CA1324742C

CA1324742C - Feeder for animals

Info

Publication number: CA1324742C
Application number: CA000616141A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Edward A. Akins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: HI-QUAL MANUFACTURING Ltd
Priority date: 1989-05-19
Filing date: 1991-08-20
Publication date: 1993-11-30
Anticipated expiration: 2009-05-19
Also published as: WO1990014001A1; AU5652290A; CA1294498C

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
FEEDER FOR ANIMALS
A feeder for cylindrical bales includes a lower circular band defined by hoops and an upstanding sheet of material forming a skirt. Frames or members are then attached to the outer frame and extend upwardly therefrom with the animal able to reach between the frame members for grasping feed from a bale confined within the feeder. In accordance with the improvement of the present invention, the frame members are bent inwardly and upwardly so that the animals front legs are confined outwardly away from the bale while the animal can reach over the inclined portion of the frame member and through the vertical portion of the frame member to the bale. The animal is encouraged to feed within the outer frame and cannot be trampled or spoiled. The animal is inhibited from pressing its shoulders against the frame thus reducing damage or breakage and excessive movement of the feeder.

Description

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This invention relates to a feeder for receiving a large cylindrical bale for distributing the bale to a number of animals which are particularly but not exclusively cattle. Round bale feeders are well known and manufactured in large numbers. The feeders are designed to receive a single cylindrical bale of feed material which i8 confined within the bale feeder for access by a number of animals surrounding the bale feeder. The most simple feeders of this type comprise simply a plurality of circular rails which are connected to form a cylindrical body of a size to fit around the periphery of the bale. The connecting members comprise either vertical bars or slant bars so that the animal can pass its head through the bars to reach the feed from the bale which is confined within the feeder. Often a sheet metal skirt is provided from the lowermost ring which rests upon the ground to a height of the order of eighteen inches to assist in confining the feed material inside the feeder. Bale feeders of this type are manufactured in large numbers and by a large number of manufacturers. They do however a number of faults. Firstly there is a tendency for the animal particularly at the early stages of eating from a bale to pull material outwardly from the bale to the outside of the frame and to drop some of the material in that area outside of the frame wherein it becomes trampled and spoiled. Secondly the frame is prone ~ .~' ' ~ , . . , , . . . . . . . .. " . , . -, . . , ., , . , ., . , . , ~ . , . , , . , - : .. , -- -2- l 324742 .
to damage from being pushed around ~n the feed lot by th/e animals. The animal can press it8 shoulders against the bars and push forwardly in an attempt to reach ~eed within the frame and this pushing action often causes premature failure of the welded connections.
one type of feeder which i8 becoming more popular i8 that known as a "tomb~tone~ feeder which i8 generally of the same construction as previously described except that the feeder is formed by a lower band reaching up approximately to the shoulders of the animal and a plurality of "tombstones" which project upwardly from the upper edge of the band. Each tombstone comprises a U-shaped frame member which is generally tubular in construction with the U-shape inverted to define a curved upper edge and the legs extending downwardly and connected to the band. This type of construction tends to be more rugged than the hoop type construction. In addition in between each tombstone and the next tombstone is a path or channel within which the animal '~
can place its head with that path being open at the top ~o that the animal can lift its head out freely without contacting an upper rail or hoop of the feeder.
one example of a feeder of this general type j i8 shown in British patent 1292185 which includes the outer band and tombstones but is of a modified construction in that it includes a hopper feeder arrangement centrally of the outer band. The tombstone feeder does however continue :: :
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~3~ 1 324742 to have the problem of the waste material since the animal can pull the material outwardly from the bale to the outside of the feeder where it is trampled and wasted.
one improved arrangement is shown in U.S.
Patent 4,706,609 (Delichte) which shows an arrange~ent of the hoop type feeder in which an outer frame is provided having bars spaced sufficiently to allow the animal to pass its head between the bars into the area between the outer frame and an inner frame with the inner frame confining the bale away from the outer frame. In this way the animal reaches in through the outer frame to the bale confined inside of the inner frame and tends to eat with its head . . -, .
between the inner and outer frames so that any material falling from the mouth of the animal collects between the inner and outer frames and thus cannot be trampled. This feeder has therefore achieved some success since it resolvec , the problem of feed waste and significantly reduces waste to an amount which is economically viable despite the increa~ed cost of the device due to the increased complexity~ ;
This device does however have particular problems in that it is larger than conventional feeders and cannot be broken down into simple parts so that transportation of the large bulky feeder becomeæ very difficult and expensive. Conventionally feeders are often broken down into angularly separated parts which can be stacked readily one on top of the other allowing large -. ' . ,.' , ...

