GB2124879A - Poultry drinkers - Google Patents

Abstract

A poultry drinker has an annular trough located at the lower edge of a hollow annular skirt member (31) having a cross-section which decreases upwardly. The skirt has an upper part (51) and a lower part (52) which are connected by a snap joint (53). The upper part (51) has a downwardly depending spigot (54) which has an inner cylindrical wall (55) and a lower outwardly and upwardly flared outer wall (56) and a circumferentially outwardly extending groove (57). The lower part (52) has an inwardly directed flange(58). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Poultry drinkers This invention relates to poultry drinkers of the kind comprising an annular trough located atthe lower edge of a hollow annular skirt memberwhose cross section decreases upwardly. Such skirt members have various shapes and may, for example, be generally bell-shaped ormay have a loweralmostcylindrical or slightly conical portion and an upper inverted funnelshaped or dome-shaped portion.Means are provided for supplying waterto the trough to replenish water which evaporates or is drunk by the birds,thewater supply being controlled by a valve which, for example, may be a float-control led valve located within the skirt member level with the trough or a weight-controlled valve located adjacent the top ofthe skirt member, often in a stem or head portion extending above the top ofthe skirt portion.

A problem with drinkers ofthe construction described is that for their value they occupy considerable space so that packing and transport costs represent a substantial proportion of the selling cost, particularly where the drinkers are shipped overseas.

According to the present invention, a poultry drinker comprises an annular trough located atthe lower edge of a hollow annular skirt member having a cross section which decreases upwardly and a parting adjacent its upper end with a snap connection between the two parts. With this construction, the lower skirt part may be shipped separately from the trunk portion constituting the remainder of the drinker. The lower skirt parts will nest to a greater or lesser extent and preferably are shaped to nest substantially completely so there is little or no space between adjacent skirt parts.The said trunk portions ofthe drinkers, i.e. the drinkers withouttheflared skirt members, can be packed much closertogetherthan with the lower skirt parts in place; in some cases further economies in shipping space will be available by shipping thetrunkportions as two or more components or sub-assemblies. The space saving is particularly valuable with drinkers ofthe kind which are suspended and the valve is controlled by the weight of water in the trough, the skirt member being empty. However, space savings can be obtained, albeitto a lesser degree, when the skirt member is partially occupied by a valve and/or a stand to support the drinker from the floor.

The snap connection maytake various forms but preferablythere is a spigotsectionformingthe lower end ofthe upper partoftheskirt memberto enterthe upper open end ofthe lower part of the skirt member.

The said upper open end may be formed with an inwardly directed flange to engage in an outwardly facing circumferential groove in the spigot section which may have an outwardly and upwardly flared surface belowthe groove to lead the flange into the groove. The outer surface of the skirt may form a downwardly facing step in wayofthe partition between the two parts. Although the spigot, the flared surfacethereon,thegroovetherein andtheflange may each be circumferentially continuous one or more may be interrupted to afford more flexibility and less resistance to engagement as may be required.

In a preferred embodiment the lower end of the upper part is in the form of a number of spaced tabs, for examplefoursimilarspaced tabs each ofthe spacings between the tabs extending approximately the same distance around the circumference as the tabsthemselves.Alip mayalso be provided on the inside surface of the upper end ofthe skirt. The lipfitsthe space between the tabs, the lip mayfurther be shaped to have an inwardly extending portion and then a portion extending along but spaced from the circumference ofthe skirt. The portion ofthe lip extending along but spaced from the circumference of the skirt fits behind the tab when the skirt member and upper part are fitted together. This further helps to holdthetwo parts in place when fitted together.

Preferably, there arethe same number of lips as there are spaced tabs.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways but one drinker embodying the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 isacross-sectionthroughthedrinker; Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-section of the region adjacent the upper end ofthe skirt of the drinker; Figure3 isaviewsimilarto Figure2 butwith a modified snap connection; and Figure 4 is a plan view ofthe upper end of the skirt showing one form of shaped lip.

The drinker shown in Figure 1 is but for the modifications to be described below identical to that described in GB 1559746Ato which reference may be made for further details. The reference numerals below 50 are those used in that specification and the description of the embodiment contained in that specification will not be repeated herein.

