Patent ID: 7219621
Filing Date: 2007-05-22
Classification: A01K

Abstract:
1. A bird feeder apparatus for providing a readily available supply of feed for birds, the bird feeder apparatus comprising: a support assembly, the support assembly comprising a scale assembly and hopper attachment means, the scale assembly comprising a support member and scale spring means, the scale spring means joining the support member to the hopper attachment means; a drive assembly, the drive assembly comprising a two-bar spring assembly, a mirror plane assembly, and a push rod shaft assembly, the two-bar spring assembly comprising a medial bar, a lateral bar, a junction assembly, and a trunnion assembly, the medial and lateral bars each comprising a superior bar end and an inferior bar end, the trunnion assembly pivotally connecting the medial and lateral bars at the superior bar ends, the junction assembly comprising first and second junction pins and first and second junction springs, the first and second junction pins cooperatively associating roller means for movement with the inferior bar ends, the junction pins each comprising opposite spring-engaging ends, the first and second junction pins being substantially parallel to one another, the junction pins having a relaxed parallel distance and a displaced parallel distance, the first and second junction springs connecting the spring-engaging ends, the first and second junction springs defining the relaxed parallel distance when relaxed and defining the displaced parallel distance when displaced, the two-bar spring assembly thus providing a nonlinear, geometrically-based, closure mechanism, the nonlinear, geometrically-based closure mechanism being driven by external load forces acting through the bars and being countered by restorative forces in the junction springs, the push rod shaft assembly comprising a superior shaft member, an inferior shaft member, an annular spring cup, and a recovery spring, the superior shaft member comprising a superior shaft top end, a superior shaft bottom end, and a superior shaft length, the inferior shaft member comprising an inferior shaft top end, an inferior shaft bottom end, and an inferior shaft length, the trunnion assembly comprising a shaft-receiving aperture and shaft-fastening means, the shaft-receiving aperture receiving the superior shaft length, the superior shaft bottom end being telescopically received in the inferior shaft top end, the shaft-fastening means fastening the trunnion assembly to the superior shaft length, the spring cup affixed to inferior shaft member adjacent the inferior shaft top end, the recovery spring seated upon the spring cup intermediate the spring cup and the trunnion assembly; a shroud assembly, the shroud assembly comprising a shroud bridge and a shroud body, the shroud bridge being cooperatively associated with the shroud body adjacent the superior end thereof for supporting the shroud body, the first shaft member fixedly extending through the shroud bridge; and a hopper assembly, the hopper assembly comprising a hopper body, a hopper tray, a plurality of hopper partitions, and a shaft-receiving sleeve, the hopper body comprising spacer-attachment means, the spacer-attachment means attaching the hopper tray to the hopper body in spaced relation thereto thereby defining feed outlet ports, the hopper partitions radially extending from the hopper body to the shaft-receiving sleeve, the hopper partitions thus defining a plurality of feed-receiving compartments, the hopper assembly being telescopically receivable in the shroud body, the push rod shaft assembly extending through the shaft-receiving sleeve, the support assembly extending through the push rod shaft assembly, the hopper attachment means for selectively maintaining the hopper assembly in telescopic relation to the shroud body.