FR2498889A1 - Electronically timed multi compartment pet animal feeder - uses wound spring to rotate multi-compartment bowl when electronic timer releases escapement mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

The automatic animal feeder has a multi-compartment bowl with a cover allowing access to only one compartment at a time, and a timed escapement mechanism allows the following food compartment to appear beneat the opening at pre-set intervals. The food bowl (12) has multiple, equally dimensioned compartments and is carried on a shaft. A cover with an opening corresponding to the shape of one food compartment is fitted over the bowl. A wound spring drives the shaft round when allowed by an escapement mechanism having a ratchet wheel with teeth at the same angular spacing as the food compartments. A solenoid releases the escapement when the solenoid is activated by an adjustable electronic timing circuit. The device is intended for the feeding of pet animals when their keepers are absent.

Description

 The present invention relates to a device for the periodic feeding of animals and in particular for the feeding of dogs.

 We know that one of the difficulties encountered by owners of domestic animals is that it is necessary to provide them with food periodically, including during periods of absence.

 The present invention solves this problem by providing a device for feeding food to a pet such as a dog for a number of days.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a device for feeding animals, characterized in that it comprises,
a / a self-propelled turntable, having a plurality of identical regularly spaced supply compartments arranged in a circle, and mounted on a vertical shaft in the center of said plate or on a set of mechanical bearings, said plate being provided with a mechanism allowing a cyclic succession of rotations and stops driven by a conventional self-propelled drive device using a spring device, a magnetic drive device or an electric drive device combined with a friction drive device, a plate and pinion device or a wheel and belt device, each rotation and stop cycle of said drive mechanism being designed to rotate a given compartment and stop it in a position occupied by the identical previous compartment and said cyclic drive mechanism being controlled by any conventional sequential timer actuation device or mechanism or by any device f or actuation mechanism with programmed or programmable electronic sequential timer of known type and,
b / a fixed cover suspended above the turntable, said cover being provided with an opening identical to each of the compartments which are identical in size and shape or smaller.

 In another embodiment, the tray is fixed and the cover is rotatable.

In this variant, the subject of the invention is a device for feeding animals, characterized in that it comprises,
a / a fixed tray having a plurality of identical regularly spaced supply compartments arranged in a circle and,
b / a self-propelled rotating cover suspended above the fixed tray, said cover being provided with an opening identical to each of the compartments which are identical in size and shape or smaller, said cover being mounted on a vertical axis in the center of said tray or on a set of mechanical bearings, said cover being provided with a rotation and cyclic stop mechanism driven by any conventional self-propelled drive mechanism using a spring device, a magnetic motor device or an electric motor device combined with a device friction drive, a plate and pinion device or a wheel and belt device, each rotation and stop cycle of said drive mechanism being arranged to rotate said cover to bring its opening from above a compartment above the next identical compartment and said cyclic drive mechanism being controlled by any device or actuation mechanism nt with conventional sequential timer or by any device or actuation mechanism with programmed or programmable electronic sequential timer of any known type.

A particular embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the appended schematic drawing in which
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an animal feeding device according to the invention,
FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation view and,
Figure 3 is a plan diagram showing the interaction of the ratchet wheels and the anchor.

 As shown in the drawings, a pinion 3 'mounted under a flat gear 3, a spring 4 and two ratchet wheels 5 and 6 provided with teeth of opposite shapes, are assembled on a main shaft 7 in a casing 2 placed in the center of a main container 1. Two non-return pawls 8 and 8 'are fixed8 relative to the ratchet wheels 6 and 3.

 A timer 9 is connected to the central ratchet wheel 5.

 An anchor it moves back and forth when an electromagnet it is activated by the timer 9. At the upper end of the main shaft 7 is formed a groove 7 'which allows it to be connected to an axis 12 "for connect the lower and upper parts of the device. The axis 12 "supports a container 13 divided into a number of compartments 12 and 12 'and a cover 15 is provided to cover the container 13.

An opening 14 is provided in the cover 15 and corresponds in size and dimension to a compartment 12 and 12 '. A lever 16 is used to wind the spring 4. An illuminating signaling device 17 and a timer setting 18 are also provided.

The timer 9 operates for example in direct current.

 This device operates in the following manner.

 The cover 15 is removed to fill each compartment 12 and 12 'with food, after which the cover 15 is replaced. The lever 16 is mounted on the central axis of the pinion 3 which protrudes and is actuated to wind the spring. This simultaneously rotates the flat pinion 3 and the outer end of the spring 4 mounted just above the pinion 3. Because the inner end of the spring 4 is fixed to the main shaft 7, the shaft 7 tends to move under the effect of the elasticity of the spring 4 but the anchor 11 acts as a brake to prevent the ratchet wheel 5 from moving. The ratchet wheel 5 is kept stationary until the electromagnet 10 is actuated by the timer 9 to rotate the cover 15.

 Animals and in particular dogs can therefore be safely left at home, tied up or not, without the risk of going hungry. The dimensions of the device can be adapted according to the type of animal to be fed and the time interval can be adjusted as desired.

 This device is not limited to dogs but can for example be used also for birds.

Claims (2)

 1. Device for feeding animals, characterized in that it comprises,  a / a self-propelled turntable (13), having a plurality of identical regularly spaced supply compartments (12) arranged in a circle, -and mounted on a vertical shaft (12 ") in the center of said tray or on a set of mechanical bearings , said plate being provided with a mechanism allowing a cyclic succession of rotations and stops driven by a conventional self-propelled drive device (4) using a spring device, a magnetic motor device or an electric motor device combined with a device -of friction drive, a plate and pinion device or a wheel and belt device, each rotation and stop cycle of said drive mechanism being designed to rotate a given compartment and stop it in a position occupied by the same preceding compartment and said cyclic drive mechanism being controlled by any actuating device or mechanism (9) with conventional sequential timer ional or by any device or mechanism of actuation with a sequential electronic programmed or programmable timer of known type and,  b / a fixed cover (15) suspended above the turntable, said cover being provided with an opening (14) identical to each of the compartments which are identical in size and shape or smaller.  2. Device for feeding animals, characterized in that it comprises,  a / a fixed plate (13) having a plurality of regularly spaced identical supply compartments (12) arranged in a circle and,  b / a self-propelled rotating cover (15) suspended above the fixed plate, said cover being provided with an opening (14) identical to each of the compartments which are identical in size and shape or smaller, said cover being mounted on a vertical axis at center of said plate or on a set of mechanical bearings, said cover being provided with a rotation and cyclic stop mechanism driven by any conventional self-propelled drive mechanism (4) using a spring device, a magnetic motor device or a electric motor device combined with a friction drive device, a plate and pinion device or a wheel and belt device, each cycle of rotation and stop of said drive mechanism being arranged to rotate said cover to bring its opening from above a compartment above the following identical compartment and said cyclic drive mechanism being controlled by any device or mechanism actuation me (9) with conventional sequential timer or by any device or mechanism of actuation with programmed or programmable electronic sequential timer of any known type.