Abstract:
A bristle worm trapping device is made from or concealed within a live rock or artificial rock. The trapping device may be made by cutting a live rock into two halves, drilling a bristle worm trap chamber within the two halves, and drilling chamber access tunnel holes in the live rock. Alternately the trapping device may be made by simply drilling a cylindrical opening in the live rock partially through or completely through the live rock forming a bristle worm trap chamber and means for accessing the chamber. Worm bait is placed within a tubular bristle worm trap having a series of worm holes. Small hungry bristle worms after entering the worm holes and eating the bait rest in the bristle worm rock and are trapped.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present utility patent application is a continuation-in-part of utility patent application Ser. No. 11/897,490 filed Aug. 30, 2007. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       The Names of the Parties to a Joint Research or Development 
       [0003]    Not Applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    The present invention relates to traps and to saltwater aquariums and the maintenance thereof and particularly to a Bristle Stone™ worm trap device which is made from or concealed within a stone or rock, which may be a live rock, thereby providing a more attractive trap which simulates the bristle worm&#39;s natural home; the trap device is made by either cutting a live rock in two, drilling a bait-holding cavity within the rock, and drilling bait access holes in the rock, or by simply drilling a cylindrical opening in the live rock, the bait is then placed within the cavity or cylindrical opening; alternately a plastic or PVC bait-holding pipe having end caps and sidewalls with bait access holes therein may be placed inside the cavity or cylindrical opening drilled in the rock. 
         [0006]    2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
         [0007]    A salt water aquarium tank typically includes coral and live rocks which form a simulated reef. Live rocks include living organisms. A live rock sustains a variety of living organisms such as crustaceans, worms, clams, algae, sponges, and bacteria. At times, destructive bristle worms are inadvertently introduced into the aquarium. The bristle worms are highly prolific and can kill corals and eat clams, fish and other reef inhabitants. They need to be removed from the tank in order to preserve the condition of the simulated reef. 
         [0008]    Prior art devices trap worms however; they are not concealed in a live rock and can detract from the appearance of the salt water aquarium. 
         [0009]    Two U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,790 issued Oct. 29, 1996 and 5,297,513 issued Mar. 29, 1994 to Musgrave, show a worm trap for use in an aquarium for trapping worms. The worm trap includes a tube assembly having a pair of openings at the ends of the assembly. A chamber is located within the assembly and is adapted to contain a food morsel. At least one end wall of the chamber communicates with the interior of the tube assembly to allow the aroma of the food morsel to enter the tube assembly so that a worm will be attracted to the aroma and be trapped in the tube assembly. The opening in the chamber is sufficiently small to prevent the food morsel from being carried out of the tube assembly by the worm. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,874,274 issued Apr. 5, 2005 to Townsend, provides a tamper-resistant pest trap that has an outer housing that simulates a rock typically found in a garden or landscape area around a residence or building. The outer housing includes a substantially flat bottom member and a pivotally attached upper dome-shaped lid member. When the lid member is closed over the bottom member, a large cavity is formed inside the trap. Formed on the bottom member are two, inward extending tunnel cavities that form two partially concealed tunnels that extend under the trap when the trap is placed on the ground. Formed on the perimeter edge of the outer housing is an outer pest opening. From on the bottom member directly over the tunnel cavity is an inner pest opening that allows a rodent to enter the large cavity after traveling through the tunnel. Formed inside the outer housing is a holding tray designed to hold a rodentocide or a mechanical trap capable of killing the rodent. An optional bait paper tray is also formed in the bottom member to hold bait paper. An optional lock is provided to prevent tampering and stake and hold-down chain are provided to attach the trays to the ground. 
         [0011]    What is needed is a bristle worm trap which is made from or concealed within a live rock or simulated live rock with an interior bristle worm trap chamber and chamber access tunnels leading to the interior bristle worm trap chamber for trapping bristle worms in a salt water aquarium, thereby providing a more attractive trap which simulates the bristle worm&#39;s natural home. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    An object of the present invention is to provide a Bristle Stone™ trap which is made from or concealed within a rock or live rock, which may be a live rock, with an interior bristle worm trap chamber holding bristle worm bait in the bristle worm trap with chamber access tunnels leading to the interior bristle worm trap chamber for trapping bristle worms in a salt water aquarium, thereby providing a more attractive trap which simulates the bristle worm&#39;s natural home. 
         [0013]    One more object of the present invention is to prevent the bristle worms&#39; destruction of coral or simulated reef bank or other inhabitants in the aquarium by removing the bristle worms from the aquarium. 
         [0014]    In brief, a Bristle Stone™ bristle worm trapping device which is made from or concealed within a rock or live rock, thereby providing a more attractive trap which simulates the bristle worm&#39;s natural home. The trapping device is made by either cutting a live rock in two and drilling an internal bristle trap chamber within the split live rock, or drilling a bristle worm trap chamber and chamber access tunnel into the live rock or drilling a bristle worm trap chamber and access tunnel completely through the live rock for insertion of a bristle worm trap in the bristle worm trap chamber, and drilling chamber access tunnel holes in the live rock. The bristle worm bait is then placed in a tubular bristle worm trap removably inserted within the bristle trap chamber. 
         [0015]    A plurality of spaced bristle worm openings along the length of the bristle bait holding tube of the tubular bristle worm trap admit the hungry small bristle worms therethrough to feed on the bristle worm bait. After eating, the bristle worm stays in one of the openings in the living stone or in the tubular bristle worm trap or the worm trap chamber, so that they are removed from the tank with the Bristle Stone™ trap. 
         [0016]    The purpose of the device is to remove bristle worms from a salt water aquarium to prevent the bristle worms from damaging coral in the salt water aquarium and from eating other inhabitants in the aquarium. 
         [0017]    An advantage of the present invention is that it prevents the damage or destruction of coral in the aquarium. 
         [0018]    One more advantage of the present invention is that it is an attractive, natural addition to the aquarium. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    These and other details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and in which drawings: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the split Bristle Stone™ worm trapping device of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the split Bristle Stone™ worm trapping device of  FIG. 1  showing the device split in half for access to the bristle worm trap bait holding tube in the inner bristle worm trap chamber; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the Bristle Stone™ worm trapping device having a large diameter hole drilled into the stone to create the bristle worm trap chamber and passageway showing the bristle worm trap bait holding tube in the bristle worm trap chamber and passageway (dashed lines); 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the split Bristle Stone™ worm trapping device of  FIG. 1  showing one the devices at the bottom of the salt water aquarium and another of the devices being held by a mesh scoop for either installing the device in the salt water aquarium to attract bristle worms or removing the device from the salt water aquarium to remove the bristle worms in the device; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5 . is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the Bristle Stone™ worm trapping device having a narrow tunnel drilled through a live rock from an opening on one side to an opening on an opposite side to create a small diameter bristle worm trap chamber and passage open at each end and showing the small diameter bristle worm trap bait tube which fits in the full length of the bristle worm trap chamber and passage from one opening to the other and a bait tube plug at each end of the bait tube, each bait tube plug having a pronged tip for insertion into an end of the bait tube with a tight tension fit and an outer stone engaging ring for retaining the bait tube within the live rock and sealing the end of the bait tube holding passageway, an outwardly protruding grip for inserting and removing the bait tube plug, and a series of spaced worm openings along the length of the bait tube to allow the bristle worms to enter the bait tube; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the alternate embodiment of the Bristle Stone™ worm trapping device of  FIG. 5  showing the bristle worm trap bait tube (dashed lines) inside the small diameter bristle worm trap chamber and passage and a bait tube plug inserted in each end of the bait tube securing it within the small diameter bristle worm trap chamber and passage and sealing the two passageway openings, and further showing the drilled worm tunnels leading from the outside of the live rock to the bristle worm trap bait tube to enable the bristle worms to enter the bristle worm trap bait tube. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]    In  FIGS. 1-6 , a bristle worm trapping device  20 ,  20 A and  20 B for salt water aquariums  40  comprises either a split stone embodiment of the bristle worm trapping device  20  of  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  4  or a first alternate embodiment with a drilled interior bristle trap chamber  37 A in the bristle worm trapping device  20 A of  FIG. 3  or a second alternate embodiment with a drilled interior bristle trap chamber  37 B completely through the bristle worm trapping device  20 B of  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
         [0027]    The bristle worm trapping device in the form of a live rock or rock  20 ,  20 A, and  20 B, which may be a live rock  30 , forming a Bristle Stone™ trap simulating a bristle worm&#39;s natural home to attract bristle worms  9 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The Bristle Stone™ trap  20 ,  20 A, and  20 B comprises a live rock  30  having at least one interior bristle worm trap chamber  37 ,  37 A and  37 B and at least one chamber access tunnel  35  formed in the live rock  30 , extending between the interior bristle worm trap chamber  37 ,  37 A and  37 B and at least one exterior opening  33  to admit bristle worms to pass through the exterior opening  33  and the chamber access tunnel  35  into the interior bristle worm trap chamber. 
         [0028]    At least one removable bristle worm trap  10  is removably inserted in the at least one interior bristle worm trap chamber  37 ,  37 A and  37 B. The bristle worm trap  10  has at least one interior bait holding cavity, preferably the interior of a hollow tube  11 , therein to contain bristle worm bait to attract the bristle worms  9  to enter the bristle worm trap. At least one bristle worm opening  13 , and preferably a plurality of bristle worm openings  13 , in the bristle worm trap  10  allows the bristle worms  9  to enter into the at least one bait holding cavity  11  to feed on the bristle worm bait. The bristle worm bait placed inside the bristle worm trap and the bristle worm trap  10  placed in the live rock  30  prior to placement of the Bristle Stone™ trap in a salt water aquarium  40  attracts bristle worms  9  into the bristle worm trap and they remain in the living rock to trap the bristle worms in the living rock. The bristle worm trap  10  is removable form the Bristle Stone™ trap  20 ,  20 A, and  20 B with the trapped bristle worms inside after removing the Bristle Stone™ trap from the salt water aquarium  40 . 
         [0029]    The bristle worm trap  10  comprises a removable bait holding tube  11  inserted in the interior bristle worm trap chamber  37 ,  37 A, and  37 B, the bait holding tube  11  comprising a hollow cylinder for holding the bristle worm bait, at least one end cap  12  or  12 A at an end of the hollow cylinder for installing and retaining the bristle worm bait therein, the bait holding tube  13  having a plurality of spaced bristle worm openings  13  along the length of the bristle worm trap  10  for admitting the bristle worms therethrough to feed on the bristle worm bait. The bait holding tube  11  may be fabricated from a section of plastic pipe, or a section of plastic tubing, which may be clear, and preferably comprises an end cap  12  or  12 A on each end of the section of plastic pipe. After 
         [0030]    In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the bristle rock trap  20  comprises a split  36  in the live rock  30  formed by cutting the live rock into at least two live rock pieces  30 A and  30 B so that the pieces are separable to provide the means for accessing the at interior bristle worm trap chamber  37  to load the bristle worm bait into the bristle worm trap  10  and to remove trapped bristle worms from the bristle worm trap. 
         [0031]    The interior bristle worm trap chamber  37  comprises a mating cylindrical opening drilled into each of two separable mating pieces  30 A and  30 B of the live rock, the two mating cylindrical openings mating together to form the at least one interior bristle worm trap chamber  37  when the bristle worm bait is placed in the bristle worm trap  10  and the two mating pieces of the live rock are joined together in the shape of an original solid live rock to form the Bristle Stone™ trap  20 . 
         [0032]    In  FIG. 3 , in another embodiment, the interior bristle worm trap chamber  37 A comprises a cylindrical opening  39  drilled from the exterior cavity opening of the rock  30  to the interior of the live rock. The cylindrical opening  39  is sufficiently large to allow the loading of the bait holding tube  10  in the live rock  30 , and the removal of the bait holding tube  10  to remove the trapped bristle worms from the live rock thereby providing the means for accessing the at least one interior bristle worm trap chamber  37 A to load the bristle worm bait into the bristle worm trap  10  and to remove trapped bristle worms from the bristle worm trap  10 . 
         [0033]    In  FIG. 4 , a mesh scoop  46  installs the bristle worm trap  20  in the sand  45  in the salt water aquarium  40  among the sea plants  42 , coral  44  and other sea creatures  43  to attract bristle worms  9 . The mesh scoop  46  also removes the device from the salt water  41  in the aquarium  40  to remove the bristle worms  9  in the device  20 . 
