AU689139B2

AU689139B2 - Fishing line differential detection and alarm device

Info

Publication number: AU689139B2
Application number: AU79064/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Clayton Grant Campodonico; Neville Winston Campodonico; Russell Wayne Campodonico
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-11-29
Filing date: 1994-11-29
Publication date: 1998-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 2014-11-29
Also published as: AU7906494A

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT *5

S

S. o 5S Name of Applicant: Actual Inventors: Address for Service: NEVILLE WINSTON CAMPODONICO NEVILLE WINSTON CAMPODONICO CLAYTON GRANT CAMPODONICO RUSSELL WAYNE CAMPODONICO CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 240 Queen Street, Brisbane, Qld. 4000, Australia.

Invention Title: FISHING

TENSION

DEVICE

LINE

DETECTION

DIFFERENTIAL

AND ALARM The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to This invention relates to a fish detection and signaling system and is particularly concerned with detecting fish on the end of a supported fishing rod line and then signaling the catch to the fisherman.

Devices for detecting when a fish is hooked on the end of a line are known. One such device is the subject of Australian patent specification no. 66954/81.

This device has the disadvantage that it interferes with the playing of the fish and the reeling in of the fish.

It also has the disadvantage that a heavy strike can carry the rod away or snap the line because the line passes over a tensioned clip which can resist the running out of the line.

1 Another such device is the subject of Australian petty patent specification no. 570,184. This device is located on the fishing rod adjacent to the reel. Because of its bulk and weight, the device interferes with the 20 casting of the line and the manipulation of the rod during the reeling in of the fish is hindered. A further .disadvantage of this device is that it is not infinitely adjustable in its sensitivity to suit a variety of fishing conditions It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved form of fish detection system which Sobviates or at least minimises the aforementioned disadvantages of existing devices.

~According to the present invention there is pi vided a fish rod support and fish detection and S signaling device comprising a rod support securable at a set location for maintaining the rod in a fixed i% orientation, a microswitch arm carried by the rod support and arranged to move in response to excess tensioning caused by a fishing line passing over the arm when a rod is secured to the rod support and a caught fish causes the

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excess tensioning, the movement of the microswitch arm being adjustable to suit the prevailing fishing conditions, wherein the microswitch arm is connected in an electrical circuit which activates an alarm fitted to the rod support when the microswitch arm moves to close that circuit, and wherein the rod support comprises a shaft having an open-ended cylinder fitted to it and, spaced from the cylinder and adjacent to an upper, in use, end of the shaft, a substantially u-shaped bracket; the said cylinder acting as a receptacle for the handle of the fishing rod and said u-shaped bracket acting as a support 0:* for the fishing rod beyond the rod's fishing reel.

SThe alarm can be a flashing light or a sound 15 such as a spoken message. Alternatively or adcitionally, a remote alarm, control and/or other monitoring device can 9*9 be provided. Such remote devices include radio pagers, remote cameras and display devices.

9* 0* 20 The shaft can have anchoring means at its lower, in use, end for anchoring it to the ground. Such anchoring means can comprises a tripod with spike ends for inserting it into the ground.

Preferably, the microswitch arm extends partway across the opening of the u-shaped bracket and the electrical circuit and alarm are housed adjacent this location. The microswitch arm can be adjustable in its movement by a screw which presses against the arm and which can be wound or unwound against the arm.

The fishing rod support is preferably designed to accommodate a wide range of fishing rods and to this end the shaft can be collapsible so that the height ca be adjusted.

In use, the fisherman casts the fishing line and mounts the rod in the rod support, placing the fishing line on the inside of the microswitch arm. The fish detection and signaling device is then turned on and the sensitivity is adjusted to suit the local fishing conditions. When a sudden change in the fishing line tension occurs, the alarm is set off alerting the fisherman of a fish on the line. The rod is then taken from the support and the fish is landed in the normal manner.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is an elevational view of a device according to the invention in combination with a fishing rod, 20 Figure 2 is an elevational view showing the e device of Figure 1 in more detail, and Figure 3 is a typical microswitch circuitry used in the device of Figures 1 and 2.

f In all of the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts.

The device depicted in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a rod support generally indicated at A, and a detection and signaling system generally indicated at B.

The rod support consists of a longitudinally extending shaft 6 having an open-ended cylindrical housing 3 fitted towards an upper-end thereof, a u-shaped bracket 7 fitted to the uppermost end thereof, and a tripod coupling 5 at its lowermost end for securing the device into soft ground.

L 1 The detection system comprises a microswitcii arm 1 which is movable in a direction perpendicular to the shaft 6 by a line 8 of a fishing rod which is indicated generally at C in Figure 1. The amount of perpendicular movement is adjustable by a screw 9 extending through an associated housing 2 which contains the signaling circuitry.

The signaling system consists of two lights 11 which flash when the microswitch arm 1 moves due to tensioning of the fishing line 8, and a loud speaker 12 which emits a warning message. Circuitry D to enable such signaling is conventional and will not be described.

The microswitch arrangement depicted in Figure 3 shows thc relative positioning of the microswitch 1 to the line 8. Movement of the line 8 in the direction of the heavy arrow initially closes the light circuit so that the 20 lights 10, 11 are set off. Further movement of the line closes the sound circuit as well so that a message is then broadcast from the speaker 12. In this way, a small tug on the line, such as caused by a nibble, will indicate to the fisherman that a fish is present. A larger tug, indicated by the broadcast message, will warn that a fish has actually been caught.

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Claims

1. A fishing rod support and fish detection and signaling device comprising a rod support securable at a set location for maintaining the rod in a fixed orientation, a microswitch arm carried by the rod support and arranged to move in response to excess tensioning caused by a fishing line passing over the arm when a rod is secured to the rod support and a caught fish causes the excess tensioning, the movement of the microswitch arm being adjustable to suit the prevailing fishing conditions, wherein the micioswitch arm is connected in an °coo .electrical circuit which activates an alarm fitted to the rod support when the microswitch arm moves to close that e 15 circuit, and wherein the rod support comprises a shaft having an open-ended cylinder fitted to it and, spaced from the cylinder and adjacent to an upper, in use, end of the shaft, a substantially u-shaped bracket; the said cylinder acting as a receptacle for the handle of the fishing rod and said u-shaped bracket acting as a support for the fishing rod beyond the rod's fishing reel. °ego

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alarm is a flashing light.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alarm is a sound.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sound is a spoken message.

A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the shaft has anchoring means at its lower, in use end for anchoring it to the ground or to the transom or like position of a boat. 1.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the anchoring means comprises a tripod with spiked ends for inserting into the ground.

7. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the microswitch arm extends partway across the opening of the u-shaped bracket.

8. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrical circuit and alarm are housed adjacent to the upper, in use, end of the rod ~support. 15

9. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the movement of the microswitch arm is adjustable in its movement by a screw which presses against the arm and which can be wound or unwound against the arm. A fishing rod support and fish detection and signaling device substantially as herein described with referenc- to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 2 0 th day of January 1998 NEVILLE WINSTON CAMPODONICO By his Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO.