Cage construction with chicken manure drying device

Abstract

A cage structure with a chicken manure drying device is provided in a central space between two rows of cages divided by a partition wall (20) and a central space sandwiched between them. The chicken manure drying device (40) that rotates in conjunction with the reciprocating motion of a single blade (55) and an axis (30) is provided in the central space. In the central dividing part (20C) of the partition wall (the part that divides the central space), there is no transverse member (21) at the position where it intersects with the blade end trajectory that is the trajectory drawn at the lower end of the rotating single blade (55).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a cage structure for raising chickens with an attached chicken manure drying device. Background Technology

[0002] In facilities that house multiple chickens in multiple cages, rows of cages arranged horizontally are stacked in multiple layers. Below each row of cages is a belt conveyor for receiving chicken manure, which is operated every 2-3 days to transport the manure. The transported manure is either collected in containers at the end of the belt conveyor or transferred to other conveyors for further transport.

[0003] If chicken manure containing a large amount of moisture is transported continuously, it will not easily fall off at the end of the conveyor belt. If the conveyor belt with chicken manure attached returns, the environment for raising chickens cannot be kept hygienic. Therefore, it is desirable for the chicken manure falling onto the conveyor belt to be dried before transport.

[0004] To dry chicken manure, there are facilities that use pipes above belt conveyors to pressurize air, which is then sprayed onto the manure. However, this method leads to increased electricity costs.

[0005] Therefore, the applicant has previously proposed and implemented a chicken manure drying device that rotates plate-shaped air-blowing blades (see Patent Document 1). This is a structure that rotates multiple air-blowing blades by forming a space between two rows of cages arranged back-to-back and reciprocating a horizontally positioned shaft through this space. The chicken manure is dried by the movement of air generated by the rotation of the air-blowing blades. By using such a chicken manure drying device, the cost (electricity cost) can be significantly reduced compared to drying devices that spray air compressed within a pipe.

[0006] However, there is usually a requirement to further improve the drying efficiency of chicken manure drying equipment.

[0007] Prior art literature

[0008] Patent documents

[0009] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 2934581 Summary of the Invention

[0010] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0011] Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned actual situation, the present invention aims to provide a cage structure with a chicken manure drying device that further improves the drying efficiency of chicken manure.

[0012] The means to solve the problem

[0013] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the cage structure with a chicken manure drying device according to the present invention is as follows:

[0014] In a central space sandwiched between two rows of cages arranged side-by-side, multiple chicken manure drying devices are installed in the central space. The two rows of cages consist of two mesh structures, each having at least a front wall, a rear wall, and a floor, arranged side-by-side in an abutment configuration with their respective rear walls spaced apart. Multiple chicken cages are horizontally arranged side-by-side by dividing the two mesh structures with multiple partitions. These partitions are surfaces formed by intersecting transverse and longitudinal members and are vertical planes orthogonal to the rear walls.

[0015] The aforementioned chicken manure drying device has a single blade that rotates about the axis of a first axis that supports both ends on the two rear walls, in conjunction with the reciprocating motion of an axis that passes through the central space along the length of the aforementioned cage row.

[0016] In the aforementioned partition wall, when the portion dividing one of the two cage columns is called the right partition, the portion dividing the other of the cage columns is called the left partition, and the portion dividing the central space is called the central partition, the central partition does not have the aforementioned transverse member on the imaginary lower end line extending from the lower ends of the right partition and the left partition.

[0017] In this structure, if there is a transverse member on the line extending from the lower ends of the right and left partitions of the wall, the length of a single blade can be increased to the length that interferes with the transverse member. Therefore, by increasing the area of ​​a single blade, the air volume and velocity delivered from a single blade in one rotation can be increased, thereby improving the drying efficiency of chicken manure.

[0018] Regarding the cage structure with chicken manure drying device of the present invention, based on the above structure, it can be made into the following structure:

[0019] When the aforementioned single blade rotates around the axis of the aforementioned first axis, the blade tip trajectory, which is the trajectory drawn by the lower end of the aforementioned single blade, intersects with the aforementioned imaginary lower end line, and

[0020] The central dividing section of the aforementioned partition wall does not have the aforementioned transverse member at the position where it intersects with the aforementioned blade end trajectory.

[0021] In this structure, the chicken manure drying device has a single blade with a length such that if there is a transverse member extending along the line connecting the lower ends of the right and left sections of the partition wall, it will interfere with that transverse member. Because the central section of the partition wall does not have a transverse member at the position where it intersects with the trajectory of the blade tip of the single blade, even a single blade of this length can rotate without interfering with the transverse member.

[0022] Regarding the cage structure with chicken manure drying device of the present invention, based on the above structure, it can be made into the following structure:

[0023] The central dividing section of the aforementioned partition wall has an auxiliary transverse member that is not on the line extending the transverse members of the aforementioned right dividing section and the aforementioned left dividing section, and connects the longitudinal members of the aforementioned right dividing section and the aforementioned left dividing section at a position that does not intersect with the aforementioned blade end trajectory.

[0024] In the partition wall, because there are no transverse members on the lines extending from the lower ends of the right and left partition sections, there is a risk of reduced mechanical strength compared to partition walls with transverse members in this section. In this structure, because an auxiliary transverse member is provided at the central partition section of the partition wall in a position that does not interfere with the rotating individual blades, the presence of this auxiliary transverse member ensures the mechanical strength of the partition wall.

[0025] The effects of the invention

[0026] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cage structure with a chicken manure drying device that further improves the drying efficiency of chicken manure. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the cage's layers.

[0028] Figure 2 Viewed from the end side along the length direction Figure 1 A diagram of cage-like structures.

[0029] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A top view of the cage-like structure (ceiling omitted).

[0030] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional view showing the shaft inserted into the connecting parts of the chicken manure drying device.

[0031] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 An exploded three-dimensional diagram of a chicken manure drying device.

[0032] Figure 6It is a diagram illustrating the rotation of a single blade that accompanies the reciprocating motion of the shaft.

[0033] Figure 7 It only means in Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of the partition walls, chicken manure drying device, and shaft in the cage layer.

[0034] Figure 8 (a) is in Figure 1 The front view of the partition wall in the cage-like structure. Figure 8 (b) is the previous front view of the partition wall.

[0035] Figure 9 This involves varying the length of individual blades to create graphs representing wind speed measurements taken inside the cage and top views showing the measurement location. Figure 1 The diagram is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0036] In order to implement the invention

[0037] The following description uses the accompanying drawings to illustrate specific embodiments of the present invention. The cage structure with a chicken manure drying device in this embodiment is a structure in which multiple chicken cages 10u are arranged side-by-side in a horizontal direction, and a chicken manure drying device 40 is attached to a cage row 10. In large-scale chicken farming facilities, multiple cage rows formed by two cage rows are generally stacked on top of each other. Figure 1 In the text, it only represents one of the multiple cage layers 1 stacked together, but the multiple cage layers 1 are supported by pillars 15 erected vertically from the setting surface in a stacked state.

[0038] The cage row 1 is a structure in which two cage rows 10 are arranged side by side with the central space S sandwiched in the middle. Such a cage row 1 can be formed by arranging two mesh structures having a front wall 11, a rear wall 12, a floor surface 13 and a ceiling surface (not shown) side by side in a state where their respective rear walls 12 are separated by a gap and separated by a plurality of partition walls 20.

[0039] If the direction in which the cage array 10 extends, that is, the direction in which the cages 10u are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, is called the length direction, then the rear wall 12 is a vertical plane parallel to the length direction. The central space S is the space formed between the two rear walls 12, and is a long and narrow space without a floor surface in the length direction.

[0040] The partition wall 20 is a surface formed by multiple intersecting transverse members 21 and longitudinal members 22. It is a vertical surface orthogonal to the length direction and is arranged at certain intervals along the length direction. By separating the two mesh structures with multiple partition walls 20, multiple cages 10u are formed in each cage row 10. That is, one partition wall 20 separates two cage rows 10 and extends through the central space S. Figure 1 In the simplified illustration, the case where each cage row 10 is divided into two cages 10u by three partitions 20 is shown. However, by dividing longer cage rows 10 by more partitions 20, more cages 10u can be formed into a single cage row 10. Furthermore, in... Figure 1 In the diagram, the rear wall 12 is omitted from the front half of the cage row 1.

[0041] In each cage row 10, a feeding trough 17 is arranged horizontally along the front wall 11. Additionally, this section shows a cage row 1 used in a facility for raising chickens to produce eggs, in which the floor surface 13 of each cage row 10 slopes downwards towards the front wall 11. An egg tray 18 is formed by the floor surface 13 extending below the feeding trough 17. Eggs roll on the floor surface 13 under their own weight and are placed onto the egg tray 18.

[0042] Additionally, although the illustration is omitted, a belt conveyor for transporting chicken manure is installed below each cage row 1. The manure excreted by the chickens raised in the cages 10u is carried onto the belt conveyor via the mesh floor surface 13.

[0043] In the central space S, a long shaft 30 and multiple chicken manure drying devices 40 are installed. The shaft 30 is cylindrical or cylindrical and has a length greater than that of the cage rows 10. If the direction orthogonal to the length direction, that is, the direction in which the two cage rows 10 are parallel, is called the transverse direction, then the shaft 30 runs through the central space S in the center of the transverse direction and is parallel to the length direction.

[0044] Each chicken manure drying device 40 includes a frame 50, a single blade 55, a first shaft 61, a second shaft 62, and a connecting member 70. The frame 50 has a first cylindrical portion 51 connecting the upper ends of a pair of arms 53 separated by a gap, through which the cylindrical first shaft 61 is inserted. The two ends of the first shaft 61 are respectively mounted at the same height by mounting members 59 on the two rear walls 12 that sandwich the central space S.

[0045] The frame 50 rotates about the axis of the first shaft 61. There are two configurations for it. One configuration is such that the first shaft 61 is rotatably supported on the rear wall 12 by a bearing mounted on the mounting member 59, and the first shaft 61 rotates integrally with the first cylindrical portion 51. The other configuration is such that the first cylindrical portion 51 rotates freely relative to the first shaft 61, and the first shaft 61 is non-rotatably supported on the two rear walls 12 by the mounting member 59.

[0046] The second shaft 62 is positioned below and parallel to the first shaft 61, supported between a pair of arms 53. Specifically, two short second cylindrical portions 52 are provided below the first cylindrical portion 51, projecting inward from each of the pair of arms 53. The two second cylindrical portions 52 are coaxial, with an in-frame space FS between them. A cylindrical second shaft 62 passes through these two second cylindrical portions 52, but details will be described later.

[0047] The connector 70 has a third cylindrical portion 71, a fourth cylindrical portion 72, and a connecting portion 73 connecting them. The connecting portion 73 is inverted V-shaped, and the fourth cylindrical portion 72 is located below the third cylindrical portion 71, and the third cylindrical portion 71 and the fourth cylindrical portion 72 are connected in a manner that is orthogonal to the axial directions of both.

[0048] The connecting member 70 is located within the frame space FS in a manner coaxial with the third cylindrical portion 71 and the two second cylindrical portions 52. In this state, the second shaft 62 is inserted through the two second cylindrical portions 52 and the third cylindrical portion 71. The connecting member 70 and the frame 50 rotate relative to each other about the axis of the second shaft 62. There are two structures used for it. One structure is such that the second shaft 62 is rotatably supported on the frame 50 by placing bearings at both ends of the second shaft 62, while the second shaft 62 rotates integrally with the third cylindrical portion 71. The other structure is such that the third cylindrical portion 71 rotates freely relative to the second shaft 62, while the second shaft 62 is non-rotatably supported between a pair of arms.

[0049] The frame 50 and the individual blade 55 are integrated by connecting the upper end of the individual blade 55 to the lower end of the frame 50. The individual blade 55 is roughly rectangular.

[0050] The chicken manure drying device 40 described above is located in the central space S, in the space between adjacent partition walls 20, at the middle position along the length direction. That is, the number of chicken manure drying devices 40 in each cage row 1 is the same as the number of cages 10u constituting a cage row 10.

[0051] Furthermore, a long shaft 30 is inserted into the fourth cylindrical portion 72 of the connecting part 70 of each of the multiple chicken manure drying devices 40 belonging to a cage row 1, and the fourth cylindrical portion 72 and the shaft 30 are integrated.

[0052] If as Figure 6 As shown in (a), the second axis 62 is positioned directly below the first axis 61, causing the long axis 30 to... Figure 6As shown in (b), when the shaft 30 moves along its length, the connecting member 70, which is inserted into the fourth cylindrical portion 72, moves integrally with the shaft 30. A second shaft 62 is inserted into the third cylindrical portion 71 of the connecting member 70, and the connecting member 70 and the frame 50 rotate relative to each other about the axis of the second shaft 62. Therefore, the frame 50 rotates about the axis of the second shaft 62 relative to the connecting member 70 while simultaneously rotating about the axis of the first shaft 61. Simultaneously, the individual blade 55 also rotates about the axis of the first shaft 61. That is, if the shaft 30 moves forward, the individual blade 55 rotates in the same direction; if the shaft 30 moves backward, the individual blade 55 rotates in the same direction. If the shaft 30 continuously reciprocates, the individual blade 55 repeatedly rotates in opposite directions, and the lower end of the individual blade 55 traces a roughly arc-shaped trajectory. This trajectory is called the blade end trajectory L. When a single blade is deflected at 55°, the blade tip track does not become the correct arc shape.

[0053] Furthermore, the multiple shafts 30 arranged in each of the stacked cage rows 1 can be reciprocated by a single drive mechanism. Such a drive mechanism can be exemplified by a cam and linkage drive mechanism that includes a motor with a vertical output shaft and converts the rotational motion of the motor's output shaft into horizontal reciprocating motion. Additionally, the shafts 30 are arranged in the central space S in a configuration that allows for some vertical movement during reciprocating motion.

[0054] If a single blade 55 is repeatedly rotated in opposite directions by the continuous reciprocating motion of the shaft 30, the air supplied from the single blade 55 will dry the chicken manure on the belt conveyor located below the cage row 10.

[0055] The inventors conceived of a method to further improve drying efficiency when drying chicken manure by airflow from a rotating single blade 55, by increasing the vertical length of the single blade 55 to increase its area. Here, the vertical length of the single blade 55 refers to its vertical length when the single blade 55 is hanging down by its own weight without rotating.

[0056] However, as Figure 8 As shown in (b), in the conventional cage-like partition wall 120, the transverse members 121 and longitudinal members 122 are arranged with a length that extends the entire length in the transverse direction. That is, in a partition wall 120, the longitudinal member 122 of the right dividing section 120R, which divides one side of the cage rows, and the longitudinal member 122 of the left dividing section 120L, which divides the other side of the cage rows, are connected by a common transverse member 121. This is because, if this is done, it is easy to manufacture a mesh partition wall 120 and it can have high mechanical strength.

[0057] In the case of the conventional partition wall 120, since the transverse members 121 penetrate the central space between the two cage rows, if the individual blades 55 are lengthened, there is a problem that several transverse members 121 penetrating the central space interfere with the individual blades 55. In particular, the transverse members 121 constituting the lower end of the partition wall 120, the transverse members 121 close to the lower end, and the individual blades 55 interfere with each other.

[0058] Therefore, in this embodiment, in a partition wall 20, when the portion dividing one of the two cage rows 10 is called the right partition 20R, the portion dividing the other cage row 10 is called the left partition 20L, and the portion dividing the central space S is called the central partition 20C, the central partition 20C is constructed such that it does not have a transverse member 21 on the imaginary lower end line extending from the lower ends of the right partition 20R and the left partition 20L respectively. Here, at the position where it intersects with the blade tip trajectory L of the single blade 55, the central partition 20C of the partition wall 20 does not yet have a transverse member 21. Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 7 The example illustrates a case where the horizontal member 21 forming the lower end in both the right division 20R and the left division 20L, and the second horizontal member 21 from the lower end, do not extend to the central division 20C.

[0059] By making the structure like this, even if the blade tip trajectory L of a single blade 55 intersects with the imaginary lower end line to the extent that the single blade 55 becomes longer, there is no interference between the transverse member 21 in the central dividing section 20C of the partition wall 20 and the single blade 55.

[0060] However, since the partition wall 20 lacks a lower-end transverse member 21 in the central dividing section 20C, there is a risk of reduced mechanical strength compared to the conventional partition wall 120. Therefore, the partition wall 20 of this embodiment includes an auxiliary transverse member 25, which connects the longitudinal member 22 of the right dividing section 20R and the longitudinal member 22 of the left dividing section 20L at the central dividing section 20C, at a position that does not intersect with the blade tip trajectory L of the individual blade 55. The auxiliary transverse member 25 additionally connects the right dividing section 20R and the left dividing section 20L at a position that is neither an extension line of the transverse member 21 of the right dividing section 20R nor an extension line of the transverse member 21 of the left dividing section 20L. Thus, the auxiliary transverse member 25 effectively suppresses the reduction in mechanical strength of the partition wall 20, which lacks a lower-end transverse member 21 in the central dividing section 20C.

[0061] Alternatively, it is conceivable to use partitions that correspond only to the right division 20R and only to the left division 20L, dividing each cage row 10 by these partitions. In this case, since there are no partitions in the central space S, there is no risk of interference with the transverse member 21 even if the individual blades 55 are lengthened. However, without partitions in the central space S, the two cage rows 10 are not connected in the transverse direction, reducing the overall mechanical strength of the cage row layer 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, a partition 20 with the aforementioned structure, having a transverse member 21 and an auxiliary transverse member 25 in the central division 20C, is used at a position that does not intersect with the blade tip trajectory L of the individual blades 55.

[0062] As described above, according to the cage structure with chicken manure drying device of this embodiment, in the chicken manure drying device 40 arranged in the central space S, the individual blades 55 that are rotated and blown by air can be lengthened without interfering with the transverse members 21 of the partition wall 20, thereby increasing the area of ​​the individual blades 55. As a result, the air volume and air velocity delivered from the individual blades 55 can be increased with each rotation, thus improving the drying efficiency of chicken manure even if the rotation speed of the individual blades 55 is the same.

[0063] In fact, aside from using single blade A with a vertical length of 175 mm and single blade B with a vertical length of 235 mm, the wind speed in the cage 10u was compared under the same conditions, with the shaft 30 reciprocating. If the area of ​​single blade A is taken as 100%, the area of ​​single blade B increases to 134%. Single blade A, when using the conventional partition wall 120, is a length that avoids interference with the transverse member 121 in the central space S; single blade B, when using the partition wall 20 of this embodiment, does not interfere with the transverse member 21 in the central space S, but when using the conventional partition wall 120, is a length that interferes with the transverse member 121 in the central space S.

[0064] In addition, wind speed was measured at the central positions P1 to P9 of the nine spaces in a cage 10u, which is divided into three sections from the rear wall 12 toward the front wall 11 and also into three sections along its length. The results are shown in a diagram of the measurement locations. Figure 9 In. Figure 9 The chart in the image uses the wind speed of a single blade A at P5 as 100.

[0065] like Figure 9As shown, at any position from P1 to P9, the wind speed increased when using a single blade B compared to using a single blade A. In particular, at P2, P5, and P8, which are the central positions of the spaces that divide the internal space of the cage 10u into three spaces along the length direction, near the rear wall 12, i.e., at P5, which is the position closest to the chicken manure drying device 40, the wind speed generated by a single blade B is three times that of a single blade A, an increase that is very large. Even at P2, which is the center of the cage 10u, the wind speed generated by a single blade B is twice that of a single blade A, an increase that is also large.

[0066] The present invention has been described above with examples of suitable embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various improvements and design changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0067] For example, in the above embodiment, a case in which multiple cage layers are stacked is illustrated, but a structure in which the cage layers are used as a single layer is also possible.

[0068] In addition, water supply pipes for supplying drinking water to the chickens can be installed in each cage row.

Claims

1. A cage structure with a chicken manure drying device, characterized in that, In a central space sandwiched between two rows of cages arranged side-by-side, multiple chicken manure drying devices are installed in the central space. The two rows of cages consist of two mesh structures, each having at least a front wall, a rear wall, and a floor, arranged side-by-side in an abutting configuration where their respective rear walls are spaced apart. Multiple chicken cages are horizontally arranged side-by-side by multiple partitions, each partition being a surface formed by intersecting transverse and longitudinal members and a vertical plane orthogonal to the rear walls. The aforementioned chicken manure drying device has a single blade that rotates about the axis of a first axis that supports both ends on the two rear walls, in conjunction with the reciprocating motion of an axis that passes through the central space along the length of the aforementioned cage row. In the aforementioned partition wall, when the portion dividing one of the two cage rows is called the right partition, the portion dividing the other cage row is called the left partition, and the portion dividing the central space is called the central partition, the central partition does not have the aforementioned transverse member on the imaginary lower end line extending from the lower ends of the right partition and the left partition, When the aforementioned single blade rotates around the axis of the aforementioned first axis, the blade tip trajectory, which is the trajectory drawn by the lower end of the aforementioned single blade, intersects with the aforementioned imaginary lower end line, and The central dividing section of the aforementioned partition wall does not have the aforementioned transverse member at the position where it intersects with the aforementioned blade end trajectory.

2. The cage structure with chicken manure drying device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central dividing section of the aforementioned partition wall has an auxiliary transverse member that is not on the line extending the transverse members of the aforementioned right dividing section and the aforementioned left dividing section, and connects the longitudinal members of the aforementioned right dividing section and the aforementioned left dividing section at a position that does not intersect with the aforementioned blade end trajectory.

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