WO2022220853A1 - Dispositif de libération automatique d'un grand animal marin destiné à être utilisé avec un engin de pêche en eau profonde - Google Patents

Dispositif de libération automatique d'un grand animal marin destiné à être utilisé avec un engin de pêche en eau profonde Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022220853A1
WO2022220853A1 PCT/US2021/037376 US2021037376W WO2022220853A1 WO 2022220853 A1 WO2022220853 A1 WO 2022220853A1 US 2021037376 W US2021037376 W US 2021037376W WO 2022220853 A1 WO2022220853 A1 WO 2022220853A1
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
water
blade
cutter assembly
assembly
loaded
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2021/037376
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English (en)
Inventor
Todd Richard Ellis
Chad Mitchell GREENLAW
Charles J. DONOVAN
Original Assignee
Little Bay Lobster, Llc
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Publication date
Application filed by Little Bay Lobster, Llc filed Critical Little Bay Lobster, Llc
Priority to CA3123983A priority Critical patent/CA3123983C/fr
Publication of WO2022220853A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022220853A1/fr

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
    • A01K69/00—Stationary catching devices
    • A01K69/06—Traps
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
    • A01K75/00—Accessories for fishing nets; Details of fishing nets, e.g. structure

Definitions

  • Devices for automatically releasing large animals from sea fishing gear and, more particularly, devices that automatically sever end lines from lobster, crab and snow crab trap trawls.
  • a trawl comprises a number of individual traps that are connected (directly or indirectly) to a single rope line, referred to as a “ground line.”
  • a trawl can be up to a mile or more long, and can have anywhere from 1 to 50, or even more, individual traps connected to it.
  • the traps in a trawl are typically constructed from plastic coated steel wire.
  • trawls are dropped in ocean waters that are up to thirteen hundred or more feet in depth.
  • Fishermen use winches attached to their boats to lower trawls into the water as the boat moves across the ocean’ s surface, and the trawls sink immediately to the ocean floor, where they typically end up lying in a relatively horizontal line (not necessarily a straight line) along the ocean floor.
  • trawls The two ends of the ground line of a trawls are attached, respectively, to two ropes, commonly referred to as “end lines,” which extend vertically from the ground line on the floor of the ocean to the surface of the ocean.
  • end lines In addition to being attached to the ground line, the lower ends of the two end lines are also anchored to the ocean floor by weights. Therefore, trawls can be, and usually are, extremely heavy, depending on the number of traps and the number of weights attached to the ground line.
  • the polyballs which are large, air- filled balls that are approximately 50 inches in diameter, float on the top of the surface of the water.
  • the polyballs and end lines are frequently connected to “high flyers,” comprising a metal pole, a flag and a radar reflector.
  • the polyballs and high flyers serve as highly visible and/or detectable markers that indicate the locations of the trawls lying beneath the surface of the water, as well as the relatively vertical end lines extending from the polyballs down to the trawls.
  • the polyballs and high flyers also serve to mark out the surrounding area as a fishing territory that is already claimed by a particular fisherman or a particular fishing company.
  • lobster and crab trawls are usually left in the same general location indefinitely. The only time they are moved is when the trawls are being hauled out of the water to remove the lobsters and crabs from the traps. When all the lobsters and crabs are removed from the traps, the trawls “reset” and dropped in substantially the same place. Occasionally, when lobsters or crabs are moving from one location to another during the course of the year, an individual trawl may be pulled up and transported on the deck of the boat to a new location, where the trawl is to be deposited back in the ocean and left indefinitely.
  • the fishermen After dropping a trawl into the ocean, the fishermen typically leave the area to go haul and reset trawls in other locations, or to go back to their home docks. The fishermen usually do not return to haul and reset a trawl for four or five days. But if the fishing is really good, the fishermen may return in as little as 24 hours. In either case, however, the trawl and the end lines connected to the trawls always remain in the ocean. They are rarely, if ever, removed from the ocean.
  • the polyballs, high flyers and connected end lines can end up floating up to a mile or more away from the location where they were initially dropped, despite the heavy weight of the trawls to which they are connected.
  • Embodiments of the present invention provide a water pressure-activated end line severing device, which shall hereinafter be referred to in this disclosure as the “Todd Device.”
  • the Todd Device is configured to be attached to a lobster or crab trawl end line and to automatically sever the end line if the Todd Device is displaced in the water column in such a manner that indicates that a large marine animal has snagged, bitten, seized, caught, become entangled with, or otherwise somehow attached itself to that end line.
  • large marine animal refers to a whale, a dolphin, a shark, a manatee, a walrus, or any other relatively large aquatic animal, regardless of whether the animal lives in the ocean, lake or river, and regardless of whether the animal is more likely to be found in salt water or fresh water.
  • the normal, instinctive response of the large marine animal is to dive rapidly to a greater depth (depth being measured from the water’s surface).
  • the rapid descent of the large marine animal will pull the end line, as well as the Todd Device attached to the end line, to a greater depth in the water column.
  • the Todd Device will be pulled to a greater depth regardless of whether the large marine animal first comes into contact with the end line above or below the point on the end line where the Todd Device is attached.
  • the water pressure exerted against the Todd Device rapidly increases.
  • the increased water pressure automatically activates a trigger assembly on the Todd Device, which in turn activates a spring-loaded cutter assembly, which moves a cutting blade to sever the part of the end line that passes through an aperture in the Todd Device.
  • the automatic cutting of the end line by the Todd Device causes the lower portion of the end line (i.e., the portion of the end line extending from the attached Todd Device to the ground line of the connected trawl) to be severed from the upper portion of the end line (i.e., the portion of the end line extending from the Todd Device to the polyball(s) floating on the surface of the ocean).
  • the end line when the end line is severed by the Todd Device, the lower portion of the end line, which is still connected to the heavy trawl, as well as the Todd Device itself, sinks harmlessly to the sea floor, thereby freeing the large marine animal from the weight of the heavy trawl, and thus avoiding a very dangerous situation in which the large marine animal is forced to drag (or attempt to drag) the heavy trawl behind it as it tries exclusively to free itself from the end line. Even if the end line somehow stays attached to the large marine animal, the drag exerted on the movements of the large marine animal will be relatively minor when compared to the drag that would have resulted if the trawl was still connected to the end line.
  • the drag exerted on the large marine animal due to the polyballs and high flyer is usually so small, relative to the size and strength of the large marine animal, that it does not pose a serious risk of injury or death to the large marine animal.
  • the Todd Device complies with the intent of Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 in regards to conserving and protecting the health and lives of endangered and threatened species, such as northern right whales.
  • ESA Endangered Species Act
  • pressure-activated end line severing devices constructed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention comprise a cutter assembly and a trigger assembly.
  • the Todd Device is activated by an increase in water pressure exerted against the trigger assembly.
  • the increased water pressure causes a rapid withdrawal of a rod extending from the bottom of the trigger assembly and into the top of the cutter assembly.
  • the rapid extraction of the rod moves a latch in the cutter assembly to release compression on a double set of springs.
  • the release of the compressed set of springs in the cutter assembly forces a cutting edge or blade to sever the end line that passes through an aperture in the cutter assembly rapidly and with enormous force.
  • the Todd Device is normally affixed to both end lines of a trawl. It is effective in depths between 20 and 1,300 feet (or greater).
  • the device is activated by the water-pressure activated trigger assembly, which releases a stainless-steel cutting blade powered by a multiplex, integrated spring-loaded mechanism configured to deploy with sufficient force to cut completely through the end line that connects a lobster or crab trawl lying on the seabed to the polyballs and highfliers floating on the water’s surface.
  • the sizes and shapes of the cutting blade, aperture and compression springs may be selected and arranged based on the type and diameter of the rope used for the end lines. In some cases, the rope will be 5/8 inches thick. However, the end line rope could be thicker or thinner, depending on a variety of commercial fishing factors.
  • embodiments of the present invention provide a device for automatically severing a rope line that ties a marker floating on or near the surface of a body of water to underwater fishing gear located below the surface of the body of water.
  • the device comprises a cutter assembly and a trigger assembly.
  • the cutter assembly comprises an aperture and a rope line latch for attaching the device to a segment of the rope line, and a spring-loaded blade assembly comprising a blade, a blade holder that holds the blade in a position that is directly adjacent to the aperture, and a set of loaded springs connected to the blade holder.
  • the set of loaded springs are configured to urge the blade holder and the blade to move in a direction that causes the blade held by the blade holder to pass through the aperture if the load in the set of loaded springs is released.
  • the load on the set of loaded springs may be imparted either by compressing or stretching the coils in the set of loaded springs.
  • the cutter assembly also includes a receiving slot in the blade holder.
  • the receiving slot is configured to receive a first end of a piston rod that, while inserted in the receiving slot, prevents movement of the blade holder and thereby prevents the release of the load in the set of loaded springs.
  • the compression (or stretching) of the set of loaded springs puts a large shear force on the first end of the piston rod, which holds the first end of the piston rod in place due to the friction.
  • the trigger assembly which is attached to the top of the cutter assembly, comprises a cylinder and a piston.
  • the opposite end of the piston rod that is inserted into the receiving slot of the cutter assembly comprises part of the piston in the trigger assembly.
  • the piston also comprises a piston skirt located within an internal chamber of the cylinder. The piston skirt is connected to the opposite end of the piston rod (opposite from first end of the piston rod inserted into the receiving slot of the cutter assembly).
  • the piston skirt is mechanically connected to the piston rod, the movement of the piston skirt pulls the first end of the piston rod out of the receiving slot in the cutter assembly and releasing the load on the set of loaded springs.
  • the releasing of the load on the set of loaded springs immediately causes the blade holder and the blade to move (typically very rapidly) in the direction that causes the blade held by the blade holder to pass through the aperture and sever the section of the rope line secured in the aperture by the rope latch.
  • the predefined depth i.e., the depth below the surface of the body of water that the trigger assembly will be activated
  • the end of the piston rod extending from the bottom of the trigger assembly is inserted into receiving slot in the top clamshell of the cutting assembly. Then, the springs in the cutting assembly that push against the blade holder in the cutting assembly are compressed (or stretched in some embodiments), which puts a large shear force on the end of the piston rod inserted into the receiving slot.
  • the internal chamber of the cylinder in the trigger assembly is divided into two spaces separated by the piston skirt, the first space containing the piston rod and water inlets, the second space containing air at ambient pressure. The force required to displace the piston skirt a sufficient distance to pull the piston rod connected to the piston skirt from the receiving slot of the cutter assembly may be referred to as the triggering force for the device.
  • the internal chamber of the cylinder is configured, in terms of its dimensions, so that even small displacements of the piston skirt in the internal chamber of the cylinder as the device moves to greater depths causes a significant amount of pressure to build in the internal cylinder.
  • the opposing force from the compressed air on one side of the piston skirt inside the internal chamber of the cylinder is very small in comparison to the force from the ocean water entering the internal chamber on the opposite side of the piston skirt.
  • FIG. 1 shows a top, frontside and right side perspective view of a Todd Device constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 A shows a top and front side perspective view of the Todd Device.
  • FIG 2B shows a top view of the Todd Device.
  • FIG. 2C shows a top and rear side perspective view of the Todd Device.
  • FIG. 2D shows a closer view of the aperture, the rope latch and the sliding rope latch pin of the Todd Device.
  • FIGs. 3 A, 3B, 3C, 3D and 3E show, respectively, a left side view, a topside view, a right side view, a cross-sectioned view, and a topside, rear and right side perspective view of the bottom clamshell of the cutter assembly of the Todd Device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F and 4G show, respectively, a right side view, a bottom side view, a left side view, a front elevation view, a bottom, rear and left side perspective view, a topside view and a cross-sectioned view of the top clamshell of the cutter assembly of the Todd Device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 5 A, 5B, 5C and 5D show, respectively, a left side elevation view, a front side elevation view, a right side elevation view, and a top, right and rear perspective view of the blade spring press plate of the cutter assembly of the Todd Device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 6A, 6B and 6C show, respectively, a left side elevation view, a front side elevation view and a right side elevation view of the rope latch spring press plate of the cutter assembly of the Todd Device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 7 shows, by way of example, how the cutter assembly of the Todd Device is attached to an end line in some embodiments of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 8A and 8B show, respectively, a perspective view and a right side view of the cutter assembly with the top clamshell removed in order to illustrate the internal components of the cutter assembly of the Todd Device according to some embodiments of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D and 9E show, respectively, a frontside view, a cross-sectioned view, a left side view, a topside view and a right side view of the rope latch of the cutter assembly of the Todd Device according to some embodiments of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 10A, 10B, IOC, 10D and 10E show, respectively, a left side view, a bottom side view, a right side view, a perspective view and a rear side view of the blade holder of the cutter assembly of the Todd Device according to some embodiments of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 11 A, 1 IB, 11C and 1 ID show, respectively, a left side view, a top side view, a right side view and a frontside of the blade holder of the cutter assembly of the Todd Device.
  • FIGs. 12A and 12B show, respectively, a top side view and a right side view of the blade handle of the cutter assembly of a Todd Device constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 13 shows, by way of example, a typical configuration for the blade held by the blade handle of the cutter assembly of the Todd Device in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
  • FIGs. 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D, and 14E show, respectively, a bottom side view, a left side view, a topside view, a cross-sectioned view and a perspective view of the trigger assembly of the Todd Device 1.
  • FIGs. 15, 16 and 17 show schematic diagrams to illustrate how the Todd Device is normally deployed and operated to liberate a whale entangled in an end line attached to a trawl in the ocean.
  • FIG. 1 An exemplary Todd Device according to embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the figures.
  • Some of the figures show computer-aided drawings (CAD) of exemplary versions of the Todd Device.
  • CAD computer-aided drawings
  • lobster, snow crab and crab trawl end lines have diameters that are typically between about 1 ⁇ 2 and 5/8ths of an inch.
  • Snow crab trawl end lines are typically 3 ⁇ 4 in. or greater in diameter.
  • embodiments of the Todd Device of the present invention may be beneficially constructed in a variety of different sizes and dimensions, depending on a variety of different factors, including the diameters of the end lines that need to be severed, the type of water body where the device will be used, as well as depths at which the devices are intended to be used. Therefore, it will be apparent that larger or smaller versions of the Todd Device, as well as Todd Devices having larger or smaller subcomponents, may be constructed and beneficially used without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention that is claimed.
  • FIG. 1 shows, by way of example, a topside, frontside and right side perspective view of one example of a Todd Device 1 constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • the Todd Device 1 comprises a cutter assembly 5 and a trigger assembly 10.
  • the cutter assembly 5 comprises a top clamshell 15 and a bottom clamshell 20, which may be bolted, screwed or glued together with bolts, with screws or with glue to define an airtight enclosure that surrounds, encapsulates and protects the internal components (described in more detail below) of the cutter assembly 5.
  • the airtight enclosure helps protect the Todd Device 1 from damage resulting from it being used in salt water environments.
  • the cutter assembly 5 also comprises a blade spring press plate 25 (located on the left end of the cutter assembly 5 shown in FIG. 1), and a rope latch spring press plate 30 (located on the right side of the cutter assembly 5 shown in FIG. 1).
  • FIGs. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D show, respectively, a top and front side perspective view, a top view, a top and rear side perspective view, and a close up view of the aperture, the rope latch and the sliding rope latch pin of the Todd Device.
  • FIGs. 3 A, 3B, 3C, 3D and 3E show, respectively, a left side view, a topside view, a right side view, a cross-sectioned view, and a topside, rear and right side perspective view of the bottom clamshell 20 of the cutter assembly 5 of the Todd Device.
  • FIGs. 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F and 4G show, respectively, a right side view, a bottom view, a left side view, a front elevation view, a bottom, rear and left side perspective view, a top view and a cross-sectioned view of the top clamshell 15 of the cutter assembly 5 of the Todd Device 1. As shown best in FIGs.
  • portions of both the bottom clamshell 20 and the top clamshell 15 of the cutter assembly 5 contain cutouts that together define an aperture 34 that extends from the top surface of the top clamshell 15 and all the way through to the bottom surface of the bottom clamshell 20 of the cutter assembly 5.
  • This aperture 34 is configured to be wide enough to pass an end line therethrough, wherein the diameter of the end line may vary depending on the requirements of the particular trawls to which the end line will be attached.
  • FIGs. 5 A, 5B, 5C and 5D show, respectively, a left side elevation view, a frontside elevation view, a right side elevation view, and a topside, right and rear perspective view of the blade spring press plate 25 of the cutter assembly 5 of the Todd Device 1.
  • FIGs. 6A, 6B and 6C show, respectively, a left side elevation view, a frontside elevation view and a right side elevation view of the rope latch spring press plate 30 of the cutter assembly 5 of the Todd Device 1.
  • the blade spring press plate 25 and the rope latch spring press plate 30 provide substantially immovable structural support for a set of internal spring mechanisms (discussed in more detail below and with reference to FIGs. 8A and 8B), as well as seal reinforcing elements for the seal between the top clamshell 15 and the bottom clamshell 20 of the cutter assembly 5.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates how the Todd Device 1 is attached to an end line in some embodiments of the present invention.
  • the end line passes through the aperture 34 that extends from the top surface of the top clamshell 15 to the bottom surface of the bottom clamshell 20 of the cutter assembly 5.
  • the end line is held tight against the inner walls of the aperture 34 by a rope latch 35.
  • a sliding rope latch pin 50 extends from the top of the cutter assembly 5 is operable to open, close and lock the rope latch 35 in place inside the aperture.
  • FIGs. 8A and 8B show, respectively, a perspective view and a right side view of the cutter assembly 5 with the top clamshell 15 removed in order to show the internal components of the cutter assembly 5.
  • the cutter assembly 5 comprises a multiplicity of internal cavities configured to receive and house two banks 40A and 40B of nested springs under compression, a blade holder 45, a blade handle 48, the rope latch 35, the sliding rope latch pin 50, a compression spring 52 and a compression spring guide 54.
  • Each one of the two hanks 40A and 40B of nested springs comprises a spring within a spring, so that, when they are released from compression they will decompress with enough force and sufficient torque to force the blade 49 to instantaneously sever a 5/8” polyethylene commercial grade line (end line) connecting the heavy trawl gear (traps) on the ocean bed to the polyballs and high flyers floating on the ocean’s surface.
  • the blade 49 is 3 ⁇ 4” in length, and is preferably made of tempered stainless steel so that the blade 49 will be rust proof and impervious to saltwater oxidation and dulling.
  • the spring hanks 40A and 40B each comprises an inner loaded spring nested inside an outer loaded spring.
  • the inner loaded spring has a central axis that is coextensive with the central axis of the outer loaded spring.
  • the spring hanks 40A and 40B may be reset to the “loaded” position if the Todd Device 1 has been previously activated and the blade 49 has been previously sprung. Consequently, the Todd Device is reusable.
  • FIGs. 9A, 9B, 9C, 9E and 9E show, respectively, a frontside view, a cross-sectioned view, a left side view, a topside view and a right side view of the rope latch 35 of the cutter assembly 5 of the Todd Device 1.
  • FIGs. 10A, 10B, IOC, 10D and 10E show, respectively, a left side view, a bottom side view, a right side view, a perspective view and a frontside of the blade holder 45 of the cutter assembly 5 of the Todd Device 1.
