Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02565377 2006-11-08
ADJUSTABLE FEEDER FOR ANIMALS
This invention relates to a feeder for animals which can be adjusted to
accommodate animals of different size as the animals grow from a smaller size
to a
larger size.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In U.S. patent no. 5,640,926 of the present inventor issued June 2~t,
9 997 is disclosed a feeder for animals, primarily pigs, which includes a
shelf on to
which feed is deposited from a hopper, the shelf being located above a trough
into
which feed can fall from the shelf. In this feeder, the height of the shelf
from the
trough is adjustable so as to accommodate a change in size of the animals from
a
smaller size up to a larger size as the animals grow. .
In U.S. patent 2,543,916 of Lewis issued March 6, 1951 there is shown
a feeder for poultry which has a hopper discharging directly into a trough.
The
trough is designed so that its width can be increased. In addition the trough
has
vertical side walls each of which carries a tubular member at its upper edge
and
defning a top of the respective side wall. The height of the tubular member
can foe
adjusted by releasing a pair of wing-nuts and sliding the tubular member
vertically to
an adjusted position. The top ecJge of the tubular member thus defines the
height of
the side wall. A bottom surface of the tubular member overhangs the base of
the
trough. It is believed, although not clearly stated, that the height
adjustment of the
side walls is provided in order to accommodate vertical movement of the side
walls
of the hopper so that more or less feed can be provided within the trough.
Thus as
the side wall of the hopper are moved vertically upwardly to provide more feed
in the
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trough, so the side walls of the trough are raised to acxommadate that
increased
amount of feed. This arrangement may be suitable for poultry but is
unsatisfactory
for animals such as pigs in that the shape of the side walls will intertere
with the
animals extracting the feed from the trough thus causing same stale feed to be
left
underneath the side walls.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention to provide an improved feeder
far animals which allows adjustment of the feeder to accommodate animals of
different sizes as the animals grow from a first small size to a later larger
size.
iQ According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a feeder
for feeding animals while the animals grow from a first smaller size to a
second
larger size comprising:
a trough having a base and a side watt aver which the animals can
reach far taking feed from the trough;
a shelf mounted above the base of the trough and arranged at a height
such that the animals can take feed from the shelf while reaching over the
side wall
and such that feed falling from the shelf is collected in the trough;
the shelf being adjustable for raising and lowering the shelf whereby
the height of the shelf from the base of the trough can be adjusted to at
least two
different heights including a first lower height to accommodate said animals
at the
first smaller size and including a second higher height to accommodate said
animals
at the second larger size;
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3
and a feed hopper positioned above the shelf for depositing feed onto
the shelf, the hopper having an inclined hopper wall and a substantially
vertical lower
wall portion at a bottom of the inclined wall, the lower wall portion having a
lowermost edge extending along the shelf;
wherein there is provided a separate insert member insertable into and
removable from the hopper;
the insert member having a supplementary wall portion arranged such
that, when inserted with the shelf at the lower height, the supplementary wall
portion
is located along the lower wall portion and projects downwardly therefrom to
define a
~ 0 lowermost edge of the supplementary wall portion below the lowermost edge
of the
lower wall portion, the lowermost edge of the supplementary wall portion being
arranged, with the shelf at the lower height, 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
'15 lawerrnost edge of the supplementary wall portion acts to maintain the
feed
discharged an the shelf unless moved from the shelf by the animal;
the insert member being arranged to be readily removed and the feed
hopper and the shelf being arranged such that, when the insert member is
removed,
the lowermost edge of the of the lower wall portion of the hopper are
arranged, with
20 the shelf at the higher height, at a distance from the shelf which distance
acts to
control an amount of feed discharged frarn the hopper onto the shelf, and
which
distance together with the relative locations of the shelf and the lowermost
edge of
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4
the lower wall portion acts to maintain the feed discharged on the shelf
unless
moved from the shelf by the animal.
Preferably there is provided a clamping member operable to locate the
insert member in the hopper.
Preferably the clamping member is manually operable.
Preferably the clamping member provides a handle extending
upwardly from the insert member within the hopper for manually grasping the
insert
member for removal from the hopper.
Preferably the clamping member includes a generally horizontal clamp
bar rotatable about a substantially vertical axis such that an end of the
clamp bar
extends through an opening in the supplemental wall portion into engagement
with
the lower watt portion.
Preferably the lower wall portion includes a generally horizontal groove
therein and wherein the end of the clamp bar engages in the groove to hold the
insert against vertical movement relative to the lower wall portion.
Preferably the supplemental Walt portion includes an inclined flange
portion for engaging an edge portion of the inclined wall at the lower wall
portion.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a
feeder for feeding animals while the animals grow ftom a first smaller size to
a
2Q second larger size comprising:
a trough having a base, a first longitudinal side wall and a second
longitudinal side wall parallel to the first side wall over both of which the
animals can
reach for taking feed from opposed sides of the trough;
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rJ
a shelf mounted above the base of the trough and arranged at a height
such that the animals can take feed from the shelf while reaching over the
side wall
and such that feed falling from the shelf is collected in the trough;
the shelf having two side edges each presented toward a respective
side of the trough;
the shelf being adjustable for raising and lowering the shelf whereby
the height of the shelf from the base of the trough can be adjusted to at
least two
different heights including a first cower height to accommodate said animals
at the
first smaller size and including a second higher height to accommodate said
animals
9 0 at the second larger size;
and a feed hopper positioned above the shelf far depositing feed onto
the shelf, the hopper having two inclined side walls converging inwardly and
downwardly to a neck portion defined by two substantially parallel, vertical
lower wall
portions, the lower wall portions each having a lowermost edge extending along
the
"15 shelf;
wherein there is provided a separate insert member insertable into and
removable from the neck portion of the hopper;
the insert member having two parallel spaced supplementary wall
portions arranged such that, when inserted into the neck portion with the
shelf at the
20 lower height, the supplementary wall portions are located along respective
ones of
the lower wall portions and project downwardly therefrom to define a lowermost
edge of each of the supplementary wall portion below the (owem~ost edge of the
respective lower wall portion, the lowermost edge of the supplementary wall
portion
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being arranged, with the shelf at the lower height, ~t 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 of the supplementary wall portion acts to maintain the feed
discharged on the shelf unless moved from the shelf by the animal;
the inert member being arranged to be readily removed and the feed
hopper and the shelf being arranged such that, when the insert member is
removed,
the lowermost edge of the of the lower wall portion of the hopper are
arranged, with
the shelf at the higher height, 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 of
the lower wall portion acts to maintain the feed discharged on the shelf
unless
moved from the shelf by the animal.
BRIEF aESORIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional view through a first embodiment of
feeder according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the feeder of Figure 1 with the
side wall in its lower position,
Figure 3 is a side elevational view similar of Figure 2 showing the side
wall in the raised position.
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Figure 4 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of feeder
according to the present invention.
Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of the feeder of Figure 4 with the side
wall in its extended or raised position, the shelf in the raised position and
the neck
insert portion removed.
Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the feeder of Figure 4 with the side
wall in its lower position, the shelf in the lower position and the neck
insert portion
inserted.
Figure 7 is an isometric view of the neck insert portion of the feeder of
Figures 4 and $.
Figure 8 is a vertical cross sectional view through a third embodiment
according to the present invention.
Figure 9 is a crass sectional view of one part only of the embodiment
of Figure 8 showing the side wall in the lowered position.
1 ~ Figure 10 is a side elevatianal view of the embodiment of Figure 8
showing the side wall in the raised position.
DETAILED DESDRIPTIQN
The embodiment as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 includes a dry feeder
of a type in which a hopper discharges feed directly on to a base wall of the
trough
so the animal can take feed in dry conditions from that trough. Dry feeders of
this
general type are known.
The embodiments shown in Figures 4, 5, G and 7 and in Figures 8, 9
and 10 are of the type shown a wet and dry feeder or shelf type feeder in
which the
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8
feed is deposited onto a shelf positioned above the trough so that the feed is
available in dry condition on the shelf accessible by the animal and can be
moue by
the animal to the trough for mixing with water for taking in wet condition.
This type of
feeder is also well known.
In Figure 1, the feeder comprises a trough generally indicated at 10
including a horizontal base 11 and a pair of walls 12 and 13. In the
embodiments
shown the feeders are of the double sided type in that the animals can access
the
feeder from both sides so the feeder is symmetrical about a vertical central
plane.
Other types of feeders are single sided so that the effective parts of the
device will
comprise simply the base 11 and a front wall adjacent the animal. From the
animal's
perspective, the walls 12 and 13 both comprise front walls in that the animal
will
move toward the feeder and will access the wall at the front of the trough for
reaching over the wall to 8~ccess the feed within the trough.
'fhe base 11 includes a raised central section 14 on to which the feed
is deposited. The central section holds the discharge point of the feed
material away
from the lower most point of the trough thus keeping the discharge point out
of any
moisture.
