Abstract:
A bird feeder designed for overhead positioning is provided having a dispensing component which protectively holds and controllably dispenses particulate bird feed, and a refilling component liftable by an elongated staff and configured to add bird feed to the dispensing component.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to bird feeding devices, and more particularly relates to the re-filling of bird feeding devices intended for overhead installation. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Bird feeding devices, as generally employed on residential properties, are usually positioned at elevated locations above the ground as by way of pendant attachment to a tree or support upon a pole. The feeder device is generally comprised of a housing for protectively holding a quantity of particulate bird feed material, said housing having apertures for dispensing the feed in a reasonably controlled manner, and usually at least one horizontally protruding perch to serve as a roost for birds. 
     The re-filling of the feeder housing with bird feed often requires the use of a climbing device such as a step stool or ladder to remove the feeder from its elevated position and then replace it reloaded with bird feed. Such procedure involves inconvenience and risk of accident, and further involves the need to own and store a ladder or step stool. 
     There has been earlier disclosed the use of pulley devices and similar mechanical innovations to facilitate the raising and lowering of bird feeders. However, such devices involve installation challenges and are susceptible to malfunction or deterioration due to weathering factors. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bird feeder apparatus designed for overhead installation which obviates the need for climbing so as to service the apparatus for the purpose of re-filling it with particulate bird feed material. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a bird feeder apparatus as in the foregoing object which is resistant to malfunction, easy to service and amenable to low cost manufacture. 
     These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above and other beneficial objects and advantages are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by a bird feeder comprised of: 
     1. a dispensing component comprised of: 
     
         
         
           
             a) a housing adapted to confine a quantity of particulate bird feed material with reasonable protection from the effects of rainwater, 
             b) release aperture means associated with said housing for permitting controlled removal of said feed material by birds, 
             c) a refill port located in an upper region of said housing, and 
             d) adjustable closure means associated with said refill port, and
 
2. a refilling component comprised of:
 
             a) a compartment for holding an amount of said particulate bird feed, and comprised of upper and lower portions with intervening circuitous sidewall structure having a downwardly convergent region, 
             b) a hollow stem downwardly emergent from said convergent region as a continuous integral extension thereof and having a downwardly tapered size and shape adapted to penetrate the refill port of said housing, and 
             c) flapper valve means interactive with said stem portion and biased in a normally closed state and adapted to automatically move in opposition to said biasing effect to an open state upon contact with said refill port to permit gravity flow of said feed into said housing, and 
             d) an elongated handling staff extending between a lower extremity and an upper extremity pivotally joined to an upper portion of said compartment. 
           
         
       
    
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing: 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of an embodiment of the refilling component of the bird feeder apparatus of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of an embodiment of a dispensing component interactive with the refilling component of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a top and side perspective view of the dispensing component of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  shows how the refilling component can manipulate an adjustable closure means associated with the refill port of said dispensing component. 
         FIG. 5  is a front and side perspective view showing the refilling component of  FIG. 1  in the process of interacting with the dispensing component of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-5 , an embodiment of the bird feeder apparatus  10  of the present invention is shown comprised of dispensing component  11  and refilling component  12 . 
     Dispensing component  11  includes a housing  13  adapted to confine a quantity of particulate bird feed material  14  with reasonable protection from the effects of rainwater. Housing  13  of the exemplified embodiment is comprised of a roof member  15 , opposed sidewalls  16 , floor panel  17  and opposed front and rear walls  18  and  19 , respectively. The several parts of said housing are preferably fabricated of plastic materials which may be transparent. Release aperture means are provided in the form of horizontally elongated slots  20  adjacent floor  17  for permitting controlled removal of said feed material by birds. A refill port  21  is positioned in roof member  15 . Adjustable closure means in the form of lid  22  is attached by pivot means  23  to port  21 . A manipulating arm  24  extends from lid  22  as a continuous extension thereof. Roosting rails  25  extend outwardly from floor  17  to enable birds to perch while feeding. 
     Refilling component  12  includes a compartment  26  for holding an amount of said bird feed and comprised of upper and lower portions  27  and  28 , respectively with intervening circuitous sidewall structure  29  having a region  30  which is downwardly convergent upon a vertical center axis  31 . In the exemplified embodiment, region  30  is formed of four panel portions which provide a rectangular cross-sectional orthogonal to axis  31 . 
     A hollow stem  32  is downwardly emergent from region  30  as a continuous integral extension thereof and having a downwardly tapered cross-sectional size and shape adapted to penetrate refill port  21  of housing  13 . Valve means  34  is interactive with stem  32  and constructed so as to be biased to a normally closed state which prevents downward passage of bird feed from compartment  26  through said stem. 
     The exemplified valve means  34  is comprised of elongated panel  35  joined at about mid-length to stem  32  by horizontally oriented pivot means  36 . Contact portion  40  of panel  35 , located above pivot means  36 , is forced outwardly from axis  31  by clothespin-type spring  37  secured by said pivot means. The effect of such action is to bias the portion of panel  35  below pivot means  36  into a position of closure of stem  32 . An elongated rigid handling staff  38 , which may be 2-6 feet long, extends between a lower extremity and a top extremity  39  pivotably joined to upper portion  27  of compartment  26 . 
     In operation, the refilling component is lifted by staff  38  to a position above housing  13  whereby, as best shown in  FIG. 4 , stem  32  is caused to contact manipulating arm  24  so as to pivot lid  22  to the open state of port  21 . Refilling component  12  is then axially oriented directly above port  21  and lowered. Stem  32  is thereby caused to penetrate port  21  to an extent whereby the inside perimeter of the port abuts against contact portion  40  of panel  35 . Such action, as best shown in  FIG. 5 , pushes contact portion  40  of valve means  34  toward axis  31  against the biasing effect of spring  37 , thereby opening stem  32  and allowing bird feed to fall by gravity effect into housing  13 . 
     Although the exemplified dispensing component is shown supported by a post  41 , it may also be pendently supported from a tree. Both dispensing component  11  and refilling component  12  may be of varied size and shape. Said release aperture means associated with housing  13  may consist of a series of apertures of varied size and location. 
     While particular examples of the present invention have been shown and described, it is apparent that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention in its broadest aspects. The aim of the appended claims, therefore, is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.