Bird feeder

A bird feeder includes a food container including one or more feeding ports adapted to allow birds access into the food container, and a separate perch located relative to each feeding port to enable a bird perched thereon to access a respective feeding port, wherein each separate perch is adjustable relative to its respective feeding port to attract different sized birds.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to bird feeders, and in particular to such bird feeders which can be used for different sized birds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Bird feeders are commonly used to attract birds to thereby enjoy some of the beauty and sounds of nature. Birds have a wide variety of species, and so bird feeders have been constructed to attract certain types of birds. For example, liquid feeders have been constructed specifically for humming birds by mimicking the shape of a flower and its access to nectar. It is also known that bird feeders which have smaller openings and perches tend to restrict access to smaller birds because the beaks of larger birds do not fit and the spacing to a perch is too small to accommodate a larger bird. It is also known that the more song-full birds tend to be smaller species. Thus, users typically want to attract smaller and more attractive birds while excluding larger birds such as crows. Thus, the selective attraction of smaller or larger birds, depending upon location and season, is a reasonable consideration in choosing a bird feeder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment of the present invention, a bird feeder comprises: a food container including one or more feeding ports adapted to allow birds access into the food container; and a separate perch located relative to each feeding port to enable a bird perched thereon to access a respective feeding port, wherein each separate perch is elongated and rotationally mounted at one end to move in a radial direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the food container to have an adjustable distance from a respective feeding port.

Each elongated perch may be constructed with a varying height in relation to its respective feeding port to accommodate different sized birds relative to its respective feeding port. Each elongated perch may be curved in the radial direction of rotational movement with respect to the food container.

Each separate perch may be rotationally mounted to a rotatable member located within the food container and adapted to extend substantially radially through a separate respective opening in the food container to be located in front of a respective feeding port. The rotatable member may be adapted to be rotated relative to the food container to determine a relative position between each perch and the food container in proximity to a the respective feeding port. A relative position for each perch may determined by a relative rotational position of the rotatable member with respect to the food container and resulting interference between each perch and the food container at the respective opening. The food container may include a bottom member rotationally coupled to the food container and linked to the rotatable member to cause rotation of the rotatable member by rotation of the bottom member.

The food container may have a generally cylindrical shape and the bottom member may be circular. The food container may include a first circular cross-sectional portion having a first plurality of the one or more feeding ports located therein. The food container may include a second circular cross sectional portion being the location of a second plurality of feeding ports, and the bird feeder may further comprise a separate respective perch located relative to each feeding port of the second plurality of feeding ports to enable a bird perched thereon to access a respective feeding port, wherein each separate respective perch is elongated and rotationally mounted at one end to move in a radial direction with respect to the food container to have an adjustable distance from a respective feeding port.

The bird feeder may further comprise a second rotatable member rotationally mounting the separate respective perches located relative to respective feeding ports of the second plurality of feeding ports, wherein the second rotatable member is adapted to be rotated relative to the food container to determine a relative position between each the separate respective perch and the food container in proximity to a the respective feeding port of the second plurality of feeding ports. The second rotatable member may be linked to the first bottom member to enable rotation of the second rotatable member thereby.

The bird feeder may further comprise first and second cylindrical collars respectively located around the first and second circular cross-sectional portions and adapted to allow access to the first and second plurality of feeding ports, respectively, by rotation of the first and second cylindrical collars around the first and second circular cross-sectional portions and relative to the food container. The first and second plurality of feeding ports may each include relatively smaller and larger openings adapted for allowing selective use of smaller and larger sized bird feed, respectively, and the first and second cylindrical collars may allow selective access to the smaller or larger openings by rotation thereof relative to the food container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1shows a perspective view of a bird feeder10, which is generally cylindrical in shape and includes first and second pluralities of feeding ports12,14along with separate perches16located relative to each feeding port12,14. Bird feeder10is hollow and forms a feed hopper in upper portion20, which is accessed by a removable top cover22adapted to allow bird feeder10to be filled. Bird feeder10further includes a separate cylindrical collar26,27located around those portions of bird feeder10in which feeding ports12,14are located.

FIG. 2is another perspective view of bird feeder10, wherein cylindrical collars26,27are located in a different rotational position relative to bird feeder10. In this position, openings30,31in respective collars26,27expose another plurality of feeding ports32,34, respectively, which are much smaller than the feeding ports12,14ofFIG. 1. Selection of smaller feeding ports32,34restricts access into feeder10to smaller birds.

FIG. 3is an exploded view of bird feeder10ofFIGS. 1 and 2, showing additional internal components, but omitting cylindrical collars26,27.FIG. 4is an exploded view of cylindrical collars26,27, exclusively. InFIG. 3, bird feeder10is shown to include two identical feeder halves10a,10b, which are designed to interconnect along the vertical seams10c,10d. Feeding ports12,14,32,34are also shown. Half of ports32are formed along seams10c,10d(FIGS. 2,3), and thus only appear as indentations inFIG. 3.

