Abstract:
An animal hide removal apparatus is provided. The apparatus may have a plurality of pulleys and winches that are associated with cables that are selectively connected to a carcass. Operation of the winches moves the cables in opposite directions to remove the hide from the animal.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/602,859, filed Jan. 22, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,375,018, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/930,338, filed Jan. 22, 2014, the entirety of each is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to apparatus used to remove a hide from an animal carcass. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Embodiments of the present invention are directed to apparatus for selective interconnection to a vehicle, such as a truck, that facilitate removal of an animal hide, such as a deer or an elk. Now, hunters must elevate an often heavy carcass from the ground or a truck bed using block and tackle or ropes that are connected to a tree or other elevated surface. As one of skill in the art will appreciate, the prior art methods are difficult and time-consuming to implement. 
         [0004]    Thus, it is one aspect of embodiments of the present invention to provide an apparatus that is quickly and easily assembled by a hunter. The contemplated apparatus also allows the hunter to manually hoist the carcass and removes its hide. 
         [0005]    It is yet another aspect of embodiments of the present invention to provide a hide removal apparatus, comprising: a roller section adapted for interconnection to a vehicle, the roller section having a roller operatively interconnected thereto; a riser interconnected to the roller section; a winch segment having a portion interconnected to the riser, the winch segment including a first winch, a second winch, and selectively deployable first and second arms, the first and second arms having first ends that are rotateably interconnected to an upper portion of the winch segment and second ends, wherein pulleys are operatively associated with the first ends and the second ends; a lift cable interconnected to the first winch, and operatively engaged onto pulleys of the first arm, the lift cable having hooks adapted for selectively interconnecting to a portion of a carcass; and a puller cable interconnected to the second winch, and operatively engaged onto pulleys of the second arm, the puller cable having a cinch adapted for selectively interconnecting to another portion of the carcass. 
         [0006]    It is still yet another aspect of embodiments of the present invention to provide a hide removal apparatus, comprising: a roller section adapted for interconnection to a vehicle, the roller section having a roller operatively interconnected thereto; a riser selectively interconnected to the roller section; a winch segment interconnected to the riser, the winch segment including a first winch, a second winch, and first and second arms, the first and second arms having first ends that generally coincide with an upper portion of the winch segment and second ends, the first and second arms having means for operatively receiving and supporting a cable; a lift cable interconnected to the first winch, and operatively engaged onto the means for operatively receiving and supporting a cable of the first arm, the lift cable having an end for selective interconnection of a carcass; and a puller cable interconnected to the second winch, and operatively engaged onto the means for operatively receiving and supporting a cable of the first arm, the lift cable having an end for selective interconnection to another portion of the carcass. 
         [0007]    It is another aspect of embodiments of the present invention to provide a method of removing a hide from an animal, comprising: interconnecting a first end of a lift cable to a first portion of an animal; interconnecting a second end of the lift cable to a first winch; interconnecting a first end is a puller cable to a second portion of an animal; interconnecting a second end of the puller cable to a second winch; winding the first winch to raise the animal a predetermined distance above the ground; and winding the second winch to pull the hide from the carcass. 
         [0008]    The Summary of the Invention is neither intended nor should it be construed as representing the full extent and scope of the present invention. Moreover, references made to “the present invention” or aspects thereof should be understood to mean certain embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting all embodiments to a particular description. The present invention is set forth in various levels of detail in the Summary of the Invention and in the attached drawings and the Detailed Description of the Invention and no limitation as to the scope of the present invention is intended by either the inclusion or non-inclusion of elements, components, etc. in this Summary of the Invention. Additional aspects of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the Detail Description, particularly when taken with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of these inventions. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a partial side elevation view of a hide removal apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a schematic of the hide removal apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a schematic of the hide removal apparatus of  FIG. 2  showing a lifted carcass with a portion of the hide pulled therefrom; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a schematic of the hide removal apparatus of  FIG. 2  showing a lifted carcass with the majority of the hide removed therefrom. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    To assist in the understanding of one embodiment of the present invention, the following list of components and associated numbering found in the drawings is provided. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 # 
                 Component 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 2 
                 Hide removal apparatus 
               
               
                 6 
                 Roller section 
               
               
                 10 
                 Riser 
               
               
                 14 
                 Winch segment 
               
               
                 18 
                 Tube 
               
               
                 22 
                 Trailer hitch receiver 
               
               
                 26 
                 Bumper 
               
               
                 30 
                 First hole 
               
               
                 34 
                 Second hole 
               
               
                 38 
                 Roller 
               
               
                 42 
                 Pin 
               
               
                 46 
                 Stabilizer 
               
               
                 50 
                 Holes 
               
               
                 54 
                 Pin 
               
               
                 58 
                 Height adjustment holes 
               
               
                 62 
                 End 
               
               
                 66 
                 Hole 
               
               
                 70 
                 Pin 
               
               
                 74 
                 Arm 
               
               
                 78 
                 Upper end 
               
               
                 80 
                 Lift winch 
               
               
                 82 
                 End 
               
               
                 86 
                 Lift cable 
               
               
                 90 
                 End 
               
               
                 94 
                 Puller cable 
               
               
                 98 
                 Puller winch 
               
               
                 102 
                 Pulley 
               
               
                 106 
                 Hook 
               
               
                 110 
                 Gabrel 
               
               
                 114 
                 Cinch 
               
               
                 118 
                 Lip 
               
               
                 122 
                 Pin 
               
               
                 126 
                 Vehicle 
               
               
                 130 
                 Carcass 
               
               
                 134 
                 Hide 
               
               
                 138 
                 Rear legs 
               
               
                 142 
                 Tail 
               
               
                 146 
                 Tuft 
               
               
                 150 
                 Front legs 
               
               
                 154 
                 Neck 
               
               
                 158 
                 Head 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0016]    It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]      FIGS. 1-5  show the hide removal apparatus  2  of one embodiment of the present invention that is generally comprised of the roller section  6 , a riser  10 , and a winch segment  14 . The hide removal apparatus  2 , which is preferably stored in component pieces, can be assembled by a lone hunter. To assemble the hide removal apparatus  2  of one embodiment, a tube  18  of the roller section  6  is inserted into a trailer hitch receiver  22  commonly associated with truck rear bumpers  26 . The roller section  6  includes a first hole  30  and a second hole  34  for receipt of the riser  10 , which will be discussed below. The roller section  6  also includes a roller  38  associated with an underside portion of the roller section  6 . The tube  18  interconnects to a trailer hitch receiver  22  by way of a pin  42 , an interconnection method generally used to attach the trailer hitch to the trailer hitch receiver  22 . The roller section  6  may also include a stabilizer  46  welded or otherwise interconnected to the tube  18 . The stabilizer  46  includes a plurality of holes  50 , which will be described in further detail below. 
         [0018]    After the roller section  6  is interconnected to the trailer hitch receiver  22 , the riser  10  is interconnected to the roller section  6 . Initially, the riser  10  is placed in a generally horizontal orientation and a first hole  30 , which is located adjacent to the end of the riser  10  (not shown), is aligned with the first hole  30  of the roller section  6 . The hunter then places a pin  54  through the roller section first hole  30  and the corresponding riser hole, which rotatably fastens the riser  10  to the roller section  6 . The riser  10  includes a plurality of height adjustment holes  58  on an end  62  opposite the end that interconnects to the roller section  6 . 
         [0019]    Next, the hunter interconnects the winch segment  14  to the riser  10 . In the embodiment shown, the winch segment  14  is interconnected by way of a telescoping interconnection. However, other interconnection methods may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. A hole  66  of the winch segment  14  is aligned with one of the riser&#39;s height adjustment holes  58 . As one of skill in the art will appreciate, larger carcasses, such as elk, may require the height of the apparatus be maximized, as shown in  FIG. 2 . Other animals, such as deer or antelope, may be accommodated by using a lower height adjustment hole. After the height is set, the winch segment  14  is fastened to the riser  10  by way of a pin  70 . Again, interconnecting the winch segment  14  to the riser  10  is performed while the riser  10  and the winch segment  14  are substantially horizontal, which makes assembly less difficult for a lone hunter. 
         [0020]    Next, as shown in  FIG. 3 , arms  74  associated with an upper end  78  of the winch segment  14  are rotated outwardly and fixed in a generally perpendicular orientation by pins (not shown). The winch segment  14  includes a lift winch  80  for receiving one end  82  of a lift cable  86 . The winch segment  14  also includes a puller winch  98  that receives one end  90  of a puller cable  94 . The lift winch  80  may be hand operated and is used to lift a carcass from the ground. The puller winch  98  is used to remove the hide from the hanging carcass. Ideally, the lift cable  86  and the puller cable  94 , which are associated with pulleys  102  (or rollers, or other friction reducing devices), are in place before and after the arms  74  are deployed. The lift cable  86  may include a hook  106  or a gambrel  110  that receives the carcass&#39;s rear legs. The other end of the puller cable  94  is associated with a cinch  114  that grasps a portion of the hide. 
         [0021]    After the arms  74  are deployed and the cables are attached (if necessary), the hunter rotates the riser  10  and winch segment  14  upwardly using the pin  54  interconnected through the first hole  30  in the roller section  6  as a pivot. The roller section  6  includes a lip  118 , which prevents the riser  10  from rotating to a degree that would damage the vehicle  126  (sometimes referred to a “truck” herein). More specifically, if over-rotation occurs, the lip  118  will cease rotation which could harm the vehicle  126  or the hunter. After the riser  10  is interconnected and positioned as desired, a pin  22  is placed through the second hole  34  of the roller section  6  and through a corresponding hole (not shown) of the riser  10 . 
         [0022]    As mentioned above, some embodiments of the present invention include a stabilizer  46 . In these embodiments, the second hole  34  associated the roller section  6  and the riser  10  and may not be required wherein a slope adjustment hole  50  of the stabilizer  46  is aligned with a corresponding hole in the riser  10 . The stabilizer&#39;s  46  holes  50  allow the operator to tilt the riser  10  away from the vehicle, align the riser  10  vertically, or to tilt the riser  10  towards the vehicle. In the latter configuration, the riser  10  may be tilted towards the vehicle  126  such that work done on the carcass occurs over the truck bed. 
         [0023]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show the operation of one embodiment of the present invention. After the internal organs of a carcass  130  are removed, portions of the hide  134  associated with the rear legs  138  are removed. In addition, a portion of the tail and associated hide  134  are partially removed from the carcass  130  to create a tuft  146  for receipt of the cinch  114 , which will be described below. Further, the hunter will create an incision in the hide along the belly up to the brisket. Other cuts along the carcass&#39;s front legs  150  and under its neck  154  may also be made before lifting the carcass  130  or during the hide removal operations, depending on the condition of the carcass and the hunter&#39;s desires. One of skill in the art will appreciate that the hide removal apparatus  2  may be strong enough to lift a carcass  130  with its internal organs intact which may be desired. However, for this discussion, it is assumed the internal organs have been removed. The carcass&#39;s rear legs  138  are connected to the lift cable  86  by way of a hook  106  or gambrel  110  and the carcass  130  is lifted from the ground by operation of the lift winch  80 . One of skill in the art will appreciate that although a hand-operated winch is shown, a powered winch may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. Still other embodiments of the present invention utilize a vehicle winch or pulley system. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , after the carcass  130  is lifted a predetermined amount, the hunter locks the lift cable  86  relative to the lift winch  80 , which maintains the desired carcass elevation. Next, the hunter slackens the puller cable  94 , positions it under the roller  18 , and interconnects the cinch  114  to the tuft  146  of the hide  134  discussed above. The puller  98  winch is then operated to wrap the puller cable  94  therearound, which also pulls a portion of the puller cable  94  interconnected to the carcass  130  downwardly to remove the hide  134  from the carcass  130  in a slow and controlled fashion. The load acting on the puller cable  94  is reacted by the roller  38  and arm pulleys  102 . Some embodiments of the present invention employ a puller winch  98  that can operate at various levels and speeds. One embodiment of the present invention uses a winch made by Dutton-Lainson WG1500. Other embodiments of the present invention use a winch that allows for the lift cable  86  and the puller cable  94  to be wound simultaneously, which speeds up the hide removal operation. 
         [0025]    The cinch  114  will eventually move to the side opposite the carcass  130  which will pull the hide  134  under the roller  38 . At some point, the hide  134  will be removed from the carcass  130  up to its neck  154 . Thereafter, the hunter can take advantage of the carcass&#39;s  130  stretched neck  154  and easily remove the head  158  therefrom. One advantage of embodiments of the present invention is that by removing the hide  134  in this fashion, the carcass  130  will be generally free of hair and other debris. And, as the hide  134  is pulled from the carcass  130 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , it will remain off the ground, clean, and in a single piece, which is desirable. 
         [0026]    After hide removal is complete, the puller cable  94  and the lift cable  86  can be slackened and the device disassembled in reverse order from that described above. Again, the apparatus is designed to fold and compartmentalize so it is easy the stored within a truck that, for example. Although a truck and trailer hitch is described, one of skill in the art will appreciate this apparatus or similar apparatus may be modified to interconnect to a tree or to an all terrain vehicle. 
         [0027]    While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that modifications and alterations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and alterations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention, as set forth in the following claims. Further, the invention(s) described herein is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.