CA2145149A1 - Bird feeder - Google Patents
Bird feederInfo
- Publication number
- CA2145149A1 CA2145149A1 CA 2145149 CA2145149A CA2145149A1 CA 2145149 A1 CA2145149 A1 CA 2145149A1 CA 2145149 CA2145149 CA 2145149 CA 2145149 A CA2145149 A CA 2145149A CA 2145149 A1 CA2145149 A1 CA 2145149A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- outer casing
- hanging rod
- casing
- inner casing
- bird feeder
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 241001465754 Metazoa Species 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 230000037396 body weight Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000005192 partition Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 claims description 4
- 230000000452 restraining effect Effects 0.000 claims description 4
- 241000555745 Sciuridae Species 0.000 abstract description 5
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012780 transparent material Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A01K39/00—Feeding or drinking appliances for poultry or other birds
- A01K39/01—Feeding devices, e.g. chainfeeders
- A01K39/0113—Feeding devices, e.g. chainfeeders with means to prevent other animals or insects, e.g. squirrels or ants, from eating also
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Birds (AREA)
- Animal Husbandry (AREA)
- Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
- Feeding And Watering For Cattle Raising And Animal Husbandry (AREA)
Abstract
This bird feeder has an outer casing and an inner casing. The outer casing is normally maintained by a compression spring assembly to locate at a chosen vertical position spaced from the top of the inner casing. Access openings are provided at the sides of the inner and outer casings which are aligned when the outer casing is in the normal position so that birds may gain access to the feed provided within the inner casing through the aligned opened feeding openings. The outer casing will displace relative to the inner casing to close the feeding openings by displacing the adjacent aligned openings between the inner and outer casings when an animal such as a squirrel having a body weight heavier than a bird is standing on the outer casing attempting to gain access to the feed. Thus it prevents the feed from being consumed by animals other than birds.
Description
,~ 21 ~ g, This invention relatel3 to bird f eeders and particularly to a bird feeder having provisions to prevent the feed therein from being consumed by other animals.
A perpetual n~ n~e to })ird lover3 is that the feed provided 5 within a bird feeder is regularly pilfered by other animals gaining access to the feed. Some hanging bird feeders may deter other animals from consuming the feed due to the difficulty in gaining access to the feeding openings of the feeder, yet animal3 ~uch as a squirrel may still intrude into such feeder to filch at the feed 10 intended for birds only.
The principal object of l:he present invention is to provide a bird feeder which effectively prevents other animals from gaining access to the feed contained therein.
Another object of the present invention i3 to provide a bird 15 feeder having a relatively simple construction and is easy to use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bird feeder in which the feed is effectively protected from rain and wind .
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bird 20 feeder in which the feed il3 automatically replenished from a ~3torage area a 3 it is consumed by the birds .
The feeder according to the present invention comprises an ~ 21~
open top inner casing having cl top portion therein for storing the bird feed and a lower chamber in which the feed can be C~ ' by the birds. The inner casing is covered by an open bottom outer casing. The outer casing is mounted to a hanging rod through a 5 tension spring assembly such t:hat the outer casing is displaceable in an up and down manner relative to the hanging rod. The inner casing is disposed within the outer casing and is f ixedly mounted to the hanging rod such that when the outer casing is displaced relative to the hanging rod it would also inherently displace 10 relative to the inner casing. Feeding openings are provided at all sides of the outer casing and the sides of the inner casing in the lower chamber portion. These openings are normally aligned such that they are opened to allow the birds to gain access of the feed within the lower chamber of the feeder. When an animal having a 15 body weight heavier than a bird lands on the outer ca~ing, it would cause the outer casing to displace relative the inner casing to close the feeding openings, thus preventing the feed from being pilf ered by the animal .
Other object and advantages of the present invention will 20 become apparent from the foLlowing detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof in connection with the ao~ ,-nying drawings in which 21~51~9 Figure 1 is a perspective view ~f the bird feeder according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a partial cross sectional front view thereof showing a bird feeding on the feed contained within the feeder.
Figure 3 is a f ront elevation view thereof showing the displacement of the outer casing when a squirrel is sitting on the top of the outer casing.
Figure 4 is a bottom elevation view thereof.
With reference to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the several views, the bird feeder 10 according to the present invention comprises an opened bottom outer casing 11. For convenience cf illustrationr the feeder is shown to have a square cross sectional shape. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the feeder may have a rectangular, or circular, or other selected cross sectional shapes.
The outer casing 11 is preferably made of a transparent plastic material . The reason f or using such material will become apparent in the following description. The outer casing 11 is mounted to an elongated hanging rod 12 through a compression spring assembly 13 which consists of a closed tol~ tubing 14, a compression spring 15, and a securing coupling sleeve 16. The bottom portion of the tubing 14 is secured to the top 17 of the outer casing 11. The hanging rod ~ 21~S1~9 12 extends slidably through a centre opening 18 located at the top of the clo3ed top tubing 14. The top portion of the compression spring 15 is slidably located within the closed top tubing 14, and its lower portion extends outside of the tubing 14. The bottom portion of the compression ~pring 15 engages with the coupling sleeve 16 which is secured to the hanging rod 12 by a set screw 19.
The coupling sleeve 16 iB located at the position on the hanging rod 12 at which the bottom end of the relaxed compression spring 15 is located. The upper end of the closed top tubing 14 is retained in place by an abutment ring 20 which is secured to the hanging rod 12 by a set screw. The abutment ring 20 is located at the position on the hanging rod 12 at whicll the top of the closed top tubing 14 is located when the compression spring 15 is in the relaxed state.
The outer casing 11 is movab3 e relative to the hanging rod 12 by exerting a force on the top t~lereon 80 that it slides downwards by ~ ~ssing the c~ ~ ~ssion sE~ring 15 between the closed top of the tubing 14 and the coupling sleeve 16.
Access openings 22, 23, 24 and 25 are provided respectively at the four sides of the lower portion of the outer casing 11 as best shown in Figure 1. Four U-shaped brackets 26, 27, 28 and 29 are mounted respectively in the hc~rizontal manner just below the access openings 22, 23, 24, and 25 respectively.
~ 21~14~
An opened top inner ca3irlg 30 is slidably disposed within the outer casing 11. Similar to the outer casing 11, the inner casing 30 i3 also made of transparent plastic material. The inner casing 30 is separated into a relatively larger top bin portion 31 and a 5 smaller lower chamber 32 by a horizontal partition panel . The top bin portion 31 c~ i r~ates ~ith the lower chamber 32 through an opening 34 in the partition panel 33. A chuting sleeve 35 is secured to the partition pa]lel 33 and extends downwards below therefrom. The bottom end of the chuting sleeve 35 is spaced from the bottom panel 36 of the inner casing 30. The hanging rod 12 extends through a centre opening 37 provided at the bottom panel 36 of the inner casing 30. A hori.zontal restraining bar 38 is located in a transverse manner adjacellt the opened top of the inner casing 30. A through opening 39 is formed at the centre of the restraining bar 38. The inner casing 30 is mounted to the hanging rod 12 by inserting the hanging rod 12 slidably through the through opening 39 of the re~training bar 38 and the centre opening 37 of the bottom panel 36 in the inner casing, and it is held in place by a wing nut 4 0 secured to the threaded bottom portion 41 of the 20 hanging rod 12. Thus, the inner casing 30 is retained in place on the hanging rod 30 between the wing nut 40 and the restraining bar 38.
* 2~4~I~9 A~sociated access openin~s 42, 43, 44 and 45 are formed at the side!a of the lower chamber 32 of the inner casing 30. ~he Associated access openings 42, 43, 44 and 45 are aligned ~ith the access openings 22, 23, 24 alld 25 in the outer casing 11 in the 5 normal position when the compre~sion spring 15 is in the relaxed state .
In use, the inner casing 30 is first removed from the assembly and the feed 46 i3 poured into the top bin portion 31. The inner casing 30 with the feed 46 contained therein is then slidably 10 inserted through the opened bottom of the outer casing 11 by inserting the hanging rod 12 through the retraining bar 38 and the bottom panel 36, and it is secured in place by the wing nut 40. The feeder 10 may be hung onto a horizontal bar or a tree branch by the hook shape upper end 47 provided in the hanging rod 12. A
15 proportioned amount of the feed 46 will fall from the top bin portion 31 of the inner casin~ 31 into the lower chamber 32. Birds may consume the feed in the lower chamber 32 through the access openings by standing on the U-shaped brackets 26, 27, 28 or 29 as best shown in Figure 2. The feed in the top bin portion 31 will 20 automatically fall by gravity into the lower chamber 36 through the chuting sleeve 35 to repleni3h it as the feed therein is C~n~
by the birds.
~ 214S1~9 When an animal such as a squirrel lands on the f eed as best 3hown in Figure 3, the body waight of the ~3quirrel will cause the outer casing 11 to displace downwardY by compressing the compres~3ion spring 15. The displacement will cause the access 5 openings and the associated access openings to misalign with each other as best shown in Figur~a 3, thus it ef f ectively closes the access openings to the lower ~hamber 36 of the inner casing 30 to prevent the intruding animal i-rom having access to the feed within the inner casing.
The feed 46 within the inner casing 30 is protected from wind and rain by the outer casing 11.
The transparent material used for making the inner casing and outer casing allows the visua] determination of the amount of feed I~ i ni n J in the top bin portion 32 of the inner casing.
15 Fur~h~ , the squirrel is ~Inable to climb down the sides of the feeder due to the plastic material used for making the outer casing .
While certain preferred ~ ' orl;l 18 of the present invention have been disclosed in detail, it is to be understood that various 20 modifications may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claims.
A perpetual n~ n~e to })ird lover3 is that the feed provided 5 within a bird feeder is regularly pilfered by other animals gaining access to the feed. Some hanging bird feeders may deter other animals from consuming the feed due to the difficulty in gaining access to the feeding openings of the feeder, yet animal3 ~uch as a squirrel may still intrude into such feeder to filch at the feed 10 intended for birds only.
The principal object of l:he present invention is to provide a bird feeder which effectively prevents other animals from gaining access to the feed contained therein.
Another object of the present invention i3 to provide a bird 15 feeder having a relatively simple construction and is easy to use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bird feeder in which the feed is effectively protected from rain and wind .
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bird 20 feeder in which the feed il3 automatically replenished from a ~3torage area a 3 it is consumed by the birds .
The feeder according to the present invention comprises an ~ 21~
open top inner casing having cl top portion therein for storing the bird feed and a lower chamber in which the feed can be C~ ' by the birds. The inner casing is covered by an open bottom outer casing. The outer casing is mounted to a hanging rod through a 5 tension spring assembly such t:hat the outer casing is displaceable in an up and down manner relative to the hanging rod. The inner casing is disposed within the outer casing and is f ixedly mounted to the hanging rod such that when the outer casing is displaced relative to the hanging rod it would also inherently displace 10 relative to the inner casing. Feeding openings are provided at all sides of the outer casing and the sides of the inner casing in the lower chamber portion. These openings are normally aligned such that they are opened to allow the birds to gain access of the feed within the lower chamber of the feeder. When an animal having a 15 body weight heavier than a bird lands on the outer ca~ing, it would cause the outer casing to displace relative the inner casing to close the feeding openings, thus preventing the feed from being pilf ered by the animal .
Other object and advantages of the present invention will 20 become apparent from the foLlowing detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof in connection with the ao~ ,-nying drawings in which 21~51~9 Figure 1 is a perspective view ~f the bird feeder according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a partial cross sectional front view thereof showing a bird feeding on the feed contained within the feeder.
Figure 3 is a f ront elevation view thereof showing the displacement of the outer casing when a squirrel is sitting on the top of the outer casing.
Figure 4 is a bottom elevation view thereof.
With reference to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the several views, the bird feeder 10 according to the present invention comprises an opened bottom outer casing 11. For convenience cf illustrationr the feeder is shown to have a square cross sectional shape. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the feeder may have a rectangular, or circular, or other selected cross sectional shapes.
