Abstract:
A waterfowl decoy with positive buoyancy and interchangeable moveable appendages includes a shell-like hollow body with an open bottom. two opposed sides with shaft apertures extending through the two sides in opposed relation to each other, and a buoyant base removeably attached to the bottom of the body; a drive assembly with two battery powered electric motors, each having a rotatable output shaft, disposed in the hollow interior of the body with the output shafts extending through the shaft apertures on each side of the body of the decoy, and a variety of appendage assemblies each removeably connectable to an output shaft of one of the motors.  
     Each appendage assembly has a hub and at least one appendage such as a wing or paddle appendage connected to the hub, so that upon activation of the motors the hubs rotate and the appendages move to simulate movements of live waterfowl.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION DATA  
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation Application filed under 37 CFR § 1.53(b) of patent application Ser. No. 09/648,930 filed on Aug. 25, 2000, and this application hereby incorporates by reference the earlier filed application. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to waterfowl decoy devices, and in its preferred embodiments more specifically relates to waterfowl decoy devices with positive buoyancy and interchangeable appendages to selectively provide propulsion, splashing action, and wing movement to simulate the appearance of live waterfowl.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Waterfowl decoys have long been used by hunters in an effort to attract ducks and other waterfowl to a particular body of water or to a particular location in a body of water. Traditionally, such decoys have been inanimate structures that are placed on a body of water and allowed to float passively, without movement of any kind. Although stationary decoys generally simulate the appearance of waterfowl, the absence of movement severely limits their effectiveness in attracting waterfowl.  
           [0004]    Attempts have been made in the past to overcome the problems associated with stationary decoys, and decoys that exhibit various forms of motion are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,799,960 to Riley discloses a decoy with a motor driven propeller and movable head. Other examples of propeller driven decoys include U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,146 to Propp, U.S. Pat. No. 2,835,06410 Webb U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,195 to Vanderpool, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,000,128 to McAda. U.S. Pat. No. 2,443,040 to Jones and U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,416 to Laird disclose decoys with fully submerged paddle mechanisms to impart movement to a decoy. Other examples include U.S. Pat. No. 2,747,314 to McGregor, which discloses a decoy apparatus with movable wings and head; U.S. Pat. No. 2,480,390, which discloses a decoy with movable wings; U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,448, which discloses a decoy with movable wings; and British Patent No. 383031, which discloses a bird decoy with movable wings.  
           [0005]    The efforts known in the prior art relating to floating decoys have been effective in producing one or more forms of motion, but have generally been much less effective in producing lifelike motion and imparting a realistic appearance to decoys, and in producing water movement around the decoys. Accordingly, they have been only marginally successful in providing the desired effect of attracting waterfowl. Many of the apparatus designs known in the prior art are complex in structure, adding to the cost of production and to the difficulty of use. Floating decoys with a body structure having a closed lower hull, that provide any form of movement or propulsion may pose an additional problem. Such decoys typically include an access opening in the body of the decoy, and various openings for a drive shaft or the like, and do not prevent water from entering the body through those openings. During operation of the decoy water accumulates in the body, causing the decoy to sink lower and lower in the water until the decoy finally sinks.  
           [0006]    Some decoys, often utilizing rotating wings, are mounted on poles so that the decoy is elevated above the surface of a body of water or on land. Pole mounted decoys of the prior art are not adapted for use as floating decoys and are not suitable for that purpose. Conversely, floating decoys known in the prior art are not adapted for use as pole mounted decoys and are not suitable for that purpose.  
           [0007]    There remains a need for decoy apparatus that produces wing and/or paddle movement to realistically simulate the appearance of live waterfowl, that allows the same decoy body and drive mechanism to be used to produce a variety of movements, that will not sink during use, and that is useable as both a floating decoy and as a pole mounted decoy.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention provides a waterfowl decoy that addresses and overcomes the deficiencies and problems of the prior art by producing movement of wing and/or paddle appendages associated with the decoy that realistically simulates live waterfowl wing movement providing propulsion and splashing of the water around the decoy, and by providing a decoy with positive buoyancy to eliminate the problem of water ingress and sinking experienced with some prior art decoys.  
