Known bird deterrent devices : of this type are described in European Patent Applications Nos. EP 0 598 853 and EP 0 792 099. This known type device comprises an elongate plastics base element having a plurality of channels extending completely through it, and a plurality of metal spike elements which are inserted into the channels from the underside of the base element so that they project generally upwardly from the upper surface of the base element. However, in some cases, powerful birds such as seagulls have been know to pull single spike elements out of the base element, indicating a need to attach the spike elements in the base element more securely. Additionally, the requirement to insert large numbers of spike members into the channels in the base member has the drawback that it makes the process for mass producing the known device somewhat time consuming.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bird deterrent device in which the spike elements are securely fixed in the base element. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bird deterrent device and a method of making it that lend themselves to mass production.

Summary of the Invention According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bird deterrent device for deterring birds from landing on a selected surface, in particular a ledge or window sill of a building, the device comprising a plastics base member adapted to be secured to the surface, and a plurality of metal rod like members which, in use, project generally upwardly from the base member, wherein one end of each rod like member is moulded into the base member.

In one embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the base member is an elongate base member, and the rod like members are arranged in groups which are spaced apart along the length of the base member, each group comprising a plurality of rod like members which are spaced apart across the width of the base member.

In this embodiment of the invention, at least one of the rod like members of each group is inclined to one side of the longitudinal axis of the base member, and at least another one of the rod like members of each group is inclined to the other side of the longitudinal axis of the base member.

Conveniently, the opposite ends of the base member are provided with complementary connection means, whereby a plurality of the devices can be connected together end to end.

Advantageously, the base member is provided with at least one break notch extending between its sides, the break notch including at least one portion which is less deep than the remainder of the notch. Preferably, the base member is provided with a plurality of such break notches, each disposed between a pair of adjacent groups of rod like members.

The base member may be provided with a plurality of apertures extending therethrough for receiving adhesive for securing the base member to the selected surface, a groove being moulded in the upper surface of the base member around at least some of the apertures. The base member may further be provided with spaced apart lateral extensions along its length, to tend to prevent it from being tilted about its longitudinal axis.

In another embodiment of the invention, the base member has two spaced apart substantially parallel sides, the rod like members extend substantially at right angles to the upper surface of the base member and are spaced apart in a direction extending generally between said sides, and the base member is adapted to bend about an axis substantially parallel to said sides to form an arc, whereby to fan out the rod like members. Preferably said arc is substantially a semicircle.

In this embodiment of the invention, the bent base member may be adapted to clip into an auxiliary base member which is in turn adapted to be secured to said surface. Thus the auxiliary base member may be provided with a plurality of apertures extending therethrough for receiving adhesive for securing the auxiliary base member to the selected surface. Preferably, the auxiliary base member, which is advantageously an extrusion, is long enough to receive a plurality of said bent base members spaced apart along its length so that said apertures are accessible between the bent base members.

In both embodiments, the rod like members may be formed in pairs by bending a single metal rod or wire into a generally U-shape or V-shape, such that one pair of adjacent ends of each pair are integrally joined together, the joined-together ends being moulded into the base member.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a bird deterrent device for deterring birds from landing on a selected surface, in particular a ledge or window sill of a building, the device comprising a plastics base member adapted to be secured to the surface, and a plurality of metal rod like members which, in use, project generally upwardly from the base member, the method comprising the steps of supporting a plurality of the rod like members so that end portions thereof are disposed in a mould cavity for moulding the base member, and moulding the base member around said end portions.

In a preferred implementation of this aspect of the invention, the supporting step comprises supporting each rod like member so that when its end is moulded into the base member, the rod like member extends substantially perpendicularly to the upper surface of the base member.

Typically, the base member is elongate, and the rod like members are arranged in groups which are spaced apart along the length of the base member, each group comprising a plurality of rod like members which are spaced apart across the width of the base member. In this case, the method may include bending at least one of the rod like members of each group to incline it to one side of the longitudinal axis of the base member, and bending at least another one of the rod like members of each group to incline it to the other side of the longitudinal axis of the base member.

