Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ANIMAL FEEDER WITH ADJUSTMENT OF A FEED DISCHARGE OPENING
This invention relates to an animal feeder with an adjustable feed
discharge opening thus adjusting the amount of feed which is allowed to pass
through the opening.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various arrangements of animal feeder are provided in which there is a
trough into which feed can be deposited from a hopper above the trough. In
most
cases the feed material to be deposited can vary in particle size and
viscosity so that
it is often desirable to provide an arrangement which allows an adjustment of
the
opening through which the material can feed from the hopper into the trough.
In many cases the opening is provided by a simple shutter at the gap
between the Hopper and the trough where the height of the shutter can be
adjusted
to vary the gap at the bottom of the shutter.
In US patent 4,660,508 (Kleinsasser) issued April 28t1i, 1987 is
disclosed a feeder which provides a shelf above the trough with the hopper
discharging onto the shelf in a manner so that the feed remains on the shelf
but can
be moved from the shelf to the trough by the animal as required. Feeders of
this
type have achieved significant commercial success. Adjustment of the height of
the
shelf is necessary for the purpose of accommodating different types of feed
and
different feed rates and this is obtained by a hand crank screw which operates
with a
threaded nut to raise and lower a strap carrying the shelf. The screw is used
in
adjustment of this device because the deposit of the feed onto the self
requires an
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accurate adjustment of the distance between the shelf and the bottom edge of
the
hopper so that cruder systems with a less fine adjustment have been rejected.
In a number of US patents it is known to provide relatively crude
adjustment techniques. For example the following patents provide adjustment
devices; US patent 1,719,245 (Smidley) issued July 2nd, 1929, US patent
3,552,360
(Nelson) issued January 5th, 1971, US patent 4,242,985 (Freeborn) issued
January
6, 1981, US patent 4,278,049 (Van Dusseldorp) issued July 14th, '1981, US
patent
4,351,274 (Pannier) issued September 28th, 1982, US patent 4,462,338
(Thibault)
issued July 31st, 1984, US patent 6,408,787 (Clark) issued June 25th, 2002.
It is also known to provide arrangements in which adjustment in a
relatively crude manner is effected by selecting one of a plurality of holes
in which to
locate the pin of an adjustment lever so that the adjustment is effected step
by step.
As the holes must be necessarily a certain distance apart, such an adjustment
provides a relatively crude distance of adjustment so that the fine tuning
necessary
for determining the specific dimensions of an opening to accurately control
the rate
of flow of feed material is not possible in such a system. One example is
shown in
US patent 6,637,368 (Bondarenko) issued October 28, 2003. This provides a link
which extends along one end wall of a feeder and a lever can be moved to place
a
pin into a selected one of a number of holes in the end wall.
US patent 5,603,285 of Kleinsasser issued February 18, 1997 of the
present assignees discloses a further similar device where additional
adjustment of
the height of the shelf is possible but again fine adjustment is provided by a
screw.
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US patent 5,967,083 also of Kleinsasser issued October 19, 1999 of
the present assignees discloses a further similar device where additional
adjustment
of the height of the shelf is possible by extending the strap using a double
flap
arrangement which folds up or down as required to extend the length of the
strap but
again fine adjustment is provided by a screw.
ln US Patent 6,923,142 also of Kleinsasser issued August 2, 2005 of
the present assignees shows an arrangement which includes a hopper above a
shelf
onto which feed can fall to be taken by the animal or dropped into a trough
below the
shelf. The height of the shelf is adjustable to change the width of the
opening
through which the feed passes to control feed rate. The shelf is carried on
straps
which extend along the end walls of the hopper and are movable by an
adjustment
linkage defined by a plate carried on the end wall and a manually adjustable
lever
mounted for pivotal movement on the plate. The plate has an arcuate outer edge
which is serrated to define an arcuate row of saw teeth and the lever is
formed by a
flat of sheet material which lies in a plane parallel to and slides over the
plate and
includes a portion thereof which is bent out of a plane of the lever into the
plane of
the plate which is also serrated with a row of saw teeth shaped to mesh with
the saw
teeth of the arcuate portion. The portion of the lever is movable in a
direction away
from the plate a non-meshing position in which the lever is free to move
around the
pivot axis.
However this arrangement is provided for fine adjustment of the shelf
relative to the bottom edge of the hopper over a limited extent so as to
control the
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release of the feed and the larger adjustment for setting the basic height of
the shelf
is carried out using the folding flap arrangement disclosed in 5,967,083
above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the invention to provide an improved feeder which
allows rapid course adjustment of the height of a shelf between two or more
positions and also provides fine adjustment of the opening at each of the
course
positions to allow a measured amount of feed.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an animal
feeder comprising:
a hopper for containing a feed material to be dispensed to an animal
for feeding therefrom;
a receptacle for receiving the feed from the hopper from which the
animal can take the feed;
the hopper having components of the hopper which co-operate with
the receptacle to define an opening through which the feed passes from the
hopper
to the receptacle so that the amount of feed discharged from the hopper to the
receptacle is controlled by a width of the opening;
the receptacle and the components being mounted for course height
adjustment movement between a lowered position of the receptacle and the
components for animals when they are at a smaller size and at least one raised
position of the receptacle and the components for the animals when they have
grown to a larger size;
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one of the receptacle and the components being mounted for fine
height adjustment movement to control the width of the opening at both the
lowered
= position and at said least one raised position;
and an adjustment linkage for operating course height adjustment
movement and fine height adjustment movement of said one of the receptacle and
the components, the linkage including:
a manually adjustable lever;
a link connected to the lever and to an element of the opening
such that movement of the lever causes longitudinal movement of the link to
effect
adjustment of the opening;
a support for the lever such that the lever is pivotal relative to
the support to cause movement off the lever to effect the movement of the
link;
the support defining first and second spaced pivot points for the
lever;
the lever being movable relative to the support between the first
pivot point of the lever on the support defining said lowered position of the
receptacle and the components and said second pivot point of the lever on the
support defining said at least one raised position of the receptacle and the
components;
at the first pivot point the lever being pivotally adjustable relative
to the support to cause a first fine adjuitment movement;
and at the second pivot point the lever being pivotally adjustable
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relative to the support to cause a second fine adjustment movement.
Preferably there are only two graduated scales for two pivot positions
of the lever for fine adjustment at two course adjusted positions. However but
this
can increased simply by adding more pivot positions each associated with a
graduated scale on an opposite side of the plate.
It is preferred that the adjustment of the link moves the shelf and the
hopper height is adjusted by adding an insert piece which enters between the
sides
of the bottom neck of the hopper. However the link can adjust the hopper edge
with
eth shelf being adjusted manually.
1 0 Preferably the lever is movable relative to the support between
the first
position defining said lowered position of the receptacle and the components
and the
second position defining the raised position of the receptacle and the
components by
movement of a pivot point of the lever relative to the support.
Preferably the pivot point of the lever is moved by lifting the lever off a
'15 first pivot pin and moving the lever to a second pivot pin.
Preferably the lever co-operates in the fine adjustment movement with
a graduated scale on the support.
Preferably there is provided on the support a first graduated scale for
cooperation with the lever in the first position and at least one second
graduated
20 scale for co-operation with the lever in said at least one second
position.
Preferably the first graduated scale is provided on one side of the
support and said at least one second graduated scale on a second opposed side
of
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the support and the pivot point of the lever is rotated in movement from the
first
position to the second position from one side of the support to the second
side of the
support.
Preferably the support comprises a plate defining a surface over which
the lever moves, the surface defining an arcuate portion lying on an arc of a
circle
surrounding the pivot axis of the lever with the graduated scale being located
on an
edge of the arcuate portion.
Preferably the arcuate portion of the surface is serrated to define an
arcuate row of saw teeth, the lever has a lever edge which is also serrated
with a
row of saw teeth shaped to mesh with the saw teeth of the arcuate portion and
the
lever is movable from a meshing position to a non-meshing position in which
the
lever is free to move around the pivot axis to move the lever and the teeth
thereof
along the arcuate row of saw teeth to adjust the position of the link.
Preferably the plate lies in a radial plane of the pivot axis and the
arcuate row of teeth are located on an edge of the plate.Preferably the edge
of the plate is an outer edge facing radially
outwardly of the axis.
Preferably the lever is formed by a flat of sheet material which lies in a
plane parallel to and slides over the plate and wherein the lever includes a
portion
thereof which is bent out of a plane of the lever into the plane of the plate
and carries
the row of saw teeth of the lever on an edge thereof. Preferably the lever
is movable in a direction axial of the pivot axis to
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move the row of teeth thereof axially away from the plate.
Preferably the link is connected to the lever by a pin which is slidable in
a slot in the support and the pin carries a spring which biases the lever into
engagement with the support into said meshing position and which is
compressible
to allow movement of the lever to the non-meshing position and to allow
movement
of the lever between the first and second positions.
Preferably the support is mounted on an end wall of the hopper parallel
to and spaced from the end wall.
Preferably the link comprises a strap located between the plate and the
end wall.
Preferably there is provided a trough into which the feed can fall and
wherein the receptacle comprises a shelf mounted above the trough arranged so
that the animal can take feed from the shelf or can move the feed from the
shelf to
the trough.
Preferably the link is connected to the shelf for adjustment of the height
thereof relative to a bottom edge of the hopper defining the opening
therebetween.
According to a second more specific definition of the invention there is
provided an animal feeder comprising:
a hopper for containing a feed material to be dispensed to an animal
for feeding therefrom;
a shelf for receiving the feed from the hopper from which the animal
can take the feed;
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the hopper having components of the hopper which co-operate with
the shelf to define an opening through which the feed passes from the hopper
to the
shelf so that the amount of feed discharged from the hopper to the shelf is
controlled
by a width of the opening;
the shelf being mounted for course height adjustment movement
between a lowered position of the shelf for animals when they are at a smaller
size
and a raised position of the shelf for the animals when they have grown to a
larger
size;
the shelf being mounted for fine height adjustment movement to
control the width of the opening at both the lowered position and the raised
position;
and an adjustment linkage for operating course height adjustment
movement and fine height adjustment movement of the shelf, the linkage
including:
a manually adjustable lever;
a link connected to the lever and to the shelf such that
movement of the lever causes longitudinal movement of the link to effect
height
adjustment of the shelf;
a support for the lever such that the lever is pivotal relative to
the support to cause movement off the lever to effect the movement of the
link;
the support defining first and second spaced pivot points for the
lever; the lever being movable relative to the support between the first
pivot point of the lever on the support defining said lowered position of the
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receptacle and the components and said second pivot point of the lever on the
support defining said at least one raised position of the receptacle and the
components;
at the first pivot point the lever being pivotally adjustable relative
to the support to cause a first fine adjustment movement;
and at the second pivot point the lever being pivotally adjustable
relative to the support to cause a second fine adjustment movement.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided an animal
feeder comprising:
a hopper for containing a feed material to be dispensed to an animal
for feeding therefrom;
a shelf for receiving the feed from the hopper from which the animal
can take the feed;
the shelf being mounted for course height adjustment movement
between a lowered position of the shelf for animals when they are at a smaller
size
and a raised position of the shelf for the animals when they have grown to a
larger
size; =
the shelf being mounted for fine height adjustment movement to
control the width of the opening at both the lowered position and the raised
position;
an adjustment linkage for operating course height adjustment
movement and fine height adjustment movement of the shelf;
and a pivotal flap member extending along the shelf;
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the pivotal flap member being mounted for movement between a
raised position of the flap and a lowered position of the flap;
the pivotal flap member being arranged such that, in the lowered
position of the flap, the pivotal flap extends between the lower edge of the
hopper
and the shelf in the lowered position of the shelf such that a lower edge of
the pivotal
flap member extends along the shelf and co-operates with the shelf in the
lowered
position of the shelf to define an opening through which the feed passes from
the
hopper to the shelf so that the amount of feed discharged from the hopper to
the
shelf is controlled by a width of the opening;
the pivotal flap member being arranged such that, in the raised position
of the flap member, the pivotal flap member is moved away from the shelf
outside of
the hopper and alongside the hopper;
the hopper having a lower edge of the hopper extending along the
shelf which, in the raised position of the flap member, co-operates with the
shelf in
the raised position of the shelf to define an opening through which the feed
passes
from the hopper to the shelf so that the amount of feed discharged from the
hopper
to the shelf is controlled by a width of the opening.
Preferably the hopper in the raised position of the flap member has a
bottom edge which co-operates with the shelf in the raised position of the
shelf and
wherein the pivotal flap member moves from the raised position exposing the
bottom
edge to the lowered position in which the flap member extends downwardly from
the
bottom edge to define said components.
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Preferably the pivotal flap member is mounted at each end on a pair of
pivot levers pivotally connected to an end wall of the feeder.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
with the accompanying drawings in which: One embodiment of the invention
will now be described in conjunction
Figure 1 is a cross sectional view through a feeder according to the
present invention showing the shelf in the raised position for larger animals.
Figure 2 is a front elevational view on an enlarged scale of the
adjustment mechanism of Figure 1 showing the shelf in the lowered position for
smaller animals.
Figure 3 is an isometric view on an enlarged scale of the adjustment
mechanism of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional view on an enlarged scale of the
adjustment mechanism of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a vertical cross sectional view showing on an enlarged
scale an adjustment flap member for defining a bottom edge of the hopper in
the
lowered position of the shelf in the feeder of Figure 1, the flap member being
shown
in the raised position.
showing the flap member in the raised position.Figure 6 is a vertical cross
sectional view similar to that of Figure 5
parts in the different figures. In the drawings like characters
of reference indicate corresponding
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The feeder shown herein is similar in construction to that shown in US
Patent 6,923,142 of the present inventor, to which reference may be made for
further detail.
The feeder shown herein also uses an insert piece similar in
construction to that shown in US Patent 5,967,083 of the present inventor, to
which
reference may be made for further detail.
A feeder is generally indicated at 10 and includes a hopper 11 and a
trough 12. The trough is connect to the hopper by end walls 13 so as to form
an
integral structure with generally open top 14 through which feed can be
inserted for
containing in the hopper and for discharge into the trough 12 for feeding by
one or
more animals. In the embodiment shown there is provided a shelf 15 with a
generally horizontal surface 16, an upturned edge 17 and a downwardly turned
lip
18 all of which are substantially as described in the above patents of
Kleinsasser.
Further details of the structure therefore can be obtained by reference to the
above
patents so that no further detailed description is necessary herein. A water
supply
19 into the trough can be provided under controlled operation or operation by
the
animal as is known in the above patents.
The shape and arrangement of the hopper and trough can be varied
and can provide either a two sided structure as shown or a single sided
structure.
The height of the shelf relative to the end wall of the hopper is adjusted
by raising straps 20 where each strap is arranged at a respective end of the
shelf
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and lies along the end wall 13 parallel to the end wall. The strap is raised
and
lowered by a lever 21 which can be connected to a support plate 22 by on
either a
first pivot pin 23 or a second pivot pin 23A. The support plate 22 includes an
upper
mounting flange 24 which is attached to the end wall 13. A bend portion 25 is
arranged at right angles to the flange portion 24 and therefore supports the
plate 22
at a spaced position from the wall 13 leaving a space behind the plate 22 and
inside
the end wall 13. The plate 22 is formed from sheet metal which is bent and cut
to
form the required shape as defined above so that the plate is suspended along
the
end wail with a bottom edge 27 and at two side edges 28 and 29.
The first pivot pin 23 is arranged adjacent the side edge 29 of the plate
and the second pivot pin 23A is arranged adjacent the side edge 28 of the
plate.
The lever 21 is also formed of sheet metal which is stamped and punched to
form a
generally elongate member with an end 30 at the pivot pin 23 and a second end
31
extended beyond the edge 29 of the plate. The lever is formed of flat sheet
metal
similar to that of the plate so that it lies in contact with the front face of
the plate.
The lever 21 is attached to the strap 20 by a pin 32 which passes through a
hole in
the lever and a hole in the strap. A slot 35 is provided in the plate 22 which
guides
movement of the pin 32 so that the pin is constrained to move vertically and
thus
move the strap 20 vertically. The length of the slot 35 between an upper end
36 and
a lower end 37 provides a length of adjustment equal the allowable movement of
the
lever 21. A slot 38 in the lever allows the pin to move in the vertical
direction while
accommodating the arcuate movement of the lever.
,
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The plate defines a first graduated scale 39A on the edge 29
cooperating with the lever when the lever 21 is pivotally mounted on the pin
23 and a
second graduated scale 39B on the edge 28 cooperating with the lever 21 when
the
lever is pivotally mounted on the pin 23A.
The graduated scale 39A on the edge 29 of the plate 22 faces away
from the pivot axis of the pivot pin 23 and is cut to form a series of saw
teeth 39
along the edge 29 from an upper edge 40 to a lower edge 41. Thus the edge 29
of
the plate 22 forms an arcuate edge around the axis of the pin 23A with the saw
teeth
punched in the edge of the plate and facing away from the plate as a serrated
edge.
In a symmetrical manner, the graduated scale 39B on the edge 28 of
the plate 22 faces away from the pivot axis of the pivot pin 23A and is cut to
form a
series of saw teeth 39 along the edge 29 from an upper edge 40 to a lower edge
41 .
Thus the edge 28 of the plate 22 forms an arcuate edge around the axis of the
pin
23A with the saw teeth punched in the edge of the plate and facing away from
the
plate as a serrated edge.
The lever 21 is held flat against the surface of the plate 22 by a spring
43 on the pin 32. The spring is held in place by a nut 44 on the pin 32 so
that the
spring is compressed between the nut and the outer face 45 of the lever 21.
The pin
32 has a head 46 behind the strap 20. The pivot pin 23 provides enough
flexibility to
allow the lever 21 to be moved away from the plate 22 compressing the spring
43
against the bias of the spring 43. The lever 21 has a hole 48 formed in the
lever.
