Patent Abstract:
A portable game hoist ( 10 ) designed for raising and lowering game feeders and fallen game animals in the field. The invention consist of a compact and collapsible triangular support frame which contains a plurality of pulleys in a block and tackle arrangement. The block and tackle can be actuated by a hoist rope ( 92 ) to raise and lower game feeders/game animals providing a 6:1 lift to pull ratio. One pulley in the block and tackle arrangement is limited to rotation in a single direction and is positioned to automatically lock as objects are being hoisted. Locking pulley ( 50 ) can be unlocked by activating the locking pulley release ( 49 ) via the locking pulley release line ( 51 ) to allow pulley rotation in either direction. Therefore, unlocking the locking pulley ( 50 ) allows all six pulleys to rotate in either direction permitting the lowering of hoisted objects. The triangular support frame includes means for attachment to a tree or pole including a method for hanging temporarily to aid with final attachment.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable 
     SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention generally relates to portable tree hoist, specifically hoist capable of raising and lowering game feeders or for dressing game animals. 
     2. Prior Art 
     When hunting large game such as deer, It is often times desirable and necessary to dress a fallen animal in the field. There are many advantages to field dressing. For example, by leaving behind the unwanted portions of the animal in the field you considerably reduce the overall weight for transportation of the desirable remains. Furthermore, prompt gutting decreases the temperature around the desirable meat reducing the chance of meat spoilage. 
     While field dressing of game animals is desirable, it also requires that you have means to elevate the fallen animal so that the exposed meat does not get soiled and contaminated. Often times the fallen animal is deep into wooded areas inaccessible by vehicle means. Therefore, there is a need for a portable, compact, lightweight hoisting device which can easily be attached to a tree and operated by a single individual. 
     Similarly, game feeders such as ones used to disperse corn to deer are often set up in remote wooded areas. These feeders are most commonly made with a drum which houses corn and includes a motor to dispense the corn at determined time intervals. Therefore, a portable, compact, lightweight hoisting device is desirable for lifting and lowering game feeders in remote settings. 
     Many hunters use a well known Block and Tackle Pulley Technology which utilizes a series of pulleys to reduce the amount of pull required to lift a desired weight. These systems include a hook at the upper end which are often attached to a tree limb for upper support. Another hook at the lower end can be connected to a gambrel for attachment to a deer carcass or for direct attachment to a game feeder (For more on “Block and Tackle Pulley Systems” see www.howstuffworks.com/pulley.htm). The problem exist with finding a tree limb strong enough to support the required weight and with the safety issues required to attach to such. 
     One prior art product utilizes a patented locking single pulley (U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,281 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,640) at the lower end and a separate free turning pulley at the upper end to create a Block and Tackle arrangement (The patented Rope Ratchet and the Hang-&#39;em High Hoist can be viewed at www.roperatchet.com/index.shtml). The amount of force required to lift the desired weight is cut in half. While beneficial, a 2:1 pulling ratio is not sufficient for lifting large deer or even 35 gallon drum feeders filled with corn. In either case, the weight to be hoisted exceeds 200 pounds. Experimenting, I have found that a 4:1 ratio is needed to pull 200 pounds with any ease. My invention is designed with a 6:1 pulling ratio for these same concerns. Additionally, pulleys can not be added to the Hang-&#39;em High Hoist as designed to increase the lifting ratio. The lower pulley which is the patented Ratchet Rope Pulley on the Hang-&#39;em High Hoist does not have means to attach additional pulleys. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,675 to Roberts and Gribling, Jr. (1993) is a portable support assembly consisting of a vertical support, a horizontal support and a diagonal support. The disadvantages of this device is that the supported item has to be lifted onto the support assembly. Lifting fallen game such as white tail deer in this manner is cumbersome and generally requires more than a single individual. Secondly, a considerable amount of assembly is required. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,534 to McGough (1996) is a portable game hoist which comprises a vertical backing member, a horizontal support frame and a diagonal brace with a winch support at the lower end. McGough&#39;s device is mostly welded and therefore is not collapsible to allow easy transport. Furthermore, McGough&#39;s device, as with most other comparable hoisting devices, utilizes a winch and cable for lifting. In all but one of the patents I researched, no specification was made for use of an automatic brake winch. It is a serious safety issue to hoist heavy items with a marine trailer type winch. For the lifting process, a marine trailer winch automatically holds the weight as the item is being raised but this is not true for the lowering process. For the decent, once the stop lever is released from the drum gear, the weight of the item hoisted must be manually held back. If you release the stop lever and let go of the handle, the hoisted item will fall suddenly and the winch handle will spin violently. The use of an automatic brake winch is designed to automatically hold the lifted weight during the assent and the decent. The problem with an automatic brake winch, as with a marine trailer winch, is that the added weight of a winch becomes a concern when a hand held portable hoist is desired. Furthermore, an automatic winch is more expensive than a marine trailer winch; and therefore, it becomes an overall cost concern. In addition, if a winch is connected to a compact hoisting frame and is attached to a tree out of reach, the winch operator must climb the tree in order to actuate the winch. If the hoisting device is designed so that the winch can be actuated at ground level with the support frame above, the portability of the unit is compromised. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,455 to Breedlove (1998) is a portable game hoist comprising a vertical member, a horizontal member, and a diagonal member. One disadvantage of this device is that the bottom portion of the hoist is not strapped to the tree. Instead, a sharp bracket attached to the bottom of the hoist engages the tree. If the hoist is bumped or bounces for any reason, the hoist could slide by the supporting post causing hoist failure. Also, some assembly is required at the point of use which may require the need for tools. Furthermore, the rope and pulley system described does not have a locking feature to prevent sudden hoist failure if hands slip from the rope. Also, hoisted items must be tied off to a near by tree or the like in order to hold the lifted weight. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,442 to Bounds (2000) is a game hoist comprising two vertical supports, two horizontal supports, and a diagonal support. One disadvantage of Bound&#39;s device is that it does not collapse into a compact unit for easy transport. A compact unit is oftentimes needed for field dressing of fallen game in dense locations. Secondly, because the winch is separated from the main frame, more set up time is required. When a hoisting device is primarily used for field dressing of fallen game, it is continuously being set up and taken down. Therefore, it is desirable to have a hoisting apparatus which minimizes the amount of set up and take down time required. Finally, the height of the gambrel in the maximum hoisted position is considerably lower than the uppermost horizontal member. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,974 to Williams (2000) is a portable game support consisting of a upper arm and a lower arm. While in use, the upper arm is horizontal and is attached to a vertical columnar structure via a chain. The lower arm is diagonal and has two spikes to engage the tree or pole. The problem with William&#39;s game support is that the lower arm is not chained or strapped to the vertical columnar member; therefore, if the device is bumped or bounces for any reason, the lower arm could slide down the vertical columnar member causing the hoisted item to drop violently. Furthermore, the single pulley design shown is not sufficient. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,964 to Gearhart (2004) is a V-shaped hoist which has an upper frame designed similar to that of climbing tree stands. A rear retaining bar supports the weight on the rear side of the tree or pole, while a V-shaped blade bites into the hoisting side of the tree/pole. A winch is attached separately to the tree/pole via a winch bracket below the upper frame. The disadvantage of Gearhart&#39;s device is that it is not collapsible. While the unit can be partially disassemble into a single package for portability, it is bulky and would be cumbersome to carry by hand as are most tree climbing devices. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,688 (2004) by James an Alva Owens is a portable hoist designed to be attached to a tree or pole comprising a vertical member and a pivoting support arm. The pivoting support arm is near horizontal while in use. One disadvantage of this device is that the winch must be operated while attached up on the tree and may require elevation means to the operator of the winch. Also, a winch can easily fail if the winch gear locking lever is accidentally disengaged while under load. If this occurs, the load will drop immediately, possibly causing injury to person(s) tending to the lifted object. Another disadvantage of Owens&#39; device is the lack of a diagonal support member which distributes part of the load back to the vertical columnar structure. Without a diagonal support or other means to distribute load, the removable bolt or ball pin is the main means for support. Over time the pin could shear, causing hoist failure. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,831 to Martin (1999) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,991 to Myers are examples of hoisting devices which require attachment to a vehicle such as an all terrain vehicle (ATV). This type of device can only be used where ATV use is allowed. ATV use is generally prohibited on state-owned game lands. Also, the use of ATV game hoists are obviously restricted to owners of ATV&#39;s. 
