Abstract:
A horseshoe game caddy for removably retaining horseshoes and stakes for playing a horseshoe game. The caddy includes a plurality of horseshoe racks supported by posts in vertically spaced relation. Each of the horseshoe racks are adapted to removably support at least one of the plurality of horseshoes.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The game of horseshoes typically includes two stakes and two sets of two horseshoes. To play the game, the two stakes are pounded into the ground a predetermined distance apart. One player stands behind one of the stakes and throws or “pitches” one pair of the horseshoes in succession toward the other stake, followed by the other player. There are different ways to play the game and different ways of scoring, but generally points are awarded to the player that throws a “ringer” and/or lands a horseshoe nearest to the stake. 
     There is a need for a caddy that may be used for carrying and storing set of horseshoe game components in a convenient manner which will keep all of the game components together. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a horseshoe game caddy holding a typical complete set of horseshoe game components. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the horseshoe caddy of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a right side elevation view of the horseshoe caddy of  FIG. 1   
         FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the horseshoe caddy of  FIG. 1  with the horseshoe game components removed. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the frame of the horseshoe caddy of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of the base of the frame of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged perspective view of the horseshoe rack portions of the horseshoe caddy of  FIG. 1  with one of the horseshoes removed to show an embodiment of the saddle. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawing figures, wherein like reference numerals designate the same or corresponding parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a horseshoe caddy  10 . In  FIG. 1 , the horseshoe caddy  10  is shown holding the horseshoe game components, which typically includes two stakes  12 ,  14  and four horseshoes  16  (i.e., two pairs of two horseshoes).  FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the caddy  10  of  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 3  is a left side elevation view of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 4  is the same perspective view of the horseshoe caddy of  FIG. 1 , but with the stakes and horseshoes removed for clarity to better view the elements of the caddy  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the caddy  10  comprises a main frame  20  which includes two substantially parallel posts  22 ,  24 , a handle support  30  and a base  40 . Comparing  FIGS. 4 and 5 , and as described in more detail below, it can be seen that the posts  22 ,  24  operably support upper and lower stake holders  50 ,  60  between which are disposed a plurality of horseshoe racks  70  which are spaced vertically along the posts  22 ,  24  by intermediate spacers  80 . 
     The posts  22 ,  24  are constructed of material that is sufficiently rigid to support the weight of the game components during transport, but yet are preferably lightweight to minimize the overall weight of the caddy  10  to reduce shipping costs and so that it is more easily transportable by players of all ages. For example, the posts  22 ,  24  may be constructed of thin walled hollow metal tubing or other sufficiently rigid, lightweight material of a desired cross-sectional configuration. The posts  22 ,  24  are received within bores  26  disposed on the underside of the handle support  30  and bores  28  disposed on the top side of the base  40 . The posts  22 ,  24  may be retained in the bores  26 ,  28  by tapping screws (not shown). 
     The handle support  30  serves as a lateral brace for the upper end of the frame  20  and may be constructed of any suitably rigid and preferably lightweight material such as thermoformed plastic or other desirable material. The handle support  30  includes a handle grip  32  which may be telescopically received within the handle support  30  such that the handle grip  32  may move between an upwardly extended position and a downwardly collapsed position (as shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 4 ). In the upwardly extended position, the handle grip  32  is sufficiently raised to an elevation that avoids or reduces the need for a player to bend over or lean when pulling the caddy  10 . The downwardly collapsed position provides the advantage of permitting the caddy  10  to be shipped in a shorter box than if the handle was fixed in the fully extended position. Thus, while a telescoping handle as embodied herein provides ergonomic advantages while pulling the caddy and the advantage of being able to ship the caddy in a shorter box, it should be appreciated that the handle grip  32  need not be telescoping and may be fixedly attached or formed integral with the handle support  30 . 
     The base  40  includes a laterally extending cross-member  42  and a pair of fore and aft extending legs  44  secured to the underside of the cross-member  42  to stabilize and support the caddy in an upright position such that it does not easily tip over. As identified in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the cross-member  42  includes recesses  43  into which the legs  44  are received and secured in place by a threaded connector  45  ( FIG. 6 ). Alternatively, the legs  44  and the lateral brace  42  may be molded or otherwise formed as a unitary member. One end of the legs  44  support rollers or wheels  48  or alternatively one end of the legs  44  may support a wheeled axle extending between the legs so that the caddy may be pulled behind a player as he or she walks so the player does not need to lift and carry the caddy  10  which, when fully loaded with a complete set of horseshoe game components, can be quite heavy for younger players. 
     As viewed in  FIGS. 1-4 , at the upper and lower ends of the posts  22 ,  24  are secured the upper and lower stake holders  50 ,  60 , respectively. Each of the upper stake holders  50  comprise an upper post sleeve  52  through which the upper ends of the posts  22 ,  24  are received. Tapping screws may be used to secure the upper post sleeves  52  to the posts  22 ,  24 . A short tubular section  54  is spaced forwardly of the upper post sleeves  52  through which the bottom ends of the stakes  12 ,  14  are inserted. The bottom ends of the stakes  12 ,  14  are retained and supported by the lower stake holders  60  each of which comprises a closed ended tubular section  62  spaced forwardly of the lower post sleeves  64  through which the lower ends of the posts  22 ,  24  are received. Similar to the upper stake holders  50 , the lower stake holders  60  may be secured to the posts  22 ,  24  by tapping screws (not shown). 
     Disposed between the upper and lower stake holders  50 ,  60  are a plurality of horseshoe racks  70  which are supported in spaced relation on the posts  22 ,  24  by spacers  80 , comprising tubular sleeves through which the posts  22 ,  24  extend. As best viewed in  FIG. 7 , each of the horeseshoe racks  70  comprise a pair of tubular sleeves  71 ,  72  through which the posts  22 ,  24  extend. Laterally bridging between the two sleeves  71 ,  72  are front and rear crossbeams  73 ,  74  spaced fore and aft a sufficient distance to create a gap  75  between which the heel ends  90  and branches  92  of the horseshoe  16  will pass through. The opposing inside faces of the front and rear crossbeams  73 ,  74  have a rearwardly angled slope. A saddle  76  is positioned in the middle of the crossbeams  73 ,  74  to support the toe portion  94  of the horseshoe  16 . The back side of the saddle  76  includes upwardly extending, rearwardly sloping ears  77  against which the back side of the toe portion of the horseshoe will rest. The front side of the saddle  76  includes upwardly extending rearwardly sloping retainer clips  78 . The toe portion  94  of the horseshoe is thereby frictionally retained between the upwardly extending ears  77  and the upwardly extending retainer clips  78 . The saddle  76  includes a recess  79  between the ears  77  and clips  78  so that the player can insert a finger under the toe portion  94  of the horseshoe  16  from the back side of the caddy and thereby lift the horseshoe up and out of the horseshoe rack  70 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , when the horseshoes  16  are retained in the horseshoe racks, the horseshoes are arranged in an overlapping, vertically stacked relation wherein the heel ends  90  of the upper horseshoes  16  overlap or extend below the toe portion  94  of the next lower horseshoe  16 . Furthermore, due to the rearwardly sloping inside opposing faces of the front and rear crossbeams  73 ,  74  and the rearwardly sloping, upwardly extending ears  77  and retainer clips  78 , the horseshoes are retained within the horseshoe racks  70  at an angle with respect to the posts  22 ,  24  such that the toe portion  94  of the horseshoes are rearward of the posts  22 , 24  and the heel ends  90  are forward of the posts  22 ,  24 . 
     It should be appreciated that with the horseshoes  16  positioned in this manner, and the stakes  12 ,  14  positioned on the front side of the slightly rearwardly leaning posts  22 ,  24 , the center of gravity of the mass of the comparatively heavy game compents are substantially aligned with the center of the base  40 , thereby promoting fore and aft stability of the caddy  10 . Whereas if all of the mass of the comparatively heavy game componets were all on one side or the other of the posts  22 ,  24  or on one side of the centerline of the base  40 , the caddy would be much more susceptible to tipping. Furthermore, by being so arranged, it should be appreciated that the individual horseshoes  16  and the stakes  12 ,  14  are easily removable from the caddy  10  one at a time, and in any order, without significantly affecting the fore and aft stability of the caddy. 
     Various modifications to the embodiments of the apparatus, and the general principles and features of the embodiments described herein will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Thus, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawing figures, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the spirit and scope of the appended claims.