Limiting fence

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of livestock breeding equipment, in particular to a limiting fence which comprises a fixed side fence, a movable side fence and guide stand columns. The movable side fence and the fixed side fence jointly form a limiting surface on one side to limit the side body of a pig; the fixed side fences are fixedly connected with the bottom surface of the feeding fence; the two guide stand columns are located on the two sides of the movable side fences in the length direction respectively and fixedly connected with the bottom face of the feeding fence to form a guide stroke in the vertical direction. The movable side fences can slide to the height where pigs can pass through along the guide stroke. The limiting fence can be freely switched between the full-limiting mode and the semi-limiting mode, the work task that a user needs to change the fence at different growth stages of pigs is omitted, the movable side fence can be flatly laid in the ground in combination with the transfer structure, and the movable side fence without the limiting mode completely does not occupy extra breeding space. And the activities of pigs and employees are not interfered.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of animal husbandry equipment, in particular to a limiting fence. Background Art

[0002] At present, in large-scale pig farms, the management of confinement pens for pregnant sows is mainly divided into two stages: full confinement pens are used in the early stage, and semi-confined pens are used in the later stage. Full confinement pens effectively reduce the sows' activities by fixing their positions, avoiding irritable behaviors caused by hormonal changes during pregnancy. At the same time, it is convenient for farmers to perform backfat detection, B-ultrasound pregnancy examinations and other operations, and significantly improve the efficiency of vaccination, disease treatment and other work, and reduce the stress of catching pigs. However, after entering the middle and late stages of pregnancy, in order to ensure the health of the sows, it is usually necessary to switch to semi-confined pen mode to provide a larger space for activities, and use separated troughs to prevent sows from competing for feed. Therefore, the existing technology is to drive sows in the early stages of pregnancy to fully confined breeding facilities by rotating pens, and then drive the sows to semi-confined breeding places in the late stages of pregnancy, so as to achieve the above-mentioned purpose.

[0003] However, there are obvious disadvantages to transferring pigs to pens: 1. Low pen utilization rate: Semi-confined pens require space for transfer and cleaning, which leads to an increase in vacancy rate and breeding costs; 2. Risk of transfer stress: Frequent transfer of sows can easily induce stress reactions, affecting pregnancy stability and fetal development; 3. Increased labor costs: The pen transfer operation and pen cleaning increase the labor intensity of workers and reduce the overall management efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a dynamically adjustable stall system that can flexibly switch between full and semi-stall modes based on the needs of sows at different physiological stages. This approach optimizes stall utilization and reduces manual intervention while ensuring animal welfare. This innovative design will effectively resolve the contradictions of traditional stall management and provide a more efficient and cost-effective solution for modern pig farms. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, the present invention provides a limit fence, comprising a fixed side fence, a movable side fence, and a guide column; The movable side fence and the fixed side fence together form a limiting surface on one side to limit the side position of the pig; The fixed side fence is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the feeding fence; The two guide posts are respectively located on both sides of the length direction of the movable side fence and are fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the feeding fence to form a vertical guide stroke; The movable side rail can slide along the guide stroke to a height through which pigs can pass.

[0006] Furthermore, it also includes a switching structure; One side of the transition structure is rotatably connected to the movable side rail, and the axis of rotation is parallel to the length direction of the fixed side rail; The other side of the transfer structure is slidably connected to the guide column, driving the movable side rail to slide along the guide stroke.

[0007] Furthermore, the transition structure is formed with a connecting shaft toward the movable side rail, and the axis of the connecting shaft is parallel to the length direction of the fixed side rail; The movable side rail is provided with a connecting portion, the connecting portion has a connecting hole, and the connecting shaft is coaxially connected to the connecting hole.

[0008] Furthermore, it also includes a limiting structure, which limits the movable side rail when the movable side rail is located at the bottom of the guide stroke; Wherein, the limiting structure has at least two limiting surfaces, which are respectively located on both sides of the movable side rail to limit the rotation of the movable side rail.

[0009] Furthermore, the limiting structure is slidably connected to the guide column, and the sliding direction is parallel to the length direction of the fixed side rail; The limiting structure moves away from the movable sidebar along the sliding direction to release the limiting of the movable sidebar.

[0010] Furthermore, the movable side rail is a rectangular structure, wherein the four sides are composed of metal tubes and the center is composed of a metal plate; Wherein, the plate surface of the metal plate is in contact with one side of the thickness of the rectangle enclosed by the metal tube.

