US2626387A - Device for collecting equine urine specimens - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 20, 1953 w. BERRY 2,526,387

DEVICE EUR COLLECTING QUINE URINE SPECIMENS Filed Ju1y 1o, 1951 2 srmETs-srmm 1 f4 lNvENToR /5 .3er-Cy,

ATTORNEY Jan. W. BERRY DEVICE FOR COLLECTING EQUINE URINE SPECIMENS Filed July 10. 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR' i )35i/hull? ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 20, i953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR COLLECTING EQUINE URINE SIECIMENS` 3 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in a device for collecting equine urine specimens.

In some of the States in which there is horse racing, it is the practice, and sometimes mandatory, to make an urinalysis of the winning horse of each race, so that if the horse has been drugged or even given a sedative, it will show in the urinalysis, after which an investigation may be made to determine what penal or exemplary action should be taken.

At present, the common procedure is to have someone connected with the stables wait with a bucket until such time as he can collect a specimen from the horse. Also, bags and other receptacles have been tried to be attached to the horse so that it will prevent someones just standing around waiting for the horse to urinate. Sometimes this takes three or four hours, particularly if there is some person around the stall; and it may happen that the person waiting will not be present at the time of the urination, and the specimen is lost.

An object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a mechanical device wherein the winning horse may be led in to a stall specially fitted with a sterile receptacle fitted in a special form of tank or container in a drain to receive the specimen; and thus there will be no chance of loss, regardless of whether or not there is an attendant there -at the time of urination.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a signal means connected with the sterile receptacle, so that a light will light up in the stall and the attendant can see it, even from a, distance, and know that he can then go in to the stall and remove the sterile jar containing the urine specimen. At the same time, there is a light that will light in the office so that, if neces-l sary, the office can notify the attendant in the stable to collect the specimen.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for collecting equine urine specimens, and wherein the upper portion of the device may be locked and only opened by a special wrench, so that there may be no substitutions or any other unethical interference with the specimen.

Still another object of the invention is to provide at least ten of these drains all wired to the office, so that as each winner comes in from, usually, eight races, each one may be put in one of these fitted stalls; while two additional stalls may be so tted for other horses than the winners.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain new and novel ar- 2 rangements and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawings, showing a preferred form,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section, showing part of the iloor of a stall and drain with my improved device for collecting equine urine specimens,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the cover for the device,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring installation, and

Fig. 5 is a top plan view, showing the sloping iloor of the stall with the central drain.

Referring now for the moment to Figs. 1 and 5, there is shown the inwardly sloping oor I of the stall or stable, while centrally of the floor l is the drain 2. This drain 2 has the outlet 3. The upper portion of the drain 2 is generally made of concrete while the lower portion of the drain 2, that is, at the outlet 3, has therein the usual pipe 4.

Fitted Within the drain 2, as may be seen in Fig. l, is a metal tank or housing 5, which is preferably made of cast iron, although it may be made.

of bronze, the tank 5 generally being cylindrical in form, with an opening B at the bottom of the tank 5 registering with the aforementioned pipe 4.

The tank 5 is imbedded or tted within the concrete ofthe drain 2 and is provided with a removable cover 1 that extends flush with the top of the drain 2. This cover 1 should be relatively strong, and has a central opening 8 that is fitted with a heavy wire screen 9, which should be strong enough to withstand the weight of the horse, if he should rest one foot on the screen.-

The cover 1, as also may be seen in Fig. 2, has the small nibs or lugs i0, positioned opposite each other, so that the cover l may be grasped, when it is desired to raise the same.

This perforated metal cover l is also fitted with an arm Il tting under a lug lla, to the left of Fig. 1, and the small box-like chamber l2 near its periphery, as also may be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, into which projects a threaded arm I3, so that the nut I4 may be fastened therein; and, as may be seen in Fig. 2, I make this nut I4 a five-sided nut rather than the ordinary square nut or hex-nut, so that it will necessitate a special wrench to remove the nut i4 and thus lift the cover 'l from the tank 5. In other words,

I have provided a means for locking the cover 1 after it is once in place, and I have provided a form of lock so that only an authorized person with a special wrench can remove the cover 1.

Formed on the under-surface of the cover 1, as may be seen in Fig. 1, and directly under the screen 9, is a funnel-shaped section or portion I5 that merges with the cylindrical lower portion I6.

The purpose ofthis funnel-shaped'portion I5 is so that the urine will be directed to a sterile jar I1. The jar I1 rests on a plate I8, shown in detail in Fig. 3, which is shortly to be referred to; and this plate I8 in turn rests on the lugs I9 formed around the inner periphery of the lower portion of the tank 5.

Referring now more specifically to the plate I8, it will be seen that it has the outer rirn 20 and the cut-away portions 2 I, leaving the central portion 22 and the spider arms 23. Also formed on each of the spider arms 23 may be seen the encompassing lugs. 24- to prevent the jar I1 slipping .from its set position.

Thus, it will be seen, as far as the speciiication has. proceeded, that the` cover 1 has a centrally screened opening 9, while the plate I8. has the central solidportion 22 and the cut-out portions 2I. TheV plate I8. is made in this manner so that any of the overflow from the jar. I1 will readily flow through the openings 2i inthe lower plate I8 and down in to the drain pipe 4.

Also, after the jar I1 hasbeen lled and removed, the stall rnay be washed out with a hose, and the water will run through the screened opening 9 in the cover 1, and then. thoroughly wash the plate I8 to thus keep the tank and its cover 1 and. inner` portions clean.

Signalling arrangement opening 2l in the plate I8, soA that the jar I1v may-rest onthis'upper arm 2E, the strength of this spring arm'ZE beingsuch that the empty jariI1-will notcompress the arm 25, so that there will be no electrical contact formed.

However, when the jar I1 is partially filled, or..

filled, the additional weight of the urine will cause the spring arm 25 to contact with the arm 21, thus closing a circuit to light the signal lamps,

as will be mentioned shortly.

Also in'Fig. l, there may be-seen the metal conduit 28 that will be placed in the ground so that the lead-in wires a and b may be connected with the switch box 25.

It is to be understood that other forms of switches might be used, or they might beplaced differently within the tank '5, theV one shown be. ing for the purpose of illustration..

Referring to Fig. 4 for the moment, thereis shown the lead-in wires a and o from a power source; and I have simply shown lights forve stalls and the oirce light, but, as heretofore mentioned in. the specification, inasmuch as there are generally eight races, there will be at least eight wired drains, and preferably ten.

In the-diagrammatic illustration shown in Fig. 4, from the lead-in wire a there is a switch c, which switch c, it will be remembered, comprises the two arms 26 and 21. There is the light d. that may be fastened to the voutside of astall (not '4 shown), and the light e which is to be in the oflice. The circuit is then completed through the wire f down to the lead-in b. The additional switches g, h, z' and y' are wired in exactly the same manner; and a description of one and the light is a description of all.

Thus, when the horse is in any of the stalls and urinates, the extra weight of the jar I1 will light the respective signal lights'on the stall and also in the office.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that an attendant with the proper wrench may unlock the cover 1, place a sterile jar I1, which has been keptin a sterilizer, within the tank 5, and rest it on the plate I8 and one of the spring arms 2B, and thenA lock the cover 1.

After the horse urinates, a light, as heretofore mentioned, will show in the office and in the stall, and the proper attendant may loosen the nut I4, remove the cover 1, and remove the jar I1, so-that the veterinarian may makethelurinalysis. The stall may then be washed down with a hose, although any overflow willy have passed throughthe openings 2| in the plate I3. Then another sterile jar may be placed in position, the cover locked, and the procedure repeated.

In the beginning of the specification, it was mentioned. that thedevice was especially adaptedfor. racetracks, where specimens had toV be taken.

It will also be understood that it may beused by veterinarians, in a stall or. stable. of. their own, where. it is desirable to. make a urinalysis.

of a horse or other animal.`

twillalso. be seen that when used at a race.

track, it will save many hours ofthe grooms or attendants time waiting around. to collectv a.

specimen.

In some instances the stalls. are lockedbut whether a stall is locked or not, by locking the.

cover 1, its only possible to removefthe cover.1l with a special wrench.

Finally, it will be understood that I mightuse a diierent form of lock on the cover 1, and I do not wish to be limited to the-form of switch.

mens for analysis, including a tankadapted to` be. located in a stable drain, a cover for said tank,

said cover having a centrally located screened. opening/a supportingy plate mounted near thebottom of the tank, said plate provided with.

openings around its inner periphery, a sterile Jar, for catching the urine, supported on said plate; the bottom of the said tank provided with an opening and adapted to beconnected tosaid drain, ywhereby anoverowing of. thejar with urinewill let theexcess urine pass throughsaid openings insaid plate anddown into said drain, together withan electrical switch extending be.- neath said jar, an electrical circuit having a lamp therein, and saidswitch being depressed to light said lamp when the said jar is lled or partially filled with urine.

2. Ina device for collecting equine urine specimens for analysis, including a tank adapted to `be located in a stable drain, a cover for said tank, said cover having a centrally loc-ated screened opening, a supporting plate mounted near the bottom of the tank, said plate provided with openings around its inner periphery, a sterile jar, for catching the urine, supported on said plate; the bottom of the said tank provided with an opening and adapted to be connected to said drain, whereby an overflowing of the jar with urine will let the excess urine pass through said openings in said plate and down in to lsaid drain; together with an electric circuit having two lamps therein, one adapted to be placed in a stall and the other adapted to be placed in an office, an electric switch in the circuit, and the said switch being actuated by said urine jar when the same is lled or partially filled with urine.

3. In a device for collecting equine urine specimens for anlysis, including a removable sterile iar for catching the urine, said jar adapted to be located in a drain of a stall; electrical means, including a circuit, a lamp and a switch, the said switch closing the circuit when said jar is lled .or partially lled with urine; and means for locking the jar against unauthorized removal.

WILLIAM BERRY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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