Patent Description:
In the pig farming industry devices are known that provide feed and drinking water to pigs.

This enables the control of the amount and quality of the feed and water, which results in improved health and development of the farmed pigs.

There are devices that provide feed, known as pig feeders, devices that provide drinking water, known as pig drinkers, and devices that provide both feed and water, known as pig feeder/drinkers.

A known design of pig drinker provides a trough comprising a horizontal water supply tube that receives drinking water into one end and delivers drinking water through one or more nipples spaced along the length of the tube. Such a pig drinker may be provided with a trough to catch any water that a pig does not directly drink from a nipple, providing a supply of fresh drinking water in the trough. The trough is typically mounted close to the ground in order to replicate the natural drinking instinct of drinking from a puddle or pond. However, they are often positioned spaced somewhat above the ground, particularly where the surrounding floor contains straw or other debris, in order to prevent contamination of the water.

<CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> disclose known drinking devices for animals.

However, it has been found that pigs may sometimes get their trotters trapped behind the horizontal water supply tube.

Improvements in this area would be desirable.

In a first aspect, the invention relates to an apparatus for providing drinking water to pigs, the apparatus comprising: an elongate trough comprising a base, a rear wall, a forward lip, and a top lip extending forwardly from the rear wall; a horizontal water supply tube having a first end and a second end, the first end providing an inlet adapted to receive a supply of drinking water, and a plurality of nipples spaced apart along the length of the water supply tube and protruding therefrom, the water supply tube being mounted within the trough by being located below and adjacent to the top lip; whereby in use drinking water enters the water supply tube and leaves via the plurality of nipples and is catchable by falling onto the base of the elongate trough.

Thus, clean drinking water can be provided to pigs in an efficient manner, and the material needed to manufacture the trough is minimised by locating the top lip adjacent to the water supply tube. Additionally, as the water supply tube is adjacent to the top lip, there is no possibility that a pig can get their trotters trapped behind it.

Preferably at least one additional nipple is provided at the first and/or second end, wherein the at least one additional nipple extends beyond the trough, such that water leaving the at least one nipple is not catchable by falling onto the trough. Thus, the trough may provide drinking water for a plurality of pigs according to the number of nipples, but also, by including additional nipple(s) a capability to provide drinking water to a greater number of pigs may be achieved before an additional trough is required to be installed.

Such nipples may be activatable by nudging by the snout of a pig and such additional nipples, may be activatable by biting action from a pig.

The apparatus is a pig drinker and does not dispense feed.

By "adjacent the top lip" means in close contact therewith, e.g. less than <NUM>, preferably less than <NUM>, more preferably less than <NUM>.

The horizontal water supply tube is preferably connected to the top lip, preferably removable, e.g. by a nut-and-bolt attachment, so that the horizontal supply tube can be removed for maintenance whilst the trough remains attached to a wall of a building.

The trough is typically made of metal, such as stainless steel or aluminium. Alternatively it may be made from plastics.

In a typical arrangement the base is horizontal along its length and the rear wall is vertical. However, deviations from horizontal and vertical are possible. The base may be flat, curved or v-shaped in cross-section, as desired.

The trough may have any appropriate length, but typically will be in the range of from <NUM> to <NUM>.

The nipples are designed so that they only permit the flow of drinking water out of them when they are nudged by the snout of a pig. Typically there will be from <NUM> to <NUM> such nipples generally evenly spaced along the trough.

Preferably the top lip is at an angle to the horizontal, and covers a portion of the base, leaving a portion of the base uncovered. The top lip may alternatively be horizontal.

Preferably the trough comprises first and second end plates, so that any water falling onto the base is contained within the trough. This is achieved by the end plates creating a basin within the trough. The contained water remains fresh for some time and therefore ensures no water is wasted. Alternatively the base may be angled upwards at the two ends of the trough, so that any water falling onto the base is contained within the trough.

Optionally the apparatus comprises a height adjustment means, to permit the trough to be raised and/or lowered. For example this can be by attachment to a support bracket attached to the wall with a suitable fastening means attached to the rear of the trough.

In a second aspect, the invention relates to a building suitable for housing pigs comprising at least one apparatus as described herein. Preferably the apparatus is positioned such that the base is from <NUM> to <NUM> from the ground.

The invention will now be illustrated, by way of example, and with reference to the following figures, in which:.

Turning to the figures, <FIG> shows a side sectional view through a known form of apparatus <NUM> for providing drinking water to pigs comprising an elongate trough <NUM> and a horizontal water supply tube <NUM>. The trough <NUM> comprises a horizontal base <NUM>, a vertical rear wall <NUM>. The gap between the water supply tube <NUM> and the rear wall <NUM> is <NUM>, which is large enough to permit a pig to place their trotters behind the tube and sometimes get them trapped there.

<FIG> and <FIG> show an apparatus <NUM>, according to the first aspect of the invention, for providing drinking water to pigs comprising an elongate trough <NUM> and a horizontal water supply tube <NUM>.

The trough <NUM> comprises a base <NUM> that is horizontal along its length and flat in cross-section, a vertical rear wall <NUM>, a forward lip <NUM>, and a top lip <NUM> extending forwardly and angled upwards from the vertical rear wall <NUM>. The ends of the trough <NUM> are provided by first end plate <NUM> and second end plate <NUM>.

