MINNOW BUCKET WITH MOVABLE MEANS FOR GRASPING AND HOLDING BAIT
United States Patent 3834062
A minnow bucket having a perforated wall for moving the minnows in the bucket toward a pair of cooperating jaws. The jaws receive a few of the minnows, which are then passed through an opening in the top of the bucket to a position in which the user can pass a hook through an individual minnow.
US Patent References:
Minnow bucket
Peterson - June 1937 - 2082754
Live bait container
Williamson - April 1957 - 2790266
Bait holder and dispenser
Williamson - August 1960 - 2948986
Minnow bucket
Donner - April 1968 - 3380186
TRAP FOR MINNOW BUCKET OR THE LIKE
Garrison - November 1970 - 3541722
Minnow bucket
Peterson - June 1937 - 2082754
Live bait container
Williamson - April 1957 - 2790266
Bait holder and dispenser
Williamson - August 1960 - 2948986
Minnow bucket
Donner - April 1968 - 3380186
TRAP FOR MINNOW BUCKET OR THE LIKE
Garrison - November 1970 - 3541722
Application Number:
05/274105
Publication Date:
09/10/1974
Filing Date:
07/21/1972
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
International Classes:
A01K97/05; A01K97/04; A01K97/04
Field of Search:
43/55,56,57
US Patent References:
| 3726039 | MINNOW PAIL | April 1973 | Borrelli |
Primary Examiner:
Shay, Barry F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Chandler, Charles W.
Claims:
Having described my invention, I claim
1. A minnow bucket comprising:
2. A minnow bucket as defined in claim 1, in which the jaw means have an opening for passing a hook through the body of a minnow received in the jaw means.
3. A minnow bucket as defined in claim 1, in which the means carried by said jaw means are connected to the cam so as to urge said jaw means toward an open position as the jaw means are being returned from said second position toward said first position.
4. A minnow bucket as defined in claim 1, including a release member mounted on the bucket for engaging said means carried by the jaw means to open the jaw means to release a minnow removed from the container.
5. A minnow bucket as defined in claim 1, in which the jaw means are mounted in a central position in the container and in which the wall means comprise a pair of perforated wall members mounted on opposite sides of the jaw means so as to slope downwardly from opposite ends of the container toward the jaw means.
6. A minnow bucket as defined in claim 1, including an elongated guide member pivotally mounted on said container in a position between the jaw means and the wall means such that a minnow disposed therebetween is moved toward the wall means as the jaw means are being raised out of the container.
7. A minnow bucket comprising:
8. A minnow bucket as defined in claim 7, including an elongated guide mounted on the container between each of said walls and a said jaw such that a minnow can pass from the wall over the guide to a position between the jaws, each guide being movable such that as the jaws are being moved toward their second position, the guides urge any minnows disposed thereon toward the water in the container and away from the jaws.
9. A minnow bucket as defined in claim 7, in which each of the walls slopes upwardly from a wall edge adjacent the jaws toward a wall edge spaced from the jaws.
1. A minnow bucket comprising:
2. A minnow bucket as defined in claim 1, in which the jaw means have an opening for passing a hook through the body of a minnow received in the jaw means.
3. A minnow bucket as defined in claim 1, in which the means carried by said jaw means are connected to the cam so as to urge said jaw means toward an open position as the jaw means are being returned from said second position toward said first position.
4. A minnow bucket as defined in claim 1, including a release member mounted on the bucket for engaging said means carried by the jaw means to open the jaw means to release a minnow removed from the container.
5. A minnow bucket as defined in claim 1, in which the jaw means are mounted in a central position in the container and in which the wall means comprise a pair of perforated wall members mounted on opposite sides of the jaw means so as to slope downwardly from opposite ends of the container toward the jaw means.
6. A minnow bucket as defined in claim 1, including an elongated guide member pivotally mounted on said container in a position between the jaw means and the wall means such that a minnow disposed therebetween is moved toward the wall means as the jaw means are being raised out of the container.
7. A minnow bucket comprising:
8. A minnow bucket as defined in claim 7, including an elongated guide mounted on the container between each of said walls and a said jaw such that a minnow can pass from the wall over the guide to a position between the jaws, each guide being movable such that as the jaws are being moved toward their second position, the guides urge any minnows disposed thereon toward the water in the container and away from the jaws.
9. A minnow bucket as defined in claim 7, in which each of the walls slopes upwardly from a wall edge adjacent the jaws toward a wall edge spaced from the jaws.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to minnow buckets having means for removing individual minnows from the bucket without removing all of the minnows from the water in the bucket.
Conventional minnow buckets usually have a perforated inner container for removing the minnows from the bucket in order to allow the user to grasp an individual minnow. Some buckets of the prior art also disclose means for either metering an individual minnow from the bucket, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,186 issued to N. W. Donner. Other prior art buckets have jaw devices for restraining the motion of an individual minnow for receiving a hook. Such a device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,082,754 which issued to W. H. Peterson. Such prior art devices usually remove a major portion or all of the minnows from the water and from the bucket before an individual minnow can be selected from the other minnows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One of the purposes of the present invention is to provide a minnow bucket having jaws for engaging a few of the minnows in the bucket and then removing such minnows through a top opening to a position in which the user can readily pass a hook through a minnow without touching it with his hands.
One advantage of the present invention is that only the minnows that are to be immediately used are removed from the bucket. In addition, the minnows are so positioned in the jaws that the fisherman can hook one or more of the minnows and then return the remainder into the bucket.
Still further objects and advantages will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art of the invention upon reference to the following detailed description.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The description refers to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a minnow bucket illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention with a portion of the bucket top removed for clarity;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the minnow bucket of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the jaws raised from their lowest position and the perforated wall lowered to its lower position;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view taken along lines 4--4 of FIG. 2 the pivoted guide being removed to show the jaws;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the jaws with the jaw support removed to show the manner in which the jaws are opened; and
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the manner in which the jaws can pivot open independently of the cam.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, a preferred minnow bucket is illustrated in FIG. 1 at 10. Bucket 10 includes an elongated box-like container 12 having a top 14.
Container 12 is adapted to contain water for a plurality of minnows that are to be used by a fisherman. As best shown in FIG. 3, a cover 16 is pivotally mounted on top 14 so as to close an opening 18 through which water and minnows can be introduced into the container.
A hollow wall 20 is mounted in the mid-section of the container 12, and has a mid-section with a height about half that of the container. The side edges of wall 20 extend above top 14. A pair of similarly-shaped perforated walls 22 and 24 are mounted in the container on opposite sides of hollow wall 20. A pair of sides 26 and 28 connect walls 22 and 24 together such that they can be raised and lowered together. Perforated walls 22 and 24 are normally disposed in the water beneath the position of the minnows, and preferably are sloped from the opposite ends of the container 12 down toward hollow wall 20.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a handle 30 is connected to sides 26 and 28 for raising and lowering perforated walls 22 and 24. The sides of handle 30 pass through openings in top 14.
Referring to FIG. 2, as perforated walls 22 and 24 are raised, they raise the minnows, collectively referred to as 32, out of the water and bias them toward the top of hollow wall 20. A pair of cooperating jaws 34 and 36 are mounted in the container so as to be movable between an upper position adjacent container top 14, and a lower position adjacent the open top of wall 20. Jaws 34 and 36 are movable with respect to one another between an open position, illustrated in FIG. 2, and a closed position, illustrated in FIG. 3.
As best shown in FIG. 4, jaws 34 and 36 are pivotally mounted in a rectangular frame 38. The manner in which jaws 34 and 36 open and close is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. The end of each jaw has a pivot finger 40 seated in an opening in frame 38. A pair of springs 42 and 44 embrace the two jaws to bias them toward their closed position. The position of the jaws with respect to one another depends, in part, upon the position of frame 38 in container 12.
Each jaw has a second finger 46 which extends through a slot 48 in frame 38. Slot 48 allows each jaw to move between its open and closed positions. FIG. 5, in which frame 38 has been removed for clarity, shows how finger 46 engages a cam member 50 disposed adjacent each of the vertical sides of frame 38. Cam 50 has a pair of cam sides 52 and 54 each disposed at an angle with respect to the path of motion of frame 38. Cam sides 52 and 54 are formed in such a manner that as jaws 34 and 36 are lowered into the container, they are biased toward their fully open position as illustrated in FIG. 2. As frame 38 is raised through a top opening 56, the fingers 46 of the two jaws move toward one another to permit springs 42 and 44 to close the jaws.
