A METHOD FOR SUPPLYING FEED TO A PLURALITY OF FEED PANS, AND ALSO A PAN FEEDING SYSTEM

Abstract: A method for supplying feed to a plurality of feed pans (17) which are disposed under a feed supply pipe (11), wherein feed is transported through the feed supply pipe by conveying means (13) and delivered into the various feed pans (17) through openings (18) in the feed supply pipe (11). Feed is supplied to the feed supply pipe from a conveyor pipe (12) extending above the feed supply pipe (11), in parallel relationship thereto. The feed is transported through the conveyor pipe (12) by conveying means (15), and is carried from the conveyor pipe to the feed supply pipe through passages (19) which are staggered with respect to the openings (18). Then the conveying means (15) present in the conveyor pipe (12) are stopped and the feed is simultaneously delivered into the various feed pans (17) by conveying means (13) present in the feed supply pipe (11).

Description: A method for supplying feed to a plurality of feed pans, and also a pan feeding system. The invention relates to a method for supplying feed to a plurality of feed pans which are disposed under openings in a feed supply pipe, wherein feed is supplied to the feed supply pipe from a conveyor pipe extending above said feed supply pipe, in parallel relationship thereto, wherein said feed is transported through the conveyor pipe by conveying means and is carried from said conveyor pipe to said feed supply pipe through passages which are staggered with respect to said openings, after which the conveying means present in said conveyor pipe are stopped and subsequently the feed is simultaneously delivered into the various feed pans by conveying means present in said feed supply pipe. The invention furthermore relates to a pan feeding system which comprises an elongated feed supply pipe with conveying means present therein, as well as a plurality of feed pans disposed under openings in said feed supply pipe, the pan feeding system furthermore comprises a conveyor pipe extending above said feed supply pipe, in parallel relationship thereto, conveying means present therein and passages extending from said conveyor pipe to said feed supply pipe, wherein at least one passage is provided near each feed pan, which passage is staggered with respect to said opening. A pan feeding system of this kind is for example used for feeding poultry, such as chickens, with powdery or granular feed. In a similar method and device known from US Patent US-A-3,545,408 the conveyor pipe is in open communication with the feed supply pipe, whereby passages from the conveyor pipe to the feed supply pipe are closed only near the openings present above the feed pan. A relatively large amount of feed is delivered into the feed supply pipe by means of the conveyor pipe, after which a relatively small amount of feed is delivered from the feed supply pipe into the feed pan by driving the screw conveyor present in the feed supply pipe for a relatively limited period of time. One drawback of a method of this kind is the fact that the time during which the screw conveyor is driven must be controlled very accurately, whereby starting and stopping effects of the screw conveyor have to be taken into account, among other things, in order to prevent that too much or too little feed is delivered into the feed pans. Another drawback of a method of this kind is the fact that the amount of feed which has been delivered into the feed pans during the time that the screw conveyor was being driven is not precisely known, since said amount depends inter alia on the starting position and the end position of the screw conveyor. It is quite possible thereby that different amounts of feed are delivered into the various feed pans. This is undesirable. The object of the invention is to provide a method wherein a predetermined amount of feed can be delivered into each feed pan in a relatively accurate manner. This objective is accomplished with the method according to the invention in that a relatively small pile of feed is delivered into said feed supply pipe through each passage, whereby the conveying means present in said feed supply pipe will be driven until substantially the entire pile of feed has been delivered into said feed pan. After the feed supply pipe has been filled by means of the conveyor pipe, the conveying means present in the feed supply pipe will be driven until the entire pile of feed has been delivered to a feed pan. The sizes of the piles of feed are exactly known, and they are always the same. The time during which the conveying means must be driven only needs to be longer than a predetermined minimum length of time in order to ensure that the entire pile of feed has been delivered into the feed pan. Through said passages an amount of feed is delivered near each opening. The amount depends inter alia on the size of the passage and the feed properties, such as the granularity of said feed. When an amount of feed is present near each opening, the conveying means present in the conveyor pipe are stopped. Then the conveying means present in the feed supply pipe are driven, as a result of which known amounts of feed will fall simultaneously into the feed pans through the openings in the feed supply pipe. If the passages are the same size and if also the number of passages associated with an opem j is the same, an identical amount of feed is delivered into each feed pan. After the feed has been carried from the feed supply pipe into the pans, the conveying means present in the feed supply pipe are stopped. Then the feed supply pipe can be supplied with feed from the conveyor pipe again. The amount of feed that is delivered into the feed pans can be varied by changing