  • FIGs. 11 A, 11B, 11C and 11D show, respectively, a left side view, a top side view, a right side view and a frontside of the blade holder 45 of the cutter assembly of the Todd Device.
  • FIGs. 12A and 12B show, respectively, a top side view and a right side view of the blade handle 48 of the cutter assembly 5 of the Todd Device 1.
  • FIG. 13 shows, by way of example, the a useful configuration of the blade 49 held by the blade handle 48.
  • the blade handle 48 and the blade 49 may sometimes be referred to collectively as a blade assembly.
  • Both the blade holder 45 and the blade handle 48 include a slot 57 configured to receive one end of a piston rod 62 extending from the trigger assembly 10 affixed to the top of the cutter assembly 5.
  • the insertion of the piston rod 62 into the slot 57 of the blade holder 45 and the blade handle 48 prevents the two banks 40A and 40B of nested springs under compression from decompressing, which prevents the blade handle 48 and the blade 49 from snapping forward as a result of the forces applied by the two hanks 40A and 4B of nested springs under compression.
  • the piston rod 62 is retracted from the slot 57, however, the two banks 40A and 40B will rapidly decompress, which causes the blade handle 48 and the blade 49 to snap forward and cut the end line.
  • FIGs. 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D and 14E show, respectively, a bottom side view, a left side view, a topside view, a cross-sectioned view and a perspective view of the trigger assembly 10 of the Todd Device 1.
  • the trigger assembly 10 comprises a base plate 60, a piston rod 62, a cylinder 64, a piston skirt 66 inside the housing 64, an O-ring 68 positioned around the perimeter of the piston skirt 66, and a plug 70 in the top of the cylinder 64.
  • the trigger assembly 10 will be removably bolted or screwed to the top of the cutter assembly 5 such that the piston rod 62 will extend through the top clamshell 15 of the cutter assembly 5 to be received by a hole in the blade holder 45.
  • the cylinder 64 further comprises one or more water inlets 72, which permit water to enter the cylinder at a rate proportional to the water pressure exerted on the trigger assembly 10.
  • the water inlets 72 of the trigger assembly 10 are calibrated to the water density in the mapped area of intended use.
  • the large marine animal When a large marine animal, such as a whale, comes into contact with an end line passing through the Todd Device, the large marine animal will typically dive to a greater depth in the water column. The dive pulls the Todd Device to a greater depth in the water column. As the Todd Device 1 is pulled to a greater depth in the water column, the water pressure exerted on the trigger assembly increases dramatically. The dramatic increase in water pressure on the trigger assembly causes water to pass rapidly through the water inlets 72 and fill the internal chamber 74 of the cylinder 64, which causes the piston skirt 66 to push the air out of the internal chamber 74 of the cylinder 64 through the plug 70. As the air exits the internal chamber 74 of the cylinder 64, the piston skirt 66 rapidly moves toward the plug 70 inside the cylinder 64.
  • the trigger assembly 10 typically has an effective useable range of depths between 20 and 1,500 feet.
  • the trigger assembly 10 is factory preset to activate at a predefined depth in the water column and has a plus/minus variance of 1.5 to 3.5 meters in terms of release point in the water column.
  • a variety of different sized trigger assemblies 10 may be manufactured to fit the same cutter assembly, depending on the desired predefined activation depth.
  • the trigger assembly 10 on the Todd Device 1 can be set to trigger at any depth in the water column deemed to be most appropriate, taking into account presumed characteristics of the marine animals most likely inhabiting the area or fishing zone.
  • the depth of activation is determined by controlling the cross-sectional size of the internal chamber 74 of the cylinder 64 in the trigger assembly 10. More specifically, the predefined depth (i.e., the depth below the surface of the body of water that the trigger assembly will be activated) may be set by controlling the cross-sectional size (i.e., the internal volume) of the internal chamber 74 of the cylinder 64 on the trigger assembly 10.
  • the internal chamber 74 in the cylinder 64 on the trigger assembly 10 should be constructed to have a height of about 22.3 mm (0.878 inches) and an internal diameter of about 61.3 mm (2.4134 inches).
