Abstract:
A wader with a quick-release system for evacuation of water from the wader comprising: a wader having two pant legs, two foot coverings and a crotch area; a waterproof fastener that extends circumferentially around each pant leg at the seam between the pant leg and the foot covering; and a component that is attached to a jerk line and to the upper portion of the waterproof fastener. The jerk line extends from the upper portion of the waterproof fastener vertically up one pant leg to the crotch area of the wader and vertically down the other pant leg. When a person pulls on the jerk line at the crotch area of the wader, the jerk line causes the upper portion of the waterproof fastener to disengage from the lower portion of the waterproof fastener, thereby allowing any water contained within the wader to exit from the wader.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to the field of waders, and more specifically, to a wader with a quick-release system for evacuation of water from the wader. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    A frequent safety issue with chest-high waders is that if water enters the top of the wader, it is virtually impossible to get the water out of the wader without removing the entire wader. If someone is standing in high water and slips, thereby causing water to enter the wader from the top of the wader, there is no quick way to get the water out of the wader, and the person wearing the wader is not in a position to take the entire wader off. The danger in this situation is that the person will be swept under water and drown. 
         [0005]    The present invention is designed to prevent accidental death by drowning in situations of the type described above. The invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,478 (Girard, 1977) attempts to address the same problem, but it does so in a very different manner than that of the present invention, and the fastening device that is unfastened for release of the water inside the wader is not waterproof. Specifically, the &#39;478 patent uses a pin that is attached by a chain to a strap connected to the upper portion of the wader at roughly the knee level of the wader. The pin passes through a shaftway in a male ferrule, which is inserted into a female ferrule with like shaftways. The pin secures the male ferrule to the female ferrule, and the wader is decoupled at the knee level when the pin is removed from the shaftways in the male and female ferrules. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,654,964 (Stoll, 1953) discloses an emergency cutting means for removing hip boots or waist-high waders when they have become filled with water. In the hip boot example, a wire with the top twelve inches split into two pieces is placed inside the top of a hip boot with the end of each split piece placed transversely around the inside boot top. The wire is then placed down the inside front of the boot down to the toe portion of the boot, through the boot at the toe portion, and then partially up the front outside of the boot to roughly the knee level. Breakable rubber bands secure the wire at intervals so that it maintains its position during normal use of the wader. The point where the wire extends from the inside of the boot to the outside of the boot is tearably sealed so as to be watertight. The top pieces of wire that extend circumferentially around the inside boot top are attached to cutter heads (which guide the cutting knife) and a cutting knife, which literally cuts the wader along the wire when the wearer pulls on a finger ring attached to the end of the wire on the outside of the boot at roughly the knee area. The wader is cut from toe to hip and then circumferentially around the top of the wader. The wearer may then kick off the hip boot in the water without having to unbuckle it. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,609 (Helt, 1978) provides a rip cord safety device designed to allow the wearer to open the wading boots from toe to top with a single upward pulling motion. The rip cord extends in two segments from the two toes of the wader up the front of each leg to the abdomen area, where the two segments join and further extend vertically up the bib area of the wader to the top of the wader. The rip cord is sealed within the inside wall of the wading boot with a flexible rubber coating that is water-resistant. The rip cord is constructed of a braided stainless steel. To operate the rip cord, the wearer pulls on a ring at the end of the rip cord on the toe of the wading boot, thereby causing the wading boot to part vertically along the line of the rip cord. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,050 (Thompson, 2002) involves an apparatus for facilitating the application and removal of chest-high waders; this patent does not deal with the problem of evacuating water from a wader. The invention is a liner in the nature of a body suit that is worn over the clothing of the wearer of the wader and between the clothing and the wader. The liner is made of TYVEK® material, and the top edge of the liner has an elastic band extending around it. A zipper extends downwardly from the top edge, and elastic is also used in the zipper and crotch areas to secure a tight fit between the liner and the person wearing the liner. The liner includes boots, and elastic may also be used in the ankle area directly above the boots. In one embodiment, the boots are removably secured to the bottoms of the leg members. In this embodiment, the bottoms of the leg members are secured with elastic bands around the leg of the wearer, and the boots are also secured with elastic bands over the bottoms of the leg members. 
