Patent ID: RE42608

Claim:
An automated foot bath system for animals consisting of cows or other animals, said system comprising: a) a foot bath structure having a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls and a floor, said foot bath structure defining a liquid containing region comprising a front containing area and a rear containing area, said foot hath structure being arranged to permit the animals to walk over the floor and through a foot bath liquid in the liquid containing region, b) a water inlet section arranged to supply water to said liquid containing region water, and to supply at least a portion of said water so as to be directed into said front water containing area and as high velocity jet flow to be able to cause a flow pattern in said liquid containing region of eddy current flow or turbulent flow, or a combination of eddy current flow and turbulent flow, with said high velocity jet flow being capable of moving waste material in said liquid containing region, c) a discharge section which is at the rear containing region and which has a closed configuration to contain liquid in said liquid containing region and an open configuration to discharge liquid from said liquid containing area, d) a chemical supply section to provide a quantity of a chemical component as an ingredient of a foot bath liquid for the liquid containing region, e) a control section arranged to i) cause said water inlet section to operate in a time frame to supply water to said liquid containing region to cause said high velocity jet flow to move waste material in said liquid containing region and to provide water as a constituent for foot bath water in said liquid, ii) to cause said discharge section to selectively move between the closed and open configuration to contain liquid or permit an outflow of liquid in the liquid containing region, and iii) to cause said chemical supply section to provide said quantity of said chemical component for said foot bath liquid.