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, numbers of feeders to be transported and subsequently bolted s together to form the complete circular feeder. This transportation system is not po sible in the improved feeder of Delichte leading to further increases in cost relative to conventional feederæ.
As the cost of feed increases and improved cost efficiencies become necessary, more atte~tion i5 being given to feed saving and hence improvements to the conventional feeder are becoming urgent. In addition the tombstone feeder is becoming more popular in view of its above stated advantaqes.
UMMaRY OF TH2 INV~N~ION
It is one object of the present invention to provide an improved design of feeder which may overcome or alleviate some or all of the above stated disadvantages.
, According to a first aspect of the invention, therefore, in the conventional bale feeder of the type hereinbefore defined for receiving in a conventional bale ¦ feeder of the type for receiving a s7ngle cylindrical bale of feed material and comprising a plurality of coaxially arranged, axially spaced, horizontal circular rails which are connected at vertically spaced positions to form a generally cylindrical body of a size to fit around the l periphery of the bale with one rail at the bottom of the j body and at least one second rail above the bottom rail, the ¦ rails being connected by generally upstanding bars arranged ~ 5 ~ 1 324742 so that the animal can pass its head between the bars to reach feed from the bale confined within the feeder, there is provided the improvement in which at least said bottom one and said at least one second rail of the circular rails form an outer frame portion shaped to rest upon the ground and to define a band surrounding the bale and having an upper edge at which the outer frame terminates which is below the head height of the animal and over which the animal can reach for feeding, the upstanding bars defining a plurality of elongate frame members each connected to the outer frame portion and shaped to extend from the outer frame portion to a top of the body at a position inwardly of the outer frame portion and at a height above the upper edge of the outer frame portion to provide a confining effect on the bale at a position cpaced inwardly of the outer frame portion, each elongate frame member having a first part extending from the outer frame with a component of direction inwardly of the outer frame portion and a second part extending from the first part with a component of direction upwardly of the top of the outer frame portion, the area internally of the frame members being open to freely receive one large bale therein.
According to a second aspect of the invention the feeder of the type defined above is further improved wherein each of the frame members comprises a first portion extending generally inwardly from the upper edge of the .
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outer frame portion to an inner end thereof and a second portion extending substantially vertically upwardly from the inner end, the first portions being arranged at a height 3 below the head height of the animals and the second portions being arranged to provide said confining effect.
The construction provided therefore by the outer ¦ band of the device together with the inwardly turned frame members which extend upwardly from the outer band enables the device to be constructed simply and inexpensively and in addition can in some cases enable the device to be split angularly into separate parts for transportation.
When using the tombstone feeder construction, the tombstones provide a particularly rigid construction with open spaces between each tombstone and the next tombstone which enables the animal to reach through these open spaces and to pull their head from the open spaces by lifting through the free space at the top of the tombstones. - -As the spacing between the tombstones at the , 3 : -? i~
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. qecond portion is narrower than the spacing at the outer band, 3 the ani~al can reach between the frame members with more room to move its head~ from side to ~ide allowing it clean the area adjacent its feet.
The spacing between the second poctions and the outer frame enable the animal to drop material so that it falls within the outec frame and c2mains in clean condition without being trampled.
As the outer frame i3 lower than the 3houlders of the animal and the frame members are bent inwardly away from the outac frame, the animal has no possibility of applying large pres~ure forces against the outside of the frame. The shoulders of the animal can only just reach the ~econd portions of the frame members while the animal retains its front feet on the ground so that it has great difficulty applying shoulder pre~sure against the frame members. This prevents the cattle from pu~hing the feeder acound the feed lot and pcevents the danger of damage by breaking of the welded couplings between the outer frame and the tombstone frame members.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will b~com~ apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates a~ this specification proceeds, the -~ invention i8 hecein described by referencQ to the accompanying ::.

