With Feeding Or Watering Device Patents (Class 119/521)
  • Patent number: 8522722
    Abstract: A device for feeding animals, includes a frame with a feed holder for a feeding site for an animal. The frame is provided with a restricting device for restricting in at least two opposite lateral directions a dwelling space for an animal using the feeding site. The device is also provided with a distancing mechanism for keeping animals located outside the dwelling space at a distance from the restricting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Lely Patent N.V.
    Inventors: Jan Lambertus Pastoor, Karel Van Den Berg
  • Patent number: 7987815
    Abstract: A method of feeding an animal in a feeding box including in no particular order, at least the actions of: a) registering the presence of the animal in the feeding box, b) closing the feeding box and locking the feeding box in such a way that access to the feeding box is impeded for an animal outside the feeding box, c) supplying feed to the animal in the feeding box in a chosen eating period of time. For an animal that does not leave the feeding box after an initially chosen eating period of time has elapsed, the initially chosen eating period of time beginning immediately after the performance of step b), within a first waiting time span chosen contiguously to said period of time, in which the animal is given the possibility of leaving the feeding box, step c) is repeated at least once.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Maasland N.V.
    Inventors: Karel Van Den Berg, Howard Sie, Lucien Eliza Niels Voogd
  • Patent number: 7980199
    Abstract: Gestating sows are housed in a series of gestation stalls arranged in a row and backing onto an open alley along a rear of the row of stalls into which the sow can enter by backing out of the stall. A common trough extends along the front of the stalls and is fastened to the floor by fasteners which connect trough sections end to end. The common trough provides a support for the front end of the side walls defining the stalls. A rear gate closes the rear of each stall and connects to a front gate of the stall operable to close the rear gate by the sow as it moves in the stall toward the front. The rear gate latches closed to prevent entry of another sow but is releasable by rear pressure on the rear gate from the sow backing out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Crystal Spring Colony Farms Ltd
    Inventor: Jonathan Kleinsasser
  • Publication number: 20110120384
    Abstract: Ranchers and other owners of livestock commonly have a need for a transportable means of setting up a corral for numerous purposes. Sorting must take place in a remote location or a location without a permanent corral, which are prohibitively time consuming and expensive to build. A preferred embodiment of the Portable Corral is comprised of a central chute, a left corral area, and a right corral area. The central chute is comprised of a back chute, a front chute, a left central chute panel and a right central chute panel. The front chute is comprised of a breakaway hitch that in turn is comprised of a left breakaway hitch section and a right breakaway hitch section. The left and right breakaway hitch sections are collapsed together to comprise the breakaway hitch used to connect to the towing vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: BURLINGTON WELDING LLC
    Inventor: Robert L. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20110017146
    Abstract: Gestating sows are housed in a series of gestation stalls arranged in a row and backing onto an open alley along a rear of the row of stalls into which the sow can enter by backing out of the stall. A common trough extends along the front of the stalls and is fastened to the floor by fasteners which connect trough sections end to end. The common trough provides a support for the front end of the side walls defining the stalls. A rear gate closes the rear of each stall and connects to a front gate of the stall operable to close the rear gate by the sow as it moves in the stall toward the front. The rear gate latches closed to prevent entry of another sow but is releasable by rear pressure on the rear gate from the sow backing out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventor: Jonathan Kleinsasser
  • Patent number: 7861675
    Abstract: Gestating sows are housed in a series of gestation stalls arranged in a row and backing onto an open alley along a rear of the row of stalls into which the sow can enter by backing out of the stall. A common trough extends along the front of the stalls and is fastened to the floor by fasteners which connect trough sections end to end. The common trough provides a support for the front end of the side walls defining the stalls. A rear gate closes the rear of each stall and connects to a front gate of the stall operable to close the rear gate by the sow as it moves in the stall toward the front. The rear gate latches closed to prevent entry of another sow but is releasable by rear pressure on the rear gate from the sow backing out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Crystal Spring Colony Farms Ltd.
    Inventor: Jonathan Kleinsasser
  • Patent number: 7685968
    Abstract: A device for placing food on a floor within reach of one or more animals that are feeding along a feeding rail. The device is mounted on or near the feeding rail and has an extendable and retractable arm connected to a plow. The arm is storable above the floor and does not have moving parts located on the floor. The device may move along the length of the feed rail, as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Inventor: James E. Cooper
  • Publication number: 20080302310
    Abstract: Gestating sows are housed in a series of gestation stalls arranged in a row and backing onto an open alley along a rear of the row of stalls into which the sow can enter by backing out of the stall. A common trough extends along the front of the stalls and is fastened to the floor by fasteners which connect trough sections end to end. The common trough provides a support for the front end of the side walls defining the stalls. A rear gate closes the rear of each stall and connects to a front gate of the stall operable to close the rear gate by the sow as it moves in the stall toward the front. The rear gate latches closed to prevent entry of another sow but is releasable by rear pressure on the rear gate from the sow backing out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventor: Jonathan Kleinsasser
  • Patent number: 7246572
    Abstract: A confinement and feeding stall for livestock such as horses, cows and the like with side frames spaced so that an animal can stand comfortably but not turn around and narrow enough to prevent other animals from crowding into an occupied stall. A gate is provided at one end of the side panels and a rear closure member may be provided at the other end. The side panels and gate prevent the animal from reaching over or around the side frames to disturb adjoining animals in adjacent stalls. The side frames are connected by elevated top members and flat bottom members to form individual stalls and stalls linked in side-by-side relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Inventor: Bruce E. Wade
  • Patent number: 7132611
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an apparatus for registering weight and/or water content of fit and sick individuals, where the apparatus includes a weighing cell including at least two electric conducting plates on which is applied a voltage from a power supply, and that the at least two electric conducting plates are disposed with mutually opposite faces and with adjustable spacing, so that an individual or a well-defined part of the individual may be placed between the at least two electric conducting plates. and a measuring unit including means for registering the change in capacity between the at least two electric conducting plates and means for converting the capacity change into a numerical number which is correlated with the weight and/or the water content of the individual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Capamo ApS
    Inventors: Morten Gregaard, Paul Erik Skifter, Carsten Simonsen
  • Patent number: 7017522
    Abstract: A farrowing crate is defined by a cage having a main central flooring section for the sow and two side sections for the piglets. A feeder is located at the front wall for supplying feed to the sow when standing and includes a hopper mounted on a front gate outside the crate for and a trough for receiving feed discharged from the hopper. The trough is formed by a base plate lying substantially flat on the flooring from the hopper rearwardly to a raised transverse restricting member to restrict the escape of feed formed by an inverted V-shaped rib formed in the base plate spaced from the front wall and extending generally across the base plate to define a trough area of a height which allows the sow to lie with its neck and head over the restricting member without discomfort. The gate panel includes guards each side of the opening to restrict side to side movement of the sow's head. The trough is restricted by sides at the sides of the sow flooring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Crystal Spring Colony Farms Ltd.
    Inventor: Jonathan Kleinsasser
  • Patent number: 6802280
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary parlour for milking of animals, especially cows (1). The parlour includes a rotary platform (2) having dividing members (3) arranged to divide the platform (2) into stalls. The dividing members (3) have a substantially straight extension between a first end (4) and a second end (5). The dividing members (3) are each connected to a feeding trough (7) constituting a unit arranged turnably around a vertical axis (8). A center (9) of the feeding trough (7) is located at a distance from a vertical plane (10) extending through the first (4) and second (5) ends of the dividing member (3). By such an arrangement of the feeding trough (7) in relation to the dividing member, it is possible for the animals to stand in a naturally straight position and to eat from the feeding troughs (7) during the milking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Delaval Holding AB
    Inventor: Bengt-Göran Mårtensson
  • Patent number: 6783021
    Abstract: An animal feed apparatus comprises in combination, a circular container having a peripheral sidewall closed by a bottom panel, and at a top end outwardly extending with an integral lip. An interior surface of the sidewall is formed with an inwardly directed slope, and a lid provides an annular lip having a pair of annular, outwardly facing and outwardly extending, spaced apart ribs positioned for intimate frictional contact with the sloped sidewall of the container and adapted for vacuum engagement with the container so as to seal an interior space of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Inventor: Kamaljit S. Kaura
  • Patent number: 6601537
    Abstract: A foal feeder area barrier for creating a foal feed area. The barrier includes a number of adjustable steel tubes that are configurable to connect to corner section of a stall, corral or the like while at the same time creating a gate entry way sized to allow foals through the barrier but which is sufficiently small to prevent full grown horses to pass therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Inventor: Rick M. Davis
  • Publication number: 20030062003
    Abstract: An assembly for automatically supplying an amount of feed to a dairy animal in a predetermined period. Said assembly is provided with a milking box and with a feeding parlour located outside the milking box. The milking box is provided with a milking robot for automatically milking a dairy animal, and with a feeding station for automatically supplying teed to the dairy animal under control of a first control device. The feeding parlour automatically supplies feed to the dairy animal under control of a second control device. The assembly is further provided with a third control device, the third control device generating a control signal for controlling the first and/or the second control device in such a way that the collective supply of feed in said predetermined period is at least approximately equal to said amount of feed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Applicant: Lely Enterprises AG, a Swiss Limited Liability Company
    Inventors: Lucien Eliza Niels Voogd, Karel Van den Berg
  • Patent number: 6200017
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for mixing fodder with another consumable material wherein a hopper having two compartments is drawn by a tractor or similar vehicle or is self-propelled. Two parallel feeding channels are provided in front of a plurality of animal's stalls in a building and a tractor together with a hopper move between the two feeding channels. There is a discharge device from each of the compartments of the hopper which extend outwardly into the feed channels to receive fodder from one compartment and another consumable material from the other compartment which are mixed together by mixing devices extending outwardly into the feed channels behind the discharge devices. The mixing device is powered by a power take-off shaft from the tractor and rotates to mix the fodder and other consumable material together. The rotation may be about vertical axes or horizontal axes, the latter extending either in the direction of travel of the tractor or transverse thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Maaslaand N.V.
    Inventor: Karel van den Berg
  • Patent number: 6145473
    Abstract: A pet food dispenser comprising a base, a bowl mounted on the base for retaining a quantity of a substance to be dispensed, a reservoir mounted adjacent one side of the base and operable to deliver a desired substance into the bowl, and a cover movable into and out of a position to cover the bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Keisner
  • Patent number: 6129049
    Abstract: A feeding device for feeding young pigs comprises a feeding tube (16), which may be a flexibly yielding or a rigid feeding tube. The feeding tube (16) is connected with a feed reservoir (26) and is fastened to a frame (15). The lower end (17) of the feeding tube (16) is arranged at a short distance over a feeding plate (12). Arranged around the lower end of the tube is a ring (1). The ring (1) may be manipulated by young pigs, which have a size between 5 and 13 kg, so that these animals are able to be fed by the feeding device. The feeding device will make it possible in a technically simple manner to feed young pigs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Helena E. E. Petersen
    Inventors: Hans Rasmussen, Helena E. E. Petersen
  • Patent number: 6082300
