Patents Assigned to Big Dutchman International GmbH
  • Publication number: 20140131169
    Abstract: A drying device for bulk material, comprises a conveyor on which a first majority of perforated plates with location surfaces for the bulk material is guided along a rail comprising an upper rail section, a lower rail section and a first deflection rail section at an end, in which the perforated plates are deflected from the upper into the lower rail section, and a second deflection rail section at an opposite end in which the perforated plates are deflected from the lower into the upper rail section. A scraper device comprises one or more scraping elements arranged so that the location surface of a perforated plate moving along the first or second deflection rail section comes into contact with the scraping elements, and is cleaned by means of a relative movement between the scraping elements and the perforated plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: BIG DUTCHMAN INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventor: Ludger Themann
  • Patent number: 8707908
    Abstract: A poultry weighing apparatus includes a support surface configured to permit at least one fowl to stand thereon. A force sensor is operably connected with the support surface, and detects the weight of the fowl or fowls on the support surface. A second sensor is operably connected with the support surface, and detects at least one additional physical characteristic, other than weight, of the fowl or fowls standing on the support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Grave, Bernard Heinrich Südkamp
  • Publication number: 20140114468
    Abstract: The invention relates to a conveyor and a method to convey animal products in an agricultural business. Such a conveyor comprises a conveyor belt, a belt drive to drive the conveyor belt in at least one conveying direction, and a sensor to record a deviation of a position of a conveyor belt edge. The sensor is designed and arranged to output a deviation signal when the position of the conveyor belt edge deviates by a predetermined value from the target position. Furthermore, a correction device and a control unit are provided, whereby the correction device is designed and arranged to change the belt drive orientation dependent on a correction signal and whereby the control unit is designed to generate a correction signal dependent on the deviation signal and to output it to the correction device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: BIG DUTCHMAN INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventor: Lars Halbritter
  • Publication number: 20140080401
    Abstract: A climate control apparatus for a cleanroom livestock building includes a supply air unit, comprising a supply air conveyor device, an exhaust air unit comprising an exhaust air conveyor device, a temperature sensor, an air pressure sensor, and a climate control unit. The climate control apparatus is adapted to reduce the volume of air conveyed by the exhaust air unit whenever the air pressure detected by the air pressure sensor falls below a predetermined lower air pressure limit value, increase the volume of air conveyed by the exhaust air unit whenever the air pressure detected by the air pressure sensor exceeds a predetermined upper air pressure limit value, and increase the volume of air conveyed with the supply air unit when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined first upper temperature limit value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventor: Armin Schwarz
  • Patent number: 8622025
    Abstract: An indoor fish tank has a of walls and bottoms interconnected to define distinct fish holding, sedimentation and bioreactor sections. Water flows out of the bioreactor section into the top of the fish holding section, and then from the bottom of the fish holding section into the sedimentation section. A frame structure with braces connected with the tank walls and bottoms supports the tank on a ground support, with at least the bottom of the fish holding section raised above the ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventors: Marco Böer, Torsten Gritzka
  • Publication number: 20130299317
    Abstract: A egg belt comprises a belt extending in a conveying direction for conveying eggs in the conveying direction. The belt is provided with a plurality of openings, each being triangular in shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: BIG DUTCHMAN INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventor: BIG DUTCHMAN INTERNATIONAL GMBH
  • Patent number: 8534228
    Abstract: A fish tank apparatus includes a plurality of fish tanks and water measuring apparatus. The water measuring apparatus includes a measuring member for detecting water parameter, and a switchable sample water diverting member having a plurality of inlets and at least one outlet. A central measurement conduit fluidically connects the outlet of the switchable sample water diverting member with the measuring member. A plurality of peripheral measurement conduits fluidically connect the fish tanks with the inlets of the switchable sample water diverting device, which is configured to selectively feed sample water from each one of the peripheral measurement conduits to the central measurement conduit to test the water in the fish tanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventor: Meik Südkamp
  • Publication number: 20130193076
    Abstract: The invention relates to a membrane filtration device comprising a plurality of planar membrane filter elements which are combined to form a membrane package and are disposed within the membrane package parallel to and spaced apart from one another. A wall encloses the membrane package on all sides, and within which at least one inlet chamber which is connected to at least one inlet, and at least one outlet chamber which is connected to at least one outlet. An oscillation unit is connected to the membrane package and the wall to induce oscillation in a direction parallel to the membrane filter elements. The oscillation unit is connected to a frame which encloses the membrane package and which is connected to the wall of the membrane package by means of least one spring, whose main direction of spring action extends parallel to the plane of the membrane filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhold Wesselmann, Amin Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20130097928
    Abstract: The invention concerns a gasification device for the creation of a flammable gas from a solid, comprising a gasification zone, in which the solid can be filled through a fill opening, an oxidation zone for the oxidation of the resulting gas, which is connected to the gasification zone to conduct the gas created in the gasification zone into the oxidation zone. According to the invention, the efficiency of the gasification device is improved in that the gasification zone is divided into several neighboring gasification sectors, a temperature metering unit is present that is configured to measure the temperature prevailing in each gasification sector, and the temperature metering unit is coupled by signal technology to a control unit, which is coupled to an air supply device by signal technology, that is designed to supply air individually to each gasification sector, and the amount of air supplied to each gasification sector per unit of time is dependent on the temperature measured therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Schwarz, Mario Urra Saco
  • Patent number: 8168897
    Abstract: A conveyor for shock-sensitive products includes a conveyor member with at least one intermediate storage region adapted to receive a predetermined number of the products placed thereon when the conveyor is a static condition for temporary intermediate storage. A force measuring member determines the weight force of the products in the intermediate storage region. A control member, adapted to increase and decrease the rate of feed of the shock-sensitive products in the conveyor member, processes the weight force detected by the force measuring member as an input parameter, and increases or reduces the rate of feed of the products toward and away from the intermediate storage region as a function of the weight force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventor: Heinz Südkamp
  • Patent number: 8127916
    Abstract: A conveyor and associated method for shock-sensitive products and the like, includes a conveyor member having at least one individual compartment for receiving a product therein, as well as upward and downward conveyor sections. An upper conveyor deflector deflects the conveyor member from the upward to the downward section. The compartment includes a first support surface configured for supporting the product in the upwardly directed conveyor section, as well as a second support surface configured for supporting the product in a downwardly directed conveyor section. The compartment also includes a bottom surface that supports the product during movement of the conveyor member over the upper conveyor deflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventor: André Mix
  • Patent number: 7878391
    Abstract: A device and related method for counting objects, such as eggs or the like includes a plurality of first detectors, each of which has a locally delimited detection area, which can detect electromagnetic radiation, in particular light in the visible or infrared range, from the detection area, and which are arranged next to one another in a first line. An evaluation unit is coupled to the first detectors and is designed or configured to process the signals of the detectors and on the basis of the signals, to establish the presence of an object in the detection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Kalkhoff
  • Patent number: 7758666
    Abstract: A filter element and related method for separating particles from a particle laden unfiltered gas flow and a method for manufacturing such a filter element, wherein the filter element includes a first filter wall having a plurality of first through-flow openings for entry of contaminated unfiltered gas; a second filter wall disposed downstream of the first filter wall in the flow direction, and having a plurality of second through-flow openings for exit of clean gas; and an intermediate flow space disposed between the first and second filter walls, wherein the second through-flow openings are arranged in a displaced relationship with the first through-flow openings in the flow direction; the second filter wall has at least one impingement wall region arranged so that particles passing through the first through-flow openings at least partially impinge thereon; and at least one of the first and second filter walls has folds which extend alternately inward and outward relative to the intermediate flow space and
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventor: Bernd Meerpohl
  • Patent number: 7552697
    Abstract: A device for the feeding of poultry including a bowl device comprising a feed bowl, a cupola suspending the feed bowl, and a downpipe. The feed bowl is located beneath the downpipe and the cupola is formed from grid bars. The downpipe comprises an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder encompassing the inner cylinder. The outer cylinder is guided in a rotatable, a raisable and a lowerable manner on the inner cylinder. The bowl device includes at least one lifting stop for delimiting a lifting and lowering path of the bowl. The outer cylinder and the inner cylinder is comprised in each case of adjacent cylinder sections co-axial to each other, whereby face peripheral areas of the cylinder sections turned towards each other are connected to one another by bridging elements which bridge a gap area which corresponds to an interval distance between the cylinder sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventor: Roland Busse
  • Patent number: 7228817
    Abstract: A device for feeding poultry kept in a barn, comprises at least one food supply tube (1) which is held above the floor of the barn such as to be able to be lowered or raised, with a series of branch openings, each provided with a dish device (2) hanging on the supply tube, comprising a dropping tube extending from the branch opening and a feeding dish (4) arranged below, the dropping tube with a spoked arrangement of lattice bars (5) forming the cup of the dish. The dropping tube comprises an inner cylinder (7) leading off from the branch opening and an outer cylinder (8) surrounding the inner cylinder, from which the dish hangs by means of the lattice bars, such as to be placed on the floor of the barn in the lowered state of the food supply tube. The outer cylinder runs on the inner cylinder such as to rotate, be raised or lowered and at least one stop is provided for limiting the raising and lowering stoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventor: Roland Busse
  • Patent number: 6732851
    Abstract: A device for the transfer of objects that are sensitive to impact, such as eggs, includes a horizontally-feeding collection conveyor, a vertically-feeding elevator, and at least one separation wheel located in a transition area between the horizontally feeding collection conveyor and the vertically feeding elevator. The separation wheel includes an outer edge having a recessed portion adapted to cradle an egg therein, wherein at least the recessed portion of the outer edge is elastically deformable, and is thereby adapted to cushion an impact of the egg with the recessed portion of the outer edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Big Dutchman International, GmbH
    Inventor: August Wienken
  • Patent number: 6539893
    Abstract: In a device for providing food to animals, comprising a feed supply and a bowl-like feeding basin serving for providing the supplied feed, the feeding basin comprising in about the center of the basin a cleaning opening that can be opened and closed by means of a closing element. The closing element is a part of the feeding basin that is placed in the cleaning opening in a flush or fitted manner, whereby both the closing element on its periphery and the feeding basin in the area of the edge compromise locking means which can be mutually actively engaged. The closing element can be fixed on or released from the feeding basin by means of said locking means both in the releasing and closing positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventors: Friedrich Otto-Lübker, Arno Reinke
  • Patent number: 6412439
    Abstract: A sitting pole for poultry having a surface designed substantially straight on an incline, forcing the poultry perching on the sitting pole to sit in a defined alignment. The inclined plane is set at an angle of approximately 35°. The surface has a U-shaped profile with a U-base forming the inclined plane. U-legs are provided and are bent off from the U-base. The U-base can be formed by two surface sections that are set at different angles from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventors: Friedrich Otto-Lübker, Roland Busse