Improved Feeding Box for Pigeons, Poultry, or Birds of any kind.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1886.
Complete Left, 15th Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 17th May, 1887.
Improved Feeding Box for Pigeons, Poultry, or Birds of any kind.
I JOHN NEAL, of Longdendale Mount, Mossley Road, Ashton under Lyne, in the
County of Lancaster, Borough Comptroller, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVED FEEDING BOX FOR PIGEON'S, POULTRY OR BIRDS OF ANY
KIND, to be as follows:-
:-
A rectangular box of any required dimensions with a flat or sloping top, a portion
of which is made to open for the admission of corn or other food into the hopper.
Inside the box, extending from end to end, resting upon, and fastened to the
bottom, and against the back of the box there is a false bottom or slope forming one
side of the hopper wherein the corn or other food is placed.
The upper portion of the front of the box inclines downwards towards the false
bottom or slope, but the lower edge is kept at a certain distance from the front of the
slope and which distance may if necessary be varied to suit the size of the corn or
food used.
The lower portion of the front of the box is vertical, and is made of any required
height.
Between the upper and lower portions of the front of the box is placed the feeding
board which is separate from and may be taken out of the box, and consists of a top
and bottom piece as follows:-The top piece extends the whole length of the box,
inclining towards the front and is perforated with holes of the required size, through
which the birds feed; the back edge rests close against the upper or sloping front of
the box, but a space is left between the front edge of the feeding board, and the lower
portion of the front of the box for the reception of corn or other food dropped or
scattered by the birds whilst feeding. The bottom piece of the feeding board is hinged
to the top piece with metal or other hinges, and hangs in an inclined position, with its
lower edge resting on the bottom of the box. This piece is so hung as to open
upwards so that by tilting the box backwards, any corn or other food which lies in the
space between the feeding board and the front of the box, prepared for the reception
of corn or other food dropped or scattered by the birds whilst feeding, falls back again
into the hopper, and the lower or hinged portion by falling back when the box is
tilted, covers the holes in the top piece of the feeding board, so that no corn or food
D

page_text: can escape through them. When the box is again placed upright, the lower portion
of the feeding board falls back against the bottom of the box, and prevents any corn
or other food getting in front of the feeding board except what is dropped or scattered
by the birds whilst feeding.
The feeding board is supported at each end on rests fastened to the ends of the box
and is held in its place by india-rubber springs, or by being fastened to the aforesaid
rests.
Between the lower, edge of the false bottom or slope, and the lower edge of the
bottom piece of the feeding board, is placed a perforated plate or grid extending the
whole length of the box, the object of which is to allow dust and dirt which may be
amongst the corn or food, to fall through, but of which the perforations are too sinall
to allow the corn &c. to escape.
The box may be made of wood, metal, earthenware, or any composition, or any
combination of materials.

page_text: Improved Feeding Box for Pigeons, Poultry, or Birds of any kind.
I, JOHN NEAL, of Longdendale Mount, Mossley Road, in the Borough of Ashton
under Lyne, in the County of Lancaster, Borough Comptroller, 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 :-
The invention consists of a rectangular box, of any required dimensions which by
certain arrangements herein fully described is adapted for holding the corn or other
food of pigeons, poultry or birds of any kind, and for preventing any of the food being
wasted or spoiled by being thrown on the floor or ground.
The box is made with a flat or sloping top, a portion of which is made to open for
the admission of corn &c. into the hopper.
Inside the box extending from end to end resting upon and fastened to the bottom
and against the back of the box is a false bottom or slope (a) forming one side of the
hopper wherein the corn &c. is placed.
The front portion of the hopper (b) inclines downwards towards the slope but the
lower edge is kept at a certain distance from the front of the slope and which distance
may if necessary be varied to suit the size of the corn &c. used.
The upper and lower portions of the front of the box (c. c) are vertical and may
be of any required height or distance apart. Resting on the upper edge of the lower
portion of the front of the box is a sloping rail (d) which inclines over and partially
covers the space between the feeding board and the front of the box.
Between the lower portion of the front of the box (c) and the front of the hopper (6)
is placed the feeding board (e) which is fastened to each end of the box and inclines
towards the front and is perforated with holes of the required size through which the
birds feed, a space being left at the front for the reception of corn &c. dropped or
scattered by the birds whilst feeding, on the front edge of the feeding board is placed
a strip of tin, zinc, or other suitable material (h) the object of which is to prevent the
corn from getting into the joint between the feeding board (e) and the hinged flap (f).
A space is also left between the back edge of the feeding board, and the front of the
hopper (b) through which any corn that escapes through the feeding holes when the
box is inclined backwards falls back into the hopper.
Beneath the feeding board is a loose flap (f) which is hinged with metal or other
suitable hinges and when the feeding box is upright, hangs in an inclined position
with its lower edge resting on the bottom of the box. This piece is so hung as to
open upwards so that by inclining the box backwards any corn &c. which lies in the
space between the feeding board and the front of the box falls back again into the
hopper and the hinged flap (f) by falling back when the box is so inclined, covers
the holes in the feeding board so that no corn &c. can escape through them.
When the box is again placed upright the hinged flap (f) falls back against the
bottom of the box and prevents any corn &c. getting in front of the feeding board
except what is dropped or scattered by the birds whilst feeding.

page_text: At the bottom of the box and between the lower edge of the slope (a) and the front
of the box (c) is placed a perforated plate or grid (9) extending the whole length of,
and forming part of the bottom of the box, and which may be of any convenient
width, the object of which is to allow dust and dirt which may be amongst the corn &c.
to fall through, but of which the perforations are too small to allow the corn &c. to
escape.
The box may be made of wood, metal earthenware or any composition, or any
combination of materials.
The letters in brackets thus ( ) in this specification refer to the letters on the
drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
1st. The arrangements for exposing a minimum quantity of corn or food and
'preventing waste of and injury to the same.
2nd. For preventing the food from being fouled by the birds.
3rd. For intercepting and returning to the hopper in a clean condition the food
dropped or scattered by the birds whilst feeding.
Dated this Fourteenth day of April One thousand eight hundred and eighty-
Savon