MASH-FEED TROUGH

Abstract: The mash feed trough comprises a casing (2) of which the upper piece (12) encases a storage reservoir (11) and of which the bottom piece (49) accommodates a dish-shaped feed trough. The storage reservoir is closed off on its underside by a valve (18) provided to be actuated by an animal.

Description: Mash-feed trough The invention provides a mash-feed trough as stat in claim 1. If the feature of claim 2 is applied, a solid trou will be obtained which is easy to clean and which will not destroyed by the animals biting it. Known plastic troughs a destroyed by being bitten, starting at the corners. Met troughs are expensive since they have to be manufactur from stainless steel. The trough according to the inventi can be manufactured at a low cost price, is easily clean and yet is not destroyed by being bitten. This trough has corners in which feed which has not been consumed can depos and decay. The mash-feed trough according to the inventi preferably contains closing and delivery means, this as indi cated in one or more of the claims. The invention will now be elucidated in the descrip tion following hereinafter with reference to a drawing. I the drawing: Figure 1 shows a perspective, broken away view of preferred embodiment of a mash-feed trough according to th invention; Figure 2 shows on a larger scale a perspective broken away view of detail II from figure 1; Figure 3 shows on a larger scale a top view, par tially in section, of the mash-feed trough from figure 1; Figure 4 shows on a larger scale a section alon line IV-IV from figure 1; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a fraction o another mash-feed trough according to the invention correspon ding to figure 4; and Figure 6 shows a vertical section through a fractio of yet another mash-feed trough according to the invention. Mash-feed trough 1 from figures 1-4 comprises casing 2 of which the external bounding consists of a corner free plastic envelope. 3. This is preferably a piece of round PVC piping like that for example available on the market as drain-pipe. The height h_ is such that the animals cannot reach upper edge 4 with their paws. For pigs this may be fo example 125 cm or in this order of magnitude. The diameter in the case of pigs is for example 315 mm and the wall thick ness f for example 5 mm. The bottom edge 5 of envelope 3 rests on and closes off the floor. Attached on the rear of envelope 3 is a bracket 6 of stainless steel, curved inward through a dimension k_, so that the feed trough can be secured firmly by means of one central screw 8 and two support points 9. Envelope 3 is attached to the previously fastened bracket 6 by means of nut and bolt connections 10 at the location of the storage reservoir 11 which is encased by the upper part 12 of envelope 3. Storage reservoir 11 is closed off on its underside by closing means 13 comprising a curved closing par¬ tition 14 of plastic, for example PVC, a sloping part of which links up with a horizontal bottom part 16. The closing partition 14 is fastened for connection inside envelope 3, for example with bolted and/or adhesive joints. Attached by means of two bolted joints 19 against the underside of bottom plate 16 around the passage opening 15 is the frame 17 of a feed delivery device 18. Frame 17 con¬ sists of a downward inclining baffle plate 20, a slightly sloping closing plate 21, two vertical sidepieces 22 with fastening edges 23, a curved sloping guide plate 48 and a bent front edge 24. Inserted through round openings 25 of sidepieces 22 is a shaft 26 to which a curved plate 27 is wel¬ ded. This plate 27 comprises a discharge member 28 in the form of a downward, directed strip, the bottom edge thereof brushing over closing plate 211 A control plate 30 to be swivelled in the direction of arrow 29 by the snout of an animal is connected to dis¬ charge plate 28 since both form part of one and the same plate 27 pivoting around horizontal axis 31. Control plate 30 pro¬ trudes with end-pieces 33 sideways outside discharge member 28 to connect up to envelope 3 with a tolerance of about an Inch, so that the animals cannot reach the rear part of con¬ trol plate 30. Also for this purpose the end-pieces 33 have short curved top edges 34, control plate 30 connects at its top to upper edge 24 with a close tolerance, and control pl 30 has a bottom edge 35 that is curved round to the re Control plate 30 has a bracket 36 welded to it on its re acting as a stop member together with rear edges 37 of sid pieces 22 to bound the return stroke counter to the dire tion of arrow 29. The outward stroke is bounded by contr plate 30 closing against the front edges 38 of sidepieces 2 The stroke can also be reduced, for example for the feedi of young (small) animals, by a setting member 40 which can adjusted on the outside of a sidepiece 22 around a shaft secured to this sidepiece 22 between the inactive positi drawn in figure 2 in full lines, and the stopping positi drawn with dashed lines. This adjustment can be performed adjusting setting member 40 as according to arrows 41 using finger between and through end-piece 33 and envelope 3. The dry feed 42, consisting for example of catt feed pellets in the form of small round pieces, so-call "biks", falls from storage reservoir 11 through passage ope ing 15 and is then guided by baffle plate 20 as far as closi plate 21, where it remains lying as on an incline 44 until t moment that discharge plate 28 performs a movement in t direction of arrow 29 under the influence of the movement the control plate 30 actuated by an animal. A dosed quantit that is determined by the stroke of discharge plate 28 the falls over edge 47 of closing plate 21 as far as guide plat 48, which is hollow curved and directed such that the fallin feed 42 is guided from this point somewhat more toward th centre of a feed trough 49 so that it does not in any cas fall against the outside part of envelope 3. Arranged in envelope 3 beneath closing partition 1 is a considerable recess 50 such that an animal can easil put its head through it to eat from a trough 49 accommodate in the bottom