Livestock loading chute
View Patent ↗A livestock loading chute includes an angled open first end and an angled open second end. On opposite sides of the chute are a pair of loading connectors which permit the chute to be removably loaded upon the bed of a truck. A pair of vertical legs may be secured beneath the second end.
1. A livestock loading chute, comprising:
a base frame forming a walking surface for a plurality of livestock, the base frame is supported on a lower elevation by a plurality of bearing plates each attached to the base frame;
a pair of lower side frames each mechanically connected to the base frame;
a pair of panels each attached to an inside surface of the pair of lower side frames to prevent the livestock from exiting the livestock loading chute through the pair of lower side frames;
a pair of upper side frames each provided atop the pair of lower side frames;
a pair of sleeves accepting an adjustment mechanism from a bale bed loading mechanism on a truck to allow for movement of the livestock loading chute, the sleeves are mounted on an adjustment bar restrained by a pair of restraining brackets and locked in position by a pair of first locking pins;
a load bearing walking surface provided atop the base frame;
a pair of cross members connecting the upper portion of the upper side frames that provide structural stability for the livestock loading chute;
a bale bed assembly mounted to the truck;
a pair of posts fully retracted into a pair of locking slide collars with a plurality of base plates resting upon a bed surface of the bale bed assembly and the bearing plates are at a same horizontal plane of the bed surface of the bale bed assembly; and
a plurality of traction aids provided atop the load bearing walking surface;
wherein the livestock loading chute provides access from the lower elevation to an upper elevation;
wherein the adjustment bar allows for movement of the sleeves along a second travel path to compensate for a plurality of different sized trucks, a plurality of different grades, and one or more other external factors;
wherein the pair of sleeves are each engaged by a pin head;
wherein the truck is configured to pull forward along a fourth travel path until a plurality of swing arms are fully rearwardly pivoted or extended and the truck is configured to pull backward along the fourth travel path until the swing arms are fully rearwardly pivoted or extended; and
wherein the bale bed assembly, the swing arms on the bale bed assembly are pivoted about a third travel path while the pin heads remain engaged with the pair of sleeves along the third travel path until the bearing plates contact a respective grade.
2. The livestock loading chute according to claim 1 , wherein the lower elevation is a grade.
3. The livestock loading chute according to claim 1 , wherein the upper elevation is a transport trailer.
4. The livestock loading chute according to claim 1 , wherein the upper elevation is the truck.
5. The livestock loading chute according to claim 1 , wherein the livestock loading chute is supported at the upper elevation by the pair of posts each equipped with the base plates.
6. The livestock loading chute according to claim 5 , wherein each of the base plates are restrained by one of the pair of locking slide collars, which uses the adjustment mechanism to allow for the pair of posts to adjust and lock at different heights along a first travel path to allow for height adjustment of the upper elevation.
7. The livestock loading chute according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of panels are made of galvanized sheet steel.
8. The livestock loading chute according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of first locking pins are made of material selected from the group consisting of carbon steel stock shapes that are cut to size and welded together, aluminum, stainless steel, or steel.
9. The livestock loading chute according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of sleeves extend outward from the upper side frames in an inline arrangement.
10. The livestock loading chute according to claim 1 , wherein the load bearing walking surface is an assembly of wooden planks.
11. The livestock loading chute according to claim 1 , wherein the traction aids are a plurality of aids selected from the group consisting of a plurality of wooden cleats, a plurality of metal bars, or a grid.
12. The livestock loading chute according to claim 1 , wherein the traction aids are configured to be removed by removal of a pair of second locking pins and pulling the traction aids outward along a removal travel path.
13. The livestock loading chute according to claim 1 , wherein the livestock loading chute is fully extended behind the rear of the truck with the swing arms at their limit of rearward travel along the fourth travel path and the truck is placed in park the truck is configured to extend both of the pair of posts down to the respective grade.