U.S. patent number RE34,351 [Application Number 07/795,975] was granted by the patent office on 1993-08-24 for remotely detachable animal leash.
Invention is credited to Leslie Lacey.
United States Patent |
RE34,351 |
Lacey |
August 24, 1993 |
Remotely detachable animal leash
Abstract
The jaws of the catch on a leash are latched by a yieldably
biased sleeve, which is retractable by a pull cord extending
rearwardly to the handle of the leash.
Inventors: |
Lacey; Leslie (Poulsbo,
WA) |
Family
ID: |
25672249 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/795,975 |
Filed: |
November 22, 1991 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
271507 |
Nov 15, 1988 |
04903638 |
Feb 27, 1990 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
119/776;
24/601.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01K
27/005 (20130101); Y10T 24/45435 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
A01K
27/00 (20060101); A01K 027/00 (); A44B
013/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;119/106,109,114
;24/601.5,598.4,600.2 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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23828 |
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Apr 1906 |
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CH |
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88996 |
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Apr 1921 |
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CH |
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Primary Examiner: Weiss; John G.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Cross, Jr.; Harry M.
Claims
I claim:
1. A .[.leash for an animal collar.]. .Iadd.remotely-detachable
restraint.Iaddend., comprising: an elongated, flexible tether
having releaseable .[.collar.]. attachable catch means adjacent one
end thereof, and a hand grip adjacent the other end thereof;
the catch means including a pair of relatively reciprocable jaws
which are openable to a position in which the jaws enable the catch
means to be released from an attachment point .[.on the collar.].,
and closeable about an attachment point .[.on the collar.]., when
the catch means are so engaged, to a position in which the jaws
enable the tether to be secured to the .[.collar.].
.Iadd.attachment point.Iaddend., and further including a
buckle-like structure defining a tether-attaching element to which
said ether is connected;
latch means reciprocably mounted by said catch means and moveable
relative to said jaws from a position where said jaws are locked
into an engaged condition to a position where said jaws are
unlocked into a disengaged condition;
manual release means for the latch means, including a hand-operated
actuator which is disposed on the tether adjacent the hand grip
thereof, and a elongated release cord extending longitudinally
through said tether and interconnecting the latch means and the
hand-operated actuator to reciprocate the latch means between the
jaw-locking position and the jaw-unlocking position thereof, said
cord extending through the structure of said tether-attaching
element to a point of attachment with said latch means,
and a cord-confining sheath abutting and extending from the catch
means tether-attaching element through the tether to said
hand-operated actuator, said cord extending through said sheath
from its point of departure from said tether-attaching element
structure to said hand-operated actuator.
2. The .[.leash.]. .Iadd.restraint .Iaddend.according to claim 1
wherein the jaws are relatively reciprocable in the direction
relatively toward the hand grip to close, and the latch means
including a latching element yieldably biased in the direction
relatively away from the hand grip to engage the jaws in the closed
position thereof.
3. The .[.leash.]. .Iadd.restraint .Iaddend.according to claim 2
wherein the jaws are pivotally interconnected with one another at
the distal end of the tether and openable to a position wherein
they are disposed in tandem with one another axially of the tether,
and closeable to a position wherein they are disposed abreast of
one another from the pivotal connection therebetween toward said
tether, and wherein said latching element receives and engages the
jaws when placed in the closed position thereof.
4. The .[.leash.]. .Iadd.restraint .Iaddend.according to claim 2
wherein the catch means includes a rigid tenon extending from said
tether-attaching element, having one of said jaws being extended
from said tenon; and wherein said latching element takes the form
of a sleeve which is reciprocably mounted on said tenon at the
distal end of the tether and yieldably biased relatively toward the
distal end of the tenon by a coiled spring caged within the
sleeve.
5. The .[.leash.]. .Iadd.restraint .Iaddend.according to claim 4
wherein the tether has an eye formed on the aforesaid other end
portion thereof to serve as a handle for grasping the tether, and
the cord opens into the eye of the handle and has an eye on the
same within the eye of the handle so that a user grasping the
handle can insert one finger in the eye of the cord to enable him
to pull the cord and reciprocate the sleeve against the bias of the
spring when the jaws are to be unlocked for reciprocation to the
open position thereof.
6. The .[.leash.]. .Iadd.restraint .Iaddend.according to claim 4
wherein the tether-attaching element includes a tether ring
connected to said tenon by a ring head, and includes a
cord-confining tubing extended through said ring and ring head to
provide a shielded cord passageway from the interior of said tenon
to the interior of said tether, and further includes a cord
fastening element extended from said sleeve into the tenon interior
whereby said cord is fastened to said cord fastening element within
said tenon for shifting said sleeve from a locked to and unlocked
position upon pulling said actuator.
