GB2280497A - An apparatus for indicating a bite on bait attached to a fishing line - Google Patents

Abstract

A light emitting pendulum comprising a pivotally mounted arm realisably attached to a fishing line at a selectable position along the arm and an electronic bite detector arranged to detect movement of the line, characterised in that the arm carries at its extremity a waterproof, electrically operated, light source energised through electrically conducting leads connected to an external indicator output of the bite detector and in that at least one lead passes from the light source through the arm to the bite detector. <IMAGE>

Description

LIGHT EMITTING PENDULUM This invention relates to a method of indicating a bite on bait attached to a rod held fishing line and to apparatus for use with the method.

When angling for fish using a rod and line it has been customary for the angler to watch the line closely for movement of the line or change in its tension. A rapid change in line movement or tension usually denotes a bite on the attached bait by a fish or other aquatic animal.

In order to reduce the fatigue involved in watching a plurality of lines and to accomodate the situation when the angler is unable to view the lines due to absence, low light levels, sleep or other reasons line movement or tension sensing devices have been proposed which provide an audible or visual indication of a bite. Such devices are commonly called bite indicators or bite detectors.

Examples of such bite detectors using electronic sensing and alarm systems include those described in patent specifications GB-A-l 503 596; GB-A-1 596 260; GB-A-2 214 045; GB-A-2 222 060; and GB-A-2 209 911.

In order to function it is essential that the bite detector is closely associated with a line. Inevitably the rod carrying the line will be close to a river, lake, reservoir or similar body of water. The angler frequently prefers to shelter from the weather or rest away from the water under conditions in which the rod and bite detector cannot be observed. The ambient level of bankside sound often reaches an intensity at which an audible indicator integral with a bite detector cannot be heard. For this reason many commercial bite detectors are fitted with extension sockets which allow remote audio indicators, such as piezo-electric elements, to be sited at a distance from the source bite detector. An audio warning from such a remote sounder alerts the angler to the existence of a bite.

However after hearing the alarm he must then make his way to the rod to take appropriate action. When a trio of rods are mounted together on a bank stick using separate bite detectors on each line it is frequently difficult to decide which line which received the bite causing the remote alarm to sound; this is a severe problem at night.

The present invention provides bite indicating means which, in conjunction with an existing bite detector, makes the identification of the line which has received the bite immediately apparent.

According to the present invention there is provided a light emitting pendulum comprising a pivotally mounted arm releasibly attached to a fishing line at a selectable position along the arm and an electronic bite detector arranged to detect movement of the line, characterised in that the arm carries at its extremity a waterproof, electrically operated, light source energised through electrically conducting leads connected to an external indicator output of the bite detector and in that at least one lead passes from the light source through the arm to the bite detector.

In one embodiment the arm takes the form of a rigid arm fabricated from tubular material to contain the electrically conducting leads. The light source is sealed to the end of the tubular arm to prevent the ingress of moisture.

The preferred tubing material is stainless steel however other corrosion resistant materials may be used. The leads are threaded through the tube from the light source at one end to an exit aperture close to or at the pivoted end. Alternatively, if the tubular arm is fabricated from an electrically conducting material, a single lead may pass through the arm and the tube acts as the second conductor.

In one embodiment the pivoted end of the pendulum arm is 0 bent through 90 to form a pivot which rotates within a cylindrical cavity in the mounting bracket to form the pivotal bearing. Where the leads leave the pendulum arm for connection to the bite detector they should be flexible and highly water resistant; silicon rubber insulated leads are preferred. In one embodiment the pendulum arm is sealed into an arm of a pivotal bearing attached to the mounting bracket. The leads are arranged to leave through an exit aperture in the pivot arm. When the arm itself is used as the pivot in the bearing the leads will leave through the end of the tube.

In a second embodiment the arm has a resilient structure and is fabricated from flexible tubular material containing a spring element and the electrically conducting leads.

As with the first embodiment, the light source is sealed to the end of the arm to prevent the ingress of moisture.

The preferred tubing material is silicon rubber or polyvinyl chloride but other flexible polymers may be used. A lead or leads are threaded through the tube from the light source at one end to an exit aperture close to or at the pivoted end a spring element, such as a length of piano wire, is included in the tube to ensure resilience. The piano wire may act as one lead and with a second insulated conductor as the second. In a most preferred form the tube for the arm is cut from heat shrinkable polyvinyl chloride tube, e.g 1.5 mm diameter prior to shrinking.

After a lead and the piano wire have been inserted the tubing is shrunk by the application of heat. The resilient arms may be made in a series of lengths according to the line and target fish involved.

The leads are terminated by connecting means which cooperate with the external output of the associated bite detector. In most embodiments the connecting means will be a standard miniature jack plug having a diameter of 2.5 or 3.5 mm.

