AU2013204998A1

AU2013204998A1 - A horse feeder for continuous or timed deliver of feed

Info

Publication number: AU2013204998A1
Application number: AU2013204998A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bruno Angelico; Joseph Mafrici
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-07-02
Filing date: 2013-04-13
Publication date: 2014-01-16

Abstract

A horse feeder system (1) for delivering feed at a predetermined rate in a predetermined amount, the horse feeder including: a base support frame (2); a feed storage receptacle (3) mounted to the base frame (2), the receptacle (3) having a storage portion, a mouth portion (16) for input of feed into the storage portion, and a throat portion (17) opposite the mouth portion (16); a feed slide (4) adjacent the throat portion (17) for receiving and directing feed from the throat portion (17) to a feed trough; a feed paddle (5) rotatably mounted to the feed storage receptacle (3) adjacent the throat portion (17), wherein the feed paddle (5) straddles the throat portion (17) in a first condition to close the throat (17), and opens the throat portion (17) in a second condition to allow a predetermined amount of feed onto the feed slide (4); and a control box (6) including a drive motor (26) operated by a power source (27, 28), the drive motor (26) being operatively connected to the feed paddle (5), wherein the control box (6) includes control means for controlling the drive motor (26) so that the drive motor (26) actuates rotating movement of the feed paddle (5) to open and close the throat portion (17) at predetermined times to deliver predetermined amount of feed from the storage receptacle. REAR VIEW SIDE IEW CONTROL PANEL SIDE VIEW FROWNV1EW g357