piece 59 of envelope 3 and consisting of corner-free, preferably round dish the peripheral edge o which is chamfered (see figure 4) and adapted to the corner free envelope 3. Trough 49 is likewise manufactured fro plastic, for example PVC, has a smooth hollow form and is fixed with adhesive into envelope 3 at a level difference above the underside 53. A liquid line 56 is attached to envelope 3 on th outside, enters into it above feed trough 49 and has there liquid delivery member 57 in the form of a liquid valve to b opened by an animal counter to spring force. Since the usuall cold liquid (water) line is placed outside the storage reser voir 11, condensate cannot make the dry feed In storage reser voir 11 wet. Mash-feed trough 1 is a hygienic container, whereb feed 42 and liquid fall into the centre of the feed trough 4 and are there entirely consumed. The round form facilitate cleaning of the inside and outside, for example with a wate jet, insofar as this may still be necessary. The feed delivery means 18 from figure 5 correspon with those from figures 1-4 with the understanding that th pivot stroke of control member 30 can now be set, instead o using a pivoting stop, by means of a screw 61 which can b adjusted with tool 63 through an opening 62 in the envelope. Screw 61 co-operates with a nut fastened to a sidepiece 2 and forms a stepless regulable stop up against which contro plate 30 strikes. This fine adjustment is of interest fo piglets, whereby the same wide control plate 30 can be applie in an envelope with a smaller diameter than that of figures 1 4. Figure 6 shows a slightly different configuration of the dosing means 18.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Mash-feed trough (1) comprising a casing (2) which the upper piece (12) encases a storage reservoir (1 and of which the bottom piece (59) accommodates a dish-shap feed trough (49), whereby said storage reservoir (11) closed off on its underside by closing means (13) provid with feed delivery means (18) to be actuated by an anima whereby said casing (2) has between said closing devices (1 and said feed trough (49) at least one recess (50) to all through at least one head of an animal and whereby a liqu delivery member (57) supplies liquid to said feed trough (49 2. Mash-feed trough (1) as claimed in claim characterized in that the outer bounding of the casing ( consists substantially of a corner-free plastic envelope ( and the feed trough (49) of a corner-free dish, the peripher edge (51) of which is adapted to said corner-free envelo (3). 3. Mash-feed trough (1) as claimed in claim characterized in that the feed trough (49) is manufactur from plastic and is attached into envelope (3) at some di ference in level q_ above the underside thereof (53). 4. Mash-feed trough (1) as claimed in any of th foregoing claims, characterized in that the closing means (13 above recess (50) comprise a sloping partition (14) of plas tic, in which is recessed at least one passage opening (15 which is provided with feed delivery means (18), and that sai feed delivery means (18) preferably comprise a closing plat (21) permanently disposed beneath a passage opening (15); discharge member (28) which can be moved above and over sai closing plate (21); a control member (30) to be operated b animals coupled to said discharge device (28), and a prefer ably hollow curved guide plate (48) disposed opposite, to an at an interval from a delivery edge (47) of said closin member ( 21 ) . 5. Mash-feed trough (1) as claimed in any of th foregoing claims, characterized in that the feed delivery means consist substantially of a stainless steel dosing device (18) of which a frame (17) is arranged against the underside of a closing plate (14) around a passage opening (15), whereby a downward sloping baffle plate (20) guides feed out of the storage reservoir (11) onto a closing plate (21) in the direc¬ tion towards a discharge plate (28) and whereby preferably a control plate (30) to be actuated by animals is mounted for swivelling on a horizontal axis (31) in sidepieces 22 of said frame (17), whereby preferably a stop member (36) fitted on the rear of said control plate (30) co-operates with a frame part (22) extending between said stop member (36) and said control plate (30). 6. Mash-feed trough (1) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the control member (30) of the feed delivery means (18) consists of a control plate (30) of which the bottom edge (35) and the top edge (34) are curved away from the recess (50) arranged in the casing (2), and hat said top edge (34) of said control plate (30) is preferably covered in close-fitting manner by a frame edge (24). 7. Mash-feed trough (1) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the feed delivery means (18) comprise a control plate (30) to be actuated by animals, of which the end-pieces (33) are present at a small distance, for example roughly an inch, from the envelope (3) of the casing (2). 8. Mash-feed trough (1) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that a setting member (41) which can be set in at least two different positions, which determines the dosage and preferably pivots on a shaft (39), is arranged within finger reach behind the control plate (30) to be actuated by animals. 9. Mash-feed trough (1) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the corner-free en- velope (3) is so high that the animals to be fed cannot reach the upper edge (4) with their paws. 10. Mash-feed trough (1) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that a liquid line (56) arranged outside the envelope (3) and ends above the f trough (49) inside the casing (2) and is provided with liqu delivery means (57) for actuation by animals.

Inventors: DE GROOT ADRIANUS WILHELMUS JO, DE GROOT CORNELIS JOZEF JOHANN, DE GROOT, ADRIANUS, WILHELMUS, JOHANNES, DE GROOT, CORNELIS, JOZEF, JOHANNES
Applicants: GROOT ADRIANUS WILHELMUS JOHAN, GROOT CORNELIS JOZEF JOHANNES, DE GROOT, ADRIANUS, WILHELMUS, JOHANNES, DE GROOT, CORNELIS, JOZEF, JOHANNES
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A01K5
IPC codes: A01K5, A01K9