GB2491888A

GB2491888A - Flexible Livestock Grid

Info

Publication number: GB2491888A
Application number: GB1110225.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James William Alston
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-06-16
Filing date: 2011-06-16
Publication date: 2012-12-19
Also published as: GB201110225D0

Abstract

A flexible livestock grid placed in a field or yard gateway designed to deter livestock and allow traffic. The grid is made up of a series of straps 1, chains or cables supported by a framework. The straps are kept off the ground and under tension by a hinged sprung bar 6 that collapses towards the ground when a vehicle wheel presses down on the first part of the grid and rises when the vehicle wheel has passed over the whole grid. All or part of the grid is electrified using a livestock fence energiser and can be easily removed to allow normal access through the gateway. The straps or chains can alternatively be substituted with a single sheet of material (fig 10).

Description

Flexible Livestock Grid

Background

This invention relates to the desire to move through a livestock proof gateway in a vehicle without the need to leave the vehicle. There are solutions to this problem in existence and common use but these solutions are of heavy all steel construction and require significant earthworks to install. There are also solutions involving collapsible metal grids or semi rigid suspended grids. These again require substantial construction or require some form of earthworks.

In all instances including this invention the grid sits in a gateway that would, in normal circumstances, have a latched gate to prevent livestock escaping from an enclosure. Vehicles can access such an enclosure by opening the gate, taking the vehicle through the gateway and closing the gate behind the vehicle. During this process there is the danger that the livestock within the enclosure will escape as well as the inconvenience of getting in and out of the vehicle twice each time the vehicle passes through a gate.

Summary

This invention solves the problem with a gate and is significantly different from alternative livestock grids in that the grid is flexible so enabling a lighter construction and can be installed, moved or temporarily removed by one person with no assistance or special tools. The invention does not require any special base to be installed under the grid unlike alternatives and only requires the area under the grid to be generally level and reasonably firm. The unique parts are the energised flexible grid combined with the method of keeping the grid off the ground yet still allowing a vehicle to pass over.

The invention consists of a flexible grid of straps, cables or chains tensioned by sprung bars either side to lift and hold the flexible grid off the ground providing a similar appearance to a standard steel livestock grid (or cattle grid as it may be more commonly known). Sections of the flexible grid are energised using standard livestock fencer technology providing any animal that interferes with the grid an electric shock. When a vehicle drives over the grid the downward pressure of the wheel presses the grid to the floor. Tension applied from the sprung bars either side then pulls the grid back up once the weight of the vehicle has passed over the flexible grid.

Figure 1 shows the Flexible Livestock Grid in its normal position Figure la shows an alternative hinge Figure lb shows the Flexible Livestock Grid in the position it attains when a vehicle passes over Figure 2 shows the process of passing over the grid Figure 3 shows alternative means of applying tension to the hanging bar which supports the Grid Figure 4 shows alternative means of applying tension to the hanging bar which supports the Grid Figure 5 shows alternative means of applying tension to the hanging bar which supports the Grid Figure 6 shows alternative means of applying tension to the hanging bar which supports the Grid Figure 7 shows how the base may be fixed down Figure 8 shows how the base parts can be kept apart and also the barriers to ensure any animal is presented with only one side.

Figure 9 shows how the grid may be energised Figure 10 shows an alternative grid Figure 11 shows how the grid may be easily removed Figure 12 shows an alternative method of easily removing the grid Figure 13 shows a further alternative of easily removing the grid

Description

For the purpose of this description the word flexible grid' refers to a series of flexible straps, ropes, cables or chains running parallel to one another. There may be any number of flexible straps, ropes, cables or chains making up the flexible grid'.

Figure 1 shows a flexible grid' 15 fixed to and tensioned by hanging bars 6 running at right angles to the straps, ropes, cables or chains that form the flexible grid'. Tension applied to the grid by the hanging bars 6 holds the flexible grid' 15 off the ground.

The hanging bars 6 are supported by one or more struts 8 which are attached to a hinged bar 7 around which the unit 6, 7 and 8 can rotate. The tension is applied to the flexible grid' 15 by way of a spring 3 attached to the unit 6,7 and 8. The Hanging bar 6 is attached to the Hinged Bar 7 using one or more struts 8. The Hinged Bar is held to the Base 9 using a hinged mechanism at either end 10. An alternative embodiment is that the hinged mechanism is placed along the length of the hinged bar 11 The height of the flexible grid' above ground level Dimension A is set by the ability of the wheel of the vehicle that will cross the grid to push the first part of the flexible grid' downwards as in Fig lb. The whole process is demonstrated in Figure 2. As a vehicle approaches the flexible grid' W and the front wheels meet the first part of the flexible grid' X, the whole flexible grid' lowers to ground level V under the weight of the wheel and rises to its normal position Z when no wheels are bearing down on any part of the flexible grid'.

Figure 3 shows how the Hanging Bar is tensioned using a Spring 3 at one or both ends of the Hinged Bar 7 applying tension to the strut 8. An alternative embodiment shown in Figure 4 is that one or more springs 3 are fixed to the base 9 and bear against the Hanging bar 6 so providing tension to the grid. An alternative embodiment as shown in Figures 5 and 6 is that a Spring or damped gas filled strut 3 that operates from a strut 13 and pulls or pushes to tension the Hanging bar 6 and so tensions the flexible grid'. In a further embodiment the speed at which the grid rises after a wheel has passed over is controlled by a damper unit. The damper would be a part of, or within the tensioning spring 3 in Figures 3,4,5 and 6 or in another embodiment a separate part in a position similar to that illustrated by Figures 5 and 6.

Figure 7 shows the base 9 is held in place by a fixing 22 to the gate posts 23 or to the ground using one or more stakes 21 or one or more masonry fixing bolts 24 ii the gate sits on concrete or as shown in Figure 8 where the base is on a hard surface then a spreader bar 26 may be used to keep the ends of the base 9 in place or any combination of the aforesaid fixing methods.

Figure 8 shows raised side bars 25 to act as a fence which are fixed above the base 9 as required to ensure any animal is only presented with one side of the flexible grid'.

Figure 9 shows an energiser 16 which is used to provide intermittent electric shocks using livestock electric fence technology to the flexible grid 15 which has electrically conductive wire incorporated into the flexible grid 17.

Figure 10 shows a further embodiment where the flexible grid' is replaced by one single sheet of flexible material 27 that has electrically conductive wire 17 incorporated into the single sheet of flexible material.

Figure 11 shows a further embodiment where the Hanging bar on one or both sides of the grid may be removed to allow stock to pass through the gate in the normal way. This is achieved by taking the tension off the flexible grid' then releasing the Hanging bar 6 from the tensioned struts 8 by removing a pin 14 enabling the whole grid to be lifted out. Figure 12 shows an alternative embodiment as does Figure 13 where the end of the bar passes through a hole in the strut 8 where it is prevented from coming out by a removable pin 14. The hanging bar 6 can be removed by removing the pins 14 and sliding the bar out.

Claims

Claims 1. A flexible livestock grid' being a series of flexible woven straps are held off the ground by tension from hinged sprung bars being a part of a unit that sits on or close to the ground and on opposite sides of the flexible livestock grid', that swing downwards against the pressure applied by the tensioner, under the weight of a vehicle wheel passing over it and rise once the weight is removed.
2. A flexible livestock grid' as in claim 1, in which all of or part of the flexible grid' includes electrically conductive wire that is energised to provide intermittent electric shocks to anything touching the conductive wire and the ground at the same time.
3. A flexible livestock grid' as in claim 1 in which the speed at which the flexible grid regains it's normal position after a vehicle wheel has passed over it is controlled by a damper.
4. A flexible livestock grid' as in claim 1 in which the speed at which the flexible grid regains its normal position after a vehicle wheel has passed over it is controlled by a damped gas filled strut.
5. A flexible livestock grid' as in claim 1, in which the flexible grid can be removed from the parts that provide tension to the flexible livestock grid.
6. A flexible livestock grid' as in Claim 1 where the woven straps are replaced by a single sheet of material which includes electrically conductive wire that is energised to provide intermittent electric shocks to anything touching the conductive wire and the ground at the same time.
7. A flexible livestock grid' as in claim 1 where the woven straps are all or partly replaced by steel chain.
8. A flexible livestock grid' as in claim 1 where the woven straps are all or partly replaced by steel cables.
9. A flexible livestock grid' as in part 1 where the woven straps are all or partly replaced by rope.
10. A flexible livestock grid' as in part 1 where the woven straps are all or partly replaced by cord.
11. A flexible livestock grid' as in part 1 where the woven straps are all or partly replaced by non-woven straps