US 8,960,995 B2Granted

Mixer/feeder apparatus and a device for monitoring operation of the mixer/feeder apparatus

AssigneeSalford Engineering Limited

InventorsJohn Joseph McCurdy, Oliver Thomas O'Neill, Hugh McNab Kerr, Jérôme Jean-Yves Eon, Seth Daniel Wareing, Timothy John Penfare

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Abstract

A mixer/feeder wagon (1) for mixing and dispensing batches of animal feed comprises a device (50) for monitoring operation of the mixer/feeder wagon (1) and for determining instants during a mixing cycle during which ingredients of the animal feed are to be loaded into the mixer/feeder wagon (1). The mixer/feeder wagon (1) comprises a mixing compartment (14) within which a paddle mixer (17) is rotatable for mixing the ingredients of the batch of animal feed therein. Load sensors (9) produce signals indicative of the current weight of the ingredients in the mixing compartment (14) which are read by a microprocessor (55) of the device (50). A proximity sensor (38) counts the number of revolutions of the paddle mixer 17. Particulars of the ingredients of the batch of animal feed together with the weights of the respective ingredients are stored in a RAM (56) in the device (50) as well as the instants during a mixing cycle at which the respective ingredients are to be loaded into the mixing compartment (14) based on the count of revolutions of the paddle mixer (17) from the commencement of the mixing cycle. The microprocessor (55) in response to signals from the proximity sensor (38) outputs a signal to activate a siren (67) to indicate when the next ingredient is to be loaded into the mixing compartment (14). The identities of the respective ingredients as they are to be loaded into the mixing compartment (14) are displayed on a visual display screen (54) together with the weights thereof.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A device for use in conjunction with a mixer/feeder apparatus for monitoring operation of the mixer/feeder apparatus and for determining instants during a mixing cycle of a batch of animal feed at which respective ingredients of the animal feed are to be loaded into the mixer/feeder apparatus, the device comprising:

a first storing means, the first storing means being configured to store data indicative of the identities of the respective ingredients of the batch of animal feed, the proportions of the respective ingredients required to produce the batch of animal feed, the instants during the mixing cycle of the batch of animal feed at which the respective ingredients are to be loaded into the mixer/feeder apparatus, and the duration of the mixing cycle,
a signal processing means responsive to the stored data in the first storing means for sequentially producing first signals indicative of the identities of the ingredients and the weights thereof in the sequence in which the ingredients are to be loaded into the mixer/feeder apparatus during the mixing cycle, the signal processing means being responsive to the data stored in the first storing means and to a signal indicative of a function of mixing by the mixer/feeder apparatus for sequentially producing second signals to identify the instants at which the respective ingredients are to be loaded into the mixer/feeder apparatus during the mixing cycle, and
a display means responsive to the first signals for sequentially displaying the identities of the ingredients in the sequence in which the ingredients are to be loaded into the mixer/feeder apparatus during the mixing cycle.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/920,835Filed 6 Mar 2009
Priority: IE S2008/01726 Mar 2008
Published: US 2011/0112688 A112 May 2011
Granted: 24 Feb 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

A23K 10/32
From material of plant origin, e.g. roots, seeds or hay; from material of fungal origin, e.g. mushrooms: from hydrolysates of wood or straw
A01K 1/0156
Floor coverings, e.g. bedding-down sheets ; Stable floors: devices for mechanical bedding manipulation
A01K 5/002
Fodder distributors with mixer or shredder: with mixing or shredding element rotating on horizontal axis
A23K 10/37
From material of plant origin, e.g. roots, seeds or hay; from material of fungal origin, e.g. mushrooms: from waste material