Patents by Inventor William T. Smeester

William T. Smeester has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5740757
    Abstract: A feeder (10) for bison and other herd-type animals, particularly those difficult to domesticate, includes a feed storage unit (16) having a feed compartment (72) for holding animal feed, a frame (12) for carrying the storage unit (16), a feed dispensing unit (18) for delivering feed from the compartment (72), a controller unit (14) for identifying the animal to be fed, and actuating the dispensing unit (18) to deliver a ration of animal feed in response to the identification signal received. The feeder (10) preferably includes a plurality of dispensing units (18) for feeding several animals at different sites (48, 50, 52). Legs (102) located between the feeding sites (48, 50, 52) separate the animals during feeding, and visual barriers (106) inhibit the feeding animals from seeing one another. Preferably, only portions of the feed are intermittently delivered by the dispensing unit (18) so that dominant animals are inhibited from appropriating the share of lesser animals in the herd.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: Jitco Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: William T. Smeester