FR2652990A1 - Cramming (force feeding) apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Equipment intended for cramming poultry, such as ducks, geese, turkeycocks or the like. This cramming apparatus is of the type including a hopper (1) for storing the food material and a motorised endless screw device for conveying this material to the cramming canula (6). According to the invention, the cramming apparatus includes a hopper (1) of high capacity equipped with means for hanging from a carrying structure. This cramming apparatus also includes, forming a seal between the hopper and the canula, at least one device for conveying the food material, which can move at least vertically with respect to the said hopper (1) and allows the movements of the cramming canula (6) to be made at least partly independent with respect to the storage hopper (1). The device for conveying the food material may consist of a sliding piston (7) or of a flexible sheath.

Description

 The present invention relates to devices for force-feeding poultry: ducks, geese, chickens or even turkeys, and more particularly automatic force-feeding systems also called force-feeders, with which the food material reaches mechanically the crop of the animal.

 As we have known for a long time, the force-feeding operation, which consists of a forced fattening of poultry, can be carried out by hand, by introducing the food into the crop of the animal, for example using a funnel. For current diets, this food is based on dry or granular materials, such as cooked corn kernels.

To mechanically force-feed poultry with this type of food, it is known to use funnels fitted with a worm screw, the rotation of which, manual or motorized, drives the product to the animal's esophagus. Such systems are described in the patents
FR-2,339,336 and FR-2,375,820. In the devices presented in these documents, the funnel is connected to the feeding cannula by means of a rigid tube welded to the bottom of the hopper and comprising the motorized endless screw.

 As seen in patent FR-2,375,820, the entire device can be suspended; we must then lead the animal towards the device and adapt its height to the positioning of the cannula. The system provided for in document FR-2,339,336 must itself be lifted and kept above the animal during the force-feeding.

 In both cases, the force-feeding represents a delicate operation, impractical and likely, by the rigidity of the whole installation, to cause lesions at the level of the poultry frill. The devices present also require frequent filling of the funnel; this constitutes a significant loss of time.

 The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks.

 A first object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which facilitates the automatic force-feeding operations of poultry from dry materials such as cooked maize. Another object of the invention is to minimize the risk of injury to the crop of the animal during the force-feeding operation.

 The subject of the invention is a force-feeding device comprising a hopper for storing the food material associated with a motorized endless screw conveying device of this material as far as the force-feeding cannula. According to the invention, this force feeding device comprises a large capacity hopper provided with means for suspending ion to a supporting structure; it also comprises, forming a seal between the hopper and the cannula, at least one device for conveying the food material, movable at least vertically relative to said hopper. This device makes it possible to separate, at least vertically, the movements of the booster cannula relative to the storage hopper.

 According to a first embodiment, the device for conveying the food material consists of a hollow piston comprising, at its lower extremity, the feeding cannula. This piston is guide to slide vertically in the hopper and it is provided with at least one inlet for the food material. The motorized worm is placed in the piston and / or the cannula; it carries the food material to the end of the feeding cannula.

 Still according to the invention, the worm follows the movements of the piston and the cannula; its motorization device is fixed and integral with the carrying structure or the hopper; this motorization device is provided with extensible drive means.

 According to a particular embodiment, these drive means consist of a drive square secured to the upper end of the screw and of the piston, this square is itself driven by a tube subject to the drive means and in which it has the possibility of sliding.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the piston and the cannula, which are movable vertically, are associated with return means in the high position, in the form of a helical spring.

 In this context, a possible embodiment consists in producing a hollow piston extended by the booster cannula, along the same vertical axis. This piston contains the motorized endless screw for the transport of food material and slides in a folder. This jacket is provided with a food material supply light, which light communicates with the food material intake orifice of the piston.

 According to a particular embodiment, the light supplying the jacket corresponds to the inlet opening of the piston when the latter is in the high position; the sliding of the piston in the jacket, for the gavage, realizes the obturation of said orifices and light.

