SPINNER PLATE FEED DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

A feed distribution system for animals comprising a hopper for containing feed, a spinner plate mounted beneath the feed outlet of the hopper, and a motor for rotating the spinner plate. A closure apparatus for the spinner plate includes a central shaft and at least two support legs. The spinner plate is mounted on a motor shaft extending from the motor and is biased upward by the support legs to force the plate towards the bottom of the hopper. In the resting position, a minimal gap is maintained between the spinner plate and the bottom of the hopper such that the spinner plate can rotate without interference, but vermin cannot reach into the gap to access feed that may be on the spinner plate. The support legs are biased by a first biasing member to be in extension to inhibit the edge of the plate from being pulled downward if vermin try to hang from or pull down on the plate. Rotation of the spinner plate generates a centrifugal force to force the support legs into flexion and move the spinner plate downward along the central shaft away from the hopper and, thereby creating a larger gap and allowing the feed to be dispersed during the rotation of the spinner plate.

FIELD

This disclosure generally relates to a feed distribution system for animals. More specifically, an embodiment of the present invention is a spreader feed distribution system for animals which prevents vermin (e.g., raccoons, squirrels, etc.) from getting to the feed. The device can spread various types of animal feed, including, but not limited to, corn, milo, maze, protein pellets, game feed, bird feed and fish feed, as well as other kinds of materials, such as seeds, sand, grit, salt, fertilizer, and lime.

BACKGROUND

In the prior art, there is a recognized need to feed animals from a storage container or hopper. Various animals can be fed from animal feed stored in a hopper configured with a spreader that distributes a portion of the stored feed around the hopper. While feeding animals serves many purposes (hunting, birdwatching, animal husbandry, etc.), existing feeders struggle with preventing vermin from accessing and stealing feed.

Various approaches have been attempted to spread stored animal feed, but these suffer from limitations as they are vulnerable to mice, squirrels, raccoons, and other persistent and dexterous vermin. Other techniques, such as fencing, can limit desired larger wildlife like deer and elk, from accessing the feed. By utilizing a spreader that is closed when not in use and resists being pulled open by vermin attempting to access the feed, embodiments of the present invention address these limitations.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a spreader for feed distribution system that solves the aforementioned problems.

According to one embodiment, the feed distribution system includes a hopper for containing feed, a spinner plate mounted beneath the feed outlet of the hopper, and a motor for rotating the spinner plate. A closure apparatus for the spinner plate includes a central shaft and at least two support legs. The spinner plate is mounted on a motor shaft extending from the motor and is biased upward by the support legs to force the plate towards the bottom of the hopper. In the resting position, a minimal gap is maintained between the spinner plate and the bottom of the hopper so that the spinner plate can rotate without interference, but vermin cannot reach into the gap to access feed that may be on the spinner plate. The support legs include at least two linkages and are biased to be in extension by a first biasing member to inhibit the spinner plate from being pulled downward if vermin try to hang from or pull down on the plate. Rotation of the spinner plate generates a centrifugal force that is sufficient to flex the support legs and move the spinner plate downward away from the hopper, creating a larger gap and allowing the feed to be dispersed during the rotation of the spinner plate.

According on another embodiment, a spreader assembly for a feed distribution system may comprise a mounting bracket configured for mounting the spreader assembly to a feed outlet of a feed hopper, a spinner plate rotatably mounted on a lower surface of the mounting bracket, a motor having a motor shaft coupled to the spinner plate for rotation of the spinner plate, and a closure assembly for the spinner plate.

In one embodiment, the motor may be mounted on the upper surface of a mounting bracket with the motor shaft being configured to extend downward through an opening in the mounting bracket toward the spinner plate. In another embodiment, the motor may be configured beneath the spinner plate with the motor shaft being configured to extend upward toward the spinner plate.

The present embodiments offer several advantages over prior art, including an improved closure apparatus that increases the seal between the spinner plate and the hopper. The improved closure apparatus overcomes the need for an additional cage, fencing, or cumbersome vermin prevention system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention are further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The following examples are intended to illustrate the invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

It will be understood that the terms “upper” and “lower,” “front” and “rear,” “top” and “bottom,” and “above” and “below” are used for convenience to describe relative directional reference in the common orientation of a feed distribution system100as shown, for example, inFIG.1.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a feed distribution system100comprises a hopper10, a spreader to disperse the feed20, a motor to rotate the spreader30, and a closure assembly40for closing the spreader to prevent vermin from accessing the feed.

As shown inFIG.1, the hopper10is a container including an interior cavity12in which feed can be stored. The hopper10may have a lid or access door on an upper surface of the hopper that can be opened or removed and through which the feed can introduced. The hopper10may include a central feed outlet14on a bottom surface of the hopper through which the feed may be dispensed. The hopper10may be raised above the ground by legs or stand16. The hopper10may further include a window17on a side surface through which the level of feed in the interior cavity12of the hopper can be viewed.

As shown inFIG.2, the spreader20includes a spinner plate22which is rotated to disperse the feed in a broadcast pattern. The spinner plate22has an upper surface23and a lower surface25, both of which may be substantially planar. The spinner plate22may include an upwardly inclined lip26forming a rim around the edge of the spinner plate which allows for feed to be dispersed in a more controlled broadcast pattern and with a partially upward trajectory to enable the feed to travel a greater distance.

As shown inFIG.9, the motor30may be a rotary motor with a motor shaft or spindle32extending from the motor30. For example, the motor30may be an electric motor, but various other conventional types of motors may be used. The motor30may be powered by a battery, plug-in electric power, solar power, or any various other power sources. According to one embodiment such as shown inFIGS.10-11, the motor30may be mounted within the interior cavity12of the hopper10by motor mounting bracket34, with the motor shaft32extending through the feed outlet14in the lower end of the hopper10. According to another embodiment such as shown inFIG.13, the motor30may be mounted beneath the hopper10within a motor enclosure36and with motor shaft32extending upward toward the feed outlet14. In either of the respective downward or upward configurations of the motor30, the spinner plate22is mounted on the motor shaft32beneath the feed outlet14of the hopper10.

As shownFIGS.2-4, the closure assembly40includes a lower support bracket42, a central shaft43, and support legs44. The central shaft43extends between the lower support bracket42and the lower surface25of the spinner plate22. The support legs44are rotatably coupled at a lower joint51on the lower supper bracket42and at an upper joint52on the lower surface25of the spinner plate22. An upper bracket49may be used to couple each of the support legs44to the lower surface25of the spinner plate22. The support legs44may be connected near the edge of the spinner plate22, which may provide more support against the spinner plate22from tilting.

FIG.6shows the spreader20in a closed position with the spinner plate22at rest and the support legs44in extension. A minimal gap28is maintained between the lip26of the spinner plate22and the underside of the hopper10in the resting position. The gap28is sized merely to enable the spinner plate22to rotate without interference against the hopper10, but without vermin being able to reach into the gap28to obtain feed that may be contained on the upper surface23of the spinner plate22.

Embodiments of the closure assembly40may include two or more support legs44. The embodiments depicted in the figures include three support legs44, which may provide additional support against tilting from a downward force that may be exerted at the edge of the spinner plate22. Each support leg44has at least two linkages46coupled to each other by a rotatable joint47. A first biasing member45biases the linkages46of the support legs44toward extension into an over-center orientation when the spinner plate22is in the closed position, such as shown inFIG.6. The support arms are shown in more detail inFIGS.14A-B. When in an over-center orientation, the linkages46of the support legs44are locked in extension and are inhibited from rotating back into flexion when a laterally downward and/or radially outward force is exerted on the spinner plate22, such as may be experienced when vermin attempt to pull down or hang from the spinner plate22or lower support bracket42. The support legs44prevent the spinner plate22from being pulled downward away from the underside of the hopper10when the spinner plate22is at rest. The support arms44also provide support against tilting along the edge of the spinner plate22, which is a location from which vermin may attempt to pull down or hang to try to reach the feed.

According to one embodiment such as shown inFIGS.14A-Band15A-C, the first biasing member45may be a torsion spring disposed around joint47between the linkages46of each support leg44. In addition or in the alternative, torsion springs may be disposed at the lower joint51between the support leg44and the lower support bracket42and/or the upper joint52between the support leg44and the spinner plate22. According to another embodiment as show inFIG.16, the first biasing member45may comprise one or more extension springs which are respectively connected between the central shaft43and the joint47between the linkages46of each support leg44.

As shown in the embodiments inFIGS.5-9, the closure assembly may further include a second biasing member48that biases the spinner plate22to be forced upward towards the underside of the hopper10. For example, the second biasing member48may be a compression spring disposed along the central shaft43which is biased to push the spinner plate upward.

