Animal tethering apparatus and the like

Claim 2

Apparatus of the character described, comprising: a substantially horizontally disposed line or the like having a plurality of sections; means for partially supporting said line or the like a distance above floor or ground level situated adjacent the junction of two adjoining sections of said line or the like including at least one element interconnected with said line or the like and extending substantially horizontally therefrom for interconnection with a fixed object extending upwardly from said floor or ground level, said line or the like having at least a greater vertical dimension than said element interconnected therewith and extending substantially horizontally therefrom; and a shuttle moveable along one of said two adjoining sections of said line or the like past said means for partially supporting said line or the like and thence along the other of said two adjoining sections of said line or the like, said shuttle including a substantially tubular body element operationally substantially embracing said line or the like having a substantially cylindrical wall provided with a substantially straight longitudinal slot extending completely therethrough and therealong, the width of said longitudinal slot being smaller than the vertical dimension of said line or the like and greater than the vertical dimension of said element interconnected with said line or the like and extending substantially horizontally therefrom, said body element of said shuttle having end surfaces disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal centerline of said body element in operationally vertical converging planes, the shortest length of said substantially cylindrical wall of said body element so formed being the location of said longitudinal slot provided therein, said longitudinal slot provided in said substantially cylindrical wall of said body element operationally receiving therein said element interconnected with said line or the like and extending substantially horizontally therefrom when said shuttle passes the same, said shuttle further including operationally substantially downwardly depending means to which animate or inanimate objects may be secured externally connected thereto at about the longitudinal mid-point thereof and radially disposed at about an angle of 90* with respect to said longitudinal slot provided in said wall of said body element.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tip portion of each of said end surfaces of said tubular body element of said shuttle most remote from said longitudinal slot provided therein is bent away from said longitudinal slot.

Claim 4

Apparatus of the character described, comprising: a substantially horizontally disposed line or the like having a plurality of sections; means for partially supporting said line or the like a distance above floor or ground level situated adjacent the junction of two adjoining sections of said line or the like including at least one element interconnected with said line or the like and extending substantially horizontally therefrom for interconnection with a fixed object extending upwardly from said floor or ground level; and a shuttle moveable along one of said two adjoining sections of said line or the like past said means for partially supporting said line or the like and thence along the other of said two adjoining sections of said line or the like, said shuttle including a substantially tubular body element operationally substantially embracing said line or the like having a substantially cylindrical wall provided with a sinuous longitudinal slot extending completely therethrough and therealong, the width of said sinuous longitudinal slot being greater than the vertical dimension of said element interconnected with said line or the like and extending substantially horizontally therefrom, said body element of said shuTtle having end surfaces disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal centerline of said body element in operationally substantially vertical converging planes, the shortest length of said substantially cylindrical wall of said body element so formed being the location of said sinuous longitudinal slot provided therein, said sinuous longitudinal slot provided in said substantially cylindrical wall of said body element operationally receiving therein said element interconnected with said line or the like and extending substantially horizontally therefrom when said shuttle passes the same, said shuttle further including operationally substantially downwardly depending means to which animate or inanimate objects may be secured externally connected to said body element at about the longitudinal mid-point thereof and radially disposed at about an angle of 90* with respect to said sinuous longitudinal slot provided in said substantially cylindrical wall of said body element.

Claim 5

Apparatus of the character described, comprising: a substantially horizontally disposed line or the like having a plurality of sections; means for partially supporting said line or the like a distance above floor or ground level situated adjacent the junction of two adjoining sections of said line or the like including at least one element interconnected with said line or the like and extending substantially horizontally therefrom for interconnection with a fixed object extending upwardly from said floor or ground level; and a shuttle moveable along one of said two adjoining sections of said line or the like past said means for partially supporting said line or the like and thence along the other of said two adjoining sections of said line or the like, said shuttle including a substantially tubular body element operationally substantially embracing said line or the like having a substantially cylindrical wall provided with a sinuous longitudinal slot extending completely therethrough and therealong, the width of said sinuous longitudinal slot being greater than the vertical dimension of said element interconnected with said line or the like and extending substantially horizontally therefrom, said body element of said shuTtle having end surfaces disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal centerline of said body element in operationally substantially vertical converging planes, the shortest length of said substantially cylindrical wall of said body element so formed being the location of said sinuous longitudinal slot provided therein, said sinuous longitudinal slot provided in said substantially cylindrical wall of said body element operationally receiving therein said element interconnected with said line or the like and extending substantially horizontally therefrom when said shuttle passes the same, said shuttle further including operationally substantially downwardly depending means to which animate or inanimate objects may be secured externally connected to said body element at about the longitudinal mid-point thereof and radially disposed at about an angle of 90* with respect to said sinuous longitudinal slot provided in said substantially cylindrical wall of said body element.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the tip portion of each of said end surfaces of said tubular body element of said shuttle most remote from said sinuous longitudinal slot provided therein is bent away from said sinuous longitudinal slot.

