AU702115B2

AU702115B2 - Fishing rod holder

Info

Publication number: AU702115B2
Application number: AU64248/96A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Graeme Thomas Steed
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-08-24
Filing date: 1996-08-22
Publication date: 1999-02-11
Anticipated expiration: 2016-08-22
Also published as: AU6424896A

Description

2 would include a fisherman leaving his rod to assist another fisherman in landing a fish, removing a fish from another fishing rod owned by the fisherman, baiting a hook of another fishing rod, while cleaning fish, while attending to the needs of a boat or its crew, and many other instances.

When a fishing rod is left unattended, there is a chance that a fish will bite to that fishing rod and it will be necessary for the fisherman to quickly attend to that rod for the purposes of landing the fish.

For the above reasons, many fishing rod holders have been proposed in the past and a common type is to use a tube into which the handle of a fishing rod may be received.

Various mounting means have been proposed for mounting such tubes to boats but such tubes are not altogether satisfactory when fishing from the sea shore or from a S* 20 river bank or from a wharf or jetty.

Perhaps one of the most common form of fishing rod holding device has been a Y-shaped stick fashioned out of a tree branch with the upright of the Y driven into the soil or 25 somehow or other secured to a boat, wharf, jetty or other substrate.

Sandereocks Patent Attorneys 960816,cmsspe.090.steedppro.2 3 certain circumstances, they constrain a fishing rod from lateral movement and downward movement but do not constrain against an upward movement.

To constrain against upward movement, it is simple to provide a tie member which can be used to physically tie the fishing rod to the Y-shaped stick but, when this is done, it becomes necessary to release the tie member when access to the fishing rod is required.

Since access to a fishing rod may be required in a very short period of time, such as for the reason of setting a hook in a fish that has bitten, it is considered by the applicant to be highly desirable that a means should be provided for holding a fishing rod down but which can quickly be released so as to enable full and free access to the fishing rod.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides:- S: a fishing rod holder comprising 25 an upright member having a first slot therein opening upwardly, a rotatable member pivotally connected to the upright O Copyright. All rights reserved.

Sandereocks Patent Attorneys 960816,nsspe.90steed.ppro,3 4 member on one side of the first slot, a second slot in the rotatable member which, in a first position of the rotatable member opens upwardly, means biasing the rotatable member towards said first position; and constructed and arranged such that when a fishing rod is entered into the second slot, the weight of the fishing rod can cause the rotatable member to rotate from said first position towards a second position so that the fishing rod can enter the first slot and so that the rotary member closes the upper end of the first slot whereby to capture the fishing rod; and constructed and arranged such that when a fishing rod so captured is lifted, the fishing rod will cause the rotatable member to rotate from the second position towards S. 20 the first position whereby to enable upward removal of the fishing rod from the first slot and the second slot.

PREFERRED ASPECTS OF THE INVENTION 25 Preferably the biasing of the rotatable member towards the first position is by gravity.

Sandercocks Patent Attorneys 960816,crnsspe.090,steed.ppro,4 5 the rotatable member and the location of the pivotal connection is such that gravity will bias the rotatable member towards the first position.

Preferably stop means is provided adapted to restrict rotation of the rotatable member, in one direction, beyond the first position, and, preferably also in the other direction, beyond the second position.

Preferably the upright member has a guide surface adapted to be contacted by the fishing rod when moving downwardly and adapted to guide the fishing rod into the second slot.

Preferably mounting means is associated with the upright member to, in use, allow the upright member to be mounted to at least one of a boat, jetty or wharf or to the ground.

In one instance, the mounting means comprises a base adapted to be attached to at least one of a boat, jetty or 20 wharf by securing means.

The base may be demountable from the upright member.

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In an alternative, the base is of such weight as to not 25 require attachment to any object.

The securing means may comprise one or more of screws or clamping means.

SCopyright. Al rights reserved.

Sandercocks Patent Attorneys 960816,cnsspe.090,steed.pproS 6 In another instance, the mounting means comprises a stake adapted to be driven into the ground.

The stake may be demountable from the upright member.

It is preferred that the fishing rod holder is supplied both with said base and with said stake so that a user can choose the mounting means most suitable to a particular days fishing.

Preferably there are two such rotatable members; one being located on one side of the upright member and the other being located on the other side of the upright member.

Preferably the two rotatable members share a common pivot pin.

A specific example of a fishing rod holder in accordance with this invention will now be described by way of non- 20 limiting example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 25 Figure 1 is an elevational view of the fishing rod holder from a first direction, Figure 2 is an elevational view of a fishing rod holder SCopyright. All rights reserved Sandercocks Patent Attorneys 960816,cmsspe.090,steedppro,6 7 from a second direction, Figure 3 is an elevational view of a fishing rod holder from a third direction, Figure 4 is a plan view of the fishing rod holder, and Figure 5 is a schematic representation showing the fishing rod holder in use.

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Fishing rod holder Upright member Bottom Top First slot Guide surface First rotatable member Second rotatable member Pivot pin Stop member 24 Second slots Chamfered edges First side Second side Bottom of rotatable member Arrow o Copyright. All rights reserved.

Sandercocks Patent Attorneys 960816,csspe.090,steedppro,7 8 32. Arrow 36. Bank 37. River 38. Fisherman 39. Fishing rod 41. Fishing line DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS The fishing rod holder 1 shown in the drawings comprises an upright member 2 having a bottom 3.

In use, the bottom 3 will be attached to some form of mounting means to enable the fishing rod holder 1 to be mounted in relation to a boat, wharf or jetty or to the ground.

Suitable examples of mounting means include base members which may be screwed or clamped to a boat and a stake which may be driven into the ground.

The upright member 2 has a top 4 and a first slot 6.

A guide surface 7 is provided on the upright member 2.

Pivotally mounted to the upright member 2 by means of a pivot pin 21 is a first rotatable member 8 and a second rotatable member 9.

SCopyright. AU rights reseved.

Sandrcocks Patent Attorneys 960816,cmsspc.090,steed.ppro,8 9 The pivot pin 21 is connected to the members 8 and 9 such as to constrain them to rotate together with the pivot pin.

A stop member 22 joins the members 8 and 9 and limits their rotation in the direction of the arrow 31 as a result of engagement of the stop member 22 with the upright member 2.

The members 8 and 9 have second slots 23 and 24 located in them. As is seen in Figure 1, those slots open upwardly.

The slots 23 and 24 have first sides 27 and second sides 28. The slots 23 and 24 have chamfered edges 26 in the region of the first sides 27 and second sides 28.

15 As a consequence of the rotatable members 8 and 9 being circular and additionally because of the absence of material in way of the second slots 23 and 24 and further having regard to the weight of the stop member 22 and still further having regard to the weight of the bottom 29 of the rotatable members, the rotatable members 8 and 9 will, under gravity, tend to take up the orientation shown in Figure 1, that is with the slots 23 and 24 opening upwardly.

If a fishing rod such as fishing rod 39 shown in Figure is located in the slots 23 and 24 when they are opening upwards, the fishing rod will tend to act on the sides 27 to cause the members 8 and 9 to rotate with respect to the SCopyright. All rights reserved Sandercocks Patent Attorneys 960816,cnsspc.090,steed.pproS 10 upright member 2 in the direction of arrow 32.

Such rotation of the members 8 and 9 will enable the fishing rod 39 to enter into the slot 6 and fall towards the bottom of that slot 6.

In this last respect, the fishing rod 39 will overcome the gravity bias tending to bring the rotatable members 8 and 9 to the position shown in Figure 1.

In consequence of the fishing rod acting on the sides 27 and moving towards the bottom of the slot 6, the sides 28 will rotate in the direction of arrow 32 and will effectively close the upper end of the slot 6.

Thus the fishing rod 39 will be captured within the slot 6 by being held by the second side 28 while the fishing rod acts on the first side 27.

a a As such, the fishing rod will be well constrained and may be easily used as shown in Figure 5 wherein there is shown a river bank 36 and a river 37, the fishing rod holder 1 mounted to the bank such as by a stake with the fishing rod :39 located therein. A fishing line 41 can extend into the river 37.

Sandercocks Patent Attorneys 960816,cmsspe.090steed.ppro,10 11 fishing rod 39 and lift it upwardly.

In lifting the fishing rod 39 upwardly, the fishing rod will bear on the sides 28 to cause the rotatable members 8 and 9 to rotate in the direction of arrow 31 until they come back to the position shown in Figure 1 whereupon the fishing rod may be easily lifted upwardly and free of the fishing rod holder.

Thus, effective latching of the fishing rod is provided yet without the need for any specific manual action to release that latch other than the lifting of the rod.

The above described fishing rod holder should be found quite effective at providing a secure holding of a fishing rod yet at the same time enabling of a fishing rod to be quickly and easily released when that is desired.

The claims, illustrations, photographs and drawings, if any, form part of the disclosure of this specification as does the description, claims, illustrations, photographs and drawings of any associated provisional or parent specification or of any priority document, if any, all of which are imported hereinto as part of the record hereof.

SCopyright. All rights reseved.

Sandercocks Patent Attorneys 960816,cmsspe.090,steed.ppro,ll 12 Finally it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements or parts without departing from the spirit and ambit of the invention.

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@Sandercocks Patent Attorneys 960816,cmsspe.090Osteed.ppro,12 13 THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:- 1. A fishing rod holder comprising an upright member having a first slot therein opening upwardly, a rotatable member pivotally connected to the upright member on one side of the first slot, a second slot in the rotatable member which, in a first position of the rotatable member opens upwardly, means biasing the rotatable member towards said first 15 position; and constructed and arranged such that when a fishing rod is entered into the second slot, the weight of the fishing rod can cause the rotatable member to rotate from said first position towards a second position so that the fishing rod can enter the first slot and so that the rotary member closes the upper end of the first slot whereby to capture the fishing rod; and constructed and arranged such that when a fishing rod so captured is lifted, the fishing rod will cause the rotatable member to rotate from the second position towards the first position whereby to enable SCopyright. All ights reserved.

Sandercocks Patent Attorneys 960816,cmsspe.090steed.ppro,13 14 upward removal of the fishing rod from the first slot and the second slot.

2. A fishing rod holder as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the biasing of the rotatable member towards the first position is by gravity.

3. A fishing rod holder as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the shape of the rotatable member and the location of the pivotal connection is such that gravity will bias the rotatable member towards the first position.

4. A fishing rod holder as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein stop means is provided adapted to 15 restrict rotation of the rotatable member, in one direction, beyond the first position.

S.

A fishing rod holder as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the stop means is adapted to restrict rotation of the rotatable member in the other direction, beyond the second position.

oo 6. A fishing rod holder as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the upright member has a guide surface adapted to be contacted by the fishing rod when moving downwardly and adapted to guide the fishing rod into the second slot.

Sandercocks Patent Attorneys 960816,cnsspe.O9,stccdpppro.14

Claims

7. A fishing rod holder as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein mounting means is associated with the upright member to, in use, allow the upright member to be mounted to at least one of a boat, jetty or wharf or to the ground.
8. A fishing rod holder as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the mounting means comprises a base adapted to be attached to at least one of a boat, jetty or wharf by securing means.
9. A fishing rod holder as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the base is demountable from the upright member. 15 10. A fishing rod holder as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9, wherein the securing means comprises one or more screws or clamping means.
11. A fishing rod holder as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the mounting means comprises a stake adapted to be driven into the ground.
12. A fishing rod holder as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the stake is demountable from the upright member.
13. A fishing rod holder as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein there are two such rotatable members; one being located on one side of the upright member SCopyright. All rights reserved. Sandercocks Patent Attorneys 960816,cnsspe.090,steed.ppro,15 -16- and the other being located on the other side of the upright member.
14. A fishing rod holder as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the two rotatable members share a common pivot pin. A fishing rod holder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings. .9 9 9 9 °o 9 *99 9 9 9 9 9 9 9. 9 .9 9° 99* 9 9 9 9 o Dated this 10th day of December, 1998. 15 SANDERCOCK COWIE PATENT ATTORNEYS FOR GRAEME THOMAS STEED
981210.A:\170STEDR.WPD, I 17 ABSTRACT The present invention provides:- a fishing rod holder comprising an upright member having a first slot therein opening upwardly, a rotatable member pivotally connected to the upright member on one side of the first slot, a second slot in the rotatable member which, in a first position of the rotatable member opens upwardly, .means biasing the rotatable member towards said first position; and constructed and arranged such that when a fishing rod is entered into the second slot, the weight of the fishing rod can cause the rotatable member to rotate from said first position towards a second position so that the fishing rod can enter the first slot and so that the rotary member closes the upper end of the first slot whereby to capture the fishing rod; and constructed and arranged such that when a fishing rod so captured is lifted, the fishing rod will cause the o Copyright. All rights reserved. Sandercocks Patent Attorneys 960816,ansspc.090,steecd.ppro,17 18 rotatable member to rotate from the second position towards the first position whereby to enable upward removal of the fishing rod from the first slot and the second slot. 4 4 4*44 4* *4 4 a a 4 4. *4 a 4* a. Sandercocks Patent Attorneys Cor~iigt. ll ighs rsered.9608l6,cmsspe.09Osteed.pproI8