[0011] Furthermore, the connecting portion is fixedly arranged on the opposite side of the metal plate in the thickness direction of the movable side rail.

[0012] Furthermore, the metal plates are multiple and are arranged at intervals.

[0013] Furthermore, the guide column is at least one meter higher than the movable side rail in the vertical direction.

[0014] Furthermore, a locking mechanism is provided in the guide column to lock the movable side rail in the position of the guide stroke.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the present invention are reflected in that the limiting fence of the present application can be freely switched between full limiting mode and semi-limiting mode, which saves users the task of changing fences according to the different growth stages of pigs. In addition, the combined with the transition structure allows the movable side fence to be laid flat on the ground, so that the movable side fence when the limiting mode is released does not occupy any additional breeding space and will not interfere with the activities of pigs and employees. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the limiting fence in the fully limited state of Example 1 provided by the present invention located in the feeding fence; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the limiting fence in the semi-limited state of Example 1 provided by the present invention located in the feeding fence; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the limiting fence in the fully limited state of Example 2 provided by the present invention located in the feeding fence; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the limiting fence in the semi-limited state of Example 3 provided by the present invention located in the feeding fence; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the limit fence according to Example 2 provided by the present invention; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the adapter structure provided by the present invention; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure inside the limiting structure provided by the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure in which the movable sidebar is rotated to a horizontal position.

[0017] Figure numerals: 1. Fixed side rail; 2. Movable side rail; 21. Connecting part; 211. Connecting hole; 22. Metal pipe; 23. Metal plate; 3. Guide column; 31. Locking mechanism; 4. Transfer structure; 41. Connecting shaft; 5. Limiting structure; 51. Limiting surface; 6. Feeding fence. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] Example 1 Reference Figures 1-8 shown.

[0020] A limit fence, comprising a fixed side fence 1, a movable side fence 2, and a guide column 3; The movable side fence 2 and the fixed side fence 1 together form a limiting surface on one side to limit the side position of the pig; The fixed side fence 1 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the feeding fence 6; The two guide posts 3 are respectively located on both sides of the length direction of the movable side fence 2 and are fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the feeding fence 6 to form a vertical guide stroke; The movable side rails 2 slide along the guide stroke to a height at which pigs can pass.

[0021] Currently, pig farms often house multiple pigs in a large feeding pen 6. This confinement saves breeding area, but the multiple pigs compete for food, causing the strong pigs to eat more and become stronger, while the weak pigs eat less and become thinner. Therefore, it is necessary to set up semi-confined fences in the large feeding pen 6. The semi-confined fences separate the feeding troughs, and the pigs' heads are blocked by the semi-confined fences when eating, thus preventing the pigs from competing for food. In addition to semi-confined fences, there are also full-confined fences. Full-confined fences can confine pigs to a small space, that is, they isolate the feeding pen 6 to form multiple small confined spaces. This full-confined fence is mainly used during the sow's gestation period and can effectively control the pig's movement. However, long-term use of full-confined fences is not conducive to growth. Modern breeding trends advocate reducing confinement. The European Union has gradually eliminated gestation crates, and China is also promoting animal welfare improvements. Therefore, pigs need to be raised in different feeding pens 6 at different growth stages, so manual driving operations are required to drive the pigs into different feeding pens 6. However, pigs will not be driven obediently. When faced with very stubborn pigs, it is necessary to whip, push, etc. the pigs, which will not only hurt the pigs, but also hurt the operators during the resistance. Therefore, the driving task is very laborious and time-consuming.

[0022] In response to the above problems, the present application provides a limiting fence that can switch between full limiting mode and semi limiting mode, so that personnel do not need to drive the pigs to the pen, but only need to operate the limiting fence as a mechanical device. Controlling the mechanical device is much simpler than controlling the animals, and as long as the operation is correct, no injuries will occur.

[0023] Specifically, the limiting fence of the present application includes a fixed side fence 1, a movable side fence 2, and guide posts 3. The fixed side fence 1 directly acts as a semi-limiting fence in the prior art, being directly fixed to the feeding pen 6 to separate the feeding position of the pigs. Two guide posts 3 are arranged along the length of the fixed side fence 1, forming a vertical guide stroke. The movable side fence 2 is located between the two guide posts 3 and slides along the guide stroke. Accordingly, when the movable side fence 2 slides to the same height as the fixed side fence 1, the fixed side fence 1 and the movable side fence 2 form a full limiting fence. When the movable side fence 2 is raised to a certain height, the pigs can pass through. At this time, the movable side fence 2 loses its limiting function, and the fixed side fence 1 alone forms a semi-limiting fence. Accordingly, after the movable side rail 2 is raised, it will fall due to gravity. Therefore, a locking mechanism 31 is required in the guide column 3. The locking structure can be simply configured as a latch. Pin holes are provided in the guide column 3 and the movable side rail 2. After the pin holes in the guide column 3 and the pin holes in the movable side rail 2 are aligned, the latch is inserted to prevent the movable side rail 2 from falling. Alternatively, a ratchet and a pawl can be provided between the two as the locking mechanism 31, with the pawl locking the ratchet in the falling direction.

[0024] Furthermore, a drive motor can be provided to control the lifting of the movable side rail 2 and lock the height of the movable side rail 2 through the self-locking function of the drive motor. The drive motor can also replace manpower to lift the movable side rail 2.

[0025] The movable side fence 2 can not only be lifted upward to avoid the movement of pigs, but can also be moved downward to release the limit. However, direct sinking requires the provision of corresponding accommodation space on the ground. However, the downward movement of the movable side fence 2 to avoid the movement should fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0026] Example 2 Reference Figure 3-Figure 8 shown.

[0027] A limiting fence also includes a transfer structure 4; One side of the transfer structure 4 is rotatably connected to the movable side rail 2 , and the axis of rotation is parallel to the length direction of the fixed side rail 1 ; The other side of the transfer structure 4 is slidably connected to the guide column 3, driving the movable side rail 2 to slide along the guide stroke.

[0028] In this embodiment, the guide column 3 and the movable side fence 2 are connected by a transfer structure 4. The transfer structure 4 enables the movable side fence 2 to not only slide along the guide stroke but also rotate relative to the guide column 3. The limit fences are all placed vertically, and the limit fences have to have a certain height to play a limiting role, and the transfer structure 4 enables the movable side fence 2 to rotate from a vertical state to a horizontal state. In Example 1, it has been said that if you want to release the limit of the movable side fence 2, you can not only lift it up but also lower it, but lowering it requires the ground to avoid it. However, setting up a limit fence with a transfer structure 4 does not require modifying the ground. The user can directly rotate the movable side fence 2 to a horizontal state, and then lower the movable side fence 2 to fit the ground. At this time, the movable side fence 2 has no height and loses its limiting effect on the pigs.

[0029] In this embodiment, the movable side fences 2 are arranged at the bottom, which is a more preferred technical solution. If the movable side fences 2 are arranged at a high position, the pigs will constantly collide with the guide pillars 3 during movement, causing shaking, and there is a risk that the movable side fences 2 will fall. Once an accident occurs, it will cause casualties to the pigs and even human casualties. In addition, it is quite tiring to lift a large number of movable side fences 2 during the breeding season.

[0030] Another important point is that raising the movable side fence 2 does not actually free up space in the feeding pen 6. It is difficult for people to pass under the movable side fence 2. To allow pigs to pass freely under the movable side fence 2, it is only necessary to raise the movable side fence 2 by about one meter. In this case, the guide posts 3 need to be at least two meters high. At this point, the strength requirements of the guide posts 3 are relatively easy to achieve. However, to allow people to pass freely, the movable side fence 2 must be raised by at least two meters, which places higher requirements on the strength of the guide posts 3. The lifting height also increases significantly. Why is it necessary to raise the movable side fence 2 to a height that allows people to pass? This is because at a height of one meter, people cannot drive the pigs inside the feeding pen 6. People can only use sticks to drive them from the outside of the feeding pen 6. Pigs have thick skin and flesh, and sticks do not hurt their backs. Therefore, when dealing with stubborn pigs, people need to actively push and pull the pigs to allow them to pass smoothly. This problem mainly occurs when selling pigs or changing pens when new pigs are added.

[0031] Therefore, in this embodiment, a transition structure 4 is provided to enable the movable side rail 2 to release the limit by descending.

[0032] Furthermore, the adapter structure 4 is formed with a connecting shaft 41 toward the movable side rail 2 , and the axis of the connecting shaft 41 is parallel to the length direction of the fixed side rail 1 ; The movable side rail 2 is provided with a connecting portion 21 , and the connecting portion 21 has a connecting hole 211 . The connecting shaft 41 is coaxially connected to the connecting hole 211 .

[0033] The reversing structure can be understood as a slider with a connecting shaft 41, one side of which has a slide groove and is slidably connected to the guide column 3, the connecting column faces the movable side rail 2, and connecting parts 21 are provided on both sides of the movable side rail 2. Connecting holes 211 are provided in the connecting parts 21, and the connecting shafts 41 are rotatably connected to the connecting shafts 41 (can be directly inserted or bearings can be provided), so that the movable side rail 2 can slide along the guide stroke and rotate to the horizontal direction at will.

[0034] Furthermore, it also includes a limiting structure 5, which limits the movable side rail 2 when the movable side rail 2 is located at the bottom of the guide stroke; The limiting structure 5 has at least two limiting surfaces 51 , which are respectively located on both sides of the movable side rail 2 to limit the rotation of the movable side rail 2 .

[0035] It is understandable that the movable side rail 2 is rotatably connected to the adapter structure 4 , which makes it difficult to maintain a vertical state, causing the movable side rail 2 to easily fall over.

[0036] In this regard, this embodiment further provides a limiting structure 5 to limit the rotation of the movable side rail 2. The limiting structure 5 can be: a groove is opened on the ground, and the movable side rail 2 is vertically inserted into the groove. The wall surfaces of the groove on both sides in the thickness direction of the limiting side rail are limiting surfaces 51. One end of the movable side rail 2 is stuck in the groove and naturally cannot be rotated. When rotation is required, the movable side rail 2 only needs to be lifted up and out of the groove.

[0037] The above is a limiting structure 5 that requires modification of the original breeding ground. This embodiment provides a limiting structure 5 that does not require modification of the breeding ground.

[0038] The limiting structure 5 is still configured as a groove structure, but the limiting structure 5 is configured as an independent component and is slidably connected to the guide column 3. The sliding direction is parallel to the length direction of the fixed sidebar 1. The limiting structure 5 moves away from the movable sidebar 2 along the sliding direction to release the restraint on the movable sidebar 2. When the limiting structure 5 moves in the sliding direction, the movable sidebar 2 enters the groove of the limiting structure 5. The wall surface of the groove located in the thickness direction of the movable sidebar 2 still serves as the limiting surface 51 to prevent the movable sidebar 2 from rotating. When the movable sidebar 2 needs to be rotated, the limiting structure 5 is moved away from the limiting sidebar along the sliding direction.

[0039] The second limiting structure 5 does not require any improvement to the site, and this limiting structure 5 is coupled in the length direction of the movable side rail 2, which is parallel to the axis of rotation. Therefore, when the movable side rail 2 is subjected to the force in the rotation direction, basically no component force in this direction is generated, and there is no force pushing the limiting structure 5 away, so the limiting effect is more reliable.

[0040] The two limiting structures 5 each have their advantages and disadvantages. The first type is more convenient to unlock but requires site modification, while the second type is more stable but requires a separate movement of the limiting structure 5. Users can choose a more suitable limiting structure 5 according to the site conditions.

[0041] Furthermore, the movable side rail 2 is a rectangular structure, wherein the four sides are composed of metal tubes 22 and the center is composed of a metal plate 23; The metal plate 23 is attached to one side of the thickness of the rectangle enclosed by the metal tube 22 .

[0042] In this embodiment, the movable side fence 2 with the limit function released is placed horizontally on the ground through the adapter structure 4. This will inevitably cause the pigs to be pressed in the movable side fence 2. As is known to all, existing fences are formed by welding steel pipes, which have high strength and are basically indestructible. However, it is impossible for the pigs' hooves to step directly on the steel pipes, and they will inevitably slip, which can easily cause the pigs to be injured. In addition, the movable side fence 2 will occupy a large area of the ground, and the steel pipes protrude from the ground and hit the pigs, making it difficult for the pigs to lie down. In order to solve the above problems, this embodiment improves the side fence structure of the existing technology. The movable side fence 2 is a rectangular structure, in which the four sides are composed of metal pipes 22 and the center is composed of metal plates 23; The surface of the metal plate 23 is attached to one side of the thickness of the rectangle enclosed by the metal tube 22 .

