Abstract:
The present invention provides methods and systems for a turkey call producing the sound of a turkey including a bottom side, a top side, a slate side and a two ends collectively forming a cavity therein. A flexible sounding board has a first end and a second end positioned within the cavity, wherein the sounding board is capable of vibrating and producing the sound of a turkey. The slate side having a slate disposed thereon, and a striker, the striker having a strike peg and a block member, the strike peg extending from a surface of the block member.

Description:
[0001]    The present non-provisional patent application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/788,878, filed on Apr. 23, 2007, and entitled “TURKEY CALL.” 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is directed to a turkey call for mimicking turkey vocalizations, and in particular, a turkey call providing a greater variety of sounds from a single unit. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is well known in the art to utilize artificial devices to mimic and attract turkeys at a turkey hunt. The more realistic the sound the more likely the turkey is to be attracted or answer the sound. In order to optimize the number of turkeys responding to a call, a single call must be capable of producing a full range of “turkey voices” from high-pitched cackles to the raspy calls of more mature turkeys. 
         [0004]    Turkey calls come in two basic types, a frictional call and a wind call. This invention is directed to improvements in frictional calls. Frictional calls also come in two generic embodiments. There are strike calls and box calls. The strike call, also known as a slate call, utilizes a peg-type striker in one hand and a fixed area square pot having a depth of about one to two inches and a diameter of about three inches. A striking surface, such as slate, glass or metal is affixed to the top of the pot so that it forms a hollow chamber. A striker is usually formed of wood and has a chamfered or a rounded striking end, which is utilized to strike the slate. The size of the pot and the slate are adjusted to affect the volume and pitch of the call. 
         [0005]    The second type of call, the box call, has an open-top box and a paddle. The paddle is scraped along the edges of the box-top opening. Usually the paddle and the sides of the box are curved. 
         [0006]    These calls have been satisfactory. However, they suffer from the disadvantage that in order to make a variety of turkey sounds, a variety of calls, both box and slate are needed. Accordingly, it is desired to provide a call that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    A call includes a body having a front panel and a back panel in an opposed relationship to the front panel. A top panel and a bottom panel are disposed between the front panel and back panel in opposed relationship to provide a space between the front panel and back panel. A first side and a second side are disposed between the front panel and the back panel. The first side has a striking panel made of a material which resonates at a frequency that mimics the sound of a turkey. The second side has a sounding board capable of flexure so as to vibrate. 
         [0008]    The sounding board is offset relative to the edges of the remaining sides to form a recess. The call also includes a striker hanger or striker body, a peg extends from the striker body. 
         [0009]    In a preferred embodiment, a storage compartment is formed in the striker body. During use, the striker is scraped along the material side to resonate the material to mimic a turkey. The body is scraped along the wood side to resonate the wood. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a turkey call constructed in accordance with the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of a striker constructed in accordance with the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a wood side elevation view of a call body constructed in accordance with the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the opposed side of the turkey call box relative to  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the striker in accordance with the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the turkey call of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the turkey call of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10 . is an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the striker; 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a sectional view taken along line  4  of  FIG. 8 ; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a sectional view taken along line  5  of  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    Reference is made to  FIG. 1  in which a call, generally indicated as  100 , includes two primary components, a box  200  and striker  300 . The box  200  includes a substantially rectangular hollow housing  202 . Housing  202  includes a bottom side  204 , a topside  206 , a wood side  208  and slate side  210  opposed to wood side  208 . Wood side  208  is slightly recessed (phantom  FIG. 4 ). 
         [0024]    A flexible sounding board  212  capable of resonating is disposed between sides  204 ,  206  and is recessed at wood side  208  relative to sides  204 ,  206 . Sounding board  212  is preferably formed of mahogany or cedar in a non limiting embodiment. However, similarly resonating woods or plastics may be used. Furthermore, in one embodiment, sounding board  212  is spaced from sides  204 ,  206  by respective spaces  214  to allow freer vibration. It is also held in place by a tongue and groove or flat locking mechanism  216  disposed at opposed ends of sounding board  212 . In this way, wood  212  is suspended within housing  202  and may freely resonate. However, all that is necessary is that sounding board  212  be affixed at either end within box  200  so as to vibrate at a resonance matching a turkey&#39;s call when a paddle is slid above it to contact and vibrate edges of bottom side  204  and topside  206 . In a preferred embodiment, the sides  204 ,  206  are curved as they ascend above sounding board  212 . 
         [0025]    In contrast thereto, a slate  220  is disposed at slate side  210  of housing  202  flush with sides  204 ,  206 . In a preferred embodiment, slate  220  is coextensive with and butts against sides  204 ,  206 . Housing  202  is closed at ends  224 ,  226 . 
         [0026]    Striker  300  includes a striking peg  302  and in a preferred embodiment, striker peg  302  extends from a striking block  304 . Striker peg  302  is preferably rounded or chamfered. Striker peg  302  and striking block  304  is preferably formed of wood, in particular. A slate  306  is affixed to at least one side of striker block  304 . As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , a closed end channel  310  is disposed within striker block  304  and is adapted to receive and store chalk  320  therein. Closed end channel  310  is selectively sealed with an abrasive  324  such as sandpaper, steel wool or an abrasive sold by 3M. 
         [0027]    Call  100  is capable of providing two unique calls, the traditional slate strike call as well as a modified box call. In a first use, to create the slate turkey call, slate  220  may be roughed up with abrasive  324 , which is removed from closed end channel  310 . Abrasive  322  is then replaced into closed end channel  310  and the end is closed with abrasive  324 , acting as a stopper. Then, as is known in the art, the user holds housing  204  in one hand with the slate side  206  face up. With the other hand, the user grabs striker  300  and strikes slate  220  with striker peg  302 . When sounds are created, it is because slate  220  resonates. Because housing  202  is hollow, the resonating slate  220  also causes sounding board  212  to resonate enhancing the overall sound. 
         [0028]    To create a different type of call, the user reverses the housing  204  by flipping it over in their hand so that wood side  208  faces up. The user then grabs striker  300 , either by peg  302  or block  304  and slides slate  306  across the edges of sides  204 ,  206  to resonate sounding board  212 . Again, because housing  202  is hollow, the resonating sounding board  212  operates in conjunction with slate  220  to provide a better turkey call sound. Chalk  320  is used to prepare the surface of peg slate  306 . 
         [0029]    It should be noted that in the above descriptions, wood side  208  was described as including a resonating tongue or reed of wood. However, any material capable of resonating within housing  202  in response to the use of slate  306  across the sides of housing  202  to mimic a turkey call may be utilized. Similarly, any other material such as glass or aluminum that resonates at a frequency that mimics a turkey call when struck by peg  302  may be utilized for slate side  210 . 
         [0030]    Furthermore, by providing two resonant surfaces at opposed surfaces of a hollow housing, there is a synergy resulting in a better turkey call. 
         [0031]    Referring now specifically to the drawings, an alternative exemplary embodiment of the call is illustrated in  FIGS. 8-12  and is shown generally at reference numeral  400 . The call generally consists of a box  402  and a striker  404 . The box  402  includes a bottom side  406 , a top side  408 , a slate side  410 , and an opposed ends  412  that collectively form a cavity. A flexible sounding board  414  is contained within the cavity. Specifically, the ends  412  contain a shelf  416  for retaining the entire flexible sounding board  414  within the cavity of the box  402 . 
         [0032]    The box  402  includes a slate side  410  that extends to an outer edge  418 . The opposed ends  412  extend at an angle from the outer edge  418  to an upper edge  420 . The ends  412  each have inner and outer end surfaces  422 ,  424 . The ends  412  interconnect the bottom side  406  and top side  408  to define corners  426  and an interior cavity. The bottom side  406 , the top side  408 , and the ends  412  include an upper edge  420  that defines the uppermost surface of the cavity. 
