GB799562A - Improvements in and relating to automatic dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

799,562. Animal feeding devices. MONTAGU, R. E. Oct 12, 1956, No. 31225/56. Class 5(2). An apparatus is mounted in a frame F for delivering fixed quantities of feed from a hopper M into a trough T at predetermined intervals, the hopper having a removable side 28 controlled by a hand-lever 33 and an adjustable base 18 controlled by means of a ratchet, Fig. 3 (not shown). and pawl 43, the pawl being actuated by means of an electrical or other device, which at the same time controls the supply of regulated quantities of water from a tank W at predetermined intervals to be mixed with the feed in the trough T. In the first embodiment, an electric time switch (not shown) actuates a solenoid 46 which then operates a plunger 47 to move a pivoted bell-crank 48, an arm of which moves a spring-loaded pawl 43, so allowing the ratchet to rotate in a clock-wise direction on its shaft 25 under the action of tension springs, Fig. 1 (not shown), the movement being arrested when the pawl 43 re-engages with the ratchet. The base of the hopper M is formed by a moving belt 18 the front of which traverses a roller 19 and is attached at its end by two cables 22 which pass round pulleys on the shaft 25 and are secured by springs 24 to the bottom of the rear wall 16 of the hopper. A movable front wall 28 of the hopper is closed only when the hopper is filled, leaving a gap at its lower end through which the feed falls via inclined plates 29 and 30 into the trough T when the base of the hopper is moved a step forward under the action of the pawl and ratchet device. At the same time a pre-determined quantity of water is delivered to the trough through a nozzle 31 on the pipe 30 supplied from the tank W. Inside the tank a hose, Fig. 4 (not shown) is fixed at its lower end to pipe 30 and at its open upper end is held on an arm secured to a spindle 57 rotatably mounted on the wall of the tank, on the outside of which an arm 58 is connected by a pivoted link 59 to the lever 48. When the lever 48 is operated by the plunger 47, the open end of the hose is dipped below the surface of the water in the tank, allowing water to flow into the trough, and at the same time the inflow into the tank is cut off by the spring-loaded plunger 61 engaging the float arm, Fig. 5 (not shown) and so keeping the inlet valve 51 shut. A curved slot in the end of the lever 48 enables the volume of water discharged from the tank to be regulated by altering the degree of rotation of the spindle 57 and so varying the depth to which the hose is immersed. In a modification, the rate at which a container 80, Fig. 6, is filled from the tank W by a drip nozzle 79 replaces the electrical timing mechanism. As water flows into the container 80 its level within a syphon 81 rises ; when the syphon is filled the water flows from the container 80 into the trough through the pipe 82. As the water level in the container falls the twin float 83 is lowered on the tube 84. The forked end of arm 74b, Fig. 7, of lever 74, resting on the float 83, descends with it, so tripping the pawl 72 and delivering feed to the trough by the method described above. Arm 74b passes through a loop at the lower end of link 86 pivoted to float arm 78. As the arm 74b is lowered below a certain level the valve 76 is kept shut, irrespective of the level of water in the tank W. As the container 80 empties still further a second float 87 is lowered ; this float is carried by a valve, Fig. 8 (not shown) which slides within tube 84. As the valve opens, water flows from the tank into the container through the tube 84 which is attached to hose 89, and so out through the syphon. When the water in the tank W falls to the level of the open end of hose 89, the operation is finished, but sufficient water remains in the tank below the level of nozzle 79 to raise the level of water in the container 80 so that float 87 rises, the valve is closed, and float 83 rises to push up lever 74b whereby tank W is refilled. In order to adjust the volume of water discharged from the tank W, the open end of pipe 89 may be raised or lowered on a slide 90 mounted on the side of the tank.