Abstract: A gestation stall gate assembly includes a gate support, a gate pivotably coupled to the gate support, and a gate control assembly. The gate is pivotable between an inwardly open position, a closed position, and an outwardly open position. The gate control assembly is configured to (i) allow the gate to pivot from the closed position to the inwardly open position when a sow pushes against the gate to pivot the gate toward the inwardly open position, (ii) prevent the gate from pivoting from the closed position to the inwardly open position for a second time until the gate is pivoted from the closed position to the outwardly open position, and (iii) allow the gate to pivot from the closed position to the outwardly open position when the sow pushes against the gate to pivot the gate toward the outwardly open position.

Abstract: A method of positioning a grain bin unload conveyor auger within a grain bin unload conveyor trough includes positioning an auger hanger on a pair of hanger support shelves at an open exterior end of the grain bin unload conveyor trough to support the grain bin unload conveyor auger away from adjacent interior surfaces of the grain bin unload conveyor trough, and pushing the grain bin unload conveyor auger through the open exterior end of the grain bin unload conveyor trough to cause the auger hanger to continuously support the grain bin unload conveyor auger away from the interior surfaces of the grain bin unload conveyor trough as the auger hanger moves longitudinally along the pair of hanger support shelves from the open exterior end to a final operational position of the auger hanger between the open exterior end and an interior end of the grain bin unload conveyor trough.

Abstract: A transition for connecting a discharge end of a conveyor to an inlet end of a grain storage bin or grain dryer is disclosed. The transition includes an upper half configured to be attached to the discharge end of the conveyor, a lower half configured to be attached to the inlet end of the grain storage bin or grain dryer, and a pivot joint connecting the upper and lower halves to one another while allowing the upper and lower halves to pivot relative to one another to accommodate an angle at which the conveyor is inclined.

Abstract: An adjustable feeder pan system for feeding poultry and a related method is provided. The feeder pan system includes a cone portion, an excluder portion that includes a number of anti-rake and radially disposed fins, a skirt, a feed pan, a cap, and optionally a feed shut-off component. The cone includes a pair of stops that may selectively engage with one of a number of pairs of corresponding slots of varying depths on the excluder portion so as to provide multiple feed levels as desired and depending upon the size and age of the poultry being fed.

Abstract: The invention comprises systems and methods for controlling environmental conditions within and/or around an animal enclosure. The systems and methods preferably comprise a climate control system and infrared sensors in a poultry house having a first climate and housing poultry having one or more measurable parameters such a temperature. The infrared sensors detect infrared light information emitted by a head and/or vent of poultry in the house. The climate control system processes the information to calculate an internal temperature of poultry and activates one or more climate conditioning devices in the house to change the first climate to a second climate determined by the detected information and/or calculated internal temperatures of the poultry. The systems and methods may be deployed in houses comprising thousands of poultry and one or more climate zones. The systems and methods may make one or more climate changes based on one or more different parameters.

Abstract: A grain bin unload conveyor trough can have a wall profile including a lowermost curved wall portion. Lower portions of a pair of side walls can be spaced laterally from each other at a first interior lateral width, and upper portions of the side walls can be spaced laterally from each other at a second interior lateral width that is greater than the first interior lateral width. A shelf portion of each side wall can extend laterally outwardly from the lower to the upper portion of the side walls. An auger hanger can extend laterally across the conveyor trough and can be supported on the shelf portions of the side walls. The auger hanger can extend down to hold an auger shaft of a grain bin unload conveyor auger in the conveyor trough centrally within the first interior lateral width between the lower portions of the side walls.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an apparatus, system, and method for trapping and exterminating arthropods, particularly red mites. The apparatus includes an opaque housing and a heat strip configured to have separate temperature zones. The method includes warming the heat strip to lure the mites into the trap, heating outer heat strip segments to drive the mites toward the center of the trap, and then raising the entire heat strip to a temperature sufficient to exterminate the mites. The system includes placing one or more of the traps in animal hold structures, including nesting boxes in poultry houses.

Abstract: A main discharge channel can carry a main portion of the grain output from a grain dryer during operation of the grain dryer. A sensor channel positioned adjacent the main discharge channel can carry a sensed portion of the grain output from the grain dryer during operation of the grain dryer. A grain moisture sensor can include a pair of capacitive plates positioned on opposite sides of the sensor channel with opposing major surfaces of the pair of capacitive plates facing each other. A moisture sensing electric field can be generated between a main sub-plate of a plurality of sub-plates of each of a pair of capacitive plates positioned on opposite sides of a sensor channel with opposing major surfaces of the pair of capacitive plates facing each other. At least one additional electric field can be generated between the plurality of sub-plates of the pair of capacitive plates.

Abstract: A commercial hopper grain bin shell can be assembled on a concrete pad using jacks to successively support previously coupled side-wall panel rings above the concrete pad. The assembled shell can be supported above the concrete pad with the jacks while coupling a horizontal support beam around a bottom of the assembled commercial hopper grain bin shell. An uppermost ring of vertical support legs can be coupled to the horizontal support beam. An uppermost ring of hopper panels can be coupled to the horizontal support beam. The assembled shell and the vertical support legs previously coupled to the horizontal support beam can be successively supported above the concrete pad with jacks while coupling an additional ring of vertical support legs to the bottom of the previously coupled vertical support legs. An additional ring of hopper panels can be successively coupled to the bottom of the previously coupled hopper panels.

Abstract: A lock-out pinion can be coupled to a center sump control shaft to rotate therewith. A lock-out slide can include a rack and a blocking cover. A lock-out guide can be coupled to the sump control housing and can form a guide channel. The lock-out slide can be received in the guide channel with the lock-out pinion drivingly coupled to the rack to move the lock-out slide along the guide channel from a lock-out position in which the blocking cover prevents rotation of the intermediate sump control shaft with the driving handle, to an unlocked position in which the blocking cover permits rotation of the intermediate sump control shaft with the driving handle, in response to manual rotation of the center sump control shaft in the center sump opening direction.

Abstract: An auger can be drivingly coupled to an input shaft of a wheel reduction gearbox. The wheel reduction gearbox can drivingly couple the input shaft to an output shaft of the wheel reduction gearbox. The output shaft can be drivingly coupled to a sweep end wheel. The sweep end wheel can include a plurality of tread brackets, a wheel plate, and an adjustable coupling corresponding to each of the tread brackets. Each adjustable coupling can selectively couple one of the tread brackets to the wheel plate in one of a plurality of radial positions. Each of the plurality of radial positions can correspond to the tread bracket being located at a different radial distance from a central axis of rotation of the wheel plate.

Abstract: An unload conveyor and a sweep conveyor can be positioned below and above a floor of the grain bin, respectively. A below floor gearbox and an above floor gearbox can be positioned below and above a sloped wall, respectively, of a sump. The sloped wall can be designed to shed grain toward a sump basin. A coupling shaft can extend through a non-circular sump shaft aperture in the sloped wall to couple the below floor gearbox to the above-floor gearbox. The coupling shaft can extend vertically. A pair of seal cover plates can form a horizontal wall extending perpendicular to the coupling shaft. The horizontal wall can have a circular sealing aperture therein and through which the coupling shaft extends. A washer can be provided adjacent the circular sealing aperture that can be free to move laterally with wobbling of the coupling shaft.

Abstract: A gearbox below a grain bin floor can have a shift coupling movable between a drive position and a neutral position. A control rod can be axially movable between a corresponding drive position and a corresponding neutral position. A pair of biasing members can be operably positioned between the control rod and the shift coupling to bias the shift coupling in opposite directions. The opposite biasing forces of the biasing members can act against each other to bias the control rod into the neutral positioning recess to retain the external shift coupling and the control rod in the neutral position and the corresponding neutral position, respectively. The opposite biasing force of the biasing members can bias the control rod into the drive positioning recess to retain the external shift coupling and the control rod in the drive position and the corresponding drive position, respectively.

