Animal feeder with fluted joint

An apparatus for distributing feed to animals comprising:

• (a) a bin for storage of the feed;
• said bin having at lower end thereof a dispensing aperture through which the feed flows;
• said bin being provided with first connector means on opposite sides thereof;
• (b) an animal feeder trough positioned below and near said bin such that the feed flows from the bin into said trough;
• said trough being provided with second connector means on opposite sides thereof;
• said trough having a rear wall projecting inwardly at spaced locations therealong providing recesses;
• (c) a connector for securely joining said bin and said trough, said connector including:
• (1) said first connector means and said second connector means;
• (2) said first and said second connector means having an operative position wherein both are slidably mated;
• and wherein:
• (3) said first connector means and said second connector means are of such a goemetric design as to absorb tensile forces acting to separate said bin from said trough;
• and
• (d) bracket means adapted to extend in said rear wall recess means and slidably engage said rear wall and a lower portion of said bin so as to be secured thereto.

An apparatus for delivering feed to animals comprising:

• (a) a trough for distribution of the feed to the animals, said trough having a floor surface, opposing side walls and opposing front and back walls respectively extending upwardly from said floor surface;
• (b) a bin for storage of the feed having a feed dispensing aperture in a lower portion thereof;
• said bin connected to and communicating with said trough such that feed is adapted to flow from said bin through said dispensing aperture to said trough;
• (c) means to connect said bin to said trough;
• and
• (d) a feed containment wall extending upwardly from said trough floor and outwardly from said trough back wall, said containment wall circumscribing said bin aperture and spaced from said trough front and side walls;
• said containment wall extending upwardly from said trough floor;
• such that said containment wall is adapted to allow feed to overflow that portion of said trough floor surface circumscribed by said containment wall and is adapted to restrict flow of feed into said trough floor surface outside that portion thereof circumscribed by said containment wall.

In an apparatus for providing feed to animals comprising a bin for storage of the feed and a trough for distribution of the feed, the improvement comprising:

• (a) a joint for securing said bin to said trough wherein:
• (1) said bin has opposed side wall members having outer wall surfaces;
• and said trough has a back wall, forwardly projecting opposed side walls, a front wall and a floor;
• (2) said bin side walls each include a rib extending outwardly from said respective side wall, each of said ribs including an outer wall surface facing the trough side walls located near said rib respectively;
• (3) said trough back wall includes two forwardly projecting recesses, said recesses inwardly disposed toward said trough front wall and spaced from said trough side walls;
• and said recesses including an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion;
• each of said recess inner wall portions including respectively a groove formed therein;
• each of said grooves protruding into a respective recess, and each of said grooves having facing wall surfaces respectively;
• and
• (4) said bin and said trough slidably mate with each of said ribs being slidably received in a respective groove, each of said rib outer wall surfaces snugly engaging the inner wall surfaces of the respective grooves.