US 5,219,224 A · Programmable apparatus and method for delivering microingredient feed additives to animals by weight

Abstract

A method and apparatus whereby livestock and poultry are administered feed additives in their feed ration. The apparatus stores additive concentrates separately until just prior to use, then on demand dispenses the additive concentrates into one or more weigh hoppers for weighing therein. The weighed contents of the weigh hoppers are discharged into a liquid carrier within a mixing vessel where the dispensed additives are diluted, suspended, and dispersed by mixing. The resulting carrier-and-additive slurry is pumped to a receiving station for mixing with a feed ration. The weighing components are isolated from movements that would affect additive weight determinations during the weighing process so that accurate measurements of additive weights are obtained. Dispensing and weighing of multiple additives within a single weigh hopper are sequential. Each additive may be weighed and discharged from the hopper individually or cumulatively with other additives. With multiple weigh hoppers, dispensing, weighing and discharge of additives from the different hoppers can occur simultaneously or independently. A programmable control can program the apparatuses for dispensing either entirely on a weight basis, partly on a weight basis and partly on a metering basis, on a weight-compensated metering basis, or entirely on a metering basis if the weighing means malfunctions.

Claims19

Dependent claims

In an apparatus for measuring, dispensing and delivering microingredients in small but accurate proportions in a liquid carrier slurry into a livestock or poultry feed ration including multiple storage means for storing separately a plurality of different microingredient feed additive concentrates and multiple metering means, one for each storage means, for metering the microingredients on a volumetric basis from the storage means;

separate weigh means for weighing each said storage means,
weight determining means operable with each said separate weight means for determining and recording an initial weight of a storage means including the microingredients therein;
means operable following the commencement of operation of a metering means associated with said storage means to cause said weight determining means to determine a second weight of said storage means;
means for calculating a weight loss of said storage means from the initial and second weights of the storage means to provide an actual weight of a microingredient used;
means for calculating a theoretical weight of said microingredient used based on the speed rate and time of operation of the associated metering means;
comparison means for comparing the actual weight of said microingredient used with the theoretical weight of the same said microingredient used to determine the difference between said actual and theoretical weights;
and
adjustment means operable to adjust at least one of the speed rate and time of operation of said metering means based on said difference to cause said theoretical weight to approximate said actual weight;
and means for repeating the sequential operation of said weight determining means, said means for calculating a weight loss, said means for calculating a theoretical weight, said comparison means and said adjustment means, such that the theoretical weight of a concentrate dispensed by said metering means can be maintained to at least approximate the actual weight of a concentrate dispensed.

6 more elements

A method of dispensing and delivering precise predetermined amounts of multiple microingredient feed additive concentrates from separate multiple concentrate storage containers into a liquid carrier to produce a formulation of selected additives, the method comprising:

weighing the separate storage containers before metering microingredient therefrom and recording the initial weights of the separate containers;
metering predetermined theoretical weights of multiple selected microingredients from their separate storage containers by operating a separate metering device associated with each container at a rate of speed and duration of time calculated to dispense said theoretical weight;
discharging the metered selected microingredients into a liquid carrier;
after recording the initial weights and after metering the theoretical weights of the selected microingredients from their associated storage container, weighing the associated storage containers again and recording second weights of the associated storage containers;
calculating the loss-of-weight of the associated storage containers by subtracting their second weights from their initial weights to determine the actual weights of the selected microingredients dispensed;
for each selected microingredient dispensed, comparing its theoretical weight with its actual weight;
and then for each selected microingredient
adjusting at least one of (a) the speed and (b) the duration of metering of its metering device so that the theoretical weight of the selected microingredient dispensed will at least approximate the actual weight of the same selected microingredient dispensed upon further dispensing of the selected microingredient;
and for each selected microingredient
repeating the weighing, calculating, comparing and adjusting steps from time to time to maintain the adjustment of its metering device such that the theoretical weight continues to at least approximate the actual weight of the selected microingredient dispensed.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Programmable apparatus and method for delivering microingredient feed additives to animals by weight

Life of this patent

Programmable apparatus and method for delivering microingredient feed additives to animals by weight

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19