Abstract:
An apparatus and method for cleaning and processing a harvested animal is provided. The apparatus comprises a structural frame for suspending the harvested animal and supporting the harvested animal when suspended. The apparatus further includes a hide removal linkage coupled to the hide of the suspended animal at one or more connection points. The apparatus includes a hide remover coupled to the hide removal linkage, wherein the hide remover applies tension through the hide removal linkage on the hide for removing the hide from the suspended animal. The hide remover may or may not itself be coupled to the frame. A plurality of guides coupled to the frame and in communication with the hide removal linkage route the hide removal linkage in a predetermined orientation. Tension, which is applied by the hide remover, is directed by the guides and the hide removal linkage to the hide of the suspended animal such that the hide is separated from the suspended animal and travels according to the preferred orientation. Upon hide removal, the animal may be repositioned for additional processing and cleaning.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims priority to copending U.S. provisional application entitled, “THE BUTLER RACK,” having serial No. 60/261,899, filed Jan16, 2001, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for cleaning and processing game or domestic animals, and more particularly relates to an apparatus and method for removing the skin and dressing a game or domestic animal quickly and easily.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    After a game or domestic animal, such as a deer or livestock, is harvested by a hunter in the wild or, in the case of livestock, by a processor in a meat packaging facility, the hunter/processor must skin and process the animal carcass in order to collect the desired meat portions from the animal. (Henceforth, this disclosure will make reference to a game animal with the understanding that game animal also includes domestic animals such as cattle, pigs, and other farm-raised type of harvestable animals.) Typically, the harvested game is moved to a hunting camp or other processing location where the animal may be hoisted in a tree or other hanging structure. Once suspended, the carcass can be skinned and the desired meat can be removed. The skinning process desirably should take place in a way that does not damage the portions of the meat that are to be collected as well other parts of the carcass that are retained, such as a male animal&#39;s head and antlers.  
           [0004]    As described above, typical skinning and processing methods for harvesting game include hoisting the animal in a tree or from some other permanent structure, such as a barn, etc., so the carcass may be easily accessed thereby enabling the animal&#39;s skin to be removed and the undesirable or uncollectible portions separated from the desirable portions of the animal. Because an unprocessed deer carcass may be heavy, it can be difficult to hoist the animal to sufficient height in order to remove the outer skin or hide effectively. Moreover, because of the size of some harvested game animals, the height that the carcass must be raised for skinning may be such that it is difficult to skin without constantly readjusting the height and position.  
           [0005]    Typical methods for removing the skin, or hide, from harvested game typically involve manually separating the hide from the deer carcass by exerting physical force. This may be a difficult process due to the inability to place sufficient tension on the hide to easily separate the hide from the carcass for further processing. Some inefficient methods involve attaching the carcass to a movable object such as a vehicle via a cable or rope, and the hide to a stationary object, such as a tree (or vice-versa). By moving the vehicle, the hide may be separated from the carcass. However, this is inefficient and time consuming, as the carcass may have to be raised to an extraordinary height to completely separate the hide from the carcass. Thus, it is often the case that the removal of the hide may be one of the more difficult and time-consuming aspects of processing a game carcass.  
           [0006]    Many processing configurations and structures provide for dressing the harvested game in a suspended vertical orientation. This may make reaching inner portions of the harvested game difficult. As a result, processing vertically suspended game may result in an undesirably messy processing environment, which potentially could lead to sanitary issues in regard to the harvested meat.  
           [0007]    It is sometimes desirable, upon fully processing and dressing a carcass to allow the carcass to age in the open air for a limited time. This may allow unwanted materials in the carcass to drain thereby enhancing the overall quality of the processed carcass. However, typical processing techniques, described above, wherein a carcass is hung from a tree or other fixed point, result in the carcass merely being hung near the ground. The problem with this configuration is that carcasses left near the ground are vulnerable to other wild game that may attempt to feed upon the aging carcass if within reach. While one solution may be to simply raise the carcass to a sufficient height such that wild animals can not reach the carcass, this solution may not be always available due to the physical imitations of the hoisting mechanism and structure, as well as space restrictions, as the hoist would likely have to be fifteen to twenty feet from the ground to raise larger game to a sufficient height.  
