US 6,408,962 B1Granted

Convertible sled for transporting large game

OwnerJason Ryckmaninventor

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A convertible sled can be dragged silently into the woods by the hunter. Once the hunter has bagged his game, he converts the sled into a track-driven and battery-powered cart. The sled portion is at the bottommost part of the assembly on the way into the woods. In this “sledding” mode, the battery pack, the tracks and the frame are situated above the sled. In the “carting” or “track-driving” mode, the sled is detached from the assembly and is remounted above the frame, tracks and battery pack. In this mode, the sled forms a platform upon which the game can be secured. In the carting mode, the hunter activates the track-driven cart to assist with extraction of the game. Activation of the track-driven cart is by means of a handle which extends to the front of the assembly. An alternative embodiment includes a pair of removable wheels mounted to a pair of adjustable wheel supports, which wheels may be used to roll the convertible sled as well.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A device to assist a hunter in extracting the carcass of a large game animal from a hunting site which comprises

a central frame,
a collapsible means for pulling the central frame,
a pair of front track idler rollers situated to either side of the central frame,
a pair of rear track idler rollers situated to either side of the central frame,
a pair of continuous tracks situated to either side of the central frame and supported by the front and rear track idler rollers,
means for powering said continuous tracks,
a plurality of sled body support members that are rotatable, each support member having a first end attached to the central frame and a second end, said first end being fixable both orthogonally upwardly and downwardly from the central frame,
a detachable sled body fixable to the second ends of each of the plurality of sled body support members, said sled body positionable either above or below the central frame,
a pair of rotatable wheel supports, each wheel support opposing the other and extending axially generally outwardly from the central frame,
a pair of wheel support arms, each support arm being rotatable about the axis of one wheel support and each support arm having a first end that is proximal to one wheel support and also having a distal end, and
a pair of wheels, one wheel being attached to the distal end of each wheel support arm,
wherein each of said wheels, wheel supports and wheel support arms may be rotated upwardly so as not to contact the ground and downwardly so as to support the device while it is being pulled over the ground.

9 more elements

A device to assist a hunter in extracting the carcass of a large game animal from a hunting site comprising

a central frame, said central frame having an upturned leading portion,
a means for pulling said central frame,
a pair of front idler rollers situated on opposite sides of the central frame,
a pair of rear idler rollers situated on opposite sides of the central frame,
a pair of continuous tracks supported by the front and rear idler rollers,
a track power supply,
means for actuating said continuous track,
a sled body with a forwardly extending ramped portion permitting the device to be negotiated over obstacles,
a pair of wheels,
a pair of wheel supports situated to either side of the main support frame with a first end attached to one of said wheels and a second end removably attached to said support frame, said wheel supports being permitted to rotate between a fixed downward position and a fixed upward position,
means for variably and movably mounting said sled body immediately below said continuous tracks or immediately above said continuous tracks whereby the hunter may utilize the device by sledding the device to the hunting site and by powering the device away from the site, and
means for adjusting the position of said wheel supports whereby said wheels may be used to roll said device to and from a hunting site.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/556,846Filed 21 Apr 2000
Granted: 25 Jun 2002
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

B62B 3/02
Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheels; Steering devices therefor; Equipment therefor: involving parts being adjustable,…
B62B 1/002
Hand carts having only one axis carrying one or more transport wheels; Equipment therefor: convertible from a one-axled vehicle to a two-axled vehicle
B62B 15/007
Other sledges; Ice boats or sailing sledges: towed sledges
B62B 19/04
Runners for carrying wheeled vehicles to facilitate travel on ice or snow: replacing wheels