Claim 7

Apparatus of the character described, comprising: a substantially horizontally disposed line or the like having a plurality of sections; means for partially supporting said line or the like a distance above floor or ground level situated adjacent the junction of two adjoining sections of said line or the like including at least one element interconnected with said line or the like and extending substantially horizontally therefrom for interconnection with a fixed object extending upwardly from said floor or ground level; and a shuttle moveable along one of said two adjoining sections of said line or the like past said means for partially supporting said line or the like and thence along the other of said two adjoining sections of said line or the like, said shuttle including an operationally substantially vertically disposed plate element having an upper area provided with a substantially planar front surface operationally disposed closely adjacent the side of a length of said line or the like opposite the side thereof from which said element interconnected with said line or the like substantially horizontally extends, a pair of laterally spaced upper rollers rotatably connected to said front surface of said upper area of said plate element operationally positioned upon said length of said line or the like and adapted to roll thereupon as said shuttle moves along said line or the like, a pair of laterally spaced lower rollers rotatably connected to said front surface of said upper area of said plate element operationally positioned beneath said length of said line or the like, and a rowel rotatably mounted on a member projecting forwardly from said front surface of said upper area of said plate element between said pair of upper rollers somewhat above the lower extremities thereof a distance slightly greater than the distance between said front surface of said upper area of said plate element and the front surfaces of said rollers, said rowel having a substantially circular planar central section positioned above the lower extremities of said pair of upper rollers and having a plurality of radially spaced spokes projecting outwardly from said central section thereof sufficient in length to extend between said pair of upper rollers and said pair of lower rollers to thereby partially embrace said length of said line or the like, said rowel rotating to permit said shuttle to pass said element interconnected with said line or the like and extending substantially horizontally outwardly therefrom, said plate element further including a lower area defining operationally substantially downwardly depending means to which animate or inanimate objects may be secured.

Claim 8

Apparatus of the character described, comprising: a substantially horizontally disposed line or the like having a plurality of sections; means for partially supporting said line or the like a distance above floor or ground level situated adjacent the junction of two adjoining sections of said line or the like including at least one element interconnected with said line or the like and extending substantially horizontally therefrom for interconnection with a fixed object extending upwardly from said floor or ground level; and a shuttle moveable along one of said two adjoining sections of said line or the like past said means for partially supporting said line or the like and thence along the other of said two adjoining sections of said line or the like, said shuttle including an operationally substantially vertically disposed plate element having an upper area provided with a substantially planar front surface operationally disposed closely adjacent the side of a length of said line or the like opposite the side thereof from which said element interconnected with said line or the like substantially horizontally extends, a pair of laterally spaced upper rollers rotatably connected to said front surface of said upper area of said plate element operationally positioned upon said length of said line or the like and adapted to roll thereupon as said shuttle moves along said line or the like, a pair of laterally spaced lower rollers rotatably connected to said front surface of said upper area of said plate element operationally positioned beneath said length of said line or the like, and a rowel rotatably mounted on a member projecting forwardly from said front surface of said upper area of said plate element between said pair of upper rollers somewhat above the lower extremities thereof a distance slightly greater than the distance between said front surface of said upper area of said plate element and the front surfaces of said rollers, said rowel having a substantially circular planar central section positioned above the lower extremities of said pair of upper rollers and having a plurality of radially spaced spokes projecting outwardly from said central section thereof sufficient in length to extend between said pair of upper rollers and said pair of lower rollers to thereby partially embrace said length of said line or the like, said rowel rotating to permit said shuttle to pass said element interconnected with said line or the like and extending substantially horizontally outwardly therefrom, said plate element further including a lower area defining operationally substantially downwardly depending means to which animate or inanimate objects may be secured.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said uppeR area of said plate element is provided with an ear portion extending along each of the side edges thereof, an upper length of each of said ear portions being beveled from the inner edge thereof situated on the front surface of said upper area of said plate element towards the outer edge thereof situated on the rear surface of said upper area of said plate element.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a weight is suspended from a lower length of each of said ear portions of said upper area of said plate element, and wherein said lower area of said plate element is bent somewhat forwardly at about the operationally vertical mid-point of a bore formed therethrough.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said spokes of said rowel are beveled along the side edges thereof adjacent the front and the rear surfaces thereof, and wherein the tips of said spokes of said rowel are bent somewhat forwardly.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said upper area of said plate element is provided with an ear portion extending along each of the side edges thereof, an upper length of each of said ear portions being beveled from the inner edge thereof situated on the front surface of said upper area of said plate element towards the outer edge thereof situated on the rear surface of said upper area of said plate element, wherein a weight is suspended from a lower length of each of said ear portions of said upper area of said plate element, and wherein said lower area of said plate element is bent somewhat forwardly at about the operationally vertical mid-point of a bore formed therethrough.