Abstract:
An automated cabinet for feed products comprises a closable cabinet having two compartments, wherein one expansive compartment contains a plurality of animal feed supporting shelves which pivot downward sequentially from one hinged end at timed intervals by retraction of a lever system activated by an upwardly rotating trip mechanism (in another compartment) on a vertical jackscrew rotated by an electric motor operated by a programmed timer. A partition separates the compartments, and supports the lever system for every shelf, and a cutoff switch system for the uppermost shelf.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an automated animal feeding cabinet apparatus having downwardly rotating food containing shelves which pivot down from one side. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The relevant art of interest describes various feeding apparatus, but none discloses the present invention. There is a need for an economical automated cabinet for scheduling the feeding of domestic or wild animals with food from ascending shelves at regular intervals without the requirement for hoppers. 
     The relevant art will be discussed in the order of perceived relevance to the present invention. 
     U.K. Patent Application No. 1 444 581 published on Aug. 4, 1976, for Peter Kenyon describes a closed animal food dispenser and open bottom trough feeder having a number of internal vertically spaced and trough shaped food containers for dispensing food bran in water from separate compartments, which troughs are pivotally mounted between a retaining position and a dispensing position. The food containers have releasable catches which are released to allow the containers to drop the food down into an integrated collecting trough. The release mechanisms comprise a vertical rod having release pins rotated at 15° intervals by a 24-hour high torque clock motor. The release pins release a spindle at each trough location by its arm and a catch member extending out to engage an upper end of the feeding trough. When tripped, the trough rotates downward from its bottom pin at its end on a hook support and empties its load of water and food. The food dispenser apparatus is distinguishable for its rotating arm with pins for engagement with pins on each releasable trough which are hinged to the rear panel of the cabinet. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,859 issued on Aug. 15, 1972, to Lloyd L. Kirk describes an automatic tripping device for releasing supporting floor members of six or seven cabinet compartments in one or two rows holding hay bales to discharge the hay in a timed sequence. A tripping cord passes through each tripping mechanism of each compartment from a cutoff switch to an electrical actuating device and a weight mounted on an external wall. A solenoid exerts the pulling force for tripping and taking up the cord slack. A floor member is released by a hinged supporting rod at one end and attached by a pivot pin to an arm holding the cord under the spring tension of a clasping member. The automatic tripping device is distinguishable for being based on a solenoid and weighted release cord system. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,120 issued on Sep. 21, 1982, to L. Gordon Bittle describes an elongated vertical feeder apparatus having a plurality of storage bins in a vertical stack defined by a movable shelf or open ended boxes for each bin selectively operated to drop stored food packages from the top portion of the feeder by means of a solenoid-operated ejector carriage moving downward. The ejector carriage comprises a horizontal platform supported by two side bare having two wheels each which engage two vertical rails. Two more spring-loaded wheels on the platform contact the vertical rails. The platform supports a solenoid which when actuated pushes out a movable slide on a spring to push out a movable shelf and at the same time release the hold on a retainer tongue on the rear wall. The platform then moves down to the next retainer tongue. The dropped food package enters a chute which has cutting blades to open up the package. The apparatus is distinguishable for the required dropping of food packages from the top portion, cutting the bags open, and its carriage requiring numerous guide wheels and a pair of rails. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,143 issued on May 28, 1996, to Robert R. Duin describes an apparatus for automatically dispensing measured amounts of hay flakes, grain, coarse granules, cubes or pellets to livestock on a pre-selected schedule. The apparatus has a rectangular frame with a loading portal on one side and dispensing doors on the opposite side. The row of cells can be arranged horizontally at an inclined angle with doors opening sequentially at the bottom of the cells or vertically with either top or rear-loading configurations. A horizontal linear sequencing bar having spaced slots permit the opening of a cell door when an extending door rod falls into the slot to open the door. A drive motor actuated by a timer control panel drives a pinion which advances a rack portion of the sequencing bar to open each door sequentially. The feeding apparatus is distinguishable for its horizontal opening of bin doors. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,863 issued on May 19, 1987, to George F. Toledo describes an animal feeding apparatus comprising a box housing with a plurality of chambers having inclined bottom walls and individual door panels opening downward when released by a rotating beaded chain having one large bead to trip the latches in sequence. A sprocket is driven by a geared down motor to open the feeding doors over a 24 hour or 48 hour duration. The apparatus is distinguishable for its required beaded drive chain and yoked latches. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 998,423 issued on Jul. 18, 1911, to Franklin M. Stephens describes an automatic stock-feeder apparatus comprising one or a plurality of feed hoppers suspended by swinging trip levers on a cable tensioned by a retractile spring to be unwound from an alarm clock&#39;s alarm arbor. The retractile spring can be replaced with a weight on a pulley. The hoppers are attached to a wall above a feed trough and the trip levers unlatch the trap door holding the feed. The apparatus is distinguishable for its requirement for individual feed hoppers and trap door being opened by an alarm clock mechanism. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 493,219 issued on Mar. 7, 1893, to Daniel McQueen describes a time stock feeder apparatus comprising a plurality of feeding hoppers attached to a rope and trigger on an alarm winding key of an alarm clock. The hoppers have a hinged valve attached by a vertical link to a bell crank which is pivotally secured and attached to the horizontal rope. The apparatus is distinguishable for its alarm clock and rope mechanism. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 317,708 issued on May 12, 1885, to Titus L. Bissell describes an automatic time stock feeder apparatus comprising a hopper having a trap-door opened by a trigger mechanism with forked arms by an eccentric on a rotating winding arbor of an alarm clock housed in a case positioned on the outside. The apparatus is distinguishable for its hopper structure and clock actuation. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,327 issued on Jan. 15, 1980, to Edward C. Olsen describes an automatic horse-feeding apparatus comprising a central hopper having a motor-driven shaft which agitates the feed while driving an impeller distribution assembly which apportions the feed into one or more chutes. A manually controlled damper assembly allows for simultaneously feeding a plurality of horses at different rates from the same feed hopper. An adjustable-control circuit provides for presetting the interval between feedings and the amount of each feeding. The apparatus is distinguishable for its individualized feeding of a plurality of horses from one feeder apparatus. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,183 issued on Jan. 8, 1985, to Pierre Chiotasso et al. describes an automatic distributor-feeder with plural compartments arranged in a carousel structure for feeding granular food down the hopper for domestic animals. The apparatus is distinguishable for its carousel structure. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,171 issued on Jul. 18, 1995, to Anthony S. Ewell describes an automatic pet food dispenser comprising separate compartments and collection bowls for feeding food from a hopper and water from a tank. Separate pressure sensing mechanisms measure the weight of each bowl for control of the feeding volumes. The apparatus is distinguishable for its computerized feeding mechanism of separated foods. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,300 issued on Jul. 27, 1993, to Victor Mezhinsky describes an automatic dry food feeder for animals comprising a box housing including inside a hopper feeding food by an electric motor and gearbox with flexible distribution vanes controlled by an externally mounted programmable controller and timer. The apparatus is distinguishable for its hopper structure and computer programmed controls. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,674 issued on Aug. 21, 1990, to Richard Young describes an automatic fishfood dispenser apparatus comprising two adjacent chambers hung on the inside of a fish tank and operated by batteries in a rear chamber. The front chamber holds the fishfood which is dispensed by a timer controlled grooved spindle on a motor. The apparatus is distinguishable for its dispensing hopper structure. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,969 issued on Apr. 14, 1987, to Benjamin F. Rapp et al. describes an automatic livestock feeder apparatus comprising a rectangular frame housing including an upper hopper and trough for handling dry or liquid feed. A feed level sensing device, a vibration means with a chain drive, a distributor control device, and a counter display are incorporated. The apparatus is distinguishable for its manifold control means for distributing feed from a vibrating hopper. 
     U.K. Patent Application No. 1 296 671 published on Nov. 15, 1972, for Anthony M. Hardy describes an animal feeding apparatus comprising a wall mounted hopper with four compartments having individual latched trap doors. An electric clock inside the housing drives a vertical shaft rotating a driving disc with a projection at the level of the trap doors to push back rods in sequence from their catches to open the trap doors. The apparatus is distinguishable for its multiple hopper feeding structure. 
     U.K. Patent Application No. 2 015 860 A published on Sep. 19, 1979, for Kjell V. U. Larson et al. describes an animal feeder apparatus comprising a vertical storage hopper containing paper bagged feed packages which are pushed by a motor driving an ejector rod into a vertical chute containing an optional metal wire or knife-blade cutter, and the feed landing on a feeding table. The apparatus is distinguishable for its required ejector mechanism and lack of shelves. 
