GB2179616A - Animal feed dispensing - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for dispensing solid animal feeds to cubicles is attachable to a tractor for movement along a row of cubicles to dispense feed to each cubicle, and includes a hopper (1) for containing a supply of feed, an open-ended receptacle (4) which is movable between a loading position in which it receives a charge of feed from the hopper and a dispensing position, a cut-off plate (5) for closing the hopper outlet when the receptacle (4) leaves the loading position, and a hydraulic ram (6) and springs (10) for reciprocating the receptacle between the loading and dispensing positions. The charged receptacle (4) is moved from the loading position to the dispensing position along upwardly-inclined guides (3) with such a force that, when the receptacle is arrested at the latter position, the charge of feed is projected from its open end into the respective cubicle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Animal feed dispensing The present invention relates to the dispensing of solid animal feeds to cubicles, stalls, pens, batteries and the like.

As used hereinafter, the term "cubicles" is intended also to mean stalls, pens, batteries and the like.

In cattle-farming, for example, cattle-nuts made from meal, concentrates or sugar-beet pulp are fed to cows or beef-cattle to supplement grass in the production of milk or beef. Insufficient nuts can be consumed by a dairy cow in the short time taken for milking and it is therefore an advantageto be ableto feed extra nuts in the individual cubicles used by the cowaftermilking.

The object ofthe present invention is to provide a means for dispensing solid animal feeds to cubicles so that extra feed can be given as required.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides apparatus for dispensing solid animal feeds to cubicles, the apparatus being movable along a row of cubicles to dispense feed to each cubicle and comprising a hopper for containing a supply of feed, an open-ended receptacle which is movable between a loading position in which it receives a charge offeed from the hopper by gravity and a dispensing position at which it is arrested, cut-off means for closing the hopperoutletwhen the receptacle leaves the loading position, and means for reciprocating the receptacle between the loading and dispensing positions, the charged receptacle being moved from the loading position to the dispensing position with such a force that, when the receptacle is arrested at the latterposition, the charge of feed is projected from its open end into the respective cubicle, preferably in a direction with an upward component.

The apparatus may be movable on a gantry or rail above the row of cubicles, or it may comprise a selfor manually-propelled vehicle. Preferably, however, the apparatus is mountable on ortowable by a tractor. The receptacle may be reciprocated by any suitable mechanical, electro-mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic or resilient means, or any combination thereof, and it may be arrested in the dispensing position by any damping or buffering arrangement. The cut-offmeansforthe hopper outlet maycomprise, forexample,aflap, gate orthe like, oratrailing part of the receptacle.

The tripping of the movement of the charged receptaclefrom the loading position to the dispensing position may be effected under direct or remote manual control as the apparatus reaches each cubicle. Alternatively, the movement may be tripped automatically by mechanical, electronic, magnetic, infra-redorothersuitable means which detectthe arrival of the apparatus at each cubicle.

The amount of feed supplied to the receptacle for each cubicle may be controlled, for example, by control means atthe hopper outlet, and may be varied from cubicleto cubicle according to requirements.

By a subdivision of the hopper or the provision of a plurality of hoppers, different feeds or mixes offeeds may be dispensed to different cubicles.

In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a frame attachable to a three-point linkage of a tractor and supporting the hopper above a sliding plate which carries the receptacle at its end facing the cubicles in use and is movable on inclined guides of the frame between a lowermost position corresponding to the loading position of the receptacle and an uppermost position corresponding to the dispensing position ofthe receptacle, the plate having a length such that it closes the hopper outlet through the whole of its movement away from and back to its lowermost position, and the means for reciprocating the receptacle include a hydraulic ram for returning the sliding plate from its uppermost position to its lowermost position and at the same time loading at least one spring acting between the plate and the frame, the or each spring propelling the plate towards its uppermost position upon a sudden release of pressure from the ram.

Preferably, the hydraulic ram is supplied from the hydraulic circuit of the tractor and the apparatus includes a control valve which is associated with release means for sensing the arrival of the apparatus at a cubicle and opening the valve to trip the movement of the plate towards its uppermost position, and catch means releasable by the release means and engageable by the plate or receptacle as it reachesthe uppermost position to closethe valve and arrest the movement of the plate so thatthe ram can be extended again.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of dispensing solid animal feeds to the cubicles of a row of cubicles, wherein the feed is dispensed by apparatus which moves along the row and forcibly projects orthrowsfeed into each cubicle.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of apparatus fordis- pensing solid animal feeds, according to the invention, in a first operating condition; Figure2 is a side view of a detail of the apparatus of Figure 1, on an enlarged scale; Figure3 is a side view ofthe apparatus of Figure 1 in a second operating condition, and Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of a detail of Figure 2 on an enlarged scale.

With reference to the drawings, apparatus for dispensing solid animal feeds, such as cattle-nuts, to cubicles includes a frame 2 with a coupling 14for attachment to a three-point linkage of a tractor (not shown) by means of which the apparatus can be moved along a row of cubicles. A hopperfor a supply of cattle-n uts is supported by the frame 2 above a sliding plate 5 which carries an open-ended, upwardly open receptacle 4 at its end facing the cubicles in use.The plate is slidably reciprocable on a pair of inclined guides 3 between a lowermost position (Figure 3) corresponding to a loading position of the receptacle 4, in which the receptacle 4 receives a charge of cattle-nuts from the hopper 1, and an up permost position (Figure 1) corresponding to a dispensing position of the receptacle 4, in which the charge of nuts is dispensed from the open end ofthe receptacle into a cubicle. The plate 5 is moved from its lowermost position to its uppermost position with such a force that, when it is arrested in its uppermost position, the charge of cattle-nuts is projected into a respective cubicle.The length of the plate 5 is such that it closes the outlet of the hopper 1 during the movementawayfrom and back to its lowermostpos- ition.

The movement of the plate 5 into its uppermost position is effected by means oftwo strong springs 10 acting between the frame 2 and opposite sides of the plate 5. These springs 10 are tensioned when the plate 5 is returned to its lowermost position by means of an hydraulic ram 6 operated from the external supply ofthetractor. Upon a sudden release of the hydraulic pressure in ram 6, the springs 10 slide the plate 5very quickly up the guides 5, at the same time returning the oil in the ram 6 to the tractor. The plate 5 is arrested in its uppermost position by stopping the flow of oil back to the tractor reservoir.

The release of the plate 5 and the stopping of the plate 5 is effected by a control valve 7.

As shown in Figure 2, when the receptacle4 reachesthe uppermost (dispensing) position, it strikes a first operating lever8 ofthe valve 7 to turn it in a ciockwise direction so that its lower end catches in a notch 9Aofa second lever9andtensionstwo springs 11 and 12. The levers 8,9 and the springs 11, 12 effectively constitute a catch. The valve 7 is now closed and held closed againstthe tension of the spring 11. When hydraulic pressure is supplied from the tractorthrough an inlet pipe 18, the hydraulic ram 6 is extendedto returnthe plate5to its lowermostposi- tion and tension the springs 10, as described above.

At this point, the cattle-nuts, which have been retained in the hopper 1 by the plate 5, can drop into the receptacle 4. The amount of cattle-nuts can be re gulatedbyasimpleslidecontrol (notshown)onthe hopper. When the ram is fully extended, excess oil from the tractor can be discharged through a pressure reliefvalve within the body ofthe valve 7, or through a separate by-pass (notshown),to a largediameter outlet pipe 17 for return directly to thetractor reservoir. This pipe 17 also carries the sudden discharge of oil upon the release of pressure from the ram 6.

A pivoted bar or probe 13 projects from the apparatus at right angles to the path of the tractor along the row ofcubicles. As the tractor moves forward, the probe 13 strikes a cubicle partition and pivots on the frame 2 so that a part 15 of the probe strikes an inclined plane 16 of the lever 9 to force the latter downwardly against the spring 12, releasing the lever 8 from the notch 9A. The spring 11 quickly opens the valve 7so that the oil holding the ram 6 againstthe springs 10 is discharged rapidlythroughthevalve and the pipe 17 to the tractor reservoir. With the re lease ofthis pressure, the plate 5 moves up the guides 3 and the charge of cattle-nuts in the receptacle 4 is projected into the cubicle.When the receptacle leading edge hits the lever 8, the valve 7 is turned off and the plate 5 is retarded by the trapped oil in the ram 6. Excess pressure generated at this time is bled awaythrough the pressure reliefvalve. With the valve 7 now closed, the whole operation can begin again with the extension ofthe ram 6. The probe is returned to the original position by a spring (not shown) and may be foldable upwardlyfortransport purposes.

With reference now to Figure 4, the control valve 7 can be seen to include a valve body 19 attached to or integral with the end of the ram 6 opposite its attachmentto the sliding plate 5. The valve body 19 defines two intersecting mutually-perpendicular ducts, the first ofwhich communicates with the inlet pipe 18 and is coaxial with the ram 6to define a pressure chamber 20 ofthe latter, and the second ofwhich opens into the outlet pipe 17 at one end and houses a pressure release or main valve 21 at its otherend.

The main valve 21 is biassed into an open position by a helical spring 22 but is held in its closed position, illustrated here, by the engagement of the lever8 (which is connected to the end 21A of the valve) in the notch 9A ofthe lever 9. An over-centre catch may be used instead of the levers 8,9. In the closed position the valve 21 permits oil from the tractor to enterthe chamber 20.

The chamber 20 also communicates through a small aperture 23 with a duck which is parallel to the second duct and houses a pressure reliefvalve 24.

The valve 24 is biassed into a position of closure of the aperture 23 by a helical compression spring 25.

In use, pressurised oil from the tractor is supplied to the valve 7 through the pipe 18 and passes around the stem of the valve 21 to enter the pressure chamber 20 where it acts on the piston 6A of the ram 6 two extend the ram and thus move the sliding plateto its lowermost position. When the piston 6A reaches the end of its extension stroke, excess oil is bled awaythrough the pressure reliefvalve 24 and is discharged through the outlet pipe 17 for return to the tractor. During this operation, the main valve 21 is held in its closed position, as described above.

When the probe 15 (Figure 1) strikes the end of a cubicle, it releases the levers 8,9 to allow the spring 22 to urge the main valve 21 outwardly into its open or pressure-release position. This results in a sudden release of oil from the pressure chamber 20 to the outlet 17, whereby the spring-loaded plate 5 moves toward its uppermost position and at the same time contracts the ram 6. As the plate 5 reaches its uppermost position, the receptacle 4 strikes the lever 8to move the main valve 21 back into the closure position, cutting off the flowofoil from the chamber 20to the outlet 17. At this point, the high pressure in the chamber 20 is discharged through the pressure relief valve 24 so thatthe ram 6 arrests the plate 5 gradually in the manner of a damper, without the need for buffers or metal stops. During thetimethatthe main valve 21 is in its open position, the oil entering the valve 7 through the pipe 18 flows directly to the outlet pipe 17 and back to the tractor reservoir. The load of the spring 25 of the pressure reliefvalve 24 can be adjusted by a set-screw 26 to regulate the pressurerelief threshold and the degree of damping effected by the ram 6.

Claims (10)

1. Apparatus for dispensing solid animal feeds to cubicles, the apparatus being movable along a row of cubicles to dispense feed to each cubicle and com prisingahopperforcontaining a supply of feed, an open-ended receptacle which is movable between a loading position in which it receives a charge offeed from the hopper by gravity and a dispensing position at which it is arrested, cut-off means for closing the hopper outlet when the receptacle leaves the loading position, and means for reciprocating the receptacle between the loading and dispensing positions, the charged receptacle being moved from the loading position to the dispensing position with such a force that, when the receptacle is arrested at the latter position, the charge of feed is projected from its open end into the respective cubicle.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1,whereinthe direction of movement of the receptacle from the loading position to the dispensing position has an upward component.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 orClaim2, wherein the apparatus includes a frame attachable to a three-point linkage of a tractor and supporting the hopper above a sliding plate which carries the receptacle at its end facing the cubicles in use and is movable on inclined guides oftheframe between a lowermost position corresponding to the loading position of the receptacle and an uppermost position corresponding to the dispensing position of receptacle, the plate having a length such that it closes the hopperoutletthrough the whole of its movement awayfrom and back to its lowermost position.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the means for reciprocating the receptacle include a hydraulic ram for returning the sliding plate from its uppermost position to its lowermost position, and at least one spring which acts between the plate and the frame and is loaded bythe return of the plate from its uppermost position to its lowermost position, the or each spring propelling the plate towards its uppermost position upon a sudden release of pressure from the ram.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein it further includes a control valve which is associated with release means for sensing the arrival of the apparatus at a cubicle and opening the valve so as to release the pressure in the ram and trip the move mentofthe plate towards its uppermost position, and with catch means releasable by the release means and engageable by the plate or receptacle as it reaches the uppermost position to close the valve so that the movement of the plate is arrested and the ram can be re-pressurised.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein the control valve comprises a main valve which, upon the engagement of the catch means, is held in a closed position in which it allows and maintains the pressurisation ofthe ram and which, upon the release ofthe catch means, is urged resiliently into an open position to release the pressure in the ram, and a pressure reliefvalve which opens to relieve excess pressure in the ram when it is fully pressurised and whenthe main valve is closed bythe catch meansso that the ram gradually arrests the movement of the plate as it reaches the uppermost position.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein the release means include a probe which projects from the apparatus in such a position asto strike partitions between the cubicles as the apparatus moves along the row of cubicles.

8. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 4to 7, wherein the hydraulic ram is supplied from the hydraulic circuit of the tractor and is extended to return the sliding plate to its lowermost position.

9. Method of dispensing solid animal feeds to the cubicles of a row of cubicles, wherein the feed is dispensed by apparatus which moves along the row and forcibly projects orthrowsfeed into each cubicle.

10. Apparatusfordispensing solid animal feed to cubicles, substantially as herein described with referenceto, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.