AUTOMATED KENNEL

• US 3,718,120 A
• Filed: 11/09/1971
• Issued: 02/27/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allan S. Borkowski, Joseph W. Hafesh, Karl W. Schwarz
• Original Assignee: Allan S. Borkowski, Joseph W. Hafesh, Karl W. Schwarz
• Inventors: Schwarz, Karl W., Borkowski, Allan S., Hafesh, Joseph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Louis G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eskovitz, J. N.
• Application Number:
  US05/197,098
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 119/19,29,15,16 52/122
• US Class Current: 119/421
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/034 Dog-kennels
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry

Abstract

An automated kennel is provided which has a receiving area for animals, a storage area for animals and an exercising area. The storage area has a plurality of discrete locations for storing animals. A plurality of movable compartments is provided, each of which is provided to house an animal in the storage area. Transfer means are provided for moving the compartments to the receiving area to receive and remove the animal, to the storage area for storing the animal at one of the discrete locations and to the exercising area to enable an animal to run into the area. The exercising area has a movable wall for gently returning the animal to the compartment after a predetermined period and control means are provided which are connected to the transport means for automatically transporting the animals to the various areas of the kennel. In addition monitoring means are provided throughout the system so that the animals can be watched and physiologically monitored simultaneously.

Claims

1. An automated kennel comprising a receiving area for animals, a storage area for animals and an exercising area, said storage area having a plurality of discrete locations for storing animals, a plurality of movable compartments, each of said compartments being adapted to house an animal in said storage area and transport means for moving said compartments to said receiving area to receive and remove the animal, to said storage area for storing an animal at one of said discrete locations and to said exercising area to enable an animal to run into said area, said exercising area having a return means for gently returning said animal to said compartment after a predetermined period and control means connected to said transport means for automatically transPorting the animals to the various areas of said kennel.

2. The automated kennel of claim 1 wherein said return means comprises a movable wall which urges the animal towards its compartment.

3. The automated kennel of claim 1 wherein monitoring means are provided at suitable locations throughout the kennel for enabling the monitoring of the animals from a remote location.

4. The automated kennel of claim 3 wherein said monitoring means comprises a closed circuit television system.

5. The automated kennel of claim 4 wherein said monitoring means further includes physiological monitoring means to determined physiological data concerning each of the animals.

6. The automated kennel of claim 1 wherein said transport means includes an hydraulic forklift.

7. The automated kennel of claim 1 wherein said control means includes a control panel having a data processing means to enable automatic selection of a compartment so that selection of a predetermined location causes the automatic movement of the transport means to a predetermined location within the kennel.

8. The automated kennel of claim 1 wherein said exercising area includes a roll of artificial turf which is rolled about a pair of drums so that a flat area is exposed to the animals for exercising, the lower portion of said roll of artificial turf being mounted adjacent cleansing means for cleaning the lower portion of said roll while an animal is exercising on the upper portion of said roll and means for rotating said roll so that the cleansed area is provided on the upper portion of said roll so that the next animal exercising in said area can romp on a clean portion of said turf.

9. The automated kennel of claim 1 wherein cleansing means are provided adjacent said exercising area so that said compartments are cleaned while the animal stored therein is exercising in said exercising area.

10. The automated kennel of claim 1 wherein said transport means comprises a carriage and a forklift depending therefrom, said carriage being movable on a plurality of rails, motion generators comprising motors for drawing said carriage along said rails, said carriage further including a motor for rotating said forklift so that said forklift can be used for lifting, rotating and transporting said compartments throughout said kennel.

11. The automated kennel of claim 10 wherein said forklift includes a pair of tines and said compartments each include a pair of openings for reception of said tines.

12. The automated kennel of claim 1 wherein said compartments each include a slidable end wall which is moved upwardly to open said compartment for entry and removal of an animal.

13. The automated kennel of claim 12 wherein said kennel includes a plurality of slidable doors between said exercising area and said storage area, said doors each including a flange extending inwardly of said storage area, said compartments being located adjacent said doors when said animals are to be exercised, said end wall of said compartment being disposed on said flange of said door so that opening of said door causes simultaneous opening of said compartment.

14. The automated kennel of claim 3 wherein said monitoring means includes a television receiver for enabling the operator to view said animals at a remote location.