Abstract:
A bird feeder provides a feed hopper constructed concentrically around a vertical central axis and having a plurality of feeding ports evenly distributed around the central axis, and a cable reel mounted to the feed hopper and adapted to store and provide a cable for supporting the bird feeder along the central axis.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present application generally relates to bird feeders and particularly to bird feeders that are adapted to be hung by cable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Bird feeders are frequently hung to provide optimal positioning for viewing and to limit access by other animals. Users of such bird feeders typically have to determine an appropriate length for a hanging cord and have to tie suitable reliable knots in weatherproof cord to achieve the desired hanging height. This procedure may be repeated when a user wishes to experiment with different feeder locations and hanging heights. It is desirable to have a hanging bird feeder which eliminates these inconveniences. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In one embodiment of the present invention, a bird feeder, comprises a feed hopper constructed concentrically around a vertical central axis and having a plurality of feeding ports evenly distributed around the central axis, and a cable reel mounted to the feed hopper and adapted to store and provide a cable for supporting the bird feeder along the central axis. 
         [0004]    The cable reel may be substantially centered along the central axis to help maintain balance of the bird feeder. The bird feeder may further comprise a housing located around the cable reel for esthetic purposes. The cable reel may include a locking mechanism adapted to provide adjustability to a length of cable extending from the reel, and the cable reel may be a spring wound reel adapted to recoil the cable with release of the locking mechanism. 
         [0005]    In another embodiment of the present invention, a bird feeder, comprises: a feed hopper having a multiplicity of feeding ports distributed there around and a conduit located along a central axis through the hopper from an underside of the hopper; and a cable reel mounted to the underside of the feed hopper and adapted to feed a cable through the conduit and out of a top of the hopper, wherein the cable reel and the cable are adapted to support the bird feeder by hanging with the cable. 
         [0006]    The cable reel may include a locking mechanism adapted to provide adjustability to a length of cable extending from the reel, through the conduit and beyond the top of the hopper. The cable reel may be a spring wound reel adapted to recoil the cable with release of the locking mechanism. 
         [0007]    The bird feeder may further comprise a housing located around the cable reel for esthetic purposes and attached to a bottom of the hopper. The housing may include an upper portion having a centrally located opening allowing the cable to pass upwardly through the conduit from the cable reel. The upper portion of the housing may include a circumferential extension forming a dish-like member around a lower portion of the feed hopper and below the feeding ports. The dish-like member may include a peripheral edge adapted to function as a perch for birds. The feed hopper may include a base portion having a centrally located opening there through adapted to locate the conduit along the central axis of the hopper. 
         [0008]    The housing may include a lower portion adapted for capturing the cable reel with attachment of the lower portion to the upper portion of the housing. The cable reel may include an axel adapted for rotationally fixed mounting between the upper and lower portions of the housing. The axel may be mounted for movement along an axis thereof for allowing rotational movement of the cable reel. The cable reel may include elements adapted to engage the housing to prevent rotation thereof and the feeder may further comprise a spring bias mechanism adapted to cause engagement between the cable reel elements and the housing. The cable reel may be a spring wound reel adapted to recoil the cable with disengagement between the cable reel elements and the housing. 
         [0009]    The feed container may include an outer wall with an open top end, and the feeder may further comprise a cross member extending across the open top end and through the central axis of the feed hopper and having a centrally located opening for allowing the cable to pass there through. The cross member may be adapted to engage the conduit in the centrally located opening of the cross member. The hopper may include a cover, and the feeder may further comprise a releasable catch adapted to engage the cover and to releasably engage the cross member to releasably affix the cover to the top of the feed hopper to allow filling of the hopper. The releasable catch may include one or more push buttons extending through the cover and adapted to enable disengagement between the catch and the cross member. The cover may include a centrally located opening for allowing the cable to pass there through, and adapted to allow the cover to be raised from the feed hopper and along the cable. The feed hopper may have a circular cross section. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bird feeder constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the bird feeder of  FIG. 1  taken through the vertical center line of the feeder; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is another cross-sectional view of the same bird feeder taken through the same vertical center line in the direction of arrows  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a partial exploded view of the upper portion of the bird feeder of  FIGS. 1-3 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a partial exploded view of the lower portion of the bird feeder of  FIGS. 1-3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a bird feeder  10  generally including a feed hopper  12  and a lower housing  14 . Feed hopper  12  includes a multiplicity of feeding ports  16  located around a periphery of hopper  12  and evenly distributed to provide balance to bird feeder  10 . Feed hopper  12  also includes a removable top  18  to allow hopper  12  to be refilled with bird feed. A portion of housing  14  forms a dish  20  surrounding hopper  12  and below feeding ports  16 . Dish  20  includes a peripheral edge  22  which functions as a perch for feeding birds, and also catches seeds which fall out of feeding ports  16  to reduce spillage losses. 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional view of bird feeder  10  including internal structure for hopper  12 , housing  14  and cover  18 . Also shown is a central conduit  24  passing through hopper  12  and along a central axis  26  of feeder  10 . A cable reel  28  is located within housing  14  and adapted to feed a cable (not shown) through conduit  24 . Cable reel  28  is shown centered with respect to central axis  26  to help maintain the balance of feeder  10 . Hopper  12  generally includes an outer wall  32 , which preferably has a circular cross section. Hopper  12  is closed at the bottom by a base  34 , discussed below. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  also shows a cross member  36  located across the top of outer wall  32 , extending between opposing portions of wall  32  and passing through central axis  26  of feeder  10 . Cross member  36  includes a central opening  38  for allowing conduit  24  and a cable to pass there through. Cross member  36  is affixed to hopper  12  by upward pressure from outer wall  28  and by downward pressure from a C-clip  40  around central conduit  24 . 
         [0019]    Cover  18  is shown in  FIG. 2  to include a releasable catch  42  adapted to releasably engage an annular lip  44  formed in a portion of cross member  36 . Catch  42  has a flexible A-shape with opposed sides  46 , which engage lip  44  at their respective ends  48 . Sides  46  are additionally biased outwardly by a spring  50  to insure retention of cross member  36  by catch  42 . Each catch side  46  also includes a protrusion which collectively form a pair of push buttons  52  extending through apertures  54  in cover  15 . The application of opposing pressure on push buttons  52  causes inward movement of one or both end points  48  and the disengagement between catch  42  and cross member  36 . Cover  18  also includes a central opening  56  in line with axis  26  to allow a cable to exit hopper  12 . Just as hopper  12  and outer wall  32  preferably have a circular cross section, cover  18  is preferably circular, and the annular nature of lip  44  in cross member  36  allows the attachment of cover  18  to cross member  36  at any relative angular orientation around axis  24  and not just the relative angular orientation shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . This concentric arrangement of hopper  12  with central axis  26  helps to maintain balance of feeder  10  and especially when hopper  12  is full of bird feed. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows another cross-sectional view of feeder  10  taken along view lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2  and orthogonal to the view of  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 3  shows the orthogonal view of cable reel  28  and also shows an associated cable  60  passing from cable reel  28  and through conduit  24  and cover  18 . Cable  60  is terminated at its upper end with a loop  62  to facilitate hanging of feeder  10 . 
         [0021]    Housing  14  is shown in  FIG. 3  to include an upper portion  14   a  and a lower portion  14   b . Upper housing portion  14   a  includes dish-like extension  20  and is adapted to receive base  34  in an annular groove  64 . Upper housing portion  14   a  also includes a central opening  66  adapted to allow passage of cable  60  from housing  14  into conduit  24 . 
