Animal feeder
OwnerJames K. Aldridge, IIIinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An animal feeder having a lower base member that includes an annular trough and a cylindrical feed tube that is supported on the lower base member. Formed about the lower end of the cylindrical feed tube is a plurality of feed cut-outs that are disposed adjacent the annular trough of the base member. Feed is contained within the cylindrical feed tube and flows by gravity downwardly through the feed cut-outs into the annular feed trough formed in the lower base member.
Claims18
A two-piece animal feeder for feeding animals such as small turkeys and chickens, comprising:
- a) a base member having an annular feeding trough defined about the periphery thereof;
- b) a cylindrical feed tube having a cylindrical wall structure having inner and outer sides and upper and lower open ends, the cylindrical feed tube being designed to be supported on the base member and functioning to confine feed therein end to direct the feed downwardly by gravity to the annular feeding trough;
- c) a raised central island formed in the base member with the central island projecting upwardly from the base member and designed to project upwardly in the lower open end of the feed tube so as to generally center the feed tube about the base member and to limit lateral movement of the feed tube with respect to the base member;
- d) a series of spaced apart elongated horizontal feed cut-outs formed in the cylindrical wall of the feed tube adjacent the lower open end, the feed cut-outs being normally disposed adjacent the annular feeding trough when the feed tube is supported on the base member thereby directing the gravity flowing feed from the feed tube downwardly and outwardly through the feed cut-outs into the annular feeding trough;
- and
- e) a fastening structure for attaching the cylindrical feed tube to the base member including cooperating fasteners formed on the inside wall of the cylindrical wall structure of the feed tube and on the centering island projecting upwardly from the base member, and wherein the fasteners are operative to assume an unattached and an attached mode, and wherein the fasteners associated with the feed tube and base member include at least one groove and a mating locking bead with the locking bead adapted to be inserted into the groove to form a locked relationship.
An animal feeder for feeding animals such as small turkeys, comprising:
- a) a base member having an annular feeding trough defined therein;
- b) a cylindrical feed tube having an open cylindrical wall structure with opposed upper and lower open ends with the cylindrical feed tube being designed to be supported on the base member such that the annular feeding trough is defined adjacent the outer lower portion of the cylindrical feed tube when the same is supported on the base member;
- c) at least one feed opening formed in the feeder for directing feed from the feed tube into the annular feeding trough of the base member;
- d) a raised island formed in the base member with the island protecting upwardly from the base member into the lower open end of the feed tube the feed tube is supported by the base member;
- and
- e) a fastening structure associated with both the base member and the cylindrical feed tube for attaching the cylindrical feed tube to the base member, the fastening structure including an interlocking groove and a locking bead structure wherein the locking bead can be turned into engagement with the groove to create a locked relationship between the base member and the cylindrical feed tube.
An animal feeder for feeding animals such as small turkeys, comprising:
- a) a base member having an outer feed holding area, an outer wall, and a series of spaced apart supports disposed upwardly of the outer wall with the supports including a groove formed therein;
- b) a cylindrical feed tube having upper and lower end portions with the cylindrical feed tube being designed to be supported on the base member;
- c) at least one feed opening formed in the feeder for directing feed from the feed tube into the feed holding area of the base member;
- and
- d) a cooperating fastening structure formed on the base member and feed tube for fastening the feed tube to the base member, the cooperating fastening structure including the groove formed on the base member and an attaching member extending from the feed tube and including at least one break therein that permits the attaching member to align with the groove before the attaching member is secured to the groove, wherein the fastening and unfastening is achieved by rotating either the feed tube or the base member relative to the other and causing the attaching member to be turned in the groove.
The feeder of 14 wherein the grooves are inwardly spaced from the outer wall of the base member, and wherein the feed tube includes a wall having the attaching member formed thereon and wherein the attaching member is formed about the lower end portion of the end feed tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.