Technical Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a harvesting harness intended to be carried by the body of a free-diver, attached to the upper part of the body, preferably for use together with freediving equipment for harvesting from the tidal zone from about 20 cm depth down to about 100 cm, the latter depth being approximately the maximum depth possible to reach while breathing through a snorkel, swimming in the water surface.

In particular, the invention relates to a harvesting harness configured to be carried by the body of a free-diver, preferably used together with freediving equipment, for harvesting marine organisms from the tidal zone, comprising a bag or container for storing harvested organisms and a device for attaching the bag or container to the body.

Background of the invention

In the later years, there has been rapid development of recreational diving equipment, especially for freediving. Freediving equipment have now been so good that recreational freediving is done all year in arctic water.

Free diving equipment has not been used much for work diving, in spite of the number of species of commercial value living in the tidal zone that are easily available for a free diver. Periwinkle snail, cockles and patellidae are examples of species, which could be harvested easier by free-divers, then by traditional methods.

In commercial harvesting, it is important that the harvesting is as efficient as possible, to provide decent salary for the harvester, and to give profit the harvesting company.

The first diver probably brought with him a bag in case he found something he wanted to bring with him home. Over the years, the design of the bag has varied. Today this general-purpose bag is usually made of smooth nylon fabric to prevent it from being stuck when dragged along the seabed. The bottom of the bag is made of netting so water can leave the bag easily and the bag opening is attached to a hinged frame with a lock which makes it easy to open and close the bag and ensures that the bag don't open accidentally. The bag is usually also fitted with a hoop so it can be attached to the diver's belt or surface buoy with a carabiner or similar. This bag is nicknamed diving goody bag, lobster bag, fish bag etc. It is a part of the diving gear, which in recreational diving is relatively seldom accessed, and it is therefore usually attached to the divers lead belt close to his hip so the bag hang on the outside of his tight. Then it is as far out of the way as possible and if the diver needs to do an emergency ascension by dropping his lead belt, the bag is dropped too.

Because dropping the bag together with the belt is a safety issue, no specialist in designing diving gear will make the goody bag part of a diver's vest. EP0853037 show an example of a diver's vest.

US4498190 show a diver's goody bag optimist for catching lobster. Here the hinged frame is replaced by a frame with a flap. The purpose is to avoid the need of taking precautions to prevent earlier caught lobsters from escaping while the last caught lobster is put into the bag. Note that the bags disclosed are designed with lobster in mind although patent US4775082 also mentions fish, since lobster is about the only swimming sea creature possible to catch and hold with the hand.

US4775082 show a goody bag similar to US4498190 but optimised for fish caught by spearfishing. Note that it is the inventor's intention that the diver shall hold the bag described in patent US4498190 and US4775082 in one of his hands.

US4775082 and US4498190 are examples of inventions made for streamline the catching of specific sea creatures. As mentioned earlier the invention described in this patent is made for streamlining catching of periwinkle snail while freediving where rapid catching, emergency release and bag emptying is considered. This patented version of the invention is a result of development through testing from an early version of the harvesting harness, which was more or less a backpack worn on the stomach. The invention is a result of practical snail catching with purpose of catching more than 20kg periwinkle snail per hour. Less efficient catching will make it difficult to archive profitable business with hired workers.

There is a need for a device that secures entrapment of the catch, which enables easy collection and transfer of the catch to the secure entrapment and at the same time enabling the diver to us both hands during the catching stage.

Summary of the Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a harvesting system avoiding or at least substantially reducing the possibilities of unintentional loss of harvested sea organisms.

Another object of the invention is to provide a harvesting system intended to be positioned during the harvesting in a lower part of the users filed of vision.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a harvesting system allowing the user to use both hands simultaneously during the harvesting process.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a harvesting system requiring as small bodily movements as possible. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a harvesting system of a type not requiring manual opening and locking activity of a containing device for storing the catch during the harvesting operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide is to provide a harvesting system improving the harvesting efficiency.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a harvesting system configured in such way that the interference between the harvesting harness used and the diver activities involved is eliminated, or at least substantially reduced.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a harvesting system specially, but not exclusively suitable for use in depths from about 20 cm depth down to about 100cm, which is the approximately max depth possible to reach while breathing through a snorkel while swimming on the water surface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a harvest system that may easily be removed in operation, in case of emergency.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a harvesting system that does not be in conflict with other diving equipment and/or activities while diving and/or harvesting.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a harvesting system configured in a way giving short distance between the point where the hand pick up pickings to the point where the hands drops the pickings on a tray associated with the bag or container, and also giving the user the opportunity to control visually that the pickings lands on the tray while he still have the opportunity to search the seabed with his vision.

The objects are achieved by a harvesting harness as further defined by the independent claim, while alternatives, embodiments and variants are defined by the dependent claims.

According to an embodiment of the invention it is provided a harvesting harness configured to be carried by the body of a free-diver, preferably used together with freediving equipment, for harvesting marine organisms from the tidal zone, comprising a bag or container for storing harvested organisms and a device for attaching the bag or container to the body. The harness is associated with a tray for dropping picked organisms associated with the device for attachment to the body, the tray being configured to be more or less parallel to the users chest when in use and preferably being positioned so as to be in the lower part of the users field of vision, enabling the user to drop pickings on the tray with both hands; the tray being positioned in front of and connected to the bag or container; allowing the pickings to move from the tray bag or container through an opening and into the bag or container.

According to one embodiment the tray may form an angle relative to the users chest which ensures that objects placed on the tray will slide into the sack when the user lay face down in the water.

In particular, but not necessarily, the tray may be provided with edges on all sides that prevent objects from sliding of the tray, except the side of the tray that face the sack where there is no edge, and the edge of the sack opening is fixed to the side of the tray that does not face the users chest to ensure that objects placed on the tray can slide into the sack without resistance.

Moreover, the opening of the bag or sack of harvesting harness may be arranged to be almost perpendicular to the divers chest when in use so the sack stretch out against the users feet.

The bag or sack may be fixed one or more places to the harvesting harness frame so that the sack stay close to the users body to ensure that the sack does not hang straight down where it is easily caught between rocks with risk of ripping the sack.

Moreover, a rod may be arranged inside the sack or bag closest to the users body when in use to ensure that the sack stretch out against the divers feet's and that snails caught in the sack is distributed along the entire sacks length to make it easier for the user to move.

The harness frame may be taken on and off by lifting the frame straight up when the free-diver stands straight on his feet on the ground. Moreover, preferably, no rope, belt or the like is required, i.e. that does not prevent the harness frame from being taken off in case of an emergency or when taken off upon completed harvesting operation.

The front of the stiff frame do preferably not extend below the stomach region of the user, allowing the free-diver to bend forward while standing straight which also makes it easier for the free-diver to raise from laying to standing position.

The present invention is a harvesting harness intended used for free-divers which shall harvest sea snails on shallow water. The invention consists of a frame which is used to mount a harvesting sack on the free-divers chest/stomach and which helps guide the snails which the free diver drops on the frame into the sack. The advantage of the invention is that the free-diver has both hands free for harvesting and only have to move his hands a short distance to drop the snails into the sack. The invention is intended for harvesting of Periwinkle snail by free-divers, but it can also be used for other species and objects on the sea bed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the following exemplified embodiments of the harvesting harness will be described in further details, referring to the drawings, wherein:

Figure.1 shows schematically how it is intended that the free-diver shall use the harvesting harness;

Figure 2 shows schematically various views of an embodiment of the the assembled harvesting harness with and without a bag or sack attached; .

Figure 3 shows schematically various views of an embodiment of the body frame of the harvesting harness;

Figure 4 shows schematically an embodiment of the sack frame of the harvesting harness;

Figure 5 shows schematically an embodiment of the tray on the harvesting harness, intended to receive the picked organisms;

Figure 6 shows schematically an embodiment of the tray lid intended from preventing picked organisms to unintentionally drop out of the bag or sack on the harvesting harness;

Figure 7 shows schematically an embodiment of the lock plates for the sack on the harvesting harness;

Figure 8 shows schematically a view of an embodiment of the bag or sack, all in accordance with the invention;

Figure 9 shows schematically a second embodiment of an assembled harvesting harness with a bag or sack also fixed to the harness in a middle region of the bag or sack; and

Figure 10 shows schematically a third embodiment of the harvesting harness with a bag attached. Detailed Description of the Embodiments disclosed in Drawings

Figure 1 shows how it is intended that the free-diver shall use the harvesting harness. An adult free-diver 1 in approximately right proportions is dressed in typical free-diving suit, which consist of jacket including hood, trousers, socks and glows (not shown). The clothing is usually made of neoprene, which is a porous synthetic rubber with good insulation properties. For arctic waters, the neoprene fabric in jacket and jeans is 7mm thick. It can be thinner for warmer water. The free-diver is also wearing a diving mask 2, a snorkel 3, fins 4 and the harvesting harness 9 according to one embodiment of the present invention,. The harvesting harness is positioned over his shoulders so that the harvesting sack 8 is under his stomach. Only the divers left arm is shown. Note how the arm covers the harness 9. The wet suit adds buoyancy to the free-diver so that he floats in the surface 5, which is indicated on Figure 1 . The seabed 6 with snails 7 are also indicated on Figure 1 .

When the free-diver 1 swims with the fins 4 he can use both hands for picking snail and when his hands are full he can easily drop the snails onto the tray 14 which forms an angle relative to the surface 5 in Figure 1 that ensures that snails dropped on the tray 14 slid into the sack 8.

Figure 2 shows the assembled harvesting harness 9 in different views. The harness can be made of plastic, steel or aluminium tubes that are thick enough that they are not bent easily. Part 10, 11 and 12 makes up the body frame 19 of the harvesting harness 9 shown in Figure 3. View A, B, C and D shows the body frame 19 respectively from below, from the side, from the front and in isometric view.

Part 10 of the harness 9 is the tubs that are on the free divers back. Part 11 of the harness 9 is the tubs that are on the free-divers shoulders. The bends here can have different shape depending of the tube-bending tool available for making the harness. It is an advantage that the bends fit the shoulders of free-diver 1 well, but it is not necessary since the weight of the catch will be on the free-divers 1 back and not his shoulders. Because of the wet suit, padding on the tubes is unnecessary. Part 12 of the harness 9 is on the free-divers 1 chest and stomach.

Part 13 and 14 makes up the frame for the sack holder 20 shown in Figure 4. The frame for the sack holder it fixed to the body frame 19 by welding's, bolts or similar. Note how the tray 14 has an angle relative to the water surface 5 on Figure 1 so that objects dropped onto the tray 16 fixed to the underside of the sack holder 20 will slide towards the sack 8. The sack is fixed to the sack holder 15 that consists of plates that are bent into a rectangular shape with rounded edges. The tray 16 shown in Figure 5 makes up three of the sides, while the tray lid 22 shown in Figure 6 makes up the last side.

The sack 8 can be made by a rectangular piece of fabric as shown in Figure 8

A. The fabric is folded double along the line 8A to get the shape shown in Figure 8 B. A seam is made in the fabric along line 8B. The short side of the rectangular piece of fabric should be so long that the opening of the finished sack goes outside the tray 16 seen from view D in Figure 5. Note that the tray lid 22, Figure 6 view B, complete the frame for the sack 8. The sack 8 fabric should allow water to pass while keeping the snails inside. Strong fine mesh netting with ca 5mm diameter holes is optimal, but most fabric will do. The sack 8 is fixed by putting the fabric of the sack between the sack holder 15 and four small plates 17 shown in FIG.7. The sack holder 15 is made up of the tray 16 and the tray lid 22. The four small plates 17 are fixed to the sack holder 15 with bolts that go through the sack 8 fabric and ensures that the sack 8 fabric is in press between the sack holder 15 and the four small plates 17.

Figure 9. shows a variant of FIG.2, view B where the sack holder 20 is welded 23 onto the body frame 19 sacrificing the possibility of adjusting the tray 14 position, but also reducing weight and price. Here the sack 8 is also attached to the body frame 19 by strips or similar to ensure that the sack stay close to the body. This reduces the chance of the net getting stuck between rocks. Here the tray 14 is closer to the body of the user. This makes it easier to operate on rocky shore where the depth varies a lot. The tray 14 should preferable be made of metal or other hard smooth material to ensure that pickings slide easy into the sack 14 and so a sound is made when a snail shell is dropped on the tray to give the user an confirmation by sound that what he drops lands on the tray.

Figure 10. show a variant of Figure 2, view ,B where a rod 25 give support for the sack to prevent that the sack is dragged along the bottom. Also here the tray 14 is closer to the body of the user to make it easier to operate on rocky shore where the depth varies a lot.

When the sack 8 is full the user takes the harvesting harness off. An onion sack also known as firewood sack is then threaded onto the tray. The user then hold the onion sack and the tray lid 22 in one hand while hi use the other to lift the bottom of the sack 8. The snails will then flow from the sack 8 to the onion sack with a minimum of spilling.