Animal husbandry – Animal controlling or handling – Hitching or tethering
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-29
2001-05-29
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Animal husbandry
Animal controlling or handling
Hitching or tethering
C119S792000, C119S791000, C119S797000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237540
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to horse securing devices and methods therefor and, more specifically, to a portable device and a method for securing horses to stationary objects.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Horses generally need to be secured in a stable or tied up in some appropriate manner when not being ridden or personally attended. This is necessary to protect the horse from injury or mischief, and to prevent the horse from running away.
The problem of how to readily secure a horse is most easily solved in a ranch environment, where stables, fences, and hitching posts are readily available. However, in the field, away from a ranch setting, no such facilities are likely to be available. Some other way must be found, therefore, to secure horses in a non-ranch environment, using a portable securing device.
The prior art discloses several horse securing devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 227,666 issued to Witt and U.S. Pat. No. 340,554 issued to Cannon show a horse securing tether connected to a fixed rope which is held in position by a plurality of posts planted into the ground. However, these designs are relatively complicated and non-portable. U.S. Design Pat. No. D391,694 issued to Eichhorn appears to show a more portable tethering system, however it too appears to require the coupling of the system to a rope—like the Witt and Cannon designs—through its use of a “snap hook.”
There are additional problems with the devices of the prior art. A proper, portable horse tethering system needs to secure a horse to an appropriate stationary object such as a tree trunk or branch, in an orientation in which on the one hand the horse cannot readily move around and, on the other, in which the horse's head and neck are not being subjected to a constant downward pull. Thus, Cannon illustrates a system in which the weight is sufficiently light that it may be readily lifted by the horse, allowing the horse to wander relatively far from the point at which it was tethered and potentially to encounter trouble or injury. Moreover, none of the prior art systems disclose an adjustable length device, in which the length of the device between the halter attachment and the weight is adjustable—to accommodate different sized horses, as well as the securing of the system to either low-lying or relatively high stationary objects—so as to maintain the desired secure retention of the horse without downward pull on the head and neck.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved, portable horse securing device.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a horse securing device that is adjustable in length.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a horse securing device that is readily attachable to a variety of stationary objects, including tree trunks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a horse securing device is disclosed, comprising, in combination, a lanyard having a first end and a second end; means, connected proximate the first end of the lanyard, for attaching the lanyard to an animal halter; means, slidably coupled to the lanyard at a point between the attachment means and the second end of the lanyard for coupling the lanyard to a stationary object; a weight coupled to the lanyard at a point between the coupling means and the second end of the lanyard; and means, located on the lanyard, for adjusting the distance between the attachment means and the weight.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for securing an animal to a stationary object is disclosed, comprising, in combination, the steps of providing a lanyard having a first end and a second end; providing means connected proximate the first end of the lanyard for attaching the lanyard to an animal halter; providing means slidably coupled to the lanyard at a point between the attachment means and the second end of the lanyard for coupling the lanyard to a stationary object; providing a weight coupled to the lanyard at a point between the coupling means and the second end of the lanyard; providing means, located on the lanyard, for adjusting the distance between the attachment means and the weight; attaching the lanyard to the animal halter; and coupling the lanyard to said stationary object.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 43643 (1864-07-01), Jerome
patent: 227666 (1880-05-01), Witt
patent: 340554 (1886-04-01), Cannon
patent: D. 353477 (1994-12-01), Terry
patent: D. 391694 (1998-03-01), Eichhorn
patent: 3648664 (1972-03-01), Nunley
patent: 4182272 (1980-01-01), Taff
patent: 5003929 (1991-04-01), Dean
patent: 5174246 (1992-12-01), Driver
patent: 5213063 (1993-05-01), Franck, III
patent: 5950570 (1999-09-01), Dickerson
Abbott Yvonne R.
Jordan Charles T.
Moy Jeffrey D.
Weiss Jeffrey
Weiss & Moy P.C.
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