A wheeled manure-removal vehicle for removing manure from an animal-shed floor includes a tank for storing manure, a manure collector, a liquid reservoir placed in the tank and having an opening for the supply of liquid to the reservoir and the discharge of liquid from the reservoir, and a flexible reservoir wall, to make it possible to vary the volume of the reservoir, depending on the fill level, and a dispenser operatively connected to the reservoir for dispensing liquid from the reservoir onto the animal-shed floor. The opening of the reservoir is situated in a top part of the reservoir. The reservoir furthermore includes a spacer which extends on the inside of the reservoir from the opening down to the lower part of the reservoir to ensure a liquid passage between the opening and a bottom part of the reservoir.

The bedding groomer comprises a frame attachable to an ag vehicle such as a skid loader or tractor for movement down the alley of a free stall barn. Pivotally supported on the frame is an elongate shroud that can be moved from a raised travel position to a lowered, laterally extending working position by a hydraulic cylinder. Rotatably mounted within the shroud is an elongated arbor driven by a hydraulic motor. Along the length of the arbor is a plurality of radially projecting tines. As the ag vehicle travels down the alley, the tines dig into the animal bedding material, churning it, to break up hard packed and compressed areas and to aerate deep within the bedding to aid in aerobic composting any organic material, such as manure, that is present in the bedding.

The bedding groomer comprises a frame attachable to an ag vehicle such as a skid loader or tractor for movement down the alley of a free stall barn. Pivotally supported on the frame is an elongate shroud that can be moved from a raised travel position to a lowered, laterally extending working position by a hydraulic cylinder. Rotatably mounted within the shroud is an elongated arbor driven by a hydraulic motor. Along the length of the arbor is a plurality of radially projecting tines. As the ag vehicle travels down the alley, the tines dig into the animal bedding material, churning it, to break up hard packed and compressed areas and to aerate deep within the bedding to aid in aerobic composting any organic material, such as manure, that is present in the bedding.

A device for translating a scraper of droppings covering a corridor of a livestock building. The device includes a chain secured to the scraper, a first sprocket secured to a first end of the chain and a second sprocket secured to a second end of the chain. The first sprocket is rotated by a first motor and the second sprocket is rotated by a second motor in the opposite direction of the first sprocket. A controller controls power supply to the motors and takes states including: a driving state of the scraper in a first direction, wherein the first motor is supplied with power and the power supply of the second motor is cut off; and a driving state of the scraper in a direction opposite to the first direction, wherein the second motor is supplied with power and the power supply of the first motor is cut off.

A driving sprocket for a marine-type chain whose links have a section of diameter between 8 and 20 millimeters, intended to be used in the agricultural field. The sprocket includes a main cylindrical recess between two lateral flanges and a plurality of regularly spaced forks projecting radially from the recess, delineating housings intended for receiving every other link of the substantially flat chain. The flanges extend beyond the recess over a height substantially equal to the width of a link of the chain.

A litter conditioning vehicle has a drive system coupled to a chassis and configured to move the vehicle along a floor of an animal enclosure. A collection system is coupled to a front portion of the chassis and includes a flailer that can reduce a particle size of the litter as the collection system collects litter from the floor. A conditioning system is coupled along a length of the chassis and includes a drum and a conditioning element. The drum receives the collected litter and can be rotated to tumble the litter. The conditioning element can transfer energy such as, for example, microwave radiation to the litter being tumbled in the drum, thereby conditioning the litter. A dispersement system is coupled to a back portion of the chassis and is configured to disperse conditioned litter received from the conditioning system on the floor behind the vehicle.

A self-propelled manure removal vehicle, including: at least two wheels, at least one motor device and a control device, for displacing the vehicle by driving at least one of the wheels; a floor-scraping device configured to clean a floor surface while being in contact with the floor surface, wherein at least a lower rim of the floor-scraping device is flexible to adapt its shape to the floor surface; and at least one skid element including a lower rim with a slide surface to slide over a floor surface to support the vehicle, and the lower rim of the floor scraping device projects further downwardly than the slide surface of the at least one skid element.

An automatic tensioning apparatus is provided that includes a tensioning drive unit having: a longitudinally extending stationary base frame with a plurality of guides extending between a lower portion and an upper portion, and a plurality of rotatable feed wheels axially secured at the lower portion, as well as a translatable drive frame slidably coupled to the plurality of guides with a drive assembly coupled to the drive frame, the drive assembly including a drive motor and a tensile member interface for engaging and rotationally translating a tensile member. The tensioning drive unit further including a plurality of drive frame actuators actuatable to move the drive frame between a bottom frame position and a top frame position, as well as a sensor for at least indirectly sensing the position of the drive frame along a longitudinal base frame axis.

A cable drive unit for cleaning a free stall comprises a housing defining opposite lateral sides and opposite longitudinal ends defining respective cable openings. A cable drive assembly is mounted within the housing and comprises a shaft mounted to the housing lateral sides. A drum is rotatably mounted to the shaft about a hub and sleeve structure thereof. The hub and sleeve structure mechanically interfaces with a length of the shaft for providing lateral displacement of the drum thereon between the lateral sides of the housing during rotation of the drum. The drum provides for receiving a wound cable thereon. Rotational movement of the drum provides for unwinding the cable therefrom to be moved outwardly of the opening of one of the longitudinal ends and simultaneously moving the cable inwardly at the other one of the longitudinal ends for being wound onto the drum thereby moving scrapers when mounted to the cable.

A pet waste management system is provided and is designed to provide a hygienic and convenient solution for pet owners. The pet waste management system can include a main housing portion and a non-porous pad having a surface for receiving pet excrement including feces and urine. The system can include a sweeper including a scrapping surface and a movable sweeper arm. The movable sweeper arm is configured to move the sweeper across the surface of the non-porous pad such that the scrapping surface pushes both feces and urine off of the non-porous pad and into a litter box portion.