Agri-engineering, Inc.

Chore-time Equipment, Inc.

Behlen Engineered Plastics

Agri-plastics, Inc.

Other

Innovative Industries, Inc.

Ag Best Corporation

Rotational Molding Technologies, Inc.

Carl W Van Gilst

Howard S Brembeck

Bradley E Donahoe

Ronald E Kish

Glen R George

Jack Devos

A rotomolded plastic wall and ladder structure ( or )), which may be an article such as a window well ( ) or a manhole ( or ), includes a thermoplastic wall ( ), a ladder ( ) whose rungs ( ) each include an elongated metallic core ( ) and a thermoplastic sleeve ( ). Mold apparatus ( ) includes a thermoplastic rotomold ( ), an elongated hollow metallic core ( ) having a heating passage ( ) therein, and means for flowing hot air through the heating passage ( ). The method includes disposing the hollow metallic core in a mold, placing a quantity of a thermoplastic inside a mold, heating the mold, rotating the heated mold, flowing heated air through the hollow metallic core, and bonding a layer of the thermoplastic onto the hollow metallic core.

Method and apparatus for molding plastics with elongated metallic cores

Bunker cover

A building ornament, building ventilator, roof ventilator, or cupola ( or ), includes a top portion ( or ), a base portion ( or ), one portion ( or ) preferably is translucent. Optionally, the cupola ( or ) includes an illumination unit ( ), elongated ventilation slots ( ), a plastic screen ( ), to exclude bugs, that preferably is welded into one of the portions ( or ), and multiple V-shaped flanges ( A, B, or C) of different pitches that provide means for attachment to double-pitched roofs ( ) having different pitches ( A, B, or C).

Building-attached ornament or ventilator

A vehicle and luggage box assembly (40) includes a vehicle (42) and a luggage box (44). The luggage box (44) includes an open-ended chamber (61) with a flange (62) that extends perimetrically around an open end (49). A perimetrical chamber (66) is molded inside the flange (62). A perimetrical groove (68) is cut through the flange (62) and into the perimetrical chamber (66), thereby forming a perimetrical T-slot (70). A resilient gasket (72) is inserted perimetrically into the perimetrical T-slot (70), and a door (48) of the vehicle (42) closes against the resilient gasket (72). The molding process forms two separate chambers (66 and 94) in a single mold (100) by constructing a throat opening (122) with a dimension (120) that results in bridging across the throat opening (122), and that thereby results in the perimetrical chamber (66) being isolated from the closed chamber (94). Subsequently, removal of a web (92) transforms the closed chamber (94) into the open-ended chamber (61).

Rotomolded luggage container with perimetrical T-slot

Apparatus (10) for use in enticing baby pigs (42) to rest and sleep at a safe distance from a sow (38) includes an elongated partition (12) with first and second elongated cuddle surfaces (16) that are disposed on opposite sides of the partition (12), first and second pig blankets (18) with first and second comfort surfaces (44). A base mat (20) that extends under the partition (12) and both pig mats (18), cooperates with cuddle walls (14) of the partition (12) to enclose a space (26) that extends below both pig mats (18) and their comfort surfaces (44), and between the cuddle walls (14) and their cuddle surfaces (16). One or more radiant panel heaters (46 or 52) having constant watt density per square meter are disposed in the enclosed space (26), being kept in a generally planar shape, or being curved to generally conform to the combined shape of the comfort (44) and cuddle (16) surfaces.

Pig raising apparatus with heated cuddle and comfort surfaces

The livestock watering tank includes a top, bottom and sidewall. The top wall has an opening for access to the water. The opening is closed by a float. The animal drinks by pushing the float down into the water with its mouth, causing the float to partially submerge so that water is exposed and may be drunk. The float rises back to its natural position after the animal finishes drinking. The float has a port for allowing water or other weighted substance to be introduced into it. The addition of the substance into the float generally neutralizes the buoyancy of the float with respect to the water in the tank, thereby decreasing the amount of force necessary for the animal to submerge the float for drinking.

Ball float for a watering tank

A pig feeding mat (10) is provided for use over a grated floor (12). The pig feeding mat (10) includes a rectangular surface (14) having first and second ends (16 and 18) and a perimeter (20). A rim (22) around the perimeter (20) restrains movement of solid material transversely over the perimeter (20). A plurality of spaced-apart gaps (24) in the rim (22) allow liquid to drain from the pig feeding mat (10). Paired lugs (26and 28, or 32 and 34) disposed at respective ends (16 and 18) of the mat (10) are used to position the mat (10) under a partition (50 or 52) of a feeding stall (44) by invertedly straddling the mat (10). The mat (10) can be cut along a joggled groove (40) to separate the rectangular surface (14) into first and second surface portions (36 and 38), to be used in separate feeding areas (64 and 66).

Pig feeding mat

A dispensing device (10) for dispensing food or water for animals or fowl includes a dispensing unit (12) having a reservoir (18) and a neck (20), and a base unit (14) having a pan (24) and a neck-receiving collar (30). When liquid is dispensed, the outlet (38) of the dispensing unit (12) is abutted against the inside bottom surface (26) of the pan (24), and a first effective opening (42) is provided between the outlet (38) and the inside bottom surface (26) of the pan (24) because the outlet (38) is disposed at an angle (40) to the inside bottom surface (26). When the dispensing device (10) is used for dry feed, the outlet (38) of the dispensing unit (12) is positioned with a second, and larger, effective opening (48) between the outlet (38) and the inside bottom surface (26) of the pan (24).

Dispensing device for feed or water

A feeder (10) for dispensing feed to livestock includes a hopper (14), a discharge opening (28) in a lower portion (18) of the hopper (14), a vertical shaft (32) in the hopper (14) that extends downward through the discharge opening (28), an animal-actuated actuator arm (66) that extends radially outward from the shaft (32) below the discharge opening (28), and a flexible agitator (70) that is disposed in the hopper (14) that has a tip (88) at a first radial distance (74), and that elastically bends to reduce the first radial distance (74) to smaller (96, 106, and 110) radial distances in response to various resistances of packed feed, thereby reducing the torque that is required to agitate packed feed.

Hog feeder with flexible agitator

A novel feeding system and feeder unit for supplying feed to hogs and like animals is disclosed. The feeding system includes a plurality of the novel feeders, and a feed conveyor adapted to deliver feed to each feeder. Each feeder comprises an immobile pan, and superstructure affixed over and to the pan. A threaded shaft is journaled so as to extend upwardly from the pan. A rotor gate is journaled over the pan and is threaded on the shaft means. Under normal conditions, the rotor gate simply turns within the pan and agitates the feed being consumed by the hogs. However, when a latch is depressed, the threaded shaft is immobilized, and rotation of the rotor gate about the immobilized shaft acts to raise and lower the rotor gate relative to the pan. This relative motion adjusts the size of at least one feed-delivery gate space defined between the rotor gate and the pan.

Hog feeder

A method of feeding hogs is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing all the hogs with all the feed they care to consume for a limited feeding period of time, and thereafter denying all feed to all the hogs for a limited feedless period of time. Preferably, weaner hogs are provided with all the feed they care to consume during three separated, limited feeding periods of approximately two hours each per day. These feeding periods are alternated with three feedless periods during which all feed is denied to all the small hogs. This feeding regime is maintained until the hogs weigh approximately 100 pounds. Thereafter, two limited feeding periods are provided each day until the hogs reach market weight. In this way, hog weight gain per day is maximized and the amount of feed consumed per pound of hog weight gained is minimized. Apparatus for carrying out this feeding method is also disclosed. The apparatus includes a feed pan or trough, a high capacity feed delivery conveyor, and a timed feed shut-off means interposed between the feed trough means and the feed delivery conveyor for alternatively delivering and preventing delivery of feed to the feed trough. If desired, a water nozzle can be located above the feed trough to deliver water to the hogs during a feeding period. A timed water shut-off means can be interposed between the water nozzle and the water delivery pipe for alternately permitting and preventing delivery of water to the water nozzle.

Programmed hog feeder and process

A barbecue apparatus intended primarily for outdoor use, in which two side panels and two end panels form a generally rectangular shaped body with an open top and bottom, and a rotatable grill is supported by the upper edge of the two end members in the upper part of said body consisting of two sections for holding meat therebetween. A basket or other elongated retainer is disposed in the bottom of the body for holding burning fuel for cooking the meat, and a lid, preferably hinged to the upper edge of one of the side panels of the body, closes the body while the meat is cooking to provide effective radiation of heat onto the meat and to direct the hot gases on and around the meat. The body and lid are preferably constructed of stainless steel which provides a reflective inner surface for directing the heat from the burning fuel onto the meat while the lid is in its closed position.

Barbecue apparatus

A farrowing crate is provided which has adjustable connecting structure for connecting the side walls thereof to the end walls thereof in various adjusted positions with the farrowing crate width at the top remaining constant and the width at the bottom being increased step-by-step as the side wall is raised. The side walls are constructed of tubular construction with a lower horizontal tube having pins welded thereto which are selectively engagable in apertures arranged at respective steps of stepped brackets attached to the end walls. The stepped brackets exhibit inwardly facing vertical step surfaces which restrain lateral outward movement of the side wall during the adjustment process. The upper tubular member of the side wall includes locking apertures. Upper brackets are attached to the upper parts of the end walls, which upper brackets form stepwise nesting places for the upper tubular member as well as apertures alignable with the locking apertures to accommodate latch pins.

Growing community of inventors

Goshen, IN, United States of America

Carl W Van Gilst