Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1 TRANSPORTABLE_STOCK UNIT
BACKGROUND OF TIIE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a portable stock
race and yard.
When it is desired to treat stock such as cattle,
the stock are typically herded into a stock yard and then
passed one at a time through a stock race leading off the
yard. While in the race, the animals are subject to treat-
ment such as drafting or drenching and then released through
a front gate.
This method of handling the animals requires the
~ presence of a yard and race at a location adjacent to the
; animals. Alternatively, the animals have to be transported
to the nearest yard and race which is inconvenient and
expensive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION_ F THE INVENTION
; The present invention provides a portable stock
race and yard which can be towed to a location where animals
to be treated are situated and set up on the spot.
In accordance with the present invention, there is
provided a portable stock race and yard comprising a stock
race mounted on wheels to enable it to be towed, and a
plurality of wings swingably connected to sides of the stock
race and arranged to be folded out to form at least part of
the periphery o a stock yard.
In a second aspect of the invention there is
provided a portable stock race having two opposed sidewalls
and a floor, said floor being swingably connected at one end
to the race to allow the floor to be raised to form a loading
ramp.
In a third aspect of the invention there is provided
a wheel raising and lowering mechanism for a por-table stock
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1 race having a plurality of wheels, said mechanism including
support means for securing the wheels to the stock race and
a lever mechanism, said lever mechanism having at least one
arm rigidly connected to said support means and means for
retaining the wheels in a lowered position, such that when
the retaining means is released, the stock race drops under
the force of gravity thereby forcing the wheels to pivot
upwardly relative thereto, and wherein said wheels may be
lowered by rotating said at least one arm to liEt said race
and thereby lower the wheels relative to the race.
This mechanism allows the race to be securely settled
on the ground to enable cattle to conveniently enter the
race. In a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided
a cattle holding means comprising a frame having a space
therein, a movable arm pivotally connected at one end to said
frame for movement in a plane substantially parallel to the
frame, said frame having locking means for locking the arm
in a desired position to hold an animal projecting through
said space.
The present invention will now be described by way
of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA~IN5S
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a stock race forming part
of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation oE the stock race of
Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of a portable stock
race and yard o-E the present invention;
Figs. 4, 4a and 4b are views of an axle assembly
and axle and wheel mounting in accordance with the present
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invention;
Fig. 4c is a partial view of the chassis in Fig. 1 with
the floor removed showing the axle assembly mounted thereon;
Fig. 5 located on the same sheet as Fig. 4, is a view of
a lever means for raising and lowering wheels of the stock race;
Fig. 6 located on the same sheet as Fig. 3, is a side
elevation of a wing arran~ed to be hingedly attached to the stock
race of Fig. l;
Fig. 7 located on the same sheet as Fig. 3, is a side
elevation of a screen arranged to be hingedly attached to a wing
attached to the wing of Fig. 6;
Fig. 7a located on the same sheet as Fig. 3, is a partial
view of an alternate securing structure.
Fig. 8 is a view of a front gate of the stock race;
Fig. 9 is a slide view of the race showing the floor in
an elevated position;
Fig. 10 located on the same sheet as Fig. 8, is a view
of which a winch for raising the floor;
Fig. 11 is a view of a bail safety device for connection
with the race;
Fig. 12 is a view of a wing catch for securing the wings
to the side of the race; and
Figs. 13 and 13a are details of mechanisms for varying
the inclination of hook members to accommodate uneven terrain.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMB_DIMENT
In Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown a stock race 18 in accordance
with the present invention comprising a rectangular chassis 20
terminating in a triangular nose 22 equipped with means for
attachment to a driven vehicle.
Mounted on the longer sides of the chassis 20 is a pair of
sidewalls 24. A front gate 26 is located between the sidewalls 24
adjacent the nose 22. The front gate 26 opens forwardly as shown
in phantom in Fig. 1. A rear gate 28 is located between the
sidewalls 24 at the end thereof
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l remote fro~ the nose 22.