  • a version of the Todd device 1 that is intended to automatically sever the rope line at say, 400, 800 or 1000 feet below the surface of the water will necessarily have relatively smaller internal chambers (and thus smaller cylinders) on their trigger assemblies, depending on the desired activation depths.
  • the diameter of the piston skirt in the internal chamber of the cylinder required to trigger the device at a target depth may be calculated as follows:
  • Table 1 shows, by way of example, the required diameters (calculated in accordance with the above formula) for the piston skirts and internal chambers of the cylinders for seven different desired target depths for one version of the Todd device having a triggering force of 80 lbs. (or 355.8 Newtons) in ocean water having a density of 1.23.6 kg/m 3 .
  • the diameter of the piston skirt on the piston inside the internal chamber of the cylinder 64 on the trigger assembly may be selected according to the desired target depth that the user wishes for the trigger assembly 10 to be activated by water pressure to automatically sever the rope line.
  • the triggering assemblies and cutter assemblies may be manufactured in a variety of different sizes and configurations, and may be built to be interchangeable based on the particular environment or fishing application. For example, a triggering assembly configured to activate at a particular threshold depth (say, 50 feet) can be removed from the cutter assembly and replaced with a triggering assembly configured to activate at a different threshold depth (say, 250 feet) if the situation calls for it.
  • embodiments of the Todd device of the present invention may be manufactured so that, for safety reasons, end users cannot remove the trigger assemblies from the cutter assemblies, but the trigger assemblies have been pre-selected at the factory, in terms of their size, so that end users can select the Todd device that already has on it a trigger assembly with the appropriate size to activate the cutting assembly at the desired depth.
  • FIGs. 15, 16 and 17 contain high-level sketches that show, respectively, how the Todd Device 1 is normally deployed and operated to liberate a whale entangled in an end line attached to a trawl in the ocean. More specifically, FIGs. 15, 16 and 17 show the Todd Device 1 and a typical operating environment, i.e., the relevant water column, before, during and after activation of the trigger assembly 10 caused by entanglement of a whale. Note that, in order to improve comprehension for the reader, none of the elements in the three sketches are drawn to proper scale. In reality, the high flyers, polyballs, end lines, trawls and Todd Device are miniscule when compared to the size of the whale.
  • the Todd Device 1 is configured to be attached to an end line before the end line is placed into the water. This may be accomplished operating the sliding rope latch pin 50 in the cutter assembly 5 to open the rope latch 35 so that a section of the end line may be pushed to the back walls of the aperture 34. After the end line is positioned in the aperture 34, the sliding rope latch pin 50 is operated again to lock the rope latch 35 over the end line, which secures the Todd Device 1 to the end line. Then the end line, the Todd Device 1 and the trawl may be dropped into the water so that the trawl will sink to the sea floor and the end line extends from the sea floor to the surface of the water.
  • the Todd Device 1 is “user friendly” in application, i.e., it is not complex, completely safe, and so uncomplicated as to be completely integrated with modern fishing practices. Further still, the Todd Device 1 requires very little additional time to use while lobster or crab fishing. The Todd Device 1 is not anticipated to be very expensive, and should last at least two years in a salt water environment before replacement becomes necessary. It is also anticipated that embodiments of the device will be used in connection with fishing for other sea creatures besides lobsters and crabs. Embodiments of the present invention may be used in any situation involving end lines connected to traps, or any other heavy equipment on the seabed, where those end lines pose a risk to large marine animals.
  • the trigger assembly 10 may be constructed primarily from stainless steel, not including the plug 70 and the O-ring 68, which are typically constructed from rubber or plastic material having an acceptable resistance to corrosion from being in salt water.
  • the cutter assembly 5 may be constructed from stainless steel (screws and bolts and nuts) and any molded and rigid polymer material, such as marine grade high-density polyethylene (HDPE), with acceptable resistance to corrosion or degradation in salt water.
  • HDPE marine grade high-density polyethylene
  • the trigger assembly is removably attached to the cutter assembly so that various sizes and configurations of trigger assemblies may be attached to the same cutter assembly, depending on the circumstances where the device will be deployed. This would permit, for example, suppliers to purchase and stock separate inventories of trigger assemblies and cutter assemblies, and then assemble Todd Devices with differing activation thresholds, depending on the demand. While the present invention has been disclosed with reference to certain embodiments, numerous modifications, alterations and changes to the disclosed embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the described embodiments, but that it has the full scope defined by the language of the following claims, and equivalents thereof.

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Husbandry (AREA)
  • Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
  • Marine Sciences & Fisheries (AREA)

Abstract

Un dispositif de sectionnement de ligne d'extrémité activé par pression d'eau est conçu pour être fixé à une ligne d'extrémité de chalut à homard, crabe ou crabe des neiges et pour sectionner automatiquement la ligne d'extrémité si un grand animal marin s'est accroché à cette ligne d'extrémité, l'a mordue, l'a saisie, l'a attrapée, s'y est emmêlé, ou s'y est attaché d'une manière ou d'une autre. Lorsque n'importe quel grand animal marin, tel qu'une baleine, s'accroche ou s'emmêle dans la ligne d'extrémité, la réponse instinctive normale du grand animal marin est de plonger rapidement vers une profondeur plus importante, ce qui tire la ligne d'extrémité et le dispositif fixé à la ligne d'extrémité vers une profondeur plus importante dans la colonne d'eau. Lorsque le dispositif descend jusqu'à une profondeur supérieure dans la colonne d'eau, la pression d'eau exercée contre le dispositif augmente rapidement. Lorsque la pression d'eau atteint et dépasse un seuil de pression d'eau prédéfini, un ensemble de déclenchement sur le dispositif active un ensemble élément de coupe à ressort qui force le mouvement d'une lame de coupe à sectionner la partie de la ligne d'extrémité qui passe par une ouverture dans le dispositif, ce qui permet de libérer le grand animal marin de la ligne d'extrémité et du poids du chalut à homard ou crabe.
PCT/US2021/037376 2021-04-12 2021-06-15 Dispositif de libération automatique d'un grand animal marin destiné à être utilisé avec un engin de pêche en eau profonde WO2022220853A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA3123983A CA3123983C (fr) 2021-04-12 2021-07-06 Dispositif de liberation automatique de grands animaux marins a utiliser avec de l`equipement de peche hauturiere

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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US202163173833P 2021-04-12 2021-04-12
US63/173,833 2021-04-12

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WO2022220853A1 true WO2022220853A1 (fr) 2022-10-20

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4690091A (en) * 1985-03-18 1987-09-01 Mats Hermansson Securing arrangement so executed as to be tripped on actuation
JPH0450094A (ja) * 1990-06-19 1992-02-19 Toyo Commun Equip Co Ltd 自動離脱装置及び緊急通信装置
US6878024B1 (en) * 2003-10-24 2005-04-12 General Pneumatics Corporation Hydrostatic release mechanism
US8028466B1 (en) * 2009-04-21 2011-10-04 Schrock Edwin B Thwartable bottom link for vertical line
CN106508832A (zh) * 2015-09-14 2017-03-22 协富渔具工业股份有限公司 渔具沉子绳及其使用的模块扣接器

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4690091A (en) * 1985-03-18 1987-09-01 Mats Hermansson Securing arrangement so executed as to be tripped on actuation
JPH0450094A (ja) * 1990-06-19 1992-02-19 Toyo Commun Equip Co Ltd 自動離脱装置及び緊急通信装置
US6878024B1 (en) * 2003-10-24 2005-04-12 General Pneumatics Corporation Hydrostatic release mechanism
US8028466B1 (en) * 2009-04-21 2011-10-04 Schrock Edwin B Thwartable bottom link for vertical line
CN106508832A (zh) * 2015-09-14 2017-03-22 协富渔具工业股份有限公司 渔具沉子绳及其使用的模块扣接器

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