GB2120911A - Self-aligning gear and shaft for fishing reels - Google Patents

Abstract

In a mounting structure for a center shaft and pinion gear of a fishing reel, the center shaft 251 has a bearing part near one end of the shaft which seats in the opening 37 in the deck plate 21 and hub 35 of a reel. A pinion gear 260 is splined to a reduced diameter and splined portion of the center shaft and has an integrally formed bearing hub which nests in the opening in the deck plate to support the other part of the center shaft. The bearing part on the center shaft and the bearing hub on the pinion gear combine to provide an improved mounting for the center shaft whereby the center shaft may reciprocate and rotate easily. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Self-aligning gear and shaft for fishing reels Technical field This invention relates to spin-cast style fishing reels and, more particularly, to an improved self-aligning gear and shaft assembly.

Background art Maintaining center-to-center alignment dimensions to provide proper tooth meshing of spur and face type gears is a continual problem in any manufactured product which requires a gear drive. Normally, spin cast type fishing reels with a moving type spinner head has a pinion gear that is slidable back and forth on the center shaft as the spinner head moves from the cast position to the snub position. Manufacturing the pinion gear and center shaft for such a fishing reel requires normal clearances and concentricities which can total approximately .018 inches, which may be too great for efficient tooth mesh. Matching the clearances and concentricities between the several matching and mating parts to reduce the maximum amount of clearance for efficient use is too expensive for use with most commercially and competitively produced fishing reels.

Disclosure of the invention Some of the clerances and runouts associated with the prior art are eliminated so as to provide a better gear train for a fishing reel at a lower cost. The center shaft is formed with only one relatively short bearing surface near one end of the center shaft, which surface fits in the body bore of the hub on the deck plate. The pinion (spur) gear is made with a hub which locates in the other end of the body bore in the deck plate. The pinion gear is driven by a spline on the center shaft, which spline extends through a mating spline on the pinion gear. The clearances between the spline on the centershaft and in the gear are loose, creating a floating effect which makes the center shaft and pinion gear self-aligning. The loose tolerances are less costly to make and the floating effect is less likely to have problems in use.Adding the hub to the gear adds little in cost and, since the gear has to be splined anyway, splining the hub on the gear creates no added costs. An improved gear train that is less expensive to manufacture and to maintain is the result.

Brief description of drawings Figure 1 is an exploded view of a reel embodying the invention; Figure 1A is a rear perspective of the gear and ratchet of the crankshaft; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on a horizontal plane containing the centerlines of the center shaft and crankshaft; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the center shaft and pinion gear containing elements of the invention; Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to Figure 2 only showing a modified form of invention; and Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to Figure 2 only showing another modified form of the invention.

Description of the basic structure and operation of fishing reel Referring to Figure 1 and to some extent Figure 2, there is shown a reel, including a closed face housing 10, having a two-part front cup-shaped cover 11 and a rear cup-shaped cover 12. The front cover 11 has a ring or cylindrically-shaped first part 11 a and a cone-shaped second part 11 b. The ring or cylindrically-shaped first part 11 a of the front cover 11 is molded from a high impact strength plastic, such as ABS. The cone-shaped second part 11 b of the front cover 11 is formed of metal, such as aluminum. The rear cover 12 is formed of a platable grade ABS with a chrome or nickel plating. The cone-shaped second part 1 Ib of the cover 11 has a conical front portion 13 including a circular line opening which mounts an annular line guide 16 in a known manner.The cylindrical first part 11 a of the front cover 11 has helical threads 14 formed on the rearmost internal surface thereof and has knurled gripping portions 15 formed on the external surface thereof.

A reel body 20 is provided and includes a circular mounting plate or deck plate 21 which has a forwardly extending cylindrical sleeve portion 22 integrally formed around the outer periphery thereof. The reel body 20 may be made of plastic material, such as ABS or a glass filled polycarbonate. The forward edge of the sleeve 22 has a flange 23 extending radially outwardly beyond the outer surface of the sleeve portion 22. The cylindrical first part 11 a of the front cover 11 is undercut rearward of the internal thread 14 to provide a rearwardlyfacing shoulder 24 axially spaced from the end of the internal thread 14. The reel body 20 with the radially extending flange 23 is inserted in the rear opening of the front cover 11 with the flange 23 bearing against the shoulder 24 in the undercut portion.The rear cover 12, which has on its forwardly facing end portion an external thread 19, is threaded into the internal thread 14 of the front cover 11 until the forwardly facing edge of the rear cover 12 engages the radially outwardly extending flange 23 to trap the reel body 20 between the front cover 11 and the rear cover 12. The rear cover 12 has an integrally molded, radially extending stem 25 with a mounting foot 26 on the outer end thereof for attachment to the appropriate part of a fishing rod. The mounting foot 26 is to be attached to the upper surface of a fishing rod for use.

The rear cover 12 has a rearwardly facing opening 28 that is substantially rectangular in shape extending through a sloped upper portion and vertical rear portion thereof. A one-piece thumb button 29 has a shape substantially mating with the shape of the opening 28 in the rear cover 12 and has a pair of sidewardly extending pivots 30 on the upper forward side edges thereof which snap into slotted pivot opening 31 formed in the adjacent side walls 32 of the opening 28. A pair of sidewardly extending tabs 33 are formed on the lower side edges of the thumb button 29 such that with the thumb button 29 assembled from the inside of the rear cover 12, the sidewardly extending pivots 30 will snap into the slotted openings 31 in the walls 32 of the rear cover 12 with the sidewardly extending tabs 33 abutting a vertical inner surface of the rear cover 12 adjacent the opening 28.The tabs 33 prevent the thumb button 29 from pivoting rearwardly out of the opening 28 in the rear cover 12.

A central hub 35 is carried by and projects forward of the deck plate 21 concentric with the sleeve 22 with a drag plate 210, back spool washer 230, back flat drag washer 233, spool assembly 130, front flat drag washer 235, front spool washer 237, all retained on the hub 35 by means of spool retainer clip 240 which fits into a groove (not shown in Figure 1) aligned with a shoulder separating the hub 35 from a reduced diameter front portion 241 of hub 35.

A center shaft 251 is mounted in a sleeve bearing 269 seated in a center hole 37 extending through the deck plate 21 and hub 35, with a spinner head assembly 242 threaded onto the forward threaded end of the shaft 251. The spinner head assembly 242 partially surrounds the forward flange of the spool assembly 130 with a supply of fishing line 99 being wound on a spool 131 of the spool assembly 130. The line 99 is wound or unwound from the spool 131 over the spinner head assembly 242 and through the line guide 16 in the front cover 11.

A pinion gear 260 is splined on a reduced diameter splined portion 252 of the center shaft 251 and is resiliently maintained in a forward position against the deck plate 21 by a center shaft spring 265 which bears against an abutting end 255 on the center shaft. The splined connection between the pinion gear 260 and center shaft 251 permits the axial sliding motion of the shaft 251 relative to the pinion gear 260 while at the same time rotation of the pinion gear 260 will rotate the center shaft 251.

Depressing the thumb button 29 moves the center shaft 251 and spinner head assembly 242 forward relative to the hub 35. As the spinner head asembly 242 moves forward, a pickup pin mechanism 243, mounted on spinner head assembly 242, will move forward of and will disengage from the front portion 241 of the hub 35 and from a cam 244 on the axial face of the front portion 241 of the hub 35, thereby retracting a pickup pin 245 from its extended position radially outward of the spinner head assembly 242. With the thumb button 29 fully depressed, a line brake member (not shown in Figure 1) on the forward face of the spinner head assembly 242 will be urged against the inside of the cone-shaped part 11 b of the front cover 11 to trap the line 99 therebetween to prevent casting of the line from the reel.Slightly releasing the pressure on the thumb button 29 will maintain the spinner head assembly 242 in a forward casting position, but the spring 265 will retract the center shaft 251 and the spinner head assembly 242 enough to unclamp the line 99, whereby the spinner head assembly 242 will not interfere with the fishing line 99 which can then be cast freely from the reel.

