GB2489286A

GB2489286A - Hay net

Info

Publication number: GB2489286A
Application number: GB1105009.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Luke Stanley Charles Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-03-24
Filing date: 2011-03-24
Publication date: 2012-09-26
Also published as: GB201105009D0

Abstract

A hay net for feeding livestock comprises a net 2 and two normally straight, resilient support members 3,4, each of which is threaded through apertures in the net. Both ends of each support member are connected to a respective end of the other support member, preferably by a hinge. The hay net has a first, closed configuration, in which the two support members are situated side-by-side and the net constitutes a bag whose mouth is closed, and a second, open configuration, in which the two support members adopt an outwardly curved configuration, thereby opening the mouth of the bag. The support members are biased by their resilience towards the first configuration and the second configuration is achieved by the application of a longitudinal compressive force to the ends of the two support members.

Description

Hay Net

FIELD

The invention relates to a hay net for feeding livestock, particularly horses though it could also be used for feeding donkeys, goats or even llamas. Such nets are predominantly used to feed livestock with hay but may equally be used with other types of forage, such as haylage, horsehage or lucerne.

BACKGROUND

It is known to use a net to store hay, from which livestock can feed. Because of its capacity to store hay as well as serving as a feeder, a hay net is particularly suited to use when travelling with livestock, but it can equally be used in a stable or any other fixed location.

Typically, a length of rope is threaded through the apertures at the periphery of the net, so that the netting forms a bag. The net is then filled with hay, and the rope is drawn tight so that the periphery of the net is drawn together and the net closes around the hay. The net can then be hung, for example in a stable or from the side of a horse box, at a suitable height to allow livestock to feed from it.

However, the hay net described above has a number of disadvantages. Because the hay net has no supporting structure, it can easily become tangled and requires untangling each time it is prepared for use. Furthermore, it is far from easy to fill the net with hay. It is difficult to hold the mouth of the net open with one hand whilst the net is filled with hay by the other.

To ease the process of filling a hay net, it is also known to place the net in a bucket or a dedicated filling aid in the form of a container with a castellated periphery, with the periphery of the net and the rope threaded therethrough draping over the circumference of the opening of the bucket or container. This allows the net to be filled more easily by holding open the mouth of the net. However, this method complicates the filling procedure by introducing an additional step, it requires the use of external apparatus and it does not solve the problem of the net becoming tangled between uses. Accordingly, there is a need for an alternative solution.

SUMMARY

According to the present invention, there is provided a hay net for feeding livestock comprising net and two elongate, substantially straight, resilient support members, each support member being threaded through apertures in the net, both ends of each support member being connected to respective ends of the other support member. The hay net has a first, closed configuration, in which the two support members are situated side by side and the net constitutes a bag whose mouth is substantially closed and a second, open configuration in which the two support members adopt an outwardly curved configuration, thereby opening the mouth of the bag. Because of their resilience, the support members are biased towards the first, closed configuration.

The transition from the first, closed configuration to the second closed configuration is achieved by the application of a longitudinal compressive force to the ends of the two support members.

Because the support members are substantially straight and resilient, and because the mouth of the bag is threaded onto the support members, the net is prevented from becoming tangled. Additionally, the hay net can be easily filled by pushing one end of the connected support members against a solid structure, such as a wall of a stable, so that the hay net adopts the second, open configuration. When in the second, open configuration, the hay net can be filled with ease as the two support members form a well defined and structurally supported opening in the net. When the filling process is complete, the longitudinal compressive force applied by the user is simply released and the support members return to the first, closed configuration, thereby sealing the net. Accordingly, an efficient and user friendly filling process is achieved.

The net is preferably in the form of a bag with one end which is substantially closed and another end which defines a mouth. This is, however, not essential and it is also possible for the net to constitute a planar area of netting of e.g. square or round shape.

When the support members are in the first closed configuration, the net will act as a bag to retain the hay within it.

