US3675758A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Livestock feeding apparatus
Assignee: Vandale Corp
•
Filing: 1970-02-03
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Granted: 1972-07-11
•
Expires: 1990-02-03
Abstract
Abstract Livestock feeding apparatus including a carriage movable back and forth along a fixed track, a movable conveyor mounted on the carriage, fixed means for driving the carriage on said track, and a connection between the conveyor and the track whereby movement of the carriage on the track causes movement of the conveyor with respect to the carriage. The carriage is made up of a plurality of parts which can be easily and quickly assembled into sections, any number of which can be connected together to provide a carriage of the desired length. A tray or bottom surface in the carriage is constructed so that it can be snapped into place to facilitate easy assembly. Adjacent sections of the carriage are connected together by connector plates at least some of which have mounted thereon an arm which serves as an axle for the rollers by which the carriage is mounted on the track and also have a support member for a drive chain which extends from one end of the carriage to the other and is engaged by a movable drive sprocket. Also disclosed is a unique hanger bracket for connecting the track to supporting posts, either suspended from above or supported from below the tracks, the hanger bracket being such that the track can very quickly and securely be attached to the supporting posts and so that it can readily be adjusted if need be. Also disclosed is an alternative embodiment where the carriage is utilized as a fixed conveyor for feed or the like and wherein the conveyor on the carriage is driven directly by a motor but substantially the same components are used to assemble this embodiment as are used in the traveling carriage arrangement described above.
Inventors
- 👤 Floyd E Buschbom
- 👤 Glen D Hansen
- 👤 Roger L Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 15:52
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K5/00; A01K5/02; A01K5/0266
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
284 words
Apparatus for handling livestock feed or the like, comprising a plurality of longitudinal sections, each section having a pair of spaced, generally parallel, longitudinally extending side members, means rigidly connecting said side members, tray means including a generally flat portion with longitudinal edges spaced a distance substantially equal to the space between said side members, said tray means having fastening surface means adjacent each of said longitudinal edges, said side members each including means for cooperating with said fastening surface means on said tray means to facilitate snap-in attachment of said tray means to said side members whereby said tray means can be easily attached to said side members and are relatively securely and rigidly held in place after being so attached; connector members attached to adjacent portions of said plurality of longitudinal sections, means securing said connector members to said adjacent portions of said sections, at least some of said connector members having mounted thereon an axle, a pair of guide means journaled at opposite ends of the apparatus, endless conveyor means extending between said guide means and with one expanse extending over the trays and one expanse extending thereunder, track means substantially longer than the composite length of the plurality of longitudinal sections, each of the axles on said connecting members having a wheel journaled thereon, said wheels being mounted on said track means whereby said plurality of longitudinal sections is suspended from said track and compositely acts as a carriage movable along said track means, means fixing said conveyor means at one point thereon with respect to said track means, and driving means operable connected to said carriage and operable to drive said carriage back and forth along said track means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
284 words
Apparatus for handling livestock feed or the like, comprising a plurality of longitudinal sections, each section having a pair of spaced, generally parallel, longitudinally extending side members, means rigidly connecting said side members, tray means including a generally flat portion with longitudinal edges spaced a distance substantially equal to the space between said side members, said tray means having fastening surface means adjacent each of said longitudinal edges, said side members each including means for cooperating with said fastening surface means on said tray means to facilitate snap-in attachment of said tray means to said side members whereby said tray means can be easily attached to said side members and are relatively securely and rigidly held in place after being so attached; connector members attached to adjacent portions of said plurality of longitudinal sections, means securing said connector members to said adjacent portions of said sections, at least some of said connector members having mounted thereon an axle, a pair of guide means journaled at opposite ends of the apparatus, endless conveyor means extending between said guide means and with one expanse extending over the trays and one expanse extending thereunder, track means substantially longer than the composite length of the plurality of longitudinal sections, each of the axles on said connecting members having a wheel journaled thereon, said wheels being mounted on said track means whereby said plurality of longitudinal sections is suspended from said track and compositely acts as a carriage movable along said track means, means fixing said conveyor means at one point thereon with respect to said track means, and driving means operable connected to said carriage and operable to drive said carriage back and forth along said track means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further including bottom cover means secured to and extending between said side members in a position beneath said trays and with one expanse of said conveyor means extending between said trays and said bottom cover means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means connecting the side members includes a plurality of spacer members extending between said side members and disposed so that they lie immediately beneath the tray when said tray is snapped into position and provide support for said tray.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said drive means is fixed with respect to said track means and includes a drive stand, means connecting said drive stand to said track means, a supporting post for said drive stand, and motive means mounted on said drive stand and adapted to be operably connected to said carriage means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the drive means includes reversing means having an operating member, and said carriage has means thereon cooperable with said operating member to operate said operating member to reverse said drive means upon said carriage means moving to predetermined positions on said track.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said drive means includes a reversible electric driving motor and said reversing means includes a reversing switch connected to said motor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said reversing means is mounted substantially at the midpoint of travel of said carriage, and the means on said carriage cooperable with said operating member includes members mounted adjacent each end of said carriage and disposed to engage said operating member as said carriage reaches either of the end limits of its travel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said track means includes a pair of spaced, gEnerally parallel, track members and said carriage has wheels extending on either side thereof which engage and roll along said track members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