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drawings focming a part heceof, which include~ a descciption of ¦ the best mode known to the applicant and of the preferred typical embodiment of the principle~ in the prasent invention, in which:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA~INGS
~ Figure 1 is a top plan view of a feeder accocding ¦ to the invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the feedec of Figuce 1.
Fiqure 3 i3 a ccoss sectional view through one side of the feedec ~howing the po~ition of a bale and showing :;.
one slight modification celative to the device a~ ~hown in Figuce 1. ~`
$n the drawings like characterq of ceference indicate cor~esponding pactq in the different figure~
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The feedec comprises an outer frame portion generally indicated at 10 and a plucality of tombstone frame members 11. :~ -The outer frame 10 compriseq thcee circular hoops i~
¦ 12, 13 and 14 which ~urround substantially the whole of the ~ -~ feeder and define a circular shape foc the outer frame portion .~ .:
.1 in plan as ~hown in Figuce 1.
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¦ Each of the to~bstone f~ame m~mbecs comp~i3es a ¦ metal tube bent to fo~m an invected U-shaped membec with a I cu~ved uppe~ poction 15 and a paic of depending legs 16 and 17.
¦ The depe~ding leg 16 and 17 are welded to the oute~ f~ame poction 10 and thus support the hoops 12, 13 and 14 at spaced pO3 i tions.
As shown in Figuce 3, the hoops 12, 13 and 14 ace focmed fcom tubulac membecs. In addition the~e i8 pcovided an optional sheet metal skict 18 welded to the tubulac membecs.
The skict assists in pceventing the escape of feed material fcom the acea inside of the outec fcame poction. , ~
The "tombstone" membecs ace so called in view of ,;g the fact that in elevational view they appea~ as a shape of tombstone and each is sepacated from the next without any {
coupling element accoss the top of the fcame membecs ao that i~
the animal can ceach between each tombstone membec and the next tombcitone member by placing its head ovec the top of the tomb~tones down between the tombstones foc ceaching into the matecial foe feeding.
Each of the tombstone membecs as shown in Figuceai 1 and 2 includes a poction 20 vslded to the outer aucface of the outec fcame and pcoviding 9tcuctuc 1 stcength foc the outec fcame and also cigidly attaching the tombstone membec to the ~j , .

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;~ outer fralne ~o that it is re~i~tant to bceakaqe.
A f ic~t portion 21 of the tombstone member i~
inclined inwardly and upwardly toward the bale. A second portion 22 extendR vertically upwardly ~o that all of the second portion~ 22 lie on a circle having a diameter le99 than that of the outer frame. The second portions 22 as best sho~n in Figure 1 define a circle which i~ shaped to confine the bale within the area bounded by the ~econd portion3 30 that the bale i8 held away from the outer frame portion.
A~ best ~hown in Figuce 3 there i3 a modified arcangement in which the upper edge of the second portions 22 ~ includes an outwacdly curved portion 22A which define-~ a feed -;i in -~urface by which the bale can dropped into the area centrally of the bale and centered into the position confined by the second portions of the tombstone membec,~.
A~ shown in ~igure 3 the height of the outer frame is of the order of eighteen inche~ to two feet ~o that it ~eaches just to the brisket of the animal that i9 belov the shouldQr or ju~t at the top of the leg. The neck of the animal extend9 ovee the inclined po~tion 21 allowing the head to reach between the tombstone member~ for feeding. When the bale is { closely adjacent the tomb~tone members the animal can reach the feed material without pressing its head fully through the -` 1 324742 tombstone membecs. When it ia neces~acy to ceach thcough, when the bale i~ becoming smallec, the ~mallec animal~ can push theic head dic~ctly between the tomb3tone membecq whefea~
lacgec animal~ or horned animalq will need to lift theic head ovec the tombstone membec and qlide it down between two tombqtone membecq.
As be~t qhown in Figuce 1 the qpacing between the leg3 of the tombqtone membecs incceases towacd the outec ffame ~o that the animal can ceach down to a position adjacent its fcont feet ju~t inside the outec fcame and can move its head fcom side to ~ide in view of the incceaqed ~qpacing between the tombstone membecs.
In Figuce~ 1 and 2 it i~ ~hown that the fcame is bcoken into thcee sepacate poctions which ace bolted togethec as indicated at 24. Thiq can be done foc ea_e of tcanspoctation, but in some caseq whece tcanspoctaiton i~ not a pcoblem, the feedec can be made a_ an integfal unit. A
quitable flange i9 welded on the end~ of the hoop~ 12, 13 and 14 thus focming a poction which extends ovec a 120. When bolted togsthe~ the hoop~ form the full 360 defining a cicculac feedec. Howevec when sepacated it will be appceciated that each poction can be ~tacked on top of the next adjacent poction with ~he oute~ peciphecy of one poction engaging the .

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innec peciphacy of the next adjacent poction and the tombstone membec~ eithec dicectly oveclying each othec oc off~et 90 that the tombstone membecs of one lie intecmediate the tombstone membec~ of the next adjacent poc~ion. In this way tcanspoction of the feedecs cequice~ vecy little space.
The davice described above ha3 the following advantages.
(1) it iQ vecy Qimple to position the feedec ovec tha bale oc to dcop the bale into the intecioc of the faedec. This i9 because the position on the feedec whece the bdle is confined includes an inclined feed in poction so that the poction that ficst engages the bale ia of incceased diametac leading towacd the most conined diameter poction.
(2) The bale always cemains cent2ced within the feedec.
(3) The amount of wastage outside the feedec is dcamatically ceducad since the animal is encoucaged to eat with its head inside the outac fcame 90 that any matecial dcopping collects insids the outec fcame and can be eaten without being tcampled.

(4) The fact that the tombstone membecs bend ,, away fcom the animal pcevent the animal fcom pcessing its shouldecs against the tombstone~ thus c~ducing focces tending to bceak the feedec.

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~1 ' (S) The cattle cannot push the feedec acound within the feed lot which can cause fucthec damage oc can locate it at place~ whece its not cequiced and can di~tucb the ~ -$ feed within the feedec.
(6) It pcovides the advantages of the cing feede~ desccibed above including innec and outec fcames and yet , .
include~ the advantage of the tomb3tone feedec which has inS~ceased cigidity, the impcoved acce~s by the animal and the ceduced dangec of the animal having its head tcapped.
(7) The pcoduct can be easily packaged and shipped thus ceducing tcan~poctation cost~.
(8) The pcoduct i~ equal to oc only slightly moce expensive than a conventional tombstone feedec accocdingly can be ~old at reasonable pcice oc a good pcofit.
(9) The configucation of the tombstone membec3 by which the spacing between the membecs inccea~e~ and decceaseo along the length of the membecs allow~ easy manouvecability of the animals head.
(10) The numbec of stations foc animal feeding acound the feedec is incceaaed by the lacgec diametec of the fcame.
Sioce vaciou~ modifications can be made in my invention as heceinabove desccibed, and many appacently widely ~ , ~' ', ~ . , , , ,; ,, ~, :, . ~ ! , ., ;; ~

s 1 324742 ,- - 14 -different embodiments of same made within the spicit and scope of the claims without depacting fcom such Spifit and scope, it is intended that all mattec contained in the accompanying ~ - -~pecification shall be intecpceted as illu~tcative only and not in a limiting sense.

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Claims

(1) In a conventional bale feeder of the type for receiving a single cylindrical bale of feed material and comprising a plurality of coaxially arranged, axially spaced, horizontal circular rails which are connected at vertically spaced positions to form a generally cylindrical body of a size to fit around the periphery of the bale with one rail at the bottom of the body and at least one second rail above the bottom rail, the rails being connected by generally upstanding bars arranged so that the animal can pass its head between the bars to reach feed from the bale confined within the feeder, the improvement in which at least said bottom one and said at least one second rail of the circular rails form an outer frame portion shaped to rest upon the ground and to define a band surrounding the bale and having an upper edge at which the outer frame terminates which is below the head height of the animal and over which the animal can reach for feeding, the upstanding bars defining a plurality of elongate frame members each connected to the outer frame portion and shaped to extend from the outer frame portion to a top of the body at a position inwardly of the outer frame portion and at a height above the upper edge of the outer frame portion to provide a confining effect on the bale at a position spaced inwardly of the outer frame portion, each elongate frame member having a first part extending from the outer frame with a component of direction inwardly of the outer frame portion and a second part extending from the first part with a component of direction upwardly of the top of the outer frame portion, the area internally of the frame members being open to freely receive one large bale therein.
(2) A feeder according to Claim 1 wherein a portion of each of the frame members connected to said upper edge of the outer frame portion has at least a component of direction extending inwardly from the upper edge.
(3) A feeder according to Claim 1 wherein the height of the upper edge of the outer frame portion is arranged such that the upper edge is below the shoulder of the animal with the frame members extending upwardly beyond the upper edge in front of the animal with the animal facing inwardly over the outer frame.
(4) A feeder according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the frame members are attached to the upper edge of the outer frame portion with the first portion thereof inclined upwardly and inwardly therefrom.
(5) A feeder according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the outer frame portion is formed from a plurality of separate parts divided angularly of a central vertical axis of the outer frame portion with each part carrying a plurality of the frame members.
(6) A feeder according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the outer frame portion includes a skirt formed from a sheet material extending from the ground upwardly over at least a part of the outer frame portion to confine feed material to the interior of the outer frame portion.
(7) In a conventional bale feeder of the type for receiving a single cylindrical bale of feed material and comprising a plurality of coaxially arranged, axially spaced, horizontal circular rails which are connected at vertically spaced positions to form a generally cylindrical body of a size to fit around the periphery of the bale with one rail at the bottom of the body and at least one second rail above the bottom rail, the rails being connected by generally upstanding bars arranged so that the animal can pass its head between the bars to reach feed from the bale confined within the feeder, the improvement in which at least said bottom one and said at least one second rail of the circular rails form an outer frame portion shaped to rest upon the ground and to define a band surrounding the bale and having an upper edge at which the outer frame terminates which is below the head height of the animal and over which the animal can reach for feeding, the upstanding bars defining a plurality of elongate frame members each connected to the outer frame portion and shaped to extend from the outer frame portion to a top of the body at a position inwardly of the outer frame portion and at a height above the upper edge of the outer frame portion to provide a confining effect on the bale at a position spaced inwardly of the outer frame portion, the area internally of the frame members being open to freely receive one large bale therein, each of said frame members comprising a first portion extending generally inwardly from the upper edge of the outer frame portion to an inner end thereof and a second portion extending substantially vertically upwardly from the inner end, the first portions being arranged at a height below the head height of the animals and the second portions being arranged to provide said confining effect.
(8) A feeder according to Claim 7 wherein the first portions are inclined upwardly and inwardly from the upper edge of the outer frame.
(9) A feeder according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the outer frame portion is formed from a plurality of separate parts divided angularly of a central vertical axis of the outer frame portion with each part carrying a plurality of the frame members.
(10) A feeder according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the outer frame portion includes a skirt formed from a sheet material extending from the ground upwardly over at least a part of the outer frame portion to confine feed material to the interior of the outer frame portion.