US552107A - Cattle-stall - Google Patents

Description

M. J. BROWN. CATTLE STALL.

(No, Model.)

Patented Dec. '31, 1895.

I 7v QQ a0 a a4 lay/a ANDREW BzGRANAM. PHOTUJJTHIIWASNYNGTBN. 0 c,

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

MERRILL J. DROVVN, OF BARABOO, \VISCONSIN.

CATTLE-STALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,107, dated December 31, 1895.

Application filed September 5, 1895. Serial No. 561,577. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MERRILL J. DROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baraboo, in the county of Sauk and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cattle-Stalls; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in stalls for confining cows and other cattle, and it consists in the peculiar construction, certain novel combinations, and the adaptation of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a stall embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of two stalls embodying my invention. Fig. 3 is a detail section taken in the plane indicated by the line w w of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is adetail transverse section of Fig. 1, to be hereinafter referred to, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modification.

Referring by letter to said drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 thereof, A indicates the ground floor of a barn or stable.

B indicates a floor which is arranged slightly above the ground floor.

0 indicates a series of beams which are arranged in advance of the floor B and extend in the direction of the length of the stalls between the same, as shown in Fig. 2.

D indicates a series of stringers of less height than the beams O, which are arranged at intervals between said beams.

E indicates the stationary portion of the floor of my improved stall, which is arranged upon the stringers D, between the beams O, and is of a thickness corresponding to the difference in height between the stringers and beams, so as to rest flush with the upper sides of the beams.

F indicates the adjustable portion of the stall-floor, which is of a thickness equal to that of the stationary portion and is mounted upon the stringers D, between the beams C, and upon a rear transverse stringer G, and is provided at its rear end on its under side with a strip a, designed to bear upon the floor 13.

H indicates the stationary side walls of the stalls, which are connected to and rise from the beams O and have their rear ends connected by a transverse wall I.

J indicates pairs of rearwardly-inclined posts, which are arranged adjacent to the rear ends of the beams C, and are connected to said beams and to the roof of the stable, and K indicates posts which are arranged adjacent to the rear ends of the stationary side walls H and have their ends j ournaled in the beams C and stable-roof, as shown, so as to enable them to turn for a purpose presently described. These posts K respectively comprise two bars I) I), connected together and arranged about the proportional distance illustrated apart, and they are designed for the connection of the vertically movable side walls or gates L. Said walls or gates L are designed when closed to rest between the posts J, as shown in Fig. 1, and they have their forward ends arranged between the bars I) bf of posts K, and they are by preference pivotally connected to said bars I) Z) by transverse bolts M, which extend through the lower forward I corners of the partitions or gates L, as illustrated. I

By reason of the construction thus far described it will be observed that when desired the portion F of the stall-floor may be adjusted to increase or diminish the length of the stalls and that when desired the said portion F may be adjusted when a cow or other animal is in the stall. It will be further observed that the gates or movable partitions L may be readily raised to permit escape of the cattle in case of fire or to enable a person to enter the stalls from the side thereof.

In order that the gates or walls L may be easily raised I provide ropes R, which are connected to the gates and are provided with weights S for counterbalancing the gates and helping to raise the same. The ropes It may be connected to the gates or walls L in various ways, but I prefer in practice to connect them at one end to the upper rear corners of the gates and carry them over sheaves 0, connected to the roof, and provide them at their 0pposite ends with weights S, as shown. When the ropes and weights R S are thus arranged, the gates or walls L may be raised by avery ICO slight pull upon the weighted end of the ropes, which is an important advantage, as is ob- Vious.

In case of fire it is desirable to quickly and simultaneously raise all of the gates or partitions L, so as to permit the cattle to file out of the several stalls, and to this end I have provided the rope T, which is designed to extend the full length of the series of stalls at the forward ends of the same and is connected with the ropes R by branch ropes U, which take around horizontally-disposed pulleys d, connected to the roof, as shown. By this arrangement a person standing at the door of the stable or barn is enabled by pulling on the end of the rope T to simultaneously raise all of the gates or partitions L of the several stalls, so as to permit the cattle to file out between the posts K and the uprights J. In this way the cattle may be enabled to quickly escape in case of fire or may be allowed to pass from the stable into a field for pasture or other purposes.

The movable gates or partitions L are also advantageous inasmuch as when they are raised a person may enter the stalls from the side and may, when desired, sit in the space occupied by the gate, when down, and milk the cows in the stalls.

V indicates brackets which are connected to the uprights J and are provided in their upper edges at intervals in their length with notches e.

