Lobster abstract
A collapsible lobster or crab trap is described that has a pyramidal
shape with a triangular base and three triangular sides. The sides
and the base are covered with a mesh material. At least one of the
sides has an entrance leading to a truncated cone shaped net that
acts as a passageway to further entrap the catch. The trap has a
lifting means in at least one of the sides to assist the diver to
remove the catch and rebait the trap by hinging one side of the
trap open. There is a net support means to keep the net in an open
configuration to provide an easy entry for the catch to enter the
trap. The sides are hinged to the base and one of the sides has
spring clips near its apex. The hinges and the spring clips allow
the trap to be easily placed and secured in its operable pyramidal
shape and in its stored collapsed state.
Lobster claims
I claim:
1. A collapsible trap comprising:
a. a base frame member having a three-sided, rod-like frame;
b. three side frame members having a three-sided, rod-like frame;
c. each one of the three side frame members hingedly attached to
a respective side of the base frame member so that all three sides
of the base frame member hingedly support a side frame member;
d. a mesh material connecting the sides of the base frame member
and connecting the side frame members individually and covering
the inner area enclosed by the sides of each of the base frame and
side frame members;
e. at least one entrance port in the mesh of at least one of the
side frame members;
f. an interior net having a truncated cone shape and attached to
the circumference of the entrance port and the interior net having
a larger opening at the end attached to the entrance port than at
a distal end, and the interior net having a means to support the
net while inside the trap;
g. a securing means to releasingly secure apexes of the side frame
members in a closely engaged position in order to maintain a pyramidal
enclosure and to maintain the side frame members and the base frame
member in a storage configuration; and
h. a gripping means in the mesh of one of the side frame members
to lift the base and side frame members and to hinge one of the
side frame members away from the other side frame members, while
in the pyramidal configuration, to gain access to the pyramidal
enclosure formed by the base frame member and the side frame members.
2. A collapsible trap as described in claim 1 further comprising:
a. a plurality of first hinges attached to a first side frame member
having a length L1 to allow the first side frame member to hingedly
lie upon the base frame member;
b. a plurality of second hinges attached to a second side frame
member having a length L2 where L2 is longer than L1 to allow the
second side frame member to hingedly lie on top of the first side
frame member and the base frame member; and
c. a plurality of third hinges attached to third side frame member
having a length L3 where L3 is longer than L2 to allow the third
side frame member to hingedly lie upon the second side frame member,
the first side frame member and the base frame member.
3. A collapsible trap comprising:
a. a base frame member having a three-sided, rod-like frame;
b. three side frame members having a three-sided, rod-like frame;
c. each one of the three side frame members hingedly attached to
a respective side of the base frame member so that all three sides
of the base frame member hingedly support a side frame member;
d. a plurality of first hinges attached to a first side frame member,
of the three side frame members, having a length L1 to allow the
first side frame member to hingedly lie upon the base frame member;
e. a plurality of second hinges attached to a second side frame
member, of the three side frame members, having a length L2 where
L2 is longer than L1 to allow the second side frame member to hingedly
lie on top of the first side frame member and the base frame member;
f. a plurality of third hinges attached to third side frame member,
of the three side frame members, having a length L3 where L3 is
longer than L2 to allow the third side frame member to hingedly
lie upon the second side frame member, the first side frame member
and the base frame member;
g. a mesh material connecting the sides of the base frame member
and connecting the side frame members individually and covering
the inner area enclosed by the sides of each of the base frame and
side frame members;
h. at least one entrance port in the mesh of at least one of the
side frame members;
i. an interior net having a truncated cone shape and attached to
the circumference of the entrance port and the interior net having
a larger opening at the end attached to the entrance port than at
a distal end, and the interior net having a means to support the
net while inside the trap;
j. a securing means to releasingly secure apexes of the side frame
members in a closely engaged position in order to maintain a pyramidal
enclosure and to maintain the side frame members and the base frame
member in a storage configuration; and
k. a gripping means in the mesh of one of the side frame members
to lift the base and side frame members and to hinge one of the
side frame members away from the other side frame members, while
in the pyramidal configuration, to gain access to the pyramidal
enclosure formed by the base frame member and the side frame members.
Lobster descriptionBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an underwater, pyramidal, lobster or crab
trap that is collapsible, light in weight and easily assembled into
its operative shape to catch lobsters or crabs. The trap has a triangular
base panel and three triangular side panels hingedly attached to
their respective sides of the base panel. The side panels meet at
their apexes to form the trap. There are truncated cone shaped net
sleeves that serve as entrances to further entrap the catch.
2. Description of the Related Art
The older, more traditional traps were made of wood and became
heavy and hard to handle after being in the water over a period
of time. Rocks were often thrown into the box to act as ballast.
Bait was placed in the box to encourage the catch the enter the
box. Divers were often required to dive to the traps to retrieve
the catch and rebait the box. The catch was often difficult to remove
from the box and many times caused the diver emotional trauma or
physical injury. The traps were not collapsible and were not easily
stored on the deck or in the bow of a boat.
The size of the trap did not allow a commercial trapper to carry
many traps aboard the boat. Since the number of traps placed is
often directly proportional to the quantity of the catch, increasing
the number of traps carried and set is a much sought after goal.
The wooden traps were also subject to extensive damage by sudden
storms and tidal shifts and often were covered by underwater vermin
such as barnacles.
Collapsible traps were introduced but often had complicated mechanisms
to keep the sections together and to provide a lobster or crab ingress
to the trap and to provide access to the catch by the trapper. The
complicated mechanisms were often made inoperable by corrosion or
damage.
One of the most troublesome problems encountered in some areas
is that the rectangular configuration of the older design traps
made it difficult to extract them from those areas containing kelp
or seaweed. Those old, heavy and cumbersome traps often get tangled
in these aquatic plants and getting those traps to and from the
surface is very difficult.
U.S. Pat. No. 1728645 to F. P. Ward, et al. on Sept. 17 1929
shows a rectangular base and sides, with a roof. It is a metal mesh
lobster trap having a plurality of swinging metal doors to allow
undersize lobsters to escape. The trap has a hinged entrance door
and a plurality of securing mechanisms to hold the device together.
U.S. Pat. No. 1785348 to J. Holobek on Dec. 16 1930 describes
a wire mesh cage having a rectangular base and sides and two triangular
ends. The sides are spring-loaded to be biased away from the base
to which they hinge. The ends are rigidly held in an upright position
and have a crossbar to which the tops of the side are secured. A
latch mechanism holds the two sides together to form the assembled
trap.
U.S. Pat. No. 3245173 to S. F. Sylvester on Apr. 12 1966 shows
a one-piece plastic lobster pot having a plurality of holes therein.
The pot has a rectangular base and an arcuate roof. The trap is
formed and held in shape by a plurality of hooks and a long pin
inserted through a plurality of knuckles. A preformed converging
entrance is provided. The arcuate roof is two-part and is bent open
at the parting place to provide access to the catch.
U.S. Pat. No. 3834064 to R. T. Lane on Sept. 10 1974 describes
a collapsible shell fish trap with a rectangular base and sides
having resilient finger latch or trigger which provides a disengaging
means to quickly collapse the sides of the trap. One of the sides
has a inwardly hinged trap door with a float attached to provide
an entrance to the trap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4258496 to A. J. Leone on Mar. 31 1981 shows a
one-piece, molded, plastic, lobster trap with a converging guide
path having a trap door. The trap door leads to two converging nets
to further entrap the lobster. There are a plurality of access doors
with slide keepers to maintain them in a closed position. The base
is rectangular and there are rectangular side and an arcuate roof.
The base, sides and the roof have a plurality of holes therein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an underwater trap to catch lobster and
crab that permits the user to easily remove the catch from the trap.
The trap has four triangular shaped sections, which when assembled
into its operative shape, form a pyramid. Each of the sides and
the base are constructed differently from the others. The trap sits
neatly on the ocean floor and does not have the tendency to tip
as many of the others do. The trap may be constructed of light weight,
high-strength materials such as urethane plastic or nylon. Other
materials may be utilized that also provide light weight, strength
and corrosion resistance.
The configuration of most of the previously used traps makes it
difficult to extract them from waters where there is kelp or seaweed.
The trap of the present invention solves this problem. With a retrieval
line attached to the apex of the trap, the pyramidal shape of the
present invention presents a pointed tip as it is pulled upward
through kelp or seaweed. The angular, sloping sides offer less chance
of snagging making extraction of the trap much easier.
The base section forms the bottom of the trap and has thicker,
more sturdy components from which to hinge and support the sides.
When the trap is in its pyramidal configuration, a loop of a retrieval
line may be attached to two of the sides near their apexes. The
retrieval line is used to lower and raise the trap to the desired
position on the ocean floor.
Two of the sides have an aperture through which the lobster may
enter the trap. Immediately inside of the trap and attached to the
perimeter of the entrance apertures is a truncated cone shaped net.
As the lobster enters the aperture and enters the net, the net funnels
the lobster toward the narrower end of the net. The lobster's main
interest at that point is trying to reach the bait placed in the
interior of the trap. Once in the trap and out of the net, the lobster
is unable to enter the narrow end of the net and negotiate the net
passage to the outside of the trap. This due to his desire not to
damage his antennas. The net is held in an extended position by
a taut line attached to another side by means of a hook. The line
allows the net to maintain its shape in order to allow easy ingress
of the lobster. Without the line, the net would have a tendency
to droop toward the bottom of the trap and make it difficult for
the lobster to enter the trap. The third side has an aperture that
is used for a hand hold grip which identifies that side to the diver
or other person that this is the side used to gain access to the
interior of the trap to remove the catch and rebait the trap.
One of the sides of the trap has spring clips or similar catches
affixed thereto to maintain the sides in a closed pyramidal structure.
The clips of the one side catch on the perimeter bars of the other
two sides. When the trap is folded into its storage configuration,
the clips provide means of securing and retaining the sides and
base in a flat stack. Handling of the traps is thereby facilitated
when loading and unloading the traps to and from the deck, bow or
hold of a fishing boat. The triangular storage configuration enables
storage in the bow of a boat where most smaller boat owners store
their traps. This allows more traps to be carried on the boat which
increases the chance for greater income. Traps of other shapes do
not enhance storage as the present trap does.
A collapsible trap is described herein that has a base frame member
with a three-sided, rod-like frame and three side frame members
also having a three-sided, rod-like frame. Each one of the three
side frame members is hingedly attached to a respective side of
the base frame member so that all three sides of the base frame
member hingedly support a side frame member. One of the hinges are
shown in FIG. 5. However other configurations could be used. A mesh
material connects the sides of the base frame member and connects
the side frame members individually and covers the inner area enclosed
by the sides of each of the base frame and side frame members. There
is at least one entrance port in the mesh of at least one of the
side frame members. An interior net has a truncated cone shape and
is attached to the circumference of the entrance port. The interior
net has a larger opening at the end attached to the entrance port
than at a distal end. The interior net has a means to support the
net while inside the trap. There is a securing means to releasingly
secure the apexes of the side frame members in a closely engaged
position, to maintain the base frame member and side frame members
in a pyramidal enclosure, and to maintain the side frame members
and the base frame member in a storage configuration. A gripping
means is placed in the mesh of one of the side frame members to
lift the base frame member and side frame members and to hinge one
of the side frame members away from the other side frame members,
while in the pyramidal configuration. The gripping means also provides
a means to gain access to the pyramidal enclosure formed by the
base frame member and the side frame members by making it easier
to hinge one of the side frame members away from the other side
frame members.
There are a plurality of first hinges attached to a first side
frame member that have a length L1 to allow the first side frame
member to hingedly lie upon the base frame member. A plurality of
second hinges are attached to a second side frame member that have
a length L2 where L2 is longer than L1 to allow the second side
frame member to hingedly lie on top of the first side frame member
and the base frame member. There are a plurality of third hinges
attached to third side frame member that have a length L3 where
L3 is longer than L2 to allow the third side frame member to hingedly
lie upon the second side frame member, the first side frame member
and the base frame member.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a collapsible
lobster or crab trap that is compact and convenient to store in
its collapsed state and simple to assemble into an operable pyramidal
shape.
It is another object of this invention to provide a trap that will
retain the catch in an unharmed condition.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a trap that
will pass through kelp and seaweed without becoming entangled.
It is another object of this invention to provide a trap that allows
a diver to remove the catch and rebait the trap easily without disturbing
the location of the trap.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a trap that
has a weighted bottom that assures the proper orientation of the
trap when it is lowered from a boat.
It is another object of this invention to provide a trap having
hinges of three different lengths to permit the base and the sides
to stack flatly when transferred and stored.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the collapsible lobster or crab
trap showing all the sides hinged out from the base and lying parallel
to the base. The truncated cone entrance net is shown expanded to
display its shape. Also shown are the three differing lengths of
hinges.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the trap showing the sides in a partially
closed position and approaching the closed pyramidal shape.
FIG. 3 is a front view of the trap in the folded, storage configuration.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial view showing one of the spring tension
clips used to maintain the trap in a closed operating position and
in the storage position.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial view of one of the hinge means used
to pivot the sides on the base.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5 a collapsible lobster and crab
trap 10 is shown. A collapsible trap 10 has a base frame member
11 that has a three-sided, rod-like frame 12. The three side frame
members 29 31 and 33 have a three-sided, rod-like frame 14. Each
one of the sides of the three-sided rod-like frame 14 of the side
frame members is hingedly attached to a respective side of the three-sided
rod-like frame 12 of the base frame member 11 so that all three
sides of the base frame member 11 hingedly support a side frame
member. The hinge 28 is shown in FIG. 5.
There is a mesh material 15 connecting the sides 12 of the base
frame member 11 and connecting the sides 14 of the side frame members
individually and covering the inner area enclosed by the sides of
each of the base frame and side frame members. There is at least
one entrance port 16 in the mesh 15 of at least one of the side
frame members.
An interior net 17 has a truncated cone shape and is attached to
the circumference of the entrance port 16. The interior net 17 has
a larger opening at the end 18 attached to the entrance port 16
than at a smaller distal end 19. The interior net 17 has a means
to support the net 20 while the net 17 is inside the enclosure of
the trap 10. The support means 20 can be a length of cord or wire
21 with one end 22 attached to the net. The distal end 23 of the
line 21 has a hook 24 or other similar means attached that hooks
into a portion of the mesh 15 of one of the other side frame members.
There is a securing means 25 to releasingly secure the apexes 26
of the side frame members in a closely engaged position in order
to maintain a pyramidal enclosure (shown partially formed in FIG.
2). The securing means 25 also maintains the side frame members
and the base frame member 11 in a storage configuration as shown
in FIG. 3. The securing means 25 shown in FIGS. 1 2 3 and 4
is a spring clip or other similar device that releasingly secures
side frame member 33 to the other two side frame members 29 and
31.
There is a gripping means 27 in the mesh 15 of side frame members
33 to lift the base and side frame members. The gripping means 27
is also used to hinge side frame members 33 away from the other
side frame members, while in the pyramidal configuration, to gain
access to the pyramidal enclosure formed by the base frame member
11 and the side frame members.
There are a plurality of first hinges 28 attached to a first side
frame member 29 that have a length L1 to allow the first side frame
member 29 to hingedly lie upon the base frame member 11. A plurality
of second hinges 30 are attached to a second side frame member 31
that have a length L2 where L2 is longer than L1 to allow the second
side frame member 31 to hingedly lie on top of the first side frame
member 29 and the base frame member 11. There are a plurality of
third hinges 32 attached to third side frame member 33 that have
a length L3 where L3 is longer than L2 to allow the third side
frame member 33 to hingedly lie upon the second side frame member
31 the first side frame member 29 and the base frame member 11
as shown in FIG. 3. This also allows the apexes 26 of the side frame
members to be more easily aligned when placing the trap into its
operable pyramidal form.
The foregoing descriptions and drawings of the invention are explanatory
and illustrative only, and various changes in shape, sizes and arrangements
of parts as well certain details of the illustrated construction
may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing
from the true spirit of the invention. |