Apparatus for gravity fed animal feeder

An apparatus for gravity fed animal feeder forms from a mold that combines a storage compartment that protects feed. The feed is entered into the storage compartment through a top opening. The storage compartment is connected with a food trough that allows feed to refill once the feed is removed. An upper attachment and a lower attachment attach the storage compartment with existing tree of pole. An upper mounting bracket in the upper attachment is larger than a lower mounting bracket in the lower attachment allowing the feed to easily flow towards a side opening of the storage compartment. Attaching straps are connected to the upper mounting bracket and to the lower mounting bracket by strap connecters. A lid is attached around the top opening and secured to the storage compartment by a locking mechanism. The apparatus can be placed at ground level or at an elevated level.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for a feeder. More specifically, the apparatus is a gravity-fed animal feeder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Outdoor animal feeders give animals easy access to nutrients in the form of feed, seed, corn, or any other desired food source. Typical feeders often have to be refilled, causing an inconvenience for anyone tasked with keeping the animals fed. Gravity fed feeders allow for the storage of food above an eating trough. In gravity fed feeders, however, feed often gets stuck in the feeder and can go to waste. Additionally, eating troughs can fill with water, which can make the food inside the storage area wet.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an outdoor animal feeder that is mounted at an angle so that all of the feed exits to the trough of the feeder. It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a way to draining water from the trough. The present invention is large enough to store a large volume of food and is sturdy and durable. The present invention suspends the feed off the ground, which keeps the feed clean and away from feces while animals feed and defecate. The present invention therefore prevents bacteria from animals contaminating the feed.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an apparatus for a gravity fed animal feeder which comprises a storage compartment2, a food trough1, a lid3, a locking mechanism4, an upper attachment5, and a lower attachment6. In reference toFIG. 5andFIG. 8, the storage compartment2comprises a top opening21and a side opening22. The storage compartment2stores a supply of feed or any other desired material including, but not limited to, seed, corn or processed pet food. The storage compartment2can contain a large quantity of the supply of feed so that the present invention does not have to be refilled regularly. In the preferred embodiment, the storage compartment2comprises a cylindrical shape, but the storage compartment2in the present invention can be built into any suitable geometric shape and not only limited to the cylindrical shape. The top opening21is concentrically positioned with the storage compartment2and extends from a top end of the storage compartment2to a bottom end of the storage compartment2. The side opening22is positioned on a cylindrical surface of the storage compartment2and adjacently positioned with the bottom end. The side opening22perpendicularly extends into the top opening21through the cylindrical surface.

In reference toFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the food trough1is adjacently positioned around the side opening22where the food trough1comprises a bottom panel11, a trough wall12, a plurality of seepage holes13, a baffle lip14, and a feeder opening15. The bottom panel11extends out from the bottom end of the storage compartment2and positioned below the side opening22. The trough wall12is perimetrically positioned around the bottom panel11and connected to the cylindrical surface. The connection between the bottom panel11and the trough wall12around the side opening22creates a platform so that the supply of feed can securely flow out from the storage compartment2. When the supply of feed escapes through the side opening22, the supply of feed is contained by the bottom panel11and the trough wall12. The baffle lip14is connected to the cylindrical surface and the top edge of the trough wall12where the baffle lip14partially closes the platform. The baffle lip14controls the flow of the supply of feed as the supply of feed enters into the food trough1. The feeder opening15is positioned in between the baffle lip14and the trough wall12. The animals can access the supply of feed through the feeder opening15. Once the supply of feed is removed from the food trough1, the gravity allows the supply of feed to constantly refill the food trough1. Since the food trough1is opened to the surrounding environment through the feeder opening15, rain water can be accumulated in the food trough1in the event of rain. The plurality of seepage holes13is traversed through the bottom panel11so that the accumulated rain water can be drained from the food trough1. The plurality of seepage holes13also keeps the supply of feed dry as the plurality of seepage holes13prevents the water from entering into the storage compartment2. The plurality of seepage holes13comprises a very small diameter so that the supply of feed does not exit through the plurality of seepage holes13. The food trough1can hold heavy weights of the supply of feed without separating from the storage compartment2because the storage compartment2provides firm components connections between the bottom panel11, trough wall12, and the baffle lip14.

In reference toFIG. 4andFIG. 6, the lid3is positioned around the top opening21where the lid3completely covers the top opening21from the surrounding. Once the supply of feed is placed within the storage compartment2, the lid3keeps the supply of feed dry and clean. The lid3comprises a similar shape as the storage compartment2so that the lid3can provide secure attachment to the storage compartment2. In the preferred embodiment, the lid3is shaped into a cylindrical cap so that the lid3complements the cylindrical shape of the storage compartment2. The lid3can be placed on top of the top opening21and secured to the storage compartment2by the locking mechanism4.

The locking mechanism4in the present invention can be a snap fit locking system, a mechanical locking system, a pin locking system, a twist locking system, or any other type of locking system as long as the lid3completely secures with the storage compartment2. In the preferred embodiment, a twist locking system is implemented between the storage compartment2and the lid3to achieve simplicity within the present invention. The twist locking system comprises a plurality of tabs41and a plurality of locking railings42. In reference toFIG. 9, the plurality of tabs41is equally spaced and radially connected to the cylindrical surface of the storage compartment2from the top end. In reference toFIG. 7, the plurality of locking railings42is also equally spaced and radially connected to the lid3. Each of the plurality of locking railings42comprises L-shaped extrusion where each of the L-shaped extrusions positions around each of the plurality of tabs41when the lid3is secured with the storage compartment2. In order to close the top opening21by the lid3, the lid3needs to be placed on top of the top opening21where each of the plurality of locking railings42aligns with each of the plurality of tabs41. Then the lid3is inserted around the storage compartment2where each of the plurality of tabs41engages with each of the plurality of locking railings42. Then the lid3is twisted so that the lid3can be locked with the storage compartment2as the plurality of tabs41travels through the plurality of locking railings42.

The present invention attaches to a stationary pole or tree by a plurality of attachments. In the preferred embodiment, the plurality of attachments comprises the upper attachment5and the lower attachment6. Multiple numbers of attachments can be used within the present invention for added strength. In reference toFIG. 1, the upper attachment5and the lower attachment6are vertically positioned behind the food trough1. The upper attachment5comprises an upper mounting bracket51, attachment straps52, and strap connecters53. The lower attachment6comprises a lower mounting bracket61, the attachment straps52, and the strap connecters53. In reference toFIG. 3andFIG. 5, the upper mounting bracket51is adjacently positioned below the lid3and perpendicularly connected to the storage compartment2through the cylindrical surface. The lower mounting bracket61is vertically positioned below the upper mounting bracket51and perpendicularly connected to the storage compartment2through the cylindrical surface. The attachment straps52in the upper attachment5and the lower attachment6are respectively connected to the upper mounting bracket51and the lower mounting bracket61by the strap connecters53where the strap connecters53can be a system of nuts and bolts, a plurality of screws, or any other type of connecting systems. The attachment straps52attach the present invention around the stationary pole or tree. The attachment straps52may also be pre-connected with the upper mounting bracket51and the lower mounting bracket61. In the preferred embodiment, ratchet straps are used as the attachment straps52. The upper mounting bracket51is also longer than the lower mounting bracket61so that the present invention tilts slightly downward to a desired forward lean while still being secured in place, allowing the supply of feed to flow towards the side opening22of the storage compartment2. The desired forward lean can be achieved by adjusting the upper attachment5and the lower attachment6. The angle of the storage compartment2, the direction of the supply of feed, and the flow speed of the supply of feed can be controlled the desired forward lean of the present invention.

The present invention may be placed either at ground level or at an elevated level. The upper attachment5and the lower attachment6keep the storage compartment2strapped to any fixed objects. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage compartment2, the lid3, and the food trough1are made from composite and lightweight materials. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the present invention can be used for exterior feeding of animals or interior feeding of animals. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the present invention may be used in a stable or placed under a shelter.