    Abstract: A game feeder for suspending from a tree limb or other support and automatically feeding corn or other particulate feed from a hopper to the ground silently and at timed intervals to simulate the falling of nuts such as acorns from the tree. In a preferred embodiment a feed bowl is hingedly attached to the bottom of the hopper and contains a feeding mechanism suspended from the bottom of the hopper and characterized by a rotating wheel driven by a timing mechanism and mounted in a feeder housing. Particulate food such as corn is dispensed from the hopper through an opening in the hopper feed bowl by operation of the wheel and sound-insulating material is provided in the feeder housing and the hopper feed bowl for noise abatement. The timing mechanism thus dispenses the feed from the hopper to the ground at selected operational intervals with a minimum of noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Inventor: John D. Futch
  • Patent number: 6079361
    Abstract: An animal watering system includes a storage device, that has a bottom, a top, a mouth located within the top, and a plurality of sides, and a drinking device that is designed to dispense a liquid and to receive the bottom of the storage device. The storage device includes a selectively openable and closable port system and a sealing mechanism for sealing the mouth of the storage device. A method of using an animal watering system is also provided. The method includes the steps of placing a first cap on an orifice in the storage device, filling the storage device with a liquid through a top of the storage device, sealing the top of the storage device, placing the storage device within the drinking device, and removing the first cap from the orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Miller Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: J. David Bowell, George R. Peterson
  • Patent number: 6067933
    Abstract: A feed intake apparatus for a livestock feeding system is disclosed having a hopper with a feed inlet which receives feed from a feed supply source and a feed outlet, hopper having upper and lower switches regulating the amount of feed in hopper; a housing connected to the bottom of hopper having a feed inlet which receives feed from hopper and a feed outlet, housing having a body which generally converges downwardly and inwardly from said feed inlet toward feed outlet; a feed conveyor attached to housing, feed conveyor comprising a conveyor tube with a feed auger housed therein, feed auger having a multiplicity of substantially equally spaced flights and being driven within conveyor for conveying feed through conveyor tube; and an agitation device within housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Inventor: Lloyd C. Cason
  • Patent number: 6055932
    Abstract: A pet or animal food dispenser and dispenser adapter for securing pet food containers having a circular discharge openings to pet food dispsenser trays having rectangular food container mounting portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Ralston Purina Company
    Inventor: Frank J. Weber
  • Patent number: 5992349
    Abstract: The present invention provides an animal feeder comprising a hopper and a feed tray into which feed is gravity fed from the hopper. The hopper has an inverse funnel shape to prevent feed jams. The feeder is formed from two halves with a metering gate that meters the feed fed from the hopper to the tray. The metering gate has a limited swing with pegs mounted thereon to further agitate jammed feed inside the hopper as the animal feeds from the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Inventor: Thomas D. Sachs
  • Patent number: 5988106
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating animals that are milked in an automated milking system. For the animals involved or groups of such animals, there is stored a predetermined desired weight pattern for such animals or groups of animals, which weight pattern is based on the animal's actual weight pattern which extends over a relatively long period of time including, at least, each animal's last lactation period, into a computer memory. An animal is weighed in a milking compartment where it is simultaneously milked and fed two to four times in each twenty-four hour period. On the basis of the animal's ongoing weights, having in view its earlier established desired weight values, there is determined average actual weight values taking into account the weight variations due to contents of the animal's digestive tract and udder to provide expected variations around the average value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Massland N.V. a Dutch limited liability company
    Inventor: Karel van den Berg
  • Patent number: 5975015
    Abstract: A feeding apparatus (device) has a housing including two members. These two members are telescoping arranged when the housing is in a disassembled position. Upon assembly of the housing, by moving these members with respect to each other, the members resiliently deform with respect to each other, and once the assembled position is reached, the peripheral surfaces of each member are in an abutment sufficient to inhibit the members, and thus, the housing, from collapsing. By making the housing in this manner, assembly is simple, and the feeding apparatus (device) is economical, as packaging volume, and resulting shipping volume, are reduced, when compared to contemporary feeding apparatus (devices).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: North States Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Mark Runyon, Stephen R. Alexander, Lester Stener
  • Patent number: 5950565
    Abstract: A system for housing animals in animal husbandry, particularly for raising pigs comprises a separately transportable container (15) manufactured from metal walls (20-24) which is individually supplied with a fan ventilation system (37), a bottom manure container and a feed supply (60). The animals can be transported in the container (15) and maintained in the container (15). The container can be located in rows of the container along a central alleyway (10) through which the animals can be moved and which supplies the necessary facilities. In one use of the system, the animals can be transported to a position adjacent to but spaced from a new location and maintained in quarantine until the possibility of disease is passed. In a further process for the Isowean system of raising pigs, the nursery stage between the farrowing stage and the finisher stage is carried out in the containment vessel thus avoiding additional movement of the animals which is stressful for the animals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Inventor: Jean Noel Guyot
  • Patent number: 5921200
    Abstract: An improved livestock feeder for use with an automatic feed delivery system having a feed drop tube operatively connected thereto for dispensing feed into a feed bin is disclosed. The improved feeder is provided with an adjustable feed dispensing mechanism including control levers which are operatively connected to the feed metering gates to control the flow of feed to livestock. The dispensing mechanism features a plurality of adjustable control levers which engage an array of indexing holes formed in the feeder to set the vertical height adjustment of the feed gates. The dispensing mechanism includes a graduated scale corresponding to each of the index holes to provide a standard setting for the feeder which can be utilized by an animal producer to supply of feed flow at a given stage in the animal's life cycle to obtain a desired growth rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Inventors: Paul J. Bondarenko, Bryan S. Shive, Leon S. Zimmerman, George S. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 5857426
    Abstract: A stable with a dwelling area for animals, a feeding area for storing and presenting feed and a partition between the dwelling area and the feeding area, provided with openings for allowing the heads of animals in the dwelling area access to the feeding area, is equipped with a feed slide moveable from a starting position through the feeding area towards the partition, for pushing feed stored in the feeding area over the floor of the feeding area towards the partition and with a prime mover for driving the feed slide. By moving the feed slide, feed can be pushed towards the partition according as the feed is being eaten, so that at all times a substantially constant small amount of feed is accessible to the animals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Inventor: J. M.W. Weelink
  • Patent number: 5857425
    Abstract: A feeder containing animal feed uses feed removal equipment to remove feed at a known constant rate. This feed metering apparatus is used to indicate the amount of feed remaining in the feeder at any time. This apparatus is operated to move a pointer indicating feed quantity only when feed is actually being removed from the feeder. The movement of the pointer is adjusted to correspond to feeder rates for different feeder equipment either by adjusting the duty cycle of a motor driving the pointer to different percentages of the feeder equipment operating time, or by adjusting the motor rpm rate, either by using an adjustable frequency changer to drive an ac motor, or by changing the power from ac to dc and using dc to drive a speed adjustable dc motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Inventor: Thomas L. Rahm
  • Patent number: 5819686
    Abstract: The invention herein described allows for an operator to fill a hopper with an animal food. The hopper contains an inclined chute that will funnel the food to a food trough platform and in turn to an extension member. The food on the platform is protected from the elements via an encasement as well as the swinging door. The animal may pivot the door open in order to reach the food. The hopper is disposed within a basin filled with a fluid such as water. The hopper will be surrounded by the fluid on all four sides. The food trough platform is raised above the water body in a moat like fashion. The fluid level within the basin is controlled via a water feeder control valve member so that a fresh water supply is automatically controlled within the basin. The water also serves to keep insects from the food. Therefore, an animal is allowed a fresh food and water supply for an extended amount of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Inventor: Patrick Credeur
  • Patent number: 5819687
    Abstract: A wildlife feeding device including a tree stump shaped base and a screw on tree stump top shaped lid member. The tree stump shaped base has a feed storage compartment, a feed discharge opening formed along a bottom edge of the feed storage compartment, and a feed chute provided within the feed compartment that has an angled surface that in combination with the force of gravity urges the feed in the feed compartment toward the feed discharge opening. The exterior surface of the stump shaped base is provided with a plurality of branch attachment holes into which the ends of a number of branches from surrounding trees and bushes can be inserted to assist in making the wildlife feeder blend in with the surrounding vegetation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Inventor: Jackie L. Lister
  • Patent number: 5809934
    Abstract: An automatic water dispensing device comprises main container/tank, a trough extending from the lower front end of the container that receives fluid from the tank for drinking by an animal, a flow control valve fluidly communicating the trough and container such that the valve automatically controls the flow of fluid into the trough, an arcuate recessed opening for providing clearance when drinking, a plurality of hooks or notched tabs to prevent movement by the animals or during travel, a fluid monitoring gauge and an inwardly oriented spill resistant lip defined near the upper edge of the trough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Inventor: Philippe J. L. Gavet
  • Patent number: 5794561
