GB2250167A

GB2250167A - Angler's apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2250167A
Application number: GB9123085A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Glenn Andrew Burton
Original assignee: Paul Frederick Stafford
Current assignee: Paul Frederick Stafford
Priority date: 1990-11-12
Filing date: 1991-10-31
Publication date: 1992-06-03
Also published as: GB9123085D0

Abstract

A swim feeder comprises a biodegradable bait receptacle part 10 releasably connected to a weight part 12 capable of being connected to a fishing line. Should the feeder become snagged underwater the weight part 12 may be pulled free of the receptacle part 10 and retrieved on the line. The receptacle part 10 may be formed by folding a sheet of material and retained by tabs 28 on the weight part 12. <IMAGE>

Description

Angler's apparatus The invention relates to an item of angler's apparatus known as a swim feeder, that is to say a receptacle for a quantity of bait from which the bait can be dispensed in the region of the baited hook.

Conventional swim feeders are usually made as a synthetic plastics moulding and weighted with lead with a plurality of small holes through which the bait can escape. Such feeders have a closure cap which can be removed for filling the receptacle with bait. The feeder is attached to a line and the arrangement will be such that the device can either be positioned on the bottom of a river or pond for the bait to escape there as required, or the device can be suspended at some required depth for the bait to escape at that depth.

A particular drawback when using a conventional swim feeder is that if it becomes snagged on an underwater obstruction it may be necessary to abandon it by pulling on the line with sufficient force to break the cord which connects the swim feeder to the baited hook. This is harmful to the environment besides being a financial loss to the angler. The invention has for its object to at least alleviate this drawback and in particular to reduce the amount of lead which is at present lost in rivers and ponds.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a swim feeder comprising a body part forming a bait receptacle and a weighted part connected to the body part and having means for attachment to a line, the connection between the body part and the weighted part being releasable by the application of a force through said line attachment.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of making a swim feeder, the method including the step of forming a bait receiving receptacle from a sheet of material by folding it, and retaining the receptacle in its formed shape by the use of retention means capable of breaking away from said receptacle on the application of force. The method may include the further step of scoring or weakening (for example by perforating) the sheet of material from which the receptacle is to be formed, along fold lines to facilitate the folding of the sheet. It may also include the further step of forming the sheet of material from which the receptacle is to be formed with a plurality of apertures with which the retention means are to be engaged.The step of retaining the receptacle in its formed shape may be performed by forming a metal plate with at least a pair of deformable tab elements and engaging said tab elements with the plurality of apertures in the material of which the receptacle has been formed.

According to another aspect of the invention, a kit of parts for a swim feeder comprises at least one body member arranged to be formed into a receptacle for bait and a weighted member for giving the feeder negative buoyancy and being provided with means for attaching a line, said members having connection means for assembling the weighted member with said receptacle, said connection means being arranged to be releasable in use by the application of force through said line attachment.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a swim feeder including a bait receptacle which has been formed from a sheet of material folded and retained in its formed shape by retention means capable of being attached to a fishing line and able to break away from said receptacle on the application of an excessive force. The sheet of material from which the bait receptacle has been formed will preferably have been scored or weakened (for example by having been perforated) along fold lines facilitating the folding of said sheet. It will preferably have been provided with a plurality of apertures with which the retention means have been engaged.

The retention means may be constituted by at least a pair of deformable tab elements of a metal plate. The bait receptacle will preferably have been formed of a material which is bio-degradable.

In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a swim feeder embodying the invention, Figure 2 illustrates the shape of a flat sheet of material from which a part of the feeder is made, Figure 3 illustrates the shape of a flat metal plate from which another part of the feeder is made, Figure 4 shows the two parts of the feeder being joined together, and Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 which illustrates a possible modification which will be referred to.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, the swim feeder there illustrated is made in two parts, that is to say a receptacle part 10 and a basal part 12. As shown, the receptacle part is of substantially wedge shape with an open mouth 14 at a front end. A rear wall 16 of the receptacle is provided with a plurality of small holes 18 and a sloping upper wall 20 is provided with a single rectangular aperture 22.

In Figure 2 there is illustrated the shape of a flat sheet of material from which the receptacle part of the feeder has been formed. As shown, the central rectangular area of the sheet, which is to become the sloping upper wall 20, is flanked by areas 21,21 which are to become the wedge shaped side walls of the receptacle. Rectangular areas 23,23 which are connected to the areas 21,21 will become overlapping basal walls which in the constructed feeder overlie the basal part 12. The area which is to become the rear wall 16 of the receptacle is connected to what in Figure 2 is the upper edge of the central rectangular area. The rear wall area 16 is flanked by narrow flap portions 17,17 and at its upper edge is connected to a rectangular flap portion 19.As shown, the flap portion 19 which in the constructed feeder is turned under to overlie a rearward portion of the basal walls, together with the rectangular areas 23,23 which are to form said basal walls, are provided with narrow slots 24.

The lines which divide the various areas of the flat sheet and the flap portions from each other are all deeply scored or perforated to facilitate the folding of the sheet along those lines.

In Figure 3 there is illustrated the shape of a flat sheet of lead plate from which the basal part 12 of the feeder is to be formed. As shown, a main area 26 of the sheet is of substantially rectangular shape with projecting tab portions 28 at its opposite ends. The sheet is provided with a hole 30 through which a length of line can be threaded to connect the constructed feeder to the line carrying the baited hook.

As illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 4, the sheet of material shown in Figure 2 can be folded into shape and the tab portions 28, both of which have been brought to an upstanding position can be caused to extend through the overlapping slots 24.

When the basal walls of the receptacle have been brought down onto the main area 26 of the lead sheet, the tab portions can be folded over to some extent (but preferably not flat down) so that they constitute retention means capable of retaining the receptacle in its formed shape but capable of breaking away from said receptacle by the application of force.

It has been found that a swim feeder as just described has a number of advantages. Primarily, if the feeder becomes snagged on an underwater obstruction it will generally be able to be pulled free, the receptacle 10 being detached from the basal part 12, generally by the tab portions of the basal part releasing the entire receptacle, although it has been found that the scoring or perforating of the receptacle blanks along the fold lines has had the added advantage of enabling the receptacle to more easily break away from the basal part or to break open and thereby be released from whatever has snagged it. The angler can carry a number of the receptacle blanks in flat condition so that he can quickly repair a damaged feeder by forming and then fitting a new receptacle to the basal part 12.The amount of lead being lost in rivers and ponds should therefore be reduced from present levels. If the receptacle parts are made from bio-degradable materials the invention will be doubly beneficial to the environment.

A further advantage of the swim feeder just described is that the wedge shape of the receptacle part tends to cause the feeder, when positioned on the bottom of a river or stream, to be held down on the bottom by the flow of water over it instead of being tumbled about.

Referring now to Figure 5, this illustrates a possible modification of the swim feeder described above, the modification residing in the fact that the basal part 12 has been formed in a way which will be more economical of lead plate. As shown, instead of the tab portions 28 being formed from projections at the opposite ends of the plate, they have been stamped out of the main area of the sheet. The feeder is otherwise the same as that previously described.

Various other modifications may be made, in particular in the construction of the receptacle part; it need not necessarily be of wedge shape as in the illustrated example. It could for example be of cylindrical or of frusto-conical form. It may be formed with a varietly of small holes and/or larger apertures in its various walls to permit the bait to be inserted into it or to escape therefrom.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A swim feeder comprising a body part forming a bait receptacle and a weighted part connected to the body part and having means for attachment to a line, the connection between the body part and the weighted part being releasable by the application of a force through said line attachment.

2. A method of making a swim feeder, the method including the step of forming a bait receiving receptacle from a sheet of material by folding it, and retaining the receptacle in its formed shape by the use of retention means capable of breaking away from said receptacle on the application of force.

3. The method according to claim 2, including the further step of scoring or weakening, as by perforating, the sheet of material from which the receptacle is to be formed, along fold lines to facilitate the folding of the sheet.

4. The method according to either one of claims 2 and 3, including the further step of forming the sheet of material from which the receptacle is to be formed with a plurality of apertures with which the retention means are to be engaged.

5. The method according to claim 4, in which the step of retaining the receptacle in its formed shape is performed by forming a metal plate with at least a pair of deformable tab elements and engaging said tab elements with the plurality of apertures in the material of which the receptacle has been formed.

6. A kit of parts for a swim feeder comprising at least one body member arranged to be formed into a receptacle for bait and a weighted member for giving the feeder negative buoyancy and being provided with means for attaching a line, said members having connection means for assembling the weighted member with said receptacle, said connection means being arranged to be releasable in use by the application of force through said line attachment.

7. A swim feeder including a bait receptacle which has been formed from a flat sheet of material folded and retained in its formed shape by retention means capable of being attached to a fishing line and able to break away from said receptacle on the application of force.

8. A swim feeder according to claim 7, in which the flat sheet of material from which the bait receptacle has been formed has been scored or weakened, as by perforating, along fold lines facilitating the folding of said sheet.

9. A swim feeder according to claim 8, in which the flat sheet of material from which the bait receptacle has been formed has been provided with a plurality of apertures with which the retention means have been engaged.

10. A swim feeder according to any one of claims 7 to 9, in which the retention means are constituted by at least a pair of deformable tab elements of a metal plate.

11. A swim feeder according to any one of claims 7 to 10, in which the bait receptacle has been formed of a material which is bio-degradable.

12. A kit of parts for a swim feeder, substantially as hereinbefore described.

13. A method of making a swim feeder, substantially as hereinbefore described.

14. A swim feeder constructed, arranged and adapted to be used substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by Figures 1 to 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.