The method may further comprise the step of forming the rod like members in pairs by bending a single metal rod into a generally U-shape or V- shape, such that one pair of adjacent ends of each pair of rod like members are integrally joined together, the supporting step comprising supporting each pair of rod like members so that the joined-together ends are disposed in the mould cavity.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which; Figure 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a bird deterrent device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is sectional view on the line 2-2 of the bird deterrent device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a more detailed sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a more detailed sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1; Figures 5 to 9 illustrate successive stages in a moulding process in accordance with the present invention, used in making the bird deterrent device of Figures 1 to 4; Figure 10 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a bird deterrent device in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 11 is a sectional view of the device of Figure 10.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments The bird deterrent device of Figures 1 to 4 is indicated generally at 10, and comprises a substantially flat elongate plastics base member 12 which is typically about 30 to 40 cm in length. The base member 12 is provided with a plurality of substantially uniformly spaced sideways projecting portions 14 on each side, the projecting portions on one side being longitudinally positioned between the projecting portions on the other side. A respective upstanding integral boss 16 is provided on the base member 12 in the vicinity of each projecting portion 14, each boss being generally circular and located partly in the projecting portion and partly in the main part of the base member to one side of its longitudinal centre line.

In accordance with the present invention, two thin rod like members 18 (which although not very sharp, effectively serve as spikes, and will therefore be referred to for simplicity in the rest of this description as spikes) are moulded into each boss 16 at diametrically opposite positions in the boss, so that they project substantially perpendicularly upwardly from the base member 12. Thus the respective ends of a group of four spikes 18 are moulded into each pair of adjacent bosses 16, the spikes in each group being distributed across the width of the base member 12.

By way of example, the spikes 18 are typically about 12 to 15 cm long, and made from resilient galvanised metal wire.

After being moulded into the base member 12, the spikes 18 are bent outwardly from the centre line of the base member in a plane at right angles to the centre line, typically so that in a longitudinal group of four adjacent spikes, their upper ends are approximately uniformly laterally spaced with a total lateral spread of between 10 and 20 cm.

In a typical application, numbers of the devices 10 are secured end to end to a ledge or window sill of a building by adhesive. To this end, each device 10 has pairs of apertures 20 formed along the length of the base member 12, each pair being adjacent a respective boss 16 and having its apertures disposed one on each side of the centre line of the base member.

As best seen in Figure 3, each aperture 20 has a concentric groove or well 22 around it, so that when adhesive is injected into and around the apertures, it fills the groove or well to create a"keying"effect.

Additionally, to assist in securing the devices 10 end to end, one end of each device is provided with a projecting connecting element 24, while the other end is provided with a complementary recess 26 to receive and hold the connecting element of the adjacent device.

Further, to enable the device 10 to be shortened, in order to fill in short spaces on the ledge or window sill or spaces left over when an integral number of full length devices has been secured end to end, the device is provided with break through notches 28 between each pair of adjacent bosses 16. As best seen in Figure 4, the notch 28 has deeper portions 30 interspersed by significantly shorter shallower portions 32, to reduce the possibility of accidental breakage.

With reference now to Figures 5 to 9, part of a mould tool 40 for use in making the bird deterrent device 10 is shown in section : the arrows in Figures 5 to 9 indicate the directions of movement of the various principal components of the mould tool.

Thus the principal components of the mould tool 40 comprise a fixed mould plate 42 containing sprues 44 through which molten plastic is injected, a floating mould plate 46 containing a mould cavity 48 shaped to form the base 12 of the device 10, a loading frame 50 for bringing the spikes 18 into alignment with holes 52 in the floating mould plate 46 leading into the mould cavity 48, a moving mould plate 54 containing holes 56 aligned with the holes 52 in the floating mould plate 46, and an ejector system 58. Figure 5 shows the loading frame 50 in the position where it has just brought the spikes 18 into alignment with the holes 52 in the floating mould plate 46, while Figure 6 shows the loading frame in the position where it has just achieved location of the right hand ends of the spikes in the mouths of the holes 52, which are slightly flared to facilitate this. Figure 7 shows the moving mould plate 54 in the position where it has just achieved location of the other ends of the spikes 18 in the mouths of the holes 56, which are also slightly flared to facilitate this.

At this point, the loading frame 50 is withdrawn from between the moving mould plate 54 and the floating mould plate 46, and the moving mould plate is closed onto the floating mould plate, pushing the ends of the spikes 18 in the mouths of the holes 52 all the way through the holes and into the mould cavity 48, until they contact the fixed mould plate 42, as shown in Figure 8. As can also be seen in Figure 8, the other ends of the spikes 18 have passed all the way through the holes 56 in the moving mould plate 54, into close proximity with the ejector system 58. Thus Figure 8 shows the components of the mould tool 40 in their closed, moulding, positions.

