US3007581A

US3007581A - Duck hunter's crutch

Info

Publication number: US3007581A
Application number: US852674A
Authority: US
Inventors: Benjamin F Moore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-11-13
Filing date: 1959-11-13
Publication date: 1961-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 1978-11-07

Description

Nov. 7, 1961 MOQRE 3,007,581

DUCK HUNTERS CRUTCH Filed Nov. 15, 1959 I I Benjamin E Moore 1N VEN TOR.

' United States The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in novel multipurpose extensible and contractible staff expressly, but not necessarily, designed and adapted for use by hunters particularly in that it lends itself for use as a walking stick, a staff, a so-called emer gency crutch, and, what is most important, as a gun holder.

As will be hereinafter more clearly evident the device is unique as a walking stick for the reason that it is longitudinally extensible and retractible and therefore may be adjusted-to be used by a hunter for support when Walking throughfflooded areas and trudging over rough and uncertain terrain. Q j

In addition and as briefly touched upon the device is v astaif susceptible of being satisfactorily used by the hunter 'tomaintain' his balance while wading through swamps, wet matted twigs and similarly covered areas, for feeling his way along in water for submerged logs,

.brush or deep holes that would normaly cause the hunter to stumble or perhaps step in an unexpected depression above his boots. In the sense that the inventionis a crutch it has the necessary mechanical expedients and arrangement thereof capable of being reliably used just in case the hunter might turn and sprain an ankle or twist a knee or limb out of place. Y Y

As is perhaps already evident from what has been stated above the essence of the invention may be said to reside in the use of the' device 'as a stake or rack and 1 gun holder. The construction is such that the invention may be used by the hunter to relieve himself of the hecessi ty of holding his gun in his hands during the time when the prey (doves, duck, etc.) are not on the move,

that is, not flying." To this end the cooperating components may be properly adjusted to hold the gun in proper position so as to require a minimum of effort to pick it up and make a quick shot.

Briefly summarized, the invention comprises an elongated barrel or cylinder and a cooperating rod or leg which is telescopically mounted therein. The two parts are adjustably joined by way of a suitable chuck. A specially designed head on the upper end of the barrel or cylinder has several purposes to be revealed. A bracket is mounted on the median portion of the barrel and this also serves a number of purposes to be described.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawing. In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a multipurpose hunters utility stalf or crutch constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a similar view with the gun omitted and with the leg contracted into the cylinder or barrel.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged detail sections on the lines 3-3 and 44, respectively of FIG. 1.

In the drawing the elongated barrel or cylinder is denoted by the numeral 6 and this is of suitable crosssection and length. In experimental models this part has been of aluminum tubing and may be some three feet, more or less in length. A length of aluminum tubing is also employed to provide the extensible and retractible rod or leg 8. Here again this part may be about three and one-half feet in length. In any event the lower end thereof is suitably pointed as at 10 so that it may be forced into the ground or bed of the stream or other body of water in an obvious manner. The upper end portion 12 as shown in FIG. 3 is telescopically fitted in the bore 14 of the barrel 6 and the lower end of the barrel is provided with screw-threaded longitudinally slit fingers 16 defining grips and serving to accommodate the threaded portion of the attachable and detachable clamping and assembling nut 18. Thesecomponents together provide a satisfactory chuck which permits the leg to be extended or retracted or adjusted and held in any intermediate stage or position. I I

There is a novel head 20 mounted on the upper end and this head is in the nature of a short piece or bar of aluminum having a socket therein and defining what may be described as a cap 22 which is capped over the end of portion 24 with the body or arm portion 26 projecting at right angles and gradually tapered and then formed into a return bend 28 providing a hook-like seat for the barrel 30 of the shot gun 32. The butt34' of the gun is adapted to rest atop theedge of a foot 36 having a toe 38 at the outerend thereof. The foot is interposed between the spaced parallel terminal end portions 40 of a splitclamping band or "ring 42. Thisband embraces the barrel and the parts are assembled and held together by a bolt 44 and wing nut 46. 'The clamp may be also described as'a bracket and is rotatable and slidable and may be moved toward and from the head. The cap portion of the head is removably held in place by setscrew 48. It follows that the hooked head member 26 may be located above the foot and the foot may be extended 'to assume a horizontal gun butt' supporting position.

