Hunter's boot cleaner
A hunter's boot cleaner includes a support member, a cleaner member having a boot scraping surface, and a securing mechanism for securing the boot cleaner to a tree or ladder. The cleaner member can be adjusted relative to the support member to accommodate different boot sizes.
This application claims priority to provisional patent application, U.S. Ser. No. 60/565,358, entitled HUNTER'S BOOT CLEANER, filed Apr. 26, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference.
I. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to the art of methods and apparatuses regarding hunting and more specifically, to methods and apparatuses for cleaning a hunter's boots while on hunting site.
B. Description of the Related Art
It is well known in the art for hunters to wear boots or other such footwear during their hunting expeditions. Often hunters must deal with wet conditions due to rain, snow, streams, lakes or the like. Such wet conditions often create mud, snow and/or ice which is readily attached to the hunter's boots. It is also known that hunters may inadvertently step into any of a number of outdoor debris that may also stick or attach to the hunter's boots.
It is also well known in the hunting art for hunters to climb up into a tree or tree stand and once there wait for the particular game they are hunting. By climbing above the ground in this way, the hunter is less likely to be noticed by the game. In order to climb such trees and/or tree stands it is known to provide ladders or step sticks or other forms of climbing devices so that the hunter may ascend upward to the appropriate height.
Well known problems in the hunting art occur when the hunter has mud, snow, ice or other debris on his or her boots and yet desires to climb into the tree or tree stand. One problem is a safety concern, namely, that climbing such steps or ladders with muddy or icy boots increases the opportunity for slipping. Another problem relates to the noise that can be created. In particular, it is common for hunters having mud, snow, ice or other debris on their boots to climb up into the tree or tree stand and wait for the game. During this waiting period, however, it is known for the mud, snow, ice or debris on the bottom of the hunter's boots to dry or melt then fall off. This falling mud, snow, ice or debris may contact leaves, sticks or other things on the ground causing a noise that will scare off the game the hunter is seeking.
This invention provides a solution to the above noted problems. This solution is a boot cleaner that is easy to manufacture, portable for the hunter to carry on site, and adjustable to fit any boot size. II. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of this invention, a boot cleaner includes a support member, a cleaner member having a boot scraping surface, and a securing mechanism for use in securing the boot cleaner to a tree. Preferably, the cleaner member can be adjustably attached to the support member.
According to another aspect of the invention, the support member may have first and second legs. The first leg may be selectively received within an opening in the cleaner member, and the securing mechanism may be connected to the second leg.
According to another aspect of the invention, the cleaner member may have a hole that selectively receives a screw member that is used to fix the position of the support member with respect to the cleaner member.
According to still another aspect of the invention, one or more brushes may be added to the boot cleaner and used to brush the hunter's boots.
According to another aspect of the invention, the securing mechanism includes a threaded member adapted to be rotated or screwed into a tree.
According to another aspect of the invention, the securing mechanism includes a belt adapted to be received around the tree and attached to the support member.
According to still another aspect of this invention, a boot cleaner includes a support member, a cleaner member having a boot scraping surface, and a securing mechanism for use in securing the boot cleaner to a ladder or step stick. Preferably, the cleaner member can be adjustably attached to the support member.
According to another aspect of this invention, the securing mechanism includes a ladder receiving member having a hole and a screw member that is received within the hole and is selectively used to fix the position of the boot cleaner with respect to the ladder.
According to another aspect of this invention, the securing mechanism includes an adjustable alignment mechanism for use in aligning the boot cleaner with respect to the ladder.
One advantage of this invention is that a hunter's boots can be easily cleaned to thereby provide more traction and thus provide for safer movement while ascending a tree or tree stand.
Another advantage of this invention is that noise problems created by drying and dropping mud or debris can be largely eliminated.
Still another advantage of this invention is that it can easily be installed and then detached when desired so it can be reused.
Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.
III. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, a preferred embodiment of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting the same,
With reference now to
With reference now to
With reference now to
With continuing reference to
With reference now to
With continuing reference to
With reference now to
With reference to
With reference to
With continuing reference to
The preferred embodiments have been described, hereinabove. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above methods may incorporate changes and modifications without departing from the general scope of this invention. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof. Note, for example, that the components described above can be formed of any material chosen with sound engineering judgment. Note also, with reference to
Claims
1. A boot cleaner comprising:
- a support member;
- a cleaner member having a boot scraping surface;
- adjustable attaching means for use in adjustably attaching the support member to the cleaner member; and
- a securing mechanism for use in securing the boot cleaner to a tree.
2. The boot cleaner of claim 1 wherein the cleaner member comprises a first opening that receives the support member, the adjustable attaching means for use in selectively fixing the position of the support member with respect to the cleaner member.
3. The boot cleaner of claim 2 wherein the cleaner member has a hole, the adjustable attaching means comprising a screw member that is received within the hole and is selectively used to fix the position of the support member with respect to the cleaner member.
4. The boot cleaner of claim 2 wherein the support member comprises first and second legs, the first leg being selectively received within the first opening in the cleaner member, the securing mechanism being operatively connected to the second leg.
5. The boot cleaner of claim 4 further comprising:
- a first brush selectively attachable to the second leg of the support member; and,
- a second brush selectively attachable to the cleaner member.
6. The boot cleaner of claim 5 further comprising:
- a third brush adapted to be selectively received by the cleaner member above the boot scraping surface.
7. The boot cleaner of claim 1 wherein the securing mechanism comprises:
- a threaded member adapted to be rotated into the tree.
8. The boot cleaner of claim 7 wherein the threaded member is pivotably connected to the support member.
9. The boot cleaner of claim 1 wherein the securing mechanism comprises:
- a belt adapted to be received around the tree; and,
- belt attaching means for use in attaching the belt to the boot cleaner.
10. A boot cleaner comprising:
- a support member;
- a cleaner member having a boot scraping surface;
- adjustable attaching means for use in adjustably attaching the support member to the cleaner member; and
- a securing mechanism for securing the boot cleaner to a ladder.
11. The boot cleaner of claim 10 wherein the securing mechanism comprises:
- a ladder receiving member having a hole; and,
- a screw member that is received within the hole and is selectively used to fix the position of the boot cleaner with respect to the ladder.
12. The boot cleaner of claim 11 wherein the securing mechanism further comprises:
- a latch mechanism for latching the boot cleaner to the ladder.
13. The boot cleaner of claim 12 wherein the ladder has at least one step, the latch mechanism comprising:
- a stop for use in resting on the step.
14. The boot cleaner of claim 11 wherein the securing mechanism further comprises:
- an adjustable alignment mechanism for use in aligning the boot cleaner with respect to the ladder.
15. A method comprising the steps of:
- providing a boot cleaner comprising a support member and a cleaner member having a boot scraping surface;
- securing the support member to a tree; and,
- attaching the cleaner member to the support member in order to receive a given boot size.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein, the step of securing the support member to a tree, comprises the step of:
- rotating a threaded member attached to the support member into the tree.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein, the step of securing the support member to a tree, comprises the steps of:
- wrapping a belt around the tree; and,
- attaching the belt to the support member.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein, the step of attaching the cleaner member to the support member in order to receive a given boot size, comprises the steps of:
- sliding the cleaner member with respect to the support member; and,
- fixing the position of the cleaner member with respect to the support member.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein, prior to the step of securing the support member to a tree, the method comprises the steps of:
- attaching a first brush to the support member; and,
- attaching a second brush to the cleaner member.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein, after the step of attaching a second brush to the cleaner member, the method comprises the step of:
- attaching a third brush to the cleaner member over the scraping surface.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 8, 2005
Publication Date: Nov 17, 2005
Inventor: Eric Levingston (Lexington, OH)
Application Number: 11/101,671