FR2598236A1 - Animal counter - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an animal counter, making it possible to assemble and separate batches of a fixed number n of animals. It comprises a corridor and a gate with opening and closing controlled by a jack 3. The corridor is equipped with a detector for the passage of an animal which, each time an animal passes, actuates, via a microvalve 6 and a distributor 9, a counting device consisting of a jack 10, of a rod and of a toothed wheel comprising n teeth and a cam which actuates, on each complete revolution of the toothed wheel, a microvalve 18 which drives the distributor 2 so as to close the door via the jack 3. A manual control consisting of a microvalve 1 is provided to open the door by means of the jack 3. The most useful application is counting n animals into an n-place milking parlour.

Description

 The present invention relates to an animal counter making it possible to constitute and separate batches of a fixed number n of animals.

 This operation is most often carried out manually by a person who opens a door and closes it again after having let the desired number of animals pass.

 However, this poses in particular a serious problem of manpower and loss of time in the milking parlor of the stalls type, since it is impossible for a single person to deal at the same time with the operations of milking, distribution of feed and animal counting, hence the need to automate this last item.

 However, for some time now, there have been mechanical counters enabling these operations to be carried out.

They essentially consist of a mechanical turnstile placed in a corridor and controlling a mechanical counting system. However, this type of product does not develop because its reliability is far from good.

 The purpose of the animal counter according to the invention is to remedy these drawbacks.

 It is in fact made up of at least one corridor through which the animals pass and at least one opening and closing door controlled by a first jack and is characterized in that it includes an animal passage detector, actuating a counting device, which, following a passage of n animals, controls the closing of the door by the said jack.

 According to a preferred embodiment, the detector for the passage of an animal is a feeler which actuates a micro valve associated with another safety micro valve; itself actuated by a stop when the door is open, so as to control, when they are both actuated, a distributor which triggers the counting device.

 These two micro valves can be either connected in series or connected together by an "AND" cell.

 According to a first variant, the counting device consists of a second cylinder which actuates a rod articulated on an axis in order to rotate a tooth, with each passage of an animal, a toothed wheel comprising n teeth; the return of the jack being ensured by a micro valve controlled by a stop integral with the translational movement of the jack; said micro valve controlling the distributor so as to cause the return of the second cylinder.

 The toothed wheel is provided with a cam making it possible to actuate, when said wheel has made a complete revolution, a micro valve which controls the distributor in order to actuate the first jack in the direction which is suitable for closing the door.

 according to a second variant, the counting device is a pneumatic pulse counter.

 Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on reading the description of a preferred embodiment given by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which - Figure 1 is a top view of closed door and hallway.

- Figure 2 is a sectional view AA showing the door closed.

- Figure 3 is a side view of the closed door and the corridor.

- Figure 4 is a front view of the counting device according to the invention.

- Figure 5 is a side view of the counting device according to the invention.

- Figure 6 is a view of the animal counter control circuit according to the invention.

 As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the device according to the invention consists of a door (4) located at the end of a corridor (19), said door (4) is provided with two laterally sliding parts (4a) and (4b) actuated by a jack (3) which acts on a lifting beam (4e) acting on two connecting rods (4fj and (4g). A micro safety valve (7) is provided so as to be actuated by a stop (4h) when the sliding parts (4a) and (4b) are separated, that is to say when the door (4) is open. The two sliding parts (4a) and (4b) are provided with rollers (4c) and (4d) arranged opposite and spaced, so as not to injure an animal partially engaged in the door (4).

 One side of the corridor (19) is provided with a probe (5) which actuates a micro valve (6) associated with the micro valve (7) so as to control, when they are both actuated, (one by the passage of an animal and the other through the opening of the door) a distributor (9; (fig 6) which triggers a counting device. To do this, the micro valve (6) is connected with the micro valve (7) by an "AND" cell (8) (fig 6).

 As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the counting device consists of a cylinder (10), which actuates a rod (11) articulated on an axis (12) by an oblong hole (13), in order to rotate a toothed wheel (14) having n teeth. A micro valve (16), actuated by a stop (15) integral with the translational movement of the jack (10), is provided in order to control the distributor (9) (fig 6) so as to cause the return of the jack (10) .

 The toothed wheel (14) is provided with a cam (17) making it possible to actuate, when the said wheel has made a complete revolution, a micro valve (18) which controls the distributor (2) (fig 6) in order to actuate the actuator (3) in the correct direction to close the door (4) (fig 1,2,3 and 6).

