WO2006097103A1

WO2006097103A1 - A system for feeding animals

Info

Publication number: WO2006097103A1
Application number: PCT/DK2006/000145
Authority: WO
Inventors: Knud Christensen
Original assignee: Knud Christensen
Priority date: 2005-03-14
Filing date: 2006-03-14
Publication date: 2006-09-21

Abstract

In a system of feeding pigs, where a plurality of feed dispensers (2, 3) with their respective motor control units are connected with a feed silo via a supply pipe (6), the individual feed dispensers are controlled individually from a computer, said feed dispensers comprising a container (13) having a cover (18), where the containers have arranged therein a vertically adjust¬ able disc (15) having a hole which may be opened or closed by a control¬ lable flap (20), said cover being equipped with a plug (22) or a controllable, rotatable disc. The adjustable disc (15), the controllable flap (20) and the plug (22) or the rotatable disc may be controlled individually from the computer, which pro¬ vides the advantage that the type of feed or mixtures of feed as well as the amount of feed which is supplied to the individual feed dispensers, may be controlled entirely individually and be adapted to the needs of the individual pigs for feed composition, both as regards contents and amount. The invention ensures that the pigs are neither overfed, nor receive too little feed nor receive a wrong feed composition.

Description

A SYSTEM FOR FEEDING ANIMALS

The invention relates to a system for feeding animals, in particular pigs, comprising a feed silo which is connected with a supply pipe having holes, with which a plurality of feed dispensers are connected via transverse pipes at the holes, wherein each of the feed dispensers comprises a container, wherein each feed dispenser is adapted to receive a predetermined amount of feed, wherein each feed dispenser is equipped with a motor control unit adapted to adjust the amount of feed which is supplied to the feed dis- penser, and wherein the supply of feed to the individual feed dispensers is controlled individually by a central computer.

Such a system is known e.g. from EP 285 596 A1. In this known system, feed is supplied to a mixer unit which is formed by a hopper having two compartments which are provided with their respective closure devices at the bottom. A feeding means and a weighing device for metering the amount of feed in the hopper are provided below the closure devices.

This set-up has a rather complicated structure and requires a rather expen- sive weighing device, which may give rise to wrong measurements after an extended period of use.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a more reliable and simpler system in terms of manufacture while maintaining a high flexibility.

The object of the invention is achieved by a system of the type defined in the introductory portion of claim 1 , which is characterized in that each container has a cover, and that each container has mounted therein a vertically adjustable disc having a hole which divides the container into an upper section and a lower section, said upper section defining the amount of feed which is to be dispensed from the feed dispenser, and that a closure device is arranged at the hole in the disc, said closure device being activated by a signal from the computer so that the feed is dispensed from the upper section, and that the cover is also equipped with a closure device which may be closed or opened via a signal from the computer.

The metering will hereby always be accurate, as it is based on a volume determination. In addition, it is possible to supply quite individual feed mixtures to the individual feed dispensers, it being possible individually to control the volume and the composition of the feed which is supplied to the containers of the individual feed dispensers.

When, as stated in claim 2, the closure device in the disc consists of a controllable flap, or, as stated in claim 3, the closure device in the cover consists of a plug or a controllable rotatable disc, a simple, mechanically constructive structure is achieved.

To enhance the flexibility of the system additionally, it is advantageous, as stated in claim 4, that the adjustable disc, the controllable flap and the closure device in the cover are controlled individually from the computer.

Since, as stated in claim 5, the disc extends on a worm, and a position indicator is adapted to indicate the position of the disc on the worm, a very accurate metering of feed to the feed dispensers is provided.

It is also advantageous, as stated in claim 6, that the container is downwardly terminated by a hopper whose narrow part accommodates a sensor, which is adapted to detect whether feed is present in the hopper, which allows it to be detected whether the individual feed dispensers operate correctly.

In addition, it is advantageously ensured that it may be detected currently whether the pigs eat all the feed, which means in turn that diseases, if any, among the pigs may be detected already at the sty level.

Finally, it is advantageous, as stated in claim 7, that the upper section is disposed between the adjustable disc and the cover, and that a sensor is arranged on the underside of the cover, which may be activated by the disc when it is moved up to the cover, whereby it may be controlled currently whether the upper section is emptied of feed before a next supply of feed is initiated.

The invention will now be explained more fully with reference to the drawing, in which

fig. 1 shows a feed system constructed according to the invention,

fig. 2 shows the structure of a container for a feed dispenser in a first operative position for use in the system of fig. 1 ,

fig. 3 shows the container of fig. 2 in a second operative position, while

fig. 4 shows a cover for the containers of fig. 2 and fig. 3, seen from above.

In fig. 1 , the numeral 1 generally designates a system according to the invention for feeding animals.

The system consists of a plurality of feed dispensers 2, 3 which are connected via a supply pipe 6 with a feed silo 4, from which feed is transported in the direction of the arrow 5 around pulleys 7 and back to the feed silo 4. A worm (not shown), which advances the feed by rotation, is arranged inside the supply pipe.

A branching point 8 is provided at each feed dispenser, said branching point being formed by a hole (not shown) in the supply pipe 6. Feed is conveyed through this hole down through a hole 27 in a cover 18 to the hopper of a feed dispenser 10 and further down to floor level, where pigs (not shown) can eat the feed.

As will be seen, each feed dispenser is equipped with a motor control unit 12, which is connected via a cable 25, which may be a data cable, to a computer 24, such as a PLC controller.

The computer is intended to individually control the motor control units of the individual feed dispensers 2, 3, so that the amount of feed and the points of time for the dispensing of feed may be determined in dependence on the size and the number of pigs which it is to serve.

