Abstract:
A game call having a bellows coupled to a reed for producing sound, together with a reed controller which is operable by contact with the bellows, thereby changing the pitch of the sound produced.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention generally relates to game calling and more particularly relates to manually operated game calls, and even more particularly relates to an apparatus and method for calling game using multiple pitch sounds and without blowing through a mouthpiece.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    In the past, hunters have used various devices to call game, such as the ubiquitous tube call, in which air is blown through a mouthpiece and over a reed to generate sound. Other calls have used a flexible bellows or bulb attached to a tube call to eliminate the need for blowing through the mouthpiece.  
           [0003]    While these calls have many advantages, they also have significant drawbacks.  
           [0004]    First of all, the skill required to successfully operate the tube call is often more than is possessed by inexperienced or infrequent hunters and game callers.  
           [0005]    Secondly, moisture from the operator&#39;s breath often condenses within the tube call, which may adversely affect the sound produced by the call.  
           [0006]    Thirdly, the calls using bellows and bulbs have often had limited operational characteristics, owing to the lessened control that a bellows often has in comparison to a mouth-blown call.  
           [0007]    Consequently, there exists a need for improvement in game calling methods and apparatuses.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an easily operated game call having pitch variation capabilities.  
           [0009]    It is a feature of the present invention to include a reed plunger for controlling pitch.  
           [0010]    It is an advantage of the present invention to allow for manipulation of the reed plunger in an easy to use fashion.  
           [0011]    It is another advantage of the present invention to increase the certainty that the call will produce an appropriate sound.  
           [0012]    It is yet another advantage of the present invention to provide for tuning of the call while in the field without the need for completely dismantling the call.  
           [0013]    The present invention is an apparatus and method for calling game which is designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs, provide the previously stated objects, include the above-listed features and achieve the already articulated advantages. The present invention is carried out in an “error-less multi-pitch” approach in a sense that the amount of errant sounds, which often are produced by multi-pitch calls, is dramatically reduced.  
           [0014]    Accordingly, the present invention is an apparatus and method for calling game which includes a bellows and a manually operative reed plunger disposed within an air chamber coupled to the bellows, where the reed plunger provides for variation of sound produced by permitting variably controllable reed vibration states. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    The invention may be more fully understood by reading the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a cutaway perspective view of the call of the present invention, where the cutaway portion reveals operable portions of the call.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a central portion of the call of FIG. 1 after partial disassembly.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a perspective partial exploded view of a call of FIG. 1 where the dotted lines show the orientation of objects when in an assembled state.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]    Now referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like matter throughout, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown an apparatus of the present invention, generally designated  100 , which includes a bellows  102  which may be any flexible cap or cover which is easily depressed but sufficiently resilient to return to an earlier shape when pressure is no longer being applied. Also shown is a call central section  104 , which is a container capable of receiving bellows  102  and an optional throat section  106 . Call central section  104  is shown having a cutaway section  110 , which reveals a reed/pitch control assembly  112 , therein. An optional sound chamber  108  is also shown. Optional throat section  106  may be made of the same material as call central section  104 , which could be any suitable material with sufficient rigidity and strength to accomplish the function of receiving bellows  102  and retaining reed/pitch control assembly  112 . Material such as plastic, composite materials, wood or metal and others all could be used. Optional sound chamber  108  can be of any suitable material, but a flexible and pliable material, such as rubber or soft plastic, similar to material used for the bellows  102 , may be preferred.  
         [0020]    Now referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a more detailed view of portions of the present invention, including call central section  104  after bellows  102  has been removed. Shown disposed inside of call central section  104  is reed/pitch control assembly  112 , which includes an air tube  202  and a reed  204 . Air tube  202  provides a passage for air to pass therethrough and further provides structural support for reed/pitch control assembly  112 . Reed  204  is a thin planar member which vibrates, producing sound when air passes over it. The combination of air tubes and reeds is a well-known means to provide sound in game calls. A reed plunger  210  is also shown having a top contact end  212  for cooperation with and activation by bellows  102  when bellows  102  is fully or near fully depressed. Reed plunger  210  may be a single piece of thin metal, such as copper or brass or any other suitable material which has sufficient rigidity to transfer force from the bellows  102 , to affect the vibration parameters of reed  204  by contacting reed  204  at various points thereon. Reed plunger  210  may have one or more reed contacting detents disposed thereon. First reed contacting detent  214  and second reed contacting detent  216  are shown. It should be understood that various numbers of detents may be used. It may be preferable that no detents, or only a single detent, be used if the call is designed as an elk call. However, if the call is designed as a turkey call or other type of call, then multiple detents may be preferred. Reed plunger  210  has an air tube coupling section  218  which couples to air tube  202 .  
         [0021]    Also shown in FIG. 2 is first screw sleeve  222 , second screw sleeve  224 , third screw sleeve  226 , and fourth screw sleeve  228 . A reed plunger limiter  230  is shown disposed through limiter hole  229 . Reed plunger limiter  230  may be a screw or other member which is adjustable, so as to limit the permissible deflection of reed plunger  210  to predetermined levels. These predetermined levels are set to prohibit unwanted pitches from being emitted by the call if the bellows  102  and reed plunger  210  are depressed further than is needed to produce the desired pitch. Reed plunger limiter  230  may be a set screw which is adjustable through limiter hole  229 .  
