Abstract:
A deer call assembly that mimics sounds ranging from the high pitched sounds of fawns and does to the low-pitched grunts of bucks. The pitch is infinitely adjustable over a range with a slide actuator that manipulates a band restraint that captures a reed to a longitudinally grooved tone board. An arcuate, grooved collar depends to capture the O&#39;ring. The reed is rigidly secured to the tone board at one end with a peg. A preferred reed exhibits peripheral edges that taper outward as the reed extends to a wide billed end where the edges project beyond the longitudinal sides of the tone board.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to animal calls and, in particular, to a deer or other game call having a mechanism for manipulating a reed restraint along the length of the reed and an adjacent tone board to vary the pitch of a wide-billed reed secured to the tone board in a support housing. 
   Numerous types of animal calls have been developed for mimicking different species of birds and animals to attract the bird or animal. Some common birdcalls are designed to attract turkeys, ducks, geese, and crows. Some calls are constructed to “shock” and elicit a response and locate a different species. For example, some response or “shock” calls mimic owls, peacocks, and hawks and which induce tom turkeys or crows to respond. Some calls are constructed to mimic injured prey and attract a predator, for example, rabbit calls to attract coyotes and fox. Many other calls are designed to mimic animals such as squirrel, deer and elk. 
   Deer, elk, duck and turkey calls are particularly popular with recreational sportsmen. Depending upon the game animal and purpose of the call, the call&#39;s physical construction can take a variety of forms and use a wide variety of resonating members. Some whistle-type calls provide air chambers and associated porting. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,066,443 and 2,697,298 show calls with adjustable air porting. 
   Some striker calls, such as used to hunt turkeys, provide a wand or other member that is manipulated on a compatible resonating member. 
   Duck calls commonly use reeds that are rigidly mounted in a surrounding housing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,406,479 discloses a duck call with an o-ring reed retainer. Deer calls are also known that provide multiple grooves and relative to which and upon disassembly an O&#39;ring can be manually adjusted to provide different sounds. The necessary disassembly and re-assembly of these calls can be burdensome and frequently not possible, especially when deer are nearby. 
   Calls with adjustable reeds are shown at U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,604,731; 2,555,813; and 2,551, 367. Animal calls that use slide-tuning mechanisms are shown at U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,030,241; 2,697,298; 2,544,370; 2,583,400; 1,484,148; and 825,610. Calls with adjustable clip and spring tuning assemblies are shown at U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,643,039 and 6,083,075. U.S. Pat. Nos. 813,853 and 333,094, in turn, show threaded, rotary tuning assemblies. 
   A deer call is shown at U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,451 having a slide-mounted tuning pin that can be manipulated with a finger to-and-fro along a reed. A resonance or sound tube is also shown that can be mounted to the end of the housing to vary the pitch or timber and direct the emitted sound. 
   The present invention was developed to provide an improved animal call particularly directed to mimic deer sounds. The assembly provides a housing that surrounds a concentric tone board and relative to which a wide billed reed is mounted to resonate. An O&#39;ring is fitted around the reed and tone board and a finger-actuated slide assembly is contained to the housing that permits a to-and-fro manipulation of the o&#39;ring to vary the tone of the elicited sounds without having to disassemble and re-assemble the call. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a reed-type animal call having a mechanism for varying the tones of the call without having to disassemble the call. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a call wherein the reed is captured beneath an O&#39;ring. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide a call wherein a slide actuator captures an O&#39;ring reed restraint and permits an unrestricted reciprocating movement of the O&#39;ring relative to a reed. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide a call wherein an arcuate, grooved collar captures an O&#39;ring and is mounted to permit a reciprocating movement of the O&#39;ring. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide a call having a reed that flares outward as it extends from an attachment point to a relatively wide bill that extends beyond the sides of a lower lying tone board. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide a call having a housing that accepts alternative sound directing attachments. 
   The foregoing objects, advantages and distinctions of the invention, among others, are found in a presently preferred deer call assembly that produces sounds ranging from the bleats and high pitched sounds of fawns and does to the low pitched grunts of bucks. The pitch is adjustable with a slide actuator that manipulates a reed restraint that captures a reed to an adjacent tone board. Reciprocating movements of the slide can be effected with the finger. 
   In a preferred construction, a slide actuator is mounted to a dovetailed groove in a call housing. An arcuate, grooved collar depends to capture an O&#39;ring reed restraint. The O&#39;ring is concentrically mounted over a reed and an adjacent grooved, tone board. The reed is rigidly secured to the tone board and a plug at one end with a peg. The plug is keyed to the housing groove. 
   In one preferred configuration, the reed exhibits peripheral edges that taper outward as the reed extends to the end of the tone board. A wide billed end of the reed projects beyond the longitudinal sides of the tone board. The wide-billed reed enhances the high and low ends of the sound range. The wide-billed reed also displaces calling air pressure and reduces possible freeze-up. 
   Still other objects, advantages and distinctions of the invention will become more apparent from the following description with respect to the appended drawings. Considered alternative constructions, improvements or modifications are described as appropriate. The singular features may also be combined into a variety of different combinations. The following description should therefore not be literally construed in limitation of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention should be broadly interpreted within the scope of the further appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view in exploded assembly of the animal call of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  shows a partially sectioned front view of the call housing. 
       FIG. 3  shows a right side view of the call housing. 
       FIG. 4  shows a front view of the end plug and tone board. 
       FIG. 5  shows a right side view of the end plug and tone board. 
       FIG. 6  shows a left side view of the end plug and tone board. 
       FIG. 7  shows a front view of a peg piece. 
       FIG. 8  shows a right side view of the peg piece. 
       FIG. 9  shows a partially sectioned and partially cutaway front view of a sound directing tube. 
       FIG. 10  shows a right side view of the sound directing tube. 
       FIG. 11  shows a front view of the reed. 
       FIG. 12  shows a top view of the reed. 
       FIG. 13  shows a front view of the reed restraint slide assembly. 
       FIG. 14  show a right side view of the reed restraint assembly. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   With attention to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view is shown in exploded assembly to the animal call  2  of the invention. The depicted call  2  is constructed to mimic the sounds of deer, but can be constructed to mimic any variety of birds and animals. The call produces sounds that mimic both fawns and does as well as bucks and all of which sounds can be inconspicuously produced without having to disassemble the call  2 . 
   The call provides a body or housing  4  that is supported with the hand.  FIGS. 2 and 3  show additional views to the housing  4 . A shaped open-end or mouthpiece  6  provides an outer surface  7  that is captured by a user&#39;s mouth. Air is blown through an open end  8  into a hollow cavity or sound chamber  9  of the housing  4 . 
   The air is forced to engage an internal reed  10 . The reed  10  is mounted to produce sounds ranging from bleats to grunts. Injected air induces the reed  10  to vibrate relative to an underlying tone board  12  that extends from a ported end piece or plug  14 . The air engages a tapered end  16  of the tone board  12 , passes along a longitudinal channel  18  of the tone board  12 , and lifts the reed  10  to induce resonance in the reed  10  and a related sound. See also  FIGS. 4-6  for front, right and left end or side views of the plug  14  and wherein additional details to the plug end  14  and tone board  12  are depicted. 
   The reed  10  includes a pair of lateral protrusions  20  that limit the insertion depth of the reed into the plug  14 . The reed  10  is secured to the plug  14  with a tapered peg  22  and front and end views of which are shown at  FIGS. 7 and 8 . A portion of the channel  18  is exposed through the plug end  14  and the developed sounds are emitted from the end of the plug  14 . 
   Alternative sound directing or resonance attachments  24  and  26  can be attached to the plug  14 . The resonance attachment can be constructed to a variety of desired shapes and/or from a variety of different materials to direct and/or further shape the produced sounds.  FIGS. 9 and 10  show additional details to the tubular attachment  24  and which is constructed of a hollow length of corrugated plastic tube material  28  and over which an elastomer material or sleeve  30  is mounted. The tube  24  is generally flexible and can be bent to direct sound in a variety of directions. The material used to construct the resonance attachment can also effect the timber of the elicited sound. That is, tubes  24  or  26  constructed of rigid materials (e.g. hard plastic, metal) tend to produce higher pitched sounds versus the preferred corrugated/covered tube  24 . Any of the tubes  24  or  26  can exhibit widened portions at the open-end to provide a degree of amplification. 
