Portable pen for shipping livestock by container ship, rail and truck

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel collapsible pen that is used in combination with a widely available modular unit used in the shipping industry. The present invention is economical to use by virtue of the fact that the pen may be stored inexpensively in a minimum of space in a disassembled state, may be assembled quickly, and may be easily and readily disassembled to permit alternate uses of the modular freight unit. The present invention consists of a collapsible pen erected on a standardized rectangular platform which has at least one side open to the air. The pen is made up of modular panels. The panels are attached to the rectangular platform, and can be used alone or in combination with any side or end walls present on the rectangular platform to create an enclosure.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A livestock pen for transporting livestock by rail, truck or on a container ship with other standardized freight containers, comprising: 
 a. a platform based container open sided; and    b. a plurality of panels erected on and connected to said platform based container open sided, creating an enclosed area on said rectangular platform based container open sided for containing livestock.    
     
     
         2 . A livestock pen for transporting livestock by rail, truck or on container ship with other standardized freight containers, comprising: 
 a. a platform based container open sided; and    b. at least one panel erected on said platform based container open sided such that an enclosed area on said platform based container open sided for containing livestock exists.    
     
     
         3 . A livestock pen for transporting livestock by rail, truck or on a container ship with other standardized freight containers, comprising: 
 a. a rectangular platform having 
 1. a top and a bottom,  
 2. a perimeter extending around said top of said rectangular platform, defined by two side edges and two end edges,  
 3. said side edges and said end edges meeting at four corners,  
 4. said rectangular platform having four posts of equal height, attached to said rectangular platform, located at said four corners and extending from said top of said rectangular platform,  
 5. said posts together with said two side edges and said two end edges defining four perimeter planar areas extending perpendicular to said rectangular platform and from said top of said rectangular platform at said perimeter of said rectangular platform,  
 6. at least one of said perimeter planar areas being open to the air during transit of said rectangular platform,  
 7. said rectangular platform being of standardized dimensions, formation and configuration such that said rectangular platform is suitable for transport on said container ship stacked with said other standardized freight containers; and  
   b. a plurality of panels erected on and connected to said rectangular platform, creating an enclosed area on said rectangular platform for containing livestock.    
     
     
         4 . A livestock pen for transporting livestock by rail, truck or on container ship with other standardized freight containers, comprising: 
 a. a rectangular platform having 
 1. a top and a bottom,  
 2. a perimeter extending around said top of said rectangular platform, defined by two side edges and two end edges,  
 3. said side edges and said end edges meeting at four corners,  
 4. said rectangular platform having four posts of equal height, attached to said rectangular platform, located at said four corners and extending from said top of said rectangular platform,  
 5. said posts together with said two side edges and said two end edges defining four perimeter planar areas extending perpendicular to said rectangular platform and from said top of said rectangular platform at said perimeter of said rectangular platform,  
 6. at least one of said perimeter planar areas being open to the air during transit of said rectangular platform,  
 7. said rectangular platform being of standardized dimensions, formation and configuration such that said rectangular platform is suitable for transport on said container ship stacked with said other standardized freight containers; and  
   b. at least one panel erected on said rectangular platform such that an enclosed area on said rectangular platform for containing livestock exists.    
     
     
         5 . The livestock pen of    claim 1   , further comprising: 
 an impermeable membrane disposed on said top of said platform based container open sided.    
     
     
         6 . The livestock pen of    claim 2   , further comprising: 
 an impermeable membrane disposed on said top of said platform based container open sided.    
     
     
         7 . The livestock pen of    claim 3   , further comprising: 
 an impermeable membrane disposed on said top of said rectangular platform.    
     
     
         8 . The livestock pen of    claim 4   , further comprising: 
 an impermeable membrane disposed on said top of said rectangular platform.    
     
     
         9 . The livestock pen of    claim 1   , wherein: 
 said panel consists of a frame, and paneling is attached to said frame to prevent livestock seeing out of said pen.    
     
