Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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.1
A~ ~N MA_r-.cue
Fial o he ion ,
The invention relates to improvements in ,animal c4vars and more particularly
to an
Improves securing means for an animal cover.
B~lnckstrourtd to the Inv io ,
Animal covers of various sorts are well known in the art and used far a
variety of
purpose. In some instances, such as for domestic animals or horses, the
purpose is
slrnply the comfort of the animal. WhereAO, in industry (for exempla the lamb
and
",
beef industryl animal covers are used to. maintain condition and improve
growth
rates In animals especially during winter conditions.
One of the major problems with known animal covers, parelcular-ly for larger
animals,
is keeping the cover securely in place while not re9trlotlng normal movement
of the
animal, and allowing easel of fittins/removal. Examples of prior art covers
are shown
in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 Shows an animal cover Which is particularly
secure
when in place. Thc~ front breasI portion 1 of the cover is stitched together,
and two
straps 2 era provided an the inner rtsar of the cover. The animals rear legs
are
passed through the straps 2 with a further veicro breast strap 3 bolng
provided so
that the cover is sc~auroly held in place. This arrangement works well for
smaller
animals Including calves, Iambs and sheep, However, with larger animals
difficulty
z5 arises in fitting the cover as the legs moat bo manipulated through the
straps 2.
With larger beef animals this can be a particularly difficult and dangeirous
exercise.
~.
Figure 2 shows an alternative prior art cover far use on larger nnimels.
Again, the
cover in Ffigure 2 has its breast portion 4 securely stitched together,
however, the
rear does not have leg straps but rathor a large rump strap 5 with a velcro,
or other,
securing means. This cover is psrtiaularly easy and safe to fit to larger
animals as
there le no noel to manipulate the animals re4r legs. The problem associated
with
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the cover in Figure 2 is that it is prone to movement on the animal. !n
particular,
wt,en the animal lies down and stands up the cover can elide around the aide
of the
animal. This results in the need to continuously monitor animals wearing these
covers and regularly reposition or straighten the covers on the animals.
s
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an animal
cover and a
3eCUring maano which overac~me or ameliorates spore of the $bove
disadv~antaaes, or
at least to pra~tide the public with a useful chains.
Summ.~lrx, of .the Invention
According to a first aspect of the invAntion there is an animal covey and
means far
r~caaurin~ Said animal cover including: .
a cover adapted to fit over the beak of an animal and having first and second
side pprtions which extend down either Bide of said animal;
a first pm't of a first en9a9pmant means disposed on the first side portion
o~f
the cover;
a first part of a second engagement means disposed on tho second side
portion of the cover;
a first strap having its first end attached at or near a rear edge. of the
cover,
z0 and having a second part of the first engagement means sttaahed to its
s~eaond end;
a eaoond strap having its first cord attached apt or near the rear edge of the
cover, and having a second part of the second anaaAement means attached
to its second end;
the first and second straps adapted to pass between the rear legs of the
animal, the second part of eHCh dngagement means engaging with the
corresponding tfrst part of each engagemQnt moans thArwby securing the
cover to the animal.
3o Preferably the 'first and second ports of 'the engagement means may ba the
two parts
of a buckle, clip or velcro system.
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Preferably each first part of the engwgament means is accachad to the cover by
way
of an additional strap, said additional strap having the first pare of the
engagement
means at its first end and being attached to the Cover at its second end.
S
Preferably the first and second straps have an adjustment means, the
adjustment
moans allowing va~ia'tican in tho ppaition of the cwacand parts of the
engagement
means along they length of the straps thereby allowing adjustment of the
securing
means to suit an individual animal. In an alternative embodiment the
adjustment
to means may be part of the additional straps , attaching the first parts of
the
engagement means to the cover.
Preferably the straps are made of woven nylon material.
15 Preferably there is a first and a second stabilising means, the first
stabilising means
being disposed near the louver edge of the first side portion of the cover
arid being
adapted to angoge the first strap and the seoond atabilisln9 mex~ns being
disposod
near the Eower edge of the second side portion of the cover and being adapted
to
engage the second strap.
r..
preferably the stabilising means are loops through Which the straps may pass.
More
prafare~hly the loops ere. formed by a length of strap folded over and
securely
stitched to the cover.
'z5 Preferably the first and second side portions are secured together at the
front of the
animal, there being an opening at the front of the cover through which the
animals
head ct~n pass. .
Preferably the side portions era saaurad by means of a buckle, clip or velcro
system.
In an alternative embodiment the side portions are secured by stitching them
together.
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Preferably the cover is a beef cover adapted to m8intain condition and or
Improve
,:,
growth rates in beet animals.
E3ti~f DasCriptiptls c~f the Draw a
The invention will new be described by way of example, and with reference to
the
accompanying drawings in which: .
Fi~iuro~: illustrPiAz a side view of a prior art anirnai cover;
Figure 2: illustrates a rear perspective view of an alternative prior art
animal cover; ,
Figure 3: Illustrates a front pefsppctive view of an animal cover with
securing means according to the invention:
FIQUr~ 4: illustrates a rear perspective view of the animal cover with
' securing means according to the invention; and
Figure 5: illustrates the animal cover with securing means nocording to
1$ the Invention when fitted to an animal.
Dasc~jntital~ df tho Plreferr~d.E7camote
The invention herein described is particularly suited to 21 beef Gaver (a
cover for beef
animals). However, the securing means msy have application (n any animal
cover.
FiAUres 3 and 4 shave respective tront~ and rear views of an animal cover ~
with a
scouring means rnacording to the Invention. The cover f is similar to those
known in
the art and is in the farm with a cover having side portions 11 tshown on near
side
only). The .front edges of the side p4rtions 1 1 are stitched ar secured
toeather at a
breast portion 8. leaving an open sBCtion 7 'for the head of the animal. !n an
alternative embodiment the breast portion 8 may not be stitched but could have
a
buckle or velero securing means to enable it to be released for flitting. The
cover ha6
securing arrangement in the form of strap 10, buckle 1 2, 'I3, and coop 1 5.
The difficulty with securing such a cover to a large animal resldeg in the
fact that the
cover must b6 secured around the hindquarters of the animal. This afton
involves
working around the leas of the animal Which can be dangerous if the animal
docides
t
i '
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to kick. To overcome this problem the current invention has two long straps 10
which may foe passed betty~~n the rear lags of the animal using a stick or
oihQr polo
means thus avoiding the need for the person fitting the cower to get near to
the rear
legs Af the animal, Alternatively, the pole mfly have a hook and the strap
could be
pulled between the animals legs from a forward positlorl. The straps 10 are
then
' brought up through stabilising means provided by loops 1 F an either side
portion 1 1
of the cover and tiecured on their respective sidor of the savor by mwanc of
the
buckle 12, 1 ~.
The following discussion regarding the fitting and benefits of the cover and
securing
means will now be described with reference to one side only and it should be
reaogniead that the securing means is duplicated an eithor side of the cover
in
practice.
Rafcsrring to Figure 6 the arrangement of the securing means when the cover Is
fitted
to an animal is shown. The strap 10 is secured at or near the rear edge 9 of
the
cover 6 as indicated on the drawings by 1 b. When fitted, the strap 1 O passes
through inside the animal's lag 17 and up through a loop 1 5 on the side
portion 1 1
of the cover G so that the first part of the buckle 12 engages with second
part of the
buckle 13, The second part of the buckle 13 is secured to the upper mId side
portion 1 1 of the cover 6 by a short piece of strap 14. The location of the
buckle
12, 13 on the uppwr mid side portion 1 1 of the cover 6 makes it both
Gc~nvenient
and safe for a person fitting the cover to access.
2S hoop 1 5 is provided on the lower edge of side partion 11 to support strap
10 and
provide greater stability of the cover 6 once secured to the animal. The loop
is
formwd by folding a short section of strap arti3 stitching the ends seourwly
to the
cover. ideally loop 16 should be as clpse to the front of rear leg 17.of the
animal as
possible in order to securely hold the cover fn place. However, placing loop
16 too
close to the leg 17 would restrict movement of the animal and In practice the
positioning of loop 16 ig a trade-off between comfort and freedom of movement
for
tho animal, and providing enough stability and security to hold the cover 8
securely
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In place.
It should be recognised that it would be possible to omit the loop 15 and
repdsitlon
the first part 13 of the buckle at the current location of the loop 15. This
would
provide the required security end overcome a number of the pfoblerlls with the
prior
art. However, it has been found that . the current arrangement is much more
advantageous in use.
In order to fit the cover 6 the animal 18 is, preferably, guided into a crush
or race in
>,o order to control its .movement, The cover F is then pulled over the head
of the
animal and laid in place across its beck, Sp as to avoid coming near to the
rear legs
of tire animal a toot on a pole (not ahownl is used to, pass thn strap 9 D
.behindlbetwtaen the leg 17 of the animal and out to the side.. The strap 10
is then
passed up through loop 7 5 and secured in place via bucklo 1 2, 1 ~, This
action is
is repeated for each skrap 10. To remove The Cover 6 the buckle 12, 1 ~ is
~undone and
the strap 10 pulled dawn through Ipap 1 5. The strap 10 can then be fished out
from
between the animal's legs using the tool on a pole. Again ~chis avoids any
requirement for a person to go near the rear legs of the animal.'
2o In a particular embodiment the strap 10 may have an adjustment maaris so
that it
may be sized to suit individual animals. Such adjustment means are common in
the
art. In thw current embodiment the strap's 1b are 160cm lon~~and the position
of 'the
second part 12 of the buckle is adjustable along the strap to suit dtfferant
sized
animals. In an alternative embodiment the Adjustment means may control xhe
length
25 of strap 14 to the same effect,
The applicant has found thls securino me~rns for an animal cover tp be very
easy to
fit and remove and it holds the cover securely in place. Covers secured by
this
means have been found to stay in place even when an animal lays or rolls !n
mud
3o and proceeds to pet up again. It has becn found that this method is
particularly
useful in securing covers to large beef animals. Howevor, it is recognt8ed
that it rrlay
' find application in other areas such as horse, cow, sheep and other animal
covers.
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