GEORGE M MARTIN
Nursing at Reservoir Ave, Cranston, RI

4145993, Mar 27, 1979

Aug 15, 1977

5/824846

David Notarianni - Cranston RI
George H. Martin - Cranston RI

A01K 102

119 20

A farrowing apparatus intended to prevent piglets from being crushed by their mother sow in which two adjacent chambers are provided for the piglets and the sow respectively. The sow is so confined that she may either stand up or lie down on her side in a suckling position. An opening is provided between the chambers so that the piglets can reach the sow when she is lying down. The opening is adapted to be closed by a gate normally biased to a closed position. A pivotally mounted lever contacts the gate and projects into the sow's compartment and extends beneath the sow so that when she lies down, the lever will be depressed to force the gate to an open position, thus permitting access of the piglets to the sow's chamber to nurse, but should the sow subsequently stand, the lever automatically moves to its upper position thus permitting the gate to quickly close. The closing of the gate forcibly ejects the piglets from the sow's chamber back into their own compartment whereby no possibility exists of piglets being crushed when the sow again lies down.