AU2017101573B4 - Livestock water trough - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract The present disclosure refers to a livestock water trough with a design that makes it suitable for use by all types of livestock (cattle, horses, sheep, etc.), which does not need to be adapted to the specific type of livestock that uses it, since water supply is at ground level, as animals 5 naturally drink it, and without the possibility of contamination of the water by the animals' legs. 10104279_2.docx

Description

LIVESTOCK WATER TROUGH

This application claims the benefit of Uruguayan patent application 4629 that was filed on 8 November 2016, the full disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.

The present disclosure refers to a livestock water trough; in particular, it relates to a water trough with a design that makes it suitable for all types of livestock (cattle, horses, sheep, etc.) with no need to adapt it to the specific type of livestock that uses it.

Background

All modern and old technology referring to livestock water troughs that can be found in the state of the art, explicitly expressed or not, is based on a valid principle: animals should not contaminate the water they drink.

The most frequent form of contamination of water drunk by animals occurs due to the introduction of legs in the container or water trough. To avoid this, in the last years, technology has given two basic efficient answers that we will number A and B: A) It consists of finding a solution to water troughs located on the floor, protecting them with walls or edges high enough to prevent the introduction of animals' legs into the container or trough. B) It consists of elevating the vessel or trough to the necessary height to prevent the animals from placing their legs into them.

For example, utility model ES1072150U is not an exception, since it expressly indicates that the system can be placed at a "suitable height" for the animal to drink. Said "adequate height" means that according to the type of animal that will use it, the water trough must be raised from the ground up to a height sufficient for the animal to reach it without problems. Obviously, this height is not the same for sheep than for horses or cattle.

In the current state of the art, different types of water troughs (supported or suspended) are adapted specifically for the various types of animals that will use them and, therefore, if a water trough is adapted for a horse, a sheep will not be able to use it.

Surprisingly, a water trough designed according to the present disclosure seeks to solve, or at least mitigate, these problems very simply. It is a completely new and functional design that has no antecedents.

Alternatively or additionally, a water trough designed according to the present disclosure seeks to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other external documents, or other sources of information, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the invention. Unless specifically stated otherwise, reference to such external documents is not to be construed as an admission that such documents, or such sources of information, in any jurisdiction, are prior art, or form part of the common general knowledge in the art.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present disclosure provides a livestock water trough comprising: an elongated container arranged to contain drinking water for livestock and to be placed at ground level or semi buried, the container comprising two spaced-apart, trapezoidal end sides and two spaced-apart, longitudinally-extending, rectangular inclined sides, the end sides and the inclined sides being arranged so as to define an elongated, horizontally-extending, rectangular drinking opening for livestock, the container having a trapezoidal cross-section, a distance between the inclined sides at a bottom of the container being less than a distance between the inclined sides at a top of the container; and a float protector comprising a cover with two side protectors, a gable roof, flaps for connecting the float protector with the container and holes for securing the protector to the container; wherein water is supplied through an orifice from an underground pipe, and water supply is controlled by a faucet commanded by a float that drives a water inlet and shutting off system.

The distance between the inclined sides at the bottom of the container may be substantially 1/5 of the distance between the inclined sides at the top of the container

The livestock water trough may be constructed from one or more of metal, reinforced concrete, ferrocement, wood and plastic.

The livestock water trough may be constructed from one or more of galvanized, stainless steel and painted sheet metal.

The livestock water trough may be constructed from one or more of concrete reinforced with iron and concrete reinforced with plastic fibres.

The term 'comprising' as used in this specification and claims means 'consisting at least in part of'. When interpreting statements in this specification and claims which include the term 'comprising', other features besides the features prefaced by this term in each statement can also be present. Related terms such as 'comprise' and 'comprised' are to be interpreted in similar manner.

One of the advantages of this disclosure is that any type of livestock (sheep, cattle, horses, etc.) can use it, since it has a single position, equally accessible for all animals.

Another advantage of the present trough is that, regardless of the way of supplying water, the trough is at floor level, and yet the animals do not place their legs into it. In fact, animals drink water as if they were drinking from a stream, watering place, lagoon or river, but without the possibility of contaminating the water with their legs, because the design of this water trough inhibits them from introducing both front and hind legs.

