CA1239509A - Eviscerating and survival tool - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT

An eviscerating and survival tool having a shaft with a handle at one end, a claw-like hook at the other end, the hook being comprised of at least two arcuately shaped tines defining a slot, and a saw blade disposed longitudinally along the portion of the shaft near the end containing said hook. In its preferred form the shaft is in two approximately equal portions connected by pivotable fastening means to permit the two parts of the shaft to be folded against each other with means to maintain the two parts in rigid end-to-end relationship in use.

Description

EV:rSOERZ~TING Jo SURVI~AIJ Rowley i~39~9 This invention relates to an evisceratiIIg tool.
More particularly, this invention relates to a tool which can be used to eviscerate anin~ls, fowl and fish and which also finds read application as a sur~irival tool.
Ike tool of this invention serves as an indispensable aid to the hater an can key sized to accommodate either large or small auricles, fowl and even fjshrEviscerating a large animal in the field, ego deer, is considered by must to be an unpleasant and messy chore the inevitable result king await the pex.r~on doing the eviscerating utilizing standard tools, e.g. large iffy, generally bones well spattered with blood. m e hands an arms ye particularly vulnerable becoming covered with blood since they rust be inserted into the -- carcass to rewove the entrails. In addition, in utilizing a knife only it is difficult to cleanly and cc~pletely remove all of the entrails sue to accomplish that feat the pelvic bone must be split, a difficult task with a knife. Generally ale knife is used to chop at the bone or, at times, a small hatchet is used for that purpose. m e disadvantages attendant upon such procedure, in addition to the heavy work involved, is the possibility of puncturing or tearing the entrails an releasing their contents into the carcass, thereby contaminating the carcass.
The tool of the present invention overcomes these di~ficult~es. It provides jeans by which all of the steps involved in eviscerating an anal can be carried out neatly and conveniently in the field and ~nth a minimum probability of carcass contamination. moreover in the foldable configuration shown in the accompanying drawings it can be easily and safely carried in the field although it should be understood that the tool can, as con inlay, be in non-foldab'e configuration.
In toe acco~x~lying drawings, reference to which, along I the fulling discussion, twill prG~ote a better understanding of the invention:

lZ39~9 Figure 1 shays the foldable eviscerating tool of this invention in its fully extended and locked position, with the optional slittulg blade keyword on the shaft in position fox use Figure 2 shows the foldable eviscerating tool of this invention yin a partially folded position.
Figure 3 shows said tool in completely closed or folded position.
Figure 4 shays side view of the handle portion of the foldable tool shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Figure pa shows an alternative means or pivot ably joining the handle old shank portions of the tool of this invention.
Figures 4b and 4c show alternative jeans for locking the pivoted join between the handle portion and shank portion of the tool into a single rigid shaft.
Figure 5 is a plan view of the handle portion of the tool shown in Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a side view of the shank portion of the foldable tool shown in Figures I 2 and 3 showing the optional pivot able slitting Icnife attached to the shank in closed position.
Figure pa is a plan view of the slitting knife shown in Phyla 6.
Figure 7 is a plan view of the shank portion of the wool Chicano in Figure 6 Figures pa and 7b skew alternative means for fastening tool heads to the terminal end of the shank portion of the tool.
Figures aye 8b and 8c show different wool heads for fastening to the end of the tool shank.
Figure 9 skews the claw-like tool head of Figure 8b with a foldable slitting knife p_votably punted in the slot between the teeth of the claw in open position Figure 9b shows a plan view of the pivot able slitting knife shown in Figure 9.
Figure lo shows another version of the foldable eviscerat;Il~ twill ox Tess invention, with pivot able knife means in closed position in ale Salk porl.iorl of said oily Figure if shows a bottom view of the tool of Figure lo Figure 12 skews a top vowel of the tool of Figure 10 skewing the knife jeans in coos æ position with the handle portion in broken section and sleeve 31 in retracted position.
Fugue 13 skews a broken sectional bottom view of the foldable joint means with sleeve 31 in retracted position.
inure 14 skews the tool of Figure 10 with the knife means in partially open position.
Figure 15 Schick the tool of Figure lo with shank portion in broken section and in partially folded relation to the handle portion and with the knife meats extended to a locking position.
Figure 16 skews the tool of Figure lo with the shank portion and handle portion in folded relationship an with the knife Mooney in Al extended and locked position.
Figure aye, 17b and 17c show respectively, a side, plan and bottom view of the jar linking the shaft portion and handle portion of the moldable tool of this invention in pivot able relationship and carrying the detent for locking the knife jeans in open position.
In the drawings, in which like elements are designated by Like numbers, 1 represents a foldable eviscerating tool of this invention In such tool 2 represents the handle portion of the tool with appropriate contoured tripping aids, generally made of plastic, bone or other suitable substance, represented by I 4 designates the shank portion of the wool which at its ternuilal end 5, is drilled and tapped or has a recessed socket to receive various tool heads Pivot able fastening means joins handle portion 1 with shank portion 4 Jo pexnii~
the two portions to be aligned in end-to-end relationship to comprise the extended shaft of tool 1. Both handle portion 2 and shank portion 4 have a chamfer 7 at their abutting ends to permit one portion to be rotted 180~ about the fastening means and folded flat against the other portion.
Handle portion 2 and shank portion 4 are joined m foldable relationship my pivot able fastener 8 which can conveniently be a link from a st~ldard bicycle chain. Such link is chosen so that its span between fastening pins 9 Jill be sufficiently great to permit handle portion 2 and shank portion 4 to be folded flat against each other as shown in Figure 3. Other pivot;~ble fasten~lg means for the handle and shank portions, 2 and 4, of tool 1 will be readily apparent.

