Patent ID: 8794187

Claim:
A combination of a trailer and cages for transporting living fowl comprising: at least a first enclosure; the first enclosure defined by a top, a front wall, a rear wall, a floor, a first side wall and a second side wall; at least one stack of cages; wherein the first and second side walls are made of a thermally insulated fabric along the majority of the trailers length, and having at least one movable side wall and wherein the stack of cages containing the living fowl may be loaded and unloaded from a side of the trailer; an apparatus for generating conditioned air to be supplied to the first enclosure; a main air supply duct located in the first enclosure and receiving conditioned air from the apparatus for generating conditioned air; the main air supply duct extending a substantial portion of the length of the first enclosure; a plurality of spaced apart floor ducts adjacent to the floor and extending for a substantial portion of the width of the first enclosure; wherein said floor ducts are tubular or formed rigid channels; the floor ducts connected to the main air supply duct; the floor ducts having a plurality of air holes therein and along a face of said channels so that conditioned air will flow into the first enclosure; the floor ducts extend above the floor; at least two of the floor ducts being spaced apart from one another so as to form an area on the floor for receiving the stack of cages; the stack of cages resting on the floor between said spaced apart floor ducts; said spaced apart floor ducts guide the stack of cages into place on the floor, point conditioned air towards the stack of cages and interior of the first enclosure, and assist in stabilizing said cages during transport; a plurality of vertical side posts located adjacent and along said fabric side walls of the first enclosure and extending for a substantial portion of the height of the first enclosure; wherein said vertical side posts are tubular or formed channels that provide substantial support for the of the enclosure; each of said vertical side posts connected to a corresponding floor duct.