GB2166933A - Animal feeder with timer - Google Patents

Abstract

An animal feeder for controlling the access of an animal, particularly a domestic pet, to its feed takes the form of a base (1) to support the feed, a cover (4) which tapers upwardly from the base and is hinged to it, spring means (8) to urge the cover and base apart, a latch (5) to retain the cover and base together against the pressure of the spring means, and a mechanical timer (7) to operate the latch. In one form, the cover and base together form a pyramid and the cover is in two sections, each hinged to the base. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Animal feeder The present invention is a feeder device which is designed to control the access of an animal to its feed.

Various devices have been proposed hitherto which are intended to control the time of access of animals to theirfeed and/or the quantity of feed supplied. Almost invariably, such devices have been designed with large-scale operation in mind, forexampleforfeeding caftle orfor controlled feeding of several horses in a stable. In terms ofthe needs of a domestic owner of an animal, there is no wholly satisfactory device available for controlling the feeding of the animal. However the increasing leisure time of potential animal owners and the general trend towards spending more ofthattime away from home conflicts with the need to be at home in order to ensure thatthe animal is fed when necessary.Thus, for example, an owner may find it difficult or impossibleto spend an evening at a theatre our cinema if during that time his pet animal is due to be fed.

It is an object ofthe present invention to provide an animal feed control device which is particularly suited to domestic use.

The feeder according to the present invention comprises a base to supportthefeed, a cover which tapers upwardly from said base and is hinged to said base, spring means located to urge apart said cover and said base, a latch to retain said cover and base together against the pressure of said spring means, and a mechanical timer to operate said latch.

It will be recognised that, when the cover is in position upon the base, the feeder overall presents a generally tapered shape. thus the feeder may for example take the form of a square-based pyramid, a tetrahedron, a cone or a truncated form of one of these figures. It is therefore likely to be more stable, that is less likelyto be overrurned by the animal, than a non-tapered device.

The base itself may simply have a flat surface to supportthefeed, or may be shaped, for example disked, to assist in retaining the feed, or may be apertured to receive afeeding bowl.

The cover, as indicated, is hinged to the base.

Howeverthe cover need not be unitary but may advantageously comprise two or more sections, in which case it is preferred that each cover section is hinged to the base. Thus a pyramidal cover may conveniently be in two or four sections and a conical cover may comprise any desired number of sections, for example three, four orfive sections.

Spring means are provided and are so located as to urge apart the cover and the base. Thus, for example, a helical or leaf spring may be disposed between the cover and the base or between one or more of the cover sections and the base.

A latch is provided to hold the coveror individual cover sections closed to the base againstthe pressure ofthe spring means. The latch may operate directly between the cover or cover section and the base or it may latch together the cover sections and thereby maintain the device closed.

The latch is operated by a mechanical timerand this is an important feature of the present invention. While electronically operated timers are readily available, they are not suitable for use in the present invention.

Particularly in a domestic setting, it is regarded as unduly hazardous to incorporate any electrical feature in a device which is open to probing by an animal,for example a dog seeking food.

The timer may be either one which measures elapsed time, that is which is setto operate ata predetermined time interval after it is set, or may be a continuously running clock, which maythen be setto operate at a predetermined time of day.

The manner of operation of the feeder according to the present invention will readily be understood. The animal feed is placed in position upon the base and the lid is closed thereon to prevent access bythe animal.

The timer is then settooperateatthe required time.

When thattime is reached,thetimer opens the latch and thereupon the spring meansforcesthecover away from the base, thereby allowing theflnimal access to its feed.

If desired, releasing the latch may also trigger a mechanical alarm,forexample a buzzer, to alert the animal to the fact that the feed has become accessible.

The invention will now be fu rther described with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a perspective view of one embodiment of animal feeder according to the present invention.

The illustrated feeder comprises a squat, square base 1 having a centrally-placed, circular aperture 2 to accommodate a feeding bowl (not shown). Hinged at oppositesidesofthe upperedge ofthe base 1, by means of hinges 3, 3, are a pair of cover sections4, 4, shown in the fully open postition in the drawing.

When the cover sections 4,4 are swung fully inwards abouttheir respective hinges 3, 3,they combine with the base 1 to form a pyramid shape. In that closed position, the cover sections are held againstthe base 1 by a latch 5 on the base, which latch cooperates with lugs6,6onthecoversections.

The operation ofthe latch 5 is controlled by a mechanical timer7 located on the base 1.The timer 7 is operative over a period of up to twelve hours. When the feeding device is to be used,feed in a feeding bowl is placed in the aperture 2 ofthe base 1 and the cover sections 4,4 are swung about the hinges 3,3 into the closed position, in which they are retained by the latch 5. In this position, access cannot be gained to the feed in the bowl. The timer7 is now setto operate at the desired feeding time.

When the pre-settime arrives, the timer 7 operates the latch 5 to disengage from the lugs 6,6 and release the cover sections 4, 4. These sections are swung apart by springs 8,8 and thefeed in the bowl is exposed to the animal.

The drawing(s) originally filed was (were) informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

The claims were filed later than the filing date within the period prescribed by Rule 25(1) of the Patents Rules 1982.

While, in the illustrated embodiment. the cover sections are linked to the base by hinges 3,3, it is equally possible forthe hinges to be integral with the cover sections and base. That is, the device may be of unitaryconstruction,formed by moulding or other conventional process from synthetic plastics material.

Claims (12)

1. An animal feeder comprising a base to support the feed, a coverwhich tapers upwardly from said base and is hinged thereto, spring means to urge apart said cover and said base, a latch to retain said cover and base together against the pressure ofsaidspring means,anda mechanicaltimertooperatesaidlatch.

2. An animal feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base is apertured to receive a feeding bowl or is dished.

3. An animalfeederas ciaimed in claim 1 or claim 2, which,when the cover is closed againstsaid base, takes the overall form of a square-based pyramid, a tetrahedron, a cone ora truncated form of one ofthese figures.

4. An animal feeder as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cover comprisestwo or more sections.

5. An animal feeder asclaimed in claim 4, wherein each of said cover sections is hinged to the base.

6. An animal feeder as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cover is in the form of a pyramid in two sections.

7. An animal feeder as claimed in any of the preceding claims,wherein the latch operates directly between the cover and the base.

8. An animal feeder as claimed in any of the preceding claims,wherein timer measures elapsed time.

9. An animal feeder as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein a mechanical alarm is sounded when the latch is released.

10. An animal feeder as claimed in any ofthe preceding claims, wherein the cover, the hinge or hinges apt the base are of unitary construction.

11. An animal feeder as claimed in any ofthe precedingclaims,formedfrom synthetic plastics material.

12. - An animal feedersubstantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawing.