Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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FEED SPREADER
Technical Field
The present invention relates to animal feeds, and more
particularly to devices and apparatuses for spreading milled or pelleted
feed for consumption by cultured species.
Back rg o
Existing devices used for distributing milled or pelleted
feed to animals, and in particular to cultured animal species such as
fish, essentially consist of a large, single hosepipe connected to a blower
apparatus. Such hoses are either fixed into position (rigid pipes might
be employed in this instance) or can be aimed manually by a human
operator (wherein flexible hoses or pipes are used). The blower appara-
tus typically picks up the feed pellets and, combining them with a large
amount of air, "blows" the pellets into whatever area the end of the hose
is trained upon. Some such feed distribution devices incorporate a
deflector at the mouth of the hose or pipe, which widens the spread of
distribution of the feed.
Use of these prior art devices does not lead to the ideal
distribution of feed. First, if a fixed feed pipe is used, the distribution
pattern of the feed is very limited. Blowing feed through a fixed pipe
causes the feed to be concentrated in an area slightly larger than the
diameter of the hose pipe itself, depending upon the power of the
blower apparatus, the distance to the target surface and the ambient
wind. The "spread" of the feed is limited using a fixed pipe. This
results in stress on the animals and increases the risk of injury as they
compete for food. In addition, the animals do not have equal access to
feed, and therefore grow at different rates, meaning that the grower
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must put the animals under additional stress and use manpower to grade
the animals.
Use of a deflector at the end of such a pipe is an improve-
ment over the plain fixed-pipe systems, but achieves greater spread by
bouncing the feed off a metal or rubberized plate, which can result in
breakage of feed. All of these systems must be used from land, or from
a land-based platform if in a marine environment.
Other systems employ flexible hoses to broadcast feed over
a broader area, but these must be operated by hand by a human opera-
tor. This is not always safe, practical or cost-effective, especially in a
remote location or in difficult weather conditions.
There remains, accordingly, a need for a feed distribution
apparatus or spreader which can widely distribute milled or pelleted
feed for cultured species on either land or water, without the need for
significant human intervention.
Summary of Invention
The apparatus described herein overcomes some of the
disadvantages of the aforementioned prior art systems by mounting a
feed pipe (with or without a deflector) on a swivel assembly, which is
incorporated into a lightweight, balanced frame. Air and feed blowing
through the pipe cause the feed pipe to rotate through a
360°revolution,
thus spreading the feed in a relatively uniform arc about the frame. The
force of the air from the blower, and the shape of the feed pipe deter-
mine the rate of rotation of the pipe and hence the distance the feed can
be thrown. One main advantage of this apparatus is that it makes it
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possible to broadcast feed relatively evenly without manual, human
intervention.
More particularly, the present invention provides an appa-
ratus for spreading milled or pelleted feed. The feed spreader com-
prises, in one embodiment, a frame, an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe.
The inlet pipe is connected to a portion of the frame at one end, and is
connectable to a food supply provided by a feed blower. The outlet
pipe is coupled to the inlet pipe and receives feed from the blower
through the inlet pipe. The outlet pipe is rotatably coupled to the inlet
pipe (and the frame), allowing it to rotate with respect to both the frame
and the inlet pipe, thereby broadcasting feed in a generally circular
pattern about the frame of the spreader.
The frame may comprise a lower portion, an upper portion
comprising a swivel assembly having a first end and a second end
rotatable relative said first end, the swivel assembly able to allow feed
to pass therethrough; and support braces extending between the lower
and upper portions of the frame. The swivel assembly couples the
outlet pipe to the inlet pipe, with the inlet pipe being connected at its
first end to one end of the swivel assembly, and the outlet pipe being
connected at its first end to the other end of the swivel assembly.
A counterweight may be attached to the outlet pipe interme-
diate between its ends. Either a feed deflector or an extension pipe may
be attached to the outer end of the outlet pipe.
The feed spreader can be used on land, or in water, in
which case floatation means may be attached to the frame for allowing
said feed spreader to float, or the spreader may be suspended in an
inverted arrangement by guy-wires.
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The invention also provides a method for feeding a cultured
species of animal with milled or pelleted feed, the method comprising
the steps of attaching the inlet pipe of the feed spreader to a feed
blower; placing the feed spreader upright in a desired feeding location,
and causing the feed blower to blow feed through the inlet pipe, the feed
thereby being distributed in a generally circular arc about the base of the
fee spreader. In another feeding method, the feed spreader is suspended
in an inverted position above a desired feeding location.
Brief Description of Drawings
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate specific
embodiments of the invention, but which should not be construed as
restricting the spirit or scope of the invention in any way:
Figure 1 is a side view of the feed spreader of one embodi-
ment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the frame of the
feed spreader shown in figure 1.
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the feed spreader shown in
figure 1, having a feed deflector attached to the mouth of the outlet
pipe.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the swivel assembly of
one embodiment of the feed spreader shown in figure 1.
Figure 5 is a side view of the feed spreader shown in figure
1, having floatation means attached to the bottom thereof.
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Figure 6 is a top view of the feed spreader shown in figure
5.
Figure 7 is an end view of the feed spreader shown in
figure 5.
Figure 8 is a side view of the feed spreader shown in figure
1, suspended in an inverted arrangement from guy-wires .
Description
Throughout the following description specific details are set
forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the inven-
tion. However, the invention may be practiced without these particu-
lars. In other instances, well known elements have not been shown or
described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present inven-
tion. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in
an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.
