Spraying and feeding station

A movable spraying and feeding station having a free standing frame structure. A spraying hood structure and a feed holder are mounted to the frame structure. A motion sensor and spray nozzles are mounted on the spraying hood structure. A housing is mounted to the frame structure for the insecticide reservoir, a pumping assembly, a timing circuit, as well as a battery which is charged by a solar panel mounted on the top of the frame structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a spraying and feeding station. Particularly, the present invention relates to an insecticide spraying and mineral feeding station for animals such as cattle, cows, calves, horses and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a portable and adjustable assembly for simultaneously feeding minerals and the automatic spraying of an insecticide to kill back and face flies on beef and dairy cattle and other animals.

The detrimental effect of back and face flies and other insects on the health and well being of cattle, cows, etc. is well known. Various means to deal with these insect problems have been proposed, such as the inclusion of various chemical compositions in animal food and the separate spraying of animals with various insecticides. These prior art solutions have been costly, time consuming and often ineffective in providing an economical means to eliminate this longstanding detriment to the health and well being of cattle, cows, calves, horses, etc. The spraying and feeding station of the present invention provides an assembly which is portable, adjustable, self contained and which automatically applies an insecticide to animals out in the pasture and which overcomes the problems, ineffectiveness and shortcomings of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A portable spraying and feeding station for animals in a pasture, for example. The station is easily assembled, movable and adjustable to accommodate different size animals such as cows, cattle, calves, horses, etc. The station has a frame structure which includes a base with a plurality of legs and an upright stub for mounting the vertical support member of the frame structure.

A spraying hood structure is adjustably mounted to the vertical support member and has a top cover member and flexible curtains attached about its periphery to protect the animals underneath and to permit the controlled spraying of a predetermined volume of insecticide. A feed holder is mounted to the vertical support member of the frame structure and is constructed to hold a mineral block, for example, to thereby position animals underneath the spraying hood structure when feeding.

The underside surface of the top cover member of the spraying hood structure has a sensor, i.e., an IR (infrared) motion sensor and at least one spray nozzle, i.e., two nozzles, one directed to the face area of the animal and the other directed to the shoulder area of the animal. The hood structure may also have housing extensions with spray nozzles to direct insecticide spray to other areas of the animal. As the motion sensor detects the entry of the animal into the spraying hood structure, the spray nozzles are activated for a predetermined time period to thereby treat the animals as they are obtaining minerals from the mineral block positioned in the feed holder structure.

A housing structure is mounted to the rear of the vertical support member and which has an openable and preferably lockable cover or lid. The interior of the housing structure contains the reservoir for the insecticide, a power supply, a pump assembly and a timing circuit for activating the pump and to control the spray time as well as the delay time between spray applications.

A solar panel is mounted to the top of the vertical support member of the frame structure and is in electrical communication with the power supply in the housing structure. The power supply may be a 12 volt battery, for example, which is charged by the solar panel so that the spraying and feeding station of the invention may be placed anywhere in a pasture where the cattle are grazing, for example. The housing structure may also have a pair of slots disposed at its bottom to receive the forks of a forklift to allow the insecticide and feeding station to be easily transported to a desired location.

The spraying and feeding station has tubing which extends from the reservoir in the housing to the spray nozzles and a U-shaped vertical tubular structure may also be provided adjacent the vertical support member to contain the wiring, tubing, etc., so as to provide a protective structure for the electrical and fluid conduits utilized in the station assembly of the invention.

These and other benefits and advantages of this invention will become clear from the following description by reference to the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the spraying and feeding station10of the present invention is shown having a free standing frame structure11with an inverted T-shaped base or base support12constructed to hold vertical support member13and opposing leg extensions or members18. The frame structure12is preferably constructed of a heavy metallic material so that the station10has the integrity and weight to withstand contact with cattle and like animals. The opposing leg extension members18are shown secured within the openings of base12by means of bolts23. The leg members18have terminal ends which are preferably capped or may have downwardly disposed tips to dig into the ground for stabilization. As shown in the drawings, the four opposing leg members18extend outwardly from the base support12at approximately right angles with respect to each other and thereby form four quadrants with respect to and below the elements mounted to the vertical support member13.

As further shown, a solar panel17is mounted on the top of the vertical support member13and a spray hood structure14, housing structure16and a feed holder15are further shown mounted to the vertical support member13. The spray hood structure14and feed holder15are shown mounted to the support member13and opposite the housing structure16so as to spatially extend above and within the opposite quadrants formed by the four opposing leg member18to provide access within the spraying and feeding station or assembly10. The utilization of various brackets and bolts, the various elements of the spraying and feeding station10are fully adjustable with respect to the vertical support member13so as to accommodate any size animal, i.e., the height of beef and dairy cattle, horses, etc. For example, a height of approximately 64 inches of the hood structure14from the ground has been found suitable for most beef cattle breeds as well as a height of approximately 18 inches of the feed holder15from the ground.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 9, the housing16is shown to have bottom slots36and37which are constructed to receive the forks of a forklift so that the spraying and feeding station10may be easily transported to a desired location for annual use. The housing16has a tubular attachment structure43with a mounting tube47to secure the housing16for mounting to the vertical support13by means of bolts23, for example. The housing structure16has a top or cover48to allow access thereinto and preferably is lockable so as to prevent access.

Referring further toFIG. 8, the feed holder15is shown comprised of a generally rectangular frame structure21within which tub22is positioned as shown inFIG. 1. The feed holder15is secured to the vertical support13of the frame structure11by means of mounting tube41and cooperating bolts23, for example. The tub22is adapted to receive a mineral block which provides the necessary minerals to cattle, cows, etc. and which these animals are accustomed to engage on at least a weekly basis. The utilization of the mineral block allows for the spraying and feeding station10of the invention to provide a dual function for beef and dairy cattle, for example. The controlled mineral feeding and insecticide spraying provides a dual benefit to these animals.

As shown, the structure of the spray hood14with respect to the feed holder15allows animals to approach the station10from any direction to underneath the hood so that the spray nozzles can effectively treat the animals with insecticide. Further, the flexible curtains20, as shown inFIG. 1, which hang down from the rigid, hood top19protects the spray mist ejected from the spray nozzles from wind and other inclement weather.

FIG. 7shows cap mount28positioned on top of vertical support member13. Solar panel17is shown held by the cap mount28. Solar panel17is positioned at an angle to receive solar energy which is transmitted to the battery for charging purposes. Further shown is the channel member30which permits wire29to be protected as it extends downwardly form the solar panel17to the housing16. Hose24(not shown) extends from channel member30and extends through hood19so as to provide insecticide to the spray hood structure14.

Referring further toFIGS. 1 and 3, the spray hood assembly14is shown to have lateral housings39and40extending from the housing top member38as well as a frontal hood structure42. The lateral housings39and40further show spray nozzle structures26mounted at the terminal ends thereof. Spray nozzle structures26are further shown inFIGS. 4 and 5and a spray nozzle is also positioned under frontal hood structure42. The spray nozzle arrangement is provided to adequately cover the body of the animal at the spraying and feeding station10.

Referring toFIGS. 4 and 5, the top hood structure19is shown to have motion sensor25and spray nozzles26mounted therein. The spray nozzles26are in fluid communication with the hose24extending from the pump/reservoir, as further discussed below. Further, flexible curtains20are shown extending downwardly from the hood top19so as to provide a protective area under hood top19.

Referring toFIGS. 10 and 11, the housing16is shown to contain battery31, pump/motor assembly32, reservoir35and a control box46in which timing circuit33is contained. The timing circuit has a timer with adjustment knobs which allows the pump/motor assembly to be operational for a predetermined time and which allows for setting a predetermined time between spray applications. Further, tubing34is shown interconnecting reservoir35and pump assembly32and hose24is shown extending from the housing to the spray nozzles26mounted in the spray hood structure14.

FIG. 11shows electric timer33which may be contained in control box46to have an off time setting44and a spray time setting45. The off time setting44is utilized to set the desired time between spray cycles and may be adjusted between 1 to 100 seconds, for example. The on time setting45is utilized to set the desired time for the duration of the spray cycle and which may also be adjusted between 1 to 100 seconds, for example. As shown, the approximate settings would provide a spray cycle for 2-3 seconds at 40-50 second intervals while an animal is present at the mineral feeder as detected by the motion sensor.

As shown inFIG. 6, lateral housing extension40is shown to have a spray nozzle structure26mounted therethrough. The spray nozzle26has a nozzle body27having spray head49at the top and a spray tip50at the bottom. The spray head49may be loosened to allow air to be purged from the insecticide fluid system to thereby prime the spray system for operation.

An exemplary insecticide that may be utilized in the spraying station of the invention is Permectrin II, an emulsifiable insecticide spray containing 10% permethrin which may be used on beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, horses, poultry and dogs and their premises. The insecticide provides a residual effect against various pests including flies, lice, mites, mosquitoes, fleas and ticks, including deer ticks which are carriers of Lyme disease. Permectrin II is a product of KMG Chemicals, Inc.

As many changes are possible to the spraying and feeding station of this invention utilizing the teachings thereof, the descriptions above and the accompanying drawings should be interpreted in the illustrative and not in the limited sense.