GB2165431A

GB2165431A - Improvements in fishing rods

Info

Publication number: GB2165431A
Application number: GB08523659A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Eccles
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-10-17
Filing date: 1985-09-25
Publication date: 1986-04-16
Also published as: GB8523659D0; GB8426274D0; GB2165431B

Abstract

A fishing rod of the type which is hollow from its tip to a point adjacent which, in use, the reel will initially discharge the line; in which the line, instead of passing through the conventional succession of eyes along the outer surface of the rod, enters the hollow rod at or adjacent the said point and runs up the inside of the rod to merge at or adjacent the tip thereof; the rod being stepped, in the region 16 where the reel is to be fixed in use, so that the line as it discharges initially from the reel runs straight into the hollow rod rather than bearing against the surface of the hollow interior of the rod in frictional engagement therewith, which further comprises, a tip region at which the line emerges from the inside of the rod which is appropriately reinforced (or is already inherently made of suitably wear resistant material); the tip region being bell mouthed so as to minimise the tendency of the line to wear the edge of the rod in repeated use. (Figures 2 and 4). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in fishing rods Field of the Invention The invention relates to fishing rods and is applicable to virtually all sizes and kinds of rod, from tournament beach casting rods at one end of the scale to simple weekend fly fishing rods at the other end.

Background of the Invention Fishing rods conventionally incorporate a succession of eyes along the length of the rod, through which the line runs. These eyes, on specialist rods, can be expensive. On any kind of rod, however, they are relatively easily damaged.

Because they protrude from the rod surface individually, they can be broken when sliding the rod sections into their travelling tube or case, or when leaning the rod as a whole against a barrier down which it subsequently slides inadvertently.

Another drawback with using conventional eyes is that they require firm location on the rod, but this is relatively rarely achieved and, in the attempt to achieve it, relatively large amounts of whipping are often used. This whipping, and its conventional accompanying gluing and varnishing, is a time consuming job. The results can unbalance the rod and, like the eyes themselves, special whippings and glues can be relatively expensive.

In an attempt two overcome these problems a rod was devised in which the line, instead of passing through eyes along the edge of the rod, pass through the centre of the rod. This became possible with the advent of carbon fibre rods which were generally hollow. These early hollow rods comprise a butt region on which the reel was mounted and a hollow tip region in which the axes of the hollow region and the butt were parallel but offset, the two regions being joined together by a bar or block.

These proved very successful for casting except that there was a great problem in wear of the line against the inside of the fishing rod, especially at the tip region. One modification which was proposed was to place a coil spring along the inside of the hollow rod. However, this caused a great deal of friction of the line inside the rod and tended to reduce the casting efficiency of the rod.

Summary of the Invention According to the invention in its broadest aspect, there is provided a fishing rod of the type which is hollow from its tip to a point adjacent which, in use, the reel will initially discharge the line; in which the line, instead of passing through the conventional succession of eyes along the outer surface of the rod, enters the hollow rod at or adjacent the said point and runs up the inside of the rod to emerge at or adjacent the tip thereof, and in which the rod is stepped, in the region where the reel is to be fixed in use, so that the line as it discharges initially from the reel runs straight into the hollow rod to reduce frictional engagement of the line with the surface of the hollow interior of the rod, which further comprises a tip region at which the line emerges from the inside of the rod, being appropriately reinforced (or is already inherently made of suitably wear resistant material); the tip region being bellmouthed so as to minimise the tendency of the line to wear the edge of the rod in repeated use.

The tendency of a conventional line to wear the surface of its rod eyes into a groove is well known, and the more expensive eyes are often internally reinforced to try to minimise that tendency. The bellmouth of the tip region minimises the friction between the line and the inside tip edge of the rod.

The tip region may be parallel sided up to the bellmouth, but preferably the cross-section of the hollow region increases gradually towards the bellmouth.

The reinforced bell-mouth may be provided by a conventional eye situated at the end of the rod.

The rod may advantageously have one or more eyes housed along its length. If there are more than one they are preferably of the same diameter. There is no need, as with a conventional rod, for the diameter of the eyes to decrease from the butt towards the tip.

The rod may be stepped in the same way as the early hollow rods so that the rod comprises a butt and a hollow region parallel but not aligned with each otherjoined buy a stepped member comprising a block with means to attach it to the butt and hollow region.

The block may include two parallel bores into which may be inserted the butt and end of hollow region respectively. Similarly the block may have mounted on it two hollow sleeves which can slip over the ends of the butt and hollow region.

In this case the point of entry of the line into the hollow part of the rod is preferably the open end of the hollow. Preferably this region is reinforced to prevent wear.

However it is possible to mould a single member which extends in a curve from the butt to the hollow region of the rod.

It this case it is preferred that the point of entry into the hollow rod is through a side wall of the curve.

In one embodiment of the invention the stepped region is arranged such that the reel is mounted on a region which is offset from both the butt and the hollow region which are aligned with each other.

The preferred material for the rod is carbon fibre or boron based. The rod may be made entirely of one material, especially carbon fibre.

Brief Description of the Drawings Five fishing rods in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows in a perspective a first fishing rod; Figure 2 shows in cross sectioned side elevation, and to an enlarged scale, the reinforced tip of the rod of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows in cross sectioned side elevation, and to an enlarged scale, the point of entry of the line into the rod of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows an enlarged scale, the tip region of a second fishing rod; Figure 5 shows the stepped region of the fishing rod of Figure 4; Figure 6 shows the stepped region of a third fishing rod; Figure 7 shows the stepped region of a fourth fishing rod; and Figure 8 shows, in perspective, part of a fifth fishing rod.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments A first elongate fishing rod consists of a number of inter engaging dismantleable sections including a butt 11 separated from a succession of carbon fibre blanks 12 to 15 by a section 16. The butt, and the sections 12 to 15, when assembled all embrace substantially the same linear axis. The section 16 is stepped relative to that axis.

The sections 12 to 15 are each hollow and define when assembled a continuous hollow tunnel extending along the rod and embracing its central linear axis. The diameter of this hollow tunnel is substantially constant and is sufficiently greater than the diameter of the line with which the rod is to be used for the line to be a free running fit in the tunnel.

The line itself is carried on a reel 17 which can be of selected conventional construction and which fits releasably on the stepped section 16 by known clamping means. The reel 17 discharges the line 18 into the first (12) of the hollow sections of the rod.

The stepped section 16 so positions the reel 17 that, as the line 18 comes off the reel, it discharges straight into the hollow section 12 without bearing against the inside surface of that section.

As the line 18 emerges from the tip of the rod, ie., from the end of the section 15, it runs through a metal button 19 illustrated in Figure 2. The button 19 is a tight press fit over the end of the rod section 15.

Like the rod sections 12 to 15, the button 19 is hollow. It is bell-mouthed, as Figure 2 shows, to minimise the friction generated between it and the line 18 in use.

Figure 3 drawn like Figure 2 in cross section and to an enlarged scale, illustrates the way line 18 enters section 12 via the tunnel hollowed into the projecting region of section 16. Here the point of entry of the line 18 is through a side wall of the curved region of the stepped section 16.

A second example of a fishing rod in accordance with the invention is shown in part in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings. The rod comprises a butt 20 which is to be held by an angler and onto which a reel is to be mounted and a hollow region 21 made up of a series of carbon fibre blanks. The carbon fibre blanks are sold under the trade mark ZZIPLEX sold by Carroll Laminate of Unit 5, North Close, Shawncliff Industrial Estate, Folkestone, Kent.

The blanks are hollow and have smooth insides so there is nothing to impede the line as it passes through the rod. The blanks screw into each other to make up the rod. At the end of the hollow region 21 is a tip region 22 whose inner cross section increases towards the tip 24 which is bell-mouthed.

The bell-mouth 24 is formed by a conventional eye which is adhered to the end of the flared portion 22.

Thus, the line, as it passes out of the rod 21 will not wear away the inside of the tip region 24.

Housed within the hollow region 21 and spaced along its length are a series of rings (not shown) which are conventional eyes, all of the same diameter. These serve to reinforce the inside of the rod.

