Abstract:
A collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water. The fish trap has an elongated hollow fish enclosure formed from two connected generally conical shaped portions. Each generally conical shaped portion has a connectable inner portion and an outer end portion having an inward extending funnel member portion with a funnel aperture for permitting the passage of bait fish for funneling or channeling bait fish into the interior of the elongated hollow fish enclosure. The outer end portions of the conical shaped portions have a series of apertures for allowing water to pass into the interior of the elongated hollow fish enclosure. The generally conical shaped portions can be disconnected and nestled together for transportation purposes or for storage purposes.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Live small fish such as minnows are used to catch larger fish by putting them on a hook as bait for the larger fish. This type of bait has been used successfully for numerous years and it has proved to be excellent at attracting and catching fish. This is understandable since the bait fish is put on the hook in such a manner that it continues to stay alive for a period of time and to wiggle and attempt to swim and these movements and the blood from the bait fish attract larger fish. Obviously such live bait fish can not be reused since they are either eaten or die and hence lose their effectiveness. This means that there must be an adequate supply of live bait fish available to the fisherman at the the place where he is fishing. 
     Unfortunately, many fishing locations are in remote areas and far from an abundant supply of live bait fish. This situation makes it difficult to provide fisherman with the desired supply of live bait fish for the anticipated fishing. Fish are difficult to transport satisfactory since they require water at the right temperature and with the right oxygen concentration to survive and this increases both the bulk and the weight of the package or container that must be transported. Moreover, fish require special tanks to survive for any length of time and unless there is a steady market for bait fish a potential supplier will be reluctant to make the necessary investment to transport and supply bait fish. 
     This means that the fisherman, in many instances, must provide his own source of bait fish. Fortunately, most bodies of water contain at least some amount of bait fish and these bait fish can be trapped using a bait fish trap. Unfortunately, most bait fish traps have undesirable characteristics. Many are comparatively bulky and heavy and are hence they are difficult to transport particularly to the remote location where they are to be used. 
     Many bait fish traps are not entirely satisfactory in physically catching the bait fish and keeping them in the trap. Many bait fish traps do not readily attract bait fish into the trap and many of the traps allow bait fish that are physically in the trap to readily leave the trap. Consequently, the success rate of such bait fish traps is low. Another problem that current bait fish traps have is that they are not readily transportable by the fisherman to the fishing location because they are too bulky or too heavy. Most bait fish traps are not designed to be readily collapsible and hence they are comparatively bulky which restricts their transportability and hence their suitability for use in many remote fishing locations. In general, bait fish traps also lack flexibility in terms of being able to perform under different circumstances and this greatly reduces their flexibility and usefulness. 
     The collapsible bait fish trap invention overcomes these problems associated with previous bait fish traps and provides a bait fish trap that effectively draws bait fish into the trap and also has provisions for keeping the bait fish in the trap. The collapsible bait fish trap is compact and light weight and can easily be taken into remote locations. When the collapsible bait fish trap is collapsed it is roughly one half of its operational size which permits it to be stored in a boat, canoe, a light plane or even a back pack. The collapsible bait fish trap is designed for multiple uses so that it can be used effectively both in still water such as lakes and also in moving water such as in a river or a stream. In addition, the collapsible bait fish trap can also be used to store bait fish that have already been trapped. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to fish traps and more particularly to fish traps for bait fish that are used by fishermen to catch larger fish. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a bait fish trap that is collapsible. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that reliably traps bait fish. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that reduces the chance of bait fish leaving the trap. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that is flexible in its use. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that can be configured for trapping bait fish in both still water such as a lake as well as in moving water such as a river or a stream. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that is readily transported. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that can be stored in a compact configuration. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that has major portions that can be nestled together. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that can be used where storage space is limited. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that is easy to assemble. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that has few parts. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that is light in weight. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that is resistant to breakage. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that is primarily made from plastic. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that is easy to locate or place in use and to retrieve. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that is simple in its operation. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that is less expensive to ship because it is collapsible. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that can be configured for multipurpose uses. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that is capable of being configured for use in storing live bait fish when it is not being used to catch bait fish. 
