AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE

Abstract: An automatic dispenser comprises a receptacle (1) with a vertical back wall (5) and side walls (4) and an inclined front wall (7) with an outlet opening (21) at the bottom and a closing mechanism (3) which at the top has an oblique top plate (11). The closing mechanism (3) is embodied and hung in the receptacle (1) so that in a lowest and highest position it closes the outlet of fodder from the receptacle (1), but in the upper position opens for supply of fodder from the receptacle (1) to a space (23) through a gap (22). A rear edge (19) on the plate (11) scrapes against the back wall (5) during the travel of the closing mechanism, and at the same time the inclination of the plate (11) is altered. Thereby the fodder is pumped in the direction from the back wall (5) towards the front wall (7). It is thus all the time the lowest fodder in the receptacle (1) that is dispensed, and no bridging of thickened fodder occurs. Consequently, the automatic dispenser has a dependent operation, and it can dispense accurate quantities with a minimum of waste.

Description: TITLE: AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE. The present invention relates to an automatic dispenser, primarily for the dispensing of fodder, comprising a receptacle having an outlet opening at the bottom, and a closing mechanism which can be activated from the outside, for example by an animal. Such a dispenser is known from GB patent application No. 2 283 897. This known automatic dispenser has the drawback that a bridging effect easily occurs in the material to be dispensed between the internal walls of the receptacle. The automatic dispenser is thus not self-discharging. Furthermore, it cannot dispense in the desired quantities, it takes up a lot of space in an animal's feeding trough, and it is not service-friendly. Another automatic dispenser is known from EP patent application No. 0 469 192 where the closing mechanism consists of two "inverted" cones mutually connected by a rod. This closing mechanism can be moved into all possible oblique directions, it presents the risk that it will get stuck in the open position, and it cannot dispense accurately. Only fodder positioned directly over the closing mechanism will be dispensed. The remaining fodder will therefore become old and thicken in the receptacle, where it will be the cause of bridge formation. It is the purpose of the present invention to describe an automatic dispenser without the drawbacks of the known automatic dispensers. This can be achieved by giving the automatic dispenser a shape as stated in the characterizing part of claim 1. The automatic dispenser according to the invention delivers smaller quantities than the known dispensers, and therefore has less waste. When the closing mechanism moves upwards there is a scraping action along the back wall of the receptacle, and the fodder moves in the direction from the receptacle's back wall towards the front wall. It is thus always the lowest fodder in the receptacle that is dispensed. The fodder is set in motion so that there will be no bridging in the receptacle, and fodder will not come out until the animal releases the closing mechanism. The dispensed quantity is very accurate, and there is no waste. Claim 2 deals with a special embodiment of the lowest part of a receptacle for an automatic dispenser according to the invention. The embodiment according to claim 3 ensures that the lowest part of an automatic dispenser according to the invention takes up the least possible space. Claim 4 deals with a preferred embodiment of a closing mechanism for an automatic dispenser according to the invention. The arrangement described in claim 5 ensures that the closing mechanism closes the outlet opening in both the lowest and the highest position. Claim 6 describes how the dispensed quantity can be adjusted. Claim 7 describes how an air cushion can be formed at the top of the receptacle. The pressure on the closing mechanism will thereby be lower so that less force is needed to raise the closing mechanism. The invention is explained in detail below with reference to the drawing in which fig. 1 shows a cross-section through an automatic dispenser according to the invention in which the closing mechanism is in its upper position, fig. 2 is an illustration corresponding to the one shown in fig. 1 in which the closing mechanism is in its lower position, fig. 3 is an illustration corresponding to the one shown in fig. 1 in which the closing mechanism is in its midway position, fig. 4 shows an illustration corresponding to the one shown in fig. 1 in which the closing mechanism is in its upper position, and where the closing mechanism is mounted in the automatic dispenser's receptacle or house by two different pins, fig. 5 is a sectional view at l-l in fig. 1 , fig. 6 is a perspective view of a closing mechanism for an automatic dispenser according to the invention, fig. 7 is a larger scale side view of a closing mechanism, fig. 8 is a smaller scale view of a partial section through an automatic dispenser according to the invention, and a belonging trough, fig. 9 is a bird's eye view of the automatic dispenser, and fig. 10 is a worm's eye view of the automatic dispenser, fig. 11 is a larger scale view of the lower part of an automatic dispenser according to the invention