7. The .[.leash.]. .Iadd.restraint .Iaddend.according to claim 4
wherein the tether-attaching element includes a tether ring
connected to said tenon by a ring head, with said tether being
looped around said ring and fastened back on itself, and includes a
cord-confining tubing extended through said ring and ring head to
provide a shielded cord passageway from the interior of said tenon
to the interior of said tether, and further includes a cord
fastening element extended from said sleeve into the tenon interior
whereby said cord is fastened to said cord fastening element within
said tenon for shifting said sleeve from a locked to an unlocked
position upon pulling said actuator.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a leash for an animal, and in particular,
to one which is remotely detachable from the animal, such as from
the collar of a dog, by means disposed at the hand of the user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Dogs are used by security officers when they act in an official
capacity as such, as well as by men and women who, though not
acting in an official capacity, nevertheless take a walk or
otherwise venture from their homes only in the company of a dog on
a leash. In each case, there may be occasion to release the dog
from the leash so that he can track or pursue a suspect, or fend
off an attacker without the constraint of the leash. For this
reason, various leashes have been developed which are equipped with
a quick release catch mechanism on the distal end thereof, so that
the leash can be quickly detached from the dog's collar when the
user wishes to release the dog for any of these purposes. However,
in each instance, it is necessary to reach out to the dog, or draw
the dog up to a point of proximity where the catch mechanism can be
grasped for this purpose. And when the user is under attack, or a
security officer is desirous of releasing the dog for the capture
of a suspect, time is of the essence and even this brief step can
consume valuable time needed in the process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As indicated, the present invention relates to an animal leash
which is remotely detachable from the collar of the animal at the
hand of the user. According to the invention, the leash comprises
an elongated, flexible tether having releasable collar engaging
catch means adjacent one end thereof, and a hand grip adjacent the
other end thereof. The catch means include a pair of relatively
reciprocable jaws which are openable to a position in which they
enable the catch means to be engaged about an attachment point on
the collar, and closeable when the catch means are so engaged, to a
position in which they enable the tether to be secured to the
collar of the animal. The leash also comprises latch means which
are mounted on the tether to reciprocate between a position in
which they engage with the catch means to lock the jaws in the
closed position thereof, and a position in which they disengage
from the catch means to unlock the jaws for reciprocation to the
open position thereof. In addition, the leash is equipped with
manual release means for the latch means, including a hand actuator
which is disposed on the tether adjacent the hand grip thereof, and
interconnected with the latch means to reciprocate the latch means
between the jaw-locking position and the jaw-unlocking position
thereof.
In many of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention,
the latch means are yieldably biased to assume the jaw-locking
position thereof, and the latch release means are operable to
reciprocate the latch means against the bias thereon. For example,
in certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention, the
jaws are relatively reciprocable in the direction relatively toward
the hand grip to close, and the latch means include a retainer
element which is yieldably biased in the direction relatively away
from the hand grip to engage the jaws in the closed position
thereof. In some embodiments, the jaws are pivotally interconnected
with one another at the distal end of the tether and openable to a
position wherein they are disposed in tandem with one another
axially of the tether, and closeable to a position wherein they are
disposed abreast of one another relatively rearward of the pivotal
connection therebetween; and in such a case, the retainer element
has a recess in the relatively forward end thereof within which the
jaws are received when engaged by the element in the closed
position thereof.
In one particular group of embodiments, the retainer element takes
the form of a sleeve which is reciprocably mounted on a rigid tenon
at the distal end of the tether, and yieldably biased relatively
toward the distal end of the tenon by a coiled spring which is
caged in the sleeve; and in such a case, the latch release means
further include an elongated cord which interconnects the actuator
with the sleeve to reciprocate the same against the bias of the
spring when the jaws are to be unlocked for reciprocation to the
open position thereof.
Preferably, the body of the tether is hollow, and the cord extends
through the body of the same. Also, the tether preferably has an
eye formed on the aforesaid other end portion thereof, to serve as
a handle for grasping the tether, and the cord opens into the eye
of the handle and has an eye on the same within the eye of the
handle, so that a user grasping the handle can insert one finger in
the eye of the cord and use it as a trigger to retract the cord and
reciprocate the sleeve against the bias of the spring when the jaws
are to be unlocked for reciprocation to the open position
thereof.