The light source may be one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) or low voltage incandescent bulbs. The preferred size in either case is a 5 mm diameter cylindrical form.

The light source is located within a pendulum bob to increase the effective area of illumination. Such a bob can comprise a flat disc having a diameter from 15 to 50 mm, preferably 25 to 35 mm, and a thickness from 5 to 15 mm, preferably 1 to 10 mm. The disc may be cast from cold setting synthetic resin compositions such as acrylic or epoxide based polymers. In an alternative embodiment the disc is cut from a cylindrical rod of synthetic polymer having a suitable diameter. A radial cavity is drilled at one point in the circumference of the disc to receive the light source carried by the pendulum arm. In order to provide a large illuminated area the disc material may diffuse the light emitted from the source; translucent forms of synthetic polymers are readily available which provide the necessary diffusion. LEDs are available which include a diffuser obviating to some extent the need for further diffusion be the disc.

Where a plurality of rods are in use it is helpful if each bob, when illuminated, shows a different colour. High light output LEDs are available in green, yellow, orange and red emitting variations. When such LEDs are used the bob disc is preferably formed from an untinted polymer.

If incandescent light sources are used the disc itself should be tinted so as to provide the desired hue. In order to assist night location the discs may contain a fluorescent dye. The disc may then be easily observed by illuminating the bank with ultra-violet radiation.

The light emitting pendulum is pivotally mounted at the base of a bite detector preferably by means of a mounting clip adapted to be bolted at the base of the detector.

The clip may carry a pivoted arm rigidly attached to the main pendulum arm or a bearing which allows the pendulum arm to act as the pivot. The mounting clip is formed from a corrosion resistant material such as synthetic polymer.

A nylon moulding is particularly satisfactory.

The pendulum arm is linked to the line by means of a line clip of conventional design. Tension on the line causes the arm to move in a vertical plane. To avoid impact with the rod the end of the pendulum arm carrying the light source is preferably cranked near to its end. The arm may also carry a moveable weight to allow adjustment of the pressure exerted on the line by the pendulum. In a preferred form the weight comprises two threaded sections which can be twisted to lock the weight in position or to release it for movement.

In a further embodiment the light emitting pendulum includes a latching circuit. The auxiliary output from electronic bite detectors or bite indicators, intended to operate a remote sound emitting device, is only energised during line movement. The latching circuit is operated by the alarm signal from the bite detector causing the light source to be illuminated and remain illuminated after the alarm signal has ceased. In a preferred form of the invention a latching circuit is located between the input from the bite detector and the output to the light emitting device at the end of the arm. Such a latching circuit can be carried by the mounting clip and may require a small power source, such as a lithium battery, for long periods of latched illumination. The latching circuit, when activated, maintains a power supply to the light emitting device for a fixed period regardless of the duration of the output from the bite detector. The time duration may be from 10 to 120 seconds depending on the situation in which the detector is used. For an angler operating at night a duration of 15 to 30 seconds allows sufficient time to awake, arise from a sleeping situation and ascertain which line is the subject of a bite.

A further advantage of the latching circuit is that as it includes its own power supply it ensures that the light emitting device provides a clearly visible output regardless of the power of the output from the bite indicator. Some commercially available bite indicators only provide sufficient power to energise a piezo electric sounder and the power is insufficient to illuminate an LED or a microlamp by direct connection.

Where a bite detector is not fitted with an auxiliary output socket or similar outlet the latching circuit may be operated by detection of the audio output of the detector.

The output is detected by a microphone placed in contact or close proximity to the audible warning means in the bite detector and, optionally after amplification, used to trigger the latching circuit.

The latching circuit may comprise any of the well known electronic timing circuits, also called monostables or flip-flops, which change state when triggered by an electrical pulse of appropriate polarity and amplitude. The active elements in the circuit are preferably semiconductor devices and may be a series of discrete devices or an integrated circuit. The timing period of such devices is normally determined by a combination of a resistor and a capacitor. The former element may be variable if the time period is to be adjustable.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood it will now be- described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a light emitting pendulum according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a plan view from below of the mounting clip.

The light emitting pendulum according to the invention, see Figure 1, consists of a pendulum arm 1 formed from a thin metal tube. At its pivoted end the arm 1 is joined to an arm 2 carried by a hinge 3 of a mounting bracket 4. The join includes a seal 5 of water resistant material such as an epoxide resin. The bracket 4 is a single piece nylon moulding having strengthening ridges 6 on each edge. A mounting aperture 7 allows the bracket to be fitted to the base of a bite detector. The hinge 3 is of conventional nature attached to the bracket 4 by means of adhesive and a screw 8.

