Abstract:
The present invention relates to waterfowl decoys. More particularly, the present invention relates to waterfowl decoys with a weighted reel allowing the decoy to automatically self-right upon deployment, an integrated cranking means that allows a hunter to quickly and easily secure an anchor line, and a partially counter-sunk anchor weight.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to waterfowl decoys. More particularly, the present invention relates to waterfowl decoys with a weighted reel, an integrated cranking means to secure an anchor line, and a counter-sunk anchor weight. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The floating waterfowl decoy has long been used by hunters to attract waterfowl. The use of decoys is imperative to a successful hunt, especially early in the season. Hunters have, however, long experienced problems using decoys; such as deployment, retrieval, and maintaining the decoys in a desired position while deployed in addition to storage and transportation difficulties. A typical hunter may deploy a decoy only to have the decoy tilt once deployed and fail to self-right. Various ballast means attached to the exterior have been employed in prior art decoys. Typically, however, such ballast protrudes from the decoy thereby frustrating both storage and transportation. Decoys are maintained in position by using anchors, attached to decoys by flexible anchor lines. Decoys in the prior art have required hunters to wrap anchor lines around decoys, often leading to entanglement, both upon deployment and upon retrieval. Prior art anchors often protrude from decoys, even when anchor lines are brought in and the anchor stowed, frustrating both storage and transportation similar to ballast and potentially marring or marking the finish on other decoys during storage and transportation. Prior art anchor lines are often of improper length and result in decoys not holding a desired pattern on the water surface. Later improvements employ various means of taking in anchor lines but many involve springs, metal components or other mechanisms subject to rust and corrosion that renders the decoys useless. Other prior art decoys require hunters to engage in the use of additional tools or implements to reel in or put out anchor line thus requiring the hunter to keep track of yet more equipment and hardware. Deployment and retrieval is made even more difficult by the fact that hunters often engage in this activity in pre-dawn or low light levels, regularly in cold and wet weather conditions. 
     Various attempts have been made to improve the waterfowl decoy. U.S. Pat. No. 1,789,649 employs a detent and gear to prevent an internal reel from rotating and playing out line after it has been set, and uses an enlarged nib and spring clip to hold the anchor. U.S. Pat. No. 1,951,424 uses a reel attached to a plate and anchor control mechanisms carried by the plate in one end of a chamber located in a decoy. U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,192 discloses a reel hung inside the body of a decoy, with a ratchet-like locking system of notches to engage a locking pin, which also serves as the release lever and line guide. U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,630 discloses a decoy anchoring mechanism with a detachable reel and weighted handle that is mounted vertically under the keel of a decoy using a pivoting cam and clamp assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,653 employs the use of a hollow keeled-decoy wherein an anchor reel mechanism is enclosed in the hollow keel, the anchor being retrieved by inserting a crank in one end of the reel and cranking to wind the anchor line on a spool, the anchor line being secured by a threaded plug inserted in the anchor housing. U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,811 and U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 2002/0157299 disclose a waterfowl decoy with a self-retracting anchor line characterized by a spring-actuated anchor line reel, the anchor trained through an opening in the breast section of the decoy, the anchor being secured by a lock member located in the breast opening. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an improved waterfowl decoy. More particularly, in the preferred embodiment of this invention, a waterfowl decoy is provided that has a weighted reel which will function to cause the decoy to automatically self-right when deployed thus eliminating both the tendency of a decoy to tilt or upend and eliminates the presence of a weighted keel that protrudes from the body of a decoy. The weighted reel can also function to resist anchor cord from playing out and allowing the decoys to move from the pattern in which they are placed. The weighted reel also facilitates the retrieving and securing an anchor line. 
     Generally, the waterfowl decoy according to the preferred embodiment of this invention comprises a buoyant body portion simulating a waterfowl; a reel; an anchor line attached to the reel; an anchor attached to the anchor line; and an integrated cranking means to secure the anchor line. The integrated cranking means provides means of winding and unwinding anchor line and the attached anchor and when not in use, may be folded or stowed in an integrated manner within a recess located in the buoyant body. This arrangement provides a convenient means to let out and retrieve anchor line without the use of additional tools or hardware. 
     According to a further feature of the preferred embodiment of this invention, through stowage of the integrated cranking means the anchor is secured. When the cranking means is unfolded the anchor, by means of gravity, deploys line. Once the anchor has settled on the bed of the associated body of water in which the decoy is located, the cranking means is then folded and stowed. The cranking means comprising a handle having at least one jointed connection; rotatably connected to a reel mounted in the buoyant body; and means for the cranking means to effect rotation of the reel. This arrangement allows the anchor line of the decoy to be quickly and easily secured without the use of additional tools or hardware and eliminates springs or other metal components subject to rust and corrosion. 
     According to a further feature of the preferred embodiment of this invention, the buoyant body contains a recess and opening through which the anchor line is trained; the recess of shape and dimension to partially or wholly receive the anchor. 
     According to a further feature of the preferred embodiment of this invention, the reel contains one or more holes that, when exposed outside the buoyant body, provide means by which to attach multiple decoys together through the use of string, rope or cable. 
     According to yet a further feature of the invention, the reel is partially disposed within the buoyant body and partially exposed outside the buoyant body. Such arrangement allows for the weighted portion of the reel, when left to swing outside the buoyant body, to be appropriated colored to resemble the feet of a waterfowl. 
     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a waterfowl decoy constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, with portions broken away to reveal details of construction; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the waterfowl decoy; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial longitudinal cross sectional view of the reel and crank mechanism for the anchor; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial horizontal cross sectional view of the decoy, showing the reel and crank mechanism for the anchor; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial transverse vertical cross sectional view of the decoy, showing the reel and crank mechanism; 
         FIG. 6  is partial cross-sectional view of the crank mechanism with the reel removed, showing the crank mechanism in its retracted stowed position; 
         FIG. 7  is a partial cross-sectional view of the crank mechanism with the reel removed, showing the crank mechanism in its extended operational position; 
         FIG. 8  is a partial cross-sectional view of the crank mechanism with the reel removed, showing the crank mechanism in its retraced stowed position; 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of the reel and crank mechanism; 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of the reel on the crank mechanism; 
         FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the reel and crank mechanism; 
         FIG. 11A  is a partial left side elevation view of the crank mechanism;  FIG. 11B  is a partial right side elevation view of the crank mechanism. 
       Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings; and 
         FIG. 11C  is a partial plan view of the set screw. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. In the description, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawing with the same reference numerals, respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale in the interest of clarity and conciseness. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of a waterfowl decoy in accordance with the invention is indicated generally as  20 . The decoy  20  includes a buoyant body  22  configured to resemble a particular waterfowl of interest. The waterfowl decoy  20  is characterized as a migratory waterfowl, such as a duck. However, other types of waterfowl decoys, such as those for geese, may benefit from the improvements provided by the invention. The decoy is preferably shaped and painted to realistically represent the selected waterfowl. 
     The decoy  20  further comprises an anchor mechanism  24  comprising a weighted reel  26 ; a crank mechanism  28  for operating the reel, an anchor  30 , and an anchor chord  32  extending from the reel to the anchor. The anchor mechanism  24  is at least partially disposed in a recess  34  in the body  22 . A separate recess  36  is provided for receiving the anchor  30  when it is in its retracted position. 
     The crank mechanism  28  comprises a shaft  38  rotatably mounted in the recess  34  in the body  22 , between two plates  40  and  42  secured to the body  22  (e.g. molded in) (see  FIG. 4 ). The shaft  38  has bore  44  therethrough having a square cross-section. An extension  46 , having a corresponding square cross section, is telescoping disposed in the bore  44 . A crank body  48  is mounted on the end of the extension  46 . A handle  50  is hingedly mounted on the crank body  44 , for swinging movement between an deployed position and a stowed position. 
     The weighted reel  26  comprises first and second halves  54  and  56  mounted on the shaft  38  (see  FIG. 10 ). A semi-circular weight  58  is disposed between the halves  54  and  56 , which eccentrically weights the reel  26 . There is a hole  60  in half  54  for securing the anchor cord  32 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the handle  50  is swung from the body  48 , which is disposed in a recess  62  in the body  22 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the body  48  can be pulled from the D-shaped recess  62  (shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) and the handle can be operated to turn the extension  46 , which turns the shaft  38 , which in turn winds or unwinds the anchor cord  32  on the reel  26 . When the reel  26  is in the desired position, the handle  50  can be folded back into the body  48 , and the body can be pushed back into the recess  62 . 
     The reel  26  is preferably eccentrically weighted by the weight  58 . This eccentric weighting helps maintain the reel  26  in its desired position, resisting further winding or unwinding of the anchor cord  32 . Further winding or unwinding of the cord lifts the weight  58 , thereby resisting (but not preventing) turning of the reel  26 . The crank body  48  can also engage the recess  62  to further resist turning of the reel  26 . A set screw  64  can also be provided in a threaded socket  66  to urge a resilient member  68  to engage the shaft  38  and resist turning. The weight  58  also projects below the bottom of the body  22 , to self-right the decoy  20 , and resist tipping. 
     Operation 
     In operation the anchor  30  is either pulled from the recess  36 , or the crank mechanism  28  can be used to unwind the cord to release the anchor. When the cord  32  is at the desired length, the decoy  20  can be thrown into the water. The eccentric weighting of the reel  26  preferably allows the anchor  30  to unwind additional cord  32  until the anchor hits bottom. Thereafter, the eccentric weight  58  is sufficient to resist rotation of the reel  26 , keeping the cord  32  at the proper length. Because in the preferred embodiment the weight  58  projects from the bottom of the decoy  20 , it tends to right the decoy, and to resist further tipping. 
     After the hunt, the decoys can be collected and the cord quickly and easily wound by unfolding the handle and pulling the crank body  48  out of the recess  62  to turn the crank to turn extension  46  to turn the shaft  38 , and thus the reel  26 . The cord  32  is wound until the anchor  30  is seated in the recess  36 . A detent could be provided to help hold the anchor  30  in the recess  36 . A passage  70  through the reel  26  allows multiple decoys to be collected on the same tether, which also has the advantage of stopping rotation of the reel  26 , and deployment of the anchors  30 . 
     The foregoing description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.