CA2357281A1

CA2357281A1 - Feed spreader

Info

Publication number: CA2357281A1
Application number: CA002357281A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Roy Hines; Nathan Bye
Original assignee: NORCAN ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS Inc
Current assignee: NORCAN ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS Inc
Priority date: 2001-09-05
Filing date: 2001-09-05
Publication date: 2002-05-21

Abstract

A feed spreader for distributing primarily milled or pelleted feed to animals, and in particular to fish, has a frame and an inlet and outlet pipe. The outlet pipe is rotatably coupled to the inlet pipe by a swivel assembly which allows the outlet pipe to rotate, broadcasting feed in a 360°arc around the frame without extra human intervention.
The apparatus is driven by the air blown by a typical feed blower, and can be equipped with detachable floatation means or feed deflector apparatuses. Alternatively, the entire apparatus can be inverted and suspended from guy-wires over the desired feed distribution area.

Description

FEED SPREADER
Technical Field The present invention relates to animal feeds, and more particularly to devices and apparatuses for spreading milled or pelleted feed for consumption by cultured species.
Back rg o Existing devices used for distributing milled or pelleted feed to animals, and in particular to cultured animal species such as fish, essentially consist of a large, single hosepipe connected to a blower apparatus. Such hoses are either fixed into position (rigid pipes might be employed in this instance) or can be aimed manually by a human operator (wherein flexible hoses or pipes are used). The blower appara-tus typically picks up the feed pellets and, combining them with a large amount of air, "blows" the pellets into whatever area the end of the hose is trained upon. Some such feed distribution devices incorporate a deflector at the mouth of the hose or pipe, which widens the spread of distribution of the feed.
Use of these prior art devices does not lead to the ideal distribution of feed. First, if a fixed feed pipe is used, the distribution pattern of the feed is very limited. Blowing feed through a fixed pipe causes the feed to be concentrated in an area slightly larger than the diameter of the hose pipe itself, depending upon the power of the blower apparatus, the distance to the target surface and the ambient wind. The "spread" of the feed is limited using a fixed pipe. This results in stress on the animals and increases the risk of injury as they compete for food. In addition, the animals do not have equal access to feed, and therefore grow at different rates, meaning that the grower

-2-must put the animals under additional stress and use manpower to grade the animals.
Use of a deflector at the end of such a pipe is an improve-ment over the plain fixed-pipe systems, but achieves greater spread by bouncing the feed off a metal or rubberized plate, which can result in breakage of feed. All of these systems must be used from land, or from a land-based platform if in a marine environment.
Other systems employ flexible hoses to broadcast feed over a broader area, but these must be operated by hand by a human opera-tor. This is not always safe, practical or cost-effective, especially in a remote location or in difficult weather conditions.
There remains, accordingly, a need for a feed distribution apparatus or spreader which can widely distribute milled or pelleted feed for cultured species on either land or water, without the need for significant human intervention.
Summary of Invention The apparatus described herein overcomes some of the disadvantages of the aforementioned prior art systems by mounting a feed pipe (with or without a deflector) on a swivel assembly, which is incorporated into a lightweight, balanced frame. Air and feed blowing through the pipe cause the feed pipe to rotate through a 360°revolution, thus spreading the feed in a relatively uniform arc about the frame. The force of the air from the blower, and the shape of the feed pipe deter-mine the rate of rotation of the pipe and hence the distance the feed can be thrown. One main advantage of this apparatus is that it makes it

-3-possible to broadcast feed relatively evenly without manual, human intervention.
More particularly, the present invention provides an appa-ratus for spreading milled or pelleted feed. The feed spreader com-prises, in one embodiment, a frame, an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe.
The inlet pipe is connected to a portion of the frame at one end, and is connectable to a food supply provided by a feed blower. The outlet pipe is coupled to the inlet pipe and receives feed from the blower through the inlet pipe. The outlet pipe is rotatably coupled to the inlet pipe (and the frame), allowing it to rotate with respect to both the frame and the inlet pipe, thereby broadcasting feed in a generally circular pattern about the frame of the spreader.
The frame may comprise a lower portion, an upper portion comprising a swivel assembly having a first end and a second end rotatable relative said first end, the swivel assembly able to allow feed to pass therethrough; and support braces extending between the lower and upper portions of the frame. The swivel assembly couples the outlet pipe to the inlet pipe, with the inlet pipe being connected at its first end to one end of the swivel assembly, and the outlet pipe being connected at its first end to the other end of the swivel assembly.
A counterweight may be attached to the outlet pipe interme-diate between its ends. Either a feed deflector or an extension pipe may be attached to the outer end of the outlet pipe.
The feed spreader can be used on land, or in water, in which case floatation means may be attached to the frame for allowing said feed spreader to float, or the spreader may be suspended in an inverted arrangement by guy-wires.

