Abstract:
A tow vehicle-drawn wash system and game butchering station comprises a re-fillable storage tank, a hand-pump for pressurizing the tank, a wash hose connected for discharging the tank in a wash stream, and optionally a game-butchering table attached to the tank. There are furthermore included provisions for mounting the tank to either a tongue of a trailer or else a draw bar.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO PROVISIONAL APPLICATION(S) 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/371,187, filed Apr. 9, 2002, which provisional application is incorporated herein in full by this reference. 

   BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to accessories or implements for land vehicles and, more particularly, to a wash system that is drawn behind a tow vehicle or, in the alternative, a wash system and game butchering station that is drawn behind a tow vehicle. Preferably the drawn behind a tow vehicle aspects of the invention are accomplished either by being mounted on a trailer that in turn is hitched to the tow vehicle, or else hitched directly to the tow vehicle irrespective of any trailer. A number of additional features and objects will be apparent in connection with the following discussion of preferred embodiments and examples. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     There are shown in the drawings certain exemplary embodiments of the invention as presently preferred. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed as examples, and is capable of variation within the scope of the appended claims. In the drawings, 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tow vehicle-drawn wash system and game butchering station in accordance with the invention, as provisioned to mount on a long-tongue trailer; 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view taken along L-shaped line  11 — 11  in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternate version of the tow vehicle-drawn wash system and game butchering station in accordance with the invention except adapted to mount on a short-tongue trailer; 
       FIG. 4  is an elevational view, partly in section, taken in the direction of the arrows applied to offset line IV—IV in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a version of the tow vehicle-drawn wash system and game butchering station that is fairly comparable to  FIG. 1  except adapted to mount on an extended draw bar in accordance with the invention; and 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another version of the tow vehicle-drawn wash system and game butchering station in accordance with the invention except adapted to double as a winch tower on the undergirding trailer tongue. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  show a tow vehicle-drawn wash system  8  and/or wash system and game butchering station  10   1  in accordance with the invention. The version of the invention shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is adapted to mount on a long-tongue trailer  20   1 . This particular trailer  20   1  is, for no special reason other than to provide a representative example of a long-tongue trailer, is more particularly a boat trailer, as evident by the winch tower  24  having winch  25  and bow bumper  26  hardware. The boat (not illustrated) may be suitable for purposes of, including without limitation, fishing or hunting such as for a non-limiting example, duck hunting. 
   The wash system  8  aspects of the invention center around a tank  30  or reservoir. To date it is preferred to construct the tank  30  from metal materials because of durability and ease of non-mass production, including welding or fastening parts and accessories thereon. For example, the tank  30  can be produced from aluminum. The tank  30  has a cylindrical sidewall, a bottom end  32  formed as basic or simplistic as practical, and a top end  34  formed advantageously as follows. That is, the top end  34  is recessed or dished downwardly to define a basin. The basin  34  is provided for any reason a user would want. The basin-shaped top end  34  is serviced by a central drain  42  that empties through a drain tube  44  empties through an exhaust hole  46  below the tank  30  (as well as clear of the trailer tongue  22   1 ). The drain tube  44  is disposed inside the tank  30  and is also preferably the same material as the top and bottom  34  and  32  (eg., aluminum in this example) to allow welding thereto. That way, the tank  30  can be sealed off to allow pressurization. 
   The tank  30 , in its mounted position, is stood on its bottom end  32 . The bottom end  32  is mated to a sub-base  52  that provides leading and trailing tab extensions (only leading tab extension  52  is illustrated in the views, it being better shown in  FIG. 2 ). Each of the tab extensions  52  are provided with a pair of holes for accommodating U-bolts  54  (as between  FIGS. 1 and 2  shown better in  FIG. 2 , but better still in  FIG. 4 ). 
   Hence the tank  30  is mated on top of a long-version tongue  22   1  of a trailer  20   1  by the U-bolt  54  connection as shown. 
