Livestock feeder

1 . A livestock feeder comprising:

a hopper having a first inlet configured to receive feed and a first outlet configured to dispense said feed;

a first feed pan coupled to said hopper, said first feed pan having a first edge and a second edge, said first edge disposed to receive said feed dispensed from said first outlet, said second edge opposite said first edge;

a first door suspended over said first feed pan, said first door having a proximal portion and an opposite distal portion, said proximal portion of said first door pivotably coupled to said hopper to facilitate the rotation of said first door about a first axis disposed over said first feed pan to facilitate the transition of said first door between an open position wherein said first feed pan is accessible to livestock and a closed position wherein said distal end of said first door extends over said second edge of said first feed pan, said first axis being parallel to and spaced apart from a first vertical plane passing through said second edge of said first feed pan

a second feed pan coupled to said hopper, said second feed pan having a first edge and a second edge, said first edge of said second feed pan disposed to receive said feed dispensed from a second outlet of said hopper, said second edge of said second feed pan being opposite said first edge of said second feed pan; and

a second door suspended over said second feed pan, said second door having a proximal portion and an opposite distal portion, said proximal portion of said second door pivotably coupled to said hopper to facilitate the rotation of said second door about a second axis disposed over said second feed pan to facilitate the transition of said second door between an open position wherein said second feed pan is accessible to livestock and a closed position wherein said distal end of said second door extends over said second edge of said second feed pan, said second axis being parallel to and spaced apart from a second vertical plane passing through said second edge of said second feed pan; and wherein

said second vertical plane is parallel to said first vertical plane;

said distal portion of said second door moves toward said first vertical plane as said second door transitions to said open position; and

said distal portion of said first door moves toward said second vertical plane as said first door transitions to said open position.

2 . The livestock feeder of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member engaging said first door to urge said first door from said open position to said closed position.

3 . The livestock feeder of claim 2 , further comprising a stopper disposed to engage an exterior surface of said first door when said first door is in said closed position to prevent further rotation of said first door about said first axis.

4 . The livestock feeder of claim 1 , wherein:

said livestock feeder includes a first sheet of material, a second sheet of material, a third sheet of material, a fourth sheet of material, a fifth sheet of material, and a sixth sheet of material;

said first sheet of material defines a first sidewall of said hopper;

said second sheet of material defines a second sidewall of said hopper opposite said first sidewall of said hopper;

said second sheet of material is disposed parallel to said first sheet of material;

said third sheet of material defines a third sidewall of said hopper and extends perpendicular to said first sheet of material and said second sheet of material;

said fourth sheet of material defines a fourth sidewall of said hopper and extends perpendicular to said first sheet of material and said second sheet of material;

said fifth sheet of material defines said first feed pan and extends perpendicular to said first sheet of material and said second sheet of material; and

said sixth sheet of material defines said first door and extends perpendicular to said first sheet of material and said second sheet of material.

5 . The livestock feeder of claim 4 , wherein:

said first sheet of material is a first discrete section of sheet metal;

said second sheet of material is a second discrete section of sheet metal;

said third sheet of material is a third discrete section of sheet metal;

said fourth sheet of material is a fourth discrete section of sheet metal;

said fifth sheet of material is a fifth discrete section of sheet metal; and

said sixth sheet of material is a sixth discrete section of sheet metal.

6 . The livestock feeder of claim 1 , wherein an uppermost portion of said first outlet of said hopper is disposed at a vertical height sufficient to allow said feed dispensed from said first outlet to move outward a horizontal distance away from said first outlet that is greater than the horizontal distance between said first axis and said uppermost portion of said first outlet.

7 . The livestock feeder of claim 1 , wherein:

said distal portion of said first door includes a bend and a terminal edge;

said bend is directed toward said first outlet; and

said terminal edge is disposed on an opposite side of said first vertical plane relative to said first axis when said first door is in said closed position.

