Patent ID: 6539892
Filing Date: 2003-04-01
Classification: A01K

Abstract:
A protective guard in combination with a bird feeder, comprising:a bird feeder having top cap with an upper surface and diameter and a base with a lower side defining a post receiving female threaded aperture, a wire hanger connected to said bird feeder; a substantially dome-shaped main body having a concave inner side, a convex outer side and an apex region; said main body including a wire hanger receiving slot through said apex region of said main body; said wire hanger receiving slot including an enlarged, substantially circular opening defining a post pass-through bore; a male threaded support post; said male threaded post being receivable in said female threaded aperture; a threaded collar on said male threaded post; at least one base key positioned on said lower side of said base; at least one main body key positioned on said main body; said at least one base key being complementary to and matable with said at least one main body key thereby fixing rotation of said guard when connected to the lower side of said base as a baffle; whereby said guard may be readily placed over and installed on a bird feeder by inserting said wire hanger of said bird feeder through said wire hanger receiving slot with the concave inner side of said main body resting on the upper surface of the top cap of the bird feeder to retrofit a guard thereto; and whereby said guard may alternatively be readily secured to said base of the bird feeder as a baffle by routing said male threaded post through said post pass-through bore an into threaded engagement with said female threaded apertures of said base with said threaded collar retaining said guard in communication with said base of said bird feeder.