Water flushing excreta removal system for animal housing systems

Claim 1

In an animal housing of the type having two or more tiers of cubicles and an inclined surface disposed beneath said cubicles of each tier adapted to catch debris from said cubicles and provided with flush water supply means for removal of said debris, said inclined surface providing for water flow from said flushing means from the front of said cubicles to the rear of said cubicles, said flushing means being mounted at the upper end of said inclined surface, the improvement, in combination therewith, wherein said flush water supply means comprises: a. a supply manifold connected to a source of water, said supply manifold including one branch for each tier of said cubicles; b. a water flushing solenoid valve connected to each of said branches of said manifold; c. a flush tube suspended over the front of said inclined surface and connected to each of said solenoid valves by a flexible hose, said tube containing a number of large diameter holes spaced apart to generate a slow moving, well distributed flushing pattern over said inclined surface and which induces a manifolding effect, thereby substantially eliminating angular deflections and resulting spraying and uneven pressure distributions; d. control means which provide timed sequential energization of said water flushing solenoid valves selectively of each of said tiers, permitting adjustment of the time interval between flush cycles of said tiers, the length of flush time of said tiers, and the selection of various modes of operation; e. a throttle shut-off valve located upstream of said supply manifold, serving as a shut-off valve for when said animal housing system is disconnected from the water supply and as a flush water pressure adjustment; and f. a lateral trough sloping downwardly and away from the rear of said inclined surface and leading to a vertical drain conduit.