The trough <NUM> is attachable to a vertical supporting wall of a building (not shown) by placing the vertical rear wall <NUM> against the wall. The trough <NUM> may be attached to the wall in a variety of ways, and may be attached to an adjustable height bracket (not shown) if changes in the height of the base <NUM> from the floor are desired. The end plates include holes <NUM> to enable the attachment of a bracket <NUM> discussed below. The base <NUM> is raised <NUM> above the floor of a building (not shown) for housing pigs.

The horizontal water supply tube <NUM> comprises a first end <NUM> and a second end <NUM>, the first end <NUM> providing an inlet <NUM> adapted to receive a supply of drinking water, and a plurality of nipples <NUM> spaced apart along the length of the water supply tube <NUM> and protruding therefrom. Feeding into the inlet <NUM> is a water inlet tube <NUM> that may be hard plumbed with steel pipe or flexible pipe is height adjustment is desired (see below).

The water supply tube <NUM> is mounted within the trough <NUM> by being located adjacent to the top lip <NUM>, and separated therefrom only by a mounting plate <NUM> which is <NUM> thick. In this way, there is no possibility that a pig can get their trotters trapped behind it. The water supply tube <NUM> is bolted to the trough <NUM> through the top lip <NUM>, allowing the easy removal of the water supply tube <NUM> e.g. for maintenance while leaving the trough <NUM> in place.

Attached to the first end plate <NUM> is a bracket <NUM> attached thereto by being bolted through holes <NUM>. The bracket <NUM> comprises a pipe clamp <NUM> for holding the water inlet tube <NUM> in place. If it is desired to raise or lower the trough <NUM> then the entire trough <NUM> can be raised or lowered, provided there is a flexible connection to water inlet tube <NUM>.

In use, drinking water is provided to water inlet tube <NUM> into inlet <NUM> and to water supply tube <NUM>. When a pig desires drinking water, it nudges the nipples <NUM> causing water to be dispensed for drinking. Any water that is not drank immediately falls onto horizontal base <NUM> and remains there, being contained by end plates <NUM>, <NUM>. The top lip <NUM> acts to prevent undesirable material from falling into the trough <NUM>, e.g. any material attached to a supporting wall of a building.

Additionally, as the water supply tube <NUM> is located adjacent to the top lip <NUM>, the design is efficient in terms of material used in construction.

<FIG> shows a second apparatus <NUM>, according to the invention, for providing drinking water to pigs comprising an elongate trough <NUM> and a horizontal water supply tube <NUM>.

The trough <NUM> comprises a horizontal base <NUM>, a vertical rear wall <NUM>, a forward lip <NUM>, and a top lip <NUM> extending forwardly and angled upwards from the vertical rear wall <NUM>. The ends of the trough <NUM> are provided by first end plate <NUM> and second end plate <NUM>. The trough <NUM> is attachable to a vertical supporting wall of a building (not shown) by placing the vertical rear wall <NUM> against the wall.

Also provided is a first additional nipple <NUM>, activatable by biting, at the first end <NUM> and a second additional nipple <NUM>, also activatable by biting, at the second end <NUM>. The additional nipples <NUM>, <NUM> extend beyond the trough <NUM>, such that water leaving the additional nipples <NUM>, <NUM> is not catchable by falling onto the trough <NUM>. The additional nipples <NUM>, <NUM> can be removed or added as desired, in order to expand the drinking capacity of the trough <NUM>.

In use, drinking water is provided to water inlet tube <NUM> into inlet <NUM> and to water supply tube <NUM>. When a pig desires drinking water, it nudges the nipples <NUM> or bites the additional nipples <NUM>, <NUM> causing water to be dispensed for drinking. Any water that is not drank from nipples <NUM> immediately falls onto horizontal base <NUM> and remains there, being contained by end plates <NUM>, <NUM>. The top lip <NUM> acts to prevent undesirable material from falling into the trough <NUM>, e.g. any material attached to a supporting wall of a building.

<FIG> shows a rear perspective view of one side of the apparatus <NUM> shown in <FIG> which also has a mounting bracket <NUM> that has an angled base <NUM> so that it can be bolted to the top lip <NUM> and part of the rear wall <NUM> so that it is parallel to the rear wall <NUM>. The mounting bracket also comprises an antiluce fastener <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An apparatus (<NUM>, <NUM>) for providing drinking water to pigs, the apparatus comprising:
an elongate trough (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising a base (<NUM>, <NUM>), a rear wall (<NUM>, <NUM>), a forward lip (<NUM>, <NUM>), and a top lip (<NUM>, <NUM>) extending forwardly from the rear wall (<NUM>, <NUM>);
a horizontal water supply tube (<NUM>, <NUM>) having a first end (<NUM>, <NUM>) and a second end (<NUM>, <NUM>), the first end (<NUM>, <NUM>) providing an inlet (<NUM>, <NUM>) adapted to receive a supply of drinking water, and a plurality of nipples (<NUM>, <NUM>) spaced apart along the length of the water supply tube (<NUM>, <NUM>) and protruding therefrom,
the water supply tube (<NUM>, <NUM>) being mounted within the trough (<NUM>, <NUM>) by being located below and adjacent to the top lip (<NUM>, <NUM>); whereby in use drinking water enters the water supply tube (<NUM>, <NUM>) and leaves via the plurality of nipples (<NUM>, <NUM>) and is catchable by falling onto the base (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the elongate trough (<NUM>, <NUM>).