Abstract:
The repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus is an invention that allows a user to quickly and easily reposition a taxidermy type mounted animal or animal portion. The apparatus provides for motion about a plurality of axes creating the ability to display a taxidermy mounted animal in a multitude of different positions and orientations. The apparatus further includes an easily interchangeable swivel plate device which allows the user to display different mounted animals at various mount angles.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to taxidermy type mounting apparatuses and in particular, to taxidermy mounting apparatuses that provide for movement or repositioning of the mounted game or fish or like mounted object 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    It is common for hunters, fishermen, and outdoor enthusiasts to desire to display animals or the like that they have taken in the wild. A variety of taxidermy type mounting apparatuses are further well known and are in widespread use in displaying such animals. Such mounting apparatuses have often consisted merely of a static display case, a static display stand, or of a static plaque type mounting apparatus that mounts substantially flush to a wall. 
         [0005]    However, some have sought to improve upon such static type mounting apparatuses. Many users of mount apparatuses have shown a desire to be able to reposition a mounted animal head or animal bust to a variety of different positions without the need of having to remount the animal head or animal bust. For instance, the following list of US patents and applications disclose inventions related to taxidermy mounting apparatuses and/or movable mounting apparatuses and are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,145,006, 4,225,106, 4,971,865, 6,458,434, 6,561,468, 6,828,035, 7,207,535, 7,243,888, and 20070190891. However, the inventive concepts disclosed in the preceding list of patents have failed to teach a repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus that may be repositionable about multiple axes or that may be repositioned beyond movement about a single rotational axis. Such a repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus that overcomes the noted problems is heretofore unknown and is the subject of this invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to taxidermy mount apparatuses that were described to be lacking in the art. Accordingly, the present invention is an improved taxidermy mount system or apparatus that comprises substantially flat base plate having at least one support collar, a cantilever type swing arm, and a swivel plate device. The base plate is fastened to a wall or like structure. A first end of the swing arm is rotatingly positioned in the collar, and the swivel plate device is rotatingly positioned on the second end of the swing arm. With the apparatus thus assembled, the swing arm is free to rotate about a first axis of the swing arm that is substantially coincident with the center of the collar and the center of the swing arm first end. The swivel plate device is also free to rotate about an axis that is substantially coincident to the center of the swing arm second end and the center of the swivel plate device. An animal head or animal bust or like object is preferably mounted to the swivel plate device. Thus the taxidermy mount apparatus is adapted to reposition such mounted animal head in a great many different positions and attitudes without mechanical alteration to the mount apparatus. 
         [0007]    Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may necessarily be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0008]    Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention. 
         [0009]    These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the apparatus having an animal bust shown mounted to the apparatus; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a reverse isometric view of a first embodiment of the apparatus having an animal bust shown mounted to the apparatus; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the apparatus; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an exploded isometric view of a first embodiment of the apparatus; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of a first embodiment of the apparatus depicting the rotational movement of the apparatus; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the apparatus, the second embodiment having an inverted swing arm; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of a third embodiment of the apparatus, the third embodiment having a light duty swing arm; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of a fourth embodiment of the apparatus, the fourth embodiment having multiple swing arms; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is an isometric view of a fifth embodiment of the apparatus, the fifth embodiment having an angled swivel plate device, and; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is an exploded isometric view of a swivel plate device and a pedestal. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0022]    Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are included to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
         [0023]    The invention is an improved repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus for display a mounted animal bust in a variety of repositionable positions. The invention preferably includes at least one swing arm that provides for rotational movement about at least two axes. In order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention in reviewing the drawings accompanying the specification, a feature list is provided below. It is noted that like features are like numbered throughout all of the figures. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 FEATURE TABLE 
               
             
          
           
               
                 # 
                 Feature 
                 # 
                 Feature 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 20 
                 Mount apparatus 
                 30 
                 Base 
               
