WO2004049791A1

WO2004049791A1 - Animal drinking device

Info

Publication number: WO2004049791A1
Application number: PCT/IB2003/005522
Authority: WO
Inventors: Esterino Corti
Original assignee: Corti Zootecnici S.R.L.
Priority date: 2002-12-05
Filing date: 2003-11-28
Publication date: 2004-06-17
Also published as: ITMI20022579A1; AU2003283649A1; CN1735336A; BR0306606A; EP1567002A1

Abstract

An animal drinking device is diclosed, wherein valve means are provided fully housed in a substantially cylindrical hollow casing.(10).

Description

"ANIMAL DRINKING DEVICE"

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FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an animal drinking device and, in particular, a valve device able to deliver a pre-set amount of water each time it is activated by an animal, for example a pig, sheep or other animal of similar size. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION An example of a known device of this type is described in the patent publication no. EP-0144852, which concerns a valve able to meter the amount of water delivered. This valve of known type is produced in practice with different brass components and is provided at the front with a stainless steel spout to prevent the brass components from being damaged by the animal during activation of the valve. In fact, although on the one hand brass is a soft material and therefore easier to machine than steel, on the other it is subject to damage caused by the teeth of the animal. For this reason, in order to reduce machining costs, the only part made in a stronger material such as stainless steel is the front spout referred to above, screwed onto the rest of the valve body. Manufacturing costs are nevertheless always high due mainly to the cost of the materials used.

More recently valves of this type have been produced from one single block of steel which is machined to obtain the components of the valve body, including the various ducts inside, and the front spout accessed by the animal during watering. These more recent types of production nevertheless involve several disadvantages. Firstly, in order to permit machining of one single piece of steel at a reasonable cost, non-high quality steel has to be used which is not stainless and can be subject to damage by the animals, albeit to a lesser extent than brass. This inevitably involves rapid deterioration of the valves and requires frequent replacements. The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an animal drinking device which is particularly resistant to wear and not subject to damage by the animals.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type referred to above that can be produced at particularly low cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These objects are achieved by the present invention, which concerns an animal drinking device, including valve means that can be activated by an animal to deliver a pre-set amount of water each time the valve means are activated, characterised by including a hollow substantially cylindrical casing, fully housing the valve means, from which a valve activation member protrudes, at least partially. The hollow cylindrical casing consists preferably of a stainless steel tube and includes a front delivery spout.

The valve means housed inside the casing include a number of separate elements fitted inside the casing itself and some of these elements are made of plastic. It is obvious that the only part made of a particularly expensive material is the outer casing, but said casing is not subject to heavy- duty machining as in the case of known embodiments that are machined from one solid piece. This allows a better quality steel to be used, i.e. stainless and particularly resistant, without affecting the overall cost of the device. Furthermore, since the casing fully encloses the valve means, one or more elements that make up the valve means can be made of plastic, and are therefore inexpensive and easy to produce by means of moulding techniques that do not require any further work. According to another aspect of the present invention, the valve means include at least one main delivery duct and at least one auxiliary delivery duct. The latter is shaped according to a winding path in order to limit the pressure peaks of the water delivered by the valve means. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly illustrated in the following description, which refers to the attached drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device according to a possible form of embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 2 is a longitudinal section view of the device along the plane 11-11 of Figure 1 , with the valve means closed;

- Figure 3 is an exploded view from below of the components of the device; and - Figures 4A-4C are section views that illustrate the operation of the device.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A device according to the present invention such as the one shown in the attached Figures includes essentially a substantially cylindrical casing 10 produced by means of a stainless steel tube of appropriate dimensions as regards external and internal diameter. The view of Figure 1 also shows a shaped portion that constitutes the delivery spout 1 1 positioned on the front part of the casing 10, and a thread 12 for fitting the device to the water supply system. Outside the casing 10 two portions removed 13, for example by milling, can also be seen which permit the use of a tool to facilitate screw-fitting of the device to the system. The control rod 45 of the valve means housed inside the casing 10 partially protrudes from the front portion constituting the delivery spout 1 1 . The control rod 45, like the casing 10, is also made of stainless steel.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, the valve means consist of different elements, some of which are made of plastic so that they can be pressure-fitted in the casing 10. In particular, as can be seen in Figure 2, the valve body consists of a first element 20 and a second element 30 both made of plastic. The element 30 abuts against an internal shoulder 14 obtained by means of slight widening of the internal diameter of the tube towards portion 1 1 of the delivery spout.

Inside the first plastic element 20 a main duct 21 and an auxiliary duct 22 are provided, and a chamber 23 in which a free ball 24 made of stainless steel is housed. The second plastic element 30 houses one end of the control rod 45 which is provided with a flange 40 and on which a cylindrical shutter 42 is fitted made of elastic material, for example rubber. The second plastic element 30 also includes at the front an elongated portion 34 that limits vertical movement of the control rod 45. The valve means are completed by a filter 30, also made of plastic, pressure-fitted into the first element 20 for closing the chamber 23 to prevent the ball 24 coming out, and by a pair of elastic sealing rings and a helical spring 44.

The view of Figure 3 shows in particular the winding path (for example in the shape of a "labyrinth" or "coil") of the auxiliary duct 22 provided on the outer surface of the first plastic element 20. On the latter a tooth 26 is also visible which is inserted in a corresponding seat 36 of the element 30 to provide a key mechanism permitting correct assembly of the two plastic parts 20 and 30 inside the casing 10.

Operation of the device will now be illustrated with reference to Figures 4A-4C.

When the valve means are closed, as shown in Figure 4A (and in Figure 2), the portion of flange 40 of the control rod 45 is pushed by the helical spring 44 until it stops against the elastic ring 35 and thus obstructs the flow of water to the outside. In this condition, the stainless steel ball 24 rests on the bottom of the chamber. As soon as the animal activates the control lever 45, as shown in Figure 4B, the lever moves down, disengaging the portion of flange 40 and the elastic sealing ring 35. In these conditions, the water can be delivered via the hole of duct 38 having a diameter slightly larger than that of the rod 45.

A first flow of water is therefore initially released via the auxiliary duct 22, which permits limitation of the initial pressure peak, and subsequently via the main duct 21.

As the rod 45 continues to move down, the shutter 42 pushed by the flange portion 40 is positioned so that it obstructs the outlet of the auxiliary duct 22. This situation is illustrated in Figure 4C. As the water no longer flows through the auxiliary duct 22, a vacuum is created in the chamber 23 due to delivery of the water contained in it. This vacuum condition causes the ball 24 to return to its engagement position against the elastic sealing ring 25 and interrupts the delivery, even if the control rod 45 is kept lowered, after a pre-set amount of water has been released. A further delivery can be obtained by the animal leaving the control rod 45 to return to its initial position and pressing the rod down again.

Claims

1. An αnimαl drinking device, including valve means that can be activated by an animal to deliver a pre-set amount of water each time said valve means are activated, characterised by including a substantially cylindrical hollow casing, fully housing said valve means, from which a valve activation member protrudes, at least partially.

2. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said hollow cylindrical casing consists of a stainless steel tube.

3. A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said cylindrical casing includes a front delivery spout.

4. A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said valve means include a number of separate elements fitted inside said casing.

5. A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the separate elements of said valve means is made of plastic material.

6. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said valve means include at least one main delivery duct and at least one auxiliary delivery duct.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein said auxiliary delivery duct is shaped according to a winding path to limit the pressure peaks of the water delivered by said valve means.