An Improved Method of Supplying Food to Untied Cattle or other Animals.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 8th May, 1817
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Supplying Food to Untied Cattle or
other Animals.
1, WILLIAM THOMPSON Engineer of Custom House Quay Wexford Ireland
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
I use fodder racks of any convenient material or shape hung on pivots or hinges
so as to admit of their being oscillated or tilted. These racks may be placed over
any suitable fence separating the cattle or other animals from the attendant ard
the food supply. The attendant is enabled by means of the pivots or hinges to
oscillate the racks and to tilt or lower the outer top edges of the said racks towards
himself in order that he may more easily fill them with fodder.
The racks together with the fence underneath (or if the racks are of sufficient
depth in themselves without any fence underneath)-prevent interference from the
cattle or other animals whilst the food is being served.
Also in case of giving cattle or other animals food in mangers or troughs situate
beneath the said racks such food may be passed underneath the racks (when tilted)
into the mangers or troughs.
And further, mangers or troughs may be so placed relatively to these racks-
and the latter may be so hinged or pivotted that when the racks are tilted, their
tails or lower sides will prevent the cattle or other animals eating any food out of
the mangers or troughs until the attendant has distributed the whole of the food in
same. In this way when cattle or other animals are being fed with expensive food
stuffs the distribution of the food can go on in the mangers or troughs without
interference from the animals receiving it, and practically they can all be allowed
to start feeding simultaneously so giving each beast a chance of getting his proper
share of food.
The invention will be easily understood by a reference to the accompanying
drawings Fig. 1 & Fig. 2.
R represents an outline section of a fodder rack which may be made of wood
iron or steel or any of these in combination. The shape shewn is convenient but
is not essential it being obvious that various shaped racks may be used according to
circumstances and the materials employed.
P represents a convenient position for the pivots or hinges of a rack circumstanced
as shewnut the position of the pivots or hinges may be varied if desired, or to suit
other circumstances-as for example if the racks were being used without troughs or
mangers, or if with a lower fence, or without any fence at all & when the bottoms
of the racks might be nearer to the floor. The pivots or hinges themselves and the
manner of sustaining them are not shewn as not being material.
F represents a low wall or fence, which may be made of any suitable materials
or any convenient height, but a fence may be dispensed with altogether provided
the racks, or the racks and troughs combined are deep enough to prevent the
animals which are to be fed passing from their own enclosure represented by C,
into the attendant's quarters which are marked A on the drawing.
T represents a trough or manger which may be of any suitable material or shape
& situate underneath the rack R but said trough or manger may be set nearer the
floor if desired. The position shewn is however preferable because the tail or

page_text: bottom of the rack when tilted prevents the animals touching the food which is
being placed in the troughs until the attendant has distributed all the food and
chooses to let them eat it. Troughs may be dispensed with entirely if food suitable
only for racks is used-no claim is made for the trough in itself except in connection
with a hinged or tilting rack and where an attendant by means of the lift or tilt of
the tail of the rack can pass food underneath same.
Fig as a whole represents in rough outline a. rack and trough in the normal
position while in use by the animals feeding.
Fig. 2 represents the rack tilted so as to enable the attendant to replenish it
with fodder and at the same time the bottom. or tail of the rack closes the trough
against any interference from the cattle whilst it is being filled.
The single arrows S S S represent the fodder being put into the. racks and the
. small arrows in pairs N N N N the other food passed under the rack into the
. troughs. Fastenings are necessary to keep the racks in position but these are not
shewn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The use of hinged or pivotted fodder racks capable of being tilted for
convenience of being filled from the outside of an enclosure in which enclosure the
cattle or other animals to be fed are loose or untied.
2. The use of said racks in combination with troughs or mangers in which the
tilting of the racks is used for facilitating the filling of food into the said troughs
or mangers as and for the purposes specified.
3. The use of said racks in combination with troughs or mangers in which the
tilting of the rack is used for preventing the cattle interfering with the distribution
of food in the said troughs or mangers as and for the purposes substantially as
described,
1007
WILLIAM THOMPSON,
Wexford.