FIG. 3also shows a multiplicity of perches16located in an unconnected upper group16aas well as a connected lower group16b. Perches16are elongated and include a c-collar16cat one end to enable rotational mounting of each perch16to a complementary post or axel. In lower group16b, perches16are rotatably connected to a rotational member40. In upper group16a, perches16are arranged in the relative position they would have when connected to the adjacent rotational member40a. Rotational member40ashows an appropriate post or axel40bfor mounting a perch16. Perches16are elongated and are designed to extend radially from their respective rotational members40,40a. Perches16are intended to pass through a multiplicity of openings44located in the feeder halves10a,10b. Several ports44are located along seams10c,10d(FIGS. 2,3), and thus appear simply as indentations therein.

FIG. 3further shows a top collar50used to secure feeder halves10a,10baround their upper edges54by means of internal, self locking hooks (not shown) mounted on flexible elements56. Top collar50includes substantial openings52, which allows bird feeder10to be filled with feed. Removable top cover22is shown to close the openings52in top collar50.

FIG. 3still further shows a base60adapted to surround the lower ends62of feeder halves10a,10b. Base60is shown to include a square shaped axial opening64adapted to receive the lower end of a square shaft66. Shaft66is designed to pass through complementary openings located in rotational members40,40asuch that rotation of base60relative to feeder halves10a,10bcauses a like rotation of rotational members40,40a. Shaft66is intended to rotate freely within a circular opening68in the base of feeder halves10a,10b.

FIG. 3still further shows a circular disk70which prevents the movement of feed below the lower plurality of feeding ports14,34. Disk70is contoured slightly higher in the middle to cause feed to gravitate towards feeding ports14,34.

FIG. 4shows cylindrical collars26,27exploded into halves26a,26b,27a,27b, respectively. Each collar half includes an engagement clip26c,27cfor engaging its respective opposing half.

During the assembly of bird feeder10, perches16are located on respective posts or axles40bof rotational members40,40a. Members40,40aare supported within feeder halves10a,10bby circular lips72,74respectively, and the elongated perches16extend through openings44. Circular disk70rests on top of rotational collar40, while collar40aremains open for the passage of feed to lower feeding ports14. Shaft66is passes through collar40, disk70and collar40a, respectively. Once feeder halves10a,10bare closed, top collar50is affixed thereto and snaps into place along top edges54. Base60is located around bottom edges62with shaft66extending through central opening64. The bottom of shaft66is then finished with a washer77and a c-clip78. Cylindrical collars26,27(FIGS. 1,2and4) are then attached to feeder10by interconnection of respective halves26a,26b,27a,27bso that cylindrical collars26,27may be rotated relative to feeder halves10a,10b. Feeder halves10a,10bare shown to include circumferential indentations82to allow clearance for clips26c,27cand the rotation of collars26,27relative to feeder10. The circular cross section of feeder10, and particularly around feeding ports12,14,32,34, allows this relative rotation.

FIG. 5shows a side view of feeder10which provides contour detail of perches16. Perches16are shown to extend through openings44in feeder10and to be located substantially horizontally with respect to feeding ports12,14. Perches16are constructed to have a first section16d, located near feeder10, which section16dhas the highest height along perches16. Next, a transitional section16elowers the height of perches16to a final lower level section16f. In this manner, perches16provide different relative perch heights for the different feeding ports12,14,32,34. Smaller ports32,34(FIG. 2) are located behind cylindrical collars26,27inFIG. 5along seams10c10d. Openings44are similarly located, and thus the highest perch sections16dare located closest to the smallest feeding ports32,34. Likewise the lower perch sections16fare located closest to the larger feeding ports12,14to accommodate larger birds.

FIG. 6shows greater detail of the mounting of perches16to rotatable member40aand the available adjustments of perches16relative to feeding ports34. Perches16are shown with c-collars16cengaging cylindrical posts or axles40bto provide horizontal rotatable mounting thereto. Perches16are also shown to extend through openings44and to make contact with the sides110eof feeder10. Thus, it is through the rotation of rotatable member40aand contact or interference between perches16and the sides of openings44that perches16rotate and remain within an imaginary horizontal plane and that the position of perches16relative to feeder10is determined.

FIG. 6also shows the circular cross section of feeder10in the area of feeding ports34as well as the even angular location of those ports around the circular cross section. Larger ports12,14are likewise evenly distributed between smaller ports32,34and thus may be simultaneously chosen by the angular position of cylindrical collars26,27and the even spaced openings30,31located therein.

In operation, feeder10is first filled with bird feed by removal of top cover22, and the feed filters down past rotatable member40auntil it reaches feeding ports14,34and is stopped by circular disk70. Next, cylindrical collars26,27are set to choose either the larger feeding ports12,14or the smaller feeding ports32,34. Because of the separate sets of ports and rotatable collars it is possible to choose smaller feeding ports for one level and the larger ports for another level. Lastly, base60is rotated relative to feeder10to determine the spacing of perches16from the separate sets of feeding ports.

The present invention thus provides a highly adjustable bird feeder10which may easily be used to selectively attract smaller song birds. Bird feeder10may be readily adjusted seasonally, and also in accordance with location and migratory patterns, to attract the most desirable birds.

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.