Automated feeder
OwnerPhillip Frederick Kochaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated livestock feeder for storing and dispensing food such as hay or granular feed in a feed container, to an animal at predetermined intervals utilizes a tray control flange which releases a feed tray on which feed sets. At a predetermined feeding time a motor rotates the flanged latch thereby releasing the tray to rotate from a storage position to a dispense position. The invention generally comprises a housing containing a feed tray supported by the housing defining a compartment for supporting and protecting feed, and a tray control flange for supporting each feed tray. The activation mechanism includes an electrical power source, a timer relay/mechanical switch, and an electrical motor.
Claims7
An automated feeder, comprising:
- a housing having a rectangular front wall and two rectangular side walls;
- a feed tray having a rear edge hinged to the housing side walls and a front edge terminating in proximity to the housing front wall;
- a tray control flange rotatably mounted in proximity to the housing front wall and movable between a flange first position in which the flange supports the feed tray in a storage position and a flange second position in which the flange releases the tray so that the tray pivots about the hinge to a dispense position;
- said feed tray control flange comprising:
- two flanges connected at right angles by a vertically oriented cylindrical shaft with upper flange circular and lower flange partially circular and flattened on one side with flattened side tangential with said cylindrical shaft such that when the flattened side is parallel with and farthest away from the front of said feed tray said lower flange supports the free end of said feed tray and when the flattened side is parallel with and closest to the free end of said feed tray said lower flange does not support said feed tray;
- said feed tray control flange supported at inner edge of said upper flange by a motor housing attached to said front wall comprising:
- irregularly shaped hole in bottom allowing insertion of said upper flange of said rotating flanged shaft when axis is tilted from the vertical yet disallowing removal when axis is vertical thus allowing axial forces placed on said tray control flange to be transferred to the motor housing;
- roof slanted at a sufficient angle to prevent a flake of hay or rounded feed container suitable for holding granular feed from catching on motor housing;
- a motor operable to rotate the flange between the first and second positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.