AU663100B2

AU663100B2 - A fishing line sinker

Info

Publication number: AU663100B2
Application number: AU22096/92A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Anthony Gerard Attard; John Refalo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-09-02
Filing date: 1992-09-02
Publication date: 1995-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2012-09-02
Also published as: AU2209692A

Description

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LII l~_lL II- 1 663100 P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT I I I S

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S, Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: a a a 00 o o oo SInvention Title: Details of Associated Provisional Application: ANTHONY GERARD ATTARD JOHN REFALO ANTHONY GERARD ATTARD JOHN REFALO

AHEARNS

Patent Trade Attorneys, GPO Box 185, Brisbane, 4001 "A FISHING LINE SINKER" No: PK8129 and and Mark O C o ozt The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: $T O~ 2 THIS INVENTION relates to a fishing line sinker adapted to constitute a weight through which a line extends and by which the line is held down.

Fishing line sinkers are available in great numbers, the simplest form being a die-cast body of lead or the like made in a two-part mould and having a straight passage so that the line may be threaded therethrough and be freerunning under most requirements. While sinkers of this type or of more sophisticated form have proved efficient in use, they have the obvious disadvantage that they cannot be changed over to a lighter or heavier sinker without severing the line or disconnecting the line from an associated swivel, trace or the like. This tends to introduce aspects of tedium, time-consumption and frustration for fishermen who have less than the necessary maximum amount of patience.

Our present invention has been devised with a view to overcoming the disadvantages as aforementioned associated with fishing line sinkers as currently available, and it has for its principal object the provision of a novel form of sinker which may be connected to or removed from a line without any severance or uisconnection of the line. A further object is to provide a novel sinker as aforedescribed which will lend itself to use with any type of fishing line or other marine line or tackle including all types of netting.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fishing line sinker having the above features which will have no less efficiency than conventional sinkers so far as normal functions are concerned, such as free-running ability and symmetrical form and balance, and which will not easily become detached accidentally from the line at times other than when removal is specifically desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the subsequent descriptions herein.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides broadly, according to one aspect, in a fishing line sinker including a body, a line passage through the body between opposite end portions thereof, said line passage consisting of opposite end passage portions contiguous with a middle passage portion, each end passage portion throughout its length having a lead-in end slot opening to one side of the body and parallel to said line passage, the middle passage portion throughout its length having a lead-in middle slot opening to the opposite side of the body and parallel to said line passage, the two lead-in end slot openings at said one side of the body being interconnected by a circuitous lead-in slot extending from said one side of the body to said opposite side where its external mouth is spaced from said lead-in middle slot opening by a body baffle whereby a length of line in bight or loop formation pushed through the circuitous lead-in slot from said one side of the body may be drawn digitally at the opposite side of the body over said body baffle to lie in the middle passage portion, removal of the line laterally then being not possible when the line is taut within the opposite end passage portions and the contiguous middle passage portion, and removal is rendered difficult when the line is slack by virtue of the reluctance of the line to assume a shape permitting its accidental movement out of the lead-in middle slot opening and past the baffle and into and through the circuitous lead-in slot, and wherein the body within the circuitous lead-in slot opening has an integral lug and recess formation defining a re-entrant angle into which the line may be pushed digitally with forced distortion of the line in the attachment or detachment process, but which further resists accidental withdrawal of the attached line in normal handling thereof. In a popular form, the sinker may be of elongated form and substantially oval-shaped in both a longitudinal and transverse profile, but the sinkers can be of any known or other shape, such as spherical or rectangular or diamond-shaped in longitudinal profile, with any corresponding or alternative transverse profile. Other 0* features of the invention will be hereinafter apparent.

.o In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:- Fig. 1 shows in side elevational view, from one side, a preferred form of sinker according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a similar side elevational view from the other side of the sinker of Fig. 1; I I

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Fig. 3 is an end view of the sinker of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a medial cross-sectional view of the sinker of Fic-. 1 to 3; Fig. 5 is a group of Figures, corresponding to those of Figs. 1 to 4, showing a first alternative sinker; Fig. 6 is the same as Fig. 5, but showing a second alternative sinker; Fig. 7 is the same as Fig. 5 or Fig. 6, but showing a third alternative sinker; Fig. 8 shows in perspective, to larger scale, the sinker of Figs. 1 to 4, taken from one side; Fig. 9 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 8, but taken from the other side; ''i Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of the sinker of Figs. 8 and 9, taken from the side shown in Fig. 9, Fig. 11 is an end view of the sinker of Figs. 8 to and Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 12- 12 of Fig. Referring initially to the sinker shown in Figs. 1 to 4 and 8 to 12, the body 11 is suitably of lead die-cast form made in a two-part mould (not shown) to provide seam or joint lines longitudinally at 12 and 13 on the vertical medial D plane as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the body 11 being ovalshaped in both longitudinal profile and transverse profile, with flattened end portions 14 and 15 to remove sharp edges which might accidentally cut the fishing line, a length of which is illustrated at 16 in Figs. 8 and 9.

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IIII i_ 6 The sinker body 11 has a central longitudinal line passage 17 extending between the opposite end portions 14 and and it will be seen that there are opposite end passage portions 18 and 19 with a middle passage portion therebetween, all being on the same straight longitudinal axis in this instance so that the line will be free-running when attached. There are provided two lead-in end slot openings 21 and 22 at the one side 23 of the body 11 extending throughout the length of the respective end passage portions 18 and 19, while at the other side 24 of the sinker i body 11 the middle passage portion 20 has throughout its length a parallel lead-in middle slot opening 25 to that side 24.

It will be seen that the two lead-in slot openings 21 and 22 at the one side 23 of the body are inter-onnected by a circuitous lead-in slot 26 extending from said one side 23 to

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the opposite side 24 where its external mouth 27 is spaced from the lead-in middle slot opening 25 by a body baffle 28 as seen particularly in Figs. 9 and 10. When the line 16 is formed into a loop or bight as in Fig. 8 and then pushed in S0 the direction of arrow 29, it may lie in the end passage portions 18 and 19 and be passed into the lead-in middle slot 26 of circuitous form. The loop then passes out the other side mouth 27 offset from the axis and it can be moved digitally from the opening 27 past the baffle 28 to the position shown in Fig. 9, whereafter pulling of each end of the fishing line 16 causes the latter to be disposed centrally and on a straight ling in the passage portions 18, 19 and 7 An important feature of the invention lies in the provision within the circuitous lead-in slot opening 26 of an integral lug 30 and recess 31 in a formation defining a reentrant angle and obstacle into which the line may be pushed with some forced distortion when being attached as shown in Fig. 8, the "kinked" line straightening out after passing the baffle 28 on the other side 24. Even if the line is slack and subjected to such chance handling as to urge it back past the baffle 28, the lug 30 and its mating recess 31 will impose an obstacle which requires more distortion than chance S. could provide for disengagement. On the other hand, a fisherman or other operative can digitally cause the line to o undergo such manipulation as is necessary when detachment is required.

Thus, a sinker according to the invention can be fitted on to a fishing line merely by bending the line into a bight or loop which is passed into the circuitous slot 26 on the side 23 having the slot openings 21 and 22 at the body ends to accommodate the line on its axis. When the bight is passed through to the other side, it may be gripped and pulled past the baffle 28 which serves as an antidisengagement tongue and keeps the line on its operative axis when it is straightened. Such sinkers may therefore be P engaged or taken off a line without having to sever the line or disconnect it from associated fittings. The lug 30 and recess 31 constitute obstructions which make it much harder and near impossible for the line to be accidentally detached in normal handling. The flat areas at the ends 14 and constitute areas for the swivel or hook to sit if so desired, 8 while additionally they stop the ends of the sinker from being peened over as would stop the sinker from sliding along the line and/or possibly form a cutting edge which could cut the line.

While sinkers as described and illustrated will therefore be found very effective in achieving the objects for which the invention has been devised, it will be clear that modifications of detail and design may be made and that various other shapes can be used. Thus, the sinkers could be as in Figs. 5, 6 or 7, in which the same numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts, but prefixed by the letters and The invention embraces all modifications as will be clear to persons skilled in the art, without departing from the broad scope and ambit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

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Claims

2. A fishing line sinker according to Claim 1 wherein the body is of elongated form and substantially oval-shaped in both longitudinal and transverse profile.
3. A fishing line sinker according to Claim 1 wherein the body is substantially spherical.
4. A fishing line sinker substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 and Figs. 8 to 12 of the accompanying drawings, or modified as described with reference to Fig. 5 or to Fig. 6 or to Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings. Dated this 30th day of June, 1995. ANTHONY GERARD ATTARD and JOHN REFALO lBy their Patent Attorneys AHEARNS o Io 3 ABSTRACT There is provided a fishing line sinker (10) including a body (11), a line passage through the body between opposite end portions (14,15) thereof, said passage consisting of opposite end passage portions (18,19) contiguous with a middle passage portion each end passage portion (18,19) throughout its length having a parallel lead-in end slot opening (21,22) to one side of the body (11), the middle passage portion (20) throughout its length having a parallel lead-in middle slot opening (25) to the opposite side of the body (11), the two lead-in end slot openings (21,22) at said one side of the body being interconnected by a circuitous lead- in slot (26) extending from said one side of the body to said opposite side where its external mouth (27) is spaced from said lead-in middle slot opening by a body baffle (28) whereby a length of line (16) in bight or loop formation pushed through the circuitous lead-in slot (26) from said one side of the body may be drawn digitally at the opposite side of the body over said body baffle (28) to lie in the m-ddle passage portion 04 removal of the line laterally then being not possible when the line is taut within the opposite end passage portions (18,19) and the contiguous middle passage portion and removal is rendered diffi-ult when the line (16) is slack by virtue of the reluctance of the line to assume a Sshape permitting its accidental movement out of the lead-in middle slot opening (25) and past the baffle (28) and into and through the circuitous lead-in slot (26).