Claims
- 1. A livestock loading/unloading apparatus, comprising:
a base having a first and a second end; a mainframe having a first and a second end, said second end of said mainframe pivotably attached near said second end of said base, said first end of said mainframe being extendable and retractable; a telescopic section having a first and a second end, said second end of said telescopic section pivotably attached to said first end of said mainframe, said first end of said telescopic section being extendable and retractable; a conveyor system extending from said first end of said telescopic section to said second end of said mainframe; and an elevating support member attached near said first end of said base for elevating said mainframe at a point near said attachment of said telescopic section.
- 2. The livestock loading/unloading apparatus as defined in claim 1 further having a preloader section having a first and a second end, said first end of said preloader pivotably attached near said second end of said mainframe; said conveyor system further extending to said second end of said preloader.
- 3. The livestock loading/unloading apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said preloader being adaptable to be stored in said mainframe.
- 4. The livestock loading/unloading apparatus as defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein said conveyor system is a single conveyor belt.
- 5. The livestock loading/unloading apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said conveyor system comprises:
a telescopic section conveyor belt; a mainframe conveyor belt; and a preloader conveyor belt.
- 6. The livestock loading/unloading apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said telescopic section further includes a top conveyor driven in conjunction with said conveyor system to ease the livestock into a position suitable for a coop.
- 7. The livestock loading/unloading apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said base further includes a gooseneck for the attachment of said apparatus to a trailer, said gooseneck being capable of swinging to either side of said apparatus.
- 8. The livestock loading/unloading apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including sidewalls and a cover portion for enclosing at least a portion of said conveyor system.
- 9. The livestock loading/unloading apparatus as defined in claim 8 further including a fan.
- 10. The livestock loading/unloading apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including at least two jacks to aid in the loading of said apparatus.
- 11. The livestock loading/unloading apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a dual wash system comprising manual and automatic wash components.
- 12. The livestock loading/unloading apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the functions of said apparatus are remotely controlled.
- 13. The livestock loading/unloading apparatus, comprising:
a base having a first and second end; a mainframe having a first and second end, said second end of said mainframe pivotably attached near said second end of said base, said mainframe having an endless conveyor extending from its said first to said second end; a telescopic section having a first and a second end, said second end of said telescopic section pivotably attached to said first end of said mainframe, said telescopic section having an endless conveyor extending from its said first to said second end; an elevation support member attached near said first end of said base for elevating said mainframe at a point near said attachment of said telescopic section; a preloader section having a first and a second end, said first end of said preloader pivotably attached near said second end of said mainframe, said preloader section having an endless conveyor extending from its said first to said second ends; a first means for extending and retracting said first end of said mainframe; and a second means for extending and retracting said first end of said telescoping section.
- 14. A livestock loading/unloading system, comprising:
a storage unit for the storage of livestock during transport on a transport vehicle, said vehicle having two sides and a width extending from one side to the other; said unit being generally rectangular with a top, a bottom, two sides and two open ends; said sides of said unit generally extending said width of said vehicle such that said ends of said unit are readily accessible from either of said sides of said vehicle; each of said ends including a door; and a loading/unloading apparatus, comprising:
a base having a first and a second end; a mainframe having a first and a second end, said second end of said mainframe pivotably attached near said second end of said base, said first end of said mainframe being extendable and retractable; a telescopic section having a first and a second end, said second end of said telescopic section pivotably attached to said first end of said mainframe, said first end of said telescopic section being generally extendable and retractable from one end of a unit to the other; a conveyor system extending from said first end of said telescopic section to said second end of said mainframe; and an elevating support member attached near said first end of said base for elevating said mainframe at a point near said attachment of said telescopic section.
- 15. The livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 14 further including a storage unit module, said module comprised of multiple storage units and being adaptable to be detachable from said vehicle.
- 16. A livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 14 wherein said unit further includes a swinging middle partition.
- 17. A livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 14 wherein said open ends of said unit include a runner guide and said doors include a cooperating ring whereby said ring slides along said guide when said door is moved from an open/closed position to a closed/open position.
- 18. A livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 14 wherein said door is capable of being locked in an open position.
- 19. The livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 14 further having a preloader section having a first and a second end, said first end of said preloader pivotably attached near said second end of said mainframe, said conveyor system further extending to said second end of said preloader.
- 20. The livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 15 wherein said preloader being adaptable to be stored in said mainframe.
- 21. The livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 14 or 15 wherein said conveyor system is a single conveyor belt.
- 22. The livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 15 wherein said conveyor system comprises:
a telescopic section conveyor belt; a mainframe conveyor belt; and a preloader conveyor belt.
- 23. The livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 14 wherein said telescopic section further includes a top conveyor driven in conjunction with said conveyor system to ease the livestock into a position suitable for a coup.
- 24. The livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 14 wherein said base further includes a gooseneck for the attachment of said apparatus to a trailer, said gooseneck being capable of swinging to either side of said apparatus.
- 25. The livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 14 further including sidewalls and a cover portion for enclosing at least a portion of said conveyor system.
- 26. The livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 25 further including a fan.
- 27. The livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 14 further including at least two jacks to aid in the loading of said apparatus.
- 28. The livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 14 further including a dual wash system comprising manual and automatic wash components.
- 29. The livestock loading/unloading system as defined in claim 14 wherein the functions of said apparatus are remotely controlled.
- 30. A livestock loading/unloading apparatus for transporting livestock to and from a storage unit positioned on and generally extending the width of a transport vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
a base member; a telescopic section having a first and a second end, said first end being extendable and retractable from one end of a unit to the other; and an elevating support member attached to said base for elevating said telescopic section.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 08/804,359, filed Feb. 21, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. ______