Animal husbandry – Feeding device – Trough – bunk – or manger
Patent
1996-07-19
1998-01-20
Price, Thomas
Animal husbandry
Feeding device
Trough, bunk, or manger
A01K 501
Patent
active
057091692
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to feeding apparatus and in particular to feeding apparatus for domestic dogs and cats.
BACKGROUND ART
The feeding devices used for feeding dogs and cats generally comprise open bowls into which the food is placed and then given to the cat or dog. Such bowls are not particularly hygienic as flies, ants and other vermin tend to be attracted to the food within the bowl. Additionally, the food if left for a period of time tends to deteriorate and thereby become inedible. Some devices have been made in order to alleviate the above problems, however, generally the currently known devices have not been particularly effective. For example, one animal feeding bowl incorporates an external moat which may be filled with water to prevent access of ants to the food within the bowl. This bowl has limited effectiveness and of course does not prevent deterioration of the food. A further feeding device is available which has a number of compartments, each of which may contain animal food and which is closed by a plate having an opening therein which is indexed daily by a mechanism so that respective compartments are accessible through the opening in a plate. This device has also not proved to be particularly effective and does not prevent vermin access to the food as the food in each compartment in turn is left exposed through the opening in the plate.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention aims to provide an improved feeding apparatus which allows animals such as dogs and cats to have ready access to food and/or water but which prevents or minimizes the risks of vermin access to the food when the apparatus is not in use. The present invention further aims in a preferred aspect to provide feeding apparatus which may be used with currently available food containers or with commercial containers such as tins in which food is supplied and thereafter discarded. The present invention further aims in a preferred aspect to provide feeding apparatus which minimizes deterioration of the food and maintains the food in a fresh state. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.
The present invention thus provides feeding apparatus adapted to be associated with an open topped food or water container, said feeding apparatus includes platform means, closure means associated with said platform means and adapted to normally close said container, said closure means being opened to provide access to said container when said platform means is subject to the weight of an animal thereupon.
Preferably the platform means is in a normally raised or inclined attitude and biasing means are provided to maintain the platform in its raised or inclined attitude when a weight or load is not applied thereto. The biasing means is such as to return the platform to its raised or inclined position when the weight or load is removed therefrom so that the closure means closes the container. The biasing means in one form comprises spring means associated with the closure means. Alternatively, the biasing means may be associated with the platform means and may comprise a spring. The spring in this form may comprise a leaf-like spring. The platform means includes at least one opening into which the container may be freely inserted to be supported on an underlying surface such as a ground or floor surface and so that the container extends above the platform means. In one form, the platform means may be provided with a pair of such openings to receive a pair of food bowls or containers.
The opening or openings for receiving the containers are, where an inclined platform means is used, located adjacent the normally upper end of the platform means.
The closure means preferably is in the form of a lid which normally seats upon the rim about the upper open end of the container so as to prevent access to the contents thereof. Preferably the lid is hingedly connected to the platform so as to hingedly move between its open and closed position. In its open positi
REFERENCES:
patent: 3121419 (1964-02-01), Gillespie
patent: 4793290 (1988-12-01), O'Donnell
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