GB2522060A

GB2522060A - Agricultural implement

Info

Publication number: GB2522060A
Application number: GB1400524.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Robert Caygill
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-01-13
Filing date: 2014-01-13
Publication date: 2015-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 2034-01-13
Also published as: GB2522060B; GB201400524D0

Abstract

A multipurpose combination sheepsnacker trailer comprises an open topped sheep compartment, a feed hopper and a compartment for safely transporting newly born lambs or other small items. The trailer may be towed and operated by any off road vehicle by means of a standard towing hitch and preferably comprises low slung wheels to allow easy access for sheep through a rear door. A feed compartment may be formed in the front end of the sheep snacker trailer and optionally comprises a funnel shaped construction which may have an opening at its lowest point to put down feed lines. Preferably a spring loaded slide is present at the funnel end of the feed hopper and is biased towards the closed position. The slide may be operable from a towing vehicle by means of a string or rod having an adjustable stop. The trailer is preferably mounted on a single U-shaped axel and rolls on oversized balloon tyres.

Description

Agricultural implement.

Tn winter months, farmers in areas where sheep are out most of the year, it is frequently necessary to provide feed supplements for the sheep on the higher ranges.

This involves the farmer taking sheep nuts out to the sheep and distributing them fairly evenly so that all sheep have a chance to get a bite.

Some use feeder hoppers around which the sheep gather and feed. The drawback with those is that not all the sheep get sufficient feed because they are bustled out of the way by the bigger or stronger sheep. Moreover, the ground around those feeders get trampled and the grass will take some time to recover hence loosing, albeit temporarily, valuable grazing.

An alternative is to use a mobile feeder which deposits a trail or line of feed as it is pulled along by tractor, Landrover or even quad bike.

Where the grazing is a fair distance removed from the farm buildings, the farmer ideally wants to be able to take sufficient feed in one trip to supplement all his sheep in the field for at least one day. He also, ideally, should be able to bring in several injured sheep or ones that have lambed including ones who appear to have complications of some kind which warrant them being taken back to the farm, without having to make an additional trip.

Moreover, he may wish to take tools to do necessary repairs while he is out on the range.

Whilst a tractor or Landrover will easily serve as transport for such equipment, many ranges can only be accessed with a quad bike, On such terrain the farmer has no option but to make two or more trips, wasting time and valuable fuel.

Many examples of these towable feed hoppers, also known as sheepsnackers, are readily available, One good example of such a sheepsnacker is known from GB2220552A which can be towed onto a range and the nuts distributed in distinct heaps for one or two sheep to feed of thus reducing the tendency for the sheep the congregate and trample the nuts and the grass into the ground and wasting nuts at the same time as temporary destroying valuable grazing.

The present invention combines the farmer's need for feeding sheep in outlying pastures and transporting selected animals back to the farm by providing a "combi-snacker" which will now be described in more detail by means of the figures & photographs, Fig 1 shows the trailer seen from the front.

Fig 2 shows the complete trailer, towing hitch and hopper lever with its operating rope.

Fig 3 shows a close up of the slide lever and its adjustable stop.

Fig 4 shows the top of the hopper with its lid in place.

Fig 5 shows the vertical part of the wheel axle which allows the ground clearance of the trailer being reduced to around 200 mm.

Fig 6 shows the inside of the empty hopper.

Fig 7 shows the trailer from behind with its rear door open.

The trailer is constructed from galvanized steel to make it weather resistant, Tt consists of an oblong box of about one meter and a half in length, about a meter in width and substantially eighty centimetres high, mounted on a single low slung axis with a pair of wheels on oversized balloon tyres. The trailer can be towed and operated by any quadbike or 4x4 vehide by means of a ball tow or an eye & bolt tow.

The trailer is subdivided into two main compartments; the rear part comprises an open top low loader with a gate at the back for easy access to the platform. The platform has a wooden floor to allow for safe transport of livestock. Because the wheels are low slung, bottom of this rear compartment is close to the ground with a step up of about twenty centimetres, which is easily manageaNe for sheep The front end of the trailer comprises a second container which serves as a feed hopper.

This feed hopper has a remote openable slide at its bottom through which the sheep nuts can be distributed at will from the towing vehicle.

The inside walls of the feed hopper are sloped to form a funnel to ensure all feed is discharged when the distribution slide is opened. The distribution slide is activated by a lever which is operable from the towing vehicle via a piece of rope or similar, The slide lever is spring loaded, biased to the closed position so that when the string is released the slide closes and no more nuts are distributed, The amount of nuts discharged can be regulated by varying the size of the opening through more or less tension on the control rope and a line of nuts is deposited on the ground whilst the trailer is towed along the field, The lever control also comprises an adjustable stop for regulating the maximum opening of the slide before setting out for the range.

Whilst the trailer is cuboid and the front compartment is funnel shaped, there is space between the feed hopper and the outer walls of the front compartment, The lower part of that front compartment is accessible by means of a hatch in the side wall. This hatch is of sufficient size to allow for small items, such as drugs or food supplements out onto the range. An even more advantageous use for this compartment is for a newly born lamb to be introduced for safe transport back to the farm. It protects the young sheep from wind-chill and keeps it warm and dry,

Claims

Cl ai his, 1. A sheepsnacker consisting of a multi-purpose trailer to be towed and operated by any type of off-road vehicle comprising several individual compartments which enable the operator to transport adult livestock, forage, put down feed lines and conveniently accommodate small animals such as newly born lambs or any small items for safe, dry and warm transportation.
2. A sheepsnacker according to claim 1 wherein said compartment for transporting adult livestock or forage forms the rear part of the trailer and is open topped.
3. A sheepsnacker according to claim 2 wherein said compartment for transporting adult livestock or forage comprises a rear access door for said livestock.
4. A sheepsnacker according to claim 1 wherein said compartment for feed is formed in the front end of the trailer and consists of a funnel shaped construction.
5. A sheepsnacker according to claim 4 wherein said feed compartment is a feed hopper comprising an opening at its lowest point which is closable by a slide.
6. A sheepsnacker according to claim S wherein said slide is spring loaded and biased to its closed position.
7. A sheepsnacker according to claim 5 wherein said slide is controlled from the towing vehicle by means of a string or rod which comprises an adjustable stop.
8. A sheepsnacker according to claim 1 wherein said compartment for small animals or items is formed between the front wall of the trailer and the feed hopper.
9. A sheepsnacker according to claim 4 wherein said small animal compartment is accessible through a hatch in the side of the trailer.
10. A sheepsnacker according to claim 1 wherein the body of the trailer is constructed essentially from five corrugated steel plates welded together to form a substantially cuboid box.
11. A sheepsnacker according to claims 1 to 9 wherein the trailer is mounted on a single U-shaped axel and rolls on oversized balloon tires.
12. A sheepsnacker according to claim 10 wherein said axel is mounted in such a way that the trailer ground clearance amounts to about 200 millimetres.Amendments to the claims have been made as follows Claims.1 A sheepsnacker consisting of a multi-purpose trailer to be towed and operated by any type of off-road vehicle comprising several individual compartments which enable the operator to transport adult livestock, forage, put down feed lines and incorporates a compartment to conveniently accommodate items for transportation back to the farm.2. A sheepsnacker according to claim 1 wherein said compartment for transporting adult livestock or forage forms the rear part of the trailer and is open topped.3, A sheepsnacker according to claim 2 wherein said compartment for transporting adult livestock or forage comprises a rear access door for said livestock.4. A sheepsnacker according to claim 1 wherein said compartment for feed is formed in the front end of the trailer and consists of a funnel shaped construction.5. A sheepsnacker according to claim 4 wherein said feed compartment is a feed hopper LI') comprising an opening at its lowest point which is closable by a slide.(O 6. A sheepsnacker according to claim 5 wherein said slide is spring loaded and biased to its closed position.C 7. A sheepsnacker according to claim 5 wherein said slide is controlled by means of a string or rod which comprises an adjustable stop.8. A sheepsnacker according to claim 1 wherein said compartment for items is formed between the front wall of the trailer and the feed hopper.9. A sheepsnacker according to claim 8 wherein said compartment is particularly useful for lambs or other similar sized animals.10. A sheepsnacker according to claim 8 wherein said compartment is accessible through a hatch in the side of the trailer.11. A sheepsnacker according to claim 1 wherein the body of the trailer is constructed from five corrugated steel plates welded together to form a substantially cuboid box.12. A sheepsnacker according to claims ito 11 wherein the trailer is mounted on a single U-shaped axel and rolls on balloon tires.
13. A sheepsnacker according to claim 12 wherein said axel is mounted in such a way that the trailer's ground clearance is such that adult sheep can step onto its platform.