Abstract:
A squirrel teasing hanger assembly for a bird feeder emits sounds or illuminates lights when a squirrel or large bird alights on the bird feeder attached a lower support of the hanger assembly.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a squirrel teasing hanger assembly for a bird feeder or the like and more particularly to a squirrel teasing hanger for a bird feeder which is activated by the weight of the squirrel thereon or which may be activated by a remote control. More particularly, the teaser hanger assembly emits sounds, illuminates lights or mildly shocks the squirrel when the device is activated. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Several types of bird feeders have been designed for preventing unwanted animals such as squirrels from eating the bird food in the feeder. Little prior art exists on rodent repelling hangers where various types of plants, feeders and bird shelters may be hung therefrom. One type of bird feeder has weight-sensitive tiltable perches thereon so when a squirrel or large bird lands on the perch, the perch moves and dislodges the animal. This type of bird feeder is shown in Loken U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,765; Wessner U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,461; and Dehls U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,362. 
     Another type of device uses a shocking system to send an electric impulse into the unwanted animal when that animal attempts to eat from the feeder. This type of device is shown in Fry U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,732 and Collins U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,951. 
     Still another type of repelling device uses weight-sensitive devices to discourage the unwanted animal from feeding from the feeder. This device shuts off the food supply when a heavy animal or bird lands upon the perch. This type of device is taught in Drakos U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,238. 
     Yet another type of repelling device to which the present invention pertains senses the excessive weight of a squirrel or unwanted bird and removes the unwanted animal at a predetermined point in time. This type of device is taught in Hibbard U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,503; Korb U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,056; and Banyas U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,627. 
     Applicant has also filed a patent application on a squirrel repelling hanger for a bird feeder or the like which has been assigned Ser. No. 09/957,402 under the filing date of Sep. 20, 2001. 
     Although the squirrel repelling devices of the prior art are noteworthy, there are many instances when a person does not wish to repel squirrels from the bird feeder but wish to tease or play with the same without necessarily repelling the squirrel from the apparatus. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A squirrel teasing hanger assembly for a bird feeder or the like is disclosed comprising a housing having upper and lower ends with a lower support extending downwardly from the lower end of the housing which is movable between upper and lower positions with respect to the housing. The lower support is adapted to have a bird feeder or the like suspended therefrom. An upper support extends upwardly from the upper end of the housing for attachment to a supporting member such as a tree branch or the like. A sound-producing device is mounted in the housing and is powered by a battery-powered circuit in the housing. The lower support has a first electrical contact thereon which is movable with the lower support between its upper and. lower positions. A second electrical contact is provided in the housing which is engaged by the first electrical contact when the lower support is in its lower position and which is spaced from the first electrical contact when the lower support is in its upper position. The first and second electrical contacts are electrically connected to the battery powered circuit whereby the sound producing device will be activated when the first electrical contact is moved into electrical contact with the second electrical contact when the lower support has been moved to its lower position such as will be caused by the weight of a squirrel on the bird feeder. The sound-producing device will emit a sound such as that of a cat, dog, eagle, hawk, etc. Additionally, a light-emitting device is provided on the housing which will be illuminated to startle the squirrel on the bird feeder. For enjoyment purposes, the sound producing device and the light-emitting device may be actuated by a remote control circuit. 
     It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a squirrel teasing hanger assembly for a bird feeder or the like. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a teasing hanger assembly for a bird feeder or the like which is actuated when a squirrel or large bird is on the bird feeder. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a squirrel teasing hanger assembly for a bird feeder or the like which is remotely controlled. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a squirrel teasing hanger assembly for a bird feeder or the like which may mildly shock a squirrel on the bird feeder. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a squirrel teasing hanger assembly for a bird feeder or the like which emits sounds when the weight of a squirrel or bird on the bird feeder actuates the same. 
     These and other objects will be obvious to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention positioned between a tree limb and a bird feeder; and 
     FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The squirrel teasing hanger assembly for a bird feeder or the like of this invention is referred to generally by the reference numeral  10  which is designed to support a bird feeder  11  having food therein. The hanger assembly  10  generally includes an enclosed housing  12  having an upper end  14  and a lower end  16 . An upper hook or support  18  is secured to the housing and extends upwardly therefrom for mounting the same on a tree branch or the like such as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     The numeral  20  refers to a lower support in the form of a hook or the like to which the bird feeder  11  may be connected. Preferably, the lower support  20  is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material for a purpose to be described hereinafter. Lower support  20  is movable between upper and lower positions relative to the housing  12 . Metal spring  22  is provided in the housing  12  for yieldably maintaining lower support  20  in its upper position. An electrical contact  24  is electrically connected to the upper portion of the lower support  20  and is adapted to engage an electrical contact  26  when the lower support  20  is in its lower position. Contact  24  is connected to a conventional circuit board  28  by lead  30 . Contact  26  is electrically connected to the circuit board  28  by lead  32 . 
     The, numeral  34  refers to a sound producing mechanism of conventional construction which when activated emits sounds through a speaker  36  provided in the housing  12 . The circuit board and the circuitry associated therewith are powered by batteries  38 . The numeral  40  refers to a light emitting device such as a light bulb or the like which is activated at the same time the sound producing mechanism  34  is activated. The numeral  42  refers to a conventional remote control receiver which is connected to the circuitry for activating the circuitry upon receiving a signal from a conventional remote control. An on-off switch  46  is also provided. 
     The resiliency of the spring  22  is such that when a filled bird feeder  11  is supported on the lower support  20 , the electrical contacts  24  and  26  will be spaced from one another. If the on-off switch  46  is in the “on” position, the sound producing mechanism  34  and the light emitting device  40  may be remotely activated. If the on-off switch is “on,” the weight of a squirrel or large bird on the bird feeder  11  will cause the lower support  20  to move to its lower position so that the contacts  24  and  26  are electrically engaged to activate the sound producing mechanism  34  and the light  40 . Preferably, the sound producing mechanism  34  emits the sound of a cat, dog, eagle, hawk, or other animal. Thus, when a squirrel is on the bird feeder  11 , the squirrel is teased or startled by the action of the sound producing mechanism  34  or the light  40 . 
     If the upper end of the bird feeder  11  is constructed of a metal material, and if the contact  24  is electrically connected to the upper end of the lower support  20 , a mild electrical current will pass through the lower support  20 , and into the upper end of the bird feeder to mildly shock the squirrel if the squirrel is in contact with the metal portion of the upper end of the bird feeder. 
     Thus it can be seen that a novel squirrel teasing hanger assembly for a bird feeder or the like has been provided which accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.