     These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following described collapsible bait fish trap for catching live bait fish in a body of water that includes an elongated hollow fish enclosure formed from two connected generally conical shaped portions with each generally conical shaped portion having a connectable inner portion and an outer end portion having an inward extending funnel member portion for funneling or channeling bait fish into the interior of the elongated hollow fish enclosure. Since the funnel extends inward or toward the center portion of the hollow fish enclosure it causes bait fish to swim into the center portion of the elongated hollow fish enclosure and since the surface of the funnel walls that face the interior of the hollow fish enclosure taper outward and away from the funnel exit hole they direct bait fish away from the funnel exit hole so that the bait fish remain trapped in the interior of the hollow fish enclosure. A rod member is also provided that is located in the interior of the elongated hollow fish enclosure so that it substantially intersects the long central axis of the hollow fish enclosure. This rod member diverts bait fish swimming along the long central axis of the hollow fish enclosure so that they remain trapped in the interior of the hollow fish enclosure. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the collapsible bait fish trap invention with portions thereof broken away for clarity; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the collapsible bait fish trap set forth in FIG. 1 taken within the circle  2  thereof; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the collapsible bait fish trap set forth in FIG. 1 taken within the circle  3  thereof; 
     FIG. 4 is an end view of the collapsible bait fish trap set forth in FIG. 1 taken in the direction of the line  4 — 4  thereof; 
     FIG. 5 is the opposite end view of the collapsible bait fish trap set forth in FIG. 1 taken in the direction of the line  5 — 5  thereof; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged end view of a plug for an opening in the collapsible bait fish trap; 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the plug for an opening in the collapsible bait fish trap set forth in FIG. 6 taken in the direction of the line  7 — 7  thereof and also showing associated surrounding collapsible bait fish trap structure; 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged end view of a hole reducing plug for an opening in the collapsible bait fish trap; 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the collapsible bait fish trap set forth in FIG. 1 taken on the line  9 — 9  thereof; and 
     FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the collapsible bait fish trap invention in its storage or shipping configuration. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The collapsible bait fish trap invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3  and is designated generally by the number  10 . The collapsible bait fish trap invention  10  comprises an elongated hollow bait fish enclosure  11  that is formed from two connected generally truncated hollow conical shaped portions  12  and  14  that are substantially similar in their construction and in their proportions. The conical shaped portion  12  has an enlarged ring shaped connecting end portion  16  and an oppositely located smaller funnel inlet end portion  18 . In a similar manner the conical shaped portion  14  has an ring shaped connecting end portion  20  and an oppositely located smaller funnel inlet end portion  22 . As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the outside surface  24  of the connecting end portion  20  of the conical shaped portion  14  is slightly less in diameter than the inside surface  26  of the connecting end portion  16  of the conical shaped portion  12 . This permits the connecting end portion  20  to be inserted into the connecting end portion  16 . The connecting end portions  16  and  20  have respective oppositely located holes  28  and  30  and  32  and  34  that extend completely through the connecting end portions  16  and  20 . The conical shaped portions  12  and  14  are secured together by aligning the holes  28  and  32  and  30  and  34  and then passing a connecting rod member  36  through these holes  28 ,  32 ,  30  and  34 . 
     As best illustrated in FIG. 1, the funnel inlet portions  18  and  22  of each conical shaped portion  12  and  14  have an inward extending conical funnel shaped portion designated respectively by the numbers  38  and  40 . These funnel shaped portions  38  and  40  have outer large respective circular shaped openings  42  and  44  with respective inward tapering walls  46  and  48  that terminate in the respective smaller inner circular shaped openings  50  and  54 . The funnel shaped portions  38  and  40  also have respective outer tapering walls  56  and  58  that taper outward from the respective circular shaped openings  50  and  54  toward the respective inner walls  60  and  62  of the respective conical shaped portions  12  and  14 . 
     FIG. 4 illustrates an end elevational view of the collapsible bait fish trap  10  illustrated in FIG. 1 that is taken in the direction toward the funnel inlet end portion  18  of the conical shaped portion  12 . As illustrated, there is a circular shaped flat ring portion  64  located adjacent to and surrounding the funnel shaped portion  38 . This flat circular shaped ring portion  64  has a series of substantially identical holes  66 , only some of which are shown, extending through it and into the hollow interior of collapsible bait fish trap  10 . 
     In a similar manner, FIG. 5 illustrates the end elevational view of the collapsible bait fish trap  10  illustrated in FIG. 1 but taken in the direction toward the funnel inlet end portion  22  of the conical shaped portion  14 . As illustrated, there is a circular shaped flat ring portion  68  located adjacent to and surrounding the funnel shaped portion  40 . This flat circular shaped ring portion  68  has a series of substantially identical holes  70 , only some of which are shown, extending through it and into the hollow interior of the bait fish enclosure of the collapsible bait fish trap  10 . These holes  70  are substantially the same size as the previously described holes  66  located in the funnel inlet end portion  18  of the conical shaped portion  12 . 
     The collapsible bait fish trap  10  has two plugs  71  that are each sized and shaped to fit in the identically sized openings  50  and  54  of the funnel shaped portions  38  and  40  for closing off the openings  50  and  54  and FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the details of the construction of the plugs  71 . As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the plug  71  has a centrally located cylindrical portion  100  that is surrounded by a circular thin skirt portion  102  that is formed at an angle so that the inner skirt surface  104  is sized and shaped to fit up against the adjacent tapering walls  46  and  48  that surround the circular shaped openings  50  or  54  to assist in sealing the opening  50  or  54  and also prevent the cylindrical portion  100  from being pushed through the opening  50  or  54  when the bait fish trap  10  is in use. 
     The cylindrical portion  100  has an opening  106  with a surrounding tapering lip portion  108  that is sized and shaped to be readily inserted into the opening  50  or  54  to assist in seating the plug  100  in the opening  50  or  54 . The cylindrical portion  100  also has a solid circular web  110  that closes the end of the cylindrical plug  100  that is opposite the opening  106 . 
