Alfa-laval Agri Inc.

Joe S Sheen

William Edward Spencer

A livestock cutter gate apparatus includes an elongated alley having a first end presenting an entrance and a second end presenting a main exit and a sort exit, and a first air-driven gate positioned in the alley between the main exit and the sort exit. The first gate is shiftable between a sorting position in which it blocks the main exit and opens the sort exit, and a non-sorting position in which it blocks the sort exit and opens the main exit. A pair of saloon gates are positioned in the alley at the entrance and are shiftable between a closed position in which they block the entrance from incoming livestock and an open position in which they open the entrance. An identification system is provided for identifying livestock entering the alley and providing a signal indicative of the presence in the alley of an animal that is to be sorted, and a solenoid-driven spool valve is responsive to the signal for shifting the first gate to the sorting position and the saloon gates to the closed position upon receipt of the signal from the sensor means. An exit gate is positioned in the sort exit and is shiftable between a first position in which the gate in disposed in the path of movement of livestock through the sort exit and a second position in which the gate is removed from the path of movement. The exit gate is moved by livestock passing through the sort exit and is associated with a limit switch that signals the spool valve to actuate the first gate and saloon gates when the exit gate is moved, shifting the first gate to the non-sorting position and the saloon gates to the open position.

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Olathe, KS, United States of America

Joe S Sheen