Patent · US Expired

High-density poultry cage system and manure handling method

US4321887A · kind A · utility

19Cited by
18References
35Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 19, 1981
Grant dateMar 30, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 19, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA01K31/04
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A cage and manure removal system for egg-laying poultry is disclosed. In the system, a bank of cages are disposed in pairs of rows in vertically-spaced tiers. A horizontally disposed manure dropping board overlies the cage rows in the lower tiers for collecting droppings excreted by poultry in the overlying cage rows. The droppings are periodically cleaned from the dropping boards by a manure scraping assembly which comprises a carriage mounted for movement along a monorail which overlies the cage bank and has a depending post mounting a series of augers adapted to travel along the top surfaces of the dropping boards. As the carriage advances and the augers rotate, the droppings are displaced inwardly on the dropping boards for collection in a collection pit located below the cage bank. A method of handling manure to promote drying is also disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.