GB2132867A - Feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

A feed dispenser which can be placed in pigsties is made for example from rustproof material. The feed dispenser includes a pivotal feed drawer (5) which is activated by the animals themselves, and a certain amount of feed will slip over the edge between a plate (1) and the bottom of the feed drawer (5) and will end up in a crib (not shown) located below the drawer. The animals are not fed too much or too little because the drawer (5) produces a mechanical vibration which prevents the feed becoming stuck in the feed container (4) which is placed over the feed drawer (5). <IMAGE>

Description

against a stopper (3) which is placed on the rear plate of the feed container. This will result in a kind of mechanical vibration which prevents the feed being stuck in the feed container. An adjusting screw (6) is placed on the one side of the feed container to adjust the amount of feed delivered to the drawer.

The feed drawer (5) will be activated when the animals move against the plate (1) and the feed drawer will be pressed back and when it moves to its starting position a certain amount of feed will be delivered and will slip over the edge between plate (1) and the bottom of the feed drawer (5) and end up in a crib (not shown) which is located below the drawer.

The predetermined amount of feed which is delivered by activating the feed drawer (5) is also dependent on how big the distance is between the front plate (7) and the bottom of the feed drawer (5).

If the distance between the bottom of the front plate and the bottom of the feed drawer is reduced or increased the dispenser respectively delivers lesser or greater feed doses when the feed drawer (5) is activated.

1. A feed dispenser comprising a piviotal feed drawer located under a feed container, said feed drawer being activated when an anima! touches a plate (1 ) at the front edge of the feed drawer (5), to deliver an amount of feed.

2. A feed dispenser as claimed in claim 1, in which an adjusting screw is provided to adjust the amount of feed delivered to the feed drawer.

3. A feed dispenser as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which a solid piece of iron is attached to the rear edge of the feed drawer so that when the drawer is activated the iron piece will strike against a stopper placed at the rear of the feed container and thereby generate a mechanical vibration.

4. A feed dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

SPECIFICATION Feed dispenser This invention relates to a feed dispenser for use for instance, in pigsties to prevent the pigs being fed too much or too little.

By known feed arrangements it is not unusual for the feed to stick in the silo and the lack of feed will cost unrest among the animals. It is also possible to feed too much by the known arrangements which results in bad feed and causes diarrhoea among the animals.

From U.S. Application No. 3504654 another feed arrangement is known. According to the presentation of the subject this feed arrangement is not able to supply an exact amount of feed per dose because a rounded plate (13) which forms the bottom in a pipe (12) is activated through a handle (25) and ifthe handle is pulled just a little the feed will run straight through the pipe, which results in overdosing. To stop the supply of feed the plate (13) has to be pressed back to the closed position through the amount of feed in pipe (12) which is why the feed is easily wedged between the pipe (12) and plate (13).

The purpose of the invention is to produce a feed dispenser which with close accuracy can be adjusted to deliver big or small amounts of feed per dosing.

According to the present invention there is provided a feed dispenser comprising a pivotal feed drawer located under a feed container, said feed drawer being activated when an animal touches a plate (1) at the front edge of the feed drawer (5), to deliver an amount of feed.

The feed dispenser is peculiar because the animals have to activate a kind of drawer which is placed under the feed container. By activating the drawer a certain amount of feed will slip over the edge of the drawer's bottom and will fall down into a kind of crib. The drawer is placed under the feed container in a way which makes it possible for it to fall back to its starting position when it is activated. At the rear of the feed container a stopper is placed which the drawer hits when it is activated to cause a kind of mechanical vibration which prevents feed being stuck inside the feed container.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying draw ings in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a feed dispenser according to the invention; Figure 2 shows the feed dispenser seen in side view; and Figure 3 shows the feed dispenser seen in cross section.

