US2111959A

US2111959A - Floating minnow bucket

Info

Publication number: US2111959A
Application number: US92765A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles F Baxter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-07-27
Filing date: 1936-07-27
Publication date: 1938-03-22
Anticipated expiration: 1955-03-22

Description

March 22, 1938. c. F. BAXTER 2,111,959

FLOATING MINNOW BUCKET Filed July 27, 1956 1X1 'ENTOR.

6% Jam Patented Mar. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in floating minnow buckets. 7

One of the objects of my invention'is the provision in a floating minnow bucket of the kind described of novel means for trapping minnows to be retained in the bucket for use as bait.

A further object of my invention is the provi- I sion on the bucket of novel ballasting means which also serves as a keel when the bucket is 10 floating.

Another object of my invention is the provision of novel means for automatically closing a doorway in one side of the bucket.

Another object of my invention is the provision of two interchangeable end members adapted for removable attachment to one end of the minnow receiving compartment, each having an air tight chamber which serves to support that end of'the bucket in a floating partly submerged position in Water, one of said end members having therethrough a minnow entrance .and means for permitting the entrance therethrough of minnows but preventing their exit therethrough, whereby with the interchangeable use of the two end members, the bucket may be employed to trap and retain minnows, or used merely as a retainer for minnows caught by other means.

Still another object of my invention is the provision. of a floating minnow bucket of the kind described, which is simple, cheap, strong, durable,

not likely to get out of order, which is convenient to use, and which efficiently traps and securely retains minnows alive and ready for use as bait.

The novel features of my invention are here- ,35 inafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates my invention, Fig. 1, is a. longitudinal vertical sectional view of my improved floating minnow bucket, shown provided with the minnow trap- 40 ping means and in its floating operative position in water.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken. away, of the bucket equipped for use only as a minnow retainer.

Fig. 3 is a section-on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a reduced top view, partly broken away, of the bucket shown equipped, as in Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the different views.

The bucket is provided with a tubular cylindrical intermediate portion I, provided with a minnow retaining compartment 2.

The upper side of the portion I is providedwith a doorway 3, which is normally closed by a door 4 hinged at one end by a pintle 5 to one of the end walls of the doorway 3, so as to be swung from the closed position, shown in solid lines in Figs. 1 and 4, to the open position, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. To the bottom and outside of the intermediate portion I, diametrically opposite to 5 the doorway 3 is fastened edgewise a longitudinal weight 6 of substantial length and width, which serves as a keel and also as ballast for retaining the bucket, when floating, with the doorway 3 up and above the water line. 10

A coil spring I is attached at one end to the under side of the door 4, its other end being attached to an eyelet 8 fastened to a transverse partition 9, which separates the compartment 2 7 from an air tight chamber II in a conical end 15 in Fig. 1, of the portion I is a conoidal end portion I3 provided adjacent to its left end'with a transverse partition I4.

An entrance for minnows comprising a longitudinal tube I5 extends axially through the end 2 portion I3, its right end being fastened to the portion I3 and open to the outside water, andits left end extending through and fastened to the partition I4 and communicating with the compartment 2. In the end portion I3 encircling the 30 tube I5 is an air tight chamber I6, which with the air tight chamber I I sup-ports the bucket in a horizontal floating partly submerged position in the water. As shown in Fig. 1, the tube I5 is located below the water line when the bucket is 5 floating, so that minnows can enter the tube I5 and pass therethrough into the compartment 2. For attracting the minnows into the bucket, there is fastened to the partition 9 a hook H on which bait I8 may be hung, as shown in Fig. 1. 40

To prevent the minnows in the compartment 2 from passing therefrom through the tube l5, there are fastened at their 'outer set of ends to the inner wall of the tube I5 slight spring wires I9 which converge inwardly, as shown in Fig. 1. The minnows will pass inwardly between these wires I9, but the latter will prevent the minnows passing outwardly through the tube I5.

The large end of the portion I3 is cylindrical diametrically opposite pins 22 projecting radially from the portion I.

