Abstract:
An easily assembled poultry cage system wherein the framework for the system includes a plurality of spaced A-frame members all of which are adapted to be assembled without the use of conventional fasteners. Protrusions and complementary receptacles are utilized for joining, connecting and interconnecting parts of the system. Once assembled into the appropriate receptacle, the protruding member is deformed in a manner to securely fasten the respective members together. The cages are supported between A-frame members by means of wire supports secured to the A-frames, by interconnection of the cages and by means of the feed trough. The feed trough is supported by a clip member in which it is secured by a snap-fit to the spaced A-frame members.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to poultry cage systems and more particularly to a framework for such systems that may be readily and securely assembled without the use of conventional welding, screws, nuts, bolts, rivets and like fasteners. 
     Poultry cage systems or batteries including rows of juxtaposed cages are currently utilized in the poultry industry. Some of these systems are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,274,972 and 3,492,971 issued to Keen and Siciliano. 
     Systems such as those currently in use include several rows of cages which in some instances extend for 600 feet or more. Along this distance, by necessity, are provided a large number for spaced apart support members. These members when installed are generally assembled along with the cages on the site of ultimate use, i.e., the chicken farm. The required assembly entails assemblage of the support members, erection of the cages, support of the cages etc. All of this requires substantial efforts and time and in some instances results in improper and inadequate support necessary for the cage members. 
     By the means disclosed herein, a framework for a poultry cage system is provided which is sturdy and which may readily be assembled at the installation site. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a poultry cage system which is quickly, easily and securely assembled. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a poultry cage system which may be assembled without welding and substantially without the use of conventional screws, nuts, bolts, rivets and like fasteners. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a framework for a poultry cage system including a plurality of A-frame members which are quickly, easily and securely assembled without welding and the use of conventional screws, nuts, bolts and like fasteners. 
     These and other objects are achieved by joining, connecting and interconnecting individual framework members, cages, supports therefor and other members in the cage system by locking means which are secured to the respective members or to mounting brackets therefor. The locking means are generally in the form of a protruding member and a complementary receptacle for receiving such member. The protrusion which includes an engaging means, is inserted into the appropriate receptacle and is secured therein, for instance by deforming the protrusion in such a manner to secure the deformed protrusion and area surrounding the receptacle into a locking relation. 
     In accordance with the disclosed embodiments of the invention, the cage system includes a plurality of A-frame members which are interconnected to suspend rows of cages therebetween by means of longitudinal supports and the cages themselves. The cages are supported by support wires secured to the A-frames which engage the cages disposed adjacent the cross-members of the A-frame. Further support for the cages is provided by interconnection of juxtaposed cages and by connection of the cages to a longitudinal support member. 
     In the preferred embodiment, longitudinal support is provided by way of a feed trough, with the legs and cross-members of the A-frame being connected and interconnected by means of a protrusion extending through a receptacle and more particularly, one protrusion is inserted through the hole and bent to secure the protrusion and the respective members. The feed trough in the preferred embodiment is secured to adjacent A-frame members by snap fitting thereof into brackets or clips which are secured to the A-frame again utilizing a receptacle and projection arrangement. More specifically, the projection includes a notch at one end and a finger at the opposed end, the projection being inserted into a slot with the notch and finger engaging the ends of the slot. 
