Having Easy Cleaning Structure Patents (Class 119/432)
  • Patent number: 11272691
    Abstract: A modular avian structure is provided. The structure includes a first shelter member, a second shelter member secured to the first shelter to define an enclosure having an interior volume, and an adjustable partition assembly positioned within the interior volume. Partition panels of the partition assembly may be manipulated to divide the interior volume into multiple different compartmental configurations as desired by a user. Each compartmental configuration is defined by a plurality of separate walled compartments, each of which may be utilized as either a bird dwelling compartment or as a feed storage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Inventor: Carl Elwood Barrett
  • Patent number: 11105460
    Abstract: The present disclosure is a post mount that has a fence post with a protrusion that expands a length of the fence post. Further, the post mount has a support stud that has one or more openings for receiving one or more fasteners and slot originating at a bottom of the support stud and terminating before the top of the support stud. The slot goes through the support stud from a front of the support stud and opening in a back of the support stud. The slot receives the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Inventors: Jack Smith, Jason Goolsby
  • Patent number: 10869459
    Abstract: A method for producing a mixed salt of sodium and aluminum includes providing a solution comprising water, sodium chloride and sulfuric acid, heating the solution to a temperature between 180° F. and 300° F. so that the sodium chloride reacts with the sulfuric acid to form sodium bisulfate and hydrochloric acid and then continue heating until the solution is essentially free of the hydrochloric acid, adding aluminum or an aluminum compound to the solution to form the mixed salt comprising a sodium aluminum sulfate compound and solidifying the mixed salt to form the sodium aluminum sulfate compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: USALCO, LLC
    Inventors: James M. Dulko, Bruce Wonder
  • Patent number: 9414574
    Abstract: A bird feeder is provided having a seed reservoir with a side wall that has at least one seed access opening and a squirrel resistant feed port assembly having a seed access restrictor. The seed access restrictor has a body with an inner opening in communication with the reservoir side wall opening and an outer seed access opening that is spaced away from the inner opening and the reservoir side wall opening while being in communication therewith. The outer seed access opening of the restrictor is small enough and the length of the body is long enough that the squirrel resistant feed port assembly allows birds to access seed in the reservoir while blocking entry of the larger facial and head structure of a squirrel, thus preventing squirrels from gaining seed access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: WOODSTREAM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Judith Hoysak
  • Patent number: 8662018
    Abstract: A Easy-To-Clean birdhouse that can be mounted at or above a person's reach includes a plurality of walls one of which is a front wall. The front wall includes an access hole for a bird and a tool-hole opening which extends from an inside surface to an outside surface of the front wall. A hinged floor having a top surface, a bottom surface, a rear end and a front end is pivotly attached about its rear end to two walls of the housing, the front end abuts the inside surface of the front wall, and the top surface is located below the top of the tool-hole opening in the front wall. Whereby, when a tool is inserted into the tool-hole and moved down, it will contact the top surface of the hinged floor and urge the hinged floor to swing down from a horizontal position to a vertical position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Inventors: Marion L. Beery, Jack Beery
  • Patent number: 8561574
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include methods and apparatuses relating to animal specimen collection and animal specimen collection stations. In an embodiment, multiple chambers each contain a single animal, and wells on a removable floor on each of the chambers may collect animal specimens. The wells may be dimensioned with a depth and width such that the animals may not disturb, contact, or contaminate specimens contained within a well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Vanderbilt University
    Inventors: Elena E. Tchekneva, Mikhail M. Dikov, Veronika Kadkina, Dina Polosukhina
  • Patent number: 8544418
    Abstract: An intelligent doghouse full-automatic processor includes a cage bracket module, and an automatic excrement treating device, a feeding module, a water feeding module, a snack feeding module, a disinfection and heat preservation device and a video/audio module which are arranged on the cage bracket module as well as an automatic door control module, a host computer control module, a network communication module, a background control service module, a terminal use program and the like. With the modules, an owner can remotely monitor an intelligent doghouse, perform video/audio conversation with a pet dog and control and manage the eating and drinking, defecation and entering and exiting cage of the pet dog, disinfection of the cage and temperature regulation of air inside the cage by a computer or a mobile phone through a network browser. Moreover, parameters of the intelligent doghouse can be set through network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Hong Kong Tesla Technology Limited
    Inventors: Wei Jiang, Hailong Qin
  • Publication number: 20120012066
    Abstract: A Easy-To-Clean birdhouse that can be mounted at or above a person's reach includes a plurality of walls one of which is a front wall. The front wall includes an access hole for a bird and a tool-hole opening which extends from an inside surface to an outside surface of the front wall. A hinged floor having a top surface, a bottom surface, a rear end and a front end is pivotly attached about its rear end to two walls of the housing, the front end abuts the inside surface of the front wall, and the top surface is located below the top of the tool-hole opening in the front wall. Whereby, when a tool is inserted into the tool-hole and moved down, it will contact the top surface of the hinged floor and urge the hinged floor to swing down from a horizontal position to a vertical position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Marion L. Beery, Jack Beery
  • Patent number: 7516716
    Abstract: A bird feeder including a container or holder for holding bird feed that has both open top and bottom ends, a plurality of feeding ports, a plurality of perches, a removable base and a manually operated latch member supported by the base. The latch member includes a plurality of latch extensions for engagement with holes in the base and a plurality of fingers for releasable engagement with the port assemblies. The feed port assembly includes a port member, an insert member for engagement with the fastener and a container for securing the port member with the insert member. A mount supports the bird feeder from below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Droll Yankees, Inc.
    Inventors: Betsy P. Puckett, Marco Wo, James Vincent Bonnema
  • Patent number: 7380519
    Abstract: A pet litter box includes a litter container for storing liquid-passing litter and a liquid-absorbing sheet tray for holding a liquid-absorbing sheet. The front-back direction of the liquid-absorbing sheet can be changed without removing the liquid-absorbing sheet from the tray. The pet litter box includes a litter box main body having an opening from which pets enter. The litter box main body includes a litter container for storing liquid-passing litter formed of plural of granular materials provided therein, a liquid-absorbing sheet placed below the litter container for absorbing the liquid passing through the litter, and a liquid-absorbing sheet tray for holding the liquid-absorbing sheet. The liquid absorbing sheet tray can be withdrawn and removed from the front of the litter box main body and reversible in the front-back direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Petcare Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Ikegami, Takayuki Matsuo
  • Patent number: 7182042
    Abstract: A self-latching hinge mechanism (14) and apparatus (10) for applications where access to a pole mounted device is required. The hinge comprises a top section (28) with a cantilevered tail piece (38) which extends beyond a pivot (36) connected at the top (40) of a lower section (30). A latch consists of an encircling slide (32) which binds the tail piece (38) to the lower part of the pivot section (30) when in the lowered, locked position and allows the top section piece (28) to rotate relative to the lower section (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Inventor: Charles H. Anderson
  • Patent number: 7011824
    Abstract: A method of treating animal manure solids comprises contacting the solids with a treatment composition comprising AlCl3.nH2O or Al(NO3)3.mH2O, or the residue of AlCl3.nH2O or Al(NO3)3.mH2O, to form a treated waste product, wherein n is from 0 to 10, and m is from 0 to 12. The treatment amount can be effective to reduce phosphorus solubility in the manure; reduce phosphorus runoff and/or phosphorus leaching from fields fertilized with manure; inhibit ammonia volatilization from the manure; flocculate solids in the manure; reduce pathogens in the manure; increase the nitrogen content in the manure; and/or reduce acid rain and PM-10s associated with the manure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture, The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
    Inventor: Philip A. Moore, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6923143
    Abstract: A bird cage having a frame including a base assembly, cover assembly and corner towers that join the base and cover assemblies. The front, back, sides and top of the cage are enclosed by wire grills. The towers are made of light pervious material such as clear or translucent plastic and carry feeding stations. The cage is expandable. The base assembly includes an easily removable tray for collecting droppings in the cage, and the tray carries a wire grill platform within the cage which may be removed by partially withdrawing the tray and without otherwise disturbing the base assembly. A bird cage stand composed of two identical but inverse sub-assemblies provides storage space for feed and cage accessories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Rolf C. Hagen, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin Plante, Marc LaFond
  • Patent number: 6516750
    Abstract: A modular birdhouse in accordance with the present invention includes a support pole, a collar, at least one wire form and at least one nest module. First, the collar is slidably connected to the pole. The wire form has a square shape, and the ends of the wire form are upturned and inserted into corresponding openings in the collar. The collar includes coordinated flanges with fasteners that fix the wire forms to the collar. Two or more collars can be interconnected in a stacked manner to create tiers of nest modules. Each nest module has a plurality of connector slots. For attachment, the nest module is positioned within the square shape of the wire form and then rotated until the connector slots of the nest module engage the wire form. A porch structure interconnects the wire form to the nest module to prevent further rotation and disengagement of the nest module. Nest modules may be added or removed from the wire forms as desired by the operator and without the use of tools and/or implements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Inventor: Jerry E. Heinzeroth
  • Patent number: 6405679
    Abstract: An improved plastic colony bird house with nesting compartments, especially for purple martins. This invention is made of two main sections: a round outer shell that rotates about and is easily removed from the second main section, an inner core of pie shaped nesting compartments. The removal of the outer shell facilitates the easy cleaning of the nesting compartments with a simple garden hose at the end of the nesting season. The outer shell has multiple ingress and egress holes of sufficient size to allow easy access. The vertical wall dividers, separating each nesting compartment, feature a short horizontal plane making a tee structure. The outer shell can be rotated to the closed position, which places the tee structure at each entrance hole, thus blocking the entrance to the nesting compartments to unwanted species of birds. When the first migrating purple martins are seen in the area, the outer shell can be rotated to the open position to allow entrance to the nesting compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Inventor: Norbert P. Sonnek
  • Patent number: 6397781
    Abstract: A prefabricated bird house for easy assembly and transport and method of assembling the same. The bird house includes a plurality of walls wherein each pair of adjacent walls presents at least one pair of complemental latches that are configured for latching interengagement when the adjacent walls are assembled. When the latch elements are in latching interengagement, the walls are interconnected in such a manner that they are permitted to shift freely lengthwise relative to one another, but are prevented from shifting in a generally transverse, lateral direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Action Products Company
    Inventor: Bruce M. Bellington
  • Patent number: 6360690
    Abstract: A self-cleaning multistage bird feeder having a plurality of truncated hollow cones or funnels stacked vertically end to end. The truncated cones are stacked large end up with adjacent cones being spaced apart to define a plurality of annular feeding troughs. The feeder includes a cover over the uppermost cone and a disc under the lowermost cone. Perches extend outwardly from the cones and the disc. Bird food consequently travels downward through the feeder due to the feeding action of the birds. Bird food is purged from the bottom of the feeder and spills onto an apertured tray suspended under the disc. Additionally a hopper type feeder comprising a single truncated hollow cone or funnel, cover, disc and apertured tray wherein the disc provides a self cleaning platform feeding area and the disc and suspended tray provide superior viewing of feeding activity compared to conventional hopper type feeders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: GCB Bird Products, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas D. Canby
  • Patent number: 6346240
    Abstract: A method of treating liquid animal manure comprising contacting a manure slurry with a treatment composition comprising a treatment effective amount of AlCl3.nH2O or Al(NO3)3.mH2O, or the residue of AlCl3.nH2O or Al(NO3)3.mH2O, to form a resulting slurry, wherein n is from 0 to 10, and m is from 0 to 12. The treatment effective amount is effective to reduce phosphorus solubility in the manure; reduce phosphorus runoff and/or phosphorus leaching from fields fertilized with manure; inhibit ammonia volatilization from the manure; flocculate solids in the manure; reduce pathogens in the manure; increase the nitrogen content in the manure; and/or reduce acid rain and PM-10s associated with the manure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture, The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
    Inventor: Philip A. Moore, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5988111
    Abstract: A new seed platform for suspending below a bird feeder to catch feed that falls from the feeder. The inventive device includes a platform having a perimeter frame portion and a central portion. The central portion of the platform is generally flat and has a plurality of apertures of a predetermined size through it. A number of hooks are coupled to the upper face of frame portion of the platform. Each of the hooks has one end of an associated flexible member hooked thereon. The other end of each of the flexible members is attachable to the bottom of a bird feeder to suspend the platform below the bird feeder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Inventor: Erik Kujath
  • Patent number: 5957087
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a bird feeder having a bottom structure, a roof structure, and a side support structure extending between the bottom and roof structures. Disposed within the bird feeder is a sliding feed drawer. The sliding feed drawer normally assumes a position within the bird feeder. However the entire feed drawer can be removed from the bird feeder for easy and convenient cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Inventors: Carol P. Bonder, Murray Bonder
  • Patent number: 5957086
    Abstract: A cage particularly adapted for maintaining birds in a residential setting includes an upper enclosure having spaced apart, bar-formed top wall, bottom wall, and sidewalls. Corner posts of the enclosure are carried on corner posts of a caster riding carriage allowing ready cage relocation. Slidably carried by the carriage below the enclosure bottom wall is a bottom tray. The attached to the carriage and positioned about a lower end of the enclosure is a seed deflection screen. This screen includes a set of readily removable side panels having fastening elements that slide into openings in the carriage posts. The deflection screen additionally includes a front and a rear panel having end flanges that slip into channels on ends of the side panels to form interference fits. As carried, bottom edges of the screen panels are positioned to divert any seeds striking the panels into the bottom tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Inventor: Gilberto G. Gallardo
  • Patent number: 5765505
    Abstract: This invention relates to a closed type of sanitary bird house comprises a body part including a frame provided with slide grooves formed, and transparent viewing side walls, a base support located under the body part to hold the body part, a door member provided as a cover of the body part, an inclined bottom plate, and a discharging system, wherein the discharging system operates to remove the garbage, bad smell and the impure air in the bird house and the closed transparent viewing walls prevent the foul air in the bird house from streaming into users' room, so that the inside and outside environment of the sanitary bird house may be maintained clean and the users may enjoy the observation of the pet birds through the transparent viewing walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Inventor: Chang-geun Yun