Patent ID: 7140596

Claim:
Apparatus for towing an object between an origin point and a remote connection zone comprising: (a) a body including an internal guide tube having a closed end and an open end, said body having a handle portion sized for gripping; (b) a coiled, compressible power spring encompassed within said guide tube adjacent said closed end and provided with distal and proximal plugs attached to respective ends thereof; (c) a stiff, elongated, notched bolt sized for insertion of a proximal segment thereof within said guide tube, said bolt having its distal end formed into one of: (i) an open loop adapted for attachment of cable and (ii) a device carrier cup adapted to hold, convey and release a device package to the connection zone said distal distal end and abutting bolt portion sized and configured to position the center of mass of the bolt adjacent said distal end; (d) a length of tether sufficient to reach said connection zone attached to said bolt, said tether carried on a body-mounted reel adapted for playout and recovery; (e) a body-connected, L-shaped, two-armed, pivoting-hoop actuator adjacent said guide tube open end, said actuator having one arm provided with a claw feature adapted to engage said bolt notches, the other arm provided with a hoop-pin feature on end thereof; (f) a finger-actuated slide and slide extension adjacent said handle adapted for linear movement within a first body channel and coupled to said actuator by a socket recess mated to couple with said hoop-pin feature; (g) a body-connected, pivoting rocker mounted for pivoting movement in said body at said tube closed end; (h) a follower coil spring is enclosed in a second body channel adjacent said first body channel and interposed between said rocker and said slide; and whereby, upon insertion of said bolt proximal portion through said hoop actuator into said body: said claw feature is urged into engagement with a selected said bolt notch, said distal spring plug centeringly engages said bolt and attached tether, said power spring is compressed, said proximal spring plug is urged against said rocker, said rocker is urged against said follower spring and said slide socket feature is urged against said hoop actuator pin connector, and further whereby, upon subsequent application of finger pressure to said slide extension to compress said follower spring, said hoop actuator pivots to release said bolt connected to said tether and carrying the same on a flight trajectory from the origin point toward the connection zone where an object to be retrieved to origin is attached and towed back.