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 to 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 or illuminates lights. 
   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. 
   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 is suspended from a load cell mounted in the housing. The load cell is electrically connected to a battery powered printed circuit board including a microprocessor whereby the sound-producing device will be activated when the load cell senses the weight of a squirrel or large bird 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 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 with portions thereof cut away to more fully illustrate 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 connected to a load cell  22  of conventional design. The load cell may be a S-load cell, a beam load cell, or any other type of load cell available on the market. The load cell  22  is conventionally connected by leads  30  and  32  to a conventional circuit board  28  including a microprocessor in conventional fashion. 
   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 load cell  22  is calibrated such that when a filled bird feeder  11  is supported on the lower support  20 , the circuit will be open. If a predetermined weight is placed on the bird feeder  11 , such as a squirrel or large bird, the load cell  22  will activate the circuit board  28 . 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 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 . 
   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.