Fish hook barb removing tool

A fish hook barb removing tool that includes a clipping mechanism having a handle assembly, a return spring assembly, a jaw assembly, upper and lower replaceable triangular cross-section shaped cutting blades, and upper and lower replaceable permanent magnets each having a magnet base with a partial triangular shaped cross-section; the jaw assembly including an upper jaw portion and a lower jaw portion, the upper jaw portion having an upper blade retaining keyway channel and an upper magnet retaining keyway channel formed therein, the lower jaw portion having a lower blade retaining keyway channel, a lower magnet retaining keyway channel, and a hook alignment slot formed therein, the upper blade retaining keyway channel and the lower blade retaining keyway channel each having a portion thereof having partial triangular cross sectional shape that is sized to receive and hold, respectively, a blade base portion of the upper and lower replaceable cutting blades, the upper magnet retaining keyway channel and the lower magnet retaining keyway channel each having a partial triangular cross sectional shape and are each sized to receive and hold, respectively, the magnet base of one of the upper and lower replaceable permanent magnets.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates to clipping devices and more particularly to 
a fish hook barb removing tool that includes a clipping mechanism for 
clipping the barb from a fish hook, the clipping mechanism having a handle 
assembly, a return spring assembly, a jaw assembly, upper and lower 
replaceable triangular cross-section shaped cutting blades, and upper and 
lower replaceable permanent magnets each having a magnet base with a 
partial triangular shaped cross-section; the jaw assembly including an 
upper jaw portion and a lower jaw portion, the upper jaw portion having an 
upper blade retaining keyway channel and an upper magnet retaining keyway 
channel formed therein, the lower jaw portion having a lower blade 
retaining keyway channel, a lower magnet retaining keyway channel, and a 
hook alignment slot formed therein, the upper blade retaining keyway 
channel and the lower blade retaining keyway channel each having a portion 
thereof having partial triangular cross sectional shape that is sized to 
receive and hold, respectively, a blade base portion of the upper and 
lower replaceable cutting blades, the upper magnet retaining keyway 
channel and the lower magnet retaining keyway channel each having a 
partial triangular cross sectional shape and are each sized to receive and 
hold, respectively, the magnet base of one of the upper and lower 
replaceable permanent magnets. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
It is often necessary to cut the bard from a fish hook in order to minimize 
injury to a fish that is to be released. Although cutting the bard from 
the fish hook results in less trauma to the mouth and jaw of the fish, the 
cut off barb tip is often swallowed by the fish and can result in internal 
injuries to released fish. It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a 
fish hook barb removing tool that included a mechanism for trapping the 
cut off barb tip and preventing the cut off barb tip from being ingested 
by the fish. Because most fish hooks are constructed from magnetically 
attractable material, it would be a benefit to have a fish hook barb 
removing tool that would magnetically attract and hold the cut off barb 
tip. Because permanent magnets can loose magnetic attracting power over a 
period of time, it would be a benefit to have a fish hook barb removing 
tool that included replaceable permanent magnets for attracting and 
holding the cut off barb from a fish hook. In addition, because the 
permanent magnet in such a device would be subject to salt water and other 
harsh conditions, it would be a further benefit if the permanent magnet 
was a molded, rubberized permanent magnet. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a fish hook barb removing 
tool that includes a mechanism for trapping the cut off barb tip and 
preventing the cut off barb tip from being ingested by a fish. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a fish hook barb 
removing tool that includes a magnetic retaining mechanism for 
magnetically attracting and holding the cut off barb tip. 
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a fish hook barb 
removing tool that includes a magnetic retaining mechanism that includes 
replaceable permanent magnets for attracting and holding the cut off barb 
from a fish hook. 
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a fish hook barb 
removing tool that includes a magnetic retaining mechanism that includes a 
molded, rubberized permanent magnet. 
