GB2154411A

GB2154411A - A shell-fish trap

Info

Publication number: GB2154411A
Application number: GB08404528A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gun Hamren; Jerker Hamren
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-02-21
Filing date: 1984-02-21
Publication date: 1985-09-11
Also published as: GB8404528D0

Abstract

A collapsible trap especially for shell-fish comprises a top plate (11), a bottom plate (12), netting walls (14) and distance members (13) extending between said plates. The top and bottom plates are each designed as a regular polygon with said distance members (13) arranged at the corners of the polygons. The plates (11, 12) are turnable with respect to each other a distance corresponding to the length of a polygon side at which said distance members (13) are brought from a position substantially perpendicular to the plates (11, 12), which in this position are spaced from each other to a position substantially in parallel with said plates, which in this position are brought close to each other. The trap can be provided with as many entrance openings (24) as sides in the polygon. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A shell-fish trap Technical field The present invention refers to a trap, especiallyfor taking shell-fish such as crabs and lobsters and comprising a trap space with at least one entrance, said space being defined by a top plate, a bottom plate and netting walls or the like and distance members extending therebetween, said top- and bottom plates being displaceable with respect to each other from a position in which the plates are located at a distance from each other to a position close to each other.

Backgroundofthe invention.

Conventional shell-fish traps such as lobster and crab traps consist of a rigid wooden frame surrounded by a netting. The shape ofthetrap is usually oblong, where the entrance passageways to the trap space are located at one or both end walls.

Especially since lobstertrapping is seasonal the traps are used only during a limited period ofthe year and requires a large storing space during the rest of the year. Also during thetransportto and from the trapping place the traps are very bulky, especially considering that most of the shell-fish trapping is made from small sized boats.

Intheconventional oblong traps onlytwo entrance passagewayscan be provided, which meansthatthe take is less than if same trap has been provided with a plurality of entrance passageways.There are previously known crab traps through the US patent specifications 2,769,274 and 2,760,297 and the French patent specification 553,021, which are collapsable by designing the distance members as folding links.

These traps are however relatively bulky and complicated and may be difficult to collapse and erect if the pivots of the foldable links are seized up, e.g. to deposits of salt.

Summary ofthe invention The object ofthe invention isto provide a trap, which during transport and storing only requires a small portion of the space required in trapping position. It should be possible to change the trap from storing to trapping position andviceversaaswellas locking the trap in erecting position with simple manual operations.This object has been obtained by the factthatthe top- and bottom plate each is designed as a regular polygon, that the length of the distance members does not exceed the length of a polygon side, said distance members being arranged at the corner portions ofthe polygons, that the and bottom plates are turnable with respect to each other a distance corresponding to the length of a polygon side, atwhich said distance members are arranged to be broughtfrom a position substantially perpendicularto the plates which in this position are spaced from each otherto a position substantially parallel to the plates which in this position are brought close to each other.

Briefdescription ofthe drawings Fig. lisa perspectiveviewofthetrapaccordingto the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section according to the line ll-ll in fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section according to the line Ill-Ill in fig. 2.

Fig.4shows a sideviewofa trap according to fig. 1 in collapsed position.

Description ofa preferred embodiment The trap according to the invention comprises a top plate 11, a bottom plate 12 and distance members 13 arranged therebetween, which in the active trapping position ofthetrap are arranged essentially perpen dicularto the plates as is shown in figure 1.The side wallsofthetrap between the top and bottom plates preferably consists of a netting 14 fixed to the respective plate and to the distance members. In the embodiment shown this consists of tubular means which are loosely placed in recesses 15 in the top- and bottom plates 11 and 12 respectively.

The plates are connected by rubberstraps 16 orthe like extending through each of the distance members, said traps at both ends being provided with an end member 17 placed in a corresponding recess 18 on the upper end and underside respectively of respective plate 11,12.

