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  Animal pen flooring systemRelated Patent Categories: Animal Husbandry, Confining Or Housing, Pen Or Rack, Hog Farrowing Pen, Pen FloorThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070028851. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Animal confinement pens, particularly pens for confining sows and piglets in swine farrowing houses present certain problems with respect to the flooring systems for use in such pens. For example, the flooring systems are preferably supported in a standoff position with respect to a subfloor so that animal wastes may be removed from the confinement pens by way of the space between the raised flooring and subflooring therebelow. Raised flooring systems may be characterized by elongated spaced-apart support rails and removable foraminous flooring panels supported thereby. The construction of farrowing pen flooring panels is preferably of thermoplastic covering at least a portion of the confinement pen. However, the weight of the sow is such that conventional plastic flooring panels do not provide adequate support. Moreover, it has been determined that the sow prefers to reside on a cast iron or similar metallic panel which is of adequate strength but which also provides for a heating and cooling effect preferred by the sow. On the other hand the infant pigs prefer the more constant temperature and smoothness of molded plastic flooring and do not require the extra strength provided by cast iron, steel or other suitable metals which may be used for flooring panels. [0002] Continuing improvements have been desired in animal pen flooring systems of the general type described herein. The present invention overcomes certain disadvantages in prior art flooring systems and provides an improved flooring system which utilizes both molded plastic and cast iron or other metal panels which are secured to each other and to spaced apart support rails in an improved manner. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention provides an improved flooring system, particularly useful for animal confinement pens and more particularly useful for confinement pens used in swine farrowing operations. [0004] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a flooring system is provided wherein spaced-apart elongated support rails are adapted to support spaced-apart rows of molded plastic flooring panels between which is disposed a row of cast iron or similar metal flooring panels. Both types of flooring panels are provided with elongated hook-like support flanges which are interleaved with each other and which engage upstanding elongated support rails to support the flooring in a standoff position from a subfloor to facilitate animal waste disposal. [0005] An improved arrangement in accordance with the present invention is one wherein an elongated set of cast iron or similar metal panels are interlocked with each other and supported by spaced-apart support rails. The metal panels are configured to be interleaved with opposed sets of molded plastic flooring panels which are also partially supported by the same pair of support rails which support the metal panels and are further supported by a second set of spaced apart elongated support rails disposed outboard of the first mentioned set of rails. [0006] The present invention further provides an improved animal confinement pen flooring system wherein the center set of flooring panels is provided by separate panels which are supported on the aforementioned support rails but which are also interlocked with each other to form a more rigid flooring system. The center panels are each provided with an integrally formed laterally projecting tongue and hook part on one side of the panel and the adjacent panel is provided with a recess and cooperating hook part on an opposite side of the panel. Each center panel may be identical or one or more of the center panels may be of different widths to provide the required overall dimension of the confinement pen. [0007] Those skilled in the art will further appreciate the above-mentioned advantages and superior features of the invention together with other important aspects thereof upon reading the detailed description which follows in conjunction with the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an animal confinement pen flooring system in accordance with the present invention; [0009] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a cast iron or similar cast metal flooring panel in accordance with the present invention; [0010] FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the flooring panel shown in FIG. 2; [0011] FIG. 4 is a detail view showing a recess and hook part formed on one lateral side of the flooring panel shown in FIGS. 2 and 3; [0012] FIG. 5 is a section view taken generally along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1; [0013] FIG. 6 is a section view taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1; [0014] FIG. 7 is a section view taken generally along the line 7-7 of FIG. 1; [0015] FIG. 8 is a section view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 1; and [0016] FIG. 9 is a section view taken generally along the line 9-9 of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0017] In the description which follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawing with the same reference numerals, respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be shown exaggerated in scale in the interest of clarity and conciseness. [0018] Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a flooring system in accordance with the present invention and generally designated by the numeral 10. The flooring system 10 is adapted to be supported in a standoff position from a subfloor 12 by plural, spaced-apart elongated somewhat inverted T-shaped rails 14, see FIGS. 5 and 6 also, for example. [0019] The rails 14 are preferably supported by spaced-apart support blocks 16, as shown in FIG. 1, one shown for each of the four rails 14 illustrated in the drawing figure. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the support blocks 16 may be spaced apart along each rail 14, as required, to provide suitable support for each rail, respectively. [0020] The flooring system 10 further includes plural spaced-apart rows of generally rectangular shape molded plastic flooring panels 18 which are foraminous to allow animal waste to drop therethrough onto the subfloor 12 to be suitably removed therefrom. Each of the panels 18 includes spaced apart laterally projecting hooked shaped flanges 20 and 22 which are disposed on opposite sides of the panels, as shown. The side of a panel 18 which includes the flanges 20 is also provided with half length flanges, each generally designated by the numeral 21. Continue reading... Full patent description for Animal pen flooring system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Animal pen flooring system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Animal pen flooring system or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Window assembly and method for dropdown feed doors Next Patent Application: Pet toy and cover therefor Industry Class: Animal husbandry ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Animal pen flooring system patent info. 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