The connections of the two ends of the support members may be substantially rigid, that is to say constructed not to permit relative rotation of the connected portions of the support members. However, this will necessitate the application of a very significant longitudinal force in order to achieve the second configuration because all the necessary relative movement of the support members will occur against their resilience. It is therefore preferred that the ends of each support member are connected to a respective end of the other support member by a hinge connection which readily permits relative rotation of the connected portions of the support members. This will allow the support members to readily adopt the outwardly curved shape of the second, open configuration described above with the application of a very much smaller compressive force. One end of each support member may be releasably connected to a respective end of the other support member. This will allow the releasable connection to be released to allow the support members to be threaded onto a net, whereafter the releasable connection may be re-established. The releasable connection may comprise a hinge with a removable pin. The other hinge connection may also be releasable but this is not necessary and it is convenient for this other connection to constitute a permanent connection. This opens up the possibility of the two support members constituting a one-piece plastic moulding with the two support members connected at one end by an integral or film hinge. The releasable hinge connection may then be constituted by integrally moulded rings or sleeves at the other end of the support members into which a hinge pin may be slid.

The hay net may also include a clip or hook at the end of the net remote from the mouth of the net, which can be attached to a part of one or both of the support members at the mouth of the net. By attaching the bottom of the net to the mouth of the net, the problem of livestock becoming tangled in low hanging portions of the net is avoided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A specific embodiment of the invention is described below by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the embodiment of the hay net in a first, closed configuration; and Figure 2 shows the embodiment of the hay net in a second, open configuration.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF AN EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT

Figure 1 shows a hay net or forage net comprising a net 2 and first and second naturally straight support members 3 and 4. The net 2 is formed of a number of fibres knotted together to form a bag of generally conical shape. The fibres are secured at one end of the cone to a ring 5 and define a mouth at the other end.

The support members 3 and 4 are each formed of a strip of resilient material such as metal or plastic material, so that they are capable of elastically deforming into a curved configuration under the application of longitudinal compressive force and returning to their substantially straight configuration upon the removal of such force.

The support members 3 and 4 are connected to each other at their respective first ends by a permanent hinge 6 and are connected at their respective second ends by a releasable hinge 7 having a removaable pin 8.

When the pin 8 is removed from the hinge 7, the two support members 3 and 4 can be threaded through the apertures at the periphery of the net 2 at the end of the net 2 remote from the ring 5. When the support members 3 and 4 have been threaded through the apertures of the net, the pin 8 is placed through the hinge 7 to fasten the respective second ends of the support members 3 and 4 together. Preferably, the net 2 is distributed evenly around the support members 3 and 4 so that each support member 3 and 4 is threaded through the apertures in the net 2 around substantially a respective one-half of the periphery of the net 2.

In use, a longitudinal compressive force is applied across the first and second ends of the two support members 3 and 4 so that the support members 3 and 4 adopt an outwardly curved configuration, as shown in Figure 2, thereby opening the mouth of the net 2. The net 2 can then be filled with hay until the desired amount of hay is in the net 2. The longitudinal compressive force is then released so that the hay net 1 returns to the closed configuration shown in Figure 1.

When the hay net I is full, the net will be slid to one end of the support members 3, 4 and the other end will typically be threaded through a ring on the wall of a stable or the like and will hang downwardly. The clip 9 can then be attached to the support members to restrain movement of the net and prevent livestock becoming entangled in any loose parts of the net. It will be appreciated that the ring 5 is not necessarily present and if it is not provided the clip 9 may be attached to the net in the region of the bottom of the bag.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A hay net for feeding livestock comprising a net and two elongate, substantially straight, resilient support members, each support member being threaded through apertures in the net, both ends of each support member being connected to a respective end of the other support member, the hay net having a first, closed configuration in which the two support members are situated side-by-side and the net constitutes a bag whose mouth is substantially closed and a second, open configuration in which the two support members adopt an outwardly curved configuration, thereby opening the mouth of the bag, wherein the support members are biased by their resilience towards the first configuration and wherein the second configuration is achieved by the application of a longitudinal compressive force to the ends of the two support members.
2. The hay net of claim 1, wherein the ends of each support member are connected to a respective end of the other support member by a hinge connection.
3. The hay net of claim 1 or 2, wherein one end of each support member is removably connected to a respective end of the other support member.
4. The hay net of claim 1, wherein each support member is threaded through the apertures in the net around substantially a respective one-half of the periphery of the net.
5. The hay net of claim 1, wherein the net includes a clip at the end of the net distal to the mouth of the net, arranged to attach to one of the support members.