               
                 32 
                 Base plate 
                 34 
                 Attach hole 
               
               
                 36 
                 Lower blind collar 
                 38 
                 Bore hole 
               
               
                 40 
                 Threaded set screw hole 
                 42 
                 Upper blind collar 
               
               
                 44 
                 Bore hole 
                 46 
                 Threaded set screw hole 
               
               
                 48 
                 Set screw 
                 50 
                 Swing arm device 
               
               
                 52 
                 Support arm 
                 53 
                 Support arm first end 
               
               
                 54 
                 Support arm second end 
                 56 
                 First shaft 
               
               
                 58 
                 Rod 
                 60 
                 Second shaft 
               
               
                 62 
                 Shaft flange 
                 64 
                 Set screw hole 
               
               
                 66 
                 Rod 
                 68 
                 Gusset 
               
               
                 70 
                 Gusset lower end 
                 72 
                 Gusset upper end 
               
               
                 74 
                 Third shaft 
                 76 
                 Rod 
               
               
                 80 
                 Swivel plate device 
                 82 
                 Swivel plate 
               
               
                 84 
                 Attach hole 
                 86 
                 Blind collar 
               
               
                 88 
                 Bore hole 
                 90 
                 Animal bust 
               
               
                 92 
                 Pedestal 
                 94 
                 Base 
               
               
                 96 
                 Rod 
               
               
                 120 
                 Mount apparatus 
                 30 
                 Base 
               
               
                 32 
                 Base plate 
                 34 
                 Attach hole 
               
               
                 36 
                 Lower blind collar 
                 38 
                 Bore hole 
               
               
                 40 
                 Threaded set screw hole 
                 42 
                 Upper blind collar 
               
               
                 44 
                 Bore hole 
                 46 
                 Threaded set screw hole 
               
               
                 48 
                 Set screw 
                 150 
                 Swing arm device 
               
               
                 52 
                 Support arm 
                 53 
                 Support arm first end 
               
               
                 54 
                 Support arm second end 
                 56 
                 First shaft 
               
               
                 58 
                 Rod 
                 60 
                 Second shaft 
               
               
                 62 
                 Shaft flange 
                 64 
                 Set screw hole 
               
               
                 66 
                 Rod 
                 68 
                 Gusset 
               
               
                 70 
                 Gusset lower end 
                 72 
                 Gusset upper end 
               
               
                 74 
                 Third shaft 
                 76 
                 Rod 
               
               
                 80 
                 Swivel plate device 
                 82 
                 Swivel plate 
               
               
                 84 
                 Attach hole 
                 86 
                 Blind collar 
               
               
                 88 
                 Bore hole 
                 90 
                 Animal bust 
               
               
                 220 
                 Mount apparatus 
                 230 
                 Base 
               
               
                 32 
                 Base plate 
                 34 
                 Attach hole 
               
               
                 36 
                 Lower blind collar 
                 38 
                 Bore hole 
               
               
                 40 
                 Threaded set screw hole 
               
               
                 48 
                 Set screw 
                 250 
                 Swing arm device 
               
               
                 52 
                 Support arm 
                 53 
                 Support arm first end 
               
               
                 54 
                 Support arm second end 
                 56 
                 First shaft 
               
               
                 58 
                 Rod 
                 60 
                 Second shaft 
               
               
                 62 
                 Shaft flange 
                 64 
                 Set screw hole 
               
               
                 66 
                 Rod 
               
               
                 80 
                 Swivel plate device 
                 82 
                 Swivel plate 
               
               
                 84 
                 Attach hole 
                 86 
                 Blind collar 
               
               
                 88 
                 Bore hole 
                 90 
                 Animal bust 
               
               
                 320 
                 Mount apparatus 
                 30 
                 Base 
               
               
                 32 
                 Base plate 
                 34 
                 Attach hole 
               
               
                 36 
                 Lower blind collar 
                 38 
                 Bore hole 
               
               
                 40 
                 Threaded set screw hole 
                 42 
                 Upper blind collar 
               
               
                 44 
                 Bore hole 
                 46 
                 Threaded set screw hole 
               
               
                 48 
                 Set screw 
                 250 
                 Swing arm device 
               
               
                 52 
