Abstract: A collapsible swim-through trap having a cage body, a position lock mechanism, a release mechanism, and two setting hooks, the cage body having a front opening, a rear opening, and four walls extending between those openings. Each of the openings is equipped with a door which opens inwardly. There is a position lock mechanism used to secure the trap in an upright position which may be disengaged when a user wants to collapse the trap. The release mechanism includes a trigger, and an interfaced door retaining bar for holding the two doors in an open position. Upon pushing the trigger, the door retaining bar will rotate and release the two doors, trapping whatever is inside the cage body within the trap. The two setting hooks are used to hold the doors back while the door retaining bar is rotated into position.

Abstract: An article of manufacture for use by trappers of fur bearing animals. The article of manufacture consists of a body having a plurality of circular apertures therethrough and a plurality of elongated apertures therethrough. And, a method for positioning a trap for trapping a fur bearing animal, the method using the article of manufacture provided the trap has a tang, by the steps of: (a) positioning the article of manufacture to an object; and (b) inserting said tang into one of the elongated apertures of the article. If the trap does not have a tang, but does have a coil spring, then a clip having a tang can be inserted into the spring to adapt the trap for positioning according to the method of the instant invention.

Abstract: An animal trap having a jaw pivotally mounted to a base that swings between cocked sprung positions. A spring means biases the jaw toward the sprung position. Cooperatively engaged drive and driven gears are mounted on the side of the base. The driven gear is releasably engaged to the jaw when the jaw is in the sprung position. A lever means is provided for the selective engagement with the drive gear. When the lever is engaged to the drive gear and rotated it causes the driven gear to rotate, pivoting the jaw to the cocked position. After the animal is trapped, the lever is engaged with the drive gear permitting the jaw to be pivotally moved to the cocked position and releasing the animal from the trap. An enclosure permits the animal to enter and step on the trigger member to spring the jaw.

Abstract: A mole trap includes a steel rod frame having parallel spaced legs adapted to penetrate the ground on opposite sides of a mole hill or tunnel. The legs are integrally connected by a handle portion and also by a stop bar, and a spike plate having depending spikes is preloaded against the stop bar by compression springs mounted on the legs. An L-shaped latch lever is pivotally supported by the stop bar and supports a trip plate adapted to contact the ground where the mole tunnel has been depressed. The spike plate and spikes are retracted upwardly against the springs to a set position by pulling a flexible strap extending from the handle portion around a roller supported by the spike plate for rotation on an eccentric axis to provide a mechanical advantage. A roller on the latch lever automatically blocks the spike plate when elevated to the set position.

Abstract: An improved spring-activated mole trap that includes various safety features that make the mole trap safe to use by non-professionals. The mole trap includes a foot bar that enables the individual to activate the trap using his or her foot, a limiting u-shaped member that prevents the trigger arm from snapping rearward and injuring the trapper's fingers if the trap is accidentally activated while being set. The improved trap also includes a pair of handles that extend upward from the tunnel when the trap is vertically aligned in the tunnel. Using the handles, the user is able to more easily position the trap inside the tunnel. The trap further includes a wider, re-aligned trigger located closer to the soil to prevent a mole from burrowing under the trigger plate and thereby avoiding activating the trap.

Abstract: A spring trap setting device that is made up of a bar type mechanism that has an outer body which is typically a square shaped tubing having an open end with the other end being closed off by a perpendicularly mounted flat foot. The open end of the outer body tube allows the insertion of a square shaped plunger bar into it's interior. The exterior dimensions of the interior plunger bar are slightly smaller than the interior dimensions of the hollow outer body tube which allows the plunger bar to slide freely up and down through the length of the body tube. The interior plunger bar is equipped with a perpendicularly mounted flat foot at its terminal end that acts primarily as a handle used to move the plunger bar up and down. Both the plunger bar and the outer body are equipped with a spring hook. These hooks are orientated such that the V-shaped spring of a trap may be placed between the hooks and through the compression or downward motion of the interior plunger bar.

Abstract: A housing includes a closed bottom, closed sides, an open receiving end and a closed rear end. The housing is adapted to receive a platform of a conventional mouse trap therein. A cocking handle includes a pair of handle arms attached to pivotal connections on the sides, and terminating at a cross-bar. A pair of bow urging arms are also attached to the pivotal connections. The bow urging arms have tabs at the distal ends thereof, which are adapted to be positioned beneath a bow of the mouse trap when the platform is slid into the housing of the cocking device. A safety latch is pivotally connected to the housing above the receiving end. By rotating the cocking handle, the bow urging arms urge the bow to a cocked position. The catch member is then pivoted inward to maintain the bow in the cocked position until the locking arm of the mouse trap is engaged in the bait pedal of the mouse trap.

