초록 ▼

This invention is a system and involved components for staging a series of multi-compartmented, multi-tier chicken cages and loading them in a chicken house for with a chickens loader that receives chickens urged by a revolving gathering head onto a first longitudinal conveyor belt sloped upwardly t

This invention is a system and involved components for staging a series of multi-compartmented, multi-tier chicken cages and loading them in a chicken house for with a chickens loader that receives chickens urged by a revolving gathering head onto a first longitudinal conveyor belt sloped upwardly to a second longitudinal conveyor belt assembly the distal end of which is vertically and horizontally positional form pivot positions at the proximal end thereof. A third conveyor system is longitudinally aligned and slideably mounted on the second conveyor assembly for extension and retraction. The belts of the three belt conveyors are operated to increase the speed of the chickens on the belts to a terminal speed in the range of from about 500 to about 1400 feet per minute, for discharge of the chickens into a facing open compartment of the chicken cage at that terminal speed. Cages are presented for this high speed loading on a platform having a front end and a longitudinal centerline, such that the cage doors face in a selected direction towards or away from said centerline when an empty cage is on a rear portion of the platform on one side of said centerline, face the front end of the platform transversely to the centerline at a front portion of the platform for loading with poultry, and face in the same selected direction towards or away from the centerline at a rear portion of the platform on a side of the centerline opposite from said one side for removal of a loaded cage from said platform.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of loading chickens inside a chicken house into a chicken cage having a plurality of compartments, comprising:a) receiving and conveying the chickens from ground level on a longitudinally revolving continuous belt to a higher elevation, b) transferring the chickens to one or more seriall

1. A method of loading chickens inside a chicken house into a chicken cage having a plurality of compartments, comprising:a) receiving and conveying the chickens from ground level on a longitudinally revolving continuous belt to a higher elevation, b) transferring the chickens to one or more serially generally longitudinally arranged revolving continuous belts including a terminal belt, c) operating said belts to increase the speed of the chickens on the belts to a terminal speed in the range of 500 to 1400 feet per minute, and d) discharging the chickens at said terminal speed from a distal end of said terminal belt directly into a facing open compartment in said cage. 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:e) relocating the terminal belt and discharging chickens into another facing open compartment in said cage. 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:e) capturing chickens on the floor of the chicken house and ushering them onto said longitudinally revolving continuous belt to a higher elevation. 4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:f) relocating the terminal belt and discharging chickens into another facing open compartment in said cage. 5. A method of loading chickens inside a chicken house into a chicken cage having a plurality of compartments, comprising:a) receiving the chickens on a first longitudinal conveyor belt sloping upwardly from adjacent ground level to an elevated end and conveying the chickens on the first conveyor belt at a belt speed in the range of about 100 to about 400 feet per minute, b) receiving the chickens from said elevated end of said first longitudinal conveyor belt on a second longitudinal belt and conveying the chickens on said second longitudinal belt at a belt speed faster than the belt speed of said first longitudinal conveyor belt and in the range of about 200 to about 600 feet per minute, c) receiving the chickens from a distal end of said second longitudinal belt onto a third longitudinal conveyor belt longitudinally aligned with an open facing compartment of said cage and rotating said belt at a belt speed faster than the belt speed of said second longitudinal conveyor belt and in the range of about 500 to about 1400 feet per minute to discharge the chickens from a distal end of such third conveyor belt directly into said facing compartment. 6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:d) relocating said third longitudinal conveyor belt and discharging chickens into another open facing compartment in said cage. 7. The method of claim 5 further comprising: d) capturing chickens on the floor of the chicken house and ushering them onto said first longitudinally revolving continuous belt to a higher elevation.8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:e) relocating said third longitudinal conveyor belt and discharging chickens into another open facing compartment in said cage. 9. A method for loading chickens inside a chicken house into a chicken cage having a plurality of compartments, comprising:a) receiving chickens on a first longitudinal conveyor belt assembly comprising a frame, rollers and belt, said assembly sloping upwardly from adjacent ground level to an elevated end, and conveying the chickens on said belt thereof toward said elevated end at a first belt speed in the range of about 100 to about 400 feet per minute, b) receiving chickens from said elevated end of said first longitudinal conveyor belt essentially at said first belt speed onto a proximal end of a second longitudinal conveyor