Programmable weight sensitive microingredient feed additive delivery system and method

A method of dispensing and delivering microingredient feed additives into a livestock feed ration shortly before delivering the feed ration to the livestock for consumption, comprising the steps:

• storing separately multiple said additives in concentrate form;
• dispensing predetermined weights of selected said additive concentrates into a liquid carrier with no substantial intermixing of the additive concentrates before they enter the liquid carrier;
• intermixing the additive concentrates in the liquid carrier to dilute, disperse, and suspend them and form a liquid carrier-additive slurry;
• directing the slurry to a receiving station while maintaining the suspension and dispersion of the additives until delivered into a feed ration;
• and
• determining the predetermined weights of selected additives by weighing each additive sequentially and cumulatively in a common weighing container while maintaining separation of the different concentrates in said container.

A method of dispensing and delivering microingredient feed additives into a livestock feed ration shortly before delivering the feed ration to the livestock for consumption, comprising the steps:

• storing separately multiple said additives in concentrate form;
• dispensing predetermined weights of selected said additive concentrates into a liquid carrier with no substantial intermixing of the additive concentrates before they enter the liquid carrier;
• intermixing the additive concentrates in the liquid carrier to dilute, disperse, and suspend them and form a liquid carrier-additive slurry;
• directing the slurry to a receiving station while maintaining the suspension and dispersion of the additives until delivered into a feed ration;
• and
• determining the predetermined weights of different additives dispensed by measuring the loss of weight of the additive storage source for each additive dispensed.

An apparatus for measuring, dispensing, and delivering microingredient feed additive concentrates in small but accurate proportions in a liquid carrier slurry into a livestock or poultry feed ration shortly before the delivery of said feed ration to the animals for consumption, said apparatus comprising:

• a support frame means;
• multiple storage means on said support frame means for storing separately a plurality of different microingredient feed additive concentrates;
• a plurality of separate dispensing means on said support frame means, one for each said storage means, for dispensing separately and without intermingling additive concentrates from said multiple storage means;
• a hopper means carried by said support frame means in additive-receiving relationship to said dispensing means, said hopper means including hopper discharge means for discharging additives therefrom;
• a hopper flush means for introducing a stream of flush fluid into said hopper means;
• a mixing vessel in additive-receiving relationship to said hopper means for receiving additive concentrates from said hopper means and liquid carrier from a remote source;
• flow-inducing means for inducing a flow of liquid within said mixing vessel;
• delivery means for delivering a slurry of liquid carrier and additive concentrates from said mixing vessel to a receiving station for mixing with a feed ration at a location remote from said mixing vessel;
• weighing means on said support frame means, said weighing means including said hopper means, for weighing predetermined weights of said different additive concentrates dispensed into said hopper means by said dispensing means;
• vessel flush means for introducing a flow of flush liquid into said mixing vessel for removing residues of additive concentrates therefrom upon removal of slurry from said mixing vessel by said delivery means;
• and control means for:
• (a) starting the operation of selected ones of said plural dispensing means to dispense selected additive concentrates from said storage means into said hopper means;
• (b) stopping the operation of each said dispensing means when a predetermined weight of a selected additive concentrate has been dispensed by said dispensing means into said hopper means as determined by said weighing means;
• (c) before operating said discharge means, filling the mixing vessel with a predetermined volume of liquid carrier;
• (d) operating said discharge means after said selected concentrates have been weighed in said hopper means to discharge the contents of said hopper means into the liquid carrier within said mixing vessel;
• (e) operating said hopper flush means upon discharge of additives from said hopper means to flush residues of additive concentrates from said hopper means into the liquid carrier within said mixing vessel;
• (f) operating said flow inducing means to mix the additive concentrates and liquid carrier within the mixing vessel and form said slurry;
• (g) after forming the slurry within said mixing vessel, operating the delivery means to discharge the slurry from the mixing vessel and deliver it to said receiving station;
• and
• (h) during operation of said delivery means, operating said vessel flush means to flush additive concentrate residue from the mixing vessel and deliver the residue and flush liquid to the receiving station for delivery into a feed ration with the slurry.

A method of dispensing and delivering microingredient feed additives into a livestock feed ration shortly before delivering the feed ration to the livestock for consumption, comprising the steps:

• storing separately multiple said additives in concentrate form;
• dispensing predetermined weights of selected said additive concentrates into a liquid carrier with no substantial intermixing of the additive concentrates before they enter the liquid carrier;
• intermixing the additive concentrates in the liquid carrier to dilute, disperse, and suspend them and form a liquid carrier-additive slurry;
• directing the slurry to a receiving station while maintaining the suspension and dispersion of the additives until delivered into a feed ration;
• and
• determining the predetermined weights of selected additives by the step of measuring the predetermined weights while isolating the measuring means from influences that would affect the measuring function so that accurate weight determinations are obtained.

A method of dispensing and delivering microingredient feed additives into a livestock feed ration shortly before delivering the feed ration to the livestock for consumption, comprising the steps:

• storing separately multiple said additives in concentrate form;
• dispensing predetermined weights of selected said additive concentrates into a liquid carrier with no substantial intermixing of the additive concentrates before they enter the liquid carrier;
• intermixing the additive concentrates in the liquid carrier to dilute, disperse, and suspend them and form a liquid carrier-additive slurry;
• directing the slurry to a receiving station while maintaining the suspension and dispersion of the additives until delivered into a feed ration;
• and
• determining the predetermined weights by weighing at least some of the additive concentrates dispensed within a weighing container means, and after all of the some concentrates are weighed discharging them into the liquid carrier.

A method of dispensing and delivering microingredient feed additives into a livestock feed ration shortly before delivering the feed ration to the livestock for consumption, comprising the steps:

• storing separately multiple said additives in concentrate form;
• dispensing predetermined weights of selected said additive concentrates into a liquid carrier with no substantial intermixing of the additive concentrates before they enter the liquid carrier;
• intermixing the additive concentrates in the liquid carrier to dilute, disperse, and suspend them and form a liquid carrier-additive slurry;
• directing the slurry to a receiving station while maintaining the suspension and dispersion of the additives until delivered into a feed ration;
• and
• determining the predetermined weights by the step of weighing at least all of the dry additives dispensed before dispensing any of the selected and weighed dry additives into the liquid carrier.

A method of dispensing and delivering microingredient feed additives into a livestock feed ration shortly before delivering the feed ration to the livestock for consumption, comprising the steps:

• storing separately multiple said additives in concentrate form;
• dispensing predetermined weights of selected said additive concentrates into a liquid carrier with no substantial intermixing of the additive concentrates before they enter the liquid carrier;
• intermixing the additive concentrates in the liquid carrier to dilute, disperse, and suspend them and form a liquid carrier-additive slurry;
• directing the slurry to a receiving station while maintaining the suspension and dispersion of the additives until delivered into a feed ration;
• and
• determining the predetermined weights by weighing at least some of the dispensed additives separately in a weighing means before dispensing them into the liquid carrier, and then discharging all of the some additives weighed in the weighing means simultaneously into the liquid carrier.

A method of dispensing and delivering microingredient feed additives into a livestock feed ration shortly before delivering the feed ration to the livestock for consumption, comprising the steps:

• storing separately multiple said additives in concentrate form;
• dispensing predetermined weights of selected said additive concentrates into a liquid carrier with no substantial intermixing of the additive concentrates before they enter the liquid carrier;
• intermixing the additive concentrates in the liquid carrier to dilute, disperse, and suspend them and form a liquid carrier-additive slurry;
• directing the slurry to a receiving station while maintaining the suspension and dispersion of the additives until delivered into a feed ration;
• and
• determining the predetermined weights in weighing means and isolating the weighing means from the dispensing means and from movements induced by ambient influences while performing the weighing function to enhance the accuracy of said function.

A method of dispensing and delivering formulations of microingredient feed additives into a livestock feed ration at a feedlot shortly before delivering the feed ration to the livestock for consumption, comprising the steps:

• storing separately multiple said additives in concentrate form;
• weighing predetermined amounts of selected said additives, with no substantial intermixing of the selected additives during the weighing process;
• discharging the weighed amounts of the selected additives into a predetermined volume of liquid carrier;
• intermixing the liquid carrier and weighed amounts of selected additives to form a slurry;
• and
• after the slurry is formed, conveying the slurry to a receiving station while maintaining the weighed amounts of additive concentrates in suspension and dispersion until the slurry is delivered into a feed ration.

An apparatus for measuring, dispensing, and delivering microingredient feed additive concentrates in small but accurate amounts in a liquid carrier slurry into a livestock or poultry feed ration shortly before the delivery of said feed ration to the animals for consumption, said apparatus comprising:

• multiple storage means for storing separately a plurality of different microingredient feed additive concentrates;
• multiple dispensing means for dispensing additives separately from said multiple storage means;
• weighing means for determining the weights of selected additives dispensed by said dispensing means from said storage means;
• a mixing vessel for receiving a liquid carrier and the dispensed and weighed additive concentrates;
• flow-inducing means for inducing a flow of liquid carrier within said mixing vessel and thereby mixing said carrier with the dispensed additive concentrates to form a slurry;
• delivery means for delivering said slurry from said mixing vessel to a remote slurry-receiving station for mixing with a feed ration;
• and
• control means operable to:
• (a) control separately the operation of said plural dispensing means in response to weight determinations of said weighing means to control the weight of additive concentrates dispensed;
• (b) operate said flow-inducing means to cause a positive intermixing of the dispensed additive concentrates and the liquid carrier within said mixing vessel before discharge of liquid carrier from said vessel;
• (c) operate said delivery means to deliver slurry to said receiving station after the slurry is formed in said mixing vessel by said flow-inducing means.

In an apparatus for measuring, dispensing, and delivering microingredient feed additive concentrates in small but accurate amounts into a livestock or poultry feed ration shortly before the delivery of said feed ration to the animals for consumption, said apparatus including a means for measuring the quantities of several different microingredients feed additive concentrates dispensed by weight, the improvement comprising:

• a weigh frame,
• a weigh hopper,
• means for rotating said hopper from an upright position for receiving additive concentrates to be weighed to an inverted position for discharging concentrates from said hopper after weighing;
• a pair of load cells one suspending each end of said weigh hopper from said weigh frame;
• an isolator means isolating said load cells from said weigh frame and from said weigh hopper.

A method of dispensing and delivering microingredient feed additives into a livestock feed ration shortly before delivering the feed ration to the livestock for consumption, comprising the steps:

• storing separately multiple said additives in concentrate form;
• dispensing predetermined weights of selected said additive concentrates into a liquid carrier with no substantial intermixing of the additive concentrates before they enter the liquid carrier;
• intermixing the additive concentrates in the liquid carrier to dilute, disperse, and suspend them and form a liquid carrier-additive slurry;
• directing the slurry to a receiving station while maintaining the suspension and dispersion of the additives until delivered into a feed ration;
• the step of dispensing predetermined weights of selected said additive concentrates including the weighing of multiple additive concentrates before dispensing the multiple weighed concentrates into the liquid carrier.

An apparatus for measuring, dispensing, and delivering microingredient feed additive concentrates in small but accurate proportions in a liquid carrier slurry into a livestock or poultry feed ration shortly before the delivery of said feed ration to the animals for consumption, said apparatus comprising:

• a support frame means;
• multiple storage means on said support frame means for storing separately a plurality of different microingredient feed additive concentrates;
• a plurality of separate dispensing means on said support frame means, one for each said storage means, for dispensing separately and without intermingling additive concentrates from said multiple storage means;
• hopper means, including multiple hopper container means, carried by said support frame means in additive-receiving relationship to said dispensing means, said hopper means including hopper discharge means for discharging additives from said multiple hopper container means;
• a mixing vessel in additive-receiving relationship to said hopper means for receiving additive concentrates from said hopper container means and liquid carrier from a remote source;
• flow-inducing means for inducing a flow of liquid carrier within said mixing vessel;
• delivery means for delivering a slurry of liquid carrier and additive concentrates from said mixing vessel to a receiving station for mixing with a feed ration at a location remote from said mixing vessel;
• weighing means on said support frame means for weighing predetermined weights of said different additive concentrates dispensed into said multiple hopper container means by said dispensing means;
• vessel flush means for introducing a flow of flush liquid into said mixing vessel for removing residues of additive concentrates therefrom;
• and control means for:
• (a) starting the operation of selected ones of said plural dispensing means to dispense selected additive concentrates from said storage means into said hopper means;
• (b) stopping the operation of a selected said dispensing means when a predetermined weight of a selected additive concentrate has been dispensed by said selected dispensing means into a said hopper container means as determined by said weighing means;
• (c) operating said hopper discharge means to discharge the contents of a hopper container means after a selected concentrate has been weighed in said hopper container means to discharge the contents of the hopper container means into said mixing vessel;
• (d) operating said flow inducing means to mix additive concentrates discharged from the hopper means and liquid carrier within the mixing vessel and form said slurry;
• (e) operating the delivery means to discharge the slurry from the mixing vessel and deliver it to said receiving station;
• and
• (f) during operation of said delivery means, operating said vessel flush means to flush additive concentrate residue from the mixing vessel and deliver the residue and flush liquid to the receiving station for delivery into a feed ration with the slurry.

A method of dispensing and delivering microingredient feed additives into a livestock feed ration shortly before delivering the feed ration to the livestock for consumption, comprising the steps:

• storing separately multiple said additives in concentrate form;
• dispensing predetermined weights of selected said additive concentrates into a liquid carrier with no substantial intermixing of the additive concentrates before they enter the liquid carrier;
• intermixing the additive concentrates in the liquid carrier to dilute, disperse, and suspend them and form a liquid carrier-additive slurry;
• directing the slurry to a receiving station while maintaining the suspension and dispersion of the additives until delivered into a feed ration;
• and
• determining the predetermined weights by weighing at least some of the selected additive concentrates dispensed within weighing container means, and after said some concentrates are weighed, discharging them into the liquid carrier.

A method of dispensing and delivering formulations of microingredient feed additives into a livestock feed ration at a feedlot shortly before delivering the feed ration to the livestock for consumption, comprising the steps:

• storing separately multiple said additives in concentrate form;
• weighing predetermined amounts of selected said additives, with no substantial intermixing of the selected additives during the weighing process;
• discharging the weighed amounts of the selected additives into a mixing vessel;
• introducing a liquid carrier into the mixing vessel;
• intermixing the liquid carrier and weighed amounts of selected additives in the mixing vessel to form a slurry within the mixing vessel;
• and
• conveying the slurry to a receiving station while maintaining the weighed amounts of additive concentrates in suspension and dispersion until the slurry is delivered into a feed ration.

A method of dispensing and delivering microingredient feed additives into a livestock feed ration shortly before delivering the feed ration to the livestock for consumption, comprising the steps:

• storing separately multiple said additives in concentrate form;
• dispensing predetermined weights of selected said additive concentrates into a liquid carrier with no substantial intermixing of the additive concentrates before they enter the liquid carrier;
• intermixing the additive concentrates in the liquid carrier to dilute, disperse, and suspend them and form a liquid carrier-additive slurry;
• directing the slurry to a receiving station while maintaining the suspension and dispersion of the additives until delivered into a feed ration;
• and
• causing said intermixing to occur within a mixing vessel by positively intermixing the liquid carrier and additive concentrates within the mixing vessel before directing the slurry to the receiving station.