As can be seen most clearly from Figure 2, the skirt portion 31 is divided into an upper part 51 and a lower part 52 which are connected by a snap joint 53.The snap joint is formed by the upper portion having a downwardly depending spigot section 54, the inner wall 55 of which is cylindrical and the outer wall of which isformed bya lower outwardly and upwardly flared surface 56 and a circumferentially outwardly opening groove 57. The lower portion 52 informed with an inwardly directed flange 58.The lower portion can be attached to the upper portion by offering the lower portion upto the upper portion so thatthe inner circumferential surfaceformingthe rimoftheflange 58 will slide up the flared surface 56 with elastic stretching oftheflange 58 and compression of the spigot 54 until the flange snaps into the groove 57. It will be seen that atthe partition between the upper and lower parts of the skirt the outer circumference of the upper part is slightly greaterthan that ofthe lower part so that a downwardly facing step 59 is formed.

Figure3 is a viewsimilarto Figure 2 of a modified snap connection. Where the parts in both Figures are the same they are not referred to and only the The drawing(s) originally filed was/were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

differences are dealt witch below. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2 the lower end of the upper part 31, that is the spigot 54, the flared surface thereon; the groove therein or the flange extend around the circumference uninterrupted. In the embodiment shown in Figure3the lower end ofthe upperpartis in the form offour spaced tabs 60 so that the spigot, the flared surface thereon and the groove are interrupted around the circumference. The tabs 60 extend down wardlyfrom the upper part 51 ,there is a notch 61 on each side ofthetab 60 producing a shoulder 62.The tab then slopes inwardly and downwardly at 63 to the lower surface 64, the surfaces 63 and 64 being joined by a cut away portion 65. The tabs and the gaps between the tabs preferably extend approximately the same distance around the circumference. The upper end ofthe skirt 52 is provided with an inwardly projecting lip 66 which fits into the space between two adjacent tabs 60. Preferably, there are the same number of tabs as there are lips i.e. four in the illustrated embodiment.

The lip or lips may further be shaped as shown in Figure4each lip 66 having an inwardlyextending portion 67 followed buy a portion 68 which extends along but spaced from the inside circumference 69 of the skirt 52. When the upper part 51 is fitted to the skirt 52 the tabs 60 are so positioned above the gaps between the lips 66 and then pushed downwardly so thatthetabs 60 aresnap-fitted into position holding the upper part 51 to the skirt 52. The upper part is then rotated clockwise so that the notch 61 in the tab 60 abuts the end 70 ofthe portion 67 ofthe lip and the shoulder 62 of the tab is fitted underthe end 70. The portion 68 fits against the inside edge of the tab. The operation is reversed when the two parts 51 and 52 are separated. Such a construction holdsthetwo parts 51 and 52 together giving stability and rigidity and holding thetabsfirmly in place.

Claims (8)

1. Apoultrydrinkercomprising an annulartrough located atthe lower edge of a hollowannularskirt member having a cross section which decreases upwardly and a parting adjacent its upper end with a snap connection between the two parts.

2. A poultry drinker as claimed in Claim 1 in which there is a spigot section forming the lower end ofthe upper part ofthe skirt memberto enter the upper end ofthe lower part ofthe skirt member.

3. A poultry drinker as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which the upper end ofthe lower part has an inwardly directedflangeto engage in an outwardly facing circumferential groove in the spigot section, the spigotsection having an outwardly and upwardly flared surface belowthe groove to lead the flange into the groove.

4. A poultry drinker as claimed in any ofthe preceding claims in which the outer surface ofthe skirt forms a downwardlyfacing step in the way ofthe partition between the two parts.

5. A poultry drinker as claimed in Claim 3 or4 in which at least one ofthespigot,theflared surface thereon, the groove therein or the flange is interrupted circumferentially.

6. A poultry drinker as claimed in Claim 5 in which the lower end ofthe upper part is in the form of a number of spaced tabs.

7. A poultry drinker as claimed in Claim 6 in which the upper end ofthe skirt has a lip which fits in the space between two adjacenttabs.

8. A poultry drinker substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 1 and 3 ofthe accompanying drawings.