W indicates a wire or rod which extends the length of the several stalls and is designed to rest in the notches e of the brackets V, and X indicates a curtain about the width of a stall, which is loosely connected to the rod W, so as to permit of it being moved on the rod from one stall to another when the rod WV is raised from the supporting-brackets. This curtain is designed to rest close to the cow, so as to prevent her from switching her tail around against the milker, and by reason of the plurality of notches in the brackets V the rod NV may be moved so as to adjust the curtain toward or from the cow.

X indicates a water-trough arranged on the stationary floor portion and extending across the several stalls. Y indicates the feedtrough, which preferably has its rear wall inclined rearwardly, and is designed to rest over the water-trough, and also cover the space between the fioor portions E and F, and Z indicates a rack-frame which is connected to the trough Y. This rack-frame comprises vertical side bars g, transverse bars h, and intermediate vertical bars 1', and it has the upper ends of its side bars pivotally connected to hangers A, which have a plurality of apertures at intervals in their length, as shown, so as to permit of the rack being hung at various distances from the rear end of the stall, according to the length of the stall desired.

The frame Z and trough. Y form a rack for hay and the like, and by reason of the said rack-frame being hung in a pivotal manner it will be seen that when the cow strikes her horns against the trough in getting up, as frequently happens, the frame and trough will swing forwardly, so as not to engage the horns of the animal and interfere with her getting up. It will also be seen that by shoving against the rack Z with her head the cow may push the same forward, so as to uncover the water-trough and permit access thereto.

When desired the rack Z may comprise transverse bars 7L, having vertically-disposed apertures at intervals in its length to receive rods 11, as shown in Fig. 5. The rods 1" are removable and rest upon the trough Y when in position, and by removing some of the bars and leaving others the width of the spaces between the rods may be increased or diminished according to the kind of food to be fed to the cows.

By reason of the fact that the posts K are journaled in the beams C and the roof, as before described, and the fact that the bars Z) of said posts are made of a less width than the bars I), so as not to engage the ends of the stationary walls II, it will be seen that when slightly raised to disengage them from the uprights J the gates or partitions L may be swung to one side, as shown in Fig. 2, and held in such position by a chain D, which is connected to it and designed to be detachably connected to one of the uprights J in the manner shown. When in the position just stated, the gate or partition wall L rests across the back of one of the stalls and prevents the cow from such stall from pushing against a person who is milking the cow in the next stall and is seated between the two stalls.

In order to return or assist in returning the gates or partition-walls L to their normal position I provide the coiled springs E, which have one end connected to the posts K and their other ends connected to the stationary walls H, and in order to stop the said gates or partition-Walls L when they come into alignment with the space between the parallel bars of the posts J, I provide the stop-plates F. (Better illustrated in Fig. 4). When the gates or partition-walls are returned to their normal position it will be observed that they may be raised and lowered in the manner before described, the springs E serving to hold them in proper relation to the uprights J.

It will be perceived from the foregoing that with all of its advantages my improved stall is very simple, and may therefore be manufactured almost as cheaply as stalls at present in use, and it will also be observed that my improvements embody no posts which 1 are likely to get out of order after a short period of use.

Having described my invention, what I claim is.

1. A stall for cattle comprising the beams 0, extending in the direction of the length of the stall, stringers of a less height than the beams arranged at intervals between the same, the stationary floor portion E, arranged upon the stringers between the beams, the movable floor portion F, also arranged upon the stringers between the beams, the stationary side walls connected to and rising from the beams O, the posts K, arranged at the rear ends of the stationary walls and j ournaled in the beams 0, so as to enable them to turn, uprights J, connected to and rising from the beams 0, adjacent to the rear ends thereof and comprising parallel bars, and vertically movable side walls or gates pivotally connected to posts K, and adapted to rest between the bars of the uprights J, substantially as specified.

2. A stall for cattle comprising the beams 0, extending in the direction of the length of the stall, stringers of a less height than the beams arranged at intervals between the same, the stationary floor portion E, arranged upon the stringers between the beams, the movable floor portion F, also arranged upon the stringers between the beams, the station' ary side walls connected to and rising from the beams O, and having stop plates F, at their rear ends, uprights J, connected to and rising from the beams 0, adjacent to the rear ends thereof and comprising parallel bars, the posts K, arranged at the rear ends of the stationary walls and journaled in the beams O, and adapted to be engaged by the stop plates F, springs E, connecting the posts K, and the stationary walls, vertically movable side walls or gates pivotally connected to the posts K, and adapted to rest between the bars of the uprights J, and adapted to be swung across the stalls and a suitable means for holding the walls or gates in such position, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MERRILL J. DROVVN. WVitnesses:

H. Gnorornonsr, J OHN F. DOHERTY.

Images