Animal husbandry – Bird nest or nest appliance – Egg trap
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-12
2001-05-22
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Animal husbandry
Bird nest or nest appliance
Egg trap
C119S440000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234114
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to nesting pads used in poultry confinement buildings by poultry breeders and egg producers. More particularly, this invention relates to nesting pads for egg laying hens. In even greater particularity, the invention relates to a nesting pad shaped to fit within conventional hen houses.
Poultry breeders and egg producers have utilized nesting pads to promote egg laying by hens in their poultry confinement structures. Straw was commonly used in the past as a nesting material. Over the years, the poultry industry has grown to utilize larger and more sophisticated structures for poultry confinement. Breeders and producers found that straw was detrimental to keeping these confinement structures clean. New nesting materials were tested or developed for use within the larger confinement structures. The new nesting materials include rubber mats, non-woven mats, carpet pads, plastic pads and Astro Turf® pads such as the pad disclosed shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,507,010. The alternative nesting materials are useful in many respects but also present some disadvantages. Some of those disadvantages have been addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,878 wherein a new nesting pad was disclosed; however, additional disadvantages arise through the use of the turf pads and the like in conjunction with an egg gathering conveyor. Such conveyors run longitudinally within the house adjacent the nests and receive eggs from each nest. Oftentimes, the belt of the conveyor becomes displaced or rides up to a height such that an egg cannot exit the nest onto the belt under the influence of gravity. Additionally, when a laying hen dies in the nest, the hen is often found with one foot caught under the belt. Oftentimes, the belt must be stopped and the bay disassembled to gain access to the belt to clean it. Likewise, debris of various natures from the nests may lodge under the belt creating uneven running and potential contamination.
There is a continuing need in the poultry industry for a nesting pad which can support delicate eggs, is cleanable, and can be readily engaged with the belt conveyor to relieve the aforementioned problems. The pads must also be adapted for use within existing poultry confining structures. Some of these problems have been heretofore addressed in the prior art; however, there has not been an economical and effective nest introduced in the past several years.
REFERENCES:
patent: 792007 (1905-06-01), Denison
patent: 1911633 (1933-05-01), Lohrer
patent: 3507010 (1970-04-01), Daleman et al.
patent: 4364332 (1982-12-01), Smith
patent: 4516532 (1985-05-01), Rafaeli
patent: 5174242 (1992-12-01), Takeuchi
patent: 5365878 (1994-11-01), Dyer
patent: 5660145 (1997-08-01), Rumbaugh
Burr & Forman LLP
Jackson Robert M.
Jordan Charles T.
Nelson Judith A.
Veal Robert J.
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