Abstract:
A combined fish scale and catch-and-release device is disclosed. The catch-and-release device hereof has a unique crank and slider mechanism with a self-locking function independent of external resistance, which mechanism reciprocally drives the opposing C-shaped jaws between an open position and a closed position. The closed position is self-locking. The device is housed in an elongated body having a handle at one end from which the crank is operated. The handle has a spring scale housed therein with a scale stem extending from the handle. The spring scale has a separate handle adjacent the catch-and-release handle enabling the user to move between lip-locking and weighing modes without touching the fish. During weighing the fish and the device are suspended from the scale handle and the spring of the scale is compressed, exposing scale markings indicating the weight.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/546,123, filed Apr. 10, 2000, entitled Catch-and-Release Device, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,438,891, issued Aug. 27, 2002. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a combined fish scale and catch-and-release device to enable a fisherman to securely grip a fish by the lower lip during the release procedure. Further, the combined fish scale and catch-and-release device reduces the injury to the fish by minimizing the handling of the fish during weighing and the handling of the fish in the release process. In so doing, the natural protective coating of the fish is preserved and the survival rate upon release is optimized. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Today&#39;s sport fishing regulations have evolved so that more and more fisherman are required to catch and release a larger proportion of the fish caught. This is designed to maintain fish and stream environments and to provide, where a particular species needs protection, the necessary level of intervention. 
     While these regulations did not meet initially with universal acceptance, the catch-and-release mode is now sufficiently integrated into sport fishing that equipment facilitating the procedures is more widely available. For example, the fish handling tool of C. D. Camp, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,585 has been introduced to the market. This prior art device provides a fish handling device in which the gripping pressure of the jaws is increased by the weight of the fish. 
     When operating in the catch-and-release mode, it is of key importance that the handling of fish caught on the line be in a manner that is least harmful to the fish. Minimally a gripping device is needed which is easy to handle with one hand so that the other hand is free to disengage the fishhook. Such gripping devices nip the lip of the fish between two jaws operating between an open and a closed position. 
     In the prior art resistance-dependent mechanism, there is a greater possibility of damage to an active fish than there is with a gripping mechanism that is independent of external resistance. With a relaxed fish, there is more likelihood with the prior art device that the resistance to the gripping mechanism is below the level required for self-locking operation. This, in turn, leads to premature release of the fish. 
     The device of the present invention, as will be seen from the description which follows, overcomes the problems created by a resistance-dependent, self-locking mechanism and exhibits the advantages provided hereinbelow. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention disclosed herein is a catch-and-release device that has a unique mechanism with a self-locking function independent of external resistance. The catch-and-release device hereof has opposing C-shaped jaws that are reciprocally driven between an open position and a closed position by a crank and slider assembly. The crank of the crank and slider assembly rotates approximately 90° in one direction during closing and locking and rotates approximately 90° in the opposite direction during unlocking and opening. The crank arm of the crank and slider assembly is at one end eccentrically mounted to the crank and at the other end flexibly mounted to a reciprocating slider which, in turn, is attached at the other end thereof to the operating arms of the jaws. 
     The crank arm during the rotation of the crank (in either direction) reaches a position or null point wherein the longitudinal axes of the crank arm and the reciprocating slider are aligned. A spring is secured to the crank and slider assembly that biases the crank arm toward the crank. The spring force with the crank rotating in the direction of closing and locking is initially exerted counter to the closing effort. When this force is overcome and the null point is passed, the spring force is then exerted in the opposite direction and maintains the locking position. Conversely, the spring force with the crank rotating in the direction of opening and unlocking is initially exerted counter to the unlocking effort. When this force is overcome and the null point is passed, the spring force is exerted in the opposite direction to maintain the jaws in an open condition. 
     The crank and slider assembly is mounted in an elongated or tubular body having a handle portion at one end thereof. Adjacent the handle, a crank slot accommodates the crank on an axis transverse to that of the elongated body. The crank slot also provides limits restricting the rotatory motion of the crank to the approximately 90° of rotation described supra. Adjacent the crank slot, the tubular body has on one side thereof a crank arm relief slot which receives the misaligned crank arm when the eccentric mounting point is rotated beyond the null point to the same side of tubular body. As the wall of the tubular body opposite the relief slot is intact, upon the crank arm being misaligned in the opposite direction as just described, the wall acts as a stop or lock with the spring retaining the crank arm in the locked condition. 