     
         10 . The livestock pen of    claim 2   , wherein: 
 said panel consists of a frame, and paneling is attached to said frame to prevent livestock seeing out of said pen.    
     
     
         11 . The livestock pen of    claim 3   , wherein: 
 said panel consists of a frame, and paneling is attached to said frame to prevent livestock seeing out of said pen.    
     
     
         12 . The livestock pen of    claim 4   , wherein: 
 said panel consists of a frame, and paneling is attached to said frame to prevent livestock seeing out of said pen.    
     
     
         13 . The livestock pen of    claim 1   , wherein: 
 one of said panels is formed with a flange hook.    
     
     
         14 . The livestock pen of    claim 2   , wherein: 
 one of said panels is formed with a flange hook.    
     
     
         15 . The livestock pen of    claim 3   , wherein: 
 one of said panels is formed with a flange hook.    
     
     
         16 . The livestock pen of    claim 4   , wherein: 
 one of said panels is formed with a flange hook.    
     
     
         17 . The livestock pen of    claim 1   , wherein at least two panels are used and said panels are disposed opposite each other and said pen further comprises: 
 a tensioning member connecting said oppositely disposed panels.    
     
     
         18 . The livestock pen of    claim 2   , wherein at least two panels are used and said panels are disposed opposite each other and said pen further comprises: 
 a tensioning member connecting said oppositely disposed panels.    
     
     
         19 . The livestock pen of    claim 3   , wherein at least two panels are used and said panels are disposed opposite each other and said pen further comprises: 
 a tensioning member connecting said oppositely disposed panels.    
     
     
         20 . The livestock pen of    claim 4   , wherein at least two panels are used and said panels are disposed opposite each other and said pen further comprises: 
 a tensioning member connecting said oppositely disposed panels.    
     
     
         21 . The livestock pen of    claim 1   , wherein at least two panels are used and said panels are disposed opposite each other and said pen further comprises: 
 a bracing member connecting said oppositely disposed panels.    
     
     
         22 . The livestock pen of    claim 2   , wherein at least two panels are used and said panels are disposed opposite each other and said pen further comprises: 
 a bracing member connecting said oppositely disposed panels.    
     
     
         23 . The livestock pen of    claim 3   , wherein at least two panels are used and said panels are disposed opposite each other and said pen further comprises: 
 a bracing member connecting said oppositely disposed panels.    
     
     
         24 . The livestock pen of    claim 4   , wherein at least two panels are used and said panels are disposed opposite each other and said pen further comprises: 
 a bracing member connecting said oppositely disposed panels.    
     
     
         25 . A panel for constructing a livestock pen for transporting livestock by rail, truck or on a container ship, comprising: 
 a. a frame having a top and a bottom; and    b. a flange hook mounted to the bottom of said frame.    
     
     
         26 . The panel of    claim 25   , further comprising: 
 means for receiving a tensioning member connected to said frame.    
     
     
         27 . The panel of    claim 26   , wherein: 
 said means for receiving a tensioning member is a winch assembly.    
     
     
         28 . The panel of    claim 26   , wherein: 
 said means for receiving a tensioning member is a hook assembly.    
     
     
         29 . A pen for transporting freight by rail, truck or on a container ship with other standardized freight containers, comprising: 
 a. a platform based container open sided; and    b. a plurality of panels erected on and connected to said rectangular platform based container open sided, creating an enclosed area on said rectangular platform based container open sided for containing freight; and    c. a bracing member connecting a plurality of said panels.    
     
     
         30 . A method of transporting livestock, comprising: 
 a. erecting an enclosure on a platform based container open sided with panels;    b. loading livestock into said enclosure;    c. loading said platform based container open sided with said livestock onto a means of transport;    d. moving said means of transport;    e. unloading said livestock from said enclosure.    
     
     
         31 . The method of    claim 30    wherein: 
 said means of transport is a container ship.  
 
     
     
         32 . The method of    claim 30    wherein: 
 said means of transport is a truck.  
 
     
     
         33 . The method of    claim 30    wherein: 
 said means of transport is a rail car.