AU652658B2 - Apparatus for dispensing hay - Google Patents

Description

4 8-4 r441

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 c

I

u Name of Applicant PHILIP WILLIAM KEMP, HEATH SUSAN KEMP, JOHN HENRY BURTON and MICHELLE MAREE BURTON Actual Inventor(s) PHILIP WILLIAM KEMP and JOHN HENRY BURTON Address for Service GRANT ADAMS COMPANY, Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 9, National Mutual Centre, 144 Edward Street, BRISBANE. QLD. 4000

AUSTRALIA.

Invention Title "APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING HAY" Details of Associated Provisional Applications Numbers PK 8097 The following statement is a full description of the invention including the best method of performing it known to me.

2 THIS INVENTION relates to apparatus for dispensing hay. (The term "hay" shall be used to also include straw, lucerne, grasses, and other cereal and/or vegetable foodstuffs for livestock.) In these recessionary times in the agricultural industry, farmers must achieve optimal returns for all outlays. This is particularly so when a recession (or depression) coincides with drought conditions as farmers cannot outlay large amounts for stock feeds to feed livestock through a drought (which is of indefinite duration).

A common practice has been to simply distribute loose hay, thrown from a vehicle, onto the ground to be eaten by livestock. This is very wasteful 15 as some of the hay may be blown away and/or spoilt by the livestock walking over it and/or urinating and/or defecating on it.

While some feeders have been provided, they are usually open-topped, so that hay iay be blown away, and are often difficult to fill, especially with the large bales or rolls now in use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for dispensing hay which minimises waste.

It is a preferred object to provide an apparatus which can be used with all types of livestock, and which is safe to use.

It is a further preferred object to provide an apparatus which can feed large square or round bales, small square bales or loose hay.

It is a still further preferred object to provide an apparatus which is easy to fill, can be manufactured in modular bolt-together form for ease of transport, and which is relatively inexpensive.

Other preferred objects will become apparent from the following description.

In a broad aspect, the present invention resides in an apparatus for dispensing hay including: a pair of end frames, each having infill panels; and a pair of side gates mounted on the end frames, the side gates having panels to enable livestock to gain feeding access to hay located between the side gates (and end frames), the side gates being movable towards each other as the hay is consumed.

Preferably, the end frames are interconnected by a floor structure, which may be concave in end view.

Preferably, the floor structure is solid so that livestock can walk on it. For cattle, it may be 15 supported above the ground on suitable legs or on a o support-frame or mobile chassis.

Preferably, the side gates have feeding panels made of mesh and/or parallel or crossed pipes, RHS section steel, rods, flat steel or the like, the spacing allowing the livestock to gain feeding access to the hay.

The infill panels on the end frames may be of the same construction or be formed of sheet steel so that the livestock can only gain access to the hay via S 25 the side gates.

Preferably, at least one side gate may be swung upwardly to enable the hay to be placed in the apparatus. The side gates may be hung from a central beam or shaft interconnecting the end frames; may be slidably mounted on rails on the end frames; or may be mounted on parallel-type links. Where the floor is concave, they may also be slidably mounted on downwardly-inclined rails or supported on wheels or rollers or inclined tracks.

To enable the invention to be fully understood, a number of preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is an end view, showing one side gate in the raised, filling position; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment; and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a third embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the feeding apparatus 10 has a pair of end frames 11, 12, each with side posts 13, 14 connected by a top rail 15. Bottom 15 side rails 16, 17 connect the end frames 11, 12 and support the sides of a concave floor structure 18. Each end frame 11, 12 has a mesh infill panel 19.

A central tube 20 connects the top rails 15 of the end frames 11, 12. A pair of side gates 21, 22 are hingedly hung from the central tube. Each side gate 21, 22 has a pair of vertical stiles 23, 24 (with an inwardly-inclined upper portion) having a sleeve 25, 26 rotatable about the central tube 20. The stiles 23, 24 are interconnected by a mesh infill panel 27. (The lower ends of the stiles 23, 24 may be connected by a cross-bar not shown).

.i In use, a bale (or roll) of hay 28 is placed on the floor structure 17, one of the side gates 22 being swung to the raised position shown in FIG. 2 to enable the bale to be positioned by a fork-loader.

The side gates 21, 22 bear against the sides of the bale 28. The livestock can eat the bale 28 through the mesh infill panels 27 in the side gates 21, 22 (and the mesh infill panels 19 in the end frames 11, 12). As the hay is 'consumed, the side gates 21, 22 swing inwardly (see FIG. 2) and any loose hay will be swept inwardly and not wasted. When all of the hay (or nearly all) has been eaten, a fresh bale (or roll) is supplied.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the end frames 111, 112 of the feeding apparatus 110 have sheet metal infill panels 119 so that the livestock can only gain access to the hay via the side gates 121, 122.

