US 11,716,968 B2
Waterer valve system
Eric David Sieverding, Conrad, IA (US); Tad D Upah, Marshalltown, IA (US); and Robert John Amundson, Marshalltown, IA (US)
Assigned to Ritchie industries, Inc., Conrad, IA (US)
Filed by Ritchie Industries, Inc., Conrad, IA (US)
Filed on Oct. 4, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/151,427.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/568,055, filed on Oct. 4, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2019/0098867 A1, Apr. 4, 2019
Int. Cl. F16K 31/524 (2006.01); A01K 7/06 (2006.01); A01K 7/04 (2006.01); F16K 15/02 (2006.01); A01K 7/02 (2006.01); F16K 31/26 (2006.01); F16K 33/00 (2006.01); F16K 31/18 (2006.01)
CPC A01K 7/04 (2013.01) [A01K 7/025 (2013.01); A01K 7/06 (2013.01); F16K 15/023 (2013.01); F16K 31/18 (2013.01); F16K 31/26 (2013.01); F16K 31/265 (2013.01); F16K 31/524 (2013.01); F16K 33/00 (2013.01); Y10T 137/7468 (2015.04); Y10T 137/7478 (2015.04)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A livestock waterer valve system comprising:
(a) a valve housing configured to be affixed to a water reservoir and to receive water from a water supply, the valve housing including an orifice through which water exits the valve housing, the valve housing further including an elbow that orients the orifice downwardly when the valve housing is affixed to the water reservoir and a plunger seat configured to guide vertical movement of a plunger when the valve housing is affixed to the water reservoir, wherein the plunger seat includes first and second side spouts;
(b) a plunger coupled to the valve housing and movable vertically between a plunger closed position in which the plunger is in sealing contact with the orifice and a plunger open position in which the plunger is not in sealing contact with the orifice;
(c) a cam pivotably coupled to the valve housing and comprising a cam contact surface with a curved portion and a flat portion, the cam being configured to pivot about a pivot axis between a cam closed position in which the cam contact surface presses the plunger into the plunger closed position and a cam open position in which the cam allows the plunger to move to the plunger open position, the curved portion and the flat portion of the cam contact surface contacting the plunger, wherein the pivot axis is horizontally offset from the cam contact surface and the first and second side spouts are configured to deflect water exiting the orifice and contacting the plunger out to opposing sides of the plunger and the cam and downwardly into the water reservoir;
(d) a float arm having a first end coupled to the cam and a second end; and
(e) a float component coupled to the second end of the float arm, the float component having a generally flat bottom surface configured to float on water in the water reservoir, with vertical movement of the float component causing the float arm to pivot the cam between the cam closed position and the cam open position.