GB2288963A

GB2288963A - Fishing reel handle

Info

Publication number: GB2288963A
Application number: GB9507543A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rupert Kuntze
Original assignee: Deutsche Angelgerate Manufaktur DAM Hellmuth Kuntze GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Deutsche Angelgerate Manufaktur DAM Hellmuth Kuntze GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1994-05-05
Filing date: 1995-04-11
Publication date: 1995-11-08
Also published as: DE9407457U1; DE19515339A1; IT1274413B; ITMI950877A0; FR2719448A1; ITMI950877A1; GB9507543D0

Abstract

A rotary drive of a fishing reel comprises a one-part crank arm 5 which bears a handle 9 and which is connected to a driving shaft 2 of the fishing reel, wherein the distance between handle and the point of application of the crank arm on the driving shaft is adjustable, the crank arm being displaceable in its longitudinal direction on the driving shaft, and wherein the crank arm can be fixed in a respective sliding position, with a catching device being provided to fix the position of the crank arm on the driving shaft. <IMAGE>

Description

A ROTARY DRIVE ON A FISHING REEL The present invention relates to a rotary drive on a fishing reel having a crank arm, which bears a handle and which is connected to the driving shaft of the fishing reel with rotational entrainment, with the distance between the handle and the point of application of the crank arm on the driving shaft being variable. In the above, the driving shaft will be understood to be the shaft on which the turning moment exerted by the angler via the crank arm is applied and is then transmitted from the driving shaft to the rotating part of the fishing reel. The crank arm expediently possesses a counter-weight at its end opposite the handle.

Rotary drives of the aforementioned type are known for example from German Offenlegungsschrift 24 52 698. In that drive the crank arm is in two parts, which is a.

disadvantage. One of the crank arm parts is provided with lateral recesses and the other is provided with a ratchet which can engage in one of the recesses.

For this purpose, after loosening a screw attachment of the two crank arm parts at the driving shaft and removing a ratchet from a respective recess, relative adjustment of both crank arm parts can be performed in the longitudinal direction by means of a longitudinal groove in one of the crank arm parts. After displacement has occurred, the ratchet is inserted into the associated recess and the screw attachment of the crank arm parts at the driving shaft is again tightened. This arrangement is disadvantageous in many respects. Its design is relatively complicated, in particular a two-part crank arm construction is required, which is correspondingly expensive to produce. In addition, the manipulation explained above during the adjustment of the effective length of the crank arm is awkward. In practice it can not be performed during fishing, as then the fishing reel can not be braked during the step of releasing the crank arm parts from the driving shaft in the event of a sudden bite. Finally, the number of recesses and consequently the possible adjustments of the effective crank arm length is limited. In the example of German Offenlegungsschrift 24 52 698 the crank arm can be located in only three positions.

US Patent Specification 4,479,616 discloses a fishing reel drive in which, by swivelling a lever arm against the action of a spring overcoming a dead centre position, two effective lever arms of different lengths can be set on the drive of the fishing reel.

Here too, there is the disadvantage of an elaborate construction which is expensive to manufacture.

Functionally, the fact that only two different effective lever arm lengths can be set is unsatisfactory. In the above the "effective lever arm length" will be understood to be that distance between the handle of the crank arm on the one hand and the point of application of the crank arm on the actuating shaft on the other hand, i.e. the lever arm length which, multiplied with the application force of the angler on the handle, produces the turning moment acting on the driving shaft.

From US Patent Specification 5,308,020 a rotary drive of a fishing reel having a crank arm comprising a handle is known. The crank arm can be adjusted stepby-step in its longitudinal direction in relation to a point of application. With this, the adjustment of the length of the effective lever arm of this drive is produced. For this purpose, and in particular for fixing the respective setting, an arrangement which is lavish and consequently expensive and which is awkward to use is provided. It consists of an adjusting screw, a cylinder part of the gearing, a sleeve and a movable part actuated thereby. The crank arm acts on this movable part, which consequently forms the abovementioned point of application. The connection between the crank arm and the moveable part can either be made or released, and in fact with the aid of an adjustment of the above-mentioned adjusting screw can be performed manually. Consequently, in addition to the above-mentioned complicated design of this arrangement, manipulation by the user is complicated and time-consuming.

In contrast, the aim of the present invention lies in providing a rotary drive which allows quick and easy adjustment of the effective lever arm by the angler and which in addition provides a construction which has a simple structure and consequently is cheap to manufacture. This is possible whilst achieving the most sensitive possible adjustment.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a rotary drive of a fishing reel comprising a one-part crank arm which bears a handle and which is connected to a driving shaft of . the fishing reel, wherein the distance between the handle and the point of application of the crank arm on the driving shaft is adjustable, the crank arm being displaceable in its longitudinal direction on the driving shaft, and wherein the crank arm can be fixed in a respective sliding position, with a catching device being provided to fix the position of the crank arm on the driving shaft. An intrinsically one-part crank arm can be manufactured at low cost and also provides a robust design. The alteration in the length of the effective lever is achieved in a functionally perfect, and also easily operable, manner by changing the position of the crank arm and consequently the distance of its handle to the driving shaft. A complicated structural design with awkward handling, as is the case with the discussed prior art, in particular US Patent Specification 5,308,020, is avoided. In comparison therewith, the catching device provided by the present invention has a considerably simpler design and operation. The above-mentioned features of the present invention also produce a relatively small space requirement. The teaching of the invention easily enables the length of the effective lever arm to be adjusted very precisely.

In a preferred embodiment, the catching device includes a catch which is resilient or is subject to the action of a spring. A catching device, which is resilient or is subject to the action of a spring, is particularly easy to operate. The angler can perform the desired adjustment in a split second during the fishing operation, for which operation the angler only needs one hand; the other hand being available as before to hold the fishing reel.

The catching device may comprise an operating device which can be applied from outside by the angler, which device disengages the catching device and thus enables the displacement of the crank arm. As an alternative to this, the catching device may also be constructed in the manner of a so-called ratchet, with which just by appropriate pressure on the crank arm in its longitudinal direction the appropriate desired adjustment is achieved; this position being maintained by the catching device.

Preferably, a row of catch recesses are located in an elongate groove in the crank arm, the head of the driving shaft sliding in this groove on its face, with an end limiting wall of the groove and an edge of a counter-weight being used as stops for the longitudinal movement of the crank arm in relation to the driving shaft. With these features end stops to the displacement of the crank arm in relation to the driving shaft are created. The end stops not only limit the possible adjustment of the effective lever arm but also prevent an accidental withdrawal of the crank arm from the corresponding opening in the driving shaft.

The operating device may extend radially, or from the end, of the driving shaft or the head, thereby providing alternative configurations of the operating device for disengaging the catching device.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described hereinbelow by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an exemplified embodiment of the present invention in longitudinal section through the crank arm and driving shaft, Figure 2 shows a section along line A-A in Figure 1, Figure 3 shows a plan view of Figure 1, and Figures 4 to 6 show further embodiments of the catching connection between crank arm and driving shaft on a larger scale than in Figures 1 to 3.

In Figure 1 the fishing reel 1 is represented only diagrammatically by dot-dash lines, whose driving shaft 2 ends in a head 3. An opening 4, through which a single-part crank arm 5 passes, is located in the head 3 of the driving shaft 2. The opening 4 and the crank arm 5 have such dimensions that crank arm 5 is displaceable in the opening 4 in its longitudinal direction as shown by double arrow 7, in particular in the form of a slideway. One end 8 of the crank arm 5 bears a handle 9, on which the angler acts for the rotation of the driving shaft 2. At the other end 10 of the crank arm 5 a counter-weight 11 to the handle 9 is normally provided. Depending on the adjustment of the crank arm 5 in the direction 7 on the driving shaft 2, the length L of the effective lever arm is altered, which length is the distance of the longitudinal axis 12 of the handle from the centre longitudinal axis 27 of the driving shaft 2, and consequently on the previously explained point of application of the crank arm 5 on the driving shaft 2.

It will be evident that the rotation of the crank arm 5 around the longitudinal axis of the driving shaft 2 via thebopening 4 effects the rotational entrainment of the driving shaft 2. The opening 4 extends transversally to the longitudinal direction of the driving shaft 2.

The respective sliding position of the crank arm 5 in arrow direction 7 relative to the driving shaft 2 can be fixed. This fixing can be released again and can be adjusted to a new sliding position. In the exemplified embodiments several possible designs of the fixing of the above-mentioned sliding position in the form of catches are represented and described.

For this purpose in the head 3 of the driving shaft 2, which comprises the opening 4, a catch projection 13 is provided, which engages in catch recesses 14 of the crank arm 5 which lie opposite the catch projection 13. As Figure 1 in particular shows, a large number of catch recesses 14 are provided one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the crank arm 5.

In the exemplified embodiment of Figures 1 to 4 the catch projection 13 and the catch recesses 14, which receive the same, are constructed so that the catch projection 13 is forced into a respective catch recess 14 by the action of a spring 15. The spring 15 is located in a recess 16 in the driving shaft 2 and the catching direction extends in the direction of the pressure of the spring 15. This embodiment of the catch projection 13 encloses the crank arm 5 with two arms 17. The arms 17 are brought together on the outside to form an operating device 18, which under the pressure of the spring 15 assumes the raised position shown in Figures 1 and 2. If a new sliding position of the crank arm 5 in relation to the driving shaft 2 is to be achieved, the angler only has to press the operating device 18 towards the crank arm, i.e. downwardly in Figures 1 and 2. Consequently, the catch projection 13 is forced out of its engagement in the respective catch recess 14, the crank arm 5 can be displaced in arrow direction 7 and the newly desired sliding position can be fixed by releasing the operating device 18 and by the ensuing reengagement of the catch projection 13 in a respective catch recess 14.

The arrangement described above with parts 13 to 18 can, instead of its position shown by the representation in Figures 1 to 4, also be provided in a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the crank arm turned by 900 on the crank arm when compared with Figures 1 to 4. Then the operating device 18 is located at the position 18' indicated by dot-dash lines in Figure 2. With a corresponding position of the handle 9 this can facilitate the grasping and displacement of the operating device by just one of the angler's fingers.

Such a possible embodiment just mentioned is not completely represented in the drawings, but is only indicated by the dot-dash line 18' of the operating device.

In the exemplified embodiment of Figures 1 to 4 the cross sections of catch projection 13 and the catch recesses 14 are formed so that they can only be released from this locking position by device of the operating device 18. The walls 14' and 13' of catch recess 14 and catch projection 13 extend transversally to the longitudinal direction of the crank arm 5 (see Figure 4) and thereby prevent accidental displacement of the crank arm 5 in direction 7 in relation to the driving shaft 2.

Figures 5 and 6 show refinements of the catching device of the above-described first embodiment, which with a corresponding expenditure of force enable a displacement of the crank arm 5 in one of the arrow directions 7 in relation to the driving shaft 2, without it being necessary to release the catch separately, e.g. in consequence of the use of the operating device 18.

In the catching device shown in Figure 5, a ball 19, which comes to engage in corresponding hemispherical catch recesses 20 under the pressure of the spring 15, is used as a catch projection. The desired catch position is thus so maintained. However, there is no obstruction to the longitudinal displacement of the crank arm 5, as is provided with the above-mentioned walls 13' and 14' of the catch projection 13 and catch recess 14 in the exemplified embodiment of Figures 1 to 4. In fact, in the exemplified embodiment of Figure 5, a force of corresponding size exerted on the crank arm 5 in arrow direction 7 forces the ball 19 against the action of the spring 15 into the recess 16 in the driving shaft 2 or of the head 3 of the driving shaft. The crank arm 5 can then be displaced in arrow direction 7 until a new position is reached and is locked.

In the exemplified embodiment in Figure 6 a tongue or membrane 22, which is resilient in the direction of arrows 21 and which engages in the catch recesses 23 of the crank arm 5, is attached in the head 3 of the driving shaft 2. The walls of these recesses 23 are constructed so that they do not extend perpendicular to the longitudinal direction or displacement direction 7 of the crank arm 5, but at an acute or obtuse angle thereto. If a certain distance is provided between the opposite faces of the head 3 and the crank arm 5, the tongue 22 can be displaced out of engagement with the respective catch recesses 23 by the longitudinal displacement of the crank arm 5 in the direction 7. After the desired sliding position has been reached, the tongue or membrane 22 then engages in a respective catch recess 23.