The deck plate 21 also includes a rearwardly projecting boss 40 having spaced apart legs 39 with aligned transverse openings 41 therethrough for receiving, in a concentric manner, a crankshaft 42 surrounded in part by a cylindrical post 43. The boss 40 has a slot 44 between the legs 39, which slot 44 extends transverse to the axis of the opening 41. The slot 44 aligns with a slot (not shown in Figure 1) in the deck plate 21 with a slide drag actuator 247 positioned in the slots and being threadably engaged with a threaded portion 45 of the post 43. The drag actuator 247 extends through the aligned slots and forward of the deck plate 21 and is moved by rotation of the post 43 in a direction along the axis of the post 43 between the spaced apart legs 39 of the boss 40.The degree of drag braking pressure applied to the spool 131 through the drag actuator 247 is selectively and precisely controllable through a star wheel 50 mounted on the post 43 where the post 43 projects outward of the boss 40. The post 43 has spaced bearing surfaces 51 and 53 which seat in the openings 41. A retainer clip 54 engages in a slot 55 at the junction between the bearing surface 53 and the threads 45 on the post 43, which slot 55 aligns with one wall of the slot 44 so that the star wheel 50 and post 43 can be rotated relative to the boss 40 without the post 43 moving axially relative to the boss 40.

The projecting contact head 248 of the drag actuator 247 engages with an arcuately curved extended cam 56 on the drag plate 210. The drag plate 210 has an anchoring tab 57 located diametrically opposite the cam 56, which tab 57 engages in a recess (not shown in Figure 1) in the front surface of the deck plate 21. A cantilever arm 58 has a peripheral connection with the drag plate 210 and extends along an arc parallel to a peripheral portion of the drag plate 210. The cantilever arm 58 has an axially facing tip 59 engaging with the serrations 60 on the axially facing surface of one flange 61 of the spool 131. The drag plate 210 bears against the back spool washer 230, back flat drag washer 233, spool assembly 130, front flat drag washer 235, front spool washer 237, all of which are backed against the fixed retainer clip 240. The contact head 248 of the drag actuator 247 engages with the cam 56 and, as it is moved radially outward of the drag actuator 247, the pressure or drag on the spool 131 will be increased and, as the drag actuator 247 is moved radially inward on the cam 56, the pressure or drag on the spool 131 will be decreased. The drag actuator 247 is advanced or moved radially inward (decreased drag) by rotating the star wheel 50 in one direction and is retracted or moved radially outward (increased drag) by rotating the star wheel 50 in the opposite direction.

The crankshaft 42, with a gear 313 attached at one end, is inserted through the post 43 in the boss 40 and has a handle 332 attached by means of a nut 333 to the other end of said crankshaft 42. The gear 313 meshes with the pinion gear 260 on the center shaft 251 so that rotation of the crank handle 332 will rotate the center shaft 251 and spinner head assembly 242.

