GB2564101A

GB2564101A - Removable anklet for birds of prey

Info

Publication number: GB2564101A
Application number: GB1710582.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hans Carnihan Thomas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-07-02
Filing date: 2017-07-02
Publication date: 2019-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 2037-07-02
Also published as: GB2564101B; GB201710582D0

Abstract

A removable anklet arrangement, for birds of prey used in falconry and aviculture, comprises an anklet (10), a sleeve with holes (13) in its side, and a button type jess, or jesse. The anklet has two holes with eyelets (11) stamped into them. An eyelet and a tail (12) are at each end of the anklet. The button-type jess includes a button knot at one end and, at the other end, a loop. The loop can be attached to a swivel and a leash and then attached to a block or perch on which the bird sits. In use the pair of tails are threaded through the sleeve until the holes in the sides of the sleeve line up with the eyelets of the anklet and the button jess is the passed through the holes and the eyelets. The sleeve can be made of metal and the anklet made of leather.

Description

This invention is a device for tethering birds of prey that are used in falconry and aviculture. Birds of prey are traditionally tethered to blocks and perches by a device fitted around their legs originally known as jesses and more recently (early 1900s) Aylmeris or false Almeris. These are leather straps with holes and slits fitted into them and fed round each of the bird’s legs in such a way that they are designed not to come off. The later design is called Aylmeri after Guy Aylmer in the 1900s who came up with the idea to fit a leather anklet with two holes punched at each end of the anklet. A brass two-piece eyelet is hammered into the leather after the anklet is fitted round the bird’s leg. A leather jesse is then fitted through the eyelet which helped in preventing it getting tangled when the bird moves around. This type of j esse is now commonly known as a button j esse. The biggest drawback to the design by Guy Aylmer is that the anklet is attached around the bird’s leg by hammering on a set of metal eyelets. This means the bird has to be cast in a towel and bound whilst the hammer is closing the eyelets which can be distressing to the bird. If the bird’s leg comes lose whilst the hammer is closing the eyelet, then the hammer can cause serious injury to the leg which is dangerous.

Both of the above-mentioned devices are designed not to come off the bird and therefore the bird is permanently attached to these leather straps or anklets. This is not the best practice and an alternative has always been sought especially today as the birds’ welfare is paramount.

About sixty years after Guy Aylmer produced his design a more modern version appeared known as the ‘false Aylmeris.’ Primarily it allowed the Aylmeris to be fitted without hammering on the eyelets or casting the bird in a towel. Although this appears to solve one problem it can have disastrous consequences as the anklet has to be made extra-long to allow it to be attached to the bird’s leg and the bird’s back talon can get caught in the eyelets causing serious injury. (See fig 4) This device is used by many who would prefer not to hammer on a set of eyelets.

All of the above are designed to remain on the bird. As the leather gets wet, from weather or when the bird has its daily bath, it shrinks and becomes brittle. It tends to shrink around the eyelet and then makes it impossible to be removed. Although the latter version removes the danger of injuring the bird’s leg when using the hammer it still becomes brittle and then needs to be cut off and can not be put on again.

I originally discovered the invention, by accident, in February 2015.1 was making a prosthetic toe and talon for my Golden Eagle who lost his due to infection. The prosthetic toe was made to help him keep good grip and balance whilst sitting on my glove. The false toe worked very well but I needed to come up with a method that held it on the leg but also enabled it to be removed when the Eagle returned to the aviary. I came up with a sleeve to attach the prosthetic toe to his anklet and it was this sleeve that allowed the anklet to be removed at will. I tested this on my Eagle in secret. I have since spent that last two years developing this into a specific anklet and sleeve for general falconry use, to the point that I’m happy to put it into production after I have been granted a patent, (see figs 10-11)

My invention differs completely from the above-mentioned three known methods of attaching an anklet to a bird of prey. I have specifically set out to design an anklet that is attached in seconds without casting the bird in a towel and can be removed in the same amount of time. The anklet is able to be re-used time after time. This allows the bird’s legs to be examined after a day’s hunting where it can get cuts, abrasions and thorns in its legs, and also the anklet can be renovated inside and out whenever required, making it more comfortable for the bird to wear. Because of its ease of fitting and removal the anklet can be easily and reasonably replaced when necessary. This allows birds of prey, used in falconry and aviculture, to no longer be shackled to devices that can cause unnecessary suffering.

My invention is of an anklet with pre-inserted eyelets and tail-like shapes on each end. An anklet is placed around each of the bird’s legs and the tails are slipped through a sleeve with pre-cut holes. The holes line up over the eyelets that allow a j esse to be passed through the holes to secure it in place. This process takes only seconds to attach and can be performed whilst the bird is on the perch or fist, removing distress to the birds. The design is just as easily removed by slipping out the jesse and slipping off the sleeve and removing the anklet, again in seconds without the need to cut it from the bird, and again whilst the bird is on the perch or fist.

The invention will now be described with the use of the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1,2,3 and 4 are of the traditional Aylmeris and jesses, some used for hundreds years. Figures 5,6,7,8 and 9 are of my invention and how it works.

Figures 10 - 11 are of the original invention, the precursor that developed into this invention

Figure 1 page 1/6 of drawings

This shows as the traditional jesses, jess or jesse. These are used as a pair. Each is made of one piece of leather, one end fitted to each leg (1) and the other end attached to a swivel and a leash (2) (long rope) and further tethered to a block or perch where the bird sits weathering until as it is flown or hunted. This type of leather j esse has been in existence for hundreds of years and is still used today in the Middle East but considered by many to be no longer practical. This jess is not designed to be removed.

