Padded and overhanging flooring solutions for livestock chutes, and associated bolt-on traction bars with sternum bar option

Abstract

Flooring solutions for livestock chutes include a padded floor whose area extends beyond the usual confines imposed by longitudinal floor beams and cross-sills of the chute's structural framework, use of overhanging extremities of a supportive layer of the floor as outboard fastening sites where mats and / or traction bars are fastenable at external locations outside the chute interior for greater accessibility and reduced exposure to wear and buildup, notching of wall posts at bottom-inside corners thereof for inset mating of the floor beams thereto, use of a rounded traction bar as an external hold-down of the padded mat layer of the floor at a location outside a headgate of the chute, use of longitudinal floor overhang to provide protective coverage of towing or accessory receivers, and inclusion of threaded coupling points on an internal traction bar inside the chute for optional bolted mounting of a sternum bar thereto.

Description

[0001] PADDED AND OVERHANGING FLOORING SOLUTIONS FOR LIVESTOCK CHUTES, AND ASSOCIATED BOLT-ON TRACTION BARS WITH STERNUM BAR OPTION

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates generally to livestock chutes, and more particularly to floor related constructional details thereof.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] Applicant’s prior PCT Application No. PCT / CA2017 / 050049, published under Publication No. WO2018 / 129606, a padded floor design for livestock chutes was disclosed, in which a plurality of trays were mounted to the floor beams of a livestock chute at short-gapped intervals therealong to support one or more rubber mats atop the trays within the confines of a rectangularly framed inner floor area that was delimited laterally between the two floor beams, and longitudinally between two cross-sills that perpendicularly interconnected the longitudinal floor beams at opposing ends thereof. Since putting such floor design into practice, Applicant has continued developing floor- related improvements for such livestock chutes, which improvement are the subject are the present application.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a livestock chute comprising: a structural framework having an exit at a front end of the chute and an entrance at a rear end of the chute that opposes said front end in a longitudinal direction, said structural framework including: at a lower floor assembly thereof, a pair of longitudinal floor beams running in said longitudinal direction in horizontally spaced relationship to one another delimiting a framed inner floor area therebetween; and wall posts standing upright from each of said longitudinal floor beams and thereby connecting the floor assembly of the framework to a header thereof that resides in elevated relation above said floor assembly; and a padded floor installed on the floor assembly and comprising: a supportive floor layer; and one or more mats installed atop said supportive floor layer for support thereby to at least span said framed inner floor area; wherein said one or more mats collectively define a padded floor layer atop said supportive floor layer, said padded floor layer resides at greater elevation than topsides of the longitudinal floor beams, and, at least at one or more locations between adjacent wall posts on each of the longitudinal floor beams, said padded floor layer, at outer longitudinal margins thereof, overlies the topsides of the longitudinal floor beams, such that a lateral width of the padded floor layer, at least at said one or more locations between adjacent wall posts, exceeds a lateral width of the framed inner floor area bound between the longitudinal floor members.

[0008] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a livestock chute comprising: a structural framework having an exit at a front end of the chute and an entrance at a rear end of the chute that opposes said front end in a longitudinal direction, said structural framework including a lower floor assembly that comprises: a pair of longitudinal floor beams running in said longitudinal direction in horizontally spaced relationship to one another and delimiting a framed inner floor area therebetween; at least one cross-sill spanning laterally between the longitudinal floor beams in occupancy of, or respective adjacency to, at least one of the front and rear ends of the chute to delimit a respective end of said framed inner floor area; and a padded floor installed on the floor assembly and comprising: a supportive floor layer; and one or more mats installed atop said supportive floor layer for support thereby to at least span said framed inner floor area; wherein said one or more mats collectively define a padded floor layer atop said supportive floor layer, at least a topside of said padded floor layer resides at greater elevation than a topside of the respective cross-sill at or adjacent said at least one of the front and rear ends of the chute, and said padded floor layer spans longitudinally beyond the framed inner floor area into overlying relationship to the topside of the respective cross-sill at or adjacent said at least one of the front and rear ends of the chute.

[0009] According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a livestock chute comprising: a structural framework having an exit at a front end of the chute and an entrance at a rear end of the chute that opposes said front end in a longitudinal direction, said structural framework including a lower floor assembly that comprises a pair of longitudinal floor beams running in said longitudinal direction in horizontally spaced relationship to one another delimiting a framed inner floor area therebetween; a floor whose area spans at least said framed inner floor area; bolt-on traction bars installed or installable in positions spanning laterally across the floor, said bolt-on traction bars having lengths exceeding an external width of the floor assembly measured from an outer side of a first one of the longitudinal floor beams to an opposing outer side of a second one of the longitudinal floor beams; and outboard fastening points for fastened mounting of opposing ends of said bolt-on traction bars at locations situated outwardly beyond the outer sides of the longitudinal floor beams in the lateral direction.

[0010] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a livestock chute comprising: a structural framework having an exit at a front end of the chute and an entrance at a rear end of the chute that opposes said front end in a longitudinal direction, said structural framework including a lower floor assembly that comprises a pair of longitudinal floor beams running in said longitudinal direction in horizontally spaced relationship to one another delimiting a framed inner floor area therebetween; a padded floor installed on the floor assembly and comprising: a supportive floor layer; and one or more mats installed atop said supportive floor layer for support thereby to at least span said framed inner floor area; wherein said one or more mats collectively define a padded floor layer atop said supportive floor layer, a terminal end of the padded floor layer resides outside a head gate at the exit of the chute, and the terminal end of the padded floor layer is clamped in place by a hold-down or traction bar whose shape profile is free of any unrounded edges that otherwise would pose a cutting hazard.

[0011] According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a livestock chute comprising: a structural framework having an exit at a front end of the chute and an entrance at a rear end of the chute that opposes said front end in a longitudinal direction, said structural framework including a lower floor assembly that comprises a pair of longitudinal floor beams running in said longitudinal direction in horizontally spaced relationship to one another delimiting a framed inner floor area therebetween; a floor whose area spans at least said framed inner floor area; and traction bars spanning laterally across the floor at spaced intervals from one another in the longitudinal direction, said traction bars being of elevationally raised relation to neighbouring areas of the floor unoccupied by said traction bars; wherein one of said traction bars comprises threaded coupling features embodiment thereon for selective bolted attachment thereto of a sternum bar.

[0012] According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a livestock chute comprising: a structural framework having an exit at a front end of the structural framework and an entrance at a rear end of the structural framework that opposes said front end in a longitudinal direction, said structural framework including: at a lower floor assembly thereof, a pair of longitudinal floor beams running in said longitudinal direction in horizontally spaced relationship to one another; and wall posts standing upright from each of said longitudinal floor beams and thereby connecting the floor assembly of the framework to a header thereof that resides in elevated relation above said floor assembly; and wherein the wall posts have bottom-inside notches therein at bottominside corners thereof, and the longitudinal floor beams are inset into said bottom-inside notches of the wall posts.

[0013] According to a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided a livestock chute comprising: a structural framework having an exit at a front end of the structural framework and an entrance at a rear end of the structural framework that opposes said front end in a longitudinal direction, said structural framework including, at a lower floor assembly thereof, a pair of longitudinal floor beams running in said longitudinal direction in horizontally spaced relationship to one another delimiting a framed inner floor area therebetween; and a floor whose topside area spans the framed inner floor area at greater elevation than topsides of the longitudinal floor beams, and which floor includes laterally overhanging extremities of the floor that overhang the topsides of the longitudinal floor beams in laterally outward relation thereto, and at said laterally overhanging extremities, comprises fastening holes therein for fastened attachment of floor componentry together at locations laterally outward from the longitudinal floor beams.

[0014] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0016] Figure 1 is a top front right perspective view of a livestock chute embodying an inventive floor setup of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 is a top rear left perspective view of the livestock chute of Figure 1.

[0018] Figure 3 is simplified top front right perspective view of the chute of Figure 1 , showing a structural framework and the inventive floor setup in isolation from the rest of the chute.

[0019] Figure 4 is a top rear left perspective view of the isolated framework and floor setup of Figure 3.

