US3664302A — Lactation period brooder

Claim 1

Independent Claim 394 words

A pig brooder for simultaneously and substantially automatically feeding to baby pigs 1, 2 and 3 weeks old varying rations of milk solids and water comprising support means, a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced compartments disposed in upper and lower rows, said compartments being mounted on said support means, a feed delivery unit, means for supporting said delivery unit relative to said compartments, feed-receiving container means mounted on each said compartment and adapted to receive delivery from said delivery unit, means repeatedly automatically moving said delivery unit past one side of said compartments, said compartments having feed passage openings therethrough and said compartments having no openings therethrough during proper use larger than the head of a baby pig less than one week old whereby baby pigs cannot fall out, said feed delivery unit delivering to pre-selected ones of said container means a pre-selected quantity of water soluble milk solids suitable for baby pigs less than 3 weeks old, said feed delivery unit delivering to pre-selected ones of said container means a preselected quantity of water, supply controlling means substantially automatically controlling the supply of said milk solids and water from said feed delivery unit to pre-selected ones of said feed-receiving container means, said feed delivery unit delivering said milk solids and said water in preselected quantities of each with the quantity supplied to some compartments differing from the quantity supplied at other compartments, means for intermittently operating said delivery unit whereby said containers of said horizontally and vertically disposed compartments are intermittently supplied with preselcted varying rations of said milk solids and said water, said delivery unit having a feed directing means attached thereto and moving therewith and having multiple terminal outlet means moving past respective compartments of said upper and lower rows, each of said container means having an open-topped feed catching means disposed beneath respective terminal outlet means and intermittently receiving milk solids and water therefrom, said brooder being free of any impediment between said outlet positions and receiving portions of respective upper and lower compartments which must be manually removed to permit pigs to eat from certain ones of said container means after feed has flowed from said feed delivery unit into said certain ones of said container means respectively, each of said container means having an open-topped portion accessible to pigs inside said compartments from which pigs can feed.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 394 words

A pig brooder for simultaneously and substantially automatically feeding to baby pigs 1, 2 and 3 weeks old varying rations of milk solids and water comprising support means, a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced compartments disposed in upper and lower rows, said compartments being mounted on said support means, a feed delivery unit, means for supporting said delivery unit relative to said compartments, feed-receiving container means mounted on each said compartment and adapted to receive delivery from said delivery unit, means repeatedly automatically moving said delivery unit past one side of said compartments, said compartments having feed passage openings therethrough and said compartments having no openings therethrough during proper use larger than the head of a baby pig less than one week old whereby baby pigs cannot fall out, said feed delivery unit delivering to pre-selected ones of said container means a pre-selected quantity of water soluble milk solids suitable for baby pigs less than 3 weeks old, said feed delivery unit delivering to pre-selected ones of said container means a preselected quantity of water, supply controlling means substantially automatically controlling the supply of said milk solids and water from said feed delivery unit to pre-selected ones of said feed-receiving container means, said feed delivery unit delivering said milk solids and said water in preselected quantities of each with the quantity supplied to some compartments differing from the quantity supplied at other compartments, means for intermittently operating said delivery unit whereby said containers of said horizontally and vertically disposed compartments are intermittently supplied with preselcted varying rations of said milk solids and said water, said delivery unit having a feed directing means attached thereto and moving therewith and having multiple terminal outlet means moving past respective compartments of said upper and lower rows, each of said container means having an open-topped feed catching means disposed beneath respective terminal outlet means and intermittently receiving milk solids and water therefrom, said brooder being free of any impediment between said outlet positions and receiving portions of respective upper and lower compartments which must be manually removed to permit pigs to eat from certain ones of said container means after feed has flowed from said feed delivery unit into said certain ones of said container means respectively, each of said container means having an open-topped portion accessible to pigs inside said compartments from which pigs can feed.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 32 words

The combination of claim 1 further comprising said delivery unit having mixing means attached thereto and mixing units of said milk solids and water before their delivery to said terminal outlet means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 48 words

The combination of claim 1 further comprising said feed delivery unit having a reservoir for containing dry milk solids, output control means forming a part of said supply controlling means and cooperatively correlated with said milk solids reservoir for delivering milk solids therefrom to said feed directing means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 21 words

