162 COMMERCIAL POULTRY RAISING 



weight of the door or gate. The counterpoise should be amply- 

 heavy, so that the action of closing will be quick. Sash weights 

 answer the purpose nicely, or narrow canvas bags filled with sand 

 will do for indoor use. Naturally, the doors or gates between par- 

 titions should be made as light as possible, which makes for ease 

 of operation. White pine frames covered with wire netting are 

 best. 



Detail 2, Fig. 1 12, illustrates a more direct principle of the rope 

 and weight idea, though it is not always practicable to install it, 

 because of the rope interfering with head room in the doorway. 

 In this arrangement the pulley, "D," is fastened to the center of 

 the jamb, or to a point on the partition which corresponds to the 

 door-jamb. The rope, "C," is rove through the pulley, and one 



{California Experiment Station) 

 Fig. 113. — Hook for catching fowls. 



end is secured to the top of the door or gate, in such a way that 

 it receives the least chafe. The other end is made fast to the 

 counterpoise. 



Either way the gate or door is opened it pulls the rope and 

 raises the weight, which reacts as soon as the pressure is removed, 

 the tendency being to draw the point, "B," toward the pulley. 

 There is no leverage obtained by this arrangement, like that 

 shown in detail i, consequently the door offers more resistance 

 when being opened, which might be considered an objection under 

 certain circumstances. 



Hinges Out of Perpendicular. — Doors can be made self-closing 

 by placing the hinges slightly out of the perpendicular, as shown 

 in detail 3, Fig. 1 12, which alters the center of gravity of the door 



