Abstract: The invention relates to improvements in shellfish traps. According to the invention, the trap consists of a bottom 1 weighted with concrete blocks 19 onto which is fastened a cage 2 provided with a truncated entrance opening 7. Means 8 are provided on the bottom and cooperate with opening 7 to facilitate the stacking of traps one upon the other.The invention is applied particularly to shellfish fishing.

Abstract: A fish-trapping device has a feed pan therein which initially contains a substantial amount of feed; and that feed performs the dual functions of (a) helping to keep that device in position to enable fish to freely enter it and (b) enticing fish to enter that device. After substantial numbers of fish have entered the fish-trapping device and have eaten sufficient portions of the feed in the feed pan, that device will automatically and silently trap the fish therein.

Abstract: A feed-holding member entices fish into a fish-trapping device which has an "exit only" closure for an outlet opening thereof. A "live net" is connected to that fish-trapping device adjacent that outlet opening, and, when the fish have satisfied their appetites, they will attempt to escape from the fish-trapping device. In doing so, the fish will open the "exit only" closure and pass through the outlet opening into the "live net"--which will hold the fish until they can be removed from that "live net".

Abstract: The trap top and bottom portions are reeved with an operator line such that the operator above water may by taking in line pull the top portion down onto the bottom portion and enclose the bait and attendant marine life therein preliminary to raising the closed trap out of the water. In addition, a second float is attached to the top portion. The second float has sufficient buoyancy to hold the top portion in the raised position, but insufficient buoyancy to lift the entire trap. The second float is connected to the top portion through a timed release device of pre-selected duration. The timed release may be a soluble link with a known rate of solubility in water and of a thickness selected to last in the water for the length of time desired.

Abstract: A new and improved marine trap alarm with a sensing system that includes an electrical current producing source such as a battery, a normally open pair of contacts with at least one movable contact to be actuated by an animal entering the trap, and a trap sensing circuit connected to the open contacts. The trap sensing circuit includes a true comparator and a silicon controlled rectifier. The true comparator prevents an output when the input does not reach a designed threshold value. The true comparator includes the operational amplifier that has critical discrete component values that are engineered to render input current flow bridging the contacts by way of the high saline fluid environment inoperative, thereby eliminating false output signals to an alarm or indicator.

Abstract: An improved trap for catching small fishes such as minnows or suckers, comprising a wire mesh basket provided with a central opening for allowing the fishes to enter the trap. This improved trap advantageously has a cardioidal structure which substantially reduces the possibilities for the fishes to escape and thus substantially increases its total efficiency of capture.

Abstract: A signal apparatus for use with an animal trap positionable underwater includes an open ended housing adapted to be secured in a substantially vertical position to a stationary portion of the trap. A movable cover releasably closes the open end of the housing. A connecting member connects the cover to a movable portion of the animal trap to uncover the open end of the housing when the trap is sprung. A buoyant float is disposable within the housing. An elongated attaching member connects the float to the housing enabling it to rise to the surface of the water when the trap has been sprung to provide an indication of the condition of the trap.

Abstract: The invention, according to the depicted embodiment, comprises a buoyant element which is releaseably held atop a crustacean trap by an elongate rod. One end of the rod releaseably engages the buoyant element, and the other end thereof is passed through the trap and suspends bait therewithin. Upon a crustacean seizing the bait, and attempting to remove it from the rod, the latter comes free of the buoyant element which, in turn, rises to surface upon the water. In the preferred embodiment depicted, the buoyant element is tethered to the crustacean trap for recovery purposes.

Abstract: Fish are captured utilizing a chain reaction of larger fish feeding on smaller fish. A bait-enclosing structure is mounted within a frame, and a first net is provided surrounding and substantially concentric with the bait-enclosing structure. The first net has openings formed therein large enough to allow small fish to insert their heads through the openings in an attempt to feed on the bait and catch their gills on the net if withdrawal is attempted. The assembly is lowered into a body of water, and after a predetermined time period a desired number of fish are trapped within the assembly utilizing a second net surrounding the first net, and then the assembly is raised to the surface. Entrapment may be provided by providing the second net having larger openings than the first net and concentric therewith, so that the fish attempting to feed on fish caught by the first net will be caught by the second net.

Abstract: A trap includes an outer shell having an entrance at one end and a removable end plate at the other end. The outer shell has a number of holes for the passage of water inside the outer shell. An inner shell that also has water passage holes and that preferably is on the order of one half the length of the outer shell, is pivotally supported in the outer shell adjacent the entrance of the outer shell. The inner shell is pivotally supported about its center axis and has defined as part thereof a ramp that is weighted so that the ramp assumes the proper position to extend upwardly from the entrance.

Abstract: A crab pot handling apparatus comprising a sorting bin means for receiving, holding and disposing of the contents of a crab pot, and a crab pot launcher for holding and launching a crab pot. The crab pot handling apparatus is pivotally mounted on the gunwale near the side of a crab harvesting vessel. The crab pot launcher is comprised of a first planar launching deck with crab pot engaging means thereon. The sorting bin is pivotally positioned adjacent the crab pot launcher. The sorting bin means is comprised of a structural frame with sorting surface and fencing means along portions of the periphery of the sorting surface and is rotatable into juxtaposed position over the aforementioned crab pot launcher for baiting and launching pots whenever no sorting function is required.

Abstract: An ocean crab trap consisting of a non-buoyant ring adapted to be secured to the end of a fishing line for casting or dropping to lie on the ocean floor, and adapted to have suitable bait secured therein, and a plurality of resilient snare nooses secured to the ring in spaced relation around its periphery and projecting outwardly therefrom, in order that a crab feeding on the bait must be standing in at least one of the nooses so as to be snared thereby when the fishing line is pulled in.

Abstract: A marker buoy attached to an object such as a lobster or crab trap by a latch and released by a trigger struck by a falling weight. A sealed buoy compartment contains a first permanent magnet holding the weight in upper position by a supportive pole relationship to the poles of a second permanent magnet on the weight and releasing the weight when the first magnet is pivoted to a relative position of poles not sufficiently supportive of the weight. The first magnet is pivoted by an electric motor controlled by an electric clock. Setting of the clock and other operations are accomplished without disturbing compartment seals by an external hand-held magnet operating on internal magnetic reed switches. A line tethers the buoy to the object when the latch is released.

Abstract: An improved lobster buoy spindle member comprising a buoy spindle having apparatus for the retention of a float member thereon and having at the base thereof a pivot member to allow the rotation of a rope line extending from a trap when affixed thereto.

Abstract: A conventional crab trap having improved means for preventing crabs from escaping from the trap and for adapting the trap to catch differing species of crab. Crabs enter the trap by crawling through a tunnel formed by four net panels terminating in a rectangular opening normally inaccessible to the crabs inside the trap. In practice, many of the crabs are able to reach the opening by crawling along the net panels. In order to prevent crabs from escaping in this manner, a triangularly shaped baffle is placed between the opening and one of the panels. The size of the opening may be varied as required by law when fishing for different species of crab by pivoting an edge mounted panel across part of the opening. The crab trap also includes several net panels supported by rectangular frames which are releasably secured to each other and to the trap in order to cover the escapement end of the trap.

Abstract: A trap for crustaceans and fish comprising a plastic mesh forming walls in the shape of a hollow hexagonal prism, made up of two trough shaped parts and end walls. End walls contain frusto conical inlets and interchangeable end walls are closed. Ballast in the shape of elongate extruded hollow square section plastic tubes filled with concrete is fixed to one trough shaped part, an opening in the other trough shaped part can have a frusto conical pipe extending into the trap or a lid, for removing the catch. Tongue and socket connectors for the trough shaped parts have a cross sectional shape for the tongue like a capital letter E with the middle web longer than the outer webs. A bait basket is in two halves which are threaded onto a pin which has a handle at one end and a detent at the other end to clip into a socket in the inner surface of the trough shaped part which carries the ballast.

Abstract: The specification discloses a crab-snaring device including a steel ring to which a bait-holder in the form of a fishhook is attached and which is adapted to have a fishing line from a fishing rod tied thereto. A plurality of snares formed by semi-stiff monofilament lines are secured to the ring at spaced points, and in tight frictional engagement and each of these lines is formed into a snare which is angular to the ring. When a crab is pulling on the bait, the person holding the pole feels the pull and pulls the ring to tighten the snares on any legs of the crab (or crabs) extending through the snares to pull the crab up.

Abstract: A fish grader having a boxlike frame with at least one barred side with a net attached outside the frame. The grader is placed in water and fish to be sorted are put in it. The smaller fish swim through the bars into the net, leaving the larger fish in the grader box, from which they can be released into a rearing enclosure.

Abstract: A trap for crustaceans capable of being knocked down to basic parts occupying a small volume and easy to assemble in little time. Also, sturdy enough to withstand handling, ship movement and underwater currents but at the same time being biodegradable in order to prevent it from becoming a perpetual crustaceans killing trap in the event that the buoy breaks off.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a tropical fish training kit which includes an elongated notched rod and a plurality of rings adapted to be adjustably positioned therealong through which a fish is trained to swim, a plurality of tubes adapted to be interconnected to form a maze through which fish swim, a housing including means defining two paths of travel having opposite entrance and exit openings and a movable gate bearing fish or like food holding means which attract fish and upon movement of the gate from its closed to an open position, the fish move from the entrance opening to the exit opening to simulate a horse race, and a sheet having means setting off a plurality of individual areas, such as a tic-tac-toe game, with fish or like food holding means within each area.

Abstract: A lobster trap having top, bottom sides and ends forming a rectangular box like structure. The top, bottom, one end and one side wall each being made of spaced laths. The other end wall may be made of reticulated wire mesh having an entrance opening therein. The other side wall has laths and a detachable plastic panel which is the subject matter of this invention. The panel is constructed of dark blue or black rigid water resistant plastic material and have narrow rectangular slots therethrough adjacent the top edge and bottom edge. One of the panels has two large rectangular openings therethrough to allow undersized lobsters and crabs to escape from the trap. An alternate panel has relatively large circular vents therethrough to permit undersized lobsters to escape but not crabs.

Abstract: A collapsible bait trap for fishermen and the like having a flexible container member of cylindrical configuration with one end substantially closed and the other end basically open, together with a flexible member with a small central aperture provided therein for reception in the open end of the flexible container to provide a reversible funnel-like member. The substantially closed end of the container is provided with a plurality of small holes therein for permitting water flow through the container. A coil spring is provided between the closed end and the funnel-like member of substantially the same diameter as the internal diameter of the flexible container when fully open. Said spring is of sufficient strength to normally maintain the container in the erected state but being also easily collapsed into a small telescoped article when it is desired to store the bait trap when not in use.

Abstract: A pound or set net has a plurality of trap pockets for entrapping a school of fish, each pocket formed by a ceiling webbing of net, a bottom webbing and a peripheral webbing. A sliding fastener is provided on the ceiling webbing in particular, whereby the pocket may be quickly opened to remove driftwood or other floating foreign materials entrapped therein. There is also provided a fish outlet at the after end of the peripheral webbing which is normally closed by a slide fastener.

Abstract: An elongated slatted box having oppositely disposed ends, one of which is open and the other closed. A pair of internal frames, one mounted in said open end and the other spaced longitudinally therefrom, both the frames having flexible splines fastened thereto to converge inwardly to define concentric, spaced apart and progressively constricted passageways into respectively contiguous compartments of the slatted box. The size of the interior opening of the first and outer constricted passageway limits the size of all the fish entering the trap as to largeness, and the size and spacing of the interior opening of the second and inner constricted passageway relative to the first constriced constricted passageway restricts the fish entering therethrough to catfish only and of a desired size only.

Abstract: A trap for aquatic snails in aquariums comprises a base plate and a basket containing a bait mounted thereon. The snails will gather around the bait basket and may be removed with the base plate after a certain time of exposure. A housing enclosing the base plate and the bait basket and having an inlet locked by inwardly tiltable locking pawls serves to prevent the snails from escaping after the bait has been consumed.

Abstract: The crab trap is a multi-component trap adapted to be stripped down to its respective components for storage. It comprises spaced top and bottom closure members and posts detachably interposed therebetween to form an open-sided cage. Normally open crab entry means are attached to the cage adjacent the openings on opposite sides thereof, and normally-closed operator entry means are attached to the cage adjacent a remaining side opening thereof. Any additional side openings are also closed to the outward movement of crabs, so that crabs entering the cage through the crab entry means, remain trapped therein. However, the crab entry means, the operator entry means, and the additional closure means, if any, are all removable from the openings thereadjacent in the cage, so that when the trap is out of use and the posts are detached from the top and bottom closure members, the members can be stacked on top of one another in a pile.

Abstract: A prawn trap including a floor member and pairs of side and end walls connected to the floor member to define an enclosure having an upper opening. An entrance structure, coupled across the opening, includes a plurality of first and second spaced, elongate elements arranged to incline downwardly into the enclosure in converging relation to one another. All but a selected few of the first elements are of sufficient length to allow the first elements to be positioned in interlaced relation with the second elements. The selected few of the first elements are shorter than the rest to define a limited number of prawn-receiving openings into the trap. The side and end walls are provided covering to darken the interior of the enclosure. The interior of the enclosure is made accessible by hingedly attaching one side wall.

Abstract: A device for automatically raising fish traps, crayfish pots, nets and the like comprising a cylinder of compressed gas connected through a control valve to a buoyancy chamber provided with a discharge opening and adapted to be filled with water when the trap is submerged, the operation of the control valve is to allow gas to pass from the cylinder to the buoyancy chamber and expel water from the buoyancy chamber being effected through a timing mechanism or an electrical circuit activated by a signal transmitted through the water.

Abstract: A lobster trap having a basic four sided container body, wherein the side walls are each constructed of a central panel having open mesh net material of widely spaced strands, which strands are composed of a plurality of tightly spaced individual strands, with the opposite ends of the individual strands being separated and arranged in a fan shape for lamination between close woven fiberglass cloth forming a quadrilateral framework, with the framework of adjacent walls being of one piece. The side walls further have hand holds in the framework.The bottom of the lobster trap is formed of reinforced concrete having a securement bolt embedded therein that extends upwardly through the top, for clamping the side wall framework between the bottom and top. The top is held to the securement bolt by means of a cross pin that is soluble in water so as to release the top after a predetermined submerged time, for corresponding release of trapped lobsters therein when the trap is lost.

Abstract: Use is made of the discovery that "near" ultra-violet radiation is effective in attracting large enough quantities of insects entirely from within the water to feed substantial numbers of animals without attracting flying insects from the air. Radiation from lamps producing predominantly "near" ultra-violet radiation, that is, radiation whose wavelength is between 3,000 and 4,000 angstroms, is directed into water in which insects live. The insects which are attracted by the radiation are fed to the animals. Preferably, the insects are attracted towards an insect enclosure with a downwardly-facing entrance in the water. A near ultra-violet lamp in the enclosure attracts the insects into the enclosure, from which they cannot escape into the air above the water. Fish or frogs in a cage are positioned below the enclosure to eat insects in or rising towards the enclosure. In one embodiment, only the lamp is used; the insects are numerous enough to allow some to escape and still feed substantial numbers of animals.