SELF RIGHTING MINERAL SUPPLEMENT DISTRIBUTOR

Abstract: A mineral supplement distributor for grazing cattle, of self righting type, consisting of a hemispheric bottom with a plane base, a fodder tray, a standardised contra weight placed in the bottom, and a hood with an opening and an integrated front lip, assembled with the bottom and the fodder tray with screws in a surrounding satellite ring. The mineral supplement distributor is produced in plastic in order to enable the following improvements, compared to known mineral supplement distributor, related with spilling of mineral supplements, protection of the mineral supplements against rain water, faeces and urine, and handling of the mineral supplement distributor. 1) A plane base ensures a vertical rest position. 2) A hood with an integrated front lip ensures a minimum of spill of mineral supplements. 3) The individual parts are designed so they can be stacked on pallets and thus easily be transported over longer distances. 4) Is very easy to assemble, which enables distribution as do-it-yourself kit. 5) Has a design of the front lip in the hood and of the surrounding satellite ring, so these can act as handles. 6) Has a standardised contra weight which ensures an optimal self righting effect. 7) Has a design of the fodder tray which hinders heaping up of old minerals on places, which could dislocate the gravity centre.

Description: Description of the invention Title of the invention Self righting mineral supplement distributor Technical field to which the invention relates The invention relates to a mineral supplement distributor for grazing cattle of the self righting type, consisting of a hemispheric bottom with a plane base, a fodder tray, a standardised contra weight placed in the bottom, and a hood with an opening and an integrated front lip, attached to the bottom and the fodder tray with screws in a surrounding satellite ring. Background art and citation of relevant documents Such a mineral supplement distributor is known from US patent 4,440,111. The known mineral supplement distributor has a weighed hemispheric base, whereby the mineral supplement distributor will rest into a position that depends on the placement of the mineral supplements in the fodder tray. The risk is thereby, that the mineral supplement distributor will rest into a position with a backward slope from its centre axis and with the opening more or less laid bare for rain water, or for the cattle to drop faeces and urine into the mineral supplements. Rain water, faeces and urine makes the mineral supplements coagulate and unappetizing. It is a problem that the known mineral supplement distributor can rest in a position with the opening laid more or less bare. The known mineral supplement distributor is produced in glass fibre and assembled before sale of the manufacturer of unnecessary many parts, namely hood, base, fodder tray and front lip plus screws and contra weight filled into the base. The contra weight is informed to be sand, stones or other. This has not made it possible to distribute the mineral supplement distributor in parts, and the transport from the producer to the user has been unnecessary expensive. The known mineral supplement distributor has furthermore a contra weight which consists of material in the cavity between base and fodder tray, for instance sand to be filled in by the user. The type and weight of the contra weight is crucial for the function of the mineral supplement distributor; it will be damaged by frost if moisturized sand has been filled into it, the envisaged self righting effect will not appear if too little sand is filled in, of if the contra weight of other reasons is of too small weight. It is on this background a problem that the know mineral supplement distributor is without a standardized contra weight. Technical problems to be solved By constructing the mineral supplement distributor with a plane base (A) in the hemispherical bottom is attained, that it always will rest in a position vertically around its centre axis (if standing on a horizon surface). This is an extra security against contamination of the mineral supplements with rain water, faeces and urine, and will at the same time improve the aesthetic impression of the mineral supplement distributor. The mineral supplement distributor maintains with the plane base its ability to give way for the animals' manipulation of it and raise itself afterwards without spill of mineral supplements. Production in plastic rather than in glass fibre gives furthermore a number of advantages: By integrating the front lip (H) with the hood (B) is achieved that: 1) The number of parts are reduced from 4 (hood, bottom, fodder tray and front lip) to 3 (hood (B), bottom (C) and fodder tray (D)). This gives a substantial simplification and cheapening of the production, the transport and the assembling of the mineral supplement distributor. 2) The risk for spill of mineral supplements is reduced to a minimum as the design of the lower corners of the opening is crucial in relation to the risk for spill of minerals when the mineral supplement distributor raises itself after being tipped over by the animals. 3) The durability is improved, as the integration of the hood and the front lip makes the mineral supplement distributor more stable. The design of the hood, the bottom and fodder tray in plastic, plus a standardised concrete contra weight (E) enables a very easy transport from producer to user, as all parts are designed to be stacked on pallets. Transport over longer distances is therefore an economic possibility. The design of the individual parts enables furthermore an easy assembling, which makes it possible to trade it as a do-it-yourself kit. The parts required for assembly are a bolt with washers and nut (F), plus plastic screws (G), as well as the mentioned 4 plastic parts and the concrete contra weight. The integrated front lip in the hood (H) is designed so it can act as a handle which one person can grab for lifting of the mineral supplement distributor. This is useful and practical in connection with moving. The satellite ring around the mineral supplement distributor, for assembling of the bottom, the fodder tray and the hood, is suitable for lifting of the mineral supplement distributor, especially if it shall be lifted by two persons (Detail I). The contra weight consists of a centrally and low placed standardised concrete block (E), which is attached between the bottom and the fodder tray with a bolt going through it (F). This ensures the centre of gravity is placed as centrally and low as possible, and thereby that the mineral supplement distributor gets a better self righting effect. The design of the fodder tray ensures, that it will not be possible that mineral supplements can be deposited on a plateau on the edge of the fodder tray - the content of the fodder tray will due to its design always be led downwards to the centre of the fodder tray. This hinders that old mineral supplements will be heaped up in the mineral supplement distributor, and that these old and unappetizing mineral supplements are deposited at places which deteriorates the self righting effect by dislocating the centre of gravity. Disclosure of the invention In accordance with the invention, this object is in accordance with the above description characterised by having a hood with an integrated front lip, a bottom with a plane base, a contra weight which is a centrally and low placed standardised concrete block, and a surrounding satellite ring which functions as a handle. Advantageous effects of the invention The invention ensures that the mineral supplement distributor, compared to a known mineral supplement distributor, 1) has a more secured self righting effect, 2) has a better protection against spill of mineral supplements, 3) has a better protection of the mineral supplements against contamination with rain water, faeces and urine, and 4) is easier to move, transport and handle. Description of at least one way of carrying out the invention by reference to the drawings Figure 1 shows Section A-A with a plane base (A), hood (B) with integrated front lip (H), bottom (C), fodder tray (D), standardised concrete contra weight (E), a bolt for assembling of and going through the bottom, the fodder tray and the concrete contra weight (F), a satellite ring, where the plastic parts are assembled with plastic screws (G), designed so it also functions as a handle (Detail I).

Claims: Claims 1. Mineral supplement distributor for grazing cattle of the self righting type, consisting of a hemispheric bottom with a plane base (C), a fodder tray (D), a standardized contra weight (E) placed in the bottom, and a hood (B) with an opening and an integrated front lip (H) attached to the bottom and the fodder tray with screws characterised in that, the bottom (C) has a plane base (A), that the hood (B) has an integrated front lip (H), and that the contra weight (E) consists of a centrally and low placed standardised concrete block. 2. Mineral supplement distributor as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that, the concrete block (E) is mounted between the bottom and the fodder tray with a bolt going through (F). 3. Mineral supplement distributor as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that, the other parts are assembled in a satellite ring with plastic screws (G). 4. Mineral supplement distributor as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that, the front lip (H) is designed so it can function as a handle. 5. Mineral supplement distributor as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that, the satellite ring for assembly of the plastic parts is designed to act as a handle. 6. Mineral supplement distributor as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that, it is produced in plastic.

Inventors: FOGED HENNING LYNGSOE, FOGED, HENNING, LYNGSOE
Applicants: FOGED HENNING LYNGSOE, FOGED, HENNING, LYNGSOE
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A01K5
IPC codes: A01K5