Patent Application
20170223940
The present invention relates to a hybrid chum delivery container, for delivering chum or bait in a controlled delivery below the surface of the water to attract fish.
Chum delivery containers are well known in the art of sport and recreational fishing. Such containers typically are designed to dispense particles of chum or bait either as the container moves in the water or by the natural water currents near the bottom or when impacted by a fish. While the prior art is well defined in this field, the present invention provides for a novel and unique controlled delivery system that is able to dispense much larger portion of the chum or bait rather than mostly liquid and small particles that a standard chummer or chumpot dispenses.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a hybrid chummer and chunker apparatus that has a cage with a plurality of openings around the circumference of the cage that are designed to allow water in and out of the cage and allow chum, bait, and/or chunks of the same contained within the cage to exit the cage when submerged in water. The apparatus further includes a top section secured about a top end of the cage. The top section is removably secured about the top section. In addition, a bottom end cap is positioned about a bottom end of the cage. The bottom end cap is further configured to move away from the bottom end of the cage. The apparatus further includes a tension spring secured between the top section and the bottom end cap, the tension spring configured to permit the bottom end cap to move away from the bottom end of the cage when submerged in water and when the apparatus is pulled through the water with a force that exceeds a force exerted by the tension spring.
In other aspects of the apparatus, the bottom end of the cage may include a tab with an aperture. The tab is configured to extend through a slot defined on the bottom end cap. The apparatus further includes a locking device configured to fit through the aperture of the tab when the tab extends through the slot such that the bottom end cap of the cage is locked against the bottom end of the cage preventing movement of the bottom end cap when submerged in water.
In another aspect of an embodiment of the invention, the cage may include a plurality of openings surrounding the cage, a plurality of indented portions about the bottom end of the cage, and at least one vertical slot positioned about the cage.
The apparatus may also provide for the top section to be removably secured to the top end of the cage. This may be accomplished by having the top section with an upper structural ring secured within the top end of the cage. The upper structural ring would have an annual ring with a centered flange expanding the diameter of the annual ring. The centered flange includes a keyhole opening about a middle area of the centered flange, and the annual ring further includes a pair of opposed notches positioned adjacent to the centered flange and that face the interior of the annual ring. A top spring mount would further be provided with a vertical post and a horizontal post that extends outwardly from either side of the vertical post and for a distance that allows the vertical post to extend above and below the horizontal post. The vertical post may have a top portion above the horizontal post that is configured to extend through the keyhole opening. The vertical post may further have a bottom portion below the horizontal post positioned below the upper structural ring, and the bottom portion further includes an opening to receive an upper portion of the tension spring. A lid is also provided with a handle extending therefrom. The handle includes a pair of outwardly extending clips positioned below the lid and which fit through the opposed notches defined on the upper structural ring such that the clips are configured to position below the upper structural ring. As such when the lid is rotated away from the opposed notches such that the clips engage the upper structural ring, the lid is securely fashioned thereto and when the lid is rotated such that the clips align with the opposed notches, the lid is removable from the cage.
In other aspects, the bottom end cap may include a lower annual ring attached to the bottom end of the cage. The annual ring includes a plurality of bracket ends projected outwardly from the lower annual ring, and each bracket end has an opening there through and is configured at a position exterior to the cage. The bottom end cap further includes a tension base movable in relation to the lower structural ring.
The tension base may include a bottom plate having a plurality of slots about a peripheral edge defined along the bottom plate and where the plurality of slots correspond to the openings in the bracket ends. The bottom plate also includes a bottom key hole opening about a center area of the bottom plate. A plurality of braces are then positioned below and against the bottom plate, with one of the braces including an portion extending through the cross key hole opening. The portion extending through the cross key hole opening includes an aperture for receiving a lower end of the tension spring. A plurality of vertical arms are provided with each vertical arm being separately positioned to extend through one of the slots in the bottom plate and the corresponding opening in the bracket end on the lower annual ring. Each vertical arm has a lower portion with a width that is larger than an upper portion such that when the vertical arm is inserted through the slot movement stops at the lower portion. Each vertical arm also includes an upper cap that is secured to a top portion of the vertical arms. The upper cap has a flared end resting inside the cage along the slot defined on the cage, such that the vertical arms can slide along the slots on the cage. As assembled the tension base is configured to move away from the bottom end of the cage when a force is exerted against the tension base that is greater than the tension spring and the tension base has a tendency to return to rest against the bottom end of the cage when forces exerted by the tension spring exceeds any forces against the tension base.
Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings.
A fuller understanding of the foregoing may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
While the invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein, in detail, the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the spirit or scope of the invention and/or the embodiments illustrated.
Referring now to
The apparatus 100 includes a cage 102 that has numerous or a plurality of openings 108 around the circumference of the cage 102 that are designed allow water in and out of the cage and allows bait or chum to exit the cage with submerged in water. In this fashion the hybrid apparatus can act as a chummer delivery system. The size, shape or disbursement of the openings 108 may be changed as desired and are not a focus of this particular invention. The openings 108 are also designed to allow water through the cage such that it can sink faster with less resistance in the water.
The apparatus 100 includes a top section 110 that is secured about the top end 104 of the cage. A top end cap 112 is also provided that is removably secured about the top section 110. When the top end cap 112 is removed the user has easy access to the inside of the cage to place bait, chum, or chunks. The apparatus 100 further includes a bottom end cap 120 that is moveably attached about the bottom end 106 of the cage 102. As explained in greater detail below, in one embodiment of the invention, when the apparatus 100 is submerged in water and the apparatus 100 is pulled upwardly, the bottom end cap 120 laterally moves away from the bottom end 106 of the cage 102 allowing for quick disbursement of the bait or chum inside the cage. In addition, the bottom end cap 120 can be secured to the bottom end of the cage 102 such that disbursement of the bait is done only through the chum openings 108 in the cage 102.
Referring also to
Referring now also to
Continuing to refer to
Referring now also to
The structural ring 170 includes an annual ring 172 that would be attached or secured to the bottom end 106. The annual ring 172 also includes a plurality of bracket ends 174 projected outwardly from the annual ring 172 such that each of the bracket ends 174 has an opening 176 there through and configured at an exterior position to the cage 100. The tension base 180 includes a bottom plate 182, that includes a plurality of slots 184 about the peripheral edge 185 of the bottom plate 182 and that correspond to the openings 176 in the bracket ends 174. The bottom plate also includes a bottom key hole opening 186 about the center of the bottom plate. Braces 190 positioned below and against the bottom plate are provided and include an extension portion 192 on one of the braces 190′ that extends through the cross key hole opening 186.
In addition, a plurality of vertical arms 200 are positioned to extend separately through one of the slots 184 in the bottom plate 182 and the corresponding openings 176 in the bracket ends 174 on the annual ring 172. This permits the bottom end cap 120 to move vertically with the vertical arms 200 while staying aligned with the bottom of the cage 100. The lower portion 203 of the vertical arms 200 are also larger in width then the rest of the vertical arm 200 such that when inserted through the slots 184 in the bottom plate 182 movement stops at the lower portion 203. The vertical arms 200 further include a channel or notch 204 to receive an end 205 of one of the brackets 190 keeping the braces 190 in position. Each vertical arm 200 further includes an upper cap 210 that is secured to a top portion 202 of the vertical arms 200. Each upper cap 210 includes a finger 212 projecting towards the center of the cage 100 with a flared end 214 and grooved notches 216 along the finger leading to the flared end 214. When positioned, the flared end 214 rests inside the cage 100 with the grooved notches 216 positioning the finger 212 through the slot 128 along the cage 100. The upper cap 210 serves as stops at a top position on the slot 128 and bottom position on the slot 128 preventing the vertical arms 200 and thus the bottom end cap 120 from separating away from the bottom of the cage 100.
When assembled, the plurality of indented portions 122 along the bottom end 106 of the cage 100 fit above the bracket ends 174 on the annual ring 172 allowing the bottom of the cage 100 to sit against the bottom plate 182 when in a rest position.
Continuing to refer to the figures and to
In addition, as noted above the bottom of the cage 100 includes the tab 124 and aperture 126. When in the rest position (
From the foregoing and as mentioned above, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concept of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific methods and apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.