Opposite sides of the portion 8 are provided with holes 23 therethrough to admit water into the compartment 2 when the bucket is floating. The holes 23 and the doorway 3 are located at a substantial distance from the partition 9, so that when the bucket is upended, with the end portion l3 at the top, a quantity of water will be retained in the compartment 2 in which the minnows in the bucket may swim and be kept alive.

The bucket is provided with a bail M the ends of which are respectively pivoted to two diametrically opposite pins 25 attached to the outer side of the portion l adjacent to the right end thereof, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. When not in use the bail 24 may be swung to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 2 is shown at the right end of the intermediate portion l, a conical end portion 26 having a cylindrical portion 21 at its left end, removably fitted on the portion i, and provided with bayonet slots 28 for receiving the pins 22.

In the left end of the conical portion 26 is a partition 29 which forms in the conical end portion an air tight chamber til of a capacity corre sponding to the chamber H in the end portion l2, so that when the end portion 26 is substituted for the end portion it, the chambers 36 and l support the bucket in the horizontal floating position in the water. The end portion 26 is used when it is not desired to use the bucket for trapping minnows. By removing the portion 26 and substituting the conoidal end portion l3, the bucket may be used for trapping, as has been described.

The keel weight 6 is disposed so as to ballast and to properly balance the bucket, when it is floated.

The pointed ends of the end portions i2 and 26 are each provided with an eyelet 3! to which a cord may be attached for drawing the bucket through the water. When so drawn the keel 5 serves to guide the bucket straight ahead. When the bucket is to be used merely as a minnow retainer and not for trapping, and the closed end portion 26 is employed, such portion excludes small creatures, such as crawfish, which are nonutile as bait and which might, if the end portion were open, enter and eat the bait in the compartment 2.

Many modifications of my invention, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:--

1.111 a floating minnow bucket, the combination with an intermediate portion having a compartment adapted to contain minnows, and two end portions respectively provided with two ir tight chambers adapted to support the bucket in a horizontal floating partly submerged position in water, of an entrance below the water line communicating with said compartment, and guarding means permitting minnows to enter said compartment through said entrance but preventing their exit therethrough.

2. In a floating minnow bucket, the combination with an intermediate portion having a compartment adapted to contain minnows, and two end portions respectively provided with two air tight chambers adapted to support the bucket in a horizontal floating partly submerged position in water, of a minnow entrance tube below the water line communicating at one end with said compartment and open to the outside water, and guarding means permitting minnows to enter sai compartment through said tube but preventing their exit therethrough.

3. In a floating minnow bucket, the combination with an intermediate portion provided with a compartment adapted to contain minnows, and two end portions respectively provided with two air tight chambers adapted to support the bucket in a horizontal floating partly submerged position in water, of a tube extending below the water line through one of said end portions from the outside thereof to said compartment and adapted to serve as a minnow entrance, and guarding means permitting minnows to enter said compartment through said tube but preventing their exit therethrough.

In a floating minnow bucket, the combination with an intermediate portion provided with a compartment adapted to contain minnows, and an end portion having an air tight chamber, of a removable end portion having an air tight chamber, said chambers, when said removable portion is attached to one end of said intermediate portion, being adapted to support the bucket in a horizontal floating partly submerged position in water, a minnow entrance tube below the water line extending through said removable portion from the outer side thereof to said compartment, and guarding means permitting minnows to enter said compartment through said tube but preventing their exit therethrcugh.

5. In a floating minnow bucket, the combination with an intermediate portion having a compartment adapted to contain minnows, and hav ing in one side a doorway, and an end portion provided with an air tight chamber, of a door hinged to said intermediate portion and adapted to be swung to and from a position closing said doorway, a spring normally engaging said door and having a tension normally closing said door, a longitudinal weight of substantial length and width attached edgewise to the outer side of said intermediate portion diametrically opposite said doorway and adapted to serve as a keel and also as ballast for retaining the floating bucket with the doorway above the water line, an end portion attached to said intermediate portion at the end opposite to that to which the first named end portion is attached, and having an air tight chamber, said air tight chambers being adapter to support said bucket in a horizontal floating partly submerged position in water, a minnow entrance open to the water outside said bucket and communicating with said compartment and disposed below the water line, and means permitting minnows to pass inwardly through said entrance but preventing their exit outwardly therethrough.

CHARLES F. BAX'IER.