Automatic feed weighing and liquid distributing apparatus for livestock

Claim 1

A LIVESTOCK FEED WEIGHING AND DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FEED WEIGHING TUBE, A CONVEYOR HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN FOR DISTRIBUTING FEED INTO SAID TUBE, BALANCING MEANS MOUNTED ON A FRAME MEMBER SUPPORTED ON SAID CONVEYOR FOR SENSING A PRESELECTED WEIGHT OF FEED DEPOSITED INTO SAID TUBE, SAID BALANCING MEANS INCLUDING A BALANCE ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN A BRACKET SECURED TO SAID FRAME, A WEIGHT SELECTIVELY POSITIONABLE ON SAID BALANCE ARM, A DEPENDING LINK PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID BALANCE ARM AT A POINT SPACED HORIZONTALLY FROM SAID PIVOTAL MOUNTING OF SAID BALANCE ARM IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID WEIGHT, SAID WEIGHING TUBE BEING SUPPORTED BY SAID DEPENDING LINK WHEREBY SAID BALANCE ARM AND WEIGHT ARE RAISED UPON SAID WEIGHING TUBE RECEIVING SAID PRESELECTED WEIGHT OF FEED FROM SAID CONVEYOR, MEANS COUPLED TO SAID BALANCING MEANS FOR CLOSING SAID OPENING WHEN SAID PRESELECTED WEIGHT OF FEED IS SENSED, EACH OF SAID PIVOTAL MOUNTINGS OF SAID LINK ON SAID BALANCE ARM AND SAID BALANCE ARM ON SAID BRACKET INCLUDING A PIVOT PIN, AND AT LEAST ONE OF SAID PIVOT PINS DISPOSED FOR LIMITED ROLLING MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO A HORIZONTAL SURFACE PORTION OF SAID RESPECTIVE PIVOTAL MOUNTING WHEREBY STARTING FRICTION IS MINIMIZED WHEN SAID BALANCE ARM BEGINS TO RISE.