Bird feeder

The present invention relates to a bird feeder which is combined with a container for the bird food. The birdfeed container makes use of a spout, such as may be employed with the common salt dispenser, the spout being mounted for insertion and removal of the "bottom" of the birdfood container. A perch in the form of a dowel or stick is passed through holes in the wings of the spout to provide a perch for the feeding bird. The container may take the form of a closed container, such as normally found in the familiar salt dispenser.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a bird feeder of the type employing a 
closed container containing bird food with a spout formed at the bottom 
thereof. When the container is inverted, the spout forms a feeding station 
as well as an exit for the food. A pivot-stick is passed through holes in 
wings of the spout to act as a perch for the bird. 
2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
Tobias, U.S. Pat. No. 2,504,282, discloses a collapsible-type feeder having 
perches formed on the base of the feeder. 
Stainbrook, U.S. Pat. No. 3,124,103, features a spout-type bird feeder but 
the arrangement of this feeder is complicated, requiring multiple moving 
parts and pivots to provide food to birds of appropriate size and weight. 
Early, U.S. Pat. No. 2,775,226, teaches a paperboard feed container which 
can be converted into a bird feeder. A trough attachment is provided and 
the trough attachment forms a bird support and a spout feeding arrangement 
which can pivotally open and close by wings mounted on the sides of the 
container. 
Kuhn, U.S. Pat. No. 3,179,244, combines a bird feed shipping container with 
a bird feed arrangement. The bird is provided with a stand which is 
inserted into the bottom of the container. Food is reached by an aperture 
formed in the container. 
Dornbush, U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,948, teaches a dispensing container having a 
trough feeding bin. 
Webster, U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,941, shows a bird feeder which forms a base 
supported by cantilevered wings against the feeding container. There is no 
spout shown in this patent as the bird food is exited to the feeding 
platform via an aperture in the bottom of the container. 
Kerscher, U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,652, has a number of feed apertures and bird 
support bars mounted through a V-shaped feed hopper. 
Kilham, U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,765, shows a feeding perch for birds where the 
perch is mounted on wings extending from a feeder container. 
Dehls, U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,362, discloses a bird feeder where the feed 
station is designed to be selective to birds of a certain size and weight. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a bird feeder which is combined with a 
container for the bird food. The birdfood container makes use of a spout, 
such as may be employed with the common salt dispenser, the spout being 
mounted for insertion and removal at the "bottom" of the birdfood 
container. A perch in the form of a dowel or stick is passed through holes 
in the wings of the spout to provide a perch for the feeding bird. The 
container may take the form of a closed container, such as normally found 
in the familiar salt dispenser. 
A principal object of the present invention is to provide a combined bird 
feeder and birdfeed container. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a birdfeed 
container and bird feeder employing an openable spout which, combined with 
a dowel or stick, provides a perch for a feeding bird and a source for 
food to pass from the container to a feeding position. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for 
packaging bird food and for employing same as a bird feeder station, which 
device is simple and low in cost with relatively few parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In FIG. 1, the birdfood container is shown generally at 10 as a cylindrical 
container having completely closed top and bottom surfaces and an enclosed 
protective wall in the manner of the well-known containers for salt. 
Affixed to side wall of the container at or near one end thereof is a spout 
13. The spout 13 has a feed supporting surface 25 and two wings, 17 and 
19, formed thereon. The rearward projections of the wings 17, 19 are shown 
at 21 and 23 respectively. These rearward projections are formed as bent 
tabs and are designed to cooperate with the interior of the container 10 
to prevent the spout from tipping beyond the point where the tabs 21, 23 
engage the interior wall of the container 10. Also formed in the wings 17, 
19 are holes 25, 27. These holes are designed to interfit with a support 
perch which may be in the form of a dowel 21. As can now be seen, the 
spout 13 is "opened" allowing birdfood to pass from the container to 
surface 15 of the spout 13. The perch 29 may be inserted in holes 25, 27 
to provide a mounting for the perch and a position on the feeder for the 
birds. 
The perch may or may not be employed, however, as desired and the food 
simply allowed to collect on flat surface 15 of the spout 13 or allowed to 
spill from the spout 13 to another container 30. 
Container 30 may take the form of a circular dish having a raised internal 
rim 32. The internal rim 32 is formed to interfit and be supported by the 
bottom of the cylindrical container 10. Thus, the dish 30 may be 
frictionally or adhesively engaged to the container 10. The dish can be 
employed to receive bird food in the trough between the internal rim 32 
and the exterior rim of the dish 30. The exterior rim also serves as a 
perch surface for feeding birds. A hook 1 can also be provided to 
facilitate hanging of the feeder 10. 
FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the birdfeeder of my invention. In FIG. 
2, like numerals designate like parts in FIG. 1. As can be seen in FIG. 2, 
dish 30 employs both the internal rim 32 as discussed in connection with 
FIG. 1, and vertical support bars 4, 5. These support bars connect the 
dish 30 to a top cover 3. Cover 3 may take the same form as dish 30 except 
that it is employed in an inverted manner so as to provide a "roof" over 
the feeding positions on perch 29 and within dish 30. A hook 2 can be used 
to hang the feeder and/or a spike 6 can be used to secure the feeder from 
below dish 30. 
Thus, the feeding package of the present invention combines a feeding 
station with a container for birdfood. However, the feeding portion may be 
bypassed altogether and food simply poured from the container to another 
birdfeeding location. 
As variations to the foregoing may be made without departing from the 
spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that the protection afforded 
Applicant hereunder be in accordance with the accompanying claims.