US-12618510-B2 - Game feeder hook and hoist apparatus

US12618510B2US 12618510 B2US12618510 B2US 12618510B2US-12618510-B2

Abstract

A feeder hoist and hook apparatus includes a limb frame assembly having an inverted U-shaped configuration to nest on a tree limb until actuated for removal. The apparatus includes an actuation linkage that includes a linear gear and torsion spring that cooperate to open or close a latch bar. The feeder hoist and hook apparatus may include a hoist assembly having a spool and cord for incrementally lifting a game feeder into the air when actuated. The feeder hoist and hook apparatus may be actuated with a telescoping actuation pole, using a drill, or using remote control.

Inventors

Timothy G. Swicegood

Assignees

Timothy G. Swicegood

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230703

Claims (14)

1 . A feeder hoist and hook apparatus, comprising: a limb frame assembly including a framework having an upper portion that is internally rounded and a pair of opposing and parallel side arms extending downwardly from opposed ends of said upper portion; a limb actuation linkage having (1) a linkage frame member coupled to the limb frame assembly and (2) a latch actuation member having an intermediate section coupled to said linkage frame member with a resilient fastener and a distal end opposite said intermediate section such that said latch actuation member is movable between a deployed configuration displaced from said linkage frame member and a released configuration adjacent said linkage frame member; a latch bar having a first end pivotally coupled to the distal end of said latch actuation member such that said latch bar is pivotally movable, when urged by movement of said latch actuation member, between an open configuration allowing access to an interior area defined by said framework and a closed configuration blocking access to the interior area; wherein said limb actuation linkage includes: a linear gear positioned adjacent said latch actuation member and having an external thread pattern; an actuation nut having an internal thread pattern and being operatively coupled to said linear gear such that a rotation of said linear gear causes longitudinal movement of said actuation nut along said linear gear; wherein said actuation nut is fixedly attached to said latch actuation member such that said longitudinal movement of said actuation nut along said linear gear urges said latch actuation member toward said deployed configuration or said released configuration, respectively; an actuation pole that includes a telescopic construction and that includes a tip having a configuration that is complementary to a distal end of said linear gear such that said linear gear is actuated to rotate when said tip of said actuation pole is coupled to said distal end of said linear gear and rotated.
2 . The feeder apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said latch bar is pivotally movable toward said open configuration when said latch actuation member is urged toward said deployed configuration.
3 . The feeder apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein: said upper portion and said pair of side arms, together, define an inverted U-shaped configuration; said upper portion is configured to receive a tree branch in a nested configuration.
4 . The feeder apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said fastener is a tension spring that is configured to stretch when said latch bar is urged toward said open configuration and that is biased to urge said latch bar toward said closed configuration when released.
5 . The feeder apparatus as in claim 1 , further comprising: a hoist assembly having a hoist housing coupled to said framework that defines an interior area, said hoist assembly including a spool rotatably mounted in said interior area and having a cord wound about said spool; an input member situated on said hoist housing and that is in communication with said spool, said input member being operable to release or reel in said spool, respectively.
6 . The feeder apparatus as in claim 1 , further comprising: a hoist assembly having a hoist housing coupled to a respective side wall of said framework of said limb frame assembly and that defines an interior area, said hoist assembly including a spool rotatably mounted in said interior area and having a cord wound about said spool; and an input member situated on said hoist housing and that is in communication with said spool, said input member being operable to release or reel in said spool, respectively.
7 . The feeder apparatus as in claim 6 , wherein said hoist assembly includes a motor in mechanical communication with said spool and in data communication with said input member, said spool being actuated when said motor is energized.
8 . The feeder apparatus as in claim 1 , further comprising: a hoist assembly having a mounting plate displaced from said framework and that includes a plurality of teeth configured to adhere to a tree, said hoist assembly includes a spool rotatably mounted to said mounting plate and a cord wound about said spool; an actuation member in communication with said spool that is configured to reel in and reel out said spool, respectively; a pulley coupled to said framework of said limb frame assembly and displaced from said mounting plate, said pulley being configured to receive said cord.
9 . A feeder hoist and hook apparatus, comprising: a limb frame assembly including a framework having an upper portion that is internally rounded and a pair of opposing and parallel side arms extending downwardly from opposed ends of said upper portion; a limb actuation linkage having (1) a linkage frame member coupled to the limb frame assembly and (2) a latch actuation member having an intermediate section coupled to said linkage frame member with a tension spring and a distal end opposite said intermediate section such that said latch actuation member is movable between a deployed configuration displaced from said linkage frame member and a released configuration adjacent said linkage frame member; a latch bar having a first end pivotally coupled to the distal end of said latch actuation member such that said latch bar is pivotally movable, when urged by movement of said latch actuation member, between an open configuration allowing access to an interior area defined by said framework and a closed configuration blocking access to the interior area; a hoist assembly having a hoist housing in communication with said framework of said limb frame assembly and that defines an interior area, said hoist assembly including a spool rotatably mounted in said interior area and having a cord wound about said spool; an actuation pole that includes a telescopic construction and that includes a tip having a configuration that is complementary to a distal end of a linear gear such that said linear gear is actuated to rotate when said tip of said actuation pole is coupled to said distal end of said linear gear and rotated.
10 . The feeder apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein said limb actuation linkage includes: a pole screw positioned adjacent said latch actuation member and having an external thread pattern; an actuation nut having an internal thread pattern and being operatively coupled to said pole screw such that a rotation of said pole screw causes longitudinal movement of said actuation nut along said pole screw; wherein said actuation nut is fixedly attached to said latch actuation member such that said longitudinal movement of said actuation nut along said pole screw urges said latch actuation member toward said deployed configuration or said released configuration, respectively.
11 . The feeder apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein said tension spring is configured to stretch when said latch bar is urged toward said open configuration and that is biased so as to urge said latch bar toward said closed configuration when released.
12 . The feeder apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein: said hoist housing is coupled to said framework of said limb frame assembly; said hoist assembly includes an input member situated on said hoist housing and that is in communication with said spool, said input member being operable to reel in or reel out said spool, respectively.
13 . The feeder apparatus as in claim 12 , wherein said hoist assembly includes a motor in mechanical communication with said spool and in data communication with said input member, said spool being actuated when said motor is energized.
14 . The feeder apparatus as in claim 13 , wherein said motor is actuated by remote control.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 63/358,371 filed Jul. 5, 2022 and titled Game Feeder Hook and Hoist Apparatus which is incorporated herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to game feeders and, more particularly, to a hoist for lifting and positioning a game feeder above a ground surface. Feeding game animals on a regular and repeated basis prior to actually hunting and harvesting the game animals, such as using a rifle or bow, is well known. The goal, of course, is for the game animals to become accustomed to finding feed at a predetermined location and on a regular basis so that the game animals are likely to approach that location even when a hunter has set up nearby for the purpose of shooting one of the animals. An advantageous method for feeding game animals is to suspend the feeding hopper in the air above a feeding location such that hopper is unlikely to be disturbed by animals or humans. Then the hopper can be programmed. In other embodiments, however, the hoist may be operable from the ground which enables unauthorized access. Another undesirable issue is that securing the feeding hopper to a tree limb is difficult and must be repeated with each filling. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a feeder hoist and hook apparatus having a limb frame assembly configured to nest on a tree limb and to selectively capture, raise, and release a game feeder. Further, it would be desirable to have a feeder hoist and hook apparatus for incrementally lifting a game feeder into the air when actuated. In, addition, it would be desirable to have a feeder hoist and hook apparatus that is actuated with a telescoping actuation pole. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A feeder hoist and hook apparatus according to the present invention includes a limb frame assembly including a framework having an upper portion that is internally rounded and a pair of opposing and parallel side arms extending downwardly from opposed ends of the upper portion. The apparatus includes a limb actuation linkage having (1) a linkage frame member coupled to the limb frame assembly and (2) a latch actuation member having an intermediate section coupled to the linkage frame member with a torsion spring and a distal end opposite the intermediate section. Accordingly, the latch actuation member is movable between a deployed configuration displaced from the linkage frame member and a released configuration adjacent the linkage frame member. In another aspect, the feeder hoist and hook apparatus includes a hoist assembly having a hoist housing in communication with the framework of the limb assembly and that defines an interior area. The hoist assembly includes a spool rotatably mounted in the interior area and having a cord wound about the spool. Therefore, a general object of this invention is to have a feeder hoist and hook apparatus having a limb frame assembly configured to selectively secure and release a game feeder relative to a limb frame assembly. Another object of this invention is to have a feeder hoist and hook apparatus that includes a hoist coupled to the limb frame assembly and configured for incrementally lifting a game feeder into the air or lowering it to the ground when actuated. A further object of this invention is to have a feeder hoist and hook apparatus, as aforesaid, in which operation of a latch bar associated with the limb frame assembly and operation of said hoist are actuated by use of a telescoping pole. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hoist and hook apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2a is a front view of the hoist and hook apparatus as in FIG. 1, illustrated with the latch bar in a closed configuration; FIG. 2b is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from FIG. 2a; FIG. 3a is a front view of the hoist and hook apparatus as in FIG. 2a, illustrated with the latch bar in an open configuration; FIG. 3b is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from FIG. 3a; FIG. 4a is a perspective view of the hoist and hook apparatus as in FIG. 1, illustrated with the telescopic pole being operated by a drill; FIG. 4b is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from FIG. 4a; FIG. 5a is a perspective view of a hoist and hook apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5b is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from FIG. 5a; FIG. 6a is a perspective view of the hoist and hook apparatus as in FIG. 5a, illustrated with the hoist being actuated by a drill; FIG. 6b is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from FIG. 6a; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a tre