Trophy mount

Abstract

A trophy mount for displaying the skull and horn or antler of game animals comprising; a base with one or more holes in the base for attaching the base to a vertical surface, a wing that attaches to the base by means of an upper and lower hinge socket on the base that are able to receive an upper and lower wing joint from the wing with the sockets and joints sized to allow the wing to pivot with respect to the base which is secured to the vertical surface, a bracket that has one or more adjustment holes and a pivot hole, means for securing the bracket to the wing such that the bracket can be positioned at various angles with respect to the base, a center prong on the bracket that is sized to fit within a foramen magnum of a vertebrate game animal, and a right and left side arm that are spaced, sized and positioned below and slightly in front of the center prong such that the right and left side arms fit into the condyloid fossa of a game animal's skull.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

a FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an assembly 50 of the base 20, wing 26, and small bracket 31.

The bracket also has a center prong 34 that projects upward from the bracket. The center prong is part of the three arm system for securing the skull to the bracket and thus the wall through the wing. The center prong 34 is sized such that the skull is able to sit on the bracket by placing the center prong through a nature hole in the skull known as the Foramen magnum. The skull is comprised of several bones that fuse together to form a protective shell for the brain. The Foramen magnum is a natural hole that runs through the occipital bone of the skull. The Foramen magnum is the animal's the natural conduit for the nerves and arteries from the brain to the rest of the animal's body. Typically in vertebrate animals, the skull sits upon the top vertebrate and the brain is connected to various parts of the body by nerves that run from the brain impulses through the body by means of the vertebrate that run down the animal's body. The skull is configured such that the Foramen magnum is lined up axially in the center of the skull and positioned at the anterior of the skull or the bottom of the skull when the animal is upright.

Another natural feature of skulls belonging to vertebrate animals is two natural crevices that sit on the left and right side of the Foramen magnum. These natural crevices are formed around a bony ridge called the occipital condyles. The natural crevices are part of the articulation between the upper vertebrate and the skull. The upper vertebrate has lateral masses that pivot in the natural crevices of the skull when the animal is lifting and rotating its head.

The small bracket has a right side arm 35 and a left side arm 36 that are spaced apart and set lower than the center prong and this placement of the arms allows the arms to sit within the natural crevice formed by the occipital condyles. This natural depression, the condyloid fossa, receives the posterior margin of the superior facet of the upper vertebrate when the head or skull is bent backward. Thus the right and left side arms are set below the center prong and when the skull's Foramen magnum is placed over the center prong the skull is lowered such that the right and left side arms rest in theses natural depressions.

When the skull is placed over the center prong, the center prong enters the skull cavity and the interior of the supraoccipital rests upon the top of the center prong. The right and left side arms secure the skull from moving or swaying once the skull is placed upon the bracket. The skull can be placed on the bracket and secured without the need to use the typical means for securing a skull to a mounting device such as screws, glue, staples or other means that can damage the skull or lesson the value of the trophy.

One embodiment of the present invention which is not depicted includes a means to adjust the space between the right and left side arms of the bracket. By having a means to adjust the space between the right and left side arms, the size and shape of the animal's skull can be fitted more securely onto the bracket. Another embodiment not shown is an adjustable center prong that can be extended or retracted depending on the size of the animal. Thus the center prong and right and left side arms of the bracket can securely attach the skull to the wing and base without the need to damage or drill into the skull.

Claims

1. A trophy mount, comprising:

a base;

a wing pivotally mounted to the base; and

a bracket to receive and display a wildlife skull, the bracket being adjustably mounted to the wing, the bracket including a first prong extending upward a first distance, a second prong adjacent the first prong and extending upward a second distance that is less than the first distance, and a third prong extending a third distance that is less than the first distance, wherein the first prong is shaped to complement a first portion of the wildlife skull, the second prong is shaped to complement a second portion of the wildlife skull, the third prong is shaped to complement a third portion of the wildlife skull, and wherein the second and third prongs are aligned along a plane that is offset from and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first prong.

2. The trophy mount of claim 1, wherein the first prong is shaped to fit into the first portion of the wildlife skull.

3. The trophy mount of claim 1, wherein the second prong is shaped to fit into the second portion of the wildlife skull.

4. The trophy mount of claim 2, wherein the first and second prongs are separated from each other by a space so that when inserted into the first and second portions of the wildlife skull, respectively, the first and second prongs securely retain the wildlife skull.

5. The trophy mount of claim 4, further comprising means to adjust the space between the first and second prongs.

6. The trophy mount of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the wildlife skull is a foramen magnum, the second portion of the wildlife skull is a condyloid fossa, and the first and second prongs are spaced apart so that they simultaneously fit into the foramen magnum and the condyloid fossa, respectively.

7. The trophy mount of claim 1, wherein the second and third prongs flank the first prong.

8. The trophy mount of claim 7, wherein the third prong is shaped to fit into another condyloid fossa of the wildlife skull.

9. The trophy mount of claim 1, wherein the wing includes a plurality of spaced apart holes, so that the bracket is selectively adjustable among a plurality of positions.

10. The trophy mount of claim 9, further comprising a pivot hole equally spaced from each of the plurality of spaced apart holes.

11. The trophy mount of claim 1, further comprising means to adjust the first distance of the first prong.

12. The trophy mount of claim 1, further comprising a locking device for locking the wing into place with respect to the base.

13. A bracket for receiving and displaying a wildlife skull, comprising:

a first center prong having a first end and a second end, the first end configured to couple to a corresponding wing of a trophy mount, the second end extending upward a first distance in a first direction and being shaped to fit into a foramen magnum of a wildlife skull;

a second prong adjacent the first center prong and having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the first center prong, the second end extending upward in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction and extending a second distance that is less than the first distance, the second prong being spaced from the first center prong to fit into a condyloid fossa of the wildlife skull while the first center prong is inserted into the foramen magnum;

a third prong adjacent the first center prong, opposite the second prong, and having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the first center prong, the second end extending upward in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction and extending a third distance that is less than the first distance, the third prong being spaced from the first center prong to fit into another condyloid fossa of the wildlife skull while the first center prong is inserted into the foramen magnum; and

a first plurality of spaced apart holes, each equally spaced from a first pivot hole, wherein the first plurality of spaced apart holes and the first pivot hole match a second plurality of holes and a second pivot hole, respectively, of a corresponding wing.

14. The bracket of claim 13, wherein the first and second prongs and the first and third prongs are separated from each other by space so that when inserted into the foramen magnum and condyloid fossa of the wildlife skull, respectively, the first and second prongs securely retain the wildlife skull.

15. The bracket of claim 14, further comprising means to adjust the space between the first and second prongs and/or the first and third prongs.

16. The bracket of claim 13, further comprising means to adjust a length of the first prong.

17. The bracket of claim 13, wherein the second and third distances are substantially the same.

18. The bracket of claim 13, wherein the second and third prongs are individual extensions of an integral, unitary element.

19. The bracket of claim 13, wherein the first, second and third prongs comprise an integral, unitary element.

20. A trophy mount, comprising:

a base;

a bracket to receive and display a wildlife skull, the bracket coupled to the base, the bracket including

a first center prong having a first end and a second end, the first end configured as a mount or to couple to a corresponding portion of a mount, the second end extending upward a first distance in a first direction and being shaped to fit into a foramen magnum of a wildlife skull;

a second prong adjacent the first center prong and having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the first center prong, the second end extending upward in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction and extending a second distance that is less than the first distance, the second prong being spaced from the first center prong to fit into a condyloid fossa of the wildlife skull while the first center prong is inserted into the foramen magnum;

a third prong adjacent the first center prong, opposite the second prong, and having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the first center prong, the second end extending upward in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction and extending a third distance that is less than the first distance, the third prong being spaced from the first center prong to fit into another condyloid fossa of the wildlife skull while the first center prong is inserted into the foramen magnum; and

a wing pivotally mounted to the base to couple the bracket to the base.

21. The trophy mount of claim 20, wherein the bracket is adjustably mounted to the wing.

22. A method of mounting a wildlife skull, comprising:

hanging a wildlife skull, having a foramen magnum, a first condyloid fossa, and a second condyloid fossa onto a trophy mount, the trophy mount comprising:

a bracket to receive and display the wildlife skull, the bracket including,

a first central prong having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis, wherein the first central prong is a single solid element extending linearly upward from the first end at a first distance and is shaped to fit into the foramen magnum of the wildlife skull;

a second prong adjacent to the first prong and extending upward a second distance that is less than the first distance, wherein the second prong is shaped to fit into the first condyloid fossa of the wildlife skull; and

a third prong adjacent to the first prong and extending a third distance that is less than the first distance, wherein the third prong is shaped to fit into the second condyloid fossa of the wildlife skull,

wherein the second and third prongs are laterally spaced apart from and flanking opposite sides of the first central prong and are aligned along a plane offset from and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first central prong, and

wherein hanging the wildlife skull onto the trophy mount comprises inserting the first prong into the foramen magnum, fitting the second prong into the first condyloid fossa, and fitting the third prong into the second condyloid fossa, thereby mounting the wildlife skull.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first, second, and third prongs are separated from each other by space so that when inserted into the foramen magnum, the first condyloid fossa, and the second condyloid fossa of the wildlife skull, respectively, the wildlife skull is securely retained.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the trophy mount further comprises a wing.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the second and third prongs are individual extensions of an integral, unitary element.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the first, second and third prongs comprise an integral, unitary element.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the first end is configured as a mount or to couple to a corresponding portion of a mount, the second end extending upward a first distance in a first direction and being shaped to fit into the foramen magnum of a wildlife skull;

the second prong adjacent the center prong and having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the center prong, the second end extending upward in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction and extending a second distance that is less than the first distance, the second prong being spaced from the center prong to fit into the first condyloid fossa of the wildlife skull while the center prong is inserted into the foramen magnum;

the third prong adjacent the center prong, opposite the second prong, and having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the center prong, the second end extending upward in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction and extending a third distance that is less than the first distance, the third prong being spaced from the center prong to fit into the second condyloid fossa of the wildlife skull while the center prong is inserted into the foramen magnum.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the bracket is mounted to the wing.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the trophy mount further comprises a base.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the second and third prongs are coupled to the first prong at the first end, wherein the bracket further comprises an extension that extends opposite the direction of the first prong.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein the trophy mount further comprises a wing, wherein the bracket is coupled to the wing, and a base, wherein the wing is further coupled to the base.