US212027A - Improvement in racks for feeding sheep - Google Patents

A. O. MARTINDALE. Rack for Feeding Sheep.

Patented Feb. 4, 1879.

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IINI'I'ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AVERY C. MARTINDALE, OF ALBION, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RACKS FOR FEEDING SHEEP.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,027. dated February 4, I879; application filed December 20, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AVERY G. MARTINDALE, of Albion, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Racks for Feeding Sheep; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a rack for fcedin g sheep, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my sheeprack, and Fig. 2 a cross-section thereof.

In the construction of my rack, I use at each end two vertical pieces,A A, connected at top and bottom by cross-bars B B, and forming an opening at a for the passage of the sheep. Above this opening the end pieces,A A, are inclined outward and upward, and the inclined edges'of the corresponding pieces A of the two ends are connected by inclined. boards 0, which form the rack proper. The corresponding pieces A A at the two ends are also connected at the bottom, near the inner edges, by a vertically-placed board, D, thus completing the body of the rack, and making it solid and durable, while at the same time it is portable, and can be carried to and placed in any part of the field where desired.

On the outside of the board D, at each end, is attached a pin or hook, b, to support a board, F, to form an auxiliary rack; and this board is at one end held in an inclined position by a cleat, h, while at the other end it is locked by a pivoted latch I, as shown. This latter rack, on each side of the main rack, can be easily taken out for cleaning or other purposes.

The main object of my invention is to allow the sheep free access to the hay without causing them to wear the wool off from their necks; and this object is fully accomplished by the construction of the main rack, as described.

The auxiliary rack on each side forms a convenient means for feeding the sheep when it. is desired to give them other food than, or in addition to, the hay.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is Y Ina rack for feeding sheep, the opening a between the end pieces, A A, and inclined boards 0 C, for the purpose of enabling the sheep to feed without waste of material, and without wearing the wool from their necks, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AVERY C. MARTIND ALE.

Witnesses: JOSHUA R. KIDDER, G. O. CARTER.