Laboratory animal activity game

Abstract

The motion of a caged laboratory animal is recorded by providing in the floor of the cage a platform which tilts slightly into one of four quadrants in response to the location of the animal within the cage. The tilting of the platform activates a switch for each quadrant, the output of the switches being recorded as a function of time. The platform has a fulcrum cone located at the center of gravity and is mounted over a platform support. The platform support includes a central pivot point over which the fulcrum cone of the platform is mounted and four upstanding posts which are located at the midpoints of the sides of the platform support. The elevation of the posts at the sides is slightly lower than the lower surface of the platform when it is balanced about the central pivot point. The switches are located at the corners of the platform support. When the weight of the animal is directed through one quadrant of the platform, the platform tilts and comes to rest in a plane defined by the central pivot and the two adjacent posts in that quadrant. The switch for that quadrant is also in the plane and is activated by the lower surface of the platform. The outputs of all four switches may be recorded for any desired length of time.