Search

US-12616177-B2 - On demand-delayed buoy release

US12616177B2US 12616177 B2US12616177 B2US 12616177B2US-12616177-B2

Abstract

An apparatus and technique for underwater storage and deployment of a fishing line and buoy includes a mesh cylinder coupled to a fishing apparatus. A buoy is attached to a buoy line coupled to the fishing apparatus and the buoy line and buoy are stowed within the mesh cylinder in a first position. A drawstring holds a top perimeter of the mesh cylinder closed until intentionally released. Upon release of the drawstring, the buoy and buoy line escape the mesh cylinder. The buoy then pulls the buoy line to the surface where the fishing apparatus can be recovered by the fisher.

Inventors

  • Russ Mullins

Assignees

  • Russ Mullins

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20240801

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A buoy retention and release device for a fishing apparatus, comprising: a mesh cylinder having a top perimeter and a bottom perimeter, the top perimeter being puckered closed in a first position and being open in a second position; a coupling support coupled to the mesh cylinder at the bottom perimeter, the coupling support configured to couple the mesh cylinder to the fishing apparatus; a drawstring threaded through the mesh cylinder at the top perimeter, the drawstring being taut in the first position and being slack in the second position, the drawstring holding the top perimeter puckered closed in the first position and releasing the top perimeter to open in the second position; a buoy line having a proximate end and a distal end, the buoy line being stowed within the mesh cylinder in the first position and being free to extend in the second position; a buoy attached to the distal end of the buoy line, the buoy being stowed within the mesh cylinder in the first position and being released from the mesh cylinder in the second position; and a trigger mechanism coupled to the drawstring, the trigger mechanism configured to hold the drawstring in the first position until triggered and to activate the second position when triggered.
  2. 2 . The buoy retention and release device of claim 1 , wherein the coupling support comprises a hoop threaded through the mesh cylinder at the bottom perimeter.
  3. 3 . The buoy retention and release device of claim 1 , wherein the fishing apparatus comprises a fish trap or a shellfish trap.
  4. 4 . The buoy retention and release device of claim 1 , wherein the fishing apparatus comprises a line retention container configured to hold the mesh cylinder and the coupling support in the first position and the second position, and to hold the buoy line and the buoy in the first position.
  5. 5 . The buoy retention and release device of claim 4 , wherein the line retention container comprises a wire mesh basket.
  6. 6 . The buoy retention and release device of claim 4 , wherein the line retention container includes a plurality of coupling points for height adjustment of the coupling support within the line retention container and wherein the coupling support is coupled to the line retention container via one or more of the plurality of coupling points, based on a desired height of the coupling support within the line retention container.
  7. 7 . A retention device, comprising: a mesh cylinder having a top perimeter and a bottom perimeter, the top perimeter being puckered closed in a first position and being open in a second position; a drawstring threaded through the mesh cylinder at the top perimeter, the drawstring being taut in the first position and being slack in the second position, the drawstring holding the top perimeter puckered closed in the first position and releasing the top perimeter to open in the second position; a buoy line having a proximate end and a distal end, the buoy line being stowed within the mesh cylinder in the first position and being free to extend in the second position; a buoy attached to the distal end of the buoy line, the buoy being stowed within the mesh cylinder in the first position and being released from the mesh cylinder in the second position; and a trigger mechanism coupled to the drawstring, the trigger mechanism configured to hold the drawstring in the first position until triggered and to activate the second position when triggered.
  8. 8 . The retention device of claim 7 , further comprising a hoop threaded through the mesh cylinder at the bottom perimeter.
  9. 9 . The retention device of claim 7 , wherein the buoy line is coiled within the mesh cylinder and the buoy is nested on the coiled buoy line in the first position.
  10. 10 . The retention device of claim 7 , wherein the trigger mechanism comprises a galvanic link configured to corrode in seawater or a mechanical release device.
  11. 11 . The retention device of claim 7 , wherein the trigger mechanism comprises an electronic and/or acoustic remote release device.
  12. 12 . A method, comprising: providing a mesh cylinder having a top perimeter and a bottom perimeter; coupling the bottom perimeter of the mesh cylinder to a fishing apparatus; stowing a buoy line having a proximate end and a distal end within the mesh cylinder; coupling a buoy to the distal end of the buoy line, and stowing the buoy within the mesh cylinder; threading a drawstring through the top perimeter of the mesh cylinder, and pulling the drawstring taut to close the top perimeter over the buoy line and the buoy; and coupling a trigger mechanism to the drawstring to hold the drawstring taut until intentionally released.
  13. 13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising attaching a coupling support to the bottom perimeter of the mesh cylinder and coupling the coupling support to the fishing apparatus.
  14. 14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the coupling support comprises a hoop, and further comprising threading the hoop through the bottom perimeter of the mesh cylinder.
  15. 15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the fishing apparatus comprises a fish trap or a shellfish trap.
  16. 16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the fishing apparatus comprises a line retention container configured to hold the mesh cylinder, the buoy line, and the buoy.
  17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising coupling the bottom perimeter of the mesh cylinder to the line retention container at one of a plurality of coupling points within the line retention container to determine a height of the bottom perimeter of the mesh cylinder within the line retention container.
  18. 18 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising coiling the buoy line within the mesh cylinder and nesting the buoy on the coiled buoy line.
  19. 19 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising coupling the fishing apparatus to one or more fish traps or shellfish traps.
  20. 20 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising: activating the trigger mechanism to intentionally release the drawstring, thereby causing the drawstring to slacken; allowing the top perimeter of the mesh cylinder to open in response to the slackening of the drawstring; and allowing the buoy and the buoy line to escape from the mesh cylinder in response to the opening of the top perimeter of the mesh cylinder.

Description

BACKGROUND This disclosure relates to devices for underwater storage and deployment of buoys and lines and particularly to devices for the underwater deployment of buoys and lines for use with crab, lobster and other shellfish and fish traps. The disclosure eliminates traditional vertical buoy lines in the water column in order to eliminate risk of whale and other sea life entanglement and mortality. Fish and shellfish traps and the like lie on the ocean floor and their recovery is effected by means of a vertical line connected to a surface float or buoy. Often the buoy line is required to pull loads exceeding 5000 lbs. because shellfish gear can become buried in sand or hung up on other obstacles that require extreme force in order to dislodge and recover the trap. The surface float is almost essential for the location and recovery of the trap. However, the existence of vertical buoy lines in the water column and the associated exposed surface buoys has led to widespread large whale and sea turtle entanglement issues that have unacceptably high mortality rates. The widespread use of vertical buoy lines and the associated harm to protected species has led to the premature closure of multi-million-dollar fish and shellfish fisheries. To address this problem several devices have been invented that allow a buoy attached to a fish trap to be released after some time interval, or by radio or sonar control. Some examples of these devices are found in the following U.S. Patents. U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,472 to Richard teaches an alloy link that is designed to corrode in salt water over a certain time period. The buoy is suspended just above the trap with the link restraining the buoy to keep it near the trap. Once the link corrodes through, the buoy is free to rise to the surface where it can be recovered. Different alloys produce different break times so any delay up to 14 days can be selected. U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,120 to Richard teaches an improved device for releasing buoys that uses an anode and cathode. The cathode can be reused, while the anode is destroyed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,415 to Blockburger teaches an underwater release mechanism for a shackle including a shaft releasably journaled in a casing and held in position by a frangible link to be spring biased to release a shackle hook upon remote actuation by a radio signal, causing the link to fracture whereby the shackle is released, and the release mechanism floats to the surface. A rope canister can be attached to the casing with one end of the rope tied to the shackle whereby after release the canister end of the rope is tied to the float to mark the spot of the shackle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,379 to Jankiewicz teaches a marker buoy attached to an object such as a lobster or crab trap by a latch and released by a trigger struck by a falling weight. A sealed buoy compartment contains a first permanent magnet holding the weight in upper position by a supportive pole relationship to the poles of a second permanent magnet on the weight and releasing the weight when the first magnet is pivoted to a relative position of poles not sufficiently supportive of the weight. The first magnet is pivoted by an electric motor controlled by an electric clock (or an optional radio signal). Setting of the clock and other operations are accomplished without disturbing compartment seals by an external hand-held magnet operating on internal magnetic reed switches. A line tethers the buoy to the object when the latch is released. U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,142 to Fiotakis teaches a buoy that has a release mechanism that permits the buoy to be automatically released to ascend to the surface. The release unit may be operated by a remotely transmitted signal or initiated directly by a timer or a controller where specific circumstances dictate. U.S. Pat. No. 7,534,152 to Lloyd et al. teaches an underwater buoy release system having a moment arm release system. The moment arm release system has a magnetically attractive arm structure connected to a buoy. The buoy release system further includes an electromechanical device that moves the magnetically attractive elements toward, and away from, the magnetically attractive arm structure. The buoy release system further includes a signal reception device, wherein the signal reception device that receives a remote signal from a transmission device. Note that the latter group of patents employ line enclosures or line spools that require specialized buoy lines or ropes that are not typically used in shellfish and fish pot fisheries. Their incorporation into existing fishing operations is not practical due to design limitations. The current disclosure solves this problem by allowing for the use of traditional and/or industry standard buoy lines and buoys. SUMMARY This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key featu