I corresponded privately with Steve on this matter. He is a true gentleman.
A patent provides the holder thereof the right to exclude others from making, using, selling, offering for sale, or importing the patented invention for the term of the patent, usually 20 years from the filing date. It is a limited property right which the government offers to inventors in exchange for their agreement to share the details of their inventions with the public. Like any other property right, it may be sold, licensed, mortgaged, assigned or transferred, given away, or simply abandoned.
Now . . . . If the party claiming to hold exclusive patent rights for the type of takedown device in question is going to have his or her attorney take action seeking to protect those claimed rights, it would seem not unreasonable to expect him or her now to step forward and share its details with the public by either bringing the item to market or by selling, licensing, or otherwise transferring the rights to someone who can and will do so.