ARTIFICIAL BAIT FEEDING APPARATUS

Abstract: Three different apparatus for feeding artificial bait are disclosed. One feeds individual bait (12) size pieces from a stack of such pieces. A second feeds elongated strips (54) from a stack of strips to a baiting station and cuts incremental pieces presented at the baiting station. A third apparatus feeds a continuous, elongated strip (84) of bait wound onto a reel (86) to a baiting station (82) and cuts incremental pieces presented at the baiting station.

Description: The present invention relates to an apparatus for feeding bait to an automatic baiting machine, and more particularly to an apparatus for feeding artificial bait to an automatic baiting machine. Longlines are utilized in the fishing industry to fish for bottom fish and other food fish throughout the world. A longline comprises a groundline having a length on the order of from a few hundred to several hundred meters. Gangions (or leaders) are affixed to the groundline at successive locations normally spaced on the order of one meter or more from each other. Fish hooks are affixed to the free ends of the gangions. These hooks are pulled by their gangions through a baiting station of an automatic baiting machine, where in the past, chunks of natural bait have been positioned for capture by the hooks. While natural bait is of course an excellent bait for attracting hooking bottom fish the fishermen seek, artificial bait tends to deteriorate with time in the water. Moreover, artificial bait is difficult and expensive to store, whether it is live or frozen, and is rather messy to cut and feed to a baiting station and also to clean from a hook when the longline has been retrieved. As a consequence, the fishing industry is looking more at artificial bait that has the attracting power of natural bait, that preferably can be stored at room temperature, and that is relatively easy to handle. Where artificial bait can be hand-fed to baiting machines that already exist, little time or effort has been expended in developing means for storing, transporting, handling, and feeding artificial bait to a baiting machine. GB-A-2,124,865 discloses an apparatus for feeding artificial bait to a batting station comprising: means for holding an elongated continuous strip of bait; means for feeding incremental portions of said strip to a baiting station, and means for severing incremental portions from said strip. The present invention provides artificial bait-feeding apparatus as disclosed in GB-A-2,124,865 characterised in that said holding means comprises a rotatable reel and said feeding means is located downstream of said reel and is arranged to unwind said continuous strip of bait incrementally from said reel. The preferred features are defined in the dependent claims. Reel storage of the bait is the most efficient volumetric storage of bait. The reels can be stored in rectangular boxes and again stacked and stored in an efficient manner. A better understanding of the present invention can be derived from reading the ensuring description by way of example only of a preferred embodiment, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows an apparatus for feeding incremental portions of an elongated, continuous strip of bait to a baiting station; and Figure 2 is an enlarged end-elevational view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1. Artificial bait for luring and hooking bottom fish and other food fish comes in a variety of types and structures. Normally, the bait comprises a porous substrate that is filled with a material containing a fish attractant or material which makes the artificial bait simulate real bait. The substrate usually provides the bait with structural integrity so that the bait will resist mechanical wear after it is positioned on a hook. Specifically, one such artificial bait comprises a gelatinized material in admixture with an attractant substance that is incorporated into and reinforced by a mat of fibrous material. Bait of this type can be molded into square, relatively flat pieces, for example, on the order of two by two by one-half or into elongated, rectangular, flat pieces on the order of, for example, two by twelve by one-half inches. Depending upon the admixture of gelatinized material, the bait pieces can be made relatively solid or can be made flexible in their minor dimension. Therefore, long, continuous strips of bait can also be produced and wrapped onto a reel, which is one of the most efficient modes of storage. Whether the bait material is formed in squares, elongated strips, or continuous strips, each of these forms can be packaged in boxes or other containers that are easily stacked and secured in the deck or hold of a ship. Each can also be easily removed and inserted onto an appropriate machine for feeding the bait to automatic baiting machines. Such automatic baiting machines are known in the art for example, US 4,648,193 discloses a circle hook baiter. Accordingly, no detailed description of the baiting machine will be given. An embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The feeding apparatus shown allows artificial bait to be formed and stored in an elongated, continuous strip which is then fed to a baiting station 82 in incremental amounts for use by the baiting machine. In this embodiment, an elongated strip 84 of bait is wound on a reel 86. The reel is mounted on a spindle 88 mounted on an upwardly extending flange 90 positioned on the base 92 of the feeding apparatus. The reel 86 has a central hub 94 on which the continuous, elongated strip 84 of bait is spirally coiled. The base 92 extends from the location of the reel support flange 90 to a location adjacent the baiting station. A reciprocating knife assembly 96 is mounted on the base adjacent the baiting station 82. A bait forwarding mechanism, generally designated 100, engages the strip 84 of bait and advances it incrementally into the baiting station 82 where the knife 96 severs an incremental portion 84a from the strip 84. The knife includes a blade 64 positioned for vertical reciprocating movement in a guide housing 66. A solenoid or other suitable prime mover 68 is coupled to and positioned above the knife so as to cause the knife blade to reciprocate downwardly across the path of the bait strip 84. In this manner an incremental piece of bait can be severed from the strip so that the incremental piece can be engaged by a hook and removed from the baiting station. The advancing mechanism in this embodiment of the invention comprises a lower toothed roller 102 positioned below the base 92. The base 92 has an opening therein through which the teeth of the roller 102 can extend. An idler roller 104 is positioned above the toothed roller 102. The idler roller 104 is mounted on a yoke 106, in turn, affixed to an upwardly extending rod 108. The rod 108 extends upwardly through an opening in the horizonal arm of a flange 110, the vertical arm of which is affixed to the base 92. A compression spring 112 is positioned between the lower surface of the horizontal arm of the flange 110 and the upper surface of the yoke 106 to bias the idler roller 104 in a downward direction. The continuous strip 84 of bait is fed between the idler roller and the toothed roller 102. The idler roller 104 therefore serves to maintain engagement between the strip 84 and the toothed roller so that positive advancement will occur upon rotation of the tooth roller. A brake mechanism is mounted on the flange 90 to engage the periphery of the reel 86 for the purpose of placing drag on the reel to prevent overrotation of the reel as bait is fed to the baiting station. The brake mechanism includes a brake arm 122 pivotally mounted on the upper end of flange 90. One end of the arm extends over the reel and carries a brake pad 124 between the arm and an annular peripheral flange 126 on the reel. The other end of the arm 122 extends beyond the opposite side of the flange from the reel. A retaining flange 128 is located below the other end of the arm and affixed by a conventional fastener to the main flange 90. A coil spring 130 is placed in compression between the other end of the brake arm and the retaining flange. The spring braces the other end of the arm upwardly, in turn forcing the brake pad into engagement with the reel flange 126. A bolt 132 runs from the retaining flange upwardly through the coil spring and through the enlarged opening in the other end of the brake arm. A thumb screw 134 is threaded on the upper end of the bolt. By adjusting the position of the thumb screw, the amount of force exerted by the brake pad on the wheel flange can be adjusted. When the baiting machine calls for an incremental piece of bait to be advanced to the baiting station 82, the actuating mechanism 114 for the tooth roller 102 causes the tooth roller to rotate an appropriate amount to advance the continuous strip of bait into the baiting station. Thereafter, a signal is sent to the prime mover for the reciprocating knife, causing the knife to reciprocate downwardly and sever the next incremental portion of bait from the continuous strip 84. Alternatively the bait can be laterally perforated to divide the strip into bait size pieces. The action of the baiting machine removing the bait from the baiting station can then be used to sever the bait size piece at the perforation line. The invention provides a means for feeding a continuous bait strip to a baiting station, thus allowing the most compact and efficient packaging for artificial bait to be employed, and at the same time providing a very simple, economical, and easy-to-maintain bait feeding system.

Claims: An apparatus for feeding artificial bait (84) to a baiting station (82) comprising: means (86,88) for holding an elongated continuous strip of bait; means (102, 104) for feeding incremental portions of said strip to a baiting station, and means (96) for severing incremental portions from said strip, characterised in that said holding means comprises a rotatable reel (86) and said feeding means (102, 104) is located downstream of said reel and is arranged to unwind said continuous strip of bait (84) incrementally from said reel. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said holding means (86,88) further comprises a brake means (120) associated with said reel (86) for preventing over rotation of said reel. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said feeding means comprises opposed rollers (102,104) which are arranged to engage and advance a strip of bait (84) unwound from said reel (86).

Inventors: COOK, HAROLD T., JR.
Applicants: MARCO SEATTLE, INC.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: A01K79
IPC codes: A01K97, A01K91