Feeder for rearing poultry, adjustable in height.

The present invention relates to feeders for rearing the large poultry, especially turkeys, and aims especially those that include a circular receptacle associated with means to feed level adjustment and are designed to be used in number along the food distribution lines provided in the local poultry industry.

It is known that each of these distribution lines is constituted in practice by a tubular conduit oriented horizontally above the ground and within which the food is moved by means of screw or the like, since a central silo to the feeders aligned below the certain line. The receptacle of each feeder is fed through a dispensing member which is connected to the above-mentioned conduit and which is essentially constituted by a hollow cylindrical member whose position, provided adjustable, relative to the receptacle determines the level of the feed in the latter , the adjustment being performed depending on the size (that is to say, actually, age) of the poultry to which the said food is intended.

Currently setting the level of food in the receptacle is provided through a separate intervention in the distribution element of each feeder, which obviously implies a share of the hands of considerable work. Furthermore the container feeders known to date is secured to the dispenser by radiating provided appropriate support arm, said member is itself connected to the horizontal pipe food transportation.

This provision implies a downside of course about the robustness of the crib, especially when it is for the large poultry such as turkeys feeding; this drawback is even more accentuated by the fact that the dispenser member is usually made of plastic.

It is these defects What essentially correct this invention and enabling the realization of a feeder specifically designed for large domestic poultry, which has a perfect strength and that makes simultaneously possible level adjustment food through a quick and simple operation which can be performed from a central location of the local poultry industry.

The feeder according to the invention, of the type intended to be arranged in number along the feed distribution lines on the premises and comprising a suspended receptacle by a series of radiating support arms and over which is provided a distributor organ hollow food provided which is connected and which communicates with a horizontal tubular conduit for the transport of feed from a silo, which distribution device itself comprises a fixed element and a distribution element for the level adjustment of the food in accordance the manner of a substantially cylindrical sleeve, movable outside the above-mentioned distribution element is characterized in that the supporting arms are directly connected to the tubular conduit, while in order to allow the vertical movement between a lower position near the bottom of the receptacle and an upper position, the level adjusting element is supported and actuated by actuating cables connected, through the deflecting means, to a main cable is arranged parallel to said conduit and established to the length thereof, said main cable being associated with a central control mechanism.

i Other notable provisions of the manger become apparent from the following description with reference to the attached drawing, which drawing, given by way of example, will better understand the invention, its characteristics and benefits that it is capable of providing:<ul><li>Fig. 1 is a perspective view with cutaway showing the general arrangement of the feeder.</li><li>Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of a distribution line equipped with a series of feeders according to FIG. 1.</li><li>Fig. 3 illustrates, in three different positions, the setting of one of fig feeders. 2.</li></ul>

In this drawing the reference numeral 1 generally designates a feeder according to the invention. This feeder consists of a receptacle mounted 2 of known type, provided with support arms 3 and a member 4 for food distribution connected to a tubular conduit 5 horizontally oriented and designed to transport food from a silo (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 1 the supporting arms 3 are constituted by two round rods of metal, each having in its central upper part, a U-shape facing downwards, so as to form a sort of bracket 3 'resting on the duct 5, which bracket is integral extensions 3 "which diverge radially with respect to the vertical axis A of the dispensing member 4, adjacent to said yoke 3 '. the ends 3"' of the arms 3 are folded and engaged within 6 button holes formed in the back edge 7 of the container 2.

Observe that as a result of their realization in the form of round metal rods, the support arms 3 are likely to be elastically deformed and be released 6 buttonholes through a simple pressure on their 3 "following a substantially centripetal direction relative to the axis A. an annular reinforcement is figured 8 adapted to stiffen the upper arm 3 to which it is fixed by rivets such as 9. the structure thus obtained is completely independent as a result of the body 4 distribution.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 this body 4 is constituted firstly by a fixed distribution element 10 connected to the way in itself known to the tubular duct 5, and secondly by an element 11 for adjusting the level of the feed, said element 11 being disposed around said fixed member 10 so as to be movable coaxially with respect thereto.

Specifically the distribution element 10 comprises a substantially cylindrical hollow body 12 provided firstly up a head 13 with a square or rectangular section whose top 14 is convex, the other down to an annular portion 15 of diameter greater than that of the body 12 and is connected thereto by radial spacers 16.

The top 14 comprises a support 17 inside which is engaged the common electric conductor 18 intended to prevent poultry from perching on the line 5. Note also that the adjusting element 11 is shaped substantially in the manner a cylindrical sleeve whose top 19 has a frusto-conical profile, while the base has a bottom 20 to the outer profile itself frustoconical; this bottom 20 is integral with a lower portion 21 of cylindrical shape, adapted to prevent the poultry to engage the spout in the region between the outer wall of said bottom 20 and the conical protrusion 22 provided in the traditional way in the central part the receptacle 2.

The leveling member 11 is thus movable along the member 10 and is supported and driven in this movement by a control cable consisting of a rope 23 folded on itself, including ends 24 are fixed to the upper part of the element 11 and which is slidably engaged through two perforated ears 25 acting as references and reported on the cap 13 diametrically opposite to one another relative to the axis A. This rope 23 is made integral with jaw 26, a main cable 27 extends parallel to the duct 5 below thereof; this cable 27 is actuated by means of a suitable central device 28 (Fig. 2) which is thus capable of ensuring the setting of the level of food simultaneously in all feeders 1.

It will be observed that the main cable 27 passes freely through the head 13 of each pot by means of a through opening 29 (Fig. 1) oriented perpendicularly to the axis A and shaped in the manner of a light to enable the oscillations any of the feeder about the axis of the pipe 5 without subjecting said wire to a tensile force that would cause the inadvertent movement of the operating elements the level adjustment of the food in the neighboring troughs.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 the outer wall of the hollow cylindrical body 12 comprises two diametrically opposed vertical guides 30 to each other with respect to the axis A and each of which is defined by two shaped ribs 31 between which slide a relief 32 secured to the outer cylindrical surface of the adjusting element 11. near its top each guide 30 has a lateral opening 33 which permits release of the relief 32 considered; This Release (and analogously commitment) is operated by rotating the control element 11 about the axis A. It should be noted here that in the upper part of this element 11 are provided two recesses 34 suitably positioned with respect to the reliefs 32 so as to allow passage of ears 25 when mounting (or clearance) of the elements 10 and 11.

The connection between the arm supports 3 and the dispensing member 4 is provided with a series of profiled projections 35 provided on the head 13 close to openings therein for receiving the ends of the conduit 5 ; it is between these bosses 35 that just fit the top 3 'stirrup-shaped support arms 3.

Fig. 3 clearly shows the level setting of the food in the feeders, they are likely to be higher as and grows poultry irrespective of the above-mentioned setting.