Abstract:
An antler display mount system for mounting of antler sheds and skull cap antlers on a single combination mount configuration. A decorative support and engagement background element depicts the natural habitat of the animal in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional metal cut-out to provide a unique and environmentally specific design to enhance the nature and character of the mount.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    This invention relates to antler/trophy mounts in which the antler or horns of a sport animal are displayed. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0004]    Prior art antler displays have relied on a variety of different mounting techniques including trophy antlers or horn mounts as seen for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 453,008, 4,464,440, 4,717,626, 4,971,865 and 5,472,765. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 453,008 is directed to an animal horn display escutcheon having wall support plate with a horn restraint shield cover. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,440 illustrates a trophy mount for displaying horns and antlers having artificial animal head representations onto which the antlers are secured. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,865 claims an adjustable antler wall hanging bracket on which a deer skull with antlers attached is secured. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,765 discloses a shed antler mounting kit with a molded animal skull replication onto which “shed” antlers are attached having a base support plate. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    An antler mount that provides multiple mounting systems on a single display support surface that depicts natural scenic background specific to the animal&#39;s natural habitat. The mounting system accommodates both shed antlers and skull cap antlers without additional accessories. Integrated individual adjustable mounting tabs provide for unique antler positioning in accordance with the user&#39;s requirements. The skull cap mounting system adapts to cover the skull cap and provide uniform visual surfaces within a compression plate engagement assembly secured to the support surface scenic background depiction. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the antler display mount for a skull cap antler mount. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged partial front elevational view of an individual adjustable antler mounting tabs. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged partial front elevational view of the antler mounting tab completed mount. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged partial sectional view of the skull cap mount assembly. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged partial front elevational view of the completed skull cap antler mount. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a front plan view of a fabric skull cap adjustable cover used within the system for both shed antlers and skull cap antler mounts. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings, a combination antler display mount of the invention  10  can be seen having a decorative support and mounting plate  11  which depicts a specific natural habitat relative to the animal displayed. The decorative plate  11  is preferably of integrally cut metal with a central mounting area  12  therein. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 2  of the drawings, a pair of angularly disposed spaced shed antler mounting tabs  13  and  14  can be seen which are formed from within the central mounting area  12 . Each of the mounting tabs  13  and  14  is of a rectangular configuration with a pair of transversely positioned spaced notches  15  therein adjacent to its distal attachment point at  16  with an antler mounting aperture A within the respective proximal surface areas. It will be seen that independent shed antlers  17  and  18 , in this example, can be secured to the respective mounting tabs  13  and  14  by screw fasteners F extending through the aperture tab and into respective central base portions  17 A and  18 A of the shed antlers. Once so secured, each of the antlers can be independently repositioned in multiple dimensions by bending the respective mounting tabs  13  and  14  along their notch defined hinge attachment lines translaterally and in a variety of angular configurations to achieve a custom antler mounting position as will be described in detail hereinafter. 
         [0018]    A hanger slot  19  can be seen within the mounting area  12  surface in spaced relation adjacent the respective mounting tabs  13  and  14 . The hanger slot  19  has multiple teeth  20  formed in an upper engagement surface  21  to provide for multiple hanging support points to accommodate the uneven weights of the respective antlers, if required, on a vertical wall surface W illustrated in this example. 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6  of the drawings, an antler skull cap mounting assembly  22  can be seen having a generally rectangular universal fabric skull wrap  23 , best seen in  FIG. 6  of the drawings with oppositely disposed inclusive elastic side edge trims  24  and  25  and a pair of Velcro enabled hook and loop material trim adjustment straps  26  and  27  extending respectively therefrom. An interengageable Velcro insert strip  28  secured inwardly along an upper edge  29  thereof and extends between straps  26  and  27  affording multiple points of selective engagement as will be discussed. 
         [0020]    An oppositely disposed pair of spaced Velcro enabled (hook material) strips  30  and  31  are secured and extend inwardly from the bottom fabric edge  32  in spaced relation to one another so as to be engaged during use with the upper edge Velcro insert  28 , noted above. 
