Adjustable Chute Lines Up To Trailer

2022 - Volume #46, Issue #4, Page #38

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Iowa hog producer Dennis Backhaus made it a lot easier for livestock haulers to back up to his hog loading chute when he built an adjustable platform that easily aligns to trailer doors.
“I built this because my stationary chute is in a tighter area for backing a trailer and some drivers needed almost an hour to hit it straight on, especially if the yard was a little wet or slippery,” Backhaus says. “With this device, I can adjust my top platform almost 30 in. side-to-side, so the trailer doesn’t have to be exactly flush or straight onto the loading ramp.”
Backhaus says he did a lot of thinking, drawing, cutting and head-scratching in his shop to come up with the design and make sure it would work. “First, I built a prototype out of wood, then made some adjustments before I fabricated the metal framing.”
His custom design is an adjustable 3-ft. wide flat platform that extends out from the top of his stationary loading chute. The platform’s base is supported by a piece of 2 1/2-in. wide angle iron bolted across the lip of the stationary chute. Angle iron struts support the floor and vertical angle iron posts support the side walls, forming a strong mounting point for hinges that allow the platform to swivel side-to-side. A metal frame with X bracing supports the 3/8-in. plywood sidewalls.
The platform’s floor is made out of 1 1/2-in. wide by 3/8-in. thick flat steel metal bars, secured with stainless steel bolts and lock nuts. The metal bars are spaced about 3/4-in. apart so they can rotate closer together or further apart as the platform moves side-to-side. Dirt or manure can drop through the spaces.
The front of the platform has an adjustable metal plate that can pivot 3-in. out and flush to the base of the trailer so hogs have a continuous flat surface to walk across and can’t injure their feet or legs. Rubber belting covers vertical posts on the front of the platform. It flexes and compresses against the rear of the trailer to form a tight seal when hogs are loaded.
Backhaus moves the platform side-to-side with a 4-ft. long stirator auger mounted inside a piece of pipe. “I welded metal cogs inside the pipe to catch the flighting and have a lock on the end so I can secure it every quarter turn, which results in about 2 in. of movement.”
The main chute height is adjustable up and down with a cable winch from a grain auger. Backhaus says when they occasionally load into a horse trailer, he has pins and pivot points that can raise or lower the platform so it’s the same angle as the loading chute.
“The platform works really well, I’ve gotten a lot of compliments and even been told I should have the design patented,” Backhaus says. He’s quick to reply that “I should’ve built this 25 years ago, but the idea didn’t come to me until 2019.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dennis Backhaus, 2550 378th St., Westside, Iowa 51467.

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Adjustable Chute Lines Up To Trailer LIVESTOCK Handling Iowa hog producer Dennis Backhaus made it a lot easier for livestock haulers to back up to his hog loading chute when he built an adjustable platform that easily aligns to trailer doors “I built this because my stationary chute is in a tighter area for backing a trailer and some drivers needed almost an hour to hit it straight on especially if the yard was a little wet or slippery ” Backhaus says “With this device I can adjust my top platform almost 30 in side-to-side so the trailer doesn’t have to be exactly flush or straight onto the loading ramp ” Backhaus says he did a lot of thinking drawing cutting and head-scratching in his shop to come up with the design and make sure it would work “First I built a prototype out of wood then made some adjustments before I fabricated the metal framing ” His custom design is an adjustable 3-ft wide flat platform that extends out from the top of his stationary loading chute The platform’s base is supported by a piece of 2 1/2-in wide angle iron bolted across the lip of the stationary chute Angle iron struts support the floor and vertical angle iron posts support the side walls forming a strong mounting point for hinges that allow the platform to swivel side-to-side A metal frame with X bracing supports the 3/8-in plywood sidewalls The platform’s floor is made out of 1 1/2-in wide by 3/8-in thick flat steel metal bars secured with stainless steel bolts and lock nuts The metal bars are spaced about 3/4-in apart so they can rotate closer together or further apart as the platform moves side-to-side Dirt or manure can drop through the spaces The front of the platform has an adjustable metal plate that can pivot 3-in out and flush to the base of the trailer so hogs have a continuous flat surface to walk across and can’t injure their feet or legs Rubber belting covers vertical posts on the front of the platform It flexes and compresses against the rear of the trailer to form a tight seal when hogs are loaded Backhaus moves the platform side-to-side with a 4-ft long stirator auger mounted inside a piece of pipe “I welded metal cogs inside the pipe to catch the flighting and have a lock on the end so I can secure it every quarter turn which results in about 2 in of movement ” The main chute height is adjustable up and down with a cable winch from a grain auger Backhaus says when they occasionally load into a horse trailer he has pins and pivot points that can raise or lower the platform so it’s the same angle as the loading chute “The platform works really well I’ve gotten a lot of compliments and even been told I should have the design patented ” Backhaus says He’s quick to reply that “I should’ve built this 25 years ago but the idea didn’t come to me until 2019 ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Dennis Backhaus 2550 378th St Westside Iowa 51467

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