초록 ▼

My invention provides a spinner unit for attachment to the intermittently rotating vertical control unit shaft of an animal feeder, the feeder having a feed storage unit that discharges feed through a discharge tube into a spinner unit housing interior, where the feed is enclosed prior to discharge

My invention provides a spinner unit for attachment to the intermittently rotating vertical control unit shaft of an animal feeder, the feeder having a feed storage unit that discharges feed through a discharge tube into a spinner unit housing interior, where the feed is enclosed prior to discharge from specially configured discharge openings. The extensive covering configuration provided by the housing top, bottom and in some embodiments, sides, allows little or no feed to be thieved by small animals such as birds, prevents feed loss from wind, and prevents feed from being thrown up and off the spinner unit when the spinner unit is spinning.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A spinner for attachment to a substantially vertical rotating shaft of a control unit of a feeder, the control unit having a motor for rotating the shaft of a control unit of a feeder having feed storage unit for storing feed and discharging stored feed in a downward direction, the spinner unit c

1. A spinner for attachment to a substantially vertical rotating shaft of a control unit of a feeder, the control unit having a motor for rotating the shaft of a control unit of a feeder having feed storage unit for storing feed and discharging stored feed in a downward direction, the spinner unit comprising:a housing having a top and a bottom, the top and bottom being joined to form a housing interior, and to further form a first opening and a second opening, the top having an inlet for receiving feed from the feed storage unit into the housing interior, the housing having a maximum horizontal transverse width at the inlet that Is greater than a maximum horizontal width of the housing at the first opening and a maximum horizontal width of the housing at the second opening, the top extending continuously, with decreasing transverse width, in a first direction from the inlet to the first opening, and in a second direction from the inlet to the second opening, the top and bottom enclosing received feed in the interior such that feed proximate the first and second openings is covered by the housing top; anda shaft attachment member for attaching the housing to the control unit rotating shaft, such that when the shaft rotates, the housing spins, and received feed is forced from the housing interior through the first and second openings. 2. The spinner unit of claim 1, wherein the housing top and bottom enclose received feed in the housing interior such that the top substantially covers received feed in the interior between the top inlet and the first opening, and in the interior between the top inlet and the second opening. 3. The spinner unit of claim 1, wherein the housing top and bottom join to form a plurality of sides between the first and second openings. 4. The spinner unit of claim 3, wherein the formed sides are substantially vertical. 5. The spinner unit of claim 1, wherein the housing top extends beyond the housing bottom proximate at least one of the first opening and the second opening. 6. The spinner unit of claim 1, further comprising a first opening cover attached to the housing for opening and closing over the first opening and a second opening cover attached to the housing for opening and closing over the second opening, the covers being attached such that the covers open when the housing is spinning, in response to centrifugal force. 7. The spinner unit of claim 1, wherein the feed storage unit has a discharge member through which the received feed is discharged from the feed storage unit, and the housing top inlet closely receives the discharge member. 8. The spinner unit of claim 1, wherein the housing has a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second openings, the housing top having an apex aligned with the longitudinal axis. 9. The spinner unit of claim 1, wherein the housing has a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second openings, the housing bottom having an apex aligned with the longitudinal axis. 10. The spinner unit of claim 1, wherein the housing has a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second openings, the housing top and bottom each having an apex aligned with the longitudinal axis. 11. The spinner unit of claim 1, wherein the housing top is curved. 12. The spinner unit of claim 1, wherein the housing bottom is curved. 13. The spinner unit of claim 1, wherein the housing top and bottom are curved. 14. A spinner unit for attachment to a substantially vertical rotating shaft of a control unit of a feeder, the control unit having a motor for rotating the shaft, the feeder having a feed storage unit for storing feed and discharging stored feed in a downward direction, the spinner unit comprising:a housing having a top, a bottom, a plurality of sides, a first opening and a second opening, the top, bottom and sides being joined to form a housing interior, the top, bottom and side having a first end defining the first opening as a hexagon, the top, bottom and sid es having a second end defining the second opening as a hexagon, the top extending continuously in a first direction from the inlet to the first opening, and in a second direction from the inlet to the second opening, and in a second direction from the inlet to the second opening, the first and second openings each having a height and width, the height of each such opening being less than the width of each such opening, the top having an inlet for receiving feed from the feed storage unit into the housing interior, the top, sides and bottom enclosing received feed in the interior such that received feed proximate the openings is covered by the hosing top; anda shaft attachment member for attaching the housing to the control unit rotating shaft, such that, when the shaft rotates, the housing spins, and received feed is forced from the housing interior through the openings. 15. The spinner unit of claim 14, wherein the housing top and bottom enclose received feed in the housing interior such that the top substantially covers received feed in the interior between the top inlet and the first opening, and in the interior between the top inlet and the second opening. 16. The spinner unit of claim 14, wherein the number of sides is four and the first and second openings are hexagonally defined. 17. A spinner unit for attachment to a substantially vertical rotating shaft of a control unit of a feeder, the control unit having a motor for rotating the shaft, the feeder having a feed storage unit for storing feed and discharging stored feed in a downward direction, the spinner unit comprising:a housing having a top, a bottom, six sides, the sides being substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom, the top, bottom and sides being joined to form a housing interior and two side openings, the first side opening lying in a plane with one of the sides, and the second side opening lying in a plane with another of the sides, the top and bottom being substantially hexagonal in a plane substantially perpendicular to the control unit rotating shaft, the top having an inlet for receiving feed from the feed storage unit into the housing interior, the housing top and bottom enclosing received feed in the housing interior such that the top substantially covers received feed in the interior between the top inlet and each of the side openings; anda shaft attachment member for attaching the housing to the control unit rotating shaft, such that, when the shaft rotates, the housing spins, and received feed is forced from the housing interior through the side openings.