Device and method for measuring the length of a fish

• US 6,959,499 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2004
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vincent Patrick Bini
• Original Assignee: Vincent Patrick Bini
• Inventors: Bini, Vincent Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, G. Bradley
• Application Number:
  US10/783,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20040163267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 334/30, 334/90, 335/11, 335/49, 335/55, 337/55, 33757-760, 337/68, 337/70, 338/32, 338/33, 43/1, 43/4
• US Class Current: 33/511
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 97/00 Accessories for angling fish stringers A01K65/00; landing-nets or landing-spoons for fishing A01K77/00

Abstract

A compact and portable measuring device that is quickly and easily attachable to a fish holding device, at an end of the fish, and provides a visually readable scale, which can be used to easily identify the length of the fish and can later be read in a photograph of the fish and measuring device, even if taken at a distance away from the fish and the device.

Claims

1. A device for measuring the length of a fish that is attached to a fish holder, the device comprising:

a base including a first section that is oriented in a mostly horizontal plane, a downward-facing surface of the base being the zero mark for measuring the fish;

a foldable measuring tape having distance indicators along the length of said tape, a first end of said tape being attached to the base; and

an opening that penetrates completely through the first section of the base such that the fish holder can be inserted into the opening while the fish is attached to the fish holder, so that gravity causes the foldable measuring tape and the fish to hang in the same downward direction.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the opening is a groove penetrating completely through the base and extending from an edge of the base toward a center area of the base.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the base is provided with a means for obstructing the opening.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said distance indicators are evenly-spaced lines along the length of said tape.

5. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the distance indicators include evenly spaced lines and incremented numbers.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the color of said distance indicators is selected so as to contrast with the color of said tape.

7. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the foldable measuring tape is repeatably removably and attached to the base.

8. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said tape is made of a washable cloth material.

9. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said tape is made of a washable plastic material.

10. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the base further comprises:

a second section joined at an approximately 90 degree angle to the first section so as to form an “

L”

shape.

11. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein:

the first end of the foldable measuring tape is attached to the second section of the base.

12. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a weight attached to the second end of the foldable measuring tape.

13. A method of measuring a fish comprising:

holding a fish at a first end with a holding device;

inserting the fish and holding device into an opening in a horizontally-oriented section of a measuring device so that the first end of the fish is aligned with a downward-facing surface of the measuring device;

providing a flexible measuring tape that is attached to the measuring device so that gravity causes the measuring tape and the fish to hang in the same downward direction with the fish being positioned between the tape and an observer; and

visually determining the length of the fish by comparing a distal second end of the fish to distance indicators provided on the tape.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising taking a photograph of the fish, measuring device, and measuring tape, with the fish being located between the tape and a camera so that the length of the fish is recorded.

15. A device for measuring the length of a fish that is attached to a fish holder, said device comprising:

a base including first and second sections joined at an approximately 90 degree angle so as to form an “

L”

shape, the first section of the base being oriented in a mostly horizontal plane and a downward facing surface of the first section of the base being the zero mark for measuring the fish;

a foldable tape section having distance indicators along the length of said tape, the second section of the base being attached to one end of said foldable tape section; and

an opening that penetrates completely through a portion of the first section of the base such that the fish holder can be inserted into the opening while the fish is attached to the fish holder, so that gravity causes the foldable tape section and the fish to hang in the same downward direction.

16. The device as recited in claim 15, wherein the base includes a means for obstructing the opening so as to prevent the fish holder from exiting the opening.

17. The device as recited in claim 15, wherein the distance indicators include evenly spaced lines and incremented numbers.

18. The device as recited in claim 15, wherein the color of the distance indicators is selected so as to contrast with the color of the tape.

19. The device as recited in claim 15, wherein the tape is repeatedly removably attached to the base.

20. The device as recited in claim 15, wherein the tape is made of one of a washable cloth material and a washable plastic material.