     In the second embodiment, the handle is enlarged to accommodate therewithin a spring scale. The handle portion has the dual function of handle for the catch-and-release device and outer housing of the spring scale. The fish scale operates independently from the catch-and-release function, and, during engagement with the lip of the fish, no forces are exerted upon the spring of the scale. After locking onto the fish, the fish and the catch-and-release device are suspended from the scale handle and the spring of the scale is compressed, exposing on the scale shaft calibrated markings indicating the weight of the fish. 
     OBJECTS AND FEATURES OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a catch-and-release device which combines a unique self-locking mechanism with a pair of gripping jaws enabling the fisherman to nip the lower lip of a fish by a simple one-handed operation and upon detaching the fish hook from a fish releasing the fish to his environment. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a fish gripping tool which is easy to manufacture and can be made in various lengths for differing applications, e.g. fishing from a riverbank and fishing from a boat. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a catch-and-release device which is easy to lock onto the lower lip of the fish and is easy to release the locking mechanism thereof, which device ensures minimal handling by the fisherman of the fish and without interfering with the exterior coating of the fish. 
     A yet further object of the invention is to provide a fish scale within the handle of the catch-and-release device that operates independently therefrom. 
     A feature of the present invention is that the crank arm, when positioned on one side of the longitudinal axis, is biased toward the open position; and on the other side, toward the closed position. 
     This together with other objects and advantages will become apparent in the description which follows. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Throughout the drawings which follow, the same reference designators are used for the same parts. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of catch-and-release device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the crank and slider assembly of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the fish gripping device of FIG.  1  and illustrates the device in the open position; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram, similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating the device in the null position; 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating the device in the locked position. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the combined fish scale and catch-and-release device of the present invention, similar to FIG. 1, but including a spring scale therewithin; and, 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the crank and slider assembly and the spring scale of FIG.  6 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A catch-and-release device of this invention is for holding the lip of a fish while removing the fishhook from the fish. The device has an elongated body with a longitudinal axis therethrough. The body has a handle portion at one end, a central bore open at one end and coaxial with the longitudinal axis, and a fixed pivot in the open end of the bore. The device includes a pair of C-shaped jaws, each of which is attached at one end thereof to the fixed pivot and rotatable thereabout. Upon rotation, the jaws operate between a closed position with the unattached end of the jaws meeting and an open position for accepting the lip of a fish. A pair of operating arms, for rotating the jaws about the fixed pivot, are each attached at one end thereof to a point medial the ends of a C-shaped jaw. 
     A crank and slider assembly is mounted in the central bore and attached at one end by a movable pivot to the operating arms. The crank and slider assembly has a crank with a crank arm eccentrically mounted thereto. The crank arm translates a rotational crank movement to a linear forward movement and translates a counter rotational crank movement to a linear rearward movement. The crank arm opens the C-shaped jaws upon forward movement and locks the C-shaped jaws upon rearward movement. A spring is mounted between the slider and the interior wall of the elongated body, which spring is biased toward the handle portion. This provides a spring force against opening of the device and toward locking of the device. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, this disclosure is of a catch-and-release device, generally indicated by the reference numeral  10 . The device is designed to securely hold the lip of a fish to aid the angler in landing the fish or in holding the fish while fishhooks are removed and the release of the fish is effectuated. The catch-and-release device  10  is constructed with an elongated, cylindrical body  12  with a handle portion  14  at one hand and a fixed, gripping jaw pivot  16  at the opposite end thereof. Mounted at the pivot end of the handle, an articulated gripping jaw assembly  18  is constructed with two C-shaped jaw portions  20  and  22 . The jaws  20  and  22  are mounted coplanar to one another so that the open portions of the “C” shapes are facing each other. The two jaws  20  and  22  are attached at one end thereof to the fixed pivot  16  and are operable between an open end and a closed position. 
     To the gripping jaw  20  and, medial the ends thereof, an operating arm  24  is attached at radial pivot  26 . Similarly, gripping jaw  22  is attached to operating arm  28  at radial pivot  30 . The crank and slider assembly  32 , described in detail below, is attached to operating arms  24  and  28  by movable pivot  34 . The mechanical arrangement is such that the reciprocation of the crank and slider assembly  32  is translated from a linear motion at the movable pivot  34  to an arcuate motion at radial pivots  26  and  30 . The radius of the arcuate motion for gripping jaw  20  is from the center of fixed pivot  16  to the center of radial pivot  26 ; and, for gripping jaw  22 , from the center of fixed pivot  16  to the center of the radial pivot  30 . 
     The reciprocation drive and locking mechanism is next discussed. The elongated body  12  is configured to house the crank and slider assembly  32  by having a crank&#39;slot  36  therethrough, a crank arm relief slot  38  through one side of the body, and a central bore  40  extending from the fixed pivot end of the body to the crank slot  36 . The crank and slider assembly  32  is constructed to extend from the movable pivot  34  by having a spring-loaded reciprocating slider  42  fitted in the central bore  40  and being substantially coaxial therewith. Spring  44  is mounted around the slider  42  and is structured to urge the assembly  32  rearward toward handle portion  14  and to provide locking as described below. 
     At the end of the reciprocating slider  42  opposite the movable pivot  34 , a crank arm  46  is joined thereto by a knuckle joint  48  and crank arm pin  50 . A spring retaining fitting  52  is mounted on the slider  42  adjacent joint  48 . A crank  54  is mounted to the elongated body  12  by a crank pin  56  at crank slot  36 . A crank handle  58  is attached to the periphery of the disk for the purpose of operating the crank and slider assembly  32  in a reciprocating motion back and forth in central bore  40 . The crank slot  36 , in the embodiment shown, limits the crank action to an approximate 90 degrees of rotation. The crank  54  includes a centrally placed cavity  60  which is constructed to receive end  62  of the crank arm  46 . This end  62  is the end opposite the knuckle joint  48  and end  62  is attached to the crank  54  by crank arm pin  64 . 
     The catch-and-release device, shown in FIGS. 3 through 5 of this invention, is now discussed in relation to the preferred embodiment described above. It is realized that slight changes such as moving the crank handle  58  to a position 180° about the periphery of the crank  54  would alter the operating description, but not the underlying mechanical working of the device. In the present device, with the crank handle  58  rotated rearwardly (that is away from the gripping jaws  20  and  22 ), the spring  44  extends moving the slider  42  rearward and causing operating arms  24  and  28  to move radial pivots  26  and  30  on an arcuate pathway opening the gripping jaw assembly  18  to the fully open position (limited by the structural stop described supra). 
     Simultaneously the end  62  of crank arm  46  is at rest in crank arm relief slot  38  and cavity  60 , FIG. 1, of crank  54 , FIG.  3 . As the crank handle  58  is rotated forwardly (that is toward the gripping jaws  20  and  22 ), the spring  44  compresses moving the slider  42  forward and causing operating arms  24  and  28  to move radial pivots  26  and  30  on an arcuate pathway closing the gripping jaw assembly  18 . If the forward motion of the crank handle  58  is considered counterclockwise, initially the spring  44  provides an opposite clockwise force. As the crank arm  46  and slider  42  come into alignment a null point is reached, FIG.  4 . 
     Upon further forward motion of the crank handle  58  continuation beyond the null point, the spring  44  provides a counterclockwise force urging the end  62  of crank arm  46  into a locked position. The locked position of the crank arm  46  entraps the end  62  between the walls of central bore  40  and cavity  60  and holds the end  62  by the counterclockwise force from spring  44 . Upon unlocking, the crank handle  58  is moved counterclockwise until the null point is reached. The spring  44  forces then change to clockwise and urges the gripping device to a fully open condition. 
     In the combined fish scale and catch-and-release device of the second embodiment, similar parts of the embodiment are provided with reference designators “100” units higher than those in the first embodiment. Thus, the crank arm relief slot  138  of this embodiment is analogous to crank arm relief slot  38  of the first embodiment. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, a second embodiment is of a combined fish scale and catch-and-release device, generally indicated by the reference numeral  110 . The device is designed to securely hold the lip of a fish to aid the angler in landing the fish, to hold the fish during the weighing thereof and while fishhooks are removed, and to hold the fish during the release process. The catch-and-release device  110  is constructed with an elongated, cylindrical body  112  with a handle portion  114  at one end and a fixed, gripping jaw pivot  116  at the opposite end thereof. Mounted at the pivot end of the handle, an articulated gripping jaw assembly  118  is constructed with two C-shaped jaw portions  120  and  122 . The jaws  120  and  122  are mounted coplanar to one another so that the open portions of the “C” shapes are facing each other. The two jaws  120  and  122  are attached at one end thereof to the fixed pivot  116  and are operable between an open end and a closed position. 
     To the gripping jaw  120  and, medial the ends thereof, an operating arm  124  is attached at radial pivot  126 . Similarly, gripping jaw  122  is attached to operating arm  128  at radial pivot  130 . The crank and slider assembly  132  is attached to operating arms  124  and  128  by movable pivot  134 . The mechanical arrangement is such that the reciprocation of the crank and slider assembly  132  is translated from a linear motion at the movable pivot  134  to an arcuate motion at radial pivots  126  and  130 . The radius of the arcuate motion for gripping jaw  120  is from the center of fixed pivot  116  to the center of radial pivot  126 ; and, for gripping jaw  122 , from the center of fixed pivot  116  to the center of the radial pivot  130 . 
     The reciprocating drive and locking mechanism is next discussed. In a manner similar to the first embodiment, the elongated body  112  is configured to house the crank and slider assembly  132  by having a crank slot  136  therethrough, a crank arm relief slot  138  through one side of the body, and a central bore  140  extending from the fixed pivot end of the body to the crank slot  136 . The crank and slider assembly  132  is constructed to extend from the movable pivot  134  by having a spring-loaded reciprocating slider  142  fitted in the central bore  140  and being substantially coaxial therewith. Spring  144  is mounted around the slider  142  and is structured to urge the assembly  132  rearward toward handle portion  114  and to provide locking as described below. 
     At the end of the reciprocating slider  142  opposite the movable pivot  134 , a crank arm  146  is joined thereto by a knuckle joint  148  and crank arm pin  150 . A spring retaining fitting  152  is mounted on the slider  142  adjacent joint  148 . A crank  154  is mounted to the elongated body  112  by a crank pin  156  at crank slot  136 . A crank handle  158  is attached to the periphery of the disk for the purpose of operating the crank and slider assembly  132  in a reciprocating motion back and forth in central bore  140 . The crank slot  136 , in the embodiment shown, limits the crank action to an approximate 190 degrees of rotation. The crank  154  includes a centrally placed cavity  160  which is constructed to receive end  162  of the crank arm  146 . This end  162  is the end opposite the knuckle joint  148  and end  162  is attached to the crank  154  by crank arm pin  164 . 
     The central bore  140  enlarges upon extending through cylindrical body  112  to handle portion  114 . The handle  114  also serves as the fish scale housing. Isolating the portion of the central bore  140  that houses the crank and slider assembly  132  is a plug  166 . The plug  166  forms a water tight seal between the two portions of the central bore  140 . The fish scale housing  114  receives therewithin a scale stem  168  having markings  170  thereon. About the scale stem  168  is disposed scale spring  172  secured between spring retainer or locknuts  174  and an indicator cap  176 . The indicator cap  176  threadingly engages the open end  178  of handle  114 . The markings  170  are calibrated so that the weight of the device and the nonlinearity of the scale spring  172  in response to compressive forces, e.g. the weight of the fish, is taken into account. For ease of handling, a hand rest  180  is placed about the exterior of handle  114  and a separate scale handle  182  is secured to the end of scale stem  168 . 
     The combined fish scale and catch-and-release device in the catch-and-release mode operates as described in paragraphs  31  through  33  above. Before release of the fish and if the weight of the fish is to be ascertained, the user moves his hand from gripping handle  114  to gripping scale handle  182 . The scale is now in use for the first time and the amount of compression of the scale spring is translated into the weight of the fish by viewing the calibrated markings  170  on the scale stem  168 . The scale indicator is at 0 when the catch-and-release device is empty and no additional weight depends therefrom. When a fish is in the jaws of the device and the device is held by the scale handle  182 , the scale spring  172  is compressed and the scale stem  168  extends from the handle exposing the marking corresponding to the weight of the fish. The independent acting of the catch-and-release device and of the fish scale, eliminates the shocking of the scale spring experienced in prior art devices. 
     In the previous discussion, the fish scale is shown as one using a compression spring, a movable scale, and a fixed indicator. It is understood that it is within the spirit of this invention to use a spring which is elongated when a weight is suspended therefrom and to use a moving indicator against a fixed scale or combinations thereof. 
     The invention disclosed hereby is presented as a unique crank mechanism wherein the self-locking crank arm at one end of its travel locks against the interior wall of the device and is held there released. Thus, the appended claims are to be interpreted broadly, as it is understood that slight variations can be made in the device without departing from the spirit of this invention.