Abstract:
A supplementary bird food storage apparatus for use with known tubular bird feeders. The storage apparatus includes a storage vessel, for storing bird food, having at least a first tapered portion and a mechanism for connecting and holding in place the first tapered portion within the main body top portion of the tubular bird feeder so as to substantially prevent egress of bird food at the connection.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to bird feeding equipment and in particular to a supplementary bird food storage vessel and to a bird feeder having such a vessel.  
         [0002]     Wild bird feeders typically comprise a cylindrical main body in which bird food is stored; the main body having means for dispensing stored feed to birds, often to birds resting on a perch and feeding through an aperture in a side wall of the main body. Users often find that such bird feeders have to be replenished with bird food at very frequent intervals. This can be inconvenient.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     An object of the present invention is to provide a supplementary bird food storage vessel and in particular such a vessel that can be attached to a large size range of existing bird feeders. A further object is to provide a bird feeder having a supplementary bird food storage vessel that may be securely attached to an existing bird feeder.  
         [0004]     In one aspect the invention comprises a supplementary bird food storage apparatus; for use with a bird feeder, said bird feeder having a main tubular body; the apparatus comprising a storage vessel, for storing bird food, having at least a first tapered portion; securing means configured to engage both said bird feeder main tubular body and said storage vessel and so secure said first tapered portion of apparatus within said main tubular body of a bird feeder and thereby provide a seal between said first tapered portion of the apparatus and said main tubular body such that external egress of bird food at the joint between said food storage vessel and the main body of the bird feeder is substantially prevented.  
         [0005]     Preferably, (in use) the wall of the first tapered portion is inclined at an angle α to the horizontal where α is in the range 25° to 50°, and more preferably in the range 30° to 45°. This range provides satisfactory downflow of bird food in use and also allows has advantages in relation to the securing means (see below). Preferably this tapered portion is frustro-conical shaped; this assists self-centering of the apparatus in a tubular bird feeder body.  
         [0006]     Preferably the apparatus comprises a tubular outlet attached to or depending from the underside of said first tapered portion, to facilitate flow and distribution of feed to said main tubular body.  
         [0007]     Preferably a further tubular portion surrounds the tubular outlet; attached to or depending from the underside of said first tapered portion or the main storage vessel above. In use, this advantageously helps keep the bird food dry by minimising moisture ingress resulting from rain, etc. Preferably, the tubular outlet and further tubular portion are positioned concentrically.  
         [0008]     The securing means may comprise a rod configured so as to engage diametrically opposed holes within said main tubular body. One or both of the tubular outlet and further tubular portion may have slots positioned to allow said rod to pass the walls thereof in use. The apparatus may comprise a ring or tube with a plurality of radially extending arms that depend from an inner wall of the food storage vessel and a threaded member that engages both said rod and said ring or tube with radially extending arms. These features form part of the securing means. In a further embodiment of the invention comprises a resilient member that provides bias between said securing means rod and the storage vessel of the apparatus.  
         [0009]     The storage vessel may comprise a second tapered portion wherein much of the bird food is stored said second tapered portion taking the form of a funnel comprising either an inner wall with no discontinuity and/or a plurality of mutually inclined planar inner wall surfaces. Preferably, this portion of the storage vessel is frustro-conical shaped. Alternatively, this portion may be funnel shaped or have a generally hemispherical shape. The angle of taper of the second tapered portion may be in the range 25° to 75°.  
         [0010]     The securing means may comprise one or more resilient members; for example, a helical spring attached at one end to an external surface of a main bird feeder tubular body and attached at the other end to the storage vessel of the apparatus.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The apparatus will now be described by reference to the following diagrammatic drawings in which:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a sectioned side view of a first embodiment of apparatus according to the invention attached to the top of (two) known tubular bird feeders;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged portion of part of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a side view of apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is an end view of the apparatus of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is an underside view of the apparatus of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of the apparatus of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  shows another embodiment of the invention having a lid (squirrel baffle). 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]     Referring to FIGS.  1  to  6 , the bird food storage apparatus  10  comprises a main food storage portion  12 , preferably frustro-conically shaped so that in use bird food is directed by gravity into a lower adjoining first tapered portion  14 , again preferably frustro-conically shaped. Main food storage portion  12  and first tapered portion  14  are preferably integrally formed. The (lower) outlet of first tapered portion  14  directs bird food (by gravity) via adjoining tubular outlet  16  into the top part B of a known tubular bird feeder. Depending from below the lower surface of tapered cone portion  14  is a further tubular portion  18  of larger diameter than tubular outlet  16 , and arranged concentrically therewith so as to present an annular space  20  between the outer wall of the tubular outlet  16  and the inner wall of further tubular portion  18 ; said annular space being open at the lower end to allow the introduction of known bird feeders of different diameter; but closed at the top end. Thus, in use the top of a known bird feeder body (cover removed) abuts against that part of the lower face of first tapered section  18  that lies within annular space  20 . This feature allows the apparatus to be fifed to known bird feeders of continuously varying diameter; in this case of diameters larger than the outer diameter of tubular outlet  16  and smaller than the inner diameter of further tubular portion  18 .  
