Animal husbandry – Bed or rest
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-25
2001-04-24
Price, Thomas (Department: 3643)
Animal husbandry
Bed or rest
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220205
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mat for protecting a floor in an animal confinement pen.
2. Description of Background Art
Animal confinement pens are commonly used to feed livestock in preparation for market. Confinement pens hold animals in a restricted space where they can be heavily fed in order to promote fast growth. Confinement pens may additionally prevent the animals from fighting or injuring each other, and the close quarters prevents the animals from being too active, which results in an overly muscular and tough food animal.
Confinement pens are commonly constructed with a flooring upon which the animals stand or rest, as a dirt floor in a confinement pen quickly becomes wet or muddy and may be a cause of disease or infection. Therefore, slat floors, having regularly spaced openings, are commonly used to keep the confined animals up off of the ground while yet allowing animal wastes to fall through and be disposed of. Slat floors are commonly constructed of pre-fabricated concrete panels placed together upon a supporting structure.
Confinement pens for animal feeding are used to promote fast growth in the animals. The quantity and quality of the feed can be highly regulated and controlled. As part of the feed mixture, a feedlot operator may add ingredients such as acids, salts, and whey to stimulate appetite and weight gain, and also to increase water consumption and retention by the animals. Although the additives may achieve the desired goals, they have a negative consequence on the floor of the confinement pen. Because the additives have a corrosive effect, especially on concrete, feed spilled on the floor has a deleterious effect on the flooring. The additives cause a softening and crumbling of the concrete.
In the past, feedlot operators had few ways in which to combat such corrosion. Often, the corrosion was simply ignored and the slat flooring was replaced when it had deteriorated too much. Alternatively, raised concrete pads were constructed for feed dispensers to rest on, basically adding more concrete for the corrosion to attack as a way of postponing the problem. Coatings were painted on the flooring that provided a protective layer. Occasionally mats have been used under and around feed dispensers, but not as a protective barrier.
All of these prior art approaches had their drawbacks. Ignoring the problem completely meant that a concrete floor could become dangerous or unusable in the span of a few years. A raised concrete pad lengthened this period by providing more concrete to be corroded before the slat flooring was destroyed, but did nothing to slow or prevent the actual rate of decay. Painted-on coatings were capable of providing an effective barrier to corrosion, but had difficulty in withstanding the wear and tear of animal hooves. Some animals, such as pigs, are very competitive in feeding, and continuously fight for a place at the feed dispenser. The sharp and active hooves of swine will damage a painted-on covering. Rubber mats have been used in order to retain feed, but not to prevent corrosion of the underlying floor. Although rubber mats may protect the underlying floor, they have disadvantages such as being susceptible to wear and abrasion, and can be chewed up by animals. Pigs are notorious for chewing on exposed edges. Hard plastic mats may be tough and abrasion resistant, but may become slippery when wet.
What is needed therefore is a mat of a durable material that is corrosion and abrasion resistant and fluid impermeable that can be used to protect the flooring in an animal confinement pen.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a mat for protecting a floor in an animal confinement pen.
It is another object of the invention to provide a mat for protecting a floor in an animal confinement pen from corrosion.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an impact and abrasion resistant mat for an animal confinement pen.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a mat having grooves upon an upper surface for liquid drainage.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a mat having regular projections upon an upper surface to provide traction for animals.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a mat having beveled edges so that animals using the mat are prevented from chewing on the mat.
A mat for protecting a floor in an animal confinement pen is provided according to a first embodiment of the invention. The mat is formed of a durable material which is corrosion and abrasion resistant, impact absorbing, and fluid impermeable, having a plurality of protrusions disposed on an upper surface of the mat, with the plurality of protrusions functioning to provide traction to animals but without accumulating debris on the mat, and having a plurality of grooves disposed on the upper surface of the mat, with the plurality of grooves extending between opposite edges of the mat.
A mat for protecting a floor in an animal confinement pen is provided according to a second embodiment of the invention. The mat is formed of a durable material which is corrosion and abrasion resistant, impact absorbing, and fluid impermeable, having a plurality of protrusions disposed on an upper surface of the mat with the plurality of protrusions being regularly spaced and functioning to provide traction to animals but without accumulating debris on the mat, a plurality of grooves disposed on the upper surface of the mat, with the plurality of grooves being spaced regularly apart and extending between opposite edges of the mat, and a beveled edge extending around a perimeter of the mat so that animals may not be able to chew on the mat.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of the preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3699926 (1972-10-01), Stockl
patent: 4211185 (1980-07-01), Karlsson
patent: 4333981 (1982-06-01), Winfield et al.
patent: 4502415 (1985-03-01), Schwarzkopff et al.
patent: 4955321 (1990-09-01), Waldner
patent: 5363806 (1994-11-01), Van Gilst
patent: 346448 (1905-01-01), None
Price Thomas
Rothwell Figg Ernst & Manbeck
Wahoo Concrete Products, Inc.
LandOfFree
Mat for protecting floors in an animal confinement pen does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Mat for protecting floors in an animal confinement pen, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Mat for protecting floors in an animal confinement pen will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2483486