Liquid reservoir and bird feeder incorporating the same

Abstract

A nutrient dispensing apparatus for birds having a hanger and two interchangeable dispensers supported by the hanger. Each dispenser includes a bottle for holding liquid or solid nutrients, and at least one basin into which the liquid or solid nutrients, water and bird feed, for example, are made available to the birds. The user can change the configuration of the dispensers as desired to provide just liquid nutrients, just solid nutrients or both. The flow rates for dispensing of the nutrients are different for each nutrient alternative.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A solid and liquid nutrient dispensing apparatus for birds and other animals comprising:
 a container adaptable to dispense first liquid nutrients and then solid nutrients, or vice versa, and being fully changeable therebetween thereafter, said container having an open end;   a liquid nutrient basin having a liquid nutrient dispensing region with an attachment collar positioned therein, said attachment collar configured to removably secure the liquid nutrient basin to said open end of said container to configure the container for dispensing liquid nutrients, said attachment collar having at least one liquid nutrient opening therein through which liquid nutrients in the container may flow into the liquid nutrient dispensing region when the liquid nutrient basin is secured to the open end of the container and the container is being used to dispense liquid nutrients; and   a solid nutrient basin having a solid nutrient dispensing region with an attachment collar therein, said attachment collar configured to removably secure the solid nutrient basin to said open end of said container to configure the container for dispensing solid nutrients, said attachment collar having at least one solid nutrient opening therein through which solid nutrients in the container may pass into the solid nutrient dispensing region when the solid nutrient basin is secured to the open end of the container and the container is being used to dispense solid nutrients.   
     
     
         21 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein said solid nutrient basin attachment collar is generally cylindrical. 
     
     
         22 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein said solid nutrient attachment collar extends upwardly from a central area of said solid nutrient dispensing region for securing said solid nutrient basin to said container. 
     
     
         23 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein said solid nutrient attachment collar includes a plurality of solid nutrient openings spaced around said solid nutrient attachment collar. 
     
     
         24 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein said liquid nutrient basin attachment collar is generally cylindrical. 
     
     
         25 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein said liquid nutrient attachment collar extends upwardly from a central area of said liquid nutrient dispensing region for securing said liquid nutrient basin to said container. 
     
     
         26 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein said liquid nutrient attachment collar includes a plurality of liquid nutrient openings spaced around said liquid nutrient attachment collar. 
     
     
         27 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein each of said attachment collars has internal threads and said container open end has external threads, said container being secured within a respective one of said attachment collars by rotating engagement of said external and said internal threads. 
     
     
         28 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein an upper end of said container has external threads, the liquid nutrient basin being attached to said upper end to provide an ornamental top when said solid nutrient basin is attached to said open end of said container and the container is configured for dispensing solid nutrients, and the solid nutrient basin being attached to said upper end to provide an ornamental top when said liquid nutrient basin is attached to said open end of the container and the container is configured for dispensing liquid nutrients. 
     
     
         29 . A nutrient dispensing apparatus for birds and other animals comprising:
 a container adaptable to dispense a first type of nutrients and then a second type of nutrients different from the first type of nutrients, or vice versa, and being fully changeable therebetween thereafter, said container having a dispensing end and a non-dispensing end;   a first nutrient basin having a first nutrient dispensing region with an attachment collar therein that is configured to removably secure the first nutrient basin to said dispensing end of said container to configure the container for dispensing the first type of nutrients, said attachment collar in said first nutrient basin having at least one first type nutrient opening therein through which nutrients of the first type in the container may flow into the first nutrient dispensing region when the first nutrient basin is secured to the dispensing end of the container and the container is being used to dispense the first type of nutrients; and   a second nutrient basin having a second nutrient dispensing region with an attachment collar therein that is configured to removably secure the second nutrient basin to said dispensing end of said container to configure the container for dispensing the second type of nutrients, said attachment collar in said second nutrient basin having at least one second type nutrient opening therein through which nutrients of the second type in the container may pass into the second nutrient dispensing region when the second nutrient basin is secured to the dispensing end of the container and the container is being used to dispense the second type of nutrients.   
     
     
         30 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein said attachment collar in said second nutrient basin is generally cylindrical. 
     
     
         31 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein said attachment collar in said second nutrient basin extends upwardly from a central area of said second nutrient dispensing region for securing said second nutrient basin to said container. 
     
     
         32 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein said second nutrient basin attachment collar includes a plurality of second type nutrient openings spaced from one another. 
     
     
         33 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein said attachment collar in said first nutrient basin is generally cylindrical. 
     
     
         34 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein said attachment collar in said first nutrient basin extends upwardly from a central area of said first nutrient dispensing region for securing said first nutrient basin to said container. 
     
     
         35 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein said first nutrient basin attachment collar includes a plurality of first type nutrient openings spaced from one another. 
     
     
         36 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein said second nutrient basin attachment collar includes a plurality of second type nutrient openings spaced from one another and said first nutrient basin attachment collar includes a plurality of first type nutrient openings spaced from one another, said first type nutrient openings being smaller than said second type nutrient openings. 
     
     
         37 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 36 , wherein said first type of nutrients includes liquid nutrients and said second type of nutrients includes solid nutrients. 
     
     
         38 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein the dispensing end of the container has an opening and said non-dispensing end of said container does not have an opening, both of said ends having threaded portions that interchangeably engage with corresponding threaded portions of said basin attachment collars. 
     
     
         39 . The dispensing apparatus as set forth in  claim 38 , wherein each of the basins have a bolt extending outwardly from an outer surface thereof, the dispensing apparatus further comprising a top cap and a bottom cap, each cap having a hole therethrough to receive the bolt when the caps are placed against the outer surfaces of the basins, respectively, the top cap being secured against whichever basin is on top of the dispensing apparatus with a hook that screws onto the bolt, the hook being configured to suspend the dispensing apparatus, and bottom cap being secured against whichever basin is on the bottom of the dispensing apparatus.