     Other patents and patent applications which may have some pertinence to the present invention may include; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,675 to Compton (2000) 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,821 to Phillips (2004) 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,483 to Frommer (2001) 
     Patent Application No. 20040026675 to Green (2004) 
     Patent Application No. 20050136816 to Lake (2005) 
     Patent Application 20030000906 to Perkins (2003) 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Objects and Advantages 
     Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:
         (a) to provide a hoist which has a 6:1 rope pulling ratio meaning that for every 6 pounds of weight hoisted, only 1 pound of rope pulling force is required.   (b) to provide a hoist that incorporates a rope locking feature so that when an item is being hoisted, the load will automatically lock into the last position whenever the hoist rope is set loose.   (c) to provide a hoist which has a locking pulley release to enable the release of a load in the locked position so that hoisted objects can be lowered to the ground.   (d) to provide a hoist that allows lateral as well as vertical stability.   (e) to provide a hoist which is collapsible into a compact, lightweight unit for ease of transportation without the need for disassembly.   (f) to provide a hoist which unfolds and is ready to hang with no assembly required.       

     Other objects and advantages are: to provide a hoist which can be temporarily supported to allow hands free strap attachment of the hoist to a tree or pole; to provide a hoist which will allow adjustment to the angle of the supporting arm relative to the angle of the tree; to provide a hoist that allows any single strap to fail without causing total hoist failure. 
     Further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is thus an object of the invention to provide a portable game hoist which is collapsible into a compact, lightweight unit for easy transport. It is a further object of the invention to provide a portable hoist which is simpler and safer to hang and operate. Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a portable hoist which can be operated while standing on the ground, clear of the hoisted object. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       Figures 
         FIG. 1  is a left side perspective view of my invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a view in detail of the portion indicated by the section lines  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front view in detail of the portion indicated by the section lines  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of my invention held in the collapsed position. 
         FIG. 5  is a view in detail of my invention hung temporarily to allow hands free strap attachment. 
         FIG. 6  is a view in detail showing a ramification in the positioning of the upper pulleys. 
