Abstract:
A bird-deterrent device including a hub with fingers radiating from the hub to prevent or inhibit birds from perching on the top of a sailboat mast. In one embodiment, the hub is mounted to the top of a mast by a fastener which also secures a post of a wind indicator having a vane rotatable on the post to indicate wind direction. In another embodiment, the hub is mounted or fixed about the post of the wind indicator. In another embodiment the hub is fixed to a post which is connected to the halyard to be raised above or lowered below the mast.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a novel and improved bird deterrent device for sailboats. It is well known in the prior art to provide the top of a mast in a sailboat with a device that will inhibit or prevent birds from perching on a mast to eliminate or substantially reduce bird droppings on the boat. Examples of such devices are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,181,338, 5,615,524, and 6,836,992 B2. 
     OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved bird-deterrent device for a sailboat. A further object of the present invention is to provide such a bird-deterrent device that may be efficiently combined with a wind indicator for a sailboat. 
     Another object of the present invention is to promote a bird-deterrent device that may be easily and efficiently mounted to the mast of a sailboat. 
     Another object is to provide a bird-deterrent device that will be effective to prevent or deter birds from landing or perching on the mast of a sailboat. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide a bird deterrent device for a sailboat that may achieve the above objects and yet may be easily and economically manufactured from available parts, materials and processes. 
     SUMMARY OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bird-deterrent device includes a plurality of elongated fingers, prongs, spokes or wires radiating from a hub mounted on or at a post. In one embodiment, the hub is secured to the mast by a fastener which extends through the hub and also secures the post to the top portion of the mast. The fingers radiating from the hub may be stamped or molded, in one piece with the hub, from any suitable metal or plastic or carbon fiber material. In another embodiment of the invention, the hub may be a ball or sphere mounted on the post and with the fingers radiating from the hub. 
     The hub with its fingers may be located above or below a wind-indicating vane in spaced relation to the former to permit the vane to rotate about the post in response to the wind. 
     In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, where it is desired to be able to raise and lower the bird deterrent with the halyard, the hub is mounted to a post which is attached to the halyard to be raised or lowered with the halyard. In this form of the invention, the hub is preferably a ball or sphere having radiating fingers. Preferably, the hub is made from penetrable material such as styrofoam and the fingers are rod-like prongs or spokes inserted into the hub at any desired locations. The end of the halyard is connected to the post on one side of the hub so that the post is raised to position the hub with its bird-deterrent fingers above the top of the mast. The hub may be lowered from the top of the mast simply by lowering the halyard. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational view with some parts shown in perspective of a top section of a sailboat mast incorporating combined bird-deterrent and wind-indicator devices in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of fingers included in the bird-deterrent device; 
         FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  but including an alternative version of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another version of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged perspective view of the bird-deterrent fingers included in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a top section of a sailboat mast incorporating another bird-deterrent device included in the present invention; 
         FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9  are fragmented perspective views of portions of the bird-deterrent device of  FIG. 6 , and 
         FIG. 10  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  but showing another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawings in detail there is shown in  FIG. 1 , for illustrative purposes only, a combined bird-deterrent device  14  and wind indicator  16  constituting one preferred embodiment of the present invention as employed on the top of a mast  10  of a sailboat not shown. This embodiment includes a post  20  fixed to the mast head  12  by a bracket  22  which receives the post  20  and is screwed to the mast head  12 . Of course any other suitable means may be used to fix the post  20  to the mast head  12  as, for example, shown in the embodiment of  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the bird-deterrent device includes a plurality of forgers  26  radially projecting from a hub  27 . Although the fingers  26  and the hub  27  are in the same plane, in other embodiments such as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the fingers  28  may project at an angle to the plane of the hub  29 . In other embodiments, for example, shown in  FIGS. 6 and 10 , the fingers may project at different angles relative to each other or at different angles from the hub. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the hub  27  has an aperture  25  receiving the post  20  and is preferably fixed to the post in any suitable manner such as for example opposed nuts or rings fixed on the post and sandwiching the hub  27 . However in other embodiments the hub  27  may be rotatable about the post  20 . Although in the specific embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the fingers  26  are located on the post  20  below the wind indicator  16 , the bird deterrent fingers  26  may be positioned above the wind indicator  16  as shown in  FIG. 3 . In either embodiment, the length of the post  20  and the location of the bird deterrent device  14  along the post  20  are designed to restrict access to the birds between the mast head  12  and fingers  26  and between the fingers and the wind indicator  16 . Additionally the number and length of the fingers  26  are chosen to maximize deterrence but without impairing the free rotation of the wind indicator. In the preferred embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , eight fingers  26  equally spaced about hub  27  are employed, but in the embodiment of  FIG. 10  the number of fingers are chosen by the user and can be repositioned on the hub as will be further described below. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , there is shown another embodiment of the present invention where the fingers  28  of the bird deterrent device extend upwardly at an angle from the hub  29  rather than being in the same plane as the hub as in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 3 . Additionally the bird-deterrent device is located at the bottom of the post  20  on the mast head  30 . The hub  29  of the deterrent device rests on the mast head  30  and has an aperture which receives a fastener such as screw  32  shown in  FIG. 5 . Screw  32  extends through the mast head  30 , the aperture in the hub  29  and into a bracket  34  which receives the post  20  to fix the post  20  to the mast head. On the top or upper section of the post  20 , is a rotatable wind indicator  16  of any suitable type including those existing in the prior art such as the one shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , there is shown another type of bird-deterrent device in accordance with another present invention that may be raised or lowered above or below the mast  10  by raising or lowering the halyard  40 . In this embodiment the deterrent device includes a hub  42  preferably made from a lightweight, penetrable, and/or deformable material such as styrofoam and which may be in the form of a ball or sphere as shown. Hub  42  has a passage extending diametrically therethrough for receiving a post  44  which may be either a single elongated rod or constructed in segments secured together by sleeves  46  as shown in  FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9  for the purpose of providing a compact assembly of parts in kit form. The post pieces may be made from lightweight wood, plastic or metal rods and the sleeves  46  may be made of similar lightweight material. 
     In the preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6 through 9 , the hub  42  is secured on post  44  by a cordage line  50  would around and knotted on the post at  52  and  54  on opposite sides of the hub  42  as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . Line  50  is then extended along post  44  and formed into knots and loops  60  and  62  shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The opposite ends of the halyard  40  are connected to the loops  60  and  62  such that the hub  42  may be raised above the mast as shown in  FIG. 6  by raising the halyard  40 , and may be lowered below the top of the mast by lowering the halyard  40 . 
     In the present embodiment, the deterrent fingers are formed by prongs or spokes  70  which preferably are elongated wood dowels or rods penetrated into the hub  42  in any spaced random or uniform positions as may be chosen by the user. The fingers  70  may be pointed to facilitate penetration into hub  42 . When elevated above the mast  10 , the fingers  70  will deter birds from perching on the mast head. The deterrent device may be provided in disassembled parts in a kit for retail purposes. The parts would include a styrofoam ball such as float which would be the hub  42 ; a set of ten or twelve wood dowels which would be prongs  70 ; a set of wood dowels or rods  44  and plastic sleeves  46  which would form the post; and one heavy duty cordage line  50 . Of course the bird-deterrent device can also be provided in a completely assembled form and with other constructions and materials. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 10 , there is shown another embodiment of the present invention which is similar to  FIG. 1  except that the hub  80  and fingers  82  in the present embodiment are formed in the same manner as that of  FIGS. 6 to 9 . The hub passage receives the post  20  and the hub  80  is held in fixed position on the post below the wind indicator  16 . Any suitable means such as opposed rings  84  or pins (not shown) fixed on the post  20  may be used to hold the hub  80  in fixed position on the post. However in another form (not shown) the hub  80  may be rotatably mounted on post  20 . The fingers  82  in the form of wood spokes are easily inserted in the styrofoam hub  8  in any random or uniform position as desired by the user. They may also be easily removed and repositioned on the hub  80 . 
     Although various specific forms of the present inventions have been shown and described above for illustrative purposes, it will be understood that variations of the present inventions will become apparent to those skilled in the art but without departing from the scope of the present inventions indicated in the claims below.