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a fish hook barb 
removing tool that includes a clipping mechanism having a handle assembly, 
a return spring assembly, a jaw assembly, upper and lower replaceable 
triangular cross-section shaped cutting blades, and upper and lower 
replaceable permanent magnets each having a magnet base with a partial 
triangular shaped cross-section; the jaw assembly including an upper jaw 
portion and a lower jaw portion, the upper jaw portion having an upper 
blade retaining keyway channel and an upper magnet retaining keyway 
channel formed therein, the lower jaw portion having a lower blade 
retaining keyway channel, a lower magnet retaining keyway channel, and a 
hook alignment slot formed therein, the upper blade retaining keyway 
channel and the lower blade retaining keyway channel each having a portion 
thereof having partial triangular cross sectional shape that is sized to 
receive and hold, respectively, a blade base portion of the upper and 
lower replaceable cutting blades, the upper magnet retaining keyway 
channel and the lower magnet retaining keyway channel each having a 
partial triangular cross sectional shape and are each sized to receive and 
hold, respectively, the magnet base of one of the upper and lower 
replaceable permanent magnets. 
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a fish hook barb 
removing tool that accomplishes some or all of the above objects in 
combination. 
Accordingly, a fish hook barb removing tool is provided. The fish hook barb 
removing tool comprises a clipping mechanism having a handle assembly, a 
return spring assembly, a jaw assembly, upper and lower replaceable 
triangular cross-section shaped cutting blades, and upper and lower 
replaceable permanent magnets each having a magnet base with a partial 
triangular shaped cross-section; the jaw assembly including an upper jaw 
portion and a lower jaw portion, the upper jaw portion having an upper 
blade retaining keyway channel and an upper magnet retaining keyway 
channel formed therein, the lower jaw portion having a lower blade 
retaining keyway channel, a lower magnet retaining keyway channel, and a 
hook alignment slot formed therein, the upper blade retaining keyway 
channel and the lower blade retaining keyway channel each having a portion 
thereof having partial triangular cross sectional shape that is sized to 
receive and hold, respectively, a blade base portion of the upper and 
lower replaceable cutting blades, the upper magnet retaining keyway 
channel and the lower magnet retaining keyway channel each having a 
partial triangular cross sectional shape and are each sized to receive and 
hold, respectively, the magnet base of one of the upper and lower 
replaceable permanent magnets. The upper and lower replaceable permanent 
magnets are preferably molded, rubberized permanent magnets.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT 
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the fish hook barb removing tool of 
the present invention generally designated by the numeral 10. Fish hook 
barb removing tool 10 includes a clipping mechanism, generally designated 
by the numeral 12 that includes a handle assembly, generally designated 
14; a return spring assembly, generally designated 16; a jaw assembly, 
generally designated 18; upper and lower replaceable triangular shaped 
cutting blades, 20,22 respectively; and upper and lower replaceable 
permanent magnets 24,26, respectively. Handle assembly 14 and jaw assembly 
18 are constructed from two hardened steel clipper members 28,30 that are 
pivotally connected in a clipper configuration by a brass pivot bar 32. 
Return spring assembly 16 is a U-shaped spring steel member connected 
between a handle end 28a of clipper member 28 and a handle end 30a of 
clipper member 30. A locking clip 31 is pivotally mounted to handle end 
30a and is rotatable into locking relationship with a locking groove 33 
formed into handle end 28a of clipper member 28. 
With reference to FIG. 2, jaw assembly 18 includes a lower jaw portion 34, 
an upper jaw portion 36, brass jaw pivot bar 32, upper triangular shaped 
cutting blade 20, upper replaceable permanent magnet 24, lower triangular 
shaped cutting blade 22 (Shown in FIG. 1), and lower replaceable permanent 
magnet 26 (shown in FIG. 1). Lower jaw portion 34 and upper jaw portion 36 
each include a blade retaining keyway channel, generally designated 40; 
and a magnet retaining keyway channel, generally designated 42. Lower jaw 
portion 34 has a V-shaped hook alignment slot 44 formed into a front edge 
46 thereof. Blade retaining keyway channels 40 are located on lower and 
upper jaw portions 34,36 in a manner such that a cutting edge 48 (FIG. 4) 
of identical upper and lower triangular shaped cutting blades 20,22 (FIG. 
