Rotary livestock feeder
AssigneeOsborne Industries, Inc.
InventorRonald M. Thibault
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A feeder for dispensing feed to livestock which includes a trough having a surface adapted to receive the feed thereon and a hopper positioned above the trough surface. The hopper has a bottom with an aperture therethrough and a side wall. A feed wheel is rotatably mounted on the trough and includes a radially extending spoke engageable by livestock. A deflector having an upwardly tapering cross-sectional configuration is positioned in the hopper and includes a lower edge positioned above the hopper bottom and terminating inwardly of the hopper side wall and outwardly of the hopper bottom aperture. Sweep means is positioned below the deflector lower edge and adapted for sweeping feed in the hopper to the aperture.
Claims17
A feeder for dispensing feed to livestock, which comprises:
- (a) a hopper including a bottom having a feed discharge aperture therethrough;
- and a side wall;
- (b) a deflector mounted in said hopper in vertically spaced covering relationship over said aperture and having a lower edge extending outwardly of said hopper bottom aperture and inwardly of said side wall;
- (c) sweep means mounted for rotation between said deflector and said hopper bottom for sweeping feed to said aperture to discharge therethrough;
- and
- (d) means operably associated with the deflector for adjusting the vertical spacing thereof over said hopper bottom, the egress of feed from the hopper being limited to flow through the aperture, whereby the rate of flow in response to movement of the sweep is dependent upon said vertical spacing between the deflector and the hopper bottom.
A feeder for dispensing feed to livestock, which comprises:
- (a) a trough having a surface for receiving feed thereon;
- (b) a hopper including a bottom having a feed discharge aperture therethrough and a side wall;
- said hopper being mounted on said trough with said bottom positioned above said trough surface;
- (c) a feed wheel movably mounted on said trough;
- said feed wheel being engageable and movable by livestock and adapted for distributing feed on said trough surface;
- (d) a deflector mounted in said hopper in vertically spaced relationship over said feed discharge aperture and having a lower edge;
- said deflector lower edge being positioned outwardly of said hopper bottom aperture and terminating inwardly of said hopper side wall;
- (e) said deflector having an upwardly tapering configuration;
- and
- (f) sweep means rotatably positioned between said deflector and said hopper bottom for sweeping feed from the hopper bottom adjacent said aperture through the latter, the vertical space between the lower edge of the deflector and the hopper bottom being obstructed only by the sweep means whereby the said space permits a flow of feed through the space in position to be engaged by the sweep means for discharge through the aperture.
A feeder for dispensing feed to livestock, which comprises:
- (a) a trough having a surface adapted to receive feed thereon;
- (b) a hopper having a bottom with a feed discharge aperture therethrough and side walls;
- said hopper being mounted on said trough with said bottom positioned above said trough surface;
- (c) a feed wheel rotatably mounted on said trough and adapted for engagement and movement by an animal, said feed wheel including a laterally and radially extending spoke;
- (d) a deflector mounted within said hopper having a lower edge and an upwardly tapering configuration;
- said deflector lower edge being positioned in vertically spaced relationship above the hopper bottom, outwardly of said hopper bottom aperture and inwardly of said side wall;
- (e) an upright member extending upwardly from said trough surface through said hopper bottom aperture, said feed wheel being mounted on said upright member between said trough surface and said hopper bottom;
- and
- (f) a feed sweep operably coupled with the wheel for rotation thereby, said sweep being mounted on said upright member between said deflector and said hopper bottom and having a laterally extending rod for sweeping feed through said discharge aperture upon rotation of the wheel the space between the lower edge of the deflector and the hopper bottom being free of obstruction to the flow of feed therethrough, except for the presence of said sweep.
A feeder for dispensing feed to livestock comprising:
- (a) a hopper including a bottom having a feed discharge aperture therethrough, and a side wall;
- (b) a deflector mounted in said hopper in vertically spaced covering relationship over said aperture and having a lower edge extending outwardly of said hopper bottom aperture and inwardly of said side wall;
- and
- (c) sweep means mounted for rotation between the deflector and said hopper bottom for sweeping feed to said aperture for discharge therethrough, the space between the lower edge of the deflector and the hopper bottom being free of obstruction, with the exception to that occasioned by said means, to the flow of feed through said space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.