This mechanism allows in particular the feeding of determined doses of product. This dose can also be adjusted by limiting the stroke of the piston in the jacket, for example by means of an adjustable stop.

 Still in this context, another embodiment consists in providing a hollow piston vertically offset with respect to the booster cannula which extends it. This cannula comprises the endless screw controlled by drive means external to the piston and extending parallel to the latter. The piston can then have an upper end open in the hopper and cooperating with a shutter valve which admits food material when said piston is in the high position and the shutter of the feed opening when it is in the low feeding position.

 According to a second embodiment of the invention, the gaveuse comprises a device for conveying the food material, articulated. Preferably, this conveying device consists of a flexible sheath containing a flexible endless screw.

 Such a characteristic makes it possible to partially separate the movement of the cannula relative to the storage hopper. A very flexible system is then obtained which makes it possible to move the cannula at will relative to the hopper in order to bring it in and direct it easily and without risk into the crop of the animal.

 The drive and guidance of the flexible worm can be achieved in different ways. According to a first embodiment, this endless screw is motorized at its upstream end and is guided in a bearing at the level of a handle located near the cannula. According to another embodiment, the motorization of the worm is carried out by means of the guide bearing situated at the downstream end of the device according to a third embodiment, the worm is doubly driven: by leaves at its upstream end and; on the other hand, at the level of the downstream landing.

 Still according to the invention, the endless screw is a peripheral screw with a hollow core; it has a cross-section, substantially ogival, corresponding to a square associated with a half-round. This particular shape allows a correct entrainment of the grainy food material in the flexible sheath.

Still according to the invention, the bearing located near the feeding cannula, consists of a guide ring, the central part of the same diameter as the sheath, has a very limited thickness. This does not slow down the progression of the product and avoid the formation of plugs. This very limited thickness corresponds to that of the means of attachment to the worm
The force-feeder according to the invention is also associated with a set of means which make it possible to improve or facilitate its use.

 The entire device can thus be mounted on wheels to allow movement on the ground or be provided with means ensuring its mobility on an upper guide rail. This suspension, in particular of the storage hopper and the motor means, allows the operator not to bear significant weight during the force-feeding, which makes this operation less painful and minimizes the risks of false movements prejudicial to the animal. .

 The motorization of the force-feeder is associated with a screw drive torque limiter to measure the pressure of the material sent to the crop; means of gavage of a determined dose of product can also be adapted to the device.

 The food material storage hopper is advantageously equipped with a nutrient or therapeutic supplement reservoir which opens directly into said hopper via an adjustable hatch.

 According to another arrangement of the invention, the hopper and the drive unit are suspended by means of height-adjustable means and with a variable center distance relative to the feeding cage. This characteristic makes it possible to fill the hopper by lowering it to the height of a man, it also facilitates the positioning of the cannula in the axis of the animal's neck.

 According to another arrangement of the invention, the hopper for storing the food material is associated with several outlets each provided with a motorized screw feeding system. This allows the feeding of several poultry in "mask time" and thus greatly increase the productivity. The force-feeder is able to force-feed several poultry at the same time; the injection of the corn is started by the operator when the cannula is introduced. This type of force-feeding is advantageously associated with an automatic system for stopping the force-feeding when the animal's crop is completely filled.

 But the invention will be further illustrated, without being in any way limited by the following description of different embodiments, given by way of examples, and shown in the appended drawings in which - Figure 1 is a side view, in section1 d 'a first embodiment of a plunger force feeder according to the invention, - Figure 2 shows, in section, a second embodiment of a plunger feeder, - Figure 3 shows an overview, schematic , of a third embodiment of the gaveuse according to the invention, - Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the downstream end of the gaveuse shown in Figure 3, showing the bearing holding the screw and the cannula force-feeding, - Figure 5 shows, in partial section, another embodiment in which the bearing is motorized, - Figure 6 is an enlarged cross section of the flexible worm, - Figure 7 is a schematic view which shows another possible arrangement of the flexible sheath-worm assembly relative to the storage hopper.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the booster, or gaveuse, includes a hopper 1 of large capacity
(100, 200 liters or more) intended for the storage of food material. This hopper 1 of cylindrical, conical, parallelepipedal or other shape, is suspended from a support plate 2, movable on a fixed frame 3 in the form of a guide rail; the support plate 2 comprises for this purpose a set of rollers 4 intended to circulate in grooves 5 forming rails, provided on the frame 3 to allow the transverse movement of the entire apparatus. The hopper 1. is secured to the rolling plate 2 by any appropriate means such as welding, keying, embedding ...

