The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 25, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 22, 2000
Karel van den Berg, Bleskensgraaf, NL;
Abstract
An apparatus for feeding animals provided with a supply channel which receives wrapped feed bales and sequentially delivers them one by one by gravity to a location wherein they are held and a plastic wrapper is removed from them by a severing element. The plastic wrapping is seized by two side-by-side cylinders which discharge it through a discharge conduit. The wrapper is severed by a wire cutter suspended from a framework surrounding the bale therein, the cutter being suspended from springs and connected on each end to motors for reciprocating same. Optionally, the cutter wire can be heated. The bale is held in place during the cutting operation and then released to be received by cutting elements that cut the fodder therein to dimensions which can be consumed by the animals. A delivery mechanism including a nozzle carries the cut fodder to stalls to be consumed by the animals. The delivery mechanism includes magnetic device or devices which may be electromagnets for removing pieces of metal which may be mixed with the fodder.