GB2360924A

GB2360924A - A unit incorporating an animal lead

Info

Publication number: GB2360924A
Application number: GB0005371A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clifford Geoffrey Jenkyns
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-03-06
Filing date: 2000-03-06
Publication date: 2001-10-10
Also published as: GB0005371D0

Abstract

An animal lead assembly comprises a clip 5, connected via a ring to a plurality of leashes, each of which is equipped with a collar attachment clip. In a first embodiment the leash assembly is concealed within a hollow walking stick (4) which is equipped with a ring 6 at one end. Both open ends may be closed by stops 2 and 3. In use the stops are removed, the leash extracted from the tube, and clip 5 is attached to ring 6. In a second embodiment the leash assembly is stored in container 27 under a seat 21 which forms part of shooting stick 20. Apertures may provided at one end of the stick for attaching clip 6 to. In both embodiments an alternative fixing for clip 5 is provided by a separate component which may be engaged with the walking or shooting stick.

Description

2360924 1

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

6'A UNIT INCORPORATING AN ANIMAL LEAW' THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a unit incorporating an animal lead, such as a dog lead.

There is a requirement for a unit incorporating a dog lead in which the dog lead may be stored or contained in a non obtrusive manner, but may readily be made available for use.

According to this invention there is provided a unit comprising an elongate stick, and an animal lead assembly having at one end a hook or clip, the animal lead assembly including at least one lead, the or each lead terminating with a collar clip, or a choke chain, the stick being provided, at one end thereof, with means adapted to receive the hook or clip of the animal lead assembly.

Conveniently the stick is provided with means for storing the animal lead assembly.

2 In one embodiment the unit is in the form of a walking stick, the walking stick having a hollow interior to constitute the means for storing the animal lead assembly.

Conveniently the stick has a removable handle to provide access to the hollow interior.

Advantageously the means to receive the hook or clip of the animal lead assembly comprise an element located within a lower part of the stick.

In a preferred embodiment the stick has a removable ferrule at the lower end thereof to provide access to the hook located within the stick.

In an alternative embodiment the unit is in the form of a shooting stick having a scat, the means for storing the animal lead assembly comprising a pocket formed within the seat of the shoot stick.

Preferably the shooting stick has a ground engaging plate and a spike, an aperture being formed in at least one of said plate and spike to constitute the means adapted to receive the hook or clip of the animal lead assembly.

Conveniently the animal lead assembly comprises three leads associated with said hook.

In one embodiment the means to receive the hook or clip are provided on a separate element which is releasably mounted on the stick.

3 Preferably the separate element has a guide pin to pass through a bore in the stick and two resilient arms, located on either side of the guide pin, to embrace the stick.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention win now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a drawing illustrating an embodiment of the invention, FIGURE 2 is a drawing corresponding to Figure 1 showing end pieces of the embodiment of Figure 1 being removed, FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 1, FIGURE 4 shows a dog lead unit contained within the embodiment of Figure 1, FIGURE 5 shows the embodiment of Figure 1 with the dog lead unit attached thereto with the arrangement ready for use, FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention, FIGURE 7 is an enlarged view showing the end of the embodiment of Figure 6, FIGURE 8 shows the embodiment of Figure 6 in use, 4 FIGURE 9 illustrates a component of a further embodiment of the invention, FIGURE 10 illustrates a stick for use with the component of Figure 9, and FIGURE 11 illustrates the stick of Figure 10 and the component of Figure 9 when in use.

Referring initially to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, a walking stick 1, apparently of conventional design, is shown. The walking stick 1 has a brass handle 2 provided at the upper end thereof, and a ferrule 3 provided at the opposed end thereof The walking stick 1 has a main cylindrical part 4 in the form of an elongate stick extending between the brass handle 2 and the ferrule 3 which is of hollow construction.

Referring to Figure 2 the brass handle 2 may be removed from the main portion of the walking stick 1, and the ferrule 3 is also be removably mounted in position.

As can be seen more clearly from Figure 3 the interior of the main part 4 of the walking stick is of hollow construction. Contained within the upper part of the hollow interior of the main part 4 is a dog lead assembly 5 which will be described in greater detail with reference to Figure 4. Mounted within the hollow interior of main part 4, adjacent the lower end thereof, is a ring 6.

The dog lead unit assembly 5, as shown in Figure 4, comprises a hook or clip 7 adapted to co-operate with the ring 6. Connected to the hook 7 is at least one, but in the described embodiment three, leads 8, 9, 10, each of which terminates in a respective collar clip 11, 12 13. In an alternative arrangement one or more of the leads may terminate in a choke chain.

