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Kent R Thomas

Kurt Michael Swanson

An automatically closing drop fishing net is provided for commercial fishing operations. The drop net assembly includes an upper float ring, a lower weight ring, and a net formed in a generally tubular configuration. The upper end of the net is attached to the float ring and the lower end of the net is attached to the weight ring. The drop net assembly has several torque lines that extend from locations on the float ring on the outside of the net to locations on the weight ring that are initially angularly offset at least one hundred eighty degrees relative to their points of attachment to the float ring. The torque lines are shorter than the vertical length that the net would assume in a stretched condition with the float ring buoyed upon the surface of a body of sea water and with the weight ring suspended therebeneath and held only by the structure of the net. As gravity pulls the weight ring downwardly from the float ring in the water, tension is exerted on the torque lines. This tension causes the weight ring to rotate relative to the float ring above it. The twisting of the weight ring also twists the net, thereby closing the lower portion of the net and changing its shape from a generally cylindrical configuration to a configuration of an upper inverted cone and a lower, upright cone. Fish are entrapped within the upper, inverted conical portion of the drop net assembly once it has been deployed.

Twist closure drop fishing net

A non-collapsible fish net apparatus (31) with capturing method, comprising an endless net (33) mounted on spaced rigid hoops (37, 38) preventing collapse, a skirt (39) below the lower hoop (38) foldable on itself, apparatus support lines (45) mounted to the upper hoop (37), control lines (51) folding and unfolding the skirt (39), a draw line (62) about the skirt (39), a closure weight (57) attached to the draw line (62), and a line (58) for dropping the weight (57) farther down to close off the skirt (39). Buoys (55) on the control lines (51) provide a signal for actuating the weight (57). Corks (44) on the upper hoop (37) float apparatus (31). A wave netting (70) at the upper hoop (37) prevents fish escape in a wave cascade over apparatus (31). A quick-disconnect assembly (65) on the draw line (62) distal to the closure weight (57) opens the skirt (39) in event of apparatus overload. Apparatus (31) encompasses fish in water after which the draw line (62) is tightened by release of the weight (57), thus, capturing them.

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Signal Hill, CA, United States of America

Kent R Thomas