| Claims 1. A hay net having a hay receiving neck, the hay receiving neck comprising a neck reinforcing portion which is operable to hold the hay receiving neck open and facilitate the filling of the hay net. 2. A hay net according to claim 1 , comprising a peripheral reinforcing member which extends around at least the majority of the periphery of the hay receiving neck and functions as the neck reinforcing portion. 3. A hay net according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral reinforcing member is rigid. 4. A hay net according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral reinforcing member is resilient. 5. A hay net according to any one preceding claim, wherein the hay net comprises a mouth and the neck reinforcing portion is spaced apart from the mouth. 6. A hay net according to any one preceding claim, wherein the hay net is closable. 7. A hay net according to claim 6, wherein the hay net comprises a closure, and wherein the closure is operable between an open configuration and closed configuration. 8. A hay net according to claim 7, wherein the distance between the closure and the neck reinforcing portion is sufficient to enable the net to be closed, or substantially closed. 9. A hay net according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the closure is a drawstring closure. 10. A hay net according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the peripheral reinforcing member functions as both a neck reinforcing portion and a closure. 1 1. A hay net according to claim 10, wherein the peripheral reinforcing member is a resilient loop. 12. A kit of parts comprising a hay net and a peripheral reinforcing member adapted to be integrated into the hay net and operable to hold the neck of the hay net open. 13. A kit of parts according to claim 12, wherein the hay net is closable. 14. A kit of parts according to claim 13, wherein the peripheral reinforcing member is adapted to function as both a neck reinforcing portion and a closure, and wherein the peripheral reinforcing member is operable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. 15. A method of filling a hay net, comprising the steps of providing a hay net having a hay receiving neck, providing an integral neck reinforcing portion operable to hold the neck of the hay net open, and inserting animal feed through the held open hay receiving neck. 16. A method of filling a hay net according to claim 15, wherein the neck reinforcing portion is a peripheral reinforcing member. 17. A method of filling a hay net according to claim 15 or claim 16, comprising the step of closing the hay net. 18. A method of filling a hay net according to claim 17, wherein the step of closing the hay net comprises moving the peripheral reinforcing member between an open configuration and a closed configuration. 19. A method of filling a hay net according to any one of claims 15 to 18, comprising the step of hanging the hay net within reach of an animal. 20. A method of forming and filling a hay net, comprising the step of assembling a kit of parts according to any one of claims 12 to 14 to form a hay net and then filling the hay net by a method according to any one of claims 15 to 19. |
Field of the invention
The invention relates to the field of hay nets.
Background to the invention
Hay nets are employed ubiquitously for feeding animals, for example horses. By comparison to distributing animal feed on the ground or in open containers, hay nets offer a more efficient method of feeding hay or similar fibrous animal feed to an animal, since the feed is contained and cannot be spread about by the animals and trampled underfoot. In addition, feeding an animal from a hay net provides a means of controlling the animal's food intake.
Conventional hay nets take the form of a sack and must be filled by hand prior to being closed and hung at an appropriate position within an animal enclosure. The principal drawback of this method of feeding lies in the filling of the hay net, since the mouth of the net does not present a clear opening through which hay may be inserted.
For example, Figure 1 shows an empty conventional hay net 1 constructed from netting material such as rope or twine. The hay net 1 comprises a drawstring closure 3 threaded around the mouth 5 of the hay net 1. The hay net 1 is filled by inserting hay through the mouth 5. The netting material, mouth 5 and drawstring closure 3 are flexible and therefore a clear opening is not provided and introducing hay into the hay net 1 is hindered.
Several pieces of apparatus designed to assist the filling of a hay net have been proposed. For example, GB 2,373,761 (Wellman and Willis) discloses a trolley comprising a rigid frame and GB 2,049,603 (Stuart) discloses a foldable rigid frame, wherein the net is mounted upon the frame for filling. However, the process of filling the hay net is complicated by the requirement for the often cumbersome equipment to be positioned adjacent to a source of hay and the additional steps of mounting and demounting the net.
GB 2,409,622 (Crick) discloses an expandable resilient sleeve for installation within the net, which holds the net open for filling. However, installation and removal of the sleeve again complicates the filling process and presents many of the same difficulties as filling the hay net with hay in the conventional manner.
Additional apparatus and further complication of the filling process, as described above, is undesirable since a hay net must typically be refilled and moved to a new location several times during a day.
Therefore, there remains a need for a hay net which is modified to facilitate filling with hay, the use of which is otherwise comparable to existing hay nets.
Summary of the invention
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a hay net having a hay receiving neck, the hay receiving neck comprising a neck reinforcing portion which is operable to hold the hay receiving neck open and facilitate the filling of the hay net.
Advantageously, a neck reinforcing portion integrated with the hay net and operable to hold the hay receiving neck open both facilitates the filling of the hay net, by providing a clear opening through the hay receiving neck, and enables the hay net to be used in the same manner as conventional hay nets without the requirement for additional filling steps or additional equipment. Preferably, the hay receiving neck comprises a peripheral reinforcing member which extends around at least the majority, and possibly all, of the periphery of the hay receiving neck and functions as the neck reinforcing portion. Preferably, the peripheral reinforcing member is rigid. Alternatively, the peripheral reinforcing member may be resilient.
Preferably, the hay net is closable. By "closable" we refer to the hay net being able to be closed sufficiently to retain hay in use so that, when the hay net is filled with hay, the contents of the hay net can be sufficiently compressed to force hay through the holes of the net and enable an animal to feed.
Preferably, the hay net further comprises a closure, wherein the closure is operable between an open configuration and a closed configuration.
In a preferred embodiment the hay net comprises a mouth. The neck reinforcing portion may be spaced apart from the mouth. The closure may be positioned between the mouth and the neck reinforcing portion. The closure may be positioned at the mouth or close to the mouth. The distance between the closure and the neck reinforcing portion is preferably sufficient to enable the net to be closed, or substantially closed.
When the closure is in an open configuration, and the hay receiving neck is held open by the neck reinforcing portion, the hay net can be filled with hay. The closure may then be moved to a closed configuration, thus closing the hay net and, if sufficient hay has been introduced into the hay net, forcing hay through the holes of the hay net to enable an animal to feed.
The closure may be any suitable arrangement for closing the mouth of the net sufficiently to force hay through the holes of the net and enable an animal to feed. Preferably, the closure is a drawstring closure. Alternatively, the closure may be a gather.
The peripheral reinforcing member may function as both a neck reinforcing portion and a closure. In this case the peripheral reinforcing member is typically resilient. The resilient peripheral reinforcing member may be a loop. The resilient reinforcing member may be coiled. Where the peripheral reinforcing member functions as a closure which is operable between an open position and a closed position, it may be located at the mouth of the net.
Preferably, the closure is adapted to be suitable to suspend the hay net therefrom.
The hay net is thus suitable to be conveniently hung from a hook or other suitable protuberance within reach of an animal, and may be readily moved to a new location.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a kit of parts comprising a hay net having a hay receiving neck and a peripheral reinforcing member adapted to be integrated into the hay net and operable to hold the hay receiving neck open.
Preferably, the peripheral reinforcing member is rigid. The peripheral member may be resilient.
Preferably, the hay net is closable.
Preferably the kit of parts further comprises a closure, wherein the closure is operable between an open configuration and closed configuration. The closure may be any suitable arrangement for closing the net and, if sufficient hay has been introduced into the hay net, forcing hay through the holes of the net to enable an animal to feed. Preferably, the closure is a drawstring closure. Alternatively, the closure may be a gather.
The peripheral reinforcing member may function as both a neck reinforcing portion and a closure. In this case the peripheral reinforcing member is typically resilient. The resilient peripheral reinforcing member may be a loop. The resilient reinforcing member may be coiled.
Preferably, the closure is adapted to be suitable to suspend the hay net therefrom.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of filling a hay net, comprising the steps of providing a hay net having a hay receiving neck, providing an integral neck reinforcing portion operable to hold the hay receiving neck open, and inserting animal feed through the hay receiving neck. Preferably, the method comprises the step of providing a neck reinforcing portion, wherein the neck reinforcing portion is a peripheral reinforcing member. Preferably the peripheral reinforcing member is rigid. Alternatively, the peripheral reinforcing member is resilient.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of closing the hay net.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of providing the hay net with a closure, wherein the closure is operable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The closure may be any suitable arrangement for closing the net and, if sufficient hay has been introduced into the hay net, forcing hay through the holes of the net to enable an animal to feed. Preferably the closure is a drawstring closure. Alternatively the closure may be a gather.
The peripheral reinforcing member may function as both a neck reinforcing portion and a closure. In this case the peripheral reinforcing member is typically resilient. The resilient peripheral reinforcing member may be a loop. The resilient reinforcing member may be coiled.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of hanging the hay net within reach of an animal.
Description of the Drawings
An example embodiment of the present invention will now be illustrated with reference to the following Figures in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional hay net;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a hay net according to the present invention, filled with hay, in a closed configuration and suspended from a closure;
Figure 3 is a detail view of a peripheral reinforcing member of a hay net according to the present invention;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of an empty hay net according to the present invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a hay net according to the present invention, in an open configuration;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a hay net according to the present invention, in a closed configuration;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a closure according to a further embodiment of the present invention, in an open configuration; and
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a closure according to a still further embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed Description of an Example Embodiment
Figure 2 shows a hay net 10 according to the present invention. The hay net comprises a main body portion 12 and a neck portion 14. Around the mouth 16 of the hay net 10 is a drawstring closure 18. Around the neck portion 14 is a rope ring 20 formed from a resilient length of rope, woven through the holes of the hay net 10 and therefore integral thereto. The ring 20 functions as a peripheral reinforcing member to the neck portion and thereby provides a reinforced neck portion of the hay net 10.
The hay net 10 is suspended from a hook 22 within an animal enclosure, within reach of an animal. When filled with hay, the holes of the hay net 10 are sized to allow an animal, for example a horse, to draw hay 24 through the holes of the net.
Figure 3 shows an expanded view of the reinforced neck portion 26 of the net 10. The ring 20 is woven inside and outside of alternate strands around a periphery of the net 10 and is thereby held in place by the net 10.
In an alternative embodiment, the ring 20 may be woven through rings positioned around the periphery of the net and attached to the netting material. The rings may be metal or plastics rings, or may be rings formed from the netting material.
The hay net 10 is constructed from any suitable netting material, such as rope or twine comprising natural or synthetic fibres. Interlocking sets of parallel strands are woven together to form a net with holes sized to be suitable to dispense hay or similar fibrous animal feed. The ring 20 may alternatively be composed of plasties, metal, wood or any other suitable rigid or resilient material. In an alternative embodiment, the neck portion 14 of the net 10 is reinforced with wire, or otherwise reinforced, such that the material of the net itself is resilient and is able to hold open the hay receiving neck. For example, the neck portion may comprise combination rope. Combination rope is rope constructed from a combination of a resilient metal or plastics, which may itself be braided, and a conventional rope material such as cotton, hemp or nylon.
Figure 4 shows the net 10 held by the ring 20 ready to be filled with hay. The drawstring closure 16 is loosened so as to be in an open configuration. The neck portion 14 is drawn and held away from the ring 20 so as to provide a hay receiving neck 28 which is held open by the ring 20 to facilitate filling of the net 10 with hay. Introduction of hay through the unobstructed hay receiving neck 28 of hay net 10 held open by ring 20 is thereby facilitated.
When the main body portion 12 is filled with hay, the neck portion 14 can be filled with hay. The drawstring closure 16 can then be closed, placing the net in the configuration as show in Figure 2. The ring 20 remains in position throughout.
When the hay net 10 has been sufficiently filled in this way, closure of the net 10 (by placing the drawstring closure 16 in a closed configuration, as shown in Figure 2) compresses the hay 24 and forces it outwardly through the holes in the net 10, where it can be readily drawn from the net 10 by an animal.
The hay net 10 may be constructed from a kit of separate parts comprising a conventional hay net, such as the hay net 1 of the prior art, and a rigid or resilient peripheral reinforcing member 21 (not shown) which can be introduced to the neck of the net before use and which remains in place in use. The peripheral reinforcing member 21 may, for example, be a plastics crescent with a first end and a second end. The crescent may be woven around a periphery of a net (in the manner shown in Figure 3) and the first end joined to the second end to form a ring. The peripheral reinforcing member 21 may alternatively be a length of resilient rope such as combination rope.
Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of a hay net 30 according to the present invention. A length of resilient rope 32 (for example combination rope) is positioned around the mouth 34 of the net 30, and attached to the net 30 by rings 36. The rings 36 may be metal or plastics rings, or may be rings formed from the netting material. The arrangement at the mouth 34 of the net 30 is analogous to a conventional drawstring closure.
Resilient rope 32 comprises an eye 38 through which end 40 passes, so that rope 32 forms a loop around the periphery of the mouth 34 of the net 30. Resilient rope 32 is operable between an open configuration, as shown in Figure 5, and a closed configuration, as shown in Figure 6, by varying the length of rope between end 40 and eye 38.
In an open configuration, as shown in Figure 5, the resilient rope 32 holds the mouth of the net 30 open and therefore functions as a peripheral reinforcing member. In a closed configuration, as shown in Figure 6, resilient rope 32 functions as a drawstring closure.
When the net 30 has been sufficiently filled with hay, closing the net 30 by moving rope 32 into a closed configuration compresses the hay in the net 30, forcing it outwardly through the holes in the net 30, where it can be readily drawn from the net 30 by an animal.
Other closure arrangements are also compatible with hay net 30, for example the embodiments shown in Figures 7 and 8 and described below.
Figure 7 shows a closure according to a further embodiment of the invention. A length of resilient rope 32 passes through rings 36 around the mouth 34 of hay net 30. A first end 42 is tied to ring 37 and a second end 44 forms a loop 46 to which a rope 48 is attached. The first end 42 and second end 44 overlap, such that resilient rope 32 forms a coil. In an open configuration, as shown in figure 7, resilient rope 32 functions as a peripheral reinforcing member. Resilient rope 32 is operable from an open configuration to a closed configuration by pulling rope 48 (or second end 44) in the direction A, thereby reducing the length of resilient rope 32 passing through rings 36.
Figure 8 shows an alternative closure according to an embodiment of the present invention. The "noose neck" closure of Figure 8 functions analogously to the closure disclosed in Figures 5 and 6 and described above. A length of resilient rope 32 (for example combination rope) is positioned around the mouth 34 of the net 30, and attached to the net 30 by rings 36 which form part of net 30. In an open configuration, as shown in Figure 8, the resilient rope 32 holds the mouth of the net 30 open and therefore functions as a peripheral reinforcing member. The ends of resilient rope 32 pass through noose 50 and are joined at hood 52. Resilient rope 32 is operable between an open configuration and a closed configuration by varying the length of rope between noose 50 and hood 52.
The hay net 30 might also be constructed from a kit of parts comprising a conventional hay net having a drawstring closure, of the general type shown in Figure 1 , and a length of resilient rope. The drawstring closure of the conventional hay net can be removed and a first end of the resilient rope threaded around the periphery of the mouth of the net in its place. A second end of the resilient rope can be formed into an eye, and first end threaded therethrough, forming a loop.
The hay nets hereinbefore described are also suitable to be filled with alternative fibrous animal feeds.
Further variations and modifications can be made within the scope of the invention herein disclosed.