     None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a cabinet for feed products solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is an animal feeding cabinet containing downwardly rotating shelves that hold food dropped into a feeding area at specified time intervals. The cabinet has six shelves for storing the food. A quantity of the food is to be dropped every four hours. Each shelf is supported by a pin which is moved by a lever and a trip mechanism. A motor with gear reduction turns a vertically oriented jack screw which trips the lever of each shelf sequentially. A safety switch is tripped by the uppermost shelf to turn off the motor. The gearing can be altered to vary the feeding intervals. A feeding timer can optionally be incorporated in the feeding system. The feeding cabinet can be mounted on a wall or be free standing. 
     Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an automated animal feeding apparatus and system. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide an automated animal feeding apparatus and system having downwardly rotating shelves that hold food dropped into a feeding area at specified time intervals. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide an automated animal feeding apparatus and system, wherein each shelf is supported by a pin which is moved by a lever and a trip mechanism. 
     Still another object of the invention is to an automated animal feeding apparatus and system, wherein a motor with gear reduction turns a vertically oriented jack screw which trips the lever of each shelf sequentially. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of an automatic animal feeding cabinet with the closed doors partially broken away to show some feeding shelves supplying a feeding trough according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elvational view of the tripping mechanism. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the tripping mechanism showing the matching grooved and threaded portions of the pair of bolts for ascending the jackscrew. 
     FIGS. 4A,  4 B and  4 C are detail views of the legs of the trip mechanism. 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the crossbars supporting the jackscrew with sprocket and the apertured standard with the trip mechanism. 
     FIG. 6 is a detail view of the underside of the uppermost shelf showing the distal leg and wheel of the trip mechanism, and the timer-trip switch and extension hose extending from the wall. 
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention is directed in FIG. 1 to an automated animal feeding cabinet  10  for sequentially releasing feed products  12  comprising a rectangular closed box cabinet having a limited left side vertical space portion  14  and an expansive right side vertical space portion  16  separated by a vertical inside wall  18 . The right side portion  16  contains a plurality of horizontally positioned shelves  20  equally spaced vertically and hinged to the right sidewall  22 . The left side portion  14  contains a motor  24  adapted to rotate a vertical jackscrew  26 . The two doors  17  are of equal size and open with door knobs  19  and hinges  21  on the outside edges. The cabinet  10  can be mounted either suspended from a ceiling, on a wall or on posts above a feeding trough  36 . 
     A portion of a trip mechanism  28  is adapted to ascend the rotating jackscrew  26 . A plurality of lever and pin assemblies  30  commensurate in number to the number of the shelves  20  support each shelf from below and extend through the separating vertical wall  18 , whereby the motor  24  and jackscrew  26  operate to release each shelf  20  containing food  12  at predetermined intervals to feed animal(s)  34  at scheduled times at the feeding trough  36 . In this illustration, a horse  34  is shown feeding on  3 - 4  in. thick hay flakes. 
     A geared down electric motor  24  drives a sprocket wheel  40  positioned on the top end of the jackscrew  26  via an endless chain  42 . For the protection of users from accidental injury caused by the moving parts, a protective gridded cage  44  houses the motor  24 , sprocket wheel  40  and chain  42 . 
     Turning to FIGS. 2,  3 ,  4 A to  4 C, and  5  in particular, the trip mechanism  28  will be described in detail. FIG. 5 shows the jackscrew  26  with its sprocket wheel  40  supported by an apertured flange and bearing  46  on an upper crossbar  48  on top and another flange and bearing  46  on a lower crossbar  50 . A vertical L-shaped (in cross-section) channel bar or standard  52  having a series of three apertures  54 ,  56  and  58  are arranged on the standard  52  for positioning the trip mechanism  28  for each shelf  20 . 
     In FIGS. 2 and 3, the critical portion of the trip mechanism  28  for ascending the rotating jackscrew  26  is depicted in two orthogonal views. A U-shaped bracket  60  is attached to a long bolt  62  having a threaded end  64  positioned in a fixed nut  66  and anchored with a locking nut  68 . The opposite end of the rod  62  has a disk  70  fixed between two washers  72  and the head  74  of the bolt  62 . The bracket  60  contains two aligned pins  76  fastened securely by locking nuts  68 , wherein each pin  76  has a matching semicircular and internally threaded notch  78  which frictionally matches the threading of the jackscrew  26 . 
     As seen in FIGS. 4A to  4 C, an extended remaining portion of the trip mechanism  28  is made of three parts or legs. The proximate leg or lever  80  is a flat rod with an optional notch  82  for loosely engaging the jackscrew  26  as depicted in FIG.  5 . It has been found that the trip mechanism when ascending the rotating jack screw  26  and engaging lever  80  would rotate counter-clockwise and travel the length of the lever  80  to retract pin  104  and allow a shelf  20  to drop. The notch  82  was formed to capture the long bolt  62  and prevent it from traveling off the end of lever  80 . It is contemplated that as the mechanisms wear with age, the notch  82  would prevent the trip mechanism  28  from rotating to the point where the long bolt  62  might travel off the end of the lever  80  without the notch  82 . 
     A knob  84  is shown in FIG. 1 but dispensed with in FIGS. 4A and 5 as an alternative. A larger aperture  86  is for positioning the pivot pin  88  on the standard  52 . The smaller aperture  90  is for connection with the middle leg  94  by a pop rivet  32  (FIG.  5 ). The middle leg  94  depicted in FIG. 4B has slots  96  having aligned throughbores  98  at both ends of a cylindrical bar for connecting cotter pins (not shown). The cylindrical distal leg  100  shown in FIG. 4C has a slot  96  and aligned throughbores  98  for mounting of a nylon wheel  102  on a pin  104  (FIGS. 1,  5  and  6 ). The opposite end has a flattened tab  106  having a throughbore  108  for connection with the middle leg  94  with a cotter pin. It should be noted that the middle leg  94  and the distal leg  100  function to bend when retracting. 
     The standard  52  has a stop pin  110  for limiting the upward and counter-clockwise rotation of the lever  80 . The topmost aperture  54  of a trio of apertures on the standard  52  is for attachment of one end of a spring  114 . The opposite end of spring  114  is attached to the eye of the cotter pin  116  joining the middle leg  94  to the distal leg  100  (FIGS.  1  and  5 ). The spring  114  maintains the tension as the distal leg  100  is withdrawn partially through the aperture  112  in the inside wall  18  (FIG.  6 ). It is noted that the shelf  20  is separated by a space from the wall  18  commensurate to enable the shelf  20  to fall down. A flexible hose  118  extending from a trip switch  120  shuts off the motor  24  after uppermost shelf descends and trips the switch  120 . A programmable timer can be programmed to increase the feeding cycle as determined by the user. 
     Exemplary dimensions of the cabinet  10  and its parts: 
     Cabinet  10 : Galvanized iron sheeting, 20 gauge; 46 in. tall, 40 in. wide and 28 in. deep; doors  17 , 46 in. tall, 20 in. wide. 
     Shelves  20 : Six shelves, 23.5 in. long, 22 in. deep; front hem 1 in. high. 
     Right side portion  16 : 25 in. wide. 
     Left side portion  14 : 15 in. wide. 
     Trip mechanism  28 : U-shaped bracket  60 , 2 in. square sides; 2 pins  76 , 0.5 in. diameter, 0.5 in. apart, and notches  78  with 13 threads/in.; bolt  62 , 0.5 in. diameter, 7 in. Lion; and disk  70 , nylon, 1 in. diameter. 
     Lever (three parts) portion of the trip mechanism: Lever  80 , 6 in. long, 1 in. wide, 0.125 in. thick flat steel; notch  82 , 1 in. long and 1 in. from the free end; middle leg  94 , 6.25 in. long, 0.5 in. diameter steel with slots  96  1 in. deep and 0.19 in. wide; and throughbores  98 , 0.19 in. diameter; and distal leg  100 , 4.5 in. length, 0.5 in. diameter, tab  106  with 0.125 in. diameter throughbore  108  and slotted end  96  1 in. deep and 0.19 in. wide to support a 1.0 in. diameter nylon wheel. 
     Motor  24 : 1/50 or fractional hp., 1 revolution per minute, gear reduction 3 to 1 and preferred 15 to 1 for increased leverage. 
     Sprocket wheel  40 : 9-27 teeth revolving once in 3 minutes. 
     Jackscrew  26 : 45 in. long, 0.5 in. diameter, 13 threads/in. 
     It should be noted that the size of the cabinet and the number of shelves required is exemplary to suit the needs of the user and the animals being fed. The gearing can be varied to increase or decrease the feeding interval and even feed for several days without restocking the shelves. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.