The combination of claim 3 in which said output control means comprises a motor and an auger driven by said motor.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 52 words

The combination of claim 1 further comprising said compartments being arranged in two straight rows and said feed delivery unit moving between said rows, and the outermost parts of the brooder as seen in top plan view defining a shape which is much more rectangular than circular for conserving costly floor space.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 87 words

The combination of claim 1 in which said compartment support means has legs for engaging a floor and in which said means for supporting said delivery unit comprises a horizontal track means, said track means being connected to and upheld by said compartment support means, said delivery unit having wheel means engaging and following the top of said track means, and said delivery unit being suspended from said wheel means and being disposed substantially beneath said track means and spaced substantially above the bottoms of said legs.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 223 words

The combination of claim 1 further comprising said supply controlling means comprisiNg a plurality of pre-settable trip means for controlling the quantity of milk solids and water to be delivered to a compartment means, trip means holding means mounted on said support means, said trip means each being mounted on said trip means holding means in operating positions of operable correlation to a respective container means for helping to supply feed to such container means, trigger means mounted on and moving with said feed delivery unit and operatively correlated with said feed delivery unit and with said trip means and engaging respective ones of said trip means when the latter are in operating position, said engagement causing said trigger means to be activated as causes said feed delivery unit to deliver milk solids to said respective container means, said trip means each being movable out of said operating positions for making a pre-setting to cause said trigger means not to be actuated thereby, each of said trip means being positionable so that a plurality of said trip means can control flow of milk solids to a single compartment so that a selected number of trip means can be preset in operating position to selectively control the amount of milk solids to be delivered to that single compartment for feeding pigs of different ages.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 40 words

The combination of claim 7 further comprising said trip means holding means being a bar means with trip means openings therein, said trip means being insertable into and removable from said trip means openings for support of said trip means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 63 words

The combination of claim 7 further comprising said means for intermittently operating said delivery unit comprising motor means, a source of power, a switch means forming part of said delivery unit, circuit means connecting said source of power and said motor means through said switch means whereby said switch means controls power to said motor means, said trigger means controlling said switch means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 32 words

The combination of claim 1 in which the interior of the container means of one of said compartments is out of communication with the interior of the container means of adjacent compartments.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 20 words

The combination of claim 1 in which said containers each have open-topped portions inside said compartments accessible to pigs therein.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 44 words

The combination of claim 1 in which said feed-receiving means presents said feed at a place sufficiently close to the floor of said compartments that pigs in said compartments less than 1 week old can reach said feed-receiving means and eat the feed therefrom.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 357 words

A pig brooder for simultaneously and substantially automatically feeding to baby pigs 1, 2 and 3 weeks old varying rations of liquid comprising support means, a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced compartments disposed in upper and lower rows, said compartments being mounted on said support means, a feed delivery unit, means for supporting said delivery unit relative to said compartments, feed-receiving container means mounted on each said compartment and adapted to receive delivery from said delivery unit, means repeatedly moving said delivery unit automatically past one side of said compartments, said compartments having feed passage openings therethrough and said compartments having no openings therethrough during proper use larger than the head of a baby pig less than 1 week old whereby baby pigs cannot fall out, said feed delivery unit delivering to pre-selected ones of said container means a pre-selected quantity of liquid consumable by baby pigs less than 3 weeks old, supply controlling means substantially automatically controlling the supply of said liquid from said feed delivery unit to pre-selected ones of said feed-receiving container means, said feed delivery unit delivering said liquid in pre-selected quantities with the quantity supplied to some compartments differing from the quantity supplied at other compartments, means for intermittently operating said delivery unit whereby said containers of said horizontally and vertically disPosed compartments are intermittently supplied with said pre-selected varying rations of liquid, said delivery unit having a feed directing means attached thereto and moving therewith and having multiple terminal outlets means moving past respective compartments of said upper and lower rows, each of said container means having an open-topped feed catching means disposed beneath respective terminal outlet means and intermittently receiving said liquid therefrom, said brooder being free of any impediment between said terminal outlet positions and receiving portions of respective upper and lower compartments which must be manually removed to permit pigs to eat from certain ones of said container means after feed has flowed from said feed delivery unit into said certain ones of said container means respectively, each of said container means having an open-topped portion accessible to pigs inside said compartments from which pigs can feed.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 357 words

