Abstract:
A game calling device includes a tubular member, a reed and an elastic skin. The tubular member also has a mouthpiece end that allows air to enter or exit and an outlet end that allows sound to be emitted from the device. The reed vibrates in response to passing air and is disposed within the tubular member. A control rod makes movable contact with the reed, allowing the user to vary the pitch, intensity, tong and/or inflection of the sound emanating from the device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to game calling devices, and in particular, to a game calling device that can produce sounds having varied pitch, intensity, tone and inflection. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Game calling devices for large mammals and predators are known, in particular, devices known as “grunt tubes” are used to simulate the grunts, snorts, bleats and other sounds produced by White Tailed deer. White Tailed deer sounds are described by Atkenson et al. In “Vocalizations of White Tail Deer,” 120 The American Midland Naturalist 195 (1988). Hunters and wildlife enthusiasts use grunt tubes to attract deer and other animals. 
     Grunt tubes generally include a tubular member through which air passes over a reed supported within the tubular member. The passing air excites the reed and causes it to vibrate and to produce sounds. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,946 to Oathout discloses such a game caller in which the user can modify the sounds emanating from the outlet end produced by air passing through the mouthpiece and over the reed by selectively applying pressure to an elastic skin stretched over an opening in the tubular member. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,020,675 to Boecker discloses a goose caller in which the user depresses a pin to contact the reed and control its vibration, thereby changing the pitch of the sounds produced by the goose caller. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,451 to Leedy discloses an adjustable game calling device having a trombone-like tuning member in sliding contact with a single point on a reed that the user positions axially to change the effective length of the reed. 
     The devices of the prior art, however, fail to provide the user with the capability of varying the inflection, pitch, intensity and/or tone of the sounds by manually adjusting the device in a way that allows the sounds to be consistently reproduced. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the invention is to provide a game calling device in which sounds having varied pitch, intensity, tone and/or inflection can be produced consistently. 
     Another object of the invention is to produce a game calling device that can produce varied sounds without manipulating the device by hand. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a game calling device having a control rod that can be manipulated by hand to place pressure on the reed and produce varied sounds. 
     These and other objects are achieved by the game calling device of the present invention. The game calling device includes a tubular member, a reed, an elastic skin and a control rod. The tubular member includes a mouthpiece end that allows air to enter the tubular member, an outlet end that emits sounds, and an opening in a wall of the tubular member between the mouthpiece end and the inlet end. The reed vibrates in response to passing air and is disposed within the tubular member adjacent the mouthpiece end and the opening. The elastic skin extends over the wall of the tubular member to at least partially cover the opening. The user can modify the sounds emanating from the outlet end of the device by selectively moving the control rod axially to contact the reed and change the vibrational characteristics of the reed. For instance, when the control rod is moved in such a way as to increase the length of reed that may vibrate, a low pitched sound may result. Conversely, decreasing the length of reed that may vibrate may result in a higher pitched sound emanating from the device. 
     The tubular member preferably includes a mouthpiece for the user to inhale or exhale air through the device. Within the tubular member, a plate member having an air channel that extends along an axis of the mouthpiece supports a reed connected to the plate member at one end. The plate member preferably includes an upstream end disposed adjacent the mouthpiece end. The reed preferably includes an upstream end that is also disposed adjacent the mouthpiece end and a downstream end. The downstream end of the reed is connected to the downstream end of the plate member. The upstream end of the reed is free to vibrate. 
     The upstream end of the plate member preferably includes an end wall that forms an end to the air channel. The upstream end of the plate member is preferably tapered. The reed is preferably attached to the plate member. The game calling device preferably includes a support member to which the reed and plate member are attached. The support member supports the reed and the plate member such that the reed and plate member do not contact the wall of the tubular member. 
     The elastic skin preferably extends to at least partially cover the opening. The opening preferably includes an upstream end, a middle portion and a downstream end. The opening preferably widens from the upstream end to the middle portion, and narrows from the middle portion to the downstream end. 
     The game calling device of this invention has a control rod that allows the user to control the vibration of the reed in such a way as to vary the inflection of the sounds as well as their pitch, intensity and tone. 
     In one embodiment, the control rod is manipulated manually with a ball handle attached to one end. On the other end of the control rod is a roller that makes contact with the reed. The elastic skin urges the roller against the reed allowing the roller to make continuous contact with the reed. The elastic skin also allows the user to note the position of the roller on the reed by visually inspecting the outer surface of the elastic skin. 
     In this embodiment, a barrel portion is connected to a tubular member to enhance the sound created by the device. The ball handle of the control rod is located on the downstream end of the barrel and the control rod extends through the barrel into the tubular member where it is connected to the roller. In this embodiment, the user exhales into the device to excite the reed and create sound. In other embodiments, a user may inhale to create air flow through the device also creating sound. In this embodiment, the user may adjust the quality of the sound manually with the control rod and, once the desired sound quality is achieved, the control rod may be left in that position to consistently reproduce the sound. 
     In another embodiment, the game calling device of this invention may be operated in a hands free mode. In this embodiment, a tubular member has a mouthpiece connected to one end. Within the mouthpiece is a support member that fixes the plate member and reed within the device. A control rod extends from the opening of the mouthpiece through a hole in the support member and ultimately makes contact with the reed inside the tubular member. The control rod of this embodiment may be manipulated by the teeth or tongue of the user in a completely hands free mode of operation. The control rod has a hooked end which extends from the mouthpiece and a contact end opposite the hooked end for making contact with the reed. The control rod may be of a semi-flexible or resilient material and curved in such a way as to make contact with the inner surface of the tubular member at the mid-section so as to slidably maintain contact between the contact end of the control rod and the reed over a full range of motion. 
     In this embodiment, the user inhales to create airflow through the device exciting the reed. This may be particularly advantageous during cold weather in that moisture from the user&#39;s breath will not freeze on the device, which would cause the reed to become immobile. In this embodiment, a screen or cover may be placed over the outlet end of the tubular member to prevent the user from inhaling insects or other foreign objects. One skilled in the art will realize that the game calling device of this embodiment may be configured to allow the user to exhale rather than inhale to create the desired sound. 
     These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in, or are apparent, from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be described in conjunction with the following drawings in which like reference numerals designate like elements and wherein; 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game calling device of this invention having a manually operated control rod and a barrel section that is connected to the tubular member; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the game calling device of this invention having an elastic skin that covers the tubular member as well as the barrel section; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of this invention that illustrates the inner workings of the tubular member, the barrel section, and the manually operated control rod; 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a manually operated control rod of the game calling device shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the game calling device of this invention that is capable of being operated in a hands-free mode; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the game calling device shown in FIG. 5 that has been rotated 90° about the longitudinal axis; 
     FIG. 7 is an overhead view of the hands free control rod shown in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of the hands free control rod shown in FIG. 7; and 
     FIG. 9 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a mouthpiece for an embodiment of the game caller of this invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a game calling device having a tubular member  16  connected to a barrel section  14 . The tubular section  16  has a mouthpiece  26  into which the user exhales to excite a reed  18 . The reed and its supporting structure are located adjacent an opening  54  in the tubular member  16 . Sound emanates from the outlet  28  of barrel  14  as the user exhales into the mouthpiece  26  to vibrate the reed  18 . One skilled in the art will realize that the game caller of this invention may be configured so as to allow the user to inhale or exhale to vibrate the reed  18  and create the desired sound as well as vary the inflection, pitch, intensity and tone of the sound. 
     A control rod  10  extends longitudinally through the barrel section  14  and tubular member  16 . The control rod  10  has a handle  12  on one end and a roller  20  on the opposite end which maintains movable contact with the reed  18 . A support member  32  (FIG. 3) is fixed within the tubular member  16  and holds a plate member  30  and reed  18  at a fixed location inside the tubular member  16 . The control rod  10  extends through a hole  52  located in the support member  32 . 
     FIG. 2 shows the game caller covered in elastic sheathing  24 . The tubular member  16  is connected to the barrel  14  by the elastic sheathing  24 . The barrel section  14  is also covered by elastic sheathing  22 . The control rod  10  having the handle  12 , such as the illustrated ball handle, is protruding from the outlet  28 . In this embodiment, the sheathing  24  extends over the opening  54 . The sheathing  24  retains the barrel section  14  against the tubular member  16  to create an integral unit. The sheathing  22  extends over the entire barrel section  14  and assists in maintaining the barrel section  14  in close contact with the tubular member  16 . The sheathing  22  and sheathing  24  also improve the user&#39;s ability to grip the device. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the game calling device. The plate member  30  and reed  18  are fixed in place by the support member  32 . The control rod  10  slidably extends through the hole  52  in the support member  32 . Sound is created when air from the user inhaling or exhaling through the mouthpiece  26  passes the reed  18  and plate member  30  and excites the reed  18 , causing it to emit sound. The quality of this sound can be varied by extending or retracting the control rod  10 , causing the roller  20  to make contact with the reed  18  at varying locations along its length. The sheathing  24  urges the roller  20  against the reed  18  so that the roller  20  remains in contact with the reed  18 . The sheathing  24  also holds the roller  20  stationary in the desired position. Sliding the control rod  10  in an axial direction out of the device causes a greater length of a non-fixed portion of the reed  18  to be free to vibrate, creating a lower pitch sound. Conversely, sliding the control rod  10  in the opposite axial direction reduces the non-fixed length of the reed  18  that is free to vibrate, thus producing a higher pitch sound. Once the user identifies a desired sound quality to be produced by the game calling device of this invention, the control rod  10  may be left at the corresponding position for the desired sound because the sheathing  24  holds the roller  20  stationary. In this way, the device need not be continuously adjusted to reproduce a desired quality of sound. 