A pair of wheels 30 is mounted on each side of the
chassis 20 in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.
The wheels 30 enable the stock race to be towed but are
retractably mounted as will be described in detail herein-
after, to enable them to be raised when the stock race is
required for use.
For travel purposes each pair of wheels 30 may be
p~ovlc~ed with ar~ o~tw~dly exte~d~r~ T~d ~ard ~r~d ~[~d ~La.~
19 ~s5~m~;3y ~ ShDW~2~ W~7~ 5 ~ a~Ly a~ran~d
remo~ed ~ram the stock -race 18 to allow t}~e whee~ s ~a ~
the race to be raised. Wing support means is provided in
the form o~ outwardly projecting posts 33.
As can be seen in Fi~. 2 each sidewall 24 has
adjacént its rear end a pair of hook members 34 at 90 to
the plane of the sidewall 24 vertically disposed from one
another on which a wing 36 (Fig. 1) is hingedly mounted by
means of appropriately spaced and sized tubes.
The walls 24 of the stock race are provided with a
hinged section 32 which may be lowered by pivoting the sec-
tion 32 about hinge couplings 35 after removing securing pins
37 which retain the hinged section 32 in an upper position
shown in Fig. 2. The hinged section 32 may be lowered to
provide workmen with better access to animals held in the
race 18.
The llinged section 32 may be provided in two separate
sections (see Fig~ 9) each of which extend half the length
of the wall 24. This structure would enable a workman to
have access to the front portion of the race 18~ for example,
while keeping the rear portion closed. This may be advantage-
ous if two animals are in the race 18 together.
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1 In Fig. 3 there is shown the stock race 18 of
Figs. 1 and 2 with a number of wings and screens opened out
to form a stock yard. The wing 36 is hingedly mounted on
a pair of hooks 34 as described above at each rear side of
the race 18. As seen in Fig. 3 the wing 36 on the right is
opened out at 90 to the stock race 18. The wing 36 on the
left is opened out at about 150 to the stock race 18.
Additional wings 38 are hingedly attached to free ends 36a
of the wings 36.
The right hand additional wing 38 is disposed at
90 to the wing 36 to which it is attached while the left
hand additional wing 38 is disposed at about 150 to the
wing 36 to which it is attached. The stock yard is completed
by three screens 40 which are hinged together as 38 is to
36 and to the free ends 38a of the additional wings 38
by upper and lower rings aligned with hook members on the
free ends 38a.
In use stock such as cattle is herded into the
erected stock yard through a gate opening provided by
removing rings from lock position and swinging back partially
a wing 38 or one of the screens 40, and then passed through
the race 18 one at a time for treatment. The gates 28
and 26 are opened as required to admit or release stock to
or from the race 18. When all of the cattle llave been
treated, the yard is dismantled as follows.
The screens 40 are detached from one another and
the wings 38 are stored. Preferably they are of such a size
and shape that they can be laid on the floor of the race 18.
The wings 38 may be folded back until they are parallel with
the wings 36. The wings 36 and 38 together may be folded
back until they are parallel with the sidewalls 24 of the
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race 18. The wings 36 and 38 are then secured to tlle sides
of the stock race by any suitable means for transport to
another location.
Modifications are possible to the size and shape
of the stock yard. Thus, the number of screens 40 can be
reduced or enlarged and the disposition of the wings 36 and
38 can be varied to suit particular requirements. Also, if
desired, tne whole assembly can be annexed to an existing
yard.
Also, additional hingedly mounted wings can be
incorporated to provide for a larger yard. However, this
can nhave the disadvantage of excessive width of the portable
race and yard during transportation. Extra screens can be
placed inside the race to provide for a larger yard.
