US3604601A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fish feeding apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-09-23
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Granted: 1971-09-14
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Expires: 1989-09-23
Abstract
Abstract A fish-feeding apparatus consisting of a hopper for containing a feed material for fish and having a restricted bottom opening disposed above the water level, a rotatable cylindrical dispenser member disposed horizontally in and obstructing said hopper opening, but having a groove formed longitudinally therein for receiving said feed material therein, means for rotating said dispenser cylinder, and a regulating shutter member disposed above said dispenser cylinder and movable longitudinally thereof to expose greater or lesser lengths of said groove to said hopper.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerald G Boling
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:05
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K61/00; A01K61/80; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A40/00; Y02A40/80; Y02A40/81
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
A fish-feeding apparatus comprising: a. a hopper adapted to contain a granular feed material and having a horizontally rectangular discharge opening at its bottom and extending between opposed converging walls of said hopper, and adapted to be disposed over a body of water containing fish, b. a cylindrical dispenser member carried by said hopper and obstructing said discharge opening, said dispenser member being rotatable about its axis which is parallel to the major axis of said opening, the periphery of said cylinder moving in close proximity to opposed edges of said converging walls defining said opening, and said dispenser member having a groove formed longitudinally in the peripheral surface thereof to constitute a chamber operable by rotation of said dispenser member to open alternately upwardly into said hopper through said discharge opening and downwardly from said hopper, c. power means carried by said hopper and operable to rotate said dispenser member at a uniform speed, and d. a removable shutter member extending through a slot provided in a wall of said hopper in closely spaced relation above said dispenser member and being slidable in the direction of the axis of said dispenser member and engaging said converging walls of said hopper to support the same whereby the portion of said groove exposed to the interior of said hopper through said discharge opening may be varied.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
225 words
A fish-feeding apparatus comprising: a. a hopper adapted to contain a granular feed material and having a horizontally rectangular discharge opening at its bottom and extending between opposed converging walls of said hopper, and adapted to be disposed over a body of water containing fish, b. a cylindrical dispenser member carried by said hopper and obstructing said discharge opening, said dispenser member being rotatable about its axis which is parallel to the major axis of said opening, the periphery of said cylinder moving in close proximity to opposed edges of said converging walls defining said opening, and said dispenser member having a groove formed longitudinally in the peripheral surface thereof to constitute a chamber operable by rotation of said dispenser member to open alternately upwardly into said hopper through said discharge opening and downwardly from said hopper, c. power means carried by said hopper and operable to rotate said dispenser member at a uniform speed, and d. a removable shutter member extending through a slot provided in a wall of said hopper in closely spaced relation above said dispenser member and being slidable in the direction of the axis of said dispenser member and engaging said converging walls of said hopper to support the same whereby the portion of said groove exposed to the interior of said hopper through said discharge opening may be varied.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
A fish-feeding apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said hopper provides guideways for said shutter which are linearly straight in the direction of travel of said shutter, and wherein said shutter is formed of resilient material and is normally bowed longitudinally to its direction of travel, whereby it is resiliently straightened by said guideways and held frictionally at any desired position of adjustment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
A fish-feeding apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said shutter projects slidably through a slot formed in an exterior wall of said housing, whereby to be easily grasped and adjusted manually, and wherein said shutter is provided with indicia imprinted thereon to be indexed at said exterior wall to indicate the exposed portion of said dispenser groove.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A fish-feeding apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said dispenser cylinder is detachably mounted in said hopper and constitutes one of a plurality of interchangeable cylinders differing as to the number and cross-sectional areas of the grooves formed therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A fish-feeding apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said power means constitutes a self-contained electric motor-speed reducer unit detachably mounted in said hopper, and is one of a plurality of interchangeable units of like nature differing as to the output speed thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
117 words
A fish-feeding apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said hopper includes a pair of vertical walls between which said dispenser cylinder extends normally thereto, wherein one end of said cylinder is axially socketed and engaged rotatably and detachably over a stud fixed in the first of said vertical walls, and wherein the opposite end of said dispenser cylinder is socketed and engaged nonrotatably and detachably over the output shaft of said power means, said power means being detachably mounted on the second of said vertical walls at the side thereof opposite to said cylinder with its output shaft extending through a slot formed in said wall, said slot opening through a free edge of said wall.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-13 | 1975-03-15 | 1975-09-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-13 | 1979-03-15 | 1979-09-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-13 | 1983-03-15 | 1983-09-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |