Animal feeding device and support

An apparatus for feeding or watering animals within cages includes a food container having an upwardly opening, cup-shaped configuration, and a cantilever bracket for supporting the container. The container includes a closed curved sidewall and integral bottom wall, and a connector assembly extending downwardly from the outer surface of the bottom wall. The connector assembly includes a generally cylindrical lug having one end secured to the bottom wall, and a locking bar extending diametrically and secured to the other end of the lug. The locking bar includes opposed rounded ends that extend outwardly of the lug. The cantilever bracket includes a distal end having a web with a top surface, and an opening formed in the top surface to receive the connector assembly. The opening comprises a cylindrical hole dimensioned to receive the cylindrical lug in close tolerance fit, and a pair of radially extending, diametrically opposed slots radiating from the hole and dimensioned to receive the locking bar. The locking bar and lug may be inserted into the opening, the locking bar extending completely through the slots. The container may be rotated about the axis of the cylindrical lug, whereby the ends of the locking bar impinge on the underside of the web of the bracket. The bottom surface of the container impinges on the top surface of the web, preventing any substantial movement of the container with respect to the bracket. A detent feature secures the container and prevent removal of the container by any likely animal interaction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a device for supplying food to pets, and 
more particularly to a an assembly for feeding caged animals. 
Animals that are kept in cages, such as pets or laboratory animals, are 
sustained by food and water provided in containers within the cage. Food 
is typically provided in feeding cups or containers that are secured to 
the cage wall to be available to the animals. The support for the food 
container may comprise wire or hooks or a bracket secured to the wires of 
a cage wall. Often the container is supported gravitally in a receptacle 
formed by the wire support or by the bracket. This arrangement facilitates 
easy removal and replacement of the container. 
In a laboratory setting where hundreds or thousands of animals must be fed 
daily, removing and replacing the food container in the cage of each 
animal comprises substantial labor, and the ongoing cost of labor involved 
in sustaining the animals is a considerable cost. Therefore, a small 
savings in the effort required to handle each food container can result in 
significant savings. However, the food and water containers must be 
prevented from spilling their contents inside the cage, since spilled food 
can spoil and cause disease, and spilled water can also promote disease. 
It has been observed that caged small animals, such as rats, hamsters, 
gerbils, or rabbits, for example, tend to exhibit typical rodent behavior 
and gnaw and chew on whatever objects are accessible. Larger caged animals 
will also gnaw, chew, and prod available objects due to lack of exercise 
and boredom. Many cage feeding devices rely on wire attachments or bails 
to secure feeding devices to wire cage walls. These arrangements lack the 
rigidity necessary to prevent animals from shaking, tipping, and spilling 
the contents of the feeding containers. These activities waste food, which 
spills on the cage floor and fouls the cage. In controlled experiments 
where food intake is an important variable, the wasted food can comprise a 
source of error in the experimental results. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention generally comprises a device for feeding or watering 
animals within cages. A salient feature of the device is a support bracket 
that secures the food container against upset or spillage by the animal, 
yet is easily removed and replaced for daily maintenance of the animal. 
The invention is comprised of a food container having an upwardly opening, 
cup-shaped configuration, and a cantilever bracket for supporting the 
container. The container includes a closed curved sidewall and integral 
bottom wall, and a connector assembly extending downwardly from the outer 
surface of the bottom wall. The connector assembly includes a generally 
cylindrical lug having one end secured to the bottom wall, and a locking 
bar extending diametrically and secured to the other end of the lug. The 
locking bar includes opposed rounded ends that extend outwardly of the 
lug. 
The cantilever bracket includes a distal end having a web with a top 
surface, and an opening formed in the top surface that is adapted to 
receive the connector assembly. The opening comprises a cylindrical hole 
dimensioned to receive the cylindrical lug in close tolerance fit, and a 
pair of radially extending, diametrically opposed slots radiating from the 
hole and dimensioned to receive the locking bar. The locking bar and lug 
may be inserted into the opening, the locking bar extending completely 
through the slots. The container may be rotated about the axis of the 
cylindrical lug, whereby the ends of the locking bar impinge on the 
underside of the web of the bracket. The bottom surface of the container 
impinges on the top surface of the web, preventing any substantial 
movement of the container with respect to the bracket. 
The underside of the web is provided with a detent feature that projects 
into the rotation path of one end of the locking bar, and creates a slight 
over-center effect with the one end. The locking bar may be urged past the 
over-center location of the detent feature to secure the container and 
prevent removal of the container by any likely animal interaction. 
However, simple manual grasping and rotating of the container can remove 
it from the cantilever bracket with little effort, so that removal and 
replacement may be carried out with a minimum of time and labor. 
The cantilever bracket further includes a proximal end having a clamping 
assembly adapted to be secured to a wire mesh wall or wire mesh window of 
an animal cage. The proximal end of the cantilever bracket includes a 
receptacle surrounding a mounting hole extending therethrough. A pair of 
clamping pads include confronting surfaces, each having a parallel grooved 
array to engage the wires of a cage wall or cage window. The opposed 
surfaces of the clamping pads each include a raised key that is shaped to 
be received in the receptacle in the cantilever bracket in more than one 
angular relationship. A screw hole is provided in each clamping pad, 
extending from the grooved surface through the raised key at the opposed 
side. 
The key is shaped so that the clamping pads may be secured to the 
cantilever bracket in at least two different angular relationships about 
the common axis of the mounting hole and screw holes. This feature permits 
the clamping assembly to be adapted, e.g., to engage wires extending 
horizontally or vertically in a cage wall or window.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The present invention generally comprises a device for feeding or watering 
animals within cages. With regard to FIG. 6, the invention broadly 
includes a food or water container 11 having an upwardly opening, cup-like 
shape, and a cantilever bracket 12 for releasably supporting the container 
11. A locking assembly 14 firmly secures the container 11 to the bracket 
12 to prevent tipping of the container, while permitting easy removal and 
replacement of the container. In addition, a clamping assembly 13 engages 
the wire mesh of a wall or window of an animal cage to secure the 
cantilever bracket and container within the animal cage. 
With regard to FIGS. 1 and 2, the container 11 includes a closed curved 
sidewall 16 and a bottom end wall 17 forming the cup-like configuration. 
Although a tapered cylindrical form is shown, any convenient symmetrical 
or non-symmetrical shape may be used. Extending downwardly from the end 
wall 17 is a cylindrical lug 13, which may be disposed coaxially or 
eccentrically with respect to the curved shape of the sidewall 16. A 
locking bar 19 is secured to the lower end face of the lug 18 and 
extending diametrically thereto, the opposed ends 21 of the locking bar 
extending radially outwardly from the lug 18. The ends 21 of the locking 
bar are smoothly rounded or radiused. 
With regard to FIGS. 1-5, the cantilever bracket 12 generally includes a 
laterally extending web 22 and a pair of integral tapered side struts 23 
extending transversely therefrom. A proximal end wall 24 extends generally 
transverse to the web 22 and joins the proximal ends of the side struts 23 
to form a unitary rigid support frame for the web 22. Disposed in the 
distal end portion of the web 22 is a cylindrical opening 26 dimensioned 
to receive the lug 18 therethrough in close tolerance rotating fashion. 
The thickness of the web 22 is substantially equal to the length of the 
lug 18, whereby the lug may extend entirely through the opening 26. The 
opening 26 further includes a pair of radially extending, diametrically 
opposed slots 27 radiating from the hole and dimensioned to receive the 
locking bar 21 in a close tolerance sliding fit. The locking bar 19 and 
lug 18 may be inserted fully into the opening 26, so that the locking bar 
extending completely through the slots 27 and the bottom surface 17 of the 
container impinges on the web 22. The locking bar 19 is symmetrical with 
respect to the opening 26, so that the bar 19 may be inserted through the 
slots 27 without preference for the 0.degree. or 180.degree. orientation 
of the locking bar to the slots 27. 
The container 11 may be rotated about the axis of the cylindrical lug 18, 
whereby the ends of the locking bar 19 impinge on an annular land portion 
28 on the underside of the web 22. The web 22 is thus tightly and rigidly 
engaged between the locking bar and the bottom surface of the container, 
thereby preventing any substantial movement of the container 11 with 
respect to the bracket 12 despite the depredations of the animal within 
the cage. 
The bracket further includes a detent arrangement to prevent accidental 
rotation and possible release of the container 11 from the bracket 12. A 
detent boss 29 is secured to the bottom surface of the web 22 adjacent to 
the opening 26 and one slot 27. The boss 29 is disposed in the rotational 
path of one end 21 of the locking bar 19, as shown in FIG. 4. A groove 31 
formed in the boss 29 is dimensioned to receive the rounded end 21 of the 
bar 19 with a slight over-center interference fit, so that the end 21 may 
be rotated to the interference position 21' and then snapped into the 
position 21", where it is retained. Simple manual grasping and 
counter-rotating of the container 11 can remove it from the cantilever 
bracket with little effort, so that removal and replacement may be carried 
out with a minimum of time and labor. However, no animal activity can 
likely counterrotate the container. Thus the container is latched in place 
and cannot be dislodged. 
With regard to FIGS. 1-3 and 5, the clamping assembly 13 includes a pair of 
clamping pads 33, comprising generally rectangular objects having 
confronting surfaces 36. The surfaces 36 are provided with a parallel 
array of shallow grooves adapted to engage wires 37 of a cage wall or 
window, as shown in FIG. 1. Protruding from each of the opposed surfaces 
38 is a square key 39. Each pad 33 further includes a screw hole 41 
extending from surface 36 through the pad and centered within the square 
key 39. 
Extending through the proximal end wall 24 of the cantilever bracket 12 is 
a mounting hole 21, which comprises a square opening. A keyway or 
receptacle 43 extends into the outer surface of end wall 24, and is 
centered about the square hole 41. The keyway 43 is also square, and is 
dimensioned to receive a key 39 in close tolerance, releasable fit. Due to 
the fact that the key 39 may be received in the keyway receptacle 43 at 
any of four orthogonal relationships to the end wall, the clamping pads 33 
may be oriented as shown in FIG. 1, or, alternatively, in FIG. 6. The 
grooved surfaces 36 may be selectively oriented to be parallel to the cage 
wires or rods available at the desired location for installation of the 
invention within a cage. It may be appreciated that the key 39 and keyway 
43 may be shaped in complementary fashion in many regular and irregular 
geometric shapes to yield any desired angular relationship of the clamping 
pads to the end wall 24, so that any expected angular support may be 
engaged in the most effective fashion. 
A screw 46 is dimensioned to extend through the mounting hole 42 and screw 
holes 41 of the clamping pads, and to be engaged by wing nut 48. The screw 
46 is provided with a square shoulder 47 that is received in the square 
hole 42 in close tolerance fit, whereby it is prevented from rotating with 
respect to the bracket 12. The wing nut is tightened to compress the pads 
33 together so that the grooved surfaces 36 may engage the wires 37 
rigidly and securely, while at the same time securing the key 39 in the 
keyway and immobilizing the bracket 12 with respect to the clamping pads. 
The bracket 12 is thus rigidly secured to the cage wall or window, and the 
container 11 is supported with great stability. The casual or deliberate 
actions of the animal within the cage cannot dislodge the clamping 
assembly 13, nor can they move the container with respect to the 
cantilever bracket 12. 
It may be appreciated that a plurality of brackets 12 may be installed in 
the living areas of an animal care facility, and a plurality of containers 
11 used to supply food and/or water or other substances to the animals. 
The containers may be removed and replaced on a regular basis, the used 
containers being cleaned and refilled before being returned to use and 
reinstalled in the brackets 12. 
All of the components of the invention described herein, except the screw 
and wing nut, may be fabricated of plastic or resin materials, such as PVC 
or ABS plastic, polystyrene, recycled mixed plastic feed stock, or the 
like. 
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has 
been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not 
intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form 
disclosed, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of 
the above teaching without deviating from the spirit and the scope of the 
invention. The embodiment described is selected to best explain the 
principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby 
enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various 
embodiments and with various modifications as suited to the particular 
purpose contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be 
defined by the claims appended hereto.