Patent GB-953363-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for facilitating the treatment of animals
IPC: A01K15/00
Filed: 1961-02-08
Abstract: 953,363. Animal treatment. W. R. C. GEARY. Feb. 8, 1961 [Feb. 9, 1960; June 27, 1960; Oct. 17, 1960], No. 4676/61. Heading A5R. [Also in Division B7] Apparatus for use in the treatment of sheep comprises means for inverting the sheep, a movable carriage from which the sheep is suspended by its feet and by which it is moved through one or more operating stations and means for returning the sheep to an upright position after being released from the carriage. The general layout is shown in Fig. 2. Sheep from a pen G pass through a gate H to a race F, along which they are urged by a movable frame 108 to a constricted race E which forces them to pass in single file on to a race D in which they stand on a conveyer belt 71 between parallel moving belts 146. They are thus constrained to enter an inverting cradle C where each sheep is attached to an individual carriage propelled by a conveyer system A, through a series of treatment stations I, J, K, L, M, finally arriving at a reverting device O where they are returned to upright and allowed to pass into a pen P. The forcing race F comprises two parallel walls having rails along thin upper edges along which runs a carriage having the frame 108 extending downwards from it. The carriage is pulled along by a cable running over a pulley and having a weight attached to its end, so as to urge the animals towards the exit end. It may be returned by manual or power means. The single file race D transfers the animal into the inverting device C, into which it extends. It comprises three synchronously driven belt-type conveyers, one serving as the floor and the other two, running on near-vertical rollers, forming the walls. The spacing between the latter two is preferably adjustable to accommodate animals of differing sizes. The inverting cradle, shown in mid-section in Fig. 12, is of cylindrical form having end rings 68 so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis on rollers 66 carried in end frames 64. The entry end is cut away to form an opening 70 through which an animal enters on the conveyer 71. A crush plate 86 is then moved inwards by hydraulic means, to grip the animal against a fixed plate 84 and then both plates, together with the animal, are lifted by jacks 82, 82 so that its feet are raised clear of the conveyer 71. The entire drum is then turned, on the rollers 66, until the animal is upside down and the jacks 82 are actuated in the reverse direction to cause its legs to protrude upwards ready for engagement by the carriage clamps. The carriages are supported on rollers 16a, Fig. 4, running on an overhead track and are driven by pegs 18 engaging a continuously driven, endless chain 17. At points where it is desired to stop a carriage, these pegs are slid back to disengage them from the chain. A hollow frame member 12 is attached to the supporting members by swivel connections 14 and encloses a double screw 20 so that, by means of a handle 21, the relative positions of head members 22 may be adjusted and each member 22 carries a pair of leg clamps each comprising an adjustable jaw which is locked by a handle 28 and a quickly releasable jaw which is held by a pawl and ratchet. This ratchet is released by depressing a rod 36, this being done by a bar 38 at the releasing point. A head rest for the animal, comprising an adjustable hook pivoted at 44 on one head member 22, is held in its operative position by a pawl 47 and ratchet 46. This pawl is released by the rod 36 simultaneously with the release of the leg clamps, whereupon it is retracted to a raised position by a spring 45. It may also be released by a hand control 49 operating through a Bowden cable 48. At the releasing point the bars 38, Fig. 21, referred to above, are automatically lowered into their operative position by hydraulic cylinders 40, 40 controlled by a valve 41 which is actuated by the carriage when it arrives at this point. The leg clamps are consequently released and the animal drops on to a table 152 which is pivoted at 153 and counterbalanced by a weight 156. It is thus rolled over on to its side as the table tilts to the dotted position. It then slides down the convex shoot 150 so as to reach the ground in an upright position.