WO1983003739A1

WO1983003739A1 - Feeder for cattle, more specifically for pigs

Info

Publication number: WO1983003739A1
Application number: PCT/NL1983/000012
Authority: WO
Inventors: Franciscus Henricus Michael Van Gestel; Johanna Anna Maria Catharina Wouters
Original assignee: Gestel Franciscus Henricus Mic; Wouters Johanna Anna Maria Cat
Priority date: 1982-04-27
Filing date: 1983-03-30
Publication date: 1983-11-10
Also published as: EP0107672A1; NL8201730A

Abstract

Feeder for cattle, more specifically for pigs, with a storage hopper (1) connected at the bottom with a feedingtrough (2) at the frontside closed by a sheet (5), which feedingtrough - seen from where the animals stand - is divided in a number of feeding compartments by an inwardly extending construction with partition walls (3), which are fixedly mounted to a turnable profile (6), with the characteristic that this entire construction can be pulled outside the feedingtrough so as to rest on the floor in front of the feeder. In open position (trough open) the feedingtrough is free of all obstacles, enabling thorough and perfect cleaning. In closed position means are provided to lock the turnable construction by a locking device.

Description

Feeder for cattle,more specifically for pigs

The invention relates to a feeder for cattle,more specifically for pigs,with a storage hopper,the bottom of which connects to a feedingtrough. Feeders of the above catagory are habitually constructed in such a way that the upper frontside of the feedingtrough shows a ledge,which,seen from where the animals stand, extends inward.The very purpose of this ledge is to prevent the animals,which love to play about with their food,from throwing it out of the trough.The ledge in fact can have various widths.It can be formed by one side of e.g. an L-sha ped profile,which is fixed to the upper frontside of the trough.The profile in question then simultaneously serves the purpose of reinforcing the frontside and in that case will be fixedly mounted to the sidewalls of the feeder.

Praxis has shown however that the above construction with fixed ledge has the considerable disadvantage of food remnants staying stuck under the extending ledge.After some time these remnants tend to form a cake,which is very difficult to remove,specially because the food remnants have been mixed with animal saliva.It stands to reason that for guaranteeing a good health of the animals 100% hygiene is a necessity.The above phenomenon of food remnants staying behind in the feeder endangers the upkeeping of top hygiene.The remnant may give growth to bacteria and fungi,which may easily lead to animal disease.Hence a strict cleaning schedule of the feeders is necessary. Cleaning of feeders with fixed ledges however is not only difficult but also very time-absorbing.

The invention in question is meant to do away with these cleaning problems by changing the construction of the feeder. A feeder for cattle,more specifically for pigs as per the invention,has a storage hopper,the bottom of which connects with a feedingtrough. The upperfrontside of the feeding trough shows a ledge formed by one side of an L-shaped profile on to which partitionwalls are mounted,dividing the feedingtrough in a number of feeding compartments.The construction is such that the entire unit formed by the profile plus the partitionwalls can be turned outside the feedingtrough so as to be put down on the floor in front of the feeder.

This has the advantage that the entire feedingtrough becomes open for cleaning,whilst the unit itself-now lying in front of the feeder-is also totally accessible for cleaning.This cleaning can be done by a high pressure washer or/and in combination with brushes.

As said,the ledge in fact can be one side of an L-shaped profile.The other side is then fixedly mounted to the upperfrontside of the feedingtrough by means of supporting brackets,enabling the entire unit with profile and partition walls to turn outside the trough towards the bottom in front of the feeder.

During normal use for feeding the animals,the unit in question is kept locked by a special locking device.The animals of course must not be able to dislock same or even move it out of position.Consequently a locking device is provided,which guarantees that the unit is solidly kept in place.For this locking device various executions are possible: bolts with winged nuts for easy opening,clamps or hooks. The construction can also be slightly adapted in such a way that the frontside of the feedingtrough is integrated in the turnable unit,facilitating even more the access to the bottom of the feedingtrough for cleaning. As already stated,these feeders are constructed in such a way that it is possible to feed various animals simultaneously. The trough is divided in a number of feeding compartments by divisionwalls.These divisionwalls have been incorporated into the turnable part.As a result the division walls coming out of the trough are easily cleanable.

The feeder can also be constructed in a special economical execution.The turnable unit in that case is provided with 2 expanders existing of strips with slots. These expan ders can be placed either on the topside of the turnable unit or at intermittent places.The strips will glide along pegs inserted in the slots. On to these pegs blocking devices can be fitted so as to block the turnable unit in any desired position.

The invention will now be described below with reference to drawings viz.

Drawing I shows an oblique projection of a feeder as per the invention with 4 feeding compartments Drawing 2 shows a frontview of the feeder as per drawing I . Drawing 3 shows crosssection of l\te feeder with partial view of the side. Drawing 4 sketch of an expander. Drawing 5 variant of the construction according to drawing I. In drawings I,2 and 3 identical reference numbers have been used for identical parts.

In drawing I the feeder exists of a storage hopper I and a trough 2.As will be clear from the drawing the hopper I connects with the trough 2.In the trough 2 three divisionwalls 3 are placed.The divisionwalls at the backside slide between railshaped parts 4.The frontside of the trough is closed by a plate sheet 5. On to this sheet 5 the divisionwalls are fixed.On the topside of sheet 5 an L-shaped profile 6 is fixedly connected to sheet 5. The one side of this L profile functions as a ledge,which prevents the animals from throwing food out of the trough.

The frontside of the trough together with profile 6 and the three divisionwalls 3 can be turned out of the trough body or fixed at intermittent stops.Tothis purpose on the bottom of sheet 5 hinges have been constructed.lt will be clear that-the construction being turned all open-the corner at the inside as well as the partitionwalls and all further parts of the trough are easily accessible and consequently perfect cleaning can be obtained.

Drawing 4 shows a variant of the invention,in which the frontsheet 7 of the trough 2 is in a fixed position.The ledge 8 here is also part of an L-shaped profile,which in its entirety can be turned out of the feedingtrough.This profile at several places,specially at the top,is connected with strip-shaped expanders I0 with a slot II.Nr. 9 in this drawing indicates a peg sticking through the slot.The peg is solidly connected to the body of the feeder. On the right side of the vertical line in this drawing the position "normal use" is indicated.To the left side the open position is drawn. In the variant as indicated in drawing 5 the frontside of the feedingtrough is numbered I2.On the upperside of this front an L-shaped profile is located.The profile can hinge on point I4 and be turned to the outside,as indicated on the left side. On the topends of profile I3 strips have been mounted with slots I6. The slots in operating position slide around pegs I7.The pegs can block strips I5 by winged nuts to obtain any desired operating position.

In the drawings the L-shaped profile 6 has been drawn in a partially open position.As will be clear from the drawings the profile can be turned out of the trough completely so as to reach a position on the floor in front of the feeder.The entire trough is then quite open for cleaning e.g. by high pressure washer.In drawings I and 3 partially turned open position is indicated by dotted lines.In drawings 4 and 5 partially turned open positions are sketched by thin interrupted lines.

Claims

Conclusions

I) Feeder for cattle,more specifically for pigs,with a storage hopper,connected at the bottom with a feedingtrough. The upperfrontside of the feedingtrough shows a ledge,formed by one side of an L-shaped profile on to which partition walls are mounted,dividing the feedingtrough in a number of feeding compartments.The characteristic of the construction is that the entire unit formed by the L-shaped profile plus partitionwalls can be pulled outside the feedingtrough and be put down on the floor in front of the feeder.

2) Feeder as per conclusion I,with the characteristic that means are provided to lock the turnable part when feeder is in normal use. 3) Feeder as per conclusions I and 2,with the characteristic that the turnable part forms entity with and is mounted on an L-shaped profile.

4) Feeder as per conclusions I,2 and 3,with the characteristic that the L profile is fixed to the frontside of the trough and turns out together with the frontside.

5) Feeder as per conclusions I,2,3 and 4,with the characteristic that the turnable part rotates around hinges fixed to the frontside of the trough.

6) Feeder as per the conclusions I,2,3,4,5 with a feeding trough which is divided in a number of feeding compartments by divisionwalls,with the characteristic that the divisionwalls are fixedly connected to and are part of the turnable unit and consequently can be put out of the trough.

7) Feeder as per the conclusions I,2,3,4,5 or 6 with the characteristic that the turnable part at the topside is connected with expanders existing of strips with slots.

8) Feeder as per conclusion 7 with the characteristic thaat the strips can slide along and turn around pegs inserted into the slots.