   The reed  10  can exhibit a variety of shapes. The presently preferred reed  10  is shaped to exhibit outward flared, tapered peripheral edges  32  that extend forward of the flanges  20 . The edges  32  project beyond the lateral sides of the tone board  14 . The edges  32  also terminate in a relatively wide bill  34  that exhibits a width substantially wider than the underlying tone board  16 . The width of the bill  34  can exhibit a width in excess of 125% the width of the tone board. The details of the reed  10  are shown in enlarged scale at the front and top views shown at  FIGS. 11 and 12 . Reeds  10  that are as narrow or narrower than the tone board  16  can also be used. 
   The wide bill  34  adds weight to the tip of the reed  10  to reduce the vibrations, when a reed restraint  36  is set to related buck settings, and produce a more coarse sound of an older buck. When the restraint  36  is set to fawn and doe settings, the wider tip forces the user to place more air across the reed  10 , which tightens the vibrations to a higher pitch. The extension of the edges  32  and wide bill  34  beyond the lateral sides of the underlying tone board  16  also causes vibrations at the peripheral edges  32  and the tip  34  versus other animal calls, which don&#39;t extend beyond the sides of the tone board and rely on vibrations solely at the tip. The wide bill or tip  34  is thus more responsive to the caller&#39;s blowing. The wide bill or tip  34  is also less susceptible to moisture build-up, which can be a particular concern during cold weather, when the reed can freeze to the tone board  16 . 
   The pitch of the attained sounds is controlled with a restraint  36  (e.g. an elastomer O&#39;ring or other band-shaped restraint) that concentrically mounts over the reed  10  and the tone board  16 . The restraint  36  desirably contacts a significant portion of the reed  10  to the underlying tone board  16 . The presently preferred O&#39;ring restraint  36  can be selectively manipulated anywhere desired along the length of the reed  10  to vary the pitch. Grooves, such as provided in the prior art, do not limit movement or pitch. The O&#39;ring  36  is manipulated with a slide actuator  40  that is fitted to a dovetailed groove  42  in the housing  4 . An arcuate collar piece  44  depends from the actuator  40  and provides a groove  46  that captures a portion of the O&#39;ring  36 . 
   Although an elastomer O&#39;ring or band-shaped restraint  36  is presently preferred, a variety of other endless band type restraints constructed to a variety of shapes and/or from a variety of materials might be secured around the reed  10  and tone board  16 . A restraint  36  that is not endless might also be used, provided it extends beyond the peripheral edges  32  and retains the restraint  36  to the tone board  16 . For example, a C-shaped piece constructed from or covered with rubber, felt or other suitable material can be mounted over the collar  44 . Provided the cover piece contacts the reed  10 , a similar range of sounds can be obtained with movement of the collar  44 . Knurling and/or ridges  48  at the actuator  40  facilitate manipulation of the actuator  40  with the fingers. A projection  50  at the plug  14  aligns with the groove  42  to key the plug  14  and tone board  16  to the housing  4 . The projection also limits the travel range of the slide actuator  40 . 
   As the actuator  40  is manipulated longitudinally in a reciprocating fashion, the O&#39;ring restraint  36  moves to-and-fro along the reed  10  and tone board  16  to selectively vary the resonance and pitch of the reed  10 . The movement of the O&#39;ring  36  also serves to prevent the reed  10  from freezing to the tone board  14  and/or clear a frozen reed  10  without having to disassemble the call  2 . 
   While the invention has been described with respect to considered alternative assemblies and considered improvements or alternatives thereto, still other assemblies may be suggested to those skilled in the art. It is also to be appreciated that selected ones of the foregoing components can be used singularly or can be arranged in different combinations to provide a variety of further improved animal call assemblies. The foregoing description should therefore be construed to include all those embodiments within the spirit and scope of the following claims.