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US 2012/0269028 A1Published application
Animal feed Mechanism
OwnerTimothy J. Gordoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An animal feed mechanism includes a manually operated slide valve interposed between a set of upper agitators and a set of lower screw conveyors. In some examples, two upper agitators are installed within a plastic funnel, and two lower screw conveyors are disposed within a metal auger housing. Each screw conveyor includes an auger driven by its own separate motor. Thus, there are two motors for rotating the two augers. The two motors can be energized individually to selectively rotate either auger or to rotate them concurrently. In some examples, a transmission coupling the two augers to the two agitators conveys power to rotate both agitators regardless of whether either one or both motor driven augers are operating.
Claims20
An animal feed mechanism for handling feed, the animal feed mechanism comprising:
- a first hopper for receiving the feed;
- a first funnel for receiving the feed from the first hopper, the first funnel being disposed underneath the first hopper and being smaller than the first hopper;
- a first agitator disposed for rotation within the first funnel;
- a first auger housing disposed underneath the first funnel for receiving the feed from the first funnel;
- a first screw conveyor comprising a first feed tube and a first auger, the first feed tube being connected to the first auger housing, the first auger extending through the first feed tube and into the first auger housing, the first auger being rotatable to urge the feed out from within the first auger housing and through the first feed tube;
- a valve being interposed between the first agitator and the first auger, the valve defining an adjustable restriction for transferring the feed from the first funnel to the first auger housing;
- a first motor coupled to the first auger to impart rotational energy that rotates the first auger within the first feed tube;
- and
- a transmission mounted to at least one of the first funnel and the first auger housing, the transmission coupling the first auger to the first agitator, the transmission transferring the rotational energy from the first auger to the first agitator to rotate the first agitator within the first funnel as the first auger rotates within the first feed tube.
6 more elements
The animal feed mechanism of claim I, wherein the transmission includes a first roller clutch.
The animal feed mechanism of claim I, wherein the first auger housing comprises two opposite facing ends that include a first end and a second end, and the animal feed mechanism further comprising:
- a second agitator disposed within the first funnel;
- a second screw conveyor comprising a second feed tube and a second auger, the second feed tube being connected to the first auger housing, the second auger extending through the second feed tube and into the first auger housing, the second auger being rotatable to urge the feed out from within the first auger housing and through the second feed tube, both the first feed tube and the second feed tube extending from the first end of the first auger housing, and the transmission being disposed in proximity with the second end of the first auger housing.
The animal feed mechanism of claim I, further comprising:
- a second agitator disposed within the first funnel;
- and
- a second screw conveyor comprising a second feed tube and a second auger, the second feed tube being connected to the first auger housing, the second auger extending through the second feed tube and into the first auger housing, the second auger being rotatable independently of the first auger to urge the feed out from within the first auger housing and through the second feed tube, wherein the rotational energy imparted by the first motor rotates both the first agitator and the second agitator regardless of whether the second auger is rotating.
An animal feed mechanism for handling feed, the animal feed mechanism comprising:
- a first hopper for receiving the feed;
- a first funnel for receiving the feed from the first hopper, the first funnel being disposed underneath the first hopper;
- a first agitator disposed for rotation within the first funnel;
- a first auger housing disposed underneath the first funnel for receiving the feed from the first funnel;
- a first screw conveyor comprising a first feed tube and a first auger, the first feed tube being connected to the first auger housing, the first auger extending through the first feed tube and into the first auger housing, the first auger being rotatable to urge the feed out from within the first auger housing and through the first feed tube;
- a first motor coupled to the first auger to impart rotational energy that rotates the first auger within the first feed tube;
- a transmission mounted to at least one of the first funnel and the first auger housing, the transmission coupling the first auger to the first agitator, the transmission transferring the rotational energy from the first auger to the first agitator to rotate the first agitator within the first funnel as the first auger rotates within the first feed tube;
- a second hopper for receiving the feed;
- a second funnel for receiving the feed from the second hopper, the second funnel being disposed underneath the second hopper and being spaced apart from the first funnel;
- a second agitator disposed within the second funnel;
- a second auger housing disposed underneath the second funnel for receiving the feed from the second funnel;
- and
- a drive shaft coupling the first agitator in the first funnel to the second agitator in the second funnel.
10 more elements
An animal feed mechanism for handling feed, the animal feed mechanism comprising:
- a first hopper for receiving the feed;
- a first funnel for receiving the feed from the first hopper, the first funnel being disposed underneath the first hopper;
- a first agitator disposed for rotation within the first funnel;
- a first auger housing disposed underneath the first funnel for receiving the feed from the first funnel;
- a first screw conveyor comprising a first feed tube and a first auger, the first feed tube being connected to the first auger housing, the first auger extending through the first feed tube and into the first auger housing, the first auger being rotatable to urge the feed out from within the first auger housing and through the first feed tube;
- a second screw conveyor comprising a second feed tube and a second auger, the second feed tube being connected to the first auger housing, the second auger extending through the second feed tube and into the first auger housing, the second auger being rotatable to urge the feed out from within the first auger housing and through the second feed tube;
- a first motor coupled to the first auger to rotate the first auger within the first feed tube;
- a second motor coupled to the second auger to rotate the second auger within the second feed tube, the first motor and the second motor being selectively energizable concurrently and one-at-a-time;
- and
- a transmission mounted to at least one of the first funnel and the first auger housing, the transmission coupling the first auger to the first agitator, the transmission coupling the second auger to the first agitator, the transmission transferring rotation of the first auger to the first agitator when the first motor is energized and the second motor is de-energized, the transmission transferring rotation of the second auger to the first agitator when the second motor is energized and the first motor is de-energized, the transmission transferring rotation of at least one of the first auger and the second auger to the first agitator when both the first motor and the second motor are energized concurrently.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.