         [0020]     The frustro-conical ceiling of space  20  also means that when the apparatus is placed in a suitable diameter known bird feeder that it “self-centres”. Known bird feeders normally have a pair of diametrically opposed holes H near the top end of the main tubular body; provided in order to insert a rod from which the known bird feeder may hang. If any such rod is removed then holes H can advantageously be used to locate part of the securing means of the present invention.  
         [0021]     The securing means may take various forms; for example it may comprise two or more springs arranged to bias the apparatus within the top of the known bird feeder so as to prevent accidental detachment or intended detachment by a rodent such as a squirrel. In one embodiment the securing means is a helical spring attached at one end to hole H and at the other end to an external eye or hook (not shown) attached to or formed as part of the external surface of the main storage portion  12  or the outer face of the further tubular portion  18 .  
         [0022]     Preferably the securing means comprises a rod, bolt or bail  30  with a threaded central hole  32  dimensioned to engage a bolt or screw  34 . In use, rod  30  passes through holes H in the main bird feeder body B, through slots  36  and  38  in tubular portion  18  and tubular outlet  16  respectively, being secured by a circlip, nut or the like  40  (see  FIG. 2 ).  
         [0023]     The discontinuity in upper part of tubular outlet  16  is provided to allow easier manufacture when using plastics material.  
         [0024]     In use, bolt  34  passes through tubular sleeve  42 ; this sleeve being attached to the inner walls of the apparatus  10  by means of a plurality of radially extending arms or walls. Thus, in the present embodiment four radially extending walls  44  that are mutually perpendicular secure sleeve  42  to the inner walls of the first tapered portion  14 . Planar walls  44  extend vertically from a point near the junction of the main food storage portion  12  with the first tapered section  14  to a point near the lower outlet of the first tapered portion. The sleeve  42 , and arms or walls  44  are preferably integrally formed with the main storage vessel but may be attached to an insert (not shown) configured to engage the inside of the apparatus; for example a frustro-conically shaped insert member.  
         [0025]     The main food storage portion  12  is preferably frusto-conically shaped with an upper diameter in the range 150 to 300 mm and a lower diameter of 50 to 150 mm. The diameter of tubular outlet  16  is preferably 25 to 50 mm. The apparatus is preferably made of a rigid plastics material.  
         [0026]     The provision of the first tapered portion  14 , rod  30 , bolt  34 , sleeve  42  and arms  44  provide a securing means that in use is adjustable so that the apparatus can be attached to a wide range of different sized tubular bird feeders. As the apparatus self-centres in the selected bird feeder the distance between the top of the sleeve  42  and the threaded central hole  32  varies according to the diameter of the known bird feeder main body. This variation is accommodated by screwing bolt  34  into thread  32  so that the apparatus is held firmly, in slight tension, within the existing bird feeder main body. This assists in providing sealing engagement of the apparatus with a known bird feeder. In use, elongate slots  36 ,  38  allow rod  30  to move slightly in a vertical direction in order to be at the correct position to firmly hold the apparatus under said slight tension.  
         [0027]     Further tubular portion  18  is a preferable feature as it ensures that rain, etc., that runs down the outside of main food storage portion  12  does not enter the top of the bird feeder but rather drains from the lower edge of said further tubular portion.  
         [0028]     Tubular outlet  16  also assists distribution of bird food stored in the apparatus  10  to a level below that of the securing means. This advantageously prevents any egress of bird food through slots  36  and  38 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 7  shows a further embodiment of the invention; where the main food storage vessel has a lid  50  (squirrel baffle). In this case, the main food storage portion  12  has a cross member; preferably a rod  52  or the like attached to an internal wall of the main food storage portion  12 . Lid  50  comprises a hemi-spherical shell  56  with a rim  58 , and a collar  60  located equidistantly from rim  58 . Collar  60  is adapted to receive hanging rod  62  having a hook  64  at the upper end and is threaded at the lower end such that in use it may engage a corresponding female threaded bore  66  located at the midpoint of rod  52 . Collar  60  comprises an adjustable collet. In use collar  60  may be loosened so that shell  56  can be drawn upwardly along the hanging rod towards hook  64  so allowing access to the main food storage vessel. Preferably rod  52  is pivotally mounted to the main food storage portion  12 . This allows the shell  56  (following above described upward adjustment) to be tilted sidewardly to allow substantially unrestricted access to the main food storage portion  12 ; for cleaning and food replenishment.