Aquaculture basket clip and line protector
AssigneeSeapa Pty Ltd
InventorGarry Thompson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a protector for a clip and line used to suspend aquaculture baskets or like equipment in water. In particular, the protector provides a sacrificial element between the clip and the line that is cheap to manufacture and easy to replace. While an application of the present invention is in oyster cultivation, it could equally well be applied to any process involving the line suspension of an article in water.
Claims18
An oyster basket clip and clamp assembly for attaching an oyster basket to a long line in an aquatic environment, comprising:
- a basket clip configured to engage the oyster basket, said clip having a first end configured to engage the oyster basket, said clip having a second end opposite said first end, said second end including a hook;
- and
- a clamp configured to engage the long line, said clamp including a generally cylindrical body having:
- an upper portion;
- a lower portion, said upper and lower portions being configured to snap-fit together to clamp around the long line;
- a first end;
- a second end;
- a central longitudinal axis through said first and second ends;
- and
- a channel along the central longitudinal axis, each of said first and second ends having a radially extending abutment surface to limit movement of said clip along the central longitudinal axis of said cylindrical body when said clip is engaged about said clamp, said hook of said clip having an interior width greater than an outer diameter of said cylindrical body between said first and second ends.
A clamp for engaging a basket clip to a long line in an aquatic environment, said clamp comprising:
- a generally cylindrical body including:
- an upper portion;
- a lower portion, at least one of said upper and lower portions including a projection to engage with a recess in the other of said portions to lockably engage said upper and lower portions together around the long line;
- a first end;
- a second end;
- a central longitudinal axis through said first and second ends—and a channel along the central longitudinal axis, said channel having a generally cylindrical shape with a curved inner surface when said upper and lower portions are engaged with each other, said curved inner surface including a plurality of projections configured to inhibit longitudinal movement of the clamp along the long line, each of said first and second ends having a radially extending abutment surface to limit movement of the clip along the central longitudinal axis of said cylindrical body when the clip is engaged about said clamp;
- and
- an exterior surface extending from said abutment surface at said first end to said abutment surface of said second end, said exterior surface being smooth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.