Abstract:
An apparatus and method uses a central firing chamber, a plurality of pipes extending outwardly and slightly downwardly from the central firing chamber, means for actuating an explosive charge within the central firing chamber, a deployable net, and a plurality of net-anchoring weights attached to the perimeter of the net, each weight being releasably retained within a pipe until the explosive charge is detonated thereby deploying a net downwardly to live-capture an animal situated below the apparatus.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/540,449 filed Jan. 30, 2004. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to the fields of nets and net deployment. It also relates generally the fields of explosive charges and cases for such charges. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for deploying a live capture net in close proximity to wild animals, such as deer, in a way that is safe for the animal, the user and any person or property that might be in the area where the apparatus is used. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The presence of large, wild foraging animals in urban or suburban areas is a common problem. As such animals become more used to the idea of living in close proximity to man and his encroachments, large animals such as deer frequently wander into areas where there is the perceived need to destroy the animals or relocate them. Many suburban areas today engage the services of sharpshooters to partially accomplish this task. This activity is essentially a waiting game for the marksman who must patiently wait his next target, and a moderately dangerous one at that. Being the animal loving creatures that people are, relocation is favored over destruction of these wayward animals. Live catching such large animals is not, however, an easy task. Though courageous enough to enter man&#39;s domain, the animals are not so unwary as to be careful of anything that is out of place. In the experience of this inventor, any type of live catch device that could be employed of necessity is required to be configured such that it does not stand out in the animal&#39;s sensory field. It must also be able to quickly deploy the catch mechanism without allowing the animal to flee before in can be caught. It must be able to be deployed from a distance so as not to require the user to be in close proximity to the device and elude detection by the animal. It must also be easily usable, and it must be reusable. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to have a live catch device that is configured and used in such a fashion that it does not stand out in the animal&#39;s sensory field, visual or otherwise, and is not easily detected by the animal. It is also desirable to have a live catch device that can be quickly deployed without allowing the animal to flee before in can be caught. It is also desirable to have such a live catch device that can be deployed from a distance so as not to require the user to be in close proximity to the device and to the animal to be caught. Perhaps most importantly is the need to configure such a device that is easily usable, and that is reusable in the same or other locations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Having the foregoing objectives in mind, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for deploying a live capture net in close proximity to wild animals, such as deer, in a way that is safe for the animal, the user and any person or property that might be in the area where the apparatus is used. The apparatus of the present invention includes, generally, a central firing chamber, a plurality of pipes extending outwardly from the central firing chamber, means for actuating an explosive charge within the central firing chamber, a deployable net, and a plurality of net-anchoring weights attached to the perimeter of the net. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, the central firing chamber is supported within a frame. The frame can be suspended, for example, between two trees by a rope or cable and high enough to be out of the animal&#39;s immediate visual field. Also attached to the frame is a remotely actuated electronic circuit having a battery, chargable capacitor or other source of stored electrical energy. The net is foldably contained within a net-holding cavity situated below the central firing chamber. At the perimeter of the net, several net-anchoring weights are attachable. One net-anchoring weight is removably secured within each of the tubes that extend from the central firing chamber. When an explosive is detonated within the central firing chamber, the explosive gases also expand into the tubes, thereby explosively discharging the net-anchoring weights from the tubes. As the net-anchoring weights are discharged away from the tubes, the net is deployed from the net-holding cavity. In this fashion, the net is, almost immediately, dispersed above and around the animal to be caught. 
     The foregoing and other features of the method and apparatus of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description that follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing deployment of a net as intended. 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged top, front and right side perspective view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a slightly reduced and exploded view of the apparatus, similar to that shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a partial top plan view of the apparatus. 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged cross sectional and partial side elevational view of the firing chamber portion of the apparatus taken along line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of the apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numbers represent like elements throughout,  FIG. 2  illustrates an apparatus, generally identified  100 , constructed in accordance with the present invention. As shown, the apparatus  100  includes a centrally located firing chamber member  10 . The firing chamber member  10  includes an upper chamber portion  12  and a lower chamber portion  14 . See  FIG. 5 . In the preferred embodiment, the upper chamber portion  12  is integrally formed with the lower chamber portion  14 . It would, however, be possible to construct the firing chamber member  10  in such a fashion that the upper and lower chamber portions  12 ,  14 , respectively, would be threadably attachable or secured in some other fashion without deviating from the scope of this invention. 
     The upper chamber  12  includes a bore  13 , the bore  13  having an axis that is aligned generally vertically. The bore  13  is functionally adapted to receive an explosive (not shown) of some sort within it, such explosive including a shell or cartridge and the type of shell or cartridge not being a limitation of this device. The lower chamber portion  14  includes a primary bore  15 , the primary bore  15  having an axis that is also aligned generally vertically, a a plurality of secondary bores  16 . The secondary bores  16  of the preferred embodiment are four in number and are disposed at 90° relative to one another. See  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the secondary bores  16  extend generally outwardly from the axis of the lower chamber portion  14  and slightly downwardly from the horizontal. In the preferred embodiment, the axis of each secondary bore  16  extends downwardly at an angle of 22½° below the horizontal. The bore  13  of the upper chamber portion  12  and the primary and secondary bores  15 ,  16 , respectively, of the lower chamber portion  14 , are each connected to one another to form a bore continuum, the purpose of which will be apparent later in this detailed description. 
     Threadably attached to the upper chamber portion is a spark plug holder  18 , the holder  18  having a bore  19  defined within it and the axis of the bore  19  being aligned generally vertically. Threadably inserted within the bore  19  of the spark plug holder  18  is a spark plug  20 . Here again, the configuration of the spark plug holder  18  and its attachment means is not a limitation of the present invention. It is also to be understood that the means for discharging an explosive (not shown) that is placed within the bore  13  may be mechanical or electromechanical as well as well as electrical without deviating from the scope of this invention. For example, an electronic primer could be used to impart a mechanical trigger to a shell or cartridge for detonation. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , it will be seen that the apparatus  100  of the present invention also includes a plurality of pipes  30 , each pipe  30  having a first end  32 , a second end  34  and a central bore  36 . See also  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The first end  32  of each pipe  30  is threadably received by one of the secondary bores  16  of the lower chamber portion  14 . The central bore  36  of each pipe  30  is continuous with the primary bore  15  of the lower chamber portion  14 . Because of the angle of the secondary bores  16  of the lower chamber portion  14 , each pipe  30  extends outwardly and slightly downwardly from the horizontal relative to the lower chamber portion  14 . Situated at the second end  34  of each pipe  30  is a muffler  38 . While not absolutely necessary to the function of the apparatus  100 , the purpose of the muffler  38  is to muffle the volume of an explosion that will emanate from the bore  13  of the upper chamber portion and the primary bore  15  of the lower chamber portion  14 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, a frame  40  is attachable to the upper chamber portion  12 . See  FIGS. 3 and 6 . The frame  40  includes a cylindrical sleeve  42 . A pair of support legs  44  is provided, each leg  44  having a first end  45  and a second end  46 . The first end  45  of each support leg  44  is attached to an opposing side of the cylindrical sleeve  42 . Each support leg  44  extends upwardly and outwardly from the sleeve  42 . A support bridge  48  extends generally horizontally between the second ends  46  of the support legs  44 . Also attached to each of the second ends  46  of the support legs  44  is a suspension clip assembly  49 . As shown, the suspension clip assembly  49  is configured from a carabiner and clip used in combination, although many other configurations could be devised to accomplish the intended purpose which is to suspend the assembly  100  above the ground. Accordingly, the configuration shown is not a limitation of the present invention. 
     An electronics component box  50  is secured atop the support bridge  48  of the frame  40 . Though not shown in any detail, the electronics component box contains an electromagnetic wave receiver circuit and a stored electrical energy device, such as a battery. In the preferred embodiment, the receiver circuit is actuated remotely by means of a remote control transmitter  52 . See  FIG. 1 . A wire  54  extends from the box  50  to the spark plug  20  for energizing the plug  20  when such is desired or required. Here again, it is to be understood that the transmitter  52  could actuate a mechanical trigger or an electromechanical trigger (not shown) by creating mechanical motion through the electromagnetic forces exerted on the trigger by use of a solenoid, for example. As alluded to earlier, the precise form of shell or cartridge used and the precise form of detonation, by electrical or mechanical means, is not a limitation of the present invention or device. 
