Importance

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Abstract

An animal feeding device in which the animal actuates the transfer of the feed from a sheltered feed storage hopper to a feeding station by working a lever or similar device. The feed hopper is positioned above the feeding station, whereby the feed will transfer by gravity therebetween. A rotatable cylinder having pockets therein is positioned between the storage hopper and the feeding station so as to block gravity flow of the feed. A rod is fixedly attached to the rotatable cylinder and extends outwardly into the feeding station, such that the animal may swing the rod from side to side thereby rotating the cylinder back and forth. The rotation of the cylinder alternatively causes the pockets therein to fill with feed and to empty into the feeding station. A dampening mechanism is provided which senses accumulation of feed in the feeding station and resists additional demand of feed by the animal. This dampening mechanism comprises an elongate bar also fixedly attached to the cylinder and extending into the accumulation of feed in the feeding station. The resistance bar increases the work required of the animal to actuate the demand mechanism substantially in proportion to the level of feed accumulation in the feeding station. A bridge breaking bar is also fixedly attached to the cylinder and extends upwardly into the hopper thereby facilitating the filling of the pockets on the cylinder.

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First Claim