) and at least one animal related device (42, 46, 48). 18. An animal stall according to claim 17, wherein said animal related device 15 comprises at least one teatcup (42) adapted to be attached to a teat of the animal by means of said robot arm (38), for performing mil ng of the teat, and/or a teat cleaning device (46) and/or a teat after-treatment device (48). 19. An animal stall according to claim 18, wherein each teatcup is associated with a 20 sensor for establishing a ceasing milk flow from a corresponding teat, wherein the end of the milking session is established when the sensor of each attached teatcup has sensed a ceasing milk flow.

Inventors: FORZEN GOESTA, HOLMERTZ NILS-ERIK, NILSSON BJOERN, FORZEN, GOESTA, HOLMERTZ, NILS-ERIK, NILSSON, BJOERN
Applicants: ALFA LAVAL AGRI AB, FORZEN GOESTA, HOLMERTZ NILS ERIK, NILSSON BJOERN, FORZEN, GOESTA, HOLMERTZ, NILS-ERIK, NILSSON, BJOERN
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A01K1
IPC codes: A01K1