Gsi Group Corporation

Grain Systems, Inc.

Other

Heritage Vinyl Products, Inc.

Eugene B Pollock

James M Adermann

Jeffrey L Knollenberg

David Wayne Morrison

Thomas Stuthman

Brian Dust

Hubert Vern Hopley

Corey Knight

A water pressure regulator for a watering system of an animal house is provided with a water inlet member comprising a watering path and a flush path. The watering path is operably engaged by the regulating valve. The inlet member is manually movable relative to the housing, to position the watering path outlet relative to the regulating valve to prevent the regulating valve from engaging the inlet member, thereby placing the regulator in a flush mode. The flush path has a water exit into the regulator spaced from the watering path port, and hence is not engagable by the regulating valve. A flush valve is provided in the flush path, and is moveable between a closed position in which the regulator will operate in a drinking mode and an open position in which the regulator will be in a flush mode. An actuator is provided which is operated by a control system to allow for automatic flushing of the watering line according to a predetermined schedule. Hence, the regulator can be switched between an operating mode and a flushing mode either manually or automatically. The control system can also control the lighting system and water supplement system for the animal house; and the control of the watering system can be tied to the lighting and medicating systems.

Automatically flushing water regulator for animal watering systems

A watering system for a poultry house comprises a watering line which is suspended from a stabilizing bar by means of a clip. The watering line is comprised of a plurality of pipe segments connected together by a coupling mechanism. The coupling mechanism includes a keying element or portion which is formed in the pipe segment at a predetermined location relative to the drinker opening in the pipe segment. The coupling mechanism thus rotationally fixes adjacent pipe segments relative to each other such that the drinker openings of the pipes segments in the watering line are rotationally aligned and fixed relative to each other. The clip includes a boot which engages a projection on the pipe segment (preferably the drinker saddle) to key the pipe segments relative to the stabilizing bar.

Animal watering system with keyed components

A drinker for a watering system of a poultry house comprising a housing having a side wall, a top, and a bottom defining a valve chamber having an inner surface and a floor. A valve seat is formed in the chamber above the outlet port; and a valve member received within the chamber to be movable between a first closed position and a second position opened position. A trigger pin passes through the outlet and has a head with a cavity in the top surface. The cavity has a shape different from the shape of the valve member. The drinker elements are sized such that the distance between the valve seat and the chamber floor is greater than the height of the pin head. Additionally, the valve member is sized such that when the valve member is in its closed position, the valve member is does not contact the pin head.

Two-stage drinker for a poultry watering system

A diaphragm operated water pressure regulator switchable between an operating mode and a flushing mode by changing the relative positions of the water inlet port and the valve in the regulator. By moving the port to a position in which the valve cannot close the inlet port, water at full line pressure enters the watering system to flush the system. A mounting bracket is also disclosed which independently suspends the regulator and a support pipe from a cable in the poultry house such that the regulator can be removed from the watering system without affecting the support pipe.

Water pressure regulator

A wall panel system of the present invention includes a plurality of inter-connecting tongue-and-groove panels which are framed by top, bottom, and side channel members to form walls which may be easily erected and taken down. The bottom channel member has a back leg, a front leg, and a bottom surface extending between the back and front legs. The top channel member can either be an integral, one-piece assembly or a two-piece assembly. In the one piece assembly, the top channel member is substantially similar to the bottom channel member. The two piece top channel member includes a fixed member and a locking leg mountable to the fixed member. The fixed member includes a back leg, an upper surface, and a rearwardly facing groove in the upper surface. The locking leg includes a finger which is received in the groove. The locking leg can have either a single panel or have or a pair of spaced apart arms. The locking leg extends down from the fixed member when mounted to the fixed member to define a front leg of the top channel member. Fasteners are used to secure the single panel locking member to the wall panel. When the double-arm locking leg is used, fasteners are not required.

PVC wall panel system

A hog feeder with an adjustable gate mechanism is disclosed which comprises a feed hopper for receiving and storing a supply of flowable, dry hog feed to be gravity dispensed from discharge openings in the lower longitudinal portions of the hopper, for consumption by hogs over a length of time. The flow of hog feed from the discharge openings is controlled by a pair of slideable gates, each having a cam actuated adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanism includes a number of receiving notches on each side of the hopper corresponding to a filly open gate setting, a fully closed gate setting, and a plurality of intermediate gate settings. Positioning a selection lever within a desired notch shifts the corresponding slideable gate to the selected position by way of a sliding cam arrangement. The sliding cam arrangement transfers lateral motion of the selection lever into vertical motion of the slideable gate, allowing for opening and closing of the discharge openings.

Hog feeder with adjustable feed control gates

A poultry feeder (1) having a drop tube or main body (7) for receiving feed from a source of feed (FC). A feed pan (5) is carried by the drop tube which receives feed for consumption by poultry. The feed pan has an outer rim (11), an outer portion spaced inwardly of the rim and an inner portion between the drop tube and the outer portion. The drop tube (7) has at least one aperture (21a-21c) therein spaced above the feed pan through which all of the feed from the drop tube is discharged for delivery to the feed pan. A first feed path (FP1) has an inlet (57a-57c) for receiving feed discharged from the at least one aperture (21a-21c) and an outlet (the open bottom of cover 33) for discharging into the inner portion of the feed pan and a second feed path (FP2) having an inlet (53a-53c) for receiving feed discharged from the at least one aperture (21a-21c) and a second outlet (55a-55c) for discharging feed into the outer portion of the feed pan. The second outlet (55a-55c) of the second feed path (FP2) is disposed above the level of the first outlet (the open bottom of cover 33) of the first feed path (FP1) thereby to permit filling of the feed pan (5) to a greater extent than when feed is discharged from the outlet end of the first feed path, and means (33) for selectively controlling the flow of feed from either the first feed flow path or from the second feed flow path.

Poultry feeder

A drive (D) for an auger conveyor (FC) is disclosed where the auger conveyor comprises a conveyor conduit (11) and a centerless helical coil auger (15) disposed within the conduit. The auger has a longitudinal axis and a plurality of spaced, helical flights (17). The drive (D) is a drive screw (23) substantially coaxial with the auger and having a plurality of flights in face-to-face engagement with corresponding flights of the auger. A drive member (47) is in driving engagement with the drive screw with the drive screw and the drive member being mounted for rotation about the longitudinal axis. A power drive (27) is rotatably drives the drive screw about its longitudinal axis so as to effect movement (either axial or rotational movement) of the auger relative to the conveyor conduit. A method of driving the auger is also disclosed.

Auger drive and method of driving an auger

A metering unloader (101) for unloading a fluent material from a flow path (11) is disclosed. The flow path has a fluent material outlet (27). The metering unloader comprises an unloader body (103) having an outer cylindric wall (105) and an inner cylindric wall (107) spaced radially inwardly from the outer wall with the walls defining a chamber (126) therebetween. Means (117) is provided for rotating the unloader body about a vertical axis. Outer wall (105) has a fluent material inlet opening (119) such that with the fluent material inlet opening (119) in register with the flow path fluent material outlet (27), the fluent material will flow by gravity through the fluent material inlet opening (119) in the outer wall into the chamber (126). The inner wall (107) has a fluent material outlet opening (127) therein such that the fluent material in the chamber (126) will flow by gravity from the chamber to a fluent material discharge outlet (15). A gate (121) is mounted relative to the fluent material inlet opening (119) in the outer wall, and means (123) is provided for opening and closing the gate (119) thereby to regulate the flow of fluent material into the chamber (126) from the fluent material outlet (27) when the fluent material inlet opening (119) is in register therewith and to vary the rate at which the unloader (101) unloads the fluent material from the flow path.

Metering grain unloader

A poultry feeder (10) comprising a generally vertically disposed feed tube (18) adapted to be installed on a generally horizontal feed conveyor tube (14) for receiving feed from the feed conveyor tube. The feed tube has an upper portion (26) fixed with respect to the feed conveyor tube and a lower portion (27) movable axially with respect to the upper portion between an extended position (as shown in FIG. 5) and a collapsed position (FIG. 6). A feed pan (23) is disposed below the bottom end of the feed tube for receiving feed. A lost motion connection (32) is provided between the feed pan and feed tube, with the lost motion connection including a generally vertically disposed rim (46) surrounding the outer portion of the feed pan and permitting relative movement between the feed pan and the feed tube between the pan and the feed tube between an extended position in which the feed tube is in its extended position and in which the rim extends up above the level of the feed pan thereby to aid in containing feed within said feed pan and a lowered position in which the feed pan rests on the floor and in which the rim is lower with respect to the feed pan thereby to lower the height of the feed pan so as to permit young chicks or the like to readily view feed deposited within the feed pan and to have access to the feed therein.

A feed conveying apparatus is disclosed for use in a poultry or livestock feeding system (503). The feed conveying apparatus has a housing (509) having a feed inlet (515) which receives feed from a feed supply (BFT) and a feed outlet (517). A feed conveyor (508) extends through the housing. The conveyor has a conveyor tube (511) with a feed auger (513) therein. The feed auger has a multiplicity of substantially equally spaced flights (62) and is driven within the conveyor tube for picking up feed from the housing and for conveying it through the conveyor tube. A regulator (521) is provided for regulating the amount of feed within the conveyor tube downstream from the housing to an amount less than will totally fill the conveyor tube so as to form a partial void (V) within the conveyor tube and to prevent overcompaction of the feed within the conveyor tube. In addition, an agitator (519) is provided for positively removing feed from between the flights of the auger so as to positively insure that the amount of feed carried by the auger is less than the full amount of the feed that would be carried by the auger even after it passes through restrictor sleeve (521) thus preventing filling of the open trough feeders to a level greater than a desired feed level.

Feed conveying apparatus

A deck plank (1) of the present invention comprises a plank member (5) adapted to be secured directly to and to span between two or more support members (3), such as the joists of a dock structure or of a residential deck. The plank member is an elongate member having a bottom adapted to bear directly on the support members. The plank member is provided with at least one stiffening member (15). A cover (7) is removably secured to plank member so as to be supported at least in part by the stiffening members and so as to constitute an upper surface of the deck plank upon which a person may walk.

Deck plank and cover

A feed conveying apparatus is disclosed for use in a poultry or livestock feeding system (503). The feed conveying apparatus has a housing (509) having a feed inlet (515) which receives feed from, a feed supply (BFT) and a feed outlet (517). A feed conveyor (508) extends through the housing. The conveyor has a conveyor tube (511) with a feed auger (513) therein. The feed auger has a multiplicity of substantially equally spaced flights (62) and is driven within the conveyor tube for picking up feed from the housing and for conveying it through the conveyor tube. A regulator (521 ) is provided for regulating the amount of feed within the conveyor tube downstream from the housing to an amount less than will totally fill the conveyor tube so as to form a partial void (V) within the conveyor tube and to prevent overcompaction of the feed within the conveyor tube. In addition, an agitator (519) is provided for positively removing feed from between the flights of the auger so as to positively insure that the amount of feed carried by the auger is less than the full amount of the feed that would be carried by the auger even after it passes through restrictor sleeve (521) thus preventing filling of the open trough feeders to a level greater than a desired feed level.

A feed intake cup (14) is for use in a poultry feeding system (10) for transferring feed from a feed intake hopper (12) to a conveyor by which the feed is delivered to feed stations (22) spaced along the conveyor. A cup housing (24) has an inlet (I) and an outlet (O). The inlet is connected to the feed intake hopper for feed to flow from the hopper into the housing. A feed convey (16) is connected to the housing outlet. Feed flows through the housing and into the conveyor through the outlet. A feed transport auger (18) is positioned in the conveyor. The auger is movable through the conveyor to convey feed to the feeding stations. A ball (144) with extension (164), gear (58), or a multiple diameter tube (300), a combination of these elements, may be positioned in the housing and is cooperable with the auger moves to agitate or churn the feed as the auger moves feed through the conveyor. The ball and its extensions is bounced by the auger to cause the agitation; while, the gear is used to regulate the amount of feed in the auger conveyor and thus helps the feed to flow and to prevent jamming. The multiple diameter tube strips compacted feed from the auger as the later enters the intake cup thus loosening the compacted feed and re-fills the auger with loose, fresh feed. Additionally, the ball may have an attached rod (164) and a chain (168) to produce a flailing action which further promotes flow of feed from a feed source through the cup.

Feed intake cup apparatus

A poultry feeder (10) comprising a generally vertically disposed feed tube (18) adapted to be installed on a generally horizontal feed conveyor tube (14) for receiving feed from the feed conveyor tube. The feed tube has an upper portion (26) fixed with respect to the feed conveyor tube and a lower portion (27) movable axially with respect to the upper portion between an extended position (as shown in FIG. 5) and a collapsed position (FIG. 6). A feed pan (23) is disposed below the bottom end of the feed tube for receiving feed. A lost motion connection (32) is provided between the feed pan and feed tube, with the lost motion connection including a generally vertically disposed rim (46) surrounding the outer portion of the feed pan and permitting relative movement between the feed pan and the feed tube between an extended position in which the feed tube is in its extended position and in which the rim extends up above the level of the feed pan thereby to aid in containing feed within feed pan and a lowered position in which the feed pan rests on the floor and in which the rim is lowered with respect to the feed pan thereby to lower the height of the feed pan so as to permit young chicks or the like to readily view feed deposited within the feed pan and to have access to the feed therein.

Growing community of inventors

Assumption, IL, United States of America

Eugene B Pollock