GB1603804A

GB1603804A - Fishing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB1603804A
Application number: GB3824780A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-05-31
Filing date: 1978-05-31
Publication date: 1981-12-02

Description

(54) FISHING APPARATUS (71) 1, HARRY JOHN HARDING, of 5 Pendil Close, Colton Road, Whitkirk, Leeds 15, West Yorkshire a british subject, 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: The invention relates to fishing apparatus and more particularly to butt indicators for fishing rods.

According to the invention a butt indicator for use with a fishing rod comprises an elongate bite indicator apparatus having a fastening means operable to releaseably secure the indicator apparatus to a fishing rod, means to engage the indicator apparatus with a fishing line attached to the fishing rod, and releaseable means for releaseably clamping the butt indicator alongside the butt of the fishing rod.

The indicator apparatus of the present invention can thus be clamped, by the releaseable means, alongside the butt of the fishing rod when the butt indicator is not in use which is of particular advantage when the line of the fishing rod is being cast or when a fish is being landed.

The releaseable means may comprise a Velcro (registered Trade Mark) fastener i.e. a fastener having a first part provided with a hooked portion and a second part provided with a pile portion, and/or a clip such as, for example, a Terry (registered Trade Mark) clip i.e. a clip comprising a strip of spring material formed into a shape substantially that of a C, and which can be snapped around the fishing rod or a plastics clip. The hooked portion of the Velcro (registered Trade Mark) fastener may be secured to the indicator apparatus and the pile portion of the Velcro (registered Trade Mark) fastener may be arranged to be secured to the butt of the fishing rod.

Preferably the fastening means comprises a flexible connector arranged to connect one end of the indicator apparatus to the fishing rod.

The flexible connector may be directly connectable to the fishing rod or may be connected to an intermediate means connectable to the fishing rod. The intermediate means may comprise a screw-threaded means or a clip. The flexible connector may comprise a spring, or an elastomeric connector such as, for example a rubber or plastics tube, and the clip, may com prise a Terry (registered Trade Mark) clip. The screw-threaded means may comprise a threaded stud which is arranged to be threaded onto the fishing rod, or is arranged to be threaded onto a further securing means, which in turn is con nectable to the fishing rod. The further securing - means may comprise a clip such as for example, a Terry (registered Trade Mark) clip.

Preferably the means to engage the indicator apparatus with a fishing line comprises a ring arrangeable to encircle the line.

The ring may have a split formed within it, device along its periphery to ensure that the line can be inserted within or withdrawn from the ring without the need to thread an end of the line through the ring.

The closure device may comprise a spring loaded portion of the ring surface which can be moved against the action of the spring loading to open the ring in order that the line can be admitted into, or removed from the ring. It is preferred that the fastening means and the line engagement means are arranged at opposite ends of the indicator apparatus.

A night light or a fluorescent device may be secured or securable to the butt indicator, in order that the butt indicator can be illuminated, and therefore seen, at night. The night light or fluourescent device may be arranged to be threaded onto an adaptor mounted on the butt indicator, and the adaptor may be releaseably mounted on the butt indicator.

The butt indicator may be formed substan tially of glass fibre, hollow glass, aluminium, chromed brass, plastics material or a light wood such as balsa wood. The indicator apparatus may be telescopic having at least two elongate members slidable longitudinally relatively to each other, and one of the elongate members may comprise a flexible tube such as, for example, a P.V.C. (polyvinylchloride) tube. The flexible tube may also form the flexible con nector.

A further means to engage the indicator apparatus with the fishing line may be connected to or connectable to the butt indicator. One or more weights may be connected to or secured within the butt indicator so that the response of the indicator to the strike of a fish on a line connected thereto can be adjusted to suit differing fishing conditions such as differing river flow rates and/or differing wind speeds.

Other features of a butt indicator in accordance with the invention will become apparent in the following embodiment which will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a butt indicator; Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of part of the butt indicator shown in Figure 1 to a larger scale; and Figure 3 is a side elevation of a butt indicator as shown in Figure 1 secured to a fishing rod.

A telescopic butt indicator is shown at 10 and comprises a series of four elongate chromedbrass tubes 12, 14, 16 and 18 and a flexible elongate P.V.C. (polyvinylchloride) tube 20.

The tube 18 is a sliding fit within the tube 20, the tube 16 is a sliding fit within the tube 18, and similarly the tube -14 is a sliding fit within the tube 16, and the tube 12 is a sliding fit within the tube 14. The butt indicator 10 can thus be telescoped by the sliding of one or more of the tubes 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 relatively to the others of those tubes.

A ring 21 is formed on the outer free end of the tube 12. The ring 21 has a spring loaded closure device 22 secured around and closing an open part of the periphery of the ring 21.

When the closure device is operated against the action of its spring, the periphery of the ring is opened so that a fishing line 24 can be inserted within the ring. On release of the closure device 22, the periphery of the ring 21 is again closed to retain the fishing line 24 within the ring. The closure device 22 thus allows the fishing line 24 to be releasable from, but retained within the ring 21.

At the opposite end of the butt indicator to the ring 21,within the free end of the tube 20 is releasably located a metal boss 25 having a screw-threaded stud 26 projecting outwardly therefrom. An internally screw-threaded metal collar 27 is threaded onto the stud 26, and a metal link 28 is secured at one of its ends to the collar 27 and connects the latter to a Terry (registered Trade Mark) clip 30 which is rivetted to the other end of the link 28.

The clip 30 secures the butt indicator 10 to the butt of a fishing rod 32 adjacent to a reel 34 thereof. One side of the clip 30 is cut away at 36 in order that the said side of the clip does not project into the palm of the hand of an angler who holds the fishing rod 32 just above the reel 34 where the clip 30 is connected to the fishing rod 32.

A strip of hooked material 38 forming one part of a Velcro (registered Trade Mark) fastener is secured around the tube 18 and a strip of pile material 40 forming another part of the Velcro (registered Trade Mark) fastener is secured to the fishing rod 32 just above the point on the butt of the rod 32 onto which the clip 30 is secured. An angler holding the fishing rod at or adjacent to the reel 34 can therefore lever the butt indicator 10 towards the fishing rod 32 until the hooked material 38 engages with the pile 40 to retain the butt indicator in an inoperative position in which it lies substantially along the underside of the fishing rod 32. The butt indicator 10 is moved into its inoperative position so that the line 34 can be more easily reeled in or cast out. The line 24 can also be removed from the ring 21 as previously described, prior to the indicator 10 being moved to its inoperative position, to facilitate the reeling in or casting out of the line 24. An advantage of having a telescopic indicator 10 is that the indicator 10 can be telescoped to its smallest possible size so that it does not hinder the casting or reeling in of the line or the land ingofafish.

A screw threaded connector 42 is releasably secured to the outer end of the tube 14 where it is connected to the tube 12 by means of an elasticated tie 43 which is secured over the base of the connector 42 and around the tube 14. A flourescent light (not shown) can be screwed into the connector 42 to provide illumination of the ring 21 of the indicator so that movement of the ring due to movement of the line 24 passing therethrough, can be used to indicate when a fish has taken the bait on a line even during night fishing.

Each of the tubes 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 is provided with a stop means 45 which is adapted to prevent one tube from being withdrawn completely from the tube within which the one tube is slidably located. The stop means 45 each com prise an annular projection 46 on the forward end of the outer tube which is adapted to be engaged by a flange 47 on the inner end of the inner tube. The arrangement of flanges 47 and projections 46 for the tubes 16, 18 and 20 is shown in Figure 2.

The butt indicator 10 could if required incorporate a spring coil to provide a flexible connector for the indicator 10 in addition to, or as an alternative to the tube 20.

If desired, weights can be connected to the indicator 10 to provide addition adjustment of the performance of the indicator to suit variations in fishing conditions. It is possible, by removing the boss 25, to insert lead weights or the like within the telescopic portion 49 to alter the weight of an indicator 10, to thereby provide alterations in the performance of the indicator.

It will be appreciated that alternative embodiments of the invention are also possible, for example, the ring 21 and closure device 22 could be replaced by a split ring. Other or fewer tubes could also be employed to make the telescopic indicator 10 of greater or lesser length range, and the butt indicator 10 could be replaced by a non-telescopic butt indicator.

A small light bulb could be screwed into the connector 42 instead of the flourescent light (not shown) but a suitable electrical supply would be required to power the light bulb when in use.

The butt indicator 10 could be formed of other materials, such as fibre glass, hollow glass, light wood, stainless steel tube, aluminium, a light metal alloy such as aluminium alloy, or plastics material but the chromed-brass material is of particular advantage in that it is relatively cheap, strong and less likely to corrode when in contact with water than are other metals and alloys. Alternative means may be provided for clamping the butt indicator alongside the butt of the fishing rod, for example, the butt indicator may be pressed into a plastic clip secured around the butt, or the Velcro (registered Trade Mark) fastener may be arranged the opposite way round with the strip of hooked material 38 being secured to the fishing rod and with the pile material 40 being secured to the tube 18. The butt indicator could also be releasably secured alongside the rod by a clamp and/or a magnetic means.

The link 28 ensures a pivotal connection between the clip 30 and the tube 20, and the link 28 may comprise a pin secured to the tube 20, the pin being pivotally mounted on the Terry clip 30, or the link 28 may comprise a ring, a hook, a chain or the like pivotable member secured to the clip 30. It will be understood that the collar 27 could be dispensed with, the link 28 or the Terry (registered Trade Mark) clip 30 being adapted to be secured directly to the tube 20. The link 28 could, for example, have secured thereto or may incorporate a threaded member arranged to be releasably located within the tube 20 in place of the boss 25. The link 28 could also have a flexible mem ber such as a rubber tube secured thereto to provide a flexible connection between the telescopic portion 49 and the Terry (registered Trade Mark) clip 30 in addition to, or in place of the tube 20. The flexible member secured to the link 28 and/or the link itself may have a strip of the hooked material 38 secured thereto, whereby the butt indicator 10 can be releasably located to the strip of pile material 40 on the fishing rod 32.

Alternative means to the stop means 45 could be provided, for example, the tubes 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 could each be tapered sufficiently to prevent the complete withdrawal of an adjacent tube therefrom. Also, instead of the stop means 45, a hoop of elasticated material could be provided around the joint between two tubes for example, the tubes 18 and 20, and this hoop would not only hold the tubes in contact but would also allow the tube 18 to be withdrawn completely from the tube 20 by an increased manual pressure on the tube 18, so that the tube 18 could be loaded with weights as previously described.

The connection between the tube 12 and the ring 21 or 58 could be brightly painted or have a brightly coloured coating thereon if required, to provide a better indication as to when a fish has taken the bait on the line 24 and one or more of the tubes could be replaced by an elongate solid member, such as a wire, slidable within a tube of the telescopic portion 49.

My Patent Application No. 46147/77 (Serial No. 1603803), describes and claims a bite indicator for use with a fishing rod comprising a telescopic device having at least two elongate members which are slidable longitudinally relatively to each other, a fastening means operable to releasably secure the telescopic device to a fishing rod, and means to engage the telescopic device with a fishing line attached to the fishing rod.

Claims

WIHATICLAIMIS:

1. A butt indicator for use with a fishing rod comprising an elongate bite indicator apparatus, a fastening means operable to releasably secure the indicator apparatus to a fishing rod, means to engage the indicator apparatus with a fishing line attached to the fishing rod, and releasable means for releasably clamping the butt indicator alongside the butt of the fishing rod.

2. A butt indicator as claimed in Claim 1, in which the releasable means comprises a fastener having a first part provided with a hooked portion and a second part provided with a pile portion, and/or a clip.

3. A butt indicator as claimed in Claim 2, in which the clip comprises a strip of spring material formed into a shape substantially that of a C, and which can be snapped around the fishing rod, or a plastics clip.

4. A butt indicator as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, in which the hooked portion of the fastener is secured to the indicator apparatus and the pile portion of the fastener is arranged to be secured to the butt of the fishing rod.

5. A butt indicator as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which the fastening means comprises a flexible connector arranged to connect one end of the indicator apparatus to the fishing rod.

6. A butt indicator as claimed in Claim 5, in which the flexible connector is connectable directly to the fishing rod or is connected to an intermediate connection means, which intermediate connection means is connectable to the fishing rod.

7. A butt indicator as claimed in Claim 6, in which the intermediate connection means comprises a screw-threaded means or a clip.

8. A butt indicator as claimed in Claim 7, in which the intermediate connection means comprises a strip of spring material formed into a shape substantially that of a C, and which can be snapped around the fishing rod.

9. A butt indicator as claimed in Claim 7, in which the screw-threaded means comprises a screw-threaded stud, which is arranged to be threaded onto the fishing rod or is arranged to be threaded to a further securing means which in turn is connectable to the fishing rod.

10. A butt indicator as claimed in Claim 9, in which the further securing means comprises a clip.

11. A butt indicator as claimed in Claim 10, in which the clip comprises a strip of spring material formed into a shape substantially that of a C, and which can be snapped around the fishing rod.

12. A butt indicator as claimed in one of the Claims 5 to 11, in which the flexible connector comprises a spring or an elastomeric connector.

13. A butt indicator as claimed in Claim 12, in which the flexible connector comprises a rubber or a plastics tube.

14. A butt indicator as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which the means to engage the indicator apparatus with a fishing line comprises a ring arrangeable to encircle the line.

15. A butt indicator as claimed in Claim 14, in which the ring has a split formed in it, or has an adjustable closure device along its periphery to ensure that the line can be inserted within or withdrawn from the ring without the need to thread an end of the line through the ring.

16. A butt indicator as claimed in Claim 15, in which the closure device comprises a spring loaded portion of the ring surface which can be moved against the action of the spring loading to open the ring in order that the line can be admitted into, or removed from the ring.

17. A butt indicator as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which the fastening means and the engagement means are arranged at opposite ends of the indicator apparatus.

18. A butt indicator as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which a night light or a fluorescent device is secured to or is securable to the but indicator in order that the butt indicator can be illuminated and therefor seen at night.

19. A butt indicator as claimed in Claim 18, in which the night light or fluorescent device is arranged to be threaded onto an adaptor mounted on the butt indicator.

20. A butt indicator as claimed in Claim 192 in which the adaptor is releasably mounted on the butt indicator.

21. A butt indicator as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which the butt indicator is arranged to be secured to the fishing rod adjacent to a reel thereof.

22. A butt indicator as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, substantially formed of glass fibre, hollow glass, aluminium, chromed brass, a plastics material or a light wood.

23. A butt indicator as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which a further means to engage the indicator apparatus with the fishing line is connected, or is connectable to the butt indicator.

24. A butt indicator as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which weights can be connected or secured within the butt indicator so that the response of the butt indicator to the strike of a fish on a line connected thereto can be adjusted to suit differing fishing conditions such as differing river flow rates and/or differing wind speeds.