Importance

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Abstract

A livestock feeding apparatus which includes an endless belt conveyor. Feed is supplied to the upper run of the belt and is selectively discharged from either side of the conveyor belt by a feed discharge unit. The feed discharge unit includes a frame mounted to travel in a reciprocating path above the belt and the frame carries a feed diverting plow and a rotatable brush. The plow and brush are disposed in generally parallel arrangement and can be pivoted between a first diagonal position with respect to the side edge of the belt to a second diagonal position. Movement of the conveyor belt is transmitted through a drive mechanism to rotate the brush about its axis. As the feed discharge unit moves relative to the belt, feed is discharged from the side edge of the moving belt by the plow and the brush acts to remove residual feed from behind the plow. When it is desired to feed from the opposite side of the belt, the feed discharge unit is moved to the feed end of the conveyor and as it reaches its end point in its reciprocating travel and is reversed a shifting mechanism is actuated to pivot the plow and brush so that continued relative movement between the feed distributing unit and the conveyor will cause the feed to be distributed to the opposite side of the belt.

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First Claim