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An underwater magnetic retrieval apparatus and method utilizing same are provided. The apparatus is specifically constructed for underwater retrieval of a magnetically-attractable object. The apparatus includes at least one housing including at least two spaced attachment portions, a plurality of ma

An underwater magnetic retrieval apparatus and method utilizing same are provided. The apparatus is specifically constructed for underwater retrieval of a magnetically-attractable object. The apparatus includes at least one housing including at least two spaced attachment portions, a plurality of magnets disposed within the at least one housing and at least one line extending from the two spaced attachment portions of the at least one housing to facilitate underwater manipulation of the apparatus and underwater retrieval of the magnetically-attractable object.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for underwater retrieval of a magnetically-attractable object, the apparatus comprising: at least one housing having an upper surface, side surfaces, and a lower surface, each of the surfaces exposed to an outside environment, the at least one housing further including at least two s

1. An apparatus for underwater retrieval of a magnetically-attractable object, the apparatus comprising: at least one housing having an upper surface, side surfaces, and a lower surface, each of the surfaces exposed to an outside environment, the at least one housing further including at least two spaced attachment portions;at least one magnet disposed within the at least one housing,. wherein the at least one housing completely encloses the at least one magnet; andat least one line extending from the two spaced attachment portions of the at least one housing, the at least one line defining two opposing free ends, each free end spaced from one of the attachment portions, the at least one line between the attachment portions and the free ends enabling two users to hold one of the free ends with the housing located between the two users for underwater retrieval of magnetically-attractable objects between the users, and the upper surface, side surfaces, and lower surface of the at least one housing enhancing a magnetic field produced by the magnets to support formation of a magnetic field beyond the housing and to increase magnetic attractive force between the housing and the magnetically-attractable object during underwater retrieval of the magnetically-attractable object. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one housing is a sealed corrosion-resistant housing which completely encloses the magnets to prevent water from entering the housing during the underwater retrieval of the magnetically-attractable object. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one housing defines an elongated intermediate portion between the two spaced attachment portions, most of the magnets being disposed within the elongated intermediate portion of the at least one housing. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one housing has a cylindrical pill shape to limit debris interference with the at least one housing during the underwater retrieval of the magnetically-attractable object. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one housing has a bar-shaped intermediate portion defining a lower planar surface between the two spaced attachment portions, most of the magnets being disposed within the at least one housing above the lower planar surface of the bar-shaped intermediate portion of the at least one housing. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least two of the spaced attachment portions define respective inlets, the inlets being spaced and coaxially aligned with respect to each other and wherein the at least one line is one line that extends between the inlets of the spaced attachment portions and away from the housing to facilitate underwater manipulation of the apparatus and underwater retrieval of the magnetically-attractable object toward the plurality of magnets. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the magnets are arranged in a stacked manner within the at least one housing between a lower surface of the housing and a upper surface of the housing. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spaced attachment portions extend from the at least one housing and define an angle relative to each other along a longitudinal axis of the at least one housing, the angle being between zero degrees and 180 degrees. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spaced attachment portions extend in a single direction from the at least one housing, the at least one line extending from the two spaced attachment portions of the housing in a second direction different from the single direction of the attachment portions during underwater manipulation of the apparatus. 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the spaced attachment portions defines an inlet, the line inserting through the inlet of at least two of the spaced attachment portions and the line extending between inlets of the spaced attachment portions to facilitate underwater manipulation of the apparatus. 11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one line is only a single line inserting coaxially through an inlet of each of the spaced attachment portions to facilitate underwater manipulation of the apparatus. 12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spaced attachment portions are at opposing ends of the at least one housing, the at least one line extending horizontally between the opposing ends of the at least one housing. 13. An apparatus for underwater retrieval of a magnetically-attractable object, the apparatus comprising: at least one housing having an upper ferromagnetic surface, side ferromagnetic surfaces, and a lower ferromagnetic surface, each of the surfaces exposed to an outside environment for contacting water and including at least two spaced attachment portions; andat least one magnet disposed within the at least one housing; andwherein each of the attachment portions is apertured to receive a line which extends from each of the two spaced attachment portions of the at least one housing to facilitate underwater manipulation of the apparatus, and the upper ferromagnetic surface, side ferromagnetic surfaces, and a lower ferromagnetic surface of the at least one housing enhancing a magnetic field produced by the at least one magnet to support formation of a magnetic field beyond the outer surface of the housing and into the water to increase magnetic attractive force between the outer surface of the housing and the magnetically-attractable object during underwater retrieval of the magnetically-attractable object. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein at least two of the spaced attachment portions defining respective inlets, the inlets being coaxially aligned and spaced with respect to each other, and the attachment portions being apertured to receive the line extending between each of the two spaced attachment portions of the housing to facilitate underwater manipulation of the apparatus and underwater retrieval of the magnetically-attractable object. 15. A method of underwater retrieving a magnetically-attractable object, the method comprising: providing an apparatus comprising: at least one housing having a ferromagnetic outer surface for contacting water and including at least two spaced attachment portions;a plurality of magnets disposed within the at least one housing and the housing enhancing a magnetic field produced by the magnets to support formation of a magnetic field beyond the outer surface of the housing; andat least one line extending from the two spaced attachment portions of the at least one housing, the at least one line defining two opposing free ends, each free end spaced from one of the two attachment portions and controllable by a user;lowering the apparatus into water;with two users controlling a respective one of the free ends of the line, moving the line to move the apparatus in the water towards the at least one magnetically-attractable object to attract the magnetically-attractable object in the water toward the magnets disposed within the at least one housing and the housing increasing magnetic attractive force between the housing and the magnetically-attractable object so that the magnetically-attractable object is held at the at least one housing of the apparatus; andraising the apparatus with the held object out of the water.