The rubber straps 16 can in the active position of the trap according to figure 1 be kept under tension so that the trap in this position is stable. lfthetrap isto be changed to storing position the plates are turned with respect two each other so much, that the distance members leave their inner recesses and will be located more or less parallel to the plates as is shown in figure 4. In orderto keepthis position the plates must preferably be tied together by a rope orthe like.

Another possibility is that the rubber straps 16 in the active position ofthe trap are not under tension or only to a very small extent, which means that the trap in its active position is unstable and must be provided with holding members 19, 20, e.g. ropes, which are arranged diagonally between two distance members.

One holding member 19 can be of a fixed length, while the other member 20, which is arranged at an angle to the holding member 19 can be fixed, e.g. tied, to one of the plates, so that a stable active position ofthetrap is achieved. If the connection is loosenedthetrapwill collapse so that the top plate 11 will be located on or close to the bottom plate 12.

The top plate 11 is designed with a cover 21 through which the trapping space can be reached. On the underside of the cover 21 there can possibly be arranged an attachment 22 for a bait 23, which with this location is difficult to reach by the trapped shell-fish. The bottom plate 12 is designed with appropriate recesses 24 in which sinkers of e.g. steel or concrete can be placed.

The top and bottom plates 11 and 12 are designed as a polygon, e.g. hexagonal and the distance members 13 are placed atthe corner portions. The length ofthe distance members may not exceed the length of a polygon side, so that there is enough spaceforthe folded distance members in the collapsed position of the trap. An advantage of this design is thatthetrap can be provided with as many entrance passageways 24 as polygon sides, which means thatthe trapping chances are improved as compared to a conventional trap with only two entrances.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown and described above, bust a number of mod ifications are possible within the scope of the claims.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A shell-fish trap Technical field The present invention refers to a trap, especiallyfor taking shell-fish such as crabs and lobsters and comprising a trap space with at least one entrance, said space being defined by a top plate, a bottom plate and netting walls or the like and distance members extending therebetween, said top- and bottom plates being displaceable with respect to each other from a position in which the plates are located at a distance from each other to a position close to each other. Backgroundofthe invention. Conventional shell-fish traps such as lobster and crab traps consist of a rigid wooden frame surrounded by a netting. The shape ofthetrap is usually oblong, where the entrance passageways to the trap space are located at one or both end walls. Especially since lobstertrapping is seasonal the traps are used only during a limited period ofthe year and requires a large storing space during the rest of the year. Also during thetransportto and from the trapping place the traps are very bulky, especially considering that most of the shell-fish trapping is made from small sized boats. Intheconventional oblong traps onlytwo entrance passagewayscan be provided, which meansthatthe take is less than if same trap has been provided with a plurality of entrance passageways.There are previously known crab traps through the US patent specifications 2,769,274 and 2,760,297 and the French patent specification 553,021, which are collapsable by designing the distance members as folding links. These traps are however relatively bulky and complicated and may be difficult to collapse and erect if the pivots of the foldable links are seized up, e.g. to deposits of salt. Summary ofthe invention The object ofthe invention isto provide a trap, which during transport and storing only requires a small portion of the space required in trapping position. It should be possible to change the trap from storing to trapping position andviceversaaswellas locking the trap in erecting position with simple manual operations.This object has been obtained by the factthatthe top- and bottom plate each is designed as a regular polygon, that the length of the distance members does not exceed the length of a polygon side, said distance members being arranged at the corner portions ofthe polygons, that the and bottom plates are turnable with respect to each other a distance corresponding to the length of a polygon side, atwhich said distance members are arranged to be broughtfrom a position substantially perpendicularto the plates which in this position are spaced from each otherto a position substantially parallel to the plates which in this position are brought close to each other. Briefdescription ofthe drawings Fig. lisa perspectiveviewofthetrapaccordingto the invention. Fig. 2 is a section according to the line ll-ll in fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section according to the line Ill-Ill in fig. 2. Fig.4shows a sideviewofa trap according to fig. 1 in collapsed position. Description ofa preferred embodiment The trap according to the invention comprises a top plate 11, a bottom plate 12 and distance members 13 arranged therebetween, which in the active trapping position ofthetrap are arranged essentially perpen dicularto the plates as is shown in figure 1.The side wallsofthetrap between the top and bottom plates preferably consists of a netting 14 fixed to the respective plate and to the distance members. In the embodiment shown this consists of tubular means which are loosely placed in recesses 15 in the top- and bottom plates 11 and 12 respectively. The plates are connected by rubberstraps 16 orthe like extending through each of the distance members, said traps at both ends being provided with an end member 17 placed in a corresponding recess 18 on the upper end and underside respectively of respective plate 11,12. The rubber straps 16 can in the active position of the trap according to figure 1 be kept under tension so that the trap in this position is stable. lfthetrap isto be changed to storing position the plates are turned with respect two each other so much, that the distance members leave their inner recesses and will be located more or less parallel to the plates as is shown in figure 4. In orderto keepthis position the plates must preferably be tied together by a rope orthe like. Another possibility is that the rubber straps 16 in the active position ofthe trap are not under tension or only to a very small extent, which means that the trap in its active position is unstable and must be provided with holding members 19, 20, e.g. ropes, which are arranged diagonally between two distance members. One holding member 19 can be of a fixed length, while the other member 20, which is arranged at an angle to the holding member 19 can be fixed, e.g. tied, to one of the plates, so that a stable active position ofthetrap is achieved. If the connection is loosenedthetrapwill collapse so that the top plate 11 will be located on or close to the bottom plate 12. The top plate 11 is designed with a cover 21 through which the trapping space can be reached. On the underside of the cover 21 there can possibly be arranged an attachment 22 for a bait 23, which with this location is difficult to reach by the trapped shell-fish. The bottom plate 12 is designed with appropriate recesses 24 in which sinkers of e.g. steel or concrete can be placed. The top and bottom plates 11 and 12 are designed as a polygon, e.g. hexagonal and the distance members 13 are placed atthe corner portions. The length ofthe distance members may not exceed the length of a polygon side, so that there is enough spaceforthe folded distance members in the collapsed position of the trap. An advantage of this design is thatthetrap can be provided with as many entrance passageways 24 as polygon sides, which means thatthe trapping chances are improved as compared to a conventional trap with only two entrances. The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown and described above, bust a number of mod ifications are possible within the scope of the claims. CLAIMS

1. Atrap especially fortaking shell-fish such as crabs and lobsters and comprising a trap space with at least one entrance, said space being defined by a top plate (11), a bottom plate (12) and netting walls (14) or the like and distance members (13) extending therebetween, said top- and bottom plates (11, 12) being dip lacea ble with respect to each other from a position in which the plates are located at a distance from each otherto a position close to each other, characterized in, thatthe top- and bottom plate (11,12) each is designed as a regular polygon, thatthe length ofthe distance members (13) does not exceed the length of a polygon side, said distance members being arranged atthe cornerportions ofthe polygons,thatthetop- and bottom plates are turnable with respectto each other a distance corresponding to the length of a polygon side, at which said distance members are arranged to be brought from a position substantially perpendicularto the plates which in this position are spaced from each otherto a position substantially F'rallel to the plates which in this position are brought close to each other.

2. 4 trap as claimed in claim 1, characterized in, hat holding means (16, 17; 19, 20) are arranged for heeping the distance members (13) in an upright position substantially perpendicularto the plates (11, 12)

3. Atrap as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in, that said distance members (13) comprise tubular means, which are loosely placed between the top- and bottom plates (11, 12), and that resilient straps (16), e.g. by rubber orthe like, are arranged to extend through said tubular means, said straps being provided with end members (17) designed to be releasably locked to said plates.

4. A trap as claimed in any ofthe preceding claims, characterized in,thatthe numberofsides in each polygon is six.