Abstract: Gestating sows are housed in a series of gestation stalls arranged in a row and backing onto an open alley along a rear of the row of stalls into which the sow can enter by backing out of the stall. A common trough extends along the front of the stalls and is fastened to the floor by fasteners which connect trough sections end to end. The common trough provides a support for the front end of the side walls defining the stalls. A rear gate closes the rear of each stall and connects to a front gate of the stall operable to close the rear gate by the sow as it moves in the stall toward the front. The rear gate latches closed to prevent entry of another sow but is releasable by rear pressure on the rear gate from the sow backing out.

Abstract: A feeder for feeding animals at the weanling stage has a trough with two opposed outwardly inclined front walls over which the animals can reach for taking feed from the trough and a feed hopper for discharging feed downwardly onto a shelf above the trough. Water is supplied into the trough so that the animals may take the feed dry on the shelf or wet from the trough. Water is normally supplied through a first water supply line which has a series of nipples controlled by the animals. However, while the weanlings are very young the first water supply line is closed off and water is supplied from a second supply line which is managed by a timer and water level sensor.

Abstract: A one way gate primarily for pigs is located between a pair of parallel panels to be mounted in a fence line and includes two gate portions each defined by a transverse rail across the passage between the panels at a height above the passage and a plurality of fingers hanging from the rail separately pivotal in one direction only to the animal to pass and prevented from rotation in the opposite direction. The distance between the gate portions is less than 3.0 feet so as to be less than the length of the animal to prevent an animal being located between the rails and greater than 0.5 feet such that an animal attempting to lift the second fingers cannot simultaneously lift the first fingers.

Abstract: An animal feeder includes a hopper above a shelf onto which feed can fall to be taken by the animal or dropped into a trough below the shelf. The height of the shelf is adjustable in a course movement to move the shelf from a low height for smaller animals to a raised height for the animal after they have grown. The shelf is also adjustable in fine movement to change the width of the opening through which the feed passes to control feed rate. The shelf is carried on straps which extend along the end walls of the hopper and are movable by an adjustment linkage defined by a plate carried on the end wall and a manually adjustable lever mounted for pivotal movement on the plate. The lever has two pivot positions on the plate providing the two course adjustments and two graduated scales for the fine adjustment each cooperating with a respective pivot position.

Abstract: A support peg for a reinforcing bar is formed from sheet metal bent to define two plates each extending from a bend line outwardly to a side edge of the body. The plates combine to form a peg portion along the bend line which can be hammered into the ground with a bottom point and a coterminous top hammering edge. One or both of the plates has a side portion standing outwardly from a side edge of the plate portion thereof and defining a bottom shoulder of the side portion facing downwardly for engaging the ground and acting as a depth gauge when the peg is driven into the ground. One or both of the side portions has a receptacle at the top or side edge for receiving a reinforcing bar and for supporting the reinforcing bar on the side portion at a position spaced from the ground.

Abstract: An adjustable water supply pipe has a pair of bite nozzles at a bottom end and a wall bracket holding the pipe vertical but allowing the height of the pipe to be adjusted. The bracket has a wall plate with top and bottom plates bent outwardly to define two aligned openings for the pipe. The top plate has a slot which holds the pipe fixed in the upstanding position but with a mouth at one side to release the pipe to an inclined position. The bottom plate is inclined to the horizontal such that the upstanding pipe is jammed against sides of the opening and such that the inclined pipe is free to slide longitudinally. The top plate includes fingers which cooperate with a locking ring on the pipe to hold the pipe upright and the slot is shaped to hold a non-circular portion of the pipe against rotation.

Abstract: A weigh scale and a sorter unit mounted at a front gate for guiding the animal after weighing when the animal emerges from the front gate is transported from pen to pen within a barn on ground wheels with the sorter unit being mounted so as to be movable from a deployed position to a retracted transport position by folding or sliding, in which a total length of the weigh scale and sorter unit is reduced relative to a total length thereof in the deployed position for maneuvering the weigh scale with sorter unit attached during transportation.

Abstract: An adjustable water supply pipe has a pair of bite nozzles at a bottom end and a wall bracket holding the pipe vertical but allowing the height of the pipe to be adjusted. The bracket has a wall plate with top and bottom plates bent outwardly to define two aligned openings for the pipe. The top plate has a slot which holds the pipe fixed in the upstanding position but with a mouth at one side to release the pipe to an inclined position. The bottom plate is inclined to the horizontal such that the upstanding pipe is jammed against sides of the opening and such that the inclined pipe is free to slide longitudinally. The top plate includes fingers which cooperate with a locking ring on the pipe to hold the pipe upright and the slot is shaped to hold a non-circular portion of the pipe against rotation.

Abstract: A weigh scale and a sorter unit mounted at a front gate for guiding the animal after weighing when the animal emerges from the front gate is transported from pen to pen within a barn on ground wheels with the sorter unit being mounted so as to be movable from a deployed position to a retracted transport position by folding or sliding in which a total length of the weigh scale and sorter unit is reduced relative to a total length thereof in the deployed position for maneuvering the weigh scale with sorter unit attached during transportation.

Abstract: A sled formed of a sheet of a flat flexible plastics material includes two holes at the sides rearward of the front edge and at the front edge two further holes such that, when a rope extends between the holes, the rope holds the front edge pulled rearwardly and upwardly to form a curved front of the sled. The holes at the front edge each are arranged with a wider portion, which is dimensioned so that a knot on the rope can pass through the wider portion, and a narrower portion, which is dimensioned to receive the rope but prevents passage of the knot, and a neck between the wider and narrower portions though which the rope can be forced to hold the rope in the narrower portion. The wider portion forms a hand hole.

Abstract: A two sided feeder for feeding animals as they grow from a first smaller size to a larger size includes a trough with a shelf mounted above the base of the trough with a feed hopper positioned for depositing feed onto the shelf and a water pipe formed from a rectangular tube and extending along the trough at a position underneath the shelf with a plurality of water nipples at spaced positions along the water pipe. A plurality of divider members are clamped on the pipe each between two of the water nipples such that the divider members together act to separate one side of the trough from the other side to prevent the passage therebetween of the animals when at the smaller size.

Abstract: A two sided feeder for feeding animals as they grow from a first smaller size to a larger size includes a trough with a shelf mounted above the base of the trough with a feed hopper positioned for depositing feed onto the shelf and a water pipe formed from a rectangular tube and extending along the trough at a position underneath the shelf with a plurality of water nipples at spaced positions along the water pipe. A plurality of divider members are clamped on the pipe each between two of the water nipples such that the divider members together act to separate one side of the trough from the other side to prevent the passage therebetween of the animals when at the smaller size.

Abstract: Gestating sows are housed in a series of gestation stalls arranged in a row and backing onto an open alley along a rear of the row of stalls into which the sow can enter by backing out of the stall. A common trough extends along the front of the stalls and is fastened to the floor by fasteners which connect trough sections end to end. The common trough provides a support for the front end of the side walls defining the stalls. A rear gate closes the rear of each stall and connects to a front gate of the stall operable to close the rear gate by the sow as it moves in the stall toward the front. The rear gate latches closed to prevent entry of another sow but is releasable by rear pressure on the rear gate from the sow backing out.

Abstract: A feeder for feeding animals at the weanling stage has a trough with two opposed outwardly inclined front walls over which the animals can reach for taking feed from the trough and a feed hopper for discharging feed downwardly onto a shelf above the trough. Water is supplied into the trough so that the animals may take the feed dry on the shelf or wet from the trough. Water is normally supplied through a first water supply line which has a series of nipples controlled by the animals. However, while the weanlings are very young the first water supply line is closed off and water is supplied from a second supply line which is managed by a timer and water level sensor.

Abstract: In a hog production plant the hogs are divided into a series of separate pens within the hog plant based generally on weight such that the lightest hogs closest to the initial weight are arranged in the first pen when the arrive and the heaviest hogs closest to the final market weight are arranged in the last pen. Each pen includes a sorting scale arranged to receive a hog therein and to weigh the hog for selection of one of two outlet paths leading to the next pen of the series or, in respect of the last pen, to a discharge location.

Abstract: In a hog production plant the hogs are divided into a series of separate pens within the hog plant based generally on weight such that the lightest hogs closest to the initial weight are arranged in the first pen when the arrive and the heaviest hogs closest to the final market weight are arranged in the last pen. Each pen includes a sorting scale arranged to receive a hog therein and to weigh the hog for selection of one of two outlet paths leading to the next pen of the series or, in respect of the last pen, to a discharge location.

Abstract: In a farrowing pen which includes a pit and over the pit a first floor portion on which the sow can stand and lie and two further floor portions on each side of the first floor portion for receiving piglets of the sow and confining walls for locating the sow on the first floor portion there is provided an apparatus for lifting the sow away from the piglets to prevent crushing. The apparatus includes a base carries above the pit on a cradle and a gas bag lift mechanism carried on the base above the manure and arranged to raise a plate carrying two parallel rails with the first floor portion thereon. An air valve extends through the flooring and is operated by pressure from contact with the sow for actuating the controlling the flow of the air. The rate of lifting is faster than the rate of lowering. A scissors lever arrangement mounted on the base above the pit acts to support and guide the floor on the bag.

Abstract: A three dimensional decorative assembly features an inner member suspended for rotation within an opening in an outer member. Each member is made of differently coloured sheet metal and includes a plurality of strips extending between aligned spines at opposite ends on each side of said spines. The strips are progressively longer moving outward from the center of the assembly. In each member, the strips are spaced apart by a distance between an inner edge of one strip and an outer edge of an adjacent strip. In addition, an angle between adjacent strips angularly spaces the plurality of strips of each member about an axis defined by the spines thereof. Together, the inner edges of the shortest strip on each side of the spines of the outer member define the opening therein. Pivot supports are used to suspend the outer member for free rotation and suspend the inner member within the opening of said outer member such that each member can rotate independently about the axis defined by its spines.