A pig brooder for simultaneously and substantially automatically feeding to baby pigs 1, 2 and 3 weeks old varying rations of liquid comprising support means, a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced compartments disposed in upper and lower rows, said compartments being mounted on said support means, a feed delivery unit, means for supporting said delivery unit relative to said compartments, feed-receiving container means mounted on each said compartment and adapted to receive delivery from said delivery unit, means repeatedly moving said delivery unit automatically past one side of said compartments, said compartments having feed passage openings therethrough and said compartments having no openings therethrough during proper use larger than the head of a baby pig less than 1 week old whereby baby pigs cannot fall out, said feed delivery unit delivering to pre-selected ones of said container means a pre-selected quantity of liquid consumable by baby pigs less than 3 weeks old, supply controlling means substantially automatically controlling the supply of said liquid from said feed delivery unit to pre-selected ones of said feed-receiving container means, said feed delivery unit delivering said liquid in pre-selected quantities with the quantity supplied to some compartments differing from the quantity supplied at other compartments, means for intermittently operating said delivery unit whereby said containers of said horizontally and vertically disPosed compartments are intermittently supplied with said pre-selected varying rations of liquid, said delivery unit having a feed directing means attached thereto and moving therewith and having multiple terminal outlets means moving past respective compartments of said upper and lower rows, each of said container means having an open-topped feed catching means disposed beneath respective terminal outlet means and intermittently receiving said liquid therefrom, said brooder being free of any impediment between said terminal outlet positions and receiving portions of respective upper and lower compartments which must be manually removed to permit pigs to eat from certain ones of said container means after feed has flowed from said feed delivery unit into said certain ones of said container means respectively, each of said container means having an open-topped portion accessible to pigs inside said compartments from which pigs can feed.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 217 words

The combination of claim 13 further comprising said supply controlling means comprising a plurality of presettable trip means for controlling the quantity of liquid to be delivered to a compartment means, trip means holding means mounted on said support means, said trip means each being mounted on said trip means holding means in operating positions of operable correlation to a respective container means for helping to supply feed to such container means, trigger means mounted on and moving with said feed delivery unit and operatively correlated with said feed delivery unit and with said trip means and engaging respective ones of said trip means when the latter are in operating position, said engagement causing said trigger means to be activated as causes said feed delivery unit to deliver liquid to said respective container means, said trip means each being movable out of said operating positions for making a pre-setting to cause said trigger means not to be actuated thereby, each of said trip means being positionable so that a plurality of said trip means can control flow of liquid to a single compartment so that a selected number of trip means can be preset in operating position to selectively control the amount of liquid to be delivered to that single compartment for feeding pigs of different ages.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 40 words

The combination of claim 14 further comprising said trip means holding means being a bar means with trip means openings therein, said trip means being insertable into and removable from said trip means openings for support of said trip means.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 65 words

The combination of claim 14 further comprising said means for intermittently operating said delivery unit being operated by motor means, a source of power, a switch means forming part of said delivery unit, circuit means connecting said source of power and said motor means through said switch means whereby said switch means controls power to said motor means, said trigger means controlling said switch means.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 87 words

The combination of claim 13 in which said compartment support means has legs for engaging a floor and in which said means for supporting said delivery unit comprises a horizontal track means, said track means being connected to and upheld by said compartment support means, said delivery unit having wheel means engaging and following the top of said track means, and said delivery unit being suspended from said wheel means and being disposed substantially beneath said track means and spaced substantially above the bottoms of said legs.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 332 words

An animal feeder comprising support means, a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced compartments disposed in upper and lower rows, said compartments being connected to said support means, a feed delivery unit, means for supporting said delivery unit relative to said compartments, feed-receiving means connected to each said compartment, and adapted to receive feed from said delivery unit, means for continuously moving said delivery unit past said compartments, means for controlling the supply of feed from said delivery unit to said feed reCeiving means, and means for intermittently operating said delivery unit whereby said horizontally and vertically disposed compartments are sequentially supplied with feed, said delivery unit having a feed outlet moving therewith and attached thereto, said feed outlet moving along said upper and lower rows of compartments and in which said receiving means comprises containers disposed one at each compartment, each said container having at least a portion disposed outside of its compartment, said outside portion having an open top section disposed beneath and intermittently receiving feed from said outlet, the containers in said upper row of compartments being disposed substantially in a row generally parallel to their said compartment row, and the containers in said lower row of compartments also being disposed substantially in a row generally parallel to said top row containers, a receptacle attached to said feed delivery unit and moving therewith along said one side of said rows of compartments, said receptacle being spaced beneath said outlet whereby at certain times when the said outside portion of one of the containers in said upper row of compartments is not disposed beneath and in the path of feed from said outlet, then at such certain times feed flowing from said outlet will fall by gravity downward into said receptacle, and a conduit in communication with the bottom of said receptacle and extending downwardly into a position disposed directly above the outside portion of one of the containers of said lower row at such certain times of feed delivery.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 332 words

An animal feeder comprising support means, a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced compartments disposed in upper and lower rows, said compartments being connected to said support means, a feed delivery unit, means for supporting said delivery unit relative to said compartments, feed-receiving means connected to each said compartment, and adapted to receive feed from said delivery unit, means for continuously moving said delivery unit past said compartments, means for controlling the supply of feed from said delivery unit to said feed reCeiving means, and means for intermittently operating said delivery unit whereby said horizontally and vertically disposed compartments are sequentially supplied with feed, said delivery unit having a feed outlet moving therewith and attached thereto, said feed outlet moving along said upper and lower rows of compartments and in which said receiving means comprises containers disposed one at each compartment, each said container having at least a portion disposed outside of its compartment, said outside portion having an open top section disposed beneath and intermittently receiving feed from said outlet, the containers in said upper row of compartments being disposed substantially in a row generally parallel to their said compartment row, and the containers in said lower row of compartments also being disposed substantially in a row generally parallel to said top row containers, a receptacle attached to said feed delivery unit and moving therewith along said one side of said rows of compartments, said receptacle being spaced beneath said outlet whereby at certain times when the said outside portion of one of the containers in said upper row of compartments is not disposed beneath and in the path of feed from said outlet, then at such certain times feed flowing from said outlet will fall by gravity downward into said receptacle, and a conduit in communication with the bottom of said receptacle and extending downwardly into a position disposed directly above the outside portion of one of the containers of said lower row at such certain times of feed delivery.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 46 words

The combination of claim 18 in which a pre-settable means is operatively correlated with said delivery unit for causing a flow of feed from said outlet, said pre-settable means being settable for delivery of feed to a container in said lower row at said certain times.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 284 words

An animal feeder comprising support means, a plurality of spaced compartments connected to said support means, a feed delivery unit, means for supporting said delivery unit relative to said compartments, feed-receiving means connected to each said compartment and adapted to receive feed from said delivery unit, means for continuously moving said delivery unit past said compartments, means for controlling the supply of feed from said delivery unit to said feed-receiving means, and means for intermittently operating said delivery unit whereby said compartments are sequentially supplied with feed, said delivery unit mounting and propulsion means comprising a horizontally extending track means, said track means having a generally horizontally extending upper side and having two opposite downwardly extending sides, said upper side having two opposite edges, a pulley having an annular circumferential recess therein, the side walls of said recess having a tapering shape in a cross section taken along a plane extending through the axis of said pulley wheel and being more widely spaced at their outer ends than at their inner ends, and the spacing of said side walls at the outer portions of said pulley side walls being greater than the spacing of the sides of said track means and the spacing of said pulley side walls at their inner portions being substantially lesser than the spacing of upper edges of the sides of said track means whereby as said pulley rolls along said track means it will grip said track means firmly and impinge thereon giving good traction, said delivery unit having a delivery unit supporting means extending downwardly from and rotatably attached to said pulley whereby the weight of said delivery unit tends to press said pulley against said track means.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 284 words

An animal feeder comprising support means, a plurality of spaced compartments connected to said support means, a feed delivery unit, means for supporting said delivery unit relative to said compartments, feed-receiving means connected to each said compartment and adapted to receive feed from said delivery unit, means for continuously moving said delivery unit past said compartments, means for controlling the supply of feed from said delivery unit to said feed-receiving means, and means for intermittently operating said delivery unit whereby said compartments are sequentially supplied with feed, said delivery unit mounting and propulsion means comprising a horizontally extending track means, said track means having a generally horizontally extending upper side and having two opposite downwardly extending sides, said upper side having two opposite edges, a pulley having an annular circumferential recess therein, the side walls of said recess having a tapering shape in a cross section taken along a plane extending through the axis of said pulley wheel and being more widely spaced at their outer ends than at their inner ends, and the spacing of said side walls at the outer portions of said pulley side walls being greater than the spacing of the sides of said track means and the spacing of said pulley side walls at their inner portions being substantially lesser than the spacing of upper edges of the sides of said track means whereby as said pulley rolls along said track means it will grip said track means firmly and impinge thereon giving good traction, said delivery unit having a delivery unit supporting means extending downwardly from and rotatably attached to said pulley whereby the weight of said delivery unit tends to press said pulley against said track means.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 48 words

The combination of claim 20 in which said delivery unit supporting means has a pair of horizontally spaced stabilizing pulleys attached rotatably thereto for rotation about vertical axes, said stabilizing pulleys being spaced downwardly from said drive pulley and engaging opposite side walls of said track means respectively.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 35 words

A liquid animal feeder as defined in claim 18 includinG heating means operably connected to said delivery unit whereby the temperature of the feed at said delivery unit is maintained at a substantially constant temperature.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 183 words

An animal feeder comprising support means, a plurality of spaced compartments mounted on said support means, each said compartment having openings formed therein of a size less than the size of the heads of animals adapted to be disposed in each said compartment, a feed delivery unit, means for supporting said feed delivery unit relative to said compartments, feed-receiving means connected to said compartments and constructed and arranged to direct feed received from said delivery unit into said compartments, means for moving the feed delivery unit past said compartments, means for controlling the supply of feed from said feed delivery unit to said feed-receiving means, and means for intermittently operating said feed delivery unit whereby said compartments are sequentially supplied with feed, said feed delivery unit includes a compartment for receiving a dry feed material, a chamber, an auger for directing the dry feed material from said delivery unit compartment into said chamber, means for introducing a liquid into said chamber, and means for mixing the liquid and dry material to provide a liquid food which is subsequently supplied to said feed-receiving means.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 183 words

An animal feeder comprising support means, a plurality of spaced compartments mounted on said support means, each said compartment having openings formed therein of a size less than the size of the heads of animals adapted to be disposed in each said compartment, a feed delivery unit, means for supporting said feed delivery unit relative to said compartments, feed-receiving means connected to said compartments and constructed and arranged to direct feed received from said delivery unit into said compartments, means for moving the feed delivery unit past said compartments, means for controlling the supply of feed from said feed delivery unit to said feed-receiving means, and means for intermittently operating said feed delivery unit whereby said compartments are sequentially supplied with feed, said feed delivery unit includes a compartment for receiving a dry feed material, a chamber, an auger for directing the dry feed material from said delivery unit compartment into said chamber, means for introducing a liquid into said chamber, and means for mixing the liquid and dry material to provide a liquid food which is subsequently supplied to said feed-receiving means.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 44 words

An animal feeder as defined in claim 23 including a second chamber adapted to receive a dry feed material, and means for directing the dry feed material into a conduit which is constructed and arranged to direct the material into said feed receiving means.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 36 words

The combination of claim 13 in which said delivery unit has a source of said liquid thereon, all of the said multiple terminal outlet means which deliver said liquid receiving said liquid indirectly from said source.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 39 words

The combination of claim 1 in which said delivery unit has a source of said milk solids thereon, all of the said multiple terminal outlet means which deliver said milk solids receiving said milk solids indirectly from said source.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 16 words

The combination of claim 13 in which said feed delivery unit moves past said compartments continuously.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-05-23	1975-11-22	1976-05-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-05-23	1979-11-22	1980-05-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-05-23	1983-11-22	1984-05-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Lactation period brooder

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