The swinging end of the arm 1 carries a disc 9 containing an LED 10. The LED is supplied with power through a pair of insulated wires 11 passing through the arm 1. The wires 11 leave the arm 2 through an aperture 12 as an insulated lead 13. The lead 13 is terminated with a male jack plug, not shown, for connection with the bite detector.

The arm 1 carries a line clip 14 of conventional design which is clipped to the line.

In the embodiment in which a latch is used the latch circuit is fitted to the underside of the bracket 4.

In one alternative embodiment the arm 2 is not required.

The arm 1 is drilled at its end to take a pivot which also passed through the end of bracket 4 in place of the hinge 3. The arm 1 is drilled to provide an exit aperture for the lead 13 in place of the aperture 12.

In the case of the embodiments in which the arm is resilient the rigid arm 1 is replaced by a polyvinyl chloride tube containing a length of piano wire and an insulated flexible lead The wire and the lead are connected in the same manner as described for the rigid arm to an LED at one end and, via a flexible twin lead, at the other end to a suitable male jack plug.

Claims (26)

1. A light emitting pendulum comprising a pivotally mounted arm releasibly attached to a fishing line at a selectable position along the arm and an electronic bite detector arranged to detect movement of the line, characterised in that the arm carries at its extremity a waterproof, electrically operated, light source energised through electrically conducting leads connected to an external indicator output of the bite detector and in that at least one lead passes from the light source through the arm to the bite detector.

2. The light emitting pendulum according to claim 1, characterised in that the pivotally mounted arm is a rigid arm fabricated from tubular material.

3. The light emitting pendulum according to claim 2, characterised in that the tubular material is electriccally conducting and corrosion resistant.

4. The light emitting pendulum according to claim 3, characterised in that the tubular material is stainless steel.

5. The light emitting pendulum acco-rding to claim 3 or claim 4, characterised in that a single insulated electrically conducting lead passes from the light source through the tubular arm and the electrically conducting tube acts as the second lead.

6. The light emitting pendulum according to claim 1, characterised in that the pivotally mounted arm has a resilient structure.

7. A light emitting pendulum according to claim 6, characterised in that the arm comprises a flexible tubular material cSontaining a spring element and the electrically conducting leads.

8. A light emitting pendulum according to claim 7, characterised in that the tubing material is silicon rubber or polyvinyl chloride.

9. A light emitting pendulum according to claim 8, characterised in that the tubing material is polyvinyl chloride tube which has been heat shrunk on a core comprising a reslient wire and at least one insulated conductor.

10. A light emitting pendulum according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pivoted end of the pendulum arm is bent through 900 to form a pivot which rotates within a cylindrical cavity in the mounting bracket to form the pivotal bearing.

11. A light emitting pendulum according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the light source is one or more light emitting diodes.

12. A light emitting pendulum according to any of the claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the light source is a low voltage incandescent bulbs.

13. A light emitting pendulum according to claim 11 or claim 12, characterised in that the light source has a substantially cylindrical form with a diameter of 5 mm.

14. A light emitting pendulum according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the light source is located within a pendulum bob to increase the effective area of illumination.

15. The light emitting pendulum according to claim 14, characterised in that the bob comprises a flat disc having a diameter in the range 15 to 50 mm and a a thickness from 5 to 15 mm.

16. The light emitting pendulum according to claim 15, characterised in that the bob comprises a flat disc having a diameter in the range 25 to 35 mm and a a thickness from 7 to 10 mm.

17-. The light emitting pendulum according to any of the claims 14 to 16, characterised in that the bob comprises a flat disc cast from a cold setting synthetic resin compositions.

18. The light emitting pendulum according to any of the claims 14 to 16, characterised in that the bob comprises a flat disc cast from cut from a cylindrical rod of synthetic polymer.

19. The light emitting pendulum according to any of the claims 14 to 18, characterised in that the bob comprises a material that diffuses the light emitted from the source.

20. The light emitting pendulum according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the connecting means is a standard miniature jack plug having a diameter of 2.5 or 3.5 mm.

21. The light emitting pendulum according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that a latching circuit is located between the external output of the bite detector and the light source to maintain illumination of the light source for a period after any output from the bite detector has ceased.

22. The light emitting pendulum according to claim 21, characterised in that the latching circuit maintains illumination for a period from 10 to 120 seconds.

23. The light emitting pendulum according to claim 22, characterised in that the latching circuit maintains illumination for a period from 15 to 30 seconds.

24. The light emitting pendulum according to any of the claims 21 to 23, characterised in that the period may be adjusted by variation of the values of a resistor and/or capacitor in the latching circuit.

25. Light emitting pendulums according to claim 1 and as herein described.

26. Light emitting pendulums as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.