IES86529B2 - An animal feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

An animal feeder(1) comprising a hopper (2) for storing feed and a trough (3) from which an animal can feed disposed beneath the hopper (2) and communicable with the hopper (2) to receive feed from the hopper (2), and a barrier (44) at the trough (3) through which an animal can feed from the trough (3), the trough (3) having a pressure contact sensitive failsafe mechanism (43) movable between a closed position in which the barrier (44) is held in place and a release position in which the barrier (44) is open to ensure that the animal feeder (1) does not present a safety hazard to an animal so that the feeder (1) of the invention can be safely left in-situ to feed an animal for prolonged unsupervised periods. <Figure 1>

Description

An Animal Feeder s130127 Introduction This invention relates to an animal feeder and more particularly to an animal feeder with enhanced safety features for grazing/foraging animals adapted to anatomically replicate a natural grazing/foraging position and physiologically replicate a natural grazing/foraging pattern. io Background of the Invention Animals such as horses, cattle, pigs and the like that are kept indoors are generally fed at intervals with forage from wall mounted feeders or feeders raised above ground level including, feeding bowls, hay racks, mangers or hay-nets or from open buckets or other containers placed on the ground containing dry feed. Alternatively, forage is sometimes simply placed directly on the ground for the animal.

However, the above mentioned feeding methods and containers suffer from a number of disadvantages. Although the following drawbacks of known animal 20 feeders are generally described in relation to a horse, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that similar or identical disadvantages are likely to be encountered with such feeders when used with other animals such as cattle, sheep, pigs and the like.

S8 6 525> Wall mounted feeders such as hay-nets and the like must be positioned at a sufficient height so as not to reach ground level and create a hazard for a horse. In particular, hay-nets must be securely mounted in position and must not reach the ground when empty thereby further increasing the height at which the hay-net must be hung.

Importantly, all wall-mounted or raised feeders require an animal to feed in an unnatural non-grazing position i.e. above ground level - indeed wall mounted feeders can be mounted at heights of up to 1.0 to 2.0 resulting in severe muscular io strain on the animal. Horses compelled to feed at a height can suffer from a misalignment or malocclusion of the upper and lower dental arcades leading to abnormal tooth wear patterns resulting in the development of cranial and caudal hooks on the teeth. For example, even in a standing position with the horse holding its head at approximately shoulder height, the teeth in the upper jaw protrude by approximately 2mm over the teeth of the lower jaw giving rise to a highly unnatural non-grazing bite. Cranial and caudal hooks can lead to pain and considerable discomfort for the horse, nutritional deficiencies, behavioural abnormalities or deterioration in performance.

Feeding at a height places biomechanical stress on the animal at inter alia the head, neck and back and can contribute to musculoskeletal problems or stresses in these areas due to the unnaturally high head position. A horse with an elevated head carriage while feeding is therefore highly susceptible to thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbar muscular strains due to sustained muscle contraction within these regions while chewing.

Feeding from elevated feeders also places additional stress on the temporomandibular joints, the atlanto-occipital and atlanto-axial joints and the associated musculature due to the twisting and rotating action of the horse’s head as forage is pulled from the feeder.

Finally, although simply placing forage on the ground can replicate a natural grazing position, the forage quickly become soiled and inedible leading to wastage and potential underfeeding of the animal. io In general, due to their physiological make-up, grazing animals such as horses, cattle, sheep and like are habitual continuous grazers as opposed to interval feeders i.e. the animals exhibit a natural continuous grazing pattern. For example, horses in particular have a small stomach capacity (9-15 litres for the average horse) and a continuous natural grazing pattern provides a constant low volume trickle of forage is through the stomach. Digestive acids are produced in the stomach irrespective of whether the horse is eating so that the absence of food in the stomach can result in the formation of gastric ulcers in the upper area of the stomach.

In general, known feeders only permit intermittent feeding of grazing animals e g. known feeders are typically replenished at five to six hour intervals. Accordingly, where a stabled horse bolts its feed following replenishment of the feeder, the horse’s stomach can be empty for prolonged periods resulting in an increased risk of ulcer formation.

Moreover, horses that bolt their feed, reduce the time spent chewing the feed, thereby compromising digestive efficiency which can also adversely affect digestion further down the gastrointestinal tract. For example, an average stabled horse chews 3,400 times/kg of forage and finishes eating forage in approximately 30-40 minutes for each feed. Accordingly, where the average horse is fed three times daily, no forage enters the horse’s stomach for 22 hours in a 24 hour period. In addition, as the horse cannot then continuously graze in accordance with its natural instinct, the horse can become stressed and bored and suffer from physiological problems such as the aforementioned gastric ulcers and behavioural abnormalities io such as crib-biting or wind-sucking.

More than 90% of racehorses in training have been reported to suffer from gastric ulcers which are one of the leading causes of impaired performance in the competition horse while non-competition horses such as foals and stabled horses in general are known to suffer from a high incidence ulcers. In contradistinction, a horse grazing in a field ad libitum has a natural mechanism of self-protection against gastric ulcers due to a continuous supply of forage passing into and through the stomach which, combined with the ongoing production of saliva during chewing, buffers the acidity of the digestive acids produced in the stomach.

Reducing the feeding interval with known feeders to reduce the incidence of ulcers is overly labour intensive while various more elaborate feeders known in the art fail to address the anatomical and physiological problems outlined above. For example, British Patent Specification No. 2,450,508 describes a feeder having a movable frame which moves downwards but not to ground level as food is removed or eaten so that the natural grazing position fails to be replicated.

Moreover, where known feeders such as troughs and the like are fitted with barriers 5 to the feed in the form of metal bars, grids and the like (e.g. the feeders of US Patent Specification Nos. 4,364,333 and 2,842,096) through which animals must graze, a risk exists that an animal’s hooves or legs can become entrapped in the bars during feeding resulting in injury to the animal. Such injuries can be costly and potentially catastrophic in valuable thoroughbred horses. Risk of injury is particularly high io where animals are left unsupervised for prolonged periods.

An object of the invention is to overcome at least some of the problems of the prior art.

Summary of the Invention According to the invention there is provided an animal feeder comprising: a hopper for storing feed, and a trough from which an animal can feed disposed beneath the hopper 20 and communicable with the hopper to receive feed from the hopper, and a barrier at the trough through which an animal can feed from the trough, the trough having a safety mechanism to prevent injury to a feeding animal.

Preferably, the safety mechanism comprises a failsafe mechanism. More preferably, 25 the failsafe mechanism comprises a barrier failsafe mechanism movable between a closed position in which the barrier is held in place and a release position in which the barrier is open. Most preferably, the failsafe mechanism comprises a pressure or contact sensitive failsafe mechanism.

Advantageously, the barrier comprises an articulatable barrier.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the barrier comprises a series of bars on the trough. More preferably, the bars are arcuately curved in a concave recessed disposition into the trough.

Suitably, each bar comprises a failsafe release mechanism to individually or collectively release bars from the series. Preferably, the failsafe release mechanism on each bar comprises means for releasing each bar from the trough under weight pressure. More preferably, the means for releasing each bar from the trough under weight pressure are held in place by an interference fit. Most preferably, the means for releasing each bar from the trough under pressure comprises a block at the base of each bar, each block enjoying an interference fit with each adjacent block.

Suitably, each block is also releasably attached to the trough. Preferably, each block is releasably attached to the trough via a push-fit or snap-fit mechanism.

Preferably, the bars are mounted in the series to allow upwards and downwards articulation of the bars during feeding. More preferably, the bars are mounted in a housing adjacent the trough, the housing being fitted with a rod from which the bars Ί are mounted between the rod and the wedges so that the bars remain on the rod following release. Most preferably, each bar is mounted on the rod at a sleeve.

Preferably, the trough is mounted on the feeder disposed towards the ground in a 5 non-raised position.

Suitably, the trough is recessed beneath the hopper so that the hopper overhangs the trough and, advantageously, the hopper comprises at least one curved wall portion to direct feed from the hopper to the trough.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hopper comprises a bottom wall having a front wall, a rear wall, a first side wall and a second side wall upstanding therefrom and the trough is forwardly disposed on the front wall, the rear wall comprising the curved wall portion to direct feed towards the forwardly disposed trough from the hopper under gravity.

Advantageously, the rear wall and the front wall are forwardly inclined to overhang the trough and direct feed from the hopper towards the curved wall portion.

Suitably, the hopper is communicable with the trough via a feed aperture defined between the hopper and the trough and the hopper further comprises a hopper lid.

Preferably, the animal feeder comprises a wheelset mounted on the feeder for moving the feeder and a handle on the hopper. in a particularly preferred embodiment ofthe invention, the animal feeder is a horse feeder.

The enhanced safety features of the animal feeder of the invention ensure that the 5 animal feeder does not present a safety hazard to an animal so that the feeder of the invention can be safely left in-situ to feed an animal for prolonged unsupervised periods. This is of utility particularly where large numbers of animals are cared for such as at studs, racing stables and the like. In particular, the barrier failsafe mechanism of the feeder of the invention is suitable for use with a variety of animal feeders whether adapted to present feed to an animal in a natural ground-level grazing position or not although, as discussed further below, the combination of an animal feeder having the failsafe feature ofthe invention and a trough positioned in a non-raised position on the feeder at ground level which presents feed to an animal in a natural ground-level grazing orientation results in a feeder having optimal feeding is characteristics.

The animal feeder of the invention enables an animal to adopt a comfortable and correct anatomical position of its head and neck during feeding to anatomically replicate the natural head and neck position adopted by the animal when grazing.

Accordingly, the animal can feed as nature intended. The hopper of the animal feeder is also dimensioned to meet the daily dietary requirements of the animal and the rate at which feed is dispensed by the feeder or made available to the animal is constant and controlled to mimic natural grazing/foraging patterns thereby preventing over-eating or feed bolting. The animal feeder is labour saving as it does not require multiple replenishing over a daily period and the animal can be safely left unsupervised due to the presence of the failsafe mechanism.

As the trough of the animal feeder of the invention is in an unraised position 5 substantially at or adjacent ground level, the animal feeder of the invention enables a horse to eat at ground level so that muscle strain in the topline musculature is reduced, particularly in the thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbar regions of the back. More particularly, as it is only when the horse’s head is at ground level to feed that the teeth of the lower jaw move forward to meet exactly with the teeth of the upper jaw, the feeder of the invention enables the horse to feed in an anatomically comfortable position which facilitates normal movement of the jaw so that a more even and regular tooth wear pattern results. Thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbar muscular strains due to sustained muscle contraction within these regions during high head carriage while feeding at a height are therefore eliminated by the feeder of is the invention.

As the animal feeder of the invention facilitates safe feeding ad libitum as with natural grazing, a horse fed employing the animal feeder of the invention enjoys natural mechanisms of self-protection against gastric ulcers due to the continuous supply of feed available to the horse which can pass into and through the stomach which, combined with the ongoing production of saliva during chewing, buffers the acidity of the digestive acids produced in the stomach i.e. as the horse can safely feed in a continuous grazing-like fashion at the feeder of the invention, it is not necessary for the horse to endure prolonged periods without food thereby reducing the incidence of ulcers. Accordingly, the animal feeder of the invention facilitates a constant supply of feed to a horse which encourages a constant flow of saliva and maintains a constant supply of feed to the stomach which aids in buffering the acidic medium in the stomach, thereby reducing the incidence of ulcer formation.