With the components of the mould tool 40 in the positions shown in Figure 8, molten plastic is injected via the sprues 44 into the mould cavity 48, thus moulding the base 12 of the device 10 around the ends of the spikes in the cavity.

Finally, and as shown in Figure 9, the mould tool 40 is opened by moving the moving mould plate 54 and the floating mould plate 46 away from the fixed mould plate 42, and the moulded device 10 is ejected from the mould cavity 48 by the ejector system 58 pushing on the ends of the spikes 18. In a last step, the removed device 10 is finished by the removal of flash and any other excess plastic attached to the base 12 as a result of the moulding process.

The bird deterrent device of Figures 10 and 11 is indicated generally at 60, and comprises a plurality of short individual plastics base members 62 each having four bosses 64 into which each of which a respective single spike 66 is moulded in a process basically the same as that used to mould the bird deterrent device 10. Each base member 62 has substantially parallel sides, and the four bosses 64, and therefore the four spikes 66, are spaced apart diagonally across the base member between the parallel sides. The bosses 64 are formed on the underside of the base member 62 rather than on its upper surface, but this is entirely optional.

Although each base member 62 is substantially flat (or planar) when initially moulded, it is sufficiently flexible and resilient to be bendable about an axis parallel to its sides to render its cross section arcuate, preferably a semicircle. As in the device 10, the spikes 66 extend substantially perpendicularly to the upper surface of the base member 62, so that they are all parallel when the base member is flat. However, when the base member is bent to form its cross section into a semicircle, the spikes 66 fan out to adopt an angular spread similar to the widest spread of the spikes 18 of the device 10.

In use, a multiplicity of the devices 60 are secured to a ledge or window sill of a building by means of an elongate extruded metal or plastics auxiliary base member 68. The auxiliary base member 68 is substantially flat, and has apertures 70 substantially analogous to the apertures 20 of the device 10, to enable it to be secured to the ledge or window sill with adhesive as described earlier. Both side edges of the auxiliary base member 68 extend upwardly and then inwardly to create respective inwardly facing hook-shaped sections 72 running the length of the auxiliary base member, while both side edges of each base member 62 have downwardly projecting hook-shaped sections 74 which, when the base member 62 is bent into its semicircular shape, become outwardly facing and effectively clip into the hook-shaped sections 72 of the auxiliary base member 68. Each base member 62 is thus firmly secured to and held in its semicircular shape by the auxiliary base member 68. As can be seen in Figure 10, the base members 62 are spaced apart along the auxiliary base member 68 so that the apertures 70 remain accessible. In practice, the base members 62 can be clipped into the auxiliary base member in their final positions by virtue of their flexibility and resilience, or they can be slid in from one end.

Many modifications can be made to the described embodiments of the invention. In particular, the spikes 18 or 66 can be made from stainless steel rather than galvanised wire, and their length and spread can be varied from the values given by way of example to suit particular applications, eg unusually narrow ledges or window sills. Additionally, the moulded in ends of the spikes 18 and 66 can be flattened or provided with grooves, to key them more securely into the plastics base member 12 or 62.

Further, the elongate base member 12 can be provided at intervals along its length with sideways projecting fingers, to tend to prevent it from tilting about its longitudinal axis if birds try to pull on the spikes 18.

Another modification which can be made is to form the spikes 18 or 66 in pairs by bending a single metal rod or wire into a generally U-shape or V- shape. In this case, it will be appreciated that the ends of one pair of adjacent ends of each pair of spikes 18 or 66 are integrally joined together, and it is the joined-together ends which are moulded into the base member 12 or 62. To achieve this, ie to support the joined together ends in a mould cavity during moulding, a mould tool of the kind described in detail in my UK Patent No. 2 148 133, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, is used.

Finally, yet another modification which can be made to the bird deterrent devices of the invention is to mould a pair of electrical conductors into the base member, these conductors being connected within the base member to selected pairs of the spikes. The conductors are connected to a relatively low voltage source of the kind used for electric fences around fields containing sheep or cattle, to thus electrifying the selected pairs of spikes and providing a further deterrence effect. The deterrence effect can be further enhanced by using the voltage source to make the spikes vibrate and/or create a humming noise.