Figs. 4 to 4c show the manner in which wheels 30
are mounted on the race. Referring first to Fig. 4c a
mid-section 41 of the rectangular chassis 20 is shown. This
mid-section 41 includes side members 43 which support side-
walls 24 (Figs. 1 and 2) and cross members 45. Two tubular
members 47 are secured to each of the cross members 45 (only
shown for one of the members in Fig. 4c). A pivot axle 49
is provided in the tubular member 47 and is provided with a
plate 51 securely connected to each end thereof. The plates
51 together with pivot axle 49 may rotate in tubular member
47. Blocks 53 may be provided to provide additional support
for the tubular members 47 (Figs. 4 and 5).
Turning now to Fig. 4 which shows the pivot axle 49
and plate 51 in more detail, at least one of the plates 51
carries a strut 57 having a transverse hole 57a therethrough.
The purpose of the strut 57 is to assist in holding the wheel
30 in the lowered position as will be described hereinafter.
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1 The plates 51 each carry a mounting plate 59
arranged transversely on plate 51. The plate 59 is for
mounting a Flexitor 61 which carries wheels 30. The Flexi-
tor 61 is shown in Figs. 4a and ~b in perspective and
from beneath, respectively and is believed to be well known
and shall therefore only be briefly described. The Flexitor
61 has a support 63 which is bolted to mounting plate 59 by
means of aligned holes in the mounting plate 59 and Flexitor
61. An axle assembly 65 is embedded in resilient material
67a which acts as a shock absorber. The axle assembly 65
has a wheel hub 67 which carries wheels 30. The wheels 30
and wheel hub 67 rotate with an axle 69 in axle assembly 65.
The wheels 30 which are connected to a pivot axle 49
by the plate 51 and Flexitor 61 may be raised and lowered by
a lever mechanism shown in Fig. 5. For convenience, the
wheels 30 are shown in phantom and the Flexitor is not shown
in Fig. 5. Also, the same lever mechanism is provided on
the far side of the chassis shown in Figs. 4 and 4c. The
Flexitors 61 support the wheels with the axle assemblies 65
extending downwardly and rearwardly.
The mechanism comprises two lever arms 71 and 73
colmected to each plate 51. The lever arms 71 have a tab
75 to which the lever arms 73 are pivotally connected slightly
inwardly from the end of the lever arms 73. The lever arms
71 are pivotally connected to a beam 77.
The first one of lever arms 71 has a second lug 81
which is used to secure a line 83 from a winch 85.
The struts 57 assist in holding the wheels in the
lowercd position by means of pins 89 which pass through holes
57a and engage in holes in the fixed struts 87 (Fig. 4c)
provided on side member 43 and sidewall 24. The line 83 which
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1 which is held under tension by the winch may also assist in
holding the wheels 30 in the lowered position.
To raise the wheels, the pins 89 are removed and
winch 85 is released so that line 83 may be slowly unwound
there~rom. Gravity will tend to pull the race 18 downward
which will cause the lever mechanism to rotate clockwise
in the direction of arrow A (Fig. 5) thereby raising the
plate 51, which pivots witl~ pivot axle ~9 in tuhular members
47, relative to the sidewalls 24.
When it is desired to return the wheels to the
lowered position, the winch is used to retract line 83
which draws the lever mechanism countercloci~wise in the
direction o~ arrow B (Fig. 5) which causes the race 18 to
move upwardly and the wheels to move down relative to the
walls 24 until the lever mechanism again takes up the posi-
tion shown in Fig. 5. The pins 89 may then be relocated
in holes 57a to support the wheels in the lowered position.
The lever mechanism may be removed from the side
of the race to provide more room for wings 36 when they are
folded against walls 24. This may be accomplished by
disconnecting the pivot points and separating the two
lever arms 71 at ~1 where the arm is telescoped together
and held by a suitable pin ~not shown~.
As an alternative to the lever mechanism, a hydrau-
lic mechanism ~not shown) may be used to move and lol.rer ;the
wheels~
In Fig. 6 there is shown the construction of a wing
36. On a right hand vertical frame member 66 there is
provided a pair of tubes 68 which fit on the hooks 34 on a
sidewall 24 of the race 18.