The animal feeder of the invention is particularly efficacious at reducing ulcers in horses that have a pre-disposition towards ingesting and chewing feed at a fast rate (which in turn reduces the amount of time spent chewing, the amount of saliva produced and the digestibility of the partially chewed feed) by controlling the availability of feed to the horse with the feed controlling dispenser so that the horse is compelled to feed in a naturally continuous grazing-like manner - i.e. feed is constantly passing through the mouth and stomach to generate buffering saliva and reduce the risk of damage by digestive acids in an empty stomach. More particularly, the animal feeder provides controlled delivery of continuously available feed to animals in such a manner that provides a continuous flow of feed through the stomach to mimic the trickle-feeding pattern of ad-libitum grazing animals, thereby minimising the risk of the occurrence physiological disorders such as ulcers. In so doing, the animal feeder of the invention also reduces the risk of behavioural problems such as stress, boredom and stable vices.

As a horse can safely eat from the generally ground-abutting trough at ground level with the feeder of the invention, ingress of dust from the feed into the horse’s respiratory system and eyes which create or worsen disorders such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and eye infections is reduced or eliminated.

The animal feeder of the invention is stable in use in the stationary position but is also easily manoeuvrable and movable due to the presence of the wheelset.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from above and the front side of a mobile animal feeder of the invention, in the stationary position, having a ground level positioned trough fitted with a barrier failsafe mechanism adapted to safely anatomically replicate a natural ground-level grazing/foraging position and safely physiologically replicate a natural continuous grazing/foraging pattern; Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the animal feeder of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the animal feeder of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the animal feeder of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a side elevation of the animal feeder of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a top plan view of the feeder; Figure 7 is a plan view from below of the feeder; Figures 8a to 8g are enlarged views of the feed controlling dispenser incorporating the failsafe mechanism in the form of releasable interference or friction fit fingers or bars mounted in a cassette which together define a flexible mesh through which the animal can feed; Figures 9a to 9g correspond with Figures 8a to 8g but with the cassette removed to show the full length of the individual bars of the mesh; io Figures 10a to 10g are various enlarged views of an individual finger or bar of the mesh with Figures 10e and 10f showing front plan views of fingers of differing dimensions but identical construction ; Figure 11 is a longitudinal cross-section through the feeder with an individual bar of the mesh highlighted in the feeding position and supported in the cassette at one end on a bar and releasably wrapped around a base member of the feeder at its other end; Figure 12 is a longitudinal cross-section through the feeder as shown in Figure 11 but with the bar released, following activation of the failsafe mechanism, from the base member; Figure 13 is a longitudinal cross-section of feeder as shown in Figure 11 with a horse feeding at the feeder and the bars of the safety trough articulating or riding upwards and downwards at the bar sleeve about the cassette rod; Figure 14 is a front perspective view of the feeder with two bars of the mesh in the released position following activation of the failsafe mechanism by a horse’s hoof; Figure 15 is a front perspective view of the feeder with two bars of the mesh in the released position following activation of the failsafe mechanism by a horse’s hoof as shown in Figure 14 but with the horse’s hoof and leg being disposed between the released bars of the mesh, and Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view of the feeder with lid removed to show the lugs about which the lid is pivoted towards the front of the feeder.

Detailed Description of the Invention Figures 1 to 7 generally show a wheelie-bin type animal feeder 1 in accordance with the invention for grazing/foraging animals adapted, firstly, to safely anatomically replicate or mimic an animal’s natural grazing/foraging position and, secondly, to safely physiologically replicate an animal’s natural grazing/foraging pattern. The animal feeder 1 is suitable for use with a variety of feed/forage types (hereinafter referred to as feed) such as hay, dry feed and the like.

As shown in the drawings, the animal feeder 1 is made up of an upper feed storage bin or hopper 2 and a lower recessed integral feeding safety trough 3 positioned towards ground level in an unraised position. The hopper 2 is typically dimensioned to store an animal’s daily feed requirement and is formed from a bottom wail 4 having a front wall 5 overhanging the feeding trough 3, a rear wall 6, a first side wall 7 and a second side wall 8 upstanding therefrom to define a hopper opening 9. The hopper opening 9 is surrounded by an upper lip 10 on the front wall 5, rear wall 6, first side wall 7 and second side wall 8. The recessed feeding trough 3 is positioned and oriented on the front wall 5 of the hopper 2 parallel and contiguous with the io bottom wall 4 at or adjacent ground level.

The front wall 5, rear wall 6, first side wall 7 and second side wall 8 are shaped and contoured to substantially resemble a rhomboid-like parallelogram when viewed from the side as shown in Figure 5. More particularly, the front wall 5 and the rear wall 6 extend generally upwards and forwards in a parallel manner from the bottom wall 4 so that the front wall 5 overhangs the trough 3 and, conversely, the trough 3 is recessed beneath the overhanging front wall 5 to minimise the risk of an animal's foot coming into contact with the trough 3.

The hopper opening 9 is fitted with a hinged lid 11 for opening and closing the hopper opening 9 and filling the hopper 2 with feed. The hinged lid 11 is shaped to sit in the hopper opening 9 and has a lid front edge 12, a lid rear edge 13, a lid first side edge 14 and a lid second side edge 15.

The front wall 5 is shaped to define a convexly or outwardly curved face 16 adjacent the lid front edge 12 to which the hinged lid 11 conforms in shape to present a nonsharp surface overhanging the trough 3.

The hinged lid 11 is provided with a hinge 18 mounted between the front edge 12 and the hopper front wall 5 about which the lid 11 can pivot forwards for moving the hinged lid 11 between open and closed positions. As shown in particularly in Figure 16, the lid 11 is provided with pivot lugs 58 insertable and pivotable in corresponding notches on the hopper 2 in a click-in relationship so that the lid 11 can pivot forwards io towards the front wall 5.

The rear wall 6 of the hopper 2 is fitted with a wheelset 19 adjacent the bottom wall 4 for moving the animal feeder 1 between locations as required. The wheelset 19 is made up of a first wheel 20 adjacent the first side wall 7 of the hopper 2 and a second wheel 21 adjacent the second side wall 8 of the hopper 2. The first and second wheels 20, 21 are joined by a transverse axle 22 secured to the rear wall 6 by a first axle mounting 23 and a second axle mounting 24.

The wheelset 19 is mounted on the rear wall 6 adjacent the bottom wall 4 at a second convexly or outwardly curved face 25 of the rear wall 6, disposed diagonally opposite to the convexly or outwardly curved face 16 adjacent the lid front edge 12. The curvature of the convexly or outwardly curved face 25, in combination with the rhomboid-like arrangement of the forwardly disposed front wall 5 and rear wall 6, combine to define a smooth internal channel 17 through the animal feeder 1 to ensure an enhanced and constant downward flow or passage of feed through the hopper 1 from the opening 9 to the trough 3. More particularly, the curvilinear nature of the rear wall 6 facilitates unhindered flow of feed under gravity through the feeder 1 from the hopper 2 to the trough 3.

The rear wall 6 of the hopper 2 is provided with handles 26 adjacent for swivelling the animal feeder 1 on the wheelset 19 and lifting the bottom wall 4 of the hopper 2 from the ground and wheel the animal feeder on the first and second wheels 20,21. The handles 26 are formed from elongate grips 27. io As described above, the recessed safety trough 3 is located at the front wall 5 of the hopper 2 contiguously with the bottom wall 4 in a forwardly projecting orientation from the bottom wall 4 at ground level to anatomically replicate a truly natural grazing position so that a horse can safely feed in a biomechanical ly comfortable and correct posture whilst at the same time allowing safe and unsupervised continuous grazing15 like feeding in a controlled manner.

An elongate feed aperture 32 is defined between the front wall 5 and the bottom wall 4 of the hopper to facilitate passage of feed from the hopper 2 to the trough 3 while the safety trough 3 is formed from a ground-disposed trough bottom wall 33 which extends contiguously forwards and outwards from the bottom wall 4 of the hopper 2, a first substantially triangular end wall 34 parallel with but extending laterally outwards from the first side wall 7 of the hopper 2 and a second substantially triangular end wall 35 parallel with but extending laterally outwards from the second side wall 8 of the hopper 2. An upwardly disposed elongate trough opening 36 is defined between the first and second end walls 34,35 through which an animal can access feed as shall be described more fully below.

Each substantially triangular end wall 34,35 is made up of a bottom edge 37, a rear 5 edge 38 and a front edge 39 made up of a convexly or inwardly curved and arcuately recessed portion 40 extending between the rear edge 38 and an upwards or vertically disposed front edge portion 41.

The first and second end walls 34,35 are shaped to define an upwardly disposed io arcuately recessed feed outlet 42 therebetween contiguous with the trough opening 36. The feed outlet 42 is fitted with an adjustable feed controlling dispenser cum failsafe mechanism 43 for safely controlling the rate at which an animal can feed from the safety trough 3 i.e. to prevent an animal from bolting feed and to mimic natural grazing so that the feeder 1 provides a constant but controlled supply of feed to an animal whilst simultaneously allowing for safe continuous unsupervised feeding.

More particularly, as shown in Figures 8 to 15, the feed controlling dispenser 43 cum failsafe mechanism of the safety trough 3 is made up of a series 44 of resilient and flexible inwardly or concavely arcuate individual bars or fingers 45, hereinafter referred to as bars, supported at their upper ends in a cassette 28 disposed and spaced apart across the feed outlet 42. The cassette 28 is recessed in a complimentary cassette chamber 29 defined in the front wall 5 of the feeder 1 over the safety trough 3 so that no sharp edges are present in the front wall 5 of the feeder 1 that could present an injury risk to an animal.

More particularly, the series 44 of individual bars 45 in combination define a feeding mesh 30 through which an animal can access feed. Each bar 45 is arcuately shaped in a concave manner to correspond with the inwardly curved and arcuately recessed portion 40 of the end walls 34,35 and extend in a vertical plane between the trough bottom wall 33 and the cassette 28 as described further below The cassette 28 is shaped to define a housing 46 for receiving the bars 45 in an elongate bar slot 47 defined by the housing 46. The slot 47 is shaped and sized to io hold the bars 45 in the slot 47 whilst allowing wriggle room or vibration and upwards/downwards movement ofthe bars 45 as explained more fully below.

As shown particularly In Figures 10a to 10f, each bar 45 is made up of a base 49 in the form of a compressible and resilient block-like wedge 50 at its lower end having the curved or arcuate finger-like bar portion 48 upstanding therefrom The bar portion 48 terminates at its top end at an elliptical sleeve 51 shaped and dimensioned to fit in the slot 47. Each sleeve 51 defines a vertically oblong bore 52 for receiving a horizontal rod 53 mounted in the slot 47 ofthe cassette 28.

The sleeves 51 of each bar 45 are dimensioned and shaped to be held in place in the slot 47 on the rod 53 of the cassette 28 by an interference fit between each sleeve 51. However, as shown particularly in Figure 13, upon depression or displacement of a bar 45 by a feeding horse 54, each sleeve 51 is free to independently move upwards and downwards on the rod 53 at the bore 52 within the slot 47 of the cassette 28 should a horse contact or impact the bars 45 during feeding. However, the bars 45 are retained within the cassette 28 and prevented from detaching from the cassette 28 by the rod 53.

The block-like wedges 50 are height-dimensioned to correspond in height with the 5 upright portion 41 of the end walls 34,35 and width-dimensioned so that the series of bars 45 is held in place in the feed outlet 42 by a compressive or interference force exerted between the end walls 34,35 and the wedges 50 - i.e. the wedges 50 are squeezed between the end walls 34,35 while the bars 45 are spaced apart to define the mesh 30 allowing access to feed in the trough 3. io The block-like wedges 50 are provided with contoured side edges 55 to further enhance a tight fit between the end walls 34,35. As shown particularly in Figure 10c, each wedge 50 is shaped to define a notch 56 disposed rearwardly towards the safety trough 3 shaped and dimensioned to reieasably and reversibly attach and detach from the safety trough bottom wall 33 in a push-fit relationship. More particularly, each notch 56 reieasably secures each wedge 50 to a free outer edge 57 of the safety trough bottom wall 33 via a push-fit or snap-fit mounting.

As shown in Figures 12,14 and 15, the wedges 50 and the safety trough bottom wall 33 therefore co-operate to define a pressure or contact sensitive failsafe release mechanism whereby the compressed wedges 50 are automatically released from the safety trough 3 under pressure in the event that a horse 54 steps on the safety trough 3. Release of the bars 45 prevents the horse’s limb from becoming trapped in the trough 3 or the feed controlling dispenser 43 as the weight of the horse causes the wedges 50 to separate and release the fingers 45 so that the horse can safely remove its leg from the feeder 1. However, as the sleeves 51 are supported by the rod 53, the bars 45 do not become fully detached from the feeder 1 and remain insitu and undamaged.

In short, as the bars 45 are formed from a resiiient or rubber-like material and can articulate within the cassette 28 as described above, the bars 45 can move upwards and downwards as an animal feeds at the trough 3 e.g. should an animal press downwards on the bars 45 during feeding, the bars 45 can slide downwards at the sleeves 51 while the resilient nature of the bars 45 and their wedges 50 ensure that the bars 45 recoil or return to their resting position following feeding while the contact-sensitive failsafe mechanism ensures that an animal is unharmed in the event that the animal steps on or otherwise impacts the safety trough of the feeder 1.

The bars 45 can be dimensioned and/or increased or reduced in number as required to control the degree of access to feed through the feed outlet 42 i.e. the feed controlling dispenser 43 can be adjusted according to the feeding pattern of an animal e.g. where a horse is likely to bolt its feed, the number of fingers 45 can be increased so that access to feed is reduced to slow down the eating rate of the animal.

If desired, the animal feeder 1 can be fitted with a device for increasing the flow of feed through the hopper 2 to the trough 3. Suitable flow increasing devices include a plate shaped to fit and descend under gravity within the hopper 2 which can simply be placed on the feed adjacent the hopper opening 9. The weight of the plate causes a compressive force to be applied to the feed to urge the feed through the feeder 1. Alternatively, the flow increasing device can be a mechanical flow increasing device if desired.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the animal feeder 1 can be 5 dimensioned as required during manufacture for various animal sizes and eating habits. The animal feeder 1 can also be used outdoors if required while the shape of the animal feeder 1 can be altered if desired in accordance with the location in which the animal feeder is to be placed. For example, the animal feeder 1 can be shaped to fit into a corner. In this embodiment, the hopper can be conical or triangular in io shape whilst maintaining suitable curved smooth faces in the hopper 2 to ensure uninterrupted flow of feed through the hopper 2 to the trough 3.

The feeder 1 of the invention can be formed from any suitable material such as plastics and the like while in a preferred embodiment the bars 45 are formed from a resilient material such as a rubber material. A suitable rubber material is food grade black rubber with UV/ozone protection having a nominal harness of 80 ShoreA and a tolerance according to ISO 3302/BS 3734 Class M3.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments herein described which may be varied in construction and detail without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (5)

1. An animal feeder comprising; 5 a hopper for storing feed, and a trough from which an animal can feed disposed beneath the hopper and communicable with the hopper to receive feed from the hopper, and a barrier at the trough through which an animal can feed from the trough, the trough having a failsafe mechanism to prevent injury to a feeding animal.

2. An animal feeder as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the failsafe mechanism comprises a pressure contact sensitive failsafe mechanism movable between a closed position in which the barrier is held in place and a release position in which the barrier is open.

3. An animal feeder as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the barrier comprises a series of bars on the trough and each bar comprises a failsafe release mechanism to individually or collectively release bars from the series. 20

4. An animal feeder as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the failsafe release mechanism on each bar comprises means for releasing each bar from the trough under weight pressure held in place by an interference fit defined by a block at the base of each bar.

5. An animal feeder substantially as hereinbefore defined with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.