Description

Title: A Horse Feeder for continuous or timed delivery of feed Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system and device for controlling feed of an animal such as a horse. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for controlling feed 5 to an animal such as a horse over an extended period, which is convenient and substantially improves animal health. Background of the Invention As a general guide to a horse's anatomy, a horse's stomach is relatively small for its size (about 8-15 liters) and food passes through the stomach in as little as 12 minutes. From the 10 stomach the food passes on to the small intestines where it stays for about 90 minutes. This means that 90 minutes after the stomach is empty the small intestine is empty also. This creates a problem for a horse because of its continuous production of digestive fluids, which, can effectively burn the inside of the digestive tract when there is no food there to absorb it. 15 The relatively small volume of a horse's stomach, and the rapid passage of food from the stomach, indicates that horses should eat substantially continuously and slowly. In non domestic horses, a horse will usually chew its food slowly and thoroughly maximizing nutritional efficiency. In order to meet the food requirement of a domestic horse, many horse owners attend their 20 horses several times a day for providing feed. A problem with feeding horses several times per day is that there is a tendency of owners to provide quantities of feed that can be consumed by a horse in one to two hours. If for example, horses are fed 2-4 times per day, the food is eaten, digested and passed through in about 2 hours leaving 5-6 hours, three times a day when a horse will have nothing in its stomach to soak up acidic digestive 25 fluids. A general rule for feeding horses is therefore to feed little and often. The more meals that can be split over a day's feed the better for the horse. However for practical reasons, most horse owners feed two or three times a day. Page 1 The amount of feed required by a horse generally increases in cold weather just to keep warm. While good quality pasture can provide sufficient grazing to meet nutritional requirements, horses are selective grazers and in cold climates pasture may not be available throughout the year. Hence feeding two or three times a day, apart from being 5 tedious, may not be sufficient particularly in colder months. A common practice for many horse owners is to feed hay to a horse en-masse. It was previously known to provide different kinds of baskets for holding hay such as for horses, or to provide containers for feed grains. While this practice is convenient for horse owners, it encourages consumption of feed without thorough chewing leaving bulk feed 10 undigested and vital nutrients in hay feed otherwise not available for absorption. . Some attempts have been made to slow the rate at which horses can access hay so that the process of digestion is slowed down. One such attempt is described has included providing a horse feeder having a wheeled plastic base, sides of the feeder comprising " welded wire mesh, and a centre divider, wherein the feeder can hold 85 to 100 pounds of 15 hay and functions to restrict the amount of hay any horse can pull through the feeder in a period of time. While a feeder of the foregoing type is practical to the extent that wire mesh presents a physical barrier so that horses will be eating just a few strands of hay at a time hence chewing more thoroughly, one drawback of the above type of feeder is that is not suitable 20 for flowable feed grains hence feed is restricted to hay. A further and particular drawback is that hay in such a feeder is accessible to local fauna including reptiles and vermin such as rodents. Yet a further drawback is experienced in cold seasons is that dew, which is formed by condensation of air, has a binding effect on feeding material such as hay or sillage. This often causes clumping of feed which cannot be easily separated and removed 25 by a feeding horse from within the wire mesh type feeder. There is an ongoing need to provide a horse feeder which meets the requirement of substantially slow and continuous feed of a range of feed, while substantially minimizing accessibility to fauna and vermin. It is therefore an object of the invention to address one or more of the problems of the prior art or provide a useful alternative. 30 Page 2 Summary In the present invention there is disclosed a horse feeder system for delivering feed at a predetermined rate in a predetermined amount, the hose feeder including: a base support frame; 5 a feed storage receptacle mounted to the base frame, the receptacle having a storage portion, a mouth portion for input of feed into the storage portion, and a throat portion opposite the mouth portion; a feed slide adjacent the throat portion for receiving and directing feed from the throat portion to a feed trough; 10 a feed paddle rotatably mounted to the feed storage receptacle adjacent the throat portion, wherein the feed paddle straddles the throat portion in a first condition to close the throat, and opens the throat portion in a second condition to allow a predetermined amount of feed onto the feed slide; and a control box including a drive motor operated by a power source, the drive motor 15 being operatively connected to the feed paddle, wherein the control box includes control means for controlling the drive motor so that the drive motor actuates rotating movement of the feed paddle to open and close the throat portion at predetermined times to deliver predetermined amount of feed from the storage receptacle. The present invention optimizes feeding efficiency and nutritional uptake by controlling 20 delivery of feed to a horse over a prolonged period. In addition, and in contrast to the prior art, the present feeder substantially prevents access to feed in the storage receptacle by providing a slide and also a mechanism for closing the storage portion when not delivering feed. The feed paddle can include a rotatable shaft on which there is mounted a series of spaced 25 apart fins, wherein the space between adjacent fins defines a volume calibrated to release a predetermined amount of feed from the storage portion of the feed storage receptacle when Page 3 the feed paddle is rotated between a first condition in which the throat is open and a second condition when the throat is closed by the fins. The fins can further include a feed retaining member which includes a platform mounted to and extending at least partially along one surface of the fin(s), the feed retaining 5 member including a flange at its end distal to the shaft wherein the flange extends substantially at right angles to the platform for retaining feed. Preferably the feed paddle includes four equi-spaced apart fins radiating from the rotatable shaft, wherein the space between each quadrant defined by the spaced fins defines a predetermined amount of feed. In an operating condition, the shaft is rotated 90 degrees, 10 and in so doing one quadrant releases feed via the throat onto the feed slide. When rotation is complete adjacent fins close the throat. In this condition vermin such as rats, mice and the like cannot easily traverse the slide, and in any case the throat is closed therefore if fauna is able to traverse the feed slide, access to feed in the storage portion of the receptacle is substantially prevented. 15 The base support frame can include a generally planar platform; a series of spaced apart support legs connected to the planar platform for supporting the platform of the base frame off the ground; a side frame mounted on the platform or the support legs; and a support frame mounted on a portion of the platform or the support legs and extending above the platform for supporting the feed storage receptacle. 20 The horse feeder system can also include a trough structure adjacent to and downstream from the feed slide, wherein feed exiting the throat of the feed storage receptacle traverses the feed slide into the trough for consumption by a horse or like animal. The control box can include a power source such as battery or solar to drive the motor. The control means can be programmable to control operation of the drive motor to actuate 25 the rotatable shaft at predetermined times such as intervals of one hour. The control box can also include a timer so that the time operates the power source to an operating condition at predetermined intervals. The horse feeder system can also include a lid for mounting over and closing the mouth portion of the feed storage receptacle. Page 4 In a further embodiment, the horse feeder system can further include a rake member located adjacent the feed paddle, wherein in an operating condition the rake brakes up the feed as it travels therethrough. This feature represents a clear advantage in cold weather because it has been found to overcome clumping and/or compression of hay within the 5 system which otherwise makes it difficult to pass the hay or like feed material from the storage container to the throat in an efficient pass. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention can be more readily understood an embodiment will be 10 described by way of illustration only with reference to the drawings wherein: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a base component of a first embodiment of a horse feeder in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a front view of the base frame of FIG. 1; 15 FIG. 3 is a side view of the base frame of FIG. 1; Fig 4 is a schematic rear view of a horse feeder in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Fig 5 is a first side view of the horse feeder in figure 4 in cross-section; 20 Fig 6 is a second side view of the horse feeder in figure 4 in cross section; Fig 7 is a schematic front view of the horse feeder in figure 4; Fig 8 is a cross sectional view of a rotating paddle component of the horse feeder; Fig 9 is an exploded view of a front panel plate section of the horse feeder; Fig 10 and 11 represent components of the rotating paddle component in figure 8; Page 5 Fig 12 and 13 represent a schematic of a control box component of the horse feeder for controlling operation of the horse feeder' Fig 14 is a photograph of an embodiment of the present horse feeder shown from a partial front and first side perspective; 5 Fig 15 is a photograph of an embodiment of the present horse feeder shown in figure 14 in a partial front and second side perspective Detailed description of the preferred embodiment Referring to figures 1 to 15 there is shown a first embodiment of a horse feeder 1 in accordance with the present invention. The horse feeder 1 (best seen in figures 4 to 7 and 10 14 and 15) includes a base support frame 2 (best seen in figures 1 to 3), a feed storage receptacle 3, a feed slide 4, a rotatable feed paddle 5, and a control box 6 mounted to one side of the feed storage receptacle 3. In an operating condition the control box 6, which includes a drive motor powered by battery or solar, is timed to actuate rotational movement of the feed paddle such that the feed paddle delivers a predetermined amount of 15 feed from the storage receptacle to the feed slide in a first rotational condition, and whereby the feed paddle closes delivery of feed in a second or alternative rotational condition. The base support frame 2 (best seen in figures 1 to 3) includes generally planar platform 7 of generally rectangular geometry comprising four interconnected members 7a, b, c and d, 20 supported on legs 8a, b, c, d, e, and spaced off the ground. Opposite pairs of legs 8c and 8d are interconnected by cross memberlO. Leg members 8a, c and e are connected by a ground engaging member 11, and similarly leg members 8b, d and f, and leg members 8e and f are connected by ground engaging members 12 and 9 respectively. As best shown in figure 1 and 3, a support frame 13 is mounted on a portion of the 25 platform 7 or the support legs. The support frame includes an angled frame part 14 connected to and extending upwardly from ground engaging member 12, and two spaced apart upright structural support members 15a and 15b extend above the platform for supporting the feed storage receptacle (best seen in figures 5 and 6). Page 6 Referring to figures 4 to 7 there is shown a first embodiment of the horse feeder of the invention including a base support frame 2 on which there is mounted a feed storage receptacle 3. The feed storage receptacle 3 includes a wide upper mouth end 16 ending in a narrow throat end 17 whereby feed such as grain and/or hay and the like is inserted in 5 the mouth end and is funneled towards the throat. The feed receptacle also includes a lid 18 adapted to cover the mouth after inserting feed. The horse feeder shown in figures 4 to 7 further includes a rotatable feed paddle 5 mounted to and across the feed receptacle adjacent the throat 17. As best shown in figures 4, 7 and 8 to 11, the rotatable shaft includes a rod member 20 interconnected to a drive 10 motor in the control box 6. The shaft is rotated by the drive motor in the control box at predetermined intervals by a timer device (not shown). The feed paddle 5 further includes an array of fins 21a, b, c and d mounted in evenly spaced apart relation radiating from the rod member 20. The fins are sized so that diameter, for example diameter defined by fins 21a and 21 c, is sufficient to span or 15 straddle the opening at the throat of the feed receptacle. The each fin includes a retaining member 22a, b, c and d which extend partially along the length of a fin and include a flange or protrusion 23 extending upwardly perpendicular to the direction of the fin. The retaining members are designed to retain within the confines of the quadrant defined by adjacent fins a predetermined amount of feed from the storage compartment of the feed 20 receptacle. In an operating condition the feed paddle rotates on a timed basis such that in the embodiment shown when the rod 20 is rotated 90 degrees, in the time it takes for the fins to move a corresponding amount the throat 17 is open and feed held in the relevant quadrant will be dispensed before the next fin or pair of fins closes the throat. The horse 25 feeder also includes a feed slide 4 immediately adjacent the throat and angled downwardly towards a trough 25 (see figure 14 and 15). Once feed is dispensed through the throat 17, feed moves under gravity down the feed slide 4 and into the trough. As shown in figures 4, 7, 14 and 15, the rod member 20 of the feed paddle 5 is interconnected to a control box 6 mounted on a side portion of the storage receptacle. 30 Referring to figures 12 and 13 the control box 6 includes a motor 26 which is connected to Page 7 one end of the rod 20. The motor is powered by a power source such as a battery 27 or solar energy source 28. In figure 15, a solar panel is operatively connected to the control box and mounted externally of the control box. The control box further includes a control means (not shown) including an electronic timer, which can be programmed to actuate the 5 motor at a predetermined time or interval to rotate the rod to turn the fins on the feed paddle 90 degrees and stop. In a further embodiment (not shown), the horse feeder system can include a rake located adjacent the feed paddle, wherein the rake has a series of spaced apart fingers through which hay or other fed material from the storage container is urged during transfer of feed 10 to the throat portion. In an operating condition the rake brakes up the feed as it travels between the paddle and throat so as to substantially mitigate clumping and/or compression of hay within the system which otherwise occurs in cold conditions and particularly with the presence of dew and makes it difficult to pass the hay or like feed material from the storage container to the throat in an efficient pass. 15 In a further embodiment (not shown), the horse feeder can include a feed receptacle in which the storage compartment includes one or more structural dividers creating multiple feed compartments. In this embodiment separate feed such as grains and hays can be separately stored and combined. The horse feeder design is operated automatically by control means to dispense a 20 predetermined amount of feed from the storage compartment at a predetermined time. Hence feed can be dispensed in small quantities at regular intervals over a prolonged period so a horse has can extract maximum nutritional efficiency substantially without the side effects of en-masses feeding. Even further, the horse feeder substantially minimizes the need for three or four visits by an owner for feeding, and minimizes accessibility to 25 stored feed when not in an operating condition hence vermin such as rats, mice and reptiles are prevented from causing damage. While preferred embodiments have been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and Page 8 described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention both now or in the future are desired to be protected. For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings and 5 specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated devices, and/or methods, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur now or in the future to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 10 While the present invention has been described with reference to a few specific embodiments, the description is illustrative of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. Various modifications may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended 15 claims. Throughout this specification, the words "comprise", "comprising", and "comprises" are to be taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, 20 components or groups thereof. Page 9

Claims

1. A horse feeder system for delivering feed at a predetermined rate in a predetermined amount, the hose feeder including: a base support frame; 5 a feed storage receptacle mounted to the base frame, the receptacle having a storage portion, a mouth portion for input of feed into the storage portion, and a throat portion opposite the mouth portion; a feed slide adjacent the throat portion for receiving and directing feed from the throat portion to a feed trough; 10 a feed paddle rotatably mounted to the feed storage receptacle adjacent the throat portion, wherein the feed paddle straddles the throat portion in a first condition to close the throat, and opens the throat portion in a second condition to allow a predetermined amount of feed onto the feed slide; and a control box including a drive motor operated by a power source, the drive motor 15 being operatively connected to the feed paddle, wherein the control box includes control means for controlling the drive motor so that the drive motor actuates rotating movement of the feed paddle to open and close the throat portion at predetermined times to deliver predetermined amount of feed from the storage receptacle. 20

2. A horse feeder system for delivering feed at a predetermined rate in a predetermined amount according to claim 1, wherein the feed paddle can include a rotatable shaft on which there is mounted a series of spaced apart fins, wherein the space between adjacent fins defines a volume calibrated to release a predetermined amount of feed from the storage portion of the feed storage receptacle when the feed paddle is rotated 25 between a first condition in which the throat is open and a second condition when the throat is closed by the fins.

3. A horse feeder system for delivering feed at a predetermined rate in a predetermined amount according to claim 2, wherein the fins further include a feed Page 10 retaining member which includes a platform mounted to and extending at least partially along one surface of the fin(s), the feed retaining member including a flange at its end distal to the shaft wherein the flange extends substantially at right angles to the platform for retaining feed. 5

4. A horse feeder system for delivering feed at a predetermined rate in a predetermined amount according to claim 1, wherein the feed paddle includes four equi spaced apart fins radiating from the rotatable shaft, wherein the space between each quadrant defined by the spaced fins defines a predetermined amount of feed, whereby in an operating condition, the shaft is rotated 90 degrees, and in so doing one quadrant 10 releases feed via the throat onto the feed slide, and wherein when rotation is complete adjacent fins close the throat so that vermin such as rats, mice and the like cannot easily traverse the slide, and access feed in the storage portion of the receptacle is substantially prevented.

5. A horse feeder system for delivering feed at a predetermined rate in a 15 predetermined amount according to claim 1, wherein the base support frame includes a generally planar platform; a series of spaced apart support legs connected to the planar platform for supporting the platform of the base frame off the ground; a side frame mounted on the platform or the support legs; and a support frame mounted on a portion of the platform or the support legs and extending above the platform for supporting the feed 20 storage receptacle.

6. A horse feeder system for delivering feed at a predetermined rate in a predetermined amount according to claim 1 further including a trough structure adjacent to and downstream from the feed slide, wherein feed exiting the throat of the feed storage receptacle traverses the feed slide into the trough for consumption by a horse or like 25 animal.

7. A horse feeder system for delivering feed at a predetermined rate in a predetermined amount according to claim 1, wherein the control box includes a power source such as battery or solar to drive the motor, and the control means is programmable to control operation of the drive motor to actuate the rotatable shaft at predetermined times 30 such as intervals of one hour. Page 11

8. A horse feeder system for delivering feed at a predetermined rate in a predetermined amount according to claim 1, wherein the control box includes a timer so that the time operates the power source to an operating condition at predetermined intervals. 5

9. A horse feeder system for delivering feed at a predetermined rate in a predetermined amount according to claim 1, further including a lid for mounting over and closing the mouth portion of the feed storage receptacle.

10. A horse feeder system for delivering feed at a predetermined rate in a predetermined amount according to claim 1, further including a rake member located 10 adjacent the feed paddle, wherein in an operating condition the rake brakes up the feed as it travels therethrough

11. A horse feeder system for delivering feed at a predetermined rate in a predetermined amount substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Page 12