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
  • A01K5/00—Feeding devices for stock or game ; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks
  • A01K5/02—Automatic devices
  • A01K5/0225—Gravity replenishment from a reserve, e.g. a hopper
  • A01K5/0241—Gravity replenishment from a reserve, e.g. a hopper dispensing by means of stirring mechanisms or agitators operated by the animal
• • 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
  • A01K5/00—Feeding devices for stock or game ; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks
  • A01K5/02—Automatic devices
  • A01K5/0225—Gravity replenishment from a reserve, e.g. a hopper

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a feeding device for use in automatic feeding of do- mestic animals and of the type designed for a flexible elastically yielding swing of at least a lower section of a substantially vertically oriented feeding tube depending on an impact at the free outlet end of the feeding tube, which is arranged immediately above a feeding plate in a trough, which has a water recess around the feeding plate and from which the animals take their food, which comes out of the outlet end of the feeding tube.
• Feeding devices are known in which the feeding of the animals takes place by using an elastically yielding feeding tube.
• the feeding tube is actuated at the free outlet end, which is arranged above a plane feeding plate.
• the feeding device functions by the animal pressing its snout against the lower part of the feeding tube at the free outlet end, where the food flows out onto the feeding plate.
• the feeding tube will be bent so that a larger gap is created between the feeding plate and the outlet opening.
• an amount of food is dispensed at the feeding plate.
• the food dispenser With a larger or smaller power in the transverse di ⁇ rection of the feeding tube, whereby it becomes possible to dispense a larger or smaller amount of food at each actuation of the food dispenser.
• the food will not be wasted.
• the feeding tube has been suspended in a frame.
• Such a frame is very laborious to weld up.
• the known feeding devices are asso ⁇ ciated with a considerable amount of work when mounting.
• the known feeding devices have been difficult to adapt to animals of different sizes.
• a feeding device of the type mentioned in the introduction which is characterised in that the feeding tube is consti ⁇ tuted by a hollow plastic profile, at least a lower section of which is supported so as to be adjustable in height by at least one support element in the form of a hollow profile, that arranged between the feeding tube and said at least one support element there are co-operating joining members, which permit a free swing and an additional elastically yielding swing of at least the outlet end of the feeding tube, and that said at least one support element comprises mounting members for fastening the feeding device either directly or indirectly to a building part, preferably a floor or a wall.
• a food dispenser according to the present invention functions substantially according to the same principle as a feeding device described in WO 93/13652.
• the field of ap ⁇ plication and the measures and indications found in that publication will consequently also be valid for a food dispenser according to the present invention. Such indications are hereby incorporated into the present application by reference.
• the joining members may be of different types. For example joining members of the groove and tongue type or hinged members may be used.
• a first part of a mutual movement may take place as a free swing.
• the elasticity of the hollow profiles will permit an additional swing in an elastically yielding manner.
• the outlet end of the feeding tube will always be situated in a position within the area where a free swing is possible. In this manner it is possible to prevent food wastage since in such a situation the outlet end of the tube will normally be situ- ated at a short distance over the feeding plate.
• a food dispenser according to the invention may be suited for mounting directly on a wall for the animals to eat from one side of the tube.
• the feeding tube will be mounted on a single support element.
• the feeding tube is able to perform a swinging movement around a substantially vertically oriented pivot axis.
• the feeding tube may also be placed between two diametrically opposed support ele ⁇ ments. Such an embodiment may preferably be used when the feeding tube is used in a partition wall between different sitess so that animals from each adjacent sty may eat from the same feeding device. In this situation the swinging of the feeding tube will appear substantially as a pendular movement around a horizontal axis extending in the plane of the partition.
• the lower end around the dispenser end of the feeding tube may be supplied in a manner known per se with a protection ring of metal, pref ⁇ erably stainless steel.
• a feeding device is technically very simple to pro ⁇ quiz.
• Both the feeding tube and the support elements are produced from hollow pro- files. These may be produced very simply by extrusion of plastic and then be cut into suitable lengths. Since either the feeding tube or the support elements have a track enclosing the second element, it will be possible to perform an easy and simple mounting. There will not be any need for welding a frame or adaptation and mounting of a frame on a floor or in a ceiling of the animal house.
• the tracks formed either in the feeding tube or in the support elements may enclose a part of the second element. Such a part may either be a projecting flap or constitute the surface of a tube that is circular, elliptic or the like.
• mounting may take place very simply by displacing the feeding tube and the support elements in relation to each other in order to bring the track into engagement with coupling members and the second one of the elements.
• mounting may take place by juxtaposing the various elements forming part of the feeding device. Then the elements will be in mutual engagement with each other and be retained in such a position when the mounting members of the support elements are fastened to the building part.
• both the feeding tube and the support elements are formed from hollow plastic profiles, a particularly elastically yielding structure is obtained.
• An adjustment of the amount dispensed may take place in an uncomplicated manner by displacing the feeding tube in altitude and varying the distance between the outlet opening and the feeding plate.
• the vertical displacement is established in a simple manner by a parallel displacement along the feeding tube in the longitudinal direction of the track.
• the en ⁇ gagement between the elements of the feeding device may be a frictional engagement.
• mechanical coupling members may be used arranged between the feeding tube and the support elements.
• the feeding tube As the feeding tube is supported, at least along its lowest part, by the support ele ⁇ ments, the feeding tube will only be able to perform a swing together with the support elements.
• the swinging of the tube will thus depend on the total elastic compliance of the support elements and the feeding tube. The most important contribution to the elastic compliance will be provided by the support elements since the feeding tube itself merely needs to be yielding in order to swing with the support elements.
• the feeding device Using the feeding device according to the invention, animals will be able to take food from the feeding plate on either side of the feeding tube and the diametrically opposed support elements. Therefore, the feeding device will be particularly suited for building into a partition wall.
• the feeding plate is preferably formed with a plane feeding plate immediately below the outlet opening of the feeding tube.
• the plane feeding plate will preferably have a width corresponding to the free swing of the outlet end of the feeding tube.
• the feeding plate is preferably supplied with a number of juxta ⁇ posed tracks extending substantially parallel with the swinging movement of the feeding tube. Due to the tracks in the feeding plate it will be easier for very small ani- mals, which are only able to apply a small power and thus give the tube a small elasti ⁇ cally yielding swing, to get food out onto the feeding plate.
• the tracks in the feeding plate will preferably be designed so that their bottoms are sloping in a direction away from the plane part of the feeding plate so that any moisture will run away from the food. This is important as it is desired to keep the food in the feeding device dry.
• the water depression found in the trough around the feeding plate may be formed as a water depression on either side of the feeding plate.
• the water depres ⁇ sion may be formed by an arched bowl-shape extending on either side of and under the feeding plate.
• Such bowl-shaped water depression will be advantageous as the risk of pushing food/water out of the trough is very limited in this type of trough. Further- more, the risk that food remains in the trough is very small. Consequently, the risk of putrefaction and bacterial growth is small.
• Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a feeding device according to the inven ⁇ tion
• Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of a feeding device according to the in- vention
• Fig. 3 shows a partial cross-section view through a detail of mounting mem ⁇ bers of the feeding device shown in the Fig. 1 or Fig. 2
• Fig. 4 shows a partial side view to illustrate a variant of the feeding device shown in Fig. 1,
• Fig. 5 shows a cross-section to illustrate an additional embodiment of plastic profiles to be used in a feeding unit according to the invention
• Fig. 6 shows an additional embodiment of a feeding device according to the invention
• Figs. 7 and 8 show cross-section views to illustrate an embodiment of hollow pro ⁇ files with co-operating joining members
• Figs. 9 and 10 show partial perspective views of an additional embodiment of a sup- port element with members for height displacement of the feeding tube as well as a water valve.