   However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the method of construction or connection specifically mentioned, as persons having ordinary skill in the art would readily understand how to accomplish the same through routine other variations. 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  show the tank  30  as a separate entity from the winch tower  24 , although  FIG. 6  shows that version of the tank  30 ′ doing double duty as the winch tower as well, as will be more particularly described below. In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , however, the tank  30  is indeed mounted on this trailer  20   1 &#39;s tongue, ahead of the winch tower  24 , as shown. 
   The tank  30  further includes a pump tube  62  for accepting a pump assembly  64 , a nipple  68  near the tank  30 &#39;s bottom for attachment of a hose  72 , and an optional sealable vent high up on the sidewall (or on the top end) for re-filling purposes. The vent is not shown explicitly in the drawings but is plugged by a winged-headed screw or plug  74  whose winged head doubles as a hose gripper. The hose  72  extends between a head end and a tail end. The head end of the hose  72  can be removably secured to the nipple  68  by any of various known means, including without limitation a hose clamp (not shown). The tail end of the hose  72  is coupled to a nozzle  76 , which in the drawings for convenience of illustration is shown as a pistol-grip sprayer. The sprayer  76  optionally provides some measure of throttle control over the discharge stream as well as preferably provides some capability to focus the discharge stream from extremes between a jet and a mist. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the pump tube  62  is welded to the tank  30 &#39;s sidewall and provides an outside upper end formed with internal thread. The pump unit  64  removably screws into the pump tube  62  by having a collar with mating threads for this purpose. To re-fill the tank  30 , a user unscrews the removable pump unit  64  and pours water in through the pump tube  62  as by sticking in the end of a garden hose supplied by a faucet (eg., spigot) or the like (none of this is shown). The wing-headed plug  74  is untwisted slightly to crack the seal it forms and that way allow trapped air to escape while the tank  30  fills. As soon as the tank  30  is filled, the wing-headed plug  74  can be twisted tight in order to seal the tank  30  for pressurizing purposes. 
   It is an aspect of the invention that the tank  30  is pressurized by hand by the pump unit  64 , which is a hand pumped device. This is better shown in  FIG. 2 . The removable pump unit  64  has a D-shaped handle  66  that the user grasps to operate the manually-pumped unit  64 . That is, the user operates the handle  66  in retraction and plunging strokes to drive the plunger (not in view) and hence force the internal air pressure to build.  FIG. 2  shows the handle  66  at the extreme end position of a plunging stroke. If the plug  74  is twisted tight and the spray nozzle  76  is OFF, the tank  30 &#39;s pressure will rise and hold. The preferred use pressure is about thirty-five psig (˜2.4 atm. gauge pressure). In use, the user sprays with the wash system  8  as perhaps starting at a pressure of thirty-five psig. If the pressure fizzles but there is still water in the tank  30 , then the user pauses from spraying and re-pumps up the pressure to a desired level of re-pressurization. Following that, the user can return to continue to spray away. 
   Staying in  FIG. 2 , the hose nipple  68  is near the bottom of the tank  30 . That way, pressurized water will be forced out the hose  72  when the nozzle  76  is ON until the water level falls to nearly the bottom of the tank  30 . Hence there is more complete utilization of the tank  30 &#39;s capacity by locating the hose nipple  68  at the bottom. Also, the bottom-placement of the hose nipple  68  facilitates rinsing out the tank  30  for maintaining its cleanliness, but preferably the tank  30  is reserved for clean water. Rinsing out the tank  30  should be an infrequent chore. The preferred tank capacity includes without limitation about five gallons (˜20 liters). 
   Except during tank rinsing, the head end of the hose  72  remains normally coupled to the tank  30 &#39;s hose-nipple  68 . For game butchering purposes, the hose  72  needs only an abbreviated length of about a yard or two (˜1 or 2 m). The tail (or free) end of the hose  72  is optionally connected to any assortment of nozzle devices (eg.,  76 ).  FIG. 1  shows the hose  72  connected into a pistol-grip type spray nozzle (ie.,  76 ). 