148 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fastening surface means comprises a longitudinal flange along each of said flat portion of said tray means, and the means for cooperating therewith includes a plurality of spaced finger means each partially severed from a side member and adapted to receive a flange between said finger means and the side member and to hold said flange tightly therebetween, and a plurality of abutment protrusions on said side members, near the free ends of said finger means and spaced from the base of said finger means a distance approximately equal to the width of said longitudinal flanges on said tray whereby said flanges must be forced past said abutment protrusions in order to be positioned between the finger means and the side members and are held in place by said abutment protrusions when they are snapped into place behind said finger means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
70 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said trays has a plurality of spaced finger members extending longitudinally therefrom on the underside thereof, abutting ends of adjacent ones of said trays having said finger members disposed in complimentary manner whereby the finger members on one extend between the finger members on the other so that they cooperate to better support and maintain in alignment the ends of adjacent trays.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
108 words
Feeder apparatus or the like of the type including carriage means adapted to be mounted on and movable along a track, the apparatus comprising carriage means made up of a plurality of longitudinal, generally trough-shaped, sections rigidly connected end to end, each section having a pair of laterally spaced, generally parallel, longitudinally extended side members, and tray means located between and releasably attached to said side members, connector members overlapping and rigidly connected to adjacent ones of the trough-shaped sections, and at least a part of said connector members each having rigidly mounted thereon an axle member for carrying a wheel engageable with and rollable along the track.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
108 words
Feeder apparatus or the like of the type including carriage means adapted to be mounted on and movable along a track, the apparatus comprising carriage means made up of a plurality of longitudinal, generally trough-shaped, sections rigidly connected end to end, each section having a pair of laterally spaced, generally parallel, longitudinally extended side members, and tray means located between and releasably attached to said side members, connector members overlapping and rigidly connected to adjacent ones of the trough-shaped sections, and at least a part of said connector members each having rigidly mounted thereon an axle member for carrying a wheel engageable with and rollable along the track.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein one of said connector members is connected to each side of the trough-shaped sections at the point where each two adjacent sections join, and said axle members extend on opposite sides of the carriage so that the wheels carried thereby are disposed for engagement with a pair of spaced track members.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 11 further including driving means fixed with respect to said track and operably connected to the carriage means for driving said carriage means back and forth along the track.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
216 words
Feeder apparatus or the like comprising: carriage means adapted to be mounted on and movable along a track, said carriage means made up of a plurality of longitudinal, generally trough-shaped sections rigidly connected end-to-end, each section having a pair of laterally spaced, generally parallel, longitudinally extended side members, and tray means located between and releasably attached to said side members, connector members overlapping and rigidly connected to adjacent ones of the trough-shaped sections, at least part of said connector members each having rigidly mounted thereon an axle member for carrying a wheel means engageable with and rollable along the track, drive means fixed with respect to said track and operably connected to the carriage means for driving said carriage means back and forth along the track, drive engaging means extending substantially from one end to the other of said carriage means and fixed to said carriage means only at the ends thereof, said drive means includes motive means and means driven thereby and cooperable with drive engaging means to drive said carriage back and forth along said track, and support means for said drive engaging means including means extending from at least a part of the connector members which connect adjacent ones of said trough-like mEmbers and extending under and releasably supporting said drive engaging means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
216 words
Feeder apparatus or the like comprising: carriage means adapted to be mounted on and movable along a track, said carriage means made up of a plurality of longitudinal, generally trough-shaped sections rigidly connected end-to-end, each section having a pair of laterally spaced, generally parallel, longitudinally extended side members, and tray means located between and releasably attached to said side members, connector members overlapping and rigidly connected to adjacent ones of the trough-shaped sections, at least part of said connector members each having rigidly mounted thereon an axle member for carrying a wheel means engageable with and rollable along the track, drive means fixed with respect to said track and operably connected to the carriage means for driving said carriage means back and forth along the track, drive engaging means extending substantially from one end to the other of said carriage means and fixed to said carriage means only at the ends thereof, said drive means includes motive means and means driven thereby and cooperable with drive engaging means to drive said carriage back and forth along said track, and support means for said drive engaging means including means extending from at least a part of the connector members which connect adjacent ones of said trough-like mEmbers and extending under and releasably supporting said drive engaging means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said drive engaging means is a flexible member and extends along one side of said carriage member and said support means includes a laterally extending support member extending from at least some of the connector members on that side of the carriage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the driven engaging means comprises a drive chain and the drive means includes a fixed reversible drive means including a motor driven sprocket disposed for engagement with the drive chain for driving said carriage back and forth along said track.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the drive means includes a fixed drive stand, means connecting said stand to the track, and a support post for said stand, said support stand extending to one side of the track and mounting a motive means drivingly connected to a sprocket disposed for engagement with said drive chain.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