Referring first to figure 1, a feed spreader made in accor-
dance with one embodiment of the invention, denoted generally herein
by the numeral 10, has a frame, denoted generally by the numeral 12,
an inlet pipe 14 and an outlet pipe 16. Inlet pipe 14 may be a typical
feed distribution hose, which is fashioned to be attached at one end to a
typical feed blower (not shown), as known in the art. The other end of
inlet pipe 14 is attached to a portion of frame 12 as described below.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, frame 12
comprises a lower portion 20, an upper portion 22 and a plurality of
support braces 24 extending therebetween. As shown more clearly in
figures 2 and 3, lower frame portion 20 may conveniently comprise a
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square shape, and frame 12 in general may be made from a lightweight
material, although this is not necessary.
One particularly noteworthy aspect of the invention relates
to the manner in which outlet pipe 16 is coupled to inlet pipe 14. In
particular, when one end of outlet pipe 16 is rotatably coupled to inlet
pipe 14, and when outlet pipe 16 is accordingly allowed to freely rotate
relative to inlet pipe 14, feed being blown through inlet pipe 14 and
thence through outlet pipe 16 is expelled through the outer mouth of
outlet pipe 16 and causes pipe 16 to rotate, distributing the feed in an
arc about the frame 12.
In the embodiment shown in these figures, upper frame
portion 22 comprises a mounting plate 26 (figure 2) for mounting a
swivel assembly 30 (figure 3). Although swivel assembly 30 can be
removably mounted to mounting plate 26, mounting plate 26 is not
essential to the invention, and swivel assembly 30 could also be integral
to the upper frame portion, or in fact form upper frame portion 22 in its
entirety. Herein, however, the swivel assembly 30 will be said, for
illustrative purposes, to form a part of upper frame portion 22, along
with mounting plate 26. What is more important is that swivel assembly
couple inlet pipe 14 and outlet pipe 16. The word "couple" herein
accordingly refers to any connection between the inlet pipe and the
outlet pipe which permits the rotation of outlet pipe 16 relative inlet pipe
25 14 and frame 20.
Swivel assembly 30 is shown in cross-sectional detail in
figure 4. Again, although it is envisioned by the inventors that any
suitable swivelling assembly could be employed in the present invention,
30 the embodiment shown in this figure employs an assembly having a
first, or "lower" end 32, to which inlet pipe 14 may be connected, and a
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second, "upper" end 34, to which outlet pipe 16 may be connected. As
shown in figure 4, swivel assembly 30 may have an inner sleeve 35,
which may be mounted onto mounting plate 26, and an outer sleeve 36,
the latter separated from and allowed to rotate around the former by one
or more bearings 37. Ball bearings have been found to be effective.
Thus, swivel assembly 30 is generally a hollow cylinder, and feed is
able to pass therethrough when blown by a blower through inlet pipe 14.
As described previously, this arrangement, wherein inlet
pipe 14 is coupled to outlet pipe 16 by swivel assembly 30, allows outlet
pipe 16 to rotate when feed is being blown through it. This broadcasts
the feed blown through the spreader in a generally circular arc about the
frame .
It will be appreciated that both the force of the air blown by
the blower apparatus and the shape of outlet pipe 16 will have a signifi-
cant impact upon the distance the feed is able to be thrown by spreader
12 (and also the distribution pattern). It is foreseen that different feed
spread patterns can be achieved by using outlet pipes of different shape,
and by manipulating the power of the blower. Alternatively, as shown in
figure 1, an extension pipe 42 might conveniently be coupled to outlet
pipe 16 by coupler 43 to change the shape of pipe 16, and hence to
change the pattern of distribution of the feed. In another embodiment, a
deflector 45 (figure 3) may be attached to outlet pipe 16 to alter the
distribution pattern.
Spreader 10 can be used on the ground, or it can be affixed
to a platform (not shown) for stability. However, it is foreseen that
spreader 10 might be useful in the aquaculture industry to feed cultured
fish. Accordingly, as shown in figures 5-7, spreader 10 may be floated
by attaching floatation means such as a plurality of pontoons 48 to
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spreader 10. In the embodiment of the invention shown in figures 5-7,
pontoons are attached to spreader 10 by means of cross braces 50 which
are affixed to the underside of lower frame portion 20, but it is foreseen
that any suitable floatation means might be efficiently employed.
In a further embodiment (figure 8), it is foreseen that the
entire apparatus might be inverted and suspended from ropes or
guy-wires 54 over a desired feeding location. In this instance, a plural-
ity of wire guides 52 (figures 8 and 2) may be formed on frame 12, and
in particular on lower frame portion 20.
It will be further appreciated that significant forces will
potentially be acting upon outlet pipe 16 if the blower is powerful. In
some instances, the forces acting on pipe 16 might tend to upset the
stability of spreader 10, especially if spreader 10 is being used on water.
In these instances, it has been determined that a counterweight 40
attached to outlet pipe 16, preferably at a point essentially opposite the
direction faced by the mouth of pipe 16, serves to minimize this diffi-
culty. To further minimize instability, inlet pipe 14 may be mounted to
lower frame portion 20 at inlet pipe mounting point 44.
The invention also provides a novel method for feeding a
cultured species of animal with milled or pelleted feed, the method
comprising the steps of attaching the inlet pipe 14 of the feed spreader
10 to a feed blower; placing the feed spreader upright in a desired
feeding location, and causing the feed blower to blow feed through the
inlet pipe, the feed thereby being distributed in a generally circular arc
about the base of the feed spreader through outlet pipe 16. In another
feeding method, the feed spreader is hung in an inverted position above
a desired feeding location.
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As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of
the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possi-
ble in the practice of this invention without departing from the scope
thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in
accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.