   The wash system  8  in isolation provides various advantages. The wash system  8  is mountable for travel behind a tow vehicle such as one that might be towing a trailer loaded with a boat or else ATV&#39;s and dirt bikes and the like. 
   Before departure (from home or else a gas station while in transit), a user has the option of filling the tank  30  with water by convenience of any available garden hose connected to a supply spigot (ie., faucet) or the like (none of this is shown). The user optionally fills the tank  30  but leaves it de-pressurized for travel. The user then reaches his or her destination. Presumably the destination might be a relatively primitive back-country boat launch or dirt bike/ATV trailhead. At any given time, whenever a user desires to wash him or herself off—or else and without limitation the dirt bike, the ATV, the boat and so on—the user has at his or her disposal a wash system  8  in accordance with the invention as mounted behind the tow vehicle for this purpose. The advantage of the wash system  8  is that it includes a hand pump  64  for pressurizing the tank  30 . That way, the user can jet spray the target object (ie., him or herself of some other target object) to rinse away grime. Trials have found that a full tank  30  requires several pauses during spray use to re-charge the pressure. 
   In the drawings the given length of hose  72  is relatively short, it being only a yard or two (eg., ˜1 or 2 m). However the invention is not intended to be limited to the variations specifically mentioned as about any suitable length of hose  72  will satisfy the purpose and longer lengths may be more desirable for other applications. For instance, in cases of washing down a boat, the hose  72  would preferably be several times longer to wash off the boat to the extent practicable. Saltwater launching aside, even in freshwater there is a need for rinsing boats after use. In some cases the users will have muddy feet or the like from repetitive instances of jumping in and out of the boat onto a muddy shore or the like, as is common in certain conditions with duck and geese hunters. In other cases, the waterways in much of mid-America contain “hard” water, meaning that there is a lot dissolved mineral matter. When hard water dries, a scaly or lime/rust crust (eg., CaCO 3  and so on) is left behind, the removal afterwards of which will require a vinegar or weak acid wash. If however a user has a supply of fresher or “soft” water, then the user can simply wash down the boat at the time of take-out and eliminate much of the lime/rust problem. 
     FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  5  and  6  show the wash system  8 &#39;s hose  72  connected in a non-use position as for travel and the like. Preferably the wing-headed plug  74  grips the hose  72  tightly as shown for convenience of storing the hose  72  in a position where it is secured for travel and conveniently in reach of users working at the butchering table(s)  80 . 
   Referring now to the drawings for discussion of the game butchering station, the invention includes one or more optional game butchering tables  80  (or shelves). Example game butchering operations might include without limitation fish or waterfowl cleaning such as duck and goose cleaning. Alternatively, in cases where the trailer is adapted for transporting ATV&#39;s, the butchering station affords opportunities for the upland game hunter. However the invention is not intended to be limited to the examples specifically mentioned. 
     FIG. 2  shows one table top  80  as representative of the other. The table top  80  is mounted to the water tank  30  by a bracket and hinge combination  82 .  FIG. 2  shows a solid-line rendition of the table top  80  in an UP position as well as a dashed-line rendition of the table top  80  in a retracted or DOWN position. The DOWN position might be required to give a user clearance to operate the winch  25  on the winch tower  24 , the crank  29  on the jack  28  (see  FIG. 1 ) or the hand pump  64 . Indeed, the DOWN position for the table(s)  80  is preferred for travel. The DOWN table top  80  is sufficiently thin as to knife relatively cleanly through the air during travel. That way, the table  80  will neither flap nor torque on the brackets  82 . The brackets  82  will be freer of damage as a result. 
