A live pig transfer cage convenient for loading

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of pig transfer cage technology, providing a pig transfer cage for easy loading. It includes a base plate, with a cage frame fixedly connected to the top of the base plate. Two sliding rods are connected to the bottom of the base plate via a drive assembly. Hooks are fixedly connected to the left ends of both sliding rods. A rotating rod is connected to the outer wall of the front hooks via a linkage assembly. The rotating rod is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the base plate. A rotating block is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the rotating rod, and a baffle is fixedly connected to the top of the rotating block. A door panel is rotatably connected to the front right end of the cage frame. The rear end of the door panel is connected to the rear right end of the cage frame via a locking assembly. The electrically driven sliding rods and linkage mechanism automate and integrate the loading preparation process. Simultaneously, the electric push rod extends the sliding rod, and through the meshing of a toothed plate and gear, drives the baffle to rotate synchronously to a horizontal overlapping state, completing the two actions of the sliding rod hook and the transition bridge plate in a coordinated manner, eliminating the need for manual pulling of the sliding rod and rotation of the overlapping plate separately.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pig transfer cage technology, specifically a pig transfer cage that is easy to load onto a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] As a crucial pillar of animal husbandry, the pig farming industry encompasses a complete production and distribution system, from breeding pigs and raising commercial pigs to slaughtering, transportation, processing, and cold chain distribution. The transfer of live pigs from farm pens to transport vehicles is a critical link between the farming and logistics ends. The operational efficiency of this step, the physiological and psychological impact on the pigs during loading, and the ease of human-machine interaction directly affect the pigs' initial condition before transportation—including the rate of skin damage, limb health, and changes in glycogen depletion and meat quality due to stress. As my country's pig farming industry continues to evolve towards large-scale, intensive, and standardized operations, the number of pigs slaughtered at a time has significantly increased, the frequency of slaughter has accelerated, and the turnover rate of farms has intensified. The traditional manual loading model, relying on human labor and multiple personnel, is no longer adequate to meet the complex requirements of timeliness, safety, and animal welfare in large-scale production and distribution. Therefore, the market urgently needs a modern transfer device that can systematically reduce labor intensity, significantly shorten the time of a single loading operation, effectively reduce stress on pigs, and maintain their behavioral stability, thereby providing a basic guarantee for the quality control of pigs and the safety of personnel operations in subsequent transportation links.

[0003] Currently, common pig transfer cages typically consist of a metal cage body, casters at the bottom, and an openable door. During loading, operators must push the cage to the rear of the transport vehicle, then manually pull out a sliding arm or similar hook from the bottom of the cage, and finally lift the front of the cage so the hook rests on the edge of the truck bed. This process is laborious and prone to slipping. To create a walking path for the pigs, a transition board is often erected, or the cage door is lowered to serve as a step. The extension of the hook and the laying of the passage are done separately, resulting in numerous steps, slow connection, and increased dwell time and agitation of the pigs at the transfer point. Especially when the sliding arm and the transition passage lack linkage, operators need to make multiple adjustments, which not only prolongs loading time but also may cause cage swaying, pig hooves getting stuck, or the hook loosening due to improper manual coordination. Therefore, it is necessary to design a pig transfer cage that can automatically complete the laying of the transition passage while the arm is extended and attached to the truck, simplifying the loading preparation process and improving the efficiency of the transfer. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a pig transfer cage that facilitates loading. It solves the problems of existing pig transfer cages where the extension of the sliding bar and the establishment of the connecting channel with the baffle cannot be synchronized during loading and docking with transport vehicles. This requires manual operation in stages, resulting in low loading preparation efficiency, long dwell time for pigs at the docking point, and easy fright and stress reactions. It also addresses the problems of the integrated design of the inclined plate and door panel causing obstructed driving paths and the inability to retract the handrail.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a pig transport cage for easy loading, comprising a base plate, a cage frame fixedly connected to the top of the base plate, two sliding rods connected to the bottom of the base plate via a drive assembly, hooks fixedly connected to the left ends of the two sliding rods, a rotating rod connected to the outer wall of the front hooks via a linkage assembly, the rotating rod rotatably connected to the inner wall of the base plate, a rotating block fixedly connected to the outer wall of the rotating rod, a baffle fixedly connected to the top of the rotating block, a door panel rotatably connected to the front right end of the cage frame, the rear end of the door panel connected to the rear right end of the cage frame via a locking assembly, an inclined plate rotatably connected to the bottom right end of the cage frame, the inclined plate connected to the door panel via a magnetic block, connecting rods rotatably connected to both the front and rear ends of the cage frame, and the inner walls of the two connecting rods connected to the cage frame via a limiting assembly, and handrails fixedly connected to the right ends of the two connecting rods.

[0006] Preferably, the drive assembly includes an electric push rod located at the bottom end of the base plate, with a connecting frame fixedly connected to the left end of the electric push rod, and the connecting frame fixedly connected to the right end of the two slide rods.

[0007] Preferably, the linkage component includes a toothed plate located on the outer wall of the front hook, with a gear meshing at the bottom end of the toothed plate. The gear is fixedly connected to the front side of the outer wall of the rotating rod, and the number of teeth on the toothed plate is just enough to allow the gear to rotate one-quarter.

[0008] Preferably, the locking assembly includes a longitudinally sliding locking rod located at the rear end of the door panel, a retaining sleeve fixedly connected to the rear right end of the cage frame, the locking rod being disposed on the inner circumference of the retaining sleeve, a fixing block fixedly connected to the rear right end of the cage frame, the fixing block being disposed on the top side of the retaining sleeve, and a limiting sleeve being slidably connected to the inner wall of the fixing block. When the limiting sleeve is inserted into the retaining sleeve, the limiting sleeve and the retaining sleeve just form a circular hole with the same diameter as the locking rod.

[0009] Preferably, the limiting component includes tenons that slide on the inner walls of the two connecting rods. Both tenons are set in grooves opened at the front and rear ends of the cage frame. Springs are provided on the outer walls of the two tenons. One end of each spring is connected to the tenon, and the other end of each spring is connected to the connecting rod.

[0010] Preferably, two support sleeves are fixedly connected to both the front and rear ends of the base plate to stabilize the two sliding rods.

[0011] Preferably, a support plate is fixedly connected to one end of each of the two hooks, and a rubber pad is fixedly connected to the top of each of the two support plates. When the anti-slip strip is parallel to the base plate, the anti-slip strip is positioned at the top of the two support plates.

[0012] Preferably, a wheel is mounted on the bottom end of the base plate via a wheel frame, and a limiting mechanism is provided on the outer wall of the wheel to limit the wheel's movement.

[0013] Preferably, magnetic blocks are provided at the left end of the inclined plate and the right end of the door panel, and the two magnetic blocks with opposite polarities attract each other.

[0014] Preferably, anti-slip strips are fixedly connected to the top of the base plate and the right end of the baffle, and the multiple anti-slip strips are made of galvanized steel.

[0015] Working principle: When pigs need to be caged and transferred, the operator first overcomes the magnetic attraction force to separate the inclined plate from the door panel. The inclined plate flips downward around the hinge axis on the bottom right side of the cage frame, and the free end touches the ground smoothly, forming a gentle slope channel with anti-slip texture. Then, the lever is pulled upward. During the upward movement of the lever, the limiting sleeve is pushed out of the sleeve and retracts into the fixed block. The opening on the sleeve is fully open, the lever is released from the sleeve, the door panel is unlocked, and the door panel is opened outward around the front hinge. The right side of the cage frame is fully open, and the pigs naturally enter the cage frame along the inclined plate ramp without the need for large-scale driving, reducing hoof slippage and stress response.

[0016] After the pig enters, close the door panel and place it against the right opening of the cage frame. Push the lever downward into the sleeve, then push the limiting sleeve in the fixing block into the sleeve. The limiting sleeve is embedded in the opening of the sleeve and together with the sleeve, they form a circular locking hole that can just accommodate the lever, thus providing axial and circumferential double limiting for the lever and preventing the door panel from opening accidentally due to transportation vibration. Next, flip the inclined plate upward and use the opposite magnetic block on the right end of the inclined plate to attract each other, so that the inclined plate is tightly attached to the outer wall of the door panel, which saves space and prevents the inclined plate from shaking during transportation.

[0017] Then, pull the tenon outward to compress the spring, and the connecting rod can rotate freely around the hinge point. After rotating the connecting rod to the position where the tenon corresponds to the groove, release the tenon. The spring's restoring force pushes the tenon into the corresponding groove on the cage frame, and the connecting rod and the handrail are locked in this working position. The operator holds the handrail with both hands and, with the help of the wheels at the bottom of the base plate, easily pushes the transfer cage to the side of the transport vehicle. The wheels are equipped with a limit mechanism that can be stepped on to lock when it is necessary to stop, preventing slippage.

[0018] When it is necessary to load the live pigs in the cage into the transport vehicle, the electric push rod is activated. The telescopic end of the electric push rod pushes the two slide rods to extend to the left along the support sleeve through the connecting frame. The front slide rod drives the hook and toothed plate to move together. During the movement, the lower rack of the toothed plate meshes with the gear, driving the rotating rod and rotating block to rotate 90 degrees, so that the baffle, which was originally in the retracted position, flips to the horizontal position. At this time, the anti-slip strip on the surface of the baffle faces upward, and the right end of the baffle just overlaps the rubber pads at the top of the two support plates, forming a stable transition bridge. In the whole process, the extension of the slide rod, the forward movement of the hook and the flipping of the baffle are completed synchronously, without the need for manual operation of each item.

[0019] The operator lifts the left end of the sliding rod and suspends the hook on the fixing hole or crossbar on the edge of the side panel of the transport vehicle. A continuous, non-slip passage is then established between the transfer cage and the transport vehicle. Finally, the door panel is opened, and the pigs can smoothly enter the vehicle along the non-slip strips and horizontal baffles on the bottom panel to complete the loading and unloading. After unloading, the electric push rod moves in the opposite direction, the sliding rod retracts, the toothed plate reverses the gear, the baffle flips and resets, and is stored inside the cage frame, restoring the transfer cage to its normal moving state.

[0020] This invention provides a pig transport cage that is easy to load onto vehicles. It has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] 1. This invention automates and integrates the loading preparation process through an electrically driven slide bar and linkage mechanism. Simultaneously, the electric push rod extends the slide bar, and through the meshing of the toothed plate and gears, drives the baffle to flip to a horizontal overlapping state. This links the slide bar hook and the transition bridge plate, eliminating the need for manual pulling of the slide bar and flipping of the bridge plate separately, significantly simplifying the operation and improving loading efficiency.

[0022] 2. This invention optimizes the entry and exit path of pigs through a split-design inclined plate and door panel, reducing stress and improving loading safety. During loading, the inclined plate independently forms a ramp, and the door panel is fully open, providing unobstructed frontal view for the pigs, with a short and direct path. During transfer and unloading, the loading channel consists of a base plate and baffles, separated from the inclined plate, avoiding interference from irrelevant ramps, effectively reducing the pigs' fright, hesitation, and collisions, and lowering the risk of injury to operators.

[0023] 3. This invention improves the ease of movement and operation of the transfer cage and the compactness of the entire machine by using a retractable handrail limiting mechanism and a magnetic adsorption inclined plate. The handrail can be locked at multiple angles and fully retracted by tenon joints and grooves in the cage frame, adapting to the habits of different operators, and taking up little space when transferred and parked; the inclined plate is magnetically adsorbed on the outside of the door panel, requiring no additional binding, and there is no swinging or impact during movement, which keeps the exterior of the cage clean and extends the service life of the components. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the electric actuator structure of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the gear structure of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the support plate structure of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the magnetic block structure of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the limiting sleeve structure of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the tenon structure of the present invention.

[0031] The components are as follows: 1. Base plate; 2. Cage frame; 3. Electric push rod; 4. Connecting frame; 5. Slide rod; 6. Hook; 7. Support plate; 8. Tooth plate; 9. Gear; 10. Rotating rod; 11. Rotating block; 12. Baffle; 13. Anti-slip strip; 14. Support sleeve; 15. Door panel; 16. Locking rod; 17. Locking sleeve; 18. Fixing block; 19. Limiting sleeve; 20. Connecting rod; 21. Tenon rod; 22. Spring; 23. Handrail; 24. Magnetic block; 25. Inclined plate; 26. Wheel. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] Example:

[0034] Please see the appendix Figure 1 - Appendix Figure 7This invention provides a pig transport cage that is easy to load onto a vehicle. It includes a base plate 1, a cage frame 2 fixedly connected to the top of the base plate 1, and two sliding rods 5 connected to the bottom of the base plate 1 via an electric push rod 3 and a connecting frame 4. Each sliding rod 5 has a hook 6 fixedly connected to its left end. A rotating rod 10 is connected to the outer wall of the front hook 6 via a toothed plate 8 and a gear 9. The rotating rod 10 is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the base plate 1, and a rotating block 11 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the rotating rod 10. A baffle 1 is fixedly connected to the top of the rotating block 11. 2. A door panel 15 is rotatably connected to the front right end of the cage frame 2. The rear end of the door panel 15 is connected to the rear right end of the cage frame 2 through a clamping rod 16, a clamping sleeve 17, a fixing block 18, and a limiting sleeve 19. An inclined plate 25 is rotatably connected to the bottom right end of the cage frame 2. The inclined plate 25 is connected to the door panel 15 through a magnetic block 24. Both the front and rear ends of the cage frame 2 are rotatably connected to connecting rods 20. The inner walls of the two connecting rods 20 are connected to the cage frame 2 through tenon rods 21. The right ends of the two connecting rods 20 are fixedly connected to handrails 23.

[0035] Specifically, the base plate 1 serves as the load-bearing foundation of the entire transfer cage. It is constructed from high-strength rectangular steel pipes welded into a frame structure. Embossed steel plates are laid inside the frame, and all welded joints are fully welded and coated with anti-rust paint, giving it excellent load-bearing capacity and corrosion resistance. It can withstand the weight of multiple adult pigs without plastic deformation. The top surface of the base plate 1 is bent upwards around the perimeter to form a flange. The height of the flange is adapted to the bottom of the cage frame 2, which facilitates the positioning and welding of the cage frame 2 and prevents manure from overflowing from the bottom surface. The top of the base plate 1 is fixedly connected to the cage frame 2. The cage frame 2 consists of multiple vertical rods, horizontal rods, and curved rods forming a closed fence structure. Each rod is preferably made of hot-dip galvanized round or square tubes, and the spacing between adjacent rods is controlled within an appropriate range to ensure the overall rigidity of the cage and prevent pigs from sticking their heads or hooves out and getting stuck. The top of the cage frame 2 can be equipped with cross braces or lifting lugs as needed to facilitate overall handling by forklifts or lifting equipment.

[0036] Two sliding rods 5 are connected to the bottom end of the base plate 1 through the drive assembly. The sliding rods 5 are made of solid alloy steel and are heat-treated. The surface is precision ground to achieve a high degree of smoothness in order to reduce the sliding friction resistance in the support sleeve 14. At the same time, they have good bending stiffness and wear resistance. One sliding rod 5 is arranged at each of the front and rear ends of the base plate 1. The two sliding rods 5 are parallel to each other, and the spacing is determined by the width of the cage.

[0037] The right front end of the cage frame 2 is rotatably connected to a door panel 15 via a heavy-duty hinge. The door panel 15 is a frame-covered structure. The frame is welded from square tubes, and the cover is made of galvanized steel or aluminum plate, which reduces weight while ensuring strength. When the door panel 15 is closed, its inner side fits against the right opening end face of the cage frame 2 to form a complete closed enclosure. The rear end of the door panel 15 is connected to the right rear end of the cage frame 2 via a locking assembly to achieve reliable locking of the door panel 15.

[0038] A sloping plate 25 is hinged to the bottom right side of the cage frame 2. The sloping plate 25 is made of stamped steel plate with an anti-slip texture pressed on its upper surface. The texture can be diamond-shaped protrusions or strip-shaped grooves, and its depth and spacing are designed to ensure sufficient adhesion when pig hooves step on it, especially in rainy or muddy conditions. Magnetic blocks 24 are embedded and fixed at the left end of the sloping plate 25 and the right end of the door panel 15. The two magnetic blocks 24 attract each other due to their opposite polarity. In the transfer state, the sloping plate 25 folds upward and is firmly attached to the outside of the door panel 15 by the magnetic blocks 24. No additional straps or hooks 6 are required, enabling tool-free and quick storage of the sloping plate 25. When loading pigs, the operator only needs to exert a little force to overcome the obstacle. The magnetic force lowers the ramp 25, causing it to fall to the ground around the hinged free end, forming a gentle slope passage for pigs to enter the cage. This split design ensures that the opening and closing of the ramp 25 does not interfere with the door panel 15: when loading pigs, the door panel 15 can be fully opened outwards to fit against the side of the cage frame 2, while the ramp 25 serves as a separate entry passage. There are no obstructions in front of the pigs' line of sight, and the path leads directly into the interior of the cage frame 2. Compared to the traditional design where the ramp is integrated into the lower half of the door and rises when the door is opened, the split structure of this invention effectively eliminates the fear and lingering behavior of pigs when facing vertical obstacles, significantly reduces the stress response during the expulsion process, and also shortens the loading time.

