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US 6,101,975 AGranted
Apparatus for feeding swine
OwnerKeith Berry, Brian Berryinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Feed hopper for a sow has opening at bottom surrounded by a seat upon which a ball check is adapted to rest, thereby to seal the opening and prevent the discharge of feed therethrough. A sow can nudge upwardly the ball check, unsealing the opening and permitting the discharge of feed from the hopper. Vertically adjustable means limit upward movement of the ball check so as to limit the maximum extent to which the opening can be unsealed. A water button, operatively connected to a source of water, can be nudged by the sow to discharge water for her.
Claims4
Apparatus for dispensing feed on demand to a swine, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a hopper adapted to contain feed for said swine and having an opening at the bottom thereof through which feed may be discharged from the hopper;
- (b) a seat around the periphery of said opening at the bottom of said hopper;
- (c) a vertically movable ball check in said hopper and adapted to rest on said seat thereby to seal said opening and prevent the discharge of feed from said hopper, said ball check further being adapted to be nudged upwardly by said swine thereby to unseal said opening and permit the discharge of feed from said hopper;
- and
- (d) a stop means comprising a circular drum positioned over said ball check, to limit the upward movement of said ball check thereby limiting the extent to which said opening is unsealed.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.