GB2113982A

GB2113982A - Fishing rod holders

Info

Publication number: GB2113982A
Application number: GB08301076A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leslie George Prust
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-01-15
Filing date: 1983-01-14
Publication date: 1983-08-17
Also published as: GB8301076D0

Abstract

A holder suitable for wear by a fisherman to hold a fishing rod clear of the ground comprises an apron 10 garment or other support to be worn by the fisherman, having an aperture 20 to receive the butt of the fishing rod, the aperture 20 being disposed such that the butt can be inserted through it so as to pass between the legs and adjacent the crotch of the fisherman. In one form of the invention the aperture is provided with an extension member 18 extending inwardly of the support to facilitate location of the butt of the rod between the legs of the fisherman. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fishing rod holders This invention relates to fishermen's holders for fishing rods. In particular, it relates to holders suitable for wear by a fisherman to hold a fishing rod clear of the ground.

It is common practice among rod fishermen to make changes to their tackle during a fishing session, for example to replace the bait, the float or the weights. Normally such changes involve the use of both hands of the fisherman requiring him to set down the rod for this purpose. However, the setting down of the rod in this way is inconvenient especially where the rod has to be laid on a bank of a stream or canal bordering the water being fished, where it can easily become dirty or accidentally trodden upon. There is therefore need for a means of holding the rod and leaving both hands of the fisherman free to carry out the desired changes or other attention to the fishing tackle.

The present invention now provides a simple and effective means of meeting the problem referred to above.

Accordingly, in one aspect the present invention provides a fisherman's holder for a fishing rod, the holder comprising a support adapted to be worn by the fisherman, the support having an aperture to receive the butt of a fishing rod, the aperture being disposed with reference to the support such that, in use, the butt can be inserted through said aperture so as to pass between the legs and adjacent the crotch of the fisherman, whereby the rod can be supported without manual aid from the fisherman.

The support of the holder can take a variety of forms. For example, it can be an adaptation of a known fishing garment or it can be an article whose sole purpose is to act as the support of the holder. In the former category are included fisherman's garments such as aprons and other garments worn on or suspended from the torso, and waders; and in the latter category is included belt-like supports. The invention is described particularly below, by way of example, with reference to a fisherman 5 apron.

The aperture of the support to receive the butt of the fishing rod is conveniently a circular aperture though, if desired, other shapes can be adopted. In some instances, for example where the support is in the form of a belt, it may not be necessary for the aperture to have a closed periphery as in the case with a circular aperture in a fishing apron, but can take the form, for example, of a notch or slit formed in an upper edge of the garment. Normally the notch or slit will have a width at least as wide as the portion of the butt that it is to be accommodated.

Where the aperture has a periphery surrounded by the material constituting the apron or other support, the aperture is conveniently of a size just slightly larger than the maximum dimension of the fishing rod butt that has to be inserted through it.

In a preferred form of the invention the aperture is provided with an extension member extending inwardly of the support with respect to its disposition in use on the torso of the user. The use of such an extension is beneficial in several ways.

First, it provides additional support for the rod compared with that provided by the material of the support where no such extension is used; secondly, the extension assists the fisherman in guiding the rod butt through the aperture and between his legs; and thirdly, the extension enhances the comfort of the user. Where an extension member is used it is conveniently a hollow elongated member having a cross section corresponding to the shape of the aperture in the support, for example, where the aperture is circular the extension is conveniently a cylindrical tube. The extension can be formed integrally with the support, but it is generally more convenient for it to be a separate member provided with means for engagement with the support.Where the support is a fisherman's apron, a very convenient form of extension is a hollow cylindrical tube having at one end thereof an outwardly extending annular flange whose external diameter is greater than the diameter of the aperture and in use bears against the outer surface of the support. The use of such an extension member is described below with reference to a preferred embodiment of the invention. If desired, auxiliary means can be provided for the extension member, the auxiliary means being adapted to bear against the inner or reverse side of the apron.An example of this arrangement is where the extension member is a cylindrical tube externally threaded to take an internally threaded annular disc which, after the tube has been inserted through the aperture in the apron, can be screwed along the tube so as to wedge that portion of the apron constituting the periphery of the aperture between the inwardly facing surface of the annular flange and the outwardly facing surface of the disc.

