GB2271265A

GB2271265A - Feeder for pigeons.

Info

Publication number: GB2271265A
Application number: GB9220985A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Edward Barron
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-10-06
Filing date: 1992-10-06
Publication date: 1994-04-13
Also published as: GB9220985D0

Abstract

A feeder for pigeons, poultry and rabbits comprises a hopper (10) having apertures (12) at the bottom of a side thereof, a trough (14) disposed outside the apertures and a sloping base (16) inside the hopper for directing feed towards the apertures. <IMAGE>

Description

"Feeder for Pigeons and the like".

This invention relates to a feeder for pigeons which is also suitable for poultry, especially small chickens, rabbits, and like small domesticated livestock.

Conventional food and water troughs are simple containers often with covers supported by spaced vertical bars all around their peripheries, which bars define individual feeding or drinking stations and prevent the pigeons or the like from fouling toe food or water by walking or bathing in it. One known form of feeder is a hopper with a lid and an internal funnel-like arrangement for progressively releasing feed through apertures near the bottom of its sides onto the floor.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of feeder.

According to the invention, a feeder for pigeons and the like comprises a hopper with apertures at the bottom of its sides, a trough disposed outside said apertures, and a sloping base inside the hopper for directing feed towards said apertures.

Preferably, the hopper and the trough are both of a regular polygonal shape, or more preferably circular, in plan view. The sloping base is preferably of a matching shape in plan view; thus the sloping base may advantageously be conical or pyramidal, with the apex of the cone or pyramid directed upwardly.

The apertures are preferably spaced all around the bottom of the hopper sides.

The hopper preferably is closed by a flat lid, the lateral dimensions of which are preferably greater than those of the trough. For example, the lid may be a flat circular lid, of greater diameter than the trough. It is a particular advantage of a feeder according to the invention having a lid that the latter may then support a water trough from which the pigeons or the like may drink. In this way the water trough is kept well clear of the floor, where spillages may lie and cause damp.

The trough preferably has short legs.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a section on the vertical centre-line of a feeder; Figure 2 is a plan view of a lid therefor; Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 in Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the feeder with a sector of the lid and of a hopper portion omitted for clarity.

Referring now to the drawings, a feeder for pigeons or the like comprises a cylindrical hopper 10 with apertures 12 equally circumferentially spaced all around the bottom of its sides. A cylindrical trough 14 is disposed outside the apertures 12, and a conical base 16 inside the hopper 10 is disposed with its apex 18 upwards.

The trough has four short legs 20. The hopper 10, the trough 14 and the base 16 are all co-axial with one another, and are formed as an integral unit of plastics material which has the advantage of being easily washable. A separate lid 22 for the hopper 10 comprises a flat disc of plastics material of larger diameter than the trough 10, with a short integral axially-projecting concentric flange 24 for locating said lid on top of said hopper. The lid 22 is made of relatively large diameter so that any suitable water trough may be placed on top of it with sufficient space remaining for pigeons to stand around the water trough.

In operation, the feeder stores corn and other feedstuffs hygienically with minimal dissemination of dust, and the feed is distributed progressively and evenly into the trough 10 by the sloping surface of the conical base 16. The facility of standing a water trough on top of the lid 22 minimises splashing and consequent dampness, which is anathema to the health of pigeons, on the floor.

Various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. In one modification, the feeder is made square in plan view, in which case the sloping base is a four-sided pyramid disposed apex upwards. In another modification, the feeder is made rectangular in plan view with troughs disposed only along each of its longer sides, and the sloping base is an elongated member of inverted V-shaped cross-section. In a further modification, a rectangular feeder has a trough along only one of its longer sides, and the base is simply a plane surface sloping towards said trough.

Claims

1. A feeder for pigeons and the like, comprising a hopper with apertures at the bottom of a side thereof, a trough disposed outside said apertures and a sloping base inside the hopper for directing feed towards said apertures.

2. A feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hopper and trough are of a regular polygonal shape in plan view.

3. A feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hopper and trough are circular in plan view.

4. A feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hopper and trough are rectangular in plan view.

5. A feeder as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the shape of said sloping base in plan view matches the shape, in plan view, of said hopper and said trough.

6. A feeder as claimed in claim 5, wherein said sloping base has an upwardly directed apex located generally centrally.

7. A feeder as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the apertures are spaced around the bottom of the side or sides of the hopper.

8. A feeder as claimed in claim 4, wherein the apertures are spaced along the bottom of the longer sides of the hopper only and the sloping base is of inverted V-shape in cross-section.

9. A feeder as claimed in claim 4, wherein the apertures are spaced along the bottom of one long side of the hopper and the base is a plane surface sloping downwardly towards said trough.

10. A feeder as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the hopper is provided with a flat lid.

11. A feeder as claimed in claim 10, wherein the lateral dimensions of said lid are greater than those of said trough.

12. A feeder as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the trough is provided with short legs.

13. A feeder for pigeons and the like, substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.