Title: Aquatic biotal monitor

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Claims: What is claimed is:

1. A biological monitoring device for monitoring in situ samples of biota in a body of water comprising:

a top hexagonally shaped mounting ring defining an opening;

a bottom hexagonally shaped mounting ring;

a water permeable mesh extending between and interconnected to said mounting rings to form an open-topped cylindrical enclosure, said mesh having apertures therethrough with dimensions for retaining the biotal samples while permitting the free exchange of ambient water from exterior of said enclosure to within said enclosure, thereby uniformly exposing the samples of biota to aquatic pollution found within the body of water;

a receptacle for collecting material from within said cylindrical enclosure comprising a conical funnel being open at its ends and decreasing in cross-sectional area from one end to the other, the larger end thereof being secured to said cylindrical enclosure and opening thereinto and the smaller end thereof being removably secured to a collection enclosure and opening thereinto for retaining material therein which has fallen to the bottom of said cylindrical enclosure, said collection enclosure being cylindrical in shape with an integral bottom;

a plurality of floats;

a plurality of rectangular frame members extending across said open-topped cylindrical enclosure and being interconnected to said top mounting ring at points interior of the exterior ends of said frame members;

means on said exterior ends of said frame members for receiving at least one of said floats, such that said floats support said frame members to permit said frame members to suspend said top mounting ring above the surface of the body of water to allow the free circulation of ambient water throughout the entire length of said cylindrical enclosure between said mounting rings, thereby uniformly exposing the biotal sample to the ambient water outside said enclosure and to suspend said enclosure in the body of water to permit the biological monitor to freely drift with extant currents to monitor the impact of changing aquatic environments on the biotal sample.

2. The monitoring device of claim 1 wherein said mounting rings comprise a plurality of hollow pipe segments interconnected to elbow members.

3. The monitoring device of claim 1 wherein said means for receiving one of said floats comprises a rectangular subframe perpendicularly mounted to said exterior ends of said frame members and dimensioned to receive said float.

4. The monitoring device of claim 1 wherein said mesh comprises a plurality of rectangular panels joined together by a webbing.

5. The monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the top edge of said mesh includes a collar including a plurality of flexible elongate strap members integral with said collar for interconnecting said mesh to said top mounting ring.

6. The monitoring device of claim 1 wherein said mesh comprises a nylon netting.

Other info:

Inventors: Pequegnat, Willis E. (College Station, TX, US)

Application Number: 717701
Filing Date: 1976-08-25
Publication_date: 1978-04-18
Assignee: TerEco Corporation (College Station, TX)
Primary Class(es): 119/200 4/488, 119/215
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

1925175	Sep, 1933	Day	4/171.
2813507	Nov, 1957	Miller	119/3.
3571819	Mar, 1971	Puncochar	4/171.
3683854	Aug, 1972	Lewis	119/3.
3691994	Sep, 1972	McPherson	119/3.
3698359	Oct, 1972	Fremont	119/3.
3702599	Nov, 1972	Herolzer	119/4.
3717124	Feb, 1973	Jacobs	119/3.

Other Refs: 2,016,135

Oct, 1971	DT

Primary Examiner: Eskovitz, Jay N.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney: Richards, Harris & Medlock