GB2173083A - Animal feeding apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

There is described animal feeding apparatus in the form of a trough 3 for containing and dispensing liquid feed. The trough is fed from a large capacity supply tank 4 through conduit means 5 and, in order to control in a desired manner the supply of feed to the feeding trough, the supply tank is airtight such as to form an airlock. As the feed level 3A falls below inlet tube 41 air enters the tank 4 allowing the liquid feed to flow. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Animal feeding apparatus This invention relates to animal feeding apparatus.

Animal feeding troughs normally are capable of holding limited amounts of feed. Consequently, shepherds, for example, require to refill their sheep feeding troughs frequently from a large capacity supply tank.

An object of this invention isto provide animal feeding apparatus which will maintain a constant level of feed in a trough fora subsantial length oftime without overflowing.

According to the present invention there is provided animal feeding apparatus comprising a feeding trough for containing and dispersing liquid feed, and a large capacity supply tank having conduit means for supplying the feeding trough, the slupply tank being airtight such as to control the flow of feed to the feeding trough.

Preferably, the feeding trough is provided with a plurality offeeding rollers. The feeding rollers are rotatable, the lower portion ofthe rollers being in contact with the feed and the upper portion being accessible to animals.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a sectional side view of animal feeding apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, animal feeding apparatus, shown generally at 1, comprises a feeding trough 2, containing liquid feed 3, and a large capacity supply tank4 having conduit means 5 for supplying the feeding trough 2.

Thefeeding trough 2 is in the form of a shallow U shaped container having closed ends 20. A lid 21 is located on the upper portion of the trough 2 and is provided with a number of rotatable feed rollers 22.

The lower portions of the rollers 22 are in contact with the liquid feed 3 and the upper portions of the rollers 22 are accessible to animals to be fed, for example, sheep.

The large capacity supply tank 4 is in the form of an airtight cylindrical barrel and is mounted on two trestles 40.

The conduit means 5 istheform of a tube 41 and leads fro the lower end portion ofthe supply tank 4 to the side of the feeding trough 2 where it is positioned below the desired liquid feed level 3A.

As the sheep feed by licking the rollers 22 the level of feed 3 in the trough falls. When the level offeed 3 falls below the desired liquid level 3A, air is ableto travel through the tube 41 into the supplytank 4 permitting a quantity offeed 3 to flowfrom the tank 4to the trough 2.

Once the desired level 3A has been reached and equilibrium achieved the tube 41 is effectively sealed bythefeed 3 in the trough 2 and the flow of feed 3 through the tube 41 is stopped.

Thus,the amount offeed 3 in the feeding trough 2, is maintained art a near constant level until thetank4 is emptied.

The shepherd is therefore required to visit the apparatus 1 only periodically to top-up or replace the supplytank4.

Modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

1. Animal feeding apparatus comprising afeeding troughforcontaining and dispensing liquid feed, and a Iargecapacitysupplytankhavingconduitmeansfor supplying the feeding trough, the supply tank being airtight such as to control the flow of feed to the feeding trough.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1,whereinthe feeding trough is provided with a plurality offeeding roller.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the feeding rollers are rotatable, a lower portion of the rollers being in contact with feed and an upper portion ofthe rollers being accessible to animals.

4. Animal feeding apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

The drawing(s) originally filed was (were) informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

The claims were filed later than the filing date within the period prescribed by Rule 25(1) of the Patents Rules 1982.

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

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Animal feeding apparatus This invention relates to animal feeding apparatus. Animal feeding troughs normally are capable of holding limited amounts of feed. Consequently, shepherds, for example, require to refill their sheep feeding troughs frequently from a large capacity supply tank. An object of this invention isto provide animal feeding apparatus which will maintain a constant level of feed in a trough fora subsantial length oftime without overflowing. According to the present invention there is provided animal feeding apparatus comprising a feeding trough for containing and dispersing liquid feed, and a large capacity supply tank having conduit means for supplying the feeding trough, the slupply tank being airtight such as to control the flow of feed to the feeding trough. Preferably, the feeding trough is provided with a plurality offeeding rollers. The feeding rollers are rotatable, the lower portion ofthe rollers being in contact with the feed and the upper portion being accessible to animals. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a sectional side view of animal feeding apparatus according to the present invention. Referring to the drawing, animal feeding apparatus, shown generally at 1, comprises a feeding trough 2, containing liquid feed 3, and a large capacity supply tank4 having conduit means 5 for supplying the feeding trough 2. Thefeeding trough 2 is in the form of a shallow U shaped container having closed ends 20. A lid 21 is located on the upper portion of the trough 2 and is provided with a number of rotatable feed rollers 22. The lower portions of the rollers 22 are in contact with the liquid feed 3 and the upper portions of the rollers 22 are accessible to animals to be fed, for example, sheep. The large capacity supply tank 4 is in the form of an airtight cylindrical barrel and is mounted on two trestles 40. The conduit means 5 istheform of a tube 41 and leads fro the lower end portion ofthe supply tank 4 to the side of the feeding trough 2 where it is positioned below the desired liquid feed level 3A. As the sheep feed by licking the rollers 22 the level of feed 3 in the trough falls. When the level offeed 3 falls below the desired liquid level 3A, air is ableto travel through the tube 41 into the supplytank 4 permitting a quantity offeed 3 to flowfrom the tank 4to the trough 2. Once the desired level 3A has been reached and equilibrium achieved the tube 41 is effectively sealed bythefeed 3 in the trough 2 and the flow of feed 3 through the tube 41 is stopped. Thus,the amount offeed 3 in the feeding trough 2, is maintained art a near constant level until thetank4 is emptied. The shepherd is therefore required to visit the apparatus 1 only periodically to top-up or replace the supplytank4. Modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. CLAIMS

1. Animal feeding apparatus comprising afeeding troughforcontaining and dispensing liquid feed, and a Iargecapacitysupplytankhavingconduitmeansfor supplying the feeding trough, the supply tank being airtight such as to control the flow of feed to the feeding trough.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1,whereinthe feeding trough is provided with a plurality offeeding roller.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the feeding rollers are rotatable, a lower portion of the rollers being in contact with feed and an upper portion ofthe rollers being accessible to animals.

4. Animal feeding apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

The drawing(s) originally filed was (were) informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

The claims were filed later than the filing date within the period prescribed by Rule 25(1) of the Patents Rules 1982.