Patent GB-191327897-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Trap Nests for Poultry.
Inventor: CHISHOLM WILLIAM OLIVER
IPC: A01K31/16
Filed: 1913-12-04
Granted: 1914-12-03
Abstract: 27,897. Chisholm, W. O. Dec. 4. Nests, trap.. In a trap-nest for poultry in which an individual selection and identification of the laying hens takes place, the egg laid by the hen falls into a receptacle and operates mechanism which causes a swing door to close the outlet for the non-laying hens and to open an outlet leading to an identifying - apparatus having a number of chambers provided with means for automatically closing them on the entrance of a hen. The hen entering the nesting-chamber 4, Fig. 1, depresses a hinged platform 5 connected by a cord 6 to a pulley 29 having a sleeve 31, Fig. 6, to which the counterweighted door 7 is secured. A weighted lever 6<b>, pivoted at 9, engages with notches 32 or 33 in the sleeve 31 and holds the door in the open or closed position. If the hen does not lay, it passes by an opening 10 into a chamber 11, Fig. 3, leading to an enclosure, and depresses a hinged platform 12, thus operating a cord 13 which disengages the lever 6<b> from the sleeve 31 and opens the inlet door 7. If the hen lays an egg in the nest 14, the egg rolls down the inclined cords 17 and strikes against a swing door 18, thus causing an arm 19 to operate the catch 25 on a verticallymovable swing door 26 which opens and closes the entrances to both chambers 11, 20, the door being weighted so as normally to close the chamber 11 and open the chamber 20. The chamber 20 is connected by a run 24 to an identifying-apparatus with separate chambers, one for each hen that has laid an egg. In passing through the chamber 20, the hen depresses a platform 21, and, by means of a cord 22, operates the lever 6<b> and opens the door 7 and also, by means of a cord 23, operates the door 26 so as to close the chamber 20 and open the chamber 11. Fig. 7 shows the identifying-apparatus, which consists of a rectangular framework 40 divided into two divisions by a central horizontal partition 41 provided with a series of trap-doors. The first hen steps into chamber No. 1 and depresses a hinged and spring-supported platform 2<x>, thereby, by means of a wire 5<x>, releasing the catch 6<x> of the trap-door 7<x>. The second hen passes over the door 7<x> and alights on the platform 8<x> in chamber No. 2, thereby closing the door 9<x>. When each of the bottom chambers contains a hen, the next hen passes into the end top chamber, No. 4, and depresses a platform 12<x> which is hinged to the door 11<x>, thereby, by means of a wire 14<x>, releasing the catch 15<x> of the door 16<x>. In falling, the door 16<x> strikes a catch 28<x> and releases the hinged platform 31<x> in the next chamber, No. 5, the door 20<x> of which in falling strikes a catch 32<x>, thereby pulling a cord 25<x> attached to a bolt 26<x>. Movement of the bolt 26<x> allows a counterweighted and pivoted stop-bar 27<x> to assume the vertical position, thus preventing the platform 21 from being depressed and keeping the inlet door 7 closed. When the cord 19<x> of the door 20<x> is moved, a pivoted flagstaff 29<x> is released and caused by a weight 30<x> to assume the vertical position, thereby indicating that the apparatus requires resetting. Pivoted doors at the sides of the chambers allow the hens to be removed. An egg-collector 35 of the type described in Specification 4372/14 is provided.