Automatic animal feeder

An animal feeder system comprising a mobile feeder, the mobile feeder comprising:

• at least first and second feed compartments;
• first and second dispensing devices respectively associated with the first and second feed compartments and adapted to deliver a feed ingredient from the associated feed compartment to a common discharge area;
• a variable speed first motor connected to drive the first dispensing device;
• a second motor connected to drive the second dispensing device;
• and,
• a controller connected to control the first and second motors,
• the controller adapted to cause animal feed comprising a selected blend of feed ingredients from the first and second feed compartments to be discharged by way of the common discharge area by adjusting relative speeds of the first and second motors;
• a discharge chute wherein the first and second dispensing devices each deliver a feed ingredient into the discharge chute;
• wherein the dispensing devices each comprise an auger, the first and second motors each comprise a computer-controlled variable speed motor, the mobile feeder is suspended from an overhead track and the mobile feeder comprises a computer-controlled drive motor coupled to turn a drive roller which is in frictional engagement with the track
• wherein the overhead track is suspended by a plurality of supports, the mobile feeder comprises a sensor which detects the supports and generates a signal when the mobile feeder is adjacent one of the plurality of supports and the controller is connected to receive the signal, the controller maintaining current position information indicative of a current position of the mobile feeder along the track and map information specifying positions of the plurality of supports, the controller adapted to update the current position information from the map information when the signal indicates that the mobile feeder is at one of the supports.

An animal feeder system comprising:

• a feed compartment;
• a discharge chute;
• a dispensing device associated with the feed compartment and adapted to deliver a feed ingredient from the feed compartment to the discharge chute;
• a motor connected to drive the dispensing device;
• a full switch located to detect when a feed drop being filled by the animal feeder system is full;
• and,
• a controller connected to operate the motor until the full switch indicates that the feed drop is full.

A method for delivering customized blends of animal feed at a plurality of locations, the method comprising:

• providing a mobile feeder comprising a plurality of feed compartments each containing a different one of a plurality of animal feed ingredients;
• moving the mobile feeder to a dispensing location;
• obtaining a ratio of two or more specific animal feed ingredients in a selected blend of the two or more specific animal feed ingredients to be dispensed at the location;
• simultaneously dispensing a desired quantity of the two or more specific feed ingredients by operating dispensing devices associated with the plurality of feed containers at controlled rates having a ratio selected to correspond with the ratio of the two or more specific feed ingredients to be dispensed at the location while maintaining the ratio of the controlled rates substantially constant;
• and,
• substantially simultaneously stopping the operation of the dispensing devices when the desired quantity has been dispensed.

A method for delivering customized blends of animal feed at a plurality of locations, the method comprising:

• providing a mobile feeder comprising a plurality of feed compartments each containing a different one of a plurality of animal feed ingredients;
• moving the mobile feeder to a dispensing location;
• obtaining a ratio of two or more specific animal feed ingredients in a selected blend of the two or more specific animal feed ingredients to be dispensed at the location;
• simultaneously dispensing a desired quantity of the two or more specific feed ingredients by operating dispensing devices associated with the plurality of feed containers at controlled rates having a ratio selected to correspond with the ratio of the two or more specific feed ingredients to be dispensed the location while maintaining the ratio of the controlled rates substantially constant;
• and,
• substantially simultaneously stopping the operation of the dispensing devices when the desired quantity has been dispensed
• wherein the mobile feeder is movable along a track supported by a plurality of track supports and moving the mobile feeder to a dispensing location comprises detecting and counting a plurality of the track supports.

An animal feeder system comprising a mobile feeder, the mobile feeder comprising:

• a plurality of feed compartments;
• a plurality of dispensing devices, one of the dispensing devices respectively associated with each of the feed compartments and adapted to deliver a feed ingredient from the associated feed compartment to a common discharge area;
• a plurality of motors including a motor connected to drive a first one of the dispensing devices and, for each dispensing device other than the first one of the dispensing devices, a corresponding variable speed motor connected to drive the corresponding dispensing device;
• and,
• a controller connected to control each of the plurality of motors,
• the controller configured to discharge by way of the common discharge area a desired amount of animal feed consisting of a selected blend of feed ingredients from the plurality of teed compartments by adjusting relative speeds of the plurality of motors to have desired ratios and operating the plurality of motors while maintaining the relative speeds at the desired ratios until the desired amount of animal feed has been discharged.