CPC A01K 31/165 (2013.01) [A01K 31/17 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
1. A bird nest box system comprising:
a housing defining a nesting enclosure, the nesting enclosure defining a front opening for a bird to enter and exit the nesting enclosure and an egg outlet at a back of the nesting enclosure;
a movable nest floor having a front end and a back end;
and a floor movement mechanism, the nest floor being mounted within the nesting enclosure and over the floor movement mechanism, the floor movement mechanism comprising:
a driveshaft; and
at least one floor actuation member coupled to the driveshaft and rotatable by the driveshaft to move the nest floor, wherein the at least one floor actuation member comprises a lift cam member mounted to the driveshaft and at least one lift arm, wherein the lift cam member comprises a nose portion, a heel portion, and a ramp extending from the heel portion to the nose portion,
wherein, with the nest floor in a lowered floor position, a front portion of the nest floor rests on the heel portion or the ramp of the lift cam member, and initial rotation of the driveshaft in a first direction rotates the nose portion of the lift cam member to engage the nest floor, thereby raising the front end of the nest floor and tilting the nest floor toward the egg outlet; and
continued rotation of the driveshaft in the first direction moves the lift arm to raise the back end of the nest floor above the front end, thereby rotating the nest floor toward the front opening and to a raised floor position.
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