GB2183983A - Collapsible animal cage - Google Patents

Abstract

A collapsible animal cage of rectangular cross-section and having a door 12 at one end thereof, in which the side panels 4, 5 of the cage are hinged to the top 6 and base panels 1, each side panel being formed in two sections hinged together along their length so that they can be folded inwardly to lie on the base panel with the top panel lying flat on the folded side panels Such a cage may be adapted for use as a trap by incorporating a tread plate pivoted to the cage base. The tread plate is pivoted to an operative position within the cage and is coupled to a latch mechanism mounted on the cage top. The latch mechanism engages a door in its open position so that when an animal treads on the plate it releases a catch to close the door. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Collapsible animal cage This invention relates to a collapsible animal cage for safely transporting animals and which may, if required, be adapted for use as an animal trap.

There are various types of cages made from a variety of materials ranging from steel to wicker work for either carrying animals or trapping them. In both applications strength is a prime requirement to prevent deformation of their structures which might injure the animal being carried or trapped.

Such structures occupy a considerable volume and are inconvenient to store when not in use. To overcome such an inconvenience, cages have been developed which fold down in to a flat form making them easier to carry and store. However by modifying such structures to make them collapsible a degree of ridgidity in the structure when erected is lost.

It is an object therefore of this invention to provide a collapsible cage which when erected provides a substantially rigid structure which is not easily deformed and which folds down in to a flat form facilitating carrying and storing.

In accordance with this invention, we provide a collapsible animal cage in the form of a box having a base with two parallel edges, two sides each, hinged to a respective one of said edges and a top with two parallel edges aligned parallel with the edges of said base, said sides each being hinged to a respective one of the edges of said top; characterised in that each side comprises first and second overlapping sections with the edge of one of said sections being hinged to the other section along an axis parallel to and located between the distal edge of said other section and the edge hinged to the base or top to enable the two sections of each side to be folded inwards towards each other about said axis so that said top lies on said base with the folded sections of said sides sandwiched therebetween.

Preferably, the cage includes doors at each end mounted in respective frames, each frame being hinged to respective ends of said base.

A cage, as defined above, may be adapted for use as a trap by incorporating a tread plate pivoted to said base, the tread plate being pivoted to an operative position within the cage and coupled to a latch mechanism mounted on said top and engaging one of said doors when in the open position so that an animal entering the cage and treading on said tread plate releases the latch to close said door, said latch being movable to a position such as not to interfere with the inward movement of said side sections on collapsing the cage.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an animal cage in accordance with this invention in the erected position; Figure 2 is a simplified cross-sectional view of the cage shown in Figure 1 in a partially collapsed state; Figure 3 shows the cage shown in Figure 1 in its fully collapsed state; Figure 4 is a side view of one end of the cage showing a door frame as it pivots down prior to collapsing the cage; Figure 5 A, B, C, and Dare details of hinges and clips used in the construction of the cage shown in Figure 1; Figure 6 A and B show a partial cross-sectional view of the rear door frame and retaining clip of the cage shown in Figure 1; Figure 7 A and B show a latch mechanism for a tread plate in the cage of Figure 1;; Figure 8 shows the lifting handle for the cage shown in Figure 1; Figure 9 shows one end door of the cage shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, an animal cage according to a preferred embodiment of this invention comprises a rectangular base 1 having upstanding flange portions 2 and 3 along opposite parallel edges of said base, opposite sides 4 and 5, a top 6 and end door frames 7 and 8. Each of the sides 4 and 5, comprise first and second sections 4A, 4B and 5A, 5B respectively made of galvanised steel wire mesh, sections 4A and 5A being hinged by hinge arms 9 to the parallel edge wires of the top, also made of galvanised steel wire mesh and the sections 4B, 5B being hinged to the edges of the upstanding flange portions 2 and 3 respectively by hinge arms 9A shown in more detail in Figure 5D.

The wires forming the distal edges of sections 4B and 5B are hinged to the respective sections 4A and 5A along axes 4C, 5C parallel to the opposite edges of the base 1 formed by the upstanding portions 2 and 3 by means of further hinge arms 9 secured to the sections 4A and 5A in a position thereon such that the aforementioned axes 4C, 5C are located between the wires forming the distal edges of sections 4A, 5A and the wires of those sections hinged to the top 6.

Thus the two sections of each side overlap to form rigid sides which are not easily deformed when the cage is fully erected.

The base 2 is also made of galvanised sheet steel but may be made of galvanised steel wire having the same or different mesh size to the mesh size of the sides and top. Furthermore the cage may be constructed of plastic coated wire mesh.

Pivoted to the upstanding flange portions 2 and 3 at each end thereof about pivots 10 and 11 are the door frames 7 and 8 respectively. Door frame 7 comprises flanged side and top members with a door flap 12 having a return bent portion 13 at the bottom and hinged at the top to the top member.

The door frame 8 is likewise constructed from flanged side and top members with additional flanges secured to the side members to form a channel on each side member in which slides a door panel 14 securable in the closed position by a clip 15, (figure 9). The clip 15 is shaped as shown in Figures 6Ato have a centre of gravity located in a position such, that on pivoting the clip about pivot pin 16 secured to the panel 14 by means of hinge arms 17, the clip 15 drops down in to a cut-out 18 in the panel 14 thereby preventing the panel being lifted upwards as the distal end 19 of the clip 15 engages the top flanged member of the frame 8.

The door frames 7 and 8 are retained in their erected position in the cage by clips 20, shown in detail in Figure 7A. These clips are, in cross section, of hair-pin-like construction having two arms 21 and 22 rivetted or otherwise secured together at 23 with the arms 21 having semi-circular portions 24 and a looped end 25 engaging the transverse wires of the top mesh 6. Arm 22 of the clips 20 has a return bent end 26 and a depending shoulder portion 27 between which the top flanged member of a door frame is retained, the frame being freed of the clips 20 by lifting the top 6 on collapsing the cage.

Construction of the hinge arms 9 is shown in Figure 5B, each arm comprising a single strip of galvanised steel bent to form a first loop 28 engaging a longitudinal wire of the mesh and a second loop 29 engaging either one longitudinal wire of a mesh when used to form a hinge between the top and sides or the longitudinal wires of the sections, 4A, 5A--4B, 5B to form the hinge axes 4C, 5C as shown in Figure 5B. Between the loops 28 and 29 is a flat section 30 with the overlapping portion rivetted or otherwise secured together at 31.

Clips 32, shown in detail in Figure 5C, are provided to clip the top 6 to the base 1 with the side sections 4A, 4B-SA, SB, sandwiched therebeteen when the cage is in the collapsed state as shown in Figure 3. Clips 32 are shaped to provide a tubular portion 33 encompassing the longitudinal edge wires of the top and side sections 4A, 5A and a curved tongue 34 which engages the lower longitudinal edge wires of the side section meshes 4B, 5B, which are hinged by means of the hinge arms 9A to the upstanding flange portions 2 and 3 of the base 1. A lever arm 35 extends from the curved tongue 34 to facilitate unclipping the top 6 from the base 1.

A folding handle 36 is attached to the top 6 centrally thereof as shown in detail in Figure 8 and comprises two U-shaped wires 37 and 38 each having looped portions 39 at the end of the respective arms, the loops 39 of arm 37 engaging a central longitudinal wire of the top mesh 6 and the loops 39 of arm 38 engaging the bight of arm 37. A clip 40 shaped as shown in Figure 1, and having a tubular portion 41 around one of the longitudinal top mesh wires retains the handle 36 in its folded position on the top 6.

From the above description of the cage, it will be appreciated that all the clips, hinge arms, door frames, door flaps and handle are attached to the structure obviating the use of separate parts which may easily be lost in use.

The cage may be adapted for use as animal trap by providing a tread plate 42 secured to a rod 43 journaled in upstanding flanged portions 2 and 3.

An arm 46 is pivoted at one end thereof to tread plate 42 and secured to its opposite end is a Ushaped plate 47 whose bight engages a cross wire 48 of a latch mechanism 49. A U-shaped member 50 pivoted between the upstanding flange portions 2 and 3 by outwrdly extending return bent end portions of the arms of the U-shaped member 50 extends upwardly within the cage so that the bight 50A of said member engages the rear face of flap 12 when the trap is set. Attached to the end of one of the outwardly extending return bent portions of one of the arms of U-shaped member 50 externally of the cage is a lever 44 to which is attached a tension spring 45 whose other end is secured to the upstanding flange portion 2.The mechanism 49 comprises wire members 51 and 52 pivoted about transverse wires of the top mesh 6 and depending there from to pivotally engage transverse wires 53, 54 of a ladder type construction 55 so that the latter can be swung upwards after disengaging the Ushaped plate 47 when the top 6 is collapsed on to the base 1. The ends of longitudinal wires 56,57 of the ladder type construction 55 extend toward that end of the cage at which door frame 7 is located so that as the door flap 12 is raised the ladder type construction 55 can be moved to the left as viewed in Figure 7A causing the wires 56,57 to engage the bottom lip of the front face of door flap 12 to hold it open against the tension exerted by spring 45 through the bight 50A of member 50 as shown in Figure 1.When an animal enters the cage through the opening in the door frame 7 and treads on the tread plate 42 thereby depressing it, the arm 46 moves with the tread plate 42 pulling the ladder type construction 55 to the right as viewed in Figures 7A and 7B causing the ends of arms 56, 57 to disengage from the door flap 12 which closes rapidly under the tension exerted by spring 45 through the U-shaped member 50.

When collapsing the cage to the fold flat position shown in Figure 3, the bight of plate 47 is unhooked from the cross wire 48, the latch mechanism 49 swung upwards, and the arm 46 with the plate 47 positioned on the base 1 together with the member 50 and tread plate 42.

A cage in accordance with this invention, is easily carried when in the fold flat position and can be quickiy erected to form a structure which is rigidified by the overlapping portions of the side sections 4A, 4B and 5A, 5B. Furthermore the form of construction employed results in the overall size of the cage when folded flat being no greater than that of the top or base.

Claims (8)

1. A collapsible animal cage in the form of a box having a base with two parallel edges, two sides each hinged to a respective one of said edges and a top and two parallel edges aligned parallel with the edges of said base, said sides each being hinged to a respective one of the edges of said top; characterised in that each side comprises first and second overlapping sections with the edge of one of said sections being hinged to the other section along an axis parallel to and located between the distal edge of said other section and the edge hinged to the base or top to engable the two sections of each side to be folded inwards towards each other bout said axis so that said top lies on said base with the folded sections of said sides sandwiched there between.

2. A cage as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said base comprises a rectangular tray having upstanding flange portions along opposite longitudinal parallel edges thereof to which are hinged a respective one of the sections of said sides.

3. A cage as claimed in claim 2 wherein said top and side sections are formed of wire mesh.

4. A cage as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the side sections are hinged together by means of clips, each clip comprises a steel strip bent to form a first loop around one longitudinal wire of one section of a side and a second loop engaging both another longitudinal wire of said one section and a longitudinal wire of the second section of said side, the ends of said strip being rivetted or otherwise secured together.

5. A cage as claimed in any one of Claims 1--4 including two doors, each mounted in a respective frame and means for hinging each frame at opposite ends of said base to enable said frames and thereby said doors to be folded inwardly down onto said base when said sides are folded inwardly to collapse said cage.

6. A cage as claimed in Claim 5 wherein each frame comprises flanged side and top members, said flanged side members being pivotted to said base and the doors being pivotted to said flanged side members at the end opposite to the end at which said flanged side members are pivotted to said base.

7. A cage as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6 adapted for use as a trap, said cage including a latch mechanism mounted on said top and a treadplate pivotted to said base, the treadplate being pivotted to an operative position within the cage and coupled to said latch mechanism to engage one of said doors when in the open position so that an animal entering the cage and treading on said treadplate releases the latch to close said door, said latch being movable to a position such as not to interfere with the inward movement of said side sections on collapsing the cage.

8. A collapsible animal cage substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.