         [0022]    Cable reel  28  is again shown centered with respect to feeder  10  and generally includes a cable drum  72  and an end plate  74  designed to house a wound spring  78  there between. Cable drum  72  and end plate  74  are rotationally mounted on an axel  80  to which one end of wound spring  78  is attached. The rotationally fixed mounting or capture of axel  80  between upper portion  14   a  and lower portion  14   b  of housing  14  enables the wound spring  78  to retract cable  60  on to the outer portion  82  of drum  72 . End plate  74  is shown to have a pair of protrusions  84  adapted to engage complementary members of upper housing portion  14   a  and lower housing portion  14   b  to thereby provide a locking mechanism for cable reel  28  and maintain a selectable length for the portion of cable  60  extending from hopper  12 . Axel  80  is prevented from rotating by its mounting or capture by upper housing portion  14   a  and lower housing portion  14   b ; however, axel  80  is provided with limited movement in its axial direction to enable the disengagement and engagement of protrusions  84  with respective elements of upper housing portion  14   a  and lower housing portion  14   b . Cable reel  28  and axel  80  are biased by a spring  86  to maintain that engagement of protrusions  84  as shown. A translational member in the form of a push button  88  is located in contact with axel  80  along its axis to facilitate movement of axel  80  and cable reel  28  against the bias of spring  86  to disengage protrusions  84  and allow the rotation of cable drum  72  and the adjustment of cable  66  by either wound spring  78  or tension on cable  60 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  shows an exploded view of the upper portion of feeder  10  ( FIGS. 1-3 ) including cover  18 , catch  42 , spring  50 , cross member  36 , conduit  24  and outer wall  32 . Cover  18  shows openings  54 , which allow access to push buttons  52  of catch  42 . Cross member  36  shows the annular lip  44 , which allows engagement by the ends  48  of catch  42  regardless of the relative rotational alignment between cover  18  and cross member  36 . Catch  42  may be sized and ends  48  may be shaped to enable a simple snap fit with annular lip  44  and avoid the necessity of pressing push buttons  52  for reattachment of cover  18 . Cross member  36  also shows end notches  90 , which are adapted to engage complementary notches  92  in the top of outer wall  32 . Conduit  24  includes a flange  24   a  at its lower end to engage base  34  ( FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  5 ). 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  shows an exploded view of the lower portion of feeder  10  ( FIGS. 1-3 ) including hopper base  34 , upper housing portion  14   a , push button  88 , end plate  74 , axel  80 , cable drum  72 , spring  86 , lower housing portion  14   b , and four screws  94 . Lower housing portion  14   b  is shown to include four cylindrical guides  96  for screws  94 , and upper housing portion  14   a  is shown to include its own set of four holes or cylindrical guides  98  for screws  94 . 
         [0025]    Hopper base  34  is shown to have four depressions  100  formed in a top surface  102 , which depressions  100  are equally angularly located around the circular shape of base  34  and intended to be aligned with feeding ports  16  ( FIGS. 1-4 ) in outer wall  32  ( FIGS. 2-4 ). This arrangement causes channeling of bird feed from the inside of hopper  12  to feeding ports  16 . Hopper base  34  is constructed to include four appropriately located, threaded holes (not shown) for receiving and retaining screws  94 . These are typically located between depressions  100 . 
         [0026]    During construction, conduit  24  is inserted upwardly through base  34 . Cable  60  is fed through opening  66  ( FIG. 3 ) of upper housing portion  14   a  and conduit  24 , and upper housing portion  14   a  and lower housing portion  14   b , along with cable reel  28  captured there between, are attached to base  34  by screws  94 . Outer wall  32  is located on base  34  around central conduit  24 . Cable  60  and conduit  24  are fed through central opening  38  of cross member  36 , which is engaged with notches  92  in outer wall  32  and retained on central conduit  24  by C-clip  40 . Cable  60  is also fed through catch  42  and cover  18  to allow the attachment of cover  18  to cross member  36  by catch  42 . 
         [0027]    Feeder  10  is mounted by applying tension to the loop  62  ( FIG. 3 ) extending from cover  18  and simultaneously applying pressure to push button  88  to release cable reel  28  and determine an appropriate length for the extension of cable  60  from hopper  12 . Feeder  10  is then filled by applying opposing pressure to pushbuttons  52  to release catch  42  from cross member  36  to allow cover  18  to be raised from hopper  12  along cable  60 . Birds using feeder  10  typically perch on peripheral edge  22 . Uneaten bird feed that falls from feeding ports  16  is typically caught by dish-like extension  20  so that birds may retrieve it without the danger of ground feeding. Having less uneaten feed reach the ground also reduces the interest of ground feeding animals. 
         [0028]    The bird feeder of the present invention provides users with the convenience of being able to easily hang the feeder at the desired height and avoids the difficulty of making users tie reliable knots in weatherproof cord, which can be problematic. This bird feeder may also be easily repositioned so that users can easily experiment with different hanging locations and heights to determine the most desirable. Also users may easily move and/or reposition the feeder in response to seasonal changes. This bird feeder is provided with a suitable weatherproof cord which will not have to be replaced, even if the user does a great deal of repositioning of the feeder. 
         [0029]    It will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments, improvements, details, and uses can be made consistent with the letter and spirit of the foregoing disclosure and within the scope of this patent, which is limited only by the following claims, construed in accordance with the patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents. For example, the cable reed may be mounted above the feed hopper.