Valve for a drinker for livestock

Abstract: A valve for a drinker for livestock comprises a substantially tubular valve body (30), control means for setting the water flow through the valve body, dirt collecting means, a valve member (61) operable by an operating member (64) and spring means (60) urging the valve member (61) into a position wherein the water flow is shut off. According to the invention, the dirt collecting means have a cylindrical shell (40) with a thickened portion (42) clamp-fitting into the top part of the valve body (30) and the dirt collecting means comprise a tubular member (43) extending coaxially in the top part of the shell, leaving clear a first narrow cylindrical chamber (44) between the shell and the tubular member (43). The cylindrical chamber (44) is closed at the bottom by a circumferential internal shoulder (45) in the shell of the dirt collecting means and further communicates adjacent the top of the tubular member with the interior of the tubular member (43). The interior of this tubular member (43) communicates with a part of the valve body (30) that is closed by the valve member (61) in the inoperative position.

Description: This invention relates to a valve for a drinker for livestock, comprising a substantially tubular valve body, control means for setting the water flow through the valve body, dirt collecting means, a valve member operable by an operating member and spring means urging the valve member into a position wherein the water flow is shut off. Such a drinker valve is known for instance from EP-A-0139328 (Brouwers Stalinrichtingen B.V.). The known drinker valve comprises a tubular brass body with a plug secured therein by means of a cross screw at the end of the body that is directed towards the basin of the drinker in mounted position. The plug is provided with a central axial bore through which a brass operating pin for the valve member extends into the drinker. The operating pin further carries a valve member at the end extending into the valve body, which valve member cooperates, with interposition of an O-ring, with a valve seat formed on the plug. The valve member, which is likewise made of brass, is urged against the O-ring by a rust-resistant steel pressure spring mounted in the valve body. Further, a conical member is arranged in the valve body above the valve member and also above the pressure spring, the top of this conical member being directed towards the water supply pipe. By truncating, cutting off or sawing off the tip of the conical member to a greater or lesser extent, the water output can be set. Further, the conical member serves as a dirt collecting element. The known drinker valve can be mounted in a bore through a flange of the drinker by means of an external thread provided on the valve body and two nuts. The bore is in line with an oval aperture in the wall of the drinker. A disadvantage of the known drinker valve is that it is not corrosion-resistant owing to the use of metal parts. In this connection, problems may also be caused by any medicines that have been added to the drinking water. Further, contact corrosion will develop as a result of the use of different metals in mutual contact, such as the brass valve member and the rust-resistant steel spring. Also, minerals contained in the water tend to precipitate on brass and the zinc of the brass is corroded by acids. Another important disadvantage is that the known valve cannot be mounted or demounted without detaching the drinker from the wall. Further, the use of a screw for securing the plug requires an additional operation during pre-assembly of the drinker valve. Finally, setting the water output by cutting off a tip of a conical member is inaccurate and irrevocable. The object of the invention is to provide an improved drinker valve in which the above-mentioned drawbacks are obviated or limited. More generally, the object of the invention is to provide a robust and reliable drinker valve which can be manufactured in a simple manner at low cost and is simple to mount and demount, and which, if so desired, can be used in existing drinkers in replacement of the known drinker valves. To that end, according to the invention, a drinker valve of the type described hereinabove is characterized in that the dirt collecting means have a cylindrical shell with a thickened portion clamp-fitting into the top part of the valve body and that the dirt collecting means comprise a tubular member extending coaxially in the top part of the shell, leaving clear a first narrow cylindrical chamber between the shell and the tubular member, which cylindrical chamber is closed at the bottom by a circumferential internal shoulder in the shell of the dirt collecting means and further communicates adjacent the top of the tubular member with the interior of the tubular member, which in turn communicates with a part of the valve body that is closed by the valve member in the inoperative position. Hereinafter, one embodiment of the invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic longitudinal section of an example of a known drinker valve used in a drinker for pigs or calves; Fig. 2 is a schematic longitudinal section of one embodiment of a drinker valve according to the invention; Figs 3, 4 and 5 schematically show, respectively, a side elevation, a front elevation and a top plan view of an embodiment of a control member for the water output of a drinker valve according to the invention; and Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a connecting piece for a drinker valve according to the invention. Fig. 1 is a schematic section of an example of a known drinker valve 1 which is mounted in a drinker 2 for livestock, such as pigs or calves. The drinker 2 is of a known type, comprising a rear wall 3 and a basin 4 extending from the rear wall towards the front. The basin 4 is part of an element directed towards the front and obliquely upwards, closed roundabout and having sidewalls, one of which is shown at 5, and a top wall 6. By way of example, a pig's snout 7 is shown in the drinker. The water level is indicated at 8. When an animal finds the water level in the drinker to be too low, it can push a brass operating pin 9 of the drinker valve towards the rear or the side with its snout. As a result, the valve member 10, which is located at the end of the operating pin that extends into the valve body 11, will tilt relative to a valve seat 12 so that water can pass along the valve member. The drinker comprises a flange 25 of substantially horizontal extension in mounted position, extending rearwards from the top wall adjacent the top edge thereof. Thus, a space 13 of substantially triangular section is formed between the top wall 6 and the flange. This space is closed by sidewalls, one of which is indicated at 14. The flange 25 comprises a bore 15 in which the drinker valve is mounted by means of nuts 16, 17 which are screwed onto the external thread 18 of the tubular valve body 11, made of brass, above and under the flange 25. It can be clearly seen that the nut 16 is accessible only if the drinker is not mounted on a wall. The valve can only be replaced when the drinker has been demounted from the wall. In the top wall 6 of the drinker, an aperture 19 is provided in line with the bore 15. The drinker valve extends through aperture 19 into the drinker. It is observed here that the aperture must be elongated owing to the inclined position of the top wall relative to the valve. Via the free top end of the thread 18, the drinker valve can be connected to a water mains by means of a union nut. Arranged in the drinker valve body is a conical member 20 having its tip cut off so that a water passage is obtained, allowing water to flow into the interior of the conical member. The space 21 roundabout the conical member functions as a dirt collecting element. Via a lower collar 22 of the conical member, this conical member is urged against an internal shoulder 24 of the valve body by means of a rust-resistant steel pressure spring 23. The lower end of the pressure spring urges the valve member 10 against the valve seat 12 with interposition of a sealing ring 26, for instance an O-ring. The valve seat is formed in a plug 27 which is mounted at the lower end of the valve body 11 and secured by means of a screw 28. The operating pin 9 extends through a wide bore 29 in the plug, so that there is room to tilt the operating pin slightly. At the same time, water can flow into the basin via the wide bore. The maximum water flow is determined by the aperture in the conical member and can be modified by cutting more off the top of the cone. This does not permit an accurate setting, nor can the water passage be reduced if such is desired. Fig. 2 is a schematic longitudinal section of an embodiment of a drinker valve according to the invention. In the first place, the drinker valve according to the invention is different from the known valve in that it is substantially made of plastics. A suitable plastics is for instance polyacetal. The drinker valve shown comprises a tubular plastics valve body 30 having a collar 31 at the top thereof. The collar comprises a depending projection 32. In mounted position, the projection 32 engages with a corresponding recess 33 of a connecting piece 34, shown in top plan view in Fig. 6. The connecting piece can be made of metal, for instance brass, but does not come into contact with the water. The connecting piece fits tightly around the body 30, which for that purpose may be fitted with low longitudinal ribs (not shown) in the area below the collar 31. The connecting piece comprises external thread 35 which, in mounted position of the valve, cooperates with a fastening nut comparable to the nut 17 of Fig. 1 and with a union nut of an end of a water supply pipe. Adjacent the lower end, the connecting piece comprises two opposite flanges 36, 37. The flanges can be seen as parts of a circumferential collar from which segments have been removed on opposite sides. This design makes it possible to insert the body 30 with the connecting piece 34 clamp-fitted thereon via the elongated aperture 19 in the top wall of a drinker (see Fig. 1) through the bore 15 in the upper flange 25 of the drinker. Then a securing nut, such as nut 17, can be mounted. The connecting piece cannot rotate relative to the body owing to the projection 32 which engages with the recess 33. If so desired, rotation of the assembly of body and connecting piece can be prevented by providing projections at the underside of the flange 25 of the drinker, which projections cooperate with the flat sides 38, 39 of the connecting piece so as to prevent rotation. As all other parts of the drinker valve according to the invention can be mounted in the body 30 beforehand, the valve can be mounted on a drinker without requiring detachment of the drinker itself from a wall or the like. Inserted from the top into the body 30 is a dirt collecting element comprising a cylindrical shell 40 and a collar 41 resting in mounted position on the collar 31 of the body, the collar 41 having substantially the same external diameter as the collar 31. The shell 40 fits into the body 30 with some clearance, except for a thickened part 42 right under the collar 41. This part 42 fits tightly into the body 30. The dirt collector comprises a tubular member 43 which extends adjacent the top end of the dirt collector within the shell and coaxially therewith. Located between the shell and the tubular member is a narrow cylindrical chamber 44 which is open at the top and closed at the bottom by a collar 45 connecting to the internal wall of the shell. The top of the tubular member is disposed lower than the top of the collar 41, so that there is room for mounting a control valve 46 to be further described hereinafter. Located within the tubular member 43 - while leaving clear a second narrow cylindrical chamber 47 closed