Water dispenser abstract
A drinking water dispenser for animals for use in suspension-type
water supply systems includes a pin received within a vertical bore
in a housing and having a lower portion projecting downwardly through
the bore, and an upper portion formed with an enlarged head, and
overlying weight engageable with an upper portion of the pin, the
enlarged head of the pin having a surface engageable with a surface
of the housing around the bore. One or both of the latter surfaces
are rounded such that the two surfaces define between them a valve
which may be opened either by raising the pin or by tilting the
pin. In addition, the weight is spaced from the upper portion of
the enlarged head of the pin so as to be separated therefrom by
a gap when the pin is not tilted or raised.
Water dispenser claims
I claim:
1. A drinking water dispenser for animals for use in suspension-type
water supply systems, comprising:
a housing formed with a vertically-extending bore through a part
thereof;
a pin received within said bore and having a lower portion projecting
downwardly through said bore, and an upper portion formed with an
enlarged head;
and a weight located above, and engageable with, an upper portion
of said pin;
said enlarged head of the pin having a surface engageable with
a surface of the housing around said bore to define a valve therewith;
both of said surfaces being of rounded,outwardly-bulged configuration
such that the two surfaces define between them a valve which may
be opened either by raising the pin to lift its head off said housing
surface, or by tilting the pin to lift a part of its head off said
housing surface;
said weight being spaced from the upper portion of said enlarged
head of the pin so as to be separated therefrom by a gap when the
pin is not tilted or raised.
2. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein both said engaging
surfaces of the enlarged head and housing are of spherical configuration.
3. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said surface of
the housing engageable by said surface of the enlarged head is defined
by an insert removably attached to the housing and formed with a
portion of said bore for receiving said pin.
4. The dispenser according to claim 3 wherein the upper end of
said insert is spaced above the upper surface of said enlarged head
to define a ledge engageable with the lower surface of the weight,
and thereby to space the weight from said enlarged head to define
said gap.
5. The dispenser according to claim 3 wherein the upper end of
said bore formed in the insert is enlarged for receiving said enlarged
head of the pin, and the lower end of said bore formed in the insert
is enlarged for accommodating tilting movements of said pin.
6. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the upper end of
said bore in the housing receiving said weight is formed with an
inwardly-extending lip engageable with the weight for limiting the
outward movement thereof with respect to said bore.
7. The dispenser according to claim 6 wherein said weight is formed
with a lower portion of cylindrical configuration, and an upper
portion also of cylindrical configuration but of smaller diameter
than said lower portion and extending through said lip, said lip
being engageable by the juncture between said upper and lower portions
of the weight.
8. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said housing is
formed with a ledge overlying and spaced from the upper end of said
weight and receives a second weight overlying and spaced from said
first-mentioned weight.
9. The dispenser according to claim 8 wherein said housing is
formed with a second ledge overlying and spaced from the upper end
of said second weight, and receives a third weight overlying and
spaced from said second weight.
10. A drinking water dispenser for animals for use in suspension-type
water supply systems, comprising:
a housing including a removable insert formed with a bore extending
vertically when the dispenser is mounted in suspension;
a pin received within said bore and having a lower portion projecting
downwardly through said bore, and an upper portion formed with an
enlarged head;
and a weight located above, and engageable with, an upper portion
of said pin;
said enlarged head of the pin having a surface engageable with
a surface of the housing around said bore to define a valve therewith;
at least one of said surfaces being rounded such that the two surfaces
define between them a valve which may be opened either by raising
the pin to lift its head off said housing surface, or by tilting
the pin to lift a part of its head off said housing surface;
said weight being spaced from the upper portion of said enlarged
head of the pin so as to be separated therefrom by a gap when the
pin is not tilted or raised;
the upper end of said insert being spaced from the upper surface
of said enlarged head to define a ledge engageable with the lower
surface of the weight, and thereby to space the weight from said
enlarged head to define said gap;
said weight being formed with a lower portion of cylindrical configuration,
and an upper portion also of cylindrical configuration but of smaller
diameter than said lower portion and extending through said bore
in the upper end of said housing;
said upper end of the housing being formed with an inwardly-extending
lip engageable with the juncture between said upper and lower portions
of the weight for limiting the outward movement of the weight with
respect to said bore.
11. The dispenser according to claim 10 wherein both said engaging
surfaces of the enlarged head and housing are of a rounded, outwardly-bulged
configuration.
12. The dispenser according to claim 10 wherein the upper end
of said insert bore is enlarged for receiving said enlarged head
of the pin, and the lower end of said insert bore is enlarged for
accommodating tilting movements of said pin.
13. The dispenser according to claim 10 wherein said housing is
formed with a ledge overlying and spaced from the upper end of said
weight and receives a second weight overlying and spaced from said
first-mentioned weight.
14. The dispenser according to claim 13 wherein said housing is
formed with a second ledge overlying and spaced from the upper end
of said second weight, and receives a third weight overlying and
spaced from said second weight.
15. A drinking water dispenser for animals for use in suspension-type
water supply systems, comprising:
a housing formed with a vertically-extending bore through a part
thereof;
a pin received within said bore and having a lower portion projecting
downwardly through said bore, and an upper portion formed with an
enlarged head;
and a weight located above, and engageable with, an upper portion
of said pin;
said enlarged head of the pin having a surface engageable with
a surface of the housing around said bore to define a valve therewith;
at least one of said surfaces being rounded such that the two surfaces
define between them a valve which may be opened either by raising
the pin to lift its head off said housing surface, or by tilting
the pin to lift a part of its head off said housing surface;
said weight being spaced from the upper portion of said enlarged
head of the pin so as to be separated therefrom by a gap when the
pin is not tilted or raised;
said weight being formed with a lower portion of cylindrical configuration,
and an upper portion also of cylindrical configuration but of smaller
diameter than said lower portion and extending through said bore
in the upper end of said housing; said upper end of the housing
being formed with an inwardly-extending lip engageable with the
juncture between said upper and lower portions of the weight for
limiting the outward movement of the weight with respect to said
bore.
16. The dispenser according to claim 15 wherein said surface of
the housing engageable by said surface of the enlarged head is defined
by an insert removably attached to the housing and formed with a
portion of said bore for receiving said pin.
17. The dispenser according to claim 16 wherein the upper end
of said insert is spaced above the upper surface of said enlarged
head to define a ledge engageable with the lower surface of the
weight, and thereby to space the weight from said enlarged head
to define said gap.
18. The dispenser according to claim 15 wherein both said engaging
surfaces of the enlarged head and housing are of a spherical configuration.
Water dispenser description
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to drinking water dispensers for
animals, particularly for poultry, for controlling the supply of
water to poultry or other animals.
One type of water supply system in common use for dispensing water
to poultry is the suspension-type system in which a plurality of
poultry drinking devices are supported in suspension over the ground.
Illustrative of such suspension-type systems is that described in
U.S. Pat. No. 4852522 which is incorporated by reference as if
fully set forth herein. A popular poultry drinking device used in
such systems is a nipple-type device which includes a downwardly-extending
pin or valve stem which releases a small quantity of water whenever
the pin or valve stem is pushed upwardly by the poultry. Another
nipple-type device releases a small quantity of water whenever the
pin or valve stem is pushed upwardly or is tilted by the poultry.
In certain nipple-type devices, a weight is disposed directly above
and in contact with the pin to ensure that a certain threshold force
must be exerted before any water is released. Examples of such poultry
drinking devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1772588 2594968
3418977 3477471 3483847 3582006 3590781 3602197
3648663 3669077 3750706 3750628 3756199 3982706
4258666 4491088 4610063 4610221 4649866 4790264
5074250 British Patent 1514448 and German Utility Model G8804053.4.
Presently known nipple-type drinking devices suffer from a number
of disadvantages: Thus, many nipple-type drinkers are activated
only by pushing the pin directly upwardly which makes it more difficult
and time-consuming for the poultry to activate the device. In addition,
the amount of force needed to activate the device is approximately
constant regardless of the degree to which the pin is displaced;
and while it is possible for a fully mature hen to obtain an adequate
supply of water, chicks and weaker poultry may be unable to exert
enough force on the pin to overcome the threshold force required
to activate the device to release water. Further, the location of
the weight directly above, and in contact with, the pin can act
to "freeze" the pin in a tilted position and prevent the
pin from returning to its normal untilted position following displacement;
this may cause the water to drip to the floor of the coop where
it can lead to the growth of mildew or to other unhealthy consequences.
OBJECTS AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a nipple-type poultry
drinker, especially for use with suspension-type poultry drinking
systems, which will be activated through the exertion of force in
any of a number of directions even by small or weak poultry, and
which will allow the flow of water to shut off completely when water
is not needed.
According to the present invention, there is provided a drinking
water dispenser for animals for use in suspension-type water supply
systems, comprising: a housing formed with a vertically-extending
bore through a part thereof; a pin received within said bore and
having a lower portion projecting downwardly through said bore,
and an upper portion formed with an enlarged head; and a weight
located above and engageable with an upper portion of said pin;
said enlarged head of the pin having a surface engageable with a
surface of the housing around said bore to define a valve therewith.
At least one of said surfaces is rounded such that the two surfaces
define between them a valve which may be opened not only by raising
the pin to lift its head off said housing surface, but also by tilting
the pin to lift a part of its head off said housing surface. In
addition, the weight is spaced from the upper portion of said enlarged
head of the pin so as to be separated therefrom by a gap when the
pin is not tilted or raised.
As will be more particularly shown below, a drinking water dispenser
constructed in accordance with the foregoing features is specially
suitable for suspension-type poultry water systems, which can be
activated by displacing a pin in various directions, which enable
young chicks to activate the device without exerting force large
enough to lift a weight, and which at the same time ensure the proper
shut-off of the device when not in use.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is herein described by way of example in the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a drinking water dispenser
according to the present invention;
FIG. 1a is an enlarged fragmentary view of FIG. 1;
FIG. 2 is a side view (with partial cross-section) of the dispenser
in FIG. 1 as it might be installed as part of a suspension-type
poultry water supply system;
FIG. 3 is a side view (with partial cross-section) of the dispenser
in FIG. 1 as it might be installed as part of a supsension-type
poultry water supply system including a cup; and
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a dispenser
according to the present invention but including three weights.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The dispenser illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a housing 10 which
may be of any suitable size and dimensions and which may be made
of any suitable material, but is preferably plastic. Housing 10
includes one or more pairs of clamps 12 which make it possible for
the dispenser to be attached to a suspension-type poultry water
supply system, as is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and as described in
more detail below.
Held partly within housing 10 are two separate members, a pin 14
and a weight 16. These may be made of any suitable material but
are preferably both made of metal, such as stainless steel. Weight
16 is located within a vertical bore 17 in housing 10. Pin 14 is
located within an insert 18 received within the lower portion of
housing bore 17 so as to constitute the lower part of the housing.
For this purpose, housing 10 is formed with one or more protrusions
20 while insert 18 is formed with a bore 22 for receiving pin 18
and with matching depressions 24 for receiving the housing protrusions
20. To assemble the unit, insert 18 with pin 14 in its bore 22
is snapped into position within housing 10 such that the upper end
26 of the insert engages the inner surace of the housing to define
a gap 28 between weight 16 and pin 14.
Weight 16 preferably is cylindrical in shape and formed with a
somewhat smaller diameter at its top portion 16a than at its bottom
portion 16b. Weight 16 is slidable vertically within a bore housing
10. The size of housing bore 17 is sufficiently larger than the
largest outside diameter of weight 16 as to enable water to flow
in the annular space between the housing bore and the weight. An
inwardly extending lip 29 formed at the upper end of housing bore
17 is engagable with the juncture 16c between the two portions 16a,
16b of weight 16 to prevent the weight from sliding upwards more
than a given amount.
Bore 22 through insert 18 includes an intermediate section 22a
of somewhat larger diameter than that of pin 14 an upper section
22b of substantially larger diameter than section 22a and joined
thereto by a juncture 22c of an outwardly rounded, i.e., spherical,
configuration, and a lower section 22d also of larger diameter than
that of section 22a.
Pin 14 includes an enlarged head 30 located within section 22d
of bore 22. The juncture 31 between the enlarged head 30 and the
stem of pin 14 is of outwardly rounded, i.e., spherical, configuration
and is engageable with the bore juncture 22c which, as described
earlier, is also of outwardly rounded, spherical configuration.
In the normal position of the water dispenser, weight 16 rests
on the upper end 26 of insert 18 forming the gap 28 between the
lower surface of the weight and the upper surface of enlarged head
30 of the pin. The diameter of pin 14 is sufficiently smaller than
the diameters of bore sections 22a and 22d in insert 18 such that
the pin can be tilted from the vertical in all directions about
its enlarged head 30.
When pin 14 is in its normal (neutral) position (as shown in FIG.
1), the spherical juncture 31 of the pin engages the spherical juncture
22c of the insert bore 22 around the complete circumference of the
latter to define a valve therewith which is closed to thereby block
the flow of water through bore 22. However, when pin 14 is tilted,
and/or pushed upwardly, at least a portion of the spherical juncture
31 of the pin separates from the spherical juncture 22c of the insert
18 such that water flow takes place around the enlarged head 30
and down the outside surface of the pin 14.
The size of gap 28 and the permissible tilt of pin 14 are such
that the pin may be tilted to dispense water from the dispenser
without raising the weight. This is of great importance for at least
two reasons.
First, the ability to operate the valve without lifting weight
16 makes it possible and convenient for relatively weak chicks to
obtain water from the dispenser without having to exert the relatively
large force, which may be beyond their ability, needed to lift weight
16. The presence of gap 28 between pin 14 and weight 16 makes it
possible for pin 14 to be tilted so as to start the water flow without
pin 14 touching and lifting weight 16. On the other hand, when a
full-sized hen pushes pin 14 upwardly, pin 14 directly lifts weight
16 thereby increasing the force needed to push pin 14 upwardly.
Second, gap 28 better assures that pin 14 will return to its neutral
position whenever the pin is not being raised or tilted by the drinking
poultry. In its netural position, pin 14 shuts off the flow of water
and thus prevents undesired leakage of water which would otherwise
wet the floor of the coop and potentially lead to various adversee
health consequences. The provision of the gap, together with the
spherical surfaces 22c and 31 decreases the possibility that the
weight will cause the pin to be "frozen" in a non-vertical
position following tilting and release of the pin by the poultry.
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate examples of two applications of a dispenser
according to the present invention in suspension-type water supply
systems.
FIG. 2 illustrates the dispenser as mounted by its clamps 12 onto
a suspension member 32 which partly surrounds a water pipe 34 through
which water is supplied to the dispenser. The geometry of the dispenser
and associated members is such that when the dispenser is clamped
onto suspension member 32 the portion of housing 10 which partly
surrounds weight 16 is located inside water pipe 34 and is in hydraulic
communication with the water flow through pipe 34. A seal 36 such
as an O-ring or a flat ring, is preferably used to prevent leakage
of water from pipe 34 to the outside. When properly sealed, water
can only escape pipe 34 through the annular space between weight
16 and the surrounding walls of housing 10 and only when the enlarged
head 30 of pin 14 is either lifted or tilted.
FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 but further includes a drinking cup
38 which serves to receive the water dispensed as described above
for the poultry to drink, and also to catch any water which may
drip from the dispenser. Cup 38 may be mounted to suspension member
32 using clamps 12 and the cup mechanism may include a connector
40 for engaging an adjoining dispenser so as to keep cup 38 properly
placed bneath the dispenser.
The performance of a device according to the present invention
may be enhanced by providing more than a single weight, with each
pair of weights being separated by an additional gap. Such a design
progressively increases in finite steps the amount of force needed
to lift pin 14.
An example of such a construction including three weights is shown
in FIG. 4. Here, housing 10 is formed with a ledge 50 to support
a second weight 52 over weight 16 and separated therefrom by gap
53. The housing 10 may be formed with a further ledge 54 to support
a third weight 55 over weight 52 and separated therefrom by a further
gap 56.
While the invention has been described with respect to several
preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that these are set
forth merely for purposes of example, and that many other variations,
modifications and applications of the invention may be made.
|