' It will be evident that by loosening he knurled lock or sleeve nut 18, pulling out the telescoping tube or leg section 3 the desired length of the over-all device may be attained and then by tightening the chuck, the two parts provide what may be described as a staff to be .used while Wading through water. Forthe crutch all that; is necessary, isQto adjust 'the height to'fit under the arm, in the .same manner as the stair'. In this instance the hooked head member 26 provides an armpit saddle resembling the saddle on an ordinary crutch and the bracket attached foot 36 may be used as a hand piece or grip. Upon arriving at the duck blind or stand or other position for hunting the user lengthens the staff to the desired length. In practice the stafi could be made some six and one-half feet or seven feet in length. It may be telescoped into half this length if desired. The chuck and accompanying sleeve 18 makes possible the desired length adjustment. The pointed end 10 permits the device to be staked into the ground. FIG. 1 shows how the toe-equipped foot 36 provides a support for the butt of the gun and how the barrel of the gun is seated and held in the hook 28.

By placing the gin butt on the rest or foot and the barrel in the hook the device is all set and provides a highly satisfactory gun holder which will enable the hunter to have full use of his hands and arms and will at the same time relieve him of the necessity of holding or carrying a gun weighing some six to ten pounds over long periods of time. With the gun racked on the holder it is in a ready-to-use quick-action position.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows: 7 1. A device for useby a hunter comprising an elongated stake having a pointed lower end adapted to be embedded in the ground with the stake extending ver-' tically or approximately so, a vertically elongated sup port barrel fitted slidingly on said stake, means connecting the barrel and stake together so that the same may be telescopically collapsed into small compass when the device is not in use, means on the respective end portions of the barrel vfor supporting a gun in a ready-topick-up and use position, said means embodying a one or approximately so above ground level, a correspondingly'over the'stake, said stalse being adapted to telescope a into the bore of thebarrel when not being used, means 1 at the lowerend ofsaid barrel for clampingly engaging piece rigid head cappedover and mounted on the upper end of the barrel, said head having a horizontal member disposed at right angles to said barrel and projecting beyond and terminating in a rigid hook, the bill ofsaid hook being directed toward said barrel and providing a seat spaced from but facing the barrel and adapted for removable reception of the guns barrel, said means also including a separate bracket mounted on the lower end portion of said support barrel and provided-with a hinged folding foot adapted to removably seat, and support an end portion, of the gun butt, said foot being generally parallel to and located beneath said right angular dis? posed hook-equipped member. i v

2. The structure defined in claim 1- an,d wherein the crotch of said seat is vertical and is approximately in line 7 ing band constituting a bracket constitnti-ng a rest for P ns o t am band, said ee hati an outer Y with a plane parallel to the vertical axis of said barrel, a

the distance ofithe crotch from the axis of the barrel being predetermined so that when the barrel of .thegun is seated and propped in its supported position there is nothing to hinder quick removal thereof from said seat.

3. The structure defined ,in claim 2 and wherein said foot terminates at a free outer end inan upstanding toe which may be positioned properly in relation to the aforementioned seat so as not to interfere with the handlingtof the butt and stock of the gun, the upper lengthwise edge of said foot and toe conjointly providing a rest for the butt of the gun, and said bracket being slidingly and rotatably mounted on the support barrel so that'the position of the foot may be properly related .to the aforementioned hook and seat so that no hindrance I to the gun' pickup and handling step =is'present;

4. For use by a duck hunter, a gun holder and trudging staff combined comprising a vertically elongatedrigid stake having apointed lower end adapted to be embedded in the ground sothat the stake may extend van sn 1 ingly elongated sleeve constituting a barrel and fitted slidthe stake in a manner to. allow the stalge to be. either held in the barrel-in a concealed retracted manner or projected a desired distance beyond the lower end of "the barrel and clamped to said barrel, atrigid cap removably capped over the upper end of the barrel and provided h a s w a g he b r el a al ewins the c p to be rotated and clampedfin any desired position gr completely removed, said cap having an ann' radi fr m o mar al s d a d tlisnq ed in ilz uz p nez a d a p i ng'at gh aasls re at e o the vertical axis of the barrel and'being gradnallytapercd toward the outer free end ofthe arm and formed into a return bend directed toward the barrel and providing a hook-like seat'for removable reception of a portion of a barr l of ashotgun', t 'sp c am in ban s iclinslyaad c a p y m nned 9. e fi -na ss barrsl etween t uppe a d c s ends of the laflerbmst sa d slame utt of the en i st ck; idrest com risin a po having an inner endadjustably connected to the split and end. w ed h an im en g b t reta n n ma sinr c n fpldable gainst meant-nam s! barrel was tf- P V ii i hen n t in we e roje ted utwa y to a p ip rad at n om t e arrel-when in use, the clamping band permitting the position of; the

o t b p op r y m ed in rela ion tbl the sun bar seating, k h re y t e su ma be elia l and an cessibly supported in a ready-toepiclr-up and shoot