Figures 1, 3 and 4 show that the row of catch recesses 14 can be located inside a groove 24 in the crank arm 5. The head 3 of the driving shaft 2 with its end face 3' (see Figure 4) abuts the surface 25 of this groove. In order to fix the end positions of the sliding position of the crank arm 5 in relation to the driving shaft head 3, at one end the groove terminates in an end edge 26, which forms a stop for the head 3 of the driving shaft 2. The stop for the other end 10 of the crank arm 5 is formed by the counter-weight 11, which with its edge 28 comes to abut the head 3.

Claims

1. A rotary drive of a fishing reel comprising a one-part crank arm which bears a handle and which is connected to a driving shaft of the fishing reel, wherein the distance between the handle and the point of application of the crank arm on the driving shaft is adjustable, the crank arm being displaceable in its longitudinal direction on the driving shaft, and wherein the crank arm can be fixed in a respective sliding position, with a catching device being provided to fix the position of the crank arm on the driving shaft.

2. A rotary drive according to Claim 1, wherein the catching device includes a catch which is resilient or is subject to the action of a spring.

3. A rotary drive according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the crank arm is located in an opening which extends transversally to the longitudinal direction of the driving shaft and is guided, preferably in sliding manner, therein, and the catching device is provided in the opening between the crank arm and the driving shaft.

4. A rotary drive according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the crank arm includes catch recesses disposed one behind the other in its longitudinal direction and the opening in the driving shaft includes a catch projection which lies opposed to the catch recesses and is constructed to engage therein, the catch projection being either biassed under spring pressure or of a resilient construction.

5. A rotary drive according to Claim 4, wherein the catch projection is provided with an operating device which extends outside of the crank arm for operation by a user.

6. A rotary drive according to Claim 5, wherein the catch projection and the operating device are of unitary construction and are displaceable out of the catch position against a spring action.

7. A rotary drive according to one of Claims 4 to 6, wherein the catch projection and the catch recesses extend in the catching direction and comprise bearing faces which extend transversally to the displacement direction of the crank arm.

8. A rotary drive according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the catch is constructed in the manner of a ratchet.

9. A rotary drive according to Claim 8, wherein the catch projection and the catch recesses are in engagement with bearing surfaces or walls, which form an acute or obtuse angle with the displacement direction of the crank arm.

10. A rotary drive according to Claim 8 or 9, wherein the catch projection is a tongue or membrane which can resiliently bend in the displacement direction of the crank arm, the tongue or membrane being attached to the driving shaft and engagable in a respective catch recess, the bearing faces of which extend at an acute or obtuse angle to the sliding direction of the crank arm.

11. A rotary drive according to Claim 8 or 9, wherein the catch projection is a ball and the catch recesses are openings of substantially hemispherical shape.

12. A rotary drive according to any one of Claims 1 to 11, wherein a row of catch recesses are located in an elongate groove in the crank arm, the head of the driving shaft sliding in this groove on its face, with an end limiting wall of the groove and an edge of a counter-weight being used as stops for the longitudinal movement of the crank arm in relation to the driving shaft.

13. A rotary drive according to any one of Claims 1 to 12, wherein the opening which receives the crank arm is located in the head of the driving shaft.

14. A rotary drive according to any one of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the operating device extends from the end of the driving shaft or the head.

15. A rotary drive according to any one of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the operating device extends radially from the driving shaft or the head.

.

16. A rotary drive substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4, optionally taken in combination with Figure 5 or Figure 6, of the accompanying drawings.

17. A fishing reel incorporating a rotary drive as defined in any one of claims 1 to 15.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A rotary drive of a fishing reel comprising a one-part crank arm which bears a handle and which is connected to a driving shaft of the fishing reel, wherein the distance between the handle and the point of application of the crank arm on the driving shaft is adjustable, the crank arm being displaceable in its longitudinal direction on the driving shaft, and wherein the crank arm can be fixed in a respective sliding position, with a catching device being provided to fix the position of the crank arm on the driving shaft.

10. A rotary drive according to Claim 8 or 9, wherein the catch projection is a tongue or membrane which can resiliently bend in the displacement direction of the crank arm, the tongue or membrane being attached to the driving shaft and engagable in a respective one of the catch recesses, the bearing faces of which extend at an acute or obtuse angle to the sliding direction of the crank arm.