[0043] The vertical connector in the middle of the movable side fence 2 is no longer made of steel pipes but is replaced with a metal plate 23, which is attached to one side of the movable side fence 2 in the thickness direction. The rectangular area enclosed by the four metal tubes 22 is sufficient to accommodate pigs lying down (approximately the bottom area of the confining space). When using conventional steel tube side fences, the rectangular area still contains many metal tubes 22, which would affect the pigs' lying down. In this embodiment, these metal tubes 22 are replaced with metal plates 23, and the surface of the metal plates 23 is attached to the side wall surface of the confining side fence in the thickness direction. This allows the metal plates 23 to completely contact the ground in the horizontal confining side fence, eliminating any protruding structures in the longitudinal area, which prevents pigs from being disturbed. To reduce weight, multiple small metal plates 23 can be arranged at intervals.

[0044] Furthermore, the connection portion 21 in the movable side rail 2 is arranged on the opposite side of the metal plate 23, so that after the movable side rail 2 is rotated to the horizontal position, the metal plate 23 faces the ground, the connection portion 21 and the adapter structure 4 are located above the metal plate 23, preventing the connection portion 21 and the adapter structure 4 from blocking the metal plate 23 from contacting the ground.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "center", "top", "bottom", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "inner side", "outer side" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. Among them, "inside" refers to an internal or enclosed area or space. "Periphery" refers to the area surrounding a specific component or specific area.

[0046] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature specified as "first," "second," "third," or "fourth" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0047] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," "connected," and "assembled" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they may refer to direct connections, indirect connections through an intermediate medium, or internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention in specific circumstances.

[0048] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0049] In describing the embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that "-" and "~" represent a range between two values, and the range includes the endpoints. For example, "AB" represents a range greater than or equal to A and less than or equal to B. "A~B" represents a range greater than or equal to A and less than or equal to B.

[0050] In describing the embodiments of the present invention, the term "and / or" is used herein to describe a relationship between associated objects, indicating that three possible relationships exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. Furthermore, the character " / " is generally used herein to indicate that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0051] While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, and that the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A limit fence, characterized in that: Including fixed side rails, movable side rails, and guide columns; The movable side fence and the fixed side fence together form a limiting surface on one side to limit the side position of the pig; The fixed side fence is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the feeding fence; The two guide posts are respectively located on both sides of the length direction of the movable side fence and are fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the feeding fence to form a vertical guide stroke; The movable side rail can slide along the guide stroke to a height through which pigs can pass.

2. A limit fence according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes a transfer structure; One side of the transition structure is rotatably connected to the movable side rail, and the axis of rotation is parallel to the length direction of the fixed side rail; The other side of the transfer structure is slidably connected to the guide column, driving the movable side rail to slide along the guide stroke.

3. A limit fence according to claim 2, characterized in that: The transition structure is formed with a connecting shaft toward the movable side rail, and the axis of the connecting shaft is parallel to the length direction of the fixed side rail; The movable side rail is provided with a connecting portion, the connecting portion has a connecting hole, and the connecting shaft is coaxially connected to the connecting hole.

4. A limit fence according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a limiting structure, which limits the movable side rail when the movable side rail is located at the bottom of the guide stroke; Wherein, the limiting structure has at least two limiting surfaces, which are respectively located on both sides of the movable side rail to limit the rotation of the movable side rail.

5. A limit fence according to claim 4, characterized in that: The limiting structure is slidably connected to the guide column, and the sliding direction is parallel to the length direction of the fixed side rail; The limiting structure moves away from the movable sidebar along the sliding direction to release the limiting of the movable sidebar.

6. A limit fence according to claim 4, characterized in that: The movable side rail is a rectangular structure, wherein the four sides are composed of metal tubes and the center is composed of metal plates; Wherein, the plate surface of the metal plate is in contact with one side of the thickness of the rectangle enclosed by the metal tube.

7. A limit fence according to claim 6, characterized in that: The connecting portion is fixedly arranged on the opposite side of the metal plate in the thickness direction of the movable side rail.

8. The limit fence according to claim 7, characterized in that: There are multiple metal plates, and the multiple metal plates are arranged at intervals.

9. The limit fence according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide column is at least one meter higher than the movable side rail in the vertical direction.

10. A limit fence according to claim 9, characterized in that: The guide column is provided with a locking mechanism for locking the movable side rail at the position of the guide stroke.

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