Abstract:
An apparatus for calling deer, and methods of its use; the apparatus having an adjustable sliding element moved longitudinally by the user to adjust the dimension x of a vibrating reed to vary the sound generated by the deer call. The device includes a barrel assembly having a cut-out opening in its side, with a vibrating reed mounted therein on a reed holder. A tone-adjusting slide assembly, manually accessible through the cut-out opening, has a reed contact band extending transversely and clampingly across the reed so as to clamp it at any of various selectable locations depending on the axial position of the tone-adjusting slide assembly. The pitch of the sound can be adjusted without disassembling the deer call.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates to a device and method for calling wildlife and, more particularly, to a device which emulates a variety of sounds produced by deer. 
     Deer hunters typically employ a number of methods for calling a deer within range to be shot by a rifle, bow, or other weapon. Typically, the sounds are produced by calls having a reed placed within a longitudinal passage. The hunter forces air from the hunter&#39;s lungs through the passage and the reed vibrates to produce a tone emulating a deer sound. 
     SUMMARY 
     A deer call in accordance with the disclosed invention comprises an outside barrel forming a mouthpiece with an inlet and outlet end, having a reed disposed within and a movable tone-adjusting slide assembly containing a reed contact band extending outside of the mouthpiece. When a user forces air from the inlet end of the mouthpiece, air passes over and vibrates the reed, and an animal sound is simulated. Axial movement (by which is meant herein “movement along an axis”) of the tone-adjusting slide assembly along the axis of the reed allows the user to vary the tone of the sound produced by the call, that is, its pitch. Thus the animal sound can be made without any particular skills associated with playing musical instruments. 
     The present invention provides a deer call having a tone-adjusting slide assembly with an axially adjustable reed contact band that clamps around the reed and thereby substantially prevents movement of the reed between the reed contact band and a wedge at the base of the reed. Axial movement of the slide assembly allows the user to vary the frequency of the vibratory portion of the reed. The contact band provides a clamp on the reed, and can be adjusted to change the pitch of the call. This change in pitch is independent of a separate ability to change the sound resonance by adjusting the optional extension hose. The tone-selecting slide is accessible through an opening provided for this purpose in the larger outside barrel. The reed contact band may, among other configurations, assume in use the shape of a sideways-rotated D. 
     Axially moving the tone-selecting slide assembly containing the reed contact band results in a change in the clamping position on the reed, thus changing pitch. Additionally, a removable extension hose, optionally provided at an end opposite the mouthpiece end of the call, can be used to increase sound volume as by resonance and is typically constructed to be expanded or contracted, in an accordion-like manner, as a bellows. 
     The present invention provides a deer call that produces the full continuum of varying sounds produced by male and female deer by clamping the base of the reed to vary the length of the vibrating portion of the reed (the length sometimes being referred to herein as “dimension x”). When dimension x is shortened, the sound produced by the call has a tone of a higher frequency than before. The adjustable-tone call allows the user to quickly and accurately switch among a variety of different sounds produced by a deer. The deer call may further comprise a lanyard, secured around the outside barrel, desirably having a spring extending perpendicularly of the barrel and holding together a pair of strands of the lanyard, thereby facilitating quick use of the deer call. 
     These and other related features of this invention will become apparent upon review of the present specification in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The features of the invention noted above are explained in more detail with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the attached drawing figures, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an adjustable-tone deer call as disclosed herein, complete with lanyard. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic side view of a removable extension hose as used in the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view in partial cross-section of the deer call of  FIG. 1 , wherein the tone-adjusting slide assembly has been moved axially by the user towards the inlet end of the outside barrel of the deer call, thereby decreasing the dimension of the reed and increasing the pitch of the sound generated by the deer call. For clarity, the lanyard illustrated in  FIG. 1  is omitted. 
         FIG. 3A  is an enlarged view from the rear of the tone-adjusting slide assembly shown in  FIG. 3  wherein the reed contact band is omitted. 
         FIG. 3B  is an enlarged view from the side of the tone-adjusting slide assembly shown in  FIG. 3  wherein the reed contact band is omitted. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view in partial cross-section of the deer call of  FIG. 3 , wherein the tone-adjusting slide assembly has been moved axially by the user towards the extension hose of the deer call, thereby increasing the dimension of the reed which is free to vibrate and lowering the pitch of the sound generated by the deer call. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of an alternative embodiment of an adjustable-tone open-barrel deer call as disclosed herein. A portion is shown in cross-section, and a portion of the removable extension hose is broken away for ease of illustration. 
         FIG. 5A  is an exploded perspective view of the tone-adjusting slide assembly of  FIG. 5  and shows the shape assumed by the reed contact band when in use, namely the shape of a sideways-rotated D. 
         FIG. 6  is a fragmentary top plan view of an adjustable-tone open barrel deer call as disclosed herein, wherein the tone-adjusting slide assembly has been removed and the locations of positions for setting the reed contact band for various calls are marked for illustration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and initially to  FIGS. 1–4 , an adjustable-tone open-barrel deer call is shown. The call has an outside barrel  11  forming the mouthpiece of the call. The inlet end  30  of the barrel  11  is adapted for being blown into, but the deer call may alternatively be sounded by drawing air from the outlet end. The outside barrel  11  is preferably tapered so that the inlet end  30  has a smaller diameter than the outlet end  32 . The outside barrel  11  has a cut-out opening  40  between the inlet end  30  and the outlet end  32 . A small inside barrel  24  is force-fit or otherwise frictionally secured such as by interference at its proximal end into the outlet end  32  of the outside barrel  11 . 
     A tone-adjusting slide assembly  16  is mounted for axial movement with respect to the reed holder  21 . The user has access to the tone-adjusting slide assembly  16  through the cut-out opening  40  of the outside barrel  11 . The tone-adjusting slide assembly  16  comprises an axially sliding element  12  which desirably has a set of upstanding protuberances  14  for frictional engagement with a user&#39;s finger. At the distal end of the tone-adjusting slide assembly  16  is a semicircular indentation  15  over which a reed contact band  13  is mounted. The reed contact band  13  extends transversely and clampingly across the reed  20  so as to limit the length of free motion of the reed. The user easily adjusts the tone-adjusting slide assembly  16  in its position over the reed  20  by sliding it axially along the reed holder  21 . This causes change in the pitch generated by the reed  20  when the deer call is sounded, as the reed contact band  13  which clamps the reed  20  to the reed holder  21  is in a new position. The reed contact band  13  is of elastic material and may typically be a conventional O-ring ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) riding in a notch in the tone-adjusting slide assembly  16 . As shown in  FIG. 5A , in use the reed contact band  13  may have the shape of a sideways-rotated D ( FIG. 5 ), the flat side serving to clamp the reed  20 . 
     The reed  20  is supported within the outside barrel  11  at its proximal end by a reed holder  21 . The reed holder  21  has a bottom and a pair of opposing sidewalls joined to its bottom to define an elongated air flow channel  23 . The opposing sidewalls of the reed holder  21  decrease in height as they extend in the direction of the inlet end  30 . In this embodiment, a wedge  22  is coupled with the distal portion of the reed holder  21  within a smaller inside barrel  24 . The reed  20  extends between the wedge  22  and the reed holder  21 , terminating at a proximal free end toward the inlet  30  of the outside barrel  11 . The proximal end of the reed  20  is free to vibrate when the user blows into the inlet end  30 , while covering the cut-out opening  40  with the palm of the user&#39;s hand while making a fist. Sound generated by such vibration comes out of the distal opening  50  of an optional removable extension hose  26 , which extends from a small inside barrel  24  into which the reed  20  and reed holder  21  are supported by a wedge  22 . The extension hose  26 , which is desirably friction fit so as to be removable, can be used to increase sound volume as by resonance and is typically constructed to be expanded or contracted, as a bellows, accordion-like. 
     The user may alternatively sound the deer call by drawing air from the outlet end, for example by sucking or inhaling. In that event, it is not necessary to put one&#39;s hand over the cut-out opening  40 . The user may do so with the extension hose  26  in place by placing one&#39;s mouth at the outlet  50 , or may do so with the extension hose  26  removed by placing one&#39;s mouth at the outlet of the small barrel  224 . 
     As for the embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 , tones of high or low pitch may be easily selected by manually moving the tone-adjusting slide assembly  16  by frictionally engaging with one&#39;s finger the upstanding protuberances  14  on the sliding element  12  (shown in detail in  FIGS. 3A and 3B ) and moving axially. This movement causes the reed contact band  13  to change its position with respect to the reed  20 , lengthening or shortening the vibrating section of the reed  20 , thus enabling the user to select a tone of any of various pitches when sounding the call. 
