Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
200 words
An automatic drinking trough for animals, of the type comprising a tube (5) carried by a support (2) and protruding with its lower end into a bowl (3) carried by the same support (2), said tube (5) carrying a rigid stem (17) placed therein, the upper end of said stem (17) carrying a poppet valve (12) for sealing the water inlet and a spring (20) for biasing said valve (12) against its seat (11), characterized by the fact that said tube (5) is a tube made of a flexible material which is fitted over the water feed pipe (13, 13 bis), said flexible tube (5) comprising interiorly two circular shoulders (11, 16) connected together by a central bore (14) along the full inside length of which extends said rigid stem (17), said stem carrying said valve (12) resting on the upper circular shoulder (11), and an adjustable stop (18, 19) for said spring (20) resting against the lower shoulder (16), whereby the valve (12) is maintained against its seat (11) by the traction exercised by the spring (20), so that any deformation of the flexible tube (5) will cause said valve (12) to be raised away from its seat (11).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
200 words
An automatic drinking trough for animals, of the type comprising a tube (5) carried by a support (2) and protruding with its lower end into a bowl (3) carried by the same support (2), said tube (5) carrying a rigid stem (17) placed therein, the upper end of said stem (17) carrying a poppet valve (12) for sealing the water inlet and a spring (20) for biasing said valve (12) against its seat (11), characterized by the fact that said tube (5) is a tube made of a flexible material which is fitted over the water feed pipe (13, 13 bis), said flexible tube (5) comprising interiorly two circular shoulders (11, 16) connected together by a central bore (14) along the full inside length of which extends said rigid stem (17), said stem carrying said valve (12) resting on the upper circular shoulder (11), and an adjustable stop (18, 19) for said spring (20) resting against the lower shoulder (16), whereby the valve (12) is maintained against its seat (11) by the traction exercised by the spring (20), so that any deformation of the flexible tube (5) will cause said valve (12) to be raised away from its seat (11).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
A drinking trough according to claim 1, characterized in that the two upper (11) and lower (16) circular shoulders are provided in the vicinity of the two ends of the flexible tube (5) so that said tube is practically being run across along its full length by said stem (17).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
A drinking trough according to claim 2, in which the flexible tube (5) is provided in its upper portion with a fixation end (4), the conical exterior wall of which is clamped between two conical bearings (2, 8), whereby the wall of its cylindrical central bore (9) is squeezed against the wall of the feed pipe (13) which is forcibly engaged into said central bore (9).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
A drinking trough according to claim 3, in which the flexible tube (5) is provided in its upper portion with two superposed cylindrical bores (9) and (9 bis) for allowing said trough to be connected to feed pipes having either of two different usual diameters (13) and (13 bis) without requiring any additional manipulation or connecting part.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
A drinking trough according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which the lower portion of the moulded flexible tube (5) may be provided with a metal casing or may have an end portion formed of a metal tube attached to said tube by being moulded mover it.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A drinking trough according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which the flexible tube (5) comprises one or several venting holes (5 bis) downstream of the poppet valve (12).