Water bottle assembly having gnaw protection shield

• US 5,447,118 A
• Filed: 04/12/1994
• Issued: 09/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Novalek Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Novalek Incorporated
• Inventors: Rofen, Robert R., Huff, Marvin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Manahan, Todd E.
• Application Number:
  US08/226,314
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 119/18, 119/72.5, 119/72, 248/102, 248/103, 211/70.1, 211/72, 211/73, 211/75
• US Class Current: 119/477
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0356 Feeding or drinking devices associated with cages for poultry A01K31/005, A01K31/17, A01K39/00; for birds A01K31/06

Abstract

A shield or guard for preventing damage to an animal watering bottle by an animal within a cage comprises a generally planar web of metal or similarly hard material having length and width dimensions similar to the water bottle assembly being protected. A pair of tabs are formed at the upper edge of the web, and are angled downwardly to engage a lateral wire of the animal cage wall. A tube opening is provided in the web adjacent to the lower end thereof to permit the water delivery tube to extend from the bottle through the shield and through the cage wall. The water bottle is disposed to impinge on the outer surface of the web, with the delivery tube extending through the tube opening, and a wire bail is secured about the bottle and hooked to a lateral wire of the cage wall to support the bottle on the cage. To remove and service the water bottle, there is no need to remove the shield; rather, the wire bail is unhooked from the cage wall, and the bottle is removed by withdrawing the delivery tube from the tube opening in the shield. The bottle is replaced by inserting the delivery tube through the tube opening in the shield, abutting the bottle against the shield, and re-joining the bail about the bottle to the cage wall. The web of the shield blocks access by the animal to the soft plastic of the water bottle, and prevents damage to the bottle due to gnawing and chewing by the animal.

Claims

1. An animal watering bottle assembly having an inverted bottle and a delivery tube extending from the lower end and a bail for securing the assembly to the exterior of a wire cage wall, a shield for protecting the animal watering bottle assembly from gnawing and biting by an animal within the cage, said shield including:

a generally planar web having length and width dimensions similar to said animal water bottle assembly;

hook means extending from an upper edge portion of said web for suspending said shield from a lateral wire of the animal cage;

a hole disposed in a lower portion of said web for permitting the water delivery tube to extend through said shield into the cage, said water delivery tube bearing on said hole to support the weight of said bottle and the water within said bottle.

2. The animal watering bottle assembly of claim 1, wherein said bail extends about said bottle and said planar web, said bail including hook ends secured to a lateral wire of the cage wall, said hook ends disposed adjacent to respective opposed side edges of said web.