Abstract: A lock-out pinion can be coupled to a center sump control shaft to rotate therewith. A lock-out slide can include a rack and a blocking cover. A lock-out guide can be coupled to the sump control housing and can form a guide channel. The lock-out slide can be received in the guide channel with the lock-out pinion drivingly coupled to the rack to move the lock-out slide along the guide channel from a lock-out position in which the blocking cover prevents rotation of the intermediate sump control shaft with the driving handle, to an unlocked position in which the blocking cover permits rotation of the intermediate sump control shaft with the driving handle, in response to manual rotation of the center sump control shaft in the center sump opening direction.

Abstract: This invention relates to laying nest having a rack drive expulsion system. As disclosed herein, the invention preferably comprises a laying nest for hens comprising a box and a rack drive floor expulsion system. The floor pivotably moves between first and second positions by virtue of a gear rack that is fixedly connected to and disposed within the box, and a gear wheel that is rotatably connected to the floor. Accordingly, the expulsion system provides for the selected removal of hens from the laying nests as desired.

Abstract: A grain bin unload conveyor trough can have a wall profile including a lowermost curved wall portion. Lower portions of a pair of side walls can be spaced laterally from each other at a first interior lateral width, and upper portions of the side walls can be spaced laterally from each other at a second interior lateral width that is greater than the first interior lateral width. A shelf portion of each side wall can extend laterally outwardly from the lower to the upper portion of the side walls. An auger hanger can extend laterally across the conveyor trough and can be supported on the shelf portions of the side walls. The auger hanger can extend down to hold an auger shaft of a grain bin unload conveyor auger in the conveyor trough centrally within the first interior lateral width between the lower portions of the side walls.

Abstract: A commercial hopper grain bin shell can be assembled on a concrete pad using jacks to successively support previously coupled side-wall panel rings above the concrete pad. The assembled shell can be supported above the concrete pad with the jacks while coupling a horizontal support beam around a bottom of the assembled commercial hopper grain bin shell. An uppermost ring of vertical support legs can be coupled to the horizontal support beam. An uppermost ring of hopper panels can be coupled to the horizontal support beam. The assembled shell and the vertical support legs previously coupled to the horizontal support beam can be successively supported above the concrete pad with jacks while coupling an additional ring of vertical support legs to the bottom of the previously coupled vertical support legs. An additional ring of hopper panels can be successively coupled to the bottom of the previously coupled hopper panels.

Abstract: An adjustable feeder pan system for feeding poultry and a related method is provided. The feeder pan system includes a cone portion, an excluder portion that includes a number of anti-rake and radially disposed fins, a skirt, a feed pan, a cap, and optionally a feed shut-off component. The cone includes a pair of stops that may selectively engage with one of a number of pairs of corresponding slots of varying depths on the excluder portion so as to provide multiple feed levels as desired and depending upon the size and age of the poultry being fed.

Abstract: A grain drying system and process includes a controller that is electronically coupled to a variable speed fan and to a heater or a heat pump to supply air through a plenum and the grain. Also coupled to the controller are ambient temperature and humidity sensors, internal plenum temperature and a humidity sensor. The controller adjusts a fan speed in combination with operating the heater or heat pump to deliver a target equilibrium moisture temperature, during a first period when the ambient air is outside the equilibrium moisture target. The controller operates the fan at a minimum speed, during a second period when the ambient air is outside the equilibrium moisture target, and the controller is unable to obtain equilibrium moisture target air in the plenum in view of operational limits of the fan and the heater or heat pump.

Abstract: An unload conveyor and a sweep conveyor can be positioned below and above a floor of the grain bin, respectively. A below floor gearbox and an above floor gearbox can be positioned below and above a sloped wall, respectively, of a sump. The sloped wall can be designed to shed grain toward a sump basin. A coupling shaft can extend through a non-circular sump shaft aperture in the sloped wall to couple the below floor gearbox to the above-floor gearbox. The coupling shaft can extend vertically. A pair of seal cover plates can form a horizontal wall extending perpendicular to the coupling shaft. The horizontal wall can have a circular sealing aperture therein and through which the coupling shaft extends. A washer can be provided adjacent the circular sealing aperture that can be free to move laterally with wobbling of the coupling shaft.