           [0009]    The movement exhibited by the decoy of the present invention is produced by a drive apparatus that is simple in structure and operation, inexpensive to produce, and easy to install in a decoy body. The optional simultaneous movement and splashing actions of the decoy are produced by the same drive apparatus. The decoy of the invention is designed to avoid retention of water in the body of the decoy and to maintain positive buoyancy. The decoy may also be readily mounted on a vertical pole, so that the decoy may be used as a floating decoy or as a pole mounted decoy without alteration.  
           [0010]    The present invention utilizes a decoy body, generally comprising a body with a hollow interior, a top, two opposing sides, a head end, and a tail end. In the preferred embodiment, a head and neck is rotatably mounted at the head end of the decoy or offset to either side of the axis. The decoy body is formed as a shell, with a fully open bottom providing access to the hollow interior for installation of the drive assembly and for operation of the drive assembly. A removable generally rigid buoyant base is disposed within the body shell at the lower edges thereof to loosely close the majority of the bottom opening, leaving an opening into the interior between the rear of the base and the tail of the decoy.  
           [0011]    The base is sufficiently buoyant to support the entire decoy structure and prevent it from sinking, and the opening between the base and the tail allows any water entering the body to freely drain. The base includes a pole aperture extending fully through the base for the insertion of a pole when the decoy is to be used as a pole mounted decoy. The decoy body also has a pair of shaft apertures formed in the opposing sides of the body through which drive shafts extend. The invention can also be used with a more conventional hollow body with an access portal cut into the top of the decoy body  
           [0012]    The drive assembly of the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of drive assemblies, preferably battery powered electric motors, each of which drives a rotary shaft that extends through one of the shaft apertures in the sides of the body of the decoy and to which an appendage assembly is attached. In the preferred embodiment, the output shaft at each motor comprises the drive shaft, and each motor is oriented in the hollow interior of the body with the drive shaft extending toward the adjacent side of the body and through the shaft aperture therein, so that the drive shafts are generally parallel to the surface of the water in which the decoy will float and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the decoy.  
           [0013]    The shaft apertures are positioned in the sides of the body and the drive assemblies are positioned in the hollow interior of the body, so that the drive shafts are disposed a distance above the surface of the water when the decoy is floating thereon. An appendage assembly, either wing, paddle, or a combination of one or the other, is connected to each drive shaft on the exterior of the decoy body so that rotation of the drive shaft will cause rotation of the appendage assembly and the associated wing and/or paddle appendages  
           [0014]    Although the use of two drive motors is preferred, a single motor may be used to drive the two drive shafts, either directly or through a transmission means. The use of dual drive motors is advantageous, especially when the paddle wheel assembly, described below, is used to propel the decoy on the surface of a body of water. Unless the rotation of the paddles is synchronized and the positions of the paddles on each side of the decoy are aligned, paddles on opposite sides of the decoy will be drawn through the water at different times and the uneven application of propulsive force will cause the body of the decoy to “waggle” from side to side, further mimicking movements exhibited by live birds. Because the speed of rotation of the two motors will typically vary slightly, the degree of synchronization of the two paddle wheel assemblies will change during operation of the decoy, and the direction of movement by the decoy will vary over time, enhancing its mimicry of natural waterfowl behavior.  
           [0015]    A variety of appendage assemblies may he interchangeably and separably used within the scope of the present invention, and in the preferred embodiment at least a pair of paddle wheel assemblies and a pair of wing assemblies are provided. Those assemblies may he used individually, separately, or in combination on one or more separate assemblies on the same or separate drive shafts. A windmill wing assembly may also be provided, for use with the decoy mounted on a pole. Each of these appendage assemblies includes a hub, adapted to be connected to a drive shaft extending from the decoy, with paddle structures or wing structures connected to the hub. With all but the windmill wing assembly, the decoy may he operated while floating on a body of water or may be mounted on a pole on land or above the surface of the water. Because of the range of movement of the wings of the windmill wing assembly and the need for clearance below the decoy, the windmill wing embodiment is operated with the decoy mounted on a pole. When a paddle wheel assembly is used, rotation of the paddle structures propels the decoy along the surface of the water and simultaneously splashes water toward the tail of the decoy. The wing assembly is intended to visually mimic flapping wings, and the combination of a wing and paddle assembly causes considerable motion and splashing on the surface of the water. The direction of travel can be further controlled and influenced by changing the orientation of the rotatable head and neck.  
           [0016]    The structure and features of the preferred and various alternative embodiments of the invention are disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawing figures 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    The objects and features of the invention will become more readily understood from the following detailed description and appended claims when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like elements and in which:  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is a side view of a decoy of the preferred embodiment of the invention with paddle wheel and rotating wing appendage assemblies;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is a side view of the decoy of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with rotating wing appendage assemblies, mounted on a pole;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a top view of the decoy of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with rotating wing appendage assemblies, with the head and neck oriented for straight ahead movement;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 is a top view of the decoy of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with combined paddle wheel and rotating wing appendage assemblies, with the head and neck oriented for curving movement to the right;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 is a top view of a decoy of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with paddle wheel appendage assemblies, with the head and neck oriented for curving movement to the left;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the body of the decoy, with the buoyant base in place;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with the buoyant base removed to show the drive mechanism.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the decoy of the invention with paddle wheel appendage assemblies, along line  8 - 8  of FIG. 5; with the buoyant base removed.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the decoy of the invention with paddle wheel appendage assemblies, as in FIG. 8, with the buoyant base in place;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 10 is a side view of a paddle wheel assembly and a rotating wing assembly, in separated relation, illustrating the preferred structure and the preferred manner of attachment;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 11 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the paddle wheel assembly; and  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 12 is a side view of a windmill wing assembly. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0030]    With reference to the drawing figures, the preferred embodiment of the decoy of the invention generally includes a hollow decoy body shell  1 , a buoyant base  2 , a drive assembly  3 , and a pair of appendage assemblies  4   
         [0031]    The apparatus of the invention utilizes a waterfowl decoy body formed as a shell with a hollow interior and a fully open bottom. Body  1  includes a top  5 , opposing sides  6 , a head end or forward end  7 , and a tail end  8 . The body shell  1  has a lower edge  9  at the open bottom. A shaft aperture  10  is provided in each side  6  of the body  1 , near the midpoint thereof to receive a drive shaft. Buoyant base  2  is removably disposed at the bottom of the body shell, with its sides generally adjacent to lower edge  9  at the forward end  7  and sides  6  of the body  1 . Base  2  extends through the majority of the length of the body  1  from the forward end  7  to the tail end  8 , but ends short of the tail to leave an opening into the interior of the body  1  above the base at the tail end  8 . Base  2  is formed in a planar configuration, preferably of a relatively rigid, highly buoyant closed cell foam material. In another embodiment, the body  1  has a conventional closed bottom with an access portal or flap cut through the top  5  of the decoy body  1 .  
         [0032]    In the preferred embodiment of the invention, drive assembly  3  generally includes a pair of battery powered electric motors  11 , a battery holder  12  with switch  13 , associated wiring  14 , and a mounting bracket  15  for the battery holder  12  and switch  13 . Each motor  11 , which is preferably sealed for water resistance, includes an output shaft  16 , which rotates when electrical power is applied to the motor  11 . Each motor  11  preferably comprises a commercial direct current (DC) electric motor that will operate at approximately 250 rpm at 1.5 volts and at approximately 300 rpm at 3.0 volts. Switch  13  is preferably a variable resistance switch that is manually adjustable to supply between 1.5 volts and 3.0 volts to the motors for the purpose of adjusting the speed of the motors between about 250 rpm and about 500 rpm. Each motor  11  is secured to a respective side  6  of body  1  by rivets or other convenient means, with output shaft  16  extending through a shaft aperture  10  to the exterior of body  1 . The output shafts  16  function directly as drive shafts to which appendage assemblies  4  are connected. It is preferred that motors  11  he connected directly to the body shell  1 , as shown in FIG. 7, but mounting brackets, such as those shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, may be used, if desired. A gasket or other sealing means is provided around each output shaft  16  to prevent water from entering the interior of the motor  11  through the opening in the motor housing through which the output shaft  16  extends. Although the use of dual drive motors is I preferred, the invention is not necessarily limited to that arrangement, and a single motor could he used to drive the two drive shafts  16 , if desired.  
         [0033]    Battery holder  12  and switch  13  are secured to mounting bracket  15 , which is disposed in the interior of body  1  and connected to the body  1  by rivets or other convenient means. Battery holder  12  includes positive and negative contacts connected to switch  13  and motors  11  by wiring  14 . Mourning bracket  15  is preferably made from corrosion-resistant aluminum and is shaped to accommodate the components of the drive assembly attached to it and to position the battery holder  12  and switch  13  to facilitate access to them with the drive assembly installed in the body  1  of the decoy. In the preferred embodiment, battery holder  12  is selected to receive two 1.5 volt D cell batteries, in series. As illustrated in FIG. 7, mounting bracket  15  includes a pole aperture  17  with a pole retainer tab  18  to receive and frictionally retain one end of a mounting pole.  
         [0034]    It should be understood that while the disclosed motor rotational speed and operating voltage ranges are preferred, the invention is not limited to those ranges, and other ranges and even alternative drive means may be used within the scope of the invention. Battery holder  12  could, alternatively, be sized to hold a single 1.5 volt battery, and a simple on-off switch could be used in place of the variable speed switch. Switch  13  could he omitted entirely, so that motors  11  are activated by insertion of a battery or batteries into the battery holder  12  and deactivated by removal of the battery. In a further alternative embodiment for controlling the operation of the motors, an interrupter relay or other circuit component may be associated with switch  13 , or used in place thereof. The relay, if used, will intermittently interrupt the flow of electrical power from the battery to the motors  11 , resulting in intermittent movement of the appendage assemblies  4  instead of continuous movement.  
         [0035]    The drive assembly of the decoy operates the appendage assemblies  4  to impart motion to the decoy. A variety of appendage assemblies  4  may be connected, interchangeably and in combination, at the discretion of the user. Preferred appendage assemblies include a paddle wheel or foot assembly  19  and a rotating wing assembly  20 , which may be used with the decoy  1  floating on the surface of a body of water or mounted on a pole, and a windmill wing assembly  21 , which may be used with the decoy  1  mounted on a pole.  
         [0036]    In the preferred embodiment, each paddle wheel assembly  19 , illustrated in FIG. 10, includes a hub  22  with a central hub aperture  23  to receive a drive shaft. Connection is preferably an adjustable set screw  24  in hub  22  to selectively grip a drive shaft  16  and removably connect the paddle appendage assembly  19  to the drive shaft  16 . Two paddles  25  are connected in opposing relation to each other and extend outwardly from the hub  22  in generally perpendicular relation to the axis of the hub aperture  23 . It should be understood that while the two paddle configuration is preferred, three or more paddles, or a single paddle, could he used if desired.  
         [0037]    In the preferred embodiment, the paddles  25  are integrally formed as a single piece, which includes the hub  22 . The end of the paddles  25  are paddle structures that may be (1) flat, elongated appendages, (2) flat, oval-shaped appendages, or (3) flat, circular appendages. These structures may also be integrated into the paddle  25  itself or may be removable structures. Combinations of wing and different foot paddles may be used, and even used alternatively, on different moving wing or paddle struts or axles of the decoy.  
         [0038]    Each paddle  25 , whether elongated, oval, or circular, is of sufficient length such that a portion of the paddle structure will extend below the surface of the water when the appendage assembly  19  is connected to and rotated by the drive shafts  16  with the decoy  1  floating on the water surface. When the drive motor  11  is activated the hubs  22  rotate, driving the paddles  25  through the water and propelling the decoy  1  along the surface of the water. In addition to propelling the decoy  1  in the water, the rotation of the paddles  25  through the water causes water to be splashed toward the rear, or tail end  8 , of the decoy  1  as long as the drive motor  11  is activated, providing a further attractive aspect to the decoy.  
         [0039]    In the preferred embodiment, each paddle wheel assembly  19  includes an extension shaft  26 , extending outwardly in coaxial alignment with the hub aperture  23 , to facilitate attachment of a wing assembly  20  in combination with the paddle wheel assembly  19 . The paddles  25  and associated hub  22  may also be separately formed and connected in any convenient manner. The shaft  16  may extend completely through the body of the hub  22  so that a wing assembly  20  may be attached. A foot paddle  25  may alternatively be coupled to, or integrated with, any one of the hubs  22 .  
         [0040]    Each rotating wing assembly  20 , shown in FIG. 10, includes a hub  27  with a hub aperture  28  and set screw  29  for connection of the hub  27  to a drive shaft  16  or to an extension shaft  26 . A single wing  30  connected to its hub  27  and extending outwardly therefrom with the longitudinal axis of the wing  30  generally parallel to the axis of hub aperture  28  and shaft  16  or shaft extension  26 . In the preferred embodiment, each wing  30  comprises an elongated generally planar body formed with the general configuration and appearance of a waterfowl wing. Each wing  30  is integrally formed with its associated hub  27 , but it should be understood that the wings  30  and hubs  27  may be separately formed and separately connected in any convenient manner.  
         [0041]    The wing  30  and paddle  25  appendages may also be part of a single hub  22  or separately connected upon a drive shaft  16  using two hubs  22  and  27 . A foot paddle  25  may alternatively be coupled to, or integrated with, any one of the hubs  22 . When a pair of the rotating wing appendage assemblies  30  connected to the drive shafts  16  extending from the body of the decoy and the drive motors  11  are activated, the wings  30  rotate around their longitudinal axes and mimic the appearance of a live bird flapping its wings. The flapping appearance may be enhanced by coloring one side of each wing  30  a light color and the opposite side a dark color. The width of wing  30  is preferably less than twice the distance from the drive shafts  16  extending from the body  1  of the decoy to the surface of the water on which the decoy is placed to float, so that as wings  30  rotate the edges of the wings  30  remain above the surface of the water. However, if desired, the width of the wings  30  may he selected so that a portion of the wing  30  will enter the water as the wing  30  rotates and splash water from the surface as each edge of the wing  30  leaves the water.  
         [0042]    As noted above, the paddle wheel assemblies  19  and the rotating wing assemblies  20  may be used separately, or in combination, in any convenient manner as desired. When used separately the hub  22  or  27  of each appendage assembly  19  or  30  is connected to a drive shaft  16 , with the shaft extending into the hub aperture  23  or  28 , and the set screws  24  or  29  tightened to retain the two separate assemblies in place.  
         [0043]    When used in combination, the paddle wheel assemblies  19  are connected directly to drive shafts  16  and the rotating wing assemblies  20  are connected to the paddle wheel assemblies  19 , by connecting hubs  27  to shaft extensions  26 . Alternatively, the shaft  16  can extend completely through the hub  22  so that both a paddle assembly  19  or wing assembly  20  can be attached to shaft  16 , or any combination of both paddle assembly  19  and wing assembly  20  may be so attached. Upon activation of the drive motor  11  the paddles  25  and wings  30  rotate together or in a combination of the movements described above, propelling the decoy along the surface of the water, splashing water around the decoy, and mimicking the appearance of flapping wings and paddling feet. When the decoy is prepared for use with the desired appendage assemblies attached, the drive motor  11  is activated and the decoy  1  is placed in the water.  
         [0044]    In another embodiment, a wing assembly  20  and a paddle assembly  19  could be placed on separate drive shafts  16  or moving struts to mimic waterfowl movement and water splashing. An anchor tab  31  is provided in the preferred embodiment so that the decoy  1  can be anchored with an anchor line of desired length to restrain its range of movement and facilitate retrieval. Alternatively, the decoy  1  may be mounted on a pole to elevate it above the surface of the water or position it on land, by inserting one end of a mounting pole through an aperture  32  in base  2  and into aligned aperture  17  in mounting bracket  15 , where it is frictionally retained by pole tab retainer tab  18 . If the decoy  1  is to he mounted on a pole for use, windmill wing assemblies  26  shown in FIG. 12 may be connected to drive shafts  16 , if desired, to provide an alternative form of motion.  
         [0045]    Like the other two appendage assemblies, each windmill wing assembly  26  of FIG. 12 includes a hub  33 , with a central aperture  34  and a set screw  35 , and two wings  36 . Unlike the rotating wing assembly  20 , the windmill wing assembly  26  includes a pair of wings  36 , connected opposite to each other on hub  33  with their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the axis of aperture  34 . Since the wings  36  extend outwardly from the axis of rotation, they rotate in a windmill fashion.  
         [0046]    When paddle wheel assemblies  19  are used, with or without rotating wing assemblies  20 , to propel the decoy  1  along the surface of a body of water, head and neck member  37 , which is pivotally connected to the top  5  of the body  1  at its forward end  7 , provides steering ability. When the head and neck member  37  is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the body, as in FIG. 3, the direction of travel is generally straight. However, rotation of the head and neck member  37  to either side, as in FIGS. 4 and 5, shifts the weight balance to cause the decoy to follow a curved path.  
         [0047]    The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments and certain alternative embodiments of the invention is intended to be illustrative and not limiting. The invention is susceptible to further alternative embodiments and variations in design and in use, all within the scope of the invention as disclosed and claimed.