Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
  • A01K7/00—Watering equipment for stock or game
  • A01K7/02—Automatic devices ; Medication dispensers
  • A01K7/06—Automatic devices ; Medication dispensers actuated by the animal

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for controlled discharge of liquid, preferably water, to animals, and specifically to a so-called drinking valve adapted to be operated by an animal to dispense the water which the animal wants to drink.
• Modern drinking valves are conceived to be introduced into the mouth of the animal causing the water to flow down directly into the throat. Animals often tends to play with these valves holding them actuated without drinking and causing the water to flow out of the animal's mouth; as in many cases the water discharge is larger than the drinking capacity of the animal, water also in this case will flow out of the mouth. Exceptionally it may happen that the animals actuate the drinking valves in such an improper way that all the water discharged will flow directly onto the floor.
• Figs. 1 to 3 are schematical longitudinal sections of an embodiment of a drinking valve according to the invention.
• Figs. 4 to 6 are schematical longitudinal sections corre ⁇ sponding to those according to Figs. 1 to 3 of a second embodiment of a drinking valve according to the invention and
• Figs. 7 to 9 are schematical longitudinal sections corre ⁇ sponding to those according to Figs. 1 to 3 and 4 to 6 respectively of a third embodiment of a drin ⁇ king valve according to the invention.
• the drinking valve shown in Figs. 1 to 3 is a biting valve 1. It comprises a tubular valve housing 2 one end of which is provided with a thread 3 for attaching the biting valve 1 in connection to a water supply conduit. Over the end of valve housing 2 opposite to thread 3 one end of a dispensing piece 4 is attached.
• the dispensing piece 4 has the shape conventional in connection with biting valves and comprises a section of a tube a portion of which has been cut-away from the one end in a plane substantially through its axis of symmetry or shortly below this axis and obliquely upward to form an opening which, seen from above according to the draw ing has the shape of hal f an e ll ipse , l eaving an angu lar part surrounding the discharge end of valve housing 2- At the threaded end 3 of valve 2 normally there w ill be provided some sort of screen or filter as well as a restriction, these conventional features not being shown on the drawing .
• the valve mechanism itself comprises a valve stem 5 the free end of which extends out of the dispensing piece 4 where it may be actuated by an animal and the inner end of whi ch is provid ed w i th a va lve di sk 6 wh i ch is pos itioned within the valve hous ing 2.
• Stem 5 extends through an opening 7 in an end wal l 8 at the end of valve housing 2 enclosed by the dispensing piece 4.
• a compression spring 10 is inserted urging the valve disk 6 into sealing con ⁇ tact with a valve seat 11, here shown in the form of an 0-ring, which in turn is supported by the inner surface of the end wall 8 around opening 7 therein. This means at the same time that stem 5 will extend right out of valve hous ing 2 as shown in Fi g. 1.
• a second valve seat 12 is provided on the side of valve disk 6 opposed to wall 8.
• This second valve seat 12 has a substantially centrally positioned through-hole 13.
• the side of this second seat 12 facing the valve disk 6 is so inclined that the spacing between the end wal l 8 and this second seat is greater downwardly than upwardly when the biting valve 1 is in the pos ition shown in Figs . 1 to 3 which is the normal mounting position.
• valve disk 6 The side of the valve disk 6 oppos ite to stem 5 is pro ⁇ vided with a conical protrus ion 14 the apex of which coincides with the centre line of the valve disk 6.
• the biting valve shown in Figs. 1 to 3 operates in the following way: When the valve stem 5 is not actuated it extends right out as shown in Fig. 1, on the one hand, under the action of spring 10 and, on the other hand, due to the pressure of the water acting on valve disk 6. In this position the flow of water through the biting valve is completely stopped.
• valve stem 5 When an animal intends to drink it will gape about the dispensing piece 4 and subsequently close the mouth causing the palate, teeth or some other part of the mouth to depress the valve stem 5 to approximately the position shown in Fig. 2. In this position a path for the flow of water through the valve is open and the water will flow into the mouth of the animal. In a reflective reaction the animal will swallow thereby additionally pressing down ' valve stem 5 to the position shown in Fig. 3. As the dispensing piece is slightly inclined downwardly and out ⁇ wardly, the valve stem 5 may be swung comparatively far permitting a distance of movement which may be used as compensation when the valve parts have been worn-out.
• valve housing 21 one end of which is provided with a thread 22 for attachment of the biting valve 20 at a water supply conduit.
• a dispensing piece 23 is attached in the same way as in the embodiment according to Figs. 1 to 3 and having the same shape as dispensing piece 4.
• An actuating member 24 is provided in the dispensing piece 23 and is hingedly supported by a shaft 25 in such a way that the outer end of the actuating member may move up and down as indicated in Figs. 4 to 6.
• a lever 26 extends from shaft 25 and into the valve housing 21 through a perforated flexible end wall 27. This flexible end wall 27 tends to hold the lever in a horisontal position as shown in Fig. 4 while at the same time it permits flow of water therethrough.
• a body 28 is shiftable to and fro in the valve housing 21 and by means of a compression spring 29 inserted between body 28 and a restriction 30 body 28 is biased towards lever 26.
• the body 28 On the side facing lever 26 the body 28 has a conical depression 31 and lever 26, the free end of which has a semi-spherical shape, normally is at rest in the apex of the conical depression 31.