     Turning to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5 and 5A , a similar adjustable-tone open-barrel deer call  100  is shown, with elements numbered in the range of  111  to  150  corresponding generally to elements  11  to  50  of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1–4 . 
     All of the elements numbered in the range of  111  to  150  have the same configuration, shape, purpose and use as corresponding elements  11  to  50  of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1–4 . As with the embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1–4 , tones of high or low pitch may likewise easily be produced by the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5  by manually moving the tone-adjusting slide assembly  116  (shown in detail in  FIG. 5A ) axially. This movement causes the reed contact band  113  to change its position with respect to the reed  120 , lengthening or shortening the vibrating section of the reed  120 , the length of the vibrating section being shown as having dimension x, thus enabling the user when sounding the call to select from among an infinite variety within a range of pitches defined by the shortest and longest dimension x provided by the geometry of the inner barrel  121  and reed  120 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the range of sound of a multi-tone deer call  200  as generally depicted in any of the other figures herein. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the length of the vibrating section of the reed, dimension x, is changed as the clamping point on the reed is changed, i.e. when the reed contact band is moved. The pitch accordingly changes, so as to simulate any of various different sounds, such as a high-pitched fawn bleat (when the band is in position  231 ), a doe bawl (position  232 ), a tending grunt (position  233 ), a trail grunt (position  234 ), or a rutting grunt (position  235 ), or any variation in between. For clarity of illustration, the tone-adjusting slide assembly is omitted. 
     Although for clarity of illustration in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5 , a lanyard is omitted, it is to be understood that the lanyard shown in  FIG. 1  is optionally, and desirably, employed in connection with the version of the invention shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 , and  4 , the barrel  11  is desirably provided with a circular groove  42  for securing a generally circular lanyard  44  therearound. Likewise, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the barrel  111  is desirably provided with a circular groove  142  for securing a generally circular lanyard  44  therearound. The lanyard may be of woven material like a shoestring. As depicted in  FIG. 1 , a coil spring  45  that is generally perpendicular to the axis of the barrel  11  (or the barrel  111  as depicted in  FIG. 5 ), contains and holds together the two branches  46  and  47  of the lanyard  44  for approximately 3 cm., being slightly compressed by a clamp  48 , desirably of metal. This keeps the lanyard out of the way of the user&#39;s hands and facilitates quick use of the deer call. The lanyard may be of any convenient overall length, e.g. 1 meter, such that the doubled-up lanyard extends for approximately 0.5 meter from the barrel  11  (or the barrel  111  as depicted in  FIG. 5 ) to facilitate carrying around the users neck. 
     In this manner, the present invention provides an adjustable-tone deer call which may be fabricated quite efficiently. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the outside barrel  11  of  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4  and the small barrel  24  of  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4  are made from a solid plastic material and frictionally secured such as by an interference fit to one another. Similarly, in the alternative embodiment, the outside barrel  111  of  FIG. 5  and the small barrel  124  of  FIG. 5  are made from a solid plastic material and frictionally secured such as by an interference fit to one another. Similarly, the reed holder  21  and wedge  22  of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , as well as the reed holder  121  and wedge  122  of  FIG. 5 , are desirably made of plastic and frictionally secured such as by an interference fit to one another. 
     As shown separately in  FIG. 2 , the optional extension hose  26  is desirably made from a flexible or rubbery plastic and may be frictionally or otherwise secured around the small barrel  24  of  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4  or the small barrel  124  of  FIG. 5 , at extension hose front end  41  (or extension hose front end  141  as shown in  FIG. 5 ), and may be extended (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) or retracted as a bellows (as shown in  FIG. 1  for example), accordion-like, to produce a desired amount of resonance. 
     In  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 , the reed  20  (and in  FIG. 5 , the reed  120 ) is preferably formed from a thin plastic material, e.g. MYLAR. 
     Various routines involving the use of different types, durations, and inflections of sounds are known to lure deer. These routines are easy to learn and reproduce by using the call of the present invention. The infinitely slidable reed contact assembly is particularly effective for switching from one call sound to another, without having to disassemble, adjust and then reassemble the deer call, and is capable of producing a virtually infinite number of call sounds. 
     From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain the features and advantages hereinabove set forth, together with the other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. 
     Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative of applications of the principles of this invention, and not in a limiting sense.