206 words
A feeder apparatus or the like of the type comprising: carriage means adapted to be mounted on and movable along a fixed track, said carriage means having a pair of laterally spaced, generally parallel longitudinal extended side members, means rigidly connecting said side members, tray means located between and releasably attached to said side members, endless conveyor means mounted on the carriage means and movable thereon, said conveyor means extended between the ends of the tray means with one expanse of the conveyor means located over the tray means and the other expanse extended thereunder, power means fixed relative to said track for moving the carriage means back and forth on the track, fixed mounting means for the power means, means connecting the power means to the carriage means whereby operation of the power means applies a force to the carriage means to propel it along the track, and means fixedly connecting one portion of the endless conveyor means to said fixed mounting means whereby movement of the carriage means causes relative movement between the carriage means and conveyor means, the forces exerted on said fixed support means by the carriage means and by the conveyor means being in opposite directions and at least partially counteracting.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
206 words
A feeder apparatus or the like of the type comprising: carriage means adapted to be mounted on and movable along a fixed track, said carriage means having a pair of laterally spaced, generally parallel longitudinal extended side members, means rigidly connecting said side members, tray means located between and releasably attached to said side members, endless conveyor means mounted on the carriage means and movable thereon, said conveyor means extended between the ends of the tray means with one expanse of the conveyor means located over the tray means and the other expanse extended thereunder, power means fixed relative to said track for moving the carriage means back and forth on the track, fixed mounting means for the power means, means connecting the power means to the carriage means whereby operation of the power means applies a force to the carriage means to propel it along the track, and means fixedly connecting one portion of the endless conveyor means to said fixed mounting means whereby movement of the carriage means causes relative movement between the carriage means and conveyor means, the forces exerted on said fixed support means by the carriage means and by the conveyor means being in opposite directions and at least partially counteracting.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the conveyor comprises an endless flexible means movable about spaced roller means on the carriage, said fixed mounting means and the fixed portion of the conveyor means are disposed substantially at the longitudinal center of the track, and the carriage means moves back and forth on opposite sides of the fixed mounting means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
108 words
The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means connecting the power means to the carriage means includes a drive sprocket cooperable with a drive chain fixedly mounted on the carriage means and extending longitudinally thereof, the conveyor means comprises an endless means extending over spaced roller means mounted substantially at opposite ends of the carriage means, the carriage means moving within the endless conveyor means to cause relative movement therebetween, and the forces exerted on the fixed support means by the action between the drive sprocket and drive chain being in an opposite direction from the force exerted thereon by the fixed portion of the endless conveyor means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
141 words
Apparatus for handling livestock feed or the like comprising: a plurality of longitudinal sections, each section having a pair of spaced, generally parallel, longitudinally extended side members, means rigidly connecting said side members, tray means located between and releasably attached to said side members, connector members secured to adjacent portions of end-to-end side members to hold the longitudinal sections in general alignment, means attached to said connector members to rotatably mount the sections on a track, and endless conveyor means extended between the ends of the tray means with one expanse of the conveyor means located over the tray means and the other expanse extended thereundeR, means fixing said conveyor to one point thereon with respect to said track means, and drive means operably connected to said carriage and operable to drive said carriage back and forth along said track means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
141 words
Apparatus for handling livestock feed or the like comprising: a plurality of longitudinal sections, each section having a pair of spaced, generally parallel, longitudinally extended side members, means rigidly connecting said side members, tray means located between and releasably attached to said side members, connector members secured to adjacent portions of end-to-end side members to hold the longitudinal sections in general alignment, means attached to said connector members to rotatably mount the sections on a track, and endless conveyor means extended between the ends of the tray means with one expanse of the conveyor means located over the tray means and the other expanse extended thereundeR, means fixing said conveyor to one point thereon with respect to said track means, and drive means operably connected to said carriage and operable to drive said carriage back and forth along said track means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein: said drive means is fixed with respect to said track means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein: the drive means includes fixed reversing means having an operating member and said carriage has means thereon cooperating with said operating member to operate said operating member to reverse the drive means upon carriage means moving to predetermined positions on said track means.
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) | 1975-07-11 | 1976-01-10 | 1976-07-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-11 | 1980-01-10 | 1980-07-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-11 | 1984-01-10 | 1984-07-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |