Abstract:
A livestock feeder is provided having a receptacle, a grate, a platform and an elevator mechanism. The receptacle has a chamber and an open mouth portion communicating with the chamber. The grate encompasses the open mouth portion. The platform is provided in the chamber for supporting livestock feed. The elevator mechanism is provided between the receptacle and the platform to urge the platform within the receptacle toward the grate to press the livestock feed against the grate.

Description:
RELATED PATENT DATA 
     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/882,137, which was filed Dec. 27, 2006, and which is incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention pertains to dispensing of animal feed. More particularly, the present invention relates to animal feeders designed to dispense hay to livestock and animals. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The feeding of livestock and animals by farmers or ranchers requires significant manpower and leads to a significant amount of waste. More particularly, the feeding of livestock with hay bales results in considerable waste. For example, feeding cattle and horses tend to break up individual hay bales in order to pick selected parts of the hay from the bale. In the process, portions of the bale drop to the ground where they are trampled into the soil and are not eaten by the animals. As a result, ranchers need to provide more hay bales to feed a designated amount of animals which increases the work necessary to feed such animals. Attempts have been made to use feed racks and dispensing feed bins to solve this problem. 
     Feed racks have been known for feeding livestock. U.S. Pat. Nos. 247,346 and 5,000,122 provide two typical examples of feed racks that dispense hay to livestock, such as horses. However, each of these feed racks has an open top portion that enables an animal to retrieve feed material in an un-metered manner which will still lead to feed material being dropped onto the ground where it is wasted. 
     Dispensing feed racks and bins are also known. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,394,832; 6,481,373; and 7,204,201 provide examples of fed racks and bins that meter delivery of feed material to an animal. However, these racks and bins either are not capable of dispensing bales of hay, require tactile manipulation of a feed stopper mechanism, or require the use of a timing or control mechanism to meter delivery of feed material to an animal. Such constructions complicate the design and operation of the device, as well as increase the costs and complexity of managing delivery of feed material to animals. 
     Accordingly, improvements are needed in the design and implementation of animal feeders to maximize ingestion of feed material by an animal using the animal feeder and minimize waste of such material which might otherwise be dropped onto the ground. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A livestock feeder is provided with a feed mechanism that delivers livestock feed against a grate that meters consumption of the feed by livestock. 
     According to one aspect, a livestock feeder is provided having a receptacle, a grate, a platform and an elevator mechanism. The receptacle has a chamber and an open mouth portion communicating with the chamber. The grate encompasses the open mouth portion. The platform is provided in the chamber for supporting livestock feed. The elevator mechanism is provided between the receptacle and the platform to urge the platform within the receptacle toward the grate to press the livestock feed against the grate. 
     According to another aspect, an animal feeder is provided having a housing, a grate, a platform, and a lift mechanism. The housing has an opening. The grate covers the opening. The platform is supported for movement within the housing. The lift mechanism supports the platform within the housing to urge the platform toward the grate to deliver a hay bale on the platform into engagement with the grate. 
     According to yet another aspect, a hay feeder is provided having a manger, a grate, a base frame and a spring. The manger has an upstanding outer peripheral wall that defines an opening along an upper end. The grate is mounted atop the wall over the opening. The base frame is supported for vertical movement within the manger. The spring is mounted to the manger and the base frame to urge the base frame toward the opening. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an animal feeder optimized for feeding horses, according to one aspect of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an animal feeder optimized for feeding cows, according to another aspect of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view in partial breakaway of the animal feeder of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged partial perspective view in breakaway of the animal feeder of  FIG. 3  showing construction details of the elevator mechanism acting on the feeder platform. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the top grate for the animal feeder of FIGS.  1  and  3 - 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged partial perspective view of the grate of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of the top grate of  FIGS. 5-6 . 
         FIG. 8  is an end elevation view of the top grate of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9A  is an enlarged view of a latch assembly taken from the encircled region  9 A of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 9B  is an enlarged view of a hinge assembly and pin taken from the encircled region  9 B of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a front elevation view in partial breakaway illustrating assembly of the outer housing. 
         FIG. 11  is a vertical sectional view taken along line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10  and illustrating the feeder platform in a fully loaded position. 
         FIG. 12  is a vertical sectional view taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 10  and illustrating the feeder platform in a half loaded position. 
         FIG. 13  is a vertical sectional view taken along line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 10  and illustrating the feeder platform in an empty position. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the feeder platform and elevator mechanism for the animal feeder of FIGS.  1  and  3 - 13 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8). 
     Reference will now be made to a preferred embodiment of Applicant&#39;s invention comprising an animal feeder identified by reference numeral  10 . While the invention is described by way of preferred embodiments, it is understood that the description is not intended to limit the invention to such embodiments, but is intended to cover alternatives, equivalents, and modifications which may be broader than the embodiment, but which are included within the scope of the appended claims. 
     In an effort to prevent obscuring the invention at hand, only details germane to implementing the invention will be described in great detail, with presently understood peripheral details being incorporated by reference, as needed, as being presently understood in the art. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an animal feeder  10  optimized for feeding an adult horse  12  with feed material comprising a hay bale  14  by way of a top grate  16  that meters the delivery of hay through grate  16  when a horse  12  attempts to eat the hay. Appropriate sizing and positioning of the individual members of grate  16  will meter and regulate delivery of hay to horse  12  in a desired manner. Accordingly, the sizing and dimension of apertures provided in grate  16  can be modified by merely replacing grate  16  with an alternative grate. For example, grate  116  is provided in an embodiment animal feeder  110  depicted in  FIG. 2  which is suitable for use by a cow  112 . However, the only difference in construction is the sizing and positioning of members on grate  116  relative to grate  16  (of  FIG. 1 ). It is understood that grates  16  and  116  are interchangeable. 
     More particularly, animal feeder  10  of  FIG. 1  includes a housing, or manger  18  having a plurality of upstanding outer peripheral walls defining an opening  24  along an upper end. The outer peripheral walls are provided by a front panel  30 , a back panel  32  (see  FIG. 3 ) and a pair of opposed end panels  26  and  28 . Grate  16  is mounted atop front panel  30  and back panel  32 , covering opening  24 . An elevated feeder platform  20  is supported for vertical movement within manger  18 . An elevator mechanism, including a spring, is mounted to manger  18  and platform  20  so as to urge platform  20  toward opening  24 , thereby compressing a bale of hay against an underside of grate  16 . Grate  16  is pivotably affixed onto a top edge of back panel  32  via a pair of hinge assemblies  98  and  100  (see  FIG. 7 ). A front edge of grate  16  is releasably secured onto a top edge of front panel  30  using a latch assembly, or hasp  40  and a clip  42 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , panels  30  and  32  of housing  18  are provided opposite one another, whereas panels  26  and  28  are also provided opposite one another. Additionally, elevated feeder platform  20  is urged upwardly by elevator mechanism  22 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , platform  20  is shown in a semi-loaded configuration while omitting a bale of hay from therein in order to facilitate viewing. It is understood that elevator mechanism  22  would raise platform  20  to an uppermost position adjacent grate  16  if there were no bale of hay provided atop platform  20 . 
     Platform  20  includes a base  34  and a pair of end panels  36  and  38  affixed to opposite ends of base  34 . Grate  16  is pivotably affixed along a back edge onto a top edge of panel  32 , whereas a front edge of grate  16  is releasably affixed onto a top edge of front panel  30  via latch assembly, or hasp  40  and clip  42 . An eyelet  110  of hasp  40  is welded onto a short section of square steel tube  81  that is welded to a bottom edge of tube  70  and sheet  66  (see  FIG. 11 ). 
     Elevator mechanism  22  includes coil springs  52 - 53  and  54 - 55  (see  FIG. 14 ) which are carried by end panels  36  and  38 , respectively, via steel hooks  44 - 45  and  46 - 47 . Hooks  44 - 45  and  46 - 47  are respectively welded atop panels  26  and  28 . A short segment of chain  48 - 49  and  50 - 51  (see  FIG. 14 ) connects the top end of each spring  52 - 53  and  54 - 55  onto respective hook  44 - 45  and  46 - 47 . A bottom end of each spring is then connected to platform base  34  such that the respective spring is stretched in tension when base  34  is depressed downwardly from grate  16 . Accordingly, the respective springs tend to urge base  34  upwardly to continually urge feed material placed thereatop into engagement with a bottom surface of grate  16 . Furthermore, individual springs  52 - 53  and  54 - 55  are protected by plastic tubes  62 - 63  and  64 - 65  (see  FIG. 14 ) in order to minimize the risk that an animal might get their tongue stuck between the individual coils of a respective spring while feeding. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates in greater detail the assembly of individual panels that form housing, or manger  18 . More particularly, end panel  28  is affixed onto front panel  30  and rear panel  32  along respective edges using a plurality of fastener assemblies  76  that are received through respective holes in each panel. Each fastener assembly  76  comprises a bolt  77 , a respective threaded nut  78 , a lock washer  79  and a washer  80 . Alternatively, it is understood that the respective panels can be joined together using any fastening technique, including by welding together the edges of such panels. Additionally, it is understood that each of the panels is constructed using a piece of sheet steel and a tubular steel frame. More particularly, panel  28  is constructed by welding together square steel tubing to provide a peripheral frame  73  that is welded along outer edges onto a rectangular piece of sheet steel  69 . Likewise, front panel  30  is formed by welding a square tubing frame  70  along a peripheral edge of sheet steel  66 . One suitable size of square steel tubing is three quarters of an inch across each side. 
     Further details of each spring are provided in  FIG. 4 . More particularly, a selected spring  54  is shown connected onto a hook  46  via a segment of steel chain  50 . Individual coils of coil spring  54  are shown stretched such that a bottom end of coil spring  54  is connected onto an eye bolt  58 . Eye bolt  58  secures along a threaded section with a pair of nuts  74  and  75  which pass through an aperture in a square tube frame  61  provided on a bottom of platform  20 . A plastic tube  64  is then assembled about spring  54  to protect an animal that is eating feed there adjacent. Springs  52 - 53  and  55  are similarly constructed and assembled. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the construction of grate  16 . According to one construction, grate  16  is formed from a plurality of parallel and spaced apart v-shaped steel rods  88  that are welded together in spaced apart and parallel relation via longitudinal cylindrical rods  94 ,  96  and longitudinal extending square tubes  90 ,  92 . Rods  94 ,  96  and square tubes  90 ,  92  are each formed from steel. Alternatively, any suitable structural material can be used to form components of grate  16 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates in greater detail the manner in which individual v-shaped bars  88  are welded onto tubes  90 ,  92  and rods  94 ,  96 . Optionally, bars  88  can be constructed from either straight or curved segments. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates in plan view the construction details of grate  16 , showing the parallel relation between v-shaped bars  88 . Longitudinal tubes  90 ,  92  and rods  94 ,  96  extend perpendicularly to bars  88 . Accordingly, bars  88  are equally spaced apart so as to define similarly sized eating apertures therebetween which provide for metering of food as an animal attempts to draw food from atop of a bale of hay through grate  16 . Further details are shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     Tube  92  is provided along a rear edge of grate  16 . A pair of hinge assemblies  98  and  100  are welded onto tube  92 , as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . Similarly, a respective portion of a latch assembly  40  is welded onto tube  90  along a front edge of grate  16 . A remaining portion of latch assembly  40 ; namely eyelet  110  is welded onto tube  81  (see  FIG. 1 ). 
       FIG. 9A  illustrates in greater detail the respective components of latch assembly  40 . More particularly, a clip  42  is inserted into eyelet  110  that is welded onto tube  81  (see  FIG. 10 ). Tube  81  is welded onto an edge of tube  90  (see  FIG. 10 ).  FIG. 9B  further illustrates construction of an exemplary hinge assembly  100 . More particularly, a pair of cylindrical tubes  102  and  104  are welded onto tube  92 . Hinge pin  106  is inserted into tubes  102  and  104  (as well as tube  103  on frame  71 ) after which a clip  108  passes through an aperture in pin  106  to lock pin  106  into tubes  102  and  104 . It is understood that tube  103  is welded atop a top edge of back panel  32  which is positioned between tubes  102  and  104  to provide a hinge there along. Likewise, a similar tube is welded onto back panel  32  for hinge assembly  98  (notch on). 
