BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a livestock feeding device, and more particularly to a feed pipe height adjustment mechanism and a method to use the feed pipe height adjustment mechanism.

2. Description of Related Art

Conventional livestock feeding systems can be roughly divided into two types. One type is disclosed in U.S. Patent No.7753001, according to which, a conveyor belt is configured inside the feed trough, and feed is delivered to the feed trough through the conveyor belt for livestock to eat. The other type of livestock feeding system is disclosed in W02013/028067 and W02019/050393 Patent Publications, according to which, an elevated feed pipe is configured above the feed trough, the bottom side of the feed pipe is configured with a plurality of feed discharge ports, the feed moves inside the feed pipe and falls out from each of the feed discharge ports into the feed trough.

The feed troughs disclosed in W02013/028067 and W02019/050393 Patent Publications are both configured with a plurality of suspension mechanisms. The suspension mechanisms are used to control or adjust the height of the feed pipe. Each suspension mechanism mainly includes a suspension component, a gasket and one or two fixing bolts to lock the suspension component and the gasket. The suspension component is configured with a plurality of slots in a top-down distribution. One side of the gasket is bent to form one or two lip pieces, which can be inserted into the preset slot. Furthermore, the fixing bolt is configured on the outer side of the gasket, to lock and connect the gasket and the suspension component, so that, after the lip piece of the gasket is inserted into the preset slot, it can be fixed on different heights on one side of the suspension component. In the W02013/028067 Patent Publication, the suspension component and the gasket are in the form of a frame with a hollow center space, and the feed pipe goes through each of the suspension components and gaskets. In the WO2019/050393 Patent Publication, the suspension component and gasket are in a U shape, with opening on the upper side, and the feed pipe can be placed in from the top side of the suspension component and the gasket. This configuration offers more convenient assembly comparing to the form disclosed in the W02013/028067 Patent Publication.

According to the W02013/028067 and W02019/050393 Patent Publications, the height of the feed pipe is controlled or adjusted via the gasket by changing the position of the lip piece (lip piece being inserted into the slots at different heights). To change the position of the lip piece, the fixing bolt must be released, and the gasket is moved to an appropriate height, and then, after the lip piece is inserted into the slot, the fixing bolt is tightened. Such a way to adjust the height of the feed pipe through the suspension mechanism is effective. However, the operating steps to release the fixing bolt, move the gasket, insert the lip piece into the slot, and tighten the fixing bolt are quite complicated and inconvenient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a feed pipe height adjustment mechanism and method to use the feed pipe height adjustment mechanism, which offers an easier way to change the height of the feed pipe and more convenient operation.

Therefore, to realize the above object, the present invention provides a feed pipe height adjustment mechanism for livestock feeding systems to control the height of the feed pipe relative to the feed trough in a livestock feeding system, which comprises two frames, configured relatively on the two sides of the feed trough in the direction of the length; a supporting piece, configured between the two frames, capable of movement and supporting the bottom side of the feed pipe; at least one adjustment unit, including a rotation component and a driving component. The rotation component is configured on one side of the supporting piece, capable of rotation. The driving component is connected to one end of the rotation component and the frame. By turning the rotation component, the height of the supporting piece relative to the feed trough can be adjusted.

The present invention further provides a method to use the feed pipe height adjustment mechanism, which comprises the following steps: a) Use the feed pipe to convey feed, so that the feed can fall out from the feed pipe into the feed trough for livestock to eat; b) Rotate the rotation component, driving the supporting piece to move upward along the two frames, so that the amount of feed falling down from the feed pipe will gradually increase; c) Pull the shaft, so that the shaft will move upward or downward along the guide groove to adjust the height of the feed pipe to change the amount of feed supply.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment according to the invention is disclosed, and detailed descriptions are provided with reference to accompanying drawings as following. Fig.l is a combined perspective view of a preferred embodiment according to the invention.

Fig.2 is a side view of a preferred embodiment according to the invention.

Fig.3 is a top view of the rotation component, driving component and check mechanism in a preferred embodiment according to the invention.

Fig.4 is an end view of a preferred embodiment according to the invention, showing the state of turning the rotation piece to drive the supporting piece and feed pipe to move upward.

Fig.5 is an operational view of a preferred embodiment according to the invention, showing the state of pulling the shaft to disengage the gear from the rack.

Fig.6 is an end view of a preferred embodiment according to the invention, showing the state of pulling the shaft to drive the supporting piece and feed pipe to move downward.

Fig.6 and Fig.7 is a side view of a preferred embodiment according to the invention, showing the state of pulling the shaft to drive the supporting piece and feed pipe to move downward.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed in Fig.l to Fig.3 is a preferred embodiment according to the invention. The feed pipe height adjustment mechanism for livestock feeding systems 10 is configured above a feed trough 1 of a livestock feeding system. The section of the feed trough 1 is roughly in a U shape. The feed trough is constructed by connecting a plurality of tank bodies 2. Above the feed trough, an elevated feed pipe 3 is configured. The bottom side of the feed pipe 3 is configured with a plurality of discharge gates, to export feed into the feed trough 1. The feed pipe height adjustment mechanism 10 is used to control the height of the feed pipe 3 relative to the feed trough 1, and comprises two frames 12, 13, a supporting piece 14 and two adjustment units 16.

The two frames 12, 13 have roughly L-shaped sections and are configured on the connecting ends of the two tank bodies 2 of the feed trough 1. In detail, the connecting ends of the two tank bodies 2 are spaced with an appropriate distance. A connection frame 4 is used to cover the two lateral sides as well as the bottom side of the two tank bodies 2. They are locked together to form the trough. The two frames 12, 13 respectively includes a connecting side 22 and a bent side 24 perpendicular to the connecting side 22. The two connecting sides 22 are to be locked and fixed on one end of the tank body 2 of the feed trough 1, whereas the two bent sides 24 relatively face toward the inside of the feed trough 2. The connecting sides 22 of the two frames 12, 13 are further configured with a guide groove 26 extending top down and perpendicular to the length of the feed trough 2.

The supporting piece 14 is roughly in a U shape, and is configured between the two frames 12, 13. It includes a supporting side 28 and two clamping sides 32 formed in a bent style on the two ends of the supporting sides 28. The supporting side 28 supports the bent sides 24 of the two frames 12, 13 and is configured with a concave portion 34 to hold the feed pipe 3. The two clamping sides 32 support and clamp the connecting sides 22 of the two frames. Thus, the supporting piece 14 can be lifted above the feed trough 2 or lowered to a position between the two connecting ends of the two tank bodies 2.

Each adjustment unit 16 respectively includes a rotation component 36, a driving component 38 and a check mechanism 40.

The rotation component 36 has a shaft 42 and a rotation piece 44. The shaft

42 goes through the clamping side 30 and the guide groove 26 of the frame 12, capable of rotation, and protrudes from the two frames 12, 13. The rotation piece 44 is configured on the end of the shaft 42 located on the outer side of the supporting piece 14.

The driving component 38 has a gear 46 and a rack 48 engaged to each other. The gear 46 is configured on the end of the shaft 42 protruding out of the frame 12. The rack 48 is configured on the bent side 24 of the two frames 12, 13 and its extension direction is perpendicular to the length of the feed trough 1. Thus, the driving component 38 enables a connection between the rotation component 36 and the two frames 12, 13. When turning the rotation piece 44, the gear 46 can move on the rack 48, and drive the supporting piece 14 to move on the two frames 12, 13.

The check mechanism 40 is configured on the rotation component 36, having two ratchet discs 50, 52 and an elastic piece 54. It is roughly like a conventional ratchet mechanism. The two ratchet discs 50, 52 are configured on the side of the rotation piece 44 relative to the clamping side 30, used to allow the rotation piece 44 to rotate only in one single direction, so as to avoid rotation of the rotation component 36 caused by the pressure on the supporting piece 14 from the weight of the feed pipe 3. When turning the rotation piece 44, the supporting piece 14 will rise. The elastic piece 54 is located between the connecting side 22 of the two frames 12, 13 and the gear 46. The elastic tension can push the gear 46, to enable the gear 46 to be engaged to the rack 48. The two ratchet discs 50, 52 are relatively connected to each other. When the rotation piece 44 pulls the shaft 42 to cause contraction of the elastic piece 54, the gear 46 will be disengaged from the rack 48, and the two ratchet discs 50, 52 will be separated from each other. Consequently, the check state of the rotation component 36 is released, and the shaft 42 can be pulled to moved along the guide groove 26 (upward or downward), driving the supporting piece 14 to move on the two frames 12, 13 so as to change the height.

Based on the structure disclosed above, the feed pipe height adjustment mechanism 10 according to the invention has the following operational method, feature and function:

When turning each rotation piece 44, the supporting piece 14 can move upward along the two frames 12, 13, as shown in Fig. 4, and can consequently change the height of the feed pipe 3 relative to the feed trough 1, and realize the effect to adjust the amount of feed supply.

In detail, the two ratchet discs 50, 52 allow the rotation piece 44 to rotate only in one single direction. When turning the rotation piece 44, the shaft 42 will drive the gear 46 to rotate simultaneously, and the gear 46 can move upward along the rack 48. Thus, the supporting piece 14 can be driven by the shaft 42 to move upward on the two frames 12, 13.

Based on this, when the feed pipe 3 has a low position, and is close to the feed trough 1 , the feed falling out of the discharge gates of the feed pipe 3 will be piled inside the feed trough 1 below the discharge gates. Therefore, the feed discharge amount is insufficient (the piled feed will block the feed from continuously falling out of the discharge gates). When the feed pipe 3 is lifted to a higher position, the feed will continuously fall out and the discharge amount will be sufficient. Of course, the discharge gates of the feed pipe 3 can also be configured with other devices to control the feed output.

On the other hand, to lower the feed pipe 3, as shown in Fig. 5 to Fig. 7, the operator just needs to hold rotation piece 44, pull the shaft 42 to contract the elastic piece 54 to cause disengagement between the gear 46 and the rack 48, and between the two ratchet discs 50, 52. Thus, the check state of each rotation component 36 is released. The shaft 42 can be pulled again to move downward along the guide groove 26 and the height of the supporting piece 14 and feed pipe 3 can be lowered.

As obvious from the above description, the present invention further provides a method to use the feed pipe height adjustment mechanism: use the feed pipe 3 to convey feed and allow the feed to fall out from the feed pipe 3 into the feed trough 1 for livestock to eat, then, turn the rotation piece 44 of the rotation component 36, so that the supporting piece 14 can move along the two frames 12, 13, so that the height of the feed pipe 3 relative to the feed trough 1 can be changed, and consequently the feed discharge amount can be adjusted.

In detail, turning the rotation piece 44 can allow the supporting piece 14 to move upward along the two frames 12, 13, so that the feed falling down from the feed pipe 3 can gradually increase. To change the feed discharge amount, the operator can pull the shafts 42, so that the shafts 42 can move upward or downward along the guide groove 26, and the height of the feed pipe 3 relative to the feed trough 1 can be changed, and consequently the feed discharge amount can be adjusted. In fact, turning each of the rotation pieces 44 will only allow the supporting piece 14 to move upward, therefore, pulling each of the shafts 42 is mainly to allow the shafts 42 to move downward along the guide groove 26 to reduce the feed discharge amount.

It must be noted that, the present invention is not limited to configuration of two adjustment units on the supporting piece. Only one adjustment unit is also fine, as long as it can allow the supporting piece to move along the two frames to adjust the height of the feed pipe. While the means of specific embodiments in the present invention have been described by reference drawings, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims. The modifications and variations should be in a range limited by the specification of the present invention.