           [0008]    As described above, there is a need for a apparatus and method for processing harvested game animals such that the animal carcass may be easily placed into a position for processing and dressing. Furthermore, there is a need for a apparatus and method for quickly and easily removing the outer hide to enable further processing and dressing. As also stated above, there is a need for a apparatus and method for placing a completely processed carcass in a position out of reach of any passing wild game to enable the carcass to age for a limited time. Finally, there is a need for a apparatus and method that solves the problems identified above while also offering portability and maneuverability of the entire apparatus. Consequently, a heretofore under addressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies set forth above.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    An apparatus and method for cleaning and processing a harvested game animal is provided. The apparatus comprises a structural frame for suspending the harvested game and supporting the harvested game while suspended. The apparatus further includes a hide removal linkage coupled to the hide of the suspended game at one or more connection points. The apparatus includes a hide remover coupled to the hide removal linkage, wherein the hide remover applies tension through the hide removal linkage on the hide for removing the hide from the suspended game. The hide remover may or may not itself be coupled to the frame. A plurality of guides coupled to the frame and in communication with the hide removal linkage route the hide removal linkage in a predetermined orientation. Tension, which is applied by the hide remover, is directed by the guides and the hide removal linkage to the hide of the suspended game such that the hide is separated from the suspended game and travels according to the predetermined orientation. Upon hide removal, the game may be repositioned for further processing and cleaning.  
           [0010]    Other systems, methods, and features, of the present invention will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, and features, be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed on clearly illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the drawings like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus for processing and dressing harvested game.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of perspective view of FIG. 1.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the winching portion of the apparatus FIG. 1 with focus upon the hide removal system. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0015]    Having summarized the invention above, reference&#39;s now made in detail to the game processing rack as illustrated in the drawings. While the rack will be described in connection with these, there is no intent to limited to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed therein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalence included within the spirit and scope defined by the appended claims.  
         [0016]    Turning to FIG. 1, one embodiment, among others, of the game processing rack  10  is shown. Game processing rack  10  is comprised of a base portion  12 . It should be understood that the base portion  12  may be in other shapes, and one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the invention is not limited only to the shape shown in FIG. 1. The game processing rack  10  (hereinafter “the rack  10 ”) has a plurality of vertical members  14 . The embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, has vertical members  14   a - 14   f ; however, one of ordinary skill in the art would easily know upon inspection of FIG. 1 that a greater of lessor number of vertical members  14  may be implemented without varying from the spirit and scope of the invention.  
         [0017]    More specifically, vertical members  14   a  and  14   b  are shown near the rear portion of rack  10  with vertical members  14   c ,  14   d ,  14   e , and  14   f,  respectively, near the front portion of the rack. As described in more detail below, vertical members  14   c - 14   f  are implemented in a hide removal assembly within rack  10 .  
         [0018]    A raised frame  16  is connected to vertical members  14 . One of ordinary skill in the art would know that raised frame  16  may have configurations in addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 1 without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as shown and claimed. Attached to the raised frame  16  is raised portion  18 , which are supporting members that, as shown in FIG. 1, create a raised portion above the plane of raised frame  16 . Raised portion  18  is configured such that it creates a open space  20  between the plane of raised frames  16  and the raised portion  18 . This open space  20  is described in more detail below in regard its function and use in the present invention.  
         [0019]    It should be noted that FIG. 1 shows several supporting members for raised potion  18 , which helps in supporting the weight of the suspended game carcass. It should also be noted that the rack  10  may be constructed with a greater fewer number of raised portion members  18  without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Top portion members  18  serve to provide support for hoisting the game animal to a sufficient height and also for creating a open space  20  for potentially storing any harvested and processed game.  
         [0020]    It should be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the members of base portion  12 , vertical members  14 , top frame  16 , and raised portion  18  in rack  10  may be of any suitable material. Suitable materials include, but are not limited to metal, wood, plastic, or any other material that may be fastened together. It is desirable that such suitable materials possess the inherent strength, once constructed as rack  10 , for supporting the weight of the suspended carcass (i.e., a deer, elk, antelope, moose, cow, pig, etc.) as well as any tensions that may be communicated to the rack  10  as part of the hide removal process, or any other aspect of processing the carcass. Additionally, the individual members of rack  10  (members  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18 ) may be fastened together in any suitable means including, but not limited to, welding and/or fusing methods, nails, screws, bolts, glue and other similar adhesive methods, etc. All suitable fastening methods are intended to be included within the scope of this invention. Suitable fastening methods are configured so as to withstand all weights and tensions, as described herein.  
         [0021]    The members  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18  of rack  10  may be configured in a collapsible format to enable a quick break-down to smaller sized configuration. The collapsed version of rack  10  may provide for reduced storage and/or ease of portability. In making rack  10  collapsible, members  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18  may be connected by hinges, removable bolts, etc. to aid in quick and efficient set up and break down, while maintaining structural strength when rack  10  is substantially arranged as in the perspective view of FIG. 1.  
         [0022]    The game animal that is to be processed is attached to a cable  28  by one of several fastening means. Cable  28  may be attached to the neck portion of the game animal when the head portion of the animal is to be hoisted above the hind portion. Alternatively, a bar  24  with hooks  26  may be attached to cable  28  and the hind legs or other hind portion of the harvested game for hoisting the animal in the air in an inverted fashion, wherein the head is nearer to the ground. Bar  24  may be constructed of metal, wood, or other material that provides a sufficient separation between the hind legs or other attachment point of the harvested game. In one embodiment, among others, bar  24  is a metal bar with hooks  26  attached at each end of bar  24  for attaching to the hind legs of the harvested game. In addition, cable  28  may be a metal wire or cable, rope, a chain, or other suitable line wherein the weight of the harvest game once hoisted, as well as any tension that may be exerted on the carcass during processing may be supported.  
         [0023]    In one embodiment, among others, cable  28  is constructed of metal wire and has sufficient flexibility to follow the path shown in FIG. 1. Indeed, cable  28  is connected at one end to bar  24  and is routed through pulleys  27  and  29  to a winching device  31 . Winching device  31  is attached to vertical members  14   d ,  14   f  via mounting plate  21  and support members  22 .  
         [0024]    Cable  28  is routed through pulleys  27  and  29  to winching device  31 . As shown in FIG. 1, winching device  31  is a manual hand-cranked winch. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that winch  31  may be other similar devices as well. For example, winch  31  may be an electric or automatic winch or other type of device that receives wire  28 , as the game carcass is hoisted into the air. As shown in FIG. 1, however, winch  31  is a manual winching device that is operable for winding or unwinding cable  31  for hoisting or lowering the game carcass as desired. Winch  31  provides a locking or stabilizing mechanism for holding the suspended game carcass in a desired position after it is raised from the ground. In other alternative embodiments, winch  31  may be a connection point, or a tie-off point for cable  28  to be tied once the carcass is hoisted from the ground. In this alternative embodiment, the harvested game may be manually hoisted from the ground wherein the cable  28  is tied or fastened to device  31 . Thus, device  31  may simply be a connection point for fastening the wire  28  to hold the harvested game at a sufficient position for processing.  
         [0025]    In other alternative embodiments, winch  31  may be a movable device not necessarily affixed to rack  10 . As non-limiting examples, winch  31  may be an automobile, an all-terrain vehicle, or even a horse, wherein these devices are implemented to move the game carcass from the ground by cable  28 . Stated another way, if cable  28  is connected to an automobile, the automobile may be moved sufficiently so that cable  28  moves through pulleys  27  and  29  thereby positioning the carcass off the ground for processing.  
         [0026]    Rack  10  includes an additional pulley system for use in removing the hide of the game animal suspended by the pulleys  27 ,  29 , cable  28 , and winch  31 . A second winch  35  may be coupled to plate  21  and connected through a series of rollers  39 ,  41 , and  43  (or pulleys) for connecting a cable  37  to the animal hide, which is to be removed. More specifically, the winch  35  may be any type of mechanism as similarly described in regard to winch  31 . The winch  35 , as shown in FIG. 1, is, in this embodiment, a manual hand-cranked winch. The cable  37  that is coupled to the winch  35  and the hide of the game animal may be any type of wire, cable, belt, rope, or other similar device sufficient for supporting the tension created by winch  35  on the hide of the suspended game. The cable  37  is routed from winch  35  around roller  39 , which is positioned between the vertical members  14   d ,  14   f . Thereafter, the cable  37  travels vertically to roller  41 , which is located near the top of vertical members  14   d ,  14   f . From roller  41 , cable  37  travels to roller  43 , which is a part of a traveling roller section  48 .  
         [0027]    In FIG. 1, traveling roller section  48  is shown in a middle position on vertical members  14   c ,  14   e . Prior to removing the hide of the suspended carcass, the traveling section  48  is positioned near the bottom of members  14   c ,  14   e . As further described below, traveling section  48  may travel vertically along members  14   c ,  14   e  depending upon whether the hide is being removed or whether the carcass is being suspended in or near open space  20 .  
         [0028]    As stated above, roller  43  is included in traveling section  48  and cable  37  loops around roller  43  and is connected to the hide of the suspended game near the metal bar  24 . At the end points of cable  37  are connection fasteners  45 , which attach to the hide of the suspended game at a point proximate to the metal bar  24  prior to the hide being removed from the suspended game. The fasteners  45  may be any fasteners means sufficient for attaching the cable  37  to the hide of the suspended game such that when tension is applied to the hide, the fasteners  45  and cable  37  will operate to separate the hide from the suspended game.  
         [0029]    In one embodiment, among others, the fasteners  45  may be flexible rope that can be affixed to the hide near the point where the game is suspended from bar  24 . More specifically and as a non-limiting example, if the suspended game is inverted such that the hind legs are attached to bar  24  with the head of the game positioned near the ground, fasteners  45  may be attached to the outer portion of the hide by placing a hard object (i.e., such as a rock, marble, or golf ball) on the inner side of the hide and affixing the fastener  45  to the hide such that the hard object on the under side of the hide protrudes through the connection point of fastener  45 . This non-limiting example is but one method for firmly attaching fasteners  45  to the hide such that when tension is applied to the hide, the hide will be pulled off rather than fasteners  45  becoming disconnected from the hide. Other connection methods may implement hooks or other fasteners that are sufficient to remove the hide.  
         [0030]    As discussed above, traveling section  48  may be positioned near the bottom portion of members  14   c ,  14   e  such that cable  37  creates a zigzag configuration between members  14   c - 14   e  and  14   d - 14   f  and winch  35 . The winch  35  is operated to place tension on the hide of the harvested game via rollers  39 ,  41  and  43  such that the hide is removed from the suspended game in a downward direction. As the hide is removed from the suspended game, the cable travels in a direction around roller  43 , over roller  41 , under roller  39 , and onto winch  35 . In one non-limiting embodiment, rollers  39 ,  41 , and  43  are sufficiently wide such that the hide itself may roll across rollers  39 ,  41  and/or  43  as the winch  35  operates to receive the cable  37 . In this process however, tension is applied to the suspended game, such that the hide is removed and thereafter travels around rollers  39 ,  41  and  43 . During this process, the suspended game, which originally is hanging in a vertical orientation, may be pulled or reoriented in a diagonal direction toward the traveling section  48  along the axis of cable  37 .  
         [0031]    Winch  35  may be operated to remove the hide from the suspended game to a point sufficient to enable further processing of the carcass. As described above, the winching process may reorient the suspended game from a substantially vertical direction orientation to a horizontal or diagonal/near-horizontal orientation. This horizontal or diagonal/near-horizontal orientation aids the processing of the carcass, as non-removed portions of the carcass, such as internal non-desirables, fall or drain straight from the carcass to the ground rather than draining down the side of the carcass and potentially contaminating portions desired to be further processed. In fact, the carcass being processed can be oriented in a near horizontal direction by moving the traveling section  48  in an upwardly vertical direction along members  14   c ,  14   e , such that the carcass is in a near horizontal direction. In processing a deer, for example, it is desirable to prevent the animal&#39;s urine bladder from bursting during processing and contacting desired meat to be collected. By orienting the deer in a horizontal or diagonal/near-horizontal position, any deer urine that escapes from the animal&#39;s bladder will fall directly to the ground without contacting and contaminating other portions of the carcass. Moreover, repositioning the carcass to the horizontal or diagonal/near-horizontal orientation makes additional processing easier for the operator, as the carcass may be positioned for the operator&#39;s comfort.  
         [0032]    In addition, reorientating the carcass to a horizontal or diagonal/near-horizontal position, while maintining tension on the hide of the carcass with winch  35 , rollers  39 ,  41 , and  43 , and cable  37 , provides a safe cleaning and processing environment. In this diagonal to horizontal position, the carcass is held still and does not sway aimlessly as in a suspended vertical orientation.  
         [0033]    Traveling section  48  is configured such that it may be temporarily positioned near the bottom, top or any point along members  14   c ,  14   e . Indeed, after the carcass has been completely processed, the traveling section  48  may be positioned near the top of members  14   c ,  14   e  such that the carcass is in a horizontal position within open space  20 . To place the processed carcass in open space  20 , winches  31  and  35  may be further maneuvered, so that resulting tension moves the carcass into space  20 .  
         [0034]    Once the hide is completely removed and the carcass is completely processed, the fasteners  45  may be disengaged from the carcass allowing the carcass to again be vertically suspended from cable  28  and bar  24 . The carcass is then ready for removal from rack  10 .  
         [0035]    Turning to FIG. 2, an alternative embodiment of rack  10  is shown. In this alternative embodiment, the portability of rack  10  is exhibited. In this alternative embodiment, rack  10  is equipped with engageable wheels  60  attached near the corners of members  14   a  &amp;  12  and members  14   b  &amp;  12 ; however, engageable wheels  60  may be placed in other positions on rack  10  as well. The engageable wheels  60  are configured such that they can be engaged or disengaged to make rack  10  portable for mobility but also stationary when needed for processing of harvested game. When rack  10  is to be moved, engageable wheels  60  may be placed in contact with the ground surface, thereby making rack  10  portable. Similarly, engageable wheels  60  may be disengaged when it is desirable to make rack  10  stationary.  
         [0036]    To aid in portability, rack  10  may also be equipped with bars  62  attached to vertical members  14   d ,  14   f  so that rack  10  may be moved by lifting handle  62  and rolling wheels  60 . Once rack  10  is positioned in the desirable location, the user would lower rack  10  by handles  62  and disengage wheels  60  such that bottom bars  12  are in complete contact with the ground providing stability for rack  10  in processing operations.  
         [0037]    Turning to FIG. 3, the winching and zigzag portion of rack  10 ′ is depicted. In FIG. 3, the entire rack  10  is not shown, as it may not be necessarily implemented in a configuration to achieve aspects of the present invention. Indeed, rack  10 ′ may be implemented wherein pulley  27  (FIG.1) may be affixed to structure other than members  18 , such as a tree or other point. If a user already has a location to suspend the carcass (i.e., from a tree or from a post or other pre-existing location rack  10 ′) may be positioned in close proximity such that cable  28  is then coupled to the pre-existing pulley  27  (connected to the tree or other structure) through pulley  29 , and onto winch  31 , as described above.  
         [0038]    The operation of rack  10 ′ is similar to that described above with regard to removal of the hide, as cable  37  connects to the hide with fastener points  45  (shown in FIG. 1) and routed around rollers  43 ,  41 , and  39  onto winch  35 . Thus, the operation in rack  10 ′ is not different in this regard, but the rest of the rack frame is not illustrated in this alternative embodiment, since a pre-existing pulley  27  suspension point already exists. Just as described above, traveling section  48  includes support members  53  and  55  to slide along vertical members  14   c ,  14   e . The cable  37  and the hide of the harvested game are rolled around roller  43  in the space between roller  43  and support member  53 . As stated above, traveling section  48  may be located near the bottom of members  14   c ,  14   e  or at any height along members  14   c  and  14   e . For hide removal functions, traveling section  48  is located near the bottom of members  14   c  and  14   e , while for game suspension purposes (such as in space  20  in FIG. 1 or merely in the air in FIG. 3, traveling section  48  is located near the top end of section of members  14   c  and  14   e . In this embodiment rack  10 ′ is securely attached to the ground or a building so as to exert hoisting and hide-removal tension without moving.  
         [0039]    It should also be understood that rollers  39 ,  41 , and  43  are not necessarily rolling devices, but may merely be guides for routing cable  37  and the removed hide (not shown) in a zigzag configuration as previously described. These devices ( 39 ,  41 , and  43 ) may be configured to guide the cable  37  through the traveling section  48 , over the raised unit  41  and down around the bottom unit (or roller)  39  to winch  35 .  
         [0040]    In other embodiments that are not shown, rack  10  may be fitted with a soft or hard structure over members  18  to provide cover from the elements if rack  10  is positioned outdoors. Furthermore, rack  10  may be wired with electricity for lights that may be positioned to sufficiently illuminate the area for processing the harvested game. In addition, rack  10  may be equipped with running water or a tank  70  (FIG. 2) and hose  71  (FIG. 2) for cleaning the processed game of undesired substances as well as a utility tray  73  (FIG. 2) for placing processing instruments.  
         [0041]    It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention, particularly, any “preferred” embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention and protected by the following claims.