GB2123261A - Bait container - Google Patents

Abstract

An anglers' bait container is of the kind which is given a filling of bait, such as breadcrumbs and/or maggots, and attached to a fishing line and allowed to sink under its own weight, with distribution of bait from time to time through holes in the container. The container has a tubular body 1 with weighting on it, and a removable end cap 7, 8 is provided at each end of the body so that the container can be used both with the end caps in place as a "block-end swimfeeder", and also with the end caps removed as an "open-ended swimfeeder". The end caps are preferably tight sliding fits, but are manually removable, and one end cap may fit over one end of the body, and the other may fit within the other end of the body. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Anglers' bait container This invention relates to an anglers' bait container, of the kind which is provided with a filling of bait, such as breadcrumbs and/or maggots, and which is attached to a fishing line and then allowed to sink under its own weight, for distribution of bait from time to time through holes in the container.

Such containers are well known in the art under the generic name of "swimfeeders". Depending upon the manner in which it is desired to permit distribution of bait, the angler must use either a so-called "block-end swimfeeder", which is a container closed except for aperturing in its well to release the bait, or a so-called "open-ended swimfeeder" which can obtain a tight packing of bait which can then emerge not only through the holes in the wall, but also through the major openings at each end of the container.

Hitherto, it has been necessary for an angler to have at least one of each kind of swimfeeder, to be adequately equipped. It is accordingly the object of the present invention to provide an improved form of bait container which can be readily adapted to permit it to fulfill both of the functions of "blockend" and "open-end" swimfeeder.

According to the present invention, a bait container comprises a tubular body, a removable end cap at each end of the body, and weighting means on the body to cause the container to sink in water when containing bait, the container having aperturing for the emergence of bait such as breadcrumbs and/or maggots.

Each end cap is preferably a relatively tight sliding fit at its respective end of the body, but is nevertheless removable by hand when required.

With such a construction, the two end caps can be left in place so that the container then becomes the equivalent of the so-called block-end feeder. Further, the two end caps can be removed when required, to provide a so-called open-ended swimfeeder.

In a preferred arrangement, the end cap at one end is made to fit externally over the adjacent end of the container, whereas the end cap at the other end is made to fit internally within that adjacent end of the container. The end caps are advantageously provided with abutment means which readily determine and limit the extent to which the end cap can be applied onto or into the body.

The weighting means may advantageously be a strip of lead or other heavy material which is laid within a longitudinal external recess of the body so as to present little or no external projection on the body, and thus lessen risk of the swimfeeder getting caught on projections or entangled with line or weeds etc. In a preferred arrangement, the weight is a strip of lead which is bent over at each end to embrace the wall of the body, and retain the weight in place.

The externally-fitting cap is arranged to fit exter nally over the lead weight on the body. The internal ly-fitting cap is advantageously provided with an internal chordal flange or wall which lies across the end of the lead strip to close off that end of the body at that point. The internally-fitting cap may have a flange which is a sliding fit within the body, and part of that flange may be omitted at a gap which corresponds to the position of the lead strip.

The body of the container and both of the end caps are advantageously apertured for the emergence of the bait.

Each of the end caps is preferably given a non-plane end face so that resistance to the container being dragged end-on through the water is lessened. In a preferred arrangement, the externallyfitting end cap is of substantially hemi-spherical domed construction, and the internally-fitting end cap is of substantially frusto-conical construction.

In order that the nature of the invention may be readily ascertained, an embodiment of anglers' bait container in accordance therewith is hereinafter particularly described with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the assembled bait container; Figure 2 is a side elevation when both end caps have been removed; Figure 3 is a perspective elevation of the body of the container, with lead weight removed; Figure 4 is section on the line IV-IV of Figure 1, and Figure 5 is a section on the line V-V of Figure 1.

The bait container, also known as a swimfeeder, comprises a body 1 in the form of a cylinder of thin transparent plastics material of a generally resilient but stiff nature, formed by moulding as seen in Figure 3, or by folding a plane sheet of plastics into cylinder and securing it in that form, e.g. by stapling.

The wall of the cylinder is apertured at 2,2,2 to permit entry of water and outward passage of bait such as breadcrumbs and maggots. Along the length of the cylinder 1 there is provided a strip 3 of lead which seats in a longitudinal recess 4 and is held in place by turning over an end portion 5 at each end so as to grip onto the material of the wall of the cylinder. A loop of thread orwire 6 is secured at one end, for attachment of the entire device to a fishing line.

At one end of the cylinder there is mounted, in removable manner, and end cap 7 which is of generally domed shape, and which likewise has apertures 2 for passage of water and bait. The end cap 7 is a push-fit about the outside of the cylinder 1, and has a cylindrical internal surface which mates with the external cylindrical surface of the cylinder 1, the engagement of the end cap onto the cylinder being limited by abutment of the cylinder against the domed surface, see Figure 4.

At its other end, the cylinder 1 carries an end cap 8 which has a hollow cylindrical flange portion 8a which fits within the end of the cylinder 1, and a external frusto-conical portion Sb which lies externally of the cylinder and which forms a base rim at 9 to abut against the end of the cylinder and limit the extent to which the cap 8 can be pushed into the cylinder. The flange portion 8a is a finger-tight sliding fit within the cylinder 1, sufficiently tight to ensure that the end cap 8 will remain in position when required, but can readily be removed manually.

It will be seen that both ends of the device are suitably shaped to present lower resistance, to movement end-on through water, than would a simple cylinder with plane end faces.

When the device is to be used as a closed-end, or so-called "block-end" swimfeeder, the end caps 7 and 8 are left in position, and the device appears as seen in Figure 1. In this construction, breadcrumbs and/or maggots can be placed in the container so formed, and can come out of the holes 2 from time to time.

When the device is to be used as a so-called "open-ended swimfeeder", both of the end caps 7 and 8 are removed, and the device than has the appearance seen in Figure 2. In this condition, the swimfeeder can be packed tightly with breadcrumbs and maggots, in well known manner.

The device accordingly provides the advantage that it can be used for both methods of operation, by simple removal or application of the end caps, and thus permits the user to cut down the cost and the amount of the tackle which must be held.

Claims (12)

1. A bait container comprising a tubular body havig a removable end cap at each end thereof and having aperturing for the emergence of bait such as breadcrumbs and/or maggots, and weighting means on said body to cause the container to sink in water when containing bait.

2. A bait container, as claimed in claim 1, wherein each end cap is a tight sliding fit at its respective end of the body but is manually removable.

3. A bait container, as claimed in either of claims 1 and 2, wherein the end cap at one end fits externally over the adjacent end of the body, and the end cap at the other end fits internally within that other end of the body.

4. A bait container, as claimed in either of claims 2 and 3, having abutment means limiting the extent to which each end cap can be fitted onto or into the body.

5. A bait container, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body has a longitudinal external recess, and wherein said weighting means is a strip of lead or like heavy material laid within said recess and presenting substantially no external projection on the body.

6. A bait container, as claimed in claim 5, where in said weighting means is a strip bent over at each end to embrance the wall of the body and retain the strip in place.

7. A bait container, as claimed in claim 6 when dependent upon claim 5 and claim 3, wherein said one end cap fits externally over said weighting strip, and wherein said other end cap has an internal chordal wall lying across the adjacent end of said strip to close the end of the body.

8. A bait container, as claimed in claim 7, where in said other end cap has a flange which is a sliding fit within the body and said flange is gapped at a position corresponding to that of said weighting strip.

9. A bait container, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said body and both of said end caps are apertured for the emergence of bait.

10. A bait container, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each said end cap has a non-plane end face such that resistance to the container being dragged end-on through water is lessened.

11. A bait container, as claimed in claim 10, as dependent upon claim 3, wherein said externally fitted end cap is of substantially hemi-spherical domed shape, and said internally fitted end cap is of substantially frusto-conical shape.

12. A bait container substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.