the cycle time for supplying feed to the feed pans. This makes it possible to ensure that relatively much feed is present in the feed pans in the case of young chicks, whilst less feed will be supplied to the feed pans in the case of older chickens. It is noted that with a method and a pan feeding system known from European Patent EP-A2-0 483 963 feed is transported from the beginning of the feed supply pipe to the end thereof by driving a screw conveyor present in said feed supply pipe. Feed thereby falls through the openings in the feed supply pipe into the feed pans. The feed pans that are located nearest the beginning of the feed supply pipe will be filled first. The chickens will start to feed from the feed pans that are already filled, as a result of which the feed level in the first feed pans will drop and feed will subsequently be replenished, whilst the feed pans disposed near the end of the feed supply pipe are still empty. The drawback of this is that when a predetermined amount of feed is supplied, less feed will be delivered into the last pans than into the first pans, or even no feed at all. A consequence of this is that not all chickens will have an opportunity to eat the same amount of feed. In addition to that the chickens will attempt to get to the first feed pans, which are already filled, when the screw conveyor is started, which leads to unrest and fighting in the henhouse. Furthermore it is only possible to supply a larger or smaller amount of feed to each feed pan when feed pans are used which have an adjustable filling level. One embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterized in that a number of passages are provided before each opening, whereby a separate pile of feed is formed in said feed supply pipe through each passage, after which the conveying means present in said feed supply pipe are driven until a predetermined number of piles has been delivered into said feed pans. In this manner it is possible to deliver one or more piles of feed into the feed pan, as desired, and it is possible to empty the feed supply pipe in a number of stages, whereby the conveying means are stopped each time between stages. This makes it possible to meter the amount of feed being delivered into the feed pan. One embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterized in that a sensor is disposed in the feed supply pipe, near the end of the conveyor pipe, by means of which it can be ascertained that the feed supply pipe is filled with feed, after which the conveying means present in the conveyor pipe are stopped and the conveying means in the feed supply pipe are activated. In this manner it is readily possible to automate the method according to the invention. Another object of the invention is to provide a device by means of which feed can be supplied to a plurality of feed pans simultaneously and in metered amounts. This objective is accomplished with the device according to the invention in that the dimension of the passage is relatively small in relation to the distance between two feed pans located adjacently to each other, whereby a pile of feed being passed through said passage during operation will collect in the feed supply pipe, which pile of feed will subsequently be delivered as a whole into the feed pan. As a result of the relatively small dimension of the passage a pile of feed having a predetermined volume will collect in the feed supply pipe. This pile of feed is then delivered as a whole into the feed pan. In the device according to US-A-2,545,408 the dimension of the passage is relatively large, and the feed must be supplied to the feed pan in a number of stages, whereby the amount of feed per stage is not precisely known. The invention will be explained in more detail hereafter with reference to the drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows a pan feeding system according to prior art; Figure 2 is a front view of a pan feeding system according to the invention; Figure 3 shows the pan feeding system of Figure 2, with feed being present; Figure 4 shows a detail of the pan feeding system of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a plan view of the feed supply pipe; Figure 6 is a plan view of a part of the feed supply pipe. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of pipes positioned one above the other. Like parts are numbered alike in the various Figures. Figure 1 shows a pan feeding system 1 according to prior art, which pan feeding system comprises a plurality of feed supply pipes 2 extending parallel to each other, from which a plurality of feed pans 3 are suspended. Each feed supply pipe 2 accommodates a screw conveyor (not shown), which is driven by means of a motor 4. Each feed supply pipe 2 is connected to a feed supply container 5 with one end. Present above said feed supply containers 5 is a container supply pipe 6, which is connected to a hopper 7 with one end. From said hopper 7 feed is supplied to the feed containers 5 by means of a screw conveyor present in container supply pipe 6. The screw conveyor present in container supply pipe 6 is driven by means of a motor 8. Pan feeding system 1 is disposed in a stable 9, which houses poultry, such as chickens. Figure 2 shows a pan feeding system 10 according to the invention. Pan feeding system 10 comprises a feed supply pipe 11 and a conveyor pipe 12 extending above said feed supply pipe 11, in parallel relationship thereto. Feed supply pipe 11 is provided with a screw conveyor 13 as the conveying means, which is driven by means of a motor 14. Conveyor pipe 12 is likewise provided with a screw conveyor 15 as the conveying means, which is driven by means of a motor 16. Conveyor pipe 12 is connected to a feed container 5 with one end. By driving screw conveyor 15 feed is transported from feed container 5 in the direction indicated by arrow PI. Feed pans 17 are suspended from the pipes 11, 12 being positioned one above the other. Feed supply pipe 11 is provided with openings 18, which open into feed pans 17. Between said feed pans 17 a number of passages 19 are provided, which extend from conveyor pipe 12 to feed supply pipe 11. The passages 19 are made up of opposite recesses in feed supply pipe 11 and conveyor pipe 12. A sensor 20 is provided in feed supply pipe 11, near the end of conveyor pipe 12, by means of which the feed level near sensor 20 can be determined. Pan feeding system 10 furthermore comprises a control unit (not shown), by means of which motors 14, 16 are started, and in which the information from sensor 20 is processed. The operation of pan feeding system 10 will now be explained in more detail with reference to Figure 3. Granular or powdery feed 21 is present in feed container 5, which feed has been supplied from hopper 7. Motor 16 is started by the control unit, as a result of which feed is transported from feed container 5 in the direction indicated by arrow PI by means of screw conveyor 15. The feed will thereby fall through passages 19, as a result of which a pile of feed 22 will collect under each passage 19. The size of pile of feed 22 depends inter alia on the size of passage 19 and the granularity of feed 22. When screw conveyor 15 starts its operation, a pile of feed will first collect from the passage located nearest feed container 5. After some time piles of feed 22 will have collected at all passages 19. Passage 23 (see Figure 6) near sensor 20 is longer than passages 19. The reason for this will be explained in more detail hereafter. After sensor 20 has detected the presence of feed in feed supply pipe 11, screw conveyor 15 is stopped and motor 14 is started, as a result of which screw conveyor 13 will start to rotate. The rotation of screw conveyor 13 causes feed to be transported in the direction indicated by arrow P2, whereby feed is simultaneously delivered into feed pans 17 through openings 18. The amount of feed being delivered to each feed pan 17 depends on the size and the number of passages 19 associated with a feed pan 17. In the pan feeding system 10 shown in Figure 3 each feed pan 17 has three passages 19 associated therewith, which passages lie to the right of said feed pans 17. After a selected period of time, which is stored in the control unit, all the feed present in feed supply pipe 11 will have been delivered into feed pans 17, and screw conveyor 13 may be stopped. Then screw conveyor 15 is started again and piles of feed 22 are delivered into feed supply pipe 11 again. In order to prevent that the amount of feed that is deposited near sensor 20 immediately after screw conveyor 15 is started is such that sensor 20 will deliver a signal that screw conveyor 15 can be stopped, whilst insufficient feed has been supplied at the other passages 19, opening 23 near sensor 20 has been made larger than passages 19. As a result of this the pile of feed collecting near sensor 20 will not reach sensor 20 before some time has passed. By means of sensor 20 it is determined, in a direction transversely to the direction of transport, whether feed is present in feed supply pipe 11 at the location of said sensor. The cycle time for supplying feed to the feed pans is regulated by means of the control unit. A reduced cycle time will lead to a higher filling level in feed pan 17. This is especially desirable in the case of young chicks. In the case of older chickens a lower filling level is desired, which can be achieved by increasing the cycle time for supplying feed to the feed pans 17. It is also possible to empty feed supply pipe 11 in a number of stages by means of the control unit. To this end screw conveyor 13 is driven for a period of time which is sufficiently long for delivering one pile of feed 22 to feed pan 17, for example. Then screw conveyor 13 is stopped until the control unit delivers a signal again to indicate that the screw conveyor 13 must be driven, and that feed must be supplied from feed supply pipe 11 to feed pan 17 again. Also in this case the feed is supplied to the various feed pans 17 simultaneously and in identical amounts. Figure 4 is a detailed view of pan feeding system 10, which clearly shows the pipes 11, 12 positioned one above the other, the screw conveyors 13, 15 present therein and the motor 14. A feed pan 17 is suspended from pipes 11, 12, which feed pan is in open communication with feed supply pipe 11 through an opening 18 in feed supply pipe 11. Feed pan 17 comprises an elongated part 24, by means of which feed pan 17 is suspended from pipes 11, 12. Feed pan 17 furthermore comprises a dish-shaped part 25, which is provided near its centre with a cone 26 extending in the direction of elongated part 24. The feed that is supplied from the feed supply pipe to feed pan 17 through openings 18 is delivered near the outside of dish-shaped part 25 as a result of the presence of cone 26. This makes the feed readily accessible to young chicks as well as to older chickens. Figure 5 is a plan view of feed supply pipe 11 according to the invention. Feed supply pipe 11 comprises a plurality of passages 19, which are all the same size and which have been formed in feed supply pipe in regularly spaced-apart relationship. Feed supply pipe 11 furthermore comprises a plural ity of openings 18, which are located between passages 19. Each opening 18 has three passages 19 associated therewith. The distance between two feed pans is for example 750 mm, whilst the dimension of the passage in the longitudinal direction of the feed supply pipe is for example 37 mm. Figure 6 shows the part of feed supply pipe 11 that is provided with sensor 20. Feed supply pipe 11 comprises an elongated opening 23, which ensures that feed will not collect in front of sensor 20 until after some time. Figure 7 shows a conveyor pipe 12 and a feed supply pipe 11 located thereunder. Feed supply pipe 11 is an element 30 of plastic material, which comprises two interconnected tubular segments 31, 32 positioned mirror-symmetrically opposite each other, which are interconnected by means of flanges 33, 34 extending between tubular elements 31, 32. Tubular element 31 is the feed supply pipe. Present within tubular element 32 is a metal pipe 35, which comprises conveyor pipe 12. Metal pipe 35 is provided with passages 19, which open between the opposite flanges 33, 34. The conveyor pipe and the feed supply pipe shown in Figure 7 are positioned relatively closely to each other, which makes it possible to suspend the pipe at such a distance from the ground that chickens can walk under said pipes, whilst people can step over said pipes. The circular cross-sections of the feed supply pipe and the conveyor pipe make it possible to remove all the feed from the pipes by means of the screw conveyors, so that no feed will remain present in the pipes for an undesirably long period of time. It is possible to use fewer or more than three passages per feed pan. Instead of using a screw conveyor it is also possible to use a cable provided with carrier plates, a chain or a translating screw as the conveying means. Furthermore it is possible to use the feed supply pipe and conveyor pipe in an endless system, wherein the pipes are curved.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method for supplying feed to a piural ity of feed pans which are disposed under openings in a feed supply pipe, wherein feed is supplied to the feed supply pipe from a conveyor pipe extending above said feed supply pipe, in parallel relationship thereto, wherein said feed is transported through the conveyor pipe by conveying means and is carried from said conveyor pipe to said feed supply pipe through passages which are staggered with respect to said openings, after which the conveying means present in said conveyor pipe are stopped and subsequently the feed is simultaneously delivered into the various feed pans by conveying means present in said feed supply pipe, characterized in that a relatively small pile of feed is delivered into said feed supply pipe through each passage, whereby the conveying means present in said feed supply pipe will be driven until substantially the entire pile of feed has been delivered into said feed pan. 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that a number of passages are located before each opening, whereby a separate pile of feed is formed in said feed supply pipe through each passage, after which the conveying means present in said feed supply pipe are driven until a predetermined number of piles has been delivered into said feed pans. 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the feed in said conveyor pipe is transported in a direction opposite to the direction in which the feed in said feed supply pipe is transported. 4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a sensor is disposed in the feed supply pipe, near the end of the conveyor pipe, by means of which it can be ascertained that the feed supply pipe is filled with feed, after which the conveying means present in the conveyor pipe are stopped and the conveying means in the feed supply pipe are activated. 5. A pan feeding system comprising an elongated feed supply pipe with conveying means present therein, as well as a plurality of feed pans disposed under openings in said feed supply pipe, said pan feeding system furthermore comprising a conveyor pipe extending above said feed supply pipe, in parallel relationship thereto, conveying means present therein and passages extending from said conveyor pipe to said feed supply pipe, wherein at least one passage is provided near each feed pan, which passage is staggered with respect to said opening, characterized in that the dimension of the passage is relatively small in relation to the distance between two feed pans located adjacently to each other, whereby a pile of feed being passed through said passage during operation will collect in the feed supply pipe, which pile of feed will subsequently be delivered as a whole into the feed pan. 6. A pan feeding system according to claim 5, characterized in that a number of spaced-apart passages are provided near each feed pan, whereby a separate pile of feed is delivered into said feed supply pipe through each passage during operation. 7. A pan feeding system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said feed supply pipe and said conveyor pipe are pipes which are positioned one above the other and which are a substantially circular cross-section. 8. A pan feeding system according to any one of the preceding claims 5 - 7, characterized in that said feed supply pipe is provided with a sensor at a location near the end of said conveyor pipe. 9. A pan feeding system according to according to any one of the preceding claims 5 - 8, characterized in that a passage which is larger than the other passages is located near said sensor. 10. A pan feeding system according to according to any one of the preceding claims 5 - 9, characterized in that said conveying means comprise a screw conveyor.

Inventors: SPANJERS ISIDORUS PETRUS JOHAN, SPANJERS, ISIDORUS, PETRUS, JOHANNES, MARIA
Applicants: HEESEN TECHNOCOM B V, SPANJERS ISIDORUS PETRUS JOHAN, HEESEN TECHNOCOM B.V., SPANJERS, ISIDORUS, PETRUS, JOHANNES, MARIA
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A01K39
IPC codes: A01K39