Apparatus for Assisting the Forward Movement of Livestock

Abstract

An apparatus for assisting the forward movement of animals in a livestock alleyway includes a pivot structure, an actuator and an arm assembly. The pivot structure is rotatably mounted to the alleyway. The actuator connects between the alleyway and the pivot structure for rotating the pivot structure between first and second positions. The arm assembly is pivotably mounted to the pivot structure for rotation between a first extended position and a second retracted position. The arm assembly is biased toward the first extended position and is able to extend and retract in a telescoping fashion. The pivot structure and the arm assembly are arranged for positioning above livestock animals in the alleyway and yet also for pivoting from such a retracted position to a position for urging the forward movement of a livestock animal without interfering with an animal that may be positioned under the apparatus.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for assisting the forward movement of a livestock animal, comprising:
 (a) a livestock alleyway including spaced side walls that extend from an upper end to a lower end and that define a passageway suitable for accommodating single file movement of livestock animals,   (a) a pivot structure that is rotatably mounted to the upper ends of the side walls of the livestock alleyway, the pivot structure being able to rotate about a first axis that is generally normal to the sidewalls of the alleyway,   (b) an actuator connecting between the alleyway and the pivot structure and being able to rotate the pivot structure between a first pivot structure position and a second pivot structure position,   (c) an arm assembly having a first proximal end and a second distal end, the arm assembly being pivotably mounted to the pivot structure at its proximal end so that it is able to rotate with respect to the pivot structure about a second axis that is also generally normal to the sidewalls of the alleyway between a first extended position and a second retracted position, the arm assembly is also being biased toward the first extended position, the arm assembly also including a paddle attachment that is mounted to the distal end of the arm assembly, the pivot structure and the arm assembly being arranged so that a livestock animal moving through the alleyway will encounter the paddle attachment and be able to push the paddle attachment and the arm assembly up toward the second retracted position and pass underneath the arm assembly as it moves forward in the alleyway, the pivot structure and the arm assembly also being arranged so that when the arm assembly is in the first retracted position with respect to the pivot structure, the arm assembly is able to be rotated by the pivot structure upon activation of the actuator to cause contact of the paddle attachment with rear of the livestock animal thereby urging the animal forward in the alleyway as the pivot structure is rotated by the actuator from the first pivot structure position toward the second pivot structure position.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the paddle attachment is pivotally mounted the distal end of the arm assembly so that the paddle attachment is able to pivot with respect to the arm assembly within a range of motion.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the arm assembly further comprises an outer tube and a height selector arm, the outer tube being pivotably mounted to the pivot structure and the outer tube slidably receiving the height selector arm for sliding movement between a first retracted position and a second extended position in relation to the outer tube.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the outer tube further presents opposite slots and the height selector arm presents a plurality of spaced opposite holes such that a height selector arm retaining bolt may be installed through a selected opposite pair of the opposite holes in the height selector arm and through the opposite slots in the outer tube so that the height selector harm is able to move between a first retracted position and a second extended position such that the height of the second extended position has been selected due to the selection of the opposite holes in the height selector arm retaining bolt.