     These and other aspects of the invention will be more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment thereof when considered with the accompanying drawings and appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar parts and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an end elevation view of a layer cage system according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of cage batteries of the cage system of FIG. 1 with the center of the system broken away; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lowermost cage row of the cage system of FIG. 1 depicting interconnection of the cages and the feed trough; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the cages depicted in FIG. 3 and the connection thereof to the feed trough; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an A-frame support member according to the present invention depicting the cage support wires, feed trough support brackets and feed supply support brackets; 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the A-frame member of FIG. 5 depicting the manner of connection of the cross-members, legs and brackets thereof; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the assembled A-frame member of FIG. 6; and 
     FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the feed trough support bracket mounted on a leg of the A-frame member depicted in FIG. 7. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a battery or system of chicken laying cages is illustrated. FIGS. 1 and 2 depict the assembled laying cages and includes a plurality of cage rows 10 mounted on a framework reference generally as 12. Each row of cages 10 includes a plurality of juxtaposed cages 14 and 14a suspended between the A-frame members 16 of the supporting framework. The A-frame is formed with opposed legs 18 which are vertically oriented and inclined towards each other and a plurality of cross-members 22, 24 and 26 interconnecting the legs. The base of the legs 18 rest on the floor surface 20. The cages extend between adjacent A-frames 16 and are mounted thereto adjacent cross-members 22, 24 &amp; 26. The legs of the A-frame may be disposed as illustrated to straddle a trough 28 in the floor and are secured to the floor surface 20 by L-shaped brackets 30. One end of bracket 30 is connected to the A-frame leg 18 by a projection 32 extending from the bracket through a slot 34 in the leg with the projection 32 being bent back over the slot into a locking arrangement. The other end of the bracket is bolted to the floor. Alternatively, the projection 32 may be twisted, or a projection 36 and slot 38 such as those shown in FIGS. 6-8 may be used. Additionally, legs 18 may be bolted directly to the floor through flanges 40 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. 
     The A-frames 16 are interconnected to one another by feed troughs 42 which are secured to respective legs of each A-frame by clip members or brackets 44. Each intermediate cage 14a is additionally secured to trough 42 by a wire or clip 46 wrapped or fastened to the cage and hooked to a lip 48 on trough 42 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The cages 14 immediately adjacent an A-frame 16 are supported thereon by projections or ears 50 extending from respective cross-members 22, 24, 26 onto which the cage is hooked. The cages are also supported by support wires 52 secured to and extending between respective legs of adjacently spaced A-frames 16, the cage disposed at the approximate center between A-frames 16 being engaged by the wire supports 52 (FIG. 2). Additional support to the cages is provided by interconnection of the cages with wires 53. 
     Each of the cages includes a sloping wire floor 54 terminating in an extension 56 forwardly projecting beneath the feed trough 42. Extension 56 is suitable for receiving and supporting a conveyor belt 58 which is operated from time to time to remove eggs laid by the birds. The eggs roll along the wire floor and out onto the conveyor belt disposed on extension 56. 
     Feed is supplied to the feed troughs by feed system 60 which includes traveling hoppers 62 supported on the A-frames 16. Brackets 64 are secured to the top of the A-frame 16 and tracks 66 are fastened to the brackets. Flanged wheels 68 interconnected by an axle 70 run along the tracks, the hoppers being supported on the axle by bracket 72 and beam 74. The hoppers are filled by a fill system (not shown) located at the end of the cage battery and travel along the cage rows discharging feed in a thin layer into the troughs through nozzles 76 disposed at the end of hoses 78. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 5-8, A-frame 16 includes opposed legs 18 which, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, are fastened directly to the floor surface 20. Legs 18 are vertically disposed and inclined towards each other and are interconnected by cross-members 22, 24 and 26. Each of the legs is identical and are thus readily interchangeable. Each leg 18 includes flanges 82 extending along each side of the leg for the length of the leg. The top 84 and bottom 86 of each leg are V-shaped (FIGS. 6 and 7) having upper ends 88 and 89 and flanged lower ends 90 and 91, respectively. The top and bottom of the leg terminates in an upper and lower apex 92, 94, respectively. The cross-members 22, 24 and 26 and legs 18 are fastened to one another by means of a protrusion and complementary receptacle arrangement. Lower cross-members 22 and 24 have rectangular projections 96 extending from the ends thereof, the projections being formed from a cut-out portion of the cross-member. The projections extend through slotted holes 98 in the legs and the cross-members and legs are interlocked by bending the projections sufficiently to provide a locking relation between the members (FIG. 7). Each of the cross-members 22, 24 includes flanges 100, 102 extending along the sides thereof and which terminate before the projections 96, the surface of the cross-members at the ends thereof being planar except for the projections whereby the cross-members at the ends abut flushy against the legs. 
