Patent ID: 8251014

Claim:
An anti-spill, self-righting livestock feeder for granular feed, the livestock feeder comprising: a) a hollow vessel for placement on a support surface defining an open top, a flat and generally horizontal bottom and a side wall, the side wall being arcuate outwardly and upwardly along at least a portion thereof extending from the bottom; b) a rim at the top of the vessel, said rim defining a plane substantially parallel with the generally horizontal bottom; c) an anti-spill ring comprising a radially outwardly extending flange, a radially inwardly and downwardly extending flange and a plurality of holes located there around, said outwardly extending flange limiting the degree of displacement of said plane when the vessel is tipped by engaging with the support surface thereby preventing significant spillage of feed as the vessel is tipped, and said radially inwardly and downwardly extending flange extending inwardly from said side wall and downwardly from said rim and defining an opening for permitting an animal to insert a portion of the animal's head within the opening to consume feed from the feeder; d) a blind trap defined between the upper portion of the side wall and the radially inwardly and downwardly extending flange to trap significant quantities of granular feed from being ejected from the opening as an animal is feeding; e) a weight for urging the plane toward its original position when the vessel is tipped from resting on its bottom; f) said rim of the vessel having a radially extending mounting lip provided with a plurality of holes for aligning with the plurality of holes of the anti-spill ring; g) a plurality of fasteners extending through said holes of said rim and said anti-spill ring so as to detachably secure said anti-spill ring to said vessel; and h) a fluid discharge means positioned within the sidewall of the vessel in the area of the blind trap such that fluid within said vessel may drain from the interior of the vessel while preventing the escape of granular feed therefrom.