Patent ID: 7549393

Claim:
A feeder for feeding animals as they grow from a first smaller size to a larger size, comprising: a trough having a base, a first side wall along one side edge over which the animals on one side can reach for taking feed from the trough and a second side wall along an opposed side edge over which the animals on the opposed side can reach for taking feed from the trough; a shelf mounted above the base of the trough and arranged at a height such that the animals reaching over one of the sides of the trough can take feed from an adjacent one of the two sides of the shelf while reaching over the side wall and such that feed falling from the shelf is collected in the trough; a feed hopper positioned above the shelf for depositing feed onto the shelf, the hopper having a lowermost edge arranged at a distance from the shelf which distance acts to control an amount of feed discharged from the hopper onto the shelf, and which distance together with the relative locations of the shelf and the lowermost edge acts to maintain the feed discharged on the shelf unless moved from the shelf by the animal; a water pipe formed from a rectangular tube and extending along the trough at a position underneath the shelf; at least one water nipple on the water pipe; at least one divider member mounted on the pipe and extending therealong to separate one side of the trough from the other side to prevent the passage therebetween of the animals when at the smaller size; said at least one divider member comprising a pair of depending legs with at least one cross bar interconnecting the legs; each of the legs having at its upper end a clamping member defining a pair of side portions for engaging sides of the rectangular tube and a clamping fastener for pulling the side members together in a clamping action.