Method and means for feeding animals

An animal feeder comprising,

• a circular trough having a raised platform portion at its center, an inner side wall portion extending downwardly and outwardly from the periphery of said raised platform portion, and an upturned outer wall portion at the outer end of said inner side wall portion.
• a water discharge means positioned in said trough for supplying water thereto,
• electrical valve means connecting said water discharge means to a source of water,
• an elongated electrical moisture sensing means positioned on said inner side wall portion, said elongated electrical moisture sensing means having upper and lower ends with the upper end thereof being disposed above the lower end thereof, for sensing the presence of moisture thereon,
• means electrically connecting said sensing means to said electrical valve means for closing said electrical valve means when said sensing means senses the presence of moisture in contact therewith,
• a vertically disposed hollow feed supply tube positioned above said raised platform portion of said trough and having its lower end spaced therefrom to define a feed opening therebetween whereby feed in said feed supply tube will be deposited on said raised platform portion and will be accessible to an animal at said feed opening,
• means for selectively vertically moving said feed supply tube with respect to said raised platform portion to vary the size of said feed opening,
• said water discharge means being spaced from said moisture sensing means so that water being discharged from said water discharge means will not initially come into contact with said moisture sensing means but will accumulate in said trough until the water level in said trough reaches a predetermined level with respect to said moisture sensing means to cause said moisture sensing means to close said electrical valve means.

An animal feeder comprising,

• a circular trough having a circular, raised feed platform at its center, an inner side wall extending downwardly and outwardly from the periphery of said platform, an arcuate bottom wall at the lower end of said inner side wall, and an outer side wall extending upwardly from said arcuate bottom wall,
• a water dispenser mounted on said inner side wall for dispensing water into said trough,
• an electrically operated valve means connecting said water dispenser with a source of water,
• an electrical switch including an electrode positioned on said inner side wall operatively connected to said valve means for closing said valve means when the water level in said trough reaches a predetermined level with respect to said electrode,
• said switch also closing said valve means when a predetermined level of wet feed is in contact with said electrode,
• a plurality of supports secured to said trough at the periphery thereof,
• a plurality of upstanding panels, having inner and outer ends, secured at their lower outer ends to one of said supports and extending upwardly therefrom,
• said panels defining eating spaces therebetween,
• a first ring-shaped member secured to the inner ends of said panels above the lower ends thereof,
• a second ring-shaped member secured to the inner ends of said panels adjacent the upper ends thereof,
• a vertically disposed hollow feed supply tube positioned in said first and second ring shaped members and having its lower end spaced from said platform to define a feed opening therebetween whereby feed in said feed supply tube will be deposited onto said platform for access by an animal,
• and vertical adjustable means interconnecting said feed supply tube and one of said first and second ring-shaped members for selective vertical movement of said feed supply tube relative to said platform to vary the size of said feed opening.

A feeder for animal comprising a trough which is substantially circular in plan view surrounding a vertical central axis so as to define an outer rim surface defining an outer edge thereof for containing feed materials within the trough, the outer rim surface being arranged such that a number of the animals can stand around the trough at angularly spaced positions of the trough and reach over the rim surface to a feeding area within the trough to eat the feed materials from the trough, hopper means located above the trough for depositing feed into the trough and including a duct portion extending downwardly toward the trough, receiving surface means located beneath a lowermost edge of the duct portion and arranged relative to the lowermost edge so as to be spaced therefrom by a distance such that a repose angle of the feed material causes the feed material to remain on the receiving surface means between the receiving surface means and the lowermost edge to control supply of further feed material from the hopper means into the trough, means connecting the receiving surface means and the trough, a plurality of divided members mounted on the trough at angularly spaced positions therearound so as to divide the feeding area into a plurality of separate sections, and means connecting at least the duct portion of the hopper to the divided members, connection between the duct portion and the trough through the divider members being flexible to allow some movement between the duct portion and the trough and therefore between the duct portion and the receiving surface means to prevent bridging of feed material therebetween, said feeder including a plurality of support feet secured to the trough for engagement with a supporting surface, each of said divider members being connected to one of said support feet and extending upwardly therefrom.