[0039] The electric push rod 3 is located at the bottom of the base plate 1. The left end of the electric push rod 3 is fixedly connected to the connecting frame 4, which is fixedly connected to the right end of the two sliding rods 5. The toothed plate 8 is located on the outer wall of the front hook 6. The bottom end of the toothed plate 8 is meshed with a gear 9, which is fixedly connected to the front side of the outer wall of the rotating rod 10. The number of teeth on the toothed plate 8 is just enough to make the gear 9 rotate one-quarter. The longitudinal sliding locking rod 16 is located at the rear end of the door panel 15. The right rear end of the cage frame 2 is fixedly connected to the retaining sleeve 17. The locking rod 16 is located on the inner circumference of the retaining sleeve 17. The right rear end of the cage frame 2 is fixed. A fixing block 18 is connected and is located on the top side of the sleeve 17. A limiting sleeve 19 is slidably connected to the inner wall of the fixing block 18. When the limiting sleeve 19 is inserted into the sleeve 17, the limiting sleeve 19 and the sleeve 17 form a circular hole with the same diameter as the clamping rod 16. The tenon rods 21 are located on the inner wall of the two connecting rods 20 and are slidably connected to the connecting rods 20. The two tenon rods 21 are both located in the grooves opened at the front and rear ends of the cage frame 2. The outer wall of the two tenon rods 21 is provided with springs 22. One end of the two springs 22 is connected to the tenon rod 21, and the other end of the two springs 22 is connected to the connecting rod 20.

[0040] Specifically, the drive assembly, as the core power source for achieving automated vehicle assembly in this invention, has the following detailed structure and operation: The drive assembly includes an electric push rod 3 horizontally mounted at the center of the bottom of the base plate 1. The housing of the electric push rod 3 is fixed to the right side of the center of the bottom surface of the base plate 1 by bolts or welded brackets. The extension and retraction direction of the push rod is horizontally to the left along the longitudinal direction of the base plate 1. The electric push rod 3 is a helical lifting push rod driven by a DC motor, with built-in limit switches and overload protection. A remote control module can be configured as needed to realize remote operation. The end of the piston rod at the left end of the electric push rod 3 is fixedly connected to a connecting frame 4 by a pin or thread. The connecting frame 4 is a double-fork structure made of steel plate. After being cut and shaped, the two fork arms are welded together. They extend to the front and rear sides of the base plate 1 respectively. Each fork arm has a bolt hole at its end and is fastened to the right end of the two slide rods 5 with high-strength bolts. When the electric push rod 3 is energized and extends, the piston rod pushes the connecting frame 4 to move to the left. The connecting frame 4 simultaneously drives the two slide rods 5 to extend to the left along the inner hole of the support sleeve 14. When the electric push rod 3 is de-energized or retracted in the reverse direction, the connecting frame 4 drives the two slide rods 5 to retract to the right and return to the original storage position below the base plate 1. This dual-rod synchronous drive design ensures that the two hooks 6 move in the same way when extending and hooking, avoiding swaying or jamming caused by uneven force on one side.

[0041] The outer wall of the front hook 6 is connected to a rotating rod 10 via a linkage assembly, realizing the mechanical linkage between the extension and retraction of the sliding rod 5 and the flipping of the baffle 12. The linkage assembly includes a toothed plate 8 horizontally fixed to the side of the front hook 6. The toothed plate 8 is made of alloy steel plate by wire cutting, and its lower surface is machined with several continuous teeth. The tooth shape is involute or trapezoidal, and its module and pressure angle match those of the gear 9. The tooth distribution length and starting position of the toothed plate 8 are precisely calculated to ensure that when the hook 6 moves with the sliding rod 5 from the initial retracted position to the maximum extended position, the toothed plate 8 can just mesh with the gear 9 and drive the gear 9 to rotate 90 degrees, i.e., one-quarter of a circumference. The gear 9 is a cylindrical spur gear, made of 45 steel and surface hardened. The rotating rod 10 is fixedly connected to the front side of the outer wall of the rotating rod 10. The torque is transmitted between the two through a flat key or spline. The rotating rod 10 is a solid shaft and is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the front and rear side plates of the base plate 1 through two radial ball bearings. The bearing seats are sealed and dustproof to ensure the rotational flexibility for long-term use. The rotating rod 10 is arranged horizontally along the transverse side of the base plate 1. Its axis position is optimized according to the flipping radius of the baffle 12 and the space inside the cage. A rotating block 11 is fixedly connected to the middle of the outer wall of the rotating rod 10. The rotating block 11 is a rectangular steel block or a casting. It is fixedly connected to the rotating rod 10 by welding or bolt clamping. A baffle 12 is welded or integrally formed at the top of the rotating block 11. The baffle 12 is a rectangular plate with a plane dimension that matches the width of the passage inside the cage.

[0042] When the electric push rod 3 drives the slide rod 5 to extend to the left, the front hook 6 drives the toothed plate 8 to move to the left in sync. The teeth of the toothed plate 8 gradually enter the meshing area of ​​the gear 9, pushing the gear 9 to rotate. When the slide rod 5 reaches its maximum stroke, the gear 9 rotates exactly ninety degrees. The rotating rod 10 and the rotating block 11 rotate at the same angle, causing the baffle 12 to flip from a vertically retracted or tilted retracted state inside the cage to a horizontally extended state. At this time, the upper surface of the baffle 12 is flush with the top surface of the bottom plate 1 or forms a small overlapping step. The anti-slip strips 13 on the surface of the baffle 12 face upwards, providing a continuous anti-slip tread surface for the pigs. The anti-slip strip 13 area on the right end of the baffle 12 is located on the rubber pads at the top of the two support plates 7. The support plates 7 provide rigid support. The setting position of the support plates 7 and the thickness of the rubber pads are matched so that the baffle 12 will not sink or lift due to gaps when bearing the weight of pigs, ensuring the stability and reliability of the passage. Several anti-slip strips 13 are fixedly connected to the back of the baffle 12 and the top of the bottom plate 1. The anti-slip strips 13 are made of galvanized steel strips arranged horizontally with rectangular or trapezoidal cross sections. The spacing and height have been verified in practice. They can improve the adhesion of pig hooves, facilitate cleaning and disinfection, and are rust-proof and durable.

[0043] The locking assembly is a key safety device for locking the door panel 15. Its specific structure and operation are as follows: The locking assembly includes a locking rod 16 that slides longitudinally at the rear end of the door panel 15. The locking rod 16 is a solid cylindrical rod with a ball head or pull ring machined at the top for easy gripping and pulling. The rod body slides into the guide sleeve at the rear end of the door panel 15. The lower end of the locking rod 16 can be inserted into the locking sleeve 17 fixedly connected to the rear right end of the cage frame 2. The locking sleeve 17 is a U-shaped seat with an upward opening, which is fixed to the rear right end of the cage frame 2 by welding or bolting. On the rod or cross brace, the diameter of the arc portion of the U-shaped groove matches the outer diameter of the clamping rod 16, enabling preliminary radial positioning of its lower end after the clamping rod 16 is inserted. A fixing block 18 is fixedly connected to the rear right side of the cage frame 2 above the clamping sleeve 17. The fixing block 18 has a vertical sliding groove with a rectangular or dovetail cross-section. A limiting sleeve 19 is slidably connected within the groove. The limiting sleeve 19 is a wedge-shaped or square slider, with a semi-circular notch machined at one end near the clamping sleeve 17. The diameter of the notch is the same as the diameter of the clamping rod 16. When... After pulling the lever 16 upwards to disengage it from the sleeve 17, push the limiting sleeve 19 downwards into the U-shaped opening of the sleeve 17. The semi-circular notch of the limiting sleeve 19 and the arc portion of the sleeve 17 form a complete circular hole with a diameter matching the outer diameter of the lever 16. Then, insert the lever 16 downwards into this circular hole. The sleeve 17 and the limiting sleeve 19 together completely clamp the lever 16, forming a double lock in both axial and circumferential directions. During transportation, even if road bumps cause the cage to vibrate, the lever 16... It will not detach on its own, eliminating the risk of the door panel 15 being opened accidentally. When the door panel 15 needs to be opened, the operator only needs to pull the lever 16 upward. During the upward movement, the upper shoulder or retaining ring of the lever 16 will push the limiting sleeve 19 upward, causing the limiting sleeve 19 to exit the sleeve 17 and retract into the groove of the fixing block 18. The sleeve 17 will then return to an open U-shaped state, and the lever 16 can be pulled out smoothly. The door panel 15 will then be unlocked. The entire operation process requires no tools and can be completed with one hand, which is quick and convenient.

[0044] The limiting assembly provides multi-angle adjustment and fixing functions for the connecting rod 20 and the handrail 23. The front and rear ends of the cage frame 2 are rotatably connected to the connecting rod 20 via pins. The connecting rod 20 is a rectangular or round tube component with a connecting ear plate machined on its inner end. It is hinged to the vertical rod on the front or rear side of the cage frame 2 via pins, allowing the connecting rod 20 to rotate around the pin in the vertical plane. The outer end of the connecting rod 20 is fixedly connected to the handrail 23, which is a long rod spanning the width of the cage frame 2, with its two ends connected to the front and rear connecting rods respectively. The outer ends of the two connecting rods 20 are fixedly connected. The handrail 23 is fitted with an anti-slip rubber sleeve. The surface of the rubber sleeve is embossed or has raised dots to increase grip friction and reduce operator hand fatigue. The inner walls of both connecting rods 20 are provided with through sliding holes. Tenon rods 21 slide and fit in the sliding holes. The end of the tenon rod 21 is machined into a ball head or a conical surface to facilitate smooth docking with the groove. A spring 22 is fitted on the outer wall of the tenon rod 21. The spring 22 is a cylindrical helical compression spring. One end of the spring abuts against the shoulder in the middle of the tenon rod 21, and the other end abuts against... The connecting rod 20 has an inner stepped hole. Multiple grooves symmetrically arranged at the front and rear ends of the cage 2 are designed to mate with the ends of the tenon 21. The distribution angles of these grooves are ergonomically designed, typically including a horizontal storage position, a normal pushing position, and an angled upward gripping position. When the angle of the handrail 23 needs adjustment, the operator pulls the tenon 21 outward, compressing the spring 22, causing the ball head of the tenon 21 to disengage from the groove on the cage 2. The connecting rod 20 can then freely rotate around the pin to the desired angle. After reaching the target angle, the tenon 21 is released, and the restoring force of the spring 22 pushes the tenon 21 inward, automatically guiding the ball head into the corresponding groove on the cage 2, thus fixing the angle of the connecting rod 20 and the handrail 23. This design allows the operator to lock the handrail 23 at a comfortable working angle according to their height and pushing / pulling habits. When the transfer cage is not in use, the connecting rod 20 can be rotated to a storage position close to the side of the cage 2, and the tenon 21 locks into the storage groove, effectively reducing the space occupied by the equipment.

[0045] Two support sleeves 14 are fixedly connected to both the front and rear ends of the base plate 1 to stabilize the two sliding rods 5. Support plates 7 are fixedly connected to the near ends of the two hooks 6. Rubber pads are fixedly connected to the top of the two support plates 7. When the anti-slip strip 13 is parallel to the base plate 1, the anti-slip strip 13 is just set at the top of the two support plates 7. A wheel 26 is installed at the bottom of the base plate 1 through a wheel frame. A limit mechanism is provided on the outer wall of the wheel 26. The wheel 26 can be limited by the limit mechanism. Magnetic blocks 24 are provided at the left end of the inclined plate 25 and the right end of the door panel 15. The two magnetic blocks 24 attract each other with opposite polarities. Anti-slip strips 13 are fixedly connected to the top of the base plate 1 and the right end of the baffle 12. The multiple anti-slip strips 13 are all made of galvanized steel.

[0046] Specifically, to ensure the stability and reliability of the slide bar 5 during telescopic movement and under the load of the trailer, two support sleeves 14 are fixedly connected to each end of the base plate 1. The support sleeves 14 are made of cast steel or thick-walled steel pipe and are fixed to the bottom longitudinal beam of the base plate 1 by welding or bolting. The inner diameter of the support sleeve 14 is matched with the outer diameter of the slide bar 5 with a small clearance. The inner wall is inlaid with a self-lubricating wear-resistant copper sleeve or engineering plastic bushing, which not only ensures the guiding accuracy of the slide bar 5 when sliding, but also reduces frictional resistance and running noise. When the slide bar 5 is in the fully extended state and hooked to the edge of the transport vehicle, the cantilever section of the slide bar 5 bears a large bending moment. The two support sleeves 14 arranged at the front and rear form a simple supported beam constraint, which effectively limits the sway and bending deformation of the slide bar 5, and ensures that the hook 6 is stable and will not disengage due to shaking.

[0047] Both sliding rods 5 are fixedly connected to hooks 6 at their left ends. Hooks 6 are made of high-strength steel plate by stamping or forging, and are J-shaped hooks bent downwards. The inner curvature of the hook 6 matches the diameter of the common hanging holes or crossbars of the transport vehicle body. The ends of the hooks are appropriately widened to increase the contact area with the mounting surface. To enhance the load-bearing capacity of the hooks 6 when trailers are attached, support plates 7 are fixedly connected to the adjacent ends of both hooks 6. Support plates 7 are horizontally extending steel plate components that are welded to the hook bodies of hooks 6. The top surface of the support plate 7 is basically the same height as the bottom plate 1. The top of the support plate 7 is fixedly connected with a rubber pad. The rubber pad is made of oil-resistant and wear-resistant nitrile rubber or polyurethane material and is fixed by vulcanization bonding or countersunk screws. When the baffle 12 is flipped to the horizontal state, the anti-slip strip 13 area on the right end of the baffle 12 falls exactly on the rubber pad at the top of the two support plates 7. The rubber pad can not only buffer the impact force when the baffle 12 is flipped and falls, but also increase the friction coefficient of the contact surface to prevent the baffle 12 and the support plate 7 from sliding and making abnormal noise when the pigs trample on it.

[0048] Four sets of wheels 26 are mounted on the bottom of the base plate 1 via wheel frames. The wheel frames are omnidirectional turntable structures or fixed bracket structures formed by stamping steel plates and are fixed to the four corners of the bottom surface of the base plate 1 with bolts. The wheels 26 are made of wear-resistant polyurethane or rubber solid casters with moderate surface hardness. They can roll flexibly on hard surfaces such as cement and asphalt and have a certain shock absorption performance. At least two of the four sets of wheels 26 (preferably the two sets installed at the rear end of the base plate 1) include a limiting mechanism. The limiting mechanism is a pedal-type brake device. By stepping on the pedal, the brake pads press against the side of the wheel hub or against the wheel surface to achieve mechanical locking of the wheels 26. In operation links such as loading pigs into cages and connecting them to trucks, which require the transfer cage to remain stationary, stepping on the brake can prevent the transfer cage from moving unexpectedly due to uneven ground or collisions with pigs, ensuring the safety of operators and pigs. The brake pedal is designed with an easy-to-operate step height and has clear locking and unlocking markings.

[0049] Both the left end of the inclined plate 25 and the right end of the door panel 15 are equipped with magnetic blocks 24. The two magnetic blocks 24 are attracted by opposite polarities. The magnetic blocks 24 are preferably neodymium iron boron permanent magnets, which have the advantages of strong magnetic force and not easy to demagnetize. The magnetic blocks 24 are embedded in the reserved grooves of the inclined plate 25 or the door panel 15, and the surface is sealed with a thin stainless steel plate, which is both beautiful and easy to clean and disinfect. When the inclined plate 25 is folded up to fit against the door panel 15, the pair of magnetic blocks 24 automatically align and attract each other. The attraction force is designed to reliably attract the weight of the inclined plate 25 and the inertial force generated by transportation bumps, while allowing the operator to easily separate it with one or two hands. This magnetic attraction solution replaces the traditional buckle or strap fixing method, realizing the tool-free quick storage and release of the inclined plate 25.

[0050] Multiple anti-slip strips 13 are fixedly connected to the top of the base plate 1 and the right end of the baffle 12. The anti-slip strips 13 are made of galvanized steel strips that are cold-bent and then welded or fixed to the base surface of the base plate 1 and the baffle 12 with countersunk screws. The anti-slip strips 13 are arranged perpendicular to the direction of the pig's movement, that is, arranged in the transverse direction of the transfer cage, forming a series of continuous transverse protrusions. When the pig's hoof steps on the anti-slip strips 13, the hoof and the protrusions are mechanically interlocked, which significantly increases the anti-slip coefficient. Especially when the base plate 1 or the baffle 12 is contaminated with water stains, urine or feces and other slippery media, the anti-slip strips 13 can effectively prevent the pig from slipping and splitting, resulting in limb and hoof injuries. The galvanized steel material has both excellent anti-corrosion performance and sufficient surface hardness, and can withstand long-term trampling wear and high-pressure water gun washing.

[0051] The collaborative working process of the above structural components is as follows:

[0052] When it is necessary to load pigs into cages, the operator pushes the transfer cage to the exit of the pen or temporary fence where the pigs are to be loaded, and presses the brake pedal on wheel 26 to lock the transfer cage in a stationary state. Then, by holding the right edge of the inclined plate 25 and gently pulling it outward, the operator overcomes the attraction force between the magnet 24 and the corresponding magnet 24 on the door panel 15, causing the inclined plate 25 to flip downward around its bottom hinge. The free end of the inclined plate 25 touches the ground smoothly. Depending on the ground conditions, a small amount of straw or sawdust can be laid at the landing point of the inclined plate 25 as a cushion. Next, the operator pulls the locking rod 16 upward. The shoulder at the upper end of the locking rod 16 pushes the limiting sleeve 19 upward, causing the limiting sleeve 19 to retract from the locking sleeve 17 and into the fixing block 18. The U-shaped opening of the locking sleeve 17 is fully open. Continue to pull the lever 16 upwards so that its lower end is disengaged from the sleeve 17. The door panel 15 is then unlocked. Rotate the door panel 15 outwards to the fully open state where it fits against the side of the cage frame 2. The pig entrance on the right side of the cage frame 2 is fully open. At this time, the ramp 25 is set up as an independent ramp between the cage frame 2 and the ground. The interior space of the cage frame 2 is fully presented in front of the pig. The operator provides slight guidance from behind the pig, and the pig can walk into the cage frame 2 along the anti-slip texture of the ramp 25. Since the door panel 15 is fully open, the pig's front view is not obstructed, and the walking path is natural and smooth. This eliminates the problem of pigs stopping when they see obstacles when the door is half open or the ramp is raised in the traditional design, and reduces hoof slippage and stress squealing.

[0053] After all the pigs have entered cage 2, the operator pulls door panel 15 to close it. Door panel 15 is placed against the opening on the right side of cage 2. The operator pushes the locking rod 16 downwards into the U-shaped groove of the sleeve 17 until the lower end of the locking rod 16 is completely seated at the bottom of the groove of the sleeve 17. Then, the limiting sleeve 19 located in the fixing block 18 is pushed downwards so that the front end of the limiting sleeve 19 is inserted into the U-shaped opening of the sleeve 17. The semi-circular notch of the limiting sleeve 19 and the arc part of the sleeve 17 are enclosed, forming a complete shape with the same diameter as the locking rod 16. The circular lock hole securely locks the lever 16, preventing the door panel 15 from being pushed open from the inside by the pigs, thus ensuring safe transportation. Next, the inclined plate 25 is flipped up and rotated around the bottom hinge until it fits against the outer side of the door panel 15. The opposite magnetic blocks 24 on the left and right ends of the inclined plate 25 automatically align and attract each other, and the inclined plate 25 is securely stored on the outside of the door panel 15 without taking up extra horizontal space. The overall appearance of the transfer cage is neat and tidy, and there will be no collision noise caused by the shaking of the inclined plate 25 during the transfer.

[0054] After completing the pig entry and gate closing operations, the operator adjusts the handrail 23 according to their height and habits, pulls the tenon 21 outward, compresses the spring 22, and causes the ball head of the tenon 21 to disengage from the current groove on the cage frame 2. The connecting rod 20 is rotated around its pin to a comfortable pushing angle (usually at an angle of about 30 to 45 degrees with the ground). During this process, the operator aligns the corresponding groove position on the cage frame 2, releases the tenon 21, and the restoring force of the spring 22 pushes the ball head of the tenon 21 into the groove. The connecting rod 20 and the handrail 23 are then stably locked. The operator steps on the brake pedal to release the lock of the wheel 26, holds the anti-slip rubber sleeve of the handrail 23 with both hands, and uses the rolling of the wheel 26 to easily push the transfer cage to the side of the transport vehicle.

[0055] When it is necessary to load the live pigs from the cage onto the transport vehicle, first push the transfer cage to the loading port at the rear or side of the transport vehicle, step on the brake of wheel 26 to fix the cage, and turn on the power to the electric push rod 3 (which can be operated via a wired switch or wireless remote control). After the electric push rod 3 is powered on, the piston rod extends at a constant speed, and through the connecting bracket 4, it simultaneously pushes the two sliding rods 5 to extend smoothly to the left along the inner hole of the support sleeve 14. During the extension of the sliding rods 5, the front hook 6 drives the toothed plate 8 on its side to move to the left simultaneously. When the teeth on the lower surface of the toothed plate 8 enter the meshing area of ​​the gear 9, the toothed plate 8 drives the gear 9 to start rotating. The gear 9 transmits the torque to the rotating rod 1 through the flat key. 0. The rotating rod 10 drives the rotating block 11 and the baffle 12 fixed at its top to rotate together. When the electric push rod 3 runs to the maximum stroke, the slide rod 5 is fully extended, and the toothed plate 8 has just completed the effective tooth segment. The gear 9 is driven to rotate ninety degrees, which is one-quarter of a turn. The baffle 12 flips from the retracted position inside the cage to the horizontally extended position. At this time, the upper surface of the baffle 12 is basically flush with the upper surface of the bottom plate 1. The anti-slip strip 13 area at the bottom right end of the baffle 12 falls on the rubber pads at the top of the two support plates 7, forming a stable support. The entire process of establishing the transition bridge plate is fully automatic. The operator does not need to bend over or manually pull the plate under the slide rod 5, which saves time and effort.

[0056] After the slide bar 5 extends into place and the baffle 12 flips to a horizontal position, the operator walks to the left side of the transfer cage and holds the extended part or the area near the hook 6 with both hands. Due to the reasonable fit gap between the slide bar 5 and the support sleeve 14 and the designed height of the hook 6 from the ground, the operator can easily lift the two hooks 6 and hook them into the hanging holes, hinge holes or special crossbars on the side panel of the transport vehicle. After the hooks 6 are securely hooked, a continuous and non-slip passage is formed between the transfer cage and the transport vehicle, consisting of the bottom plate 1, the baffle 12 and the floor of the vehicle. The operator returns to the right side of the cage frame 2 and opens the door panel 15 in the aforementioned manner (the door panel 15 was previously closed and locked during the first loading). The pigs can then smoothly enter the vehicle along the non-slip strip 13 on the bottom plate 1 and the flat baffle 12. Because the passage is continuous without steps or soft connections and depressions, the pigs walk steadily, reducing the fear and jumping caused by unstable footing, greatly reducing the risk of injury and disability during loading and the safety hazard of personnel being bumped.

[0057] After loading is completed, the operator removes the hook 6 from the transport vehicle and operates the electric push rod 3 to retract by reversing the power supply or de-energizing it. The piston rod of the electric push rod 3 pulls the two slide rods 5 along the support sleeve 14 to the right through the connecting frame 4. When the slide rods 5 retract, the toothed plate 8 moves to the right synchronously with the front hook 6. The teeth of the toothed plate 8 reverse the rotation of the gear 9 by 90 degrees. The rotating rod 10 and the rotating block 11 drive the baffle 12 to flip from the horizontal state back to the vertical or inclined folded posture, and finally store it in the inner space of the cage frame 2. This does not affect the normal movement of the transfer cage or the use of the internal space. Finally, the door panel 15 is closed and locked, the inclined plate 25 is magnetically returned to its position, and the transfer cage can be pushed away. The entire loading operation process is compact, the labor intensity of the operators is significantly reduced, the loading time of a single operation is greatly shortened compared with the traditional method, and the stress on the pigs is minimized.

[0058] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A live pig transport cage for facilitating loading onto a truck, characterized in that, The system includes a base plate (1), a cage frame (2) fixedly connected to the top of the base plate (1), two sliding rods (5) connected to the bottom of the base plate (1) via a drive assembly, hooks (6) fixedly connected to the left ends of the two sliding rods (5), a rotating rod (10) connected to the outer wall of the front hooks (6) via a linkage assembly, the rotating rod (10) being rotatably connected to the inner wall of the base plate (1), a rotating block (11) fixedly connected to the outer wall of the rotating rod (10), a baffle (12) fixedly connected to the top of the rotating block (11), and the cage frame... (2) has a door panel (15) rotatably connected to the front right end. The rear end of the door panel (15) is connected to the rear right end of the cage frame (2) through a locking assembly. The bottom right end of the cage frame (2) has an inclined plate (25) rotatably connected to it. The inclined plate (25) is connected to the door panel (15) through a magnetic block (24). Both the front and rear ends of the cage frame (2) are rotatably connected to connecting rods (20), and the inner walls of the two connecting rods (20) are connected to the cage frame (2) through a limiting assembly. The right ends of the two connecting rods (20) are fixedly connected to handrails (23).

2. The live pig transport cage of claim 1, wherein, The drive assembly includes an electric push rod (3) located at the bottom of the base plate (1), and a connecting frame (4) is fixedly connected to the left end of the electric push rod (3). The connecting frame (4) is fixedly connected to the right end of the two slide rods (5).

3. The live pig transport cage of claim 1, wherein, The linkage component includes a toothed plate (8) located on the outer wall of the front hook (6). A gear (9) is meshed at the bottom of the toothed plate (8). The gear (9) is fixedly connected to the front side of the outer wall of the rotating rod (10). The number of teeth on the toothed plate (8) is just enough to make the gear (9) rotate one-quarter.

4. The live pig transport cage of claim 1, wherein, The locking assembly includes a longitudinally sliding locking rod (16) located at the rear end of the door panel (15). A sleeve (17) is fixedly connected to the rear right end of the cage frame (2). The locking rod (16) is located on the inner circumference of the sleeve (17). A fixing block (18) is fixedly connected to the rear right end of the cage frame (2). The fixing block (18) is located on the top side of the sleeve (17). A limiting sleeve (19) is slidably connected to the inner wall of the fixing block (18). When the limiting sleeve (19) is inserted into the sleeve (17), the limiting sleeve (19) and the sleeve (17) form a circular hole with the same diameter as the locking rod (16).

5. A pig transport cage for easy loading as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting component includes tenon rods (21) that slide on the inner walls of the two connecting rods (20). The two tenon rods (21) are both set in the grooves opened at the front and rear ends of the cage (2). The outer walls of the two tenon rods (21) are provided with springs (22). One end of the two springs (22) is connected to the tenon rods (21), and the other end of the two springs (22) is connected to the connecting rods (20).

6. A pig transport cage for easy loading as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The base plate (1) has two support sleeves (14) fixedly connected to both the front and rear ends to stabilize the two sliding rods (5).

7. A pig transport cage for easy loading as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The two hooks (6) are fixedly connected to a support plate (7) at one end. The top of the two support plates (7) is fixedly connected to a rubber pad. When the anti-slip strip (13) is parallel to the base plate (1), the anti-slip strip (13) is just set at the top of the two support plates (7).

8. A pig transport cage for easy loading as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the base plate (1) is equipped with a wheel (26) via a wheel frame. The outer wall of the wheel (26) is provided with a limiting mechanism, which can limit the wheel (26).

9. A pig transport cage for easy loading as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The left end of the inclined plate (25) and the right end of the door panel (15) are both provided with magnetic blocks (24), and the two magnetic blocks (24) are attracted to each other by opposite polarities.

10. A pig transport cage for easy loading as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Anti-slip strips (13) are fixedly connected to the top of the base plate (1) and the right end of the baffle (12), and the multiple anti-slip strips (13) are made of galvanized steel.

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