Abstract:
A buoyancy powered device for raising or assisting in raising anchors from the bottom of a body of water. The device is remotely inflated through a hose that is preferably placed inside a protective outer shell. The rope attached to the anchor is also preferably placed inside the shell, but is not attached to the hose so that the hose is not required to bear any of the weight of the anchor or to keep the watercraft secured to the anchor. At various locations along the line are provided loops or other attachment devices that can be used to attach the rope to the boat at various lengths as desired. Preferably, when deflated, the float can be temporarily secured in a compact rolled-up or folded configuration near the anchor line, by a securement system that allows the float to come unrolled or unfolded during inflation of the float.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to devices for raising anchors from the bottom of a body of water to the surface of the water, and more particularly to devices that raise anchors by means of buoyancy created by inflating part of the device with air. 
   2. Related Art 
   Some methods for using inflated bags to lift anchors or other objects to the surface of a body of water are known in the prior art. For example, Spickelmire (U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,801) discloses a method using a float and the movement of a boat to lift a submerged object. A rope is tied to the submerged object and passed through a device attached to the float that allows movement of the rope only in one direction. The rope is then connected to the boat. The boat is driven away from the float in order to pull the rope through the one-way device. Once the submerged object is raised, the float and object may be pulled into the boat. 
   Holmes (U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,047) discloses a float attached to an anchor that is remotely inflated. The float is connected to an air pressure generator on the surface via a flexible conduit that is generally coextensive with the line or cable used to raise or lower the anchor. The Holmes float surrounds and is coaxial with the rod of the anchor, so that the float is generally a “dough-nut”  shape around the anchor directly above and closely adjacent to the “prongs” of the anchor. The air hose extends along the anchor rope and is clamped to the anchor rope. 
   In some situations, it may be inconvenient or even impossible to use a device such as Spickelmire&#39;s because there is insufficient available space to use the boat to lift or because it would require rowing a small watercraft upstream. The Spickelmire device is particularly impractical for rivers or crowed bodies of water where there is little room for the boat to maneuver or travel. Holmes device would tend to become compacted around the anchor prior to inflation, which creates a risk that a hard object such as a rock could become lodged between the float and the anchor adding weight and possibly puncturing the float. Also, the hose is clamped to the rope making it subject to the tension between the boat and anchor, which it is not capable of handling. Thus, there is a need for an improved buoyant anchor-lifting mechanism. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention comprises a buoyancy device for raising, or assisting in raising, an anchor from a body of water. The device includes an inflatable float unit near the anchor, a connection system that connects the anchor to the boat and bears the weight of the anchor and the forces of pulling or lifting the anchor, and an inflation system that provides gas to inflate the float when needed to raise the anchor. The preferred embodiment uses a combined connection and inflation system that is adapted to prevent inflation hose crimping or stress. The preferred embodiment also comprises a system for securing the float unit, when deflated, into a compact, convenient shape that is not cumbersome and clumsy for the user to handle and store. 
   The combined connection system and inflation system preferably comprises an anchor rope/line and an inflation hose running generally parallel and adjacent to each other inside a protective outer shell. The float unit is remotely inflated through the hose. Preferably, the rope, while being inside the shell with the hose, is not attached to the hose so that the hose is not required to bear any of the weight of the anchor or to keep the watercraft secured to the anchor. At incremental lengths along the rope are placed loops or other attachment devices for attachment to the boat at incremental locations along the rope to adjust the distance of the boat from the anchor. 
   Preferably, the float unit is connected to or integral with the connection system only along one edge of the float, which results in the inflated float unit extending outward and away  from the connection system. Preferably, the float unit does not extend on or around more than one side of the connection system, and does not comprise more than one inflatable bladder/bag. This way, the connection system, and the forces that are inherent in the anchor being pulled/lifted, are only placed on one edge of the float unit and not through a central portion of the float. Most preferably, the inflatable bladder in contained inside of, but is not fixed to, a protective cover and it is an outer edge of the protective cover that is integral with or securely connected to the connection system. This way, the bladder&#39;s buoyancy lifts the float unit protective cover, which lifts the connection system, and, hence, the anchor. This way, the bladder is not stressed or compressed by the forces caused by the weight of the anchor or by pulling on the connection system. 
   The float unit is also at a significant distance from the anchor, so that there is not a significant risk of entanglement or interference with the anchor or with rocks, plants or debris at the bottom of the water. The preferred float may be rolled-up toward the connection system, or the edge of the float that is integral with the connection system, and secured into a generally tubular/cylindrical roll parallel to the length of the line. Also, the mechanism securing the float in its rolled-up position allows the float to come unrolled during inflation of the float. 
   In use, the anchor and the preferred float unit are placed over-board, with the float rolled up and secured in the rolled-up position. The anchor is used in conventional manner, until the time when it is to be raised. The user then sends air through the air hose to the float, the pressure of which expands and opens the float, and the buoyancy of the float lifts the float and therefore the anchor upwards. The float rises to the top of the water, preferably with a top handle being in an upwards orientation, so that the user may grasp the handle and also the rope/line to lift the float and the anchor below it into the boat. By using the invented anchor lift system, the user need only lift the float unit and anchor a couple feet, from the water surface to the boat, rather than many feet from the bottom of the lake or river to the boat. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of the invented anchor lift system in use, connected to a submerged anchor and an air compressor and inflated for beginning the lifting of the anchor. 
       FIG. 2  is a close-up front view of the float embodiment of  FIG. 1  attached to an anchor.  
       FIG. 3  is a close-up side view of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2  showing the preferred float deflated and rolled-up, as it would be before inflation and lifting of the anchor. 
       FIG. 4  shows the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  in use connected to an air compressor and an anchor, after the float has been inflated and has raised the anchor to near the surface. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of one embodiment of the air hose and line combination, showing one embodiment of a protruding loop of line. 
       FIG. 6  shows the loop of line of  FIG. 5  connected to a cleat on a boat rail. 
       FIG. 7  shows the embodiment of  FIGS. 1–4 , with the float inflated, illustrating how the combination of the upward buoyancy force of the float may combine with the force from a boat pulling on the line, to dislodge an anchor from objects on the bottom of a body of water. 
       FIG. 8  is a close-up back view of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1–4 , with a section of the outer cover removed to reveal the inner air bladder. 
       FIG. 9  is a cutout top view of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1–4 , as rolled up in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 10  is a top view of the loop and snap-hook used to connect the line to a cleat on a boat rail as depicted in  FIG. 6 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the Figures, there is shown one, but not the only, embodiment of the anchor lifting system. The preferred embodiment of the anchor lifting system includes an inflatable container, referred to hereafter as a float, pneumatically connected to a source of compressed gas. While deflated, the float is connected to an anchor and lowered therewith. When the compressed gas is fed into the submerged float, an upward buoyant force is produced, which raises the anchor or assists in doing so. Preferably, the float can be rolled up or otherwise compacted when deflated and will automatically expand/unroll during inflation. Also, the preferred float includes a handle at its uppermost point, to assist the user in retrieving the device and the attached anchor from the water. 
   Referring specifically to the figures,  FIG. 1  illustrates the preferred anchor lifting system  10  in use, after inflation of the float  20 . An air compressor  22  is hydraulically connected to the float  20  via an air or other gas hose  24 . The float  20  is shown inflated, but with the anchor  26  still on the bed of the body of water, with its prongs  28  either on the bottom of the lake or  river or wedged between rocks or other objects on the bottom. The shaft  30  of the anchor, therefore, is typically upright or at an angle relative to the surface of the water. The anchor line (or rope)  40  is attached to the boat with a loop  44  in the line  40  attached to a cleat  46  extending from the boat&#39;s bow or over another connector on the boat. The hose  24  and the line  40  extend from the boat  50  to near the anchor, generally parallel and closely adjacent in a combined hose-line unit  60 . The combined hose-line unit  60  preferably includes a hollow sheath  62  substantially encasing both the hose  24  and line  40 , to protect them, keep them close and parallel, and to make the combination  60  a neater and more easily coiled and stored device. The hose and line preferably are not attached to each other inside the sheath  62 , but loosely run through the sheath  62  together side-by-side, so that force on the line  40  does not impart force on the gas hose  24 . 
