Abstract:
A remotely operated mechanical strutting turkey tail decoy is disclosed having a rigid stake, a hinged strutting turkey tail, a cord for raising and lowering the tail while simultaneously opening and closing the tail.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
         [0001]    This invention relates to the art of hunting decoy&#39;s, in particular of those of the strutting turkey tail type.  
           [0002]    It is well known that hunters utilize decoy&#39;s to gain the attention of and attract game. In the art of turkey hunting, it is typical for the hunter to place in a strategic location, static decoys that appear in different forms. These can be entire turkey decoys that consist of an entire body and tail with life like features; others may consist of only a fan tail. These fantails are typically static and are expanded only to assemble them and contract only for transporting purposes. While game are attracted to static decoys, it is desirable to have a moving or moveable decoy to provide even greater game attraction. It is even further desirable that the motion be responsive to the hunter, and be manageable from a remote location.  
           [0003]    No known decoys exist that provide the ability for continued movement of a strutting turkey tail that moves as and when the hunter desires, and does so from a distance. Moreover, no such decoy exists that provides for continued open and closing of the tail and also provides for lowering of the tail to a natural position. In the latter situation, such lowering of the tail is consistent with the natural activities and behavior of turkeys to draw large male turkeys.  
           [0004]    The instant invention provides for a sturdy, reliable, remotely operated strutting turkey tail that not only opens and closes in a fanning manner, but also raises and lowers in a natural life like manner, and such that the fanning out motion occurs gradually as the tail is raised, and further gradually closes as the tail is lowered. The sturdy design allows for remotely operating the invention with a string from a distance as far as 60 yards or greater. If a remote controlled motor is utilized, the distance is only limited to the transmitting distance of the transmitter. Furthermore, the design provides for a mechanism that is extremely responsive to a distant pull of the string. Still further, the invention can be utilized with most static turkey body decoys on the market to create an even more life like turkey.  
           [0005]    Other objects and features of the invention and the manner in which the invention achieves its purpose will be appreciated from the foregoing and the following description and the accompanying drawings which exemplify the invention, it being understood that changes may be made in the specific method and apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the essentials of the invention set forth in the appended claims.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective showing the invention in an upright expanded mode.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a side view of the invention in the lowered position.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a close-up front view of the invention showing the relative positions of the assembly in the lowered position  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 a  is a top view of the weighted slide  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 b . is a side view of the weighted slide  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a side view of the assembly showing the stop  50   
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0012]    The invention is shown in the preferred mode in the perspective view in FIG. 1. The rigid support member  1  is pushed or driven into the ground so as to support the structure. This rigid member can also be inserted through a static turkey decoy body so as to give the appearance of a full turkey with fantails. The elongated rigid member  1  has a first end placed in the ground and an opposing second end attached to the assembly comprised of a base and several members. In the preferred mode, the base is a first rigid planar member  3 . This rigid planar member is preferably attached at a slight angle as shown in FIG. 2 although it is not required to be placed at an angle. Rigid planar member  7  and rigid planar member  8  are at an angle with relation to each other as shown in FIG. 2 which may be constructed by bending a rigid planar member at  9 . This angle between planar member  7  and planar member  8  is such that when the string is pulled the expanded fan raises to a proper life like level when pulled to an upright position; however, the angle is also necessary so that point  9  is sufficiently high and near the level of the pivot point established by eyelet  35  so as to allow the string  39  to pull the assembly upwards from the lowered position. The lowered position is generally, in operational mode, considered to be approximately 90 degrees to 135 degrees (in the preferred mode) from upright vertical, as if the fan were laying, in a closed position, on top of the turkey&#39;s back. It is only significant that the angle between member  8  and  9  be sufficient to allow the string to pull the assembly up from a dead lowered position, given the relationship of the string and eyelet and hinge.  
         [0013]    Rigid planar members  7  and  8  are hingedly connected to the rigid planar member  3  via hinge  5 . The overall relationship of the rigid planar members  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  3 , and the hinge  5  provides that, in the preferred mode, the entire assembly reaches its maximum upright position at approximately vertical orientation, or slightly less than vertical (towards the lowered position).  