The feed dispenser (4) may be made from rust proof or galvanized material. The feed dispenser consists of a feed container (4) the back plate and side plates of which are perpendicular. The front plate (7) is bevelled in its presentation. Under the feed container a revolving feed drawer (5) is placed which is concave in its presentation. At the rear edge of the feed drawer (5) a piece of solid iron (2) is attached. When the feed drawer (5) is activated to pivot rearwards the solid piece of iron (2) will strike

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

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. against a stopper (3) which is placed on the rear plate of the feed container. This will result in a kind of mechanical vibration which prevents the feed being stuck in the feed container. An adjusting screw (6) is placed on the one side of the feed container to adjust the amount of feed delivered to the drawer. The feed drawer (5) will be activated when the animals move against the plate (1) and the feed drawer will be pressed back and when it moves to its starting position a certain amount of feed will be delivered and will slip over the edge between plate (1) and the bottom of the feed drawer (5) and end up in a crib (not shown) which is located below the drawer. The predetermined amount of feed which is delivered by activating the feed drawer (5) is also dependent on how big the distance is between the front plate (7) and the bottom of the feed drawer (5). If the distance between the bottom of the front plate and the bottom of the feed drawer is reduced or increased the dispenser respectively delivers lesser or greater feed doses when the feed drawer (5) is activated. CLAIMS

1. A feed dispenser comprising a piviotal feed drawer located under a feed container, said feed drawer being activated when an anima! touches a plate (1 ) at the front edge of the feed drawer (5), to deliver an amount of feed.

2. A feed dispenser as claimed in claim 1, in which an adjusting screw is provided to adjust the amount of feed delivered to the feed drawer.

3. A feed dispenser as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which a solid piece of iron is attached to the rear edge of the feed drawer so that when the drawer is activated the iron piece will strike against a stopper placed at the rear of the feed container and thereby generate a mechanical vibration.

4. A feed dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

SPECIFICATION Feed dispenser This invention relates to a feed dispenser for use for instance, in pigsties to prevent the pigs being fed too much or too little.

By known feed arrangements it is not unusual for the feed to stick in the silo and the lack of feed will cost unrest among the animals. It is also possible to feed too much by the known arrangements which results in bad feed and causes diarrhoea among the animals.

From U.S. Application No. 3504654 another feed arrangement is known. According to the presentation of the subject this feed arrangement is not able to supply an exact amount of feed per dose because a rounded plate (13) which forms the bottom in a pipe (12) is activated through a handle (25) and ifthe handle is pulled just a little the feed will run straight through the pipe, which results in overdosing. To stop the supply of feed the plate (13) has to be pressed back to the closed position through the amount of feed in pipe (12) which is why the feed is easily wedged between the pipe (12) and plate (13).

The purpose of the invention is to produce a feed dispenser which with close accuracy can be adjusted to deliver big or small amounts of feed per dosing.

According to the present invention there is provided a feed dispenser comprising a pivotal feed drawer located under a feed container, said feed drawer being activated when an animal touches a plate (1) at the front edge of the feed drawer (5), to deliver an amount of feed.

The feed dispenser is peculiar because the animals have to activate a kind of drawer which is placed under the feed container. By activating the drawer a certain amount of feed will slip over the edge of the drawer's bottom and will fall down into a kind of crib. The drawer is placed under the feed container in a way which makes it possible for it to fall back to its starting position when it is activated. At the rear of the feed container a stopper is placed which the drawer hits when it is activated to cause a kind of mechanical vibration which prevents feed being stuck inside the feed container.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying draw ings in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a feed dispenser according to the invention; Figure 2 shows the feed dispenser seen in side view; and Figure 3 shows the feed dispenser seen in cross section.

The feed dispenser (4) may be made from rust proof or galvanized material. The feed dispenser consists of a feed container (4) the back plate and side plates of which are perpendicular. The front plate (7) is bevelled in its presentation. Under the feed container a revolving feed drawer (5) is placed which is concave in its presentation. At the rear edge of the feed drawer (5) a piece of solid iron (2) is attached. When the feed drawer (5) is activated to pivot rearwards the solid piece of iron (2) will strike