Figures 2 and 3 show a container 13 with a scale 14 for a feed dispenser 2 in an enlarged view.

The container 13 is divided into an upper section 16 and a lower section 17, said two sections being separated by a movable disc 15 mounted on a worm 19, which may move the disc upwards or downwards in the container 13 via the motor control unit 12.

The container 13 accommodates a rod 21 having mounted thereon a controllable flap 20, which is intended to block a hole (not shown) in the disc 15 through which metered feed may be conveyed from the upper section 16 into the lower section 17. The rod 21 is also connected with the motor control unit 12, so that the controllable flap 20, when the rod 21 is rotated, may be caused to allow and block, respectively, the supply of feed from the upper section 16 to the lower section 17.

As will be seen in fig. 3, the controllable flap 20 has been pivoted downwards so that the hole (not shown) in the disc 15 is exposed.

The controllable flap 20 is provided with a plug 22 which is intended to be moved down through the hole (not shown) in the disc 15 and up to a hole 27 in a cover 18.

The hole 27 is positioned in a bearing 26 for the supply pipe 6 so that the holes in the cover 18 and the supply pipe 6, respectively, are arranged above each other.

When the controllable flap 20 with the plug 22 is disposed in the position shown in fig. 2, the holes in the supply 6 and in the cover 18 are covered so that no feed can be supplied.

It should moreover be noted that a rotatable disc (not shown) may be used for closing the said holes in stead of the plug 22.

The underside of the cover 18 may be provided with a sensor (not shown) which defines a zero point position, in the sense that when the upper side of the disc 15 touches the sensor, there is no feed in the upper section 16.

Finally, a position indicator (not shown) is arranged inside the container, adapted to indicate the position of the disc 15 in the container 13, which may be useful for adjusting the volume of the upper section 16 via the computer 24, which in turn corresponds to the amount of feed present in the upper section 16.

The operation of the feed dispenser shown in fig. 1 will now be explained more fully.

Control signals are sent from the computer 24 to the motor control unit 12 in each feed dispenser, which moves the disc 15 in the container 13 up to a zero point position.

When the computer 24 has calculated how much feed is to be supplied to the upper section 16 of each container, the disc 15 is moved downwards in the container 13 to a position corresponding to the amount of feed. Then, the upper section 16 is filled with feed, and when the feed is ready to be dispensed, the rod 21 with the flap 20 is rotated, following which the feed is moved into the lower section 17 to the hopper 10.

This process is performed for each feed dispenser in the system and with individual settings of the individual feed dispensers.

The system according to the invention provides the opportunity of controlling and recording a plurality of actions, some of which are mentioned below:

It is possible to record which type of feed is supplied to the individual feed dispensers and the points of time thereof.

It is possible to supply mixtures of feed to selected feed dispensers, merely by lowering the discs of the feed dispensers which are to receive another type of feed, down into the container, while the others are locked, so that the additional feed either passes the containers having the disc in the uppermost position, or passes the feed dispensers which have already been filled with feed in the uppermost section.

All events may be recorded temporally, which may be an advantage e.g. if it turns out that the supplied feed from one of the feed dispensers is not eaten, which may be owing to a disease among the pigs. The point of time of the onset of the disease may thus be recorded.

It is also possible to accustom the pigs gradually to a different type of feed, e.g. by slowly metering the new type of feed into the "old type of feed" in amounts which are gradually increased over time.

Although the invention has mainly been explained in connection with the feeding of pigs, nothing, of course, prevents it from being used, within the scope defined by the claims, in connection with feeding and/or metering where individual amounts and mixtures are to be supplied to a system having several dispensers.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. A system for feeding animals, in particular pigs, comprising a feed silo (4) which is connected with a supply pipe (6) having holes, with which a plurality of feed dispensers (2, 3) are connected via transverse pipes (9) at the holes, wherein each of the feed dispensers comprises a container (13), wherein each feed dispenser is adapted to receive a predetermined amount of feed, wherein each feed dispenser (2,3 ) is equipped with a motor control unit (12) adapted to adjust the amount of feed which is supplied to the feed dispenser, and wherein the supply of feed to the individual feed dispensers is controlled individually by a central computer (24), cha racterized in that each container has a cover, and that each container (13) has mounted therein a vertically adjustable disc (15) having a hole which divides the container into an upper section (16) and a lower section (17), said upper section defining the amount of feed which is to be dispensed from the feed dispenser (2, 3), and that a closure device (20) is arranged at the hole in the disc, said closure device being activated by a signal from the computer so that the feed is dispensed from the uppermost section (16), and that the cover is also equipped with a closure device which may be closed or opened via a signal from the computer.

2. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure device in the disc consists of a controllable flap.

3. A system according to claims 1 -2, characterized in that the closure device in the cover consists of a plug or a controllable, rotatable disc.

4. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjust- able disc, the controllable flap and the closure device in the cover are controlled individually from the computer.

5. A system according to claims 1 -4, cha racterized in that the disc (15) extends on a worm (19), and that a position indicator is adapted to indicate the position of the disc (15) on the worm.

6. A system according to claims 1 -5, characterized in that the container (13) is downwardly terminated by a hopper (10), whose narrow part accommodates a sensor which is adapted to detect whether feed is present in the hopper.

7. A system according to claims 1 -6, characterized in that the upper section is disposed between the adjustable disc and the cover, and that a sensor is arranged on the underside of the cover, which may be activated by the disc when it is moved up to the cover, whereby it may be controlled currently whether the upper section is emptied of feed before a next supply of feed is initiated.