         [0009]    U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2008/0040837 (King et al.) claims a garment for use in a fluidic environment with a fluid-resistant zipper disposed on the garment such that it is in generally transverse orientation relative to the central medial axis of the torso of the wearer; in other words, the zipper is horizontally disposed on the wader in the general area of the crotch. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The present invention is a wader with a quick-release system for evacuation of water from the wader comprising: a wader having two pant legs, two foot coverings and a crotch area, with a seam between each pant leg and foot covering; a waterproof fastener having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the waterproof fastener extends circumferentially around each pant leg at the seam between the pant leg and the foot covering; and a component that is attached to a jerk line and to the upper portion of the waterproof fastener, wherein the jerk line extends from the upper portion of the waterproof fastener vertically up one pant leg to the crotch area of the wader and vertically down the other pant leg; wherein when a person pulls on the jerk line at the crotch area of the wader, the jerk line causes the upper portion of the waterproof fastener to disengage from the lower portion of the waterproof fastener, thereby allowing any water contained within the wader to exit from the wader. 
         [0011]    In an alternate embodiment, the present invention is a wader with a quick-release system for evacuation of water from the wader comprising: a wader having two pant legs, two foot coverings, and a crotch area, wherein each pant leg has a bottom portion, and a foot covering is attached to the bottom portion of each pant leg; a waterproof fastener having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the waterproof fastener extends circumferentially around the bottom portion of each pant leg; and a component that is attached to a jerk line and to the upper portion of the waterproof fastener, wherein the jerk line extends from the upper portion of the waterproof fastener vertically up one pant leg to the crotch area of the wader and vertically down the other pant leg; wherein when a person pulls on the jerk line at the crotch area of the wader, the jerk line causes the upper portion of the waterproof fastener to disengage from the lower portion of the waterproof fastener, thereby allowing any water contained within the wader to exit from the wader. 
         [0012]    In a preferred embodiment, the jerk line is enclosed within a tubing. Preferably, the jerk line at the crotch area of the wader is enclosed within a handle that is removably attached to the crotch area of the wader. The component that attaches the jerk line to the upper portion of the waterproof fastener is preferably covered by a protective cuff that is attached to the wader above the upper portion of the waterproof fastener. 
         [0013]    In one embodiment, the foot covering completely separates from the pant leg of the wader when the waterproof fastener is fully disengaged. In an alternate embodiment, the foot covering partially separates from the pant leg of the wader when the waterproof fastener is fully disengaged. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention being worn on a person and shown with the protective cuff over the waterproof fastener. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of the present invention shown without the protective cuff over the waterproof fastener. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of the present invention shown with the jerk line being pulled on and the waterproof fastener beginning to come disengaged. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of the present invention shown after the waterproof fastener has become fully disengaged. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a section view of a preferred embodiment of the waterproof fastener in an engaged position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a section view of a preferred embodiment of the waterproof fastener in a disengaged position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a section view of the invention showing the jerk line, tubing, tape and protective cuff. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a section view of the invention showing the jerk line, tubing and tape. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a detail view of the jerk line and the grommet in the flap. 
       
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMBERS 
       [0023]      1  Wader 
         [0024]      2  Jerk line 
         [0025]      3  Tubing 
         [0026]      4  Tape 
         [0027]      5  Handle 
         [0028]      6  Hook-and-loop fastener 
         [0029]      7  Protective cuff 
         [0030]      8  Waterproof fastener 
         [0031]      8   a  Upper portion of waterproof fastener 
         [0032]      8   b  Lower portion of waterproof fastener 
         [0033]      9  Flap 
         [0034]      10  Grommet 
         [0035]      11  Elastic 
         [0036]      12  Bootie (of wader) 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0037]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention being worn on a person and shown with the protective cuff over the waterproof fastener. As shown in this figure, the present invention is a wader  1  comprising a jerk line  2  that extends vertically from the area just above the wearer&#39;s ankle on the outside of one leg of the wader  1  up the outer edge of the same leg to the hip area, up and across to the front of the crotch area, down and across to the outer hip area of the other leg, and vertically down the outer edge of the other leg from the hip area to the area just above the wearer&#39;s ankle on the outside of the other leg of the wader  1 . Thus, the jerk line forms a single, continuous loop. The jerk line  2  itself is preferably a monofilament, polypropylene line, stainless steel cord, braided composition cable or any other material or composition in the form of a line, cord or cable that is both non-elastic and flexible. 
         [0038]    The jerk line  2  is preferably contained within a tubing  3  (see  FIGS. 5-8 ) that is secured to the outside of the wader  1 . The jerk line may be secured to the outside of the wader with tape  4  (as shown) or by any other suitable method (for example, it may be glued, fabric welded, sewn or otherwise fastened to the wader). The tubing  3  is preferably made of plastic but could also be made of any other suitable material. The diameter of the tubing  3  is preferably such that it is wide enough to allow the jerk line  2  to move longitudinally within the tubing  3  but also narrow enough to prevent the jerk line  2  from becoming tangled or moving in a direction other than longitudinally within the tubing  3 . 
         [0039]    A handle  5  is preferably located in the front of the crotch area of the wader  1 , and the jerk line  2  passes through the handle  5  so that if and when the wearer pulls upward on the handle  5 , the jerk line  2  is also pulled upward (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The handle may be made of fabric or any other suitable material. In a preferred embodiment, the handle  5  is secured to the front of the crotch area of the wader  1  with a hook-and-loop fastener  6  so that it is secured to the wader  1  when not in use but may be removed from the wader  2  fairly easily when needed. 
         [0040]    The waterproof fastener  8 , described more fully below, is preferably situated at the seam between the bootie and pant leg in a stockingfoot wader (which is what is shown in the drawings) or at the seam between the boot and pant leg in a bootfoot wader (not shown). The bootie in a stockingfoot wader is typically made of neoprene, which is why the bootie  12  is shown as being thicker than the wader material  1  in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . In a bootfoot wader, a hard rubber boot is attached to the wader pant leg in lieu of the neoprene bootie of the stockingfoot wader. As used herein, the term “foot covering” means, without limitation, a boot or a bootie. 
         [0041]    In a preferred embodiment, a cuff  7  overlies the waterproof fastener  8  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) so as to prevent the waterproof fastener  8  from becoming disengaged other than when the wearer pulls on the handle  5 . The upper edge of the cuff  7  is secured to the outside of the wader  1  above the waterproof fastener  8  with tape  4  (as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  5  and  6 ), glue, fabric welding or any other suitable method. The bottom of the cuff may comprise an elastic strip or band  11  (as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  5  and  6 ) to maintain the bottom of the cuff in position on the bootie  12 . Alternately, the bottom of the cuff  7  could be held in place with a flexible magnet, hook-and-loop fastener, or any other method that prevents the bottom of the cuff  7  from flapping open during normal use but allows it to disengage easily from the bootie  12  when necessary. 
         [0042]    As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , in a preferred embodiment, the tubing  3  extends inside the cuff  7  just below the area at which the cuff  7  is attached (or adhered) to the wader  1 , and the jerk line  2  exits the tubing  3  underneath the cuff  7 . In an alternate embodiment (not shown), the tubing  3  and cuff  7  could be a single part (i.e., the tubing could be integral with the cuff). 
         [0043]      FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of the present invention shown without the protective cuff over the waterproof fastener. As shown in this figure, the jerk line  2  is fixedly attached to a flap  9  that is in turn fixedly attached to the upper portion  8   a  of the waterproof fastener  8 . The flap  9  may be made of plastic, nylon, fabric or any other material that will not rip or tear if force is applied to it. Although this part is referenced herein as a “flap,” it may be any component that is fixedly attached to the jerk line and to the upper portion  8   a  of the waterproof fastener  8 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2-6 , the jerk line  2  is attached to the flap  9  via a grommet  10  through which the jerk line  2  is passed and looped over itself (see  FIGS. 5 and 6 ), but the present invention is not limited to any particular method of attaching the jerk line  2  to the flap  9 . 