belt assembly comprising a frame, rollers and belt, and conveying the chickens on said belt of said second longitudinal conveyor assembly toward a distal end thereof at a second belt speed in the range of about 200 to about 600 feet per minute that is faster than said first belt speed, and c) receiving chickens from said distal end of said second longitudinal conveyor belt essentially at said second belt speed onto a proximal end of a third longitudinal conveyor belt assembly comprising a frame, rollers and belt, conveying the chickens on said belt of said longitudinal conveyor assembly toward said distal end thereof at a third belt speed in the range of 500 to about 1400 feet per minute that is faster than the second belt speed, and discharging said chickens from said belt of said third longitudinal conveyor assembly at essentially said third belt speed directly into a longitudinally aligned facing open compartment of said cage. 10. The method of claim 9 in which said third longitudinal conveyor belt assembly is mounted to said second longitudinal conveyor belt assembly to extend past the distal end of said second longitudinal conveyor belt assembly, and further comprising:d) turning said frame of said second longitudinal conveyor assembly about a vertical axis of a first support for said frame of said second longitudinal conveyor assembly to move the distal end of the third longitudinal conveyor belt assembly horizontally in an arc centered on said vertical axis to a position in front of another compartment at the same elevation as the compartment into which chickens were discharged in step (c), and e) repeating operations (a)-(c). 11. The method of claim 9 in which said third longitudinal conveyor belt assembly is mounted to said second longitudinal conveyor belt assembly to extend past the distal end of said second longitudinal conveyor belt assembly, and further comprising:d) turning said frame of said second longitudinal conveyor assembly about a horizontal axis of a second support for said frame of said second longitudinal conveyor assembly to move the distal end of the third longitudinal conveyor belt assembly vertically in an arc centered on said horizontal axis to a position in front of a compartment of said cage at an elevation different from the elevation of the compartment into which chickens were discharged in step (c), and e) repeating steps (a)-(c). 12. The method of claim 11 in which said cage is tilted such a compartments at a higher level are spaced from the distal end of said second longitudinal conveyor assembly more than compartments below them and in which said third longitudinal conveyor belt assembly is slideably mounted to said second longitudinal conveyor belt assembly for extension and retraction of said distal end of said third longitudinal conveyor belt assembly relative to said distal end of said second longitudinal conveyor belt assembly, and further comprising:f) during or after step (b) but before step (e), extending or retracting said third conveyor belt assembly to locate the distal end of said third conveyor belt assembly immediately in front of said compartment at said different elevation. 13. The method of claim 9 in which said third longitudinal conveyor belt assembly is mounted to said second longitudinal conveyor belt assembly to extend past the distal end of said second longitudinal conveyor belt assembly, and further comprising, performing the following operations (d) and (e) in any order:d) turning said frame of said second longitudinal conveyor assembly about a vertical axis of a first support for said frame of said second longitudinal conveyor assembly to move the distal end of the third longitudinal conveyor belt assembly horizontally in an arc centered on said vertical axis to a position in front of another compartment at the same elevation as the compartment into which chickens were discharged in step (c), e) turning said frame of said second longitudinal conveyor assembly about a vertical axis of a first support for said frame of said second longitudinal conveyor assembly to move the distal end of the third longitudinal conveyor belt assembly horizontally in an arc centered on said vertical axis to a position in front of another compartment at the same elevation as the compartment into which chickens were discharged in step (c), and f) repeating operations (a)-(c). 14. The method of claim 13 in which said cage is tiled such a compartments at a higher level are spaced from the distal end of said second longitudinal conveyor assembly more than compartments below them and in which said third longitudinal conveyor belt assembly is slideably mounted to said second longitudinal conveyor belt assembly for extension and retraction of said distal end of said third longitudinal conveyor belt assembly relative to said distal end of said second longitudinal conveyor belt assembly, and further comprising:g) during or after step (d) or (e) but before step (f), extending or retracting said third conveyor belt assembly to locate the distal end of said third conveyor belt assembly immediately in front of said compartment in front of which said distal end of said third conveyor belt assembly is moved. 15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:d) capturing chickens on the floor of the chicken house and ushering them onto said longitudinally revolving continuous belt to a higher elevation. 