Abstract: A bird trap having a pair of open mesh wire screen cages spaced apart to provide a passage between the cages. An overhead tunnel extending across the tops of the two cages bridges the space between them. Openings in the tops of the two cages communicate with the tunnel. Entrance into the first cage is through an opening in the side of the cage from the space forming the passage between the cages. A trap door in the opening from the tunnel to the second cage traps the birds in the second cage.

Abstract: A pair of rectangular frame members have intermeshed elongated members joining the long sides of the frames, the frames are pivotally mounted to a base member so that in the set position of the trap the frames and base together form a hollow triangular animal case, a trigger member releasably secures the frames in the set position, and spring means bias the frames to an overlapping folded position on the base member.

Abstract: A production line consisting of a cigarette making machine, a filter cigarette making machine and a packing machine or of a filter rod making machine and several filter cigarette making machines is controlled by a circuit which regulates the speed of the prime mover for the cigarette making machine or filter rod making machine in such a way that the speed changes gradually and smoothly from zero to a lower speed, from a lower speed to a higher speed, from a higher speed to a lower speed, from a higher speed to zero, or from a lower speed to zero. The changes in speed can be initiated by the operators or in response to signals which are generated by detectors serving to scan the operation of certain parts in one or more machines of the production line. The prime mover consists of a variable-speed motor, a constant-speed motor and a variable-torque clutch, or a constant-speed motor in combination with a variable-speed transmission.

Abstract: A container is provided for receiving a quantity of crickets or other insects, and a number of separate insect-receiving chambers are attached to the container. An entrance gate between the container and the plural chambers permits access to only one chamber at a time, so that an insect can enter each of the chambers in turn from the container by manipulation of the entrance gate. An exit gate allows an insect to be removed from only one of the chambers at a time, in turn, and the entrance gate and exit gate are interconnected in offset relation so that the entrance gate and the exit gate cannot be concurrently aligned with the same chamber.

Abstract: A cartridge for separate attachment and storage of a plurality of fishing flies with leaders attached to them, and for winding the leaders separately upon the cartridge, the cartridge including an open area centrally located within the cartridge for the separate attachment and storage of the flies, and a plurality of side-by-side tracks for winding leaders attached to the flies upon the cartridge; means whereby the leaders attached to each of the flies may be brought into position to be wound separately on the side-by-side tracks which form the periphery of the cartridge, each of the leaders being wound separately upon a separate one of the tracks to prevent entanglement of the leaders; means for separately securing the ends of the leaders upon the cartridge after the leaders have been wound thereon; and a case for the cartridge.

Abstract: A fish line control apparatus in one form includes an upright rod having an outwardly extending and downwardly swinging arm of soft iron magnetic material and having the line releasably attached to the outer end thereof, the rod having a second arm restrained against downward swinging and having a magnet thereon for retaining the first arm against downward swinging, the magnet being adjustable at various positions toward and away from the pivot of the arm to change the leverage tendering to release the first arm from the magnet. In a second form the mounting for the tilting arm forms a handle which may be hand held, and a pair of support legs for holding the tiltable arm up off the ice, and there also being a thumb operated portion of the tiltable arm so as to retain the arm against tilting by the use of a person's thumb to permit jigging of the lure or bait.

Abstract: A depth control device connects to a fishing line in front of a fish capturing means which senses the ambient water temperature and actuates a control surface to a diving attitude if there is any differential between the ambient water temperature and the temperature of the water at which the fisherman wishes the fish capturing means to operate.

Abstract: The invention is a gig for spearing fish. It has a handgrip with a bore, longer in its vertical axis than in its horizontal axis, running lengthwi,e through it. Slidably mounted in the bore is a spear shaft propelled by a loop formed of resilient tubing attached to the end of the spear shaft and also to the end of the handgrip. When the spear shaft is pushed backward into the handgrip, the kerf, which is cut around the spear shaft near the front end, engages a pin transversing the bore near the top of the bore so as to secure the spear shaft in a state of readiness. Pushing down on the front portion of the spear shaft, which is inclined upward in the bore of the handgrip, releases the kerf from the pin and allows the spear shaft to be propelled forward as the resilient tubing contracts.

Abstract: A fishing rig which includes a housing for a spinning reel, a short rod section which pivots at its anchor end to engage the underneath portion of the reel housing, and a closed "C" shaped handle which also serves as a storage chamber for the lure, bobber, or other fish catching element employed at the end of the line. The handle is thin enough to fit in a fisherman's pocket for carrying, and also includes a belt hook for holding the rig to free the fisherman's hands. The bobber construction disclosed is of a floating member, unweighted, and which slides along the line to a point where a knot may be tied to determine the depth to which a weighted hook will sink, the bobber being slidable along the line to permit casting with the bobber adjacent the sinker.

Abstract: A metal rodent bait protection box is provided with a removable disposable plastic feed tray which has indentations which coact with the box indentations to retain the tray in proper position. The lid of the box is provided with an overhanging portion which prevents contamination of the bait. The access hole is located a distance above the base of the box to help in preventing contamination.

Abstract: A fishing rod which can be selectively varied in strength or tension by the fisherman. In the preferred embodiment the apparatus comprises an elongated, tubular rod portion, a plurality of spaced apart, internally disposed force transmitters, a plurality of cooperating, spaced apart force distributing receivers, and a cable tensioning means coaxially disposed interiorly of the rod portion for selectively moving the force transmitters into compressive engagement with the receivers. In one form the rod includes a twistable handle portion which is adapted to selectively tension the cable means thereby stiffening the rod as desired by the fisherman.

Abstract: Fish mouth spreader jaws are biased to mouth spreading positions by integral spring coils. A readily releasable latch element on the device secures the jaws in retracted positions. The spring coils are beveled to provide thereon a knife-like edge and the tail of a fish is inserted between the spring coils with the knife-like edges gripping opposite sides of the tail and resisting withdrawal of the tail from between the coils when the jaws are latched in retracted positions during a scaling operation or the like.

Abstract: Thin shell bodies which in use are detachably interconnected to form full volumetric simulation of the appropriate game birds. The thin shell sections, when disconnected, are positionable for extremely compact nesting of a multiplicity of the shell sections. Forms of the invention have been provided for buoyant floating use on water as well as for field use. All forms include concavo-convex body portions of thin, preferably elastomer or plastic material having cooperating and interlocking neck and head portions, which when disconnected are readily positionable for extremely compact nesting of a great multiplicity of the essential decoy parts.

Abstract: A dropper is secured to a leader by a swivel connection with the inner end of the dropper rigidly secured to the connector so that the hook end of the dropper is spaced horizontally outwardly from the leader to obviate snagging of the hook on the leader and to prevent entanglement of the dropper and the leader.

Abstract: A frame has crossed arm portions and has a resilient action such that the resilient effect will bring together the net supporting arms of the frame and manual compression of the handle will spread the arms apart. Net material depends from the arms, is opened into maximum receiving position upon suitable grasping and compression of the handle and is closed into a fish retaining condition by partial relaxation of the manual compression of the handle. Means are provided if desired for limiting the maximum distance the net supporting arms can separate from each other.

Abstract: The ice fishing tip-up comprises a base member and a strut pivoted to the base member. The strut carries a rotatable shaft having the fish line spool fixed axially on the lower end thereof beneath the base member. A latch lever projects radially from the upper end of the shaft above the base member and is frictionally engageable in the fishing mode with a signal mast flexibly mounted on the base. The spool along with the shaft and latch lever is rotatable as when a fish strikes to release the signal mast which is biased to an upright position to indicate the strike. The latch lever is made of a flexible material such as light weight metal which will readily bend in response to finger manipulation to any desired bent posture so that the frictional hold of the latch lever on the signal mast can be varied to suit different types and sizes of live bait such as minnows secured to the fish hook at the lower end of the line.

Abstract: A fishing lure includes a body member in the form of a transparent container in which a bait may be placed. The improvement provides a plurality of blades pivotally mounted on the container and severally adapted to freely move through an arc of approximately 180 degrees between two inoperative positions against the container. A hook member is mounted on the container for pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to the pivotal axis of the blade. The hook member may be selectively moved to a concealed position against the container to allow the blade to freely pivot to either inoperative position as the lure is raised or lowered. Alternatively, the hook member may be moved to an extended position to hold the blade in an operative extended position for causing the container to rotate as the lure is raised. The blade may further include a metallic strip configured to capture and hold the blade on its extended position so that the container will be caused to rotate when the lure is both raised and lowered.

Abstract: A fishline jerking device includes an elongated casing having a first loop at one end and a longitudinally movable rod projecting from the other end of the casing. The rod is terminated with a second loop enabling a fishline to be serially double wrapped about the two loops. A spring about the rod urges the rod to move rearward to a position where a contact carried by the rod engages a contact carried by the casing to complete a circuit with a battery and lamp as a fish bite signal. The rod is normally retained in a forward position by a releasable spring loaded catch. In response to a side thrust exerted on the second loop by the line, the rod passes the catch and snaps rearward to jerk the line. A pointer carried by the rod cooperates with a slot in the casing and graduations along the slot to form a scale.

Abstract: The trapping apparatus has a tether coiled around a hub in a housing. The hub is biased to foreshorten the tether, by a spirally coiled spring that is positioned to one side of the hub portion on which the tether is wound. The spring is contained within a hoop that may be a portion of the hub to aid assembly. A latch mechanism is provided to release the hub when a caught animal tugs on the tether. The latch mechanism is such that it will not latch again until the tether is completely retrieved.

Abstract: A fishing tackle box, in form, similar to an attache case, the shells of which are molded of scuff-resistant vinyl, thermoplastic, or like material. Within the shells are blocks of molded Styrofoam or the like, to provide buoyancy for the box, should it accidentally fall into a body of water. The styrofoam material is molded about spaced strips of magnetized material so as to hold fish lures, tackle etc., thereto. Openings in the styrofoam provide space for reels, sinkers, lines, and other non-metallic materials carried in the box. The box is thus magnetic, and buoyant and would float and hold the tackle etc., in the box even though it fell in the water open.