         [0021]    Pairs of vertically aligned spaced parallel skull wrap positioning holes H are formed within an upper field portion  23 A of the fabric skull wrap  23 . The holes H have reinforcement eyelets E thereabout and provide during use pairs of aligned pass through points for respective fastener assemblies FA as will be described hereinafter. The skull cap mounting assembly  22  as seen best in  FIG. 4  of the drawings has an adjustable compression plate  33  of a rectangular dimension, in this example, with a plurality of mounting apertures A therewithin. The fastener assemblies FA adjustably secure the compression plate  33  to the decorative mounting plate  11  and comprise threaded bolts  34 A and threaded tubular connectors  34 B so as to extend through the compression plate mounting apertures A in registerable alignment with the multiple skull wrapped position holes H and corresponding apertures A in the decorative support and mounting plate  11  which are positioned adjacent the respective mounting tabs  13  and  14  as seen in  FIG. 2  of the drawings. 
         [0022]    In use, an animal skull cap  35  illustrated graphically in broken lines in  FIGS. 4 and 5  of the drawings with attached antlers is wrapped within the fabric skull wrap  23  having a foam cushion lining  23 B wherein the Velcro strips  30  and  31  can be interengaged by pulling the wrap up over the skull cap onto the insert strip  28  for universal adjustable fit. 
         [0023]    It will be seen that the skull wrap elastic side edge trims  24  and  25  will therefore form around the respective base of the antlers to provide a unique custom fit. The wrapped skull cap  25  with antlers protruding is positioned and held in place on the decorative support and mounting plate  11  surface  11 A by engagement of the compression plate  33  thereover in which the multiple fastener assemblies FA are threadably engaged through the compression plate and the aligned holes H and therefore retained on the decorative mounting plate  11  as seen in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. The trim tab adjustable straps  26  and  27  are then adjustably engaged to one another over the single fastener assembly FA′ allowing for final adjustment fitting of the wrapped animal skull cap  35  between the decorative mounting wall plate  11  and the compression plate  33 . 
         [0024]    The fabric skull wrap  23  can also be used to complete the mount of the hereinbefore described shed antlers  17  and  18  which, as noted, are adjustably mounted on the respective mounting tabs  13  and  14 . The skull wrap  23 , as best seen in  FIG. 3  of the drawings, in this application has a correspondingly sized foam cushion material layer CM shown in broken lines and a block of semi-rigid filler foam  36  illustrated in dotted lines in  FIGS. 3 and 6  of the drawings. The semi-rigid filler foam  36  is utilized as a spacer and filler and is placed on the foam cushion material CM and the skull wrap  23  is then “wrapped” therearound and held in place by the interengagement of the strips  30  and  31  to the corresponding insert attachment strip  28 , as noted, forming a shed antler support mount assembly  37 . 
         [0025]    Once positioned on the decorative mounting plate  11  between the tabs  13  and  14  having the attached shed antler  17  and  18 , the fastener assemblies FS which have positioned through and extend from the mounting plate  11  are correspondingly inserted through the gathered and aligned holes H pairs with the compression plate  11  secured thereover. The multiple fastener assemblies FS are then adjustably engaged against the compression plate  11  overlying the support and filler foam  36  between the tabs  13  and  14 . 
         [0026]    The corresponding assembly is then adjustable so as to conform about the respective antler basis by the trim tabs  26  and  27  extending about the remaining central fastener assembly as herein before described. 
         [0027]    It will be evident from the above description that the utilization of the fabric skull wrap  23  in combination with the adjustable compression plate  33  provides, in essence, a universal mounting configuration for both the skull cap antler display and shed antler onto a decorative support mounting plate  11  which can selectively depict a specific scenic habitat environment related to the animal display. Additionally, with the utilization of multiple adjustable shed antler mounting tabs  13  and  14  independent shed antlers  17  and  18  can be affixed and then adjusted on the decorative mounting plate to emulate a specific antler orientation unique to the animal and provide the user a distinctive identifiable custom antler display mount in both configurations as hereinbefore described. 
         [0028]    It will thus be seen that a unique and novel combination antler display mount has been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore I claim: