GB2257342A - Bale arm type fishing reel equipped with improved locking and return means. - Google Patents

Abstract

The reel according to the invention comprises a locking device, in a first arm of the rewinder (5), making it possible to lock the rewinder in its closed position. It comprises, in the second rewinder arm (6), a return spring tending to bring the rewinder from its closed position to its open position, and a mechanical transmission, actuated by rotation of the rewinder drum (3), in order automatically to bring the rewinder from its open position to its closed position. The unlocking of the rewinder in its closed position is done manually by additional pivoting. The return of the rewinder from its open position to its closed position may also be done manually. <IMAGE>

Description

BALE ARM TYPE FISHING REEL EQUIPPED WITH IMPROVED LOCKING AND RETURN MEANS.

The present invention relates to casting-type fishing reels of the fixed-spool type, with a bale arm for winding up the fishing line.

Fixed-spool fishing reels comprise a spool mounted on a longitudinal shaft carried by a reel body and urged by braking means which oppose its rotation relative to the reel body. A recovery drum is mounted to rotate about the spool shaft and urged to rotate by a bale arm driving mechanism. The recovery drum carries mutually-opposed first and second recovery arms, off-centre laterally with respect to the exterior of the spool, and towards the front. A recovery bow comprises a first end fixed to a first bow base pivoting in the first arm, and comprises a second end fixed to a second bow base pivoting in the second arm. The recovery bow and its two bow bases can pivot about a common transverse axis between a closed position in which the bale arm guides the fishing line in order to wind it up around the spool, and an open position in which the bale arm releases the fishing line.

Reels have been known for a considerable time, for example such as that described in the documents US-A-2 966 314, US-A-4 502 645 and GB-A-2 204 221, in which a spring urges the bale arm in order to bring it from its closed towards its open positions, the bale arm being normally held in the closed position by a latching device whose release is secured by a manual movement of the bale arm by means of a supplementary movement in the closing direction. The bale arm is automatically brought back from its open into its closed position by a mechanical transmission driven by the force of rotation of the recovery drum during the operation of recovering line on to the spool.

The interest of these bale arm structures is that, in order to bring the bale arm from the closed towards the open position, before the casting stage, the movement which the user must apply to the bale arm is slight, just sufficient in order to obtain unlocking of the latching means. On the other hand, return of the bale arm from its open position towards its closed position is effected automatically at the end of the casting operation, when the user actuates the line-recovery crank.

However, in the reel in document US-A-2 966 314, the mechanism necessary in order to obtain the movements of the bale arm is to a large extend disposed on the exterior of the reel, a position in which it is exposed to shocks, constitutes a risk of tangling the fishing line, and spoils the appearance of the reel. Moreover, in order to return the bale arm from its open into its closed position, the mechanism absolutely necessitates actuation of the means of driving the bale arm in rotation in order to recover the line.

The mechanism in document US-A-4 502 645 is complex and expensive, as it requires two levers (10,11) mounted on two separate axes (12, 13) and urged by two separate springs (14, 15). Upon unlocking, the user must apply considerable effort in order to compress two springs, i.e. the main opening spring of the bale arm and the spring of the first lever (10).

The mechanism in document GB-A-2 2045 221 is likewise complex, with a heart-shaped cam with precise dimensions, in which there moves a roller (9) with lateral escapement, carried by a rocker bar (8) urged by a spring (7). The spring (7) induces permanent friction.

The problem posed by the present invention is thus to design a new reel structure, of the type in which a spring recalls the bale arm from its closed position towards its open position, and locking means retain the bale arm in the closed position, mechanical transmission means automatically returning the bale arm from its open position towards its closed position during the stage of recovery of the line, a structure in which the mechanical transmission means for actuating the bale arm is entirely housed in the interior of the reel, and in which this mechanism, if the user wishes, allows manual actuation of the bale arm in order to bring it from its open position towards its closed position.

The reel structure according to the invention must in addition be simple and inexpensive, not requiring assembly of a large number of mechanical parts, and not requiring high manufacturing precision of these parts.

The small number of moving parts, and the reduction in friction, increase the reliability of this mechanism, which is required to function thousands of times.

The mechanical transmission means ensuring return of the bale arm from its open towards its closed position must in addition be entirely inoperative as soon as the bale arm has reached its closed position, avoiding all friction or any further movement of the parts forming the transmission means, and avoiding the production of superfluous noise.

In order to attain these objectives as well as others, a fishing reel construction according to the invention retains the elements of known reels, with a spool mounted on a longitudinal shaft, a recovery drum mounted to rotate about the shaft, mutually-opposed first and second recovery arms, a recovery bow equipped with two bow bases pivoting in the said arms, and retaining the main constructive elements of known fishing reels in accordance with the second construction mentioned above, viz.:: - one at least of the bow bases is urged into rotation about the common rotational axis of the bale arm in the opening direction by means of a resilient return means tending to bring it back into the open position; - one of the bow bases is urged into rotation in the closing direction by a mechanical transmission means bringing it back into the closed position during rotation of the recovery drum driven by the drive mechanism; - a locking mechanism retains the bale arm in the closed position, unlocking being effected by manual actuation of the bale arm by means of a supplementary movement in the closing direction, followed by its release in order to allow the resilient return means to act.

According to the invention: - the locking mechanism comprises a single locking lever, mounted to pivot in the first recovery arm on an axis parallel to and offset with respect to the common axis, this lever being capable of pivoting in either direction away from an inoperative position, and being urged by a single spring which recalls it towards the said inoperative position, the locking lever comprising a locking pin which extends substantially in the direction of the common axis when said lever is in the inoperative position; - the locking mechanism comprises in addition a locking cam, integral with the first bow base comprising inclines intended to operate in conjunction with the end of the locking pin, so that: : . during rotation of the bale arm from its closed position into its open position, the locking cam pushes back the locking pin, which pivots in order to permit this rotation; in the closed position of the bale arm, the locking pin and the locking cam are in pivoted positions, and the locking pin engages, bearing axially, in a notch formed in the locking cam, preventing return of the locking cam and of the bale arm into their open position; by means of a supplementary rotation of the bale arm towards its closed position, the locking pin escapes from the cam, which can then push it, during its return rotation, towards the closed position.

According to one embodiment, the transmission means is of a type which exerts upon the bale arm a unidirectional couple in the direction going from the open towards the closed position, to the exclusion of any return couple in the opposite direction, so that, when the bale arm is in the open position, the user can freely manually actuate the bale arm in order to pivot it into its closed position, without the transmission means offering any resistance.

Other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of individual embodiments made with reference to the appended figures, among which: Fig. 1: is a perspective diagrammatic view of a reel according to the present invention, the bale arm being in the closed position; Fig. 2: is a side view in partial section, showing a construction of the locking mechanism for keeping the bale arm in the closed or line recovery position; Fig. 3: is the same view of the reel, showing the condition of the locking mechanism during the unlocking operation, just before unlocking; Fig. 4: shows the instant at which unlocking of the bale arm's locking mechanism occurs; Fig. 5: shows the return movement of the bale arm from its closed towards its open.position; Fig. 6: shows the condition of the locking mechanism when the bale arm is in the open position; Fig. 7: shows the movement of the locking mechanism when the bale arm executes the return movement from its open towards its closed position; Fig. 8: shows the condition of the locking mechanism when the bale arm has passed its closed position, in order to produce locking; Fig. 9: shows the condition of the locking mechanism when the bale arm has returned to the closed position; Fig. 10: shows the locking mechanism retained in the locked position by a blocking means; Fig. 11: a side view in partial section of the mechanical transmission means ensuring return of the bale arm from its open towards its closed position, when the bale arm is in the closed position; Fig. 12: a side view of the same construction of the mechanical transmission means during the return movement of the bale arm from its closed towards its open position; Fig. 13: shows the condition of the mechanical transmission means when the bale arm is in the open position; Fig. 14: shows the elements of the mechanical transmission means during the return movement of the bale arm from its open towards its closed position, and Fig. 15: shows, on a larger scale, the construction of a locking cam comprised in the locking mechanism such as that shown in Figs. 2 to 10.

As shown in perspective on Fig. 1, a fishing reel according to the invention comprises a spool 1 called "fixed, mounted on a longitudinal shaft along a longitudinal axis A-A, said shaft being carried by a reel body 2 and acted on by braking means not shown opposing its rotation relative to the reel body.

A recovery drum 3 is mounted to rotate about the spool shaft, on the longitudinal axis A-A, and is urged into rotation by a bale arm drive mechanism, for example a mechanism which can be urged into rotation by the user by means of a crank 4.

The recovery drum 3 carries a first recovery arm 5 and a second recovery arm 6, the first arm 5 and the second arm 6 being diametrally opposed, and off-centre laterally to the exterior of the spool (1), and developing towards the front of the reel, as the Figure shows.

A recovery bow 7 comprises, in a known way, a first end 8 fixed to a first bow base, not shown in this Figure, housed in the first arm 5 and pivoting in this first arm, and also comprises a second end 9 fixed to a second bow base 10 pivoting itself in the second arm 6. The recovery bow 7 and its two bases, the second base being 10, can pivot about a common transverse axis B-B between a closed position shown in Fig. 1 in which the bale arm guides the fishing line 11 in order to wind it up around the line store of spool 1, and an open position in which the bale arm is retracted laterally in order to free the fishing line 11.

In the embodiment shown in these figures, the second bow base 10 is urged into rotation about the common axis B-B by a resilient return means tending to bring it back into the open position, while the first bow base, disposed in the first recovery arm 5, is urged into rotation in the closing direction by a mechanical transmission means bringing it into the closed position during rotation of the recovery drum 3 driven by the drive mechanism and the crank 4. A locking mechanism, not visible in Fig. 1 and contained in the first recovery arm 5, retains the bale arm in the closed position.Unlocking is obtained by manual actuation of the bale arm, in accordance with a supplementary pivoting movement shown by the arrow 12, in the closing direction, followed by its release in order to allow the resilient return means to act, bringing the bale arm back towards its open position by a pivoting movement about the common axis B-B in the direction shown by arrow 13.

As Figures 2 to 10 show, the locking mechanism allowing retention of the bale arm in the closed position is contained in an internal housing provided in the first recovery arm 5, integral with the recovery drum 3.

In these Figures there can be seen the first bow base of the bale arm 14 which pivots, in the first arm 5, about the transverse common axis B-B.

The locking mechanism comprises a locking lever 15 mounted to pivot in the first recovery arm 5 along a transverse axis 16, itself parallel to and offset with respect to the common axis B-B. The locking lever 15 can pivot in one direction'and the other away from an intermediate inoperative position shown in Fig. 4 or Fig.

6, and is driven by resilient means 17 which bring it back towards the inoperative position.

The locking lever 15 comprises a locking pin 18 which develops substantially in the direction of the common axis B-B when the locking lever 15 is in the inoperative position. In other words, in the inoperative position shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the locking pin 18 is aligned in the plane formed by the common transverse axis B-B and the transverse axis of rotation 16 of the locking lever 15.

The locking mechanism further comprises a locking cam 19, integral with the first bow base 14, and comprising inclined surfaces intended to operate in conjunction with the end of the the locking pin 18. The locking cam 19 is shown on a larger scale in Fig. 15. The locking cam 19 comprises a first terminal incline 20, preferably rounded as the Figure shows, with a generally radial orientation, connecting with a second return incline 21. The second return incline 21 has a maximum radius 23 relative to the common axis of rotation B-B, i.e. it is constituted by the cam surface 19 formed by the most remote points of the axis B-B. The second return incline 21 connects with a third incline 22, or blocking incline. The blocking incline 22 is oblique, slightly turned towards the exterior with respect to the limiting radius 23. This oblique blocking incline is for example generally planar.

It connects with a fourth maintaining incline 24, with a radius 26 less than the radius 23 of the second incline 21. The fourth incline 24 itself connects with a fifth escapement incline 25, which is generally radial.

As Figs. 2 to 9 show, the locking lever 15 operates in conjunction with the locking cam 19 in order to cause locking when the bale arm is in its closed position as shown in Figs. 2 and 9. For this purpose, the distance between the common transverse axis B-B and the transverse axis of rotation 16 of the locking lever 15 is slightly greater than the length of the locking pin 18 increased by the radius 26 of the fourth maintaining incline 24.

Thus, in the closed position of the bale arm, the locking pin 18 is pivoted in a first direction away from its inoperative position, for example pivoted to the right in Figs. 2 and 9, the locking cam 19 being likewise pivoted to the right in a corresponding position, the third oblique blocking incline 22 being in axial contact against the end of the locking pin 18. In this position the locking pin 18 forms a stop, preventing displacement of the locking cam 19 in the direction of rotation shown by arrow 27, i.e. it prevents pivoting of the first base 14 and of the recovery bow 7 towards its open position.

The necessary movement of the bale arm in order to obtain unlocking is shown in Figures 3 and 4. In Fig. 3, the user has begun to pivot the bale arm anticlockwise, as shown by arrow 28 and, during the corresponding movement of the locking cam 19, the end of the locking pin 18 slides on the fourth incline 24 without opposing this pivoting movement. In Fig. 4, pivoting of the bale arm, still anticlockwise, according to arrow 28, has passed the position in which the recovery pin 18 has reached the end of the fourth incline 24, and has escaped from the locking cam 19, returning into the inoperative position under the action of the resilient means 17.In Fig. 5, the user releases the bale arm, which then moves clockwise as shown by arrow 29, towards its open position, under the action of a resilient return means, not shown in the Figures, and which will be described later; in its rotation about the common axis B-B, the locking cam 19 pushes back the locking pin 18, causing the locking lever 15 to pivot about its axis 16 in an anticlockwise direction. The locking pin 18 slides simply on the inclines of the locking cam 19, without offering any substantial resistance to the pivoting movement of the bale arm.

In Fig. 6, the bale arm 7 has reached its open position and, after sliding on the locking cam 19, the locking pin 18 has returned into the inoperative position.

Figures 7 to 9 show the return of the bale arm from its inoperative position towards its closed position, by rotation provided by the mechanical transmission means.

This transmission means is not shown in these Figs. 7 to 9, but will be described later. In Fig. 7, during a first stage of anticlockwise rotation of the bale arm, as shown by arrow 30, the locking cam comes to bear with its first terminal incline 20 on the side of the locking pin 18, thus causing rotation of the locking lever 15 in a clockwise direction. The end of the locking pin 18 then slides on to the second return incline 21 with the maximum radius, until it reaches the end of this second incline. The pin then slides on to the third oblique blocking incline 22, and abuts against the fourth maintaining incline 24 with lesser radius, thus housing in the notch formed by the third incline 22 and the fourth incline 24.Rotation of the bale arm can continue over a limited angle, according to which the end of the locking pin 18 must remain in contact with the fourth incline 24 without reaching its end. The mechanical transmission means must then release the bale arm which, under the action of its resilient return means, returns into the inoperative position shown in Fig. 9, the end of the locking pin 18 coming to bear against the third incline 22 of the locking cam 19, preventing any rotation of the bale arm in a clockwise direction.Thus, during return of the bale arm from its open towards its closed position, the mechanical transmission ensures rotation of the bale arm as far as a point slightly beyond the closed position, in order to allow the locking pin 18 to pass from the second return incline 21 to the fourth maintaining incline 24 without, however, passing beyond the said fourth maintaining incline 24.

The unlocking movement shown in Figures 2 to 4 is made possible by the fact that, after reaching the end of the fourth incline 24, the locking lever 15 pivots and returns to its inoperative position under the action of its resilient means 17. In order to prevent unlocking, and to prevent the bale arm, as a result of an involuntary movement, from returning to its open position, it is thus sufficient to prevent pivoting of the locking lever 15 and to retain it in its pivoted position in Figs. 2 and 3, as in the locked position. For this purpose, a blocking member 31, shown for example in Figs. 9 and 10, allows the locking lever 15 to be selectively retained in its pivoted, locking position, preventing unlocking during any supplementary pivoting of the bale arm.

