DE2055317A1 - Feed tax facility for animal herds - Google Patents

Description

Patent Attorneys DIpl.-lng. R. E3 Ξ ETZ sen. DIpI -Inc. IC. LAMPKECHT

Dr.-lng. R. α EETZ Jr. 82-16.JOJ? 11/10/1970

8München22 ₁ Steinsdorfstr. If

TELEDICTOR LTD., Tipton (Staffordshire), Great Britain

Feed control device for animal herds

The ^ rfiriaung refers to. a feed control device for a herd of animals with a feed supply unit at a feeding place for delivery of a through one of the feed supply unit an input signal indicated feeding amount.

It is often desirable that different animals in a herd should receive different amounts of feed, in particular different cows in a herd should receive different amounts of protein concentrate depending on the milk yield of the particular cow deliver large amounts of milk, benefit from substantial amounts of protein concentrate, while other cows showing lower milk yields require less protein concentrate and do not make progress with a larger protein concentrate mengo. Since protein concentrate is expensive, it is worth the effort not to get any more of it Electronic cow identification and feed control devices have already been described, but capital investments for such a device are not justifiable in the case of a herd of perhaps 100 cows. "

(7)
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The invention is based on the object of a feed control device of the type mentioned at the beginning, which is simple yet effective and only one for relatively small ones Herd requires an economically justifiable effort.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that a number of feed display elements is provided, each of which is a Identity mark showing its affiliation to a certain animal and carries food information representing a desired amount of food for that animal, and that further with the Feed feed unit connected feed indicator reading device it is provided that the delivery of the amount of feed indicated by the feed display element supplied to the reader by the Feed feed unit causes.

Each feed display element can carry a permanent identity mark, that assigns it to a certain animal, and also have means for setting the feed information. Alternatively you can several display elements must be present, which permanently display the identity mark for each animal, however, carry changing feed information. The amount of feed for each cow in this case is determined by Selection of a suitable feed display element for this cow is controlled. The other feed indicators for this cow are then not available for use. In this way the amount of feed of a given animal can be adjusted according to the requirements can be varied. For example, the amount of protein concentrate for a cow can be adjusted according to the milk yield this cow will change over her lactation period.

In a typical facility, about six to a dozen feed locations and associated feed indicator readers can be used for there should be a herd of about 100 cows. The cows are left enter the stable or another feeding area in groups,

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so that one cow occupies every putter place. When the cows are theirs Take up positions at the appropriate feeding places, the The cows are supplied with corresponding putter display elements c correct amount of feed. The feeding places are, in the case of cows also milking places, and the milking takes place during the presence the cow at its feeding place. The individual milk yields Eggs of individual cows can be saved and one can use this information to display the feeder information update of the particular cow when changes in milk yield are detected.

The finishing is illustrated with the aid of the drawing Embodiments explained in more detail; show in it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a complete Feed control device;

2 shows a partially sectioned schematic side view of a feed display element reading device with a feed display element in the reading position;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal view of the reading device according to FIG. 2; FIG.

Fig. 1- ■■ a schematic front view of a feed display element;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second form of one Forage indicator reading device having an element to be read;

6 shows two corresponding forage display elements with different Feed displays;

Fig. 7 is a block diagram of a device according to the invention; and

Fig. 8 is a block diagram of a modified device according to Fig. 7 for use at cem as a carousel feeder and -milkeinrichturm- well-known facility-

109873/1166

BATH ORIGINAL

The complete set-up in its simplest form has a single feeding place, as in B'ig. 1 is indicated. This individual feeding place or, alternatively, every feeding place, if there is more than one feeding place, is equipped with a feed unit 12 equipped for dispensing a measured amount of feed in a crib Ijj for consumption by the person concerned Cow is suitable. Feed supply units of this type which deliver a constant measured amount of feed in response to an electrical impulse are known per se and from this Basically, the feed supply unit is not described in detail. The individual feed supply unit 12 or possibly each feed supply unit 12 is controlled by a feed indicator reader 14 via an electrical connection 15. That Reader 14 is designed to receive a number of pulses generated along the connection 15 when a feed indicator element 16 is fed to the reader. The number of pulses depends from the feed information on your feed indicator. ■ is shown, and so this information controls the amount of feed dispensed into the manger 13. A suitable form of the Feed indicator element and the associated reading device now ropes. ■■ will be described with reference to Figs.

2 and 3 show that the reading device comprises a number of fifteen photocells 21 arranged on an arc of a circle. the Supply of light to these photocells is through a feed indicator element 22 and. a rotatable disc 23 is controlled. the .Disk 23 is rotatable by means of an electric motor 24 and contains a single opening 25, which, when the disk is rotated, emits a light beam from the lamp, 26 the entire photocell. another can be scanned,. ......

The effect of that placed between the disc 2j5 and the photocells 21 Feed indicator element 22 is that the light beam is interrupted by the lamp 26 and the opening 25 ..

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Fig. 4 shows the appropriate details of a feed indicator eleraerit 22. The feed display element has the shape of a rectangular one Plate that bears an identity mark / such as a number or a name. In the example shown in FIG aas identity sign the number 88, which is on an identity plaque

27 is painted on or written down differently. The feed indicator also has a number of fifteen round openings 28, which are arranged on a semicircular arc corresponding to the positions of the photocells 21, when the feed indicator in the reader is inserted. The feed indicator carries also a rotatable semicircular cover plate 29 * the like shown., can be adjusted where there are none of the openings

28 covers or, alternatively, can also be rotated into one position where it covers some or all of the openings 28.

When the disk 23 is rotated in this way, the light beam reaches after the food display element 22 is arranged in the reader, a number of photocell, which corresponds to the number of openings 28, which were left uncovered by the cover plate 29. The photocells are separated from each other by sufficient distances, that the light beam each have a position between the Photocells in which none of the photocells is lit, and. the photocells are also all connected in series; the result of which is that- the output signal from the photocells is in the form of a number of pulses that occur, each one Photocell is illuminated. These pulses are fed to an amplifier 31, and the output 32 of the amplifier forms the electrical connection 15 (see Fig. 1) from the reader 14 to Feed feed unit 12. In a typical installation, the feed feed unit 12 can be designed so that per pulse that the Unit is fed, a pound of concentrated protein feed is dispensed, and so can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the Cover plate 29 with respect to the openings 28 the entire feed

109823/1166 BAD

would give for a given cow in units per pound from 0 to 15 Adjust pound.

In this embodiment of the reader it is necessary to ensure that the disc 23 rotates only once during a particular putter indicator is read. This is achieved by attaching a start switch ^ O that controls the Motor only turns on when a putter indicator is inserted is operated and the start switch; the motor 24 is also powered by a commutation device coupled to its shaft controlled so that after pressing the start switch JO the Power supply to the motor is automatically switched off after one full revolution of the motor is over. When the openings 28 as shown. arranged asymmetrically, it is im the rest of the need to provide means whereby the feed display element is only in the correct position in the reader can be introduced.- Alternatively, if the openings 28 and the Photocells 21 are arranged symmetrically on both sides of the feed display elements, the reader can independently which side of the feed indicator element faces the photo cells is to work properly.

the cover plate 29 should be capable of being locked in any desired rotational position, and any suitable one can be used for this purpose Use locking means.

In practice, a number of feed display elements will correspond the number of cows in the herd is hung on a board in a position appropriate to the feeding place or places. When a cow enters a feeding place, it is attached to the animal by a worker, e.g. by means of a numbered one Shield identified, and then this is this animal corresponding feed indicator removed from the board and

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introduced into the reading device which is assigned to this puttering place at which the animal takes its place. The appropriate one The amount of feed is then automatically given to the animal.

The appropriate amount of feed for Checks information pertaining to each animal, and if one finds that a correction of the amount of feed required for any animal a suitable readjustment is made on the feed indicator element.

An advantage of the device described above is that.2 only a number of simple identification operations are required by the worker, followed by this simple operation each animal automatically receives the appropriate amount of feed.

Another embodiment of the invention will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 5-7.

Here each putter display element has the shape of a card, which has up to four work holes punched in four specific locations on the card. The presence or absence of a hole in a particular location indicates the presence or absence of a requirement for a particular number of feed units on a binary scale. To make oil card symmetrical so that it can be properly read regardless of the position in which it is inserted into the reader, all of these holes are on the vertical center line of the card and all but the center hole are facing doubled at both ends of the card. Thus, a hole at location 1 in Figure 6 indicates the requirement for a chuck unit, and similarly, the holes at locations 2, K and 8 indicate the requirement for 2, ^1, or 8 units, respectively. The Ver-

109823/1186

different putter unit requirements determined by the property whether or not these holes are displayed should be added to give the total amount of feed required. Thus, the map shown on the left in Fig. 6 shows the four working holes the requirement of 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 = 15 puttering units for the cow 26. Similarly, the map in Fig. 6 on the right shows the requirement for 0 + 2 + 4 + 0 = 6 feed-in for the cow 26.

Although it would be possible to modify a particular card by pitting a new hole or covering an old one, to vary the amount of butter required, it is more convenient to to provide a number of 15 cards per cow, each one of which is one means a certain feed display from 1 to 15 feed units, and to give the shepherd the relevant card for the cow at the time. In this way, if the required amount of feed for a particular cow is to be changed, all that is required is the to replace the card previously used for this cow with another card.

Figure 5 shows that each card 41 is inserted into a slot 42 in a card reader ^; 4j} is introduced. The card reader 43 consists mainly of a lamp 44 on one side of the slot 42 and a number of four photocells (not shown in Fig. 5) arranged to respond to light passing through the holes in the card, so that the photocells generate signals according to the holes in the card. A fifth photocell detects the arrival of the leading edge of the card in a certain position in which the holes are aligned with the photocells, and causes the card to be read at this time. The card evaluation device is such that a card cannot be read until it has been released and dropped into the appropriate slot, and afterwards it. which it is read> in an inaccessible locked

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Container ho falls. This acts as a safety measure against any cow being fed the intended amount of feed more than once.

As FIG. 7 shows, the four-bit word, which indicates the required amount of feed for a specific cow, is fed to a multi-word spei rather M ^{by the four photocells P1, P2, Pj5 and P 2 I-.} Fig. 7 relates to an F.11, where there are four feeding places, and for this reason the memory M requires a storage capacity of four four-bit words. The order in which these words are stored in the memory M is essential and therefore the cards must be inserted into the card reader so that the cow's card at feeding station 1 is read first and so on. A card counter CC operated by the timer photocell PT controls the addresses of the four words stored in the memory M and prevents a feeding process until a number of cards corresponding to a number of feeding places is read.

After all cards have been read, a start button S is pressed, and one function of this start button is to transfer the four four-bit words from memory M to memory C. the Transmission takes place in the form of a single sixteen bit word. The memory C consists of four individual four-bit sections, each of which corresponds to a feeding place, and the four-bit word stored in each section corresponds to the information that is punched in the card of the cow at the affected feeding place.

The operation of the start button S also causes a pulse generator E, which operates at a frequency of about one pulse per second, a number of pulses both a pulse counter PC and a number of four feed supply units F1, F2, F5 and F ^; 4 feeds, one of which is provided for each feeding place. Each pulse from the pulse generator causes a feed unit to move from the feed feed unit to the affected feed

109823/1166

place is given.

The pulse counter PC is a four-bit binary counter that counts on consecutive Counts impulses from one to fifteen one step forward each.

Four comparators C1, C2, C3 and C ² I- are each arranged in order to compare the words stored in a section of the memory C with the output of the pulse counter PC. When equality of the two inputs is achieved in a comparator, this comparator generates an output signal which stops the operation of the corresponding putter supply unit.

To follow a particular example, let us assume that a cow with the number 26 enters feeding place 2 and needs a feed amount of 6 feed units. · If the cowherd inserts four cards into the card reader, then a card for the cow 26 with a display for six feed units as second of the four cards introduced. This causes the number 6 to be stored in section 2 of memory C in binary form will. When the pulse counter begins to count, no equality will initially occur at the comparator equalizer 2 because the input from the memory is "6", while the input from the pulse counter is "1", "2", "3" and so on. However, as soon as the pulse counter reaches "6", equality is detected in the comparator, and a signal from the comparator output 2 is fed to the feed feed unit F2, to stop any further feed from it. However, the first six impulses have now been received from the impulse generator of the feed feed unit F2 was fed, which led to the delivery of six feed units at feeding place 2 for cow 26 *

The device shown in Fig. 7 is also provided with reset means (not shown) to make it ready

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so that it can be used for four more cows.

Although this was described in connection with FIGS Embodiment 'with reference to a four-bit word for display the amount of feed and has been explained on four feeding places, it is possible to have a different number of feeding places with one to use another number of bits for the feed information.

In normal operation, a 'facility will have a small Number ν -.- η feeding places in connection with a much larger one Number of cows is used and the cows are allowed to enter the facility in groups according to the number of feeding places.

Further details of the device according to FIGS. 5 to 7 can the details of the device according to FIGS. 1 to 4 correspond.

In a carousel facility, a number of cows enter successive compartments around the circumference of a turntable are arranged. The turntable spins slowly, and the various operations including preparing to go Milking and the actual milking are carried out while the turntable is rotating. Usually one leaves Cow the turntable after an almost complete turn. The speed of rotation is such that all operations that to be carried out with the cow, finished by the time the cow has made a full turn of the disc and to the exit comes.

In a carousel device there is only one feed unit for delivery measured amounts of feed in each of the successive cribs present individually in the compartments of the turntable necessary.

109823/1166 ■

BATH

Bel the device shown in Fig. 8, we d the Timing of the operation of the puttering unit controlled by time, to which the card, as shown in Fig. 6, in a reader is introduced, as shown in FIG. As in the case of Fig. 7 the card reader has four photocells Pl, "P2, P4 and P8 Acquisition of the binary information stored on a card and a fifth timer photocell PT for acquiring the position of the Map and timing for reading the information from photocells P1 P2, P4 and P8. The outputs from the four photocells Pl, P2, P4 and P8 are fed to a memory M, the four single-bit bistable memory elements includes, which are such that they are by the information from the four photocells upon receipt of a Signal from the timer photocell PT to indicate that a card is in the correct position. So will the correct digital information corresponding to the number of feed units to be given to a cow is stored in the memory M. The signal from the photocell PT is fed to a pulse generator PG through a delay element D, which has a delay period of a few milliseconds, see above that the pulse generator is started a few milliseconds later when the card has arrived in the correct position is. The purpose of the delay is to simply ensure that the correct feed information is stored in memory M before the pulse generator is working. The pulse generator performs a number of pulses at approximately one second intervals both a feed unit F as well as a pulse counter PC. The counter PC is a binary counter that counts up to 15.

The output from the pulse counter PC and the output from the memory M are fed to separate inputs of a comparator C. That Counting continues until the counter output and the feed information in the memory are identical. If those Equality is achieved, an output from the comparator causes a

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Stopping the impulse generator, which prevents further impulses being sent to the feed unit. The output from the comparator also resets the counter and the memory, so that it is possible for the device to accept another card and to evaluate the information from this next card. Preferably, the card reader is provided with a visual indicator that displays. when the processing of the previous card is finished. In this way, the worker can be sure that no card is inserted into the card reader, while the previous Püttervorgang in response to the previous card is still carried out and the store is busy. If a new card is inserted into the card reader too early, it will not be read and, as a result, there will be no feeding process.

BAD OHiQiNAt 109823/1166

Claims (8)

Claims 1. Putter control device for a herd of animals with a feed supply unit at a putter station for the delivery of a signal indicated by an input signal of the feed supply unit Amount of feed, characterized in that a number of feed display elements (16, 41) are provided, each of which has an identity mark showing its affiliation to a certain animal and a desired amount of food for. this animal carries feed information (e.g. 28), and that it also carries a feed unit connected to the feed feed unit (12, F) Feed indicator reading device (14, 4j5) is provided which causes the feed quantity indicated by the feed display element fed to the reading device to be dispensed by the feed feed unit. '· "■' 2. Feed control device according to claim 1, characterized in that that the feed display elements are punch cards (4l). ~ 5. Feed control device according to claim 2, characterized in that the punched cards (4l) and the information perforated there are symmetrical to a longitudinal axis and the feed information is represented by holes perforated symmetrically to the transverse axis of the perforated card and thus a correct reading of the feed information regardless of the orientation the punch card fed to the reader (4 ^). 4. Feed control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the punch cards (41) or other Feed display elements can be picked up after their reading while falling from an inaccessible container (at 45) and so during of a feeding process cannot be read a second time. 109823/1166 5. Feed control device according to claim 1, characterized in that that each food display element has a plate (22) with a number of holes (28) and arranged on an arc of a circle a cover plate - (29), which is used to cover a desired Number of holes is movable, and da3 the reader (14) for Counting the uncovered holes and causing the delivery of an amount of feed corresponding to this number is formed. 6. Feed control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a control system comprising a comparator (e.g. Cl, C), one input of which is that of a feed indicator (16, 4l) read feed amount information assigned 'leads to the delivery of pulses to a pulse counter (PC, PC) equipped pulse generator (E, PG), a connection of the pulse counter with a second input of the comparator and a comparator output responsive to the equality of information from the pulse counter and the Feed quantity information is used to terminate the delivery of pulses to the feed feed unit (e.g. F). 7. Feed control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a plurality of feed supply units (Fl, F2, F3, f4) controlled by a control system with a connected to a single reader (e.g. 4j5), one to each Feed feed unit belonging comparator (Cl, C2, CJ, C4), a Information memory (C) belonging to all comparators for storing the feed information for the animal on the corresponding one Feeding place, one for delivering impulses to a number of the feed supply units arranged individually at each feeding place and a pulse generator (E) connected to a pulse counter (PC), Connections of the pulse counter to second inputs of each comparator and an output of each comparator in response on, the equality of the output of the pulse counter and the feed 109823/1166 information in the corresponding memory for the purpose of stopping or corresponding Has putter supply unit. 8. Feed control device according to claim J, characterized in that it has a card number device (CO) for the purpose of preventing a feeding process until one of a number is read
Feeding places has a corresponding number of cards. 1 0 Γ. '";' - λ / 1 1 R K BATH Blank page