Abstract:
An improved bird feeder includes a tubular main body having a top open end and a bottom open end. The tubular main body is made of wire mesh material. A bottom cap is attached to the bottom open end to enclose it. A tubular adapter sleeve is positioned in the top open end to protect and isolate the commonly sharp and dangerous top edge of the main body from the user. A top cap is removably positioned over the adapter sleeve to enclose the feeder to protect the feeder located therein. The adapter sleeve not only shields the user from a sharp and dangerous top edge of the mesh main body but also maintains the mesh main body in its original shape by avoiding flexing and bending of the mesh material of the main body.

Description:
This non-provisional application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Appplication Serial No. 60/182,799, filed Feb. 15, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to bird feeders. More specifically, the present invention relates to bird feeders for dispensing peanuts, and the like. Such a bird feeder, commonly known as “peanut feeders”, are well suited for providing feed to woodpeckers, nut hatches, chickadees and other similar birds. 
     Prior art peanut feeders typically include a tubular wire body with a top opening and a bottom opening. The wire body provided resilient and rugged containment for dispensing feed, such as peanuts. A bottom cap is affixed to the wire body at the bottom opening to support a perch. The bottom cap is typically secured to the wire body by fasteners, such as screws. Seed deflection inserts are commonly used to urge feed to the openings in the wire body. A top cap is provided to cover the top opening and a bail wire is used to hang the feeder. Typically, the wire body is quite flexible resulting in a feeder that may flex in an undesirable fashion, particularly when the feeder is grasped during the loading of new feed therein. 
     Further, the bottom and top openings are very sharp because they are simply exposed edges of bare metal wire material. Since the feeder must be periodically re-filled, the top cap is removed and replaced frequently. The bare edges and the flexibility of the wire makes replacing the cap difficult because precise alignment of the top cap and the top edge of the wire body is required. There is also a particular concern in the typically sharp exposed top edge of the wire body because the user may be easily cut by this bare wire body during re-filling or replacement of the top cap on the wire body. 
     In view of the foregoing, there is a demand for a peanut bird feeder that is safer to use than prior art feeders. There is a demand for a peanut bird feeder that is safer to re-fill with feed than prior art feeders. In addition, there is a demand for a peanut bird feeder that is rigid and less apt to flex into undesired configurations as prior art feeders do. There is a demand for a peanut feeder that facilitates the removal and installation of the top cap onto the wire feeder body. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention preserves the advantages of prior art bird feeders. In addition, it provides new advantages not found in currently available feeders and overcomes many disadvantages of such currently available feeders. 
     The invention is generally directed to the novel and unique bird feeder. The present invention relates to a peanut type bird feeder that includes a main body made of wire mesh material. 
     The peanut bird feeder of the present invention includes a tubular fabricated wire main body having a top open end and a bottom open end. The tubular main body is made of wire mesh material and has a bottom edge at its bottom open end and a top edge at its top open end. A bottom cap is attached to the bottom open end to enclose it. A tubular adapter sleeve is positioned in the top open end to protect and isolate the commonly sharp and dangerous top edge of the main body from the user. A top cap is removably positioned over the adapter sleeve to enclose the feeder to protect the feeder located therein. The adapter sleeve not only shields the user from a sharp and dangerous top edge of the mesh main body but also maintains the mesh main body in its original shape by avoiding flexing and bending of the mesh material of the main body. 
     In accordance with the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide a peanut bird feeder that makes a bird feeder with a mesh body more safe. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved peanut bird feeder that retains its shape. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved peanut bird feeder that is easier to use. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved peanut bird feeder that is easier to open, fill with feed and close. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The novel features which are characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, the invention&#39;s preferred embodiments, together with further objects and attendant advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the improved peanut feeder of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of the improved peanut feeder of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the peanut feeder of FIG. 1 prior to installation of the top cap; and 
     FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the peanut feeder of FIG. 1 with top cap installed. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring first to FIG. 1, an exploded perspective view of the improved peanut feeder  10  of the present invention is shown in detail. The feeder  10  includes a main body  12  which is preferably a wire mesh arranged in a cylindrical configuration to form a tube with a top open end  14  and a bottom open end  16 . Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a base member  18 , otherwise known as a bottom cap, was nested from below into a seed deflector  20  which is, in the preferred embodiment, a hollow structure. The base member  18  includes a boss  22  which receives the hollowed out portion, forming a bottom seat  24 , of the seed deflector  20 . The seed deflector  20  includes a conical top surface  26  to urge seed toward the periphery of the main body  12 . 
     The bottom cap  18  and seed deflector  20  are installed into the bottom open end  16  of the main body  12  and retained in place by threaded fasteners  28  which are routed through an opening in the mesh main body  12  and through pass-thru holes  30  in the seed deflector  20  and into female threaded holes  32  in the base member  18 . The bottom open end  16  of the main body  12  is thus closed and can effectively retain feed, such as peanuts therein. It should be understood that the base member and seed deflector configuration, as well as the method for interconnection of such members is shown by way of example and that other base and seed deflector configurations may be employed and still be within the scope of the present invention. For example, the seed deflector  20  may be omitted and other attachment fasteners may be used instead of the threaded fasteners  28  shown in the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     In accordance with the present invention, an adapter sleeve  34 , preferably made of plastic, is inserted into the top open end  14  of the main body  12  of the feeder  10 . More specifically, the adapter sleeve  34  includes, preferably, a circumferential flange  36  which divides it into a top portion  38  and a bottom portion  40 . The adapter sleeve  34  is inserted into the top open end  14  of the main body  12  so that the bottom portion  40  of the adapter sleeve  34  fits within the top open  14  end of the main body  12 . Further, the outside diameter of the bottom portion  40  of the adapter sleeve  34  is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the main body  12  to permit easy installation of the adapter sleeve  34  into the top open end  14  of the main body  12 . As best seen in FIG. 3, the top open end  14  of the main body  12  provides a receiving seat for the bottom portion  40  of the adapter sleeve  34 . Moreover, the circumferential flange  36  rests on the top edge  42  of the main body  12  to prevent the adapter sleeve  34  from sliding further downwardly into the main body  12  of the feeder  10 . As a result, the adapter sleeve  34  is maintained in place at the top open end  14  of the main body  12  of the feeder  10 . 
     In accordance with the present invention, the adapter sleeve  34  effectively covers the top edge  42  of the top open end  14  of the main body  12  which is typically very sharp because the main body  12  is commonly made from a metal wire mesh and clipped to the desired length. The adapter sleeve  34  of the present invention isolates the sharp and dangerous top edge  42  from the user and provides a new exposed upper edge  44  which is the top edge of the upper portion  38  of the adapter sleeve  34 . It is this top edge  44  of the upper portion  38  of the adapter sleeve  34  which is exposed to the user and presented for receipt of a top cap  46 , as will be described below, for enclosing the feeder. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1,  2 , and  4 , the top cap  46  includes an internal recess  48  which is of a complimentary shape to the upper portion  38  of the adapter sleeve  34 . A downwardly depending wall  50  of the top cap  46  defines this recess  48  to embrace the upper portion  38  of the adapter sleeve  34 . In that connection, the top cap  46  may be easily placed over the upper portion  38  of the adapter sleeve  34  to effectively close the top open end  14  of the main body  12  of the feeder  10  to protect feed contained therein. 
     In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, a bail wire  52 , having two opposing free ends  54  and  56 , is provided to facilitate the hanging of the feeder  10  in a desired location. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a bail pin  58  is routed through apertures in the mesh main body  12  and through thru holes  60  in the bottom portion  40  of the adapter sleeve  34 . As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the installation of the bail pin  58  prevents the adapter sleeve  34  from being removed from the top open end  38  of the main body  12  of the feeder  10 . As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the free ends  54 ,  56  of the bail wire  52  are inserted through respective thru holes  62  in the top cap  46  and again through thru holes  64  in the bail pin  58 . Once the free ends  54 ,  56  of the bail wire  52  are routed through the bail pin  58 , they are bent slightly to prevent unwanted complete removal of the bail wire  52  from the feeder  10  while still allowing for the top cap  46  to slide up and down along the bail wire  52  for access to the interior of the main body  12  of the feeder  10 . 
     It is envisioned that the improved silo bird feeder of the present invention is assembled as shown in FIG. 2 in preparation for use. The adapter sleeve  34  is permanently installed into the top open end  14  of the main body  12  of the feeder  10  as described above for filling of the feeder  10 . As shown in FIG. 3, the top cap  46  is removed from the upper portion  38  of the adapter sleeve  34  by sliding the top cap  46  along the bail wire  52 . The top cap  46  may then be further moved to the side of the main body  12  by rotation of the bail pin  58  to facilitate direct access to the interior of the main body  12  of the feeder  10 . With the top cap  46  removed, feed, such as peanuts, is easily loaded into the main body  12  of the feeder  10 . Once the desired amount of feed is installed, the top cap  46  is slid along the bail wire  52  and into communication with the adapter sleeve  34  so that the upper portion  38  of the adapter sleeve  34  rests within the inside recess  48  of the top cap  46 . The filled feeder  10  is then ready for display and subsequent feeding therefrom. 
     It should be understood that the present invention is shown, by way of example, as a cylindrical configuration. Any other configurations, such as a square main body  12 , would also be considered to be within the scope of the present invention. The bottom cap  18 , optional seed deflector  20 , adapter sleeve  34 , and top cap  46  are be easily reconfigured to accommodate the main body  12  having a square configuration. 
     Further, the adapter sleeve  34  of the present invention is shown to include a substantially tubular configuration, whether circular or square in cross section, however, it may be in the configuration of a frame as opposed to a solid tube and may engage with the inner surface of main body  12 , as shown in FIGS. 1-4, or may engage with the outer surface of the main body  12 . In summary, in accordance with the present invention, the adapter sleeve  34  effectively covers the sharp top edge  42  of the main body  12  and protects it from the user while providing an alternative mount to receive the top cap  46  to enclose the feeder. 
     In addition to protecting the user from a sharp edge  42  of the main body  12 , the adapter sleeve  34  provides additional structural rigidity to the entire bird feeder  10  resulting in an overall superior and solid configuration. Commonly, peanut or silo type bird feeders employ a mesh main body  12  which is typically made of metal wire. This wire is very flexible which enables the body to collapse easily. For example, during the filling operation of a prior art feeder, the user typically holds the feeder by the main body  12  and during that grasping, can easily cause the feeder  10  to go out of its precise round shape thus making it very difficult to reinstall the top cap  46  onto the top portion of the feeder  10 . In accordance with the present invention, the installed adapter sleeve  34  ensures that the mesh main body  12  of the feeder  10  maintains a virtually precise cylindrical configuration to greatly facilitate removal and installation of the top cap  46 . The installation of the adapter sleeve  34  at the top open end  14  of the main body  12  and the combination base member  18  and seed deflector  20  installed at the bottom open end  16  of the main body  12  provides for structural reinforcement to ensure that the feeder  10  of the present invention retains its desired shape at all time. 
     While the main body  12  is preferably a wire mesh material, other materials may be employed and still be within the scope of the present invention. For example, a reinforced plastic mesh or die cut sheet metal may also be used depending on the application of the feeder  10 . Further, the bail wire  52 , top cap  46  and bottom cap  18  are also preferably made of a metallic material for durability but may also be made of other materials, such as plastic. The seed deflector  20  is preferably plastic, however, may be made of other materials such as metal. Finally, the adapter sleeve  34  is preferably made of plastic for ease of manufacture using, for example, an injection molding process. Such a plastic injection molded part ensures that its upper edge  44 , which will be exposed to the user, is very smooth so as to not result in injury to the user. However, the adapter sleeve  34  may be made out of metal, such as by a casting process, to form the desired configuration. 
     It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to be covered by the appended claims.