Each side gate 121, 122 has a mesh infill panel 127 on vertical stiles 123, 124, with sleeves 125, 126 journalled on support tubes 120, 120a, each having sleeves 140, 141 slidably mounted on the top rails 115 of the end frames 111, 112.

As the livestock consume the hay, they push 15 the gates 121, 122 inwardly until the gates 121, 122 reach the position shown in dashed lines, when fresh hay is supplied to the feeding apparatus. As shown, the gates 121, 122 may be swung upwardly to enable the feeding apparatus to 110 to be refilled.

The feeding apparatus 210 of FIG. 3 has end frames 211, 212 (each with side posts 213, 214, a central post 250 and a solid infill panel 219) connected by a concave floor structure 217.

*Each side gate 221, 222 is supported at each S 25 end by a pair of parallel links 251, 252 with sleeves journalled on upper and lower central tubes 253, 254 which interconnect the central posts 250.

As the hay bale 228 is consumed, the gates 221, 222 swing downwardly and inwardly.

While the irfill panels 27, 27. 227 of the side gates 21, 22; 121, 122; 221, 222 have been shown made of mesh, they may comprise horizontal tubes rods, bars, RHS steel bars, or flat metal strips which enable the livestock to gain feeding access to the hay bales (or rolls) 28, 228. For sheep, goats, pigs or the like, the feeding apparatus 10, 110, 210 will stand on the ground. For cattle, they may be mounted on legs or support frames with the floor structures 17, 217 spaced above the ground. The feeding apparatus may be mounted on a wheeled chassis, or on detachable wheels, for movement between different paddocks or feeding sites.

The feeding apparatus may be designed for modular manufacture or on-site erection to save transport costs.

In a modified embodiment not shown, one side gate may be fixed and the other side gate movable towards the fixed side gate as the hay is consumed.

On very long dispensers, two or more pairs of side gates may be provided.

15 The apparatus provides a simple, efficient .means to feed hay, silage or like feed stuffs with minimal wastage.

Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

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Claims (9)

1. 2. An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein: the end frames are interconnected by a concave floor structure to support the hay, the floor structure being optionally mounted on legs, a support frame or a mobile chassis.
2. 3. An apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein: the side gages have feeding panels of mesh; parallel and/or crossed pipes; RHS section steel; rods; flat steel or the like, spaced apart to allow the livestock to gain feeding access to the hay. .i 4. Apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein: the infill panels on the end frames are of the same construction as the feeding panels of the side gates.
3. 5. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein: "the infill panels on the end frames are of sheet metal construction so that the livestock can only gain feed access to the hay through the side gates.
4. 6. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to wherein: at least one side gate may be swung upwardly to enable the hay to be placed in the apparatus.
5. 7. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein: 8 the side gates are hingedly hung from a central beam or shaft interconnecting the end frames.
6. 8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein: the side gates are slidably mounted on horizontal rails parallel to the end frames.
7. 9. Apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 to 6 wherein: the side gates are mounted on parallel links on the end frames. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein: the side gates are slidably mounted on downwardly inclined rails on the end frames.
8. 11. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein: the side gates are supported on wheels or rollers running on inclined tracks on the end frames.
9. 12. Apparatus for dispensing hay substantially as 20 hereinbefore described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2; :or FIG. 3; or FIG. 4, of the accompanying drawings. DATED this seventeenth day of June 1994. PHILIP WILLIAM KEMP, HEATH SUSAN KEMP, 25 JOHN HENRY BURTON and MICHELLE MAREE BURTON, by their Patent Attorneys, GRANT ADAMS COMPANY. Title: "APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING HAY" ABSTRACT A hay dispenser (10) has end frames (11/12) with mesh or solid infill panels A pair of side gates (21, 22) are hinged from a central tube interconnecting the end frames (11, 12). The side gates (21, 22) have infill panels (27) of mesh or horizontal bars or rods to allow livestock to eat the hay (28) supported on the curved floor (18) of the dispenser As the hay (28) is eaten, the side gates (21, 22) swing inwardly to minimise wastage of the hay (28). The side gates (21, 22) can be swung upwardly to enable the hay (28) in bales or rolls) to be placed in 15 the dispenser. o 98V9 9 go** *o o o