Reinforced net for recovering debris along a water bottom

Abstract

A reinforced net apparatus, defined by a recovery net portion and a rear bag portion, the recovery net portion including a lower body panel portion of reinforced heavy duty netting, interconnected to left and right side panels of netting, and a top body panel portion of lightweight netting, together forming a forward debris-receiving opening. The recovery net portion would be interconnected at its rear wall to a bag portion, comprising netting, for receiving the debris collected in the recovery portion, the bag portion closed off at its rearmost end, and including elephant ears for recovering the bag portion when it is filled with debris. There is further included a lead chain member across the forward floor portion of the net and a trash chain to contact the debris and help move it into the net while the net is being pulled along the bottom of the body of water by a vessel.

What is claimed as invention is: 
     
       1. A debris recovery net apparatus, for recovering . .debris.!. .Iadd.heavy inanimate objects, such as valve heads, equipment, and lengths of pipe, .Iaddend.from the bottom of a body of water, comprising: a) a first recovery portion, comprising at least side walls.Iadd., a top wall, .Iaddend.and a reinforced bottom wall further comprising .Iadd.heavy duty .Iaddend.braided . .polypropylene.!. .Iadd.polymeric .Iaddend.netting material, . .a top wall,.!. .Iadd.said heavy duty polymeric material being about a 6 mm strand, said side walls, top wall, and reinforced bottom wall .Iaddend.together defining a . .debris.!. recovery space .Iadd.for said heavy objects .Iaddend.therein;   b) a forward opening in the net recovery space for allowing . .debris.!. .Iadd.said heavy inanimate objects .Iaddend.to move into . .the debris.!. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.recovery space;   c) a rear bag storage portion, secured to the recovery portion, and closed off at its rearmost end for containing . .the debris.!. .Iadd.said heavy inanimate objects .Iaddend.until retrieved; and   d) means preceding the first recovery portion for contacting . .the debris.!. .Iadd.said heavy inanimate objects .Iaddend.to facilitate moving . .the debris.!. .Iadd.said heavy inanimate objects .Iaddend.into the first recovery portion.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus in claim 1, further comprising a lead line secured to a forward edge of the first recovery portion, and further including a chain to weigh a lower edge of the recovery portion onto the water bottom. . .3. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the braided polypropylene netting material comprising the reinforced bottom wall is 4-inch stretch, 6 mm 
     
     
        material..!.4. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the rear bag portion and the side walls are defined by 4-inch stretch mesh #96 nylon netting 
     
     
        material. 5. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the means preceding the first recovery portion for contacting . .the debris.!. .Iadd.said heavy inanimate objects .Iaddend.would further comprise trash chains defined by 
     
     
        3/8-inch high test chain material. 6. The apparatus in claim 1 further comprising at least a left wing and at least a right wing constructed of 
     
     
        4-inch stretch means of #96 polypropylene netting material. 7. The apparatus in claim 1 further comprising at least a left bottom wing aid at least a right bottom wing constructed of 4-inch stretch mesh 6 mm braided 
     
     
        polypropylene netting material. 8. A . .debris.!. recovery net apparatus, for recovering . .debris.!. .Iadd.heavy inanimate objects, such as valve heads, equipment, and lengths of pipe, .Iaddend.from the bottom of a body of water, as the net is pulled along the water bottom by a vessel, the apparatus comprising: a) a first recovery portion, comprising at least side walls and a reinforced bottom wall of 4-inch stretch, 6 mm braided . .polypropylene.!. .Iadd.heavy duty polymeric .Iaddend.netting material, a top wall, together defining a . .debris.!. recovery space .Iadd.for said heavy inanimate objects .Iaddend.therein;   b) a forward opening in the net recovery space for allowing . .debris.!. .Iadd.said heavy inanimate objects .Iaddend.to move into the . .debris.!. recovery space;   c) a rear bag storage portion, secured to the recovery portion, and closed off at its rearmost end for receiving . .the debris.!. .Iadd.said heavy inanimate objects .Iaddend.collected in the first recovery portion and containing . .the debris.!. .Iadd.said heavy objects .Iaddend.until retrieved; and   d) trash chain means preceding the first recovery portion for contacting . .the debris.!. .Iadd.said heavy inanimate objects .Iaddend.to facilitate   
     
     
        moving the debris into the first recovery portion. 9. The apparatus in claim 8, wherein the rear bag portion and the side walls are defined by 
     
     
        4-inch stretch mesh nylon netting material. 10. The apparatus in claim 8, wherein the trash chains are defined by 3/8-inch high test chain material. 
     
     
        1. The apparatus in claim 8 further comprising at least a left wing and at least a right wing each constructed of 4-inch stretch means of #96 
     
     
        polypropylene netting material. 12. The apparatus in claim 8 further comprising at least a left bottom wing and at least a right bottom wing each constructed of 4-inch stretch mesh 6 mm braided polypropylene netting 
     
     
        material. 13. A . .debris.!. recovery net apparatus, for recovering . .debris.!. .Iadd.heavy inanimate objects, such as valve heads, equipment, and lengths of pipe, .Iaddend.from the bottom of a body of water, as the net is pulled along the water bottom by a vessel, the apparatus comprising: a) a first recovery portion, comprising at least side walls and a top wall, the side walls and the top wall defined by 4-inch stretch mesh . .#96 nylon.!. .Iadd.polymeric .Iaddend.netting material, a reinforced bottom wall, defined by 4-inch stretch, 6 mm braided . .polypropylene.!. .Iadd.polymeric .Iaddend.netting material, the top wall, bottom wall, and side walls together defining a . .debris.!. recovery space .Iadd.for recovering said heavy inanimate objects .Iaddend.therein;   b) a forward opening in the net recovery space for allowing . .debris.!. .Iadd.said heavy inanimate objects .Iaddend.to move into the . .debris.!. recovery space;   c) a rear bag storage portion, secured to the recovery portion, defined by 4-inch stretch mesh .Iadd.polymeric .Iaddend.#96 nylon netting material, and closed off at its rearmost end for receiving . .the debris.!. .Iadd.said heavy inanimate objects .Iaddend.collected in the first recovery portion and containing . .the debris.!. .Iadd.said heavy inanimate objects .Iaddend.until retrieved; and   d) at least one trash chain preceding the first recovery portion for contacting the debris to facilitate moving . .the debris.!. .Iadd.said   
     
     
        heavy inanimate objects .Iaddend.into the first recovery portion. 14. The apparatus in claim 13, wherein the trash chain is defined by 3/8-inch high 
     
     
        test chain material. 15. The apparatus in claim 13, further comprising at least a left wing and at least a right wing each constructed of 4-inch 
     
     
        stretch means of #96 polypropylene netting material. 16. The apparatus in claim 13, further comprising at least a left bottom wing and at least a right bottom wing each constructed of 4-inch stretch mesh 6 mm braided 
     
     
        polypropylene netting material. .Iadd.17.  A debris recovery net apparatus, for recovering heavy inanimate objects, such as valve heads, equipment, and lengths of pipe, from the bottom of a body of water comprising: a) a first recovery portion, comprising at least side walls, a bottom wall and a top wall, at least the bottom wall further comprising heavy duty polymeric mesh net material for receiving the heavy inanimate objects recovered without damage to the bottom wall, said heavy duty polymeric mesh material being about a 4-inch mesh and a 6 mm strand, the side walls, top wall and bottom wall together defining a recovery space therein;   b) a forward opening in the recovery space for allowing the heavy inanimate objects recovered to move into the debris recovery space; and   c) a rear back portion, secured to the first recovery portion, and closed off at its rear most end for containing the heavy inanimate objects recovered until retrieved, the rear back portion further comprising heavy   
     
     
        duty mesh material as the bottom portion. .Iaddend..Iadd.18.  A recovery net apparatus, for recovering heavy inanimate objects, such as valve heads, equipment, and lengths of pipe, from the bottom of the body of water, as the net apparatus is pulled along the bottom of water by a vessel, the apparatus comprising: a) a first recovery portion;   b) a forward open in the first recovery portion for allowing said heavy inanimate objects to move into the first recovery portion;   c) a rear bag storage portion secured to the first recovery portion and closed off at its rear most end for receiving said heavy objects collected in the first recovery portion and maintaining said heavy inanimate objects therein until retrieved;   d) at least the side walls and bottom wall of the first recovery portion and the rear bag storage portion comprising 4 inch stretch, 6 mm braided heavy duty mesh polymeric netting material so that said heavy objects contacted by the bottom portion of the net and the rear bag portion does not damage the bottom wall portion or the rear bag storage portion of the recovery net apparatus. .Iaddend..Iadd.19. A debris recovery net apparatus, for recovering heavy in animate objects, such as valve heads, equipment, and lengths of pipe, from the bottom of a body of water, as the net is pulled along the water bottom by a vessel, the apparatus comprising:   a) a first recovery portion, comprising at least side walls and a top wall, the side walls and the top wall defined by a mesh size of about 4-inch stretch mesh polymeric netting material, a reinforced bottom wall, defined by a mesh size of about 4-inch stretch, 6 mm braided polymeric netting material, the top wall, bottom wall, and side walls together defining a recovery space therein;   b) a forward opening in the first recovery portion for allowing debris to move into the recovery space;   c) a rear bag storage portion, secured to the recovery portion, defined by a mesh size of about 4-inch stretch mesh polymeric netting material, and closed off at its rearmost end for receiving the heavy inanimate objects collected in the first recovery portion and containing the heavy inanimate objects until retrieved; and   d) at least one trash chain preceding the first recovery portion for contacting the debris to facilitate moving the heavy inanimate objects into the first recovery portion. .Iaddend..Iadd.20. The apparatus in claim 19, wherein the netting material comprising the reinforced bottom wall is a light weight polymer. .Iaddend..Iadd.21. The apparatus in claim 20, wherein the light weight polymeric netting material comprising the reinforced bottom wall is selected from a group including nylon and polypropylene. .Iaddend..Iadd.22. A debris recovery net apparatus, for recovering heavy inanimate objects, such as valve heads, equipment, and lengths of pipe, from the bottom of a body of water, comprising:   a) a first recovery portion, comprising at least side walls, a top wall, and a reinforced bottom wall further comprising heavy duty braided polymeric netting material, said heavy duty polymeric material being about a 4-inch mesh and a 6 mm strand, said side walls, top wall, and reinforced bottom wall together defining a recovery space for said heavy inanimate objects therein;   b) a forward opening in the net recovery space for allowing said heavy inanimate objects to move into said recovery space;   c) a rear bag storage portion, secured to the recovery portion, and closed off at its rearmost end for containing said heavy inanimate objects until retrieved; and   d) means preceding the first recovery portion for contacting said heavy inanimate objects to facilitate moving said heavy objects into the first recovery portion. .Iaddend.