Improvements in Covered Sheep Troughs.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 10th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan,, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Covered Sheep Troughs.
I, WYRLEY PEREGRINE BIRCH, of Cranford, Kettering, in the County of
Northampton, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Troughs used for feeding sheep are now commonly roofed or covered over with
a roof sloping upwards from the top of one side of the trough to a point vertically
above the top of the other side of the trough or approximately so. According to my
invention I render such troughs readily available for being used as shelters for
lambs. To effect this, in place of making the front side of the trough a fixture as
heretofore I make it capable of being turned downwards on hinge joints along the
bottom so that it may be made to lie down flat upon the top of the cross bearers
or feet upon which the trough is as heretofore mounted.
If the trough be turned Back to the wind and the front so turned downwards the
bottom of the trough and this turned down front will together form a broad dry
floor on which the lambs can be placed and they will there be effectually protected
from the wind by the sloping roof and by the ends.
In place of the front being made to turn downwards on hinge joints it might be
made readily detachable from the ends and bottom of the trough and so that when
detached it could be laid flat in front of the bottom of the trough and be retained
there by suitable fastenings.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Covered Sheep Troughs.
1, WYRLEY PEREGRINE BIRCH, of Cranford, Kettering, in the County of
Northampton, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
Troughs used for feeding sheep are now commonly roofed or covered over with a
roof sloping upwards from the top of one side of the trough to a point vertically above
the top of the other side of the trough or approximately so. According to my
invention I render such troughs readily available for being used as shelters for lambs.
To effect this, in place of making the front side of the trough a fixture as heretofore
I make it capable of being turned downwards on hinge joints along the bottom so
that it may be made to lie down flat upon the top of the cross bearers or feet upon
which the trough is as heretofore mounted.
If the trough be turned back to the wind and the front so turned downwards the
bottom of the trough and this turned down front will together form a broad dry
floor on which the lambs can be placed and they will there be effectually protected
from the wind by the sloping roof and by the ends.
In place of the front being made to turn downwards on hinge joints it might be
made readily detachable from the ends and bottom of the trough and so that when
detached it could be laid flat in front of the bottom of the trough and be retained there
by suitable fastenings.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front elevation and Figure 2 is a transverse section of a sheep trough
constructed in accordance with my invention.
a a are bearers on which the trough is built. Fixed to these bearers is the floor b
of the trough and to this the ends cc with the back boards d and e and the ridge
piece fare securely fastened. g is the front of the trough which in place of being
fixed as heretofore, is hinged to the floor bor otherwise is made moveable so that it can
be laid down flat on the bearers in the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2.
hh are hooks whereby the moveable front is retained in the position indicated by full
lines whilst the trough is in use for feeding. i is a hinged board forming part of the
roof of the trough; it is thus made moveable so that food may conveniently be placed
in the trough from the back. It is not however essential to the invention that the
roof board should be moveable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
A roofed sheep trough substantially as described with a hinged or otherwise
inoveable front board serving both as the front of the trough and also, when lowered
to a level with the bottom of the trough, to form together with this bottom (a
broad level sheltered platform suitable for the accommodation of lambs as herein set
forth.