GB2042865A

GB2042865A - Animal Feeding Device

Info

Publication number: GB2042865A
Application number: GB8005091A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-02-14
Filing date: 1980-02-14
Publication date: 1980-10-01
Also published as: DE3000719C2; FR2448852A1; DK147901C; DE3000719A1; GB2042865B; DK64180A; FR2448852B1; BE881539A; IT1130009B; IT8019692A0; AT365888B; NL8000695A; ATA31780A; CH637265A5; DK147901B

Abstract

A feeding device for animals comprises a feed container 1 having an opening 5 at the lower end thereof for supplying feed to a trough 2. A flexible plate 3 at least partly covers the opening 5, thus regulating the supply of feed to the trough. The height of the plate 3 is adjustable by means of a regulating device 4. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Feeding Device For Animals The invention is concerned with a feeding device for animals such as pigs comprising a feed container, and a feed receptable such as a feed trough or tray, wherein the rate of supply of feed from the container to the receptacle is regulated by the animals during eating.

Feeding devices with dosing mechanisms actuated by the eating animals are known, but they have proved only partly successful in practice. For example, feeding devices are known in which the dosing operation is effected via turnable rollers or jointed flaps or the iike.

However, the danger arises that the feed followup from the container is endangered or interrupted as a result of bridge formation especially with dry feed or that the dosing mechanism becomes blocked due to sticking or clogging. Moreover, the dosing possibility is dependent on the type of feed, so that the same dosing quality is not achieved with different types of feed, for example feed meal, on the one hand, and feed pellets, on the other hand.

According to the invention, there is provided a feeding device for animals, comprising a feed receptacle, a feed container having an opening for supplying feed to the feed receptacle, and a plate which at least partly covers said opening and is movable towards the interior of the container.

During eating from the trough, the plate, which is preferably flexible, can be pushed back by the snout of the animal, due to which the delivery of feed is increased. Any bridges which occur are shaken due to these movements of the plate and thus automatically collapse, so that the feed follow-up is ensured. If the feed receptacle, for example a trough, is filled sufficiently, the animal has no cause to push against the plate situated in the rear region of the trough, so that said plate then slows down or stops the follow-up of feed into the trough.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plate is arranged on the inside of a container wall at least partly defining the opening and the opening is at least partly covered from above. For adaption to different feed stuffs or feed qualities to be extracted the plate can be vertically adjustable and its lower edge can form with the bottom of the trough or other feed receptacle an adjustable dosing gap. It is advantageous, in so doing, if the plate itself is made of a flexible material, such as rubber, synthetic rubber or a plastics material.

So that the plate can destroy any bridges which form effectively, it is advantageous if it is suspended from its upper margin. Moreover, it is then freely movable and can effectively be pushed at its lower margin back into the interior of the container by an eating animal.

The plate can have in its upper marginal region a nut or other internally threaded member fixed against turning into which there engages for the vertical adjustment of the plate a rotatable threaded spindle, a crank handle or other means for rotating the spindle. The plate preferably extends into the region of the upper end of the container which preferably tapers downwardly.

During the filling of the container feedstuff is thereby prevented from penetrating between the plate and the container wall occupied by this plate. The plate is preferably suspended from its upper margin against a container wall which slopes inwardly, so that the plate tends to close the opening under gravity against the opening movement applied by the eating animals.

A common wall preferably provides the bottom of the container and the bottom of the feed receptable. This wall preferably slopes away from the container. In this way, the automatic followup of the feed is ensured and can be set in a desired way due to the vertical adjustment of the plate.

In the accompanying drawing:- Figure 1 is a cross-section of a preferred embodiment of a feeding device according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a front view of the feeding device of Figure 1.

As shown in the drawing, a feeding device for animals such as pigs comprises a feed container 1 which is connected via three container walls 1 a, 1 b and 1 c to a feed trough 2. The fourth widesided container wall 1 d lying opposite the container wall 1 a terminates above the container or trough bottom 2a or 2b. It thus forms an opening 5 through which feed can enter the trough 2 from the container 1 the height of the opening is about 5 cm.

On the inside of the container wall 1 d defining the upper edge of the opening 5 there is arranged over the entire container width and lying against this wall 1 d a vertically adjustable plate which is flexible towards the inside of the container 1. This plate 3 partly covers the opening 5 and can be displaced via a regulating device 4 steplessly more or less widely in front of this opening 5. In an extreme case it can be displaced as far as the bottom of 2a or 2b. An adjustable dosing gap 6 thus results between the lower edge of the plate 3 and bottom of the trough.

The plate 3 is suspended with its upper margin on the regulating device. The regulating device 4 has a nut 7 which engages on the plate fixedly against turning and into which there engages for the vertical adjustment a turnable spindle 8 situated fixedly on the container 1 and having a crank handle 9 as turning drive.

Since the container 1 tapers downwardly from above, the plate 3 lies despite its suspension only in the upper marginal region against this container wall 1 d and there occurs upon a bending into the inside of the container a restoring force not only due to the elasticity of the plate and the counterpressure of the feed, but also due to the force of gravity acting upon the plate.

The container bottom 2a goes over into the bottom 2b of the trough 2 and, in so doing, drops diagonally towards the trough 2. If feed is extracted from the trough 2, a part of the feed can follow on from the container 1 through the dosing gap 6. However, an intensification of this followup can be brought about by the animals during eating, if they push with their snouts against the region of the plate 3 which projects into the opening 5. The plate is then bent back, due to which the lower opening is enlarged and more food can flow through. While the animal moves back to pick up this feed, the opening 5 partly closes again, so that an overflow of the trough 2 is avoided. Due to the movement of the plate 3 bridge formations can be prevented or destroyed and yet the entire dosing mechanism is neither susceptible to wear nor capable of being disturbed due to sticking or clogging.

Claims

1. A feeding device for animals, comprising a feed receptacle, a feed container having an opening for supplying feed to the feed receptacle, and a plate which at least partly covers said opening and is movable towards the interior of the container.

2. Feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the plate is arranged on the inside of a container wall so as to at least partly cover the opening from above.

3. Feeding device according to claim 2, wherein the plate is vertically adjustable so that its lower edge forms with the bottom of the food receptacle an adjustable gap.

4. Feeding device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plate is made of a flexible material, such as rubber, synthetic rubber or a plastics material.

5. Feeding device according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the plate is suspended from its upper margin.

6. Feeding device according to any of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an internally threaded member secured to the upper edge of the plate and fixed against turning with respect to the plate into which there engages for the vertical adjustment of the plate a rotatable threaded spindle which is mounted on the container and means for rotating the spindle.

7. Feeding device according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the plate extends into the region of the upper end of the container.

8. Feeding device according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the container tapers downwardly.

9. Feeding device according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein a common wall defines the bottom of the container and the bottom of the feed receptacle.

1 0. Feeding device according to claim 9, wherein said common wall slopes downwardly away from the container.

11. Feeding device according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein a common wall defines the bottom of the container and the bottom of the feed receptacle.

1 2. A feeding device for animals, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.