8 . The livestock feeder of claim 1 , further comprising a sloped surface extending from said second edge of said first feed pan in a direction away from said first outlet to direct precipitation away from said feed disposed in said first feed pan, said first vertical plane being disposed between said sloped surface and said first outlet of said hopper.

9 . The livestock feeder of claim 1 , further comprising a pedestal, said pedestal including:

a base disposed below said first feed pan; and

a column extending upward from said base and coupled to said hopper, said first feed pan, and said first door.

10 . The livestock feeder of claim 1 , wherein:

said first door includes a top section extending at least partially downward from said proximal portion;

said first door includes a bottom section disposed between said top section and said distal portion; and

said bottom section extends from said top section at a downward angle toward said second edge of said first feed pan when said first door is in said closed position.

11 . The livestock feeder of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first biasing member engaging said first door and urging said first door toward said first vertical plane; and

a second biasing member engaging said second door and urging said second door toward said second vertical plane.

12 . The livestock feeder of claim 11 , further comprising:

a first stopper disposed to abut an exterior surface of said first door when said first door is in said closed position to prevent further rotation of said first door about said first axis; and

a second stopper disposed to abut an exterior surface of said second door when said second door is in said closed position to prevent further rotation of said second door about said second axis.

13 . The livestock feeder of claim 1 , further comprising a first sheet of material, a second sheet of material, a third sheet of material, a fourth sheet of material, a fifth sheet of material, a sixth sheet of material, and a seventh sheet of material, and wherein:

said first sheet of material defines a first sidewall of said hopper;

said second sheet of material defines a second sidewall of said hopper opposite said first sidewall of said hopper;

said second sheet of material is disposed parallel to said first sheet of material;

said third sheet of material defines a third sidewall of said hopper and extends perpendicular to said first sheet of material and said second sheet of material;

said fourth sheet of material defines a fourth sidewall of said hopper and extends perpendicular to said first sheet of material and said second sheet of material;

said fifth sheet of material defines said first feed pan and said second feed pan, said fifth sheet of material extending perpendicular to said first sheet of material and said second sheet of material;

said sixth sheet of material defines said first door and extends perpendicular to said first sheet of material and said second sheet of material; and

said seventh sheet of material defines said second door and extends perpendicular to said first sheet of material and said second sheet of material.

14 . The livestock feeder of claim 13 , wherein:

said first sheet of material is a first discrete section of sheet metal;

said second sheet of material is a second discrete section of sheet metal;

said third sheet of material is a third discrete section of sheet metal;

said fourth sheet of material is a fourth discrete section of sheet metal;

said fifth sheet of material is a fifth discrete section of sheet metal;

said sixth sheet of material is a sixth discrete section of sheet metal; and

said seventh sheet of material is a seventh discrete section of sheet metal.

15 . The livestock feeder of claim 1 , wherein:

said first door includes a top section extending at least partially downward from said proximal portion of said first door;

said first door includes a bottom section disposed between said top section of said first door and said distal portion of said first door;

said bottom section of said first door extends from said top section of said first door at a downward angle toward said second edge of said first feed pan when said first door is in said closed position;

said second door includes a top section extending at least partially downward from said proximal portion of said second door;

said second door includes a bottom section disposed between said top section of said second door and said distal portion of said second door; and

said bottom section of said second door extends from said top section of said second door at a downward angle toward said second edge of said second feed pan when said second door is in said closed position.

16 . The livestock feeder of claim 1 , wherein said first feed pan and said second feed pan are integral parts of a single sheet of material, said single sheet of material defining a bottom wall of said hopper, said single sheet of material including an intermediate portion disposed between said first feed pan and said second feed pan, said intermediate portion defining a first sloped surface that routes said feed from said hopper to said first outlet of said hopper and a second sloped surface that routes said feed from said hopper to said second outlet of said hopper.

17 . The livestock feeder of claim 1 , further comprising a lid disposed over said inlet of said hopper and over said first axis.