Abstract:
An animal control pole has a first end adapted to be held by a user, and a second end adapted to ensnare and assist in the control of an animal. The pole has an axial bore extending therethrough and a cable that extends through the axial bore and extends from each end of the pole. A retaining element is located at the second end of the pole and retains the free end of the cable that extends from the second end, so as to form a closed animal engageable adjustable loop. The animal control pole includes dual release mechanisms. A first release mechanism releases the free end of the cable that extends through the second end of the pole. A second release mechanism forces an additional length of cable through the axial bore of the second end and thereby increases the size of the loop.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/334,875, filed on May 14, 2010, and entitled “ANIMAL CONTROL POLE,” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present application is directed to animal handling equipment, and, more specifically, to an animal control pole having dual release mechanisms. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Equipment for use in handling of animals is well known. Such equipment is used to facilitate the capture and handling of many types of animals, such as stray animals. Stray animals can include various breeds of household pets, working dogs or the like. Animal handling equipment may also be used in the capture and handling of wild animals that have made an incursion into locations where their presence is not desirable, such as residential areas. Regardless of whether an animal is a domesticated companion animal, or a wild animal, a basic problem exists in the capture and handling of the animal in that such animals can become apprehensive and resistant to any attempts to catch and restrain or otherwise handle them. 
     Many animals, when approached by an unknown or untrusted person desiring to catch and restrain the freedom of the animal, resist such approaches and may present a danger of injuring to the person or persons attempting to restrain the animal. 
     It should be noted that whilst the term stray has been used, it is intended to relate to animals that may not be strays in the literal sense of the word, but also includes animals that show signs of resisting human approach and handling. For example, a veterinarian clinic or other animal health facility may have an animal for treatment purposes that may resist handling by an unknown person. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure provides an animal control pole, also referred to as a snare pole, that includes a pole with a first end adapted to be held by a user, and a second end adapted to ensnare and assist in the control of an animal. The pole has an axial bore extending therethrough and a cable that extends through the axial bore. The cable is longer in length than the pole, and extends from each end of the pole. A retaining element is located at the second end of the pole and retains the free end of the cable that extends from the second end, so as to form a closed animal engageable loop. A latching mechanism is adjacent to the first end that allows control over the size of the loop. The animal control pole includes dual release mechanisms. A first release mechanism disengages the retaining element and thereby releases the free end of the cable that extends through the second end of the pole. A second release mechanism includes a spring loaded cable feed that, when actuated, forces an additional length of cable through the axial bore of the second end and thereby increases the size of the loop. 
     The latching mechanism allows a user to insert or withdraw the cable into/from the first end of the pole to allow increase/decrease in the size of the loop. The latching mechanism incorporates a lock that prevents cable movement relative to the pole. The lock may also be engaged to allow cable movement in a first direction but not the opposite. 
     The free end of the cable includes an eyelet that is engageable with a pin that is axially displaceable in the retaining element to engage/disengage the free end of the cable. The pin may be resiliently loaded into an engaged position, and is coupled to the first release mechanism to move into the disengaged position. The first release mechanism is located at a location in a medial portion of the pole, adjacent to a medially located hand grip. 
     The cable includes two separate portions, a head end portion that extends through the second end of the pole, and a tail end portion that extends through the first end of the pole. The head end and the tail end are joined together through a standard threaded connection located within the axial bore of the pole. Two portions of the cable allow for the replacement of only a single portion of the cable, rather than requiring replacement of the entire cable in the event that the cable requires replacement. The connection of the two cable portions may also be configured to engage with a spring or other resilient forcing member and the second release mechanism. When the second release mechanism is actuated, the spring is released and exerts force against the connection point to force additional cable through the second end of the pole and thereby increase the size of the loop. The second release mechanism may be located adjacent the first end of the pole, adjacent to a hand grip at the first end. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of an animal control pole according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2 , is an illustration, partially in cross section, of an end of an exemplary animal control pole; 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration of an exemplary cable used in an animal control pole; 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of a cable end of an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is an illustration of a cable end cap of an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is an illustration of a release mechanism according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is an illustration of an exemplary release pin; 
         FIG. 8  is an illustration of an exemplary biasing member used in a release mechanism according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  is an illustration of an exemplary release grip; 
         FIG. 10  is an illustration of a knurled knob according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 11  is an illustration of a threaded connector for a cable of an exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIG. 12  is an illustration of a biasing member of an exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, animal capture poles of various embodiments are now described. As discussed above, animal capture poles, also referred to as snare poles, may be used to facilitate the safe handling of domesticated or wild animals. The present disclosure recognizes that when animals are in unfamiliar situations or are attempted to be handled by unknown or untrusted individuals, the animals may become defensive and try to strike or bite a handler. Animal capture poles along with other types of animal restraint and handling equipment, are commonly used to reduce the likelihood of an animal being injured, as well as to reduce the likelihood of a handler being injured by an animal. For example, a city or municipality may employ animal control personnel to capture animals that have run away or otherwise escaped from their homes, such as companion animals that have escaped from the residence where they are kept. These animal control personnel may also be called upon to capture wild animals that have wandered into residential areas and may pose a threat to people or animals in these areas. In any case, the animal control personnel generally desire to capture and handle the animal in a manner in which the animal and handler are not injured. In cases where the animal control personnel are using a snare pole, the animal may be captured in the loop end of the pole and handled at a safe distance by the handler and moved into an appropriate location, such as a kennel, pen or cage. When the animal is moved into the desired location, the animal is released from the snare pole. Traditional snare poles may employ release mechanisms that disengage an end of the loop, thus freeing the animal. The loop of such a pole may also be enlarged to allow the loop to pass back over the animal&#39;s head and thereby release the animal. The particular release method largely depends upon the particular situation and animal. However, traditional snare poles do not generally allow for efficient release of an animal by a method that is selected by the user of the pole. In order to provide a handler with different release options for an animal, embodiments of the present disclosure provide multiple release mechanisms that may be selected based on a particular situation. 
     Furthermore, the present disclosure recognizes that cables used in snare poles are commonly damaged during use, such as through an animal chewing or biting a cable. Such damaged cables are required to be repaired or replaced, which is often a time consuming process. Additionally, replacement of cables used in such poles can be a significant expense. In many traditional snare poles, a relatively small cable is used, which can be harsher on an animal than a larger diameter cable. The present disclosure recognizes that larger diameter cables are gentler on animals, but can be significantly more expensive to replace. In order to help provide a cable that is gentler on the animal, and also provide a less expensive replacement of animal damaged cables, embodiments described herein provide a two-part cable, with each part being separately replaceable. 
     With reference now to the drawings, an animal capture pole of an embodiment is now described. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , an animal capture pole  20  may be used to assist in the capture and handling of animals. The animal capture pole  20  of this embodiment includes a tube body  24  that includes a first end  28  and a second end  32 . A cable  36  extends through an axial bore of the tube body  24  and forms a loop at a head end  40  of the cable  36 , at the second end  32  of the animal capture pole  20 . A tail end  44  of the cable extends from the first end  28  of the animal capture pole. The head end  40  of the cable  36  includes an eyelet  48  which engages with a release mechanism  50  located at the second end  32 . Hand grips  52 ,  56  are located on the tube body  24  to facilitate the gripping and handling of the animal capture pole  20  by a user. The hand grip  52  is located at a medial section of the tube body  24 , and hand grip  56  is located adjacent to the first end  28  of the tube body. 
     The animal capture pole of this embodiment includes dual release mechanisms. A first release mechanism releases the head end of the cable  40  from the second end  32  thereby breaking the loop to release the animal. This first release mechanism is actuated by pulling a release member  60  which disengages a pin in the first release mechanism  50  whereby allowing the eyelet  48  of the head end of the cable. A second release mechanism is actuated by a second release handle  64  that is located adjacent to the first end  28  of the tube body  24 . The handle  64  when pulled in an axial direction from the tube body  24  disengages a release mechanism that is spring loaded to feed additional slack of the cable  36  to the second end  32  of the tube body. This thereby increases the size of the loop formed at the head end  40  of the cable and allows a handler to remove the loop over an animal&#39;s head. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 2 , a detailed illustration of the tube body  24  is illustrated. The tube body  24  of this embodiment is a hollow tube having an axial bore therethrough into which the cable  36  may be routed. The cable  36 , as mentioned, includes a head end  40  and a tail end  44 . The head end  40  is illustrated in  FIG. 3  for an embodiment. In this embodiment, the head end  40  includes an eyelet  48  at a distal end thereof, which may engage with the first release mechanism  50 . The head end  40  in this embodiment also includes a plastic coating  70  which serves to increase the overall diameter of the head end  40  thereby allowing gentler handling of an animal, and also providing protection to the cable  36  from biting or chewing by an animal.  FIG. 4  illustrates a tail end of the cable  36  of an embodiment. In this embodiment, the tail end of the cable is connected to the head end by a connection point located within the axial bore of tube body  24 . The cable wire termination cap  74 , illustrated in  FIG. 5 , is attached to the distal end of the tail end  44  of the cable  36 , and allows for more efficient handling by a user and also prevents the end of the cable  36  from traveling into the tube body  24 . 
     As mentioned above, a first release mechanism  50  may be used to release the eyelet  48  of the head end  40  from the second end  32  of the tube body  24 . This allows the loop to be broken and thereby release an animal that is being handled with the assistance of the animal capture pole  20 . With reference now to  FIGS. 6-9 , the first release mechanism  50  of an embodiment is described. In this embodiment, the first release mechanism  50  includes a body member  76  having an axial bore  78  and an opening  82  which may receive the loop  48  of the head end  40 . The body  76  also includes an opening  84  and aperture  86  through which a release pin  92  may be inserted. The body member  76  also includes an aperture  88  which is threaded and sized to engage with the second end  32  of the tube body  24 . The release pin  92  includes an opening  94  through which a pin or bolt may be inserted so as to secure a spring  96  between the location of the pin or bolt and a bottom shelf  84  of the body member  76 . This spring  96  acts to bias the release pin in a closed position extending through the opening  82  so as to engage with the eyelet  48  on the head end  40  of the cable  36 . A release grip  98  is located adjacent to the grip  52  and may be actuated by a user. In operation, the release grip  98  is coupled to the release pin  92 , and when a user pulls the release grip  98  towards the grip  52 , the release pin  92  is pulled down through the body member  76 , thereby allowing the eyelet  48  to come free from the body member  76  and release pin  92 . The release grip  98  and release pin  92  may be connected, for example, by a mechanical linkage such as a wire or rod that is secured to both the release grip  98  and release pin  92 , and is routed through the inside of the tube body  24 . 
     As also mentioned above, a second release mechanism  64  is included in various embodiments which allows a quick release through increasing the size of the loop  40  at the head end of the cable  36 . The second release mechanism, in an embodiment, is described now with respect to  FIGS. 10-12 . In this embodiment, a release knob  100  is located at the first end  28  of the tube body  24 . Secured to release knob  100  is an inner sleeve located within the axial bore of the tube body  24 . The inner sleeve is positioned within a conical or wedge shaped portion of the axial bore such that when the release knob  100  is pulled away from the first end  28 , the inner sleeve travels from a narrower portion to of the axial bore to a wider portion of the axial bore. In this embodiment, ball bearings are positioned within detents of the inner sleeve, and when the release knob  100  is moved toward the first end  28 , the ball bearings move along the conical or wedge shaped portion of the axial bore. The cable  36  is routed through the inner sleeve, and when the sleeve and ball bearings move up the conical or wedge shaped portion of the axial bore, the cable  36  is wedged between the ball bearings thereby securing the cable  36  within the tube body  24  to prevent the cable  36  from moving in an axial direction within the axial bore. In one embodiment, a spring is secured to the tube body  24  and the inner sleeve, to bias the inner sleeve in a position to secure the cable  36  within the tube body  24 . When a user pulls the release knob  100  away from the first end  28 , the force of this bias is overcome and the inner sleeve moves along the conical or wedge shaped portion of the axial bore, thereby allowing the ball bearings to move apart from one another and allow the cable to move through the axial bore. This mechanism also allows a user to pull the tail end  44  of the cable  36 , which will act to move the ball bearings down the conical or wedge shaped portion and allow the cable  36  to be pulled through the axial bore in a direction to reduce the loop size at the second end  32 , but not allow the cable  36  to move in the opposite direction. 
     In one embodiment, the second release mechanism  64  further includes an automatic cable extension mechanism that forces the cable  36  through the axial bore of the tube body  24  when the release knob  100  is pulled. This results in the loop at the second end  32  becoming larger in order to facilitate removing the loop over an animal&#39;s head. In this embodiment, the head end  40  and tail end  44  of cable  36  are connected through a threaded engagement and threaded nut  102  ( FIG. 11 ). The threaded nut  102  also acts as a spring keeper and is secured to a spring  104  within the tube body  24 . In this embodiment, the spring  104  is in contact with a shelf within the tube body  24 . As the cable  36  is pulled through the axial bore of the tube body  24 , the spring  104  becomes compressed between the bolt  102  and the shelf. When a user pulls the release knob  100 , the cable  36  is allowed to move through the ball bearings, and the spring  104  becomes uncompressed and acts to force the bolt  102  toward the second end  32  of the tube body  24 , thereby enlarging the loop size at the second end  32 . The loop may then be moved over the animal&#39;s head and thereby release the animal. 
     The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.