Abstract: The instant disclosure presents a technological advancement of the flour dispensing mechanism for a food preparation appliance. The flour dispensing mechanism comprises a dry flour container, a blade assembly and a compartment wheel. The blade assembly comprises at least one packer and a blade. The dry flour container contains a knocker. The compartment wheel comprises a plurality of compartments as cubes. The gear box and motor estimate the quantity of the flour being dispensed using a software. The software also enables to estimate the level of dry flour in the dry flour container.

Abstract: A plug insert matingly fits into the open lower end of a feed tube in a gilt or sow stall. The plug includes an inlet for receiving feed from the tube and an outlet for discharging feed onto the floor of the stall. The inlet and outlet are offset from one another. An axle extends through the plug, with spokes on the lower outer end of the axle, an anti-bridge bar on the upper end of the axle, and one or more fins on the central portion of the axle. Discharge of the seed is controlled by the gilt or sow as she rotates the spokes on the forward end of the plug, thereby rotating the fins or spiral flighting to carry feed from the inlet to the outlet. This self-feeding system eliminates or minimizes feed waste while providing an appropriate feeding program for the gilt or sow.

Abstract: A feeder for discharging a load of material includes a hopper, a swing arm pivoting between raised and lowered positions in the hopper, and a ram mounted on the free end of the swing arm. The ram is moved by the swing arm back and forth on a curved floor in a trapezoidally shaped trough underneath the hopper to push material in the trough out of the hopper through a discharge outlet. A shutoff valve at the discharge outlet prevents backflow of discharged material into the trough.