It is to be appreciated, therefore, that the walking stick 1 may be utilised in a conventional manner. However, when desired, the brass handle 2 and the ferrule 3 may be removed from the walking stick, the dog lead unit 5 may be recovered from the hollow interior of the walking stick, and the hook 7 may be engaged with the ring 6, so that the described components have the configuration illustrated in Figure 5. It is to be appreciated that the brass handle 2 may be replaced in position, and the collar clips 11, 12, 13 may be connected to the collars of dogs.

Figure 6 illustrates a modified embodiment of the invention in the form of a shooting stick 20. The shooting stick 20 is provided, at its upper end, with a seat 21. The shooting stick 20 incorporates an elongate stick element 22, the lower end of which is provided with, as can be seen in Figure 7, a spike 23 and a ground engaging plate 24. An aperture 25 may be provided in the ground engaging plate 24 or, alternatively (or additionally), an aperture 26 may be provided extending through the spike 23. Incorporated within the seat 21 there is a pocket 27 for accommodating a lead unit, such as the dog lead assembly 5 of Figure 4.

The dog lead assembly 5 may be removed from the pocket 27 and the hook 7 thereof may be engaged either with the aperture 25 in the ground engaging plate 24, or with the aperture 26 provided in the spike 23, and the shooting stick will then have the configuration illustrated in Figure 8.

6 Referring to Figures 9 to 11 an embodiment is provided in which a stick is provided with a separate element which is releasably mounted on the stick, that separate element being provided with means to receive the hook or clip on the dog lead assembly 5.

Referring to Figure 9, an element 30 illustrated, the element 30 comprises a rigid central guide pin 3 1. On either side of the guide pin 31 are two arms 32, 33 which together constitute a resilient clip. The arms may be formed integrally, but each arm is resilient and can thus flex outwardly away from the central guide pin 3 1. Mounted on the combination of the guide pin 31 and the arms 32, 33 is a connector 34 adapted to receive the hook or clip 7 provided at the end of the dog lead assembly 5.

It is to be appreciated that the components illustrated in Figure 9 are intended for use in conjunction with a stick 35 as shown in Figure 10. The stick 35 is provided with a transverse bore 36 extendmig through the stick towards the lower end. thereof. The lower end of the stick is provided with a ferule 37 and the upper end of the stick is provided with a knob 38. The stick may be hollow to accommodate the dog lead unit 5 together with the element 30.

The element 30 may be mounted on the stick 35 by introducing the guide pin 31 through the bore 36. The resilient arms 32, 33 initially deflect outwardly away from each other and, as the clip is urged into a fmal position, the arms 32, 33 will embrace the stick. Thus the component 30 is held fun-lly in place. The dog lead unit 5 may be connected to the component 30 as described above, and the complete unit will then have the appearance as shown in Figure 11.

7 in the present specification "comprise" means "includes or consists of' and "comprising" means "including or consisting of'.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed fimcfion, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

8

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A unit comprising an elongate stick, and an animal lead assembly having at one end a hook or clip, the animal lead assembly including at least one lead, the or each lead terminating with a collar clip, or a choke chain, the stick being provided, at one end thereof, with means adapted to receive the hook or clip of the animal lead assembly.

2. A unit according to Claim 1 wherein the stick is provided with means for storing the animal lead assembly.

3. A unit according to Claim 2 in the form of a walking stick, the walking stick having a hollow interior to constitute the means for storing the animal lead assembly.

4. A unit according to Claim 3 wherein the stick has a removable handle to provide access to the hollow interior.

5. A unit according to Claim 3 or 4 wherein the means to receive the hook or clip of the animal lead assembly comprise an element located within a lower part of the stick.

6. A unit according to Claim 5 wherein the stick has a removable ferrule at the lower end thereof to provide access to the hook located within the stick.

9

7. A unit according to Claim 2 in the form of a shooting stick having a seat, the means for storing the animal lead assembly comprising a pocket formed within the seat of the shooting stick.

8. A unit according to Claim 7 wherein the shooting stick has a ground engaging plate and a spike, an aperture being formed in at least one of said plate and spike to constitute the means adapted to receive the hook or clip of the animal lead assembly.

9. A unit according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 or Claim 7 wherein the means to receive the hook or clip are provided on a separate element which is releasably mounted on the stick.

10. A unit according to Claim 9 wherein the separate element has a guide pin to pass through a bore in the stick and two resilient arms, located on either side of the guide pin, to embrace the stick.

11. A unit according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the animal lead assembly comprises three leads associated with said hook.

12. A unit incorporating an animal lead substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A unit incorporating an animal lead substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 6 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A unit incorporating an animal lead substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 9 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.

15. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.