Title of Invention

"AN APPARATUS TO CLEAN BIRD DROPPINGS WITHIN A CAGE IN POULTRY FARMS"

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus to clean bird droppings within a cage in poultry farms characterized in that:- (a) a channel (3) provided below a plurality of cages removably fixed with a track (6) wherein atleast one ditch is provided on atleast one end of the channel; (b) a mobile means (7) capable of forward and backward movement in said track comprising a house housing driving means (9 & 10), atleast two sensors (12 & 13) and a microprocessor based controller; (c) a wiper removably fixed to shaft of a driving means (1C) having a frame (19) provided with an adjustable roller (22).

Full Text

FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to an apparatus to clean bird droppings within a cage in poultry farms. PRIOR ART In cage type poultry farms, management of the poultry house environment is essential. An important measure for maintenance of a suitable environment is regular removal of bird droppings, which requires substantial manpower. If the bird droppings are not removed regularly, a thick layer of garbage mainly comprising of bird droppings forms under the cage. This leads to unsanitary growing conditions which may result in producing bad odours, high bacterial load, insect problem (particularly flies), soiled feathers, etc which may cause infection to the birds leading to spread of disease among the entire flock leading to loss of production and death of chickens. U.S. Patent No. 5, 762, 083 discloses a garoage chute cleaning apparatus to include a cart having ground engaging wheel. Out trigger legs are provided for anchoring and providing the lateral stability to the cart. A rotably mounted electrically operated reel is provided which carries the bird droppings. Two telescopically extendable vertical support columns are mounted on the cart. A telescopically extendable horizontal crossbeam extends the two vertical support columns. A drawback of the above apparatus is that the poultry farms require very long reel which consumes more power and is therefore not energy efficient. U.S Patent No.-5^ 249, 749 discloses a self cleaning garbage disposal comprising an electrically operated sprayers which sprays water under pressure to clean the bird droppings. A control valve is connected to the cold water pipe and controls the flows of water from the cold water line to the spray ring. The control valve is engaged simultaneously with the disposal when the disposal is activated, which also initiates a timer control circuit in the control valve. The spray ring using slandered water pressure, forces the food, debris directly on to the deposal blades in a counter clockwise direction for faster and more efficient grinding of food debris. A drawback of the above apparatus is that cleaning of bird droppings by spraying of water consumes large volumes of water which in turn necessitates large water storage means. Still another drawback of the above apparatus is that it requires considerable power consumption. Further drawback of the above apparatus is that spraying large volumes of water creates muddy environment all around. Still further drawback of above apparatus is that it creates problems of disposal of large volume of dirty water carrying bird droppings. Yet further drawbacks of the above apparatus is that recycling of bird dropping for the purpose of preparation of manure therefrom is costly as the bir droppings mixed with water necessitate drying for removal of water by evaporation, cleaning, etc. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object if this invention is to purpose an apparatus to is clean bird droppings in a cage in cage type poultry farms. Another object of this invention is to propose an apparatus to clean bird droppings in cage type poultry farms, which is electrically operated. Still another object of this invention is to propose an apparatus for removal of bird droppings from cage type poultry farms, which is simple. Further objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the ensuing description. DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES The invention will now be illustrated with accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the present invention. The features and concept of present invention can be incorporated in several variant embodiments. The drawings are therefore not intended to be taken restrictively to imply any limitation on the scope of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings:- Fig 1:- shows the vertical section view of cage with supports and a U-channel below the cage; Fig 2:- shows three-dimensional view of the cages and the apparatus of the present invention; Fig. 3 :- shows the vertical cross-section view of the U-shaped channel; Fig. 4 :- shows the three-dimensional view of U-shaped channel; Fig. 5 :- shows the U-shaped channel with mobile arrangement; Fig. 6(a):- shows the top-view of the mobile system; Fig. 6(b):- shows the side view of the mobile system; Fig. 6(c):- three-dimensional view of mobile system; Fig. 7 :- shows the action of the system with wiper in operation; Fig. 8 :- shows the action of the system with wiper in operation in reverse 2direction. STATEMENT OF INVENTION According to this invention there is provided an apparatus to clean bird droppings within a cage in poultry farms characterized in that:- (a) a channel provided below a plurality of a cages, wherein said channel is removably fixed with a track in which atleast one ditch is provided on atleast one end of the channel; (b) a mobile means capable of forward and backward movement in said track comprising a house housing driving means, atleast two sensors and a microprocessor based controller; (c) a wiper removably fixed to shaft of a driving means having a frame provided with an adjustable roller. DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION W.R.T. DRAWINGS Referring to Fig. 1, the cage structure of cages comprises cages (1) for the birds with each cage housing one or two birds. The cages are provided on support (2). The cages are laid out in such a way that bird dropping of a bird in a cage does not fall in the cage of other bird but falls into the U-shaped channel (3) provided at the bottom of cages. The channel has a smooth surface preferably made of plastic or steel. Referring to fig (2), the said channel (3) runs below all the cages so that the bird droppings of all the cages in one row falls into this channel. The length (4) of channel is such as to cover the combined length of cages placed cage to edge, in a row. The breadth (5) of channel covers the gap between supports (2) so that bird droppings do not fall outside the said channel (3). Each case is preferably of a cubical shape. A vertical cross section of the U-shaped channel is shown in Fig 2 and three-dimensional view of said channel is shown in Fig 3. A ditch (21) is provided at one or at both the ends of the said channel for collection of bird droppings cleaned by the wiper (8). A metallic track (6) is fixed by nut and bolt means along the length (4) of the said channel (3). A mobile means (7) moves forward and backward over the said track. Referring to Fig (5), 6(a), 6(b), and 6(c) the said mobile means (7), comprises a metallic box which houses motor (9) which causes forward and backward of wheels resulting in forward and movement of said mobile means (7) in the said metallic track (6). The said metallic box also houses a motor (10) with a shaft (11) projecting outside the metallic box. The said metallic box also houses two sensors (12, 13). The said mobile means (7) is provided with a pair of rear wheels (15) and a pair of front wheel (14) with their respective axles (16) and (17) and gear (18). The said shaft (11) of said motor (10) is coupled to a wiper (8) by nut and bolt means. The said wiper is so shaped and adapted that when the mobile means (7) moves forward and backward, the bottom of the said wiper touches the bottom of U-channel and cleans the bird droppings in the channel (as shown in Fig 5) as wiper moves forward and backward in the channel. A microprocessor-based controller (not shown) is provided in the metallic box to control forward and backward movement of the said wiper. An indicator light (not shown) is provided on the upper surface of the said metallic box to indicate whether the apparatus is in operational state or in non-operational state. Referring to Fig 7 and 8, the wiper comprises of a metallic frame (9) to which a soft plastic material is fixed by nut and bolt means. The wiper is tightened to the said frame by nut and bolt means at the hole (20). An adjustable roller (22) is provided at the other end (away from mobile means 7) of wiper to hear the excess weight of wiper and facilitate smooth movement of the wiper inside the channel (3). A counter weight (23) is provided at the other end of the shaft to balance the weight «. of the said wiper: When the mobile means (7) moves in the track (6) with the movement of wheels caused by the motor (9) the wiper also moves in the channel and cleans alongwith of the bird droppings from the said channel when the sensor (13) senses the end of the metallic track (6), the electronic circuitry provided reserve the direction of the mobile means (7). The said motor (10) through the rotation of the said shaft (11) lifts up the wiper (as shown in Fig.8) by at least 30o. This lifting up of the wiper during movement in backward direction ensures that bird droppings are not in anyway dragged back in the channel. However by providing ditch for collection of bird droppings on both sides of channel and by keeping only one motor, the need for lifting up of the wiper in.reverse direction can be obviated. It is to be understood that the device of the present invention is susceptible to modifications, changes, and adaptations by those skilled in the art. Such variant embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the present invention which is further set forth under the claims that follow. WE CLAIM 1. An apparatus to clean bird droppings within a cage in poultry farms characterized in that:- (a) a channel (3) provided below a plurality of a cages(l), wherein said channel is removably fixed with a track (6) in which atleast one ditch (21) is provided on atleast one end of the channel; (b) a mobile means (7) capable of forward and backward movement in said track comprising a house housing driving means (9 85 10), atleast two sensors (12 & 13) and a microprocessor based controller; (c) a wiper (8) removably fixed to shaft (11) of a driving means (10) having a frame (19) provided with an adjustable roller (22). 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said channel (3) is having U-shape. 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the said plurality of cages (1) are provided in a row. 4. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the said house of mobile means (7) is provided with a pair of rear and front wheels (15, 14) and an indicator light on its upper surface. 5. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the said driving means (9 85 10) comprises motor. 6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the above claims wherein the said frame (9) is removably fixed to a soft plastic material. 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the said frame is disposed with a counter weight (23) at its one end. 8. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the said roller (22) is provided below the wiper (8) at the roller end of the said frame. 9. An apparatus to clean bird droppings within a cage in poultry farms herein described and illustrated.

Documents:

1035-del-2003-abstract.pdf

1035-del-2003-claims.pdf

1035-del-2003-correspondence-others.pdf

1035-del-2003-correspondence-po.pdf

1035-del-2003-description (complete).pdf

1035-del-2003-drawings.pdf

1035-del-2003-form-1.pdf

1035-del-2003-form-18.pdf

1035-del-2003-form-2.pdf

1035-del-2003-form-3.pdf

1035-del-2003-form-5.pdf

1035-del-2003-gpa.pdf

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