     The upper cross-member 26 includes flanges 106 and 108 extending along the sides thereof for the length of the cross-member. Slotted openings 110 are provided adjacent the ends of cross-member 26 in the lower flange 108. The length and width of the slotted opening 110 is slightly larger than the corresponding length and width of the transverse cross-section of the leg 18 whereby a leg may be inserted through the slotted opening. Each of the flanges 82 of legs 18 terminates at the upper end thereof with an extending projection 112 and 114. Projections 112 and 114 terminate adjacent the apex 92 of the V-shaped end of the leg 18. The right leg, as depicted in FIG. 7, is inserted through slotted opening 110 with the end 88 abutting against the upper flange 106 of cross-member 26 and projection 112 extending through hole 116 in the upper flange 106. The projection 112 is bent to interlock the leg and the upper cross-member 26 at the right side thereof. The left leg similarly extends through opening 110 at the left end of the lower flange 108 of the upper cross-member 26 with end 89 abutting against the upper flange member and projection 114 extending through hole 116 in the upper flange 106 at the left end thereof. Projection 114 is bent to interlock the upper cross-member 26 and the left leg. The legs are secured to the floor through holes provided in ends 90 and 91 of flange 40, the right leg (FIG. 6) being secured through end 90 and the left leg through end 91. 
     The members of the A-frame are thereby securely interlocked solely by means of protrusions and complementary receptacles. Thus, screws, nuts, bolts, rivets and similar conventional type fasteners are not required to assemble the A-frames and erect the poultry cage system of this invention. 
     As mentioned hereinbefore, adjacent pairs of A-frames are coupled to one another by the feed troughs 42. The feed troughs are supported in brackets or clips 44 secured to the legs of the A-frame by a projection 36 extending through a slotted opening 38 in the outside flange of a respective leg (the right side flange in FIG. 6). The projection 36 includes a V-shaped notch 118 at the top thereof and a finger 120 adjacent the bottom thereof. Another notch 122 is provided between the bottom of the projection 36 and the finger 120. Bracket 44 is secured in slot 38 by engagement of the V-shaped notch 118 at the top of the slot and at the bottom of the slot by engagement of the notch 122 and finger 120 bearing against the outside of the respective flange 82. The weight of the clip 44 and trough 42 tends to pivot the clip to engage the finger 120 and notches 118, 122 in the slot. No deformation or bending of projection 36 is required to secure a clip 44 on leg 18. The clips include a partially flexible extension 124 with the opening 126 formed by the extension and the clip conforming substantially to the transverse cross-section of the feed trough 42, although it is slightly smaller. The feed trough is thus secured in the clips by a snap-fit. 
     As described hereinbefore, brackets 64 are used to connect the feed supply system to the cage system. Each bracket 64 is L-shaped and includes a T-shaped projection 128 extending from one arm of the L-shaped bracket (FIG. 6). The upper flange 106 adjacent the ends thereof is provided with shaped openings 130 therein which receive therethrough the projection 128. Bracket 64 is locked to the upper support member by rotating the bracket with the projection 128 locking in the shaped receptacle. The track 66 is fastened to the other arm of the L-shaped bracket as described hereinbefore. 
     As described briefly hereinabove, the cages are suspended between adjacent pairs of A-frames 16 by the wire supports 52, engagement of the end cages by ears 50 on the cross-members, interconnection of the cages themselves and connection of the cages to the feed troughs 42 (FIGS. 2-4). The wire supports 52 have ends extending through holes 132 in the legs of the A-frame and holes 134 in the upper flange 106 of the upper cross-member 26 (FIG. 5). Thus, the wire supports 52 are secured to the A-frame by the end of the wire itself. The wire supports are secured to the legs and support cross-member by bending the ends thereof in the respective holes. The support wires for supporting the lower two rows of the cage system extend from the legs of adjacent pairs of A-frames at a location above the cages to a location adjacent the bottom of the center cages (FIG. 2). The support wires supporting the upper row of cages extends from the upper cross-members of adjacent pairs of A-frames at a location adjacent the top of the cages to a location below the center cages (FIG. 2). By means of the ears 50, feed trough 42, connection of each cage to the feed trough, wire supports 52 and interconnection of the cages, an interlocking and mutually supporting structure is obtained for the cages between the A-frames without welding or the use of conventional screws, nuts, bolts, rivets and such fasteners. 
     The advantages of the present invention, as well as certain changes and modifications of the disclosed embodiments thereof, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. It is the applicants&#39; intention to cover by their claims all those changes and modifications which could be made to the embodiments of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.