Thus, a fundamental advantage of the present trough is the possibility of supplying water to animals as they naturally drink it, i.e. at ground level, and without the possibility of contaminating the water with their legs.

Brief description of the drawings

In order to better understood, the object of the present disclosure, a preferred embodiment is shown in Figures 001 to 013, susceptible to minor changes that do not alter the original design:

Fig.001: Axonometric projection of the trough with a float protector.

Fig.002: Axonometric projection of the float protector.

Fig.003: Axonometric projection of the trough with a float protector, view 2.

Fig.004: Horizontal projection without a float protector.

Fig.005: Cross-section A-A without a float protector.

Fig.006: Longitudinal section B-B without a float protector.

Fig. 007: Longitudinal facade with a float protector.

Fig. 008: Section B-B with a float protector.

Fig. 009: Horizontal projection of the trough with a float protector.

Fig. 010: Bottom of container, without a float protector.

Fig. Oil: Description "X".

Fig. 012: Supply description / shutting off, shut off.

Fig. 013: Supply description / shutting off, open.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The trough described in this present disclosure can be constructed from any waterproof material with a relative mechanical resistance. In particular, it can be constructed from metal (galvanized, stainless steel, painted sheet), reinforced concrete (with iron, with plastic fibers), ferrocement, and any kind of wood or any plastic material commonly used in conventional troughs.

The receptacle that contains water and that effectively functions as a drinking trough consists of a container or trough of horizontal rectangular projection, which is placed at ground level, or semi buried. In Fig. 003, it can be observed that the end sides (6) of the trough are trapezoidal and the longitudinal sides (9) are rectangular and inclined. The bottom (10) of the container is shown in Fig. 009.

Water is supplied through an orifice (1) from an underground pipe. Water supply is controlled by any type of faucet commanded by a float and the faucet can be installed either inside the container or trough - as shown in the attached figures - or outside the receptacle or trough. In the latter case, the faucet con control one or more containers or troughs.

Fig. 008 shows that buoys (13) drive the water inlet and shutting off system (12).

To prevent water contamination, the trough has a float protector consisting of a cover to protect the water supply /shutting off system, including two side protectors (2) and (8), a roof (3), a fold or flap (4) that connect it with the container and holes (5) for securing the protector to the container by means of bolts. In fact, as it can be seen in Figs. 002 and 003, the water trough has a semi-submerged side cover (2) which protects the float from the animals' snout. In addition, the gable roof (3) prevents the animals from treading on the float equipment. The flap on the sides (4) and the flap on the rear side (7) allow the protector to be positioned and fixed to the container by means of bolts. The holes (5) allow the protective cap to be fixed also by means of bolts.

Fig. 004 shows the indications of sections A-A and B-B described in Fig. 005 and Fig. 006.

Fig. 007 shows the right and left sides of the water trough.

Fig. 008 shows the guides (11) for the semi-submerged cap (2). "Description X" of the container edge is specified in Fig. Oil.

Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described by way of example only and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims (5)

1. A livestock water trough comprising: an elongated container arranged to contain drinking water for livestock and to be placed at ground level or semi buried, the container comprising two spaced-apart, trapezoidal end sides and two spaced-apart, longitudinally-extending, rectangular inclined sides, the end sides and the inclined sides being arranged so as to define an elongated, horizontally-extending, rectangular drinking opening for livestock, the container having a trapezoidal cross-section, a distance between the inclined sides at a bottom of the container being less than a distance between the inclined sides at a top of the container; and a float protector comprising a cover with two side protectors, a gable roof, flaps for connecting the float protector with the container and holes for securing the protector to the container; wherein water is supplied through an orifice from an underground pipe, and water supply is controlled by a faucet commanded by a float that drives a water inlet and shutting off system.

2. The livestock water trough of claim 1 wherein the distance between the inclined sides at the bottom of the container is substantially 1/5 of the distance between the inclined sides at the top of the container.

3. The livestock water trough of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the water trough is constructed from one or more of metal, reinforced concrete, ferrocement, wood and plastic.

4. The livestock water trough of claim 3, wherein the water trough is constructed from one or more of galvanized steel, stainless steel and painted sheet metal.

5. The livestock water trough of claim 3, wherein the water trough is constructed from one or more of concrete reinforced with iron and concrete reinforced with plastic fibres.