Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to animal calls and in particular to a box type game call such as used to coax turkeys into shooting range and having an interchangeable striker or paddle. 
         [0002]    A call of the foregoing type is shown at U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,493. The call provides a box base piece that pivotally supports a striker that is permanently mounted to the box piece. Several adjoining recesses and interconnecting passageways cooperate with a pivot post to permit movement of the striker relative to the box piece. The angle between the striker and a sound board or peripheral edge of the box piece can thereby be changed to produce different sounds from the single striker. 
         [0003]    The subject invention in contrast to the known art provides a box type turkey call that is adapted to interchangeably accept strikers or paddles of different materials, shapes and constructions. A variety of different sounds can thereby be produced from a single box piece and assembly that accommodates different weather conditions with a single call. 
         [0004]    In one construction a pivot post is supported from a box or base piece of the call. A paddle or striker that cooperates with the box piece includes a slotted keyway shaped to mount over the pivot post and permit movement of the striker relative to the post to interchangeably support the striker to the box piece. A countersunk bore communicating with the keyway captures and supports the pivot post. A spring and washer resiliently bias the striker during manipulation of the striker over a sound producing surface of the box piece (i.e. a sound board defined by a peripheral edge of the box piece). 
         [0005]    In another call construction, a resilient deformable bushing is mounted to the striker. The bushing flexes to permit attaching and detaching the striker from the box piece as desired. The bushing includes deformable projections that flex bi-directionally to interchangeably secure the striker to the pivot post. 
         [0006]    In yet another construction a bushing having a moveable clip retainer is mounted to the striker. A collar piece at the retainer is shaped to mate with the striker post and interchangeably engage and disengage from the striker pivot post. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an animal call that accepts an interchangeable striker whereby different sounds can be produced by a single call with different strikers under a variety of environmental conditions. 
         [0008]    It is a further object of the invention to provide an animal call that is adapted to support a number of portable strikers of different shapes and compositions without removing a supporting striker pivot post. 
         [0009]    It is a further object of the invention to provide interchangeable strikers having at least one slotted keyway wherein an aperture is sized to mount over the head of a fastener that serves as a striker pivot post and is coupled via a slot to an adjoining recess wherein the fastener head nests. 
         [0010]    It is a further object of the invention to provide an interchangeable game call striker having a plurality of keyway apertures wherein each aperture is sized to mount over the head of a fastener and communicate via a passageway with an adjoining recess wherein the fastener head nests, whereby the striker can be re-positioned relative to a sound board. 
         [0011]    It is a further object of the invention to provide an interchangeable game call striker containing a slotted keyway wherein the striker is resiliently supported to a fastener having a head that nests in a recess of the keyway. 
         [0012]    It is a further object of the invention to provide an interchangeable game call striker containing a deformable bushing having a cooperating retainer piece (e.g. 
         [0013]    deformable bore appendage, bore flange or a cooperating clip retainer) that secures the striker to the striker pivot post. 
         [0014]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a box game call having a plurality of co joined walls that each project from a bottom wall to an upper terminal edge and that collectively circumscribe an open cavity and wherein a pivot assembly projects from one wall to resiliently bias and support a striker that pivots about the fastener and contacts an exposed surface of a sound board wall to replicate animal sounds. 
         [0015]    The foregoing objects, advantages and distinctions of the invention, among others, are found in one presently preferred handheld game call construction. The call provides a box portion that resiliently and pivotally supports a striker. The striker is mounted to contact and vibrate an exposed edge of at least one box wall to produce sound. The box includes a bottom wall from which a plurality of side and end walls project to circumscribe an open sided space or recessed sound chamber. 
         [0016]    The exterior surfaces of the walls are shaped to facilitate gripping by the hand (e.g. longitudinal grooves, bowed regions and/or other shaped regions). Exposed upper edges of longitudinal sidewalls of the box are shaped and constructed to vibrate as the striker contacts and is manipulated along the edge surface. The box can be constructed of wood, plastic, composites or a variety of materials. The side and bottom walls can be joined or molded as an integral assembly. 
         [0017]    An appendage or striker pivot post projects from an end wall. A fastener (e.g. threaded screw) having a flanged or projecting head that radiates beyond a shank of lesser diameter serves as the striker pivot post and a spring and washer are secured about the shank to resiliently bias the striker. 
         [0018]    The striker includes a slotted keyway having an aperture sized to mount over the head of the screw fastener. A channel or passageway couples the aperture to a recess or region that supports the fastener to prevent further movement, except pivotal movement of the striker to produce sound. Upon inserting a fastener head through the aperture and depressing the spring and washer, the shank of the fastener is directed along the channel way to align the fastener head piece with the adjoining recess. The spring and washer bias the striker to nest the fastener head into the recess. The striker can thereby be replaced or changed without requiring removal of the fastener. 