An anti-reverse assembly 330, which is associated with the crankshaft 42, includes a ratchet 336, shown in Figure 1A, fixed on the back of the gear 313 for rotation with the gear 313 and crankshaft 42. The anti-reverse assembly 330 further includes a pivotable pawl 321 having a pivot tab 322, a pawl tooth 323, and a pawl actuator 324. The pawl pivot tab 322 extends into a slot 325 formed in deck plate 21, the slot 325 having one wall in alignment with the one wall 329 which is offset radially inward toward the center shaft 251 from the end face 331 of the boss 40. The pawl actuator 324 has a pair of bifurcated legs 326 which grip the surface of the crankshaft 42 with sufficient force that the pawl actuator 324 will rotate with the crankshaft 42, but will slide relative to the crankshaft 42 when the gripping force is exceeded.An actuator tab 327 extends transverse to the plane of the pawl actuator 324 and engages in a recess 328 in the midportion of the pawl 321. The pawl 321 with the pivot tab 322 in the slot 325 will have one face of the pawl 321 against the wall 329 of the boss 40 and will have the pawl tooth 323 aligned with the ratchet 336. The crankshaft 42, when telescoped in the post 43 and boss 40, will locate the pawl actuator 324 between the ratchet 336, fixed on the back face of gear 313, and the end face 331 of the boss 40 in the vicinity of the opening 41 in the boss 40, so that the pawl actuator 324 is offset slightly from the pawl 321 with the transverse actuator tab 327 engaged in the recess 328 of the pawl 321.Rotation of the crank handle 332 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, will pivot the crankshaft 42 and the pawl actuator 324 in a counterclockwise direction which will pivot the pawl 321 in a clockwise direction around pawl pivot tab 322 to move the pawl tooth 323 out of alignment with the teeth of the ratchet 336. The crank handle 332 will, therefore, be permitted to be rotated in the direction without interference. The gripping resistance between the pawl actuator 324 and the crankshaft 42 will be overcome as soon as the pawl 321 pivots to its extreme position, whereupon the crankshaft 42 continues to rotate relative to the pawl actuator 324.Rotation of the handle 332 in the clockwise direction moves the pawl actuator 324 in the clockwise direction with the tab 327 pivoting the pawl 321 in a counterclockwise direction to move the pawl tooth 323 into the path of the ratchet teeth to stop further rotation of the crankshaft 42 and handle 332 in that direction.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring more particularly to Figures 2 and 3, the improved center shaft 251 is illustrated with the exploded view of Figure 3 being taken in a plane at right angles to the plane of Figure 2. The center shaft 251 has threads 270 formed on one end portion 271 thereof to which threads the spinner head 242 is threadably attached. At the termination of the threads 270 on the center shaft is the large diameter portion 272 which tapers at 273 to an intermediate narrowed portion 277. A rearwardly facing shoulder 282 separates portion 277 from reduced diameter portion 274 with the shoulder 282 being spaced a predetermined distance "A" from the threads 270.The reduced diameter portion 274 extends from the shoulder 282 a substantial portion of the length of the center shaft until it tapers at 275 to a forwardly facing shoulder 276 at the abutting end 255. The reduced diameter portion 274 is axially splined, which spline is a double D style or square spline with flats 278 (Figure 3) formed on diametrically opposite sides of the center shaft. The center shaft 251 is rotatably and axially slidably mounted in the bushing or sleeve bearing 269 with the large diameter portion 272 engaging with the inside of the forward portion of the bushing or bearing 269.

The pinion gear 260 is internally splined at 279 and, in the present embodiment, the spline is a double D or square spline which mates with the spline on reduced diameter portion 274 of the center shaft 251. The pinion gear 260 has gear teeth 280 on one end portion and has a bearing hub 281 on the other end portion, with the gear teeth 280 projecting radially outward beyond the outside diameter of the bearing hub 281. The outside diameter of the bearing hub 281 is sized to fit within the bushing or bearing 269 and to rotate freely therein. The bearing hub 281 from the axial end of the teeth 280 to the front end thereof has a length "B", Figure 3. As shown in Figure 2, the center shaft is seated in the sleeve bearing 269 in the deck plate with the spinner head 242 on one end in position with respect to the spool 130.The pinion gear 260 with its spline 279 meshing with the flats 278 on the center shaft has the bearing hub 281 extending into the sleeve bearing 269.

The axial face of the bearing hub 281 is urged against the shoulder 282 by the spring 265 acting between the shoulder 276 and the pinion gear 260. The distance between the rear face of the spinner head 242 and the forward edges of the gear teeth 280 (when the bearing hub 281 abuts shoulder 282), distance A plus B1 is slightly greater than the length of the sleeve bearing 269 and/or the hub 35 on the deck plate 21 so that a small amount of end play is permitted between the center shaft and the deck plate. The pinion gear 260 meshes with the gear 313 which has been described heretofore as part of the line retrieving system for the reel. Using the bearing hub 281 on the pinion gear 260 to drivingly mount the rotational structure for the spinner head 242 in combination with centering the center shaft for rotational and reciprocal movement relative to the deck plate 21 materially reduces misalignment and hang-up problems in the reel while reducing tolerances between the parts thereby reducing costs in manufacturing the reel.

