Abstract: A perch for a domestic bird has a tree suspended from the ceiling or other overhanging structure. The tree portion may be made using a natural hardwood or artificial tree, such as a manzanita tree, suspending its trunk and major branches in a substantially horizontal orientation. The perch is prevented from rotating about vertical and horizontal axes through the perch by being suspended at three points forming a triangle circumscribing a substantial part of the perch, including its center of gravity. In a preferred version, a bird using the perch is prevented from crawling upward on a suspension member by a disk which is mounted on the suspension member in such a way that it can be easily tipped. The perch also includes a feeding dish connected thereto by a quick release mechanism, including a pin assembly extending from the dish into a coupling which accepts the pin assembly at one angular orientation while it holds the pin assembly in place at another angular orientation.

Abstract: A torque converter and slipping clutch assembly wherein the clutch engagement force is determined by the torque transmitted by the turbine of the torque converter. The clutch engagement force is controlled by differential pressure on opposite sides of the clutch plate. The pressure on one side of the clutch plate is determined by fluid flow through a variable restriction and a fixed restriction arranged in series. The size of the variable restriction opening changes in response to the torque transmitted by the turbine.