Hopper type wild bird feeder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE48343-E
Application number	US-201816013651-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Jun 20, 2018
Priority date	May 3, 2010
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

There are generally two styles of modern bird feeders: the tubular feeder with a tubular reservoir and several perches attached to the tubular reservoir at various positions around the reservoir, and the more traditional rectangular bin style with one or two feeding stations. These bin feeders are constructed to feed only general bird seed of mixed variety and are not selectively configurable to feed a specific small seed like thistle. The disclosed bin feeder includes removable and repositionable bin sidewalls with appropriately shaped upper and lower longitudinal edges to exclusively provide appropriate openings for thistle feed along one of the longitudinal edges or an appropriate opening for generally larger seed along the other of the longitudinal edges.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A feeder for wild birds comprising:
a bin having edge portions and a feeding station, the bin adapted to hold bird seed; and
at least one sidewall having a first edge disposed opposite a second edge, the first edge having a relatively large slot and the second edge having a plurality of relatively small ports, the sidewall being invertible, such that the edge portions of the bin are adapted to receive the sidewall in an orientation based on a size of the bird seed, the orientation positioning the first edge adjacent to the feeding station where the size of the bird seed is relatively large and the orientation positioning the second edge adjacent to the feeding station where the size of the bird seed is relatively small; and
a perch positioned adjacent to the feeding station, an elongated support member engaged to the perch, the elongated support member including a plurality of ratchet detents, where the support member is received in a ratchet perch mount mounted to and below a floor of the bin.

2. The feeder of claim 1 , wherein the ratchet perch mount includes a flexible finger to engage the plurality of ratchet detents and hold the perch at a one of a plurality of distances away from the feeding station.

3. The feeder of claim 1 , wherein the floor includes edge portions, the ratchet perch mount positioned inward from the floor edge portions.

4. The feeder of claim 1 , wherein the ratchet perch mount is positioned adjacent to and coaxial with a socket to engage an end of a support pole.

5. The feeder of claim 1 , wherein the bin includes a floor defining a socket adapted to engage an end of a support pole.

6. The feeder of claim 1 , wherein the feeding station includes a trough adapted to receive the large seeds via the large slot and the small seeds via the plurality of small ports.

7. The feeder of claim 1 , wherein the slot is defined by tabs located at opposite sides of the first edge and a gap extending along the first edge between the tabs.

8. The feeder of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sidewall is transparent.

9. The feeder of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sidewall is a panel of substantially uniform thickness.

10. The feeder of claim 1 , further comprising:
a roof adapted to engage the bin to cover the supply of seed.

11. The feeder of claim 10 , wherein the roof defines an opening to receive a hanger wire engaged to a ridge beam of the bin, and where the roof is detachable from the bin.

12. A feeder for wild birds comprising:
a bin having a feeding station, the bin adapted to hold a supply of seed;
at least one sidewall having a first edge and a second edge, the first edge having a relatively large slot and the second edge having a plurality of relatively small ports, the at least one sidewall being invertible such that either the first edge or the second edge may be selectively positioned adjacent to the feeding station; and
a perch including a support defining a series of ratchet detents, the support projecting from an inboard receiver mounted to the bin and received in a ratchet perch mount permitting the perch to be positioned at varying distances from the feeding station.

13. The feeder of claim 12 , wherein the large slot is sized to permit relatively large seeds to pass therethrough and the small ports are sized to permit relatively small seeds to pass therethrough.

14. The feeder of claim 12 , wherein the inboard receiver is positioned adjacent a socket adapted to engage an upper end of a support pole.

Assignees

• Classic Brands Llc

Inventors

• Donegan Robert
• Carter James
• Krueger Bryan

Classifications

• A01K39/012 Primary

  filling automatically {, e.g. by gravity from a reserve} · CPC title