US2927394A - Container for housing and transporting minnows - Google Patents

Description

March 8, 1960 CONTAINER FOR HOUSING AND TRANSPORTING MINNOWS L. L. JOHNSON Filed Aug. 26, 1958 FIG. I.

INVENTOR, LLOYD L. JOHNSON.

BY gm .e

ATTORNEY United States Patent CONTAINER FOR HOUSING AND TRANS- PORTIN G MINNOWS Lloyd L. Johnson, Fergus Falls, Minn.

Application August 26, 1958, Serial No. 757,267

Claims. (CI. 43-56) This invention relates to a container for housing and transporting minnows used as live bait and more particularly a container having means therein for separating minnows from water when the container is inverted.

It is Well known that minnows, when used as live bait, are diflicult to grasp by hand when they are swimming in a water filled receptacle. Normally, minnow containers include a perforated receptacle housed inside of a solid water filled receptacle and the perforated receptacle must be removed from the outer water filled container to separate the minnows from the water. This usually results in a loss of water as well as being a nuisance factor.

With this thought in mind, this invention contemplates a container and separator so constructed that a fisherman may house and transport a quantity of minnows in the conventional manner and upon inverting the container and separating the two chambers may extract minnows as desired.

The primary object or this invention is therefore to provide means within a container so that when the container is inverted minnows will become separated from the water and may be readily extracted by a fisherman. A second reversal of the container will deposit the minnows back into water.

Another object of this invention is to provide a container having two chambers or compartments which may be connected to each other in sealed relation by complementary threads or by a press fit.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a foraminous partition in one of the chambers or compartments so that when the other chamber is partially filled with water and a quantity of minnows and is inverted, the water will flow through the foraminous partition and deposit the minnows on the surface of the partition after which the uppermost chamber is detached whereupon the minnows may be readily extracted by hand.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a minnow container having necessary air vents and vent closure means whereby the vents may be closed during the inverting procedure without loss of water.

Another object of this invention is to provide a minnow container and separator which is simple and durable in construction, economical to produce and may be readily transported by a fisherman.

Other features and advantages will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the container, portions of an upper compartment shown broken away and showing a toraminous partition therein.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the center of the new device.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the device in a separated and inverted position.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above-referred to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration and ice that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any manner departing from the spirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claims. And while there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention, it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

While the drawings illustrate a container which is cylindrical in cross section, it will be understood that any suitable shape may be utilized and that the coupling means employed may also be a variation from that shown in the drawings. For purposes of illustration, the invention is depicted having a cylindrical container generally indicated by the numeral 10 comprising an upper chamber 12 and a lower chamber 14. T he chambers are identical in dimensions having annular walls 16 and closed ends 18. The container is joined together at the open ends 20 by complemental threads 22 disposed on the ends 20 as best shown in Figure 2.

The upper chamber 12 is provided with a foraminous partition 24 which is welded or otherwise suitably secured in the chamber 12 at a positon slightly below a horizontal center line of the chamber 12. A plurality of air vents 26 may be disposed through the annular wall 16 of the chamber 12 and may be provided with a sliding closure panel 27 which is held into engagement against the wall 16 by angular tracks 28 fixed to the outside of the annular wall 16. A knob 36 is provided on the closure panel 27 for manual manipulation of the panel.

The normal position of the container is shown in Figures 1 and 2 having a quantity of water 32 in the lower chamber 14 together with a quantity of minnows 15. As the container is inverted to the position shown in Figure 3, the water will flow through the foraminous partition 24 and into the chamber 12 depositing the minnows or other live bait upon the surface of the partition 24. The chamber 14 is then detached and the minnows are extracted as desired. The chamber 14 is then attached to the chamber 12 and is inverted back to the normal position depositing the water and minnows into the chamber 14. During the inverting procedure, the air vents are sealed ed by the closure panel and reopened to allow air to enter the container.

t is obvious that suitable handles may be provided on the exterior of the container.

From the foregoing specificaiton it will become apparent that the invention disclosed will adequately accomplish the functions for which it has been designed and in an economical manner, and that its simplicity, accuracy, and ease of operation are such as to provide a relatively inexpensive device.

it is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded unnecessary.

Changes in shape, size, and arrangement of details and parts such as come within the purview of the invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

I claim:

1. A combined minnow separator and container comprising an upper chamber, a lower chamber, said upper and lower chambers having one closed end and one open end, means on said open ends for connecting said chamber in sealed relation, and a foraminous partition in said upper chamber located substantially intermediate the open and closed ends thereof whereby when said lower chamber is filled substantially half full of liquid and a quantity of minnows and is attached to said upper chamber and whereby complete reversal of the position of the container will cause the liquid of the lower chamber to fill the and a'closed end, means'on'said open ends fer connecting said chambers in sealed relation, a foraminous partition located substantially intermediate the open end and closed end of said first chamber, and air vent means located 7 adjacent the open end of said first chamber whereby when said second chamber is partially filled with liquid and a quantity of minnows and is attached to said first chamber,

and when said container is inverted the liquid of said second chamber will partially fill the first chamber, depositing the minnows on said 'foraminous partition, said'sec- 0nd chamber being detachable to facilitate removal of the minnows.

3. The structure of claim 2 and in which said chambers are cylindrical.

4. The structure of claim 2 and in which said means for connecting said chambers together comprise complementary threads on the said'open endscf each 'of said chambers.

5. The stnlcture of claim 2 and in which said air vent is provided with slidable closure means for closing said vents while said container is'be ing inverted.

References 'Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,664,854 Talbot Jan. 5, 1954

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