Using one specific example will illustrate the prior art tolerance requirements as compared with the tolerance requirements of the present invention and will thereby highlight the advantages flowing from the invention. Heretofore, using a center shaft which was mounted in a sleeve bearing through the deck plate 21 on hub 35 required normal clearances and concentricities of the associated parts as follows: Min. Max.

Center shaft to body bore clearance .001 to .0025 Center shaft concentricity between large and small diameters TIR to .003 Pinion gear to center shaft clearance .001 to .0025 Pinion gear concentricity from pitch line of teeth to centerline of hole TIR to .003 Total maximum run out of gear at pitch line .011 The total maximum runout of .011 coupled with normal runout of the mating face gear of .008 maximum gives a total runout of approximately .019.

The new structure eliminates some of the clearances and runouts. The pinion gear bearing hub 281 is located in the bore in the deck plate rather than on the center shaft. The center shaft is driven in the conventional manner with the spline which is given much more clearance, thus creating a floating effect. The floating effect self-aligns the center shaft 251 and gear 280, thus allowing less costly means of manufacturing the center shaft.

The clearances and concentricities of the improved bearing hub pinion gear mounting is as follows: Min. Max.

Pinion gear to body bore clearance .001 to .0025 Concentricity between pinion hub and pitch line of teeth .003 Total maximum runout and clearance .0055 The normal runout of the mating face gear is .007 maximum, which, when combined with the total maximum runout and clearance, gives a total runout of approximately .0125.

Thus, the .0055 total runout for the new method as compared to .011 for the old method clearly illustrates the advantages of the new over the old. The looser tolerances and the less complicated operations to obtain the tolerances needed on the parts for the new hubbed pinion gear and center shaft mounting are less expensive to manufacture, are easier to assemble and to maintain and are more reliable and dependable in use.

Figures 4 and 5 show two modified forms of the invention wherein the sleeve bearing 269 and the shoulder 282 on the center shaft 251 have been eliminated so that the larger diameter portion 272 of the center shaft seats directly in the opening 37 in the hub 35 on the deck plate. The bearing hub 281 on the pinion gear 260 likewise nests directly in the opening 37 in the deck plate 35. The spring 265 bearing between the shoulder 276 on the center shaft and the pinion gear 260 urges the forward edges of the gear teeth 280 against the thrust washer 284 (Figure 4) or against the deck plate 21 (Figure 5) at the same time that the spinner head 242 is urged against the axial face of the hub 35 of the deck plate 21.The operation and the advantages of the modifications of Figures 4 and 5 are substantially the same as for the preferred form shown and described hereinabove with respect to Figures 2 and 3. It is understood that the center shaft 251 of Figures 4 and 5 could have a shoulder 282 as in Figure 2 or the center shaft of Figure 2 could have the shoulder 282 eliminated. The shoulder 282 and the attendant advantages of the end play afforded thereby is an important added option.

Figure 4 has the additional feature of the thrust washer 284 seated in a recessed bore 285 formed in the rear face of the deck plate 21. The bore 285 can be molded in the plate or can be bored therein as an after-fit operation. The thrust washer 284 in the bore 285 relieves abrasion between the rear edges of the gear teeth 280 and the deck plate. This later situation is particularly true for gears made of hard or abrasive materials.

Other aspects, objects and advantages of this invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims.

Claims (17)

1. In a fishing reel including a cylindrical reel body having a deck plate, a forwardly extending hub affixed to the deck plate and having an opening there-through, a spool supported on the hub forwardly of the deck plate, a center shaft extending axially through the opening in the deck plate and the hub, a crank drive mechanism mounted in the reel body for rotating the center shaft, the improvement including:: a) a bearing part formed on the forward portion of the center shaft, the bearing part rotatably nesting in a forward portion of the opening in the hub on the deck plate; b) a reduced diameter splined portion formed on the center shaft and extending rearwardly from a point located in the opening in the hub forward of the front face of the deck plate to a point rearward of the rear face of the deck plate; c) a pinion gear having a spline meshing with the splined portion of the center shaft; and d) a bearing hub integrally formed on the pinion gear and extending forward of the gear teeth on the pinion gear, the bearing hub extending into the opening in the deck plate and supporting the rear portion of the center shaft relative to the deck plate whereby the center shaft is rotatably driven by the crank drive mechanism and is axially reciprocated by an actuator bearing against the rear end of the center shaft.

