Bird Housing Mounting Apparatus and Method

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a bird housing apparatus and method. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a new, novel apparatus and method for mounting a bird housing including pre-adjusted tensioning means for securing the same.

2. Description of the Background

It has been estimated that over 1,000,000 bird housings of various types are used throughout the United States. These bird housings include the typical bird houses and bird feeders. They also include assorted so called "whirley-jigs" which are devices employing wind power to enable some type of movement--e.g. a man cutting wood.

Many of these bird housings are affixed on the top of vertically oriented poles. Such mounting provides protection for the birds and their nests from earth bound predators. However, such mounting entails considerable difficulty for removal of the bird housing for cleaning or maintenance. Since one end of the poles is typically permanently affixed to the ground, it becomes necessary to use a ladder to reach the top of the pole. The presently available mounting devices are awkward to work with by a person balancing on top of a ladder. Presently available mountings include a sleeve threaded to the top of the pole or secured with some type of through bolt.

The poles are most often tubular and are made of either steel or PVC material. There are about three different size poles which are most often used. To effect use of the threaded mounting, it is necessary to obtain a pole with threads to match the sleeve. This is sometimes difficult. The threads may be damaged upon installation of the bird house. Over time, the threads may also become difficult to turn due to corrosion, rust, etc. Therefore, both installation and removal is often difficult and time consuming.

The mountings which have a through bolt, allen screws, etc. for securing a sleeve to the pole also have to be selected to match the pole diameter. If the pole is made of steel, it can be difficult to drill holes for the through bolt.

The mountings described above are both difficult to install and remove. It is desirable to have a single mounting apparatus or kit which will fit to most presently used poles. It is also desirable that they are mounted and removed simply and easily within seconds. Those skilled in the art have long sought and will appreciate the novel features of the present invention which solves these and other problems.

The present invention is directed to an improved bird housing mounting apparatus and method. This method and invention is generally for use with vertically oriented tubular members on top of which is disposed the bird housing. The present invention includes means for connecting to each of the three most common size diameter poles. These three sizes are almost always used for pole mounting bird housings. The present invention includes a base plate which is affixed to the bird housing. A straight rod attaches to the base plate. Along the straight rod, adjacent the base plate, a centralizer is disposed. A pre-adjusted tension element is also on this straight rod.

After affixing the bird housing to the base plate, straight rod, centralizer, and pre-adjusted tension element, the assembly is inserted into upper end of the tubular member. The pre-adjusted tension element presses against the inner wall of the tubular member at a relatively constant pre-determined amount. This tension limits movement of the assembly. However, the tension is pre-adjusted to an amount which allows for relatively easy insertion and removal. The tension is typically set so that a force in the range of from approximately 2 to 15 pounds is necessary to remove or insert the bird house and assembly. Since the assembly and bird house are typically relatively light, the overall force required to remove the bird house may be easily applied even when a person is on a ladder. On the other hand, the Applicant has observed that the bird housing is mounted in this manner with sufficient force so that the bird housing will remain in place even during a hurricane.

One embodiment of the present invention includes tension elements which are more easily removed by first rotating and pulling upwardly on the mounting assembly and/or the bird housing. Such rotation and upward pulling breaks the grip of the tension element and allows for a reduced force to remove the bird housing and installation assembly.

Other features and intended advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent by the references to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partially in section, of a bird housing mounting in accord with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partially in section, of the bird housing mounting of FIG. 1 in greater detail; and

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, partially in section, of an alternative bird housing mounting in accord with the present invention.

While the invention will be described in connection with the presently preferred embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to this embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included in the spirit of the invention.

The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus for quickly and easily mounting and removing a bird housing on a tubular member.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an overall view of bird housing 4 mounted on tubular member 9 using assembly 6. Assembly 6 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. Bird housing 4 is shown mounted at the upper portion 18 of tubular member 9. The other end 20 of tubular member 9 is fixed with respect to the earth. Typically tubular member 9 will be driven or cemented into the earth so that tubular member 9 is effectively permanently secured in position. By the term "bird housing", it is understood that this may be a bird house, bird feeder, whirley-jig, or other type of housing used for birds.

Centralizer discs 11, 12, and 13 may be separate removable discs or may be bonded into a single unit. If discs 11, 12, and 13 are bonded together, then a smaller diameter tubular member 9 may result in discs 13 and/or 16 extending past upper portion 18 of tubular member 9 after installation of assembly 6. In this case, the discs which extend past upper portion 18 may rest on tubular member 9 to support bird housing 4. Straight rod 10 is centralized within tubular member 9 by centralizer discs 11, 12, and 13. The inventor has observed that almost invariably tubular member 9 is chosen to be one of three sizes--3/4 in., 1 in., or 11/2 in. The outer diameters of 11, 12, and 13, respectively, are selected to match to these common sizes. They may be approximately 1/16 inch larger than the internal diameter to provide extra force to hold mounting assembly 6 in place. In the present embodiment, tubular member 9 has an inner diameter which mates to the outer diameter of centralizer disc 13. If tubular member 9 has a smaller diameter, then it will almost invariably match the outer diameter of either disc 11 or 12. In this way, the present invention is adaptable to the various sizes of tubular member 9 which are typically used for purposes of mounting bird housing 4.

