US245795A - Automatic stock-feeder - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) v5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

I. L. DIAS- AUTOMATIC STOCK FEEDER. No. 245,795. Patented Aug. 16,1881.

withe'sae N. FEIERS. Pholo-Lilhugmphcr, Washington in;

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I. L. DIAS.

AUTOMATIC STOCK FEEDER. No. 245,795. Patented Aug. 16,1881.

Inventor N. PETERS Phulmhlhographer, wfimin mn. D. C.

(No Model.) 5 Sh eets8heet 3'.

I. L. DIAS. AUTOMATIC STOCK- FEEDER.

No. 245,795. Patented Aug. 16,1881.

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5 Sheets-Sheet 4. I. L. DIAS.

AUTOMATIC STOCK FEEDER.

Patented Aug. 16,1881.

Witnesses f2.

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N. FEYERS, mmunm m nw. Washin ton. D. c

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet,5.

I. L. DIAS.

AUTOMATIC STOCK FEBDER.

1101 245,795. Patented Aug. 16,1881.

Witnesses T11 v n 1% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC L. DIAS, OF PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC STOCK-FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,795, dated August 16, 1881,

Application filed November 8, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ISAAC L. DIAS, of Petaluma, county of Sonoma, and State of California, have invented an Automatic Stock-Feeder; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a novel device for feeding and watering stock at stated times, whereby, without the intermediate supervision of any one, the required amount of food and water will be deposited in the manger.

It consists of a peculiarly-constructed receptacle having a bottom or door in two parts, each secured by peculiar latches, said latches being connected with two alarm mechanisms of a clock, so .that at the desired time the latches may be tripped and the feed deposited in the manger.

It consists, further, in the employment of appropriate mechanism operated by the bottom of the box in its fall, and connected with a receptacle or tank for water alongside of the manger, in which tank a common floating ball operates to regulate and close the flow of water, all of which will hereinafter more particularly appear.

The object of my invention is to save time and labor in feeding and watering animals, and to regulate to a certainty their meals.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a general View of my device. Fig. 2 is a section through the box. Fig. 3 shows the device connected with the clock-work. Fig. 4 shows clock mechanism. Fig. 5 shows how any number of feed-boxes may be operated. Fig. 6 shows the manner of supplying water and feed. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are details of construction.

LetA represent the feedin g-box, of sufficient capacity to hold a quantity of hay and grain. It is fastened to the wall of the barn, over the manger, at sufficient height to not interfere with the animals heads. This box is made Widest at the bottom. Its inside structure is composed of three parts-the largest, B, to hold the hay, the next one, C, for grain, and the outer one, D, also for grain. The hay-division B, being larger at the bottom than at the top, also has its sides flaring, so that the hay may be discharged freely and not clog itself. The bottom of the box A is composed of two por- (No model.)

tions, acting as doors, the larger one, E, covering the hay-division B and the first graindivision, 0, as shown. The smaller door, F, covers the second grain-division, D. These doors are hinged by common iron strap-hinges G to the front side of the box A, so that they swing from the rear forward.

Springs H are attached, as shown, to prevent the doorsfrom flying beyond the perpendicular, and thus direct the hay and grain against the wall of the barn, which acts as a chute to conduct it to the manger. It is thus prevented'from falling down in the stall under the animals feet.

Into the edge of the door E is driven the bolt I, projecting an inch or two.

011 the back of the box A, which, though fastened to the wall, is set out a little from it, is the latch J, pivoted at K on a small castiron plate attached to the box for greater securit y. The latch J is of a peculiar shape, having an upright arm, K, and a fork, 711. The upper prong of the fork is longer than the lower one. Its lower prong when at rest just clears a small slot, L, in the back of the box, in which the bolt I ascends. The upper prong extends across the slot L, so that the bolt I when ascending touches it and raises it up. The slot L is shown in Fig. 8.

Another peculiar latch, M, with its catch N,

en gages the upright arm of latch J and holds it in posit-ion. The latch M is pivoted to the box,'as shown. Its upper arm is connected with a wire leading toward the alarm mechanism, connected with a clock, being guided thereto by a bell-crank lever, as shown at 0. There the wire stops, and a twisted silk cord continues the communication to a spindle, P, set on the winding-shank of the alarm mechanism, around which it winds. When the alarm is not wound up the wire is of such a length as to hold the latch M back, so that its clasp or catch will not engage the latch J when the door E is open.

The operation of the latches and door will be as follows: Suppose the door E is open and hanging down, the latch J is at rest, and the upper latch, M, is drawn back. Now, I wind the alarm, and the cord, wound about the winding-shaft instead of winding up, is so fastened that it will unwind, the wire loosens, and the latch M, forced by a small spring, m, falls forward, so that its clasp or catch is in a position ready for service. I then close the door E by pulling on a cord, 0, attached to the door at b, rigged on pulleys on top of the box, as shown. As the door closes the bolt I, as it reaches the slot L, goes past the lower prong of the fork is and pushes against the upper prong, thus lifting the latch J up. As it lifts it brings the upright arm K in such a position as to engage with the catch of the latch M, where it is held fast. The bolt I then drops back upon the lower prong of the fork k, which, on account of its alter'ed position, now extends across the slot L, and there rests, holding the door fast. When the alarm goes off the winding-shaft turns and winds up the cord on the spindle P,

which draws the wire and trips the latch M,

freeing the latch J, which, falling down, releases the bolt I, and the door E falls down. Having previously placed hay and grain in the box, which have been supported by the closed door E, they are discharged into the manger, the grain going into its box immediately nuderneath, and the hay into its place.

The alarm is attached to an ordinary octagon clock, and is set in the usual manner, by placing the appropriate figure on its dials under the hour-hand.

I have thus far explained simply a portion of the feed-box. The second grain-division, D, of the box A, and its door F, are operated by the same kind of latches in the same manner; but in order to so contrive as to have it discharged at a diflerent time I have applied a further device.

It will be well to explain the purpose of the grain-division D, and why it is made to discharge at a different time. Take a horse, for example. After being driven hard he is returned heated. It will not do to give him grain at once, he must be given hay; but he needs grain, too; so if he can haveit in half an hour it will be well. I place a feed of grain in division D. The horse has had his hay, and in half an hour he is to have the grain, so that must come separately; and as I have filled divisions B and O with hay and grain for his early morning meal, it could not be so arranged tolet one door fall without the other unless it had separate mechanism. For this purpose I apply similar contrivances as far as the alarm. I take the alarm mechanism from a common upright clock and insert it in the frame of the octagon clock, so that this clock has two alarms. These two alarms are actuated by means of two dials, R and R, arranged upon the arbor of the same hour-hand, and are each provided with anotch inclined in the same direction,

' but in different relative positions in their periphery. Into these notches respectively takes, as said dials revolve, an operating-rod, U. When either of the operating-rods U fall into the notch of its dial its alarm goes 0E, windin g the cord and wire connecting with the latches of the door F. By this contrivance I make the same clock operate two alarms for performing separate duty. The grain will thus be discharged in half an hour, and the hay and grain together next morning, or at any other time I may desire.

In order to furnish water I make it dependent upon the opening of either door. Attached to the wall of the barn and running up beside the slot L in the back of the box A is the rod V, formed at its upper end so as to have the incline at c and rest (I, as shown. 1t is so placed that when the door E is closing the bolt Iwill slide up theincline, andwhen passed itwill be directly over the rest at d. The rod V operates a horizontal lever, W, pivoted between the weight and power, as shown at e, and provided with a catch,f, and a spring, 9, to hold it in position. It engages with a trigger, g, attached to a stop-cock, 3, which is controlled by the rod 4 of an ordinary floating ball, X, in the water-tank Y. A water-pipe, Z, furnishes the supply of water. A waste-pipe carries the water off.

The operation of this water attachment is as follows: When the door E is closed the lever W is horizontal, and its catch holds the floating ballup and the water is shut of. When the door is suddenly opened, in its descent the bolt I hits upon the rest at d of the rod V and presses it down. This trips the catch f of the lever W and lets the floating ball drop, and the water flows in. As the tank fills the ball rises and causes its latch to engage with the lever W, which has been forced back to its position by the spring 9, and the water is stopped.

The door F of the grain-division D is provided with a similar contrivance. The lever W is extended to meet its operating-rod, and because the rod of the small door F has a longer leverage its weight will not be against it. Thus every time food is given water is supplied. Now, when several boxes have to be operated in this way, the power of the alarm alone will not be sufficientto windup the cords to trip the latches. I have therefore connected the latch-wires directly with a bell-cranklever, n, placed in any portion of the barn, on the horizontal arm of which a weight, w, is placed. The weight-arm is placed in a horizontal position by a cord and pulley, as shown. A latch,

0, holds it in position. The alarm mechanisms of the clock are connected with the latch 0, and when tripped the weight will be sufficient to trip the entire series of latches.

The feed-box A, when the barn has a loft, is placed so that its base will extend but a short distance below the loft-floor and be out of the way. The clock can be placed anywhere in the barn, as can also the great actuating-levers for a combination, and connected with the latches by means of wires guided over bell-crank levers.

By this invention two feeds can be given at one time. After feeding hay and grain in the evening shut the doors and placefeed for morning; set alarms of clock for time wished, and the animals will be fed without more ado.

This invention is particularly useful for men who keep their own horses, and who wish punctuality and a labor-saving machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let- 5 ters Patent, is-

1. The feed-box A, provided with divisions B G D and swinging doors E F, opened by gravity, in combination with a manger, ac, arranged directly below said feed-box, as shown,

10 and for the purpose described.

2. The double dials R and R, in combination with a single spindle and hour-wheel, and operating difi'erent alarm mechanisms, one alarm being connected with each door, sub- 15 stantially as herein described.

3. In combination with the doors E and F, the peculiarly-shaped rods V, operating the lever W for tripping the latch of the floating ball X in the water-tank Y, substantially as 20 herein described.

, I. L. DIAS.

Witnesses:

WM. F. Boo'rn, S. H. NoURsE.

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