   In  FIG. 1  the table tops  80  are deployed in their UP positions for various purposes. The table tops  80  are advantageous for fish cleaning operations. The table tops  80  provide a chest-high work surface for standing users. One user might be filleting fish on one table  80 , a companion user might be skinning fillets on the other table  80 , and the basin  34  provides a vessel for rinsing and storing the skinned fillets. For this purpose preferably the drain hole  42  is corked by a stopper or the like (not shown). The spray aspects of the wash system  8  allow the users to readily clean their hands, fillets, knives, indeed the very table tops  80  on which they work. With what water is leftover, the user(s) can wash off their boots or the boat or bumpers or anything else. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4  show an alternate version of the tow vehicle-drawn wash system and game butchering station  10   3  in accordance with the invention except adapted to mount on a short-tongue trailer  20   3 . In the matter of a short-tongue trailer  20   3 , space is at a premium between the winch tower  24  and hitch end  27  (and jack  28  if any). It is simply too crowded to mount the tank  30  on directly on the tongue  22   3  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Hence  FIGS. 3 and 4  show the provision of an H-shaped carriage  84  in accordance with the intention. The H-shaped carriage  84  has one leg  86  produced as an inverted channel section for enveloping and bolting tightly to the trailer tongue  22   3  as shown. The other leg  88  is a square tube to which the tank  30 &#39;s leading and trailing tabs  52  are secured to by U-bolts  54 . If space doesn&#39;t permit use of dual table tops  80 , then one is removed on the inboard side of the tank  30  to leave just a single table top  82  as shown. The uses and advantages of the  FIGS. 3 and 4  version of the invention  10   3  are otherwise comparably the same as the  FIGS. 1 and 2  version. 
     FIG. 5  shows a version of the tow vehicle-drawn wash system and game butchering station  10  that is fairly comparable to  FIG. 1  except adapted to mount on an extended draw bar  90  in accordance with the invention. The extended draw bar  90  extends between a hitch end  91  and a ball end  92 . The hitch end  91  removably inserts and pins into the opening of a hitch box  102  of receiver  100 . The receiver  100  needless to say is (more or less) permanently mounted to the back end of the tow vehicle (not shown), wherein there is a given presumption that most users of the invention shall be driving about any sort of car or truck or utility vehicle. The extended draw bar  90  provides a span of square tube  94  sufficient for permanently attaching the inventive wash system and game butchering station  10  by the sub-base tabs  52  thereof, by means of U-bolts  54  as previously described. In use, the ball  92  allows a trailer (this is not shown) to hitch up optionally as often as and for as long as desired. At other times when the trailer is unhitched, the wash system and game butchering station  10  combined with the extended draw bar  90  as shown by  FIG. 5  can remain hitched to the tow vehicle, as this provides advantages for work and recreation in general, examples including without limitation construction and camping. 
     FIG. 6  shows another embodiment of the tow vehicle-drawn wash system and game butchering station  106  in accordance with the invention. Here the tank  30 ′ is adapted to double as a winch tower on the undergirding trailer tongue  22   6 . It is preferred if tank  30 ′ is produced from steel pipe for additional strength. The pipe&#39;s ends can be cut at the angles as shown, the bottom being constructed as rectangular plate  32 ′/ 52 ′ providing tab extensions for U-bolt connection to the trailer tongue  22   6 . The top end  34 ′ of the pipe  30 ′ can be formed from an oval shape that is cut out of plate stock. The pump tube  62 ′ is sunk into the tank  30 ′ directly through the top end  34 ′, obviating the need during re-fill for a vent for trapped air. This is because trapped air can escape all it needs to through the pipe tube  62 ′ when the pump unit  64  is removed. In this version of the invention, the tank  30 ′ only includes a single retractable table top  80 , and no dished basin. It is an aspect of the invention that the winch hardware such as the boat winch  25  and bow bumper  26  are mounted directly to the tank  30 ′ as shown. 
   Hence the inventive tank  30 ′ performs two jobs concurrently, one as a storage tank and the other as a winch tower  24 ′. 
   The invention having been disclosed in connection with the foregoing variations and examples, additional variations will now be apparent to persons skilled in the art. The invention is not intended to be limited to the variations specifically mentioned, and accordingly reference should be made to the appended claims rather than the foregoing discussion of preferred examples, to assess the scope of the invention in which exclusive rights are claimed.