The butt 20 and hollow region 21 are parallel but offset from each other being joined by a stepped member 25 which comprises a steel block having projecting therefrom sleeve 26 and in the opposite direction insert 27. Both inserts 27 and sleeve 26 are hollow inside. In this case butt 20 has a section 28 of reduced cross section which fits within sleeve 26 to lock the butt 20 in position. The hollow rod 21 has an internal diameter greater than the diameter of insert 27 so that the hollow region 21 can be slid over the insert 27 by locking ring 29.

The block 25 has a bore 30 which forms the point of entry of the line into the hollow region 21 of the rod.

A third example of a rod is similar two the second example save that the construction of the stepped member 31 is slightly different. Here the butt 32 comprises a steel region 33 tipped by a carbon fibre region 34. The region 34 is hollow and has an internal diameter greater than that of an insert (not shown) projecting from the stepped member 31.

The hollow region 35 of the rod has a diameter less than that of sleeve 36 also projecting from step member 31 so that it can be slid into place. In Figure 6 the position of a line is shown and it can be seen that the line does not have to bear against the edge of the wall 37 when a small reel is mounted on the butt 32. However, if a larger reel is used in some cases it is necessary for the line to enter the bore 37 at an angle. For this reason the edge of the bored 37 is reinforced.

Afourth example of a rod is similar two the second and third rods but have a different stepped member 38. Hete both the butt 39 and the hollow region 40 are inserted into sleeves 41 and 42 respectively projecting from the stepped member 38.

Afifth example of a rod in accordance with the invention is shown in Figure 8. This comprises a single moulded member 43 of carbon fibre having a tip region as shown in Figure 4 and comprising a butt 44, hollow region 45 connected by a smoothly curved stepping region 46. In this case the butt 44 and hollow region 45 are not aligned. The point of entry 47 of the line 48 into the hollow region 45 is the same as is shown in Figure 3 in connection with the first fishing rod.

Claims

1. A fishing rod of the type which is hollow from its tip to a point adjacent which, in use, the reel will initially discharge the line; in which the line, instead of passing through the conventional succession of eyes along the outer surface of the rod, enters the hollow rod at or adjacent the said point and runs up the inside of the rod to emerge at or adjacent the tip thereof, and in which the rod is stepped, in the region where the reel is to be fixed in use, so that the line as it discharges initially from the reel runs straight into the hollow rod to reduce frictional engagement of the line with the surface of the hollow interior of the rod, which further comprises a tip region at which the line emerges from the inside of the rod, being appropriately reinforced (or is already inherently made of suitably wear resistant material); the tip region being bell mouthed so as to minimise the tendency of the line to wear the edge of the rod in repeated use.

2. Afishing rod according to Claim 1, in which the cross section of the hollow tip region increase towards the bell mouth of the tip.

3. Afishing rod according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the bell mouth of the tip is formed by a ring being a conventional eye situated at the end of the tip region.

4. A fishing rod according to any one of Claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein at least one reinforcing ring is housed within the hollow rod.

5. Afishing rod according to Claim 4 wherein a plurality of rings are spaced apart from each other along the inside of the hollow region of the rod, the diameter ofthe rings being substantially equally.

6. Afishing rod according to any one of the preceding Claims, in which, the stepped region of the rod extending from the butt region held by the angler to the hollow region is a single moulded member.

7. Afishing rod according to Claim 6, in which the single moulded member curved gradually and in which the point of entry of the line into the hollow rod is through the side wall of the curved region.

8. A fishing rod according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, in which the whole rod is one integral piece.

9. A fishing rod according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the rod is arranged to be stepped twice, such that the butt held by the angler is aligned with the hollow rod and the part of the rod on which the reel is to be fixed in use is offset from this axis.

10. Afishing rod according to any one of the preceding Claims, in which at least the hollow region of the rod is made of carbon fibre.

11. A fishing rod arranged substantially as described herein, with reference to and as illustrated in the Figures 1, and 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A fishing rod arranged substantially as described herein, with reference to, and as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A fishing rod arranged substantially as described herein, with reference to, and as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 when modified in accordance with Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A fishing rod arranged substantially as described herein, with reference to, and as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 when modified in accordance with Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.

15. A fishing rod arranged substantially as described herein, with reference to, and as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 when modified in accordance with Figure 8 and Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.