at the bottom - is a second tubular member 48 of which the bottom and top ends are open and of which the top end is located lower than the top end of the first tubular member. The dirt collector is preferably formed as one whole from plastics, for instance by injection moulding. Provided in the wall of the first tubular member is a slit 49, extending vertically in this example, this slit 49 forming a connection between the first and the second cylindrical chambers. Mounted on the first tubular member 43 is a control valve 50, which is made of plastics and is shown in detail in Figs 3-5. The control valve has the shape of an inverted cup whose shell 51 fits tightly yet rotatably about the tubular member 43. A portion of the shell adjacent the open side of the cup has been removed over a part of the circumference of the cup, as indicated at 52. The curved edge 53 formed at that point lies in a plane that may or may not be curved and which does not extend perpendicularly to the axis of the cup. Accordingly, in front elevation the edge 53 may be a straight inclined line or a curved line. In the embodiment shown, the edge 53 follows a helical line, as can be seen most clearly in the front elevation of Fig. 4. In mounted position of the control valve, the edge 53 is located adjacent the vertical slit 49. Rotation of the control valve 50 enables variation of the passage between the chamber 47 and the chamber 44, formed by the part of the slit that is left clear, and hence of the amount of water that can pass through the slit per unit time. The bottom 54 of the inverted cup shape rests on the top edge of the first tubular member 43, so that water supplied via the water supply pipe (not shown) cannot flow directly into the inner chamber 47. At the top, the control valve comprises a plurality of radial projections, which fit precisely within the shell 40 of the dirt collector, in such a manner that the control valve is rotatable within the shell 40. The projections moreover continue on the bottom 54 in the form of ribs 55 which enable the control valve to be rotated in a simple manner. In the embodiment shown, the ribs together form two intersecting grooves 56, 57, which can for instance receive a coin for rotating the valve. In the embodiment shown, the tops of the ribs 55 are substantially in the same plane as the top of the collar 41, but this is not strictly necessary. Further, in the embodiment shown two ribs form an arrowhead 58, which indicates the position of the control valve. In this connection, the top of the collar 41 may be provided with corresponding markings. Water can pass the control valve and the dirt collector as follows. Water that is being supplied via the water supply pipe flows via the grooves 56, 57 and the gap left clear between the shell 51 of the control valve and the shell 40 of the dirt collector into the outer chamber 44 until the level has risen to the point where the water flows via the vertical slit into the inner chamber 47. Upon further supply of water, the water rises to the lower level of the top of the second tubular member 48, whereafter the water flows into the second tubular member. The second tubular member is open at the bottom, so that the water can flow further into the valve body. Dirt contained in the water supplied can collect in the chambers 44 and 47. Arranged within the lower part of the shell 40 of the dirt collector is a rust-resistant steel helical spring 60 trapped between the collar 45 on the one hand and a valve disc 61. The valve disc is made of plastics and comprises means for centering the helical spring on the valve disc. In the embodiment shown, the centering means comprise two triangular projections 62, 63, extending transversely to each other, the tops coinciding with each other and with the long axis H of the valve disc and the operating pin 64 which forms one whole therewith. In the embodiment shown, the valve disc 61 rests on a valve seat formed by a shoulder 66 in the valve body 30, with interposition of an O-ring 65. However, if the valve seat and the lower end of the valve body are accurately designed, the O-ring can be omitted, as experiments have shown. The operating pin, leaving clear an annular gap, extends through the aperture 67 left clear by the shoulder 66, beyond the lower end of the valve body 30. In the embodiment shown, the valve body comprises a depending tab 68 on the side thereof which in mounted position is directed towards the access side of the drinker, i.e., the valve body is shorter at the back than at the front, which gives greater freedom of movement to the operating pin. Compared with the known drinker valve, the valve seat of a drinker valve according to the invention can be located relatively high in the valve body inasmuch as the dirt collector and the control valve occupy relatively little space and the spring 60 is partly located within the shell of the dirt collector. As a consequence, the operating pin can be made relatively long and hence its operation requires very little effort. A drinker valve according to the invention is therefore very suitable for young animals. Easy operation can be further improved by designing the valve disc to have a diameter which is only very little greater than the diameter of the aperture formed by the shoulder and to provide the valve disc with radial projections ensuring good positioning and support of the valve disc. In that case, only a small amount of travel of the operating pin will bring about a relatively large water discharge. It is observed that after the foregoing, various modifications will readily occur to the skilled worker. Thus, the shell of the dirt collector could for instance be shorter at the lower end or the tab 68 at the lower end of the valve body could be longer or shorter. Further, projections may be provided limiting the rotation of the control valve. These and similar modifications are considered to fall within the framework of the invention.

Claims: A valve for a drinker for livestock, comprising a substantially tubular valve body (30), control means for setting the water flow through the valve body, dirt collecting means, a valve member (61) operable by an operating member (64) and spring means (60) urging the valve member into a position wherein the water flow is shut off, characterized in that the dirt collecting means have a cylindrical shell (40) with a thickened portion clamp-fitting into the top part of the valve body and that the dirt collecting means comprise a tubular member (43) extending coaxially in the top part of the shell, leaving clear a first narrow cylindrical chamber (44) between the shell and the tubular member, which cylindrical chamber is closed at the bottom by a circumferential internal shoulder (45) in the shell of the dirt collecting means and further communicates adjacent the top of the tubular member with the interior of the tubular member, which in turn communicates with a part of the valve body that is closed by the valve member in the inoperative position. A drinker valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the dirt collecting means are made of plastics. A drinker valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tubular member (43) extends up to a point under the top edge of the shell (40) and that a substantially inverted-cup shaped control valve (50) is mounted on the tubular member, the bottom of said control valve (50) resting on the top edge of the tubular member and the shell of said control valve fitting precisely yet rotatably around the tubular member (43), leaving a slit-shaped access opening to the cylindrical chamber (44), while the tubular member comprises an access opening which is cleared by the shell of the control valve to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the rotational position of the control valve. A drinker valve according to claim 3, characterized in that a sector (52) of the shell of the control valve (50) has been removed along a line that does not extend transversely to the axis of the shell of the control valve and that the passage in the wall of the tubular member is a slit (49), while the shell of the control valve, at the point thereof where a sector thereof has been partly removed, cooperates with the slit (49) to determine the water flow therethrough. A drinker valve according to claim 4, characterized in that the slit (49) is a substantially vertical slit. A drinker valve according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a second tubular member (48) is located within the tubular member (43), while leaving clear a second narrow cylindrical chamber (47) closed at the bottom, said second tubular member (48) being open at the bottom and top ends and having its top at least partly located lower than the top of the first tubular member (43). A drinker valve according to any one of the preceding claims 3-6, characterized in that the control valve (50) is made of plastics. A drinker valve according to any one of the preceding claims 3-6, characterized in that the control valve (50) is provided at the top thereof with operating means for rotating the control valve. A drinker valve according to claim 8, characterized in that the operating means comprise a plurality of raised ribs (55) extending over the top of the control valve. A drinker valve according to claim 9, characterized in that at least two parallel ribs (55) are provided, together forming a groove (56,57). A drinker valve according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the ribs (55) form position marking means which cooperate with markings provided on the upper edge of the shell of the dirt collecting means. A drinker valve according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve body (30) comprises a collar (31) at the top edge thereof and that a collar (41) formed on the top edge of the shell of the dirt collecting means rests on the collar (31) of the valve body. A drinker valve according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve body (30) comprises a shoulder (66) extending circumferentially under the lower end of the shell of the dirt collecting means, the shoulder (66) forming a valve seat for a valve disc (61) resting on the shoulder, which disc is urged against the valve seat by spring means (60). A drinker valve according to claim 13, characterized in that the spring means (60) comprise a pressure spring (60) arranged between the valve disc (61) and the bottom of the first narrow cylindrical chamber (45). A drinker valve according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the valve disc (61) at the top thereof comprises centering means (62,63) for the pressure spring (60). A drinker valve according to any one of claims 13-15, characterized in that the valve disc (61) comprises an operating pin (64) extending through the aperture left clear by the shoulder (66) and beyond the lower end of the valve body. A drinker valve according to claim 16, characterized in that the valve disc (61) and the operating pin (64) are formed as one whole from plastics. A drinker valve according to any one of claims 13-17, characterized in that the valve disc (61) is provided with radial projections (62,63). A drinker valve according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower end of the valve body (30) comprises a depending tab (68) on the side directed towards the front of the drinker in mounted position. A drinker valve according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve body (30) is made of plastics. A drinker valve according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that adjacent the top of the valve body (30) a cylindrical externally threaded connecting piece (34) is tight-fitted about the valve body, said connecting piece comprising two outwardly extending opposite flanges (36,37) at the bottom thereof. A drinker valve according to claim 21, characterized in that the connecting piece (34) has a recess (33) in the top edge thereof, which recess cooperates with a projection (32) of the valve body to restrain the connecting piece from rotation. A drinker valve according to claim 21, characterized in that at least the top part of the valve body (30) comprises low longitudinal ribs. A drinker valve according to claim 21, characterized in that the valve body (30), the dirt collecting means, the valve member (61), and the operating member (64) are made of plastics and the connecting piece (34) is made of brass.

Inventors: RAUWERDA REIMER, RAUWERDA, REIMER
Applicants: BROUWERS BV L S, L.S. BROUWERS STALINRICHTINGEN B.V.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A01K7
IPC codes: A01K7