ROTARY LIVESTOCK FEEDER WITH GRAVITY FLOW FEED OPENINGS Russian patent published in 2018 - IPC A01K5/02 A01K1/10 

FIELD: agriculture.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to feeders for distributing feed to livestock. Feeder comprises a hopper and a mechanical rotary feed flow system having a feed discharge hole at the bottom of the hopper and an animal-activated sweep member for sweeping feed from said hopper into said feed discharge hole for discharge from said hopper. Mechanical rotary feed flow system comprises a deflector mounted in the hopper above its bottom and vertically separated from it by a gap. Said deflector covers said central feed discharge hole to restrict gravity flow of feed from said hopper through said feed discharge hole. Sweep member is located between said deflector and said hopper bottom and is operably coupled with a feed wheel located below said hopper so that animal-induced rotation of said feed wheel causes rotation of said sweep member in said hopper for sweeping feed into a trough. Feeder further includes a gravity flow feed system having at the bottom of the hopper at least one gravity flow feed opening for allowing feed to flow by gravity from said hopper. Said gravity flow feed opening is separate from said feed discharge hole. Feeder also includes a closure system associated with said gravity flow feed system. Closure system has a first condition in which said gravity flow feed opening is open to allow gravity feed flow through said gravity flow feed opening, and a second condition in which said gravity flow feed opening is closed. Feeder comprises an activator mechanism associated with the feed wheel and arranged to cause said closure system to change from its first condition into its second condition when the feed wheel rotates.

EFFECT: invention facilitates the process of dispensing feed for animals of various sizes.

13 cl, 10 dwg