Referring to FIG. 2, when jaws 34 and 36 are in their lower, open position, they are disposed to receive a couple of the minnows 32 from perforated walls 22 and 24. A pair of elongated, pivotally mounted guides 57A and 57B are disposed over the openings between the jaws and wall 20 to guide the minnows from the perforated walls to the jaws. The user then lowers perforated walls 22 and 24. Normally the minnows are of such a length that they drop into a position between the jaws parallel to the length of the jaws. The user then raises frame 38 by means of handle 58 to pass the jaws through the top opening 56. As frame 38 is raised, the jaws pivot guides 57A and 57B upwardly to positions illustrated in FIG. 3. As the jaws are raised, they are biased by springs 42 and 44 toward their closed position to engage the minnows. Preferably the upper position of the frame is such that the jaws are disposed above container opening 56.
Each jaw has a series of transverse slots 58A aligned with similar slots in the other jaw for receiving a fishhook through the body of the minnow without the user having to physically contact the minnow with his hands.
A release member 60 is slidably mounted on frame 38 adjacent one end of jaws 34 and 36. The lower end of release member 60 engages fingers 46 in such a manner that by lowering the release member, the two jaws can be opened to allow removal of the minnow from its position in the jaws. When the minnow has been removed, the user then lowers frame 38 into the container.
Handle means 62 are connected to the container to allow the user to readily carry it. It is to be understood that the preferred minnow bucket allows the user to bait his hook without touching the minnows or even wetting his hands. Because only a couple of the minnows are moved at a time and are disposed in a predetermined location in the jaws, the user can bait his hook even in the dark by merely passing the hook through the slots 58A. The length of the jaws is proportioned such that only one or two minnows are received in them in their open position.
Container 12 could be provided with openings in its sides so that the user can store the entire minnow container in the water while he is fishing to circulate water through the minnow bucket. It is to be understood that there are a variety of structural modifications that can be incorporated for raising and lowering perforated walls 22 and 24, and for raising and lowering frame 38 without departing from the spirit of the inventive concept.
This invention relates to minnow buckets having means for removing individual minnows from the bucket without removing all of the minnows from the water in the bucket.
Conventional minnow buckets usually have a perforated inner container for removing the minnows from the bucket in order to allow the user to grasp an individual minnow. Some buckets of the prior art also disclose means for either metering an individual minnow from the bucket, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,186 issued to N. W. Donner. Other prior art buckets have jaw devices for restraining the motion of an individual minnow for receiving a hook. Such a device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,082,754 which issued to W. H. Peterson. Such prior art devices usually remove a major portion or all of the minnows from the water and from the bucket before an individual minnow can be selected from the other minnows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One of the purposes of the present invention is to provide a minnow bucket having jaws for engaging a few of the minnows in the bucket and then removing such minnows through a top opening to a position in which the user can readily pass a hook through a minnow without touching it with his hands.
One advantage of the present invention is that only the minnows that are to be immediately used are removed from the bucket. In addition, the minnows are so positioned in the jaws that the fisherman can hook one or more of the minnows and then return the remainder into the bucket.
Still further objects and advantages will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art of the invention upon reference to the following detailed description.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The description refers to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a minnow bucket illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention with a portion of the bucket top removed for clarity;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the minnow bucket of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the jaws raised from their lowest position and the perforated wall lowered to its lower position;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view taken along lines 4--4 of FIG. 2 the pivoted guide being removed to show the jaws;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the jaws with the jaw support removed to show the manner in which the jaws are opened; and
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the manner in which the jaws can pivot open independently of the cam.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, a preferred minnow bucket is illustrated in FIG. 1 at 10. Bucket 10 includes an elongated box-like container 12 having a top 14.
Container 12 is adapted to contain water for a plurality of minnows that are to be used by a fisherman. As best shown in FIG. 3, a cover 16 is pivotally mounted on top 14 so as to close an opening 18 through which water and minnows can be introduced into the container.