The lever further has a recessed portion 49 which is bent downwardly from the
plane
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of the lever into the plane of the plate 22. Thus the recessed portion 49 is
bent
downwardly and is then bent to lie in the common plane with the plate 22. The
portion 49 carries exposed teeth 55 at the inwardly facing edge of the= recess
portion
49. Thus the lever is in its normal position flat against the surface of the
plate 22
thus causing the saw teeth 55 of the edge of the lever to be in meshing
engagement
with the saw teeth 39 of the arcuate edge of the plate. The width of the saw
teeth is
equal on both surfaces so that the teeth are directly meshing. The number of
teeth
on the edge of the lever is very much less than the number of teeth on the
arcuate
edge of the plate since the lever is intended to move around the arcuate edge
of the
plate in an adjustment movement. However the amount of adjustment is equal the
pitch of the saw teeth.
The lever 21 includes an end piece 58 which is bent in a direction
away from the plate 22 so as to provide a handle or tab which can be readily
grasped since it is= sufficiently spaced from the end wall of the feeder to be
readily
accessible by the hand of the user.
Markings 59 are provided on the plate counting the number of saw
teeth and numbered from zero at one end through to the total number at the
other
end of the arcuate edge of the plate. The hole 48 allows viewing of the
markings
through the hole onto the front surface of the plate so that the user can line
up a
centre line of the hole with a selected one of the markings.
In operation the meshing saw teeth arrangement of the lever and the
plate allow a fine adjustment, bearing in mind that the saw teeth have a
relatively
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fine pitch and bearing in mind that the distance of the pin 32 from the axis
of the
pivot pin 23 or 23A is significantly less than the distance of the saw teeth
from the
pivot axis. Thus movement of one pitch of one saw tooth can be arranged to
provide
a movement of the shelf of a distance of the order of 1/32 to 1/16 inch.
The lever can be moved from a pivotal movement on the pin 23 to a
pivotal movement on the pin 23A by lifting the rear end 60 of the lever away
from the
plate against the action of the spring 43 and by dropping the rear end onto
the
selected one of the two pins. It will be appreciated that the changing of the
pivot
location acts to move the lever and the strap carried thereby downwardly by a
distance equal to the vertical distance between the two pins thus providing a
course
adjustment movement of the shelf between the lowered position for younger or
weanling pigs and a raised position for the pigs after they have grown to a
larger
size. In each position the lever co-operates with the associated one of the
graduated scales for fine adjustment.
In one arrangement (not shown), the bottom edge of the hopper is
adjusted by an insert piece similar in construction to that shown in Figure 7
of US
patent 5,967,083 of the present inventor with only difference that this is
divided into
separate pieces at longitudinally spaced positions so that the pieces can be
inserted
into place in the hopper despite the presence of the straps and the levers and
the
support plates at each end wall of the hopper. The number of pieces can be two
or
can be more in longer feeders.
In another arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 6, the hopper includes
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a lower pivotal flap member 60 extending along the hopper between the end
walls
13. The flap member is in the form of a flat plate with a top edge 61 and a
bottom
edge 62. The flap member is mounted at each end on the respective end wall 13.
The flap member is mounted on a pair of pivot levers 63 and 64 each pivotally
connected at one end to a rear flange 66 of the flap member and at the other
end to
the end wall 13 of the feeder at a respective pivot pin 66, 67. Thus the flap
member
is arranged to move from a raised position shown in Figure 5 to a lowered
position
shown in Figure 6.
In the raised position of the flap member the hopper itself has a bottom
edge 70 which co-operates with the shelf in the raised position of the shelf.
In this
position, the pivotal flap member moves into its raised position exposing the
bottom
edge 70 where the flap member is out of the way along the outside of the
hopper. In
the lowered position, the flap member extends vertically downwardly from the
bottom
edge 70 so that the bottom edge 62 of the flap member in effect operates as
the
bottom edge of the hopper and the flap member acts as an extension of the
bottom
of the hopper. Although only one flap member is shown for convenience, there
are
two parallel cooperating flap members one on each side of the bottom edges 70
and
defining in effect an extension of the parallel lower neck of the hopper. The
flap
member is arranged to co-operate with the hopper so as to provide a seal
between
the bottom edge 70 and the top edge of the flap member to prevent the escape
of
the feed material. At the ends the flap member is sufficiently close to the
end walls
13 to prevent the escape of material. A suitable locking arrangement (not
shown) is
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provided to hold the flap member in its raised and lowered position to prevent
the
pigs from activating movement of the flap member to cause damage or
inadvertent
release of feed material..
