Livestock feeder
OwnerMark Ottoinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A livestock feeder includes a hopper, a feed pan, and a door. The hopper includes an inlet and an outlet. The feed pan is coupled to the hopper and includes a first edge and an opposite second edge. The first edge is disposed to receive feed dispensed from the outlet. The door is suspended over the feed pan. The door has a proximal portion and a distal portion. The proximal portion is pivotably coupled to the hopper to facilitate the rotation of the door about an axis disposed over the feed pan, to facilitate the transition of the door between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position the distal end of the first door extends over the second edge of the feed pan. The axis is parallel to and spaced apart from a vertical plane passing through the second edge of the feed pan.
Claims17
A livestock feeder comprising:
- a hopper having a first inlet configured to receive feed and a first outlet configured to dispense said feed;
- a first feed pan coupled to said hopper, said first feed pan having a first edge and a second edge, said first edge disposed to receive said feed dispensed from said first outlet, said second edge opposite said first edge;
- a first door suspended over said first feed pan, said first door having a proximal portion and an opposite distal portion, said proximal portion of said first door pivotably coupled to said hopper to facilitate the rotation of said first door about a first axis disposed over said first feed pan to facilitate the transition of said first door between an open position wherein said first feed pan is accessible to livestock and a closed position wherein said distal end of said first door extends over said second edge of said first feed pan, said first axis being parallel to and spaced apart from a first vertical plane passing through said second edge of said first feed pan
- a second feed pan coupled to said hopper, said second feed pan having a first edge and a second edge, said first edge of said second feed pan disposed to receive said feed dispensed from a second outlet of said hopper, said second edge of said second feed pan being opposite said first edge of said second feed pan;
- and
- a second door suspended over said second feed pan, said second door having a proximal portion and an opposite distal portion, said proximal portion of said second door pivotably coupled to said hopper to facilitate the rotation of said second door about a second axis disposed over said second feed pan to facilitate the transition of said second door between an open position wherein said second feed pan is accessible to livestock and a closed position wherein said distal end of said second door extends over said second edge of said second feed pan, said second axis being parallel to and spaced apart from a second vertical plane passing through said second edge of said second feed pan;
- and wherein
- said second vertical plane is parallel to said first vertical plane;
- said distal portion of said second door moves toward said first vertical plane as said second door transitions to said open position;
- and
- said distal portion of said first door moves toward said second vertical plane as said first door transitions to said open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.