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1 On a left hand vertical member frame 70 are a pair
of hooks 72 on which is mounted a wing 38. The hooks 72 are
orientated at 135 to the plane of the wing 36 which assists
in folding the wing 38 against the wing 36. The construction
of the wing 38 is essentially the same as that of the wing
36 except that the hooks 72 are orientated at 180 to the
plane of the wing 38.
A lower horizontal frame member 74 has a raised
central portion 76 ~Fig. 6). A flap 78 is hingedly mounted
on the central portion 76. When the wing 36 or 38 is in use,
the flap 78 is in the lowered position shown in the drawing
to prevent animals escaping from the yard. In this position
it is connected to the frame member 74 such as by linch pins
80. When the race is to be transported the flap 78 has to
be raised to clear the wheels 30.
; The link pins 80 are released and the flap 78 folded
up and retained in place by means of a wing nut 82 engaging
with a stud extending through a small hole 84. Alternatively,
the flap 78 may extend the entire lengtll of the wing 36 and
be merely pivoted on a crosspiece 101, for example.
In Fig. 7 there is shown a screen 40 which comprises
a right hand frame member 86 having a pair of tubes 88
arranged to be mounted on the hooks 72 of the wing 38 or
another screen 40. A left hand frame member 90 is provided
with a pair of hooks 92 which can engage with a ~urther wing
or screen 40. In this case, the hooks 92 can be replaced
by brackets having rings 93 through them (see Fig. 7a). The
use of the rings 93 facilitates opening of a screen 40 to let
stock into the yard.
Fig. 8 SllOWS the gate 26 in more detail which
includes a means for holding an animal while a workman treats
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1 the animal.
The gate is hinged to an upright 102 o the wall 24
by means of tubes 103 and rods 105. The tubes 103 being
located on gate 106 and the rods on upright lOl.
~he gate comprises a rectangular fra~e 107 which
has a lower panel 109 and a side panel 113 above floor lll
o-f the race 18. A crosspiece 115 above panel 109 has holes
117B holding an animal locking bar 117 by means of a pin
117A which passes through the bar 117 and hole 117B. An
upper crosspiece 119 has a rachet mechanism 121 thereon. The
bar 117 has a biased locking device 123 by means of knob 125
which may engage in the rachet 121. The device 123 is biased
be return spring 127.
When an animal is in race 18 it is forced to pass
its head through opening 131 between panel 113 and bar 117.
The bar 117 is moved to the right in the figure until it
holds the animal's head wherein the knob 125 engages in one
of the teeth of rachet 121. The animal is therefore held so
that a workman may treat the same. To release the animal,
a bar 133 pivoted at end 135 is moved upwardly so that it
engages knob 125 which projects ou~wardly from the plane of
the figure and the bar 117 may be drawn back to tne position
shown in the figure. The gate 26 may then be opened by
releasing a suitable catch 137.
The portable stock race and yard described abo~e
can be towed by a car on a sealed surface at up to 100 kph.
It can be fitted with a removable rear lighting unit. Further,
it can be fastened to the ground by pins extending through
plates and into the ground. It can be set up off an exist-
ing yard, in a corner of a paddock or off a gateway or
anywhere.
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1 The unit can be set up by one man. Although it is
mainly designed for cattle, other animals such as sheep
can be held in the yard and race.
The stock race shown in Figs. 9 and 9a comprise
a floor 112 which can serve as a loading ramp and which is
hingedly attached by hinges 113a to the chassis of the stock
race 110 at the rear thereof. The fTont end of the floor
112 is free and so that floor 112 can be raised by any suit-
able means to the position shown in Fig. 9, such as the winch
means shown in Fig. 10 which will be described hereinafter.
