Anchoring systems for mobile livestock enclosures
In general, one aspect disclosed features an anchoring system for anchoring an at least partially floorless mobile livestock enclosure to the ground. The anchoring system comprising: a securing flange configured to mechanically couple the anchoring system to the enclosure; an anchor; and a drive configured to place the anchor into contact with the ground, and to retract the anchor from contact with the ground.
1. An anchoring system for anchoring an at least partially floorless mobile livestock enclosure to the ground, the anchoring system comprising:
a controller;
an anchor mechanically coupled to an at least partially floorless mobile livestock enclosure; and
a motor configured to place the anchor into contact with the ground, and to retract the anchor from contact with the ground;
wherein:
the enclosure comprises multiple wheels to allow the at least partially floorless mobile livestock enclosure to move across the ground, and at least one brake configured to prevent rotation of the wheels, and
the controller is configured to:
engage the at least one brake prior to placing the anchor into contact with the ground; and
automatically control the motor of the anchoring system to retract the anchor prior to releasing the at least one brake.
2. The anchoring system of claim 1 , wherein:
the anchor is a rod; and
the motor is configured to place the anchor into contact with the ground by driving the rod into the ground, and to retract the anchor from contact with the ground by retracting the rod from the ground.
3. The anchoring system of claim 2 , wherein:
the rod is a threaded rod; and
the motor is configured to rotate the threaded rod in a first direction to drive the threaded rod into the ground, and to rotate the threaded rod in a second direction to retract the threaded rod from the ground.
4. The anchoring system of claim 3 , wherein the threaded rod comprises at least one of:
a cutting head; and
an auger bit.
5. The anchoring system of claim 3 , further comprising:
a securing flange configured to mechanically couple the anchoring system to the at least partially floorless mobile livestock enclosure.
6. The anchoring system of claim 5 , wherein:
the threaded rod is threaded through a threaded hole in the securing flange.
7. The anchoring system of claim 3 , further comprising:
a guide configured to prevent rotation of a drive as the drive rotates the threaded rod and moves up and down along the guide.
8. The anchoring system of claim 3 , further comprising:
a housing configured to enclose the threaded rod, wherein the housing is further configured to prevent the threaded rod from bending.
9. The anchoring system of claim 3 , wherein:
the motor is fixed with respect to the enclosure; and
the threaded rod moves longitudinally with respect to the motor as the motor rotates the threaded rod.
10. The anchoring system of claim 2 , wherein:
the anchoring system further comprises a sensor configured to sense when the motor is unable to drive the rod into the ground, or to retract the rod from the ground.
11. The anchoring system of claim 10 , wherein:
the controller is further configured to shut off the motor responsive to the sensor sensing the motor is unable to drive the rod into the ground, or to retract the rod from the ground.
12. The anchoring system of claim 10 , wherein:
the enclosure comprises multiple wheels to allow the enclosure to move across the ground; and
the controller is configured not to release the at least one brake responsive to the sensor sensing the motor is unable to retract the anchoring rod from the ground.
13. The anchoring system of claim 1 , wherein:
the motor is a first motor;
the enclosure comprises at least one second motor configured to drive the wheels of the enclosure; and
the controller is further configured to control the at least one second motor to move the enclosure to a new location, then engage the at least one brake, then control the first motor to place the anchor into contact with the ground.
14. The anchoring system of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller is further configured to obtain weather information, and to control the anchor based on the weather information.
15. The anchoring system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a weather sensor configured to provide weather information.
16. An anchoring system for anchoring an at least partially floorless mobile livestock enclosure to the ground, the anchoring system comprising:
a stake having a standing end and a free end, wherein the standing end of the stake is rotatably coupled to an at least partially floorless mobile livestock enclosure; and
a drive configured to lower the free end of the stake to the ground; and
to raise the free end of the stake from the ground,
wherein motion of the enclosure in a first direction across the ground drives the free end of the stake into the ground.
17. The anchoring system of claim 16 , wherein:
the free end is pointed.
18. The anchoring system of claim 16 , wherein:
the drive is a motor.
19. The anchoring system of claim 18 , wherein:
the enclosure comprises multiple wheels to allow the enclosure to move across the ground, and at least one second motor configured to drive the wheels; and
the anchoring system further comprises a controller configured to automatically control the at least one second motor to move the enclosure in the first direction to drive the free end of the stake into the ground.
20. The anchoring system of claim 18 , further comprising:
a controller;
wherein the enclosure comprises multiple wheels to allow the enclosure to move across the ground, and at least one second motor configured to drive the wheels; and
wherein the controller is further configured to control the at least one second motor to move the enclosure in a second direction different from the first direction,
wherein motion of the enclosure in the second direction retracts the stake from the ground.