Patent ID: 8006642

Claim:
A container fill and pole protection system for a bird feeder having a feed housing and a bird feed tray slideably mounted on an elongated vertically standing pole with an outside surface and an upper end, said system comprising: sheath means for protecting the surface of the pole from scratches and other harmful abrasions, for eliminating the entry and buildup of feed residue around the surface of the pole, and for preventing the loss of feed when the feed housing is removed from the pole, said sheath means having upper and lower ends and being slideably mounted on and encircling the pole; bird feed receptacle means for facilitating filling of the feed housing means with bird feed, said receptacle means being removeably positioned on the feed housing and around the pole and having channel means for receiving the upper end of the sheath means; and second channel means for receiving the lower end of the sheath means to the feed tray, said second channel means being upstanding from the bird feed tray, whereby the sheath means, feed tray, receptacle means, and feed housing are slideable as a single unit up and down along the pole.