Twin cylinder pump for manure handling system

Claim 2

In a manure transfer and storage system, used in an animal housing building, having a floor, the combination comprising: a. a manure collection pit disposed beneath the floor of said building for receiving manure removed from the floor of said building; b. at least one pump means operatively mounted in said collection pit and having a discharge end connected to a transfer means for transferring manure from said collection pit to the exterior of the building; c. power means for operating said pump means; and, d. said pump means including a vertically disposed elongated cylinder having a longitudinally extended vertical inlet opening along one side thereof and communicating with said collection pit, and a vertically movable sliding gate for opening and closing said inlet opening to permit manure to move by gravity from the collection pit through said inlet opening into the cylinder when the sliding gate is moved to an open position, and said sliding gate being moved to a raised open position by said power means and to a lowered closed position by gravity.

Claim 3

A manure transfer and storage system, as defined in claim 1, including: a. at least two pump means which are operated alternately by said power means.

Claim 4

A manure transfer and storage system, as defined in claim 2, including: a. a manifold having a separate inlet pipe connected to the discharge end of each of said pump means, and an outlet pipe connected to said transfer means; and, b. a gate valve means operatively mounted in said manifold for alternately communicating each of the manifold inlet pipes with said manifold outlet pipe.

Claim 5

The manure transfer and storage system as defined in claim 2, wherein: a. each of said pump cylinders is vertically disposed in laterally spaced apart positions.

Claim 6

The manure transfer and storage system as defined in claim 4, wherein: a. each of said pump means includes a piston slidably mounted in its respective cylinder; and, b. said power means includes a first connecting rod having one end operatively connected to one end of said pistons, a second connecting rod having one end operatively connected to the other end of said pistons, and means for operating said connecting rods to alternately operate said pistons in said cylinders.

Claim 7

The manure transfer and storage system as defined in claim 5, wherein: a. said means for operating said connecting rods includes an eccentric means.

Claim 8

The manure transfer and storage system as defined in claim 6, wherein: a. said power means includes a gear reducer means having an output shaft means operatively connected to said eccentric means for operating said eccentric means; and, b. an electric motor for driving said gear reducer means.

Claim 9

In a manure transfer and storage system, used in an animal housing building, having a floor, the combination comprising: a. a manure collection pit disposed beneath the floor of said building for receiving manure removed from the floor of said building; b. at least two pump means operatively mounted in said collection pit and having a discharge end connected to a transfer means for transferring manure from said collection pit to the exterior of the building; c. power means for operating said pump means; d. said pump means including an elongated cylinder having a longitudinally extended inlet opening along one side thereof and communicating with said collection pit, and a sliding gate for opening and closing said inlet opening to permit manure to move by gravity from the collection pit into the cylinder when the inlet opening is open, and said sliding gate being moved to an open position by said power means and to a closed position by gravity; e. said two pump means being operated alternately by said power means; f. each of said pump cylinders being vertically disposed in laterally spaced apart positions; g. each of said pump means including a piston slidably mounted in its respective cylinder; h. said power means including a first connecting rod having one end operatively connected to one end of said pistons, a second connecting rod having one end operatively connected to the other end of said pistons, and means for operating said connecting rods to alternately operate said pistons in said cylinders; i. each of said sliding gates being provided with a lift arm; and, j. each of said connecting rods being provided with a lift roller for engagement with the lift arm on the sliding gate of the respective cylinder in which the connecting rod is operated for moving the sliding gate to which the lift arm is attached from a closed lower position to a raised open position, and for disengagement from said lift arm after the lift arm and its respective gate has been raised to said open position.

Claim 10

In a manure transfer and storage system, used in an animal housing building, having a floor, the combination comprising: a. a manure collection pit disposed beneath the floor of said building for receiving manure removed from the floor of said building; b. at least two pump means operatively mounted in said collection pit and having a discharge end connected to a transfer means for transferring manure from said collection pit to the exterior of the building; c. power means for operating said pump means; d. said pump means including an elongated cylinder having a longitudinally extended inlet opening along one side thereof and communicating with said collection pit, and a sliding gate for opening and closing said inlet opening to permit manure to move by gravity from the collection pit into the cylinder when the inlet opening is open, and said sliding gate being moved to an open position by said power means and to a closed position by gravity; e. said two pump means being operated alternately by said power means; f. each of said pump cylinders being vertically disposed in laterally spaced apart positions; g. each of said pump means including a piston slidably mounted in its respective cylinder; h. said power means including a first connecting rod having one end operatively connected to one end of said pistons, a second connecting rod having one end operatively connected to the other end of said pistons, and means for operating said connecting rods to alternately operate said pistons in said cylinders; i. each of said sliding gates being provided with a lift arm; and, j. each of said connecting rods being provided with a lift roller for engagement with the lift arm on the sliding gate of the respective cylinder in which the connecting rod is operated for moving the sliding gate to which the lift arm is attached from a closed lower position to a raised open position, and for disengagement from said lift arm after the lift arm and its respective gate has been raised to said open position.

Claim 11

The manure transfer and storage system as defined in claim 8, wherein: a. each of said cylinders is provided with a resilient stop means for engagement by the lift arm on the sliding gate in each respective cylinder when said gate falls downwardly by gravity to said closed position.