A bird house such as bird housing 4 is shown connected to base plate 16 by screws 15. The attachment may also be made with nails, glue, etc. The base plate 16 is generally of a substantially greater diameter than tubular member 9 to provide support for bird housing 4. This larger diameter base plate 16 also provides a solid stop to rest against the upper end 18 of tubular member 9. Base plate 16 is typically formed of metal such as steel.

Since tubular member 9 is generally vertically oriented with respect to the earth, components of the present invention may be conveniently described in terms such as "upper", "lower", and "vertical". This framework of description is made without any intent to limit the present invention. Rather, it is believed this framework of description will facilitate understanding of the present invention.

The upper portion 14 of substantially straight rod 10 may connect to plate 16 with screw 17 or by other means. Upper portion 14 is shown as extending through centralizers 11, 12, and 13. Upper portion 14 may also have a threaded end and screw into a mating component of baseplate 16. Such an arrangement will be shown when discussing alternative embodiment 30 of the present invention. Upper portion 14 may be connected to centralizers 11, 12, 13, and plate 16 by other means such as threads or additional screws.

Springs 7a and 7b are used to apply a force against the inner wall of tubular member 9. In a preferred embodiment, spring 7a and 7b include an arcuate portion such as portion 22 which presses against the interior wall of tubular member 9. This pressure is designed to prevent movement of springs 7a and 7b as well as straight rod 10. The pressure is maintained constant but can be pre-adjusted to the desired pressure by bending spring 7a and 7b outwardly or inwardly. It is generally desirable that the pressure exerted by the springs be approximately equal to prevent tilting of assembly 6. Springs 7a and 7b include a base portion 24 which is fixed to rod 10 by nuts 8. In a preferred embodiment, two horizontal through bolts (not shown) with two mating nuts per spring are used to prevent rotation of spring 7a or 7b. The through bolts may be spaced vertically with respect to each other. Alternatively or additionally, rod 10 may include rectangular sided recesses (not shown) into which base portion 24 fits to prevent rotation.

Spring 7a and 7b may be shaped differently than shown and still effect the required pressure against the inner wall of tubular member 9. For instance, arcuate section 22 may be more square or each spring may end at the point where arcuate section 22 is located. Alternatively spring 7a and 7b may extend substantially past arcuate portion 22. Springs 7a and 7b may even return to rod 10 (not shown) and be affixed thereto in some manner, such as by another set of vertically spaced bolts, screws, etc., so as to provide adjustment. While it is desirable to have at least two springs, three or more springs may be used depending on the size of tubular member 9 and the size of the springs. The springs are customary disposed opposite each other or 180 degrees apart around rod 10. Generally it is desirable to adjust the spring tension so an upwardly directed force approximately 2-15 pounds greater than the weight of the assembly plus bird house may be used to remove assembly 6 plus bird housing 4. Typically the spring pressure applied against the interior wall of tubular member 9 will be in the range of approximately 8-10 ounces per spring although a broader range from 5-15 ounces is also easy to achieve.

FIG. 3 discloses an alternative preferred embodiment mounting assembly 30. Straight rod 32 includes thread 34 over its length in a preferred embodiment. The upper end of rod 32 attaches to plate 40 with nut 36. Plate 40 carries housing 42 in which nut 36 is affixed. This arrangement leaves flat surface 44 exposed for mounting to a bird housing such as bird housing 4. Holes 46 may be used with wood screws or nails to mount plate 40 against bird housing 4. Nuts 38 and 48 as well as nuts 50 and 52 are used to position and hold generally elastomeric upper centralizers 54, 56, or 58 and lower centralizers 60, 62, or 64 along rod 10. Only one upper and lower centralizer is actually used depending on the size of the tubular member in which assembly 30 is to be mounted. The remaining centralizers may be removed as desired. Assembly 30 with an attached bird housing 4 is pushed into a tubular member for mounting. Elastomeric centralizers grip against the interior side of the tubular member in which it is disposed. Generally the elastomeric centralizers are cut to be approximately 1/16 inch larger than the inside diameter of tubular member 9. Rotation of assembly 30 fixes the assembly within the tubular member by increasing the tension of the elastomeric centralizers against the interior wall of the tubular member. This is because rotation tends to flatten the centralizer, as compared to pushing the centralizer into the tubular member 9 which causes it to adopt a slightly conical shape. Since it tends to flatten out, the elastomeric centralizer thereby increases the tension applied against the interior wall. Rotation of the assembly 30 while pulling on assembly 30 reduces the tension created by the initial rotation, in a reverse manner, and allows for removal of the assembly. The centralizers need to be slightly oversize with respect to size of the tubular member for effecting greater and lesser tensioning through rotation of assembly 30. This same technique may also be applicable to upper centralizers 11, 12, and 13 if desirable.

Variation in tensioning can be effected by varying the thickness, flexibility, and diameter of the centralizers. By choosing some specific centralizer for a specific tubular member the tension is pre-adjusted. Generally assembly 30 requires in the approximate range of from 5-15 pounds over the weight of bird housing 4 and assembly 30 for removal prior to an initial rotation and upward pull which substantially lower the required removal force. The upward pull could be adjusted somewhat higher, to approximately 20 pounds, if this was desirable.

The foregoing description of the invention has been directed in primary part to particular, preferred embodiments in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes and for purposes of illustration. It will be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes in the specifically described embodiments may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not restricted to the preferred embodiment illustrated but covers all modifications which may fall within the scope of the following claims.