AU608156B2 - Improvements relating to water-dosing devices - Google Patents

Description

I I I I I I I I L _I I III :I i. COMMONWEA t OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1952-1969 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (ORIGINAL) 68 1 FOR OFFICE USE: Form Class Int. Class Application Number Lodged Complete Application No.

Specification Lodged Published S Priority: 0 Related art: 0 r. il: C( nlains the amendments made und r Section 49 and is correct for printing TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: BARRY ROBERT VOGT Address of Applicant: Gilbert Street, Tarlee, State of South Australia, t Commonwealth of Australia SActual Inventor: BARRY ROBERT VOGT Address for Service: COLLISON CO., Patent Attorneys, of 117 King William Street, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000 r Complete Specification for the invention entitled: IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO WATER-DOSING

DEVICES

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: A 0 0 14 12 10/05/8? PATENT, TRADE MARKS DESIGNS SUB-OFFICE MAY 1989 SOUTH AUSTRALIA ii___i i. 2 This invention relates to devices which are used to dose water especially used for the feeding of animals, such as cattle or sheep.

For a number of reasons it has been discovered that it is preferable to provide dosing of drinking water for such animals by introducing from time to time the dosing materials as dry powder in the water.

The problem is to find some means by which such dry powder can be reliably, and as a reasonably constant proportion of the water, dosed into the water.

The problems are quite substantial.

a 00 The conditions under which such devices have to work reliably include 0:9° 15 remote locations on a cattle station, where the material might be son: e.subjected to sun temperatures in the vicinity of 130 to 140 degrees anoncentigrade; the cattle in herding around a watering trough, can be extraordinarily rough and boisterous and this can include splashing a 0 great deal of water on whatever is in the vicinity; and finally, the dispensing unit has to be able to dispense the material with reasonable e. aaccuracy in proportion to the water available.

,e G0 00 0o000 However, one of the big problems is that some dry powder mixes that are appropriate for the dosing purposes, are found to absorb moisture 0 0o 0.0 25 and therefore become slightly damp causing adhesion of the particles of powder making it very difficult for these to run freely.

000* 0ooo A device that has hitherto been found to be very useful includes a 0 *tipping bucket drive device which is directly coupled to a shaft which has a slot which coincides in a first position with an uppermost aperture passing through to a hopper, and in a second position with a lowermost aperture allowing the materials to drop into supply water for the animals.

One advantage of this arrangement is that it is very simple, but the big difficulty is that the dry powder mix does not appear to always reliably feed into such a slot and with such a block the dispensing device becomes useless.

-L i ir-s 3 According to this invention there is provided a stock water-dosing apparatus including a casing enclosing an auger, said casing having a first aperture defining an auger inlet and a second aperture defining an auger outlet, and a supply container extending upwardly from the auger inlet, so that dosing material can be delivered from the supply container through the auger inlet to said auger, a water supply for delivery of water to a receiving container, said auger being driven by a drive means coupled to the water supply so that a speed of rotation of said auger and thus an amount of dosing material to be delivered to the receiving container is proportional to a measured 'volume of water delivered by said water supply.

The advantage of this arrangement arises because by using an auger 0 0 shape, an area of the bottom of a hopper can be exposed to the 15 material within the hopper and there is a moving surface fully beneath o o such an underneath area thereby substantially increasing action Os against the dry powder materials.

00 00 0 a o' ooo 0 One problem with this arrangement, however, is that the outlet for the powder will be in the vicinity of the water into which the powder is to be 00: mixed. The water itself then splashing back can readily soak otherwise 0o o dry powder about to be dispensed, and this will seep through deeper a 00 o 000 into the dosing material to the extent that this can be expected to cake S 25 solidly and block the dispensing end.

In order to overcome this, there is accordingly further provided means by which the auger outlet is closed except during dispensing periods.

*oooo This is best achieved by providing for a cover-plate or gate which upon initiation of any rotation of the auger, is first diverted to an open position and subsequent to any dispensing actior, the cover is moved back into a closed position.

Further the auger is found to give quite an accurate measure of dosing material.

The auger casing holds an even quantity of dose material and that dose material is evenly moved along the auger casing and is dispensed into the receiving container out of the auger outlet with much greater accuracy than previous mechanisms have allowed.

4 In one arrangement, this is achieved by providing that a cover-plate is coupled to the tipping buckets so that it is caused to be, or allowed to remain, in a closed position with respect to the dispensing aperture, or any time the tipping buckets are either in one or other of the extreme positions. This can be achieved by a mechanical coupling which simply acts to divert the cover during a first or second of these positions, and to ensure that the cover-plate is held in the open position between the two extremes.

