# US 9,038,570 B2 · Tube bird feeder > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,570 B2 - Document ID: US9038570B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/986,805 - Filed: 2013-06-07 - Published: 2014-12-11 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-07 - Assignees: PLC Patents and Trademarks Inc. - Applicants: Paul L. Cote - Inventors: Paul L. Cote - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038570B2 ## CPC - A01K 39/0106: {for solid feed, e.g. grit-cake holders (licking-stone holders for stock or game A01K5/015)} - A01K 39/012: filling automatically {, e.g. by gravity from a reserve} - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS ## Abstract A tube bird feeder comprising a seed tube having a side wall and at least one feed opening in the side wall, a top ring mounted on a top marginal edge of the seed tube, a cover removably engaged with the top ring, at least one perch mounted on the seed tube proximate the feed opening, and a base member removably secured to the seed tube adjacent the bottom marginal edge, the base portion having a protrusion engaging with an aperture in the seed tube proximate the bottom marginal edge. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tube bird feeder comprising: a seed tube having a side wall, at least one feed opening in said side wall, said side wall having a top marginal edge and a bottom marginal edge; a top ring mounted on said top marginal edge; a cover removably engaged with said top ring; at least one perch mounted on said seed tube wall proximate said feed opening; and a base member removably secured to said seed tube adjacent said bottom marginal edge, said base member having a protrusion, an aperture formed in said seed tube wall proximate said bottom marginal edge and spaced from said at least one feed opening said protrusion engaging with said aperture. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tube bird feeder of claim 1 wherein said top ring has a top ring side wall extending downwardly coextensively with a portion of said seed tube wall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tube bird feeder of claim 2 wherein said seed tube wall is formed of a flexible plastic material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tube bird feeder of claim 3 wherein said top ring has a plurality of protrusions thereon, said seed tube wall having a plurality of recesses proximate said top marginal edge, the arrangement being such that said protrusions fit within said recesses to maintain said top ring side wall in position exteriorly of said seed tube wall. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The tube bird feeder of claim 4 wherein said protrusions have a tapered front wall to permit placement of said ring over said seed tube wall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The tube bird feeder of claim 4 wherein said ring has an upwardly and outwardly extending flange. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The tube bird feeder of claim 6 wherein said flange includes a sloping top wall to provide a funnel like configuration. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The tube bird feeder of claim 6 wherein said upwardly and outwardly extending flange includes a plurality of cutouts formed in a side marginal edge thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The tube bird feeder of claim 8 further including at least one undercut in said flange adjacent each of said cutouts. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The tube bird feeder of claim 9 wherein said cover comprises a top wall and a side wall, said side wall having a plurality of protrusions, each of said protrusions being designed to fit through a corresponding cutout and engage with a corresponding undercut to thereby latch said cover in position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The tube bird feeder of claim 10 wherein said cover has a downwardly extending structure from a lower surface of said top wall; a bail having a hook portion and a leg, said leg being sized and configured to pass through an opening in said top wall and be retained by said downwardly extending structure in a manner such that said bail cannot be removed while permitting rotatable movement thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) The tube bird feeder of claim 3 wherein said base has an inner bottom wall to support seed placed in said feed tube, said bottom wall having a raised central portion and downwardly sloping side portions to thereby direct food outwardly towards said seed tube wall. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The tube bird feeder of claim 12 further including a plurality of drainage and ventilation apertures formed in said bottom wall of said base, said tube bird feeder also having ventilation openings proximate a top end thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The tube bird feeder of claim 12 wherein said base member includes a side wall, said side wall being arranged to be coextensive with a portion of said bottom marginal edge of said seed tube, said side wall having said protrusion extending outwardly therefrom, said protrusion being designed to fit within said aperture. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The tube bird feeder of claim 1 wherein said protrusion on said base member has a sloping front wall, the sloping front wall tapering outwardly from a top towards the bottom thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The tube bird feeder of claim 1 wherein said base member includes a stopper, said stopper aligning said aperture formed in said seed tube wall proximate said bottom marginal edge with said protrusion on said base member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The tube bird feeder of claim 14 wherein said base comprises an upper base portion and a lower base portion, said upper base portion including said inner bottom wall, said lower base portion having a center structure, said center structure having a wall surrounding a recess, said recess being sized to receive one end of a mounting pole, said recess having a cylindrical element therein to receive a second end of said mounting pole. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The tube bird feeder of claim 17 wherein said base includes a plurality of ribs extending between said center structure and said side wall. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The tube bird feeder of claim 1 further including a seed tray to catch spilled seeds, said seed tray being retained in position between said base and said at least one perch, said seed tray having a central aperture to permit passage therethrough of said seed tube. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The tube bird feeder of claim 19 wherein said seed tray has a seed tray bottom wall, said seed tray bottom wall sloping downwardly from an inner portion to an outer portion, said seed tray having drainage apertures formed therein.