The ends of the trough are closed by gable end walls 15 and 16 which
stand upwardly in parallel vertical planes defining ends of the feeder. The
hopper for
the feeder is defined by a pair of generally upstanding walls 17 and 18
extending
longitudinally of the feeder between the gable end wall$ 15 and 16. A wider
upper
part of the walls 17 and 18 defines a generally rectangular hopper section
which
converges downwardly and inwardly to a throat section 19 above the raised
center
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9
section 14 for discharging the feed material from the hopper downwardly into
the
trough.
The above generally described type of feeder is well known and the
modification to its present relates concerns the front walls 12 and 13. Thus
each of
the front walls is connected to a front edge 2U of the base and is inclined
upwardly
and forwardly there from at an angle A relative to the horizontal base wall
11.
The angle A is less than 90 degrees in order that the area inside the
front edge 20 as indicated generally at Z1 defines an obtuse angle allowing
the
animal to reach into that area and extract feed from the area without leaving
feed
materials in an otherwise sharp comer.
The angle A is therefore preferably of the order of 30 degrees and is
generally less than 4~ degrees to provide the required effect allowing the
animal to
access the feed.
The front wall 13 is formed in two portions Including a lower portion 22
and an upper portion 23. The lower portion is directly and rigidly connected
to or
integral with the base 11 and is welded to the gable walls 1 S and 16. The
lower
portion includes a lip 24 formed by turning the upper edge of the portion
inwardly
and downwardly. This provides strength for the upper edge and avoids a raw
edge
which could damage the mouth of the animal. Thus the edge 25 of the material
forming the lower portion is turned inwardly so as to lie along an inside
surface of the
lower portion 22. This edge 25 inhibits material from being rooted out over
the lip
24.
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The upper portion 23 includes a generally planar body 25 and an upper
lip 2fi similar to the lip 24. 4n the outside surface of the planar body 25 is
formed a
channel portion 21 attached by a weld line 2$ and extending outwardly and then
parallel to the portion 25 to define a downwardly facing channel receiving the
lip 24.
5 A rod 29 extends through a hollow rounded interior of the lip 26 and
through holes 30 in the gable ends 15 and 16 to affix the upper portion 23 to
the
feeder. The rod is fixed place by split pins 31 passing through holes in the
rod
outside the gable ends.
Qn the left hand side of Figure 1 and in Figure 2, the upper portion 23
10 in removed so that the lip 24 defines the upper edge the front wall 12.
In Figure 3 and on the right hand side of Figure 1 the upper portion 23
is replaced on to the lower portion of the front wall so as to stand upwardly
and
outwardly therefrom so as to raise the upper edge of the front wall to the lip
26. The
upper portion is fixed in place when attached by the engagement of the channel
portion 27 with the fip 24 and by the rod 29. In this position the planar
portion 25
follows substantially the plane of the lower portion 22 so that the side wall
lies in a
common plane inclined at the angle A to the base. It will be appreciated that
the
amount of deviation of a plane of the upper portion from the plane of the
lower
portion as shown in Figure 1 is exaggerated for convenience of illustration
and in
practice the elements will remain substantially co-planar without any
significant step
therebetween.
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11
In the lower position of this front welt, therefore, the feeder can
accommodate small size animals such as weanlings at a very young age which can
reach over the lip 24 to reach the feed in the base of the trough.
As the animals grow to a larger size, the upper portion 23 is removed
from a storage position and replaced on the feeder so as to remain in fixed
position
on the feeder thus raising the upper edge of the front wall to the lip 26 and
accommodating larger animals which can therefore reach over the lip 26 for
engaging the feed.
In the lower position, the smaller animals are not inhibited from feeding
1D and generally can access the feed without climbing into the feeder. In the
raised
position the side watt larger size animals are prevented from rooting the feed
out of
the feeder that is lost over the front wall of the feeder,
As an alternative to the rod 29 and the pins 31, a further arrangement
(not shown) can use a red which has a head on one end and a threaded section
at
the opposed end with a nut on the threaded section clamping the rod in place
through the gable end plates. A yet further alternative includes threaded
sleeves
received in the lip 26 at the ends of the lip which receive respective bolts
clamping
the respective gable end wall to the adjacent end of the lip 26.
Turning now to the embodiment shown in Figures 8, 9 and 14, this is
~0 mod~ed in that it includes a shetf 40 so as to form a shelf-type feeder. In
this
embodiment, the throat section 19 of the hopper discharges onto an upper
surface
41 of the shelf arranged so that the feed material remains on the shelf
controlled by
a lowermost edge 32 of the hopper making the feed accessible on the shelf to
the
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animal standing in front of the front wall of the feeder. The animal can
however
brush the feed over a front edge 4~ of the shelf into the trough for taking
the feed
mixed with water from a water supply 44 including animal actuated nipples 45.
In this embodiment the shelf 40 and the lowermost edge 42 of the
hopper are movable vertically from a raised position as shown in Figure 8 to a
lowered position as shown in Figure 9. The actuating mechanism for effecting
the
movement of these elements is omitted for convenience of illustration from
this
application but is available in the detail described in United States patent
no:
5,64f1,92fi of the present inventor, the description of which is incorporated
herein by
reference.
This embodiment is further modified in that the front wall generally
indicated at 50 includes a lower portion 51 and an upper portion 52 as
previously
described, but in this embodiment the upper portion is connected at its lower
edge to
the upper edge of the lower portion by a piano hinge 53 extending along the
full
extent of the junction therebetween. Thus the piano hinge comprises a
plurality of
hinge portions 54 fom~ed by bending an upper edge of the lower portion 51
around a
hinge rod 55 together a plurality of hinge portions 55 farmed at the lower
edge of the
upper portion 52.
In this embodiment the hinge portions 54 and 56 form an effectively
cylindrical body defining an upper edge of the lower portion and replacing the
lip 24
of the embodiment of Figure 1. In the lower position at the front wall,
therefore, as
shown in Figure 6, the upper edge of the front wall is defined by the portions
54 and
56 and the upper portion 52 is moved to a position tucked underneath the outer
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13
surface of the lower portion 51. In the raised position of the front wall, the
upper
portion 52 is co-planar with the lower portion 51 and the upper lip 57 of the
upper
portion ro-operates with the rod 29 as previously described.
It will be noted that the shelf moves from the raised position at a height
H1 from the base 11 of the trough to a lowered position at a height H2 from
the base
of the trough as shown in Figure 9.
In addition the front wall of the trough moves from a raised height H3
as shown in Figure 4 to a law height H4 as shown in Figure 9.
As the front wall is inclined upwardly and outwardly as previously
described, the adjustment of the height also changes the distance from the
upper
edge of the side wall to the shelf from a distance D1 as shown in Figure 8 to
a
significantly smaller distance D2 as shown in Figure 9.
The feeder therefore as shown in Figure 9 is accessible by the animal
in the small size such as a weanling of seven to ten days and is also usable
when
adjusted to the raised height as shown in Figure 8 by the animal up to market
weight
of the order of two hundred and twenty pounds. In practice for pigs,
therefore, the
height H4 is of the order of three inches and the height H3 is of the over of
six to
seven inches. The amount of adjustment in the height of the front wall is
therefore
greater than 1.5 inches and preferably greater than 3 inches to allow
sufficient
adjustment to accommodate the animals at their widely differing sizes.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 is spawn an
alternative arrangement of the side wall which can be used with the dry feeder
of
Figure 1 or the shelf feeder of Figure 8 with a flat bottom trough and a front
wall
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14
formed in two pieces as described above. In this arrangement, the adjustment
portion Ps inclined at an angle A1 which is shallower than the angle of the
lower
portion A2, the latter being larger than the angle A so that the lip 24A is
moved
inwardly relative to the lip 24 (Figure 1 ) thus locating the smaller pig
closer to the
feed while the larger pig is moved outwardly to the lip 26A relative to its
position at
the lip 26 (Figure 1 ).
Turning now to the embodiments shown in Figures 4 through 7, there
is shown a two sided feeder having a trough 11 substantially as previously
described
and the shelf 40 substantially as previously described. These elements are
mounted
longitudinally betrueen two end walls 60 and 61 of the feeder. The end walls
are
rectangular so that the bottom edge projects outwardly beyond the trough.
Between
the end walls is provided a divider wall 82 which is parallel to the end walls
and has
an inclined upper edge 63 along the outside of the hopper, an outer edge 64
which
is vertical and aligned with the edges of the end plates, an inside edge 65
adjacent
the shelf and a bottom edge 66 at the trough a~ld dividing the extension
portion of
the side wall into two parts as best shown in Figure 4.
In this embodiment, the technique for adjusting the height of the shelf
40 between the raised position shown in Figure 5 and the lowered position
shown in
Figure 6 is generally indicated at 67. This comprises a pair of straps 68
arranged at
the end walls 60 and 61, only one of which is visible as shown in Figures 5
and 6 but
the other of which is identical and arranged at the appositE end wall. The
strap 68
includes an upper flange 69 which is horizontal and its height is adjustable
relative to
a fixed flange 70 by a manually actuable screw 71. The screw 71 thus adjusts
with
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fine adjustment the freight of the shelf relative to the tower most edge of
the hopper
so as to adjust the amount of feed falling onto the shelf. In addition, the
length of the
strap fi$ can be increased form the chart length as shown in Figure 5 in which
the
shelf is raised to the long length shown in Figure ~ in which the shelf is
lowered.
5 This is effected by a hinge section 72 including two flaps which are
connected into
the strap by three hinges 73. In the position shown in Figure 5, the flaps are
folded
upwardly slang side one another. In a position shown in Figure C, the flaps
are
folded outwardly so that the height of the shelf is lowered by the width of
the two flap
portions.
10 The hopper generally indicated at 74 includes two downwardly and
inwardly inclined side walls 75 and 76 located between the end walls 60 and
61.
This inclined side wall 75 and 76 converge inwardly and dawnwardly to a neck
section generally indicated at 77 defined by two generally vertical lower wall
portions
78 and 79. The lower wail portions extend vertically downwardly from the lower
15 edge of the inclined wall portion, each to a lower mast edge 80, 81
adjacent to but
spaced from the shelf in a raised position of the shelf. Each lower wall
portion
further includes a stiffening groove $2, 83 which is formed by distorting the
metal of
the wall portion outwardly so as to form a V-shaped projection on the outside
and a
V-shaped recess on the inside. The groove is spaced dawnwardly from the lower
edge of the inclined wall 75 and 76 and is spaced upwardly from the lower most
edge $0, 81. The side walls of the hopper are welded at the ends to the end
wall 60
and 61 so as to farm a rigid hopper section for containing the feed material
which is
CA 02565377 2006-11-08
then discharged inwardly and downwardly toward the neck section 77 for
discharge
onto the shelf at each side of the shelf.
In order to adjust the position of the lowermost edge of the happen
relative to the trough so as to accommodate movement of the shelf to the
lowered
position shown in Figure 8, thel'e is provided an insert member generally
indicated at
84. The insert member $4 comprises two supplemental side walls 85 and 88 which
are mounted in parallel spaced relation by two or more spacer members 87. The
spacer member's are arranged at right angles to the supplemental walls and
thus
span the area therebetween while allowing material to flow between the
supplemental walls through the neck of the hopper. The supplemental walls
extend
from an upper flange portion 88, 89 to lowermost edges 90, 91. The flanges 88
and
89 are inclined upwardly and outwardly so as to match the inclination of the
side
walls 75 and 76 of the hopper. The spacing of the supplemental walls 85 and 86
is
such that these slide as a sliding fit between the lower walls 78 and 79. The
height
of the supplemental walls from the flange at the upper edge to the lowermost
edge
90, 91 is arranged such that, when inserked, the height is sufficient so that
the
lowermost edges 90 and 91 are spaced downwardly from the lowem~ost edges 80
and 81 and are artanged relative to the new lower position of the shelf so as
to
provide the required space between the shelf and the lowermost edges 90, 91.
The insert member is locked in place by a pair of clamping bars 92 and
93. The clamping bars are mounted in horizontal position across the insert
member.
The clamping bars have ends 94 and 95 each of which projects through a
respective
hole 96, 9?' in the respective supplemental wail. Each of the clamping bars is
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pivotally mounted an a vertical pivot rod S8, 99 carries on a respective one
of the
dividers 87. Thus each clamping bar can rotate about the respective pivot rod
from
a position in which the ends 94 and 95 are retracted from the holes 98, 97 to
a
position in which the end 94 and 95 are forced outwardly through the holes
into
engagement with the respective lower wall 78, 79. The clamping bars 92 and 93
are
arranged at a height such that with the flanges 88 and 89 sitting on the top
of the
lower wall, the clamping bars engage into the slots or grooves 82, 83 to
rigidly
engage with the grooves and thus with the lower wall 78, 79 to hold the insert
member in place rigidly against vertical movement and against side to side
movement.
Each clamping bar 92, 93 carries a handle 100 which has a vertical
portion 101 standing upwardly from the top of the clamping bar and a
horizontal
portion 102. The horizontal portion 102 can thus be grasped manually for the
action
of manipulating the insert member into and out of its position in the neck and
for
rotating the clamping bars about the respective pivot rods 98, 99.
The conversion of the feeder therefore from the lowered initial position
for the smaller animal can therefore be readily effected simply by removing
the insert
member to a storage location and by lifting the straps fi13. In this way the
shelf is
moved upwards from its lowered position to a position just below the lowermost
24 edges 80 and B1 of the lower walls 78 and 79 so that the feeder continues
to
operate in the well known manner of the shelf feeder but at the raised height
for the
larger animal.