     FIG. 4 is an illustration of the control rod  10  of this invention having ball handle  12  on one end and roller  20  on the opposite end. This control rod  10  allows manual adjustment of the sound quality by hand manipulation of the ball handle  12 . The roller  20  maintains continuous contact with the reed  18  and may either slide or roll during operation. When the control rod  10  is left unattended, the sheathing  24  holds the roller  20  in position on the reed  18 . 
     FIG. 5 is another embodiment of a game caller, which has a tubular member  36  connected to a mouthpiece  34 . A plate member  44  and reed  42  are fixed in a support member  38 . A hands-free control rod has a hooked portion  40  and a contact end  46  that maintains slidable contact on the reed  42 . The tubular member  36  has an inlet  49  that communicates with mouthpiece  34  and allows the user to inhale air, exciting the reed  42 . Mouthpiece  34  has opening  56  that allows the user to draw air into the device and through the inlet  49 . The hooked portion  40  of the control rod  48  allows the user to manipulate the control rod with the user&#39;s tongue or teeth while holding the game calling device in the user&#39;s mouth via the mouthpiece  34 . The control rod  48  extends axially through a hole  50  in support member  38 . This allows for hands-free operation because the user can: 1) hold the game caller in the user&#39;s mouth and manipulate the control rod by tongue or teeth; and 2) simultaneously hold a gun, camera or telescope with the user&#39;s hands. The contact end  46  of the control rod  48  maintains continuous slidable contact with the reed  42  due to the resilient nature of the control rod  48  flexably interposed between the reed  42  and the inner surface of the tubular member  36 . 
     FIG. 6 is an illustration of the game calling device of FIG. 5 rotated 90° about the longitudinal axis. The tubular member  36  has mouthpiece  34  connected on its downstream side. The plate member  44  and reed  42  are fixed in place by support member  38 . The hands-free control rod  48  extends longitudinally through hole  50  in support member  38  and makes slidable contact with the reed  42  via its contact end  46 . The hands-free control rod  48  can be manipulated via its hooked end  40 . In this embodiment, the user inhales through opening  49  creating airflow over the reed  42  causing sound to be emanated. The airflow continues through the opening  56  in the mouthpiece  34 . One skilled in the art will recognize that the components of this invention may be configured to allow the user to operate the device by either inhaling or exhaling. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 show an example of the hands-free control rod  48  of the game caller. The contact end  46  maintains slidable contact with the reed and hooked end  40  allows the control rod to be manipulated by the user. As described above, the user may operate the control rod  48  by manipulating the hooked end  40  with either the user&#39;s tongue or teeth while simultaneously holding the game caller in the user&#39;s mouth via the mouthpiece  34 . The hands-free control rod  48  is elastic and sufficiently curved to maintain the contact end  46  in slidable contact with the reed  42 . While the hands-free control rod  48  of this embodiment extends through the center portion of the opening of the mouthpiece  34 , one skilled in the art will recognize that the control rod  48  may extend through an opening on the tubular member  36 , or separate opening on the side of mouthpiece  34 , such that the control rod  48  could be operated from the outside of the mouthpiece. 
     FIG. 9 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the mouthpiece. The support member  38  is maintained within the mouthpiece  34  by an interference fit. Contained within the support member are the plate member  44  and reed  42 . The hands-free control rod  48  fits slidably through hole  50  in the support member  38 . In this embodiment, air passing through the air channel  58  and plate  44  excites the reed  42  causing sound to emanate from the device. 
     While this invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, preferred embodiments of the invention, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.