Animal feeding apparatus

• US 8,201,520 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rick Meritt Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: Rick Meritt Investments Limited
• Inventors: Meritt, Rick
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Son T
• Application Number:
  US12/059,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20080178816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,541 Days
• Field of Search: 119/51.01, 119/52.1, 119/57.91, 119/53, 119/56.1, 119/57.92, 222/547, 222/282
• US Class Current: 119/53
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/10 Feed racks
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/00 Feeding devices for stock or game A01K1/10 takes precedence; feeding devices for poultry or other birds A01K39/00 ; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0107 Transportable fodder pails or troughs
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0225 Gravity replenishment from a reserve, e.g. a hopper for poultry A01K39/012

Abstract

Gravity flow animal feed dispensing apparatus includes feed supply tubes depending from a bottom wall of a feed storage hopper supported by a frame elevated above ground level. Feed dispensing tubes or a plate are connected to the feed supply tubes and flow control baffles and/or a flow control valve limit the dispensation of feed. A wildfowl embodiment of the apparatus includes an access control cage disposed about the feed dispensing member. The orientation of the feed supply tubes and dispensing tubes may be varied to provide access to feed by animals of various sizes and to provide for placement of the apparatus adjacent a confinement wall or fence.

Claims

1. A gravity flow granular animal feed storage and dispensing apparatus comprising:

a feed storage and dispensing hopper adapted to store feed;

support structure adapted to support said hopper at an elevation above ground level;

a plurality of feed dispensing tubes disposed at an elevation below said hopper and above ground level, said plurality of feed dispensing tubes connected to respective openings in the hopper, to permit the flow of feed from said hopper into said feed dispensing tubes, at least one of said feed dispensing tubes having a generally horizontally extending portion, a distal end defining an opening, and an angled portion, wherein the angled portion has a lower end and an upper end, the lower end formed integrally with said generally horizontally extending portion and wherein the upper end of said angled portion is disposed at an elevation above the generally horizontally extending portion and forms a first acute angle with a horizontal axis, wherein the horizontal axis is defined by an imaginary horizontal line drawn at any point along the length of the upper end of said angled portion, wherein the first acute angle is measured between the angled portion and the horizontal axis;

wherein the distal end of said feed dispensing tube is scarfed at a second acute angle with a vertical axis to form a shield against rain or snow contaminating feed disposed within said feed dispensing tube and to permit feeding access to feed disposed therein, wherein the vertical axis is defined by an imaginary vertical line drawn from a point just above the distal end of said feed dispensing tube, the line touching the outermost portion of the distal end, wherein the second acute angle is measured between the distal end of said feed dispensing tube and the vertical axis;

wherein said feed dispensing tube permits the continuous flow of feed from said hopper into said feed dispensing tube, such that gravity causes the feed to accumulate in the distal end of the generally horizontally extending portion without the feed flowing out of the opening in the distal end.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one feed dispensing tube said feed dispensing tube has a generally circular cross section.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the second acute angle is about 25 degrees.

4. A gravity flow granular animal feed storage and dispensing apparatus comprising:

a feed storage and dispensing hopper adapted to store feed;

support structure adapted to support said hopper at an elevation above ground level;

a feed dispensing tube disposed at an elevation below said hopper and above ground level, said feed dispensing tube operably connected to said hopper to permit the flow of feed from said hopper into said feed dispensing tube, said feed dispensing tube having a generally horizontally extending portion, a distal end defining an opening and an angled portion, wherein the angled portion has a lower end and an upper end, the lower end formed integrally with said generally horizontally extending portion and wherein the upper end of said angled portion is disposed at an elevation above the generally horizontally extending portion and forms an acute angle with a horizontal axis, wherein the horizontal axis is defined by an imaginary horizontal line drawn at any point along the length of the upper end of said angled portion and through said angled portion, wherein the acute angle is measured between the angled portion and the horizontal axis; and

wherein said feed dispensing tube permits the continuous flow of feed from said hopper into said feed dispensing tube, such that gravity causes the feed to accumulate in the distal end of the generally horizontally extending portion without the feed flowing out of the opening in the distal end of said feed dispensing tube.

5. A gravity flow granular animal feed storage and dispensing apparatus comprising:

a feed storage and dispensing hopper adapted to store feed;

support structure adapted to support said hopper at an elevation above ground level;

a feed dispensing tube disposed at an elevation below said hopper and above ground level, wherein said feed dispensing tube is fixed in place and does not move relative to the hopper and support structure,

said feed dispensing tube operably connected to said hopper to permit the flow of feed from said hopper into said feed dispensing tube, said feed dispensing tube having a generally horizontally extending portion and a distal end defining an opening,

wherein the distal end of said feed dispensing tube is scarfed at an acute angle with a vertical axis to form a shield against rain or snow contaminating feed disposed within said feed dispensing tube and to permit feeding access to feed disposed therein, wherein the vertical axis is defined by an imaginary vertical line drawn from a point just above the distal end of said feed dispensing tube, the line touching the outermost portion of the distal end, wherein the acute angle is measured between the distal end of said feed dispensing tube and the vertical axis wherein said feed dispensing tube permits the continuous flow of feed from said hopper into said feed dispensing tube, such that gravity causes the feed to accumulate in the distal end of the generally horizontally extending portion without the feed flowing out of the opening in the distal end.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 5, wherein multiple feed dispensing tubes are connected to said hopper, said multiple feed dispensing tubes spaced circumferentially from one another.