[0020] Figure 5 is an isolated top front right perspective view of the floor setup of

[0021] Figure 3.

[0022] Figure 6 is an isolated top rear left perspective view of the floor setup of Figure 4.

[0023] Figure 7 is another isolated top front right perspective view of the floor setup of Figure 5 with traction bars and padded floor mats thereof removed, revealing a setup of supportive floor trays for said mats.

[0024] Figure 8 is an isolated top front right perspective view of a floor assembly of the structural framework of Figure 3, which serve as framing components for the floor setup.

[0025] Figure 9 is cross-sectional view of the framework and floor setup of Figure

[0026] 3 as taken alone line A - A thereof.

[0027] Figure 10 is cross-sectional view of the framework and floor setup of

[0028] Figure 3 as taken alone line B - B thereof.

[0029] Figure 1 1 is cross-sectional view of the framework and floor setup of

[0030] Figure 3 as taken alone line C - C thereof.

[0031] Figure 12 is cross-sectional view of the framework and floor setup of

[0032] Figure 3 as taken alone line D - D thereof.

[0033] Figure 13 is cross-sectional view of the framework and floor setup of

[0034] Figure 3 as taken alone line E - E thereof.

[0035] Figure 14 is cross-sectional view of the framework and floor setup of

[0036] Figure 3 as taken alone line F - F thereof.

[0037] Figure 15 is an exploded perspective view illustrating assembly of a notched upright wall post of the framework of Figure 3 with a longitudinal floor beam thereof.

[0038] Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view illustrating installation of a rear one of the padded floor mats onto a rear subset of the supportive floor trays, in relation to which installation of a front one of the padded floor mats onto a front subset of the supportive floor trays is substantially similar, though performed in mirrored orientation to that shown.

[0039] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Figures 1 and 2 show a livestock squeeze chute 10 as an example of one type of livestock chute in which the inventive aspects of the present invention may be employed, though any livestock equipment of similar chute-like structure through which livestock traverse from one end thereof to another may likewise exploit the inventive aspects disclosed and claimed herein. A structural framework 11 of the chute delimits an interior space thereof, as well as an entrance thereto and an exit therefrom. In addition to forming this skeletal structure of the chute, the framework also serves to support all of the functional components of both the chute, which may for example include all of, or any subset of, a functional livestock squeeze, an openable / closeable admission gate at one end of the chute and an openable / closeable head gate at the other end. The framework includes a pair of longitudinal floor beams 12A, 12B lying horizontally in a longitudinal direction Lo of the chute at a ground-level floor assembly 13 of the framework 11 , a pair of longitudinal header beams 14A, 14B lying horizontally in parallel relation to the floor beams 12A, 12B in elevated relation thereover at a top header 15 of the framework 1 1 , and at least four, and in the illustrate example six, wall posts 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16E, 16F each standing vertically upright from one of the floor beams 12A, 12B at an end or end-adjacent region thereof to perpendicularly interconnect the floor beam 12A, 12B to the matching end or end region of the respective one of the longitudinal header beams 14A, 14B.

[0041] The framework 1 1 thus delimits an interior space of generally rectangular volume. The header 15 of the framework also includes a set of two or more header cross-beams 18A, 18B that span horizontally and perpendicularly between the two header beams 14, 14B at spaced apart locations therealong to maintain a squareness of the header 15. At or near each end of the chute, the floor beams 12A, 12B are likewise perpendicularly and horizontally connected by cross-sills 20A, 20B of the floor assembly 13, the illustrated two of which are each situated at or closely adjacent a vertical plane occupied by a respective pair of the wall posts 16A &16B or 16C & 16D, to maintain a squareness of the ground level floor assembly 13. At or near each end of the chute, the two respective wall posts 16A & 16B or 16C & 16D frame two opposing upright sides of a respective rectangular opening through which entrance to, or exit from, the chute’s interior space is possible, thereby enabling traversal of an animal through said interior space from one opening to the other on a longitudinal pathway therebetween.

[0042] One of these framed openings is referred to herein as an entrance opening 22, through which animals are admitted into the interior space of the chute during use thereof, for example in controlled one-by-one fashion via a sliding admission gate 24 or other openable / closeable entrance gate installed at this entrance opening 22. The framed opening at the opposing second end chute is referred to herein as an exit opening 26 through which animals depart the interior space of the chute once having travelled therethrough on the longitudinal pathway from the opposing entrance opening 22. The first and second ends of the chute are thus also referred to as the rear entrance end 28 and the front exit end 30 of the chute, respectively, in relation to the longitudinal travel direction in which animals move therethrough, travelling forwardly from the rear entrance end 28 of the chute toward the opposing front exit end 30 thereof. In the illustrated example featuring a sliding admission gate 24, the upright wall posts of the framework comprise not only the four wall posts 16A-16D that reside nearest to the two ends of the chute to define outermost corners of the framework, but also an additional pair of wall posts 16E, 16F that stand upright between the floor beams 12A, 12B and the header beams 14A, 14B a short distance in front of the rearmost pair of wall posts 16C, 16D. The short longitudinal gap between the rearmost wall posts 16C, 16D and the nearby neighbouring wall posts 16E, 16F defines a pocket into and out of which the slidable admission gate 24 is slidable back and forth. In other embodiments, depending on the type of admission gate employed, the extra set of wall posts 16E, 16F may be omitted.

[0043] Departure of an admitted animal from the chute 10 through the exit opening 26 at the front end 30 thereof is controlled via an openable / closeable head gate 32. As is known in the art, closure of this head gate 32 is performed while the animal attempts to pass through the exit opening 26 so that two movable gate panels of the head gate abut against opposing sides of the animal’s body, at the neck thereof, to help hold the animal in a position in which their head resides outside the chute 10, while the trailing remainder of their body is still inside the chute 10. In the illustrated example, the head gate 32 is a curtain style headgate, with two gate panels rollingly supported on an overhead track that spans laterally across the exit opening 26 at or below a front end of the header 15 in perpendicular relation to the longitudinal header beams 14A, 14B and parallel relation to the header cross-beams 18A, 18B. The gate panels of the head gate 32 are rollable horizontally back and forth in a lateral direction LA of perpendicularly transverse relation to the horizontally longitudinal direction denoted by the longitudinal floor and header beams 12A, 12B, 14A, 14B. That said, the type of head gate 32 employed at the exit opening 26 of the chute 10 may vary, without detraction from the novel aspects of the present invention, which instead focus on the floor construction of the chute 10.

[0044] Still referring to the non-limiting squeeze chute example of Figures 1 and 2, movably supported on the framework 1 1 , within the elevational range of the two sidewall areas delimited between the longitudinal floor and header beams 12A, 12B, 14A, 14B, are a pair of movable squeeze panels 34A, 34B, each lying longitudinally of the frame. Right squeeze panel 34A resides closest to the right sidewall area of the chute, and left squeeze panel 34B resides closest to the left sidewall area of the chute. The two squeeze panels are movable laterally toward one another in a closing direction, and laterally away from one another in a lateral opening direction acting to widen that effective interior width. The movable support of the squeeze panels 34A, 34B on the framework, along with detailed explanation of how these squeeze panels 34A, 34B are movable toward and away from one another in the lateral direction of the chute, are not the focus of the present invention, and are therefore omitted herein.

[0045] An interior squeeze space of the chute 10 delimited between the two squeeze panels 34A, 34B is thus adjustable in width by such movement of the squeeze panels toward and away from one another, thereby controlling an effective width of the chute’s interior. As is known in the art, moving the squeeze panels 34A, 34B away from one another widens the squeeze space to enable initial admission of an animal to said squeeze space from the entrance 22, while moving the squeeze panels toward one another constricts said squeeze space after the animal has been admitted thereto. The two squeeze panels 34A, 34B thus push against the sides of the animal’s body, thereby cooperating with the closed head gate 32 to hold the animal stationary in a secured position with their body standing in the squeeze space of the chute 10, with their neck reaching outwardly through the exit 26 of the chute via a central opening of the head gate 32, and with their head residing outside the chute beyond the exit thereof. The admission gate 24, head gate 32 and squeeze panels 34A, 34B are all of a manual operable type in the illustrated example, but all, or any subset thereof, may alternatively be hydraulically operated in various squeeze chute designs.