These features will be better understood by reference to the
accompanying drawings wherein one of the presently preferred
embodiments of the invention is illustrated in connection with
tethering a dog by such a leash.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the leash when it is attached to a
collar on the dog;
FIG. 2 is a part-phantom plan view of the leash;
FIG. 3 is a part-phantom side-elevational view of the leash;
FIG. 4 is a part cross-sectional view of the catch mechanism on the
leash;
FIG. 5 is another such view of the catch mechanism in the open
condition thereof;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an improved leash having superior
handling characteristics to the FIGS. 1-5 embodiments; and
FIG. 7 is a cross-section view of the FIG. 6 improved leash.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the dog 2 is
equipped with a collar 4 having an attachment ring 6 thereon to
which the leash 8 is attached by the catch mechanism 10 of the
same. The leash 8 itself is composed of an elongated strip 12 of
leather or other flexible material, and in this instance, the strip
12 is folded reentrantly at each end so that portions of it can be
overlapped in opposing sections 14 which are then sewn together at
their edges to form a hollow strap 16 having eyes 18 and 20 at its
ends. The larger, 18 of the eyes, at the right-hand end of the
strap 16, serves as a handle-like grip for the same, and the
smaller, 20, of the eyes, at the left-hand end of the strap, serves
as an attachment point for the catch mechanism 10, as shall be
explained. In addition, the hollow 22 between the two sections
serves as a passage for a manual release means 24 to the latch
means 26 of the catch mechanism 10, as shall also be explained.
The catch mechanism 10 comprises a buckle-like attachment ring 28
to which the left-hand eye 20 of the strap 16 is attached. The ring
28 is flat, but has a wide-spreading head 30 at the forward end
thereof, from which a pair of tenons 32 project still more
forwardly of the ring. The tenons 32 are spaced apart and parallel
to one another, and are interconnected at their forward ends by a
yoke-like jaw 34 which extends still further forward and has a
reentrant jaw 36 pivotally interconnected between the relatively
outlying ends thereof. The bodies of the respective jaws 34 and 36
are outwardly bowed about their axis so as to form an eye 38
between them when the relatively articulated jaw 36 is superposed
on the relatively fixed jaw 34, as in FIG. 4. In addition, the
bight 40 of the fixed jaw 34 has a saddle-like abutment 42 recessed
therein, and the articulated jaw 36 has an upturned toe 44 on the
relatively rearward end thereof which seats in the saddle of the
abutment 42 when the articulated jaw 36 is superposed on the fixed
jaw 34, as in FIG. 4.
The jaws 34 and 36 are openable to the condition of FIG. 5 to
enable the catch mechanism 10 to be engaged about the attachment
ring 6 of the collar 4, and then closeable when they are so
engaged, to enable the strap 16 to be secured to the collar 4 as a
tether for the dog. However, in the latter condition, the jaws 34,
36 must be locked against relative reciprocation, and the latch
means 26 are provided for this purpose. They comprise a sleeve 46
which is circumposed about the pair of tenons 32 and oblong in
cross-section so as to closely enclose the same. The sleeve 46 is
equipped with a bulkhead 48 across the forward end portion thereof,
and the bulkhead is slideably engaged on the tenons to reciprocate
between a position in which the sleeve engages about the jaws of
the catch mechanism to lock the jaws against reciprocation in the
closed position thereof, and a position in which it disengages from
the jaws to unlock the jaws for reciprocation to the open position
thereof. To coordinate the motion of the sleeve, the head 30 of the
attachment ring 28 of the catch mechanism is equipped with an
oblong flange 50, and a pair of coiled springs 52 is caged between
the flange 50 and the bulkhead 48, about the tenons, to bias the
sleeve 46 into the jaw-locking position thereof. In this position,
the sleeve envelopes the toe 44 and abutment 42 of the jaws and
serves as a latch for the jaws. The sleeve 46 is retractable
against the bias of the springs 52, however, to unlock the jaws for
reciprocation to the open position thereof, seen in FIG. 5.
This is accomplished by the manual release means 24 within the
strap 16. The sleeve 46 has a raised rib 54 about the relatively
rearward end portion thereof, and a pair of button-like lugs 56 on
the outer periphery thereof at opposing sides of the same. There is
a pair of grommetted holes 58 in the corresponding sides of the
strap, and a cord 60 is folded into opposing halves 60' which are
passed through the hollow 22 of the strap, out the holes 58, over
the ribs 54, and then secured at their ends to the respective lugs
56 on the sleeve 46. In addition, the two halves 60' of the cord
are spliced together, just ahead of the bight 60" in the same, to
form an eye 62 within the eye of the handle 18 of the strap. In
this way, a user grasping the handle 18 can insert one finger into
the eye 62 of the cord and use it as a trigger to reciprocate the
sleeve 46 against the bias of the springs 52 when the jaws 34 and
36 are to be unlocked for reciprocation to the open position
thereof. Accordingly, when the user wishes to release the dog 2
from the leash 8, he can do so quickly without the necessity for
taking time to draw the dog to him, or to reach forward to a point
where he can directly detach the catch mechanism 10 from its
collar.
In FIGS. 6 and 7, an improved remotely detachable restraint is
illustrated. This improved design enables the restraint to be
unlocked to release an animal without having to maintain tension on
the restraint, as by pulling against the animal. Similar elements
are designated by numerals 100 units higher that similarly-numbered
elements of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5.
The latch means 126 comprises a single tenon 132 extending outward
from the head 130 of ring 128, with fixed jaw section 134 extending
outwardly of the tenon 132, and with articulated jaw section 136
pivotally connected to the distal end of fixed jaw section 134. The
ring 130, tenon 132 and fixed jaw 134 are preferably formed as a
unitary structure, as by a metal casting process. The tenon 132 and
ring head 130 are cylindrical with the tenon being provided with an
axial, elongated, interior cavity 133 which carries a spring 152,
shown as a coiled compression spring. The outer end of the tenon
132, from which the fixed jaw section 134 commences, is provided
with an annular rim 135. The junction of fixed jaw section 134 with
tenon 132 is slotted at 137 to receive the toe 144 of articulated
jaw section 136, when the latter is pivoted into its closed
position.
The release means of catch mechanism 110 also comprises a release
sleeve 146 that encloses tenon 132 and is slideable, fore and aft,
along the tenon between the tenon rim 135 and the base of ring 128.
A pin bulkhead 148, such as a metal rivet, is fastened to the
sleeve and extends laterally through the tenon 132 and tenon cavity
133. A slot is provided in at least one side of the outer wall of
the tenon 132, the opposite wall thereof being preferably
nonexistent inasmuch as the tenon cavity 133 is open to the inner
surface of the sleeve 146. The bulkhead pin 148 will ride in that
slot as the sleeve 146 is shifted back and forth along the tenon
132. The spring 152 is confined between the bulkhead pin 148 and
the inner end of the tenon cavity 133, adjacent the ring head
130.
The cord 160 of manual release means 124 is fastened to the
mid-section of the bulkhead pin 148, and extends therefrom through
the tenon cavity 133 and within the spring 152, axially through
ring head 130 and through the ring rim itself, into the
longitudinal passage, or hollow, 122 in the strap 116. The cord 160
extends through the strap 116. The cord, itself, is preferably
comprised of a woven wire cable encased in a smooth sheath of
plastic or other suitable material, and is of the type used in
aircraft control cables. The cable cord is looped around the
bulkhead pin 148 and secured to itself with a crimped fastener. The
mid-portion of the bulkhead pin 148 may be provided with an annular
groove to help center the cable cord where it is fastened thereto.
A metal tubing 161 is inserted through the ring 128 and extends
from the ring rim, through the ring eye and axially into the ring
head 130. The cable cord extends through the tubing 161 and is
laterally confined therein, the tubing inner diameter being only
slightly greater than the outer diameter of the cable cord. The
opening into the ring rim is countersunk to provide a relieved
surface to minimize wear on the cable cord as it extends from the
ring into the loop 120 of strap 116. The strap loop 120 is provided
with an opening through which the metal tubing 161 extends as it
crosses the ring eye. This arrangement serves to position the strap
relative to the ring 128 and also provides a means whereby the
cable cord is not exposed to external surroundings. The cable cord
is enclosed by a sheath 163, in the form of a close-fitting plastic
tubing, that extends from the ring passage countersink inlet to the
handle end of the cord. The cable cord extends out from the sheath
at the handle end only a short distance and is then attached to a
cord handle or trigger 162 that, in turn, extends into the eye of
the strap handle 118.
The cord sheath 163 is essentially confined within the strap 116.
If the strap is held in any position at any one point along its
length, and the cord handle 162 is pulled, the sleeve 146 will be
shifted toward the strap and the toe 144 of the articulated jaw 136
will be released so that the articulated jaw can pivot into an open
position. This opening can occur even though the strap itself is
not under tension, as by being pulled against an animal, if the
strap is supported at one location along its length. Such support
could simply be provided by resting the strap, at some point
between its loops 116, 118 in the hand of a person holding the
leash.
The manual release means 124 may be provided as a loop of plastic
or other flexible material, the free, inner end of which is
attached to the terminus of the cord 160. The free end of the
release strip 124 may be secured to the cord by looping the cord
end through a hole provided therefore in the strip 124 and the cord
fastened to itself by a crimped fastener. Ths codr sheath 163 would
terminate adjacent the crimped terminus of the cord. The release
strip 124 may be provided as an adjustable loop so that the size of
the loop can be expanded or contracted as required or desired by
the user.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described
herein, variations in the design may be made. The scope of the
invention, therefore, is only to be limited by the claims appended
hereto.
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property is
claimed are defined as follows:
* * * * *