Automatically operated feeding device

Claim 2

A dispensing device for animal food material which comprises a container that has a discharge opening formed and disposed to permit food material to fall downwardly from it, a valve element adjacent said opening which responds to vertically directed valve-closing forces to move toward said opening to keep food material from passing through said opening and responds to the absence of vertically directed valve-closing forces to move away from said opening to permit food material to pass through said opening, a food material supporting tray disposed below and in register with said opening to receive food material passing through said opening, biasing means urging said valve element away from said opening, and a connection between said valve element and said tray which enables the weight of said tray and of material on said tray to apply vertically directed valveclosing forces to said valve element and thereby bias said valve element toward said opening, said connection having an automatically extensible and retractable portion which is yieldable in the vertical direction and thereby enables said container to move upwardly relative to said tray without applying hurtful forces to said tray or to said valve element or to said connection, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection defining a means for automatically permitting said container to move downwardly relative to said tray without subjecting said tray or said container or said connection to hurtful forces, said connection and said tray normally acting to maintain a regulated weight of material on said tray, by permitting said biasing means to move said valve element away from said opening and thereafter responding to the weight of additionally dispensed material to move said valve element back toward said opening, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to appreciable upward movement of said container relative to said tray to yield and to develop an increased restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to subsequent downward movement of said container relative to said tray to retract and to decrease the restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically keeping downward movement of said container relative to said tray from causing said valve element to move away from said opening unless said downward movement of said container relative to said tray reduces the restorative force within said extensible and retractable portion of said connection below its normal value.

Claim 3

An animal food dispensing device which comprises a container that has a discharge opening formed and disposed to permit the food material to fall downwardly from it, a valve element adjacent said opening which responds to vertically directed valve-closing forces to move toward said opening to keep material from passing through said opening and responds to the absence of vertically directed valve-closing forces to move away from said opening to permit material to pass through said opening, a material supporting tray disposed below and in register with said opening to receive material passing through said opening, biasing means urging said valve element away from said opening, a connection between said valve element and said tray which enables the weight of said tray and of material on said tray to apply vertically directed valve-closing forces to said valve element and thereby bias said valve element toward said opening, said connection having an automatically extensible and retractable portion which is yieldable in the vertical direction and thereby enables said container to move upwardly relative to said tray without applying hurtful forces to said tray or to said valve element or to said connection, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection defining a means for automatically permitting said contAiner to move downwardly relative to said tray without subjecting said tray or said container or said connection to hurtful forces, said connection and said tray normally acting to maintain a regulated weight of material on said tray, by permitting said biasing means to move said valve element away from said opening and thereafter responding to the weight of additionally dispensed material to move said valve element back toward said opening, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to appreciable upward movement of said container relative to said tray to yield and to develop an increased restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to subsequent downward movement of said container relative to said tray to retract and to decrease the restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically keeping downward movement of said container relative to said tray from causing said valve element to move away from said opening unless said downward movement of said container relative to said tray reduces the restorative force within said extensible and retractable portion of said connection below its normal value, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to subsequent downward movement of said container relative to said tray to retract and to decrease the restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically keeping downward movement of of said container relative to said tray from causing said valve element to move away from said opening unless said downward movement of said container relative to said tray reduces the restorative force within said extensible and retractable portion of said connection below its normal value, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection being adjacent the upper end of said connection, and the lower portion of said connection being a stiff member fixedly secured to said tray.