         [0044]    The flap  9  should be fixedly attached to the very bottom of the upper portion  8   a  of the waterproof fastener  8  but not to any other part of the wader  1  so that any upward force applied to the jerk line  2  will be applied directly to the bottom lip of the upper portion  8   a  of the waterproof fastener  8 . The purpose of the flap  9  is to transfer force from the handle  5  to the upper portion  8   a  of the waterproof fastener  8  and to provide leverage over a greater length (preferably two to three inches) of the upper portion  8   a  than would be accomplished if the jerk line  2  were attached directly to the upper portion  8   a  of the fastener  8 . Once the seal of the waterproof fastener  8  is broken at the point where the flap  9  attaches to the upper portion  8   a,  then the force of the water exiting  t he wader, along with downward pressure from the wearer&#39;s foot, will assist in breaking the seal around the rest of the waterproof fastener  8 . 
         [0045]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the waterproof fastener  8  extends circumferenially around the bottom portion of the pant leg of the wader  1  just above the ankle area of the wearer. In a preferred embodiment, the waterproof fastener  8  is located at the seam between the pant leg and bootie (or boot) of the wader  1 . The waterproof fastener  8  is preferably attached to the wader  1  with conventional fabric welding and/or sewing methods. 
         [0046]      FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of the present invention shown with the jerk line being pulled on and the waterproof fastener beginning to come disengaged. As this figure illustrates, when force is applied to the jerk line  2  in an upward direction, the jerk line  2  moves upward within the tubing  3 , and the flap  9  is pried outward and upward, thereby causing the upper portion  8   a  of the waterproof fastener  8  to disengage from the lower portion  8   b  of the waterproof fastener  8 . Once the upper portion  8   a  of the waterproof fastener  8  begins to disengage from the lower portion  8   b  of the waterproof fastener  8 , then the water inside of the wader  1  begins to escape from the space created between the upper and lower portions  8   a,    8   b  of the waterproof fastener  8 , and the force of the escaping water causes the upper and lower portions  8   a,    8   b  of the waterproof fastener  8  to continuing disengaging from one another until the waterproof fastener  8  is fully disengaged, as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0047]    When the invention is fully deployed (and the waterproof fastener fully disengaged), as shown in  FIG. 4 , the boot portion of the wader separates completely from the rest of the wader. In an alternate embodiment (not shown), the boot portion of the wader may remain partially attached to the pant leg even when the waterproof fastener is fully disengaged—for example, one inch of the waterproof fastener  8  at one hundred eighty degrees (180°) from the point at which the flap  9  is attached to the upper portion  8   a  of the waterproof fastener  8  may remain closed. The latter embodiment may be preferred to ensure that the wader boots or booties are not completely lost when the invention is deployed or for other manufacturing reasons. 
         [0048]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show the waterproof fastener  8  in an engaged and disengaged position, respectively.  FIG. 5  is a section view taken at line  5 - 5  on  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 6  is the same section view as  FIG. 5  except with the waterproof fastener  8  in a disengaged position. These two figures show one type of waterproof fastener  8  that may be used in connection with the present invention, but any type of waterproof fastener  8  that is disengageable when the upper and bottom portions of the fastener are pulled away from each other may be used. For example, a waterproof zipper could not be used in this particular application because it does not disengage when one side of the zipper is pulled away from the other. 
         [0049]      FIG. 7  is a section view taken at line  7 - 7  on  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 8  is a section view taken at line  8 - 8  on  FIG. 2 . These two figures show the jerk line  2  in relation to the tubing  3  and tape  4 . Note that the jerk line  2  is shown in cross-section as two monofilaments because of the way the monofilament attaches to the grommet  10  in the flap  9  (see  FIG. 9 ); the present invention, however, is not limited to any particular method of attaching the jerk line  2  to the flap  9 . 
         [0050]    The present invention has been proven to address effectively the problem of evacuating wader that is trapped inside of a wader while the wader is being worn and the wearer is in a body of water. The process of trying to remove the wader in a compromised situation is too time-consuming and cumbersome. As shown above, the present invention is quickly deployed and easy to use. All the wearer has to do is pull on the handle  5  in the crotch area on the front of the wader, and within a matter of seconds, the water trapped inside the wader is allowed to escape. 
         [0051]    Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.