according to an embodiment for the invention. An automatic dispenser consists of a receptacle 1 , which at the bottom has an outlet opening 2 and a closing mechanism 3, which can be activated from the outside. According to the invention the lower part of the receptacle 1 , which co- operates with the closing mechanism 3, has two vertical side walls 4, fig. 5, a vertical back wall 5, fig. 1 , and a front wall which at the bottom has a vertical part 6 with a height of a1 , which at its top continues as an oblique part 7 at an angle of v 2 which is less than 90° to the horizontal. The width b of the outlet opening 2 is preferably larger than the depth d, fig. 10. Each of the side walls 4 extends at the bottom for a length of a2 below the outlet opening 2, thus forming a lug 8 on each side of the receptacle 1. As shown in figs. 6 and 7 a closing mechanism 3 for an automatic dispenser according to the invention consists, for example, of a curved bottom member 9, which by means of - in its not mounted position - a vertical member 10 is connected to a top plate 11, which forms an angle v 3 , which preferably is less than 90° to the member 10. The top plate 11 protrudes a distance e 1 on the front side 12 of the member 10 and a distance e 2 to the rear of the back side 13 of the member 10. The top plate 11 is approximately of the same width as the inside distance b between the two side walls 4 in the receptacle 1. The closing mechanism 3 is embodied with two lugs 14 fastened to the back wall 13 of the member 10 and the upper face 15 of the bottom member 9. Each lug 14 is embodied with an oblique guide groove 16, which forms an angle v 4 , which preferably is less than 90° to the horizontal. The closing mechanism 3 is mounted in the receptacle 1 by means of a transverse rod 17, which is carried through a hole 18 in each of the lugs 8 on the side walls of the receptacle 1 and the grooves 16 of the lugs 14. The holes 18 are located and the guide grooves shaped and located so that the rear edge 19 and the front edge 20 of the top plate 11 rest against the inside of the back wall 5 and the front wall 7, respectively, in the receptacle 1 when the closing mechanism 3 is in its lower position, and the front side 12 of the member 10 rests against the foremost inside edge 21 of the outlet opening 2, and the rear edge 19 of the top plate 4 rests against the inside of the back wall 5 in the receptacle 1 , when the closing mechanism is in its upper position. When the closing mechanism is in its lower position the member 10, as shown in fig 2, is approximately vertical, whereby the cross-section of the outlet at the bottom is at least as large as further up. When the closing mechanism 3 is moved upwards the plate 10 will be forced by the overlying fodder in the direction towards the back wall 5 of the receptacle 1 so that the edge 19 of the plate 11 exerts a scraping action on the back wall 5. At the same time the inclination v 1 of the top plate 11 during the closing action of the closing mechanism is altered. A pumping action then causes the fodder above the plate 11 as shown by arrows in fig. 3 to be pushed in the direction from the back wall 5 towards the front wall 7. It is therefore always the lowest fodder in the receptacle 1 that is dispensed, and bridging caused by old, thickened fodder is avoided. When the closing mechanism 3 is in its upper position as shown in fig. 1 fodder is admitted from the receptacle 1 through a gap 22 between the front edge 20 of the plate 11 and the wall 7 to a space 23 delimited between the front side of the closing mechanism 3 and the walls 4 and 7 of the receptacle 1. When the closing mechanism 3 is in its lower position as shown in fig. 2 the quantity of fodder contained in the space 23 is dispensed at the bottom. As shown in fig. 4 the lugs 14 can be embodied with additional holes 18 in a staggered vertical and horizontal direction. The figure shows the position of the closing mechanism fully drawn when the pin 17 is inserted through one hole, and dotted when the pin is inserted through another hole. When the shaft is inserted through another hole, the volume of the space 23 is altered and thus also the dispensed quantity. As shown in fig. 11 the holes 18 can also be embodied as grooves 26 in the lugs 14 and can have the shape of an angle. In an area outside the groove 26 the lug bodies 14 can have a recess 27 into which can be placed a steel plate 28 with a hole 18 opposite the groove. When the plate 28 is laterally reversed or arranged in a horizontal instead of a vertical recess there will be a new hole 18, and consequently an altered quantity is dispensed. As shown in fig. 8 the top of the receptacle 1 can be closed by a cover 24. The fodder is charged into the receptacle through a pipe 25 which is taken a short distance h down into the receptacle. This has the effect that an air vacuum is created in the top of the receptacle, whereby the pressure on the closing mechanism is reduced. The automatic dispenser can be used for the dispensing of material other than fodder. The shown and described automatic dispenser is only an example serving to illustrate the invention. Within the scope of the invention it is possible to imagine various modifications. For example, the closing mechanism might incorporate springs to activate the closing mechanism in the direction towards an open or closed position.

Claims: C L A I M S. 1. Automatic dispenser, primarily for the dispensing of fodder, comprising a receptacle (1 ), which at the bottom has an outlet opening (2), and a closing mechanism (3), which can be activated from the outside, for example by an animal, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by having a closing mechanism (3) embodied with an oblique topside (11) inclining in the direction of a back wall (5) in the receptacle (1 ) towards a front wall (7) in an angle v 1 f that the receptacle (1) and the closing mechanism (3) are embodied so that the closing mechanism (3) can be activated from the outside in an approximately vertical direction in the receptacle (1 ) from its bottom position - fig. 2 - in which it closes the outlet of fodder from the receptacle (1 ) to its top position - fig. 1 - in which it closes the outlet of fodder from the receptacle (1 ), hut opens for admission of fodder to a space (23) delimited by the closing mechanism's (3) front side on the one side and the adjoining walls of the of the receptacle (1 ) on the other side, and that the closing mechanism in its intermediate positions between the upper and lower positions - fig. 3 - opens for outlet of fodder from the space (23) through the outlet opening (2), that the inclination v 1 is altered during the travel of the closing mechanism, and that the closing mechanism (3) is forced in the direction against the back wall (5) of the receptacle (1 ) and in the direction from its upper towards its lower position by the weight of the overlying fodder in the receptacle (1 ). 2. Automatic dispenser according to claim 1 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the fact that the lowest part of the receptacle (1 ), which co-operates with the closing mechanism (3) has two - in its mounted position - vertical side walls (4), a vertical back wall (5) and a front wall which at the bottom has a vertical part (6) with a height (a1 ), which at the top proceeds in an oblique part (7), which forms an angle (v 2 ) to the horizontal < 90° so that the receptacle at the bottom has an outlet opening (2) with a square cross-section, and that each of the side walls (4) at the bottom is extended a distance (a2) below the outlet opening (2), thus forming a lug (8) on each side of the receptacle (1). 3. Automatic dispenser according to claims 1 and 3, characterized by the fact that the width (b) of the outlet opening (2) preferably is larger than the depth (d) - fig. 10. 4. Automatic dispenser according to claims 1-3, characterized by the fact that the closing mechanism (3) consists of a bottom member (9) which - in figs.6 and 7 not shown in mounted position - by a vertical member ( 10) is connected to a preferably plane top plate (11), which forms an angle (v 3 ), which preferably is less than 90° to the member (10) and extends a distance (e 1 ) and (e 2 ) from the front side (12) and the backside (13), respectively, of the member (10) and has approximately the same width as the inside distance (b) between the side walls (4) of the receptacle (1 ), and of two lugs (14), which are attached to the rear wall (13) of the member (10) and to the top side (15) of the bottom member (9), and each is embodied with an oblique guide groove (16), which forms an angle (v 4 ) to the horizontal, which preferably is less than 90°. 5. Automatic dispenser according to claims 1-5, characterized by the fact that the closing mechanism (3) is mounted in the receptacle (1) by means of a transverse pin (17), which is inserted through a hole (18) in each lug (8) and through a guide groove (16) in each of the lugs (14), and that the holes (18) and the guide grooves (16) are so located and shaped that the hindmost (19) and the front edge (20) of the top plate (11 ) rest against the inside of the back wall (5) and the front wall (7), respectively, of the receptacle (1 ) when the closing mechanism (3) is in its bottom position, and the front side (12) of the member (10) rest against the foremost internal edge (21 ) in the outlet opening (2), and the rear edge (19) of the top plate (4) rests against the inside of the back wall (5) in the receptacle (1), when the closing mechanism (3) is in its upper position. 6. Automatic dispenser according to claims 1 , 5 and 6. characterized by the fact that the lugs (14) are embodied with additional holes (18) staggered in relation to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions. 7. Automatic dispenser according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that the receptacle (1) at the top can be closed with a cover (24), and that the material to be dispensed is filled into the receptacle (1) through a pipe (25), which extends a distance (h) down below the underside of the cover (24).

Inventors: DAHL CHRISTIAN, DAHL, CHRISTIAN
Applicants: DAHL CHRISTIAN, DAHL, CHRISTIAN
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A01K1
IPC codes: A01K5