   Because an air compressor requires electrical power and can be excessively noisy, the air compressor  22  may be replaced by a tank of compressed gas. For example, a five gallon, 125 psi air tank may be used for a two to three foot square by six inch thick float. Air is the preferred gas primarily for cost and availability reasons, but other gases, such as carbon dioxide, may be used. 
     FIG. 2  shows a closer view of the preferred embodiment. The preferred float  20  is rectangular (most preferably square) in shape with the anchor  26  connected to one corner (lower corner  63 ) via a strap  64 . A handle  66  is attached to the opposite corner (upper corner  68 ), as this corner  68  will typically be the highest part of the float  20  when in use and inflated. The anchor line  40  is preferably attached to one of the other two corners of the float (side corner  72 ) at a line connection  73 . The float  20  is reinforced all along the axis between the line connection at side corner  72  and the lower corner  63 , preferably with a strap  74  that is integral with or very securely connected to the anchor strap  64  and the line connection  73 . Thus, the float may be said to extend integrally from the connection system for connecting the anchor to the boat. The connection system is the structure that bears the weight/force of the anchor, and, in the preferred embodiment is the line  40 , line connection  73 , strap  74 , and strap  64 , but in other embodiments may be a single rope/ine or another combination of typically flexible straps/lines connected in series to extend from the watercraft to the anchor. While there may be connecting straps between the line  40  and the anchor, or between the line  40  and the boat, still the line  40  may be said to “connect at one end to the boat and connect at its other end to the anchor.” 
   Other shapes besides rectangular floats may be used, for example, a semi-circular float being attached at its straight edge to the rope/line, or a triangular float being attached at one straight edge to the rope/line. While a straight edge of a float is preferred for connection to the rope/line, and it is preferred that that straight edge is at least one foot long, other configurations may be used, depending upon the size of the float, the size of the anchor, and the securement mechanism chosen for quick-release upon inflation. The rectangular shape, however, provides a convenient shape for ease of rolling up, for convenient placement of handle placement, and good force vectors when the float is inflated and floating to the top of the water. 
   The float  20  is preferably reinforced continuously along the axis between the handle  66  and the lower corner  63 , to support the weight of the anchor when pulling it out of the water by means of the handle. This reinforcement may be done, for example, with a strap  70  sewn along that axis and integral with or securely connected to the handle  66 . 
   The float  20  preferably has two parts, as shown in  FIG. 8 : an inner inflatable bladder  92  made of polyurethane that is ultrasonically welded together and an outer covering  90  made of rubberized nylon or PVC-coated polyester. The preferred float  20  also has a pressure release valve  76  to prevent the float from becoming over-pressurized and rupturing. 
     FIGS. 3 and 9  illustrate the preferred float&#39;s ability to roll-up compactly when it is deflated. Preferably, a hook-and-loop fastener system secures the float  20  in the rolled-up position. The hook-and-loop fasteners are positioned on the front and back of the float. On the front, a first strip of hook-and-loop fastener  84  is preferably placed at or near the edge where the hose and line connect to the float  20 . A parallel second strip of hook-and-loop fastener  86  is placed about the middle of the bag on the bag. The float  20  is rolled from the edge opposite the first strip of hook-and-loop fastener  84  such that the two strips meet and attach to one another, thus, forming a generally cylindrical rolled-up float hanging on the rope/line. While inflating, the air pressure into the float forces it to unroll. Preferably, only the hook-and-loop fasteners are used to secure the float  20  in the rolled-up position, or, less preferably, snaps or other quick-release fasteners that easily unfasten or unlatch due to the force caused by inflating the float. Because the float  20  is rolled-up and compact, and is preferably about 1–2 feet above the anchor, the danger that the float will become caught on an object on the bed while deflated or while inflated is significantly reduced.  
     FIG. 4  illustrates the preferred embodiment in use with an air compressor  22  and the float  20  shown with the handle only piercing the surface of the water. Generally, even if this is as high as the float  20  will come via its buoyant force, the user may easily reach the handle  66  with one hand, and the line  40  or the line connection  73  with the other hand, and may easily pull the unit up out of the water into the boat. This operation is substantially easier than pulling a long line hand-over-hand the many feet or yards that is necessary to pull the anchor all the way from the bottom of the water. 
     FIG. 5  shows a close up view of the hose and line combination  60  of the preferred embodiment. The hose  24  and line  40  are not tied or clamped together, not at either end or anywhere along the length of the hose and line. This keeps the hose  24  from having to support the weight of the anchor  26  and prevents or helps to prevent the hose being pulled, crimped, torn, or otherwise blocked or damaged. At intervals along the line  40 , the rope forms a loop  44  that can be used to attach the rope to the boat at various lengths as desired. The loops  44  are preferably formed by the rope exiting and reentering the sheath  62  separately from the air hose. 
   This results in the formation of a small loop  44  of line outside the protective sheath  62 , wherein the loop is therefore integral with the line  40 . Preferably, a knot  48  in the line  40  prevents the loop  44  from sliding into the sheath  62  through the hole  42 , resulting in the knot  48  also being integral with the line. The sheath is preferably not connected to either the line  40  or the hose  24 , but, because the loops  44  are secured outside the sheath  62 , some force related to the line  40  bearing the weight of the anchor may be felt by the sheath  62 . Other systems for keeping the loops from sliding into the sheath may be used, for example, a non-integral system such as a band or clip around the line at the base of the loop, as long as it will not break open. Also, alternatively, other attachment means besides the knotted loops may be made to attach the line to the boat at various locations along the line. For example, hooks or fasteners may extend from the line through the holes in the sheath to attach to the boat, as long as the hooks or fasteners are well secured to the line. 
   The preferred line hose combination  60  is about 100 feet long, and loops  44  are preferably placed every 20 feet along the line  40  after the first loop  44 , which is placed 40 feet from the anchor  26 . Other line lengths and intervals may be used. The outer sheath  62  is preferably made from nylon tubular webbing. The line and hose combination  60  may be produced by forcing a fish tape through a length of nylon tubular webbing. The fish tape is then  used to pull a small rope through the webbing, which is in turn used to pull the line  24  and hose  40  through the webbing. Other methods of threading the line  40  and hose  24  through the webbing, or a cover may be otherwise formed around the line and hose combination. 
   The preferred method for connecting the line  24  to a cleat  46  on the boat utilizes a snap-hook  82  attached to a loop  80 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . As illustrated by  FIG. 6 , the preferred method for connecting the line to the cleat  46  uses a snap-hook  82  with a loop  80 . The loop  80  on the snap-hook  82  is passed through hole  47  in the cleat  46  and pulled over the cleat&#39;s prongs  48  or over the snap-hook  82  to secure it in place. The snap-hook  82  is then connected to the line via loop  44 . Alternatively, the loop  44  in the line itself could be attached to the cleat  46  in the same manner as loop  80 , or simply placed around the base of the cleat  46  or other protrusion on the boat  50 . 
     FIG. 7  illustrates how the float  20  and line  24  combine to free the anchor  26  from the bed. The float  20  provides generally upward force. To supplement this, if necessary, the boat may be used to pull on the line, to provide both upward and lateral force, as suggested by the arrow along the line in  FIG. 7 . The lateral component helps the anchor  26  to tip over, if necessary to lift it from rocks or other debris. This in turn allows the anchor&#39;s prongs  28  to change their angle relative to objects they may be caught on allowing the prongs  28  to slide free. 
     FIG. 8  illustrates the preferred two-part float. The inflating gas is supplied to the inner air bladder  92 . The air bladder  92  is contained within outer covering  90 . Holes  94  are placed in the covering  90  so that water, which tends to leak into the space between the air bladder  92  and the covering  90  when the float is deflated, will readily exit the space when the bladder  92  is inflated. The air bladder  92  may be accessed, for examination, repair, or replacement, through a zipper  96  in the outer covering  90 . 
   Although this invention has been described above with reference to particular means, materials, and embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these disclosed particulars, but extends instead to all equivalents within the scope of the following claims.