Patent ID: 8522726

Claim:
A livestock squeeze chute having a tail end and a head end, comprising: a lower frame having a tail end, a head end, a first side and a second side; an upper frame positioned above said lower frame and having a tail end, a head end, a first side and a second side; a tail gate assembly at said tail ends of said lower and upper frames for selectively closing the tail end of the chute; a horizontally disposed lower head gate support at the head end of said lower frame; said lower head gate support being generally V-shaped and including first and second elongated support members having rearward and forward ends; said first support member of said lower head gate support extending forwardly and inwardly in a straight line from said head end of said lower frame at said first side of said lower frame; said second support member of said lower head gate support extending forwardly and inwardly in a straight line from said head end of said lower frame at said second side of said lower frame; a horizontally disposed upper head gate support at the head end of said upper frame; said upper head gate support being generally V-shaped and including first and second elongate support members having rearward and forward ends; said first support member of said upper head gate support extending forwardly and inwardly in a straight line from said head end of said upper frame at said first side of said upper frame; said second support of said upper head gate support extending forwardly and inwardly in a straight line from said head end of said upper frame at said second side of said upper frame; said first support member of said upper head gate support having an elongated slot formed therein which has rearward and forward ends; said second support member of said upper head gate support having an elongated slot formed therein which has rearward and forward ends; a first upstanding head gate member having an upper end, a lower end, an outer side, an inner side, a forward side and a rearward side; a second upstanding head gate member having an upper end, a lower end, an outer side, an inner side, a forward side and a rearward side; said first head gate member being pivotally secured at its lower inner side, about a horizontal axis, to said first support member of said lower head gate support; said second head gate member being pivotally secured at its lower inner side, about a horizontal axis, to said second support member of said lower head gate support; said upper end of said first head gate member having a protrusion extending upwardly therefrom which is movably received by said slot in said first support member of said upper head gate support; said upper end of said second head gate member having a protrusion extending upwardly therefrom which is movably received by said slot in said second support member of said upper head gate support; said first and second head gates being selectively movable between open and closed positions in straight lines.