• a feeding device 1 comprising a vertical feeding tube 2, which is constituted by a hollow circular plastic profile, and two support elements in the form of hollow plastic profiles 3, 4, which are arranged at two diametrically opposed sides 5, 6 of the feeding tube.
• a trough 7 Arranged under the free outlet end 6 of the feeding tube 2 is a trough 7 having a substantially plane feeding plate 8.
• a depression 9 On either side of the feeding plate 8 there is a depression 9 designed for water for the animals.
• a water valve 10 is arranged, which is positioned at the bottom of water supply pipes 1 1, which are placed in a suitable manner in the hollow inside of the sup ⁇ port elements 3, 4.
• the feeding device 1 is fastened to the floor 12 of the animal house by a partition wall
• the partition wall 13 is formed by a number of substantially horizontal plank profiles 14, 15 arranged over each other.
• the lowest plank profile 15 is designed for fastening to the floor by bolting such as illustrated in Fig. 3.
• each support element 3, 4 has a track 18, which encloses part of the circumference of the feeding tube 2. It is possible to retain the feeding tube 2 in an interference fit between the two support elements 3, 4. Alterna ⁇ tively, adhesive may be used in the track 18 in order to ensure a firm engagement be ⁇ tween the support elements 3, 4 and the feeding tube 2. Alternatively, it will also be possible to have a mutual engagement of these elements by means of mounting nails (not shown).
• the extremities of the plank profiles 14 will be freely pro ⁇ jecting over the extremities 19 of the plank profiles 15.
• These plank extremities 16 and the support elements 3. 4 will permit an elastically yielding swing of the free outlet end 6 of the feeding tube.
• food may flow out of the outlet opening 20 of the feeding tube in a manner known per se.
• the structure permits a swinging movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the partition 13.
• animals on either side of the partition to eat food from the feeding plate 8.
• the feeding tube has such length that its inside 21 may be conceived of as a tubular food reservoir 21.
• the food tube 2 may be provided at its upper end 22 with an auto ⁇ matic food supply device or may be provided with a funnel-shaped reservoir, which is filled manually or automatically.
• the upper end 22 of the feeding tube may be fastened to an associated feeding system, which is arranged under the ceiling of the animal house. However, this will not be necessary as the unsupported part of the feeding tube 2, which is located over the partition 3, will be positioned in such a height that the animals cannot actuate this part of the feeding tube 2.
• Fig. 2 has several elements in common with the embodi ⁇ ment shown in Fig. 1. Therefore, an explanation of these common elements will not be repeated.
• Fig. 2 differs in that the feeding tube 23 is provided with a track 24 at diametrically opposed sides of the tube. These tracks 24 are designed to receive the extremities 16 of the plank profiles 14 in a manner corresponding to the one in which the extremities are received in the tracks 17 such as explained with reference to Fig. 1.
• water supply pipes for filling the water depressions 9 are not shown. However, such pipes may be placed extending parallel with the feeding tube 23.
• a particularly simple embodiment of a possibility of height adjustment of the feeding tube 23 is shown in order to place the outlet opening 20 in a desired distance over the feeding plate 7 in consideration of the size of the animals to be fed.
• This is shown in the form of through-going bores 25 on either side of the track 24.
• the bores 25 are designed to receive a locking pin 26, which rests at the upper side 27 of the upper plank profile 14. By placing the locking tap 26 in different bores it is possible to perform a height adjustment of the feeding tube 23.
• the flexible compliance of the feeding tube will be obtained via the freely projecting extremities of the plank profiles 14, which extend beyond the extremities 19 of the plank profiles 15.
• plank profiles 14 may be said to constitute the support elements in this feeding device.
• the embodiment shown is a particularly simple embodiment of a feeding device, and the feeding device appears as an integral part of the partition wall 13 itself.
• the feeding tube 23 is shown as being elliptic.
• the feeding tube 13 according to this embodiment may also be circular.
• the feeding tube may also have other cross-section shapes. It merely has to be ensured that the feeding tube or the support elements are provided with tracks that are able to partially enclose part of the other one of the elements.
• Fig. 3 shows a partial cross-section view through a plank profile 15 for mounting on the animal house floor 12. It is seen that in the hollow inside 27 of the profile 15 a strengthening profile 28 in the form of a separate quadrangular profile of steel is ar ⁇ ranged. Fastening to the floor takes place by means of a screw 29, which is screwed through a bore 30 in the profile and a bore 31 in the bottom part 32 of the plank profile 15.
• the strengthening profile 28 may have different designs and may, for example, be a U-profile extending some way up along the side flanges 33 of the plank profile. The strengthening profile 28 may extend fully or partially along the length of the plank profile 15.
• Fig. 4 Shown in Fig. 4 is an alternative embodiment, which largely corresponds to Fig. 1. It is shown in Fig. 4 that a feeding tube 2 (or 23) may be supplied with a protection ring
• the feeding tube 34 of steel extending around an outlet opening 20 at the outlet end 6.
• Such a protection ring may be desirable in respect of the durability of the feeding tube.
• the length of the plank profiles 15 is designed in such a manner that the extreme end 19 projects under the underside of the support elements 3, 4.
• the shown support elements 3, 4 are provided with a water valve 10 having at its lowest side an actuation member 35 by means of which the animals may fill water into the water depressions 9.
• the specific size of the feeding trough 7 is shown with a shape where the feeding plate 8 has a width that substantially corresponds to the extension of the feeding tube 2. 23.
• the feeding plate 8 it will also be possible to have a feeding plate 8 having a considerably larger extension. In this manner it will be possible to deposit a larger amount of dry food on the feeding plate when the animals actuate the outlet end 6 of the feeding tube in transverse direction.
• FIG. 5 Shown in Fig. 5 is an alternative embodiment of the cross-section of a feeding pipe 36 and the support elements 37, 38.
• the feeding tube 36 will be pro- vided with tracks 39, which partially enclose rounded profile parts 40 of either one of the two support profiles 37, 38, which are arranged diametrically opposed.
• Seen in Fig. 6 is an additional embodiment of a feeding device 1 according to the in ⁇ vention.
• This embodiment is designed for mounting directly on a wall 41 in a position opposite a trough 7 arranged on the floor 12 of the animal house.
• the feeding tube 42 is formed by a hollow plastic profile provided with tracks 43 at either side.
• the tracks 43 are undercut tracks.
• the track 43 facing the wall 41 co-operates with a projecting tongue 44 on a hollow support profile 45.
• the support profile 45 is fastened via a U- shaped metal rail 46 to the wall 41.
• the support profile 45 may be fastened in the U- shaped rail 46 by means of a bolt connection or the like.
• a corresponding U-profile 46 may be used for fastening the support elements in Fig. 1 to a partition wall 19.
• the track 43 facing away from the wall is provided with a cover strip 47 to prevent dirt from accumulating in the track.
• the feeding tube 42 may just be provided with a single track 43.
• the feeding device shown in Fig. 6 may be provided with height adjustment members corresponding to those shown in Fig. 2.
• height adjustment mem ⁇ bers that are well known in the trade may be used, e.g. those described in WO 93/13652.
• the trough 7 shown in this embodiment differs from previously described troughs.
• the feeding plate 8 consists of a plane central part 48 having a width that largely corresponds to the width of the outlet opening 20 of the feeding tube 42.
• the width of the central plane part 48 may also correspond to the width of the free swing of the outlet end of the feeding tube.
• the tracks 50 extend substantially paral ⁇ lel with the direction of swing of the feeding tube 42.
• the tracks 50 will preferably be slanting in a direction away from the plane part 49 so that any moisture that may hit the feeding plate from the water depressions 9 will be conducted back into the water depressions.
• a feeding trough in which the feeding plate 8 has tracks 50 may also be used in com ⁇ bination with the other embodiments of the invention.
• the tracks 50 will extend in a direction substantially pe ⁇ endicular to the orientation of the tracks 50 shown in fig. 6.
• the tracks 50 will preferably terminate in a drain located close to the edge of the trough so that food cannot be brought directly out into the animal house floor 12. Food and any water that is pushed out of the tracks 50 will be conducted via the drain down into a water depression 9 instead.
• the feeding device may be used for combined dry and wet feeding.
• Fig. 7 Shown in Fig. 7 is an embodiment of a feeding tube 51. It is seen that the feeding tube has a substantially oval shape and that in a central position the feeding tube is pro- vided with a transverse support rib 52. At two diametrically opposed sides the feeding tube has tracks 53, which are terminated by hook-shaped projections 54. The feeding tube co-operates with a support element 55, which is shown in Fig. 8. The hook- shaped projections 54 penetrate into tracks 56 in a tongue 57. In this manner the feed- ing tube 51 is coupled with the support element 55.
• the feeding tube 51 Due to the curved bottom 58 of the track 53 and the curved surface of the groove 57, and because the hook-shaped projection 54 is received with a certain clearance in the tracks 56, the feeding tube 51 will be able to perform a first free swinging movement if it is only mounted in one support element 55. Then, due to an elastic flexibility in the plastic material, the feed- ing tube 51 will be able to perform an additional flexible yielding movement.
• the feeding tube 51 may be mounted between two supporting tubes 55. In this situa ⁇ tion there will only be a limited possibility of a free swing since the groove 57 has a width that is slightly smaller than the width of the track 53.
• Seen in Fig. 9 is a partial view of the upper part of a support element 60 designed to be arranged between the feeding tube and a partition wall.
• the support element 60 has a flange 61 , which is provided with through-going holes 62 in which bolts are received that are used for fastening the support profile to the partition wall.
• the support element 60 is provided at its opposite side with a joining member in the form of a circular edge 63 serving as a connection to a correspondingly designed track (not shown) in the sides of the feeding tube.
• the tracks thus formed on the feeding tube largely correspond to the tracks 53 illustrated in Fig. 7.
• the height adjustment members comprise a rod 64 connected to a thread 65.
• the thread 65 is designed for engagement with a threaded bush 66, which is united with support element 60.
• Via two angle gearwheels 68 the rod 64 is connected at its upper end 57 with an actuation handle 69. On rotation of the handle 69 the rod 64 is rotated.
• the gearwheels 68 are mounted in a console 70 having a contour so as to fit into the track in the side of the food dispenser tube.
• the console 70 which is united with the food dispenser tube so that actuating the handle 69 will cause the food dispenser tube to be moved up and down when the thread 65 is screwed further out or further into the threaded bush 66.
• the actuating handle 69 is positioned in an ergonomically favour ⁇ able working height.
• the upper side of the support element which is covered by a cover plate 71, is designed to be situated in substantially the same level as the upper edge of the partition wall between different pigsty sections.
• the water nozzle 10 is fastened to the water supply pipe 1 1. It appears from this embodiment that the water supply pipe 11 is supported in its position by the hollow inside of the support element 60 by passage through an opening 72 in the cover plate 71 and a corresponding cover plate 73 at the bottom of the support element 60.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Birds (AREA)
• Animal Husbandry (AREA)
• Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
• Feeding And Watering For Cattle Raising And Animal Husbandry (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=8095655

Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (4)

• 1996
  • 1996-05-31 DK DK62196A patent/DK172474B1/da not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1997
  • 1997-05-30 AU AU30261/97A patent/AU3026197A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-05-30 WO PCT/DK1997/000241 patent/WO1997046082A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (4)

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