         [0014]    The string  39  is strung through eyelets  35  and  37  and attached to the weighted slide  27  at the eyelet  43 . The weighted slide is comprised of two portions, a planar rigid member  38  and the upper weight  18  which in the preferred mode is shown as generally semicircular in shape. Rigid planar portion  38  has three holes  31 ,  33 , and  29  which allow the two outwardmost rigid extensions  17  and  25 , along with the middle rigid extension  19 , to penetrate therethrough and allow for the weighted slide to move back and forth while spreading or pulling together the outward extensions.  
         [0015]    The weight  18  on the weighted slide more easily enables the fan to fall to a lowered position when the sting tension is released. While the weight is not required, this weight provides for a more reliable operation.  
         [0016]    The weighted slide is spring biased towards the outward ends of the extensions which spring bias in the preferred mode is shown utilizing rubber band or other elongated elastic or spring means  21  having two ends, one attached near the end of the middle extension at hook means  23 , and the other end attached to hook or eyelet means  41  on the weighted extension. The three extensions  25 ,  19  and  17  support the turkey feather assembly  12  which assembly is comprised of, in the preferred mode, fabric or other webbing  11  having attached thereto a plurality of feathers,  13 . The feather assembly  12  is removably connected to the extensions utilizing pockets such as is shown at  15 . Other embodiments of the feather and webbing assembly are envisioned.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 shows the side version of the assembly when in the lowered position. There the angles and relationships of the rigid planar members  7 ,  8 , and  3 , are shown, as well as the relationship of the string through eyelet  35  to the bend  9 .  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 shows the assembly from a top view when the assembly is in a lowered position. It can be seen that the outwardmost extensions  25  and  17  are brought together as the weighted slide  27  moves towards the end of the extensions, which movement is caused by the pulling of the elastic band  21  as the tension on string  39  is released.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIGS. 4 a  and  4   b . show the top and side views, respectively of the weighted slide. It can be seen that the holes at each end of the rigid planar member  38  for the outwardmost rigid extensions are elongated so as to allow the extensions to move inward and outward as the weighted slide is moved up and down the middle extension via hole  33 . Although the weighted slide is, in the preferred mode, any rigid structure, it is shown in FIG. 4 a  and  4   b  comprised of a rigid plate  38  attached via screws  46  and  48  to the semicircular portion  18 . It should also be understood that the weighted slide can be of any shape, it only being significant that the weighted slide have means for bringing the outwardmost two extensions together as the assembly is lowered when the string tension is released or lessened sufficiently. In this mode, that is accomplished utilizing the elongated holes  29  and  31  in combination with the fact that the first ends on the outwardmost extensions are hingedly affixed to rigid planar member  7  and located closer together at  45  and  47  (FIG. 3) than are the holes  26  and  31 .  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 shows a side view of the invention with stop means  50 . While any stop means can be utilized to prevent the assembly from lowering too far below the pivot point established by the string and eyelet  8 , the stop means  50  here are shown as a rigid member attached to the upright rigid support  1  as shown. This rigid member can be removable as well, or can be hingedly connected with fixing or locking means. When the invention is utilized with a turkey decoy, the fan assembly rests on the back of the turkey in the lowered position which naturally provides the stop means. This also provides for a more realistic and life like appearance.  
         [0021]    It should also be understood that motor means can be utilized in combination with the string or other cable means to raise and lower the fantail assembly. In such a case, the motor can be operated remotely utilizing radio or other transmitter means.  
         [0022]    In use, as indicated, the hunter drives the rigid support into the ground to create firm support sufficient to withstand the pulls of the string by the hunter at the desired remote distance. The hunter, lying in wait, can quietly pull and release the string at will, and in a desired amount, which correspondingly raises and lowers the fantails at the same time as the fantails are opened and closed respectively. This, particularly in combination with other static decoys, creates a more natural setting and provides a far more enticing and attractive decoy spread to the target game.  
         [0023]    While there have been shown and described particular embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention or its equivalent, and, therefore, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.