GB2181932A - Improvements in fishing rod rests - Google Patents

Abstract

A rest for a fishing rod comprises an elongate tubular member (1) having a pointed member (2) at one end for planting the rest in the ground and a pair of arms (3, 4) at its other end for supporting a fishing rod. A fixed electrical contact (5) is secured by screws (7) to one arm (3) and a movable electrical contact (6) is secured by a screw (8) to the other arm (4), the movable contact (6) being urged into engagement with the fixed contact (5) by a spring (9). The contacts (5, 6) are connected by electric wires (15, 16) to a buzzer (17) and a dry cell (14) located in a casing (11) which is secured to the tubular member (1). When a fishing rod is laid between the arms (3, 4), it depresses the movement contact (6) so that contact with the fixed contact (5) is broken. If the rod is removed, the movable contact (6) will again be urged by the spring (9) into engagement with the fixed contact (5) to close the electric circuit and activate the buzzer (17). This will alert the owner of the fishing rod to unauthorised removal of the fishing rod from the rest and prevent theft of the rod. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in Fishing Rod Rests This invention relates to improvements in rests for fishing rods.

The problem with conventional fishing rod rests is that a fishing rod can easily be removed from a rest by an unauthorised person and if the owner of the fishing rod is unaware of this, the rod can then easily be stolen.

The present invention aims to provide a rest for a fishing rod which prevents, or at least discourages, the unauthorised removal of a fishing rod from the rest.

According to the invention, there is provided a rest for a fishing rod which comprises an elongate member having, at one end, means for supporting a fishing rod, wherein the rod supporting means is provided with a switch arranged to be open when a fishing rod is supported on the rest and to close if the rod is removed therefrom, and an alarm device which is arranged to be activated when the switch is in the closed position.

Preferably, the elongate member is hollow and the alarm device is spaced from the rod supporting means, the alarm device being connected to the switch by electric wires running through the hollow interior of the elongate member.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rod supporting means comprise two arms and the switch comprises a fixed contact mounted on one of the arms and a movable contact mounted on the other arm of the rod supporting means. A spring may be provided which is arranged to act on the movable contact to urge it against the fixed contact.

The alarm device desirably comprises a casing housing power means in the form of one or more dry cells or the like and an audible buzzer which are electrically connected to the switch. A visual alarm such as a flashing lamp may also be provided in addition to the buzzer.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the drawing which shows one embodiment of a rest for a fishing rod according to the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the fishing rod rest comprises a hollow elongate member in the form of a tube 1 having a solid pointed member 2 at one end by means of which the rest may be planted in the ground. At its other end, which is the upper end when the rod is in use, the tube 1 is provided with a pair of curved arms 3 and 4. A first electrical contact in the form of a metal strip 5 is secured by a screw or like fixing means 7 to the arm 3 and a second electrical contact in the form of a metal strip 6 is secured at one end to the arm 4 by a screw or like fixing means 8. The other end of the strip 6 extends to below the strip 5 and a coil spring 9 located in the arm 4 normally urges the strip 6 into contact with the strip 5.

Secured to the tube 1 adjacent to its lower end is a casing 11, the base of the casing having a bore 12 which communicates with a corresponding bore in the side wall of the tube 1. Electric wires 15 and 16, connected respectively to the metal strips 5 and 6 are led down the tube 1 and pass through the bore 12 into the casing 11. One of the wires 15 is connected to a contact 13 to which one terminal of one of a pair of dry cells 14 connected in series is connected and the other wire 16 is connected to a buzzer 17. The dry cells and the buzzer are mounted in the casing and the buzzer is connected by an electrical connection 18to the other dry cell 14 to complete an electric circuit when the metal strips 5 and 6 are in contact with one another.

The casing is closed by a lid 19 which is preferably secured to the casing by means of screws 20 located at each corner of the lid. The casing and lid should be made of a robust material to prevent damage to the internal components. A suitable aluminium alloy is preferred although impact-resistant synthetic plastics materials such as suitable epoxy resins may also meet the requirements of robustness.

in use, the rest is located at a suitable position by planting the pointed member 2 in the ground and a fishing rod is then laid onto the rest so that it rests on the metal strip 6. The weight of the rod (not shown) will depress the strip 6, against the force of the spring 9, so that the strip 6 will be moved out of contact with the strip 5. As a result, the electric circuit will be broken and the buzzer 17 will be deactivated. However, as soon as the fishing rod is removed from the rest, the strip 6 will again be urged by the spring 9 into contact with the strip 5 to close the electric circuit and activate the buzzer 17.

Thus, if the fishing rod has been removed from the rest by an unauthorized person, the activation of the buzzer will immediately alert the owner who can take appropriate action to recover his property.

It might be possible to remove the rod and the rod rest together in order to avoid activating the alarm buzzer. In order to prevent this from happening, a third electrical contact 10 is desirably mounted on the arm 3 by means of the screw or like fixing means 7 and is connected to the electrical contact 5 and/or to the wire 15. The spacing between the contacts 5 and 10 is of the order of a few millimetres with the end of the contact 6 located between them. The movable contact 6 is so arranged that the weight of a fishing rod will be just sufficient to locate the movable contact between the two fixed contacts 5 and 10. Any pressure or force applied to the rod or to the rest will immediately upset the delicate balance of the movable contact so that said contact will move into contact with one or other of the fixed contacts to activate the buzzer.

A further advantage of the third contact 10 is that the movable contact 6 will be moved into contact with the third contact 10 if a fish should be hooked on the associated fishing line thus alerting the rod owner that he has caught a fish.

It will be appreciated that activation of the buzzer 17 when a rod is not bearing on the strip 6 could be inconvenient when the rest is not in use. However, the buzzer can be deactivated by inserting a piece of electrically insulating material between the strips 5 and 6. Alternativeiy, a concealed, manuallyoperated, switch could be provided on the casing 11 or the dry cells 14 could be removed from the casting.

The tube 1 and pointed end member 2 are preferably made of an aluminium alloy although other materials may be used if desired. The arms 3 and 4 are desirably formed integrally as a yoke of synthetic plastics material although, again, other materials may be used if desired.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention prevents or at least minimises the risk of theft of fishing rods from rests.

Claims (9)

1. A rest for a fishing rod comprising an elongate member having, at one end, means for supporting a fishing rod, wherein the rod supporting means is provided with a switch arranged to be open when a fishing rod is supported on the rest and to close if the rod is removed therefrom and an alarm device which is arranged to be activated when the switch is in the closed position.

2. A fishing rod rest according to Claim 1, wherein the elongate member is hollow and the alarm device is spaced from the rod supporting means, the alarm device being connected to the switch by electric wires running through the hollow interior of the elongate member.

3. A fishing rod rest according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the rod supporting means comprise two arms and the switch comprises a fixed contact mounted on one of the arms and a movable contact mounted on the other arm of the rod supporting means.

4. A fishing rod rest according to Claim 3, wherein a spring is arranged to act on the movable contactto urge it against the fixed contact.

5. A fishing rod rest according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein a further fixed contact is provided which is spaced from the first-mentioned fixed contact, the movable contact being located between the two fixed contacts.

6. A fishing rod rest according to any preceding claim, wherein the alarm device comprises a casing housing power means and an audible buzzer which are electrically connected to the switch.

7. Afishing rod rest according to Claim 6, wherein the power means comprise one or more dry cells.

8. A fishing rod rest according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein the alarm device further comprises a visual alarm in the form of a flashing lamp.

9. A rest for a fishing rod substantially as described herein with reference to the drawing.