     
    
    
     DRAWINGS 
     Reference Numerals 
     
         
         
           
               10  portable game hoist 
               20  vertical support (3″ wide×6″ long formed 3/16″ plate) 
               24  horizontal support (2⅜″ wide×20 11/16″ long formed 3/16″ plate) 
               26  diagonal support (1½″×1″ rectangular tubing) 
               27  hang assist bolt nut 
               28  hang assist bolt 
               32  hang assist strap hook 
               34  inner connect bolt 
               36  inner connect bolt nut 
               40  inner connect bolt bushings 
               42  outer connect bolt 
               44  outer connect bolt nut 
               46  outer connect bolt bushings 
               49  locking pulley release 
               50  locking pulley 
               51  locking pulley release line 
               52  locking pulley support bolt 
               54  locking pulley support bolt nut 
               56  locking pulley support bolt bushing 
               57  locking pulley support bolt washer 
               58  idler pulley support bolt 
               60  idler pulley support bolt nut 
               62  idler pulley support bolt bushing 
               63  idler pulley support bolt spacer 
               64  idler pulley support bolt washer 
               66  inner idler pulley 
               68  outer idler pulley 
               70  triple snatch block 
               72  rope tie hole 
               74  upper chain shackle 
               76  vertical chain support 
               78  lower chain shackle 
               80  diagonal support eyebolt 
               84  eyebolt nut 
               86  upper ratchet strap 
               87  upper ratchet strap slots 
               88  lower ratchet strap 
               89  lower ratchet strap slots 
               90  hang assist strap 
               92  hoist rope 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Preferred Embodiment—FIGS.  1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5   
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1  which shows a left side perspective view of my portable game hoist  10 . The portable game hoist  10  has a vertical support  20  which is pivotally attached to a horizontal support  24  by a inner connect bolt  34 . As best seen in  FIG. 2 , the inner connect bolt  34  is held in place by a inner connect bolt nut  36 . Two inner connect bolt bushings  40  separate the vertical support  20  from contact with the horizontal support  24 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a diagonal support  26  is pivotally attached to the horizontal support  24  by an outer connect bolt  42 . As seen in  FIG. 4 , the outer connect bolt  42  is held in place by an outer connect bolt nut  44 . Two outer connect bolt bushings  46  separate the horizontal support  24  from contact with the diagonal support  26 . Returning to  FIG. 1 , a diagonal support eyebolt  80  is attached to the lower end of the diagonal support  26  and is held in place by an eyebolt nut  84 . A lower chain shackle  78  connects the diagonal support eyebolt  80  to the lower end of a vertical chain support  76 . The vertical chain support  76  is attached to the lower end of the vertical support  20  with a upper chain shackle  74 . The vertical support  20  is attached to a tree by an upper ratchet strap  86  and a lower ratchet strap  88 . The upper ratchet strap  86  and the lower ratchet strap  88  are held within the vertical support  20  by an upper ratchet strap slot  87  and a lower ratchet strap slot  89 . The diagonal support eyebolt  80  is secured to the tree by a hang assist strap  90 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , the hang assist strap  90 , along with a hang assist strap hook  32 , is initially used to temporarily support the portable game hoist  10  for hands free attachment of the upper ratchet strap  86  and the lower ratchet strap  88 . Hang assist strap  90  is latter used to secure the lower portion of portable game hoist  10  to a tree or columnar member as shown in  FIG. 1 . The hang assist strap hook  32  remains with the hang assist strap  90 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , a hoist rope  92  is attached to the distal end of the horizontal support  24  at a rope tie hole  72 . Best seen in  FIG. 1  and in  FIG. 3 , the hoist rope  92  connects a outer idler pulley  68 , an inner idler pulley  66  and a locking pulley  50  to a triple snatch block  70 . The outer idler pulley  68  and the inner idler pulley  66  are supported by an idler pulley support bolt  58 . The idler pulley support bolt  58  is held in place by an idler pulley support bolt nut  60 . An idler pulley support bolt bushing  62 , an idler pulley support bolt washer  64 , and an idler pulley support bolt spacer  63  are all attached to the idler pulley support bolt  58 . 
     A locking pulley support bolt  52  is attached to the distal end of the horizontal support  24  supporting the locking pulley  50 . The locking pulley support bolt  52  is held in place by a locking pulley support bolt nut  54 . A locking pulley support bolt washer  57  and a locking pulley support bolt bushing  56  are both attached to the locking pulley support bolt  52 . A locking pulley release line  51  is attached to the locking pulley  50  and is draped over the locking pulley support bolt  52  at the locking pulley support bolt bushing  56 . As seen in  FIG. 4 , the locking pulley release  49  is an integral part of the locking pulley  50 . 
     OPERATION 
     Preferred Embodiment—FIGS.  1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6   
     My invention includes a method for temporarily hanging portable game hoist  10  to allow hands free attachment of upper ratchet strap  86  and lower ratchet strap  88  to a tree or columnar member. Hang assist strap  90 , which is a cam style strap, houses hang assist strap hook  32 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , when hang assist strap  90  is attached to a tree or columnar member, the hang assist strap hook  32  can be used for temporary support of portable game hoist  10  at hang assist bolt  28 . As seen in  FIG. 1 , after securing upper ratchet strap  86  and lower ratchet strap  88 , hang assist strap  90  is used to secure the lower portion of portable game hoist  10  to a tree or columnar member at diagonal eyebolt  80 . The prior art inventions do not offer this feature. Set up operations for the prior art inventions by a single individual would be cumbersome at best. 
     Continuing in  FIG. 1 , upper ratchet strap slots  87  and lower ratchet strap slots  89  are laser cut into vertical support  20 . Upper ratchet strap  86  is housed inside upper ratchet strap slots  87  allowing attachment of vertical support to a tree or columnar member. Lower ratchet strap  88  is housed inside lower ratchet strap slots  89  allowing additional attachment of vertical support  20  to a tree or columnar member. As best seen in  FIG. 5 , vertical support  20  is created by welding two pieces of formed sheet metal. Before welding, each piece has a c-shaped profile. The outside c-shaped section has serrated edges designed to engage a tree or wooden pole. The c-shape profile provides lateral support of portable game hoist  10  to a tree or columnar member when upper ratchet strap  86  and lower ratchet strap  88  are tightened around a tree or pole. The outside c-shaped section also houses hang assist bolt  28  which is held in place by hang assist bolt nut  27 . Best seen in  FIG. 1 , matching holes are laser cut into the lower portion of both C-shaped brackets prior to welding to allow attachment of upper chain shackle  74 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 4 , inner connect bolt  34  provides pivotal attachment of vertical support  20  to horizontal support  24 . As seen in  FIG. 2 , inner connect bolt bushings  40 , made of plastic, allow vertical support  20  to pivot with horizontal support  24  without metal to metal contact. As seen in  FIG. 4 , outer connect bolt  42  provides pivotal attachment of horizontal support  24  to diagonal support  26 . Furthermore, outer connect bolt bushings  46 , also made of plastic, allow horizontal support  24  to pivot with diagonal support  26  without metal to metal contact.  FIG. 4  shows portable game hoist  10  in a fully collapsed position. Portable game hoist  10  can be held in the collapsed position by utilizing upper ratchet strap  86 , lower ratchet strap  88  and hang assist strap  90  tightened around horizontal support  24  and diagonal support  26 . The ability of portable game hoist  10  to collapse into a compact unit is beneficial for storage and transportation. 
     As seen in  FIG. 1  and in  FIG. 3 , hoist rope  92  is initially connected to horizontal support  24  at rope tie hole  72 . The hoist rope  92  first travels downwards to an outside pulley, one of three pulleys in triple snatch block  70 . Hoist rope  92  then travels upwards to outer idler pulley  68  and back down to the central pulley in the triple snatch block  70 . Hoist rope  92  then travels upwards to inner idler pulley  66  and back down to the other outer pulley on the triple snatch block  70 . Lastly, the hoist rope  92  travels upwards to locking pulley  50  and back downward to the ground. When the loose end of hoist rope  92  is pulled towards the ground, the snatch block  70  is forced upwards towards the locking pulley  50 . This is evident because the pulleys inside the snatch block  70  are the only pulleys that are not in a fixed position and are therefore forced upwards when the amount of hoist rope  92  between the two sets of pulleys is reduced. As viewed from the left side per  FIG. 1 , when the end of hoist rope  92  is pulled towards the ground, locking pulley  50  has a counterclockwise rotation as do the other five non-locking pulleys. While the non-locking pulleys will freely rotate clockwise or counterclockwise, locking pulley  50  will only rotate clockwise by activating locking pulley release  49  via the locking pulley release line  51 . Therefore, pulling the loose end of hoist rope  92  towards the ground will cause locking pulley  50  to rotate counterclockwise and will also force snatch block  70  to move closer to locking pulley  50 . If hoist rope  92  is released at anytime during hoisting, locking pulley  50  will restrain from clockwise rotation and will automatically lock the hoisted load in place. This is very beneficial because it is difficult to keep continued pressure on hoist rope  92  during hoisting. It is also a safety feature in case hands slip from hoist rope  92 , and it allows for hoisted loads to be locked in place without the need for tying the loose end of hoist rope  92  to an adjacent tree. 
     To lower hoisted objects, simply pull slightly on hoist rope  92  enough to take the weight off of locking pulley  50 . Holding tightly to hoist rope  92  in preparation to accept the weight of the lowered object, pull downward on locking pulley release line  51  which will activate locking pulley release  49 . This allows clockwise rotation of all 6 pulleys, including locking pulley  50 . Feeding hoist rope  92  upwards through locking pulley  50  will increase the amount of rope between the two sets of pulleys causing the snatch block  70  to descend towards the ground. As stated before, this is evident because the pulleys in the snatch block are the only pulleys that are not in a fixed position. Again, locking pulley release  49  must be activated to lower hoisted objects. If locking pulley release line  51  is set loose at anytime, the locking pulley release  49  will return to the locked position. Therefore, a single person can perform the lowering operation by using the left hand to control the locking pulley release line and the right hand to control the hoist rope  92 . Again, start by pulling on hoist rope  92  to accept the full weight of the hoisted load with the right hand. Next, pull downward on pulley release line  51  to allow clockwise rotation of all six pulleys and maintain downward pressure on pulley release line  51  until you need to relock the load in place. Feed hoist rope  92  upward through locking pulley  50  until you can not reach any higher. At this point, set loose of the locking pulley release line  51  to relock the load. By locking the load, the right hand can be repositioned to repeat the above mentioned process until the load is grounded. 
     Portable game hoist  10  utilizes six pulleys in a block and tackle arrangement. Each pulley carries an equal amount of the total weight. For example, if holding a weight of 240 pounds, each pulley will have a weight of 40 pounds exerted upon itself. This also means that the amount of pull force required at the loose end of hoist rope  92  to begin counterclockwise rotation (as viewed from the left side of the preferred embodiment) of the six pulleys will also be roughly 40 pounds (roughly because the friction between the pulleys and their support bolts will slightly increase the pull force required). When in locked position and holding a weighted object, the position of the locking pulley  50  in relation to the other five pulleys is important. If the locking pulley  50  was located as seen in  FIG. 6  (not the preferred arrangement), the locking pulley  50  would be the second pulley from the hoisted item; and therefore, would hold half of the load, or 120 pounds, when in a locked position because the locking pulley  50  would terminate the transfer of weight through the hoist rope  92  to the other four pulleys. Referring to the preferred pulley arrangement as seen in  FIG. 3 , the weight from the hoisted object is transferred through hoist rope  92  and through the five non-locking pulleys prior to passing through the locking pulley  50 . In this arrangement, the locking pulley  50  in a locked position must hold only 40 lbs. or one sixth of the total locked weight. Again,  FIG. 6  demonstrates another possible pulley arrangement for portable game hoist  10 , but not the presently preferred pulley arrangement. 
     As seen in  FIG. 3 , locking pulley support bolt  52  is located directly above central idler pulley  66  and outer idler pulley  68 . Locking pulley support bolt bushing  56  freely rotates on locking pulley support bolt  52  and is positioned to keep hoist rope  92  from jumping out of the pulleys below. Locking pulley support bolt bushing  56  also aids the pull and release of locking pulley release line  51  and protects against abrasion. Locking pulley support bolt bushing  56  terminates at locking pulley support bolt washer  57 . Locking pulley support bolt washer  57  restrains locking pulley  50  from horizontal movement and also separates locking pulley support bolt bushing  56  and locking pulley  50 . Locking pulley  50  is supported directly onto locking pulley support bolt  52 , allowing locking pulley  50  to be hung as high as possible inside horizontal support  24 . 
     Continuing in  FIG. 3 , Idler pulley support bolt  58  is positioned directly beneath locking pulley support bolt  52  and provides support to outer idler pulley  68  and inner idler pulley  66 . Inner idler pulley  66  and outer idler pulley  68  are restricted from moving horizontally by idler pulley support bolt bushing  62 , idler pulley support bolt washer  64  and idler pulley support bolt spacer  63 . Idler pulley support bolt washer  64  is restricted from horizontal movement by idler pulley support bolt bushing  62  and idler pulley support bolt spacer  63 ; and therefore, restricts horizontal movement of locking pulley  50 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , Diagonal support  26  allows weight transfer of hoisted objects from the outer end of horizontal support  24  to the supporting tree or columnar member. Diagonal support eyebolt  80  provides attachment means for hang assist strap  90  and lower chain shackle  78 . Upper chain shackle  74  and lower chain shackle  78  are attached to the ends of vertical chain support  76 . Vertical chain support  76 , along with upper chain shackle  74  and lower chain shackle  78 , provides low weight flexible attachment of vertical support  20  to diagonal support eyebolt  80  below. This low weight and flexible connection of vertical support  20  to diagonal support  26  contributes to the overall goal of providing a lightweight and collapsible hoisting device. Also, the length of vertical chain support  76  can be made smaller or larger by varying the number of chain links between upper chain shackle  76  and lower chain shackle  78 . Adjusting the length of vertical chain support  76  will change the angle between horizontal support  24  and diagonal support  26 . Consequently, horizontal support  24  can be leveled even when hung to a tree that is slightly out of plumb. Snatch block  70  includes a hook for attachment to a gambrel when processing deer or for attaching directly to a automatic barrel type feeder. Most commercially available barrel feeders include a support bar above the barrel which can be attached to the hook on the snatch block  70 . Furthermore, a screw in step or a climbing stick, commonly used with fixed tree stands, may be required to hang portable game hoist  10  at the height sufficient to completely raise a game animal off the ground or to raise a feeder barrel out of the reach of feeding game animals. Note that this is only a requirement for hanging portable game hoist  10  and not for operation of portable game hoist  10 . 
     CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
     Accordingly the reader will see that according to the invention, I have provided the only hoisting device that offers a block and tackle rope and pulley arrangement mounted directly to a collapsible and portable weight supporting frame where one of the pulleys in the block and tackle arrangement is a locking pulley with a release mechanism which can be operated out of arms reach by an attached rope. For an additional novel feature, consider the following: The combination of vertical support  20  and vertical chain support  76  as seen in  FIG. 1  is not found in prior art inventions. If the proximal end of horizontal support  24  were connected to the lower end of diagonal support  26  by a solid metal component eliminating vertical chain support  76 , the added weight and bulk would make it less portable. If vertical chain support  76  were eliminated leaving vertical support  20  unchanged, the diagonal support would be allowed to slide down the tree if hang assist strap  90  loosens or fails for any reason. If the vertical support  20  were eliminated and the flexible connection traveled from the horizontal support  20  to diagonal support  26 , the units lateral support would be compromised and other attachment means to a tree or columnar structure would need to be determined. These examples are only to help explain the benefits of this novel feature. 
     While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but as exemplifications of the presently preferred embodiments thereof. Many other ramifications and variations are possible within the teachings of the invention. For example, the flexible means provided by upper chain shackle  74 , vertical chain support  76  and lower chain shackle  78  could be substituted for a single steel cable utilizing compression sleeves to form a loop at each end. Furthermore, other locking pulley devices with a release mechanism could be used in place of the Rope Ratchet locking pulley as described in my preferred embodiment. The use of the Rope Ratchet locking pulley is the currently preferred locking pulley for my invention. For another example variation, horizontal support  24  as well as the other frame components could be manufactured from high strength composite material to further reduce the weight and increase the portability of the device. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples given.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1