| 摘要 |
An animal food product dispensing apparatus comprising a housing having a food dispenser port and a hopper, or similar storage container for storing food, mounted inside with a feed port through which food is transferred by gravity flow to an articulated chute assembly. The articulated chute assembly has walls for guiding food between the feed port and the dispenser port. A reciprocating driver element coupled to the chute assembly moves portions of the chute assembly up and down with respect to a fixed pivot point adjacent to the feed port between food collection and dispensing positions. A lower support can be used adjacent to the storage container for supporting a lower portion of the storage container and guiding food into the articulated chute assembly. The reciprocation drive comprises a push bar attached between the chute assembly and a cam driven by an electric motor at a predetermined rate. A switch provides electrical power to the motor when the articulated chute assembly is not in the food collection position and a relay provides electrical power to the motor for a predetermined length of time regardless of the articulated assembly chute position. In further aspects of the invention, the hopper further comprises an adjustable metering plate positioned to close off at least a portion of the feed port. A guide plate can be mounted adjacent to the dispenser port for supporting and guiding a lower portion of the chute assembly and preventing interference with adjacent structures.
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