Animal husbandry – Feeding device – Hopper and trough
Patent
1996-09-06
1999-02-02
Burr, Edgar S.
Animal husbandry
Feeding device
Hopper and trough
119 54, A01K 110
Patent
active
058651390
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a feeding device for feeding animals, especially hogs and pigs, said feeding device comprising a base designed with a trough over which, on a frame fastened to the base, a tube is suspended, said tube constituting at its upper end a container for storing feed and at its lower end a dispenser unit for dispensing the feed, said tube being suspended and guided at least two members, an upper suspension member and a lower guiding member, the upper suspension member is fixedly mounted on the upper part of the frame and the tube is suspended on the frame in the upper suspension member, said tube is mounted non-adjustable and non-displaceable in the vertical direction in relation to said upper suspension member,
2. Description of Related Art
A feeding device for feeding hogs and pigs is known from WO-93/13652. The feeding device comprises a base on which a trough is formed. Mounted on this base is a frame partitioning the trough. On this frame and directly over the centre of the trough a tube is mounted. This tube serves as a feed dispenser at its bottom and as a feed container at its top.
The function of the feeding device is such that the animal, when hungry, presses its snout against the dispenser part in order to displace it. This is possible since the dispensing part is made from an elastic flexible material. The deflection of the tube will result in a larger opening between the trough and the opening of the tube, and feed will be dispensed onto the trough,
However, a feeding device of the above-mentioned type involves disadvantages. Among other things, it has turned out to be difficult to provide an elastic flexible tube for a young pig, Firstly, it is hard to modify the physical properties of the feeding device so as to adapt it optimally to the forces which the animals exert on the tube, i.e. the sizes of the animals, Secondly, the tube will be costly in production since an elastic flexible material is relatively expensive. Thirdly, it is not possible in a simple manner to adjust the amount of feed to be dispensed from the tube.
FR 2,660,155 describes another feeding device also with a flexible tube, mounted inside a rigid tube. The function of the feeding device is, however, similar to the function of the feeding device described above and thus exhibits the same disadvantages.
DE 2,652,788 describes a feeding device, which is provided with an annular ring around a stiff tube. The amount of feed that is determined by the angle to which the stiff tube can be pivoted. This angle is determined by the ring, the lower it is put, the smaller the angle the tube can make, the less feed comes out of the tube.
All the feeding devices described control the amount of food being led to the trough by adjusting the distance between the outlet of the feeding tube and the trough. This adjustment is made by a vertical movement of the feeding tube.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to provide a feeding device which is simple and inexpensive in production, a feeding device wherein it is easy to adjust the dispensed amount of feed, and a feeding device which is adaptable so as to suit the sizes of the animals.
This object is achieved by a feeding device of the kind mentioned in the introduction which is characterized in that the tube is essentially stiff, and that the lower guiding member comprises an elastic, flexible, preferably annular, member so that the lower end of the tube may be displaced horizontally in relation to the trough.
The feeding device according to the present invention is an improved and alternative solution to the problems, underlying the above-mentioned feeding device according to WO 93/13652.
With a feeding device of this type it is possible to produce a feeding device uncomplicated simply by displacing the tube vertically, and uncomplicated manner simply by exchanging the elastic flexible annular body.
The above-mentioned features are obtained by suspending the stiff tube, at is up
REFERENCES:
patent: 5243930 (1993-09-01), Rahm
patent: 5263437 (1993-11-01), Murphrey
patent: 5447119 (1995-09-01), Rasmussen
Burr Edgar S.
Egebjerg Maskinfabrik af 1983 A/S
Ghatt Dave A
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