[0046] The description thus far of the complete chute shown in Figures 1 and 2 is at a rather generic and conventional level of detail, for the purpose of setting forth an operating environment in which the present invention may be implemented, to which a more descriptive explanation is now given as follows, with particular reference to Figures 3 to 15, where the admission gate 24, the head gate 32, the squeeze panels 34A, 34B all associated operational componentry therefor have been omitted, to avoid illustrative clutter of the inventive aspects of the chute 10.

[0047] Figure 8 is an isolated view of the floor assembly 13 of the chute’s framework 1 1 , which structural floor assembly 13 doubles as framing componentry for the inventive floor setup described below, and features the aforementioned longitudinal floor beams 12A, 12B and the aforementioned front and rear cross-sills 20A, 20B spanning perpendicularly therebetween at positions of respective adjacency to the front and rear ends of the longitudinal floors beams 12A, 12B. While in the illustrated embodiment the two cross-sills 20A, 20B are both offset a short distance longitudinally inward from the respective front and rear terminuses of the longitudinal floor beams 12A, 14A, they may alternatively reside directly at those front and rear beam terminuses, depending for example on other details of the chute construction (admission gate type, head gate type, etc.). In the interest in brevity, the location of either cross-sill 20A, 20B may be referred to as being at the “end” of the chute, whether this general reference to the “end” of the chute happens to coincide with the actual terminuses of the longitudinal floor beams 12A, 12B, or resides a short distance longitudinally inward from the terminuses of the longitudinal floor beams 12A, 12B. Front cross-sill 20A of the illustrated example includes at least one tubular receiver projecting a short distance forwardly from a front side of the cross-sill 20A, of which there are two in illustrated example: a central receiver 36A used for connection of a pull-tongue for towed transport of the chute 10, and an auxiliary receiver 36B offset to one side of the central receiver 36A for stowage of a jack or other accessory on the chute 10 during transport. The relevance of these receivers 36, 36B, which may instead reside at the rear sill 20B in other embodiments, will become apparent further below, when mentioned again in relation to inventive aspects of the floor setup of the chute.

[0048] Turning from Figure 8 to preceding Figure 7, a set of floor support trays 38 are installed atop the floor beams 12A, 12B and cross-sills 20A, 20B in positions covering a near entirety of a rectangularly framed inner floor area 40 that is bound in the lateral direction LA between the two longitudinal floor beams 12A, 12B and bound in the longitudinal direction Lo between the two cross-sills 20A, 20B. Each floor support tray 38 spans a full lateral width of the framed inner floor space 40, in bridging relation thereover from atop one of the floor beams 12A to atop the other of the floor beams 12B. In the longitudinal direction Lo, the trays 38 are arranged in a linear series, or linear array, spanning from one cross-sill 20A to the other cross-sill 20B. In this longitudinal direction Lo, the trays 38 in the series are spaced a short distance from one another, to leave a small gap space 42 between each adjacent pair of the trays 38, of which this gap space 42 is of notably lesser measure in the longitudinal direction Lo than each of the trays themselves. The trays thus collectively overlie a vastly greater percentage of the overall longitudinal length and overall rectangular area of the framed inner floor space 40, than that which is left open under the small gap spaces 42 between the trays 38. The support trays 38, being responsible to bear the weight of the animals that traverse through the chute, provide solid, weight-bearing surfaces over this vast majority of the framed inner floor area 40, yet allow some degree of drainage via the small gaps 42 between the trays. To create a padded floor of the chute 10, a set of one or more floor mats of rubber composition, or other likewise resiliency compressible material of greater compressibility and lesser rigidity than the steel or other constituent material of the trays 38 themselves, are installed atop the support trays 38. In the illustrated embodiment, there are two such floor mats 44A, 44B laid out end-to-end of one another in the longitudinal direction Lo of the chute, though the quantity of mats may be reduced to as few as one mat, or increased to a higher quantity plurality exceeding the two-mat example of the illustrated embodiment. Preferably, and as shown, the quantity of mats is non-equal to the quantity of support trays, with the mats 44A, 44B being laid out so that any adjacent pair of mats that meet end-to-end, in contacting abutment or close adjacency, with one another do so at a location directly above one of the support trays, for example at a longitudinal midpoint thereof. This way, a lateral seam 46 (visible in Figure 13) created by such end-to-end meeting of any two adjacent mats 44A, 44B never occurs above one of the drainage gaps 42, where there is no underlying support for the meeting ends of the two mats, which otherwise may risk deflection of these unsupported mat ends downwardly through the gap 42, creating a potential tripping hazard for animals traversing the chute.

[0049] In Applicant’s aforementioned PCT application that likewise employed gap-spaced support trays to support a different quantity of overlying mats likewise positioned to avoid seam occurrence at the gapped spacing of the trays, the trays were hung inside the framed inner floor area 40 via raised mounting flanges at the two laterally opposing ends of each tray, and the mats were thus seated atop the trays at an elevation within the framed inner floor area 40 so as to place the topsides of the mats generally flush with the topsides of the floor beams 12A, 12B. The padded floor in that prior design was thus constrained solely to the framed inner floor area 40, and did not extend anywhere therebeyond, neither laterally nor longitudinally. The present invention deviates notably from that prior design, and provides a more expansive flooring solution that, among other novel characterizations and benefits, spans beyond the framed inner floor area 40.

[0050] Among such deviations from that prior art, the trays 38 herein are entirely flat at the topsides thereof over a full lateral measure of each tray 38 from one end 48A of the tray to the other laterally opposing end 48B thereof, whereby each tray 38 lacks a recessed central span of the type in Applicant’s prior PCT application, which instead hung downwardly into the framed inner floor area 40 between the longitudinal floor beams 12A, 12B. Instead, the topside of each tray 38 of the present application is entirely uniplanar, preferably embodied by a uniplanar main span 50 of a singular (typically steel) plate, which uniplanar main span 38C denotes at least a vast majority of the plate in both of the longitudinal and lateral directions Lo, LA. In the illustrated embodiment, the metal plate of which each tray 38 is not of entirely uniplanar geometry however, and is instead a bent plate that deviates from its otherwise uniplanar form at two specific locations, namely at its laterally oriented front and rear edges 52A, 52B, at each of which each tray 38 is bent either upwardly or downwardly at an approximately right angle to the plane of the uniplanar main span 50.

[0051] The illustrated embodiment features three distinct types of tray: a frontend tray 38A installed at the front end 30 of the chute, a rear-end tray 38B installed at the rear end 28 of the chute, and a mid-tray 38C, of which there are a plurality of midtrays 38C in the illustrated example, and which are installed between the front-end and rear-end trays 38A, 38B. Each mid-tray 38C is bent downwardly at both of its front and rear edges 52A, 52B, whereby each mid-tray 38C is characterized by a down-turned flange 54 at each of its front and rear edges. The front-end tray 38A is likewise bent downward at its rear edge 52B to have a matching down-turned flange 54 thereat, but is bent upwardly at its front edge 52A to instead create an up-turned lip 56 thereat, as shown in Figure 12. Similarly, but in mirrored relation, the rear-end tray 38B is bent downward at its front edge 52A to have thereat a matching down-turned flange 54 to those of the other trays 38A, 38C, and is bent upwardly at its rear edge 52B to instead have thereat an up-turned lip 56, as shown in Figure 16, like that possessed by the front-end tray at its front edge 52A.

[0052] Each down-turned flange 54 of each tray 38 spans less than a full length of the respective front or rear edge 52A, 52B of the tray, instead occupying a partial but central mid-span of the tray’s front or rear edge 52A, 52B, which midspan corresponds roughly to, without exceeding, the lateral width of the framed inner floor area 40 bound between the longitudinal floor beams 12A, 12B. This way, each downturned flange 54 fits between the two floor beams 12A, 12B in perpendicular orientation relative thereto in the tray’s installed position. In each tray’s installed position, laterally outer regions of the tray’s main span 50, situated laterally outward from the flanged mid-span of the tray’s front or rear edge 52A, 52B, rest atop the two floor beams 12A, 12B to support the down-turned flange 54 in hanging relation therebetween. The downturned flanges 54 of each adjacent pair of trays thus bound opposing sides of the gap space 42 between those two trays 38.

[0053] The down-turned flanges 54 help guide placement of the trays 38 into properly aligned relation to the floor beams 12A, 12B during assembly of the floor, and also serve to impart added stiffness to the tray’s main span 50 where it bridges between the two floor beams 12A, 12B in overlying relation above the framed inner floor space 40. Through such imparted rigidity, the weight bearing capacity of the tray (the weight load it can handle before its bridging portion spanning over the empty inner floor area 40 will deflect) is improved, compared to use of an entirely uniplanar tray. At the front edge of the front-end tray 38A and the rear edge of the rear-end tray 38B, the respective upturned lip 56 likewise imparts added stiffness to the bridging portion of the respective tray, but also serves to protect an adjacent terminal edge of the respective mat 44A, 44B seated atop this end tray 38A, 38B. Upturned lip 56 at the front edge of front-end tray 38A protects an adjacent laterally oriented front edge of frontmost mat 44A, and upturned lip 56 at the rear edge of rear-end tray 38B likewise protects an adjacent laterally oriented rear edge of rearmost mat 44B. The front edge of the frontmost mat 44A and the rear edge of the rearmost mat denote respective front and rear terminal ends of the overall padded floor layer that is composed of the one or mats residing atop the underlying supportive floor layer that is composed of the trays 38.

[0054] A lateral width of each mid-tray 38C, measured from one end 48A of the flat main span 50 thereof to the other opposing end 48B of the flat main span 50 is uniform over a full longitudinal measure of the tray 38C, and this uniform lateral width of these mid-trays 38C exceeds the lateral width of the framed inner floor area 40, as measured from the laterally inner side of one floor beam 12A to the laterally inner side of the other floor beam 12B. This way, in an installed position of each mid-tray 38C, the flat main span 50 of the mid-tray 38C is seated atop the flat topsides of the two longitudinal floor beams 12A, 12B, where the flat main span is fastened to the two floor beams 12A, 12B through the top walls of the two floor beams, for example by rivets 60. In even greater distinction of the prior art, the uniform lateral width of the main span 50 of each mid-tray 38C also exceeds an external width of the floor assembly, as measured laterally from an outer side of one floor beam 12A to the opposing outer side of the other floor beam 12B. As a result, the flat main span 50 of each mid-tray 38C not only rests atop the two floor beams 12A, 12B, but actually overhangs laterally outward from both thereof.

[0055] This can be seen, for example, with reference to the cross-sectional view of Figure 14, where one of the mid-trays 38C is cross-sectioned in the plane of its down- turned flange 54 at its front edge 52A, just above which flange the mid-tray’s flat main span 50 can been. A right-side laterally outer region 60A of the main span 50, seen to reside laterally outward from the right end of the downturned flange 54 of the mid-tray 38C, is seated atop right longitudinal floor beam 12A, with a laterally outermost extremity 62A of this laterally outer region 60A overhanging laterally outward from the topside of the right longitudinal floor beam 12A. Likewise, left-side laterally outer region 60B of the main span 50, seen to reside laterally outward from the left end of the downturned flange 54 of the mid-tray 38C, is seated atop the left longitudinal floor beam 12B, with a laterally outermost extremity 62B of this laterally outer region 60B overhanging laterally outward from the topside of the left longitudinal floor beam 12B. The entire set of mid-trays 38C, in their installed positions on the longitudinal floor beams 12A, 12B, are seated directly thereatop specifically at the right and left sidewall areas 35A, 35B of the chute that are respectively delimited between adjacent wall posts 16A, 16E of the right longitudinal floor beam 12A, and between corresponding adjacent wall posts 16B, 16F of the left longitudinal floor beam 12B. In these sidewall areas 35A, 35B, there are no intervening wall posts between the two adjacent wall posts of each floor beam 12A, 12B, whereby the entire set of mid-trays 38C are free to fully occupy and overhang the topside widths of the two floor beams 12A, 12B.

[0056] In the illustrated embodiment, the same is not true of the front-end and rear-end trays 38A, 38B, whose locations on the floor assembly 13 are shared by wall posts 16A-16F. To accommodate these wall posts 16A-16F, both end trays 38A, 38B instead each have a non-uniform lateral width. With reference to Figure 7, the main span 50’ of each end tray 38A, 38B has a wide portion 64A of uniform lateral width equal to that of the mid-trays 38C, and whose laterally outer regions 60A, 60B likewise rest atop the two floor beams 12A, 12B in the sidewall areas 35A, 35B thereof between the adjacent pairs of wall posts 16A / 16E & 16B / 16F, with lateral extremities 62A, 62B of these laterally outer regions 60A, 60B likewise laterally overhanging the floor beams 12A, 12B. This can be seen in Figure 10, where rear end tray 38B is laterally crosssectioned at its wide portion 64A. Referring again to Figure 7, from this wide portion 64A, the lateral width of the central span 50’ of each end tray 38A, 38B steps down to a narrower portion 64B, whose lateral width is lesser than that of the wide portion 64A, and is no greater than the lateral distance between wall posts of the two longitudinal floor beams, whereby this narrower portion 64B is accommodated in an installed position between the wall posts that reside at or near the respective end of the chute. Here, the narrow portion 64B of the central span 50’ of each end tray 38A, 38B rests atop the respective cross-sill 20A, 20B, and is preferably fastened thereto, for example by more rivets 60. Seated atop the respective cross-sill 20A, 20B, the narrow portion 64B of each end tray 38A, 38B thus spans longitudinally beyond the bounds of the framed inner floor space 40, in distinctive fashion from the prior art.

[0057] In the illustrated embodiment, the narrower portion 64B of each end tray 38A, 38B spans longitudinally beyond the respective cross-sill 20A, 20B and thus overhangs longitudinally therefrom at a longitudinally outward extremity of the end tray 38A, 38B, in similar fashion to how the lateral extremities 62A, 62B overhang the floor beams 12A, 12B in the longitudinal direction. This longitudinal overhang can be seen of front-end tray 38A in Figure 12, where a front extremity 62C of the front-end tray 38A can be seen to overhang forwardly from the front side of the front cross-sill 20A, and terminates at the up-turned lip 56 at the front edge of front-end tray 38A at a distance longitudinally outward from front cross-sill 20A. Here, this longitudinal overhang of frontend tray 38A is exploited to particular benefit, where the distance by which the front extremity 62C of the front-end tray 38A overhangs from the front side of the front crosssill 20A covers at least a majority, if not a substantial or actual entirety of, a protruding distance by which each receiver 36A, 36B protrudes forwardly from the front side of the front cross-sill 20A, 20B, to the safety benefit of animals exiting the chute 10 at the front end 30 thereof, as discussed in more detail below. Though not having the same beneficially covering relationship to one or more receivers 36A, 36B, similar longitudinally overhanging relation of the narrow portion 64B of the rear-end tray 38B to the rear cross-sill 20B can be seen in Figure 11 , where a rear extremity 62D of the rear-end tray 38B can be seen to overhang rearwardly from the rear side of the rear cross-sill 20B, and terminates at the up-turned lip 56 at the rear edge of rear-end tray 38B at a distance longitudinally outward from rear cross-sill 20B.

[0058] Referring to Figure 12 the frontmost mat 44A spans longitudinally into abutting contact or close adjacency with the up-turned lip 56 of the front-end tray 38A, and thus likewise longitudinally overhangs the front cross-sill 20A by a distance also fully, or at least substantially, spanning the longitudinally protruding distance of each receiver 36A, 36B. Both layers of the padded floor thus not only cover the entire longitudinal span of the chute interior from atop the rear cross-sill 20B to atop the front cross-sill 20A, but further spans beyond the front cross-sill 20A and beyond wall-post framed exit 26 of the chute to protectively cover the towing receiver 36A, and any optionally accompanying auxiliary receiver 36B, thereby preventing potential leg injury to an animal when exiting the chute. In spanning across and overhanging from the front cross-sill 20A, the frontmost mat 44A of the padded floor layer of the illustrated embodiment actually spans longitudinally beyond the head gate 32, offering even further benefit should an animal’s leg get past the head gate 32 during closure thereof against animal’s neck, whereby the longitudinally extended floor can reduce the degree of animal unbalance compared to if this escaped leg were to step fully down to the environmental ground outside the floored chute.

