Pneumatic Animal Confinement House Air Inlet Actuation System and Method

Abstract

A system and method for improving the actuation of vent doors in poultry houses and other animal confinement houses is claimed. The system reduces the number of pulleys and other moving parts and increases the system reliability by replacing high-maintenance motor-operated ball screw gear drives with pneumatic cylinders that move a control line to open and close the vent doors. The system provides for variable speed of the vent door actuation and reduces the number of bends in the control line cables. The system is capable of automatically causing the vent doors to open in the event of a power loss.

1 . A method for improving the actuation of animal confinement house ventilation devices, comprising the steps of: 
 a. installing a substantially horizontal control line along at least one wall or ceiling of an animal confinement house;    b. connecting animal confinement house ventilation devices to the control line such that axial motion of the control line can cause the animal confinement house ventilation devices to open and close;    c. installing a pneumatic cylinder with at least one piston rod on a wall of the animal confinement house in a generally straight line with the control line;    d. connecting the piston rod to the control line so that a stroking movement of the piston rod causes axial motion of the control line;    e. providing control means for independently controlling the speed of the opening and the closing of the animal confinement house ventilation devices so that the opening of the ventilation devices may be performed at a speed variable from the speed of the closing of the devices;    f. venting the cylinder upon the loss of electrical power and causing the vent doors open.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal confinement house ventilation devices comprise vent doors or curtains.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the control means automatically controls the opening and the closing of the ventilation devices when certain predetermined pressure or temperature levels are reached.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cylinder is capable of providing substantially continuous feedback to the control means regarding the position of the piston rod.  
   
   
       5 . A method for improving the actuation of animal confinement house ventilation devices, comprising the steps of: 
 a. installing a control line along at least one wall or ceiling of an animal confinement house;    b. connecting animal confinement house ventilation devices to the control line such that axial motion of the control line can cause the animal confinement house ventilation devices to open and close;    c. installing a pneumatic cylinder with a piston rod at a substantially ninety-degree angle to and connected to the control line through a chain and sprocket device so that a stroking movement of the piston rod causes axial motion of the control line;    d. providing control means for independently controlling the speed of the opening and the closing of the animal confinement house ventilation devices so that the opening of the ventilation devices may be performed at a speed variable from the speed of the closing of the devices;    e. venting the cylinder upon the loss of electrical power and causing the vent doors open.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the animal confinement house ventilation devices comprise vent doors or curtains.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the cylinder is capable of providing substantially continuous feedback to the control means regarding the position of the piston rod.  
   
   
       8 . A straight-line actuation system for controlling the opening and closing of animal confinement house ventilation devices, comprising: 
 a control line connected to animal confinement house ventilation devices;    a pneumatic cylinder that imparts axial force upon at least one piston rod, wherein the at least one piston rod is connected to the control line;    a controller capable of causing the at least one piston rod to stroke outward at a speed independently variable to the rod's inward stroke, in order to independently control the speed of the opening and the closing of the animal confinement house ventilation devices so that the opening of the ventilation devices may be performed at a speed greater than or less than the speed of the closing of the devices;    a fail-safe power loss system to cause the vent doors to open if power to the system is lost.    
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the animal confinement house ventilation devices comprise vent doors or curtains.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one piston rod comprises two piston rods on opposite ends of the pneumatic cylinder.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the piston rod is oriented in a substantially straight line with the direction of movement of the control line.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the piston rod is oriented at an angle to the direction of movement of the control line.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the angle is substantially ninety degrees.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein at least one end of the control line is attached to the wall or ceiling of the animal confinement house through a large spring.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the cylinder is capable of providing substantially continuous feedback to the controller regarding the position of the piston rod.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the fail safe power loss system is comprised of a dump valve connected to cylinder air supply lines wherein the dump valve vents the air in the cylinder air supply lines upon the loss of electrical power to the dump valve.