Buoys – rafts – and aquatic devices – Buoy – Marker buoy
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-21
2002-05-07
Swinehart, Ed (Department: 3617)
Buoys, rafts, and aquatic devices
Buoy
Marker buoy
C440S016000, C440S026000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06383045
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to floating marker buoys.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other marker buoy devices designed for marking a nautical location. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 222,215 issued to Wardwell on Dec. 2, 1879.
Another patent was issued to Timmans on Nov. 5, 1895 as U.S. Pat. No. 549,281. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 832,881 was issued to Skinner et al. on Oct. 9, 1906 and still yet another was issued on May 4, 1915 to Nixon as U.S. Pat. No. 1,137,782.
Another patent was issued to Johnson et al on Nov. 28, 1916 as U.S. Pat. No. 1,206,713. Another patent was issued to Saulnier et al. on Oct. 18, 1988 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,422. Another patent was issued to Noggle on Feb. 11, 1992 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,216. Another patent was issued to Keller on Feb. 23, 1993 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,551. Another patent was issued to Balstad on Oct. 26, 1993 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,093. Another patent was issued to Forrest on Dec. 27, 1994 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,035. Another patent was issued to Kellner et al. on Sept. 7, 1999 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,780. Another patent was issued to Mercer on Sep. 26, 2000 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,593.
U.S. Pat. No. 222,215
Inventor: T. G. Wardwell
Issued: Dec. 2, 1879
A sunken vessel indicator having its case provided with the tubular standard and its float provided with the line, and perforated or furnished with the tube to receive the said standard.
U.S. Pat. No. 549,281
Inventor: L. H. Timmans
Issued: Nov. 5, 1895
A buoy for indicating marine wrecks having a sealed chamber provided with an intoning device, and a line for securing the buoy to the wreck in combination with a telescope casing surrounding the line.
U.S. Pat. No. 832,881
Inventor: J. H. Skinner
Issued: Oct. 9, 1906
A buoy comprising a body divided along its longitudinal axis into separable sections, a reel detachably mounted in recesses in the meeting faces of the sections and having an axle the opposite ends of which project beyond the ends of the reel into bearing-sockets in said meeting faces, and a cable wound on said reel and passing through an opening in one of the said meeting faces, the buoy sections being connected by a hinge the axis of which is disposed lengthwise of the sections, substantially as described.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,137,782
Inventor: B. F. Nixon
Issued: May 4, 1915
A device comprising a body converging toward its lower end, a cap fixed upon the upper portion of the body, a ballast member positioned within the lower portion of the body whereby the body will be held in its correct vertical position, signaling means carried above the cap, whereby the signaling means will be held above the water, and means yieldably connecting a cable to the lower portion of the body, the cable adapted to be connected to a vessel whereby when a vessel sinks the body may float and allow the cable to engage a vessel whereby the location of the vessel may be determined, and the yieldable means adapted to prevent the breaking of the cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,206,713
Inventor: C. G. Johnson
Issued: Nov. 28, 1916
A signal for locating a vessel after it is sunk including a buoy adapted to float upon the water, the buoy being provided with a substantially V-shaped base, a cradle mounted upon the vessel and provided with a substantially V-shaped seat upon which the V-shaped base of the buoy is adapted to removably rest under normal conditions, the V-shaped seat being provided on opposite sides thereof with upstanding flanges to prevent the buoy from jarring or slipping out of the cradle, and means for anchoring the buoy to the sunken vessel to prevent the buoy from drifting.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,422
Inventor: Kenneth D. Saulnier
Issued: Oct. 18, 1988
A buoy for storing rope connected to an underwater article such as a lobster pot, comprises a buoyant casing having two side portions connected together and a reel rotatably mounted between the side portions and carrying a length of rope, one or both outer ends of which are connectable to the lobster pot or the like article. A central portion of one end of the reel is accessible from a side of the buoy through the adjacent casing side portion, and this one end has a non-circular configuration adapted to be engaged by a winding device such as a so-called “pot-hauler”. The side portions may be connected together by posts. An end of rope may be connected to the reel by a swivel link so that when the rope is fully paid out the buoy can remain on the surface of the water and can rotate relative to the rope. The buoy is preferably made with two identical side portions of plastics material, and may have rigid molded buoyant foam material held between the side portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,216
Inventor: Edward F. Noggle
Issued: Feb. 11, 1992
A marker buoy adapted to be held in the hand and thrown on the surface of a body of water to mark a location beneath the surface, comprises a thin, hollow, water-tight box with a concentric aperture through the thickness dimension of the box. The box is constructed of upper and lower concave shells which are mirror symmetric through the medial transverse plane of the box, where the two shells are bonded to one another. Recesses formed between internal walls within the shells hold a reel assembly have a take-up spool located in the aperture, and a crankshaft fitted with a handle protruding through a side of the box. A flexible cord is attached to the take-up spool and wound around the spool by turning the crankshaft handle. The other end of the cord is attached to an anchor weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,551
Inventor: Cyril N. Keller
Issued: Feb. 23, 1993
A marker device for fishermen including a body or flotation portion made from a transparent, plastic bottle. A sheet of brightly colored fluorescent or retroreflective paper lines the inside of the bottle, making the marker highly visible. A threaded cap is secured to the core or bottom end of a spool, about which an anchor line is wound. The spool has upper and lower flanges, and the anchor line is secured to the upper flange. An anchor weight is secured to the free end of the anchor line, the anchor weight being a strip of malleable lead that may be formed to bend around the anchor line wound on the spool when not in use. Further, a counterweight is contained within the bottom portion of the spool opposite the bottle, causing the marker to stand upright in the water. After the marker has been set in the water and the anchor weight has sunk to the bottom of the lake or stream, the anchor line may be threaded through a slot in the lower flange of the spool, preventing additional anchor line from being paid out from the spool.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,093
Inventor: LeRoy Balstad
Issued: Oct. 26, 1993
A lightweight plastic buoy with an elastic shock cord attached to the nylon line and lead weight. Included in the buoy is a plastic spool attached to a metal shaft and crank in a housing. A plastic pin is attached to a foam float. They are found in a housing near the bottom of the buoy and are moved via the admittance of water into the float chamber through an orifice in the bottom cap. The pin forces a lock into notches in the spool which inhibits its motion. A rubber-strap governor is in contact with the top of the spool controlling its velocity to eliminate the tangling of excessive line released from the spool.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,035
Inventor: John W. Forrest
Issued: Dec. 27, 1994
The invention discloses a highly visible marker buoy of the self-setting type the anchor line of which may be power wound to facilitate retrieval of the buoy after use; the marker buoy is equipped with spin indicators to prove that the anchor line is descending to the bottom of a body of water; fluorescent and phosphorescent materials are provided to increase both daytime and nighttime visibility.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,780
Inventor: Ronald E. Kellner
Issued: Sep. 7, 1999
A marker for use by boaters to mark spots in a body of water includes a watertight, hollow cylindrical main body that floats and which serves as a buoy member. T
Kroll Michael I
Swinehart Ed
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