Line collection container, system and method

A portable basket is used to collect multiple weighted lines that extend between a buoy and a submerged crab pot. The basket is a cylindrical structure with flexible sidewalls that extend from a top edge to a bottom panel. Attached to the inside surface of the basket near the top edge are at least two ring connectors. During use, the basket is positioned below a winch system to pull the weighted line and the crab pot out of the water. The weighted line's first connector is detached from the buoy and connected to a ring connector inside the basket. The winch is then activated to allow the weighted line to fall into the basket and get automatically stacked in a vertical coil configuration inside the basket. When the crab pot is lifted out of the water, the second connector is detached from the crab pot and attached to the second ring connector near the top edge. The process may be repeated to collect additional weighted lines. When setting a crab pot, the buoy and pot connectors from one weighted line are detached from the ring connector and attached to desired buoy and pot, respectively. The buoy, the pot, and the coiled weighted line can then be deposited into the water.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Notice is given that the following patent document contains original material subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile or digital download reproduction of all or part of the patent document but otherwise reserves all copyrights.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to containers used to receive a line that is continuously fed into the container and automatically wound in a compact, vertically stacked coil configuration with its opposite ends held in a fixed exposed location inside the container.

2. Description of the Related Art

Crab pots are cage-like structures disposed horizontally on the seabed and used to capture large crabs. Crab pots are attached to a weighted line that extends downward from a floating buoy that marks the location of the crab pot.

When setting a crab pot, one end of the weighted line is manually attached to the buoy and the other end is manually attached to the crab pot or a crab line attached to the pot. The buoy, the weighted line and the crab pot are then tossed into the water in a ‘last in’ and ‘first out’ manner while ensuring that the weighted line does not become tangled around the buoy or the crab pot.

Recreational crabbers and small crabbing companies usually set dozens of crab pots at a time which are normally left in the water for 6 to 36 hrs. To harvest each crab pot, the crabbers return to the spot where the buoys are located and begin to retrieve the buoy one at a time from the water. After grasping the buoy, the crabber then grasps the weighted line and then disconnects it from the buoy. The crabber then extends the weighted line around pulleys used in a winch system attached to a davit mounted on the side of the boat. When the winch a motor is activated, the weighted line is pulled upward and deposited into the boat.

Eventually, the crab pot is lifted out of the water and above the gunwale. The davit is rotated so that the crab pot may be deposited into a designated landing area on the boat. The end of the weighted line is then disconnected from the crab pot or the crab line attached to the crab pot. This process is repeated for each crab pot.

Because the weighted lines are disposed on the deck of the boat adjacent to the davit, the weighted lines become tangled together, and the ends of each weighted line are difficult to identify. Later, when the crab pots are reset, the crabber must identify the top-weighted line in the pile of weighted lines and grab and connect the opposite ends of the weighted line to the buoy and crab pot.

What is needed is a storage container configured to receive one end of multiple weighted lines which causes each weighted line to automatically wind into a vertical stacked, relatively tight coil inside the container and also holds the opposite ends of each weighted line in a fixed accessible location inside the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A container for collecting weighted lines that exit from a continuous winch system attached to a davit that retrieves the weighted line from the water. The container is designed to conform the collected weighted line into a compacted, stacked, coil configuration and also holds the ends of the weighted line in a fixed accessible location. One example of a weighted line is the leaded, weighted line used between a buoy and a crab pot as shown inFIG.1.

The container is a bag or elongated basket with a reinforced top edge forming a top opening into the basket. The basket is an elongated, cylindrical structure with flexible sidewalls that extend downward from the top edge to a bottom panel. Attached to the inside surface of the basket near the top edge are at least two ring connectors.

The container is designed to store multiple weighted lines with loops or manual connectors attached to its opposite ends. During use, one end of each weighted line is attached to the connector located near the top edge of the container. As the weighted line is continuously fed into the container, the weighted line is wound into a stacked loop. The container's round, flexible sidewalls are sufficiently pliable yet resistant so that the weighted line bends continuously to form a continuous loop.

During use, a crab pot attached to the opposite end of the weighted line is disconnected from the crab pot or the crab pot line attached to a crab pot. When the crab pot is positioned over a desired landing area on the boat, the winch system is discontinued and the pot connector attached to the weighted line is either attached to the same ring connector or to nearby ring connector located near the top edge of the container.

The above process may then be repeated with additional weighted lines with the last weighted line being stacked over the first weighted lines. The buoy connector and the pot connectors used in the second weighted line must be identifiable from the buoy connectors and pot connectors used with the first weighted line. In one embodiment, the buoy connector and the pot connectors attached to the second weighted line are attached to another pair of ring connectors. Optionally, the basket may be distributed with one or more weighted lines each with identifiable indicia printed on the buoy or pot connectors.

Also disclosed herein is a method for collecting and setting weighted lines that run between the buoy and a pot.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

FIG.1is an illustration representing the prior art that shows a weighted line10deployed between a floating buoy20and a crab pot25. Attached to one end of the weighted line10is a first manual connector, hereinafter called a buoy connector,12that attaches to an eyelet22or a buoy line23. Attached to the opposite end of the weighted line10is a second manual connector, hereinafter called a pot connector,14that attaches either to a crab pot line26or to the crab pot25.

