AU639786B2 - Crutching and inseminating cradle - Google Patents

Description

a S7 FP/00/011 W W W/ 1 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

NOTICE

1. The specification should describe the invention in full and the best method of performing it known to the applicant.

2. The specification should be typed on as many sheets of good quality A4 International size paper as are necessary and inserted inside this form.

3. The claims defining the invention must start on a new page. If there is insufficient space on this form for the claims, use separate sheets of paper.

The words "The claims defining the invention are as follows" should appear before claim 1. After the claims the date and the name of the applicant should appear in block letters.

4. This form must be accompanied by a true and exact copy of the description, claims and drawings (if any) and an additional copy of the claims.

(see Pamphlets explaining formal requirements of specifications and drawings)

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0@ 4 4 TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Naie f Applicant. JAMES LACHLAN McARTHUR N a m e e f A p p lic a n t: S* S A ctual Inventor(s): J ME ACH LA M :****ddress for Service: JOHN L.DAVIES CO.Patent Attorney of P.O.Box 436 S 3.9...Che .i Invention Title: CRUTCHING AND INSEMI ATIN G CRA LE Details of Associated Provisional Applications: Nos: .K...060 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- This invention relates generally to livestock handling equipment and relates in particular to equipment for restraining movements of a sheep whilst being given various treatments such as artificial insemination of ewes, crutching, teeth grinding, ear tagging and sheep classing.

The invention according to a general aspect resides in a sheep handling apparatus for holding a sheep in correct position during such operations as artificial insemination, the apparatus comprising a base, a sheep-restraining and supporting cradle connected to the base, the cradle being adapted to pivot vertically on a horizontal axis at one end thereof in a limited arc between a rearwardly-inclined, lowered transport and storage position and a forwardly-inclined raised in-use position with respect to the base so as to Co Sraise a sheep from a standing position with head raised e to a head-downward and hindquarters-raised work position at a proper work height for a user whilst treating the 0 20 sheep held in the apparatus, the cradle has means *o thereon for restraining the head of the sheep and has means thereon for draping and restraining the *e hindquarters of the sheep whilst in the work position.

Preferably, the sheep-handling apparatus of the invention is in the form of a portable hoist incorporating a pneumatic ram attached between the base and the cradle for elevating and lowering the cradle and a sheep-blocking gate is pivotally mounted on the cradle at an exit end of the apparatus and is disposed transversely to the base when in closed position and swings open automatically by its own weight alongside the cradle when it is lifted, this gate is closed manually and the cradle has hand-operated gate release means. The cradle comprises a sheep-holding frame formed by a pair of downwardly and inwardly-inclined upright side members joined at the bottom by a transverse bottom member over which the body of a sheep is adapted to be draped, the cradle includes a head support platform divided by a longitudinal slot through which front legs of a sheep are adapted to hang.

Preferably, the sheep head-restraining means is a headlock rail and the hindquarters-restraining means comprises a hock rail and both rails are released automatically when the cradle is lowered.

*O*O6 Some non-l'miting examples of practical arrangements or embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in

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which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of an assembled embodiment of the basic concept of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of an assembled second embodiment of the invention in lowered non-use transport or storage position.

25 Figure 3 is a side elevation of the embodiment of the invention of Figure 2 in raised and in use position.

Figure 4 it a plan view of the embodiment of Figures 2 and 3.

-3- Figure 5 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of the gate release and headlock rail actuating mechanism encircled 5 in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a side elevtional partial view on an enlarged scale of the hock rail release mechanism encircled 6 in Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings ana first of all to Figure 1, there is shown portable livestock handling apparatus designed specifically for single-handed operation and for containment and treatment of sheep for example holding ewes in correct position and under restraint while performing such operations as artificial insemination, crutching, teeth grinding, ear tagging and sheep classing. The apparatus in its most basic form comprises an animal restraining and supporting cradle pivotally supported at one or lower end upon a rectangular base 11 having longitudinal side frame e members such as the one shown and labelled 12 and which 0, are connected by cross members. The base frame has a pair of uprights such as the one shown and labelled 13 and supports power means for raising and lowering the cradle, suitable means being the pneumatic ram unit 14.