    Abstract: A wildlife feeder including a feed storage bin and a feed trough supported by a central support post. The bin and trough are vertically spaced to allow unobstructed animal access in the area between the bin and the trough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Inventor: John C. Schulz
  • Patent number: 5762021
    Abstract: The present invention provides a poultry feeding apparatus (30) for receiving poultry feed from an auger pipe (60). The apparatus (30) comprises a feeder tube (35) and an interengagement member. The feeder tube (35) extends between the auger pipe (60) and a feeding pan. The interengagement member is adapted for interengaging the auger pipe (60) with the poultry feeding apparatus (30) to prevent rotational swinging of the apparatus (30) relative to the auger pipe (60). The interengagement member may comprise fastening means (53) for receiving at least one projection (63) formed in the auger pipe (60), or the auger pipe (60) may comprise fastening means for receiving at least one projection formed in the interengagement member. The fastening means is preferably a notch formed therein. The feeder tube (35) preferably comprises upper and lower receiving members (31,35A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: F & M Horwood Nominees Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Francis Hedley Horwood, Gerry Bigeni
  • Patent number: 5749315
    Abstract: An animal feeder including a hopper portion and a trough portion. The hopper portion is removable from the trough portion to facilitate cleaning. By providing a plurality of trough portions having differing numbers of feed holes in one or both sides, the hopper can be removed from one trough and used in another trough to accommodate differing numbers of feeding animals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: ACO Polymer Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Jorg R. Barenwald
  • Patent number: 5699753
    Abstract: An animal feeder having a lower base member that includes an annular trough and a cylindrical feed tube that is supported on the lower base member. Formed about the lower end of the cylindrical feed tube is a plurality of feed cut-outs that are disposed adjacent the annular trough of the base member. Feed is contained within the cylindrical feed tube and flows by gravity downwardly through the feed cut-outs into the annular feed trough formed in the lower base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Inventor: James K. Aldridge, III
  • Patent number: 5649499
    Abstract: A feeding bowl mounted unitarially fabricated with edges which form an angled support for the bowl. The food in the bowl is protected by a rotational or sliding cover movable by an animal to expose the food for feeding. The exposed surface of the lid may be textured to be engagable by the animal. The lid is biased so that under the condition of the lid being released by the animal the lid is urged into a position to cover the food and form a seal between the lid an bowl to prevent the intrusion of insects. The lid further protects the food from moisture and from animals and birds not capable of moving the lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Inventors: Mark H. Krietzman, Yu-Hsin Chen
  • Patent number: 5636592
    Abstract: A portable device permits the dispensing of water, potable liquids, particulate solids and other like flowable feed material to dogs and other animals from a reservoir mountably receivable thereon, into a pooling space for consumption. A trough having a shape which allows nesting of the reservoir therein is movably coupled with the reservoir to allow movement from a first mounted position in which the bottle and trough are nested, to a second mounted position in which the reservoir brought out of nesting position and is clear of the trough. In the second mounting position, the concave interior of the trough provides the pooling space, and an outlet of the reservoir is in pool feeding communication therewith, to permit at least partial emptying of the contents of the reservoir into the trough, when a contents emptying force is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Inventor: Lawrence I. Wechsler
  • Patent number: 5596946
    Abstract: A hopper-trough feeding device for young turkeys or other fowl consisting of an inverted conical shaped feed storage hopper and circular feed trough dish combination with geometric proportions which virtually eliminates food contamination and optimize feeding rates. The feeder is useful in commercial brooder houses as a free standing, manually filled feeder until turkey poults reach an age where they can be removed from brood pens, at which time the feeder can be attached to existing automatic screw conveyor feed delivery systems as a replacement feeding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Inventors: John C. Bryant, James C. Harkey
  • Patent number: 5558039
    Abstract: An improved livestock feeder for use with an automatic feed delivery system having a feed drop tube operatively connected thereto for dispensing feed into a feed bin. The improved feeder features a feed drop tube holder fabricated from a flexible, resilient material which is installed intermediate the opposed side walls of the feed bin by compressing the holder lengthwise with hand pressure to effectively reduce its overall length and to allow tabs formed on the ends thereof to engage a plurality of horizontally opposed slots formed in the opposed side walls. The holder is next released and springs back to its original flat configuration so that the tabs engage the slots and the holder is retained intermediate the opposed side walls. The flexible holder includes a central opening that is adapted to loosely receive a feed drop tube associated with the automatic feed delivery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Staco, Inc.
    Inventor: Leon S. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 5555842
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically providing a preset, metered amount of horse feed to a stall. The apparatus includes a storage hopper and an auger transport assembly, which are both disposed upon a wall of the stall. The method includes rotating the auger and thereby delivering feed from the storage hopper to a location inside the stall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: KC Equine Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Caryl M. Chocola, Timothy W. Momont, Charles R. Bird
  • Patent number: 5492083
    Abstract: A pest-proof feeding device for containing food for an animal and preventing pests such as snails, ants, birds and roaches from scavenging or contaminating the food, while enabling a pet or other animal to access the food. In a preferred embodiment, the pest-proof feeding device is characterized by a generally dome-shaped housing which is divided into a posterior food storage compartment and an anterior food access compartment having a food access opening which is reversibly sealed by a food access panel pivotally mounted on the housing. The housing may be threadably mounted on a food bowl or shaped in one piece and pelletized animal food is loaded in the food storage compartment and food bowl through a threaded opening provided in the apex of the housing. An animal such as a dog or cat accesses the food in the food bowl by pushing against the food access panel to pivot the food access panel from a closed position into the food access compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Inventor: Peggy A. Holladay
  • Patent number: 5354223
    Abstract: A miniature building has walls surrounding an area and forming corners where pairs of adjacent walls meet. Each wall is formed by a series of horizontal elongated wall members stacked one upon the other, the wall members of each wall being interlocked with adjacent wall members of an adjacent wall at each corner formed by a pair of adjacent walls. A pair of opposed walls has upper portions extending above at least one other wall, and a roof is mounted on the upper portions of the pair of opposed walls. The roof is formed by a series of horizontal elongated roof members located one above the other in stepped formation, the wall members of the upper wall portions being interlocked with the elongated roof members. The building also has at least one retaining assembly retaining the elongated members of the roof and walls in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Inventor: Stanley Wawzonek
  • Patent number: 5345892
    Abstract: An automatic pet feeder comprises a vertically extending tubular food reservoir, a tubular food loading port adjacent an upper end of the tubular food reservoir and at least one tubular feeding port adjacent a lower end of the tubular food reservoir. The tubular food reservoir is closed at its upper and lower ends and is provided with a means at its upper end for either non-rotatably or rotatably suspending the automatic pet feeder above the ground. The food loading port has a removable cap for sealing the loading port when food is not being loaded into the pet feeder. Each feeding port is sealed by a pivotally mounted cover plate which can be pivoted out of the way by a pet to gain access to food in the feeding port. The pet feeder can also have a support stand which has a collar that slidably receives the lower end of the tubular food reservoir to support the pet feeder on the ground or floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Inventor: Osman M. Khan
  • Patent number: 5230301
    Abstract: A laboratory animal controlled access feeder has a reservoir or hopper from which feed falls into a feed tray. The hopper is completely covered and access to the feed tray is limited to a small circular opening in order to mitigate the potential for contamination of the feed. The opening in the feed tray cover has a collar which extends downward to mitigate spillage of feed from the feed tray. Compaction of powder or granular feeds is substantially eliminated via a rake which is attached to the loosely attached lid of the feed tray and thus moves back and forth through the feed as the animal eats, thus continuously manipulating the feed and preventing compaction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1993
    Inventor: Thomas O. Nass
  • Patent number: 5199382
    Abstract: The invention relates to a feed trough (1) for young farm birds, in particular turkeys. It is made of a suspended container plate (2) supported by a series of support struts (3), radially arranged, superiorly to which plate (2) is positioned a feed-dispensing cylindrical organ (4) connected to and in communication with a horizontal feed-transporting tubular conduit (6). The feed trough (1) is structured so that the distance (L) between the base (5) of the feed-dispenser organ (4) and the peripheral edge (8) of the the plate (2) is such that the small bird is able to reach the area close to the base (5) with its beak while keeping its claws outside the plate (2). The plate (2) is further equipped with a series of spokes (9) which spokes (9) extend radially and exhibit ends (10) to which the support struts (3) of the plate (2) are movably fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: SKA S.p.A.
    Inventor: Manfrin Adriano
  • Patent number: 5195458
    Abstract: A block feeder for feeding animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, deer, and the like is provided. The block feeder comprises a feed bin, support bar, and leg structure. The feed bin has an open bottom and the feed blocks are supported by the support bar so that a portion of the bottom feed blocks are exposed to the animals. The feed bin keeps the feed blocks dry, which minimizes spoilage and allows the block feeder to be restocked less frequently. As the animals consume the feed blocks, the feed blocks slide downward, exposing more of the feed block to the animals. The block feeder also may include a tray located beneath the feed block so that waste of scrap feed falling from the feed block is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Assignee: Roy W. Sanders
    Inventors: Garland Black, Roy W. Sanders
  • Patent number: 5176104
    Abstract: This invention relates to feeding troughs for animals, particularly pigs. The feeding trough has an elongate trough member (10) subdivided by lateral partitions into individual compartments (11). The width (7) of the compartments (11), the height (3) of a front wall (13) of a trough over which the animal's head extends, and a canopy (15, 16) which restricts the space within the compartment into which the animal's head can reach are all designed ergonomically with respect to a range of animals intended to use the trough. The base of the trough is at floor level (18) and the front wall (13) extends from said floor level (18) to a predetermined minimum brisket height (3) of a predetermined smallest size of pig intended to feed. The trough member has an inner front wall (14) which extends angularly downwards and inwards of the trough to terminate at floor level (18) and an inner rear wall (17) which extends angularly downwards to terminate at a predetermined height above floor level at said mean reach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: ACO Polymer Products Limited
    Inventor: Michael R. Baxter
  • Patent number: 5033411
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a bird feeder which is combined with a container for the bird food. The birdfeed container makes use of a spout, such as may be employed with the common salt dispenser, the spout being mounted for insertion and removal of the "bottom" of the bird food container. The container may take the form of a closed container, such as normally found in the familiar salt dispenser. The bird feeder has a basin which is disposed vertically below the spout. The basin is connected to the bird food container. Flow of bird food from the spout to the basin is stopped automatically by the bird food when the bird food reaches a selected level. A perch in the form of a dowel or stick is passed through holes in the wings of the spout to provide a perch for the feeding bird.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Seal Spout Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Brucker
  • Patent number: 5016572
    Abstract: A pet or animal food package and dispenser includes a food container having a bottom portion which defines a discharge opening. A removable closure or seal is secured to the container for retaining a pet food product therein. A dispensing tray includes a forward portion defining a feeding area and a rear portion defining a container mounting area. The portions are joined by a sloping ramp. A cooperating track and groove arrangement on the container and tray removably mount the container to the dispensing tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: Ralston Purina Company
    Inventors: Frank J. Weber, Lance R. Liljeqvist, Richard S. Prisco