Patent Abstract:
A pet securing system having a first auger shaft fixed in the ground with the shaft having arms to hold containers for food and water. Over the first shaft another enclosing second shaft is rotatably mounted and this second shaft may mount an umbrella and a tether for a pet.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a pet securing system having a pole with arms used to hold food and water containers coupled with an overhead umbrella. 
     Devices that are used to secure pets are well known and have been used for many years. In one simple well known device, an anchor is screwed into the earth or ground and a chain extending from the anchor is attached to a collar of the pet. 
     One invention for a pet securing device has a pole placed in the ground and an umbrella attached to the top of the pole. 
     Another prior art pet related invention discloses an animal tethering device comprising a tubular rod with a pointed end which is placed in the ground. 
     Another invention discloses an auger for anchoring a post in the ground. 
     Still another invention discloses a three piece pet food and water dish. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Devices that are used to anchor a tethered pet to the ground are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,730 to Holland discloses a pet securing device which has a pole placed in the ground and an umbrella attached to the top of the pole. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,323 to Papak discloses an animal tethering device comprising a tubular rod with a pointed end which is placed in the ground. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,246 to Derkoski discloses an auger for anchoring a post in the ground. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,773 to Richardson discloses a three piece pet food and water dish. 
     In the present invention a pet securing system has an auger to hold a pole in the ground with the pole having arms to hold water and food containers. An umbrella may be secured to the top of the pole all as will be detailed in the specification that follows hereafter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A pet securing system having a first auger shaft fixed in the ground with the shaft having arms to hold containers for food and water. Over the first shaft another enclosing second shaft is rotatably mounted and this second shaft may mount an umbrella and a tether for a pet . 
     It is the primary object of the present invention to provide for an improved pet securing system. 
     Another object is to provide for such a system in which a first shaft is secured to the ground by an end auger with an enclosing second shaft used to mount. an overhead umbrella. 
     A still further objective to provide for such a system in which containers for water and food are mounted to extend outwardly from the first shaft and above the ground. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to readers from a consideration of the ensuing description and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the auger shaft and related components of the present invention showing the upper bearing shaft before placed in the auger shaft. 
     FIG. 2 is side view of the present invention with the front section of a second enclosing shaft removed to show the enclosed auger shaft of FIG. 1 in place with an added overhead umbrella system. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the auger shaft  1  and related components of the present invention showing the upper hollow interior bearing shaft  3  before placed into the opened end of the auger shaft. As will be described in more detail with regard to FIG. 2, bearing shaft  3  acts as a bearing when a third umbrella supporting shaft is inserted over it. A hole in the first shaft  1  permits a removable rod  5  to be inserted completely through the shaft with exposed handle ends extending to both sides. 
     The rod  5  allows a user to twist the rod and rotate the shaft  3  and screw its lower auger shafted pointed end  7  into the earth or ground G to firmly anchor the shaft  1  in an upright position. After doing so, the rod  5  is removed and the bearing shaft  3  inserted into the opened top of auger shaft  1 . If it is desired to remove the auger shaft  1 , the process is reversed and the turning rod  5  reinserted and rotated in the opposite direction. 
     Welded to auger shaft  1  is a large diameter disk shaped washer  9 . The washer  9  acts as a stop to prevent the shaft  1  from being placed too far into the ground when rotated. Immediately below the washer  9 , and also welded to shaft  1 , are outwardly extending supporting arms or platforms  11 , which extend on opposite sides of shaft  1 . Arms  11  are used to support, above the ground, two spaced containers  13  and  15  containing food and water, respectively, for the pet to eat and drink. Upstanding rims  17  on the arms/platforms  11  act to restrain the movement of the containers within designated areas on the surface of the arms. 
     FIG. 2 is side view of the present invention with the front section of a second added shaft  19  removed to show how it encloses the first auger shaft  1  and upper bearing shaft  3  of FIG.  1 . An added overhead umbrella system  21  is also shown. System  21  consists of an openable and closable umbrella canopy  23 , shown in its opened state, a lower supporting pole  25  and a lower handle  27 . Handle  27  extends into the body of the enclosing second shaft  19 . A conventional fastener  29 , such as pin and clip fastener, goes through a hole in the hollow interior of shaft  19  and a hole in the inserted umbrella handle  25  to prevent the umbrella from descending further into the sheath like shaft  19  and flying away with the wind. The top surface of the bearing shaft  3  engages the lower end  27  of the umbrella and acts to permit rotation of the umbrella about a vertical axis. The lower end surface of the second shaft  19  rests on, and is stopped from descending further by engaging washer  9  on shaft  1 . With this arrangement, the outer shaft  19  is free to rotate around the fixed inner auger shaft  1 . 
     In FIG. 2, the turning rod  5  (shown in FIG. 1) was previously used to screw center auger shaft  1  into the ground, and has now been removed. Normally, the outwardly extending arms or platforms  11  rest at the level of, or slightly elevated from, the ground G to both prevent the auger from being inserted further into the ground and, also to lessen the possibility of the confined water or food containers being tipped over by a pet when drinking or eating. 
     Welded to, or otherwise fixed to, rotatable shaft  19 , above the platform  11 , is an outwardly extending arm  31 . A conventional eye hook  33 , near the end of this arm, allows a collar on a dog or pet  35  to be connected to chain  37  (both shown in dotted line format). This will restrain movement of the pet relative to the shafts  1  and  19 . An openable end fastener  41  on the chain engages the hook  33  and is conventional in design. As the pet circles the auger shaft  1 , which is fixed in the ground, the outer sheath-like shaft  19  and its welded arm  31  rotate about the vertical axis of the fixed auger shaft  1 . The platforms or arms  11  remain fixed in position relative to the shaft  1  while the upper umbrella  21  provides overhead protection for the pet from the sun, rain and other elements. 
     With this invention the pet may move around the fixed auger shaft and its platform since the second shaft  19 , having the end of the tether fixed to it rotates with respect to the auger shaft. The pet is, at the same time, protected by the overhead canopy  21  and may eat or drink from the containers as desired. 
     Also, as shown in FIG. 2 an open sleeve  42  is secured to the shaft  19  in any conventional manner. At least one set screw  45  is threaded through the side of the sleeve  42 . A conventional flashlight  43  can be inserted into sleeve  42  and secured therein by the screws  45 . This will provide a convenient source of light for the user when attending to the pet at night. 
     Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention and the method of using the same has been described in the foregoing specification with considerable details, it is to be understood that modifications may be made to the invention which do not exceed the scope of the appended claims and modified forms of the present invention done by others skilled in the art to which the invention pertains will be considered infringements of this invention when those modified forms fall within the claimed scope of this invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0