Upon rotation of the spinner plate22by the motor30, a centrifugal force is generated that forces the support arms44outward. When the centrifugal force is sufficient to overcome the biasing force from the first biasing member45, the linkages46of the support arms44are forced into flexion, which exerts a force pulling the spinner plate22downward along the central shaft43away from the underside of the hopper10. This increases the size of the gap28, which enables the feed to be dispersed as the spinner plate22rotates.FIG.7depicts the spreader20in an open position when the spinner plate22has been in rotation and has moved downward along the central shaft43, and wherein the linkages46of the support arms44are in flexion and the second biasing member48has been at least partially compressed. When the motor30slows down or stops rotating, the first biasing member45causes the support legs44to extend and the second biasing member48extends, forcing the support plate22back up the central shaft43toward the bottom of the hopper10.

The second biasing member48and the support arms44exert an upward biasing force with a magnitude that can resist a downward force exerted by vermin hanging on to or pulling down the edge of the spinner plate22, the lower support bracket42, or any of the support legs44. When the motor30rotates the spinner plate22at a high enough speed to generate a downward force that is sufficient to overcome the upward biasing force of the support arms44and the second biasing member48, the spinner plate22moves down along the central shaft43. Preferably, the design is optimized such that the downward force required to overcome upward biasing force the move the spinner plate22down is substantially greater than a force that could be exerted by vermin. For example, a sufficient downward force may be generated when the spinner plate22is rotated between about 700 to 3,000 rotations per minute (RPM), and preferably, between about 2,000 to 2,500 RPM.

According to an embodiment such as shown inFIG.2, the spinner plate22may include projections25that extend upward from the upper surface23of the spinner plate22and are oriented radially to assist in propelling the feed during dispersal as the spinner plate22rotates. The projections25may be disposed on or formed integrally with the upper surface23of the spinner plate22. The projections25may alternatively be formed as a portion of upper brackets49which extend upward through slots formed within in the spinner plate22.

According to embodiments such as shown inFIGS.1,8,9,12, and17-21, the spreader20may be attached to a spreader mounting bracket38that is configured for mounting the spreader20to the feed outlet14of a hopper10. In another embodiment, the spreader20may be mounted directly to the feed outlet14on the underside of hopper10. A funnel plate39may be disposed on the underside of the spreader mounting bracket38or the underside of the feed outlet14above the spinner plate14, which may direct the feed toward the center of the spinner plate22as it is dispensed from the hopper10. Protective bars60may be disposed around the spreader20and closure assembly40and connected to the lower surface of spreader mounting bracket38or the underside of hopper10. The protective bars60may protect the spreader20from being bumped into or dislodged by animals that walk beneath the hopper10. A distal end of the motor shaft32may extend through an opening in the protective bars60and be rotatably secured on the underside of the protective bars60by spindle end cap63, such as a cap nut or a spindle bearing cap. In an embodiment depicted inFIGS.22A-Band23A-B, a ball-shaped bushing61having a through-hole62vertically therethrough may be disposed at the distal end of the motor shaft32, which is received by a corresponding ball-shaped socket64in the spindle end cap63. The spindle end cap63may include wings65configured to be attached to the protective bars60. Ball-shaped bushing61and socket of the spindle end cap63may allow for pivoting of the motor30and may serve to reduce to vibration of the motor30and motor shaft32.

According to an embodiment such as shown inFIG.17, a collar66may be disposed around the spreader20on the underside of the hopper10. The collar66may include an opening67through which the feed is dispersed to concentrate the dispersal of the feed in a limited arc as opposed to a full 360° broadcast dispersal pattern. A chute68may extend from the collar66around the opening67which may deflect the feed to travel more uniformly within a certain direction and which may also enable the feed to travel a greater distance. The collar66may provide additional protection from vermin reaching in to access the feed disposed on the spinner plate22.

According to an embodiment shown inFIGS.18-20, a spreader assembly70may be assembled as a unit comprising the spreader20, closure assembly40, motor30, motor mounting bracket34, and protective bars60, which may be attached to a spreader mounting bracket38. The spreader mounting bracket38may then be used to secure the unit of the spreader assembly70to the feed outlet14on the underside of the hopper10such as shown inFIG.20. The spreader assembly70may provide for easier installation of the unit onto the hopper10.

According to an embodiment shown inFIG.19, the motor mounting bracket34may be a gimbal mount, which may allow the motor30to pivot around two or more axis. The motor mounting bracket34may include two or more supports35, and preferably four or more supports35, which may secure the motor mounting bracket34to the spreader mounting bracket38.

It will be appreciated that although the embodiments described herein relate to animal feeding hoppers such as those for distributing corn for wild deer, the disclosed process is applicable to many other types of materials that need to be spread over an area, but need pest-protection, such as scattering stored seeds for planting.

The above description is only to preferred embodiments of the present invention and it should be noted that those skilled in the art can make improvements and modifications without departing from the technical principles of the present invention and as such, variations are also considered to be the scope of protection of the present invention.