Drinker shield

A watering device for fowl and small animals utilizing a trigger drinker with a shield surrounding the trigger pin. The shield is conically shaped with a bottom portion having a greater diameter than the top portion. The bottom of the shield is slightly below the bottom of the trigger pin to prevent incidental bumping by poultry and other animals. A plurality of struts connecting the bottom circular section to the circular drinker housing on top form the sides of the conical shaped shield. The sides are substantially open to allow chickens to view the trigger pin from all directions. The novel device prevents inadvertent bumping, and trains birds to activate a trigger drinker from below the trigger pin while allowing visibility of the trigger pin from substantially all directions.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to watering systems for poultry 
and/or small animals and, more particularly, to watering systems employing 
trigger drinkers. 
Various trigger drinkers are presently known. One preferred type is 
described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,373, assigned to the same 
assignee as the present invention. The disclosure of that reference is 
specifically incorporated herein. In general, trigger drinkers can be 
mounted directly into a fluid supply line. In a typical system, a 
plurality of horizontal supply lines are adjustably suspended from the 
ceiling of a poultry house at heights determined by the size of the birds 
therein. Each supply line can extend for over 50 meters in length and 
include a large number of spaced-apart trigger drinkers. This invention is 
also useful in cage-bank houses. 
Trigger drinkers can be activated by not only pushing the trigger pin 
directly into the trigger drinker, but also by pushing sideways on the 
trigger pin. This allows birds to easily obtain water from the trigger 
drinker. Recently, chicken producers have utilized cages having decreased 
cage heights in cage bank systems. This decreased cage height, coupled 
with the ease of operation of the trigger drinker, required a means to 
prevent chickens from inadvertently bumping the trigger drinker. By 
providing a shielding arrangement surrounding the trigger pin, chickens 
are taught to activate the trigger drinker by pushing directly upward on 
the nipple. 
Trigger drinkers have achieved wide spread acceptance as being suitable for 
watering poultry of all ages. However, as the chicks grow, the location of 
the trigger drinker must be constantly moved upward to prevent the poultry 
from inadvertently bumping the trigger drinker and discharging water into 
the chicken's environment. However, chickens vary in size and in order for 
the smaller chickens to activate the trigger, the device must be lower 
than needed for larger chickens. These larger birds can inadvertently bump 
unguarded trigger drinkers. 
Additionally, poultry learn to bump the trigger drinkers to get cool in hot 
weather. This is beneficial to cool the birds, however spillage of water 
can cause odor, disease, infection, and sanitation problems. 
In general, it is important to optimize the watering system in a given 
poultry house by reducing the number of different apparatus that must be 
used as the poultry grow, minimizing assembly maintenance and repair time, 
and eliminating leaks and spillage onto the floor area. Since trigger 
drinkers have otherwise been the preferred watering device for poultry and 
small animals, it is desirable to obtain a drinker shield arrangement 
complimentary or compatible with trigger drinkers which would prevent 
accidental activation. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved 
watering device for poultry and small animals. 
Another object is the provision of a shield means which is lightweight, 
inexpensive, and easy to attach to a trigger drinker watering unit to 
prevent accidental activation of the trigger drinker. 
A further object is to provide a means to teach chickens and other small 
animals to activate a trigger pin from below the trigger pin. 
A further object is to teach chickens and small animals to use better 
drinking position thereby eliminating spillage of water. 
A further object is to provide a means so that chickens obtain more water 
in each peck. 
Yet another object is to provide a shield that is open to the view of 
chickens and other small animals so that the glistening of water and/or 
the pin can be seen from the side of the trigger drinker. 
Yet still another object is the provision of a drinker unit which helps to 
eliminate boss birds from controlling the water supply by allowing the 
drinker to be place distant from the feeder. 
These and other objects of the present invention are obtained in the 
provision of a shield to protect a trigger drinker from incidental bumping 
by poultry and other animals. The shield is constructed to allow birds to 
drink from below the watering nipple, yet prevent inadvertent activation 
by non-drinking contact. 
A preferred embodiment of the shield is conical in shape with a bottom 
portion having a greater diameter than the top portion. The bottom of the 
shield is slightly below the bottom of the trigger pin or nipple. A 
plurality of struts connecting the bottom circular section to the circular 
drinker housing on top form the sides of the conical shaped shield. 
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will 
be readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed 
description in conjunction with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, 
shows a watering system having a fluid supply line 10 for transporting 
water or medicated fluid from a conventional source (not shown) and two 
trigger drinker units 30 connected thereto. Trigger drinker unit 30 
includes a shield 20 comprising a smaller top circular portion 40 and a 
larger bottom circular portion 50, connected by struts 60 to form a 
truncated, generally conical shape. This partially open shield extends 
radially outward from the base portion of the drinker unit. In the 
preferred embodiment, drinker shield 20 is ultrasonically welded to 
trigger drinker unit 30. Drinker shield 20 could be integrally formed as 
part of trigger drinker unit 30, or connected by several other connection 
means. 
In FIG. 2, chicken 70 having beak 72 is seen in a position to push on 
trigger pin 35. Debeaked chickens are sensitive to touch, particularly 
directly after debeaking and an easy operating drinker is essential for 
the sensitive birds. Chicken 70 is illustrated in a proper drinking 
position. Chicken 70 uses beak 72 to push substantially upward on trigger 
pin 35 allowing drops of water to flow directly into beak 72. This allows 
birds to get more water from each peck, which is particularly important 
during the period when the debeaked birds are sensitive to the touch. 
As seen in FIG. 2, bottom portion 50 of the shield 20 extends slightly 
below trigger pin 35. By extending the bottom portion 50 slightly below 
the trigger pin 35, chickens are prevented from inadvertently bumping or 
knocking on the trigger pin 35. 
Another distinctive feature of the shield is that the struts connecting the 
top portion 40 to the bottom portion 50 allow a chicken to view the 
trigger pin from the side as well as the bottom of the trigger drinker 
unit. As seen in FIG. 2, a droplet of water 75 can remain on trigger pin 
35. The chickens can see this glistening droplet of water and are 
attracted and tend to poke or peck at the glistening droplet. 
The openness of the shield also allows air movement through the shield so 
that the environment near the drinker pin does not become stagnant. This 
helps to reduce the chance for bacteria and infection to develop on the 
drinker unit. 
As can be seen from FIG. 4, a preferred embodiment of the present invention 
has the shield ultrasonically welded to the trigger drinker allowing the 
shield to be attached to conventional drinker units. As stated earlier 
other connection means, such as glue or a threaded connection could be 
utilized to connect the shield to the drinker unit. 
This drinker with the novel shield allows the watering system to be 
positioned in the center of the cage without fear of spraying and 
dripping. This positioning feature prevents "boss" birds from dominating 
the drinker because they must continually move between the drinker and 
feeder trough (not shown) at the front of the cage. Prior drinkers tended 
to be near the outside edge of the cage to keep water from falling onto 
birds. On the other hand, the present invention teaches birds to drink 
from below the shielded drinker so they get more water with fewer drips on 
the floor. The novel shield helps to minimize these unwanted enemies of 
the poultry industry. 
FIG. 3 gives a bottom view of the trigger drinker unit including the 
integrally formed shield. Specifically, the shield forms a natural 
circular target for chickens to focus on. The center of the target formed 
by trigger pin 35 needs to be activated for chickens to obtain the 
necessary water. 
Although the present invention has been described in detail, the same is by 
way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of 
limitation. The spirit and scope of the present invention are to be 
limited only by the terms of the appended claims.