GB2459242A - Weed rake with aqua foil to clear underwater plants - Google Patents

Abstract

A tool for the removal of underwater plants to assist anglers may have a removable sectional hollow handle 4, see also figure Fig. 3. Said tool may have a head 2 attached to said handle. A transverse cross member 10 may be attached to said handle by a nut and bolt 6 and 8. A plurality of spring tines 12 may be attached to said cross member 10. An adjustable wing or foil like member 26 is angled to promote lift in one direction and aid sinking of said tool in the reverse direction, see also Fig 2. When in use a fisherman throws or pushes said tool toward an area of weed to be cleared, forward motion of said wing lifts it through the water. When the device is stationary it sinks. Pulling the tool backwards further aids sinking, the tines engage pond weed and this is brought to the bank.

Description

Tool for Operating In Water at a Distance from its Edge This invention relates to a tool for operating in Water at a distance from its edge.

The background to the invention will be described with reference to a particular problem. A reader skilled in the art will readily recognize that the invention has other applications.

Anglers are often faced with a swim in which there is copious weed on the bottom. This causes problems in that it is difficult not to hook the weed and it makes it difficult for fish to find the bait. It is recognized that clearing weed from the swim has advantages in that there is less likelihood of hooking weed and fish seem to prefer to look for food in the cleared swim. A known way of clearing the swim is to tie a rope to a rake, to throw the rake from the water's edge into the water, and to drag the rake back using the rope, bringing with it weed dragged from the bottom. The distance the rake can be thrown is limited. Indeed it is limited to rather less than the distance which it is relatively easy to cast the fishing tackle especially if ledgering. There is also a risk of the user injuring her or himself with the rake as it is thrown.

Against this background, in accordance with the invention there is provided a tool for operating in water at a distance from its edge, comprising: a tool head, for performing the operation; an elongate handle to an end of which the tool head is or may be attached; and an aqua-foil proximate the tool head, arranged to give lift as the tool head is projected into the water by means of the handle, the tool having buoyancy so related to the aqua-foil as to enable the tool head to travel on or close to the surface of the water as it is projected into the water and to sihk towards the bottom at least when the handle is raised or the handle is utilized to draw the tool head towards the edge of the water.

Preferably, the tool head is a rake head having a cross member attached or attachable to the handle transverse thereto, and a plurality of tines extending from one side of the cross member so as to be transverse to both the cross member and the handle. In use the tool head is projected into the water using the handle. As it travels on or close to the surface of the water, its progress can be monitored, for example its position and direction of travel can be seen. If the tool head is not raveling in the right direction, it can be corrected. If, say, it is desired to steer the head to the left, the handle is rotated anticlockwise (to the left). This causes the foil to give a component of lift to the left steering the head to the left. This enables the head to be much more accurately positioned than is possible with the thrown rake. When the tool head has been projected to a desired position, the head is sunk towards the bottom. Depending on the precise arrangement, this may happen without further assistance once movement of the foil through the water ceases. Alternatively, or additionally, raising the user's end of the handle will assist or cause the head to sink and drawing the head towards the bank will cause the foil to produce a downward force. When the head reaches the weed the tines catch it dragging it from the bottom towards the bank.

The handle can have a length which is quite impractical for a conventional rake e.g. at least 3 metres. Indeed, the handle can have a length of 10 meters or even more.

A tOol as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handle has a plurality of interconnectable sections.

The handle may be hollow which may assist in providing the tool with sufficient buoyancy. If the handle is also sectional, it does not seem to be necessary for the joints to be water tight. It is thought that leaking joints and, indeed, an open end, assist the tool head to sink once it has been placed in position.

The foil may be inclined to the handle so as to give the lift in one direction and the downward force in the other.

On embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a pictorial view of a tool embodying the invention, with its head inverted; Figure 2 is a pictorial view of the head of the tool of Figure 1, to a larger scale and the right way up; and Figure 3 is a scrap part sectional view of a joint in the handle of the tool of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the tool illustrated has a head 2 and a handle 4 detachably attached to the head by a nut 6 and a bolt 8. In the embodiment shown the tool head 2 is a rake head having a cross member 10 secured transverse to the handle 4 by the nut 6 and bolt 8. A plurality of spring-tines 12 are secured to the cross member in pairs by nuts 14 and bolts 16 so that the tines are transverse to the cross member and thus also to the handle 4. The cross member 10 is braced transverse to the handle by brace members 18 secured between the handle and the cross member by bolts 20 and 22 and the nutsl4 and bolts 16. Each brace member has a tubular rigid core 24 and a tubular foam outer portion to provide buoyancy, as will be explained.

An aquafoil 26 is secured to the cross member/handle handle by the bolt 8 and nuts 28 and 30, so that the foil is inclined at an angle to the handle. The foil may be a plane board or may have a stream lined cross section.

The handle is longer than can conveniently be used in a conventional rake, e.g. at least 3 metres more usefully at least 10 metres. Indeed, the handle may be so long that natural flexibility may be such that it cannot be lifted in its entirety from the ground by the user. During use long very long handles,%ag until it touches the bottom.

The handle is assembled from hollow sections 32, e.g. of 1 metre length. The sections are made from aluminium tube. As shown in Figure 3, at one end the sections 32 are reduced in diameter so that the reduced diameter end of one section will fit within the full section end of another. Each reduced section end is provided with a spring loaded button 34 projecting from the side wall to be received by a hole 36 in the side wall of the full section end of the other section so retaining the one end withirLthe other.

In use, the sections of the handle are assembled and laid out on the bank with the head near the edge of the water. The head is lowered into the water and the handle is used to project it away from the edge. Buoyancy of the head and handle is partly given by the foam portions 26 of the brace members 18, and may be given pdrtly by the hollowness of the handle. The combined buoyaticy is balanced against the effect o the aquafoil so that as the head is projected out into the water sufficient lift is generated to keep the head visible either on or close to the Surface. DimensiOns which affect the lift include the area of the loiLand the angle to which itis inclined to the handle. If it is desired to steer the head, say, to the left, the handle is twisted a litt'e anticlockwise.

Converéely, if it is wished to steer the head ô the right, the handle is twisted slightly clockwise.

When the head isposffioheda&desired, itis,dfcnurse, no longer projected forward. This stops lift being generated by the foil and may be sufficient to cause the head to sink, possibly as water leaks into the hollow handle through the open end at the head and the joints between the sections. Sinking may be effected or enhanced by lifting the user's end otthehandle. This isthought thIa.apply.adownward fceto the head and enhance air leaving the handle to be replaced by water.

Drawing the head back towards the edge with the handle causes the foil to produce a downward force causing or enhancing sinking of the head. When the head reaches the offending weed or the bottom, weed is dragged out by the tines, assisted by the downward fojce generated by.the foil.

In other embodiments, not illustrated, other tool heads may be substituted, for example to deliver ground bait.

Claims (7)

1. CLAIMS1. A tool for operating in water at a distance from its edge, comprising: a tool head, for performing the operation; an elongate handle to an end of which the tool head is or may be attached; and an aqua-foil proximate the tool head, arranged to give lift as the tool head is projected into the water by means of the handle, the tool having buoyancy so related to the aqua-foil as to enable the tool head to travel on or close to the surface of the water as it is projected into the water and to sink towards the bottom at least when the handle is raised or the handle is utilized to draw the tool head towards the edge of the water.
2. 2. A tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tool head is a rake head having a cross member attached or attachable to the handle transverse thereto, and a plurality of tines extending from one side of the cross member so as to be transverse to both the cross member and the handle.
3. 3. A tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the handle is at least 3 metres in length.
4. 4. A tool as claimed in claim 3, wherein the handle is at least 10 metres in length.
5. 5. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handle has a plurality of interconnectable sections.
6. 6. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the handle is hollow.
7. 7. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the foil is inclined to the handle.