         [0022]    Now referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a partially exploded view of the call of FIG. 1 which includes a bellows grasping member  302 , which has a bellows grasping rim  304 , which may be inserted inside bellows  102  and cooperate with a bellows bottom rim  306  formed around the periphery of bellows  102 . Bellows grasping member  302  has an air passage hole  308  therein for permitting air from inside bellows  102  to flow to and through air tube  202 . When the bellows grasping member  302  is pulled into contact with central body rim  240  by insertion of first, second, third and fourth screws  422 ,  424 ,  426  and  428 , respectively into first, second, third, and fourth screw sleeves  222 ,  224 ,  226 , and  228 , respectively, and coupling with first, second, third, and fourth screw grasping members  322 ,  324 ,  326  and  328  respectively, preferably an air-tight seal forms between bellows  102  and call central section  104 . Bellows grasping member  302  also assists in limiting the maximum stroke of the bellows  102  as it is compressed during call operation, and thereby assists in limiting the range of deflections of reed plunger  210  which are permissible. The placement of the bottom  307  of bellows grasping member  302  and its air passage hole  308  with the respect to the top of the bellows can be varied to alter the stroke characteristic of the bellows  102 .  
         [0023]    Also shown in FIG. 3 is a side view of reed/pitch control assembly  112 , which shows a pitch adjustment screw-receiving flange  418  disposed on reed plunger  210 . Reed plunger  210  is capable of translational motion along air tube  202  and reed  204 . Translating reed plunger  210  results in different points of contact along reed  204  by detents  214  and  216  (or preferably a single detent for elk calls). This results in tuning the pitch of the call. The translation of the reed plunger  210  is accomplished by turning reed pitch adjusting screw  456 , through pitch adjusting screw hole  454 , so that reed pitch adjusting screw  456  cooperates and manipulates the pitch adjustment screw-receiving flange  418  of reed plunger  210 . Air tube  202  has an outlet end  450  with an air outlet orifice  452  therein. Optional sound chamber  108 , with its air holes therein, may be disposed over outlet end  450  of optional throat section  106 . Note the throat section  106  is optional, as is the sound chamber  108 , but in a preferred embodiment, both throat section  106  and sound chamber  108  may be particularly desirable. Also shown is a locking screw  500  disposed through a locking screw hole  502  in throat section  106 . Locking screw  500  is for securing reed/pitch control assembly  112  into the central section when air pressure therein might otherwise cause reed/pitch control assembly  112  to be forced out of throat section  106 .  
         [0024]    In operation, the present invention accomplishes the goal of generating sounds suitable for calling game as follows: the bellows  102  is depressed a first distance, thereby creating an airflow over reed  204  and through air tube  202 . This airflow causes a vibration of the reed  204 . The pitch of the call is controlled by the point of contact of detent(s) with the reed  204 . The point of contact is adjusted with reed pitch adjusting screw  456 . The bellows  102  is further depressed, so as to engage top contact end  212  of reed plunger  210 , which is caused to move, thereby flexing and causing detent  216  to no longer contact reed  204 . This allows reed  204  to vibrate over a different length, thereby generating a different pitch as air passes over reed  204  and through air tube  202 . If the motion of reed plunger  210  is not limited by limiter  230 , then reed plunger  210  can be caused to further flex, thereby releasing detent  214  from contact with reed  204 , thereby generating a sound having yet another pitch.  
         [0025]    In operation, the call  100  can be tuned to provide various sounds for calling game. For example, if a predetermined elk sound is desired, then that sound is analyzed to understand the variations in pitch during the duration of the call. For example a call for an elk might start with a high pitched first segment and finish with a much lower pitch second segment. If screw  456  is adjusted, detent  216  can be positioned along reed  204  so that the first pitch segment emulates a first part of a well-known sound made by a cow elk and the second segment of the call is matched in frequency to a second segment of such well known sounds made by a cow elk. Additionally, if the predetermined sound has a third segment with a third pitch, then the placement of detent  214  can be matched by screw  456  or during manufacture of reed plunger  210 . It is believed that for elk, one of the detents  214  or  216  can be omitted or in the alternative, both can be included but through use of limiter  230  the reed plunger  210  can be prohibited from causing detent  214  from disengaging for the reed  204 . Again, for example, an elk call may have a relatively strong and noticeable second lower-pitched pitched second segment. This is accomplished by matching the desired duration of the second segment of the call to the position of the top contact end  212  within the bellows  102 . These selections of a predetermined height of top contact end  212 , height of limiter  230  and/or placement of detent(s) to produce a predetermined sound desirable for calling elk are important aspects of the method of the present invention. While particular configurations of the present invention may be well suited for elk calls, it is intended that particular other configurations of the call and uses of such other configurations for game other than elk are included within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0026]    These well-known sounds made by a cow elk and elk fawns are referred to herein as natural elk calls. While each elk may have a unique call, they have common characteristics which are well known to hunters and designers of elk calls. The tuning in the field of the present invention and the optimization of the parameters of this call during design and manufacture are often done by careful listening to the sound produced by an individual familiar with these natural elk calls. While it is possible to use sophisticated electronic sound measuring equipment, it is believed that the present invention may be readily manufactured without such equipment, if an individual who is familiar with such natural elk calls assists in the process.  
         [0027]    It is thought that the method and apparatus of the present invention will be understood from the foregoing description and that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construct steps and arrangement of the parts and steps thereof, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, or sacrificing all of their material advantages. The form herein described is merely a preferred exemplary embodiment thereof.