[0059] In the illustrated embodiment, the wall posts 16A-16F, which are composed of rectangular or square tubing, are uniquely notched at bottom inside corners thereof, as shown particularly well in the isolated and exploded view of Figure 15. Here, exemplary post 16B, of which the other posts are of matching character, at least in this notched regard, can be seen to have such a bottom-inside notch 66. At this notch 66, a full-width bottom segment the wall post’s inside wall 68 is cut away, in combined cut away with a partial-width bottom segment of each of the wall post’s front and rear walls 70A, 70B. At this bottom-inside notch 66, the respective floor beam 12B is inset into the wall post 16B and welded thereto in the assembled state of the floor assembly 13. All the other wall posts 16A, 16C-16F are likewise notched in matching fashion at their respective bottom inside corners for inset mating of the respective floor beam 12A, 12B thereto.

[0060] The resulting structural relationship is best shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 9. Each post, of which posts 16C, 16D are specifically visible in that figure, embraces a top outside corner of each floor beam 12A, 12B, with the intact bottom segments 72A, 72B of the front and rear walls of each wall post 16A-16F abutted against the outside of the respective floor beam 12A, 12B, and with the bottom end 68A of the truncated inside wall 68 of each post abutted against the topside of the respective floor beam 12A, 12B. The depth of the notch 66, measured between the planes of the inside and outside walls of the wall post is less than the lateral thickness of the floor beam 12A, 12B, and so the embracing relationship of the notched wall post 16A-16F to the floor beam 12A, 12B occupies a less than full lateral width of the floor beam’s topside. The cut-out segment of each side wall 70A, 70B of each wall post may be cut at its top end with an inclination angle toward the outer wall 73 of the wall post, creating downwardly pointing male tabs 74 at the front and rear sides of the notch 66 for engagement of such male tabs 74 in female slots 76 cut in the top-outside corner of the floor bream 12A, 12B, as shown in Figure 15. Engagement of the male tabs 74 into female slots 76 provides positive mating action between the post 16A-16C and floor beam 12A, 12B during assembly thereof, thus guiding proper placement and alignment of these components of the framework 11 .

[0061] In the illustrated embodiment that includes such notched wall posts, the lateral width of the narrower portions 64B of the end trays 38A, 38B can, and therefore do in the illustrated example, exceed the lateral width of the framed inner floor area 40 of the floor assembly 13, so that the laterally outer regions of the narrower portions 64B of the end trays 38A, 38B still rest atop the two longitudinal beams 12A, 12B for optimally strong and level support of the end trays 38A, 38B, even at the narrower regions 64B thereof that fit between the wall posts at opposing sides of the chute. This can be seen in Figure 9, in which rear-end tray 38B is cross-sectioned at its narrow portion 64B between wall posts 16E, 16F. Here, the narrow portion 64B of rear-end tray 38B can neither span the entire topside widths of the floor beams 12A, 12B nor laterally overhang therefrom, owing to the presence of wall posts 16E, 16F. Nonetheless, the laterally outer regions 60A’, 60B’ of the narrow portion 64B of rear- end tray 38B, though of lesser outward span that the laterally outer regions 60A, 60B at the wide portion 64A of the tray 38B, can still occupy laterally inner fractions of the topsides of the floor beams 12A, 12B in inwardly adjacent relationship to the laterally outer fractions of the topsides of the floor beams 12A, 12B that are instead occupied by the notched wall posts 16E, 16F. The same partial occupation of the topside widths of the floor beams 12A, 12B by the narrower portion 64B of the rear-end tray 38B is true at notched wall posts 16C, 16D. The same partial occupation of the topside widths of the floor beams 12A, 12B by the narrower portion 64B of a tray is also true of the front-end tray 38A, whose narrower portion similarly resides between wall posts 16A, 16B. In the illustrated embodiments, the narrower lateral width at the narrow portion 64B of each of the end trays 38A, 38B is maintained uniformly from the wider portion 64A thereof all the way to the far longitudinally overhanging extremity 62C, 62D of the tray 38A, 38B, though in other embodiments, the tray width may step back up to full lateral width once the longitudinal span of the narrower portion 64B is great enough to clear the wall posts.

[0062] The mats 44A, 44B are sized and shaped to closely conform to the outer profile of the overall supportive layer of the floor that is composed of the support trays 38A-38C. In the illustrated two-mat example, each mat 44A, 44B has a wide portion 78A whose lateral width generally matches the lateral width of the mid-trays 38C and the lateral width of the wide portions 64A of the end trays 38A, 38B for seated and shape-conforming placement of this wide portion 78A of each mat 44A, 44B atop the wide portion 64A of the respective end tray 38A, 38B and a neighbouring subset of the mid-trays 38C. Each mat 44A, 44B also has a narrower portion 78B whose lateral width generally matches the lateral width of the narrow portions 64B of end trays 38A, 38B for seated and shape-conforming placement of this narrower portion 78B of each mat 44A, 44B atop the narrower portion 64B of the respective end tray 38A, 38B. The mats 44A, 44B, are laid flat atop the main spans 50 of the support trays 38 that, in turn, are seated atop, and overhang from, the longitudinal beams 12A, 12B and cross-sills 20A, 20B. The mats 44A, 44B, collectively being of full-coverage shape-conforming relation to the totality of the support trays 38, therefore likewise reside atop, and overhang, the longitudinal beams 12A, 12B and cross-sills 20A, 20B at all the same places where the support trays 38 have been described as doing so above, as can be seen in the figures where the mats can be seen to possess laterally outer regions that reside atop the longitudinal beams and possess laterally-overhanging extremities overhanging therefrom, as well as longitudinally outer regions that are seated atop the cross-sills 20A, 20B and possess longitudinal extremities overhanging therefrom.

[0063] For fastened attachment of the mats 44A, 44B to the support trays 38A- 38C, typically by bolted fastening, the support trays have predefined fastening holes 80 therein, a majority subset of which specifically reside at the laterally overhanging extremities 62A, 62B of the support trays 38A, 38B, 38C, and a smaller minority subset of which specifically reside at the longitudinally overhanging extremities 62C, 62D of the end trays 38A, 38B. This way, all fastening of the mats 44A, 44B to the support trays 38 takes places outside the boundaries of the inner floor area 40, at outboard locations laterally outside the longitudinal floor beams 12A, 12B, and at fore and aft locations longitudinally outside of the cross-sills 20A, 20B. This makes all of the bolted or otherwise fastened connections less susceptible to wear, erosion, buildup, etc., and reduces potential cutting hazards to animals traversing through the chute, all while ensuring the mats stay firmly in place, and allowing easy removal and replacement thereof via unfastening of the preferably bolted connections from entirely outside the chute 10.

[0064] For optimal hold down of the mats 44A, 44B, longitudinal hold-down bars 82 are laid down atop the mats in parallel and adjacent relation to longitudinal perimeter edges thereof in overlying relation to the laterally overhanging extremities 62A, 62B of the support trays 38A-38C where the fastening holes 80 are provided. As best seen in Figure 16, the longitudinal hold-down bars 82 have sets of fastening apertures 84A therein whose layout and spacing enable alignment with corresponding fastening holes 80 among those found in the overhanging lateral extremities 62A, 62B of the support trays. Each mat 44A, 44B, at longitudinal mounting areas 86 thereof running in the same parallel and adjacent relation to the longitudinal perimeter edges of the mat, has matching sets of fastening apertures 84B therein for aligned relationship to the fastening apertures 84A of the longitudinal hold-down bars 82, and to the corresponding fastening holes 80 in the laterally overhanging extremities 62A, 62B of the support trays 38. The mats 44A, 44B are thus fastened in place by laying of the longitudinal holddown bars 82 atop the longitudinal mounting areas 86 of the mats, and fastening of the hold-down bars 82 to the support trays 38 through the aligned fastening holes 80 and fastening apertures 84A, 84B, preferably using bolts to enable later easy removal and replacement of the mats 44A, 44B, if and when replacement is warranted. Such fastened connection sandwiches the mats 44A, 44B firmly between the hold-down bars 82 and the overhanging extremities 62A, 62B of the support trays 38. Such use of holddown bars 82 contributes to a relatively even distribution of the fastener-exerted holding force to the mats 44A, 44B, compared to single-point fastening without such hold-down bars 82 as a fastening interface.

