An Improved Apparatus for Rearing Birds.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
An Improved Apparatus for Rearing Birds.
1, JAMES ROBERT BENNETT, of Messrs Bennett Bros., of Wanstrow Poultry
Farm, Shepton Mallet, in the County of Somerset, Poultry Farmer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement.-
This invention relates to apparatus for reating young buds after hatching
and 18 distinct from an incubator, and its object is to provide a suitable enclo-
sure wherein the birds can be brought up or reared
The invention consists gencially in providing a house or enclosure so con-
structed that it can be altered in the interior arrangements to suit the age or ages
of the buds reared, and this is arranged approximately in three stages In the
first instance the house or enclosure is constructed with a chamber heated by
an oil stove of special construction at one end while the remainder of the space
18 taken up by a run for the buds In the second instance the stove is removed
and the apparatus 18 then used as a cold brooder by taking out a vertical par-
tition between the hot chamber and the run and making other small detail
alterations In the third instance loose movable pieces are inserted providing
the birds with suitable perches on nests, and, if desired, glass panels which in
the first two instances are in place on suitable apertures in the walls of the
house are slid out leaving the said apertures wire covered only, communicating
with the interior of the apparatus and the poultry yard Certain minor detail
improvements, hereinafter more particularly described, complete the remainder
of the present invention
The mode of carrying the invention into effect is illustrated in the accompany-
ing sheet of drawings as follows
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section illustrating the rearing apparatus
arranged for its first stage when the buds are very young
Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line ab (Figure 1) showing the door
leading from the hot chamber into the un
Figure 3 is an end elevation of Figure 1 showing the exit from the run into
the poultry yard
Figure 4 is a front elevation showing the eaung apparatus converted into a
complete un for the older buds as preferably arranged for the thud stage
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of the converted eang apparatus on the
Lined showing the arrangement of perch and nest
Figures 6 and 7 are respectively vertical section and plan of the improved
atove employed.
The construction and operation of the improved rearing apparatus 18 as
follows Consider first the apparatus arranged so as to be suitable for reaiing
very young birds
A sloping box or enclosure A 18 arranged having open-
ings B B in its front vertical side These openings are covered with the
usual wire netting and at either vertical edge suitable slots to receive sliding
glass panels are airanged A vertical partition C sliding in grooves divides the
Pia A1

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box up into a run D and a hot chamber E, and this hot chamber E has a double
Hoo F F, in the centre of which a stove G (hereinafter more particularly
described) stands The divisions E and have separate hinged covers, or lids,
respectively lettered H and 1, which form the 100f of the eating apparatus,
and these lids are attached to any well known device, such as J, of the nature
shown in Figure 4, whereby the lids may be lifted up any distance for the
pose of admitting an, on, on the other hand, be completely closed The end K,
shown elevation in ligure 3, is fitted with a little dooi L, and this dooi
has slots in it through which a pin can pass to lock it to the end K, so that
the aperture leading from the run into the poultry vaid may be adjusted to
any size and small bids be free to pass out and in from the 1un while the laigei
buds are prevented.
At the second stage when it is desued to use the apparatus as a cold blooder,
that is to say, when the birds no longer requie a hot chamber, but they have
not reached any great age, the vertical partition C is removed by sliding it
upwards, while the stove G is taken out The movable floor F 18 also removed
but it is prefened to leave in the sliding glass panels in the apertures B. The
small vertical piece of wood O forming a slight shallow division between the
bottom floor and the run is placed in, the very young buds or chickens being
thus kept upon this floor This converted stage of the apparatus is someway
between that illustrated in Figure 1 and Figuie and the means for producing
the alterations will be more clearly understood with reference to the third stage
of the rearing now to be described
When rearing the buds, and when it is desired at a later and, say, the last
stage of the realing to convert the apparatus, the lid H is opened and the
vertical partition Cremoved by sliding upwards as last described The top
floor F is slid horizontally along in suitable groove pieces N in the longitudinal
sides of the house or enclosure until it takes up the position shown in dotted
lines in Figure 4 Upon the floor F, refering to Figure 5. a little fixed strip P
is always permanently attached and underneath an overhanging ledge of this
fixed strip and another fixed stup Qattached to one longitudinal side of the
enclosure, board on boards R are placed and also a little vertical board S, the
space T thus formed can then be used as a nest Two recessed grips T T are
permanently attached to the transveise ends of the enclosure and a perch U
for the birds which in the first instance is arranged out of the way to one sido
of the enclosure is placed in these grips T T all as shown in dotted lines in
Figure 4 The sliding floo F1 may be removed entuely from the enclosure
instead of only moving it along to the position shown in Figure 4.
At this stage
also, if desired. the glass panels wluch slide in the grooves in the apertures B
may be removed.
The improved form of oil stove which is employed to heat the chamber E is
constructed as follows: An oil lamp U is slid into horizontal ledges V in a
square or other symmetrically shaped casing W and within this casing is placed
a smaller casing X of similar horizontal section and shorter depth of the form
clearly shown in Figure 6, and it is evident that the heat from the flame of the
lamp will impinge against the 100f of this inner casing and will be deflected
downwards and up around the space between X and W as shown by the arrows
and finally out through the funnel or chimney Yinto the atmosphere This
alangement of stove provides a uniform heating of the walls W and similarly
a uniform heating of the air enclosed within the chamber E The au required
for combustion is supplied to the lamp U fiom underneath the floor F¹, that
18 to say, between the double floor so that the air within the chamber E is un-
disturbed A flange Z upon which the lamp rests and which shuts off com-
munication from underneath the double floor with the chamber 19 provided
The special advantages of the arrangement of the apertures B with net-work
and sliding glass panels me that not only can the progress of the rearing be
observed but at a later stage of the rearing air may be admitted by the removal
of one or more of the glass panels:

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1 An improved convertible apparatus for rearing bards consisting of an enclo-
sure or house divided into a hot chamber and a run suitable for the first stages
of rearing and provided with a movable partition C, removable stove G, sliding
floor F, and movable perch U, so that at the later stages of learing the hot
chamber may be dispensed with and the whole enclosure or house employed as a
cold brooder, and finally as a run or enclosure for the older birds
2 In apparatus for rearing birds as specified in the pieceding claim arranging
apertures within one wall of the apparatus provided with net-work and sliding
glass panels so that the progress of rearing may be observed and that at a later
stage of rearing the panels may be removed substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings
3. In apparatus for rearing birds as specified in Claim 1 the employment of
a stove for heating the chamber E constructed and operated as herein before
described with reference to Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings
4 In apparatus for eaung buds as claimed in Claim I, ananging a door
leading from the run into the poultry yard with devices for adjusting the
aperture substantially as herein before described with reference to Figure 3 of
the drawings
Dated this 24th day of December 1898.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, WC, and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents

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