 Means for conveying the food material, up to the feeding cannula 6, are associated with the hopper 1.

These means consist of a hollow piston 7 arranged vertically and extended along the same vertical axis 8 by the cannula 6. The piston 7 is guided vertically in a jacket 9 which passes through the hopper 1. This jacket 9 consists of a metal tube centered on the vertical axis 8 and open at its two ends. Its upper end is secured to the hopper 1 by means of a fixing lug 10 its lower end is secured to the bottom of the hopper 1 and is heard downwards, outside of the latter.

 Above the bottom of the hopper, the jacket 9 is provided with lights 11 intended for the passage of the food material stored in the hopper. These lights 11 allow the feeding of the booster product to the routing device described below.

 The sliding piston 7 is also provided with orifices 12 for admitting food material, which orifices 12 communicate at least partially and for at least one position of the piston, with the feed lights 11 of the jacket 9.

 Preferably, the intake ports 12 correspond to the ports 11 when the piston 7 is in the high position. In this position, the food material can then flow along the arrows 13 in the lower chamber 7a of the piston, capable of storing a certain amount of force-feeding product. This position corresponds to the food intake phase.

 When the piston 7 is lowered to bring the cannula 6 towards the crop of the animal, its body closes the lights 11 of the shirt causing the stopping of the delivery of force-feeding product. This low position of the cannula is shown in thin dashed lines in FIG. 1.

 In order to allow the food material to be conveyed into the crop of the animal, the piston 7 and the cannula 6 comprise a motorized worm 14. This screw 14 is intended to follow the vertical movements of the piston 7 and the cannula 6; for this purpose, it is provided with extensible upper drive means.

 These drive means are arranged in the piston 7 and in the jacket 9, above the means 11 and 12 for feeding the force-feeding product. They consist of a coupling pin 15 secured to a drive square 16, which axis 15 and square 16 are secured to the piston 7 by means of rings 16a and 16b arranged on either side of a support. fixed 17; this support 17 is welded or riveted inside the piston; it serves as a guide bearing in rotation to the axis 15 and to the edge 16. The screw 14 is welded at the end of the coupling axis 15 to a height sufficient for obtaining an effective torque transmission . The square 16 is itself driven by a tube 18 of corresponding shape in which it has the possibility of sliding. This tube 18 is center and guide in a support 18a serving it as a bearing and integral with the upper end of the jacket 9 ; it is directly subject to the upper motor means integral with the carrying structure 2 and consisting of a motor group 19 fixed on a support 20 arranged on the plate 2. This motor group 19 drives the rotation of the screw 14 by means of the intermediary a transmission belt 21 and an electromagnetic clutch 22 arranged on a cross member 23 secured to the plate 2, above and substantially in the center of the hopper 1. The electromagnetic clutch 22 has an outlet directly coupled to the tube training 18.

 The cylindrical piston 7 has the possibility of sliding on the vertical axis 8 to bring the cannula 6 into the crop of the animal and carry out its force-feeding. These piston-cannula force-feeding means are associated with return means in the high position in the form of a helical spring 24. This spring 24 connects the fixed hopper 1 and the movable piston 7; it is advantageously arranged inside said piston 7, around the drive means 16 and 18 of the screw 14. One of its ends is integral with the piston 7 and in particular with the support 17; its other end is integral with the upper part of the shirt 9.

