Device for picking up animals e.g. chickens from a ground surface

Claim 1

A device for picking up animals such as chickens from a ground surface and for conducting them away, comprising a frame, a suction conveyor arranged on the frame and provided with suction means and delivery means adjoining said suction conveyor characterized in that the suction conveyor comprises a rotatable belt providing a suction surface having suction apertures through which the suction means can suck in air and guiding and driving means supporting said belt for moving animals picked up by the belt suction surface towards the delivery means.

Claim 2

A device for picking up animals such as chickens from a ground surface and for conducting them away, comprising a frame, a suction conveyor arranged on the frame and provided with suction means and delivery means adjoining said suction conveyor characterized in that the suction conveyor comprises a rotatable belt providing a suction surface having suction apertures through which the suction means can suck in air and guiding and driving means supporting said belt for moving animals picked up by the belt suction surface towards the delivery means.

Claim 6

A device as claimed in claims 1 or 2 characterized in that the suction conveyor belt is arranged at the end of an arm pivotable about a pivotal shaft perpendicular to the ground surface and connected with the frame.

Claim 14

A device for picking up animals such as chickens and conveying them in suspended fashion to a discharge region, which comprises the combination of: a hollow arm having a bottom side opening presenting an inlet end and a discharge end; suction means for drawing ambient air through said bottom side opening; conveyor means closing said bottom side opening while allowing ambient air to pass therethrough for holding an animal against the conveyor means between said inlet and said discharge ends of the opening; and means for travelling the conveyor means to transport an animal held against said conveyor means to a discharge region at said discharge end of said bottom side opening.

Claim 15

A device for picking up animals such as chickens and conveying them in suspended fashion to a discharge region, which comprises the combination of: a hollow arm having a bottom side opening presenting an inlet end and a discharge end; suction means for drawing ambient air through said bottom side opening; conveyor means closing said bottom side opening while allowing ambient air to pass therethrough for holding an animal against the conveyor means between said inlet and said discharge ends of the opening; and means for travelling the conveyor means to transport an animal held against said conveyor means to a discharge region at said discharge end of said bottom side opening.

Claim 20

A device for picking up animals such as chickens located in a chicken yard and conveying them into a crate, which comprises the combination of: a mobile frame; an arm carried by said frame about a generally vertical axis and means for pivoting said arm back and forth about said axis so that one end of the arm sweeps an arcuate path, said arm being hollow and having a bottom opening extending generally horizontally from said one end toward said axis and then upwardly substantially to said axis; porous conveyor means closing said opening to present a flight portion which is generally horizontal from said one end of the opening extending toward said axis and an upwardly inclined flight portion extending substantially to said axis and means for driving said porous conveyor means so that said flight portions travel from said one end of the bottom opening toward said axis; a second conveyor means having an inlet end disposed below said bottom opening substantially at said axis and an elevated discharge end remote from said axis; and means for drawing ambient air through said bottom opening with sufficient force to draw an animal upwardly against said porous conveyor means and suspend the animal while conveying it upwardly toward said axis until that end of the opening which ends substantially at said axis is encountered, whereupon the animal drops onto said second conveyor means.

Claim 21

A device for picking up animals such as chickens located in a chicken yard and conveying them into a crate, which comprises the combination of: a mobile frame; an arm carried by said frame about a generally vertical axis and means for pivoting said arm back and forth about said axis so that one end of the arm sweeps an arcuate path, said arm being hollow and having a bottom opening extending generally horizontally from said one end toward said axis and then upwardly substantially to said axis; porous conveyor means closing said opening to present a flight portion which is generally horizontal from said one end of the opening extending toward said axis and an upwardly inclined flight portion extending substantially to said axis and means for driving said porous conveyor means so that said flight portions travel from said one end of the bottom opening toward said axis; a second conveyor means having an inlet end disposed below said bottom opening substantially at said axis and an elevated discharge end remote from said axis; and means for drawing ambient air through said bottom opening with sufficient force to draw an animal upwardly against said porous conveyor means and suspend the animal while conveying it upwardly toward said axis until that end of the opening which ends substantially at said axis is encountered, whereupon the animal drops onto said second conveyor means.