16. A method of loading chickens in a chicken house into a series of front-doored multi-compartmented chicken cages, comprising:a) placing a first of a series of empty said poultry cages on a platform having a front end and a longitudinal centerline, initially such that the cage is on one side of the centerline with the cage doors facing said centerline, then b) moving the cage to a front portion of the platform transversely to the centerline with the doors facing the front of the platform, c) receiving and conveying the chickens from ground level on a longitudinally revolving continuous belt to a higher elevation, d) transferring the chickens to one or more serially generally longitudinally arranged revolving continuous belts including a terminal belt, e) operating said belts to increase the speed of the chickens on the belts to a terminal speed in the range of 500 to 1400 feet per minute, f) discharging the chickens at said terminal speed from a distal end of said terminal belt directly into a facing open compartment in said cage, g) relocating the terminal belt and discharging chickens into another facing open compartment in said cage, h) repeating operations (c)-(g) until the cage is loaded with chickens, i) after the cage is loaded with chickens, moving the loaded cage on said platform to the opposite side of the centerline from where the empty cage was initially placed so that the doors of the cage face away from the centerline, j) removing the first cage from the platform, k) at anytime after operation (b), placing a second of said series of empty chicken cages on said platform, such that the second cage is on said one side of the centerline with the cage doors facing said centerline, and then l) repeating operations (b)-(j) with respect to said second cage. 17. A method of loading chickens in a series of front-doored multi-compartmented chicken cages, comprising:a) placing a first of a series of empty said chicken cages on a platform having a front end and a longitudinal centerline, initially such that the cage is on one side of the centerline with the cage doors facing away from said centerline, thence b) moving the cage on said platform to the opposite side of the centerline from where the empty cages was initially placed so that the doors of the cage face away from the centerline, thence c) moving the cage to a front portion of the platform rotating the cage a quarter turn such that the cage is transverse to the centerline and the doors face the front of the platform, d) receiving and conveying the chickens from ground level on a longitudinally revolving continuous belt to a higher elevation, e) transferring the chickens to one or more serially generally longitudinally arranged revolving continuous belts including a terminal belt, f) operating said belts to increase the speed of the chickens on the belts to a terminal speed in the range of 500 to 1400 feet per minute, g) discharging the chickens at said terminal speed from a distal end of said terminal belt directly into a facing open compartment in said cage, h) relocating the terminal belt and discharging chickens into another facing open compartment in said cage, i) repeating steps (d)-(h) until the cage is loaded with chickens, j) after the cage is loaded with chickens, moving the loaded cage on said platform to said opposite side of the centerline rotating the cage a quarter turn such that the doors of the cage face towards the centerline, k) removing the first cage from the platform, l) at anytime after operation (b), placing a second of said series of empty chicken cages on said platform, such that the second cages is on said one side of the centerline with the cage doors facing said away from said centerline, and then m) repeating operations (b)-(k) with respect to said second cage. 18. A method of loading chickens into a series of front-doored multi-compartmented multi-tier chicken cages having fork tubes extending along the front and back of the cage at the base of the cage transverse to the direction of front door opening, comprising:a) placing a first said cage on one side of a longitudinal frame centerline in a rear portion of a support surface fixed on a frame having longitudinally connected front and rear ends, with said cage fork tubes longitudinally aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of said frame and said cage doors facing the centerline, b) engaging said first cage placed on said rear portion and moving said engaged cage so aligned toward the front end of the frame and onto a tray in an away position of the tray, said tray being horizontally pivotally mounted on the same said one side of said centerline in a front portion of said frame and supported on said surface, said tray having a front end and a rear end and opposing sides and being pivotable from a home position in which the sides of the tray are transverse to the frame centerline, to said away position in which the sides of the tray are substantially parallel with the frame centerline, c) moving said tray to said home position where the cage doors face the front of the frame, d) 1) receiving chickens on a first longitudinal conveyor belt assembly comprising a frame, rollers and belt, said assembly sloping upwardly from adjacent ground level to an elevated end, and conveying the chickens on said belt thereof toward said elevated end at a first belt speed in the range of about 100 to about 400 feet per minute, 2) receiving chickens from said elevated end of said first longitudinal conveyor belt essentially at said first belt speed onto a proximal end of a second longitudinal conveyor belt assembly comprising a frame, rollers and belt, and conveying the chickens on said belt of said second longitudinal conveyor assembly toward a distal end thereof at a second belt speed in the range of about 200 to about 600 feet per minute that is faster than said first belt speed, 3) receiving chickens from said distal end of said second longitudinal conveyor belt essentially at said second