US1305832A - Automatic hog-feeder - Google Patents

Description

F. J. PATTERSON.

AUTOMATIC HOG FEEDER.

APPLICATION F1LED AUGLS, 1918.

1 05,832. Patented June 3, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I,

avwma coz F. J. PATTERSON.

AUTOMATIC HOG FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9.1918.

1,305,32. Patentefl June 3,1919.

OFFICE.

FRANK J. PATTERSON, OF WAVERLY, IOWA.

AUTOMATIC HOG-FEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 1919.

Application filed August 9, 1918. Serial No. 249,109

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK J. PATTERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waverly, in the county of Bremer and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Automatic Hog-Feeder, of which the following is a specification.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel means whereby feed may be discharged automatically to swine or other animals, thereby preventing a wasting of the feed. Another object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby the feed hopper may be assembled with the framework or body of the machine.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows in side elevation, a feeding device constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being broken away, and parts appearing in section; Fig. 2 is a top plan, wherein parts are broken away; Fig. 3 is a cross section onthe line 33 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the means whereby the hopper is held as sembled with the base or frame.

The device forming the subject matter of this application includes a frame, made up "of longitudinal inner plates 1 and longitudinal outer plates 2 connected by end walls 3. Troughs 4 are located between the plates 1 and 2 and extend from one end wall 3 to the other. The troughs 4 may be separated into compartments, by division plates 5.

A sinuous strip 6 is disposed between the plates 1, and extends from one end wall 3 to the other end wall 3. The sinuous strip 6 defines a plurality of cross chutes 7.

The numeral 8 marks a hopper which may have a hinged top 9. The hopper may be divided into parts, by division plates 10, cooperating with the division plates 5 in the troughs 4. The hopper 8 includes end walls 11 having transverse grooves 12. The ends 15 of the sinuous strip 6 which forms the chutes 7, are extended upwardly above the end walls 3 of the frame and are provided with outwardly extended flanges 14. The hopper 8 may be slid into place, trans versely of the main frame, the flanges l4 entering the grooves 12. In this way, the hopper will be held in place against upward movement. One of the flanges 14 is supplied with a notch or keeper 16. There is an opening 17 in that end wall 11 of the hopper 8 wherewith the aforesaid flange cooperates, the opening 17 being shown best in Fig. 4. A latch 18 is locatedin the opening 17 and is pivotally supported as shown at 19 on one of the end walls 11 of the hopper 8. The outer end of the latch 18 may be swung upwardly by means of a retractile spring 20, attached at its upper end to the end wall 11 of the hopper 8, the construction being such that the inner end of the latch 18 will be swung downwardly, to engage in the notch or keeper 16, as will be understood clearly from Fig. 4. The hopper 8 cannot he slid transversely of the main frame. when the latch 18 is engaged with the keeper or notch 16, but it is possible to disengage the latch from the keeper, whereupon the hopper may be slid off the base or main frame of the feeder. It is not necessary that the hopper 8 be used, but when the hopper is employed, the same is adapted to contain feed and to discharge the same into the cross chutes 7. If the'hopper 8 is omitted, then the feed will simply be shoveled into the cross chutes 7, as occasion may demand.

A shaft 21 extends longitudinally of each of the cross chutes 7. At one end, the shaft 21 is journaled, as shown at 22, in one of the inner longitudinal plates 1. A casing 23 is attached to the opposite longitudinal plate and has a hole 24 in its bottom, through which feed may be discharged from the chut 7, into the trough 4. That end of the shaft 21 which is opposite to the end 22 1S journaled in the outer wall of the casing 23. Each shaft 21 carries a worm conveyer 25 operating in the chute 7. The worm conveyers 25 on adjoining shafts 21 discharge in opposite directions into the respective troughs 4, a construction which will be understood readily when Fig. 2 of the drawings is compared with Fig. 1. On the outer end of each shaft 21, a ratchet wheel 26 is secured. The ratchet wheel is operated by Copies ofithis' patent, may be obtained for means of a pawl 27, pivoted to an actuating member comprising a vertical bar 28 and a transverse 'head 29, the head 29 being located in the trough 4:. The bar 28 of the actu ating member slides vertically in guides 30 constituting apart of a bracket 31, provided at'i'tsupp'er end with an outstanding arm 32. An adjustin device such as a set screw 33, is threaded 1nto the arm 32, and cooperates wi-th the upper end of the bar 28 of the actuating member, in a way which will be described hereinafter.

In practical operation, feed is shoveled into the crosschutes 7 or is deposited thercin from the hopper 8. An animal eating out of one of the troughs 4 may raise the actuating member, the snout of the animal being engagedagainst the head '29 of the actuating 'member. In this way, the actuating member will be raised, the bar 28 sliding upwardly in the guides 30. When the actuating member'is raised, the pawl 27 rotates the ratchet wheel 26, and rotation is imparted tothe shaft 21, whereupon the worm conveyor 25 will advance a small quantity of feed; out ofthe cross chute 7, into the casing 23, and out of the casing 23 into the trough 4:, through the hole 24. In this way, small, predetermined quantities of feed will be advanced, as the feed in the trough et is eaten away, and the waste of'feed will be inappreciable. The setscrew 33 which cooperates with the upper end of the bar 28 limits the upward movement. of the actuating member, and limits, consequently, the throw ot the pawl 27 and the amount of. feed which is discharged at each upward stroke of the actuating member. member tends to move downwardly, by gravity, into the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the downwardmovement of-the actuating member being limited by means of.

a cross pin 34:, inserted. through. the upper. end of the bar 28 ofthe. actuating member, and-adapted to cooperate with the uppermost guide 30.

The actuating 2. In a device of the class described, a 7

frame; a trough carried thereby; a cross chute mounted on the frame; and discharging into the trough; a worm conveyer operating in the chute; a bracket carried by the frame; an actuating member sl i dable in the bracket and comprising a part accessible to an animal eating out of the trough; means mounted in the bracket and-adjustable therein, for limiting the movement of the actuating member; a pawl carried by the actuating member; and a ratchet wheel-mounted on the worm conveyer and coacting with the pawl.

3. In a device of the class described, a frame; a trough carried thereby; a cross chute mounted on the frameandincluding a flange; a hopper disposed above the frame 7 and discharging into the chute, the hopper havinga groovereoeivingthe flange; a latch n the ppe nd e gaging; the flange; a onvey r Oper g. n, the chute; nd mean accessible to an animal eating outrof; thev trough, for operating the conveyer.

I t mony at I l im. th r 9i as myown, I v e to a fi ed -myignature in the presence of-twowitnesses,

FRANK J. PATTERSON;

Witnesses: c

O. O. RUNYABD, H. E. Monnnrno.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0.. I

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