Perch for bird feeder

Abstract

A cantilever perch for a bird feeder is made from a thin strip or ribbon of springy material, such as a stainless steel. Being convex in cross section, the perch is inherently rigid and able to bear load and remain straight. When over-loaded however, as by a large bird or rodent, the perch suddenly flattens, kinks or buckles in a narrow zone across its width causing the cantilever portion to bend sharply with a snap. The unwanted intruder experiences a sudden and terrifying free-fall to the ground. Now unloaded, the perch automatically snaps back to its original straight rigid shape without damage.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A perch for a bird feeder comprising a cantilevered straight and convex strip of springy material, material.
 the strip having at least one cantilever portion and an attachment portion;   the convex having a single radius at least along the cantilever portion.   
     
     
         2 . The perch of  claim 1  having two cantilevered portions and where the attachment
 portion is located therebetween. where at least a portion of the convex strip has a longitudinally extending constant radius of curvature. 
 
     
     
         3 . The perch of  claim 1  where the springy material is stainless steel. A perch for a bird feeder comprising a convex strip of springy material having central and end portions and where the end portions are cantilevered from the central portion. 
     
     
         4 . The perch of  claims 1 ,  2  and  3  where the springy material is steel. 
     
     
         5 . The perch of  claim 4  where the steel is stainless steel.