The outer casing 11 is preferably made of a transparent plastic material . The reason f or using such material will become apparent in the following description. The outer casing 11 is mounted to an elongated hanging rod 12 through a compression spring assembly 13 which consists of a closed tol~ tubing 14, a compression spring 15, and a securing coupling sleeve 16. The bottom portion of the tubing 14 is secured to the top 17 of the outer casing 11. The hanging rod ~ 21~S1~9 12 extends slidably through a centre opening 18 located at the top of the clo3ed top tubing 14. The top portion of the compression spring 15 is slidably located within the closed top tubing 14, and its lower portion extends outside of the tubing 14. The bottom portion of the compression ~pring 15 engages with the coupling sleeve 16 which is secured to the hanging rod 12 by a set screw 19.
The coupling sleeve 16 iB located at the position on the hanging rod 12 at which the bottom end of the relaxed compression spring 15 is located. The upper end of the closed top tubing 14 is retained in place by an abutment ring 20 which is secured to the hanging rod 12 by a set screw. The abutment ring 20 is located at the position on the hanging rod 12 at whicll the top of the closed top tubing 14 is located when the compression spring 15 is in the relaxed state.
The outer casing 11 is movab3 e relative to the hanging rod 12 by exerting a force on the top t~lereon 80 that it slides downwards by ~ ~ssing the c~ ~ ~ssion sE~ring 15 between the closed top of the tubing 14 and the coupling sleeve 16.
Access openings 22, 23, 24 and 25 are provided respectively at the four sides of the lower portion of the outer casing 11 as best shown in Figure 1. Four U-shaped brackets 26, 27, 28 and 29 are mounted respectively in the hc~rizontal manner just below the access openings 22, 23, 24, and 25 respectively.
~ 21~14~
An opened top inner ca3irlg 30 is slidably disposed within the outer casing 11. Similar to the outer casing 11, the inner casing 30 i3 also made of transparent plastic material. The inner casing 30 is separated into a relatively larger top bin portion 31 and a 5 smaller lower chamber 32 by a horizontal partition panel . The top bin portion 31 c~ i r~ates ~ith the lower chamber 32 through an opening 34 in the partition panel 33. A chuting sleeve 35 is secured to the partition pa]lel 33 and extends downwards below therefrom. The bottom end of the chuting sleeve 35 is spaced from the bottom panel 36 of the inner casing 30. The hanging rod 12 extends through a centre opening 37 provided at the bottom panel 36 of the inner casing 30. A hori.zontal restraining bar 38 is located in a transverse manner adjacellt the opened top of the inner casing 30. A through opening 39 is formed at the centre of the restraining bar 38. The inner casing 30 is mounted to the hanging rod 12 by inserting the hanging rod 12 slidably through the through opening 39 of the re~training bar 38 and the centre opening 37 of the bottom panel 36 in the inner casing, and it is held in place by a wing nut 4 0 secured to the threaded bottom portion 41 of the 20 hanging rod 12. Thus, the inner casing 30 is retained in place on the hanging rod 30 between the wing nut 40 and the restraining bar 38.
* 2~4~I~9 A~sociated access openin~s 42, 43, 44 and 45 are formed at the side!a of the lower chamber 32 of the inner casing 30. ~he Associated access openings 42, 43, 44 and 45 are aligned ~ith the access openings 22, 23, 24 alld 25 in the outer casing 11 in the 5 normal position when the compre~sion spring 15 is in the relaxed state .
In use, the inner casing 30 is first removed from the assembly and the feed 46 i3 poured into the top bin portion 31. The inner casing 30 with the feed 46 contained therein is then slidably 10 inserted through the opened bottom of the outer casing 11 by inserting the hanging rod 12 through the retraining bar 38 and the bottom panel 36, and it is secured in place by the wing nut 40. The feeder 10 may be hung onto a horizontal bar or a tree branch by the hook shape upper end 47 provided in the hanging rod 12. A
15 proportioned amount of the feed 46 will fall from the top bin portion 31 of the inner casin~ 31 into the lower chamber 32. Birds may consume the feed in the lower chamber 32 through the access openings by standing on the U-shaped brackets 26, 27, 28 or 29 as best shown in Figure 2. The feed in the top bin portion 31 will 20 automatically fall by gravity into the lower chamber 36 through the chuting sleeve 35 to repleni3h it as the feed therein is C~n~
by the birds.