The invention can then reside in a tipping bucket system driving through a direct connection with ratchet drive to an auger, and there are provided means closing the end of the outlet from the auger which are o 09 0 ,o0 arranged to keep the cover-plate open only during a mid-location range 0900 15 of the tipping buckets between two end positions.

00 o 94" 1 o 00 00 0 0 00 One simple mechanical arrangement which can indeed effect a lifting of 0 000 the cover from the different positions of the tipping bucket system, 00 0 o 0 includes a shaft which is located in parallel alignment to the auger and which will be rotated synchronously with the tipping buckets, i.e. in one c0:a direction firstly and then the other so as to provide this back and fro 0 Q action.

0 00 00 0 000 At a second end of the shaft, being furthest from the tipping bucket o 25 system, there can be a second arm operating through a lateral slot in the cover-plate, the end of the crank being positioned so that it is in a o :2lowermost position when the tipping buckets are on one side or the oao aother, but it proceeds through a raised position as it is tipped.

0 0 aa0 oeee In a further arrangement, the further end of the crank is coupied to an arm which in turn acts to lift the gate or door coincidentally with the position of the crank but such that there is a first rapid lift to a maximum open position whereafter further movement of the crank will not change the position of the gate or door until toward the further extent of movement of the crank whereupon there is a rapid closure.

In order to more fully describe the invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 shows in part cross-section a stock water dosing apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional illustration of the tipping bucket in the two positions according to the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 3 is an end view of the cover-plate and the means to slide the cover-plate.

Referring to FIGURE 1 there is provided a system of tipping buckets at 1 with an upper most portion an opening 2 which in a first position is to° 0 adapted to receive water from a water supply 3. The double tipping 0o00 15 bucket 1 is reciprocately rotatable about a tipping bucket shaft 4 which is coupled by drive means 5 including a ratchet 5 to an auger 7. The coo* auger 7 has an auger outlet 9 and an auger inlet 10 and rotates in one °oo direction so as to drive the dose material which is stored in a supply Q n a container 8 through the outlet 9. A cover plate 11 is alternatively lifted or lowered by the action of the tipping bucket 1 acting through a rod 12 o0a which alternatively rotates the cover-shaft 13 through connection with a 0 a first arm 14 which extends upwardly from the cover-plate shaft 13. The 0 04 0cover-plate shaft 13 is located in parallel alignment with the auger shaft 15 and has at a second end a second arm 16.

o 6e oo The second arm 16 is thus directly linked to the reciprocating motion of 000othe tipping bucket 1. The cover-plate shaft extends through a slot 17 in ~o~o the cover-plate. Located between two stops on the second arm of the cover-plate shaft 18 and 19 is a spring 20 and extending from one end is an elongate biasing member 21 which presses against the coverplate to locate it against the end of the auger casing. The biasing means is of relatively rigid metal wire and extends through a second slot in the cover-plate 22 and thus movement of the second arm of the cover-plate shaft 16 up or down will raise and lower respectively the cover-plate. In preference the cover-plate is of sheet metal and two folds extend backwardly and inwardly of outer most sides of the coverplate to act as guides against sides of the auger casing for the raising and lowering of the cover-plate.

6 The cover-plate shaft extends through a connecting channel 23 extending between the auger casing 24 and the supply container 8.

There can be provided seals to seal openings where the cover-plate shaft 13 passes through the connecting channel. A control choke 25 in the supply chamber 8 allows for control of the rate of feed of the dose material, or more particularly allows this to be closed off when required.

The basic components of the stock water dosing apparatus are dismantleable and easily accessible thus the cover-plate can easily be removed or simply lifted back with sufficient force to overcome the biasing means, the supply container can be lifted from the connecting channel thereby allowing easy access to the internal parts of the preferred disembodiment of the stock water dosing apparatus. A lid 26 0° may be provided for the supply container.

ova$ The ratchet arrangement 6 is preferably self contained and sealed by means of two end seals 27 and 28.

0000 g o an.9O 00 00R o o The drive means 5 includes a first lever 29 extending laterally upward from the tipping bucket shaft 4 and a second lever 30 extending laterally upward from the auger shaft 15 and these two are pivotably oo a connected by means of a connecting rod 31. This arrangement allows Oo O o00 ofor some adjustment to the speed at which the auger turns in relation to aathe quantity of water measured. The tipping bucket shaft can be moved ,o o 25 up or down relative to the auger shaft this can be done by relocating the positions of the connector rod 31 on the first lever and a corresponding shift in the position of rod 12 on the first arm of the cover-plate shaft.

oo Thus if the tipping bucket shaft were raised the auger shaft would be oe., 3 rotated at a slower rate.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 the double tipping bucket 1 comprises a first bucket on a first side 32 and a second bucket on a second side 33 in a first position 34 the double tipping bucket is shown in solid outline and cross-hatched and the first bucket is adapted to receive water from a water supply 3 as the first tipping bucket fills the double tipping bucket will rotate to a second position 35 and the contents from the first bucket will empty and the second bucket will be adapted to receive water from the water supply. The tiipping bucket will thus rotate between the first and second positions and this rotation is used to drive the auger.

_I 7 Although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in some detail it is to be realised that the invention is not to be limited thereto but can include various modifications falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

o o 000 0 0 o090 0 0 0000 090 0 0 009 00, 0 0 ao 0 L~L i -L lr i-li i

Claims (9)

1. A stock water-dosing apparatus including a casing enclosing an auger, said casing having a first aperture defining an auger inlet and a second aperture defining an auger outlet, and a supply container extending upwardly from the auger inlet, so that dosing material can be delivered from the supply container through the auger to a receiving container, a water supply for delivery of water to the receiving container, said auger being driven by a drive means coupled to the water supply so that a speed of rotation of said auger and thus an amount of dosing material to be delivered to the receiving container is proportional to a measured volume of water delivered by said water water supply. o w Voo«

2. A stock water-dosing apparatus as in claim 1 wherein there is o0o provided at least one tipping bucket said at least one tipping bucket is o °°0 9 upright in a first position, with an opening at an uppermost portion and oB o so positioned to receive water from said water supply, and said bucket S 0 0 in a second position is adapted to dispense its contents through the opening into the receiving container, said bucket being pivotable between the first and second positions about a tipping bucket shaft, o" said pivotable movement coupled to the drive means and said drive ?oI, means, including a ratchet, is coupled to said auger so that said auger is adapted to be rotably driven in one direction about an auger shaft by Soo the movement of said at least one tipping bucket.

3. A stock water-dosing apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said auger idoOO" outlet is provided with a closure adapted in a closed position to close o )said auger outlet, and in an open position to open said outlet, there being provided connecting means between said tipping bucket and said closure operable so that said closure is in the closed position as water is dispensed into said receiving trough and is in the open position during a period when water is not dispensed.

4. A stock water-dosing apparatus as in eafy -ene-e -claim 3 wherein the closure is a cover-plate and said cover-plate is slideable over said auger outlet between the open position and the closed position and wherein there is provided a pivotable cover-plate shaft, 7 1- .01 0 C 04 ko o 4 0 8888D 848 o 4D 09 I 9 including a first arm extending laterally at a first end to an upper portion of said at least one tipping bucket and being pivotably connected thereto and a second arm extending laterally from a second end of the shaft and an upper portion of said second arm adapted to engage with said cover-plate and to slideably move said cover plate between the open position and the closed position.

A stock water-dosing apparatus as in any one of claims 2, 3 and 4 wherein the drive means includes a first lever extending laterally upwards from the tipping bucket shaft and a second lever extending laterally upwards from the auger shaft and means connecting the first lever to the second lever, adjusting means adapted to vertically adjust the tipping bucket shaft relative to the auger shaft.

6. A stock water-dosing apparatus as in any of the preceding claims wherein said tipping bucket is a double tipping buclket and wherein a first bucket of said double tipping bucket is at a first side of the double tipping bucket, and a second bucket is at a second side of said double tipping bucket and the double tipping bucket is adapted to be rotatable about the tipping bucket shaft from a first position to a second position in the first position the said first bucket is adapted to dispense its contents into a receiving trough and said second tipping bucket in said first position is adapted to receive water from the water supply, said tipping bucket being so arranged to pivot to a second position on emptying of said first bucket and filling of said second bucket, and in a second position the second bucket being adapted to dispense its contents into said receiving trough and the first bucket adapted to receive water from said water supply, said cover-plate shaft being located so that said cover-plate is in the closed position when said tipping bucket is in the first position or the second position but is in the open position when the tipping bucket is therebetween.

7. A stock water-dosing apparatus in any one of 4 -o L wherein there is provided biasing means adapted to bias said cover- plate against the auger outlet.

8. A stock watering apparatus including a stock water-dosing apparatus as in any one of the preceding claims a watering trough and a water regulator, the stock water-dosing apparatus being adapted to ii -L I- deliver dosed water to a feeding trough, the water regulator adapted for regulating a rate at which water is provided by said water supply, the rate being dependent on the volume of water in said watering trough, and preferably said regulator is a float operated valve.

9. A stock water-dosing apparatus as hereinbefore described with reference to the illustrations. Datedthis 10Th dayof May 1989 BARRY ROBERT VOGT By his Patent Attorneys COLLISON CO. 00 0 0 0 0 O o 0 91) 00 0