         [0034]    In  FIGS. 5 and 6 , an alternate embodiment of the Bristle Stone™ worm trapping device  20  has a narrow tunnel drilled through the stone from an opening  39 A on one side to an opening on an opposite side to create a small diameter bristle worm trap chamber and access passageway or bristle worm bait trap tunnel  37 B open at each end and showing the small diameter bait tube  11 A which fits in the full length of the bristle worm bait trap tunnel  37 B, as shown in  FIG. 6 , from one opening  39 A to the other and a bait tube plug  12 A at each end of the bait tube  11 A, each bait tube plug having a pronged tip  16  for insertion into an end of the bait tube with a tight tension fit and an outer stone engaging ring  15  for retaining the bait tube within the live rock and sealing the end of the bristle worm bait trap tunnel  37 B, an outwardly protruding grip  14  for inserting and removing the bait tube plug  12 A, and a series of spaced worm openings  13  along the length of the bait tube to allow the bristle worms to enter the bait tube. 
         [0035]    In  FIG. 6 , the bristle worm trap bait tube  11  (dashed lines) is inside the bristle worm bait trap tunnel  37 B and a bait tube plug  12 A is inserted in each end of the bait tube securing it within the bristle worm bait trap tunnel  37 B and sealing the two tunnel openings. The drilled bait or chamber access tunnels  35  leading from the outside openings  33  of the live rock open into the bristle worm bait trap tunnel  37 B to enable the bristle worms to enter the bait tube  11 . An outwardly protruding grip  14  is used for gripping to insert and remove the bait tube plug  12 A. 
         [0036]    The Bristle Stone™ trap rock may be fabricated from a natural stone, which may be a live rock or fabricated of an artificial material to resemble a live rock fabricated from at least one material taken from the list of materials including a polyresin material, a resin material, a polystone material, an acrylic material, a plastic material, or other synthetic material which may be molded into the shape of a living rock. 
         [0037]    In use, in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  4 , a bristle worm trapping method for salt water aquariums comprises 
         [0038]    a first step of cutting a live rock  30  into at least two mating pieces  30 A and  30 B (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) assembled together to form a Bristle Stone™ trap  20  to simulate a bristle worm&#39;s natural home to attract bristle worms; 
         [0039]    a second step of drilling a mating cylindrical opening drilled into each of two mating pieces of the live rock, the two mating cylindrical openings mating together to form at least one interior bristle worm trap chamber  37  when the at least two pieces of live rock are joined together to contain a bristle worm trap  10  in the interior bristle worm trap chamber  37  to attract the bristle worms  9  to enter the bristle worm trap; 
         [0040]    a third step of drilling at least one chamber access tunnel  35  in the live rock extending between the at least one interior bristle trap chamber  37  and at least one exterior opening  33  to admit bristle worms to pass through the at least one exterior opening and the at least one chamber access tunnel into the at least one interior bristle worm trap chamber  37 ; 
         [0041]    a fourth step of loading in at least one removable bristle worm trap  10  removably inserted in the interior bristle worm trap chamber  37 , the at least one bristle worm trap having at least one interior bait holding cavity formed therein to contain bristle worm bait to attract the bristle worms to enter the at least one removable bristle worm trap, and at least one bristle worm opening  13  in the at least one bristle worm trap to allow the bristle worms to enter into the at least one bait holding cavity to feed on the bristle worm bait, the at least one bristle worm opening sized to admit a hungry bristle worm  9  to enter the at least one bristle worm bait trap  10  to feed. Bristle worm bait is placed inside the bristle worm trap and the bristle worm trap placed in the live rock prior to placement of the Bristle Stone™ trap in a salt water aquarium  40  attracts bristle worms into the bristle worm trap to trap the bristle worms after feeding so that the bristle worm trap is removable form the Bristle Stone™ trap with the trapped bristle worms inside after removing the Bristle Stone™ trap with the at least two pieces of live rock separated and joining the at least two mating pieces of the live rock together in the shape of an original live rock to form the Bristle Stone™ trap; 
         [0042]    a fifth step of placing the Bristle Stone™ trap  20  in a salt water aquarium  40  to trap the bristle worms; and 
         [0043]    a sixth step of removing the Bristle Stone™ trap from the salt water aquarium and separating the at least two pieces of live rock  30 A and  30 B to remove the trapped bristle worms from the at least one interior bait holding cavity. 
         [0044]    In  FIG. 3 , an alternate bristle worm trapping method for salt water aquariums comprises: 
         [0045]    a first step of drilling at least one cylindrical opening  39  from the exterior of a live rock  30  to the interior of the live rock, the at least one cylindrical opening sufficiently large so that it comprises in combination an interior bristle worm trap chamber  37 A and a means for accessing the interior bristle worm trap chamber to contain a bristle worm trap therein to form a Bristle Stone™ trap  20 A to simulate a bristle worm&#39;s natural home to attract bristle worms; 
         [0046]    a second step of drilling at least one chamber access tunnel  35  in the live rock extending between the at least one interior bristle worm trap chamber  37 A and at least one exterior opening  33  to admit bristle worms  9  to pass through the at least one exterior opening  33  and the at least one chamber access tunnel  35  into the at least one interior bristle worm trap chamber  37 A; 
         [0047]    a third step of loading in at least one removable bristle worm trap  10  removably inserted in the at least one interior bristle worm trap chamber, the at least one bristle worm trap having at least one interior bait holding cavity formed therein to contain bristle worm bait to attract the bristle worms to enter the at least one removable bristle worm trap, and at least one bristle worm opening  13  in the at least one bristle worm trap to allow the bristle worms to enter into the at least one bait holding cavity to feed on the bristle worm bait, so that bristle worm bait placed inside the bristle worm trap and the bristle worm trap placed in the live rock prior to placement of the live rock trap attracts bristle worms into the bristle worm trap to trap the bristle worms after feeding so that the bristle worm trap is removable form the Bristle Stone™ trap with the trapped bristle worms inside after removing the Bristle Stone™ trap; 
         [0048]    a fourth step of placing the Bristle Stone™ trap in a salt water aquarium  40  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ) to trap the bristle worms; and 
         [0049]    a fifth step of removing the Bristle Stone™ trap  20 A from the salt water aquarium; 
         [0050]    a sixth step of removing the bristle worm trap  10  from the Bristle Stone™ trap  20 A and removing the trapped bristle worms from the at least one interior bait holding cavity in the at least one bristle worm trap. 
         [0051]    In  FIGS. 5 and 6 , another alternate bristle worm trapping method for salt water aquariums comprises: 
         [0052]    a first step of drilling at least one bristle worm bait trap tunnel opening  39 A and bristle trap chamber tunnel  37 B drilled completely through the live rock from an opening  39 A on one side to an opening  39 A on an opposite side to form a combined bristle worm trap chamber and means for accessing the bristle worm trap and form a Bristle Stone™ trap  20 B to simulate a bristle worm&#39;s natural home to attract bristle worms; 
         [0053]    a second step of drilling at least one chamber access tunnel  35  in the live rock extending between the at least one interior bristle worm trap chamber  37 B and at least one exterior opening  33  to admit bristle worms to pass through the at least one exterior opening  33  and the at least one chamber access tunnel  35  into the at least one interior bristle worm trap chamber; 
         [0054]    a third step of inserting a bristle worm trap  10  comprising a removable bait holding tube  11 A removably inserted in the bristle worm bait trap tunnel  37 B, the removable bait holding tube extending from the opening  39 A on the one side to the opening  39 A on the opposite side, the removable bait holding tube having spaced worm openings  13  along the length of the bait holding tube to allow the bristle worms to enter the bait holding tube to feed on the bristle worm bait, and further comprising inserting a bait tube plug  12 A at each end of the bait holding tube  11 A, each bait tube plug  12 A having a pronged tip  16  for insertion into an end of the bait holding tube with a tight tension fit and an outer plug ring  15  for engaging an outer live rock surface around the opening  39 A for retaining the bait holding tube within the live rock and sealing the end of the bait holding tube so that bristle worm bait placed inside the bristle worm trap  10  and the bristle worm trap placed in the live rock  30  prior to placement of the Bristle Stone™ trap in a salt water aquarium  40  to attract bristle worms  9  into the bristle worm trap to trap the bristle worms after feeding so that the bristle worm trap is removable form the Bristle Stone™ trap with the trapped bristle worms inside after removing the Bristle Stone™ trap; 
         [0055]    a fourth step of placing the Bristle Stone™ trap  20 B in a salt water aquarium  40  to trap the bristle worms; and 
         [0056]    a fifth step of removing the bristle stop trap  20 B from the salt water aquarium; 
         [0057]    a sixth step of removing the at least one bristle worm trap  10  from the Bristle Stone™ trap and removing the trapped bristle worms from the at least one interior bait holding cavity in the at least one bristle worm trap. 
         [0058]    It is understood that the preceding description is given merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention and that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.