Disclosed herein is a fishing line, wind-up basket30used to orderly collect one or multiple long, weighted lines10from a winch system84mounted on a davit80used to retrieve the weighted line10.

As shown inFIG.2, the winch system84includes a mounting plate85attached to the davit80. Mounted on the mounting plate85is a lower pulley86, and a main pulley87. The upper pulley82is mounted on the upper end of the davit80. The main pulley87is coupled to an electric motor88. The electric motor88is connected to a switch89used to control the forward or reverse operations of the electric motor88. During use, the winch system84is used to pull the crab pot25containing live catch upward and out of the water. When the crab pot25is lifted above the gunwale, the davit80is rotated to deposit the crab pot25on a designated landing area on the boat.

As shown inFIGS.2-4, basket30includes a reinforced upper ring33with a circular top edge34that forms and surrounds a top opening31into the basket30. Basket30is a cylindrical structure with flexible sidewalls32that extend downward from the top edge34to a bottom panel36. Attached to the inside surface of the reinforced upper ring33below the top edge34are at least two ring connectors40. Attached to the side of the basket30is an optional handle38.

In the embodiment shown inFIGS.3and4, basket30includes six ring connectors40evenly spaced apart and attached to the inside surface of the reinforced upper ring33. As shown inFIG.5, each ring connector40includes a strap element42physically or adhesively attached to the inside surface of the reinforced upper ring33. Attached to each strap element42is a tubular rigid support collar43in which a ring connector44extends.

AlthoughFIGS.3and4show six ring connectors40evenly spaced apart along the reinforced upper ring33, the number of ring connectors40may vary. During use, pot connector14is the last connector attached to a ring connector44. Ideally, the user should connect the pot connector14to the crab pot25and the buoy connector12to the buoy20to prevent knots or entanglements in the weighted line10when the crab pot25is reset. This requires the user to track of which connector is the pot connector14and which connector is the buoy connector12for each weighted line.

FIG.3shows two weighted lines10,10′ stored inside the basket30. The buoy connector12and the pot connector14are attached to separate, adjacent ring connectors40. The buoy connector12′ and pot connector14′ attached to the second weighted line,10′ are attached to a second pair of ring connectors40.

It should be understood that the buoy connector12and the pot connector14may be attached to the same ring connector40as shown inFIG.5. In this instance, unique identifying indicia50may be added to one or both connectors12,14to help the user identify them.

FIG.6is an illustration showing two weighted lines10,10′ each with a pair of buoy and pot connectors12,14, and12′14, respectively, attached at their opposite ends with unique identifiable indicia50printed thereon.

During use, the weighted line10winds sequentially around the upper pulley82, the lower pulley86, and the main pulley87. The buoy connector12is attached to a ring connector44. As the weighted line10exits the winch system84and is forced into basket30, the weighted line10settles on the bottom panel36and then bends against the inside surface of basket30. Because the weighted line10is flexible and partially rigid and continuously forced downward into basket30, the weighted line10is automatically wound in a stacked coil configuration inside basket30.

The above basket30may be part of a weighted line storage system9that includes at least one weighted line10with a buoy connector12and a pot connector14attached at its opposite ends.

Also disclosed herein is a method for collecting and setting multiple weighted lines that run between buoys and crab pots.

The method includes first selecting the basket30described above, and attaching the basket30to a connector90located directly under the winch system84. Next, buoy20is collected and buoy connector12is detached from the eyelet22formed on the bottom of buoy20or from a buoy line23attached to the eyelet22. The segment of the weighted line10adjacent to the buoy connector12is then wound around upper, lower and main pulleys,82,86, and87, respectively, as shown inFIG.2. The buoy connector12is then attached to a ring connector44near the top edge34of the basket30. The electric motor88is then activated which pulls the weighted line10and crab pot25towards the boat and out of the water. Because the weighted line10is weighted, the segment of the weighted line10falls directly into the bottom panel36in basket30. The weighted line10is relatively flexible so that as the weighted line10is collected inside basket30, the weighted line10is wound into a stacked vertical coil, as shown inFIG.2.

When pot connector14reaches the upper pulley82, the electric motor88is deactivated. The davit80is then rotated to deposit the crab pot25at a desired landing area on the boat. The pot connector14is then disconnected from crab pot line26. The segment of the weighted line10is then forced into basket30and the pot connector14is attached to a ring connector40.

When the crabber wants to reset crab pot25, the potline connector14is detached from the ring connector40and attached to the crab pot line26. The buoy connector12is detached from the ring connector40and attached to eyelet22or the buoy line23. The entire coiled weighted line10is grabbed and removed from basket30and thrown into the water. Because the turns of the weighted line10are stacked and are not crossed, the opposite ends of the weighted line10separate without entanglements or knots.

In compliance with the statute, the invention described has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown since the means and construction shown comprises the preferred embodiments for putting the invention into effect. The invention is therefore claimed in its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the amended claims, appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.