belt speed onto a proximal end of a third longitudinal conveyor belt assembly comprising a frame, rollers and belt, conveying the chickens on said belt of said third longitudinal conveyor assembly toward said distal end thereof at a third belt speed in the range of 500 to about 1400 feet per minute that is faster than the second belt speed, and discharging said chickens from said belt of said third longitudinal conveyor assembly at essentially said third belt speed directly into a longitudinally aligned facing open compartment of said cage, 4) relocating said third longitudinal conveyor belt assembly and discharging chickens into another facing open compartment in said cage, 5) repeating steps (1)-(4) until the cage is loaded with chickens, e) after operations (a)-(c) and (d)(1)-(d)(5) are completed, engaging said first cage on said tray in said home position and moving said engaged cage in the direction of the rear of the frame on the opposite side of the centerline from said one side, in so doing turning the front of the tray away from said centerline to align said cage with its fork tubes substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of said frame when said cage is at said rear portion of the frame on said opposite side, and with the doors facing away form said centerline, f) removing said first cage from said support surface, and g) after operation (b) with respect to said first cage, placing a second said cage on said one side of the longitudinal frame centerline in said rear portion, with said second cage fork tubes longitudinally aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of said frame and said doors of said second cage facing the centerline, and after commencing operation (e) with respect to said first cage, performing operations (b)-(f) on said second cage. 19. The method of claim 18 further comprising, after operation (c) and before operation (e), raising the front of the cage to incline the cage upwardly from the cage rear to the cage front at a predetermined minor acute angle, and after completion of operation (d)(5), lowering the front of the cage to horizontal.20. A system for loading chickens into a series of a front-doored multi-compartmented multi-tier chicken cages having fork tubes extending along the front and back of the cage at the base of the cage transverse to the direction of front door opening, comprising:a) a chicken loader comprising: 1) a vehicle comprising a chassis supported on a plurality of wheels powered by a power source contained on the vehicle for driving at least one wheel of the vehicle, said vehicle mounting a vertical post having an axis and supporting a bearing base coaxially disposed around said vertical post axis, 2) a first subframe rotationally supported on said bearing base for horizontal movement in an arc centered on said vertical post axis, 3) a first conveyor belt assembly comprising a frame, rollers and belt, said first conveyor belt frame having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end attaching to said first subframe, said distal end extending forwardly of the said vehicle and sloping downward from said proximal end to adjacent ground level for receiving chickens ushered onto the belt at the distal end from ground level of a chicken house, 4) a second subframe rotationally supported by said vertical post for horizontal movement in an arc centered on said vertical post axis, said second subframe including a member projecting rearwardly of said vehicle and having a distal end, 5) a second conveyor belt assembly comprising a second frame, rollers and belt, said second conveyor belt frame having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximate end of said frame pivotingly attaching to said second subframe on a horizontal axis member supported on said second subframe forwardly of said rearwardly projecting member, said proximal end of said second conveyor belt frame being disposed relative to the proximal end of the first conveyor frame for effective transfer of chickens from said first conveyor belt to said second conveyor belt, 6) a second prime mover connected at one end thereof to said distal end of said rearwardly projecting member and at the other end thereof to said second conveyor belt frame, for raising or lowering said distal end of the second conveyor belt frame in an arc about such horizontal axis, 7) a third conveyor belt assembly comprising a third frame, rollers and belt, said third conveyor belt frame having a proximal end and a distal end and being in longitudinally alignment with and longitudinally slideably mounted on said second conveyor belt frame, 8) a third prime mover connected at one end thereof to said second conveyor belt frame and at the other end thereof to said third conveyor belt frame, for slidingly extending and retracting said third conveyor belt frame on said second conveyor belt frame, 9) a driver operatively coupled to one of said first conveyor belt frame rollers for driving the first conveyor belt in the direction of said proximal end thereof at a at first belt speed in the range of about 100 to about 400 feet per minute, 10) a driver operatively coupled to one of said second conveyor belt frame rollers for driving the second conveyor belt in the direction of said distal end thereof at a second belt speed in the range of about 200 to about 600 feet per minute that is faster than said first belt speed, and 11) a driver operatively coupled to one of said third conveyor belt frame rollers for driving the first conveyor belt in the direction of said distal end thereof at a third belt speed in the range of 500 to about 1400 feet per minute that is faster than the second belt speed, b) a leading chassis