       FIG. 10  illustrates the manner in which end panels  26  and  28  are affixed onto front panel  30  (as well as rear panel  32  (see  FIG. 3 )). Pairs of fastener assemblies  76  are used to bolt together end panel  26  to each of front panel  30  and rear panel  32 . Likewise, pairs of fastener assemblies  76  are used to join together panel  28  with front panel  30  and rear panel  32 . 
     More particularly,  FIG. 10A  illustrates one suitable fastener assembly  76  comprising a bolt  76 , a nut  78 , a lock washer  79  and a washer  80 . A pair of matching bores, or through-holes are provided through the respective square tubes that form square tube frames  70  and  73 , respectively. Optionally, adjacent panels can be welded together. Each panel is formed from a piece of sheet steel that is welded along an outer periphery to a square tube frame. For example, panel  30  is formed by welding together square tube frame  70  to sheet  66  (see  FIG. 10 ). 
       FIG. 11  illustrates feeder platform  20  in a position that is taken when a new bale of hay has been loaded thereon (not shown) and individual springs are stretched to their fully extended position. For such case, a bale of hay is pressed underneath grate  16  as tension in the coil springs  52 ,  53  (as well as  54 ,  55 ) upwardly bias platform sheet  60  and frame  61 . 
       FIG. 12  illustrates feeder platform  20  in a slightly elevated position corresponding with a bale of hay that has been partially eaten by an animal. The position of sheet  60  is provided by the depth of a bale of hay still existing atop sheet  60  which is engaged against a bottom surface of grate  16 . The bale has been omitted in order to facilitate viewing of construction details of the manger. 
       FIG. 13  further illustrates positioning of feeder platform  20  when a bale of hay has been substantially depleted, thereby raising sheet  20  in close proximity with an underside surface of grate  16 . The stiffness of springs  52 ,  53  (and  54 ,  55  of  FIG. 14 ) is sufficient to elevate sheet  60  to a height that engages a top-most surface of a bale of hay (loaded atop sheet  6 ) against a bottom surface of grate  16  from the time that a new bale of hale is placed onto sheet  60  to the time that the bale has been completely eaten by an animal. By urging the bale against grate  16 , an animal has to work more to retrieve hay from the bale, which reduces the likelihood that the animal retrieves more hay from the bale than they can eat, thereby reducing the amount of hay that is dropped onto the ground (and wasted). 
       FIG. 14  illustrates construction of elevated feeder platform  20 , removed from the manger. As shown, hooks  40 - 47  retain chains  48 - 51 . Coil springs  52 - 55  are respectively affixed to a bottom end of each of chains  48 - 51 . Protective plastic tubes  62 - 65  respectively cover each spring  52 - 55  so that an animal is less likely to trap their tongue between coils of the spring as the spring retracts upwardly, thereby reducing the spacing between adjacent coils. 
     Feeder platform  20  includes platform sheet  60  and square tube frame  61  welded along an under periphery thereof. It is understood that four longitudinal sections of square steel tubing are welded together, and further welded onto a bottom surface of a rectangular piece of sheet steel  60 . Panels of the manger are similarly formed. Subsequently, individual end panels  36  and  38 , each comprising a piece of sheet steel, are secured with threaded fasteners  84  into tubing frame  61 . Threaded bores (or insert nuts) are provided in frame  61  for receiving fasteners  84 . Preferably, fasteners  84  have recessed heads. 
     It is understood that the manger depicted above can have other shapes and configurations. It is also understood that the opening can have an alternative shape, and does not need to be necessarily provided along a topmost edge of the manger. For example, the platform and elevator mechanism can be configured to move the platform in angled or horizontal directions, with the grate being provided in a corresponding alternative orientation. It is also understood that alternative construction materials can be used to form the manger, such as wood, plastic, or other suitable structural materials. Furthermore, it is understood that the elevator mechanism can be provided by kinematic linkages, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, actuators, or any other suitable device capable of urging animal feed against a grate. Even furthermore, such device can be alternatively controlled with a control system that ensures delivery of feed material against the grate. 
     In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown and described, since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.