4) meet when lower and upper jaw portions 34,36 are pivoted together. 
With reference to FIG. 3, blade retaining keyway channels 40 are 
identically sized and shaped. Each blade retaining keyway channel 40 has a 
portion 50 thereof having partial triangular cross sectional shape that is 
sized to receive and hold, respectively, a blade base portion 52 (FIG. 4) 
of upper and lower replaceable cutting blades 20,22. Magnet retaining 
keyway channels 42 are also identically sized and shaped. Each magnet 
retaining keyway channel 42 has a triangular cross sectional shaped 
portion 54 and a rectangular cross section shaped portion 56. 
Referring to FIG. 4, each upper and lower replaceable permanent magnet 
24,26 includes a magnetic base portion 58 that is shaped and sized to 
correspond with the shape and size of each magnet retaining keyway channel 
42. In this embodiment, each upper and lower replaceable permanent magnet 
24,26, is a molded rubberized permanent magnet. 
With reference to FIG. 5, upper and lower replaceable cutting blades 20,22; 
and upper and lower replaceable permanent magnets 24,26 are installed by 
sliding each into its respective keyway channel 40,42. 
With general reference to FIGS. 1-5, fish hook barb removing tool 10 is 
used by placing the barb of a fish hook onto lower replaceable permanent 
magnet 26 with a portion of the hook shank positioned within V-shaped hook 
alignment slot 44 and a second portion positioned onto edge 48 of lower 
replaceable triangular shaped cutting blade 22. Handle assembly 14 is then 
squeezed, causing jaw assembly 18 to close and upper and lower triangular 
shaped cutting blades 20,22 to cut the hook shank disconnecting the barb 
from the fish hook. Upper and lower replaceable permanent magnets 24,26 
attract and hold the cut off fish hook barb and prevent it from being 
ingested by the fish. 
It can be seen from the preceding description that a fish hook barb 
removing tool has been provided that includes a mechanism for trapping the 
cut off barb tip and preventing the cut off barb tip from being ingested 
by a fish; that includes a magnetic retaining mechanism for magnetically 
attracting and holding the cut off barb tip; that includes a magnetic 
retaining mechanism that includes replaceable permanent magnets for 
attracting and holding the cut off barb from a fish hook; that includes a 
magnetic retaining mechanism that includes a molded, rubberized permanent 
magnet; and that includes a clipping mechanism having a handle assembly, a 
return spring assembly, a jaw assembly, upper and lower replaceable 
triangular cross-section shaped cutting blades, and upper and lower 
replaceable permanent magnets each having a magnet base with a partial 
triangular shaped cross-section; the jaw assembly including an upper jaw 
portion and a lower jaw portion, the upper jaw portion having an upper 
blade retaining keyway channel and an upper magnet retaining keyway 
channel formed therein, the lower jaw portion having a lower blade 
retaining keyway channel, a lower magnet retaining keyway channel, and a 
hook alignment slot formed therein, the upper blade retaining keyway 
channel and the lower blade retaining keyway channel each having a portion 
thereof having partial triangular cross sectional shape that is sized to 
receive and hold, respectively, a blade base portion of the upper and 
lower replaceable cutting blades, the upper magnet retaining keyway 
channel and the lower magnet retaining keyway channel each having a 
partial triangular cross sectional shape and are each sized to receive and 
hold, respectively, the magnet base of one of the upper and lower 
replaceable permanent magnets. 
It is noted that the embodiment of the fish hook barb removing tool 
described herein in detail for exemplary purposes is of course subject to 
many different variations in structure, design, application and 
methodology. Because many varying and different embodiments may be made 
within the scope of the inventive concept(s) herein taught, and because 
many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in 
accordance with the descriptive requirements of the law, it is to be 
understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative 
and not in a limiting sense.