Patent · US Expired

Dispensing device

US5133292A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
10References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 9, 1991
Grant dateJul 28, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 9, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02A40/81
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

In a dispensing device for automatically feeding fish a base 11 has mounted on its upper surface 14 a drive member 23 constantly rotated by a small, highly geared battery powered stepping motor controlled by a quartz controlled electronic circuit mounted within the base. A ring 15 of compartments freely rotatable on the surface 14 within location ribs 16 of the base has on its inner periphery 18 spaced ribs 26 one of which will be engaged by a pawl 25 or 25' of the drive member 23 during each revolution of the drive member, whereby the ring 15 is periodically arcuately displaced. The compartments of the ring 15 are open at top and bottom and in their path is an aperture 20 through the base. The compartments of the ring 15 are brought successively into alignment with the aperture 20 so that fish food located in the compartments is discharged by gravity through the aperture 20. Each pawl 25,25' is removably pegged into a selected one of eight holes 35 distributed circumferentially of the top of the drive member 23 so that the times when the ring 15 will be displaced during each revolution of the drive member 23 can be selected.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.