including: 1) a leading distance frame having a longitudinal centerline and longitudinally connected front and rear ends, said leading chassis frame mounting transversely to said longitudinal centerline at least one wheel axle carrying wheels supporting the leading chassis frame above ground level, 2) aligning and connecting members at the rear of the leading chassis frame for aligning and connecting the leading chassis to a trailing chassis, 3) a rear platform on the rear of said leading chassis frame rear, 4) a tray horizontally pivotally mounted and supported on said rear platform on one side of centerline, said tray having a front end and a rear end and opposing side and being pivotable from a home position in which the sides of the tray are transverse to the centerline of the leading chassis frame, to an away position in which the sides of the tray are longitudinal to the centerline of the leading chassis frame, 5) an elevator attached to said leading chassis frame adjacent the front end of such frame and elevatable above said rear platform, 6) said sides of said tray being an in-side and an out-side, said in-side being closer to said leading chassis centerline than the out-side when the tray is in the away position, said in-side having an opening through which said elevator can elevate above said tray when the tray is in the home position, said out-side comprising an upstanding retainer member, 7) a first leading chassis subframe with connected front and rear ends mounted on said leading chassis frame between said leading chassis frame front end and said platform at an angle inclining the front end of the first subframe above said leading chassis frame at selected angle to the leading chassis frame, 8) a second leading chassis subframe, 9) a lift assembly connected to said first and second leading chassis subframes for lifting or lowering said second leading chassis subframe relative to said first leading chassis subframe such the angle of the second leading chassis subframe is maintained at the angle of the first leading chassis subframe throughout the course of lifting or lowering, c) said trailing chassis comprising: 1) a trailing chassis frame having a longitudinal centerline and longitudinally connected front and rear ends, the front end having mating members for said aligning and connecting members for connecting the trailing chassis in longitudinal alignment with said leading chassis, said trailing chassis frame transversely mounting at least one axle for carrying wheels, the wheels supporting the trailing chassis frame above ground level substantially at the same elevation as the level of the leading chassis, 2) a supporting surface mounted on said trailing chassis frame, 3) a first cage mover supported by said trailing chassis frame in a rear portion of said trailing chassis on the same side of the trailing chassis centerline where said tray on said leading chassis is in said away position, said first cage mover having a first engager for engaging a said chicken cage placed on said rear portion of said trailing chassis with said cage fork tubes longitudinally aligned substantially parallel to said trailing chassis centerline and said cage doors facing said centerline, and having a first force transmission movement carrying said first engager for moving said engaged cage so aligned toward the front end of the trailing chassis and onto said tray in said away position, and 4) a second cage mover on said trailing chassis on the side of said trailing chassis centerline opposite said first cage mover, said second cage mover having an second cage engager for engaging said cage on said tray when said tray is in said home position and a second force transmission movement carrying said second engager for moving said engaged cage towards a rear portion of the trailing chassis frame on said opposite side of the centerline, in so doing turning the front of the tray towards the away position to align said cage with its fork tubes substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline of said trailing chassis when said cage is at said rear portion of the trailing chassis frame on said opposite side, and with the doors facing away from said centerline. 21. The system of claim 20 in which said first force transmission drive comprises one or more flexible members of a loop carried on rotating supports for travel in a forward direction toward the front of said trailing chassis above said surface and for travel in a reverse direction toward the rear of said trailing chassis under said surface.22. The system of claim 21 in which said flexible members of a loop comprise a pair of chains.23. The chassis system of claim 22 in which said engager is a pair of projections carried by each of the chains at the same points along the length of the chains of height adapted to press against the base of a said chicken cage placed on said rear portion of said trailing chassis with said cage fork tubes longitudinally aligned substantially parallel to said trailing chassis centerline when said projections are above said surface.24. The chassis system of claim 20 in which said second force transmission drive comprises a flexible member of a loop carried on rotating supports for travel in a forward direction toward the front of said trailing chassis above said surface and for travel in a reverse direction toward the rear of said trailing chassis under said surface.25. The chassis system of claim 24 in which said flexible member of a loop comprises a chain.26. The chassis system of claim 25 in which said engager is a projection carried by said chain and adapted to press against a base of said chicken cage when said projection is above said surface.