Abstract: Apparatus and methods to provide stalls for livestock such as dairy cattle and the like. A staggered/interlocking freestall assembly, which promotes better airflow and utilizes a smaller footprint that conventional freestall designs, is provided by using a plurality of uprights to create staggered and interlocking stalls.

Abstract: A livestock stanchion with an improved support yoke including at least one releaseable support yoke comprising a mounting member fixed to and projecting upward from a horizontal rail. A support space formed in an upper end of each mounting member supports a locking bar. A removable pin for a support yoke crosses the upper region of a support space to prevent dislodging of the locking bar. The mounting member can be a plate or have a generally “V,” “U,” “H,” circular, arcuate or poloygonal shaped cross section.

Abstract: An improved livestock stanchion including a plurality of forked vertical posts fixed between a substantially horizontal base rail and a horizontal rail to form a co-planar frame having at least one livestock opening. The horizontal rail can be serpentine in form to reduce the likelihood of head, horn or ear strikes as the animal's head enters a livestock opening. A locking bar rests in at least one releaseable support yoke mounted to the frame to allow easy installation and removal of a locking bar and its appurtenances. An end lap between adjacent locking bars provides for a strong releaseable couple. An offset pivot member and an offset latch pin of a pivoting restraining stanchion provide early engagement of a latch pin to a latching mechanism such as a pair of opposing latch dogs mounted on a locking bar above the horizontal rail.

Abstract: An improved livestock stanchion including a plurality of forked vertical posts fixed between a substantially horizontal base rail and a horizontal rail to form a co-planar frame having at least one livestock opening. The horizontal rail can be serpentine in form to reduce the likelihood of head, horn or ear strikes as the animal's head enters a livestock opening. A locking bar rests in at least one releaseable support yoke mounted to the frame to allow easy installation and removal of a locking bar and its appurtenances. An end lap between adjacent locking bars provides for a strong releaseable couple. An offset pivot member and an offset latch pin of a pivoting restraining stanchion provide early engagement of a latch pin to a latching mechanism such as a pair of opposing latch dogs mounted on a locking bar above the horizontal rail.

Abstract: An improved livestock latch assembly which includes a latch pin receiver assembly coupled to a rotatable camshaft, which moves the latch pin receiver assembly in a linear fashion between, deployed and retracted positions. In a deployed position, a latch pin receiver locks a pivotable restraining stanchion into a substantially vertical position when moved by an animal or operator. In a retracted position, a latch pin receiver assembly releases a pivotable restraining stanchion to freely pivot about its arc of swing. The improved latching mechanism may also include a decoupling member that allows a user to move a selected latch pin receiver assembly to a retracted position by uncoupling a selected latch pin receiver from a camshaft.

Abstract: A stanchion comprising a frame having a substantially horizontal extending frame member and having first and second substantially vertical extending side frame members couples to the substantially horizontal extending frame member. The second substantially vertical extending side frame member is displaced generally longitudinally from the first substantially vertical extending side frame member and the frame members define one stanchion opening therebetween. A restraining member is disposed in the stanchion opening, the restraining member being pivotally mounted to the frame for movement between a first position with the restraining member extending diagonally across the stanchion opening and a second position with the restraining member having a substantially vertical orientation.

Abstract: This improved cattle stanchion discloses an essentially coplanar and rectangular frame for automatically locking and manually releasing the heads of cattle. The frame unit consists of three vertical bars and two essentially horizontal bars, the top of which being slightly arched upwardly to form an apex over the center of the frame while the bottom bar is slightly arched downwardly to form a nadir under the center of the frame. These arches define an arc of travel for the central pivotally mounted vertical bar with an annular ring extension around the top arch of the frame. The annular ring cooperates with a locking mechanism consisting of pairs of elliptical latching sleeves mounted linearly apart and above the frame unit on a horizontal bar which may be operated by an attendant to either lock or unlock the stanchion.