Animal husbandry – Feeding device – Hopper and trough
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-10
2001-09-25
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Animal husbandry
Feeding device
Hopper and trough
C119S052400, C222S547000, C222S564000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293225
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic dispenser, primarily for the dispensing of fodder, comprising a receptacle having an outlet opening at the bottom, and a closing mechanism which can be activated from the outside, for example by an animal.
Such a dispenser is known from GB patent application No. 2 283 897.
This known automatic dispenser has the drawback that a bridging effect easily occurs in the material to be dispensed between the internal walls of the receptacle. The automatic dispenser is thus not self-discharging. Furthermore, it cannot dispense in the desired quantities, it takes up a lot of space in an animal's feeding trough, and it is not service-friendly.
Another automatic dispenser is known from EP patent application No. 0 469 192 where the closing mechanism consists of two “inverted” cones mutually connected by a rod. This closing mechanism can be moved into all possible oblique directions, it presents the risk that it will get stuck in the open position, and it cannot dispense accurately. Only fodder positioned directly over the closing mechanism will be dispensed. The remaining fodder will therefore become old and thicken in the receptacle, where it will be the cause of bridge formation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the purpose of the present invention to describe an automatic dispenser without the drawbacks of the known automatic dispenser.
This can be achieved by giving the automatic dispenser a shape as stated in the characterizing part of claim
1
.
The automatic dispenser according to the invention delivers smaller quantities than the known dispensers, and therefore has less waste. When the closing mechanism moves upwards there is a scraping action along the back wall of the receptacle, and the fodder moves in the direction from the receptacle's back wall towards the front wall. It is thus always the lowest fodder in the receptacle that is dispensed.
The fodder is set in motion so that there will be no bridging in the receptacle, and fodder will not come out until the animal releases the closing mechanism. The dispensed quantity is very accurate, and there is no waste.
Claim
2
deals with a special embodiment of the lowest part of a receptacle for an automatic dispenser according to the invention.
The embodiment according to claim
3
ensures that the lowest part of an automatic dispenser according to the invention takes up the least possible space.
Claim
4
deals with a preferred embodiment of a closing mechanism for an automatic dispenser according to the invention.
The arrangement described in claim
5
ensures that the closing mechanism closes the outlet opening in both the lowest and the highest position.
Claim
6
describes how the dispenses quantity can be adjusted.
Claim
7
describes how an air cushion can be formed at the top of the receptacle. The pressure on the closing mechanism will thereby be lower so that less force is needed to raise the closing mechanism.
The invention is explained in detail below with reference to the drawing in which
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patent: 4825811 (1989-05-01), O'Kelly
patent: 4829935 (1989-05-01), Gray
patent: 4895109 (1990-01-01), De Groot et al.
patent: 5146872 (1992-09-01), Waldner
patent: 5272998 (1993-12-01), Pannier et al.
patent: 5365879 (1994-11-01), Ying-Kuan
patent: 343703 (1960-02-01), None
Dennison, Scheiner Schultz & Wakeman
Jordan Charles T.
Smith Kimberly S
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