GB2183197A - A tool for removing excess lead weight from a fishline - Google Patents

Abstract

A pointed member (8) extends perpendicularly from one end of one of a pair of pivotally connected arms 1, 2 towards the corresponding end of the other arm. Each of the ends have a front groove 9 where the fishline is inserted when a piece of lead has to be removed by the action of the pointed member. The other ends of the arms (1, 2) are provided with a pair of tongues (10, 11) with front grooves (12) to be used for removing pieces of lead arranged at a very short distance along the fishline end portion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tool for removing excess weight from a fishing line The present invention relates to a tool for removing the excess weight from a fishline of a fishing rod.

As is known, it is common practice to attach small pieces of lead along the end portion of the fishline between the float and the fishhook so as to maintain the latter below the water level at a prefixed depth. It is often necessary to remove one or several pieces of lead exceeding the required weight from the fishline, either to remedy the wrong dosage of the lead, or to apply a different float or, finally, to face any special occurrence in the course of fishing occupation. In order to remove a piece of lead from the fishline, the fisherman usually resorts to pointed tools, tweezers, knives and other similar makeshift tools by means of which the piece of lead is firstly loosened and then detached from the fishline. Apart from the difficulty of the above described operation, the most serious risk is of damaging and finally breaking the fishline.

The object of the present invention is to provide a tool for removing the excess weight from the fishline of a fishing rod in a very easy way and without any risk of damaging the fishline.

The tool according to the invention is formed by a pair of arms hinged together like pliers, from the end of one of which a pointed member extends perpendicularly towards the corresponding end of the other arm, each of said ends further having a front groove extending lengthwise up to the root of the pointed member, The opposite ends of the arms are provided with corresponding flat tang members, which are parallel in operation, on which a further front groove is formed extending lenthwise. The width of these grooves is greater than the diameter of the thread constituting the fishline, but lower than the diameter of the piece of lead attached thereto. In particular, the arms are resiliently connected to each other and are suitably shaped for an easy handling thereof.Preferably the pointed member is of conical shape with an eccentric point aligned to the bottom of the groove formed on the end of the arm to which said member is fixed.

The invention will be illustrated in more detail in the following description made with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side perspective view of the tool according the the invention in a first operating position; Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the tool according to the invention in a second operating position.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a pair of crossangled arms 1 and 2 are hinged together at an intermediate position by a transverse pivot 3. In particular, arm 1 crosses arm 2 at pivot 3 by passing through an opening 4 formed on arm 2 itself. Arms 1 and 2 are also resiliently connected to each other by a spring 5 for maintaining therms in a spread apart condition. Spring 5 is placed in an intermediate position with respect to the length of arms 1 and 2, while the hinge formed by the pivot 3 is positioned between spring 5 and the corresponding ends la and 2a of arms 1 and 2.

Two opposed and spaced apart, plane faces 6 and 7 are formed on ends la and 2a. A pointed member 8 extends from face 7 of end 2a perpendicularly towards face 6 of end 1 a.

On the front side of end la, as well as on the corresponding front side of end 2a, there are formed respective front grooves 9 extending lengthwise along arm 1 and arm 2 up to the root of pointed member 8. The end of pointed member 8 has a conical shape with an eccentric point aligned with the bottom of the corresponding groove 9. The opposite ends 1b and 2b of arms 1 and 2 are provided with a paid of flat tongues 10 and 11, each having at its end a groove 12 extending lengthwise.

Grooves 9 and 12 have flaring inlet walls and a width of their bottom portion greater than the diameter of the thread constituting the fishline, but less than the sectional diameter of the piece of lead attached thereto.

The use of the tool according to the invention is very easy and handy. If the distance among the pieces of lead P is sufficient, the part of the tool formed by the ends la and 2a, referred to as front end, can be used. In such a case it is sufficient to insert the thread of the fishline L into the flared grooves 9 formed on the front end of the tool bringing the piece of lead to be removed into contact with the face 6 opposite to the pointed member 8. To this point it has to exerted a pressure sufficient to cause member 8 to run into the piece of lead like a wedge and open it, thus releasing the thread. If the distance among the pieces of lead is not sufficient for operating with the front end of the tool, there can be used the rear end thereof, i.e. the part of the tool constituted by flat tongues 10 and 11 extending from ends 1 b and 2b.Similarly the thread of fishline L is placed into grooves 12 in such a way that the piece of lead P to be removed is put between tongues 10 and 11. To this point, by exerting a suitable pressure, the piece of lead can be loosened thus enabling it to slide along the fishline thread to a position suitable for removing it by means of the front end of the tool as previously described. Tongues 10 and 11 can be found helpful to attach to the thread other kind of fishline sinkers such as broken pieces of lead of elongated shape.

Advantageously, arms 1 and 2 of the tool according to the invention are suitably shaped to allow an easy handling thereof: in particular the intermediate portion of arms 1 and 2 has an enlarged, substantially box-like shaped portion with a wide flat face 13, preferably knurled or coated with rubber for a better hold, on which a suitable pressure is exerted with one hand and with little effort. In order to iighten the structure of the instrument according to the invention the intermediate enlarged portions of arms 1 and 2 are suitably formed with inner lightening grooves 14.

Preferably, arms 1 and 2 are made of molded plastic material, while the pointed member 8 and the tongues 10 and 11 are made of steel or other suitable metallic material.

The invention is not to be considered as being limited by the embodiment described herein and it is understood that it comprises any form of variation or modification which falls within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Claims (5)

1. Tool for removing the excess weight frm a fishline having a plurality of pieces of lead attached to its end portion, characterized in that it comprises a pair of arms (1, 2) hinged together like pliers and a pointed member (8) extending perpendicularly from one end (1a) of one of said arms towards the corresponding end (2a) of the other arm, each of said ends (la, 2a) having a front groove (9) extending lengthwise to the root of said pointed member (8), a pair of flat tongues (10, 11) being further provided at the opposite ends (1b, 2b) of said arms (1, 2) said tongues being operatively parallel and each having a longitudinal front groove (12), the width of said grooves (9, 12) being greater than the diameter of the thread forming the fishline, but lower than the sectional diameter of the said pieces of lead.

2. Tool according to claim 1, wherein said arms (1, 2) are resiliently hinged together.

3. Tool according to the previous claims, wherein said pointer member (8) has a conic end with an eccentric point aligned to the bottom of the front groove (9) formed at the end (1a) of the arm from which said pointed member (8) protudes.

4. Tool according to the previous claims, wherein said arms (1, 2) have enlarged intermediate portions on which relevant, opposite plane faces (13) are formed suitable of being handled to exert the required clamping force.

5. Tool for removing the excess weight from a fishline substantially as hereinbefore illustrated with reference to the attached drawings.