Abstract:
A showering device for a bird includes a perch and a movable actuator disposed adjacent the perch. The showering device has sealable liquid dispenser disposed above the perch and at least one linkage mechanism connects the moveable actuator to the sealable liquid dispenser. The showering device includes a device for unsealing the liquid dispenser via the linkage mechanism allowing water to flow from the liquid dispenser due to a movement of the actuator toward the perch.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The invention relates to an apparatus for showering domesticated birds with fresh water, more specifically, to a shower which requires a bird to activate the showering mechanism by use of its talons.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     It is prior-art practice, for example, in the case of domesticated birds, which are kept as household pets, to use a bath for allowing the bird to cleanse itself in a pool of water. This practice has the disadvantage that the bird bathes itself in water that it has already soiled. It is also prior art practice to use a combination bird shower/bath. This practice has the disadvantage that an operator must manually pump the shower and the bird bathes and showers itself in water that it has already soiled.  
         [0005]     In order to deal with this problem a solution has been proposed in the prior art. The solution is a bird shower that requires pumps and motion sensors for activation of the shower. This practice has the disadvantage of being relatively expensive, complex, and requires some form of external energy to function.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, prior art ejector systems have the disadvantages that they do not provide a satisfactory solution for showering a bird in clean water without a complex construction and the need for external energy sources.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a bird shower which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and which provides a bird shower that is activated by a bird, easily manufactured, easy to maintain, is durable, and reliable.  
         [0008]     With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, a showering device for a bird, which includes a perch and a movable actuator disposed adjacent the perch. A sealable liquid dispenser is disposed above the perch. At least one linkage mechanism connects the moveable actuator to the sealable liquid dispenser. A device for unsealing the liquid dispenser via the linkage mechanism allows water to flow from the liquid dispenser due to a movement of the actuator toward the perch.  
         [0009]     In accordance with another feature of the invention, the sealable liquid dispenser includes a tank with an opening formed therein and the opening has a seal. The sealable liquid dispenser includes a dispensing chamber disposed below the tank and the chamber has a plurality orifices formed therein.  
         [0010]     In accordance with a further feature of the invention, a stopper is disposed and securely seated in the opening of the tank. The device for unsealing the dispensing unit is a lifting arm connected to the linkage mechanism to unseat the stopper for allowing liquid to flow into and out of the dispensing chamber.  
         [0011]     In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the stopper has a density, which makes the stopper buoyant.  
         [0012]     In accordance with an additional feature of the invention a guide-tube is disposed in the tank for guiding movement of the stopper.  
         [0013]     In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the linkage mechanism has a first rotatable shaft, at least one first lever arm to attach the actuator to the first rotatable shaft, a second rotatable shaft to mount the lifting arm, and at least one linkage bar. The linkage mechanism has at least one second lever arm to attach the first rotatable shaft to the at least one linkage bar, at least one third lever arm to attach the at least one linkage bar to the second rotatable shaft, and at least one spring attached to the linkage mechanism to bias the actuator away from the perch.  
         [0014]     In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, two uprights are disposed at a distance from one another on a base. The perch, the actuator, and the sealable liquid dispenser are disposed between the uprights and the linkage mechanism is disposed on one of the uprights.  
         [0015]     In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, the at least one first lever arm is two first lever arms each disposed at a respective one of the uprights. The at least one linkage bar is two linkage bars each disposed at a respective one of the uprights. The at least one second lever arm is two second lever arms each disposed at a respective one of the uprights. The at least one third lever arm is two third lever arms each disposed at a respective one of the uprights. The at least one spring is a plurality of springs.  
         [0016]     In accordance with yet an additional feature of the invention, claddings are disposed on the uprights for covering the linkage mechanism.  
         [0017]     In accordance with still another feature of the invention, a catch basin is disposed under the base for collecting the liquid.  
         [0018]     With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided a showering device including a base and vertical uprights disposed on the base. A perch is disposed between the vertical uprights. A movable actuating bar is disposed between the uprights and adjacent the perch. A liquid storage tank is disposed above the perch, the tank having a hole formed therein. A dispensing chamber is disposed below the tank and a stopper is disposed in the hole for sealing the tank. At least one linkage mechanism is disposed at a respective one of the vertical uprights. A lifting arm is disposed between the vertical uprights, the lifting arm unseats the stopper via the linkage mechanism for allowing water to flow into and out of the dispensing chamber, due to a movement of the actuating bar toward the perch.  
         [0019]     In accordance with still a further feature of the invention, a spring is attached to the linkage mechanism for biasing the actuating bar away from the perch.  
         [0020]     In accordance with yet still a further feature of the invention, the linkage mechanism is one of two linkage mechanisms each disposed at a respective one of the uprights.  
         [0021]     Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.  
         [0022]     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a bird shower, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.  
         [0023]     The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the bird shower according to the invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a front-elevational view of the bird shower of the according to  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a side-elevational view of the bird shower according to  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the bird shower according to  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the bird shower according to  FIG. 1  with the shower in an off position as shown by the section line II-II in  FIG. 3 ; and  
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a partial sectional view of the bird shower according to  FIG. 5  with the shower in an on position. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0030]     Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to  FIG. 1  thereof, there is seen a bird shower  1  according to the invention. The bird shower  1  can be made in different sizes for accommodating different sized birds.  
         [0031]     The shower includes two separate uprights  2  and  3  that are mounted to a base  5 . On the upper end of the uprights a water reservoir/tank  6  is disposed between the uprights  2  and  3 . The water tank  6  is filled with liquid/water  100  for showering a bird. The tank  6  includes a cover  7  shown in  FIG. 6  for closing the tank after it has been filled with liquid  100 .  
         [0032]     As can be seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6  a stopper  8  having a conical tip  9  is provided inside the tank  6  so that the conical tip  9  projects through a hole  10  that is formed in the tank  6 . The hole  10  includes a seal  11 , which seals against and seats the stopper  8  so that the tank  6  can hold water. The tank also includes a vertically disposed guide-tube  12 , which serves to guide the stopper  8  at its periphery. The guide-tube  12  includes has holes  40  formed therein for allowing an exchange of liquid between the guide-tube  12  and the tank  6 . The stopper  8  has a density, which allows it to float to the surface of the tank  6  when it is unseated from the hole  10 .  
         [0033]     Disposed below the tank  6  is a dispensing chamber  13  having orifices  14  formed therein. The dispensing chamber  13  is smaller in volume than the tank  6  and is funnel-shaped or has opposing sides that are angle toward each other. The dispensing chamber  13  receives water from the tank  8  and dispenses the water in a shower spray onto the bird through the orifices  14 . A bird&#39;s talons activate a linkage mechanism  20  shown in  FIG. 1 , which allows the unseating of the stopper  8  from the seal  11 , which in turn allows the stopper  8  to float to the surface of the water in the tank  6 , thereby allowing water to flow from the tank  6  into the dispensing chamber  13 . From the dispensing chamber  13  water is dispensed through the orifices  14  onto the bird. The linkage mechanism  20  for activating the shower will be discussed below.  
         [0034]     A fixed perch  15  is disposed between the two uprights  2  and  3 . An actuator or actuating bar  16  which is adjacent the perch  15  projects through slots  17  and  18  formed in the uprights  2  and  3 , which allow the actuating bar to pivot. The actuator  16  is disposed so as to be graspable by the talons of a bird using the bird shower. The bar is disposed so that a bird can grip the actuator  16  with either their rear or front talons. When the bird is placed on the perch  15  it will instinctively grab onto the actuating bar  16  and pull it towards the perch  15 . Although not shown, it is possible for the perch  15  to include a groove for receiving the actuating bar  16  so that the actuating bar  16  is flush with the perch  15 . The actuating bar  16  is connected to the linkage mechanism  20  for activating the water flow. Although not shown, the base  5  can have stairs or a ladder, which will allow the bird to reach the perch  15 .  
         [0035]     The linkage mechanism  20  includes a rotatable shaft  21  that is disposed below the actuator  16  and between the uprights  2  and  3 . The rotatable shaft  21  is mounted by bearings  23  and may be enclosed in a sleeve (not shown). The rotatable shaft  21  serves as the axis of rotation for the actuator  16  and is attached to the actuator  16  by first lever arms  22 , which are disposed on the ends of the rotatable shaft  21 . The rotatable shaft  21  also has second lever arms  26  disposed on opposite ends of the shaft. The second lever arms  26  are attached to linkage bars  27 , which extend up along the uprights  2  and  3  towards the tank  6 . The linkage mechanism includes a second rotatable shaft  28  disposed between the uprights  2  and  3  and which runs through the dispensing chamber  13 . The second rotatable shaft  28  is mounted by bearings  23 . Third lever arms  29  connect the linkage bars  27  to the second rotatable shaft  28 . The second rotatable shaft  28  of the linkage mechanism displaces a lifting arm  30 , which is disposed on the second rotatable shaft  28  inside the dispensing chamber  13  for unseating the stopper  8  up out of the hole  10  when a bird activates the actuator  16 . Springs  32  are part of the linkage mechanism and serve for biasing the actuator  16  away from the perch  15  and provide the resistance, which allows the stopper  8  to close the tank  6  when the tank is emptied.  
         [0036]     It is noted that the number, location, and/or type of springs (i.e. torsion springs, tension springs, compression springs, etc. can be used) is not critical, as long as it biases the actuator  16  away from the perch and does not require excessive force to overcome. Furthermore, while the linkage mechanism  20  as described above includes two first lever arms  22 , second lever arms  26 , third lever arms  29 , linkage bars  27  etc. it is possible for the linkage mechanism to include only one set of these items employed on one of the two uprights  2 ,  3 .  
         [0037]     Also provided are claddings  34  and  35 , which are disposed on the uprights for covering those parts of the linkage mechanism  20  that are disposed on the uprights  2 ,  3 . A catch basin  36  may be disposed under the bird shower  1  for collecting the water  100  that showers the bird.  
         [0038]     The operation of the device during use by a bird will be described with respect to the drawings and the above-provided description.  
         [0039]     The stopper  8  is placed in the hole  10  so that it seats against the seal  11 . The desired amount of water  100  is added into the tank  8 . A bird moves to or is placed on the perch  15 , the bird&#39;s talons grip the perch  15  and the actuating bar  16  pulling the actuating bar  16  towards the perch against the bias of the springs  32 . The first lever arm  22  in turn rotates the first rotatable shaft  21 , which in turn causes the second lever arm  26  to rotate (see  FIGS. 1 and 3 ). The second lever  26  moves the linkage bar  27  causing the third lever arm  29  to rotate the second rotatable shaft  28 . The rotation of the second rotatable shaft  28  moves the lifting arm  30 , thereby unseating the stopper  8  from the hole  10  formed in the tank  6 . This releases the stopper  8  from the seal  11  so that the stopper  8  floats up to the surface of the water  100  in the tank  6 , thereby allowing the water  100  to flow from the tank  6  into the dispensing chamber  13  and out of the orifices  14  onto the bird. Once the bird releases the actuating bar  16  the biasing springs  32  return the linkage mechanism  20  to its original position. However, this does not have an effect on the flow of the water  100  as the stopper  8  has been unseated and floats at the surface of the water  100  in the tank  6 . Once the water  100  has emptied from the tank  6 , the stopper  8  finds its way back into the hole  10  with the aid of the guide-tube  12 . It is also possible for the stopper  8  to have a density that does not allow it to float. In such a scenario, the only time that the water would flow is when the bird&#39;s talons grip the actuating bar  16 .