Fish feeding system

• US 5,337,698 A
• Filed: 03/11/1993
• Issued: 08/16/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Federal Hill Farm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Federal Hill Farm, Inc.
• Inventors: Widmyer, Ronald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Manahan, Todd E.
• Application Number:
  US08/029,600
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 119/51.03, 119/51.11, 119/51.13, 119/3, 119/57.92, 119/230, 222/650, 222/638, 222/639, 222/63
• US Class Current: 119/51.04
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/80 Feeding devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/81 Aquaculture, e.g. of fish

Abstract

An automatic fish feeding system with a first feeder mounted on a first tank holding water and a school of fish and a second feeder mounted on a second tank holding water and a school of fish. Each of the feeders has a container for holding a supply of food and an electric motor for driving a food discharge conveyor for feeding food from the container into a tank. A control system for the feeders includes a power supply, a control center and a power lead connected to a station at each feeder. The control center, for a preselected time period, continuously distributes a first voltage to the station for each feeder and intermittently distributes a second voltage to the station for each feeder. The system has a power connection from the electric motor of the first feeder to the adjacent station, a power connection from the electric motor of the second and other feeders to adjacent stations. Each station has a switch for independently connecting the power connection to one of the first voltage and the second voltage.

Claims

1. An automatic fish feeding system comprising:

a first feeder adapted to be mounted on a first tank holding water and a first school of fish;

a second feeder adapted to be mounted on a second tank holding water and a second school of fish;

each of said feeders including a mount for supporting said feeder adjacent the respective tank, a container for holding a supply of food, an electric motor for driving a food discharge conveyor for feeding food from said container into the tank; and

a control system for said feeders including a power supply, a control center and a power lead connected to a station adjacent to each feeder, wherein said control center for a preselected time period, continuously distributes a first voltage to the station for each feeder and intermittently distributes a second voltage to the station for each feeder, a power connection from the electric motor of said first feeder to the station adjacent said first feeder, a power connection from the electric motor of said second feeder to the station adjacent said second feeder each station having a switch for independently connecting said power connection to one of said first voltage and said second voltage.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said control center includes a photocell which turns off said control center at dusk and turns on said control center at dawn.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein said control center further comprises a switch for bypassing said photocell.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein said power supply includes a solar panel and a DC battery.

5. An automatic fish feeding system comprising:

first feeding means for feeding a first school of fish;

second feeding means for feeding a second school of fish;

each of said feeding means including

means for mounting said feeding means adjacent a tank,

means for holdings a supply of food, and

means for discharging food from said holding means into said tank;

means for controlling said feeding means including

means for continuously supplying a first voltage to each feeding means, and

means for intermittently supplying a second voltage to each feeding means;

means for each feeding means for selecting between said first voltage and said second voltage;

and means for each feeding means for independently connecting said discharging means to said selecting means.

6. The invention of claim 5, comprising means for exchanging the volume of water in said tanks approximately every 20 mins. and said means for controlling said feeding means controls said feeding means to discharge food into said tank during less than 20 mins.

7. The invention of claim 5, wherein said controlling means further includes means for sensing light, wherein said continuously supplying means and said intermittently supplying means may be turned on and off in accordance with said sensing means.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said controlling means further comprises means for bypassing said sensing means, said continuously supplying means and said intermittently supplying means.

9. The invention of claim 5, wherein said means for continuously supplying a first voltage comprises:

a timing circuit outputting a fixed clock signal having a fixed period; and

a fixed counter receiving said fixed clock signal and outputting a fixed time interval.

10. The invention of claim 9 wherein said means for intermittently supplying a second voltage comprises:

a timing circuit outputting a variable clock signal having a variable period; and

a variable counter receiving said variable clock signal and outputting a variable time interval.

11. The invention of claim 10 wherein said controlling means further comprises means for resetting said fixed counter and said variable counter when said fixed time interval has passed.

12. The invention of claim 10 wherein said controlling means further comprises means for turning off said discharging means when said variable time interval has passed.

13. An automatic fish feeding system comprising:

feeding means for feeding a school of fish;

said feeding means including

means for mounting said feeding means

adjacent a tank,

means for holding a supply of food, and

means for discharging food from said holding

means into said tank;

means for controlling said feeding means

including

means for continuously supplying a first voltage to said feeding means, and

means for intermittently supplying a second voltage to said feeding means;

means for said feeding means for selecting between said first voltage and said second voltage;

and means for said feeding means for independently connecting said discharging means to said selecting means.

14. The invention of claim 13, wherein said controlling means further includes means for sensing light, wherein said continuously supplying means and said intermittently supplying means may be turned on and off in accordance with said sensing means.

15. The invention of claim 14 wherein said controlling means further comprises means for bypassing said sensing means, said continuously supplying means and said intermittently supplying means.

16. The invention of claim 13, wherein said means for continuously supplying a first voltage comprises:

17. The invention of claim 16 wherein said means for intermittently supplying a second voltage comprises:

a timing circuit outputting a variable clock signal having a variable period; and

a variable counter receiving said variable clock signal and outputting a variable time interval.

18. The invention of claim 17 wherein said controlling means further comprises means for resetting said fixed counter and said variable counter when said fixed time interval has passed.

19. The invention of claim 17 wherein said controlling means further comprises means for turning off said discharging means when said variable time interval has passed.

20. A method of automatically feeding fish comprising the steps of:

continuously supplying a first voltage to a feeder;

intermittently supplying a second voltage to said feeder;

selecting between said first voltage and said second voltage, outputting a selected voltage; and

discharging food from said feeder into a tank containing fish in response to said selected voltage.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

sensing light; and

switching said continuously supplying and said intermittently supplying on and off in response to said sensing.