Liquid container for animals

A spring-loaded mounting bracket for attaching a drinking bowl to a support, the bracket comprising:

• a) a front plate comprising a raised region and an opening;
• b) a back plate connected to the front plate in face-to-face orientation;
• c) a middle plate sandwiched between the front and back plates for reciprocating movement therebetween, the middle plate comprising a raised region which passes through the front plate opening and aligns with the raised region of the front plate, the raised regions cooperating to form a clamp for holding a support;
• d) a spring connected to the middle plate and the front or back plate to provide tension for closing the clamp formed by the raised regions as the middle plate reciprocates between the front and back plates;
• and
• e) means for attaching the bracket to a drinking bowl.

A retaining clip for attaching a drinking bowl to a support, the retaining clip comprising:

• a) a front plate comprising means for attaching the retaining clip to a drinking bowl;
• b) a retainer plate connected to the front plate to hold the front plate to a support;
• and
• c) a latch on the front plate that prevents unwanted removal of the drinking bowl from the retaining clip.

A drinking bowl assembly, comprising:

• a) a drinking bowl that comprises:
• i) a container for holding liquid, the container comprising a closed bottom, a sidewall connected to the closed bottom, and an open top defined by the sidewall;
• and
• ii) a buoyant member disposed within the container for covering liquid held therewithin, the buoyant member being hingedly connected to the sidewall and moveable, when liquid is in the container, between a position of floating in liquid and a position of resting on the container bottom, wherein the buoyant member has at least one opening for access to liquid in the container;
• and
• b) a mounting bracket for attaching the drinking bowl to a support.