~ 214S1~9 When an animal such as a squirrel lands on the f eed as best 3hown in Figure 3, the body waight of the ~3quirrel will cause the outer casing 11 to displace downwardY by compressing the compres~3ion spring 15. The displacement will cause the access 5 openings and the associated access openings to misalign with each other as best shown in Figur~a 3, thus it ef f ectively closes the access openings to the lower ~hamber 36 of the inner casing 30 to prevent the intruding animal i-rom having access to the feed within the inner casing.
The feed 46 within the inner casing 30 is protected from wind and rain by the outer casing 11.
The transparent material used for making the inner casing and outer casing allows the visua] determination of the amount of feed I~ i ni n J in the top bin portion 32 of the inner casing.
15 Fur~h~ , the squirrel is ~Inable to climb down the sides of the feeder due to the plastic material used for making the outer casing .
While certain preferred ~ ' orl;l 18 of the present invention have been disclosed in detail, it is to be understood that various 20 modifications may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claims.
Claims (7)
1. A bird feed comprising, an outer casing slidably mounted on an elongated hanging rod, said outer casing having an opened bottom, a compression spring assembly mounted to the outer casing, said outer casing being operatively displaceable slidably relative to said hanging rod, access openings formed in the sides of said outer casing, an inner casing slidably disposed within said outer casing, said inner casing having an opened top, and being mounted to said hanging rod, said inner casing having a top bin portion and a lower chamber therein separated by a partition panel, said top bin portion being in communication with said lower chamber through a chuting sleeve means secured to the underside of said partition panel, associated access openings formed in the sides of said lower chamber, said associated access openings being aligned with said access opening formed in said outer casing when said compression spring is in a relaxed state, and said associated access openings being closed when said outer casing is displaced by an animal having a predetermined body weight exerting on the top of said outer casing.
2. A bird feeder according to Claim 1 wherein said compressing spring assembly includes a closed top tubing mounted in an upright manner at the centre of the top panel of said outer casing, a compression spring having an upper portion therein located within said tubing, a coupling sleeve member secured to said hanging rod and being engaged with the lower portion of said compression spring, and an abutment ring secured to said hanging rod and disposed juxtaposed to the upper end of said tubing.
3. A bird feeder according to Claim 2 including a plurality of generally U-shaped horizontal brackets mounted to said outer casing and located below said access openings.
4. A bird feeder according to Claim 3 wherein said inner casing is removably secured to said hanging rod by a nut member mounted to a threaded bottom end portion of said hanging rod and engaging with an opening formed in the bottom panel of said inner casing.
5. A bird feeder according to Claim 4 including a restraining bar means mounted in said inner casing, said restrained bar means having a centre through opening therein operatively engageable slidably with said hanging rod when said inner casing is mounted to said hanging rod.
6. A bird feeder according to Claim 5 wherein said inner casing and outer casing are made of a transparent plastic material.
7. A bird feeder according to Claim 6 wherein said hanging rod has a hook shaped upper end to provided therein operative for hanging said feeder.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2145149 CA2145149A1 (en) | 1995-03-21 | 1995-03-21 | Bird feeder |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2145149 CA2145149A1 (en) | 1995-03-21 | 1995-03-21 | Bird feeder |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2145149A1 true CA2145149A1 (en) | 1996-09-22 |
Family
ID=4155481
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2145149 Abandoned CA2145149A1 (en) | 1995-03-21 | 1995-03-21 | Bird feeder |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2145149A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2421887A (en) * | 2005-01-08 | 2006-07-12 | Peter Deeley | A bird feeder with squirrel deterrent |
| US20150320017A1 (en) * | 2010-08-16 | 2015-11-12 | Gardner Equipment Company | Selective animal feeder |
-
1995
- 1995-03-21 CA CA 2145149 patent/CA2145149A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2421887A (en) * | 2005-01-08 | 2006-07-12 | Peter Deeley | A bird feeder with squirrel deterrent |
| US20150320017A1 (en) * | 2010-08-16 | 2015-11-12 | Gardner Equipment Company | Selective animal feeder |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |