GB1586981A

GB1586981A - Calf rearing-random feed equipment

Info

Publication number: GB1586981A
Application number: GB253477A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Nicholl A J
Current assignee: Nicholl A J
Priority date: 1978-04-21
Filing date: 1978-04-21
Publication date: 1981-03-25

Description

(54) CALF REARING-RANDOM FEED EQUIPMENT (71) We, ANTHONY JAMES NICHOLL of "Pine Ridge", Whitgreave, Stafford, Staffs., and ALEXANDER FRANCIS NIXON of 3 Ferrers Road, Weston, Stafford, Staffs., both British citizens do hereby declare the invention, for we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in an by the following statement: The invention relates to an aparatus which mixes milk powder and water for feeding to young animals only. This machine consists of a metal cabinet which is divided into two compartments. One compartment is larger than the other and houses the hopper, motor table, plastic mixing chamber and insulated container (as shown in Figure 3).

Access to this compartment is via a door at the front of the machine. This compartment has a hinged lid at the top, which when open, allows a view into the plastic hopper used to store milk powder. The other compartment houses the water tank, thermostat, pressure switch, transformer, circulation fan and electrical circuits. Access to this compartment is by means of a removable panel at the side of the compartment.

At the top right hand side of the cabinet there are three switches two neon lights and one fuse holder.

When activated, the powder is augered out of the hopper into the mixing chamber; water at approximately 106 F runs into the inside top rim of the plastic funnel dropping into a plastic chamber where it is vigorously mixed with the milk powder. The mix drops into an insulated container, out of which come two plastic tubes that pass to the exterior via the same number of holes in the back of the cabinet. These tubes are each connected to a rubber teat. These rubber teats are fitted to the side of the animals pen, allowing them to suck the mixture on an ad-libitum basis.

So that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I illustrates the mixing sequence.

Figure 2 illustrates the water system of the invention and components situated in that one section of the cabinet.

Figure 3 illustrates the Hopper, Motor table and insulated container (with all attachments).

Figure 4, 4A and 4B illustrate a more detailed view of the motor table and hopper base.

The following text refers to Figure I.

The mixing sequence is activated as follows: The pressure switch lis de-pressurised with the switch mechanism in a closed circuit situation; this allows a 110 volt A.C.

supply in parallel to activate the solenoid valve 22, the auger drive motor 3 (milk powder) and the mixer motor 4. Powder is dispensed into the plastic funnel 5 by means of an aluminium auger 6 which lies at the bottom of a feed grade plastic hopper 7; at the same time as the powder is beeing dispensed, warm water leaves the metal pipe 8, touching the inside top rim of the funnel 5 and causes the warm water to swirl round the interior of the said funnel 5. As the powder and water drop into the mixing chamber 9, a plastic paddle 10 activated by the mixer motor 4, vigorously mixes the powder and water. The resulting mix drops into a plastic insulated container 11 by means of a plastic delivery tube 12. When the mix reaches its pre-determined level, pressure within the stainless steel tube 13 operates the pressure switch I thereby placing the switch mechanism in an open-circuit situation and the mixing is stopped. The mix within the plastic insulated container II is drawn off by the young animal sucking at a teat 14 which is connected to the insulated container II by a plastic tube 15 at the end of which is fitted a non-return valve 16. When the mix in the insulated container 11 drops below a pre-set level, the pressure switch I is de-pressurised and the sequence is recommenced.

The following text refers to Figure 2.

Water, either from the mains or from a tank, enters the machine through a filter 17 and proceeds to the outlet point 18. Water is held captive in a plastic tank 19 and as the water level rises, so does a ball float 20 until the inlet valve 21 is closed thus preventing further water to enter the tank 19. The element heater 22 heats the water in the tank 19 to the temperature set by a thermostat 23. An outlet pipe 24 takes the heated water to a solenoid valve (Figure 1/2). The pressure switch 25 is situated below the water tank and is fixed to the side of the tank support bracket. An overflow 252 is incorporated to the plastic water tank 19.

The plastic water tank 19 has a lid 26 of the same material and to one side of this lid 26 there is a small bracket 27 which has fastened to it a micro-switch 28. To the arm 29 of the switch 28 is attached a thin metal rod 30 which penetrates the lid 26 and has a float 31 attached to its other end. If for any reason the water level in the tank 19 drops to about one inch above the water outlet point 24, the switch 28 will break the electricity supply to the element heater 22, the circulation fan 32 and components 2, 3 and 4 in Figure 1. The "no water" neon will light-up on the instrument panel indicating that the water level in the tank 19 is not normal. Once the water level in the tank 19 is normal, the float 31 rises causing the arm 29 to put the switch 28 to the "ON" position and re-establish Normal electricity supply to the element heater 22, the circulation fan 32, and components 2, 3 and 4 as shown in Figure 1.

The following text refers to Figure 3.

The hopper 33 is secured to the metal motor table 34 by four screws placed through the lip of the hopper base 35. The motor table 34 is secured to the metal cabinet (on the inside) by a screwthrough the slot 36 which fastens to a metal bracket 37. The metal bracket 37 is welded to the inside of the metal cabinet and serves to support and fasten the metal motor table 34.

The hopper 33 and the motor table 34 can be withdrawn, as one unit, from the metal cabinet simply by removing the two screws placed in the slots 36. disconnecting the water supply to the solenoid valve 39 and removing the electrical connections to the auger drive motor (Figure 1/3), mixer motor (Figure 1/4), solenoid valve (Figure 1/2 and the earth connection (shown in Figure 5).

Once this is done and the lid 38 to the cabinet is opened, the hopper 33 and the motor table 34 may be lifted out as one unit.

The "screw on" lid 40 has four perforations.

One perforation is to fit a stainless steel tube 42; the other fits a plastic delivery tube 43 and the remaining two allow two plastic tubes 44 to enter the insulated container 41.

The purpose of the insulated container 41 is to keep the mix warm. The stainless steel tube 42 has a rim which allows it to "sit" on the lid 40 while the greater part of its body remains in the insulated container 41; just above the rim 45 is the neck 46 over which is tightly fastened a clear plastic tube 47. The other end of this plastic tube 47 is tightly secured to the neck of the pressure switch (Figure 1/1).

The mix leaves the mixing chamber 48 via a plastic delivery tube 43 and is deposited in the plastic insulated container. The mix is drawn-off at a teat 49, suction causes the mix to rise up the plastic tube 44; the mix can only travel in the direction of the teat 49 as the base of the plastic tubes 44 are fitted each, with a plastic non-return valve 50.

Once the two plastic tubes 44- and the stainless steel tube 42 have been removed from the insulated container 41, the plastic mixing chamber can be separated from its housing. This allows the operator to exchange the original set of the mixing chamber 48, delivery tube 43 and insulated plastic container 41 for a spare set of these which is provided with each machine.

The following text refers to Figure 4.

Figure 4 a shows a more detailed view of the hopper base 51 and the motor table 52.

The hopper base 51 is extended to form a lip 53 on two opposite sides of the base. Each "lip" 53 has two perforations 54 which coincide with the same number of perforations 55 in Figure 4 b. By four screws through the perforations 54 (Figure 4a) and those in 55 (Figure 4b), the hopper base 51 and the motor table 52 are tightly fastened together.

The auger drive motor 56 is fastened to the motor table 52 by four screws fitted through four holes 57 in this motor table 52.

Two slots 58 make it possible to fix, with the same number of screws, the motor table 52 to brackets. These two brackets are placed opposite each other on the inside of the metal cabinet (see Figure 3/37).

From the solenoid valve 59 there is a metal pipe 60 which touches the inside top rim of the funnel 61; the neck of the funnel 61 fits into the larger neck of the plastic mixing chamber 62. This cylindrical mixing chamber 62 fits onto a plastic housing 63 causing a seal. From out of the centre of the plastic housing 63, there extends a metal shaft 64 at the end of which there is a plastic paddle 65 which serves to mix the milk powder and water. A neck 66 serves to drain the mix from the mixing chamber 62. To this neck 6 there is fitted a plastic tube which conveys the mix to the plastic insulated container below.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Animal feeding apparatus comprising a hopper, an auger to convey milk powder to a mixing chamber, means for supplying water to the mixing chamber, an insulated container connected to the mixing chamber and containing means to ensure at least a minimum level of liquid in the insulated container, and a teat connected, via a tube, to the insulated container.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mixing chamber, for the milk powder and water, consists of a cylindrical chamber in the interior of which there is a paddle at the end of a shaft, this mixing chamber being detachable from its housing.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and 2 wherein water enters a point above the mixing chamber known as a funnel, by means of a metal spout.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mixing of the milk powder and water is separate from the point from which the mix is eventually withdrawn.

5. Apparatus as claimed wherein the amount of liquid in the insulated container is controlled by means of a metal probe linked to a pressure switch by a plastic tube.

6. Apparatus as claimed wherein the hopper and motor table are fixed together to form one unit, and that this unit is .removable from the metal cabinet.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the motor table has an auger drive motor, a solenoid valve (water control) and a powder/water mixer motor fixed to this motor table by means of screws.

8. Apparatus as claimed wherein the mix is stored in a plastic insulated container.

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. neck 6 there is fitted a plastic tube which conveys the mix to the plastic insulated container below. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. Animal feeding apparatus comprising a hopper, an auger to convey milk powder to a mixing chamber, means for supplying water to the mixing chamber, an insulated container connected to the mixing chamber and containing means to ensure at least a minimum level of liquid in the insulated container, and a teat connected, via a tube, to the insulated container.