• the actuating member 24 When the actuating member 24 is depressed, the end of lever 26 is moved along the wall of depression 31 urging body 28 in the direction towards the restriction 30.
• a duct 32 extends from the apex of the conical depression 31 and through a tubular extension 33 the end of which is closed and has a semi-spherical outer shape.
• the tubular extension 33 is surrounded, on the one hand, by spring 29 and, on the other hand, by a skirt 34 which extends as a guide out ⁇ wardly from restriction 30 towards body 28.
• a through- flow hole 35 extends through the wall of the tubular extension 33.
• this biting valve 20 is as follows : In the position shown in Fig. 4 the flow of water through valve 20 is stopped due to the fact that the semi- ' spherical end of lever 26 is at rest in the apex of the conical depression 31 whereby the out-flow from duct 32 is closed.
• the biting valve 40 shown in Figs. 7 to 9 has the same basic construction as the biting valves 1, 20 as described before and comprises a tubular valve housing 41, one end of which is provided with a thread for attachment of the valve 40 to a water supply conduit. As in the previously described biting valves one end of a dispensing piece 43 is attached at the other end of the valve housing 21, said dispensing piece having the same shape as the previously described dispensing pieces.
• valve stem 44 extends through a hole 45 in the end of valve housing 41 facing the dispensing piece 43 and an actuating member 46 is attached to the outer end of valve stem 44.
• actuating member 46 is attached to the outer end of valve stem 44.
• a valve disk 47 is attached and adapted to be urged against a sealing ring 49 supported by a shoulder 48 surrounding hole 45, said sealing ring 49 forming a valve seat and being shaped as an O-ring, the valve disk 47 being actuated by a compression spring 50 which is inserted between the valve disk 47 and a restriction 51 at the inlet end of valve housing 42.
• the restriction 51 has an axially extending skirt 52 pro ⁇ vided with holes or grooves permitting passage of water, a piston 53 being axially shiftable within this skirt 52.
• a hole 54 extends axially through the restriction 51 and opens centrally within the skirt 52.
• the side of valve disk 47 opposite to stem 44 is provided with a protrusion 55 against which piston 53 is urged by the water flowing through hole 54.
• the biting valve 40 as shown in Figs. 7 to 9 operates as follows: In the non-actuated position shown in Fig. 7 the valve disk 47 seals against the valve seat 49 whereby the flow of water through the biting valve 40 is stopped. When " n animal intends to drink the same discharge in separate draughts of water from the biting valve 40 will occur as described in connection with the two previously described embodiments of the invention. Thus, when the actuating member 46 is depressed a distance as shown in Fig. 8, valve disk 47 will be swung from seat 49 and the flow path through the biting valve will be opened.
• the protrusion 55 will urge the piston 53 in the skirt 52 in the direction towards the outlet of hole 54 and during continued inclination, when the actuating member 46 has been swung downwardly to the bottom of dispensing piece 43, the piston 53 has been urged inwardly to such an extent that it closes the outlet of hole 54 causing the flow through the valve again to be interrupted.
• the valves It is a common feature of al l the valves that there may be either one or two closing positions. Thus the valve shall always close when it is not actuated and for this c los i ng a spr i ng as shown may be u s ed or only th e pres sure of the water acting against the valve disk.
• valve In the position of maximum actuation the valve normally is al so clos ed, but this clos ing needs not be complete and it is al so pos sible to provide a by-pass conduit always permitting a minimum flow through the valve as soon as it is in pos ition of maximum actuation. In this condition, however, a substantial reduction of the flow of water through the valve is required in order that the purpose indicated initially shall be achieved.
• valves and its function are based on a principle which previous ly has not been considered possible, namely to use the swallowing movement of the animal.
• the valve in its state of maximum actuation is caused either to close the flow of water or to dispense a predetermined minimum amount .
• the valves may be permitted to have a larger dis ⁇ charge capacity than that corresponding to the drinking capacity of the animals without any risk for appreciable spillage .
• This solution of the problem is a valve mecha ⁇ nism which may be incorporated into various types of drinking valves and which has an unactuated, completely closed position and a maximum actuated closed or strongly restricted pos ition. Between the se pos it ions the valve permits the through-flow which it is adapted to permit at maximum.
• the construction is simple, reliable and cheap in production. An expert on this fie ld will appreciate that many mod i ications can be performed and that the construction can be adapted to var ious drinking valves .

Landscapes

• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Husbandry (AREA)
• Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
• Feeding And Watering For Cattle Raising And Animal Husbandry (AREA)
• Lift Valve (AREA)
• Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20351305

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (4)

Families Citing this family (10)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 1983
  • 1983-05-24 SE SE8302924A patent/SE8302924D0/sv unknown
• 1984
  • 1984-05-18 WO PCT/SE1984/000193 patent/WO1984004655A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1984-05-18 EP EP84902232A patent/EP0169849A1/en not_active Withdrawn
• 1985
  • 1985-01-24 US US06/706,859 patent/US4633816A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (5)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events