Abstract:
A purse ring for interconnecting a purse seine to a purse line is disclosed. Structurally, the purse ring includes a frame defining an aperture, with two rollers mounted across the aperture. As constructed, the rollers and the first and second sides of the frame between the rollers define a periphery around a passageway for receiving the purse line. Importantly, the portion of the first side of the frame adjacent the distal roller includes a hard facing in order to reduce wear. Also, the purse ring includes a cable release arm pivotally mounted as a portion of the second side of the frame, a sleeve for engaging the free end of the cable release arm to the frame, and a lock for holding the sleeve in place.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention pertains to seine equipment used in fishing operations. More specifically, the present invention pertains to purse rings which connect the fishing net to a pursing cable or purse line. The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, useful in purse seiner operations wherein a purse line is drawn through a plurality of purse rings to close the seine and retrieve fish caught in the seine. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In commercial fishing operations, the method of fishing known as purse seine fishing is an effective and widely used technique. The method is conceptually simple. A seine, or net, is fitted at one end with buoyant devices (e.g. floats) and at the other end with weighting devices (e.g. sinkers). As the seine is deployed in a rough circle, the weighted end of the seine submerges to cause the seine to hang essentially vertically in the water. To provide for seine retrieval, a purse line is attached to the weighted end of the seine by a plurality of connectors, known as purse rings. As the purse line is tightened by fishermen on the fishing vessel, the weighted end of the seine is drawn together to enclose fish within the seine. The weighted end, now pursed, is raised and drawn toward the fishing vessel. Simultaneously, support craft retrieve and draw in the buoyed end of the seine. In this way, fish are trapped in the seine as it is retrieved. 
         [0003]    During seine retrieval, the purse line, through its interaction with the purse rings, is used to both purse the seine and draw it toward the fishing vessel. As can be easily imagined, the forces which are generated between the purse line and the purse ring during these operations can be very substantial. Indeed, these forces can cause significant frictional erosion and wear on both the purse line and the surface of the purse rings. The eventual results are a complete failure of the purse rings and a fraying of the purse line which causes the purse line to snag on the netting. In either event, the operation is compromised and the purse rings may need to be replaced. 
         [0004]    Recent developments in the commercial fishing area have compounded the problem of purse ring wear because many of the now preferred fishing grounds are located in the Western Pacific Ocean. It happens that purse seiner operations in the Western Pacific require deeper deployment of the seines than thermoclines in the Western Pacific that often result in deeper schooling of food fish. Consequently, with the deployment of seines, the forces required to retrieve the seines (e.g. forces between the purse line and the purse rings) are greatly increased. As a further consequence, standard purse rings, such as are used in other oceans of the world, are generally inadequate for use in the Western Pacific. 
         [0005]    In light of the foregoing, the present invention recognizes the need to significantly reduce purse ring wear to permit efficient seiner operations at greater depths in the ocean and to prolong the useful life of purse rings used in seiner operations regardless of depth. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a purse ring for use in purse seiner fishing operations which has a relatively long period of usefulness. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a purse ring for seiner operations that reduces frictional wear on the purse ring when a purse line is drawn through it during seine retrieval operations. It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a purse ring for use in purse seiner operations that facilitates purse line insertion into or withdrawal from the purse ring. Another object of the present invention is to provide a purse ring for purse seiner fishing operations which is easy to install and use, relatively easy to manufacture, and comparatively cost-effective. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In the present invention, a purse ring is provided for engagement with the bridle line of a seine for pursing the seine with a purse line during deep-sea fishing operations. Importantly, the purse ring is designed to resist wear through the use of hard facing inserts. Also, the purse ring facilitates insertion and removal of purse lines during use. Further, the purse ring provides for automatic use of a locking pin. 
         [0007]    Structurally, the purse ring comprises an oblong-shaped frame that defines a plane and circumscribes an aperture. The frame may be considered to consist of two ends that are interconnected by two sides. For purposes of the present invention, two rollers interconnect the sides by bridging the aperture. As a result, the rollers and the sides define a periphery around a passageway for receiving the purse line. In order to reduce wear on the sides caused by the purse line, the sides include hard facing. Alternatively or additionally, side rollers may be embedded into the sides to reduce friction with the purse line. 
         [0008]    Also, the purse ring includes a cable release arm that is pivotally mounted on the frame as a portion of one of the sides. Operationally, the cable release arm is canted and pivotable to interrupt the periphery to move the purse line into and out of the passageway. For the present invention, the cable release arm includes a pivot arm and a sleeve. Structurally, the pivot arm has an end that is attached to the frame via a pivot pin. Further, the pivot arm forms a key guide for engaging the sleeve. Specifically, the sleeve forms a channel that receives the pivot arm. A bolt spans the channel and is received within the key guide to provide for sliding engagement between the pivot arm and the sleeve. Further, the sleeve includes a flared end that is able to ride over the pivot pin to facilitate a full range of motion for the cable release arm when pivoting. 
         [0009]    Also, the sleeve is provided with a lateral opening that connects to the channel. When the sleeve is extended, a portion of the frame is received within the channel. Importantly, a locking pin can be depressed to allow the sleeve to slide over the portion of the frame. When the sleeve reaches its fully extended configuration, the locking pin extends into the lateral opening to lock the sleeve in place. In order to simplify use of the purse ring, the sleeve is provided with a notch that engages and automatically depresses the locking pin during extension of the sleeve. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be best understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a fishing vessel engaged in seiner operations; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2A  is a top perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the purse ring engaged with a bridle line and purse line and showing the cable release arm in its closed configuration; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2B  is a top perspective view of the purse ring of  FIG. 2A  with the cable release arm in its open configuration; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2C  is a side perspective view of the purse ring of  FIG. 2B ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of the sleeve in the purse ring shown in  FIGS. 2A-2C ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3B  is a cross sectional view of the sleeve of  FIG. 3A ; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view showing the connection between a roller and the frame of the purse ring. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]      FIG. 1  shows a top overhead view of a purse seiner in operation using a plurality of purse rings designated  10 . As shown, the purse rings  10  interconnect a seine  12  and a purse line  14  during the fishing operations conducted by a seiner vessel  16 . For purposes of the present invention, it is to be appreciated that the purse line  14  may be either a cable, or a rope. More specifically, purse rings  10  are attached to the seine  12  with bridle lines  18  which are, in turn, attached to the seine  12  by a chain  20 . Similar to the various embodiments for the purse line  14 , the bridle lines  18  may be cables, ropes or chains. Further, floats  22  are connected to the seine  12  to provide buoyancy to maintain one side of the seine  12  at or near the water&#39;s surface. At the same time, the chain  20  and purse rings  10  act as sinkers to vertically orient the seine  12 . As a result, the seine  12  is positioned to encircle schools of fish. When fish are encircled, they may be caught by pursing and retrieving the seine  12 . This requires the interaction of purse line  14  with the plurality of purse rings  10 . 
         [0019]    In  FIG. 2A , a more detailed perspective view of an individual purse ring  10  is provided. As shown in  FIG. 2 , purse ring  10  comprises a frame  24  which may generally be of any shape that is efficient for connecting purse line  14  to bridle line  18 . As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the preferred ring  10  is substantially oblong in shape. Also, purse ring  10  is preferably made of hardened steel and should be hard enough to resist frictional wear. Further, the elements of purse ring  10  should be chemically compatible with each other and with the materials of other components of seiner operations so as to minimize the effects of corrosion. 
         [0020]    Still referring to  FIG. 2A , it can be seen that frame  24  includes a proximal end  26  and a distal end  28 . Further, two sides  30  and  32  interconnect the ends  26 ,  28  to define an aperture  34 . As shown in  FIG. 2A , the ring  10  includes a proximal roller  36  that interconnects the sides  30 ,  32  and bridges the aperture  34 . Also, the ring  10  includes a distal roller  38  that further interconnects the sides  30 ,  32 . With this structure, it can be seen that the sides  30 ,  32  and the rollers  36 ,  38  define a periphery  40  around a passageway  42  that receives the purse line  14 . Further, the proximal end  26  and proximal roller  36  form an opening  44  for receiving the bridle line  18 . Typically, during pursing operations, the purse line  14  rides along the distal roller  38  and the sides  30 ,  32  adjacent the distal roller  38 . Therefore, the purse ring  10  is provided with hard facing  46  along both sides  30 ,  32  adjacent the distal roller  38 . For purposes of the present invention, the hard facing  46  is comprised of at least one layer of a metal having improved strength and wear resistance such as Tube Alloy 240-O manufactured by McKay. 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 2A , the proximal roller  36  is cylindrical. Further, the distal roller  38  is substantially cylindrical, but includes a slight taper toward its center to form a guide which facilitates a more efficient rolling contact of the distal roller  38  with purse line  14 . Further, each roller  36 ,  38  is connected to frame  24  to provide for substantially free rotation and consequent reduced frictional wear during use. 
         [0022]    In  FIG. 2B , the illustrated embodiment of the purse ring  10  includes a side roller  39  mounted for rotation on the side  30 . Structurally, the side roller  39  has an axis of rotation that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation for the rollers  36 ,  38 . 
         [0023]    Cross-referencing  FIG. 2A  with  FIGS. 2B and 2C , the ring  10  is shown to include a canted cable release arm  50  along the side  32  of the frame  24 . Structurally, the canted cable release arm  50  includes a pivot arm  52  which is formed with an end  54  and an end  56 . As shown in  FIG. 2C , the frame  24  includes an extension  58  that is canted with respect to the frame  24 . Further, the pivot arm  52  is pivotably mounted to the extension  58  via a pin  59 . With this engagement, the pivot arm  52  is able to clear the side  30  of the frame  24  as it pivots from the closed configuration  50 ′ shown in  FIG. 2A  to the open configuration  50 ″ shown in  FIGS. 2B and 2C . As shown, the pivot arm  52  is able to clear the side  30  of the frame  24  and pivot inwardly toward the proximal roller  36  until the pivot arm  52  is substantially parallel to the proximal roller  36 . It will be appreciated that when pivot arm  52  is pivoted to the open configuration  50 ″, it interrupts the periphery  40  to allow the purse line  14  to be moved into and out of the passageway  42 . 
         [0024]    Further, the cable release arm  50  is provided with a sleeve  60  that has a flared proximal end  62  and a distal end  64 . Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the structure of the sleeve  60  may be more easily understood. As illustrated, the sleeve  60  forms a channel  66  that extends along an axis  68  from the proximal end  62  to the distal end  64 . As seen in  FIGS. 2A-2C , the channel  66  slidably receives the pivot member  52 . As shown in  FIG. 3A , at its distal end  64 , the sleeve  60  has an end face  70  with a surface  72  that is substantially perpendicular to the axis  68 . As shown, a notch  74  is formed in the sleeve  60  at the end face  70 . Referring to  FIG. 3B , it may be seen that the notch  74  includes a sloping surface  76  that forms an angle of about forty-five degrees with the end face surface  72 . 
         [0025]    As seen in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the sleeve  60  also forms a lateral opening  78  to the channel  66 . Importantly, this lateral opening  78  is axially aligned with the notch  74  as detailed below. Further, the sleeve  60  includes apertures  80  for receiving a bolt  82  to engage the sleeve  60  with the pivot arm  52  as shown in  FIGS. 2A-2C . Specifically, the pivot arm  52  forms a key guide  83  that slidingly receives the bolt  82 . In  FIG. 3B , it can be seen that the flared proximal end  62  of the sleeve  60  has an inner diameter D 1  while the rest of the sleeve  60  has an inner diameter D 2 , with D 1 &gt;D 2 . Referring back to  FIG. 2A , the sleeve  60  is shown in an extended position  60 ′ in which the distal end  64  engages the frame  24 . Specifically, the frame  24  includes an abutment member  84  (shown in  FIG. 2B ) that is received within the channel  66  when the cable release arm  50  is in the closed configuration  50 ′ and the sleeve  60  is in the extended position  60 ′. As a result, the sleeve  60  prevents pivotable movement of the cable release arm  50  when extended about the abutment member  84 . Further, the ring  10  provides for the ability to lock the sleeve  60  in the extended position  60 ′. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 2B , the ring  10  provides a locking pin  86  on the abutment member  84 . Specifically, the locking pin  86  is positioned in a slot  88  formed in the abutment member  84  and is biased outward from the slot  88 . After the cable release arm  50  is closed, the sleeve  60  may be extended to engage the abutment member  84 . During the extension of the sleeve  60 , the sloping surface  76  of the notch  74  contacts and automatically depresses the locking pin  86 . When the sleeve  60  is fully extended, the locking pin  86  reaches and extends through the lateral opening  78  in the sleeve  60 . As a result, the locking pin  86  holds the sleeve  60  in the extended position  60 ′. 
         [0027]    When the sleeve  60  is disengaged from the locking pin  86  and moved to its retracted position  60 ″, the flared proximal end  62  of the sleeve  60  rides over the end  54  of the pivot arm  52 . As a result, the sleeve  60  does not interfere with the pivoting capability of the pivot arm  52 . This allows the pivot arm  52  to be pivoted to be substantially parallel to the proximal roller  36  and facilitates the removal of the purse line  14  from the passageway  42 . 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the connection of a roller  36  (or  38 ) to the frame  24  is illustrated. As shown, the frame  24  may be considered to have an outer face  90  and an inner face  92 . For connection with the roller  36 , a threaded bore  94  extends from the outer face  90  of a side  30  and through the inner face  92  of the side  30 . Further, the threaded bore  94  passes through the inner face  92  of the other side  32  and stops within the side  32 . Structurally, the roller  36  includes a threaded shaft  96  that is received within the bore  94  and remains fixed in place during use. Also, the roller  36  includes a bushing  98  that rotates about the fixed shaft  96 . As shown, the ring  10  further includes a plug  100  that engages the threads to seal and prevent contamination at the shaft  96 . Also, the frame  24  forms a drain aperture  102  that extends from the threaded bore  94  to the outer face  90  of the side  32 . 
         [0029]    While the particular purse ring as herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of obtaining the objects and providing the advantages herein before stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.