 As seen above, the lower part of the piston 7, under the orifice 12, determines a chamber 7a, the volume of which conditions the dose of food material for force-feeding. This dose can be adjusted by means of an adjustable stop 25 integral with the piston 7 and consisting of a nut capable of moving over a threaded part. This nut 25 limits, upwards, the stroke of the piston 7 by abutment on the lower end of the jacket 9. It is thus possible to adjust the correspondence between the lights 11 of the jacket 9 and orifices 12 of the piston 7, in the high position , to adjust the volume of food material intended for force-feeding.

 Additional means for automatically starting and stopping the worm can be obtained by a judiciously arranged contactor, respectively when the "cannulated piston" is lowered and raised.

 A second possible embodiment of the "cannulated piston" according to the invention is shown in Figure 2. To simplify the description, the elements common with the first embodiment, Figure 1, retain the same markings.

 The hopper 1, of large capacity, is suspended from a carrier structure, not shown. The bottom of this hopper is extended by a vertical cylindrical jacket 27, open at its two ends and which receives a hollow piston 28. The piston 28, consists of a cylindrical tube, slides in the jacket 27 and in the bottom of the hopper 1 along a vertical axis 29.

 The lower end of the piston 28 opens into a capacity 30, itself extended by the booster cannula 6. This cannula 6 extends vertically along an axis 31 offset from the axis 29 of the piston 28. This offset allows the cannula 6 to receive the motorized screw 14 provided with upper drive means, subject to the drive 19 and to the clutch 22, which drive means are arranged vertically on the axis 31 of the cannula 6, a outside the piston 28 and jacket 27. These drive means can consist, as in the first embodiment, in a drive square 16 capable of sliding in a drive tube 18. Grooved axes can also be used to obtain the desired expandable drive means. Return means of the piston 28, capacity 30 and cannula 6 assembly allow the automatic return of the means for conveying the food material in the high position. These return means consist of a helical spring 32 secured at one of its ends, of the capacity 30 and, at the other extremist, of a lug 33 secured to the hopper 1.

 In this embodiment, the motor means 19 and electromagnetic clutch 22 are directly integral with the hopper 1.

 The upper end of the piston 28 is associated with a shutter valve 34 allowing the selective admission of food material inside said piston. This valve 34 is shown schematically, on an enlarged scale, on the gap of FIG. 2 or it is shown in the low shutter position; its high intake position, which corresponds to FIG. 2, is shown in thin dashed lines.

 This valve 34 consists of two cones assembled by their respective bases; it is extended downwards by a structure 35 made of metallic wires and defining lights 35a for admission of the food material. The structure 35 has the possibility of penetrating into the jacket 27; its feet 35b are capable of cooperating with the head of the piston 28. When the piston 28 is in the high position, its head comes to bear on the feet 35b of the perforated structure 35 to push the valve 34 upwards. The lights 35a then allow the admission of food material into the piston and into the capacity 30. When the piston-cannula assembly descends, to carry out the force-feeding, the valve 34, in the form of a cap, is placed on the seat constituted by the upper edge of the shirt 27 and prevent the admission of force-feeding product.

 The piston 28 can then move freely in the jacket 27 to force-feed the dose of food material included in the volume ending with the capacity 30 and the piston 28.

 The descent of the shutter valve 34 is facilitated by an upper guide system 36 associated with a thrust spring 37. This guide system consists of a rod 36a integral with the valve 34, which rod 36a is guided in a tube 36b in the bottom of which is located the helical spring 37. The latter acts by compression to push on the end of the rod 36a and thus tend to bring down the valve 34 towards its lower seat.

 Automatic starting and stopping means are provided to rotate the motorized screw 14 as a function of the position of the piston-cannula assembly. These means are in the form of contactor 38 disposed in the lower part of the jacket 27, which contactor 38 is controlled by a stop produced by the upper part of the capacitor 30. When the stop is in contact with the contactor 38, the motorization of the screw 14 is stopped; when this contact is no longer established and one is therefore in the feeding position, the motorization is started.

