Automatic sheep counting gate - has parallel upright rollers separated by passage of sheep to operate counting mechanism

摘要

The automatic sheep counting gate includes two vertically mounted rollers which may turn on their axes. They are also able to move sideways in order to allow a sheep to pass between them. Two frames attached to the roller supports are thus moved apart as a sheep goes through the gate, and one of them is attached to a ratchet mechanism turning a toothed wheel by 1/48th of a turn. After the sheep has passed, the rollers return to their original positions, allowing the ratchet to engage the next tooth. By blocking rotation of the disc, the rollers may be effectively locked in their closed position. The gate is limited to about 45 x 50 cm so that a sheep may pass, but larger animals may not.