~23~ 39 For example, tongue and rove configuration, as shown in Figure pa, permits the handle and sharp to be readily held together my the insertion of pin 10, through redrilled holes in the tongue and the side elements defining the groove.
To permit handle portion 2 and shank portion 4 to be held in end-to-end relationship so as to afford tool 1 with a rigid shaft during use slide 11, which is in wrap-around frictional engagement with handle portion 2 or alternatively with shank portion 4 when so unwetted it slid over the pivot fastening means between the handle and shank potions end held in place by frictional engagement or bar other means as will be evident to whose knowledgeable in the auto Thus, Figure 4b shows one alternative means for keeping slide 11 in place over the foldable joint and Figure 4c shows another such means. In Figure pa, 12 indicates a spring loaded pun set inn shank portion 4, which is depressed while slide 11 is slid into position o'er the foldable joint and which then thrum spring pressure engages in hole 13 in thy slide when t-he hole and the pin became aligned. Spring loaded puns on both sides of shank portion will insure greater retQnt-ivit~ of the slide 11 over tile joint and greater rigidity of the shaft of the tool Another method for retaining slide 11 in place is shown in Figure 4c where redrilled holes in the slide 11 and the handle portion 2 and shank portion are first aligned after which pin 14 is inserted into the aligned holes. 'Lowe interior of slide 11 contains a horizontal channel to accommodate the protruding bicycle chain link fastener shown when it is slid into position. Odiously Lowe chain link can be mounted so what its outside edges are flush with e sides of handle portion 2 and shank portion 4. Slide 11 and the described moans fox retaining it in position over the foldable joint are also fully applicable to the foldable joint configuration shown in Figure pa.
Other foldable joint configurations and means for holding such joint in a non pivoting position will readily be apparent to those skill in toe art.
In Figure 5, which is a plan view of the handle portion 2 shown in Pharaoh 4, 15 represents a slot into which saw blade 16 Jill fit when shank portion is folded over onto handle portion 2 as shown in Figure 3 In Figure 6, which represents the shank portion of the tool of this invention in side view, siege blade 16 is held in position by pins 17. Slitting ~23~S~9 knife 18, which can be optionally mounted on shank 4, is p:ivo~ably held in place on the Schick by pin lo. plan view of knife 18 is shown Al Figure pa where portion 20 acts as a detent to prevent the knife from rotating about pin 19 when in the open position, as shown in Figure 1, or in thy closed position as shoeshine in Figures 2, 3, 6 and 7. Slot 15 in the handle portion cay be conveniently arranged to accommodate the point of slitting knife 18 ho the tool is in the folded position shown in Figure 3. Saw 16 and knife 18 are preferably held in place with drive pins so they can be readily replaced when necessaries, although other fastening means are equally satisfactory.
Figures pa and 7b show alternative means to fasten tool heads to the erld 5 of shank portion I. Figure pa depicts end 5 in a broken longitudinal section as drilled and tapped by acYxxnnodate a screw thread on thy wool hear as shown in Figure pa and 9. Figure 7b show a shaft and pun type of fasterL~lg with a to head end as depicted in Figure 8b.
Figures pa, 8b and 8c shown different tool heads weakly can be used with ye tool of this invention whether it is used as an eviscertai~lg tool or a 5~IrViV
tool.
When used for eviscerating large game the number of aîcuately arranged tines 21 in the claw-like tool head of Figures pa and 8b should generally by greater in n7lmber than if the tool head is to be used for small game, fowl Ox fish. In any event the tines should define at least one slow button em e edges and points of the curved tines 21 are blunted so that ion the evisceratinc~7 process they will not puncture or cut the entrails.
m e ratchet head 26 Chicano in Figure 8c can be conveniently carried for attachment ennui its function may be no dyed, as for survival or other purpose m e saw blade obviously finds many purposes, as will be readily apparent.
As an alternative to slitting knife 13~ mounted on the Shylock pylon of the tool, a slitting knife, as shown in Figure 9b, can be pviot~ibly fastelled Betty t~70 adjacent tines as shown in Figure 9. The knife, shown in figure 9b would ho-positioned Boone t~70 adjacent tines and pivot ably held yin place by a pin ~7hi(hwould be inserted through drilled hole 22 while wings 23 on each side of the knife blade 24 act as a detent so that the knife will not Seneca through tile slot. Lowe wings 23 bear against adjacent tines while the back edges or shoulders 25 of the wings act as a detent against adjacent twines to prevent the 123950~

knife frcxn pivot ably swinging two far open and to impart rigidity to the knife in use. The front end of wings 23 is wedge shaped to raise the skin of the animal slightly after it is slit by the point and front cutting edge of the knife blade to facilitate the slitting process.
s pointed out herein before the tool of this invention can be in a foldable-shaf~ configuration as shown in the drawings or cam have a non-foldable shaft. In the non foldable configuration all elements heretofore describe can be present ox ox pi for the foldable joint in the approximate center of the shaft.
In either form the tool cyan be xeaidly carried us the field, preferably in a scabbard as a safety musks although the foldable confi~lration obviously offers c advantages because of its greater compactness in the folded mode.
Figures 10 through 17 show another configuration of the tool of this invention.
In the configuration depicted in those Figures, 27 xefexs to knife means the cutting edge of which, identified by 29, when the knife meals is in closed position, fits into slot 30 in shank portion 4 as shown in Figures 10 and 12 Rife 27 which is pivot ably mounted to shank 4 by pin 17, one of the puns holding saw blade 16 in place on the shank portion of the tool, is held in closed position in slot 30 by leaf spring means 32 shown in Figure 12. 31 it a spring loaded sleeve, having knurled portion 39, which, whey the foldable tool is unfolded from the position shown in Figure 3 to a poison Lowry the handle portion 2 and the shank portion 4, along with the link~lg bar 33, are yin end-to-end and in-line relationship, is propelled by sprig 34 to a position over linking box 33 to hold the handle portion and shank prunes in rigid non-folc~ble position as shown in Figures 10, 11 and 14~ if desired, sprLns I
can be eliminated and the sleeve manually pulled over linking bar 33. Sleeve 31 can be rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise when in its farthest forward position so that slot 35 in the sleeve (Chicano in Figure I no longer aligns with pin 36. Iris will permit the back end of sleeve 31 to alto against pi 36 and thereby lock the sleeve in position over the linking bar 33~ it can be readily unlocked by again rotating it so that slot 35 and pin 36 are aligned per~ittir.g retraction of the sleeve back into handle 3 as Shelley in Figures 12, 13, 15 and 16. Retraction of the sleeve is necessary to place the tool in ~23~

folded position either with the knife means exposed for use as shown in Figure 16 or with the knife means in the closed position.
Bar linking means 33, shown in detail in Figures aye through 17c, is utilized to fasten handle portion 2 and shank portion 4 together in foldable relationship as is shown in Figures 15 and 16. One end of bar 33 is fastened shank portion 4 while the other end is fastened to handle portion 2 by pins 37 Bar 33 also carries knife detent means 38, which is made to engage L-shaped milled depression 28 on knife means 27 Jo hold the knife means in non-pivotable position for use as shown in Figure 16.
To place knife means 27 in a non-pivotable and secure position for use, detent 38 must engage milled depression 28. This canoe xeadi].y acca~lishea from either the molded position of the tool or when it it extended for use us shown in Figure 14r Before beginning the procedure for securely anchoring wife means 27 in position for use it is preferable to have life neons 27 in closed position, that is, in slot 30 in shank portion 4 as shown no Figure 12 As an example, with the tool in the configuration shown in Figure 14 bit with the knife means in closed position, sleeve 31 is retracted into handle 3 so that linking bar 33 is exposed and the shank portion 4 and handle portion 2 are in the position Chicano in Figure 15. In such position detent means 38 pro m dyes above shank portion 4 as shown. Knife means 27 is then pivoted clockwise about pin 17 until detent means 38 can be made to engage the shorter arm of the Shaped milled depression 28 in the knife mean. Shank portion 4 is then closed against handle portion 2 thereby Permitting detent means US owe slide unto the longer arm of L-shaped depression 28 to engage the Newark shoulder between the milled press ion and the back of the knife means as Chicano in Figure 16~ A
hand car. then be readily wrapped in gripping position around the shall portion 4 and handle 3, usually with the handle in the uppermost position to permit the cutting edge 29 of knife means 27 to be utilized with ale application of dc~nw2rd pressure. In application, the foldable shaft id of this .unveni:ion as - 30 Shaker if. the drawings and being carried in the folded position shekel in figure 3 is first unfolded so that the handle portion 2 and shank portion 4 are in end-to-end relation. Slide Al or sleeve 31 is then slid over the pivot Abe connect on to engage both the handle portion on one side of the comlectioll and the sham portion on the oilier side of the connection, thereby providing the tool with a rigid shaft.
If the optional slitting knife 18 is present on the tool it is then moved from its closed position as shown in Figures 2 and 3, for example, to the open position shown in Figure I m e hooked blade of the knife is inserted through the skin of the belly of the animal, e.g. a deer, usually Bering toward the head end and drawn toward the jail to open the belly and expose the entrails.
The slight hook on the end of the cutting blade once it has been inserted under the skin helps Jo lift the skin as the cut is being made thereby axing the cutting process easier. Amber the appropriate cuts have been made as a safety precaution the knife is pivoted back in the closed position ire as shown on Figures 2 and 3.
Alternatively, if the configuration of the tool shown in Figure 10 is being used and the use of a cutting wool is necessary knife means 27 us placed in the extended and locked position shown in Figure 16 as discord above. Again, after the appropriate cuts have been made, the knife it returned to the closed position in slot 30 by reversing the described procedure, and placing the tool in the configuration Chicano in Figure 10.
m e tool is then inserted into the chest cavity to hook the lung lining or wind pipe with tines 21 whereupon the tool is twisted in the hand to firmly catch the lung lining, wind pipe, or other portions of the entrails in the slots between ye tines which are then pulled by the tickle card the pelvic cavity.
The tines are then released and the saw 16 is utilized to cut: through the pelvic bone after which the entrails are again hooked by tines 21 and fulled completely from the animal. The interior of the carcass can then be ~u1t~ler scraped with the claw-like tool head to more cc~pletely clean out the cavity Although claw means 21 is Chicano in the configuration of Figures 10 through 16 as being attached to t-he shank portion 4 by studs 40 it- my be advantageous in some circumstances to mount claw 21 by means such as Sheehan in iris pa or 7b so that it can be rotated out of the way to permit unwooded use of the saw, or, conversely to permit the claw to be used for removing the entrails or for scraping absent any danger of the saw accidentally cutting into the entrails.

Other configurations for mounting which will permit such rotation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, it also being apparent that the notated so claw should be held securely in the rotated position so that it will not accidentally rotate while being used for its purposes The Syria general procedure can be used in applying ale tool of this invention to the evisceration of fowl and fish with ye saw being utilized Jo cut off the heads and/or tails of fish and for descaling. Alternatively, the hatchet tool head 26 can be utilized to decapitate fowl and fish.
It should also be apparent that the tool of this inanition will fund man other uses, both for acoomplishin~ domestic chores such as yin hand gardening to breaking soil, or, utilizing the saw blade 16 or hatchet tool lead 26 for trimming bushes and small trees, or for simile functions as well as the prime function of eviscerating animals, fowl and fist, in prac~tic~lg survival techniques.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

An eviscerating and survival tool comprising a shaft having a handle at one end and a claw-like hook at the other end, said claw-like hook containing at least two arcuately shaped tines defining at least one slot there-between, said tines embracing about 180° of arc and being characterized by blunted edges and points, said shaft being divided into a handle portion and a clotted shank portion of approximately equal lengths with said handle portion and shank portion being connected by pivotable fastening means to permit said handle portion and said shank portion to fold against each other and means for securing said handle portion and shank portion in end-to-end foldable relationship to provide a rigid shaft, a saw blade demountably attached lengthwise to said slotted shank portion, knife means pivotably mounted within the slot in said shank portion at the end of the shank portion opposite said claw-like hook, whereby it can be pivoted from a storage position within said slot into an open position, said pivotable fastening means carrying detent means to engage and lock said knife means in its open position.