GB2115671A - Electric barrier - Google Patents

Abstract

The barrier 10 comprises robust posts 11 and cross bars 19. Bars 19 are connected to electrical supply 22. Bars 19 are secured to a cap 17 of post 11 which is insulated from a leg 16 by rubber part 18. A rubber insert 24 in a tube 23 secured to one post 11 prevents earthing to a side wall 12 of an enclosure. The barrier 10 allows animals access to a predetermined quantity of foodstuff 13, and is readily movable as foodstuff 13 is consumed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Barrier device This invention relates to barrier devices and in particular to barriers which may be used for keeping livestock from an area prohibited to them.

It is conventional to put foodstuffs for livestock such as cows, horses and the like larger animals into a three-sided rectangular enclosure and to put a movable barrier across the otherwise open front of such an enclosure. The barrier allows the animals to take food from the front only of the pile of foodstuff, and the barrier is moved rearwardly into the enclosure as the pile of foodstuff is consumed. In this way it is possible to regulate the amount of foodstuff consumed in any given period. Since with animals generally the urge to eat any available foodstuff is very strong, such barriers must of necessity be very strong to resist the pressure of the animals as they strain to reach further beyond the barrier to the pile of foodstuff.

In consequence the barriers must be massive and hence costly. However, in spite of the barriers being of massive construction, the pressures exerted thereon are often such as to cause buckling and/or breaking of the barriers, thus entailing costly repair or replacement.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a barrier which avoids or at least mitigates to an appreciable extent the aforementioned disadvantage.

The invention provides a barrier comprising at least one post, the or each post having a base from which said post is upstanding in use, and a rigid bar secured to said post but insulated electrically from said base and extending from said post transversely thereof, said bar comprising an electrical conductor extending therealong, and means for connecting said conductor electrically to a source of electrical power.

The barrier may comprise a plura!ity of posts secured to a common rigid bar. Alternatively the barrier may comprise a plurality of posts each having a respective bar secured therato and bars of successive posts may be joined to each other at their adjacent ends by attachment means.

Preferably the barrier is provided with adjustment means whereby the length of the barrier may be readily adjusted.

The invention wilí now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 illustrates one embodiment, and Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate from the rear a modified form of the barrier of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1 there is illustrated a barrier 10, of which one endmost post 1 1 is shown. The barrier 10 is placed across the open front of a three-sided rectangular enclosure of which one sidewall 12 is shown, and a pile of foodstuff 13, for example silage, is shown in the enclosure.

The post 1 1 comprises a base 14, which itself comprises a foot 15 whose upper flange corners are chamfered to minimise injury to cattle, and a leg 16 upstanding therefrom, a cap 17 and an electrically insulating part 18 which insulates the cap 17 from the leg 16. The foot 15, leg 16 and cap 17 are of relatively massive construction so as to withstand such loading as may be applied thereto in use. For example, typically the foot 15 may be 17.5 x 10 cm R.S.J., and the leg 16 and the cap 17 may be 7.5 x 7.5 cm box section steel.

Preferably the leg 16 is welded to the foot 15, and may be approximately 2 metre in length. The insulating part 18 may be of any suitable material, for example solid rubber of approximately 7 cm square section inserted into the leg 16 and cap 17 so as to provide a gap therebetween of approximately 15 cm. The cap 17 may be approximately 30 cm in length, and has a strip 17a welded across the open top to prevent trapping of air in the cap 17 on assembly and to provide access for cleaning.

Secured to the cap 17, preferably by welding, is a rigid bar 19. The bar 19 may be of steel and may be for example 5 cm x 5 cm angle, and in use may be approximately 1 metre above the ground. ín any event the post 11 and bar 19 should be of a material and dimensions such that they are strong enough to withstand pressures of the magnitude generally exerted on apparatus of this type by animals such as cows. The bar 19 extends transversely of the post 11 so as to be substantialiy horizontal in use, and at right angles to the foot 15. In the embodiment shown, being an endmost post of the barrier 10, the bar extends approximately 1.2 m to one side only of post 11 and is joined at its free end to a similar bar 20 of an adjacent post (not shown).The joint may be effected in any conventional manner which allows for a continuity of electrical path from bar 19 to bar 20, and preferably the joint is effected by means of a butt strap 21 bolted to bar 19 and bar 20. If desired an extra length of bar may be inserted in the barrier 10, the free ends of the extra bar being joined as above described to the free ends of bars to which posts are secured. To the other side of post 11 the bar 19 extends between .25 and .5 m, and an electrical supply lead 22 is connected to the free end, thus providing that the bars 19 and 20 are live with a suitable voltage applied thereto sufficient to shock but not harm cattle or the like coming into contact therewith.

Attached to cap 17, preferably by welding, is a tube 23 which is preferably of square section.

Inserted into the open end of tube 23 is a block of rubber 24 or like non-conducting material which extends towards the wall 12, leaving a gap 25 of approximately 5 cm therebetween. The rubber block 24 is a push fit in tube 23 so that its position can be adjusted to give an appropriate gap 25. In this way there is no earthing of the conductor bar 19 in use. Lateral stability of the barrier 10 is provided by the joining of bars 19 and 20 by butt strap 21. Fore and aft stability of the barrier 10 is provided by the feet 15.

When the electrical current is switched on the bars 19 and 20 are live, and cattle and the like are reluctant to touch the live bars. In this way the cattle can reach only so far towards the foodstuff 13 without touching bars 19 and 20. When ali of the reachable food has been consumed the barrier 10 may be moved rearwardly by an appropriate amount to a new location near to the depleted pile of foodstuff 13. The posts and bars are strong enough to withstand accidental contact therewith if an animal is pushed into them by other animals.

At the other end of the barrier 10 there may be a post identical to post 11 shown in the drawing but of opposite hand. Alternatively, a nonadjustable post may be used. Between the end posts intermediate posts may be used in which the bar extends equally to either side of the post.

Alternative constructions of the barrier will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art, for example the parts illustrated may be of different section from those shown. Foot 15 may be located entirely to the rear of leg 16 and an angled strut may be provided between the free rear end of foot 15 and the top of leg 16 so as to form a strong triangular shaped post. The bars 19,20 may be of a non-electricaí conducting material, in which case an electrical conductor is secured to the front thereof.

As a further alternative the tube 23 may be formed by or secured to bar 19 instead of being secured to post 11 directly. In this case the bar 19 may extend equally to either side of post 11 and only one form of post is then required whether used as an endmost post or an intermediate post.

Alternative forms of barrier are shown in Figs.2 and 3. In Fig.2 the bars 19 are shown as being of angle section and each welded to the front of a cap 17. At the free end of bar 19 is a plate 28 attached to the opposed edges of the flanges of bar 19 and through which plate a locking screw 29 passes. The locking screw 29 is turnable by hand or by means of a wrench or spanner as desired. Slidable within the angle section of bars 19 is a joining bar 21, also of angle cross-section which is retained in the required position of adjustment by locking screws 29.In this Qvay the desired separation of two or more posts 11 is adjusted so as to just bridge the space between sidewalls 12 (as shown in Fig.1). The electrical continuity of bars 19 is maintained by joining bar 21.

As shown in Fig.3 the tube 23 may be of circular cross-section instead of the squaresection shown in Fig.1. In this case the rubber insert 24 is also of circular cross-section and is prevented from being pushed too far into tube 23 by virtue of tube 23 being of larger diameter at its free end than at the end 26 which is welded at 27 to bar 19. The tube 23 may be swaged or otherwise formed in the configuration shown or may be formed of two tubes of dissimilar internal diameter welded end-to-end.

Claims (16)

1. A barrier comprising at least one post; the or each post having a base from which said post is upstanding in use, and a rigid bar secured to said post but insulated electrically from said base and extending from said post transversely thereof, said bar comprising an electrical conductor extending therealong, and means for connecting said conductor electrically to a source of electrical power.

2. A barrier according to claim 1 wherein the barrier comprises a plurality of posts secured to a common rigid bar.

3. A barrier according to claim 1 wherein the barrier comprises a plurality of posts each having a respective bar secured thereto and bars of successive posts being joined at their adjacent ends by attachment means.

4. A barrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3 comprising adjustment means whereby the length of the barrier may be adjusted.

5. A barrier according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said base comprises a foot of l-shaped cross-section extending transversely of said post.

6. A barrier according to claim 5 wherein said foot extends in a direction transverse to that of sald beam.

7. A barrier according to claim 6 wherein the corners of the uppermost flanges of said foot are chamfered.

8. A barrier according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the or each post comprises a cap to which said beam is secured and a leg with an electrically insulating part disposed therebetween.

9. A barrier according to claim 4 or any claim dependent thereon wherein said bar is of angle section and said attachment means comprises an angled section attachment bar slideable relative to the bars of successive posts, said bars being provided with locking screws operable to secure said attachment bar in a desired position of adjustment.

10. A barrier according to claim 9 wherein each locking screw passes through a respective plate which is attached to the opposed edges of the flanges of a bar adjacent the free end of said bar.

11. A barrier according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the or at least one of the posts has a tube extending therefrom in a direction in alignment or parallel with said bar, and having a part slidable iongitudinally of said tube.

12. A barrier according to claim 11 wherein said part is of an electrically insulating material.

13. A barrier according to claim 12 wherein said part is slidable internally of said tube.

14. A barrier according to any one of claims 11 to 13 wherein said tube is of circular crosssection.

15. A barrier according to claim 3 and claim 12 wherein said insulating parts are of rubber.

16. A barrier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig.1, or Fig.1 as modified by Fig.2 or Fig.3, of the accompanying drawings.