         [0033]    The shelf  416  on each end  412  is disposed on the end  412  within the cavity. The shelf  416  may be removable, or preferably, the shelf  416  is formed within the end  412  and positioned within the cavity of the box  402 . A shelf  416  is positioned on the inner surface  422  of each of the ends  412  and below the upper edge  420  of the ends. Preferably, the shelf  416  on the inner surface  422  of each of the ends  412  is positioned deep enough within the cavity so that when the flexible sounding board  414  is engaged to the shelf  416 , the flexible sounding board  414  is recessed below the upper edge  420  of the bottom side  406 , top side  408 , and opposed ends  412 . 
         [0034]    The flexible sounding board  414  contains a first end  430  and a second end  432 . The first end  430  and the second end  432  of the flexible sounding board  414  are engaged to each shelf  416  disposed on the ends  412 . The flexible sounding board  414  when engaged to each shelf  416  are suspended above the slate side  410  and recessed below the upper portions of the bottom side  406 , top side  408 , and two ends  412 . 
         [0035]    The flexible sounding board  414  is in a spaced-apart relationship with the bottom side  406  and top side  408  for allowing freer vibration. During use, the flexible sounding board  414  vibrates at a resonance that matches a turkey&#39;s call. When the user desires a slate strike call as disclosed above, the design of the box allows the user to project the call in a desired location. For example, as the user strikes the slate side  410  with the striker  404 , the flexible sounding board  414  vibrates, thus creating the sound of a turkey call. The flexible sounding board  414  can be pointed in any direction while the user strikes the slate side  410  with the striker  404  to project the sound of a turkey call directionally. 
         [0036]    It is important to note that the flexible sounding board  414  is not touched during operation of the call  400 . The cavity of the box  402  acts much like a sound hole in a guitar, violin, or cello. Like the sound hole of the aforementioned instruments, the cavity of the box  402  is designed to allow the box  402  to project the sound of a turkey caused by the vibration of the flexible sounding board  414  more effectively. The majority of the turkey sound emanates from the area surrounding the flexible sounding board  414 . The cavity of the box  402  allows the flexible sounding board to vibrate more freely, and by allowing some of the vibrations which have been set in motion inside the cavity to travel outside the cavity. 
         [0037]    The corners  426  of the box  402  are preferably rounded or chamfered. Additionally, the upper edge  420  of the bottom side  406  and top side  408  are angled. In other words, the upper edge  420  of the bottom side  406  and top side  408  are angled downward towards the cavity. The degree of inclination is at such an angle as to cause the flexible sounding board  414  to resonate or vibrate when the striker  404  is moved across the upper edge  420 , causing the flexible sounding board  414  to create a turkey call. 
         [0038]    Striker  404  includes a striker peg  436  and in a preferred embodiment, the striker peg  436  extends from a striker block  438 . Striker peg  436  is preferably rounded or chamfered. Striker peg  436  and striker block  438  are preferably formed of wood, in particular. However, any suitable material known to one of ordinary skill in the art may be utilized, including but not limited to wood, plastic, plastic composites and the like. A slate  440  is affixed to at least one side of striker block  438 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , a closed end channel  442  is disposed within the striker block  438  and is adapted to receive and store chalk  444  therein. Closed end channel  442  is selectively sealed with an abrasive  446  such as sandpaper, steel wool, a plug, or an abrasive sold by 3M. 
         [0039]    As used herein, the term “slate side” may be defined as a side that is composed of either wood or plastic and having a piece of slate disposed upon the outer surface. 
         [0040]    Thus, while there have been shown, described and pointed out novel features of the present invention as applied to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and detail are contemplated and may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto. It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which as a matter of language, might be said to fall there between. 
         [0041]    Although the present invention has been illustrated and described herein with reference to preferred embodiments and specific examples thereof, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments and examples may perform similar functions and/or achieve like results. All such equivalent embodiments and examples are within the spirit and scope of the present invention and are intended to be covered by the following claims.