GB2153288A

GB2153288A - Tool and method for preparing bait

Info

Publication number: GB2153288A
Application number: GB08401954A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Springham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-01-25
Filing date: 1984-01-25
Publication date: 1985-08-21
Also published as: GB8401954D0

Abstract

A bait press for forming shapes from paste for anglers bait, comprises jaws 3 which are mounted on pivotable handles 1. A spring 4 urges the handles 1 apart. Half moulds 8 of polytetre- fluorethylene and having a semi- spherical shape are detachably mounted by a screw connection 13 on the jaws 3. The half moulds 8 have a thin lip 10. Paste is rolled into a ball or other appropriate shape then positioned between half moulds 8. The jaws 3 are urged together to press the bait into a ball, or other shape depending on the shape of the moulds 8, with excess bait forming a flashing which is rubbed off. The jaws are then released and the formed shapes boiled in the conventional manner. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tool and method for preparing bait This invention relates to the preparation of bait for use by anglers.

In fishing for certain types of fish, e.g. carp, bait is normally prepared in the form of balls of nutrient material. In order to get the fish to rise, a number of such balls are projected by catapult into the limited zone, and the angler subsequently casts his line into the same zone with the hook baited with a further ball of the same bait. It will be appreciated that for accurate projection with minimum scatter to limit the size of the zone, the balls of bait need to be of substantially the same size.

The bait is normally prepared by mixing the required ingredients in a raw state to form a paste. The paste is then broken up and rolled by hand into balls of the requisite size, and the balls then boiled for the required time. In order for the balls to be accurate in dimension for projection, considerable care has to be exercised in the breaking off of pieces for rolling and in the rolling itself. This means that the preparation of bait for a fishing expedition may take several hours. Also, not all desired bait materials can be rolled accurately enough.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool, and a method of using such a tool, for simplifying and speeding the formation of the balls of paste.

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a tool for the formation of balls or other shapes of paste, primarily for use as bait, comprising a handoperable press having a pair of jaws arranged to be squeezed together, each jaw carrying a half-mould co-operable with the other halfmould to form a ball or other required shape of paste and to form a flash of any surplus paste.

The press may for instance resemble a pair of tongs or pliers, so that the jaws may be spring-loaded apart. The half-moulds are preferably semi-spherical in configuration, ending with comparatively thin section open ends or lips to form the flash.

The half-moulds may be releasable from the jaws. e.g. threadedly attached, for replacement if damaged and for interchangeability to widen the utility of the press. For ready release of the shapes, the half-moulds may be formed of polytetrafluorethylene or similar plastics material.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of preparing balls or other required shaped bodies of bait comprising the steps of forming a paste and using a tool according to the invention as set forth above to form the shapes of the said paste.

The paste is preferably rolled, normally manually, into solid cylinders or sausages of a diameter only slightly greater than the required balls prior to feeding to the press. No great accuracy is required at this stage.

There is thus provided a much simplified, and less messy, method of preparing balls of bait.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of bait press in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 is a section taken along the line A-A of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 shows a tool comprising a pair of handles 1 pivoted together about an axis 2 and defining a pair of jaws 3 which may be squeezed together by compressing the handles 1 together, against the action of a spring 4. The handles 1 are of U section as shown in Fig. 2. A stop plate 5 is pivotably attached to one of the jaws 3 to limit opening movement of the jaws 3. The position of the stop plate is adjustable by means of a screw 6 which acts as a pivot axis and also serves to clamp the plate 5 to its associated jaw 3. A screw 7 on one of the handles 1 stands sufficiently proud to engage the other handle 1 to act as a stop to limit closing movement.

Each of the jaws carries a half-mould 8 having a semi-spherical mould recess 9 terminating in a comparatively thin section lip 10.

The half moulds 8 each have a base portion 1 2 with a flat surface abutting a flat base plate 11 mounted on the corresponding jaw.

The base portions 1 2 each have a threaded spigot 1 3 extending through the corresponding base plate 11 and engaging in a mating threaded hole in the corresponding jaw 3.

This mode of releasable fixing makes the halfmoulds 8, which are preferably of polytetrafluorethylene or the like, readily replaceable in case of damage or the need to fit half-moulds 8 of a different size. It will be seen that the half-moulds 8 are protected against undue compression force by the provision of the stop formed by the screw 7. The screw 7 might need to be re-positioned to an alternative hole (not shown), if half-moulds 8 of different size were fitted.

By way of example, it is envisaged that the mould recess 9 might be of 7mm internal radius, and the lips 10 of 1 mm thickness. The handles 1. jaws 3 and base plates 11 might be of plated mild steel, but suitably synthetic materials could be used.

In use, a batch of paste of suitable bait ingredients would be mixed and a portion of the batch rolled on a flat surface to form a sausage of a diamter slightly greater than the diameter of the recesses 9. No great accuracy is required for this, provided that the sausage is sufficiently large, for the half moulds 8 to be filled on closing, since the lips 10 form a flash of surplus material during moulding of the balls. The sausage is then introduced between the half-moulds 8, and the jaws are squeezed together to form a ball, with surplus material in a flashing, which is readily rubbed off. The potentially wasted material forming the flashing can be collected and returned to the mixture. After formation of the balls, these are boiled as is conventional.

It will be seen that the process of forming the balls of paste is quicker and more 3CCU- rate than the conventional hand rolling, thus relieving the angler of a tedious chore, and also ensuring the consistency of size of the finished bait balls.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. For instance, the stops may be located differently and the adjustable stop plate 5 may be replaced by a simple, possibly variable position, stop similar to the screw 7. Also, while semi-spherical half-moulds 8 are described, other shapes may be used.

Claims

1. A tool for shaping paste for bait, comprising a hand-operable press having a pair of jaws arranged to be squeezed together, each jaw carrying a half-mould co-operable with the other half-mould to form the shape of paste and a flash of any surplus paste.

2. A tool as claimed in claim 1, in the form of a pair of pliers and in which the jaws are spring-loaded apart.

3. A tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the half-moulds are hemi-spherical.

4. A tool as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the half mould has a thin lip which in use abuts the co-operating half mould.

5. A tool as claimed in any one of claim 1 to 4, wherein the half moulds are releasably affixed to the jaws.

6. A tool as claimed in claim 5, wherein a plurality of different shaped or sized halfmoulds are provided.

7. A tool as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a stop is provided to limit movement of the jaws towards one another.

8. A tool as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the half-moulds are of polytetrafluorethylene.

9. A tool for forming shapes of paste for bait, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. A method of preparing shapes of bait, comprising the steps of forming a paste and forming shapes therefrom using a tool as defined in any one of claims 1 to 9.