 The two embodiments previously described and respectively represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 fall under the same operating principle; they both comprise means for conveying the food material in the form of a piston-cannula assembly, sliding vertically in the bottom of a suspended storage hopper. The means for admitting the food material into the sliding piston make it possible to manage the quantity of food material used during each force-feeding; these particular intake means determine the position of the drive means of the motorized screw which makes it possible to bring the gavage product to the end of the cannula.

 Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 3 to 7.

This force-feeding device, or force-feeder, always comprises a large capacity hopper 1, intended for the storage of food material. This hopper 1 is suspended from a support bracket 39 secured to an upper guide rail 40 by means of a system 41 for height adjustment. A roller system 42 ensures the mobility of the device on the guide rail 40 which can be placed along the poultry containment and feeding cages.

The hopper 1 is secured to the stirrup 39 by any suitable means such as welding, keying, embedding
Means for conveying the food material, up to the cannula 6 for feeding are associated with the hopper 1. These conveying means consist of a hose 43 provided with a motorized endless screw 44.

 The hose 43 connects the lower part of the hopper 1 and the booster cannula 6. I1 is in the form of a tube made of flexible plastic material; its internal diameter is for example of the order of 24 mm and its length can vary between 0.5 and 2 m, depending on the case and the need.

 The flexible sheath 43 opens into an orifice made at the bottom of the hopper 1 and contains a flexible endless screw 44 intended to transport the food material (for example cooked corn kernels) disposed in the hopper.

 The flexible screw 44 is made of stainless metallic material, in one piece or in several assembled sections; it is spiral-shaped and has a hollow central core. Figure 6 shows a preferred embodiment of the cross section of this screw 44. This section has a substantially ogival profile which corresponds to a square associated with a half-round; this screw therefore has an elongated shape, in cross section, which shape improves the bearing capacity and the traction of the material in the flexible sheath 43.

 For this embodiment, the metal wire used may have a thickness a of 3.5 mm and a height b of 5 mm. Its external diameter is for example of the order of 23 mm. Of course the screw used can be different and include a square, round, oval section ...; we can also consider mounting several screws at the same time in the same flexible.

 The small diameter of the flexible pipes 43 and screws 44 used makes it possible to obtain a space-saving device which is easy to implement.

 A motor group 45 powers the flexible screw 44. This motor group 45 is fixed on a plate 46 welded to the hopper 1; it realizes Ilentranement in rotation of the screw 44 by the intermediary of a transmission belt 47 and an electromagnetic clutch 48 has on a cross-member 49 integral with the caliper 39, above and substantially in the center of the hopper 1 .

 The electromagnetic clutch 48 is provided with a shaft 50 extending in the hopper 1 substantially up to the level of the positioning orifice of the flexible sheath 44. The shaft 50 is secured to the upstream part of the screw 44 The motor 45 can for example consist of an electric motor of 250 watts, at constant speed, associated with a variator of the mechanical type for adjusting the speed (0 to 1000 revolutions per minute for example); it can also consist of a variable speed motor with its associated variator.

 The flexible sheath 43 on the orifice of the hopper 1 and the flexible screw 44 on the shaft 50 can be secured by any conventional means, but quick, conventional coupling means will be preferred, in particular for allow easy and quick replacement of a possibly defective sheath-screw assembly.

 The downstream end of the flexible screw 44 is guided in a bearing 51 which makes the connection between the flexible sheath 43 and the booster cannula 6. The detail of this bearing is shown in FIG. 4. This bearing 51 consists of a crown or washer 52 whose central part, of the same diameter as the flexible sheath, is secured to the screw 44 by any suitable means such as welding, screw, rivet or the like. The screw 44 therefore drives the crown 52; the central part of this crown has a very limited thickness so as to avoid the formation of plugs during the transfer of food. This thickness will be minimal; it corresponds to that of the securing means with the screw 44. The crown 52 is mounted in the fixed body 53 of the bearing 51, on ball bearings 54 which guide the two parts 52 and 53 relative to one 'other.

 The bearing 51 is extended on each side by sleeves 55 and 56 which respectively receive the flexible sheath-43 and the cannula 6, which is intended to penetrate into the throat of the animal to be force-fed. This cannula 6 is identical to that of the embodiments previously described; it consists of a simple plastic or metallic tube; the screw 44 penetrates therein in part so as to carry out the entrainment of the food material as far as possible, downstream.

 This screw 44, fixed at its two ends, on the one hand on the shaft 50, and, on the other hand, on the crown 52, allows the entrainment by friction of the dry or granulated food material stored in the hopper 1 The grain passes through the central friend of the screw and arrives at the level of the feeding cannula at a flow rate determined by the speed of rotation of the motor 45.

 Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5, in which the transfer screw 44 is buried at the level of the bearing 51. The drive is produced by the motor means 45 (not shown in FIG. 5) which control the drive element 57, the head 58 of which engages on a drive pinion 59 via a drive edge 60. The drive pinion 59 drives the crown 52 which, in this mode of realization, is provided with peripheral teeth.

 In the case where the length of the flexible sheath is large, the worm can be doubly entralrée on the one hand at its upstream end by the shaft 50 which is heard from the electromagnetic clutch and, on the other hand, downstream, by the bearing 51, as shown in FIG. 5. Depending on the conditions of use and if this proves necessary, other drives are possible and it will then be necessary to provide several bearings.

 In order to allow a good grip of the device and to facilitate the feeding operation, the bearing 51 can be provided with a handle or sleeve, not shown.

 The upstream end of the flexible screw 44 is connected to the electromagnetic clutch 48 which acts as a limiter of the driving torque of the screw. This torque limiter controls the pressure of the food material sent to the crop of the animal; it has the function, as for the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2, to separate the drive means and the screw when this pressure exceeds a predetermined value.

 The force-feeder as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 or 3 is intended to be positioned near cages or batteries for raising geese, ducks, hens, or even turkeys. The rails 3 or 40 can be mounted along the animal containment cages; thus, the simple manual or motorized movement of the apparatus makes it possible to position the hopper 1 and the feeding device near the animal to be force-fed.

 As shown in FIG. 3, in the third embodiment of the invention, the large capacity hopper 1, for example 200 liters, is filled with food material such as cooked corn kernels, by a upper opening or by a side hatch arranged in the upper part. This operation can be facilitated by the system 41 for adjusting the height of the hopper-motor means assembly.

 This adjustment system, which can be adapted to the embodiments represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, consists of a helical spring 61 connecting the stirrup 39 and a swivel block 62 integral with the support 63 of rollers 42. This device is completed by a system of links 64, 65, 66, 67, forming a deformable parallelogram. This device 41, with variable center distance, allows the height of the force-feeder to be adjusted easily and in all directions relative to the ground.

This characteristic notably allows the operator to easily fill the hopper by lowering it to breast height; it also allows you to adjust the position of the force-feeder and in particular of the cannula 6 in the axis of the poultry's neck.

 A locking device keeps the hopper associated with the motor means in the high position.

This locking system is active when the spring 61 is fully retracted; it consists of a spindle 68 provided with a notch intended to cooperate with a ball associated with a thrust spring (not shown), placed at the bottom of the swivel block 62.

 The diet of poultry is linked on the one hand to their physical condition and, on the other hand, to the product which one wishes to obtain. It is therefore sometimes essential to combine nutritional or therapeutic supplements with their traditional food. To this end, the hopper 1 may comprise, as shown in FIG. 3, a reservoir 69 disposed laterally and intended to contain all types of products. This reservoir 69 opens into the hopper 1 near the flexible sheath-hopper coupling orifice; it is provided, at its lower level, with an adjustable hatch in the form of a dosing screw 70 for the incorporation at will of the product to be administered during the force-feeding (antibiotic, lactic ferment, vitamin supplement, etc.).

 For all of the embodiments shown, after starting the motor means, by means of a switch not shown, arranged for example at the level of the cannula 6, the force-feeding of the animal is carried out very easily by introduction of said cannula 6 in the crop. The weight of the hopper 1 is in no way supported by the operator. The mobile food material conveying device consists of a sliding piston or a multidirectional flexible connection making it possible to direct the nozzle 6, at least vertically, to bring it towards the crop of the animal; this eliminates the risk of injury encountered when using rigid systems. This mobility is obtained between the fixed hopper 1 and the booster cannula 6; it makes it possible to partially separate the movements of the feeding cannula relative to the storage hopper in order to easily convey the grain from any point to the crop of the animal and without risk for the latter.

 The two main types of force feeders, fitted either with a sliding piston conveying device or with a flexible screw conveying device, each have their own specificities requiring certain particularities.

 Thus in the context of the flexible screw system, the flexible sheath containing the worm can be free, as described above or guided in any system allowing to facilitate its articulation during the deformable parallelogram feeding, articulated arm ...

 Also shown, Figure 3, an endless screw 44 which emerges vertically from the hopper. It is obvious that this outlet can vary, depending on the type of force-feeder, and also be either horizontal, or inclined. For example, there is shown, Figure 7, a hopper 1 associated with a flexible screw 44 contained in a flexible sheath 43, which screw 44 extends horizontally from the bottom of said hopper. In this case, the screw drive means can be located outside the hopper by coupling directly with the drive edge 71.

 Still in the context of a flexible screw, the force-feeding device may include means for automatically stopping the force-feeding when it is finished. These means are particularly appreciable under conditions of force feeding in mask time.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, these automatic stop means consist of a substantially vertical rod 72, secured at one of its ends, the cannula 6 or the bearing 51 and, at its other extremist, a fixed support 73 secured to the lower part of the hopper. The rod 72 is slidably mounted on the fixed support 73 by means of a longitudinal lumen 74 cooperating with a stud 75. The fixed support 73 is provided with a stop switch 76 controlled by a stop 77 disposed on the rod mobile 72.

Once the hopper is positioned high with respect to the animal to be force-fed and the force-feeding operation initiated, the crop gradually fills causing the cannula 6 to rise and, by the same token, the integral rod 72. The stop mobile 77 approaches the fixed stop switch 76 and trips the latter as soon as the "end of booster" position is obtained. The positioning of the stopper 77 on the rod 72 is previously determined to stop the operation at the desired force-feeding level. These means are equivalent to the simple contactor 36 provided in the embodiment of the sliding piston, FIGS. 1 and 2.

 To allow the gavage of a determined dose of food in the crop of the animal, from a flexible screw, as can be done from the embodiments with sliding piston, it is possible to have a counter screw turns, for example on the caliper 39 hopper support. Knowing the quantity of food leaving the cannula for a turn of the screw, it is easy to have the revolution counter control an audible alarm or directly the electromagnetic clutch or the motor to allow the device to stop. from a given number of revolutions. Controlling an audible warning device can allow the operator to release the start-up switch for the force-feeder; a direct command to the electromagnetic clutch or to the motor allows automatic stopping of the force-feeding and may be advantageous in the case of a machine provided with several routing devices and working in masked time.

 Indeed, and for all the embodiments of the invention, several routing devices can be provided, each leaving from an orifice disposed at the lower part of the hopper 1. Each screw-cannula system can then be provided with '' an independent or simultaneous training device. This characteristic optionally allows the same operator to work in mask time, that is to say force-feeding several poultry at the same time. This can in particular be obtained by the use of force-feeding cages positioning the animal automatically and precisely, as described for example in patent FR-A-2 618 976.

 In the context of the embodiments with sliding piston, it is also possible to envisage replacing the rigid cannula with a flexible sheath provided, at the end, with a conventional cannula. This makes it possible to obtain a system in which the cannula can be directed at will and thus, for example, force-feeding several animals without moving the hopper.

 The reference signs inserted after the technical characteristics mentioned in the claims are intended only to facilitate the understanding of the latter and in no way limit their scope.

Claims (21)

- CLAIMS  1.- Feeder with hopper (1) for storing food material and motorized endless screw conveying device (14, 44) of this material to the feeding cannula (6), characterized in that it comprises a large capacity hopper (1) provided with means for suspending a supporting structure, which force-feeding also comprises, forming a seal between the hopper (1) and the cannula (6), at least one device for conveying the food material , movable at least vertically relative to said hopper (1) and making it possible to partially separate the movements of the feeding cannula (6) relative to the storage hopper (1).  2. Force feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a device for conveying the food material consisting of a hollow piston (7, 28) comprising, at its lower end, the feeding tube (6), which piston (7, 28) is guided to have the possibility of sliding vertically in the hopper (1) and is provided with at least one orifice (12, 35) for admission of the food material.  3. Feeder according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises an endless screw (14) disposed in the piston (7, 28) and / or the cannula (6), which screw (14) carries out the routing from the food material to the end of the feeding cannula (6).  4. Force feeding device according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises an endless screw (14) which follows the movements of the piston (7, 28) and of the cannula (6), its motorization device (19, 22 ) being fixed and integral with the carrying structure (2) or the hopper (1), said motorization device (19, 22) being provided with extensible drive means.  5. Feeder according to claim 4, characterized in that the drive means of the worm (14) consist of a drive square (16) integral with the upper end of the screw (14) and the piston (7, 28), which square (16) is itself driven by a tube (18) subject to the drive means (19, 22) and in which it has the possibility of sliding.  6. Force feeding device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a piston  (7, 28) and a cannula (6) associated with return means in the high position, which means are in the form of a helical spring (24, 32).  7. Feeder according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a hollow piston (7) extended by the feeding cannula (6) along the same vertical axis (8), said piston (7 ) containing the motorized endless screw (14) for conveying the food material to the cannula (6) for feeding.  8. A force-feeding device according to claim 7, characterized in that the piston (7) slides in a jacket (9) provided with at least one feed light (11) in food material, which light (11) communicates with the 'inlet opening (12) of the food material of the piston (7).  9. Feeder according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a jacket (9) provided with a supply light (11) which corresponds to the inlet orifice  (12) of the food material of the piston (7), when the latter is in the high position, the sliding of the piston  (7) in the jacket (9) closing off said orifice (12) and light (11).  10. Force feeding device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that it comprises an adjustable stop (25) limiting the stroke of the piston (7) in the jacket (9) to adjust the correspondence of the light d 'feed (11) and the intake port (12) and thereby adjust the volume of food material contained in said piston (7) for feeding.  11. A force-feeding device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a hollow piston (28) offset vertically relative to the booster cannula (6) which extends it, which cannula (6) comprises the worm (14) controlled by drive means  (16, 18), outside the piston (28) and extending parallel to the latter.  12. Feeder according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises a piston (28) whose upper end which slides in the hopper (1) is open and cooperates with a shutter valve (34), which valve (34) allows the admission of food material when the piston (28) is in the high position and closes the feed opening (35) when said piston (28) is in the low feeding position.  13. A feeder according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an articulated conveying device, allowing the arrival of food material from the suspended hopper (1) up to the cannula (6) for feeding.  14. A force-feeding device according to claim 13, characterized in that the device for conveying the food material consists of a flexible sheath (43) containing a flexible endless screw (44), motorized at least at a guide bearing (51).  15. A force-feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it includes a torque limiter for driving the screw (14, 44), for measuring the pressure of the material sent at the level of the crop. .  16. Feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the hopper (1) is provided with means ensuring its mobility on a guide rail (3, 40).  17. Feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that it comprises a hopper  (1) associated with an integral tank (69), which tank  (69), intended to contain nutritional or therapeutic supplements, opens into said hopper (1) via an adjustable hatch (70).  18. Feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that it comprises means  (41) for adjusting the height of the hopper position (1) and of the motorized drive group of the motorized screw.  19. Feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that it comprises a hopper (1) provided with several juxtaposed outputs.  20. A force-feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that it includes means for automatically starting and stopping the force-feeding.  21. A force-feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that it comprises means allowing the force-feeding of a determined dose of product.