Abstract:
A walking stick has a shaft and a hand guard at one end of the shaft, the hand guard being detachedly secured to the shaft so that it can be removed, inverted, and reattached. The hand guard has a yoke shape with two arms with spaced apart ends for receiving an elastic band therebetween. The hand guard is positionable with the arms of the yoke extending away from the shaft so as to comprise a slingshot.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/285,611, filed Dec. 11, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention is directed to an improved walking stick that has associated therewith certain features that would provide the user assistance if, for example, lost in the wild. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Various kits and schemes have been proposed for providing a hiker or the like with equipment useful should the need arise when lost or disabled while hiking. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Briefly, according to the present invention, there is provided a walking stick having a shaft and a hand guard at one end of the shaft. It is an improvement that the hand guard is detachedly secured to the shaft so that it can be removed, inverted, and reattached. The hand guard has a yoke shape with two arms having spaced apart ends for receiving an elastic band therebetween. The hand guard can be positioned with the arms of the yoke extending away from the shaft so as to comprise a slingshot attachment. The walking stick, now, because of this yoke attachment, is a unique survival tool, as it becomes easy to carry an effective weapon for food and protection. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Further features and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the drawings in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a broken away schematic section view that illustrates the manner in which various adaptations can be secured to the walking stick; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a view of the yoke or slingshot attachment extending upward from the walking stick; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a view of the yoke or slingshot attachment in the walking or stowed position; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a view of the yoke or slingshot attachment with the elastic band secured between the spaced ends of the arms of the yoke; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates an individual using the slingshot attachment on the walking stick; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  illustrates the manner in which the elastic band can be wrapped around the wrist during walking to secure the walking stick from loss; and 
           [0014]      FIGS. 7 and 7A  illustrate an embodiment wherein the yoke is secured to the end of the walking stick with a knob having a compass embedded therein and normally covered with a lid with a mirror on the inside of the lid. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    Disclosed in the drawings is a walking stick that is a practical, complete, compact survival tool. The design consists of features and adaptations that are applicable for most expanding walking sticks. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a walking stick  10  with survival adaptations. The basic walking stick may have a shaft  11  that can be elongated from about two and one-half feet to four feet long. The elongation is possible because much of the walking stick shaft  11  is a hollow metal tube, the lower end of which telescopes and locks, shortening the stick or expands and locks in the walking position. Elongated or not, the walking stick shaft  11  has a hollow storage space  12  near the top of the stick. At the very top of the stick, there are internal threads  14  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) into which a cap or knob can be secured. A walking stick as just described is commercially available today. 
         [0017]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a unique feature of the survival walking stick according to the present invention is the shaped yoke/hand guard  15  or slingshot attachment which, when threaded into the top of the walking stick, converts it into a powerful slingshot, and when the device is not used as a slingshot, can be inverted and screwed down to become a convenient grip, as well as a hand protection shield for the survival walking stick. 
         [0018]    This shaped yoke/hand guard  15  consists of two opposing steel arms  16 ,  18  rising from a base  19  attached to a center nut  21  with a vertically protruding bolt  20  with externally threaded extensions  22 ,  24  above and below the base allowing the shaped yoke/hand guard  15  to be screwed into the top of the survival stick. As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the arms and base may form a more or less continuously curved element. Each of the externally threaded extensions  22 ,  24  are sized to turn into the internal threads  14  thus enabling the yoke/hand guard  15  to be secured in two alternate positions on the walking stick. 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , attached to the top of each steel arm is a length of rubber/plastic tubing  26  whose ends are connected by a missile pocket  28  thereby completing the sling shot. The slingshot can also be used to launch rod-like projectiles by installing a guide attachment  30  between the arms  16 ,  18  of the yoke. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the guide attachment  30  may be inserted though aligned holes in the arms. Near one end of the guide attachment  30  is a stop  32 . The other end is threaded to receive a wing nut  34  to secure the guide attachment  30  in place. The guide attachment  30  should have a notch for receiving and guiding the launch of the rod-like projectiles. 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the survival walking stick, when extended, held planted and more or less perpendicular to the ground with one hand while the other hand stretches the rubber/plastic tubing with the loaded missile, forms a unique, powerful, accurate weapon. The above innovation is an important aspect for a complete survival tool as it becomes an easy-to-carry, effective weapon for food and protection. 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , when the slingshot attachment is inverted and screwed into the top of the survival walking stick, the rubber/plastic tubing  26  becomes a wrist strap. A slingshot is an excellent survival weapon as it is not necessary to collect ammunition too far in advance. Suitably sized rocks and stones are usually lying on the ground at any location. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , a palm rest knob  40  having a hollow space  42  therein and an internally threaded bore  45  on the bottom can be turned onto one of the externally threaded extensions  22 ,  24  when the yoke/hand guard  15  is turned into the shaft  11  of the walking stick  10 . The hollow knob  40  has a hinged cover  43  which can be flipped open and a compass  44  inserted therein. For purposes of compass sighting, a vertical rectangular slot  46  is cut into the upper hinged cover  43  of the knob  40 . The slot  46  is covered by a piece of clear plastic. The inside of the hinged cover is mirrored. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  7 , and  7 A, there are numerous features and adaptations included on the survival walking stick and they are listed below. 
         [0024]    Near the top of the shaft  11  may be mounted a microcell flashlight  48 . It is held in place, for example, by duct tape which is the same color as the shaft. 
         [0025]    As already explained, the upper part of the survival walking stick has a hollow storage space  12 . A smaller diameter piece of hollow plastic tubing with caps  50  can be filled with assorted items, such as a knife, blades, matches, pills, etc., and inserted into the hollow storage space of the walking stick  10 . 
         [0026]    Below the grip of the shaft may be wrapped many turns of thin gauged wire  52  covered with many wraps of duct tape  54 . 
         [0027]    At the lower portion of the grip of the shaft  11 , there may be taped to the shaft  11  sheets of aluminum foil  55  wrapped on the shaft and sheets of heavy copper foil  56  wrapped over the aluminum foil  55 . The copper foil  56  can be removed and shaped to form a bowl that can rest on the coals of a camp fire for boiling water or warming food. The usefulness of the copper foil  56  can be extended by lining it with the aluminum foil  55  again secured in place with duct tape  54 . Packets of soft food  62  can also be secured to the shaft. The wire  52  may be used to suspend items over the fire. 
         [0028]    Fishing line  64 , hooks  66 , and fire-starting material  68  may be placed in a hollow tube  50  and inserted in the hollow space  12  in the shaft  11 . 
         [0029]    Below the wrapped wire  52 , there may be duct taped a 3 inch long plastic spray bottle  70  filled with insect repellant. The lid of the spray bottle is not taped and can be readily flipped open for easy access. Opposite the spray bottle is taped a fire starting tool or cigarette lighter  72 , a tube of antibiotic ointment  74 , and a small diameter plastic tubing with caps  76  (not shown) filled with water purification pills. 
         [0030]    Many of the survival items are preferably duct taped onto the survival walking stick. This tape serves two other main purposes: (1) It easily ignites so that in inclement weather a piece can be torn off for starting fires. (2) In the event of a broken or sprained limb, the duct tape can be used to bind a splint. It also would be helpful to seal deep gashes or wounds. 
         [0031]    The survival walking stick while yet a practical aid for walking becomes a light, compact, effective survival weapon and, in addition to its many adaptations, provides many, if not most, of the items needed for survival under adverse conditions. 
         [0032]    According to a preferred embodiment, a fabric tube having a diameter larger than the shaft of the walking stick is provided with a hole at one end that just fits over the shaft and a draw string at the other end. The fabric tube can be installed on the shaft to cover the various survival attachments on the shaft and tied in place. 
         [0033]    Having thus disclosed my invention in the detail and particularity required by the Patent Laws, what is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the following claims.