Animal feeder

Abstract: An animal feeder comprising a hopper (2) provided with an adjustable dispensing valve (3) which is operated by the animal itself, characterized in that the lower part of the hopper (2) terminates in a funnel (5) forming a lower neck (7) to which is attached a dispensing body (8) consisting of a one-piece plastic part and comprising a lower chamber (13) in which a piston (16) actuates, said piston forming an integral part of a metal sluice (17) which pivots about an axle (18), said axle being easily removed in order to disassemble the sluice. The sluice comprises a rear plate (25) whose forward movement is stopped by a vertically adjustable rod (28) and whose return movement is stopped by a projection (26) of the dispensing body (8). The upper support of the rod (28) consists of a small box (45) provided with an upper slot (56) along whose edge are provided reference marks (70) which are pointed to by the indicator (71) of the control (55). The plate (4) which receives the feed is removably attached to the surrounding tubular body (1) by means of a number of elastic tabs (40) which are introduced into holes (42) provided therein.

Description: The present invention relates to a feeder for livestock, principally an individual feeder for pigs. Their exist various models of this kind of feeder, all of which generally comprise a vertical tubular body forming a hopper with lower funnel provided at the output thereof with a dispensing valve whose output can be regulated by a vertically movable rod, said valve being operated by the snout of the animal itself, the feeder additionally comprising a water supply valve which is also operated by the animal to mix the water with the feed if it should so desire, said mixture being produced in a lower plate joined to the tubular body. The dispensing valve comprises an upper chamber which channels the feed and which is connected to a lower dispensing chamber provided with two openings, one frontal and one rear and with a base, a sluice acting in the first of said openings, this sluice being operable by the animal, whereby its upper end is pivoted around a pivot axle in the dispensing valve, and said sluice acting very close over the base of the lower chamber when the sluice is being pivoted around the axle, hereby pushing the feed away from the lower chamber and which then falls due to gravity onto the plate. (fig. 1) Examples of this kind of feeders are disclosed in patent NL-A-8 102 854 and patent WO/88/02597. Most of the dispensing valves which have been used until now consist of various metal parts joined together, increasing the cost of manufacture and making them very heavy. This, together with the pressure exerted by the animal to open them, cause them to come away from the surrounding body and the hopper, which consist of plastic material and cannot withstand such forces. Other drawbacks of the known feeders are due to the difficulty with which said valves are disassembled for routine cleaning. The object of the present invention is to solve these and other drawbacks by devising a dispensing valve which can be easily disassembled and, a plate which is equally easy to disassemble and which rests directly on the floor. In addition, the feeder is provided with a visual indication to show the adjustment of the dispensing valve. In order to achieve these advantages a dispensing body made of plastic material is fixed vertically to a lower neck of the funnel-shaped bottom of the hopper and horizontally to the tubular body, said dispensing body forming a lower dispensing chamber in which a piston operates, said piston forming an integral part of the metal sluice operated by the animal. Another characteristic of the present feeder is the fact that the sluice hinge axle can be disassembled from the dispensing body, said axle being kept in position by means of a spring pin which is fixed into an orifice of the lower neck of the hopper and through which said axle is fitted. The invention is further characterized in that the bottom of the dispensing chamber is curved corresponding to the curve which the piston traces with the sluice as it rotates about the axle of the hinge, whereby all the feed dispensed is sent to the plate without bits accumulating in said chamber to start rotting. The invention is further characterized by the constitution of the sluice end stop, which defines its rest position, and the dispensing valve adjustment means. Furthermore the feeder is provided with means to enable the person in charge to manually adjust the dispensing valve with ease, without the need of special tools or equipment, said adjustment being carried out quickly and the resulting adjustment being clearly displayed by the position of the rod described at predetermined intervals. To achieve these advantages the means described comprise an eccentric control provided with a toothed edge which acts by engaging, between said teeth, the rounded upper end of the rod, said rod abutting elastically against said edge. In this way, by rotating the eccentric control in either one direction or the other the rod can be raised or lowered. The upper support which guides the rod consists of a small box where the eccentric control operates. The control extends from an upper curved slot in said box and is provided with an indicator which, as the control is rotated, points to the reference marks provided on the edge of said slot in correspondence with the various predetermined heights of the rod. These and other characteristics will become more clear from the detailed description which follows, with the help of a series of drawings showing some practical embodiments which represent only one non-limiting example of the scope of the present invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a sectional elevation of the feeder assembly, figure 2 shows in elevated section a detail of the dispensing body when the piston being activated, figure 3 illustrates a sectional plan view of the feeder taken along the line III-III of figure 1, figure 4 represents a partially cut away perspective view of the metal sluice to which the piston is attached, figure 5 shows a perspective view of the bracket which is provided with reference marks to indicate the adjustment of the dispensing valve, figure 6 is a sectional elevation of a detail of the way in which the plate is joined to the surrounding tubular body, figure 7 shows a sectional detail of the tabs which join the plate to said body, figure 8 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of the control assembly which acts on the rod in order to adjust the dispensing valve, figure 9 shows a sectional side elevation of this control assembly, and figure 10 shows a longitudinal section of said assembly taken along the line III-III of figure 8. According to the drawings, the pig feeder comprises a vertical tubular body 1 forming an upper hopper 2 whose lower outlet is provided with an adjustable dispensing valve 3 from which the feed falls onto a plate 4 which is joined below to said surrounding tubular body 1. The hopper 2 consists of the upper part of the tubular body 1, the lower part closing in an asymmetric funnel with a lower rectangular opening 6 (figure 2) around which is formed a neck 7 (figure 3) to which the dispensing valve 3 is attached, the funnel being fixed to the tubular body at various points by nuts and bolts. Said valve comprises a dispensing body 8 consisting of a one-piece plastic moulding which is fixed vertically to the funnel 5 beneath its opening by means of bolts which pass through the holes 9 in said body and are coupled to the corresponding nuts located inside the holes 10 in the funnel. The dispensing body 8 is also fixed horizontally to the tubular body 1 by means of radial bolts which are coupled to nuts located inside the housings 11 provided in said body 8. The dispensing body forms an upper chamber 12 (Fig. 2) which channels the feed from the funnel 5 to a lower chamber 13 of said body where the feed is dispensed, the chamber comprising a frontal opening 14 and a rear opening 15. The frontal opening 14 houses a piston 16 which forms an integral part of a metal sluice 17 the upper part of which is hinged relative to the dispenser 8 by means of an axle 18, the upper part of said dispenser being horizontally provided with a pair of lateral tubular protuberances 19 into which the axle 18 is fitted, the sluice being attached to said axle by means of lateral lugs 20, each provided with holes 21 (Fig. 4). The axle is removably attached so that the dispensing body 8 can be disassembled, to which end said axle is fitted through a square orifice 22 in the neck 7 of the funnel where a U-shaped elastic spring clip 23 is fitted such that once the spring clip 23 has been removed, the other end of the axle 18 can be accessed through an orifice 24, which is smaller in diameter than the axle and which is provided in said neck, to push the axle through the orifice 25 in the tubular body through which said axle was previously inserted (figure 3). The animal operates the dispensing valve by pushing the sluice 17 with its snout as shown by the arrow F in figure 2. With this movement the piston 16 pushes the feed in the lower chamber 13 which then falls due to gravity onto the plate 4. The piston passes closely over the base 24' of said chamber, which is curved in correspondence with the curve which the piston traces as the sluice 17 moves about the axle 18. When the animal withdraws, the sluice returns due to gravity to its rest position which is determined by a lower protrusion 26 of the dispensing body 8 acting as a stop against a plate 25' joined transversally to both of the lower prolongations 27 and at the back to the perforated lugs 20 of the sluice 17 (figure 4). The amount of feed dispensed and falling onto the plate 4 when the sluice 17 is operated is determined by the lower end of a vertical rod 28 acting as a stop for the rear plate 25' of said sluice, said rod passing through the dispensing body via a hole 29 provided therein (figure 3) and being adjustable in height in the vertical position. The upper part of the rod 28 is guided by a support 30 fixed inside the wall of the tubular body 1 next to the upper opening 1', said support forming a horizontal plane with a threaded orifice 31 which acts as a nut into which the upper threaded part 32 of the rod 28 is screwed such that when it is rotated by means of an upper knob 33, the rod, and therefore its lower end, can be raised or lowered, thereby regulating the amount of travel of the sluice/piston assembly. The position of adjustment chosen for the amount of feed dispensed is fixed by a wingnut 34 acting as a locknut which is screwed onto the rod 28 and which abuts against the support 30. These adjustment means are provided with a visual indicator of the position of the rod consisting of a bracket 35 which extends vertically upwards and forms part of the support 30, said bracket being provided with reference marks 36 which are at different heights (figure 5) and which are indicated by an indicating disc 37 screwed onto the rod 28. The plate 4 is joined to the tubular body in a simple way which enables it to be disassembled without the need of any tools. To achieve this, the plate is provided with a peripheral wall 38 whose external diameter corresponds to the internal diameter of the body 1, said wall being provided with an outwardly oriented lower flange 39 via which the plate rests on the floor, the lower opening of the tubular body being positioned on this flange. The plate is removably fixed to the tubular body by means of elastic tabs 40 which are provided on the wall (Fig. 6) and which are each located on a tongue 41 stamped out of said wall, each of said tabs fitting into orifices 42 provided in the lower part of the tubular body 1. The water supply valve 43 can also be operated by the animal if it wishes to eat moist feed, the animal being able to access the feed and the water via the lateral opening 44 in the tubular body 1. As shown in figure 8, which corresponds to the second version of the control assembly which regulates the dispensing valve, a radially arranged small flat box 45 is fixed to the inner part of the upper opening 1' of the vertical tubular body 1 of the feeder, said box being fixed to said body by means of two lateral wings 46 and 47 which are each provided with coplanar orifices 48 and 49 through which bolts 50 are inserted, passing through the tubular body 1 and a reinforcement plate 51 provided on the external face, said bolts being secured with the corresponding nuts 52. The two opposed faces of the upper part of said box 45 are each pressed and holes made therein to provide recesses 53 into which a transverse axle 54 is fitted. The control 55, which pivots about said axle and whose upper part projects through a curved slot 56, comprises an eccentric 57 with a toothed edge 58, the control actuating via said edge which presses on the rounded upper end 59 of the vertical rod 28 of which said box constitutes the upper guide support. The upper end of the rod 28 is guided within the box 45 by means of two opposing tabs 60 and 61 which have curved edges and which are each produced by stamping out parts 62 and 63 of the two opposing faces of the box. The rod 28 is elastically arranged against the toothed edge 58 of the control 55 by means of a spring 64 which is positioned on the rod, the upper part of said spring abutting a washer 65 fixed to a peripheral neck of the rod 28. The lower part of said spring abuts another washer 67 which is positioned freely on the rod 28 and which is fixed into lateral cut-outs 68 in the box 45. The curved slot 56 is pressed out giving rise to a part 69 on which a series of reference marks 70, for example numbers, are provided in correspondence with the various predetermined positions in height of the rod 28, said reference marks being pointed to by an indicator 71 to show the height chosen.

Claims: An animal feeder of the type which comprises a tubular body (1) with a hopper (2) provided at its lower end with a funnel (5) which outlet is provided with a dispensing valve (3) which is adjustable by a movable rod (28) and which is operated by the animal itself, such that the feed falls onto a plate (4) joined below to the tubular body (1), said dispensing valve (3) comprising an upper chamber (12) which channels the feed and which is connected to a lower dispensing chamber (13) provided with two openings,one frontal (14) and one rear (15) and with a base (24) and a sluice (17) acting in the first of said openings, said sluice being operable by the animal, whereby its upper part is pivoted around a pivot axle (18) on the dispensing body and said sluice (17) acting very close over the base (24) of the lower chamber (13) when the sluice (17) is pivoted around the axle (18) hereby pushing the feed away from the lower chamber (13) which then falls due to gravity onto the plate (4) characterized in that the lower opening (6) of the funnel (5) is making up a neck (7) wherein is attached a dispensing body (8) consisting of an one-piece plastic moulding vertically attached (10) to said opening (6) and horizontally (11) to the tubular body (1) and which is horizontally provided with a pair of tubular extensions (19) into which the pivot axle (18) is attached. the sluice (17) comprises integrally a piston (16) taking up the frontal opening (14) of the lower dispensing chamber (13) and the sluice (17) is attached to the pivot axle (18) by means of the corresponding perforated lateral lugs (20) with which it is provided and the pivot axle (18) is fitted through an orifice (22) in the neck (7) of the funnel (5) into which a spring clip or resilient clamp (23) is inserted in order that the axle (18) may be extracted when necessary. An animal feeder according to claim 1 wherein the base (24) of the dispensing chamber (13) is curved in correspondence with the curve which the piston (16) traces as it moves due to the rotation of the sluice (17). An animal feeder according to claim 1 wherein the lower parts of the lateral lugs (20) of the sluice (17) extend backwards, said extensions (27) forming an integral part of a transverse plate (25') for which a lower projection (26) of the dispensing body (8) acts as a stop as the sluice/piston assembly returns to its rest position. An animal feeder according to claim 3 wherein the rod (28), which can be moved vertically, is guided by an upper support (30) fixed to the tubular body (1) and by a vertical hole (29) provided in the dispensing body (8), the lower end of said rod acting as a stop for the travel of the sluice (17) by coming into contact with the transverse plate (25') thereof; the upper support (30) is provided with a vertical bracket (35) with reference marks (36) at various heights and which are pointed to by an indicator (37) attached to the movable rod (28). An animal feeder according to claim 1 wherein the plate (4) is provided with a peripheral wall (38) with an external lower flange (39) which rests on the ground and on which the lower opening of the tubular body (1) is positioned, said wall (38) comprising a number of elastic tabs (40) which project from its periphery and fit into orifices (42) provided in the lower part of the tubular body (1) to removably attach it to the plate (4). An animal feeder according to claim 1 wherein the rod (28), which can be moved vertically in order to adjust the dispensing valve, is operated and adjusted in its movement by a control consisting of a toothed eccentric (57) the edge (58) of which, between said teeth, selectively engages with the rounded upper end (59) of the rod (28), said rod abutting elastically (64) against said edge (58). An animal feeder according to claim 6 wherein the upper support which guides the rod, where the eccentric control (57) operates, consists of a small box (45) with an upper curved slot (56) from which the control (55) projects, said control being provided with an indicator (71) which points to the reference marks (70) distributed along the edge of said slot (56) in correspondence with the various positions of the eccentric (57) and which therefore represent the various predetermined positions in height of the rod (28).

Inventors: FRANCO TARAZAGA JOSE, ROVIRA BADIA ANTONIO, FRANCO TARAZAGA, JOSE, ROVIRA BADIA, ANTONIO, Franco Tarazaga, José, c/o TIGSA S.A., Rovira Badia, Antonio, c/o TIGSA S.A.
Applicants: TIGSA, TECNICA E INNOVACIONES GANADERAS, S.A. (TIGSA)
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A01K5
IPC codes: A01K5