Bird tower

An improved avian tower comprises a base to which is attached a substantially cylindrical center column which surrounds a central post, formed from a plurality of interdigitating column portions wherein each column portion includes a body, a first shoulder and a second shoulder whereby the first shoulder and second shoulder of adjoining column portions cooperate to allow configurable construction of the center column. A plurality of perches are attached to at least one of the plurality of column portions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention generally relates to avian perches. More 
particularly, the present invention concerns a tower structure suitable 
for birds of various sizes including larger birds such as macaws. Even 
more particularly, the present invention relates to a highly configurable 
and expandable bird tower. 
2. Description of Related Art 
Bird cages and other indoor environments for avians are well known. 
Particularly, all are familiar with the common bird cage which contains a 
finch, parakeet, canary, or some other small bird along with a water dish 
and a food bowl. Such cages are adequate for small birds. However, in 
order to comfortably accommodate a larger bird, a cage has to be extremely 
large and cumbersome. 
Further, these cages are normally made of steel or other metals. These 
surfaces can, under certain circumstances, induce illness in the birds 
living therein and therearound. Additionally, cleaning a perch that is 
seated inside a cage can be a time consuming task. 
Bird stands have been developed to overcome some of these disadvantages. 
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,758 on a ROT TOWER issued to Simon on 
Jan. 17, 1995 and is incorporated herein by reference, teaches a parrot 
tower which includes a tray, a center column releasably mounted to the 
tray, and a plurality of perches connected to the center column. It must 
be appreciated that although the Parrot Tower of Simon represents a 
substantial advance in the art, the tower must be configured at the point 
of manufacture. More particularly, the height of the center column may not 
be substantially altered by the user. Additionally, the perches connected 
to the center column are not substantially configurable as they must seat 
in a supplied aperture. Thus, the tower is difficult to transport, and may 
be generally used only by specific breeds of bird. 
What is needed in the art is a parrot tower that is configurable such that 
an end user may adjust the height of the tower and the spacing of the 
perches extending therefrom depending upon the type of bird that is to 
utilize the tower and the environment within which the tower and the bird 
are to be maintained. It is to the solution of this problem to which the 
present invention is directed. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is an avian or bird or parrot tower formed of 
washable and sterilizable plastic. The parrot tower of the present 
invention comprises: 
(a) a base; 
(b) a central post disposed on the base and extending upwardly therefrom; 
(c) a substantially cylindrical center column circumferentially disposed 
about the post and comprising a plurality of column portions, each of the 
plurality of column portions comprising: 
(i) a substantially hollow cylindrical body having an internal diameter 
greater than the diameter of the post, and having a first edge and an 
opposed second edge; 
(ii) an annular first shoulder recessed from the first edge and extending 
into the hollow interior of the body, the first shoulder having an 
internal diameter greater than the diameter of the post; 
(iii) a second annular shoulder recessed from the second edge and extending 
into the hollow interior and downwardly extending from the body at the 
second edge, thereof the second shoulder having an external diameter less 
than the internal diameter of the body and an internal diameter greater 
than the diameter of the post, the second shoulder insertable into the 
hollow interior of the body of an adjacent portion, the second shoulder 
abutting against the first shoulder of the adjacent portion; 
(d) a plurality of perches releasably connected to the center column; and 
(e) a topmost portion surmounting the post and secured thereto. 
The parrot tower of the present invention generally includes a tray upon 
which is disposed a center column. Each column portion or collar abuts 
against at least one other column portion. The bottommost column portion 
may seat in an aperture or recess formed in the tray such that the center 
column is securely housed in the tray, when mounted about the post. Each 
of the column portions may have a different configuration depending upon 
the accessory that is to be attached thereto. 
The topmost column, preferably, is threadedly connected to the post, and, 
thus, compresses the other column portions together to form a tight and 
secure center column. 
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is 
made to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. In 
the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the 
several views, and where:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown a bird tower in accordance with the 
present invention, and generally shown at 10. The bird tower 10 comprises 
a base 12, a center column 16, a plurality of perches 18, and a cap 20. 
The base 12 preferably includes a stand 13 and a tray 14. The stand 13, in 
the preferred embodiment, comprises four legs 22, 24, 26, 28. Each leg 22, 
24, 26, 28 is releasably attached to a joint 30, 32, 34, 36. Each of the 
joints 30, 32, 34, 36 has a pair of substantially horizontally aligned 
legs 40, 42 set at right angles to each other. An identical wheel or 
roller 38 is attached at the bottom of each joint 30, 32, 34, 36. Each 
wheel 38 is preferably configured identically to ease production; however, 
differently configured wheels may be used, although not preferably. The 
plurality of wheels allows the tower 10 to be easily transported over a 
surface such as a floor or the like. 
Reinforcing members 44, 46, 48, 50 extend between and are removably mounted 
to each of the plurality of legs 30, 32, 34, 36. The reinforcing members 
44, 46, 48, 50 increase the stability of the stand 13. Additionally, the 
members 44, 46, 48, 50 provide additionally stability when the tower 10 is 
moved about. 
The tray 14 is mounted atop each of the legs 22, 24, 26, 28. The tray 14 
may be mounted atop each leg via removable means for mounting such as 
screws, clasps, hooks or the like. Alternatively, the tray 14 may have a 
plurality of recesses formed at the bottom surface 52 thereof. As such, 
each leg 22, 24, 26, 28 may snugly seat in one of the four recesses. The 
tray 14 does have a centrally located downwardly directed recess 54 into 
which the center column 16 may be snugly seated. This will be discussed in 
further detail hereinbelow. 
The tray 14 is provided to catch any food particles spilled by the bird as 
it eats. Additionally, the tray 14 serves to catch any waste materials 
excreted by the bird while perched on the tower 10. To this end, the tray 
14 is configured to extend beyond the ends of each perch attached to the 
center column 16 which will be described in greater detail hereinbelow. 
Although the preferred embodiment of the base 12 has been described 
hereinabove, the base may comprise only the tray 14. However, as such, the 
tower 10 will not be as easily transported. 
The center column 16 is substantially cylindrical and is formed from a 
plurality of column portions or collars 56. For the purposes of 
discussion, reference will be made to one column portion 58 as an 
exemplar. It is to be appreciated that the center column 16 is comprised 
of a plurality of column portions 56 such as column collar or portion 58. 
As depicted in FIGS. 2-6, in a first embodiment hereof, the column portion 
58 has a body 59 that is substantially cylindrical and hollow in its 
configuration having (a) diameter d greater than that of the post, (b) a 
top or first edge 60, (c) a second or bottom edge 62, (d) an annular first 
shoulder 64 interiorly disposed the body 59 and recessed from the first 
edge 60, (e) the first shoulder 64 having a plurality of notches 66 formed 
therein. 
The column portion 58 additionally includes a second annular shoulder 68 
downwardly extending from the second edge 62. The second shoulder 68 has 
an outer diameter that is slightly less than the inner diameter of the 
body 59 to allow the second shoulder 68 to be slidably received within the 
body 59. Additionally, the second shoulder 68 has at least one detent 70 
extending therefrom. 
As such, and in use, the at least one detent 70 extending from the second 
shoulder 68 seats in one of the plurality of notches 66 in the first 
shoulder 64 of an adjoining one of the plurality of column portions 56. In 
this fashion, the center column 16 may be configured in a variety of 
fashions as will be described in detail hereinbelow. 
Preferably, each of the plurality of column portions 56 engages another one 
of the plurality of column portions 56 in removably mountable fashion. 
Because there are provided a plurality of notches 66, for example, about 
eleven notches for every 90.degree. of arc of the shoulder, the adjoining 
column portions may be rotated relative to one another and then pressed 
together such that a detent 70 sets in one of the plurality of notches 66 
in the adjoining column portion. This maintains the relative position of 
each of the adjoining column portions. 
While some column portions will only comprise the elements set out 
hereinabove, others will include means 72 for attaching perches, mirrors, 
or other avian accessories. 
Furthermore, it is possible to eliminate the notch and detent assembly and 
simply interdigitate the collars by inserting a shoulder 68 into the 
interior of the adjacent collar portion such that the edge 62 abuts 
against the adjacent collar shoulder 64. In this way, the cooperative 
notches and detents are eliminated. 
Referring now to FIG. 6, there is depicted therein, in exploded fashion, a 
center column 116. As can be seen, the center column 116 comprises of a 
plurality of column portions 156. Each of the plurality of body portions 
156 has each of the elements described hereinabove with relation to the 
exemplar column portion 58. Additionally, each has a means 72 for 
attaching an avian accessory. 
More particularly, the means 72 for attaching may be an annular shoulder 
160 extending normal to the body 159. A perch, such as that disclosed in 
the Simon patent incorporated herein by reference, may slidably seat over 
the shoulder and then be mounted thereto via screws, sonic welding or the 
like. 
Alternatively, a screw 162 may serve as the means for mounting 72. A perch 
or the like may be screwed onto the screw 162 such that it is removably 
attached to the center column 116. In this fashion, a plurality of perches 
may be attached to different column portions, and each of the column 
portions rotated relative to each other so that no two perches lie too 
close to one another. Additionally, this allows a user to change the 
configuration of the tower 10 in general, thus amusing a bird that is to 
be seated thereupon. By changing the configuration of the tower 10 upon 
occasion, the interest of the bird may be maintained which can result in 
better health and longevity of the bird. 
As shown in FIG. 7, in assembling the center or central column there is 
provided an upstanding post 100 having a first end (not shown) secured to 
the tray 14 by any suitable means and an opposite, second end 102. The 
post has a height substantially equal to that of the column. Each collar 
or portion 56 has a diameter greater than the post and is 
circumferentially disposed therearound. Thus, the portions 56 are stacked 
atop each other about the post. 
The post may comprise a plurality of threadably interconnected segments to 
enable alteration of the height of the post. 
In utilizing the central post, the top or uppermost collar 104 or portion 
surmounts the top of the post. The uppermost collar is, then, threadably 
connected to the post via a threaded stud 106. By so-fastening the top 
collar, it creates a compressive force on the other portions to hold them 
fast. The force is sufficient to eliminate the need for the notch and 
detent assembly. Thus, the positioning of the accessories is achieved by 
relative positioning of the associated collars. 
As is evident from the foregoing detailed description of the preferred 
embodiments of the present invention, the tower 10 presents advantages 
over the devices utilized in the past. The tower 10 is easier to use and 
provides the configurability that has not heretofore been available. 
As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different 
embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in 
various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention.