GB1573866A - Float attachment device - Google Patents

Description

(54) FLOAT ATTACHMENT DEVICE (71) I, WALTER WILLIAM HARRIS, a British Subject, of 32, Bishops Hill, Ipswich, Suffolk, do hereby - declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention concerns improvements in or relating to means for attachment of a float to a fishing line.

In the past, various means of attaching floats to fishing lines have been proposed, including that described in United Kingdom Patent Specification No. 849,701. However, surprisingly, none has been simple to employ.

For example, the device of United Kingdom Patent Specification No. 849,701, which has been marketed for some time, comprises three separate parts which assemble together and attach to a fishing line as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings accompanying this specification. The parts are a rubber sleeve 1, a metal barrel 2 having an axial bore 3 and a lip 4 therein, and a spring-wire 5. In use the rubber sleeve I is first threaded onto the fishing line 6, and the wire 5 is withdrawn from the bore 3 in the barrel by squeezing the two arms thereof together, and pulling so that the hooked end 7 avoids the lip 4. The wire 5 is then threaded through the closed wire eye conventionally provided on a fishing float, and the ends of the wire are then reinserted into the barrel so that the hooked end 7 springs into place beyond the lip 4, thereby securing the float to the barrel 2. The rubber sleeve is then pushed over the barrel 2 so as to sandwich the fishing line 6 therebetween.

Frictional contact between the sleeve, barrel and line prevents the barrel sliding along the line.

As will be apparent, the parts constituting the device shown in United Kingdom Patent Specification No. 849,701 are very small and in practice are difficult to manipulate, especially with cold hands, Moreover, the spring wire 5 having to be squeezed before insertion into the barrel, often flies off and is lost without the object of attaching the float to the barrel having been achieved. This is inconvenient and often frustrating.

Furthermore, when whenever it is desired to change a float, it is necessary each time to remove and reinsert the spring wire in the barrel.

I have now found a means whereby the disadvantages of the device discussed above may be substantially or wholly overcome.

Accordingly, this invention provides a device for attaching a float to a fishing line which comprises a barrel member and a flexible resilient sleeve member adapted to surround and frictionally engage said barrel member, the barrel member being provided integrally at one end thereof with a spring clip adapted to engage the eye of a float when said eye is urged thereinto.

By forming the barrel and the spring clip integrally, and thus effectively increasing the size of the spring clip, it is easier to manipulate whilst attaching the float, and is less likely to be lost. Moreover, when changing floats it is not necessary to remove any parts of the device; all that is required is for the old float to be released from the spring clip and the new one to be inserted.

These advantages, it will be appreciated, necessitate no increase in overall size relative to the prior device.

The spring clip may be provided on the barrel member in any convenient way, e.g.

by means of an appropriate adhesive or solder. However, it is convenient to form the clip from wire, in which case it is a simple matter to attach it to the barrel by passing an extension of the wire forming the clip through an appropriate bore in the barrel and securing it, e.g. by bending it appropriately, against removal therefrom.

Many other ways of attaching the clip to the barrel will however be apparent to those skilled in the production of such devices.

The clip may be constructed In any appropriate manner, provided that the eye of a float may be attached thereto merely by urging the eye into the clip. Desirably, removal of the float eye from the clip is achieved simply by urging the float in the opposite direction. Many such forms of spring clip are known, and an example thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings. Conveniently, the clip is made of a spring steel wire or a plastics material.

The invention is further described, though only by way of illustration, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view through a prior art device as discussed hereinbefore; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through a first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the barrel member of a second embodiment of the present invention.

The device of Figure 2 comprises a rubber sleeve which surrounds and frictionally engages a nylon barrel 9 having an axial bore 10 therethrough in which is provided a spring steel wire 11. The end 12 of the spring steel wire 11 is bent over to prevent withdrawal thereof through the bore 10. It is to be noted in this form of construction there is no necessity to provide a flange to prevent the withdrawal of the wire. Thus, there is less machining involved, and materials such as plastics, e.g. nylon, may be employed. At the other end of the wire there is formed a spring clip 13 roughly in the shape of a shepherd's crook.

Normally, the clip is closed, as illustrated, but may be opened by placing the eye of a fishing float at or about the position numbered 14 amd moving it axially with respect to the barrel in the direction of arrow A. The eye of the float will open the spring clip and pass into the loop 15, the spring clip closing again once it has passed through. The float may be removed simply by moving it in the opposite direction. It is a simple matter to make the spring sufficiently strong to prevent the float becoming accidentally detached in use. It will be appreciated that although only one form of clip has been shown, many other forms are possible, for example a helical coil as in a conventional key ring, and these may give even greater security of attachment.

The barrel member shown in Figure 3 is of very simple construction, being formed of a single length of spring steel wire. A spring clip 16 as described with reference to Figure 2 is provided at one end, the barrel being formed by spiral coils 17 of the wire.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A device for attaching a float to a fishing line which comprises a barrel member and a flexibly resilient sleeve member adapted to surround and frictionally engage said barrel member, the barrel member being provided integrally at one end thereof with a spring clip adapted to engage the eye of a float when said dye is urged thereinto.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the spring clip is formed of wire.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein the barrel member is formed as a continuation of the wire forming the spring clip.

4. A device according to claim 2 wherein the barrel member is attached to the spring clip by means of an extension of the wire forming said clip passing through a bore in the barrel and being secured agaisnt removal therefrom.

5. A device according to any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the spring clip is adapted to allow removal of the eye of a float therefrom by urging said eye in a direction opposite to that required to engage it therein.

6. A device according to any of claims 1 to 5 and substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. achieved simply by urging the float in the opposite direction. Many such forms of spring clip are known, and an example thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings. Conveniently, the clip is made of a spring steel wire or a plastics material. The invention is further described, though only by way of illustration, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view through a prior art device as discussed hereinbefore; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through a first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the barrel member of a second embodiment of the present invention. The device of Figure 2 comprises a rubber sleeve which surrounds and frictionally engages a nylon barrel 9 having an axial bore 10 therethrough in which is provided a spring steel wire 11. The end 12 of the spring steel wire 11 is bent over to prevent withdrawal thereof through the bore 10. It is to be noted in this form of construction there is no necessity to provide a flange to prevent the withdrawal of the wire. Thus, there is less machining involved, and materials such as plastics, e.g. nylon, may be employed. At the other end of the wire there is formed a spring clip 13 roughly in the shape of a shepherd's crook. Normally, the clip is closed, as illustrated, but may be opened by placing the eye of a fishing float at or about the position numbered 14 amd moving it axially with respect to the barrel in the direction of arrow A. The eye of the float will open the spring clip and pass into the loop 15, the spring clip closing again once it has passed through. The float may be removed simply by moving it in the opposite direction. It is a simple matter to make the spring sufficiently strong to prevent the float becoming accidentally detached in use. It will be appreciated that although only one form of clip has been shown, many other forms are possible, for example a helical coil as in a conventional key ring, and these may give even greater security of attachment. The barrel member shown in Figure 3 is of very simple construction, being formed of a single length of spring steel wire. A spring clip 16 as described with reference to Figure 2 is provided at one end, the barrel being formed by spiral coils 17 of the wire. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A device for attaching a float to a fishing line which comprises a barrel member and a flexibly resilient sleeve member adapted to surround and frictionally engage said barrel member, the barrel member being provided integrally at one end thereof with a spring clip adapted to engage the eye of a float when said dye is urged thereinto.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the spring clip is formed of wire.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein the barrel member is formed as a continuation of the wire forming the spring clip.

4. A device according to claim 2 wherein the barrel member is attached to the spring clip by means of an extension of the wire forming said clip passing through a bore in the barrel and being secured agaisnt removal therefrom.

5. A device according to any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the spring clip is adapted to allow removal of the eye of a float therefrom by urging said eye in a direction opposite to that required to engage it therein.

6. A device according to any of claims 1 to 5 and substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.