2. In a fishing reel as claimed in claim 1 wherein a sleeve bearing is seated in said opening in the deck plate and hub and wherein the bearing part of the center shaft and the bearing hub on the pinion gear are slidably and rotatably supported by the sleeve bearing.

3. In a fishing reel as claimed in claim 1 wherein a thrust washer surrounds the bearing hub and is seated between the pinion gear and the deck plate.

4. In a fishing reel as claimed in claim 3 wherein the thrust washer is seated in a recessed bore formed in the deck plate adjacent to the pinion gear.

5. In a fishing reel as claimed in claim 1 wherein a rearwardly facing shoulder is formed on the center shaft and wherein the bearing hub axially abuts the shoulder to provide limited end play between the center shaft and the hub.

6. In a fishing reel as claimed in claim 5 wherein the shoulder is spaced a distance "A" from the spinner head and wherein the axial length of the bearing hub is equal to "B", with the space A plug B being slightly greater than the sum of the length of the hub and the thickness of the deck plate.

7. In a fishing reel including a cylindrical reel body having a deck plate, a forwardly extending hub affixed to the deck plate and having an opening there-through, a center shaft extending axially through the opening in the deck plate and the hub, a crank drive mechanism mounted in the reel body for rotating the center shaft, the improvement including: a) means for rotatably supporting the forward portion of the center shaft in the opening in the deck plate and hub; b) a reduced diameter splined portion formed on the center shaft and extending from the rotatably supporting means in the opening to a point rearward of the rear face of the deck plate; c) a pinion gear having a spline meshing with the splined portion of the center shaft; and d) bearing means for supporting the rear portion of the center shaft relative to the deck plate, the bearing means extending forward of the gear teeth on the pinion gear and into the opening in the deck plate whereby the center shaft is rotatably driven by the crank drive mechanism and is axially reciprocated by an actuator selectively urged against the rear end of the center shaft.

8. In a fishing reel as claimed in claim 7 wherein a sleeve bearing is seated in the opening in the deck plate and hub and wherein the means for rotatably supporting the center shaft and the bearing means on the pinion gear are both slidably and rotatably supported in the sleeve bearing.

9. In a fishing reel as claimed in claim 7 wherein the means for rotatably supporting the forward portion of the center shaft is a bearing part integrally formed on the center shaft.

10. In a fishing reel as claimed in claim 7 wherein the bearing means is integrally formed on the pinion gear and extends forward of the plane of the teeth on the pinion gear.

11. In a fishing reel as claimed in claim 7 wherein a thrust washer surrounds the bearing means and is seated between the pinion gear and the deck plate.

12. In a fishing reel as claimed in claim 11 wherein the thrust washer is seated in a recess formed in the rear face of the deck plate adjacent to the pinion gear.

13. In a fishing reel as claimed in claim 7 wherein a rearwardly facing shoulder is formed on the center shaft and wherein the bearing hub axially abuts the shoulder to provide limited end play between the center shaft and the hub.

14. In a fishing reel as claimed in claim 13 wherein the shoulder is spaced a distance "A" from the spinner head and wherein the axial length of the bearing hub is equal to "B", with the space A plus B being slightly greater than the sum of the length of the hub and the thickness of the deck plate.

15. In a fishing reel as claimed in claim 1 the reel further including a bearing means surrounding the bearing hub and the means is seated between the pinion gear and the deck plate.

16. In a fishing reel as claimed in claim 1 the reel further including a bearing means adjacent the bearing hub and is positioned between the pinion gear and deck plate and partially mounted in the deck plate.

17. Any of the fishing reels substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.