GB2319157A

GB2319157A - Fishing bite indicator

Info

Publication number: GB2319157A
Application number: GB9623822A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Robert Nash
Original assignee: NASH KEVIN TACKLE Ltd
Current assignee: NASH KEVIN TACKLE Ltd
Priority date: 1996-11-16
Filing date: 1996-11-16
Publication date: 1998-05-20
Also published as: GB9623822D0

Abstract

A combined line tensioner and bite indicator comprises an arm 24 having line clip 30 at one end for releasable attachment to a line 12, the other end of the arm 24 being freely pivotably mounted on a mounting bracket 20, and a bias weight 26 slidable along the arm to vary the line tension. The arm 24 is resiliently flexible and can be locked in a variable position relative to the bracket 20 to vary the force applied by the arm 24 to the line 12 by virtue of its own resilience.

Description

BITE INDICATOR The present invention relates to a combined line tensioner and bite indicator.

A typical rig used when fishing for carp, comprises a bank stick that rests on or is driven into the ground. At its upper end, the bank stick support at least one electronic line movement sensor which incorporates a rod rest. When a rod is placed on the rod rest, its line makes contact with a sensing element that causes an alarm to be sounded when the line moves. In addition, a tensioner is releasably attached to the line between the electronic movement sensor and the reel on which the line is wound.

Such a tensioner applies a downward force to the line to keep it taut, otherwise a fish taking the bait and moving towards the rod would not cause the line movement sensor to produce an alarm. The tensioner will also move when the tension on the line changes and it therefore in itself also acts as a bite indicator.

Various forms of line tensioners have been proposed in the past. One, commonly known as a monkey climber, comprises a weight that slides up and down a vertical pole positioned next to the fishing rod. Another known type comprises a rigid arm that is pivotably mounted on the bank stick beneath the line movement sensor and that carries a bias weight. The bias weight can be variably positioned along the rigid arm to vary the line tension. A variant of this last form of line tensioner uses a coil spring instead of a weight to vary the line tension by applying a torque tc the rigid arm.

Instead of a rigid arm and bias weights, it is also known to use a flexible arm that is non-rotatably mounted on the bank stick and applies a downward force to the line by virtue of its own resilience. In this case, to vary the line tension, the entire arm would be replaced by one of different stiffness.

According to the present invention, there is provided a combined line tensioner and bite indicator comprising an arm having line clip at one end for releasable attachment to a line, the other end of the arm being freely pivotably mounted on a mounting bracket, and a bias weight slidable along the arm to vary the line tension, characterised in that the arm is resiliently flexible and means are provided for locking the resilient arm relative to the bracket in a variable position to vary the force applied by the arm to the line by the flexing of the arm.

The line tensioner of the invention can be constructed inexpensively yet allows the tension on the line to be varied within a wide range without the need to disassemble the line tensioner and substitute different components.

For lower values of line tension, the arm is allowed td swing freely so that no force is exerted on the line by flexing the arm and the tension is set solely by sliding the bias weight along the arm. Should the maximum tension achievable in this manner not be sufficient, then the arm is flexed downwards to increase the force on the line to the desired extent and the arm is then locked relative to the mounting bracket in this position.

In this way, the line tensioner can achieve a wide range of tension values by simply altering the position of the arm and the position of the bias weight along the arm.

The need for a complex mounting to apply a variable torsional bias to a rigid arm is avoided thereby reducing complexity and cost. Furthermore, the need to dismantle the line tensioner to substitute different arms or different bias weights is also avoided thereby reducing cost and simplifying the operation of the line tensioner.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a light source is secured mounted on the line tensioner near the line clip to allow movement of the tensioner to be seen in poor lighting conditions. Such a light source may be electrical or it may contain a phosphorescent chemical composition.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a combined line tensioner and bite indicator of the present invention, Figure 2 shows to an enlarged scale one embodiment of the lockable joint shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 2 showing an alternative construction of the lockable joint.

Figure 1 shows a fishing rod 10 having a line 12 resting on a line movement sensor 14 which in turn is mounted on a bank stick 16. Because the bank stick 16 and the line movement sensor 14 are conventional, they will not be described herein in detail. If suffices for the present purposes to appreciate that the line movement sensor 14 includes a rod rest and that movement of the line while the rod 10 is supported on the movement sensor 14 produces an audible and/or visible alarm.

A line tensioner, generally designated 18 has a mounting bracket 20 that is held captive between the bank stick 16 and the line movement sensor 14. The end of the bracket 20 is connected by a lockable pivot joint or ball joint 22 to a flexible tensioning arm 24. The other end of the flexible arm 24 carries a phosphorescent light source 28 and a line clip 30 that is designed to release the line 12 automatically when the rod is raised from its support. Once again, the light source 28 and the line clip 30 are conventional items that need not be described in detail.

The joint 22 can be unlocked to allow the arm 24 to swing freely. tn this case, the tension applied to the line is varied only by sliding a weight 26 along the arm 24. The arm will not flex to any significant extent as the weight 26 is small compared with the stiffness of the arm.

To apply greater tension to the line 12, the arm 24 is flexed downward and the joint 22 is then locked to prevent the arm 24 from swinging freely. The tension applied to the line 12 is now determined by the stiffness of the arm 24 and the extent to which it has been flexed, as well as the position of the weight 26 along the arm. This arrangement thus allows the tension to the adjusted within a very wide range, without the need to replace the weight 26 nor the arm 24.

The joint 122 shown in Figure 2 is in the form of a hinge that allows the arm 24 to pivot in only one plane about the axis of a locking bolt. The bolt is fitted with a butterfly nut 124 which can be tightened to force the plates of the hinge against one another and prevent the arm 24 from pivoting.

The joint 222 in Figure 3 is a lockable ball joint comprising a ball 226 that is connected to the arm 24. The ball 226 is held in a two part socket that is closed by a locking ring 224. Until the locking ring is tightened on the body of the joint, the ball 226 and the arm 24 can move freely in all directions but when the ring 226 is tightened the ball 226 is locked in place. Such a joint is well known in itself and used for example on the internal rear view mirrors of motor vehicles.

Claims

1. A combined line tensioner and bite indicator comprising an arm having line clip at one end for releasable attachment to a line, the other end of the arm being freely pivotably mounted on a mounting bracket, and a bias weight slidable along the arm to vary the line tension, characterised in that the arm is resiliently flexible and means are provided for locking the resilient arm relative to the bracket in a variable position to vary the force applied by the arm to the line by the flexing of the arm.

2. A combined line tensioner and bite indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein a light source is secured mounted on the line tensioner near the line clip to allow movement of the tensioner to be seen in poor lighting conditions.

3. A combined line tensioner and bite indicator constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.