     A net-holding cavity  62  is formed by a net-holding box  60 . See  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  6 . The net-holding box  60  is secured to the bottommost portion of the firing chamber member  10 . The net-holding box  60  includes a top box portion  64  and a plurality of sidewalls  65  extending outwardly and downwardly from the top portion  64 . The top box portion  64  is secured to the firing chamber member  10  by means of a pair of fasteners  61 . The top box portion  64  includes a pair of slots  63  through which the heads of the fasteners  61  may extend. In this fashion, the net-holding box  60  may be removed by a slight twisting motion for ease in replacing the net  70  within the net-holding cavity  62 . In this preferred embodiment, and because the box  60  is inverted, the net  70  is held in place within the net-holding cavity  62  by means of a removable cover  66 . At the edges  67  of the cover  66  are attached a plurality of Velcro® type fasteners  68 . Complementary fasteners  69  are attached to the sidewalls  65  of the box  60 . 
     As alluded to above, the net  70  is foldably contained within the net-holding box  62 . See  FIG. 3 . The net  70  includes a central net portion  72  and a net perimeter  74 . See  FIG. 1 . A plurality of net-anchoring weights  80  are attached to the net perimeter  74  by means of net strings  76 . Refer again to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  6 . Each weight  80  includes a cylindrically-shaped body  82  having a first end  84  and a second end  86 . The first end  84  of each weight  80  is attached to a portion of the net perimeter  74 . The second end  86  of each weight  80  is insertable within the bore  36  of one of the pipes  30 . 
     In application, the net  70  is foldably inserted within the cavity  62  of the net-holding box  60 . The cover  66  is secured using the cover fasteners  68 ,  69 . One weight  80  is inserted within the bore  36  of each pipe  30 . A charge (not shown) is inserted within the bore  13  of the upper chamber portion  12 . The spark plug holder  18 , with the spark plug  20  in place, is attached to the upper chamber portion  12 . The complete apparatus  100  is then ready for suspension. It is to be understood that the apparatus  100  could be suspended between two trees, or any other vertically extending objects, by means of a cable  4  that extends between them and by means of the frame clip assemblies  49 . See  FIG. 1 . The user then moves to a remote location that is within the user&#39;s visual range and within range of the transmitter  52  that will be used to actuate the electronic receiver contained within the electronics box  50 . 
     As an animal  6  moves into position immediately below the suspended apparatus  100 , the user actuates the transmitter  52  to send an electromagnetic wave signal  8  to the receiver circuit which, in turn, actuates the receiver and sends a charge to the spark plug  20  via the wire  54 . As the spark plug  20  energizes, an explosive (not shown) contained within the bore or chamber  13  explodes, thereby releasing explosive gases into the bores  15 ,  16 . Almost instantaneously, these gases expand into the tubes  30 , thereby explosively discharging the net-anchoring weights  80  from within the tubes  30 . As the net-anchoring weights  80  are discharged away from the tubes  30 , pulling and deploying the net  70  from the net-holding cavity  62  via the net strings  76  and detaching the net cover  66  from the fasteners  68 ,  69 . In this fashion, the net  70  is, almost immediately, dispersed above and around the animal  6  to be caught. After the animal  6  is removed from the net  70  and successfully relocated, the net  70  may be re-folded and stored within the net-holding box  60  for re-use, the net  70  being secured by means of the cover  66 . The weights  80  may be re-inserted into the tubes  30  and the spent explosive is replaced. The apparatus  100  is then ready for re-use. 
     Based on the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided a new and useful live catch device that is configured and used in such a fashion that it does not stand out in the animal&#39;s sensory field, visual or otherwise, and is not easily detected by the animal; that can be quickly deployed without allowing the animal to flee before in can be caught; that can be deployed from a distance so as not to require the user to be in close proximity to the device and to the animal to be caught; and that is easily usable, and is reusable in the same or other locations. 
     Although the invention has been described in considerable detail through the figures and above discussion, many variations and modifications can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.