GB1256510A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1,256,510. Supplying feed concentrates to animals. R. J. HAWES. 23 Dec., 1968, No. 61103/68. Heading A1M. [Also in divisions B1, B2 and B8] In a method of administering food additive concentrates to livestock, quantities of different additives are separately stored and measured amounts thereof are fed to a fluent carrier which is supplied to a receiving station. The trough 16, Fig. 1 is supplied with water from a main conduit 10 through a float controlled valve 18. A branch conduit 22 supplies the mixing tank 24 through a float operated control valve 25 and the water in the tank 24 is pumped into an enclosed pressure tank 32 the outlet 34 of which is connected to the main conduit 10. A group of six additive storage bins 50a-50f having cover and filtering screens 97 are located above the tank 24 and a dispensing rod 64, Fig. 3, is located immediately below their outlets 63. A vibrating motor 96, Fig. 1, is mounted on the bin supporting frame. The rod 64, Fig. 3 has a series of radial blind bore holes which contain adjustable screws and which cooperate with the bin outlets to receive additives and as the rod is rotated by a variable speed motor 78, Fig. 1, the additives are discharged into the mixing tank. When the water level in the trough 16 falls sufficiently for the float operated valve 18 to open, the pressure in tank 32 drops and detector switch 38 is closed to actuate the pump motors 14, 30, the dispensing rod motor 78 and the vibrator motor 96. The rod 64 dispenses the metered quantities of additives into the water in the mixing tank which feeds into the tank 32 which in turn feeds into the main line 10 until the level in trough 16 again closes float operated valve 18. In another embodiment, Fig. 9 (not shown) the main water supply line leads directly to the mixing tank which can be supplied from a turbulence producing nozzle. The blind bore holes in the metering rod are arranged in adjacent rows and comprise different numbers so that by axial movement of the rod to select the operative row the supply to the metering tank can be varied. The rod is locked in the selected axial position by a screw and groove detent mechanism. The metering bore holes are frusto-conical and are emptied by brushes. To prevent overfeeding of additives when the pressure in the pressure tank is too high or too low because of failure of the master switch or fall in supply pressure corresponding safety switches operate to open the circuit of the metering rod driving motor. In another embodiment, Fig. 15, there are two storage bins 200, 202 having independently operable metering rods and two liquid additive tanks 204, 206 the emptying of each of which is controlled by selectively operable pumps two inlet lines 252, 253 and two discharge lines 260, 261 are provided. The control circuit includes switches for the selective operation of the various motors for the pumps and metering rod. A warning light 316 indicates that the apparatus is in operation and a blinker switch 322 operated by a float 318 is in circuit with the light 316 and is operated when the level in the mixing tank 236 reaches a predetermined high level. The float 318 also effects stopping of the pump and metering rod motors and actuation of solenoid operated valves in the supply. A high pressure detector in the discharge main 270 operates a switch in the main power supply to shut-down the apparatus. The outlet line 270 may lead to further feeding means, e.g. means for feeding molasses.