GB1564197A

GB1564197A - Fodder distributing

Info

Publication number: GB1564197A
Application number: GB36354/75A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1975-09-03
Filing date: 1975-09-03
Publication date: 1980-04-02
Also published as: DK396276A; DE2639423A1

Description

(54) A FODDER DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM (71) I, RICHARD CHRISTIAN LARSEN, of Husbyvej 43, 9690 Fjerritslev, Denmark, of Danish nationality, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the follow mg statement: This invention relates to a fodder distributing system.

Pigs are normally fed in pig sties using either the so-called dry feeding or so-called wet feeding method. In the latter method, there is used a central mixer system in which the dry feedstuff is mixed with water, whereafter the mixture is conveyed by suitable conveyor means to be supplied to the single pig sties in individual doses. This method is excellent for securing correct mixing and dosing of the feed, but it requires regular extensive cleaning of the mixer and conveyor means. Also, the mixer and conveyor system are expensive.

For these and other reasons, the dry feeding method is often preferred, by which the dry feedstuff is supplied from a central silo or dry feed mixer to the pig sty troughs by suitable conveyor means, e.g. supplied to individually adjustable dosing means adjacent each trough. The required water is taken by the animals themselves from socalled self watering or drinking valves. The conveyor system for the dry feed is simpler than for the wet mixture and does not require much cleaning. The feed portions can be dosed accurately, but the method involves the drawback that the animals get the opportunity to root in the dry feed and push or thrust it out of the trough whereby a quantity of feed gets lost and the dosage gets inaccurate.

With both methods the feed may be dosed individually to the single animals or animal groups by means of corresponding individually adjusting dosing indicators whereby the feeding may be effected in an automatic manner. By way of example, dosing systems for cattle are known in which the dosing is controlled by means of punched cards for each cow.

I have now devised a fodder distributing system for animals, particularly pigs, which combines many of the advantageous features of the wet and dry feeding methods but without many of their disadvantages.

According to the invention, there is provided a fodder distributing system of the type comprising a row of individual fodder troughs, a fodder distributor vehicle which is movable along the row and is provided with a fodder container with discharge means from the container for discharging fodder therefrom into the individual troughs, and a water supply means including a water delivery control means operable to supply water to the individual troughs, the fodder discharge being effected in a selective manner governed by actuator means located adjacent each of the respective troughs and cooperating with discharge control means located on the vehicle and the water delivery control means, such that discharge of fodder and supply of water to each trough is effected substantially concurrently and in response to the vehicle passing said respective actuator means, said actuator means at least for the fodder discharge being adjustable to different settings representing different fodder amounts, characterised in that the vehicle is provided with sensor means for reading the setting of the respective actuator means during the travel of the vehicle and for providing relevant control signals to said discharge control means in accordance with said reading so as to control said discharge means to effect fodder feed accordingly during the travel of the vehicle along each respective trough and wherein said discharge control means and said water delivery control means are powered by a power supply which is not derived from the actuator or sensor means.

Preferably, the actuator means are of the type having an adjustable length extending along the direction of the associated trough, and wherein the discharge means are either fully open or closed, the said discharge means being fully open in response to the discharge means receiving a control signal from said sensor means indicative of the sensor means being moved along a region of the row in which said actuator means extend. The particuarly preferred actuator means are constituted by continous, elongate actuator members of respective selected lengths mounted in the moving path of the sensor means so as to cause said discharge means to be fully operative during the passage of the sensor means along the entire length of each actuating means.

In the system of the invention, the vehicle may advantageously be provided with two or more containers each having associated discharge means and discharge control means, and the vehicle has two or more sensor means located in different positions so that they travel along different paths on movement of the vehicle, each of said sensor means being arranged to control the discharge from one of the containers on said vehicle, said actuator means being arranged to provide, in each sensor means path, individual control of each respective discharge control means. In this arrangement, the actuator means are preferably card members provided with means enabling them to be suspended at different levels corresponding to the levels of the paths of travel of the respective sensor means on the vehicle.

The water supply means may be separate from the vehicle, but more preferably the vehicle includes as one of said containers a water tank and the respective discharge means and discharge control means therefor are constituted by, respectively, a water discharge pipe and said water delivery control means which is in the form of an on/off water valve. In this arrangement, the water valve is preferably operatively connected with the sensor means of said container for fodder whereby said water and fodder are discharged to a trough concurrently.

In the system of the invention, the water and dry fodder can be supplied separately to individual troughs in a controlled manner and mixing of the two occurs in the trough.

A very simple conveyor arrangement can be used as the discharge control means for the dry fodder, since a short outlet spout on the movable container will be sufficient. Not even this spout will require much cleaning.

as it should not necessarily be made wet by the water, which may be supplied through separate discharge means. The container is easily moved along the row of troughs, manually or automatically and may ride over the ground or be suspended from a suitable overhead support.

An important preferred aspect of the invention is to provide a water tank on the distributor vehicle, thereby avoiding the necessity for a separate water installation.

Another important preferred aspect of the invention is that it is possible, in practice, to have two or more feed containers on the vehicle, each having individual discharge means and discharge control means controlled by the actuator means in a selective manner, to automatically supply individually adjusted feed mixtures to the single troughs. Further, veterinary medicine may be dosed automatically from a separate container on the vehicle, by discharging doses thereof into the dry fodder discharge or the water supply when the water discharges from a tank on the vehicle.

The vehicle may be moved manually or in fully automatic manner.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, preferred embodiments thereof will now to be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic top view showing by way of example a feeding system according to the invention for pigs; Figure 2 is a plane side view of an embodiment of fodder distributor vehicle for use in the system; Figure 3 is a plane front view of the vehicle shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating actuator and sensor means; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of fodder distributor vehicle and actuator and sensor means.

In Figure 1 there is schematically shown a pig enclosure 2 provided with eight pig sties 4 arranged in two parallel rows, between which there is an intermediate cleaning passage 6, while between the opposite sides of the pig sties 4 and the outer walls there are formed feeding passages 8 in which a fodder distributor vehicle 10 is adapted to drive along troughs 12 at the outer sides of the pig sties 4. The movement path of the vehicle 10 is defined by means of a rail 14.

Above the troughs 12 is a longitudinal beam 16 (Figures 3 and 4) on which are arranged actuator means constituted by a number of pins 18 adapted to actuate fodder dischge control means and water discharge control means on the vehicle 10 when it passes along the troughs 12 (which is does preferably with constant low velocity).

Between the feeding operations the vehicle 10 as shown in Figure 1 is situated in a feedstuff store-room 20.

During the feeding operation, the vehicle 10 is driven along the rail 14, leaving the room 20 as shown by the arrow 22.

Figures 2 and 3 show a vehicle 10 having an open container 24 for dry fodder and a container for water in the form of a tank 26.

The vehicle 10 is provided with support wheels 28, two of which are guided along the guiding rail 14.

The vehicle 10 is supplied with electric power from a hanging cable 30 supported on an overhead wire 32. The cable 30 is connected to a post 34 at the rear end of the vehicle 10. In addition the upper end of the post 34 is provided with a dual warning or signal lamp 36 indicating which way the vehicle is moving.

The vehicle 10 is provided with an electric motor 38 which, during a feeding operation, causes the vehicle to move forwards with a constant low velocity as indicated by the arrow 40. The motor 38 is reversible so as to return the vehicle 10 to its initial position when it has completed the feeding operation.

The fodder discharge means on the vehicle 10 comprises a tube 42 having a downwardly directed spout 44 which from the container 24 dispenses the dry fodder to the troughs 12 of the pig sties 4 when passing them during the feeding operation. The water from the tank 26 is dispensed to the troughs 12 through a tube 46 having a spout 48. The tube 42 is provided with discharge control means in the form of internal transportation and dosing means, e.g. a conveyor worm by means of which the dry fodder, preferably fodder meal, is fed out to the troughs 12.

Between the tube 46 and the water tank 26 there is interposed discharge control means in the form of a measuring pump or a smaller liquid dosing device, e.g. a solenoid operated valve.

The discharge control means for fodder and water are controlled by sensor means in the form of a common feeler mechanism comprising a feeler arm 50 which projects from the side of the vehicle 10 in which a way that the outer end 52 of the arm 50 may cooperate with the actuator pins 18 on the beam 16. When the vehicle 10 is moving forwards, the pins 18 cause the outer end 52 of the feeler arm 50 to bend rearwardly, and this motion is used for causing actuation of the discharge control means, e.g. a drive motor for said worm and said valve, respectively. It is to be noted that the power supply for energising the discharge control means is not derived from the mechanical movement of the feeler arm 50. This movement serves only to actuate other power means (which are electrical in this embodiment) to drive the respective discharge control means. Thus, by each passage of a pin 18, the vehicle will dispense a dose of fodder and water, respectively, and the total dosage will depend of the numbers of pins 18 along the trough. Since this number is adjustable, the total dosage is correspondingly adjustable.

In Figure 2, there is shown connected to the water outlet tube 46, a medicine container or bottle 54 connected to the tube 46 by means of a particular dosing nozzle (not shown). When the feeler arm 50 meets an inclined block member 56 (Figure 4) placed on the beam 16, there is an upwardly directed movement of the arm 50 and this movement of the arm 50 is used to control discharge of a medicine dose into the tube 46 from which the medicine, together with the next portion of water, is fed into the trough just underneath the indicator block member 56. In this way it is possible to dispense automatically a predetermined medicine dose or number of doses to any troughs 12, e.g. for little pigs just stalled up in a pig sty.

The outer end 52 of the feeler arm 50, as indicated at 60, is swingably connected to the arm 50 so as to allow the feeler arm 50 to freely pass the indicator means on the beam 16 during return movement of the vehicle 10 when this has completed the feeding operation and is on its way back to the food store room 20, in which the vehicle is reloaded.

Even the reloading may be effected fully automatically.

In Figure 5 is shown a preferred embodiment of a fodder distributor vehicle 10'. The container 24' for dry fodder is divided into two smaller containers 25 and 27, of which container room 25, which is considerably larger than container 27, is adapted to contain dry basic feeding stuff such as ground corn, while the smaller container is adapted to contain pulverized protein concentrate. The container 24' is formed as a silo with a funnel-shaped lower part, which for the container 25 issues into a centrally placed transportation worm 62 which is rotatable by means of an electric motor (not shown) so as to convey ground corn from the container 25 forwards to a transverse worm 64. In the bottom of the smaller container 27 for protein concentrate is situated a dosing device 66, which is adapted to dose portions of protein concentrate directly into the transverse transportation screw 64, in which the protein concentrate is mixed with the conveyed ground corn.

The transverse worm 64 is driven by a reversible electric motor 68, whereby the dry feeding stuff delivered to the middle of the worm 64 may be led towards the respective opposed ends thereof as required, the cart being adapted to serve two rows of troughs 12. The worm 64 is at both ends connected to open outlet spouts 70 and 72, from which the dry feeding stuff may freely be led down into fodder troughs 12 at both sides of the feeding passage 8.

The fodder vehicle 10' is provided with a water tank 26', from which the water by means of a pump 74 is supplied through respective outlets 76 and 78 including solenoid valves 80. Between the solenoid valves 80 and the respective outlet ends of the pipes 76 and 78, are arranged medicine dosing devices 82.

At the top of the front side of the container 24' is fixed a transverse beam 84 at each end of which, outside the container, is a group of photoelectric sensors 86 and 88, each group comprising three pairs of opposed lamps and photo cells 90, 92 and 94 situated above each other.

The uppermost pair of sensors 90 is adapted to control the dispensing from the container 25 and water tank 26'. The middle pair of sensors 92 is adapted to control the dispensing from the room 27, while the lowermost pair of sensors 94 is adapted to control the dosing of medicine to the foddering positions.

To activate the respective sensor groups 86 and 88, actuator means are used in the form of cards having different lengths extending in the direction of the troughs and being arranged in the moving path of the respective sensor groups, e.g. hung up on wires 96 and 98 stretched out along both sides of the feeding passage 8. The longitudinal edges of the dosing cards are bent, whereby the cards can be hung on the wire 96 or on each other. The uppermost cards 102 activate the uppermost sensors 90, while the middle and lowermost cards 104, 106 are adapted to activate the sensors 92 and 94, respectively.

The outputs from the worm 62 and the dosing device 66 may be adjusted such that the proportion between the respective feedstuffs is as desired. Otherwise the mixing proportions will be determined simply by the lengths of the respective cards 102, 104, and it will be appreciated that it is very easy for the farmer to adapt the card lengths as required. The medicine cards 106 may be used to control the dose of medicine by pulse control, whereby they may be short, but if required used in consecutive positions.

A control unit C on the vehicle 10' serves to control the dispensing to the opposed trough rows according to the moving direction of the vehicle.

The discharge control means might be adapted so as to be responsive to any kind of code setting means located at the single pig sties or centrally in connection with a driving register means of the foddering vehicle, or even on the vehicle itself.

The correct dosage of the dry feedstuffs is, of course, more important than the corresponding dosage of the water, and it is within the scope of the invention, therefore, to provide for a water supply means independent of the foddering cart, while dosing the required individual amounts of fodder from the cart. It is important, however, that the water be supplied substantially concurrently with, and not substantially later than, the supply of dry fodder, and it is necessary, therefore, to coordinate the supply of fodder and water. The water supply control means is thus arranged to be actuated by the actuator means.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A fodder distributing system of the type comprising a row of individual fodder troughs, a fodder distributor vehicle which is movable along the row and is provided with a fodder container with discharge means from the container for discharging fodder therefrom into the individual troughs, and a water supply means including a water delivery control means operable to supply water to the individual troughs, the fodder discharge being effected in a selective manner governed by actuator means located adjacent each of the respective troughs and cooperating with discharge control means located on the vehicle and the water delivery control means, such that discharge of fodder and supply of water to each trough is effected substantially concurrently and in response to the vehicle passing said respective actuator means, said actuator means at least for the fodder discharge being adjustable to different settings representing different fodder amounts, characterised in that the vehicle is provided with sensor means for reading the setting of the respective actuator means during the travel of the vehicle and for providing relevant control signals to said discharge control means in accordance with said reading so as to control said discharge means to effect fodder feed accordingly during the travel of the vehicle along each respective trough and wherein said discharge control means and said water delivery control means are powered by a power supply which is not derived from the actuator or sensor means.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator means are of the type having an adjustable length extending along the direction of the associated trough, and wherein the discharge means are either fully open or closed, the said discharge means being fully open in response to the discharge means receiving a control signal from said sensor means indicative of the sensor means being moved along a region of the row in which said actuator means extend.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the actuator means are constituted

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. 72, from which the dry feeding stuff may freely be led down into fodder troughs 12 at both sides of the feeding passage 8. The fodder vehicle 10' is provided with a water tank 26', from which the water by means of a pump 74 is supplied through respective outlets 76 and 78 including solenoid valves 80. Between the solenoid valves 80 and the respective outlet ends of the pipes 76 and 78, are arranged medicine dosing devices 82. At the top of the front side of the container 24' is fixed a transverse beam 84 at each end of which, outside the container, is a group of photoelectric sensors 86 and 88, each group comprising three pairs of opposed lamps and photo cells 90, 92 and 94 situated above each other. The uppermost pair of sensors 90 is adapted to control the dispensing from the container 25 and water tank 26'. The middle pair of sensors 92 is adapted to control the dispensing from the room 27, while the lowermost pair of sensors 94 is adapted to control the dosing of medicine to the foddering positions. To activate the respective sensor groups 86 and 88, actuator means are used in the form of cards having different lengths extending in the direction of the troughs and being arranged in the moving path of the respective sensor groups, e.g. hung up on wires 96 and 98 stretched out along both sides of the feeding passage 8. The longitudinal edges of the dosing cards are bent, whereby the cards can be hung on the wire 96 or on each other. The uppermost cards 102 activate the uppermost sensors 90, while the middle and lowermost cards 104, 106 are adapted to activate the sensors 92 and 94, respectively. The outputs from the worm 62 and the dosing device 66 may be adjusted such that the proportion between the respective feedstuffs is as desired. Otherwise the mixing proportions will be determined simply by the lengths of the respective cards 102, 104, and it will be appreciated that it is very easy for the farmer to adapt the card lengths as required. The medicine cards 106 may be used to control the dose of medicine by pulse control, whereby they may be short, but if required used in consecutive positions. A control unit C on the vehicle 10' serves to control the dispensing to the opposed trough rows according to the moving direction of the vehicle. The discharge control means might be adapted so as to be responsive to any kind of code setting means located at the single pig sties or centrally in connection with a driving register means of the foddering vehicle, or even on the vehicle itself. The correct dosage of the dry feedstuffs is, of course, more important than the corresponding dosage of the water, and it is within the scope of the invention, therefore, to provide for a water supply means independent of the foddering cart, while dosing the required individual amounts of fodder from the cart. It is important, however, that the water be supplied substantially concurrently with, and not substantially later than, the supply of dry fodder, and it is necessary, therefore, to coordinate the supply of fodder and water. The water supply control means is thus arranged to be actuated by the actuator means. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A fodder distributing system of the type comprising a row of individual fodder troughs, a fodder distributor vehicle which is movable along the row and is provided with a fodder container with discharge means from the container for discharging fodder therefrom into the individual troughs, and a water supply means including a water delivery control means operable to supply water to the individual troughs, the fodder discharge being effected in a selective manner governed by actuator means located adjacent each of the respective troughs and cooperating with discharge control means located on the vehicle and the water delivery control means, such that discharge of fodder and supply of water to each trough is effected substantially concurrently and in response to the vehicle passing said respective actuator means, said actuator means at least for the fodder discharge being adjustable to different settings representing different fodder amounts, characterised in that the vehicle is provided with sensor means for reading the setting of the respective actuator means during the travel of the vehicle and for providing relevant control signals to said discharge control means in accordance with said reading so as to control said discharge means to effect fodder feed accordingly during the travel of the vehicle along each respective trough and wherein said discharge control means and said water delivery control means are powered by a power supply which is not derived from the actuator or sensor means.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the actuator means are constituted

by continuous, elongate actuation members of respective selected lengths mounted in the moving path of the sensor means so as to cause said discharge means to be fully operative during the passage of the sensor means along the entire length of each actuating means.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the actuating means are constituted by card members and the sensor means comprise means for responding in a touchfree manner to the local presence of a card portion in the moving path of the sensor means.

5. A system according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the vehicle is provided with two or more containers each having associated discharge means and discharge control means, and the vehicle has two or more sensor means located in different positions so that they travel along different paths on movement of the vehicle, each of said sensor means being arranged to control the discharge from one of the containers on said vehicle, said actuator means being arranged to provide, in each sensor means path.

individual control of each respective discharge control means.

6. A system according to claims 4 and 5, in which the card members are provided with means enabling them to be suspended at different levels corresponding to the levels of the paths of travel of the respective sensor means on the vehicle.

7. A system according to claim 5, in which one of said containers is of a size considerably smaller than the other container or containers, and contains a veterinary medicine.

8. A system according to claim 7, in which the discharge means of the medicine container is connected to discharge means of another container through a valve, the operation of which is controlled by a specific respective sensor means.

9. A system according to claim 5,6,7 or 8, wherein one of said containers is a water tank for the water supply means, and the respective discharge means and discharge control means therefor are constituted by, respectively, a water discharge pipe and said water delivery control means which is in the form of an on/off water valve.

10. A system according to claim 10, wherein the said water valve is operatively connected with the sensor means of said container for fodder whereby said water and fodder are discharged to a trough concurrently.

11. A system according to claim 1 substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.