Abstract: There is referred to a process and an arrangement for control of one or more trawls (12, 40, 42) which are towed after a vessel (10), where the trawl(s) (12, 40, 42) are connected to the vessel by means of a number of cables (16, 14; 44, 45, 46), and where one or more devices (22, 24) contribute to maintaining the trawl(s) opening(s) outstretched during the movement through the sea and the invention is characterized in that the individual traction (FW1, FW2, FW3) in the cables (44, 45, 46) is regulated on the basis of measurements of the direction of flow (P3) of water adjacent to the trawl or the trawls.

Abstract: The invention relates to an otter board (20) which may be used for generating a spreading force in connection with trawl fishing. The otter board according to the invention comprises at least two foils (1-3) which are suspended between a number of longitudinally extending ribs (5, 6, 10, 17, 26, 27) in such a way that at least one tapered channel is formed in which the flow of water is passing through the otter board. The channels are curved and formed so that water is ejected at a high speed in relation to the towing speed in a direction slightly downwards and along a respective end section of an adjacent lower or intermediate foil extending from the outlets of the channels, whereby turbulence is prevented from occurring even at high angles of attack of the otter board.

Abstract: A new body gripping trap setting system for safely enabling a trapper to compress the spring of any size of body gripping trap without exposing a leg or foot to harm. The inventive device includes a base member, an elongated tube with a vertical slot secured to the base member, a shaft slidably positioned within the elongated tube, a handle secured to the end of the shaft opposite of the elongated tube, a top hook secured to the elongated tube which engages an upper ring of a body gripping trap, and bottom hook secured to the shaft projecting through the slot which engages the lower ring of the body gripping trap, wherein the hooks are positioned diametrically opposite the base member.

Abstract: Trawl fishing gear characterized by providing net-mouth expanding bodies at respective predetermined positions near or upstream of upstream ends of respective wing portions of the trawl net. This adjusts the angle and/or surface area of the net-mouth expanding bodies. By connecting respective lifting ropes to the net-mouth expanding bodies which inturn apply pulling forces to variable action points for varying the angle and surface area against water flow.

Abstract: A trolling assembly, adapted to be connected to a fishing boat by a tow line so that the assembly is drawn behind the boat and laterally to the course of the boat allowing a plurality of trolling fishing lines from the boat to be connected to spaced points on the connecting lines, employs three substantially identical planer boards. Each board is an elongated, flat rectangular and has a central slot. A pair of extending arms are pivotally joined to the slots within each board so that arms may be positioned in extending position wherein the boards are parallel to one another and spaced from one another, or a collapsed position in which the arms lie substantially within the slots and the opposed surfaces of the three stacked boards abut one another.

Abstract: A towable Otter Board having upstream facing flap portions is disclosed for use in trawl fishing applications. The flap portions are used to divert fluid flow from the concave lower board surface to the upper convex board surface which serves to shift a vortex formed proximate the upper board surface further downstream to a position closer to the trailing edge of the board which provides considerable improvement over the prior art by decreasing drag and increasing lift. A single wing and bi-plane version of the board is disclosed.

Abstract: An otter board, the net-mouth expanding force of which can be freely adjusted corresponding to the fishing style. The otter board according to the invention is charactrized in that, said otter board having biplane otter board members, an outer board member (3) is formed by a fixed board member (4) having openings therein and a moving board member or members (6, 6) having a shape closing said openings and located so as to move between said fixed board member (4) and an inner board member (2).

Abstract: Otter board which is provided with a means for adjusting net-mouth expanding force which can be driven by liftingrope thereby to freely vary said force. According to the first embodiment of the invention, said otter board is formed by biplane construction of board planemembers, and said means for adjusting the net-mouth expanding force comprises the outermost board plane member of said biplane construction that is variable in its angle of attck about a pivot provided in the biplane construction. According to the second embodiment of the invention, said means for adjusting the net-mouth expanding force comprises a through bore in a single otter board construction, said through holehaving a variable opening area by means of an oscillating member.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic trawl opening device is disclosed consisting of a structure 11) with at least two flexible superimposed wings (12, 13), joined together by a plurality of flexible dividing walls (14) which are transverse with respect to said wings. Fixing means (15a, 15b) are further provided for rigging it to the trawl, close to the opening, so that the wings are incident with respect to the flow direction and so that said dividing walls are oriented in the flow direction.Besides its excellent lift performances at normal trawling speeds, the device of the invention is very easy to rig and has negligible space requirement.

Abstract: The plate body of a hydrodynamic depressor is composed of a flat central panel flanked along its opposite longitudinal edges by side panels disposed at dihedral angles to the central panel. The central panel carries a guide rod extending fore and aft along which a ring connected to a fishing line slides, and ribs are engageable by the guide rod to deter displacement of the connecting ring from a rearward position to a forward position or vice versa. A housing carried by the forward portion of the body has a cylindrical crossbore receiving a cylindrical weight that can be shifted transversely of the fishing line guide rod to trim the depressor for traveling along a course offset to port or starboard from the course of the leading end of the fishing line. The upper and lower surfaces of the side panels are crinkled or rippled to form light-reflecting surfaces producing a glitter for attracting fish.

Abstract: A wear shoe apparatus for protecting the bottom of a trawl door used to open a trawl being pulled behind a fishing boat. A lower wear shoe is provided with a bottom and two walls extending upward therefrom to define a channel sized to accommodate therein an upper wear shoe. Holes in the side walls are aligned with each other and with a corresponding hole in the upper wear shoe, with such holes permitting an elongated fastening member to pass therethrough for fastening the wear shoes to each other. The wear shoes are constructed of a very wear-resistant and durable material, such as manganese steel alloys. A mudshoe can be made an integral part of the lower wear shoe. Wear shoes and mudshoes can be installed, removed and replaced with greater ease and in less time.

Abstract: A device (10) for assisting in the safe setting of traps (12) is disclosed including an elongated handle (34) and a portion (36) for removable engagement with the cross bar (32) and arm (23) of the striker (16) of the trap (12). The removable engagement portion (36) includes a hook (38) for slideably receiving a length of the cross bar (32) and a finger (46) for abutting with the arm (23) at a point located on the opposite side of the striker (16) than the lip (40) of the hook (38) and in a nonlinear position relative to the connecting leg (44) of the hook (38). The device (10) may be positioned to overlie the striker (16) in its first, trapping position and then pulled outward to pull the lip (40) of the hook (38) beneath the cross bar (32) and with the finger (46) overlying the arm (23) of the striker (16). When the handle (34) is raised, the device (10) will pivot about the cross bar (32) inside of the hook (38) until the finger (46) abuts with the arm (23).

Abstract: An otter board comprising a front board member and rear board member. The rear board member is connected to the front board member through variable connecting mechanism, so that the relative positions of both the front and rear board members may be freely adjusted.

Abstract: A trawl door is disclosed including a V-shaped member having two louvers and a three point tow cable attachment system. One louver is located on each side of the central longitudinal axis and includes a slat extending into an obtuse included angle of the V-shaped member. The tow cable attachment system includes one link attached proximate outside leading edge corners of the V-shaped member and a second link extends from a point on the central longitudinal axis proximate the trailing edge of the V-shaped member and attaches at a plurality of locations along the length of the first link. The attachment locations defining different tow cable attachment points.

Abstract: A setting tool for animal traps having a pair of jaws acted on by spring-loaded actuating levers, in which the setting tool includes a trap orienting base, a pair of cam arms having adjacent ends pivotally connected together on the base and extending outwardly therefrom, a pair of cam hook members rigidly connected to the outer ends of the cam arms to extend upwardly in an angular relationship and having actuating lever engaging means on the upper end thereof, and a pair of handles rigidly connected to the cam arms intermediate to the ends thereof.

Abstract: Double spring traps such the conibear trap are difficult to set due to the heavy duty hairpin type springs on either side thereof. The present device consists of a crank, a length of cord or cable extending from the distal end portion of the crank and a spring ring anchor bar on the distal end of the cord or cable. The bar is fed downwardly through the upper loop and then through the lower loop and is positioned so that it cannot disengage from the lower loop. The crank is fulcrumed across the top loop and rotated thus winding the cord or cable about the distal end portion of the crank which shortens the cord or cable and gradually and safely pulls the two loops together so that the detachable locking clip normally provided, can be engaged over the arms to hold them in this position. The other spring is treated in a similar manner thus rendering the trap inoperative for baiting and setting purposes whereupon the clips can be removed.

Abstract: A safety device for positioning animal traps of the rotating frame type having spring actuated jaws, the device including a trap-engaging body portion connected to a handle, stationary retaining members extending from the body portion, the device being movable to operatively engage the retaining members with the trap jaws to maintain the latter in the open or set position while the trap is being positioned for use. One or more pins extend outwardly from the body portion in predetermined relationship to the retaining members and trap jaws for preventing accidental disengagement of the device from the trap, the pin or pins being retractable to permit installation and removal of the safety device from the trap.

Abstract: A device for setting a rotating frame animal trap is disclosed which comprises a hooked L-shaped rod having a vertical arm, a horizontal arm rigidly attached to and substantially perpendicular to the lower end of said vertical arm, and a downwardly extending hook rigidly attached to the upper end of said vertical arm.

Abstract: An attachable device for supporting an animal trap of the rotating jaw type. An elongated strap has a central raised member forming two slots with the strap for receiving the jaw members of the trap to support it.

Abstract: A trap setting device especially useful for setting beaver traps. A fixed upward pointing hook is attached to the lower end of a tubular frame, and a closing downward pointing hook is attached to a movable rod which is forced downwardly through the frame by a ratchet mechanism with great mechanical advantage. The ratchet device provides a stop whereby closing force is maintained between the hooks while the operator sets the trigger in the trap. Force is removed from the closing hooks by twisting the ratchet rod and withdrawing it and the attached upper hook.