Fighting purr game call

• US 8,235,763 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EBSCO Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: EBSCO Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Burcham, Gregory S.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIEN T
• Application Number:
  US12/827,955
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 446/397, 446/418, 446420-421, 844/02, 844/274
• US Class Current: 446/397
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 31/004 Game callers

Abstract

A turkey game call includes a housing assembly and a striker assembly to generate fighting purr sounds. The housing assembly may include a base, a wall surrounding the periphery of the base, and a beam extending across the base. The striker assembly may include a control handle, a central hub connected to said handle, and a pair of striker plates connected to said central hub. Two posts are connected to the base proximate said striker plates, with each striker plate engaging one of said corresponding posts to generate the fighting purr sounds.

Claims

1. A game call for attracting animals with fighting purr sounds comprising:

a housing assembly including;

a base having an outer periphery,

a wall engaging the outer periphery of said base, and a beam extending across the base of the housing between opposite sides of said wall;

a striker assembly including;

a central hub having a distal end and a proximal end;

a control handle connected to said proximal end of said handle; and

first and second striker plates connected to said central hub between said proximal end and said distal end; and

first and second posts connected to said base on opposite sides of said beam, said first and second striker plates positioned proximate said first and second striker posts to generate fighting purr sounds when said striker assembly is moved in a first direction and a second direction.

2. The call as described in claim 1 further comprising a pair of flexible torsion arms, each torsion arm connecting one said striker plate to said central hub.

3. The call as described in claim 2 wherein each said torsion arm comprises rubber.

4. The call as described in claim 1 wherein said base comprises:

a first base section; and

a second base section proximate said first base section, said beam separating said first base section from said second base section.

5. The call as described in claim 1 further comprising:

a first spring connected between said central hub and one of said striker plates to apply a force directing said striker plate into contact with one of said posts; and

a second spring connected between said central hub and the other said striker plate to apply a force directing said other striker plate into contact with said other post.

6. The call as described in claim 1 comprising:

a stop member extending from said beam proximate said handle to limit rotating movement of said handle.

7. The call as described in claim 6 wherein each said striking post includes a base surface mounted to the base and a tip surface opposite said base surface, said tip surface selectively engaging one corresponding striker plate to generate the desired sound, said base surface having a greater area than said tip surface.

8. A fighting purr call for attracting turkeys by a user comprising:

a base having an outer perimeter;

a first post and a second post each affixed to said base;

a central hub having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end rotatably engaging said base; and

a first striker connected to said central hub, said first striker abutting said first post to generate a first sound when said central hub moves in a first direction;

a second striker connected to said central hub, said second striker abutting said second post to generate a second sound when said central hub moves in a second direction; and

at least one spring positioned between said central hub and said first striker plate and said second striker plate, said at least one spring directing contact between said first striker plate and said first post and said second striker plate and said second post.

9. The call as described in claim 8 further comprising:

a controller affixed to said proximal end of said central hub opposite said base for engagement by the user.

10. The call as described in claim 8 further comprising:

a wall engaging the perimeter of said base to surround said central hub and said first post and second post.

11. The call as described in claim 8 further comprising:

a first torsion arm connecting said first striker to said central hub; and

a second torsion arm connecting said second striker to said central hub.

12. The call as described in claim 11, wherein said first torsion arm and said second torsion arm comprise a flexible material.

13. The call as described in claim 8, said at least one spring further comprising:

a first spring positioned between said first striker plate and said first hub, said first spring directing contact between said first striker plate and said first post; and

a second spring positioned between said second striker plate and said second hub, said second spring directing contact between said second striker plate and said second post.

14. The call as described in claim 8 wherein said first and second posts each include a bottom surface affixed to said base and a narrow engaging tip opposite said bottom surface, each said bottom surface having a cross-sectional area than said engaging tip.

15. A method for attracting turkeys comprising the steps of:

a) providing a call having a base and first and second striking posts engaging said base;

b) engaging a first flange extending from a knob to move said knob in a first direction, said knob connected to a central hub engaging said base so that a first striker plate connected with said central hub engages said first striking post connected with said base to generate a first sound imitating a first turkey;

c) engaging a first flange extending from said knob to move said knob in a second direction so that a second striker plate connected with said central hub engages a second post connected with said base to generate a second sound imitating a second turkey.

16. The method as described in claim 15, wherein prior to step a), including the step of:

applying a friction-enhancing material to each said bottom surface of said first and second striker plates.

17. The method as described in claim 16 further comprising the step of applying chalk to each said bottom surface of said first and second striker plates.

18. The method as described in claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

rotating said central hub in said first direction until said central hub engages a stop tab; and

rotating said central hub in said second direction until said central hub engages said stop tab.