[0065] In the illustrated embodiment, each mat 44A, has a stepped thickness profile where a central majority area of each mat 44A, 44B, embodied at both the wide and narrow portions 78A, 78B thereof, has a first uniform thickness, from which, moving outwardly in the lateral direction LA, the thickness of the mat 44A, 44B steps down to a reduced thickness at a short distance inward from at least the longitudinal perimeter edges of the mat. This creates a thinned longitudinally running margin at each side of the mat, which thinned margin denotes the aforementioned longitudinal mounting areas 86 of the mat where a majority of the mat’s fastening apertures 84B are provided. The comparative thinness of the mounting areas 86 can be seen for example in Figures 9, 10 and 14, where the topside of the mat is at lower elevation at the longitudinal mounting areas 86 running along the longitudinal edges of both the wide and narrower portions of the mats 44A, 44B owing to this reduced mat thickness at these outer margins. The thickness of the hold-down bars 82 is no greater than, and preferably equal to, the difference in thickness between the thicker central majority of the mat and the mounting areas 86 at the thinned outer margins of the mat. This way, the hold-down bars 82 seated atop the thinner mounting areas 86 do not protrude upwardly beyond the plane occupied by the topside of the thicker central majority of the mat, thus avoiding any exposure of sharp edges of the hold-down bars 82 that otherwise might pose a cutting hazard.

[0066] In the longitudinal direction Lo, the thickness of each mat 44A, 44B of the illustrated embodiment also steps down from the thicker central majority to create a thinned lateral edge margin 88A, 88B running parallel and adjacent to each laterally oriented end of the mat, as can be seen in Figures 11 to 13 and 16. The rear lateral edge margin 88B of rearmost mat 44B (Figure 11 ) and the front lateral edge margin 88A of the frontmost mat 44A (Figure 12) denote respective terminal ends of the padded floor layer that the mats collectively define, and each of these two lateral edge margins 88A, 88B feature another set of fastening apertures 84B like those found at the longitudinal mounting areas 86. These additional fastening apertures 84B in the front and rear lateral edge margins 88A, 88B of the frontmost and rearmost mats 44A, 44A align with the minority subset of fastening holes 80 on the longitudinally overhanging extremities 62C, 62D of the end trays 38A, 38B to enable fastened (again, typically bolted) securement of the mats 44A, 44B thereto along these lateral edge margins 88A, 88B at the terminal ends of the padded floor layer.

[0067] The rear lateral edge margin 88B of rearmost mat 44B is shown equipped with a flat hold-down bar 82A of the same type, but shorter length, as the longitudinal hold-down bars 82 used at the longitudinal hold down areas 86 of the mats 44A, 44B. This lateral hold-down bar 82A likewise features fastening apertures 84A alignable with the fastening apertures 84B in the rear lateral edge margin 88B of rearmost mat 44B and the corresponding fastening holes 88 in the longitudinally overhanging extremity 62D of rear-end tray 38B, for the same hold-down purpose in similar non-protruding relation to the plane of the topside of the thicker central majority of the mat 44B. On the other hand, the front lateral edge margin 88A of frontmost mat 44A is instead fitted with a hollow tubular exterior traction bar 90 that stands proud of the topside of the thicker central majority of the mat 44A. As shown in Figure 12, this exterior traction bar has a round-cornered rectangular profile when viewed in vertical cross-section in vertical planes running longitudinally of the chute. Though the exterior traction bar 90 is taller than the hold down bars 82, 82A, its rounded corners avoid sharp edges of the type found on the comparatively flat hold-down bars 82, thus avoiding the potential creation of a cutting hazard at the exit end 30 of the chute 10, in similar interest to the reason for employing longitudinal overhang of the front-end tray 38A and associated frontmost mat 44A to obscure potential cutting hazards that may otherwise be presented by the presence of the protruding receiver(s) 36A, 36B on the front cross-sill 20A. Exterior traction bar 90 has a set of fastening apertures therein that align with those provided in the front lateral edge margin 88A of the frontmost mat 44A, and with the corresponding fastening holes 80 in the longitudinally overhanging extremity 62C of the front-end support tray 38A, whereby the exterior traction bar 90 is fastenable in place in the same manner as the rear lateral hold-down bar 82A at the opposite end of the padded floor setup.

[0068] In the illustrated embodiment, additional interior traction bars 90A can optionally also be installed in positions spanning laterally across the mats 44A, 44B at longitudinally spaced intervals therealong at locations inside the chute 10 to provide additional traction for animals traversing therethrough. These interior traction bars 90A are fastened, typically bolted, in place using at least a subset of the same aligned fastener holes 80 and fastening apertures 84A, 84B by which the mats 44A, 44B are fastened in place through the longitudinal holding bars 82 at the laterally overhanging extremities 62A, 62B of the trays 38. Each interior traction bar 90A inside the chute may be of the same cross-sectional shape profile as the exterior traction bar 90 used at the terminal front end of the padded floor layer outside the head gate 32, namely a hollow length of, typically steel, tubing, preferably again with rounded corners to avoid cutting hazards. As shown in Figure 16, each interior traction bar 90A has a pair of fastener openings 91 therein adjacent respective ends thereof for such fastened connection, and each end of each interior traction bar 90A, which resides laterally outside the chute 10, may be cut at an inclined angle, such that the fastener opening 91 need penetrate only through a bottom wall of the interior traction bar 90A. This is in contrast to the external traction bar 90 at the longitudinally overhanging front end of the padded floor, which, at least in the illustrated example, is instead bolted down at multiple points along its lateral span across the front end of the floor through the aligned fastening holes and apertures at the front lateral margin 88A of mat 44A, and whose ends are not obliquely cut, again to avoid sharp edges at the chute exit 26.

[0069] The interior traction bars 90A, being mounted to the laterally overhanging extremities 62A, 62B of the mid-trays 38C, and optionally at the wider portion 64A of one or both of the end trays 38A, 38B, span fully across the floor beams 12A, 12B and each have a length (measured laterally of the chute 10) that exceeds the external width of the floor assembly 13. In contrast, the exterior traction bar 90 is mounted to the narrow portion 64B of the front-end support tray 38A, and thus is a shorter traction bar whose length is roughly equal to the lateral widths of the front-end tray 38A and the frontmost mat 44A at the narrow portions 64B, 78B thereof, and therefore is of lesser measure than the exterior width of the floor assembly 13, but is preferably greater than the lateral width of the framed inner floor area 40 so that the two ends of exterior traction bar 90 overlap the topsides of the floor beams 12A, 12B, so that vertical loads exerted on the exterior traction bar 90 are not borne solely by the front-end tray 38A.

[0070] A subset of the interior traction bars may be special case traction bars serving additional purpose, for example including a seam-covering interior traction bar 90B of greater width (in the longitudinal direction) than the other interior traction bars 90A, and specially installed over the seam 46 where the two mats 44A, 44B meet end to end. This optionally wider seam-covering traction bar 90 better ensures full coverage of the seam 46 and ensures a maximally effective hold down action on the meeting ends of the two mats 44A, 44B. Just like at the terminal ends of the overall padding layer of the floor at the front and rear ends 28, 30 of the chute, these meeting ends of the mats at seam 46 may be characterized by thinned lateral edge margins 88A, 88B of reduced thickness relative to the thicker central majorities of the mats 44A. In such case, the wider seam-covering interior traction bar 90B is seated atop these thinner lateral edge margins 88A, 88B, whereby another lateral hold-down bar 82A may optionally be installed in seam-covering fashion, either in alternative to the seamcovering interior traction bar 90B, in flush or at least non protrusive relation to the topsides of the thicker central majority areas of the two mats 44A, 44B, or in combination with the seam-covering interior traction bar 90B in a position therebeneath. In the latter instance, the seam-covering traction bar 90B would be installed atop the seam-covering lateral hold-down bar, thus covering any sharp edges thereof in protective fashion, which would also act as a spacer to elevate the seam-covering interior traction bar 90B off the mats, for example in equal elevation to the other interior traction bars 90A of matching height. Alternatively, if installed without an accompanying seam-covering hold-down bar, the preferably wider seam-covering traction bar 90B may be of taller profile than the other interior traction bars 90A to match the elevations thereof, despite the recessed seating of the seam-covering traction bar at the thinned lateral end margins 88A, 88B of the mats 44A, 44B.

[0071] Frontmost interior traction bar 90C nearest to the head gate 32, but still inside the chute, may be another special case of interior traction bar, this one being equipped with threaded coupling points, embodied as threaded inserts 92 engaged in the hollow profile of the tubular traction bar 90C through drilled holes in the top wall thereof, as seen in Figure 12, to enable selective bolted attachment of a sternum bar to this traction bar. In the illustrated example, in which no sternum bar is shown, the threaded inserts 92 have nonetheless been fitted with bolts 94, to prevent buildup from accumulating in the threaded inserts 92 to maintain the integrity thereof for later installation of the optional sternum bar.

[0072] Since various modifications can be made in the invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

CLAIMS:1 . A livestock chute comprising: a structural framework having an exit at a front end of the chute and an entrance at a rear end of the chute that opposes said front end in a longitudinal direction, said structural framework including: at a lower floor assembly thereof, a pair of longitudinal floor beams running in said longitudinal direction in horizontally spaced relationship to one another delimiting a framed inner floor area therebetween; and wall posts standing upright from each of said longitudinal floor beams and thereby connecting the floor assembly of the framework to a header thereof that resides in elevated relation above said floor assembly; and a padded floor installed on the floor assembly and comprising: a supportive floor layer; and one or more mats installed atop said supportive floor layer for support thereby to at least span said framed inner floor area; wherein said one or more mats collectively define a padded floor layer atop said supportive floor layer, at least a topside of said padded floor layer resides at greater elevation than topsides of the longitudinal floor beams, and, at least at one or more locations between adjacent wall posts on each of the longitudinal floor beams, said padded floor layer, at laterally outer regions thereof, overlies the topsides of the longitudinal floor beams, such that a lateral width of the padded floor layer, at least at said one or more locations between adjacent wall posts, exceeds a lateral width of the framed inner floor area bound between the longitudinal floor members.

2. The chute of claim 1 wherein the padded floor layer, at said laterally outer regions thereof, laterally overhangs the topsides of the longitudinal floor beams,thereby extending the padded floor layer laterally beyond said longitudinal floors beams.

3. The chute of any preceding claim wherein a main span of the supportive floor layer, atop which the padded floor layer resides, also overlies the topsides of the longitudinal floor beams, at least at said one or more locations between adjacent wall posts on each of the longitudinal floor beams.

4. The chute of any preceding claim wherein the supportive floor layer laterally overhangs the topsides of the longitudinal floor beams, at least said one or more locations between adjacent wall posts on each of the longitudinal floor beams.

5. The chute of any preceding claim wherein the supportive floor layer comprises a plurality of support trays, each spanning fully across the framed inner floor area in the lateral direction, and laid out in series with one another in the longitudinal direction of the chute.

6. The chute of claim 5 wherein the support trays are spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction to leave gaps between said support trays, and said gaps are covered by the padded floor layer.

7. The chute of claim 5 or 6 wherein the support trays and the one or more mats are of non-equal quantity to one another.

8. The chute of any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein the support trays exceed in quantity said one or more mats.

9. The chute of any one of claims 5 to 8 wherein main spans of the support trays, atop which the one or more mats reside, are of entirely flat profile over full lateral widths thereof, and the main spans of the support trays are seated atop the longitudinal floor beams such that the main spans of the support trays span overtop of the framed inner floor area.

10. The chute of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said supportive floor layer, at a topside thereof, has a flat profile over a full lateral width thereof, and said supportive floor layer is seated upon the topsides of the longitudinal floor beams such that the topside of the supportive floor layer spans overtop of the framed inner floor area.1 1 . The chute of any preceding claim wherein the padded floor area and the supportive floor layer both laterally overhang the longitudinal floor beams, at least said one or more locations between adjacent wall posts on each of the longitudinal floor beams, and the one or more mats are fastened to the supportive floor layer at laterally overhanging extremities thereof situated laterally outward of the longitudinal floor beams.

12. The chute of claim 1 1 further comprising traction bars installed or installable in positions spanning laterally across the padded floor, for which the supportive floor layer comprises fastening holes at said laterally overhanging extremities thereof for fastened attachment of said traction bars to the supportive floor layer at locations laterally outward of the longitudinal floor beams.

13. The chute of any one of claims 1 to 10 further comprising traction bars installed or installable in positions spanning laterally across the padded floor, wherein the supportive floor layer laterally overhangs the longitudinal floor beams, and at laterally overhanging extremities of the supportive floor layer, comprises fastening holes for fastened attachment of said traction bars to the supportive floor layer at locations laterally outward of the longitudinal floor beams.

14. The chute of claim 12 or 13 wherein the one or more mats comprises two adjacent mats that meet in end-to-end contact or close end-to-end adjacency at a resulting lateral seam of the padded floor layer, and said traction bars include a seam-covering traction bar that is installed over said lateral seam.

15. The chute of 14 wherein a thickness of each of the two adjacent mats steps down in the longitudinal direction toward the seam at a short distance therefrom to create a thinned lateral end-margin of the mat, and the seam-covering traction bar is installed atop the thinned lateral end-margins of the two adjacent mats.

16. The chute of claim 15 wherein the padded floor layer comprises two outermost lateral end-margins at longitudinally terminal ends of the padded floor layer, and each outermost lateral end-margin is occupied by a hold-down or one of said traction bars.

17. The chute of any one of claims 12 to 16 wherein one of said traction bars comprises threaded coupling features embodied thereon for bolted attachment thereto of a sternum bar.

18. The chute of any one of claims 1 to 17 wherein the padded floor layer comprises a stepped height profile within which a thickness of the padded floor layer steps down from a full thickness thereof possessed by a majority area of the padded floor layer to a reduced thickness at smaller mounting areas of the padded floor layer.

19. The chute of claim 18 comprising hold-down bars dimensioned for seated receipt thereof atop the padded floor layer at the mounting areas thereof for secure fastening of the mats in place through said hold-down bars.

20. The chute of claim 19 wherein a thickness of said hold-down bars is no greater than a difference between the full thickness of the majority area of the padded floor layer and the reduced thickness of the mounting areas of the padded floor layer.

21. The chute of claim 19 wherein a thickness of said hold-down bars is approximately equal to a difference between the full thickness of the majority area ofthe padded floor layer and the reduced thickness of the mounting areas of the padded floor layer.

22. The chute of any one of claims 18 to 21 wherein the mounting areas reside at or adjacent longitudinal perimeter edges of the padded floor layer and are elongated in parallel relation thereto.

23. The chute of any preceding claim wherein the wall posts have bottominside notches therein at bottom-inside corners thereof, and the longitudinal floor beams are inset into said bottom-inside notches, whereby at the wall posts, laterally outer fractions of the topsides of the longitudinal floor beams are occupied by said wall posts, and the lateral width of the padded floor layer, even at said wall posts, exceeds the lateral width of the framed inner floor area, whereby, laterally inner fractions of the topsides of said longitudinal floor beams next to the laterally outer fractions occupied by the wall posts, are overlaid by the padded floor layer.

24. The chute of claim 23 wherein the supportive floor layer also overlies the laterally inner fractions of the longitudinal floor beams next to the laterally outer fractions occupied by the wall posts.

25. The chute of any preceding claim wherein the floor assembly of the structural framework further includes at least one cross-sill spanning laterally between the longitudinal floor beams in respective occupancy of, or adjacency to, at least one of the front and rear ends of the chute, and at or adjacent said at least one of the front and rear ends of the chute, the padded floor layer overlies a topside of said respective crosssill.

26. The chute of claim 25 wherein the at least one cross-sill comprises front and rear cross-sills spanning laterally between the longitudinal floor beams in respective occupancies of, or adjacencies to, the front and rear ends of the chute, andthe padded floor layer overlies topsides of both of said front and rear cross-sills.

27. The chute of claim 25 wherein the supportive floor layer also overlies the topside of said respective cross-sill.

28. The chute of claim 26 wherein the supportive floor layer also overlies the topsides of both of said front and rear cross-sills.

29. The chute of any one of claims 25 to 28 wherein, at or adjacent said at least one of the front and rear ends of the chute, the padded floor layer longitudinally overhangs the topside of the respective cross-sill.

30. The cute of claim 29 wherein the padded floor layer longitudinally overhangs the topsides of the respective cross-sill at or adjacent to both of the front and rear ends of the chute.

31. The chute of claim 29 or 30 wherein at or adjacent said one of the front and rear ends of the chute, the respective cross-sill has at least one receiver projecting longitudinally outward therefrom, and the longitudinal overhang of the padded floor layer covers at least a majority of a protruding distance of said at least one receiver from the respective cross-sill.

32. The chute of any one of claims 29 to 31 wherein the supportive floor layer also longitudinally overhangs said respective sill at or adjacent said at least one of the front and rear ends of the chute.

33. The chute of claim 32 wherein the supportive floor layer longitudinally overhangs said respective cross-sill by a distance exceeding an overhanging distance of the padded floor layer, and comprises an up-turned lip of neighbouring adjacency to a respective terminal end of the padded floor layer.

34. The chute of any one of claims 1 to 32 wherein the supportive floor layer has an upturned lip at a longitudinally terminal end thereof in neighbouringadjacency to a respective terminal end of the padded floor layer.

35. The chute of any one of claims 1 to 32 wherein the supportive floor layer has respective upturned lips at longitudinally terminal front and rear ends that reside in neighbouring adjacency to respective front and rear terminal ends of the padded floor layer.

36. The chute of any one of claims 1 to 35 wherein a terminal end of the padded floor layer resides outside a head gate at the exit of the chute, and the terminal end of the padded floor layer is clamped in place by a hold-down or traction bar whose shape profile is free of any unrounded edges that otherwise would pose a cutting hazard.

37. A livestock chute comprising: a structural framework having an exit at a front end of the chute and an entrance at a rear end of the chute that opposes said front end in a longitudinal direction, said structural framework including a lower floor assembly that comprises: a pair of longitudinal floor beams running in said longitudinal direction in horizontally spaced relationship to one another and delimiting a framed inner floor area therebetween; at least one cross-sill spanning laterally between the longitudinal floor beams in occupancy of, or respective adjacency to, at least one of the front and rear ends of the chute to delimit a respective end of said framed inner floor area; and a padded floor installed on the floor assembly and comprising: a supportive floor layer; and one or more mats installed atop said supportive floor layer for support thereby to at least span said framed inner floor area; wherein said one or more mats collectively define a padded floor layeratop said supportive floor layer, at least a topside of said padded floor layer resides at greater elevation than a topside of the respective cross-sill at or adjacent said at least one of the front and rear ends of the chute, and said padded floor layer spans longitudinally beyond the framed inner floor area into overlying relationship to the topside of the respective cross-sill at or adjacent said at least one of the front and rear ends of the chute.

38. The chute of claim 37 wherein a terminal end of the padded floor layer resides outside a head gate at the exit of the chute, and the terminal end of the padded floor layer is clamped in place by a hold-down or traction bar whose shape profile is free of any unrounded edges that otherwise would pose a cutting hazard.

39. The chute of claim 37 or 38 wherein the padded floor layer outwardly overhangs the respective cross-sill in the longitudinal direction.

40. A livestock chute comprising: a structural framework having an exit at a front end of the chute and an entrance at a rear end of the chute that opposes said front end in a longitudinal direction, said structural framework including a lower floor assembly that comprises a pair of longitudinal floor beams running in said longitudinal direction in horizontally spaced relationship to one another delimiting a framed inner floor area therebetween; a floor whose area spans at least said framed inner floor area; bolt-on traction bars installed or installable in positions spanning laterally across the floor, said bolt-on traction bars having lengths exceeding an external width of the floor assembly measured from an outer side of a first one of the longitudinal floor beams to an opposing outer side of a second one of the longitudinal floor beams; and outboard fastening points for fastened mounting of opposing ends of said bolt-on traction bars at locations situated outwardly beyond the outer sides of thelongitudinal floor beams in the lateral direction.

41. The chute of claim 40 wherein said outboard fastening points are embodied in a supportive floor layer that is installed atop the longitudinal floor beams to span across the framed inner floor area for weight bearing of animals thereatop, and that also laterally overhangs the longitudinal floor beams to provide said outboard fastening points.

42. The chute of claim 40 or 41 wherein the floor comprises a padded floor layer composed of one or more mats, and atop which the bolt-on traction bars are installed.

43. The chute of any one of claims 40 to 42 wherein one of said traction bars comprises threaded coupling features embodiment thereon for selective bolted attachment thereto of a sternum bar.

44. A livestock chute comprising: a structural framework having an exit at a front end of the chute and an entrance at a rear end of the chute that opposes said front end in a longitudinal direction, said structural framework including a lower floor assembly that comprises a pair of longitudinal floor beams running in said longitudinal direction in horizontally spaced relationship to one another delimiting a framed inner floor area therebetween; a padded floor installed on the floor assembly and comprising: a supportive floor layer; and one or more mats installed atop said supportive floor layer for support thereby to at least span said framed inner floor area; wherein said one or more mats collectively define a padded floor layer atop said supportive floor layer, a terminal end of the padded floor layer resides outside a head gate at the exit of the chute, and the terminal end of the padded floor layer isclamped in place by a hold-down or traction bar whose shape profile is free of any unrounded edges that otherwise would pose a cutting hazard.

45. A livestock chute comprising: a structural framework having an exit at a front end of the chute and an entrance at a rear end of the chute that opposes said front end in a longitudinal direction, said structural framework including a lower floor assembly that comprises a pair of longitudinal floor beams running in said longitudinal direction in horizontally spaced relationship to one another delimiting a framed inner floor area therebetween; a floor whose area spans at least said framed inner floor area; and traction bars spanning laterally across the floor at spaced intervals from one another in the longitudinal direction, said traction bars being of elevationally raised relation to neighbouring areas of the floor unoccupied by said traction bars; wherein one of said traction bars comprises threaded coupling features embodiment thereon for selective bolted attachment thereto of a sternum bar.

46. A livestock chute comprising: a structural framework having an exit at a front end of the structural framework and an entrance at a rear end of the structural framework that opposes said front end in a longitudinal direction, said structural framework including: at a lower floor assembly thereof, a pair of longitudinal floor beams running in said longitudinal direction in horizontally spaced relationship to one another; and wall posts standing upright from each of said longitudinal floor beams and thereby connecting the floor assembly of the framework to a header thereof that resides in elevated relation above said floor assembly; wherein the wall posts have bottom-inside notches therein at bottom-inside corners thereof, and the longitudinal floor beams are inset into said bottom-inside notches of the wall posts.

47. A livestock chute comprising: a structural framework having an exit at a front end of the structural framework and an entrance at a rear end of the structural framework that opposes said front end in a longitudinal direction, said structural framework including, at a lower floor assembly thereof, a pair of longitudinal floor beams running in said longitudinal direction in horizontally spaced relationship to one another delimiting a framed inner floor area therebetween; and a floor whose topside area spans the framed inner floor area at greater elevation than topsides of the longitudinal floor beams, and which floor includes laterally overhanging extremities of the floor that overhang the topsides of the longitudinal floor beams in laterally outward relation thereto, and at said laterally overhanging extremities, comprises fastening holes therein for fastened attachment of floor componentry together at locations laterally outward from the longitudinal floor beams.

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