Rotary livestock feeder with gravity flow feed openings
US10182553B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 12, 2015 |
| Grant date | Jan 22, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 25, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA01K5/0225
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A feeder for dispensing feed to livestock includes a trough and a hopper mounted above the trough. The hopper includes a sidewall, a bottom, a central feed discharge hole through the bottom, and a plurality of gravity flow feed openings arranged around the central feed discharge hole. A deflector is mounted in the hopper above and vertically spaced from the hopper bottom to cover the central feed discharge hole to restrict gravity flow of feed from the hopper through the central feed discharge hole. A sweep member is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis for sweeping feed under the deflector to the central feed discharge hole for discharge into the trough. A closure system is associated with the gravity flow feed openings to automatically close the gravity flow feed openings once animals start moving the sweep member to sweep feed to the central feed discharge hole.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.