Animal feeder with dispensing mechanism and dust cover

An animal feeder having a hopper for receiving animal feed, the animal feeder comprising:

• a housing having a lower portion and an opening disposed adjacent to said lower portion to facilitate the cleaning of the animal feeder, said opening including a plurality of elongated slots, said elongated slots being adjacent the lower portion of the trough;
• an index member having a plurality of adjustment positions;
• an adjustable member operable to cover the opening in said housing;
• and
• an engagement member mechanically communicating with said adjustable member and being operable to engage said index member so as to control the position of said adjustable member with respect to the opening in said housing.

An animal feeder having a hopper for receiving animal feed, the animal feeder comprising:

• a housing having an opening disposed therein to facilitate the cleaning of the animal feeder;
• an index member having a plurality of adjustment positions;
• an adjustable member operable to cover the opening in said housing;
• an engagement member mechanically communicating with said adjustable member and being operable to engage said index member so as to control the position of said adjustable member with respect to the opening in said housing wherein the engagement member includes a projection operable to engage said plurality of adjustment positions.

An animal feeder having an adjustable cleaning mechanism to allow cleaning fluid to exit the feeder when the feeder is being cleaned, the animal feeder comprising:

• a side portion of a trough having at least one opening positioned at a lower portion of said trough;
• a cleaning mechanism having an outer door movably disposed adjacent to the side portion and at least partially covering the opening positioned at the lower portion of said trough;
• and
• a control lever coupled to the outer door, the control lever controlling the location of the outer door with respect to the opening positioned at the lower portion of said trough.

An animal feeder having an adjustable feed gate and being at least partially defined by a wall, said animal feeder comprising:

• a feed dispensing mechanism including:
• a first index member having a plurality of adjustment positions,
• a first engagement member operable to be engaged with said plurality of adjustment positions, and
• a linkage in communication with the adjustable feed gate, whereby adjustable engagement between said first engagement member and said first index member is operable to control an amount of feed delivered by the animal feeder;
• and
• a cleaning mechanism including:
• a second index member having a plurality of adjustment positions,
• said wall having at least one opening disposed therein,
• an adjustable member operable to cover the opening in said wall,
• a second engagement member mechanically communicating with said adjustable member and being operable to engage with said second index member, and
• said second engagement member operable to control the flow of cleaning fluid through the opening in said wall.

A method for cleaning an animal feeder having a trough defining a plurality of elongated slots located at a lower portion of the trough, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing an adjustable cleaning gate disposed adjacent to the plurality of elongated slots which are positioned adjacent the lower portion of the trough;
• providing a stream of cleaning fluid;
• adjusting the position of the adjustable cleaning gate to expose at least a portion of the plurality of elongated slots at the lower portion of the trough;
• washing said animal feeder with said cleaning fluid;
• allowing the cleaning fluid to drain out said plurality of elongated slots in the lower portion of the trough;
• adjusting the position of said adjustable cleaning gate to substantially cover the plurality of elongated slots in the trough;
• and
• disposing feed in the trough.