Butchering – Support – Underlying support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-28
2001-07-03
Little, Willis (Department: 3643)
Butchering
Support
Underlying support
C452S195000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254473
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable fish cleaning apparatus useful by recreational fishermen to clean their catch at the boat landing or other convenient location, where a fish cleaning board can be supported for use at a convenient position upon placement in supportive engagement with the boat and trailer.
2. Description of the prior Art
Recreational fishermen generally find it necessary or desirable to clean and cool their catch soon after fishing is completed in order to prevent spoilage and to maintain the freshness of the catch. In some circumstances, fish cleaning facilities are provided at the landing where the fishermen unload and load their boat off and onto a trailer used to transport the boat to the lake or river. But in many circumstances, there are no such facilities and the fisherman is faced with either waiting until he returns home to clean the fish (which is not a viable option if the time between when the fish is caught and the time the fisherman returns home is too long) or providing his own means of cleaning the fish before returning home.
A number of devices have been developed which permit the fisherman to clean his catch when cleaning facilities are not provided at the landing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,494 discloses a fish cleaning apparatus which is adapted to be supported upon a container having an upwardly opening mouth (i.e., a garbage can). The cleaning platform has an opening which overlays the opening in the container, and the platform is releasably latched to the container when in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,367 discloses a portable filleting table which is supported by foldable legs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,765 discloses a fish cleaning device which comprises a cleaning board with gripping means for gripping a fish while it is cleaned.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,359 discloses a collapsible fish cleaning table which has a tabletop member with an upwardly facing work surface which is supported by collapsible legs attached to the bottom of the tabletop member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,734 discloses a tailgate box, table and sink which is mounted on the tailgate of a pickup truck while in use.
The prior art devices are unsatisfactory because they either require other devices for support while in use (i.e., a container or a pickup tailgate) or, if they provide their own means of support (i.e., legs), they are bulky and difficult to transport and store.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention to provide a fish cleaning board that is lightweight, compact and portable which can be easily folded for transportation and storage and unfolded for use at a boat ramp without the need for separate means of support while in use.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable fish cleaning board that can be supported upon engagement with a boat and trailer such that the board is maintained at a comfortable height for cleaning fish.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a portable fish cleaning board that is durable yet easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
To those ends, a fish cleaning apparatus is provided which comprises a cutting board pivotally attached to the top of one end of a cantilever support arm. The cutting board may be rotated with respect to the support arm between an open position, where the board extends substantially at right angles to the arm and a closed position where the board extends substantially longitudinally of the support arm. The upper surface of the board defines a cutting surface upon which a fish may be placed for cleaning and a recessed or cutaway portion to which a disposable refuse bag can be attached to receive the unwanted portions of a fish when cleaned. The board further defines a pair of spaced openings for receiving and holding fish cleaning knives. The end of the support arm opposite of the board and the mid portion of the underside of the support arm are covered with a non-slip, cushioning material such as rubber for placement in supportive engagement against the boat and trailer in the manner hereafter described to maintain the board at a comfortable location when in use. The upper and lower surfaces of the second end of the arm are scalloped or concave to permit more positive engagement with the trailer's rollers if circumstances warrant. In addition, the end of the support arm opposite the board is hinged such that it can be maintained in an unfolded position to provide greater length to the arm, or folded back against itself so as to provide additional thickness to that end of the arm.
In operation, the board is rotated to its open position and the support arm is wedged between the boat and trailer such that the padded portion of the underside of the arm is supported against downward motion by the frame of the trailer and the padded end of the support arm is supported against upward motion by the underside of the boat. A fish is placed on the board for cutting or other cleaning. Once the cleaning has been completed, the fish debris is scraped to the cutaway portion of the board and into the refuse bag for disposal. When the cleaning has been completed, the board can be washed with water from the lake or river, disengaged from the boat and trailer and folded into the closed position for transport or storage.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3590423 (1971-07-01), Messer
patent: 3785008 (1974-01-01), Parker
patent: 4229858 (1980-10-01), Baxter et al.
patent: 5098338 (1992-03-01), Jensen
patent: 5116279 (1992-05-01), Perry
patent: 5474494 (1995-12-01), Sims
patent: 5522765 (1996-06-01), Dotson et al.
patent: 5609521 (1997-03-01), Alfred et al.
patent: 1486784 (1967-05-01), None
Carlson Kevin W.
Kelzenberg Michaeleen A.
Shore Thomas A.
Templin Kevin E.
Little Willis
Ryan William J.
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