In more detail, the cradle comprises a main frame member 10a upon which there is mounted a wedge-shaped frame 25 formed by L transverse tubular bottom member 15 of box-section steel having fixedly mounted thereon pair of angled upright members 16, 17 (see Figure 4) ,providing a movement stop in iront of the hips of a sheep to prevent the sheep from sl ng forward, the rear legs C prevent the sheep from sliding forward, the rear legs hang downwards from a position rearward of the cradle side frame members such as the one visible 12. When correctly positioned, a sheep's head rests upon a platform divided into two parts 18, and 18a see Fig.4) and which is fixed to the front of the cradle 10. The front legs of a sheep are able to hang through a gap in the platform. A rectangulr sheep-blocking gate 19 preferably made of a framework of square steel tubing (with gate catch 20) is pivotally mounted upon onr or sheep's head end of the cradle and swings open and automatically to one side of the cradle in synchronization with lifting and lowering movements of the cradle but is closed manually. The gate 19, has tubular hinges 19a, 19b, which are preferably formed of steel pipe welded respectively to the floor and gate and a steel rod drops into these hinges. A hand operated gate catch S: 20 is provided on the opposite side of the gate to the hinges and a gate latch is adapted to engage with and disengage fron a slot in a cam plate as hereinafter S 20 described with reference to Figure 5. The gate when in a closed position is transverse with respect to the base frame and cradle and is mounted towards one end thereof, and when approximately at ground level with the cradle lowered as in a race, ensures that the sheep is S 25 in the correct standing position to enable initial operation of the apparatus.

In the second embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 2 to 6 of the drawings, the cradle Sadditionally includes a floor 21 refer to Fi.

gggy additionally includes a floor 21 refer to Fig.4) which tilts up and down with the cradle 10 and supports a sheep and covers the pneumatic ram unit 14 already described and carries and partly hingedly supports the blocking gate 19 and a head-restraining clamp arrangement which comprises a headlock rail 22 both the sheep-holding gate 19 and the headlock rail 22 are released automatically when the cradle 10 is lowered.

The headlock rail 22 is adapted to be lcered down over and in contact with the neck region of the sheep in the cradle. A rear or hock rail 23 is included to restrain the back legs of the sheep. A motion dampening and limiting spring-leaded chain 24 is fixed between the hock rail frame and cradle floor and a removable crutchings catch tray 24 is attached to the hock rail 23 and facilitates collection of wool and dags from a crutching operation. The catch tray 25 pivots to enable it to remain in a horizontal position. Hip plates 16a 0S and 17a are fixed to the angled cradle side frame members 16 and 17 and side wall panels 26 and 27 are fixed to the base and uprights. A canvas blind 28 is provided on the ertry side of the apparatus to block sheep next in line waiting for treatment.

Figures 2 to 4 show overall assembly of the apparatus of the second embodiment of Figures 2 to 6 S S while Figures 5 and 6 show enlarged details of gate release, headlock rail, and hock rail mechanisms.

In Figure 5 there is shown a gate-release mechanism which comprises a gate-release and headlock rail and gate catch actuating cam plate 29 which is a rail and gate catch actuating cam plate 29 which is a

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vertically-disposed steel plate preferably of quadrilateral or diamond shape form with the left hand lower corner thereof pivotally attached to a lower end of a headlock rail pull link 30 via a lower swivelling rose joint 31 the upper end of the link being pivotally attached to the headlock rail 22 via upper and swivelling rose joint 32. The right-hand lower corner of the gate catch actuating cam plate 29 is attached to the 19 gate and headlock rail control actuator rod 33 which is of adjustable length. The right hand upper corner of the cam plate 29 is provided with a downwardly extending open slot 34 which is adapted to engage with and disengage from a gate catch lug 35 adjacent the bottom of the sheep blocking gate 19.

Referring to Figure 6 there is shown in more detail a mechanism for releasing the hock rail 23, and which comprises a latch jaw arm 36 pivotally attached to the cradle floor frame member 21 and which is also attached to the main frame member 10a in a 20 spring loaded manner by coil spring 37. A hock rail release lever 38 is fixed to the latch jaw arm which also has motion-limiting lugs 39, 40 attached thereto.

The release lever 38 is pushed down to release the catch which is shown in latch-engaged position. The open slot 25 41 in the latch arm is part of a mechanism arrangement which locks the the hock arm when in raised position and releases it for lowering.

In operation, with a sheep in position, and under power lift (or manual lift as the case may be),

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e S 1 -7the cradle frame rises, the rod 33 pulls the cam plate 29 raising the latch jaw arm 36 (Figure 6) thus releasing the catch on the gate 19 and the weight of the gate opens it automatically in a tipping motion.

Simultaneously, referring to Figure 5) the upper rose joint 32 attached to the upper left-hand corner of the cam plate 29 pulls the headlock rail 22 transversely across as the entire cradle frame and with it the floor 21 rises.

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Claims (14)

1. A sheep handling apparatus for holding a sheep in correct position during such operations as crutching or artificial insemination, the apparatus comprising a base, a sheep-restraining and supporting cradle connected to the base, the cradle being adapted to pivot vertically on a horizontal axis at one end of the cradle in a limited arc between a lowered transport and storage position and a forwardly-inclined, raised, in-use position with respect to the base and a he-p so as to raise a sheep from a standing position with head raised to a head-downward and hindquarters-raised, work position at a proper work height for a user whilst treating the sheep held in the apparatus, the cradle having means thereon for restraining the head of the @eae: sheep and means thereon for draping and restraining the Shindquarters of the sheep whilst in the work position in the apparatus.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 which includes a sheep-blocking gate mounted upon the cradle at an exit end of the apparatus, the gate when in closed position being disposed transversely with respect to the base and the cradle and when open is adapted to swing to one 9 0 one side of the cradle.

3. Appar tus according to claim 1 or 2 which is a portable hoist incorporating a pneumatic ram attached between the base and the cradle for elevating and S lowering the cradle and a sheep positioned upon and *Me -9- within the cradle,

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the cradle comprises a sheep-holding frame formed by a pair of downwardly and inwardly inclined upright side members joined at the bottom by a transverse bottom member over which the body of a sheep is adapted to be draped. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the cradle includes a head support platform divided by a longitudinal slot through which the front legs of a sheep are adapted to hang.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the sheep- blocking gate is pivotally mounted upon the cradle and swings oper automatically by its own weight in synchronization with lifting movement of the cradle and wherein the gate is closed manually.

7. Apparatus according to any claim 2, or 6 which L* includes hand-operated gate release eans.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim e ,wherein the cradle includes a sheep-supporting floor. V. 4

9. Apparatus according to any onef claim or -to-8 wherein one side of the gate has tubular steel pipe hinges welded thereto, one or lower hinge also being welded to the floor, a steel rod being dropped through the hinges and into and out of a hole in the floor, the *e gate release means including a hand operated gate latch actuating lever provided on the opposite side of the t t gate to the hinges. v Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the gate latch is in the form of a lug projecting from a gate frame side member, the lug being adapted to engage with and disengage from a downwardly directed open slot in a tiltable cam plate pivotally mounted on the cradle frame.

11. Apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to wherein the sheep-supporting floor partly hingedly supports the blocking gate.

12. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the head-restraining means comprises a headlock rail.

13. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 12 wherein both the sheep-blocking gate and the head-restraining means headlock rail are released automatically when the cradle is lowered. a 14. Apparatus according to any preceding claim 00 be Swherein the sheep hindquarters-restraining means of the cradle comprises a hock rail to restrain back legs of a ebb sheep whilst in the cradle. Apparatus according to claim 14 which includes hock rail release means. S* 16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the hock rail release means comprises a hock-rail latch in the form of a spring-loaded notched jaw arm pivotally mounted upon and downwardly dependent from the cradle floor frame member, the hock rail latch being actuated by a hock rail release lever. by a hock rail release lever. -11-

17. Apparatus according to an), one of clai=ms 14 to 16 which includes a crutchings catch tray pivotally mrounted upon the hock rail.

18. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

19. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 to 6 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this 11th day of May, 1993 JAMES LACHLAN MACARTHUR By My Patent Attorney JOHN L.DAVIES CO. *GS0 a ag Oa Se* a .0 0 0 0 1, T ABSTRACT Portable handling apparatus for hoisting and holding sheep in correct position for artificial insemination and crutching operations has in a basic form a pivoting lifting and restraining cradle (10) powered by a pneumatic ram unit (14) to move it in a limited vertical S arc, a hinged gate (19) which is closed manually opens automatically when the cradle (10) is raised and S lowered. In another form the cradle has a floor (21) and a sheep is positioned with hips between hip-plates (16a,17a) on angled cradle side frame members (16, 17); back legs are restrained by a hock rail 23 which is synchronized to move up with the cradle (10 and is S releasable therefrom for lowering by a latch on a Jaw *0 arm (36) operable by a manual release lever a head .support platform has a headlock rail (22) and gap for front legs.