-4-The invention also provides a method for feeding a cultured species of animal with milled or pelleted feed, the method comprising the steps of attaching the inlet pipe of the feed spreader to a feed blower; placing the feed spreader upright in a desired feeding location, and causing the feed blower to blow feed through the inlet pipe, the feed thereby being distributed in a generally circular arc about the base of the fee spreader. In another feeding method, the feed spreader is suspended in an inverted position above a desired feeding location.
Brief Description of Drawings In the accompanying drawings which illustrate specific embodiments of the invention, but which should not be construed as restricting the spirit or scope of the invention in any way:
Figure 1 is a side view of the feed spreader of one embodi-ment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the frame of the feed spreader shown in figure 1.
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the feed spreader shown in figure 1, having a feed deflector attached to the mouth of the outlet pipe.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the swivel assembly of one embodiment of the feed spreader shown in figure 1.
Figure 5 is a side view of the feed spreader shown in figure 1, having floatation means attached to the bottom thereof.

-5-Figure 6 is a top view of the feed spreader shown in figure 5.
Figure 7 is an end view of the feed spreader shown in figure 5.
Figure 8 is a side view of the feed spreader shown in figure 1, suspended in an inverted arrangement from guy-wires .
Description Throughout the following description specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the inven-tion. However, the invention may be practiced without these particu-lars. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present inven-tion. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.
Referring first to figure 1, a feed spreader made in accor-dance with one embodiment of the invention, denoted generally herein by the numeral 10, has a frame, denoted generally by the numeral 12, an inlet pipe 14 and an outlet pipe 16. Inlet pipe 14 may be a typical feed distribution hose, which is fashioned to be attached at one end to a typical feed blower (not shown), as known in the art. The other end of inlet pipe 14 is attached to a portion of frame 12 as described below.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, frame 12 comprises a lower portion 20, an upper portion 22 and a plurality of support braces 24 extending therebetween. As shown more clearly in figures 2 and 3, lower frame portion 20 may conveniently comprise a

-6-square shape, and frame 12 in general may be made from a lightweight material, although this is not necessary.
One particularly noteworthy aspect of the invention relates to the manner in which outlet pipe 16 is coupled to inlet pipe 14. In particular, when one end of outlet pipe 16 is rotatably coupled to inlet pipe 14, and when outlet pipe 16 is accordingly allowed to freely rotate relative to inlet pipe 14, feed being blown through inlet pipe 14 and thence through outlet pipe 16 is expelled through the outer mouth of outlet pipe 16 and causes pipe 16 to rotate, distributing the feed in an arc about the frame 12.
In the embodiment shown in these figures, upper frame portion 22 comprises a mounting plate 26 (figure 2) for mounting a swivel assembly 30 (figure 3). Although swivel assembly 30 can be removably mounted to mounting plate 26, mounting plate 26 is not essential to the invention, and swivel assembly 30 could also be integral to the upper frame portion, or in fact form upper frame portion 22 in its entirety. Herein, however, the swivel assembly 30 will be said, for illustrative purposes, to form a part of upper frame portion 22, along with mounting plate 26. What is more important is that swivel assembly couple inlet pipe 14 and outlet pipe 16. The word "couple" herein accordingly refers to any connection between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe which permits the rotation of outlet pipe 16 relative inlet pipe 25 14 and frame 20.
Swivel assembly 30 is shown in cross-sectional detail in figure 4. Again, although it is envisioned by the inventors that any suitable swivelling assembly could be employed in the present invention, 30 the embodiment shown in this figure employs an assembly having a first, or "lower" end 32, to which inlet pipe 14 may be connected, and a _7_ second, "upper" end 34, to which outlet pipe 16 may be connected. As shown in figure 4, swivel assembly 30 may have an inner sleeve 35, which may be mounted onto mounting plate 26, and an outer sleeve 36, the latter separated from and allowed to rotate around the former by one or more bearings 37. Ball bearings have been found to be effective.
Thus, swivel assembly 30 is generally a hollow cylinder, and feed is able to pass therethrough when blown by a blower through inlet pipe 14.
As described previously, this arrangement, wherein inlet pipe 14 is coupled to outlet pipe 16 by swivel assembly 30, allows outlet pipe 16 to rotate when feed is being blown through it. This broadcasts the feed blown through the spreader in a generally circular arc about the frame .
It will be appreciated that both the force of the air blown by the blower apparatus and the shape of outlet pipe 16 will have a signifi-cant impact upon the distance the feed is able to be thrown by spreader 12 (and also the distribution pattern). It is foreseen that different feed spread patterns can be achieved by using outlet pipes of different shape, and by manipulating the power of the blower. Alternatively, as shown in figure 1, an extension pipe 42 might conveniently be coupled to outlet pipe 16 by coupler 43 to change the shape of pipe 16, and hence to change the pattern of distribution of the feed. In another embodiment, a deflector 45 (figure 3) may be attached to outlet pipe 16 to alter the distribution pattern.
Spreader 10 can be used on the ground, or it can be affixed to a platform (not shown) for stability. However, it is foreseen that spreader 10 might be useful in the aquaculture industry to feed cultured fish. Accordingly, as shown in figures 5-7, spreader 10 may be floated by attaching floatation means such as a plurality of pontoons 48 to -spreader 10. In the embodiment of the invention shown in figures 5-7, pontoons are attached to spreader 10 by means of cross braces 50 which are affixed to the underside of lower frame portion 20, but it is foreseen that any suitable floatation means might be efficiently employed.
In a further embodiment (figure 8), it is foreseen that the entire apparatus might be inverted and suspended from ropes or guy-wires 54 over a desired feeding location. In this instance, a plural-ity of wire guides 52 (figures 8 and 2) may be formed on frame 12, and in particular on lower frame portion 20.
It will be further appreciated that significant forces will potentially be acting upon outlet pipe 16 if the blower is powerful. In some instances, the forces acting on pipe 16 might tend to upset the stability of spreader 10, especially if spreader 10 is being used on water.
In these instances, it has been determined that a counterweight 40 attached to outlet pipe 16, preferably at a point essentially opposite the direction faced by the mouth of pipe 16, serves to minimize this diffi-culty. To further minimize instability, inlet pipe 14 may be mounted to lower frame portion 20 at inlet pipe mounting point 44.
The invention also provides a novel method for feeding a cultured species of animal with milled or pelleted feed, the method comprising the steps of attaching the inlet pipe 14 of the feed spreader 10 to a feed blower; placing the feed spreader upright in a desired feeding location, and causing the feed blower to blow feed through the inlet pipe, the feed thereby being distributed in a generally circular arc about the base of the feed spreader through outlet pipe 16. In another feeding method, the feed spreader is hung in an inverted position above a desired feeding location.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possi-ble in the practice of this invention without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A feed spreader comprising:
a) a frame;
b) an inlet pipe having a first end connected to said frame, said inlet pipe further having a second end for accepting feed blown through said pipe by a feed blower; and c) an outlet pipe rotatably coupled at a first end thereof to said first end of said inlet pipe, said outlet pipe having a second end allowing feed blown therethrough by said feed blower to be broadcast about said frame.

2. The feed spreader of claim 1, wherein said frame comprises:
a) a lower portion;
b) an upper portion comprising a swivel assembly having a first end and a second end rotatable relative said first end, said swivel assembly able to allow feed to pass therethrough; and c) support braces extending between said lower and upper portions of said frame, wherein said swivel assembly couples said outlet pipe to said inlet pipe, said inlet pipe being connected at its first end to said first end of said swivel assembly, and said outlet pipe being connected at its first end to said second end of said swivel assembly.

3.~The feed spreader of claim 2, further comprising a counterweight attached to said outlet pipe intermediate said first and second ends thereof.

4. The feed spreader of claims l, 2 or 3, further comprising floata-tion means attached to said frame for allowing said feed spreader to float in water.

5. ~The feed spreader of claim 4 wherein said floatation means com-prises a plurality of pontoons attached to said lower portion of said frame.

6. ~The feed spreader of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of wire guides formed on said frame for allowing said spreader to be suspended from guy-wires in an inverted position.

7. ~The feed spreader of claim 5 further comprising an extension pipe attached to said second end of said outlet pipe.

8. ~The feed spreader of claim 5 further comprising a feed deflector attached to said second end of said outlet pipe.

9. ~The feed spreader of claim 2 further comprising a mount for attaching said inlet pipe to said lower portion of said frame at a point intermediate said first and second ends of said inlet pipe.

10. The feed spreader of claim 2 wherein said lower portion of said frame is square.

11. A method of feeding a cultured species of animal with milled or pelleted feed, said method comprising the steps of:
a) attaching said inlet pipe of the feed spreader claimed in any one of claims 1-5 or claims 7-10 to a feed blower;
b) placing said feed spreader upright in a desired feeding location; and c) causing said feed blower to blow feed through said inlet pipe, said feed thereby being distributed in a generally circular arc about the base of said fee spreader through said outlet pipe.

12. ~A method of feeding a cultured species of animal with milled or pelleted feed, said method comprising the steps of:
a) attaching said inlet pipe of the feed spreader claimed in claim 6 to a feed blower;
b) hanging said feed spreader in an inverted position above a desired feeding location; and c) causing said feed blower to blow feed through said inlet pipe, said feed being thereby distributed in a generally circular arc underneath said fee spreader through said outlet pipe.