Rotating helical conveyor system

A conveyor system for delivering feed to a plurality of animal cages arranged in rows, said conveyor system comprising:

• an endless conduit extending along a conduit run past at least one of said rows of cages and through a feed trough disposed adjacent the faces of said row of cages;
• an elongate, continuous, endless material moving element extending through said endless conduit run and longitudinally movable therethrough, and driver means for advancing said endless material moving element through said conduit run;
• wherein said material moving element comprises an elongate helical member defining a longitudinal helix axis and bendable about said axis for following said endless conduit run, and wherein said driver means comprises a gear element having projecting teeth for engaging said helical emmber for axially advancing said helical member in response to rotation of said gear element;
• the interengaged surfaces of said gear element teeth and of said helical member being formed for rotating said helical member about the helix axis thereof simultaneously with said axial advancement thereof in response to rotation of said gear element.