Abstract:
A device for, at predefined times, opening bordered areas to deposited fodder for feeding horses, cattle, sheep, goats, lambs, game, fish farms etc. includes a flexible opening mechanism which is kept closed by a turnable counterstay. This closing counterstay is kept in a closed position with a settable timer. This timer allows the counterstay to turn to an open position after a certain time period. Whereby the fodder device is opened.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention relates to a timer device according to the introductory portion of the independent claim. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Devices for feeding animals at chosen times are previously known. Such devices generally have a complicated design, require a large space, are costly, require electrical power and are thus potentially hazardous to the animals. 
         [0003]    The object of the present invention is to provide a feeding device which is simple and cheap to produce and install, requires little space and cannot harm the animals. It should be easy to handle, easy to disassemble for cleaning and have a reliable function which is independent of electrical connections and require a minimum of maintenance and service. 
         [0004]    The invention relates to a device for, at predefined times, opening bordered areas to deposited fodder for feeding ia. horses, cattle, sheep, goats, lambs, game, fish farms etc. Or for other suitable feeding device for animals. 
         [0005]    The device is constituted by a flexible opening mechanism which is kept closed by a turnable counterstay. This closing counterstay is kept in a closed position with a settable timer. This timer allows said counterstay to turn to an open position after a certain time period. Whereby the fodder device is opened. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view with the device for the fodder container in a locked position, in this case by a timer  7 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  A detail of  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view with the device for the fodder container in a closed position and where the timer  7  is set to requested time and thus the timer handle  8  turned clockwise prevents the front piece  4  from swinging out until the handle  8  is positioned in front of the front piece  4  recess  6  and allows the front piece  4  to swing out and open. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  A detail of  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view with the device for the fodder container locked by the timer handle  8  turned maximally anti clockwise and prevents the front piece  4  from swinging out. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  shows a cross section with the device fodder container in a closed position, where the timer  7  is set to desired time and thereby the timer handle turned clockwise prevents the front piece  4  from swinging out until the handle  8  is in front of the front piece  4  recess  6  and allows the front piece  4  to swing out and open. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  shows a cross section with the device fodder container in an opened extended position. The handle  8  sits in front of the front piece  4  recess  6  and has thus allowed the front piece to swing out and open. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view with the device arranged against a raisable boom  17  in a locked position, in this case locked by the timer handle  8  turned maximally counter clockwise and preventing the front piece  4  from swinging out. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  shows a cross section with the boom  17  in a locked position and where the timer  7  is set to desired time and thereby the timer handle  8  turned clockwise prevents the front piece  4  from swinging out until the handle  8  sits in front of the front piece  4  recess  6  and allows the boom  17  to rise from its locked position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  shows a cross section with the device for the boom  17  in an opened extended position. The handle  8  sits in front of the front piece  4  recess  6  and has thus been allowed to swing out and allows the boom  17  to extend from its locked position. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    The device for feeding with a fodder container  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5  comprises a rear piece  1  on which a timer  7  with a handle  8  has been attached. The rear piece  1  constitutes the framework of the device and is intended to be attached with screws or similar to i.a. a wall, a pole, a fence, a door etc. 
         [0015]    The front piece  4  is turnable around the hinges  5 . The front piece  4  has a recess  6  that fits against the handle  8 , the action of which prevents or allows the front piece  4  to be turned relative to the rear piece  1  depending on the position of the handle  8 . 
         [0016]    The rear piece  1  is provided with a track  2  into which the rear keder  11  of a fodder container  9  is inserted. A horizontally turnable front piece  4  is situated on the upper part of the rear piece  1 . Between the rear piece  1  and the front piece  4  there is space for the horizontally thickened long side  10  of the fodder container  9 . The device is designed such that the horizontally thickened long side  10  of the fodder container  9  may be inserted in front of the rear piece  1  and behind the front piece  4 . When the front piece  4  is turned, the thickened long side  10  is prevented from leaving this space. The accumulated weight of the fodder container  9  causes the force that acts on the leaving thickened long side  10 . This force is minimized by two cooperating multiplying lever gears, one at the rear piece threshold  3  and the second at the lower leading edge of the front piece  4 , thus the timer  7  or the handle  8  can be damaged. 
         [0017]    After set time the handle  8  rotates back to its starting position, where the recess  6  on the front piece  4  ends up in front of the handle  8  and sets off the front piece  4 , whereby the thickened long side  10  of the fodder container is allowed to slide over the threshold  3  and leave the device such that the fodder bag contents become available. 
         [0018]    The timer  7  with the handle  8  may, if the handle is turned maximally clockwise, be set out of order if that is needed. 
         [0019]    The device set for a riseable boom  17   FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8  comprises everything mentioned above for feeding with a fodder container  9 , but with the purpose of giving access to a separate area, and with the alteration that a further lever arm  12  with hinges  13  is added to completely remove the forces acting on the timer  7  and the handle  8 . Instead of the two lever gears  3  and the front edge of the front piece  4 , the two lever gears have been replaced by the lever  12  and its hinges  13 . The reason for this is that the forces from the boom  17  can be so tremendously larger on the setting with the boom  17  than with the force from the thickened front rim  10  of the fodder container  9 . The device consists, in addition to previously enumerated parts, of a boom  17 , a covered tightly wound settable spring  15  which tends to force the boom to a vertical position. The settable spring  15  has a locking screw  16  which locks the boom  17  at desired lifting force. A spring  14  which loads the front piece  4  to be able to swing the front piece  4  up. 
         [0020]    The devices work in all planps of direction for varying applications. 
         [0021]    Specifically the invention relates to a device for opening containers or opening delimited areas at timed interval. The invention has a rear piece  1  which cooperates with a moveable part  4  (via a threshold edge  3 ) and lever gears during a specific time closing a thickened front edge  10  of a fodder container via its threshold edge  3  prevent its moveable part the thickened front edge  10  of the fodder container or boom to be moved. To when a certain time has passed the timer  7  and the handle  8  passes an opening  6  on the front piece  4  and allows the front piece  4  to turn away and the thickened front rim  10  of the fodder container via its threshold  3  to via gravity leave the rear piece  1  and the front piece  4  or the boom  17  by spring action. 
         [0022]    The device can be set fully out of order if needed, by turning the handle  8  of the timer  7  maximally counter clockwise, whereby the front piece  4  is prevented from swinging out and the device is locked until it is reactivated. 
         [0023]    The threshold  3  may cooperate with the thickened long side  10  and (the lower part of) the front piece  4  (creating a lever gear action). The device may have a track  2  for the keder  11  integral with the rear piece  1 . Further, the front piece  4  may form a lever gear relative to the timer handle  8  (to give a small hanging out force affect timer  7  and timer handle  8 ). The timer  7  may be constituted by a settable mechanical clockwork, a settable electromagnetic latch. The settable electromagnetic latch may be constituted by a electromagnet which acts with polarity changing electromagnetic time circuit by the opening operation. 
         [0024]    The fodder container  9  may be constituted by flexible substance, rigid plates or container. The device may have a settable  16  tightly wound spring  15 . It may further have a lever  12  with hinges  13  and spring  14  that cooperates with the front piece  4 . (To release the boom  17  and for complete force relief against the timer  7  and the handle  8 ).