In the raised position the elevated end of the floor 112 is
aligned with the tray of a truck to enable stock to be loaded
into the truck.
The floor 112 is typically formed from a mesh of a
mesh size suitable for supporting the hooves of stock. When
in the lowered position shown in Fig. 1, the mesh is supported
on chassis members arranged to give it su-fficient support
for stock.
To prevent undue flexing of the floor 112 in the
elevated position, a support bar 114 may be inserted at a
suitable position between a member of the sidewalls of the
race and the underside of the floor 112.
For the embodiment shown in Fig. 9, additional
inclined side frame members 116 are provided adjacent the
front of the race to reduce the possibility of stock jumping
over the side of the race.
Further, front gate 26 of the race is arranged to
be opened out by 90 so as to lie parallel to the adjacent
sidewall 24 when the floor is elevated.
As described in relation to Fig. 5, the stock race
may comprise a pair of wheels on each side thereof. The
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1 wheels are arranged to be raised and lowered by manual
operation of the lever mec'nanism (not shown in Fig. 9).
Fig. 9 also shows tl~O separate hinged sections 32c
and 32b re-ferred to with reference to Pig. 2. These sections
are secured in the upright position by pins (not shown) in a
similar manner to section 32 of Fig. 1 and may pivot about
hinge couplings 32c and 32d when the pins are released. The
floor 112 may be raised by means of a second winch 150 which
is better shown in Fig. 10. As seen if Fig. 10, the winch
150 is secured to a board 151 which has a depending leg 153
of each end thereof. The legs 153 are received in a holder
155 located at the top front portion of each sidewall 24.
The board 151 with the winch 150 located therein may be
removed from the top of the walls 24 by merely lifting the
board 151 upwardly.
In Figs. 13 and 13a there is shown a mechanism for
varying the inclination of hook members which are used for
attachment of the wings 36 and/or screens 40. The variation
of inclination is provided to enable the apparatus to
accommodate more readily uneven terrain which may cause adja-
cent wings or screens to be orientated at different angles.
The mechanism comprises a positioning plate 160
provided with a plurality of apertures 162 describing an
arc. The plate 160 as shown is mounted on an upright frame
member below a hook 164 pivotally mounted in a hole in the
upright frame member. The hook 164 is retained in place by
any suitable means such as pins. A bolt aligning support
166 is fixed to the underside of the hook 164. A bolt 168
is retractably mounted in an aperture in the support 166
and is spring urged into engagement with an aperture 162.
To vary the inclination of the hook 164, the bolt 168 is
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1 withdrawn ~rom an aperture 162. The hook and support
assembly is pivoted until the bolt 168 is in alignment
with another aperture 162 whereupon it is released and
allowed to engage with the said another aperture.
As can be seen in Fig. 13a, the hook 164 may be
elongated to, for example, a 10" height, with an aperture
170 adjacent the mid point of its vertical limb. This
construction also enables wings 36 or the like to be raised
for accommodating uneven terrain, a pin being inserted in
the aperture 170 to maintain the wing in the raised position.
Alternatively, this construction can be used to provide a
mounting for additional wings to make an inner forcing yard
by placing the mounting of one wing above another on the
hook 164.
In Figs. 11 and lla there is shown a bail safety
guide 176 for attachment to the front of the race 18. This
comprises a meshed member which is semicircular in horizontal
cross section and is provided with means 157 for pivotal
attachment to the frame of the race adjacent the ~ront gate.
When the bail safety guide 176 is closed, it helps avoid the
tendency for cattle to try and push through the ~ront gate
since it gives the appearance of an obstruction.
The wings 36 hereinbefore described may be attached
to the sides of the race by means of a spring clip 178 as
shown in Fig. 12.
The spring clip 178 may conveniently be rotatably
attached to a vertical central frame member of the side of
the race. When the wing members are folded against the side
of the race, the spring clip is rotated until it engages
and latches with vertical frame members of the wings to hold
them in place.
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