Patent ID: 7222840

Claim:
A rope-guide device for pulling crab pots having a rope attached thereto, the device comprising: a generally cylindrical body having a length greater than a diameter, the body comprising at least one sidewall having a thickness and arranged to form a hollow interior portion; a slot arranged along the entire length of the body and adapted to enable the rope to pass through the slot along a portion of the length of the rope; and a locking mechanism arranged on an interior portion of the cylindrical body, the locking mechanism comprising: a lock lever mounted to an interior portion of the sidewall; a tension device cooperating with the lock lever to exert pressure on an anti-reversing lock lever, the anti-reversing lock lever being pivotably mounted on a second interior portion of the cylindrical body; and an external release-assist handle comprising: a first, user-end comprising a portion extending tangentially outward from the cylindrical body and a second portion connected to the first portion, the second portion being aligned substantially parallel to the length of the cylindrical body and a second, lever-end portion extending from the user-end portion and passing through the sidewall to an interior portion whereby actuation of the user end selectively contacts a portion of the anti-reversing lock lever.