     In FIG. 8 a different plug  112  is illustrated. This plug  112  is substantially identical to the plug  71 , but the the plug  112  has a circular web  114  with a circular shaped opening  116  extending through it. This opening  116  is smaller in size than the opening  50  or  54  and hence when this plug  112  is inserted into the opening  50  or  54  it reduces the size of the opening  50  or  54 , but it does not seal the opening  50  or  54 . This plug  112  is useful in converting the collapsible bait fish trap  10  so that it will only catch smaller size bait fish. 
     FIG. 9 illustrates the important location of the connecting rod member  36 . It will be noted that the connecting rod member  36  is located so that it intersects the center line C of the hollow interior of the collapsible bait fish trap  10  and hence it passes through the path from the circular opening  50  of one funnel shaped portion  38  to the other circular opening  54  of the other funnel shaped portion  40 . As indicated in FIG.  6  and also in FIGS. 1 through 3 and  4  and  5 , it will be noted that the top end portion  72  of the connecting rod member  36  has a ring  74  and that the end  78  that is opposite the end with the ring  74  is threaded. It will also be noted that a nut  80  is located on the threaded portion  78  and that washers  82  are located inside of the ring  74  and inside of the nut  80  on the connecting rod member  36  so that they press against the exterior surface  84  of the elongated hollow bait fish enclosure  11 . 
     In FIG. 10 the bait fish trap invention  10  is illustrated in its collapsed compact or storage condition or shipping configuration and as illustrated the conical shaped portion  14  is inserted inside the conical shaped portion  12  which is made possible since the outside surface  92  of the conical shaped portion  14  is conical shaped and the inside surface  94  of the conical shaped portion  12  also has a conical shape. 
     The collapsible bait fish trap invention  10  is made and used in the following manner. The elongated hollow bait fish enclosure  11  that has the two conical shaped portions  12  and  14  is formed with the two portions  12  and  14  as one piece with the connecting end portions  16  and  20  of the respective conical shaped portions  12  and  14  connected together. This is accomplished using suitable plastic injection molding techniques known in the art. It should be noted that all of the various components and apertures of both conical shaped portions  12  and  14  are formed during this step so that subsequent machining of the conical shaped portions  12  and  14  is unnecessary. The conical shaped portions  12  and  14  are connected together after molding and at that time both the conical shaped portions  12  and  14  are identical and both have an enlarged ring shaped connecting end portion  16 . Only one enlarged ring shaped connecting end portion  16  is needed and hence one connecting end portion  16  is cut away to produce the conical shaped portion  14  without the connecting end portion  16  and the conical shaped portion  12  with the connecting end portion  16 . 
     The connecting rod member  36  and its associated hardware and the plugs  71  and  112  are also manufactured using conventional techniques known in the art. Since the outside surface  92  of the conical shaped portion  12  is conical and is sized to fit inside the inside conical surface  94  of the conical shaped portion  14  this permits the conical shaped portion  14  to be inserted inside the conical shaped portion  12 . Normally, the collapsible bait fish trap  10  would be shipped in this condition with the conical shaped portion  14  inside the conical shaped portion  12 . 
     The person using the collapsible bait fish trap  10  may leave it in this compact configuration with the conical shaped portion  14  inside the conical shaped portion  12  until the person has arrived at the location where the collapsible bait fish trap  10  is to be put into use. At this location, the conical shaped portion  14  is removed from inside the conical shaped portion  12 . Then the connecting end portions  16  and  20  are secured together through the use of the connecting rod member  36  as previously described in connection with FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 . A suitable line (not shown) is then secured to the ring  74  so that the collapsible bait fish trap  10  can be lowered into place in the water and then retrieved. 
     If the collapsible bait fish trap  10  is going to be used in a moving body of water such as a stream, then a plug  71  is placed in the circular shaped opening  50  or  54  of the funnel shaped portion  38  or  40 . This plugged opening  50  or  54  is then be located upstream where the collapsible bait fish trap  10  is located to catch bait fish such as minnows. As previously indicated, when the collapsible bait fish trap  10  is in use without a plug  71 , the connecting rod member  36  prevents the bait fish from just swimming along the centerline C and hence out of the hole  50  or  54  in the funnel shaped portions  38  or  40  of the collapsible bait fish trap  10 . If the collapsible bait fish trap  10  is going to be used to hold or store bait fish for future use after they have been trapped, then both plugs  71  would be placed in both of the openings  50  and  54 . 
     If the collapsible bait fish trap  10  is going to be used to catch only small bait fish, then a plug  112  with its small hole  116  is inserted into each opening  50  and  54  if the bait fish trap  10  is to be used in still water such as a lake. If the collapsible bait fish trap  10  is going to be used to catch only small bait fish in a moving body of water such as a stream, then a plug  112  with its small hole  116  is inserted into only one opening  50  or  54  and a regular plug  71  would be inserted into the other opening  50  or  54  to seal or close off that opening. The collapsible bait fish trap  10  would then be located in the moving body of water so that this sealed or closed off opening is located upstream. 
     Although the invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to a certain preferred embodiment, it will be understood that variations or modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.