In the embodiment shown, the blocking member 31 is a rotatable button which is actuated by the user, and comprises a resilient blocking tab 32 which, in the blocking position shown in Fig. 10, comes to bear against a pin 33 of the locking lever 15 in order to prevent rotation of the locking lever 15 in an anticlockwise direction towards its inoperative position. The blocking member 31 must for this purpose oppose only the return force of the resilient means 17 tending to return by pivoting the locking lever 15 towards its inoperative position. In order to oppose the force of the return means 17, the rotary button forming the blocking member 31 is braked in its rotation by a peripheral projection of its resilient tab 32 which comes to bear against a corresponding projection of the wall of the first arm 5, braking the rotation of the blocking button.

Figures 11 to 14 show the functioning of the mechanical transmission allowing automatic return of the bale arm from its open position towards its closed position upon actuation of the crank 4.

In this illustrated embodiment, the mechanical transmission is housed in the second recovery arm 6, comprising a hollow enabling all the transmission elements to be accommodated. The second recovery arm 6 likewise receives the resilient return means 34, which urges into rotation the second bow base 10 about its common axis of rotation B-B in order to return the bale arm from its open position shown in Fig. 13 towards its closed position shown in Fig. 11. The resilient return means 34 is for example a spiral spring such as that shown in the Figures.

The mechanical transmission comprises a pinion 35 integral with the second bow base 10, meshing with a lift stem 36 comprising teeth to form a rack. The lift stem 36 is mounted to slide longitudinally in the second recovery arm 6, and comprises two successive segments 37 and 38 articulated one to the other by means of an intermediate joint 39. The lift stem 36 can slide longitudinally between a deployed position in the direction of the pinion 35, as shown by Fig. 11, and a retracted position in the opposite direction, as shown by Fig. 13. The lift stem 36 is guided during its sliding movement by longitudinal guides.

The first segment 37 of the lift stem 36 is equipped with a series of teeth 40, which is permanently engaged with the pinion 35.

Longitudinal guides of the second recovery arm 6 must guide, sliding longitudinally, the first segment 37 of the lift stem 36, and for this purpose comprise in particular a first guide surface 41 and a second guide surface 42 opposed to the first said surface. However, the longitudinal guides must permit a limited pivoting movement of the second segment 38 of the lift stem 36 between an aligned position shown in Figs. 13 and 14, in which the second segment forms an extension of the first segment 37, and a pivoted position shown in Fig. 11 in which the second segment 38 is pivoted laterally about the axis of rotation 39. A stem spring 43 is interposed between a fixed portion of the second recovery arm 6 and a lateral surface of the second segment 38 of the lift stem 36, in order to push the second segment 38 towards its pivoted position in Fig. 11.

An oblique return incline 44 is disposed towards the base of the second recovery arm 6, opposed to the stem spring 43, in order to return the second segment 38 of the lift stem 36 towards its aligned position during sliding of the lift stem 36 towards its retracted position in Fig.

13.

An actuating incline 45, integral with the reel body 2, pushes the second segment 38 of the lift stem 36 axially back towards its deployed position as in Fig. 11 during rotation of the recovery drum 3. The actuating incline 45 is interrupted, then permitting a pivoting movement of the second segment 38 towards its pivoted position under the action of the stem spring 43.

The transmission means functions as follows: In the deployed position of the lift stem 36 shown in Fig. 11, corresponding to the closed position of the bale arm, the second segment 38 of the lift stem is pivoted laterally under the action of stem spring 43, so that the free end 46 of the second segment 38 is apart from the actuating incline 45, and likewise apart from the oblique return incline 44. The lift stem 36 can freely slide axially in the second recovery arm 6, and offers no resistance to the supplementary pivoting movement of the bale arm during the unlocking movement described above with reference to Figs. 2 to 4.

Then, during return of the bale arm by pivoting towards its open position under the action of spring 34, a pivoting movement illustrated by arrow 29, the pinion 35 drives the first segment 37 of lift stem 36 towards its retracted position, as shown by arrow 47 in Fig. 12. In this movement, the end 46 of the second segment 38 bears against the oblique return incline 44, whose degree of inclination is sufficiently abrupt not to oppose the sliding of the second segment 38, and to return the second segment 38 towards its aligned position, contrary to the thrust exerted by the stem spring 43.

The device then reaches its retracted position shown in Fig. 13, corresponding to the open position of the bale arm. In this position, the second segment 38 is closest to the base of the second recovery arm 6. During rotation of the recovery drum 3, the second recovery arm 6 turns about the longitudinal axis of the reel, relative to the reel body 2, and the second segment 38 comes to bear against the actuating incline 45, integral with the reel body 2. The degree of inclination of the actuating incline 45 tends to push the second segment 38 back against the stem spring 43, keeping the second segment 38 in the aligned position during its axial thrust towards the deployed position as shown by arrow 48.As soon as the end 46 of the second segment 38 reaches the end of the actuating incline 45, the stem spring 43 laterally pushes back the second segment 38, which then moves away from the area covered by the actuating incline 45, and avoids all subsequent contact between the actuating incline 45 and the end of the second segment 38.

By virtue of the fact that the transmission means comprises a pinion 35 and a rack, this transmission is of the type which exerts on the bale arm a unidirectional couple in the direction going from the open position in Fig. 13 towards the closed position in Fig. 11, to the exclusion of any return couple in the opposite direction.

Thus, when the bale arm is in the open position, the user may freely manually actuate the bale arm in order to bring it by a pivoting movement into its closed position without the transmission means opposing any resistance.

In effect, the translatory movement of the lift stem 36 is then effected freely, in the absence of any effort from the actuating incline 45, following the same displacement of the first (37) and second (38) segments of the lift stem 36, such as those shown in Figs. 14 and 11.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been explicitly described, but includes the different variants and generalisations contained in the following Claims.

Claims (8)

1. A fixed-spool fishing reel with bale arm, in which: a spool (1) is mounted on a longitudinal shaft carried by a reel body (2) and acted upon by braking means opposing its rotation relative to the reel body (2), - a recovery drum (3) is mounted to rotate about the spool shaft and urged into rotation by a recovery drive mechanism (4), - a mutually-opposed first (5) and a second recovery arm (6) are integral with the recovery drum (3) and offcentre laterally to the exterior of the spool (1) and towards the front, - a recovery bow (7) comprises a first end (8) fixed to a first bow base (14) pivoting in the first arm (5), and comprises a second end (9) fixed to a second bow base (10) pivoting in the second arm (6), so that the recovery bow (7) and its two bow bases (10, 14) can pivot about a common transverse axis (B-B), between a closed position in which the bale arm guides the fishing line (11) in order to wind it around the spool (1), and an open position in which the bale arm releases the fishing line (11), - one at least of the bow bases (10) is urged into rotation about the common axis (B-B) in the opening direction by a resilient return means (34) tending to bring it back into the open position, - one of the bow bases (14) is urged into rotation in the closing direction by a mechanical transmission means (35, 36, 45) which brings it back into the closed position during rotation of the recovery drum (3) driven by the drive mechanism (4), - a locking mechanism (18, 19) retains the bale arm in the closed position, unlocking being obtained by a manual actuation of the bale arm in the sense of a supplementary pivoting movement (12) in the closing direction, followed by its release in order to permit the resilient return means (34) to act, characterised in that: - the locking mechanism comprises a single locking lever (15), mounted to pivot in the first recovery arm (5) on an axis (15) parallel to and offset with respect to the common axis (B-B), this lever (15) being capable of pivoting in either direction away from an inoperative position, and being urged by a spring (17) which recalls it towards the said inoperative position, the locking lever (15) comprising a locking pin (18) which extends substantially in the direction of the common axis (B-B) when said lever is in the inoperative position; - the locking mechanism comprises in addition a locking cam (19), integral with the first bow base (14), comprising inclines (20, 21, 22, 24, 25) intended to operate in conjunction with the end of the locking pin (18), so that:: during rotation of the bale arm from its closed position into its open position, the locking cam (19) pushes back the locking pin (18), which pivots in order to permit this rotation; . in the closed position of the bale arm, the locking pin (18) and the locking cam (19) are in pivoted positions, and the locking pin (18) engages, bearing axially, in a notch formed in the locking cam (19), preventing return of the locking cam (19) and of the bale arm into their open position; . by means of a supplementary rotation (12) of the bale arm towards its closed position, the locking pin (18) escapes from the cam, which can then push it, during its return rotation, towards the closed position.

2. A reel according to Claim 1, characterised in that: - the locking cam (19) comprises a first terminal incline (20), of a generally radial orientation, connecting with a second return incline (21), with a maximum radius (23), itself connecting with a third oblique blocking incline (22), connecting with a fourth maintaining incline (24) with a lesser radius (26), itself connecting with a fifth radial escapement incline (25), - in the closed position of the bale arm, the locking pin (18) is pivoted in a first direction away from its inoperative position and the third oblique blocking incline (22) bears axially against the end of the locking pin (18), which thus prevents pivoting of the locking cam (19) and of the bow of the bale arm (7) towards its open position, - by means of a supplementary rotation (12) of the bale arm in the closing direction, the locking pin (18) slides on the fourth maintaining incline (24) with the lesser radius, then escapes from the locking cam (19) in order to return to the inoperative position, - during rotation (29) of the bale arm towards the open position, the locking pin (18) is pushed in the second direction away from its inoperative position by the locking cam (19), then escapes from the locking cam (19) and reverts to the inoperative position before rotation of the bale arm is complete, - during rotation (30) of the bale arm towards its closed position, the locking pin (18) is pushed back in the first direction away from its inoperative position by the two first inclines (20, 21) of the locking cam (19), then engages in the notch formed by the third' blocking incline (22) and the fourth maintaining incline (24), - during return of the bale arm towards its closed position, the mechanical transmission (35, 36, 45) ensures rotation of the bale arm as far as a position slightly beyond the closed position, in order to permit the locking pin (18) to pass from the second return incline (21) to the fourth maintaining incline (24) without, however, passing beyond the said maintaining incline (24).

3. A reel according to one of Claims 1 or 2, characterised in that it further comprises a blocking member (31) in order selectively to retain the locking lever (15) in its pivoted locking position, preventing unlocking by supplementary pivoting movement (12) of the bale arm.

4. A reel according to Claim 3, characterised in that the blocking member (31) is a rotatable button actuable by the user and comprising a resilient blocking tab (32) which comes to bear, in the blocking position, against a pin (33) of the locking lever (15) in order to prevent its rotation towards the inoperative position.

5. A reel according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the mechanical transmission (35, 36, 45) is housed in the second recovery arm (6).

6. A reel according to Claim 5, characterised in that the mechanical transmission (35, 36, 45) is of a type which exerts on the bale arm a unidirectional couple in the direction going from the open towards the closed position, to the exclusion of any return couple in the opposite direction, so that, '-when the bale arm is in the open position, the user can freely manually actuate the bale arm in order to bring it by pivoting to its closed position without the transmission offering any resistance.

7. A reel according to Claim 6, characterised in that the mechanical transmission comprises: - a pinion (35) integral with the second bow base (10), - a lift stem (36() mounted to slide longitudinally in the second recovery arm (6), and comprising two segments (37, 38) articulated to one another, the lift stem (36) being capable of sliding between a deployed position in the direction of pinion (35) and a retracted position in the opposite direction, - a series of teeth (40) provided on the first segment (37) of the lift stem, in order to form a rack permanently in engagement on the pinion (35), - longitudinal guides (41, 42) in order slidingly to guide the first segment (37), and in order to permit a limited pivoting movement of the second segment (38) between an aligned position and a pivoted position, - a stem spring (43) in order to push the second segment (38) back towards its pivoted position, - an oblique return incline (44) in order to bring the second segment (38) towards its aligned position during return of the lift stem (36) towards the retracted position, - an actuating incline (45), integral with the reel body (2), and pushing the second segment (38) of the lift stem (36) axially back in order to bring it into the deployed position during rotation of the recovery drum (3), the actuating incline (45) being then interrupted and permitting pivoting movement of the second segment (38) towards its pivoted position under the action of the stem spring (43).

8. A reel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.