A hollow wall 20 is mounted in the mid-section of the container 12, and has a mid-section with a height about half that of the container. The side edges of wall 20 extend above top 14. A pair of similarly-shaped perforated walls 22 and 24 are mounted in the container on opposite sides of hollow wall 20. A pair of sides 26 and 28 connect walls 22 and 24 together such that they can be raised and lowered together. Perforated walls 22 and 24 are normally disposed in the water beneath the position of the minnows, and preferably are sloped from the opposite ends of the container 12 down toward hollow wall 20.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a handle 30 is connected to sides 26 and 28 for raising and lowering perforated walls 22 and 24. The sides of handle 30 pass through openings in top 14.
Referring to FIG. 2, as perforated walls 22 and 24 are raised, they raise the minnows, collectively referred to as 32, out of the water and bias them toward the top of hollow wall 20. A pair of cooperating jaws 34 and 36 are mounted in the container so as to be movable between an upper position adjacent container top 14, and a lower position adjacent the open top of wall 20. Jaws 34 and 36 are movable with respect to one another between an open position, illustrated in FIG. 2, and a closed position, illustrated in FIG. 3.
As best shown in FIG. 4, jaws 34 and 36 are pivotally mounted in a rectangular frame 38. The manner in which jaws 34 and 36 open and close is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. The end of each jaw has a pivot finger 40 seated in an opening in frame 38. A pair of springs 42 and 44 embrace the two jaws to bias them toward their closed position. The position of the jaws with respect to one another depends, in part, upon the position of frame 38 in container 12.
Each jaw has a second finger 46 which extends through a slot 48 in frame 38. Slot 48 allows each jaw to move between its open and closed positions. FIG. 5, in which frame 38 has been removed for clarity, shows how finger 46 engages a cam member 50 disposed adjacent each of the vertical sides of frame 38. Cam 50 has a pair of cam sides 52 and 54 each disposed at an angle with respect to the path of motion of frame 38. Cam sides 52 and 54 are formed in such a manner that as jaws 34 and 36 are lowered into the container, they are biased toward their fully open position as illustrated in FIG. 2. As frame 38 is raised through a top opening 56, the fingers 46 of the two jaws move toward one another to permit springs 42 and 44 to close the jaws.
Referring to FIG. 2, when jaws 34 and 36 are in their lower, open position, they are disposed to receive a couple of the minnows 32 from perforated walls 22 and 24. A pair of elongated, pivotally mounted guides 57A and 57B are disposed over the openings between the jaws and wall 20 to guide the minnows from the perforated walls to the jaws. The user then lowers perforated walls 22 and 24. Normally the minnows are of such a length that they drop into a position between the jaws parallel to the length of the jaws. The user then raises frame 38 by means of handle 58 to pass the jaws through the top opening 56. As frame 38 is raised, the jaws pivot guides 57A and 57B upwardly to positions illustrated in FIG. 3. As the jaws are raised, they are biased by springs 42 and 44 toward their closed position to engage the minnows. Preferably the upper position of the frame is such that the jaws are disposed above container opening 56.
Each jaw has a series of transverse slots 58A aligned with similar slots in the other jaw for receiving a fishhook through the body of the minnow without the user having to physically contact the minnow with his hands.
A release member 60 is slidably mounted on frame 38 adjacent one end of jaws 34 and 36. The lower end of release member 60 engages fingers 46 in such a manner that by lowering the release member, the two jaws can be opened to allow removal of the minnow from its position in the jaws. When the minnow has been removed, the user then lowers frame 38 into the container.
Handle means 62 are connected to the container to allow the user to readily carry it. It is to be understood that the preferred minnow bucket allows the user to bait his hook without touching the minnows or even wetting his hands. Because only a couple of the minnows are moved at a time and are disposed in a predetermined location in the jaws, the user can bait his hook even in the dark by merely passing the hook through the slots 58A. The length of the jaws is proportioned such that only one or two minnows are received in them in their open position.
Container 12 could be provided with openings in its sides so that the user can store the entire minnow container in the water while he is fishing to circulate water through the minnow bucket. It is to be understood that there are a variety of structural modifications that can be incorporated for raising and lowering perforated walls 22 and 24, and for raising and lowering frame 38 without departing from the spirit of the inventive concept.