 The opening of the door (4) is controlled manually by a micro valve (1), which controls the distributor (2) (fig 6) in the direction which is suitable for the opening of the said door (4) (fig 1 , 2 and 3) by the jack (3).

 The corridor (19) is adjustable in width.

the operation of the device according to the invention takes place as follows
The operator actuates the micro valve (1) in order to control the distributor (2) so as to actuate the jack (3) which opens the door (4) causing the separation of the two sliding parts (4a) and (4b) . When these two sliding parts are separated, the micro valve (7) is actuated by the stop (4h).

 The animals pass through the corridor (19) adjusted to the width of the animals in order to avoid their overlapping in the corridor.

 Each animal that passes, activates the probe (5) and therefore the micro valve (6) which is either connected in series with the micro valve (7), or connected with it by an "AND" cell (8) so as to control , when these two micro valves (6) and (7) are both actuated, the distributor (9) which actuates the jack (10). This cylinder (10) rotates the toothed wheel (14) by a tooth by means of the link (11) articulated on the axis (12) by an oblong hole (13). When the cylinder (10) is at the end of its travel, the stop (15), integral with its translational movement, actuates the microvalve (16) which controls the distributor (9) so as to cause the return of the cylinder (10) .

 The operation is thus repeated with each passage of animal.

 When a number n animals, corresponding to the number n of teeth of the toothed wheel (14), has passed, said wheel (14) has made a complete revolution and its cam (17) then actuates the microvalve (18) which controls the distributor (2) in the direction which is suitable for closing the door (4) by the jack (3) in order to prevent the passage of the following animals.

  The micro valve (7) is a safety device which prevents the distributor (9) and the actuator (10) from being actuated by animals present in the passage (19) and which can at any time trigger the probe (5) and therefore the micro valve (6) while the door (4) is closed.

 The animal counter according to the invention can be used in all cases where it is necessary to constitute and separate batches of a fixed number n of animals. The most interesting application concerns milking parlors of the stall type in order to allow the automatic entry of a number of animals equal to the number of places in the installation, without the operator in charge of milking noticing. move while it is otherwise occupied.

Claims (10)

 Claims  -71 - Animal counter making it possible to constitute and separate batches of a fixed number n of animals, consisting of at least one corridor (19) through which the animals pass and at least one door (4) opening and closing controlled by a jack (3), characterized in that it comprises a detector (5) for the passage of an animal, actuating a counting device, which controls, following a passage of n animals, closing the door (4) by the jack (3). 2 - Animal counter according to claim 1, characterized in that the detector (5) for the passage of an animal is a feeler (5) which actuates a micro valve (6) associated with a micro safety valve (7) , itself actuated by a stop (4h), when the door (4) is open, so as to control, when they are both actuated, a distributor (9) which triggers the counting device. 3 - Animal counter according to claims 1 and  2, characterized in that the counting device consists of a jack (10), which actuates a connecting rod (11) articulated on an axis (12) in order to rotate a tooth, with each passage of animal, a toothed wheel (14) having n teeth, the return of the jack (10) being ensured by a micro valve (16) controlled by a cam (15) integral with the translational movement of the jack (10); the said micro valve (16) controlling the distributor (9) so as to cause the return of the jack (10). 4 - Animal counter according to claim 3, characterized in that the toothed wheel (14) is provided with a cam (17) making it possible to actuate, when said wheel has made a full revolution, a micro valve (18 ) which controls the distributor (2) in order to actuate the cylinder (3) in the direction which is suitable for closing the door (4). 5 - Animal counter according to claim 3, characterized in that the rod (11) is articulated on the axis (12) by an oblong hole (13).  6 - Animal counter according to claims 1 and  2, characterized in that the counting device is a pneumatic pulse counter. 7 - Animal counter according to claims 1, 2 and 4, characterized in that the opening of the door (4) is controlled manually by a micro valve (1), which controls the distributor (2) in the direction which suitable for opening said door. 8 - Animal counter according to claim 1, characterized in that the corridor (19) is adjustable in width. 9 - Animal counter according to claim 2, characterized in that the micro valve (6) is connected with the micro valve (7) by an "AND" cell (8). 10 - Animal counter according to claim 2, characterized in that the micro valve (6) is connected in series with the micro valve (7).