US2293643A - Molasses dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 18, 1942. E. F. EVANS MOLASSES DISPENSER Filed July 25, 1941 s sh'ee's-sheet 1 Inventor lilo) m 1 j Zdlw'iifEI/wm r 1 I I I l l 1 l I l I l r I I l 1 1 l l l a I l I I 1 I I I I l l I l Il" ,\|\N u, E. 1 W i--l {.Iy M1111@ m 1 MY l www Aug. 1s, 1942. E F EVANS 2,293,643

MOLASSES DISPENSER Filed July 25, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor A [tori/ey Aug. 18, 1942. E, F. EVANS MOLASSES DISPENSER Filed July 25, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 III/1111111117114 Patented Aug. 18, 1942 UNTED STATS PTENT OFFICE MOLASSES DISPENSER Edwin F. Evans, Belle Fourche, S. Dak.

Application July 25, 1941, Serial No. 404,067

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a molasses dispenser mainly designed for feeding molasses to lambs or sheep, the general object of the invention being to provide a horizontally arranged grooved roller, the grooves of which are designed to receive the molasses with means whereby the sheep can only reach the molasses by licking the molasses from the roller, thus avoiding the molasses getting on the wool.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for rotating the roller by the sheep at-Y tempting to reach the roller, with a trough for receiving molasses and in which the roller partly extends so that there is no danger of the molasses being wasted upon the ground.

This invention also consists in certain other features oi construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is an elevational view of the invention with parts broken away.

Figure 2 is an end view of the device.

Figure 3 is a sectional View on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In these views the numeral I indicates a base from which rise the vertical end pieces 2 which support a horizontal top member 3 and the upper side members 4. A trough 5 is formed between the end pieces by means of the lower side pieces 6 and the horizontal piece I which forms the bottom of the trough. Side pieces 8 extend between the end pieces below the trough to close in the space of the upright structure below the trough and intermediate narrow side pieces 9 are fastened at their ends to the end pieces 2 and are spaced above the side pieces 6 of the trough and below the side pieces 4. Doors I0 are connected by hinges II to the lower side edges of the side pieces 4 and these doors when lowered will partly cover the spaces between the members 4 and 6 and will rest on the members 3. Chains II connect with the doors and with hooks I2 on the side pieces 4 for holding the doors in adjusted position. These doors when in open position will slope downwardly and outwardly and form awnings over the animals feeding from the device. A horizontally arranged through the center of the roller and through the end pieces 2 and this roller has a portion located in the trough and its periphery is formed with longitudinally extending grooves I5. On the ends of the shaft I4 beyond the side pieces 2 small gears I'I are located and fastened to said ends and large gears I8 mesh with these gears II, these large gears being connected to the ends of a shaft I9 which passes through the end pieces and is located above the roller.

An elongated longitudinally extending platform 20 is arranged at each side of the upright structure and each platform is carried by the short horizontally extending arms of a pair of L-shaped members 2|, each formed of angle iron with the long armextending upwardly substantially parallel to the upright structure. The upper ends of the long arms are provided with a vertical row of holes 22 any one of which is to receive a pivot pin 23 for pivoting to a lever 24 which, in turn, is pivoted as at 25 to an upright member 26 at each end of the structure, the lower ends of the upright members 26 forming bearings for the shaft I9. At one end the lever 24 is extended and this extended end of each lever 24 is adjustably connected to a link 25 by means of the pin 26 engaging any one of a row of holes 2'I in the upper end of the link. The lower end of the link or pitman is pivoted to a spoke of the large gear I8 as shown at 28.

Thus an animal reaching for the roller will step upon a platform and through means of the linkage shown will rotate the gear wheels I8 which, in turn, rotate the gears Il to cause rotary movement of the roller. Thus the roller is rotated step by step by the animals feeding from the roller.

A tank 29 is supported upon the structure and has a spigot 30 connected with the lower part thereof which when opened will permit the syrup or molasses to flow from the tank through an opening 3| in the top member 3 and thus pass to a trough 32 supported by the brackets 33 extending from the top member 3. This trough slopes downwardly and outwardly from its central point where it receives the molasses from the spigot and it is of V-shape in cross section and has the perforations 35 therein through which the molasses passes onto the roller I3.

A guide pin 36 is provided for a member 2I to prevent rocking movement of the platform and a drain opening is formed in the trough which is closed by a plug 3l so that by removroller I3 is fastened to a shaft I4 which passes 55 ing this plug the molasses in the trough can.

be drained and the trough cleaned. The pin 36 is slidably engaged by one of the members 2|, as by projection through a slot 36 in said one member, so that laterally swinging movement of the platform supporting member 2| is prevented. While the drawings do not show one of these pins for the opposite platform supporting member, such a pin can be used if desired and necessary.

Thus it will be seen that this invention will supply the grooves of the roller I3 with molasses and thle sheep or other animals to get this molasses must lick the roller and the animals must properly reach into the space above the trough to contact the roller. Thus there is no waste of the molasses and there is but little danger of the molasses getting on the wool of the sheep and the roller is automatically turned by the animals getting on and off the platforms.

As will be seen the lowering of one platform will cause partial rotary movement of the roller in one direction and the lowering of the other' platform will cause partial rotary movement of the roller in an opposite direction.

It is thought from the foregoing description `that the advantages and novel features of the invention will .be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a feeding device of the class described, an upright member having a trough at its lower part, a grooved roller supported for rotary movement and having a part located in the trough, cross pieces spaced above the upper edges of the trough for preventing animals placing their heads into the trough and the space above the same while permitting the animals to lick the roller, a platform on which the animals stand to reach the roller and means for imparting movement to the roller by the weight of the animal on the platform, a tank containing molasses supported on the top of the device, a cock for feeding the material from the tank and a trough receiving the material from the cock and distributing it upon the roller.

2. In a molasses feeding device, an upright structure having a trough formed at its lower part, a roller journaled in the structure and partly located in the trough, said roller having grooves in its circumference extending longitudinally, a tank supported on the structure, a cock for controlling the flow of material from the tank, a trough for receiving the material from the cock, said trough sloping downwardly and outwardly from the center and having perforations therein for the passage of the material from the trough onto the roller, a platform at each side of the upright structure and supported for vertical movement, and means for imparting movement to the` roller by vertical movement of either platform.

EDWIN F. EVANS.

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