                 Support arm 
                 53 
                 Support arm first end 
               
               
                 54 
                 Support arm second end 
                 56 
                 First shaft 
               
               
                 58 
                 Rod 
                 60 
                 Second shaft 
               
               
                 62 
                 Shaft flange 
                 64 
                 Set screw hole 
               
               
                 66 
                 Rod 
               
               
                 80 
                 Swivel plate device 
                 82 
                 Swivel plate 
               
               
                 84 
                 Attach hole 
                 86 
                 Blind collar 
               
               
                 88 
                 Bore hole 
                 90 
                 Animal bust 
               
               
                 420 
                 Mount apparatus 
                 30 
                 Base 
               
               
                 32 
                 Base plate 
                 34 
                 Attach hole 
               
               
                 36 
                 Lower blind collar 
                 38 
                 Bore hole 
               
               
                 40 
                 Threaded set screw hole 
                 42 
                 Upper blind collar 
               
               
                 44 
                 Bore hole 
                 46 
                 Threaded set screw hole 
               
               
                 48 
                 Set screw 
                 50 
                 Swing arm device 
               
               
                 52 
                 Support arm 
                 53 
                 Support arm first end 
               
               
                 54 
                 Support arm second end 
                 56 
                 First shaft 
               
               
                 58 
                 Rod 
                 60 
                 Second shaft 
               
               
                 62 
                 Shaft flange 
                 64 
                 Set screw hole 
               
               
                 66 
                 Rod 
                 68 
                 Gusset 
               
               
                 70 
                 Gusset lower end 
                 72 
                 Gusset upper end 
               
               
                 74 
                 Third shaft 
                 76 
                 Rod 
               
               
                 480 
                 Swivel plate device 
                 82 
                 Swivel plate 
               
               
                 84 
                 Attach hole 
                 86 
                 Blind collar 
               
               
                 88 
                 Bore hole 
                 90 
                 Animal bust 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0024]    Referring now to the drawings and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , a first embodiment of the invention is a repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus  20  for use in displaying a mounted animal bust  90  in a variety of repositionable configurations comprising a base  30 , a swing arm device  50 , a swivel plate device  80 , and preferably a plurality of set screws  48 . It shall be noted that a variety of creatures or creature parts including but not limited to a deer head, a deer bust, an elk head, an elk bust, an antelope head, an antelope bust, a moose head, a moose bust, a bear head, a bear bust, a bison head, a bison bust, a bird, a bird head, a bird bust, a fish, and a fish head may be mounted to apparatus  20 , and that all such creatures or creature parts shall fall within the meaning of the term “taxidermy mount object”. 
         [0025]    Base  30  comprises a substantially flat rigid steel base plate  32  welded to a lower blind steel collar  36  and to an upper blind steel collar  42 . Plate  32  further includes a plurality of attach holes  34 . Plate  32  may optionally include decorative cutouts formed in plate  32 . For instance, plate  32  may define an outdoor type scenery cutout depicting trees, animals, and other images relating to hunting. Lower blind collar  36  includes a bore hole  38 , and preferably a threaded set screw hole  40 . Upper blind collar  42  includes a bore hole  44 , and preferably a threaded set screw hole  46 . 
         [0026]    Swing arm device  50  comprises a support arm  52 , a first shaft  56 , a second shaft  60 , a gusset  68 , and a third shaft  74 . Support arm  52  defines generally rectangular elongated rigid steel arm having a first end  53 , and a second end  54 . First shaft  56  defines a generally rigid cylindrical steel shaft having a rigid cylindrical steel rod  58  protruding downwardly from shaft  56 . Shaft  56  defines an outer diameter and rod  58  defines an outer diameter, with the outer diameter of shaft  56  being larger than the outer diameter of rod  58 . Second shaft  60  defines a generally rigid cylindrical steel shaft having a rigid cylindrical steel rod  66  protruding upwardly from shaft  60  and having a substantially thin cylindrical steel flange  62  affixed between shaft  60  and rod  66  and extending radially outward therefrom. Shaft  60  defines an outer diameter, rod  66  defines an outer diameter, and flange  62  defines an outer diameter, with the outer diameter of shaft  60  being larger than the outer diameter of rod  66 , and with the outer diameter of flange  62  being larger than the outer diameter of shaft  60 . Flange  62  further preferably includes threaded set screw hole  64  formed in flange  62 . Gusset  68  defines generally flat triangular rigid steel gusset having a lower end  70 , and an upper end  72 . Third shaft  74  defines a generally rigid cylindrical steel shaft having a rigid cylindrical steel rod  76  protruding downwardly from shaft  74 . Shaft  74  defines an outer diameter and rod  76  defines an outer diameter, with the outer diameter of shaft  74  being larger than the outer diameter of rod  76 . Support arm first end  53  is welded to first shaft  56 , and support arm second end  54  is welded to second shaft  60 . Gusset lower end is welded to an upper surface of support arm  52 , and gusset upper end is welded to shaft  74 . Swing arm device  50 , having a gusset  68  and a third shaft  74 , is considered a heavy duty swing arm device. 
         [0027]    Swivel plate device  80  comprises a substantially flat rigid steel swivel plate  82  welded to an elongated blind steel collar  86  such that plate  82  is positioned substantially parallel to collar  86 . Plate  82  further includes a plurality of attach holes  84 . Elongated blind collar  86  includes an elongated bore hole  88 . 
         [0028]    Set screw  48  defines a mechanical type set screw as is common to the fastening industry. Specifically, set screw  48  preferably defines a cylindrical screw having outer threads and a point on a first end and a slot on a second end. Pedestal  92  defines a conventional pedestal having a base  94  and a rod  96 . 
         [0029]    Repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus  20  is assembled such that base  30  is mounted to a wall or like structure by installing screws or like fasteners through attach holes  34  and into a wall, swing arm device  50  is rotatingly connected to base  30  by inserting rods  58  and  76  into bore holes  38  and  44  respectively, and swivel plate device  80  is rotatingly connected to swing arm device  50  by inserting rod  66  into bore hole  88 . With apparatus  20  thus assembled, swivel plate  82  is repositionable to a multitude of different positions by virtue of swing arm device  50  being rotatable with respect to base  30  in combination with swivel plate device  80  being rotatable with respect to swing arm device  50 . Such compound movement or movement along or about more than one axis for the purposes of this application shall be considered “complex movement” and shall define over “simple movement” which for the purposes of this application shall be considered that movement which is limited to movement along or about a single axis. To temporarily secure swivel plate  82  from movement, set screws  48  may be threadingly inserted into threaded set screw holes  40  and  46  such that rotation of swing arm device  50  with respect to base  30  is temporarily prevented and set screws  48  may be threadingly inserted into threaded set screw hole  64  such that such that rotation of swivel plate device  80  with respect to swing arm device  50  is temporarily prevented. 
         [0030]    In practice, before apparatus  20  is assembled, swivel plate device  80  is preferably assembled into animal bust  90  by casting device  80  within a foam or like animal bust substrate material during the taxidermy construction process of animal bust  90 . In such construction process, the only portion of swivel plate device  80  that remains exposed is bore hole  88 . Alternatively, swivel plate device  80  may be retroactively attached to a pre-existing animal bust  90  by inserting screws or like fasteners through attach holes  84  and animal bust  90 . When apparatus  20  is assembled as described and includes animal bust  90  attached to plate  82 , animal bust  90  is repositionable to a multitude of different positions. Thus for instance animal bust  90  could be positioned near a wall or far from a wall. Further, animal bust  90  could be positioned such that animal bust  90  appears to be looking towards a viewer at a predetermined viewing location or alternatively animal bust  90  could be positioned such that animal bust  90  appears to be looking away from a viewer at a predetermined viewing location. 
         [0031]    It is noted that swivel plate device  80  is simply and easily removed from swing arm device  50  and may readily placed on a pedestal such as pedestal  92  by placing bore hole  88  over rod  96 . Furthermore, swivel plate device  80  having animal bust attached thereto, may be simply and easily replaced with a second instance of swivel plate device  80  having a second instance of animal bust  90  attached thereto. Thus using the described method, if a user tires of displaying for instance a deer bust, the user may easily replace the deer bust with an antelope bust. 
         [0032]    Referring now to the drawings and in particular to  FIG. 6 , a second embodiment of the invention is repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus  120 . Apparatus  120  is substantially identical to apparatus  20  and includes all of the parts and features of apparatus  20  except that in apparatus  120 , swing arm device  50  is replaced with swing arm device  150 . Swing arm device  150  is substantially identical to swing arm device  50  except that in swing arm device  150 , gusset  68  and correspondingly third shaft  74  are welded to a lower surface of support arm  52 . Accordingly, in apparatus  120 , swivel plate device  80  is positioned higher with respect to base  30  than is swivel plate device  80  with respect to base  30  in apparatus  20 . 
         [0033]    Referring now to the drawings and in particular to  FIG. 7 , a third embodiment of the invention is repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus  220 . Apparatus  220  is substantially identical to apparatus  20  and includes all of the parts and features of apparatus  20  except that in apparatus  220 , base  30  is replaced with base  230  and swing arm device  50  is replaced with swing arm device  250 . Base  230  is substantially identical to base  30  except that base  230  does not include upper blind collar  42 . Swing arm device  250  is substantially identical to swing arm device  50  except that swing arm device  250  does not include gusset  68  or third shaft  74 . Swing arm device  250 , not having a gusset  68  and a third shaft  74 , is considered a light duty swing arm device. 
         [0034]    Referring now to the drawings and in particular to  FIG. 8 , a fourth embodiment of the invention is repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus  320 . Apparatus  320  is substantially identical to apparatus  20  and includes all of the parts and features of apparatus  20  except that in apparatus  320 , single swing arm device  50  is replaced with two instances of swing arm device  250 . Accordingly, in apparatus  320 , two instances of animal bust  90  may be displayed and repositioned simultaneously. 
         [0035]    Referring now to the drawings and in particular to  FIG. 9 , a fifth embodiment of the invention is repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus  420 . Apparatus  420  is substantially identical to apparatus  20  and includes all of the parts and features of apparatus  20  except that in apparatus  420 , swivel plate device  80  is replaced with swivel plate device  480 . Swivel plate device  480  is substantially identical to swivel plate device  80  except that in swivel plate device  480 , swivel plate  82  is welded to collar  86  such that plate  82  is positioned in a substantially angled or non-parallel attitude with respect to collar  86 . Accordingly, in apparatus  420 , animal bust  90  may be display at an angle that is different from the display angle of apparatus  20 . Furthermore, it is noted that in apparatus  20 , a variety of swivel plate devices having a variety of swivel plate display angles may be substituted for swivel plate device  80 . 
         [0036]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.