Claim 4

An animal food dispensing device which comprises a container that has a discharge opening formed and disposed to permit the food material to fall downwardly from it, a valve element adjacent said opening which responds to vertically directed valve-closing forces to move toward said opening to keep material from passing through said opening and responds to the absence of vertically directed valve-closing forces to move away from said opening to permit material to pass through said opening, a material supporting tray disposed below and in register with said opening to receive material passing through said opening, biasing means urging said valve element away from said opening, a connection between said valve element and said tray which enables the weight of said tray and of material on said tray to apply vertically directed valve-closing forces to said valve element and thereby bias said valve element toward said opening, said connection having an automatically extensible and retractable portion which is yieldable in the vertical direction and thereby enables said container to move upwardly relative to said tray without applying hurtful forces to said tray or to said valve element or to said connection, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection defining a means for automatically permitting said contAiner to move downwardly relative to said tray without subjecting said tray or said container or said connection to hurtful forces, said connection and said tray normally acting to maintain a regulated weight of material on said tray, by permitting said biasing means to move said valve element away from said opening and thereafter responding to the weight of additionally dispensed material to move said valve element back toward said opening, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to appreciable upward movement of said container relative to said tray to yield and to develop an increased restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to subsequent downward movement of said container relative to said tray to retract and to decrease the restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically keeping downward movement of said container relative to said tray from causing said valve element to move away from said opening unless said downward movement of said container relative to said tray reduces the restorative force within said extensible and retractable portion of said connection below its normal value, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to subsequent downward movement of said container relative to said tray to retract and to decrease the restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically keeping downward movement of of said container relative to said tray from causing said valve element to move away from said opening unless said downward movement of said container relative to said tray reduces the restorative force within said extensible and retractable portion of said connection below its normal value, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection being adjacent the upper end of said connection, and the lower portion of said connection being a stiff member fixedly secured to said tray.

Claim 5

A dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a hook loosely secures the upper end of said extensible and retractable portion of said connection to said valve element, and wherein a stiff member secures the lower end of said extensible and retractable portion of said connection to said tray.

Claim 6

A dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said biasing means develops a rotational moment tending to move said valve element away from said opening, wherein said tray and said connection and the material on said tray develop a rotational moment tending to move said valve element toward said opening, and means to adjust the magnitudes of said rotational moments.

Claim 7

A dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a threaded rod projects outwardly from said valve element, wherein a nut on said threaded rod connects said biasing means to said valve element, and wherein a second nut on said threaded rod connects said connection to said valve element.

Claim 8

A dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve element is doorlike in configuration and has flanges that extend into said opening even when said valve element is open.

Claim 9

An animal food dispensing device which comprises a container that has a discharge opening formed and disposed to permit the food material to fall downwardly from it, a valve element adjacent said opening which responds to vertically directed valve-closing forces to move toward said opening to keep material from passing through said opening and responds to the absence of vertically directed valve-closing forces to move away from said opening to permit material to pass through said opening, a material supporting tray disposed below and in register with said opening to receive material passing through said opening, biasing means urging said valve element away from said opening, a connection between said valve element and said tray which enables the weight of said tray and of material On said tray to apply vertically directed valve-closing forces to said valve element and thereby bias said valve element toward said opening, said connection having an automatically extensible and retractable portion which is yieldable in the vertical direction and thereby enables said container to move upwardly relative to said tray without applying hurtful forces to said tray or to said valve element or to said connection, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection defining a means for automatically permitting said container to move downwardly relative to said tray without subjecting said tray or said container or said connection to hurtful forces, said connection and said tray normally acting to maintain a regulated weight of material on said tray, by permitting said biasing means to move said valve element away from said opening and thereafter responding to the weight of additionally dispensed material to move said valve element back toward said opening, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to appreciable upward movement of said container relative to said tray to yield and to develop an increased restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to subsequent downward movement of said container relative to said tray to retract and to decrease the restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically keeping downward movement of said container relative to said tray from causing said valve element to move away from said opening unless said downward movement of said container relative to said tray reduces the restorative force within said extensible and retractable portion of said connection below its normal value, said container being mounted on a float, said float having an opening therein below and in register with said opening in said container, and a tube surrounding said opening in said float and extending upwardly toward said opening in said container to shield said opening in said container from spray.

Claim 10

An animal food dispensing device which comprises a container that has a discharge opening formed and disposed to permit the food material to fall downwardly from it, a valve element adjacent said opening which responds to vertically directed valve-closing forces to move toward said opening to keep material from passing through said opening and responds to the absence of vertically directed valve-closing forces to move away from said opening to permit material to pass through said opening, a material supporting tray disposed below and in register with said opening to receive material passing through said opening, biasing means urging said valve element away from said opening, a connection between said valve element and said tray which enables the weight of said tray and of material On said tray to apply vertically directed valve-closing forces to said valve element and thereby bias said valve element toward said opening, said connection having an automatically extensible and retractable portion which is yieldable in the vertical direction and thereby enables said container to move upwardly relative to said tray without applying hurtful forces to said tray or to said valve element or to said connection, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection defining a means for automatically permitting said container to move downwardly relative to said tray without subjecting said tray or said container or said connection to hurtful forces, said connection and said tray normally acting to maintain a regulated weight of material on said tray, by permitting said biasing means to move said valve element away from said opening and thereafter responding to the weight of additionally dispensed material to move said valve element back toward said opening, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to appreciable upward movement of said container relative to said tray to yield and to develop an increased restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to subsequent downward movement of said container relative to said tray to retract and to decrease the restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically keeping downward movement of said container relative to said tray from causing said valve element to move away from said opening unless said downward movement of said container relative to said tray reduces the restorative force within said extensible and retractable portion of said connection below its normal value, said container being mounted on a float, said float having an opening therein below and in register with said opening in said container, and a tube surrounding said opening in said float and extending upwardly toward said opening in said container to shield said opening in said container from spray.

Claim 11

An animal food dispensing device which comprises a container that has a discharge opening formed and disposed to permit the food material to fall downwardly from it, a valve element adjacent said opening which responds to vertically directed valve-closing forces to move toward said opening to keep material from passing through said opening and responds to the absence of vertically directed valve-closing forces to move away from said opening to permit material to pass through said opening, a material supporting tray disposed below and in register with said opening to receive material passing through said opening, biasing means urging said valve element away from said opening, a connection between said valve element and said tray which enables the weight of said tray and of material on said tray to apply vertically directed valve-closing forces to said valve element and thereby bias said valve element toward said opening, said connection having an automatically extensible and retractable portion which is yieldable in the vertical direction and thereby enables said container to move upwardly relative to said tray without applying hurtful forces to said tray or to said valve element or to said connection, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection defining a means for automatically permitting said container to move downwardly relative to said tray without subjecting said tray or said container or said connection to hurtful forces, said connection and said tray normally acting to maintain a regulated weight of material on said tray, by permitting said biasing means to move said valve element away from said opening and thereafter responding to the weight of additionally dispensed material to move said valve element back toward said opening, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to appreciable upward movement of said container relative to said tray to yield and to develop an increased restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to subsequent downward movement of said container relative to said tray to retract and to decrease the restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically keeping downward movement of said container relative to said tray from causing said valve element to move away from said opening unless said downward movement of said container relative to said tray reduces the restorative force within said extensible and retractable portion of said connection below its normal value, said container being mounted on a float, said float having an opening therein to receive material passing through said opening in said container, and a tube surrounding said opening in said float and extending downwardly into the water, said tube keeping buoyant material from floating away from said opening in said float.

Claim 12

An animal food dispensing device which comprises a container that has a discharge opening formed and disposed to permit the food material to fall downwardly from it, a valve element adjacent said opening which responds to vertically directed valve-closing forces to move toward said opening to keep material from passing through said opening and responds to the absence of vertically directed valve-closing forces to move away from said opening to permit material to pass through said opening, a material supporting tray disposed below and in register with said opening to receive material passing through said opening, biasing means urging said valve element away from said opening, a connection between said valve element and said tray which enables the weight of said tray and of material on said tray to apply vertically directed valve-closing forces to said valve element and thereby bias said valve element toward said opening, said connection having an automatically extensible and retractable portion which is yieldable in the vertical direction and thereby enables said container to move upwardly relative to said tray without applying hurtful forces to said tray or to said valve element or to said connection, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection defining a means for automatically permitting said container to move downwardly relative to said tray without subjecting said tray or said container or said connection to hurtful forces, said connection and said tray normally acting to maintain a regulated weight of material on said tray, by permitting said biasing means to move said valve element away from said opening and thereafter responding to the weight of additionally dispensed material to move said valve element back toward said opening, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to appreciable upward movement of said container relative to said tray to yield and to develop an increased restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to subsequent downward movement of said container relative to said tray to retract and to decrease the restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically keeping downward movement of said container relative to said tray from causing said valve element to move away from said opening unless said downward movement of said container relative to said tray reduces the restorative force within said extensible and retractable portion of said connection below its normal value, said container being mounted on a float, said float having an opening therein to receive material passing through said opening in said container, and a tube surrounding said opening in said float and extending downwardly into the water, said tube keeping buoyant material from floating away from said opening in said float.

Claim 13

A dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tray is stiff, and wherein said connection has a stiff portion fixedly secured at right angles to said tray.

Claim 14

An animal food dispensing device which comprises a container that has a discharge opening formed and disposed to permit the food material to fall downwardly from it, a valve element adjacent said opening which responds to vertically directed valve-closing forces to move toward said opening to keep material from passing through said opening and responds to the absence of vertically directed valve-closing forces to move away from said opening to permit material to pass through said opening, a material supporting tray disposed below and in register with said opening to receive material passing through said opening, biasing means urging said valve element away from said opening, a connection between said valve element and said tray which enables the weight of said tray and of material on said tray to apply vertically directed valve-closing forces to said valve element and thereby bias said valve element toward said opening, said connection having an automatically extensible and retractable portion which is yieldable in the vertical direction and thereby enables said container to move upwardly relative to said tray without applying hurtful forces to said tray or to said valve element or to said connection, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection defining a means for automatically permitting said container to move downwardly relative to said tray without subjecting said tray or said container or said connection to hurtful forces, said connection and said tray normally acting to maintain a regulated weight of material on said tray, by permitting said biasing means to move said valve element away from said opening and thereafter responding to the weight of additionally dispensed material to move said valve element back toward said opening, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to appreciable upward movement of said container relative to said tray to yield and to develop an increased restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to subsequent downward movement of said container relative to said tray to retract and to decrease the restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically keeping downward movement of said container relative to said tray from causing said valve element to move away from said opening unless said downward movement of said container relative to said tray reduces the restorative force within said extensible and retractable portion of said connection below its normal value, said container being mounted on a float, and said float having an opening therein below and in register with said opening in said container.

Claim 15

An animal food dispensing device which comprises a container that has a discharge opening formed and disposed to permit the food material to fall downwardly from it, a valve element adjacent said opening which responds to vertically directed valve-closing forces to move toward said opening to keep material from passing through said opening and responds to the absence of vertically directed valve-closing forces to move away from said opening to permit material to pass through said opening, a material supporting tray disposed below and in register with said opening to receive material passing through said opening, biasing means urging said valve element away from said opening, a connection between said valve element and said tray which enables the weight of said tray and of material on said tray to apply vertically directed valve-closing forces to said valve element and thereby bias said valve element toward said opening, said connection having an automatically extensible and retractable portion which is yieldable in the vertical direction and thereby enables said container to move upwardly relative to said tray without applying hurtful forces to said tray or to said valve element or to said connection, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection defining a means for automatically permitting said container to move downwardly relative to said tray without subjecting said tray or said container or said connection to hurtful forces, said connection and said tray normally acting to maintain a regulated weight of material on said tray, by permitting said biasing means to move said valve element away from said opening and thereafter responding to the weight of additionally dispensed material to move said valve element back toward said opening, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to appreciable upward movement of said container relative to said tray to yield and to develop an increased restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically responding to subsequent downward movement of said container relative to said tray to retract and to decrease the restorative force therein, said extensible and retractable portion of said connection automatically keeping downward movement of said container relative to said tray from causing said valve element to move away from said opening unless said downward movement of said container relative to said tray reduces the restorative force within said extensible and retractable portion of said connection below its normal value, said container being mounted on a float, and said float having an opening therein below and in register with said opening in said container.