Animal husbandry – Animal controlling or handling – Hitching or tethering
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-11
2001-05-29
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3643)
Animal husbandry
Animal controlling or handling
Hitching or tethering
C119S771000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237539
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to dog leashes, and more particularly to a double dog leash which makes it possible for a single individual to concurrently control two dogs despite differences in their size and strength.
2. Status of Prior Art
A dog leash is a chain, a rope or a strap that is attachable to the collar or harness of a dog, the leash serving to lead the dog or to hold it in check. My prior Sporn U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,964,369; 5,329,885, 5,370,083 and 5,471,953, all disclose dog harnesses to which a leash is attachable, these harnesses being responsive to any strain on the leash to cause the dog to come to a halt.
Many cities in the United States have so called “leash laws” which make it illegal to permit a dog to run free outdoors without the restraint of a leash. When a family has a single dog, the need to leash this dog presents no problem. But quite a few families today have two dogs that differ in size and strength. Thus it is not uncommon for a family to have a large and strong watch dog whose main function is to guard the family, and a smaller and less powerful dog serving as a pet for the youngest child in the family.
Yet when these two dogs are taken outdoors for exercise or for other purposes, then both dogs must be leashed. This presents a problem when, as is often the case, a single individual is put in charge of both dogs. It is then necessary to provide each dog with a leash having a length appropriate to the size of the dog.
The single individual handling both dogs must grasp the handles of these two leashes, preferably in one hand, for then the two leashed dogs will be close to each other and not seek to run in different directions, as they might try doing had the leashes been held in separate hands.
When the two leashed dogs differ in strength to a significant degree, and their separate leash handles are held in one hand of the individual walking these dogs, should the stronger dog suddenly lurch ahead, in doing so its leash handle may be pulled out of the individual's hand, and the stronger dog will then be free to run away.
Thus a need exists for a double dog leash having a single handle that serves to control two dogs of different size and strength. A need also exists for a single handle multiple leash capable of concurrently controlling three or more dogs. In many cities in which multi-story apartment buildings house a multitude of dogs, it is now the practice to engage professional handlers to walk these dogs daily “en masse”. Thus the handler may find himself holding in one hand the leash handles of three dogs, and holding in his other hand the leash handles of four dogs.
When this gang of dogs is well behaved, the handler then has no problem in walking them. But should one of the dogs act up, it may succeed in pulling away from the handler who does not have a firm grip on the several leash handles.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, the main object of this invention is to provide a multiple dog leash which has a common handle making it possible for a single individual to concurrently control at least two dogs that differ in size and therefore require leashes of different length.
A significant advantage of a multiple dog leash in accordance with the invention is that the pull exerted on the common handle is the collective force of the two or more dogs coupled to the leash, so that the individual in charge, by firmly grasping this handle can prevent any one of these dogs from escaping.
More particularly, an object of this invention is to provide a multiple dog leash of simple and inexpensive design that can be mass produced at low cost.
Briefly stated, these objects are attained by a multiple dog leash which makes it possible for a single individual to concurrently control at least two dogs that differ in size and therefore require leashes of different length. The multiple leash includes an elongated strap that passes through a coupling ring and is folded thereover to define two leash sections whose relative lengths depends on the site of the fold; a leash handle being linked to the coupling ring.
Each leash section terminates in a connector that can be coupled to the collar or harness of a dog. Slidable along the two leash sections is a sleeve that acts to maintain these sections in parallel relation. Also slidable on the two sections between the sleeve and the connectors is a lockable clamp which after the strap is adjusted to create two leash sections having relative lengths appropriate to the dogs to which these sections are coupled, is then locked to maintain this relationship.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4879972 (1989-11-01), Crowe et al.
patent: 5551379 (1996-09-01), Hart
patent: 5632234 (1997-05-01), Parker
patent: 5701848 (1997-12-01), Tozawa
patent: 5852988 (1998-12-01), Gish
patent: 5901668 (1999-05-01), Goodger, Sr.
patent: 6029611 (2000-02-01), Hershauer
Hopgood, Calimafde Judlowe & Mondolino
Jordan Charles T.
Shaw Elizabeth
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