FEEDER FOR CATTLE, MORE SPECIFICALLY FOR PIGS

Abstract: Feeder for cattle, more specifically for pigs, with a storage hopper (1) connected at the bottom with a feedingtrough (2) at the frontside closed by a sheet (5), which feedingtrough - seen from where the animals stand - is divided in a number of feeding compartments by an inwardly extending construction with partition walls (3), which are fixedly mounted to a turnable profile (6), with the characteristic that this entire construction can be pulled outside the feedingtrough so as to rest on the floor in front of the feeder. In open position (trough open) the feedingtrough is free of all obstacles, enabling thorough and perfect cleaning. In closed position means are provided to lock the turnable construction by a locking device.

Description: 5 Feeder for cattle.more specifically for pigs The invention relates to a feeder for cattle,more spe¬ cifically for pigs,with a storage hopper,the bottom of which connects to a feedingtrough. 0 Feeders of the above catagory are habitually construc¬ ted in such a way that the upper frontside of the feeding¬ trough shows a ledge,which,seen from where the animals stand, extends inward.The very purpose o this ledge is to prevent the animals,which love to play about with their food, rom 5 throwing it out of the trough.The ledge in fact can have va¬ rious widths.It can be formed by one side of e.g. an -sha- ped pro ile,which is fixed to the upper frontside of the trough.The profile in question then simultaneously serves the purpose of reinforcing the frontside and in that case 0 will be fixedly mounted to the sidewalls of the eeder. Praxis has shown however that the above construction with fixed ledge has the considerable disadvantage of food remnants staying stuck under the extending ledge.After some time these remnants tend to form a cake,which is very diffi- $ cult to remove,specially because the food remnants have been mixed with animal saliva.It stands to reason that for guaran¬ teeing a good health of the animals 1 0 hygiene is a neces¬ sity.The above phenomenon of food remnants staying behind in the feeder endangers the upkeeping' of top hygiene.The remnant may give growth to bacteria and fungi,which may easily lead to animal disease.Hence a strict cleaning schedule of the feeders is necessary.Cleaning of feeders with fixed ledges however is not only difficult but also very time-absorbing. The invention in question is meant to do away with these cleaning problems by changing the construction of the feeder. A feeder for cattle,more specifically for pigs as per the invention,has a storage hopper,the bottom of which con¬ nects with a feedingtrough.The upperfrontside of the feeding- trough shows a ledge formed by one side of an L-shaped pro¬ file on to which partitionwalls are mounted,dividing the feedingtrough in a number of feeding compartments.The con¬ struction is such that the entire unit formed by the pro- file plus the partitionwalls can be turned outside the fee¬ dingtrough so as to be put down on the floor in front of the feeder. This has the advantage that the entire feedingtrough becomes open for cleaning, hilst the unit itsel -now lying in front of the feeder-is also totally accessible for clean¬ ing.This cleaning can be done by a high pressure washer or/ and in combination with brushes. As said,the ledge in fact can be one side of an L-sha¬ ped profile. he other side is then fixedly mounted to the upperfrontside of the eedingtrough by means of supporting brackets,enabling the entire unit with profile and partition walls to turn outside the trough towards the bottom in front of the feeder. During normal use for feeding the animals,the unit in question is kept locked by a special locking device. he ani¬ mals of course must not be able to dislock same or even mo¬ ve it out of position.Consequently a locking device is pro¬ vided,which guarantees that the unit is solidly kept in pla¬ ce. or this locking device various executions are possible: bolts with winged nuts for easy opening,clamps or hooks. - The construction can also be slightly adapted in such a way that the frontside of the feedingtrough is integrated in the turnable unit,facilitating even more the access to the bottom of the feedingtrough for cleaning. As already stated,these feeders are constructed in such a way that it is possible to feed various animals simulta¬ neously.The trough is divided in a number of feeding com¬ partments by divisionwalls. hese divisionwalls have been incorporated into the turnable part.As a result the division walls coming out of the trough are easily cleanable.. The feeder can also be constructed in a special econo¬ mical execution.The turnable unit in that case is provided with 2 expanders existing of strips with slots.These expan- OJΛPI ders can be placed either on the topside of the turnable unit or at intermittent places.The strips will glide along pegs inserted in the slots.On to these pegs blocking devices can be fitted so as to block the turnable unit in any desired position. The invention will now be described below with referen¬ ce to drawings viz. Drawing I shows an oblique projection of a feeder as per the invention with feeding compartments Drawing 2 shows a frontview of the feeder as per draw¬ ing I . Drawing 3 shows crosssection of lte feeder with partial view of the side. . Drawing k- sketch of an expander. Drawing 5 variant of the construction according to draw¬ ing I. In drawings 1,2 and 3 identical reference numbers have been used for identical parts. In drawing I the feeder exists of a storage hopper I and a trough 2.As will be clear from the drawing the hopper I con¬ nects with the trough 2.In the trough 2 three divisionwalls 3 are placed.The divisionwalls at the backside slide between railshaped parts .The frontside of the trough is closed by a plate sheet 5, On to this sheet 5 "the divisionwalls are fi- xed.On the topside of sheet 5 an L-shaped profile 6 is fixed¬ ly connected to sheet $. Tήe one side of this L profile func¬ tions as a ledge,which prevents the animals from throwing food out of the trough. The frontside of the trough together with profile 6 and the three divisionwalls 3 can be turned out of the trough body or fixed at intermittent stops.Tothis purpose on the bot¬ tom of sheet 5 hinges have been constructed.lt will be clear that-the construction being turned all open-the corner at the inside as well as the partitionwalls and all further parts of the trough are easily accessible and consequently perfect cleaning can be obtained. Drawing shows a variant of the invention,in which the frontsheet 7 of the trough 2 is in a fixed position. he ledge 8 here is also part of an L-shaped profile,which in its enti¬ rety can be turned out of the feedingtrough. his profile at several places,specially at the top,is connected with strip- shaped expanders 10 with a slot II. r. 9 in this drawing indicates a peg sticking through the slot.The peg is solid¬ ly connected to the body of the feeder.On the right side of the vertical line in this drawing the position "normal use" is indicated.To the left side the open position is drawn. In the variant as indicated in drawing 5 "tne frontside of the feedingtrough is numbered 12.On the upperside of this front an L-shaped profile is located.The profile can hinge on point 1 - and be turned to the outside,as indicated on the left side.On the topends of profile 13 strips have been moun¬ ted with slots 16.The slots in operating position slide around pegs I?.The pegs can block strips 15 hy winged nuts to obtain any desired operating position. In the drawings the L-shaped profile 6 has " been drawn in a partially open position.As will be clear from the draw¬ ings the profile can be turned out of the trough completely so as to reach a position on the floor in front of the fee¬ der.The entire trough is then quite open for cleaning e.g. by high pressure washer.In drawings I and 3 partially tur¬ ned open position is indicated by dotted lines.In drawings- k and 5 partially turned open positions are sketched by thin interrupted lines.

Claims: Conclusions 1) Feeder for cattle,more specifically for pigs,with a storage hopper,connected at the bottom with a feedingtrough. The upperfrontside of the feedingtrough shows a ledge,formed by one side of an L-shaped profile on to which partition- walls are mounte , ividing the feedingtrough in a number of feeding compartments.The characteristic of the construction is that the entire unit formed by the L-shaped profile plus partitionwalls can be pulled outside the feedingtrough and be put down on the floor in front of the feeder. 2) Feeder as per conclusion I,with the characteristic that means are provided to lock the turnable part when feeder is in normal use. 3) Feeder as per conclusions I and 2, ith the characteristic that the turnable part forms entity with and is mounted on an L-shaped profile. ) Feeder as per conclusions 1,2 and 3 » w i"fch the characteris¬ tic that the L profile is fixed to the frontside of the trough and turns out together with the frontside. 5) Feeder as per conclusions 1,2,3 and ,with the characte¬ ristic that the turnable part rotates around hinges fixed to the frontside of the trough. 6) Feeder as per the conclusions 1,2,3»^»5 with a feeding trough which is divided in a number of feeding compartments by divisionwalls,with the characteristic that the division- walls are fixedly connected to and are part of the turnable unit and consequently can be put out of the trough. 7) Feeder as per the conclusions 1.2,3.^,5 or 6 with the cha- racteristic that the turnable part at the topside is connec¬ ted with expanders existing of strips with slots. 8) Feeder as per conclusion 7 with the characteristic th^at the strips can slide along and turn around pegs inserted into the slots. ✓ • .. • . -

Inventors: VAN GESTEL FRANCISCUS HENRICUS, WOUTERS JOHANNA ANNA MARIA CAT, VAN GESTEL, FRANCISCUS, HENRICUS, MICHAEL, WOUTERS, JOHANNA, ANNA, MARIA, CATHARINA
Applicants: GESTEL FRANCISCUS HENRICUS MIC, WOUTERS JOHANNA ANNA MARIA CAT, VAN GESTEL, FRANCISCUS, HENRICUS, MICHAEL, WOUTERS, JOHANNA, ANNA, MARIA, CATHARINA
Application year: 1983
Main classification: A01K5
IPC codes: A01K5