Abstract: An animal feeder, with separate pivotally supported gates on each side thereof which are generally vertically adjustable by adjustment means readily accessible at each side of the apparatus for varying the size of the respective feed discharge openings, is provided with means for permitting enhanced agitation of the feed in the hopper and means for improving the control of feed from the hopper including means overlapping with the ends of the pivotally supported gates for preventing feed from the feeder storage hopper from flowing around the side ends of the gates, and also with locking means for many easily securing the gates in desired vertically adjusted positions while permitting increased agitation of the feed in the hopper.

Abstract: A feeder for dispensing feed to livestock which includes a trough having a surface adapted to receive the feed thereon and a hopper positioned above the trough surface. The hopper has a bottom with an aperture therethrough and a side wall. A feed wheel is rotatably mounted on the trough and includes a radially extending spoke engageable by livestock. A deflector having an upwardly tapering cross-sectional configuration is positioned in the hopper and includes a lower edge positioned above the hopper bottom and terminating inwardly of the hopper side wall and outwardly of the hopper bottom aperture. Sweep means is positioned below the deflector lower edge and adapted for sweeping feed in the hopper to the aperture.

Abstract: An improved swine feeding apparatus of the type having a feed storage unit (11) operably connected to a feed receiving and dispensing trough unit (16). The improvements include an interior feed retaining wall (41) to assist in maintaining all feed within access of a feeding swine. The improvements further includes an improved agitator unit (17) whereby a swine operated agitator member (49) may rotate and pivot freely to agitate feed. Finally, the invention includes an improved feed gate unit (18) wherein the threaded connection between the feed gate shaft (29) and the crank handle (32) is protected against contact with the feed.

Abstract: A novel feeding system and feeder unit for supplying feed to hogs and like animals is disclosed. The feeding system includes a plurality of the novel feeders, and a feed conveyor adapted to deliver feed to each feeder. Each feeder comprises an immobile pan, and superstructure affixed over and to the pan. A threaded shaft is journaled so as to extend upwardly from the pan. A rotor gate is journaled over the pan and is threaded on the shaft means. Under normal conditions, the rotor gate simply turns within the pan and agitates the feed being consumed by the hogs. However, when a latch is depressed, the threaded shaft is immobilized, and rotation of the rotor gate about the immobilized shaft acts to raise and lower the rotor gate relative to the pan. This relative motion adjusts the size of at least one feed-delivery gate space defined between the rotor gate and the pan.

Abstract: A gravity flow feeder for caged animals, especially fur bearing animals such as mink is disclosed wherein said feeder comprises an open ended container with front, side, rear and bottom panels. The bottom panel slopes forward from the rear panel underneath the bottom edge of the front panel to form a ramp, wherein the bottom panel forms a trough beyond the front panel and the gap between the bottom of the trough and the bottom edge of the front panel provides an opening to permit flow of feed into the trough from the container. A screen overlays the inside of the front panel, said screen being of slightly larger vertical dimensions than the front panel to at least partially cover the opening and of slightly smaller horizontal dimensions. Attachment of the screen on the top edge of the front panel and the dimensions of the screen permit lateral and rearward movement of the screen.

Abstract: A hog feeding device comprising at least a lower unit having a bottom portion with opposite end walls and spaced apart side walls extending upwardly therefrom to define a central feed storage area therebetween. A plurality of horizontally spaced apart feed bowls are provided at the lower ends of the side walls which are in communication with the central feed storage area. A feed flow adjustment assembly is mounted within the feed storage area to control the amount of feed passing from the central feed storage area to the feed bowls. An agitator assembly is also mounted in the feed storage area which is activated by the hogs, during feeding, to prevent the feed from clogging or plugging in the feed storage area. The lower unit is of monolithic concrete construction.

Abstract: An animal feeding apparatus includes a bunk, or trough for receiving solid feed and water and animal actuated hopper means disposed over the trough. The water dispensing function is provided by a plurality of valves having operators to be actuated, preferably, by the snout of an animal and which are configured and disposed to inhibit actuation by the animal at such times as the level of liquid in the bunk exceeds a predetermined depth. The feed dispensing function is provided by the simultaneous actuation of an elongated agitator, disposed on one side wall of the hopper and in a dispensing slot in the bottom of the hopper, and a grate, disposed above the agitator and adjacent the slot and the opposite side wall of the hopper, by an agitator arm connected to the agitator and the grate, and extending downwardly into the bunk for actuation by an animal. The agitator and the grate are pivotable about a common axis to provide different radii of oscillation.

Abstract: An improved hog feeder with automatic dispensing mechanisms comprising a hopper which is attached to a bottom crate portion of the feeder which is formed with one or more conical recesses into which the hog or other animal may insert his head so as to feed and which includes an annular agitator device which fits between the bottom open end of the conical member and the bottom of the tray portion of the feeder such that as the animal moves the agitator with his nose as he eats feed will be supplied from the storage bin. The feeder provides automatic dispensing of the feed as well as restricts the lateral head movement of the animal which prevents wasting of feed.

Abstract: A self feeder for livestock is provided which comprises a base member having a surface for receiving feed thereon and a hopper positioned thereabove. The hopper is adapted for containing feed therein and has a bottom with an aperture for allowing feed to flow therethrough and into said base member receptacle. A plurality of hopper support members are each connected respectively to the base member and the hopper and are also adapted for separating feeding animals. A feed wheel rotatably mounted in the receptacle includes an upright member rotatably mounted in the receptacle. The upright member extends through the hopper bottom aperture with upper and lower portions respectively above and below the level of the hopper bottom. An agitating rod extends from the upright member upper portion for agitating feed within the hopper as the feed wheel is rotated. The feed wheel lower portion includes a spoke extending from the upright member which is movable by an animal to rotate the feed wheel.

Abstract: An animal feeder is disclosed which comprises a feed trough and a hopper mounted above the trough for automatically feeding stored food into the feed trough as it is consumed by animals feeding therein. Flow of food from the hopper into the feed trough is controlled by an agitator or butt plate located within the trough and spaced a predetermined distance from the bottom of the trough. A wire grid extends from the butt plate upwardly into the hopper such that agitation or movement of the butt plate by animals feeding within the trough causes corresponding movement of the wire grid. To control the flow of food from the hopper into the trough, the butt plate is adjustable relative to the trough so as to vary the size of the opening through which the food must flow in order to become accessible to animals feeding in the trough. This adjustment is effected by a pivoted lever which is controlled from a handle located in the open top of the hopper.

Abstract: A hog feeding device is provided comprised of a hopper assembly and underlying multi-compartment base unit. The parts of the device which are ordinarily subject to rapid deterioration, namely the base unit and the end walls of the hopper assembly, are fabricated from concrete as monolithic components. Because of special features of construction, the monolithic components can be easily fabricated, and the device can be readily assembled from its component parts.

Abstract: A fish-actuated aquarium feeder is disclosed wherein a valve having a downwardly extending actuator rod is pivotably supported within a housing that is fastened to the wall of the aquarium. The upper surface of the valve is substantially dome-shaped with the periphery thereof including a series of circumferentially spaced-apart radially extending grooves. An inverted cannular container rests on the top of the dome-shaped valve surface to form a substantially closed storage chamber for fish food with the peripheral grooves lying outside the downwardly facing opening of the container when the valve is in its equilibrium position. When the fish deflect the actuator rod in the proper direction, the valve is rotated from the equilibrium position and permits a small portion of the fish food to fall downwardly into the water.

Abstract: An animal feeding apparatus for the holding and delivery of feed to animals. The apparatus includes a feed hopper with two inwardly sloping walls and a flow diverter at the bottom of the hopper, splitting and diverting the flow of feed to each of two feeding troughs. The flow diverter extends along the entire length of the feed hopper, being formed by the junction of the rear sloping wall of each feeding trough. The two feeding troughs, extending the entire length of the feeder, are on opposite sides to each other and have a horziontal base portion, a sloping upward rear portion and a sloping upward front portion whose edge is bent back forming a safety edge. Each feeding trough has a plurality of agitators that extend horizontally into the feeding trough and vertically into the feed hopper. The animals through their feeding motion move the agitators which in turn loosen feed in the feed hopper. Individually adjustable feed gates above each agitator control the amount of feed flow.

Abstract: An animal feeding device in which the animal actuates the transfer of the feed from a sheltered feed storage hopper to a feeding station by working a lever or similar device. The feed hopper is positioned above the feeding station, whereby the feed will transfer by gravity therebetween. A rotatable cylinder having pockets therein is positioned between the storage hopper and the feeding station so as to block gravity flow of the feed. A rod is fixedly attached to the rotatable cylinder and extends outwardly into the feeding station, such that the animal may swing the rod from side to side thereby rotating the cylinder back and forth. The rotation of the cylinder alternatively causes the pockets therein to fill with feed and to empty into the feeding station. A dampening mechanism is provided which senses accumulation of feed in the feeding station and resists additional demand of feed by the animal.

Abstract: Rodent poison dispenser comprises a housing with an upper chamber suitable for holding poison bait separated by a separating wall from a lower chamber into which rodents can enter, wherein the separating wall has an opening which can be closed by a consumable protective plate of a taste or odor attractive to rodents.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding livestock, provided with a housing having a head insertion opening via which the animals can take in the food, and comprising a dosing device for food supply to the housing and responsive to the presence of selected specimens of the animals. There are provided discharge means for food leavings from the housing, said discharge means becoming operative upon removal of the head of an animal from the head insertion opening, and inoperative in the presence of the head of an animal in the head insertion opening.

Abstract: The apparatus of this invention more positively controls liquid feed and solid (grain) feed consumption by animals in a simple economical and efficient manner, while minimizing contamination and wastage problems. Basically, the invention comprises in combination (1) a lick wheel rotatably mounted in an enclosed liquid feed container, with a portion of the circumference of the liquid wheel being exposed to the animal to be fed, (2) a means for adjusting the amount of lick wheel surface exposed to the animal to be fed, to thereby control the amount of liquid feed consumed by the animal per tongue lick, (3) means for discharging solid feed to the animal in an amount proportional to the amount of rotation of the lick wheel to obtain thereby a fixed ratio of solid to liquid feed, to be fed to the animal, and (4) means for varying the solid feed discharge independently of the amount of rotation of the lick wheel so as to increase or decrease the fixed ratio of solid to liquid feed fed to the animal.

Abstract: A dispenser particularly suitable for use with minerals, salt or hygroscopic feed supplements for livestock comprises: a hopper for mineral storage; a feeding trough situated at the bottom of the hopper; plural spatially separated and overlapping baffle plates extending downwardly and inwardly in the hopper; and mineral agitator means having an actuating member located within the trough for movement by livestock feeding therefrom, the baffle plates being operable to enable free operational movement of the agitator means by limiting the mineral quantity in contact therewith. Baffle means laterally and downwardly converging from the hopper toward the trough limit mineral flow into the latter. Mineral flow from the hopper into the trough is determined in accordance with movement of the agitator means by feeding livestock.