The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 10, 2009
Filed:
Sep. 21, 2006
J. Michael Melhorn, Mount Joy, PA (US);
J. Michael Melhorn, Mount Joy, PA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A self-propelled vehicle is provided for use in transporting poultry loaded in a wheeled multi-tier cage from a first location to a second location, such as through the tight confines of a poultry house. The apparatus has a gripper assembly for releasably laterally engaging and disengaging one end of the cage above its fixed wheels and a lifter assembly disposed below the gripper assembly for selectively raising and lowering the cage adjacent its fixed wheels. The apparatus also has self-propelled drive wheels enabling linear and pivotal translation of the apparatus and cage along a support surface, such as the floor of the poultry house. Accordingly, the cage can be coupled to the apparatus and decoupled therefrom for efficient transportation of live poultry within a poultry house. A method of moving live poultry within a poultry house is also provided.