Feeding system for a stable
OwnerJ. M.W. Weelinkinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stable with a dwelling area for animals, a feeding area for storing and presenting feed and a partition between the dwelling area and the feeding area, provided with openings for allowing the heads of animals in the dwelling area access to the feeding area, is equipped with a feed slide moveable from a starting position through the feeding area towards the partition, for pushing feed stored in the feeding area over the floor of the feeding area towards the partition and with a prime mover for driving the feed slide. By moving the feed slide, feed can be pushed towards the partition according as the feed is being eaten, so that at all times a substantially constant small amount of feed is accessible to the animals.
Claims9
A feed slide for moving feed, the feed slide movable along a floor toward a cattle feeding area from a starting position spaced apart from the cattle feeding area, the feed slide comprising:
- a frontal side;
- a horizontally extending member adapted to extend substantially parallel to the floor;
- a vertical member for engaging feed disposed on the floor and extending along the frontal side and substantially perpendicular to the horizontal member, the vertical member mounted on the horizontal member and having a lower edge disposed adjacent the floor;
- at least one flexible hauling element extending from the frontal side adjacent the lower edge and having a free end for attachment adjacent the feeding area;
- a feed slide driver mounted on the feed slide and connected to the hauling element, the hauling element having a tensioned condition wherein a force is applied to the hauling element by the feed slide driver and the hauling element in the tensioned condition adapted to extend above and immediately adjacent the floor of the feeding area such that feed deposited between the feed slide and the feeding area is at least partially supported on the hauling member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.