An Improvement in Combined Racks and Troughs for Holding Food for Sheep and other Animals, the same being Applicable to Simple Troughs and other Feeding Contrivances.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1887.
Com/pete Left, 8th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 9th Aug., 1887.
An Improvement in Combined Racks and Troughs for Holding
Food for Sheep and other Animals, the same being Applicable to
Simple Troughs and other Feeding Contrivances.
I, JAMES ADAM GORDON of Arabella, Nigg Station, in the County of Ross, North
Britain, Sheep Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention, which relates to an improvement in combined racks and troughs for
holding food for sheep and other animals, is a development or an addition to the
improved combined rack and trough for which Letters Patent have been previously
granted to me, the said James Adam Gordon No. 5633 A.D. 1886. The present
improvements may however be applied to feeding troughs and racks and feeding con-
trivances other than those described in the specification corresponding to my afore-
said Patent.
«
The object of the present improvements is to diminish waste of the food stuffs
supplied to sheep or other animals in such troughs and racks and analogous contrivances
and for that purpose it is called an Economizer." The Economizer consists of a
rectangular frame or a piece of such frames formed with bars stretching across it.
One of such frames is hinged at each side of the rack or trough and when the rack or
trough is full of hay or ensilage or other such food stuff these Economizers press upon
the same and keep the food stuff well together upon the bottom or within the rack or
trough or analogous contrivance. When empty the Economizer hangs down into the
rack or trough or analogous contrivance.
Dated this 31st day of March 1887.
J. H. JOHNSON, DAY & JOHNSON,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Petitioner's Agents.

page_text: An Improvement in Combined Racks and Troughs for Holding
Food for Sheep and other Animals, the same being Applicable to
Simple Troughs and other Feeding Contrivances.
°
I, JAMES ADAM GORDON of Arabella, Nigg Station, in the County of Ross, North
Britain, Sheep Farmer 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:-
This Invention relates to an improvement in combined racks and troughs for holding
food for sheep and it is a development of or an addition to the improved combined
rack and trough for which Letters Patent have been previously granted to me the said
James Adam Gordon No. 5633 A.D. 1886. The present improvements may however
be applied to ordinary troughs and racks for sheep.
The object of the present improvements is to diminish waste of the food stuffs
supplied to sheep in such troughs and racks. A rectangular iron frame with bars
stretching across it, is hinged at each side of the rack or trough and when the rack or
trough is full of hay or ensilage or other such food stuff the said frames bear by their
weight upon the hay and keep it well together upon the bottom or within the rack or
trough.
When empty the frames hang down into the rack or trough.
In order that my Invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect I will now proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure represents in front elevation a combined trough and rack of a similar
construction to that described in the specification of my former patent, but with my
present improvements applied thereto.
Figure 2, is an end elevation of the same.
Figure 3, is a side elevation when in an inverted position.
Figure 4, is an end elevation of the same.
Figure 5, is a side elevation of an ordinary sheep trough with my present improve-
ments applied thereto.
Figure 6, is a transverse section of the same through line X. Y. Figure 5.-The
dotted line shewing the position of the frames when opened out for filling the trough.
The framing A of the rack, is divided by bars a, at both sides, into three or other
number of spaces which may correspond to the number of animals which it is intended
to feed on each side of the rack, at the same time, the said bars being preferably
curved to follow the shape of the framing A. (Figures 2 and 4,) which is constructed
in the form of a segment of a circle partially flattened so that when it is required to
change the food or fill it with fresh fodder or to shelter the hay or other food in the
rack, as described in the specification of my former patent, it can be easily turned or
rolled over upon the ground upon which it rests, as shown more particularly in
Figure 4.

page_text: The frames C, which I employ for economising or preventing the scattering of the
hay or other food in the rack and trough, are hinged to the bars E, which are mounted
along the length of the rack.
The frames, when the feeding trough and rack are standing in the position as shown
in Figure 2, press by their weight upon the hay or other food in the trough and keep
it well together, and when the trough and rack are rolled over for changing or
renewing the supply of food or for sheltering the food, as described in the specification
of my former patent, the frames prevent the fodder from falling out till the rack has
been turned to its erect position, or if kept in its inverted position.
As an alternative method, the frames C, may be hinged centrally to the upper
portion of the rack or frame A, as shown in dotted lines at Figure 2, and marked with
the letter M, this method would answer very well in some cases, but I prefer the
frames hinged on either side as hereinbefore described.
In applying my Invention to ordinary sheep troughs, as shewn in Figures 5 and 6,
the frames C may be hooked or hinged thereto in a manner similar to that described
in the preceding Figures.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :
In combined troughs and racks for sheep, and other sheep troughs, the frames C,
constructed and mounted substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described
and shewn upon the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th day of July 1887
J. H. JOHNSON, DAY & JOHNSON,
Applicant's Agents.