         [0019]    A variety of other strikers constructed to various shapes and from a variety of materials and having one or more keyways or deformable retainer assemblies can be interchanged with the box piece to produce a variety of different sounds. The strikers can be constructed of wood, plastic, composites or contain laminates whereby different frictional properties and sounds relative to the flexible box piece sound board surfaces can be obtained. Different arcuate contours at the striker and/or box piece contact surfaces can be adapted to the strikers and box piece to produce alternative sounds. The box and striker materials can be adapted to wet or dry conditions. 
         [0020]    In alternative constructions, bushings can be fitted to the striker in lieu of or in combination with a slotted keyway to interlock with the pivot post. A bore of the bushing is sized to accept the flanged post head and one or more retainer surfaces or projections (e.g. annular flanges) can radially extend into the bore to capture the striker to the pivot post. A clip retainer having a collar piece can alternatively couple to the bushing to retain the striker. The bushing material and/or cooperating retainers are shaped to be sufficiently resilient to deflect to accept and release from the pivot post to facilitate striker interchangeability. 
         [0021]    Still other objects, advantages and distinctions of the invention will become more apparent from the following description with respect to the appended drawings. Considered alternative assemblies, methodologies, improvements and/or modifications are described as appropriate. Individual features of the invention can also be adapted in different combinations in other calls. The description should therefore not be literally construed in limitation of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention should be broadly interpreted within the scope of the further appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    Similar reference numerals and characters at the drawings refer to like structure at the various drawings and which are as follows: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view in exploded assembly of a box call of the invention wherein an interchangeable striker includes a keyway having a bore, channel way and countersunk recess and which keyway that can be adapted in strikers or paddles of different materials, shapes and profiles. 
           [0024]      FIGS. 2A ,  2 B and  2 C show strikers exhibiting different longitudinal shapes. 
           [0025]      FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C show strikers exhibiting end view profiles to different lower surfaces that cooperate with vibrating sound board surfaces of the box piece. 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  shows a cross section view through a striker having a resilient bushing that bi-directionally flexes to attach and detach the striker from the mating striker pivot post. 
           [0027]      FIG. 4A  shows a top view of the pivot post mounted to the bushing of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  shows a cross section view through a striker having a reciprocating retainer clip that includes a collar piece that attaches and detaches the striker from the mating striker pivot post. 
           [0029]      FIG. 5A  shows a top view of the pivot post mounted to the collared slide retainer of  FIG. 5  and wherein the retainer is shown in solid line in a latched condition and in dashed line in an unlatched condition. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0030]    With attention to  FIG. 1  a box type game call  2  is shown, such as used to call turkeys. The call  2  is constructed of a handheld box or base piece  4  and a mating paddle or striker piece  6 . The striker piece  6  is interchangeably and pivotally supported to the box piece  4  at a pivot post  8 . 
         [0031]    The striker piece  6  includes a keyway  10  having an aperture or bore  12  that is coupled to an adjoining countersunk bore  14  via a channel way or slot  16 . The striker  6  is secured to the box piece  4  by mounting the pivot appendage or post  8  (e.g. screw fastener) through the bore  12 . The pivot post  8  is manipulated along the channel or passage way  16  to the bore  14 . A flanged or conical head  18  of the post  8  mounts and is captured in a mating recessed tapered portion  20  of the bore  14 . The keyway  10  permits the selective attachment and detachment of the striker  6  from the box piece  4  as well as a variety of other strikers  6  having preferred characteristics and discussed below. 
         [0032]    A spring  22  and washer  24  resiliently bias the striker piece  6  to the post  8 . The striker piece  6  is resiliently biased to capture the fastener head  18  to the recess  20 . The striker  6  can be pivoted to engage and vibrate a sound board surface  26  of the box piece  4 . The sound board surface  26  typically comprises a peripheral edge of a longitudinal wall of the box piece  4 . The upward force of the spring  22  against the washer  24  and striker  6  is sufficient to prevent release of the striker  6  during normal sound producing manipulations of the striker  6 . During normal use, the cooperating surfaces of the striker  6  and box piece  4  are coated with a chalk to produce a rasping sound. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 2A ,  2 B and  2 C show several striker pieces  30 ,  32  and  34  that exhibit different longitudinal geometric configurations.  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C show several other striker pieces  35 ,  36  and  38  that exhibit different end profiles. That is the curvature of the lower surfaces  40 ,  42  and  44  that interact with the sound board surface  26  of the box piece  4  exhibit different contoured shapes. Selective variations in shape at the lateral sides of a striker  6  and contour of the lower sound surface produce different sounds when the strikers  30 - 38  are manipulated over the chalked sound board  26  of the box piece  4 . It is to be appreciated the different longitudinal and end profile shapes of the striker of  2 A,  2 B and  2 C and  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C can be adapted into a variety of different strikers to produce a wide variety of sounds. Constructing the strikers  30 - 38  from different materials and/or coating the surfaces  40 ,  42  and  44  can also affect the sounds produced. Most significantly the strikers  30 - 38  can be adapted in modular fashion to a single box piece  4 . 
         [0034]    The box piece  4  presently supports a striker pivot post  8  that is fashioned from a threaded fastener. The box piece  4  is constructed of wood and provides a bottom wall  40 . Relatively thick end walls  42  and  44  and relatively thin longitudinal side walls  46  and  48  project from the bottom wall  40  and circumscribe a sound chamber or cavity  47 . Longitudinal ribs or ridges  49  extend along the concave outer side walls  46  and  48  of the box piece  4  to facilitate gripping. One or both of the upper exposed edges  50  and  52  of the longitudinal sidewalls  46  and  48  can be shaped and/or tapered to define the sound board surface  26  and interact with the lower surface (e.g.  40 - 42 ) of the striker  6  to vibrate and produce sound that imitates the vocalizations of a turkey. The use of different woods and materials at the sidewalls  46  and  48  and contoured lower surfaces  40 ,  42  and  44  of the several strikers discussed herein produce different sounds when combined with the single box piece  4 . 
         [0035]    The mounting location and alignment of the striker pivot post  8  to the box piece  4  and the keyway  10  at any striker  6  can be adjusted as desired. Correspondingly, the location of the keyway  10  and/or multiple keyways  10  can be included at a striker  6 .  FIGS. 2A and 2B  show two versions of keyways  10  in dashed that can be adapted to facilitate multiple pivot angles with a single striker  6 . Such variations cause the striker  6  to engage the sound producing edges  50  and  52  of the box piece  4  at different angular orientations through each stroke to create different sounds, inflections and cadences. Although a spring  22  and washer  24  are used to bias the striker  6 , a variety of different resilient materials, for example elastomers of suitable durometers and density might be used (e.g. a tubular rubber or nylon bushing). 
         [0036]    The striker  6  and/or box edges  50  and  52  are typically coated with a chalk to enhance friction and induce wall vibration. Alternatively, the striker  6  and/or box edges  50  and  52  can be treated or covered with materials that enhance friction.  FIG. 2A  depicts in dashed line the striker  30  covered with a waterproof material  54  that protects the striker  30  against moisture yet induces vibration in high humidity and wet conditions. The waterproofing material  54  can be wrapped, laminated or coated to the striker  30  to enhance friction and provide waterproofing. Different materials ranging from wood to plastic to graphite to polycarbonates to glass type composites and laminates can be judiciously utilized during the construction of any striker  6  and/or box piece  4  to produce a variety of sounds. 
         [0037]    The subject invention advantageously permits field interchanging the striker pieces  6  (i.e. without removing the pivot post  8 ) in an efficacious manner. The ability to readily change the striker piece  6  enhances a hunter&#39;s ability to produce different sounds with a single box piece  4  to entice a turkey into shooting range. Damaged call pieces can also be readily changed or replaced to extend the life of a call. 
         [0038]    In lieu of using a keyway  10  at a striker piece  6 ,  FIGS. 4 and 4A  and  5  and  5 A depict alternative resilient retainers  62  and  64  that interchangeably secure a striker  6  to a suitable box piece  4 . The retainer  62  shown in cross section at  FIG. 5  and in top plan view at  FIG. 5A  depicts a deformable, tubular bushing  70  having flanged end pieces  72  and  74  that radiate from opposite ends of an intermediate tubular sleeve piece  76 . Upon deforming the end flange  74  and press fitting the sleeve  76  through an aperture at the striker  6 , the deformed flange piece  72  re-expands to secure the bushing  62  to the striker  6 . 
         [0039]    Appendages  78  (e.g. an annular rib or flexible projections) extend into a bore  80  of the tubular sleeve piece  70  and similarly are constructed to deform upon passage of the striker pivot post head  18  past the appendages  78 . Once the striker head  18  is depressed past the appendages  78 , the appendages  78  re-expand to restrain the striker  6  to the box piece  4  with the spring  22  and washer  24  biasing the head  18  against the appendages  78  and securing the striker  6  to the box  4 . The bushing material is selected and the appendages  78  are constructed to permit mounting and removal of the striker  6  as desired without removing the pivot post  8 . 
         [0040]    The retainer  64  shown at  FIGS. 5 and 5A  provides a multi-piece bushing assembly  80 . A body or sleeve piece  82  provides end flanges  84  and  86  that radiate from the intermediate, tubular sleeve piece  82 . A groove or shaped surface  88  at an exposed portion of the upper flange  86  mates with a slide mounted clip or collar piece  90 . A C-shaped end collar  92  partially circumscribes and captures the striker  6  to the pivot post  8 . The spring  22  and washer  24  bias the striker  6  as before. The striker  6  is readily removed by merely sliding the collar or clip piece  90  to the left as shown in dashed line to release the end collar  92  from the head  18 . The striker  6  can then be released from the box piece  4  and another striker can be mounted. 
         [0041]    While the invention has been described with respect to alternative constructions and assemblies and several considered improvements and modifications, still other constructions of the invention can be developed. The scope of the invention should therefore be construed broadly within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

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