Where a hollow tube or other extension member is used it is conveniently of a size and dimensions such that it is a push fit in the aperture of the support.

There is now described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of an angler's rod holder of the present invention, in the form of an apron.

In the drawings: FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the apron; and FIGURE 2 is a cross-section on an enlarged scale, of the lower portion of the apron taken on the line Il-Il in Figure 1 and showing the holder in use holding the handle of a coarse fishing rod.

The apron comprises a sheet of woven cotton fabric coated with p.v.c. the sheet being sold under the trade mark "Storoflex 661". The apron has top and bottom edges 11, 12, side edges 13, 14, a halter strap 1 5 to pass over the head of the angler and ties 16, 17 to pass around his body and tie behind his back. The halter and the side ties are conveniently of the same material, for example lengths of broad, woven cotton tape. The lower portion of the apron has a centrally disposed rod receiving aperture 1 8 which is located equidistant between side edges 1 3 and 14.This aperture is disposed with reference to the dimensions of the apron such that when in use and embracing the butt of a fishing rod the end of the butt can protrude through the aperture between the legs and adjacent the crotch of the angler.

Located in aperture 1 8 is an extension member in the form of a tube 1 9 having formed at one end thereof an annular flange 20. The tube 1 9, which is of circular cross-section, has an external diameter such that it is a close push fit within circular aperture 18. Figure 2 shows tube 1 9 in place, the end 21 having been inserted through aperture 18 and pushed home until flange 20 bears against the front surface of sheet 10, and the tube has an internal diameter such that it can accommodate as a sliding fit the butt 22 of a fishing rod. The weight of the rod causes the butt to press via tube 19, against the crotch of the user.

A typical use of the holder described above is as follows. When the angler wishes to free his hands, for example, to change his hook or to attach or detach a bait, he presents the end of butt 22 to the flanged end of tube 1 9, locates the butt within the flanged end and slides it into the tube until it reaches a position such as is shown in Figure 2. Where the rod is a typical coarse fishing rod the end of the butt will protrude from the end of tube 19 by a distance, for example, of 12 to 1 5 inches. The butt now embraced by the tube is held therein and the angler is free to use his hands for other purposes. Depending on the length of the rod, the stiffness of the sheet material 10 and the length of tube 1 9, the rod may assume a position other than the horizontal disposition shown in Figure 2.

When the angler wishes to resume fishing he simply slides the rod in a forward direction so as to free the butt from tube 1 9.

The front surface of sheet 10 can, if desired have attachment thereto one or more pockets (not shown) such as those of conventional angler's aprons. If, for example, two horizontally spaced pockets protrude from the front surface of sheet 10 of the apron, disposed one on each side of aperture 18, a cord or like means can be provided so as to extend between pockets, the cord providing a very convenient means of engaging the angler's line hook when not in use.

Claims

1. A fisherman's holder for a fishing rod, the holder comprising a support adapted to be worn by the fisherman, the support having an aperture to receive the butt of a fishing rod, the aperture being disposed with reference to the support such that, in use, the butt can be inserted through said aperture so as to pass between the legs and adjacent the crotch of the fisherman, whereby the rod can be supported without manual aid from the fisherman.

2. A holder according to Claim 1, which is comprised by a garment for wear on the torso of the fisherman.

3. A holder according to Claim 2, in which the garment is an apron.

4. A holder according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the aperture is provided with an extension member extending from the aperture and inwardly of the support, to facilitate location of the butt of the rod between the legs of the fisherman.

5. A holder according to Claim 4, in which the extension member is a tube detachable from the holder and having at one end thereof an outwardly extending projection whose dimensions are such that the projection acts as a means to prevent the extension member escaping from the aperture.

6. A holder according to Claim 5, in which the extension member is a cylindrical tube and the projection is a radially-extending flange at one end of the tube.

7. A holder for a coarse fishing rod, the holder comprising an apron or like garment having disposed therein an aperture, the aperture defining the end of a tubular extension directed inwardly of the garment, whereby the butt of the rod can be inserted into the tubular extension so as to be located between the legs and adjacent the crotch of the fisherman.

8. A holder according to Claim 1, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A fisherman's holder substantially as described herein and substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings.