Patent ID: 8201520
Filing Date: 2012-06-19
Classification: A01K

Abstract:
1. A gravity flow granular animal feed storage and dispensing apparatus comprising: a feed storage and dispensing hopper adapted to store feed; support structure adapted to support said hopper at an elevation above ground level; a plurality of feed dispensing tubes disposed at an elevation below said hopper and above ground level, said plurality of feed dispensing tubes connected to respective openings in the hopper, to permit the flow of feed from said hopper into said feed dispensing tubes, at least one of said feed dispensing tubes having a generally horizontally extending portion, a distal end defining an opening, and an angled portion, wherein the angled portion has a lower end and an upper end, the lower end formed integrally with said generally horizontally extending portion and wherein the upper end of said angled portion is disposed at an elevation above the generally horizontally extending portion and forms a first acute angle with a horizontal axis, wherein the horizontal axis is defined by an imaginary horizontal line drawn at any point along the length of the upper end of said angled portion, wherein the first acute angle is measured between the angled portion and the horizontal axis; wherein the distal end of said feed dispensing tube is scarfed at a second acute angle with a vertical axis to form a shield against rain or snow contaminating feed disposed within said feed dispensing tube and to permit feeding access to feed disposed therein, wherein the vertical axis is defined by an imaginary vertical line drawn from a point just above the distal end of said feed dispensing tube, the line touching the outermost portion of the distal end, wherein the second acute angle is measured between the distal end of said feed dispensing tube and the vertical axis; wherein said feed dispensing tube permits the continuous flow of feed from said hopper into said feed dispensing tube, such that gravity causes the feed to accumulate in the distal end of the generally horizontally extending portion without the feed flowing out of the opening in the distal end.