Figure 2 page 2/6 of drawings

This is a modern twist to the traditional jesses by Guy Aylmer in the early 1900s. This method is made from two parts of leather. It consists of an anklet with a hole in each end that is fitted around the bird’s leg (3). A pair of brass eyelets (4) are fitted into the holes and then hammered into place by a fitting tool to secure the anklet around the leg (5). This is meant to be a permanent attachment. A button jesse (6) is then threaded through the eyelet. It is able to move freely and the eyelet prevents the jesse from getting tangled as it rotates freely. Although an improvement on the original jesse, it is still permanently attached and needs to be hammered into place whilst the bird is cast in a towel and held by an assistant. This can be distressing for the bird and birds have had their legs broken by a misplaced hammer blow.

Figure 3 page 3/6 of drawings

This shows the only other known method of attaching an anklet to a bird of prey. It is commonly called a false Aylmeri. This was designed to be attached without the need for a fitting tool and hammer, but still not designed to be removed. This is made far longer as the anklet is threaded through slots in the leather (7). It again has its short-comings particularly caused by leather shrinkage and the bird catching its back talon in the eyelet (8) of the longer piece of leather.

Figure 4 page 4/6 of drawings

This shows a photo of a hawk’s back talon that has become tangled in the false Aylmeri (9) due to the fact it is made longer to be able to be threaded through the slits. This can cause serious injury to the bird.

Figure 5 page 5/6 of drawings

This shows my invention. I have designed a leather anklet (10) with two holes that have eyelets prestamped into them (11). There is an eyelet at each end of the anklet and there is a pair of tails (12) which allow it to be threaded into the sleeve. This anklet is designed to be fitted without the need of a fitting tool and hammer and can be removed easily.

Figure 6 page 5/6 of drawings

This shows the sleeve with precision cut holes (13). This is illustrated in metal but can be made from many different materials.

This is the most important part of the invention as it allows the anklet to be fitted and removed in seconds. As the leather fits inside the sleeve, even if it shrinks it is still smaller than the sleeve, still allowing it to be removed quickly and easily.

Figure 7 page 5/6 of drawings

This shows a button type j esse. This comes in many different sizes depending on the size of the bird. It has a ‘button’ knot (14) on one end to prevent it from passing through the eyelet of the anklet (11). The other end has a loop that is attached to a swivel and a leash and then attached to a block or perch, on which the bird sits.

Figure 8 page 5/6 of drawings

This shows the anklet being fitted around the bird’s leg and the sleeve being placed over the tails (12) of the anklet until the holes (13)line up with the eyelets (11). This shows explicitly how the tails of the anklet are used for pulling the anklet through the sleeve. No fitting tool or hammer is required and the bird does not need to be cast in a towel or held by an assistant. This can be done while the bird is sitting on the perch or fist and suffers far less distress.

Figure 9 page 5/6 of drawings

This shows the invention with the ‘button’ jesse being passed through the holes in the sleeve and the eyelets of the anklet in one easy move. To remove the anklet this process is reversed, slipping the jesse back out of the sleeves, sliding the sleeve from the anklet and removing the anklet.

Figures 10-11 page 6/6 of drawings

These are of the original invention, the precursor that developed into this invention

Claims

Claim 1

A specific design of anklet that has precision placed eyelets and is easily removable, to fit around a bird’s leg, held in place by a precision made sleeve with holes that line up to the eyelets of the anklet to allow a button jesse to be slipped through to hold it on the bird’s leg for the purpose of tethering the bird.
Claim 2

An anklet according to claim 1, that has a specific design using eyelets stamped prior to fitting and a unique tail shape at each end that can easily be passed through the sleeve, the shape and size can be altered to fit many different breeds/sizes of birds but the design and eyelets remain the same.
Claim 3

A sleeve that has precision, pre-cut holes, according to claim 1, that when the tails of the anklet are passed through the body of the sleeve the holes line up perfectly with the eyelets of the anklet to allow a button jesse to be slipped through the holes and eyelets to keep it around the bird’s leg.
Claim 4

The button Jesse, according to claim 1, which passes through the holes of the sleeve and the eyelets of the anklet has a knot on one end that, having passed the other end through the holes and eyelets, secures all three to the bird’s leg, whilst the other end is then attached to a swivel and leash to tether the bird to the block or bow perch.
Claim 5

An anklet, sleeve and button jesse, according to claim 1, that is simple to apply and remove without harming or distressing the bird to allow the inspection and care of the bird’s leg.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows:

Claims

Claim 1

A arrangement of anklet, sleeve and button Jesse combination that fits together to tether a bird of prey; being a specific design that ensures secure tethering whilst being easily removable.

Claim 2

The sleeve having the anklet passed through, according to claim 1, unique to tethering birds of prey used in this combination, is fundamental to ensuring accurate fit, secure tethering and also fast and trouble-free removal.

Claim 3

The anklet's tails pass through the sleeve, according to claim 1, and has eyelets that line up with the holes on the sleeve through which the Jesse is passed to secure the ^j t' arrangement around the bird’s leg.

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Claim 4 <·. 9 o ·

The button Jesse, that when passed through the eyelets and holes of the combination according to claim 1, is secured by the button end and the other end can then be held or attached to a swivel and leash to tether the bird.