GB2349060A

GB2349060A - Device for storing waste fishing line

Info

Publication number: GB2349060A
Application number: GB9908894A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian John James
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-04-20
Filing date: 1999-04-20
Publication date: 2000-10-25
Also published as: GB9908894D0

Abstract

A device for storing spent fishing line comprises: a line feed means; and, coupled to said line feed means, a spent line storage means 27, 61 for receiving spent fishing line fed to it by operation of said line feed means, the storage means is readily separable from said line feed means. In one embodiment Fig 2 the line feed means comprises a casing having a removable wall 21a carrying a bearing part, and the storage means comprises a spool to which line is admitted, the spool being rotatable in aligned bearings between the removable and an opposed casing wall. Removal of the removable wall carries with it the aforesaid bearing part exposing the spool for removal with spent line thereon. The spool may be motor or manually driven. In a second embodiment Fig 4 the spent line is adapted to be driven, stuffed into a tube 61 through the pinch of frictionally engaged rollers (41a,b).

Description

WASTE FISHING LINE DISPOSAL This invention relates to a simple and convenient device for encouraging fishermen temporarily to store fishing line at the end of its useful life.

Spent fishing line frequently discarded by careless fishermen constitutes a significant danger to wildlife and children as well as to other anglers. It would appear that no simple cheap and convenient method has, heretofore, been made available to anglers, encouraging them to mitigate the problem of environmental and other damage.

According to the invention, a device for the storage of spent fishing line pending its safe disposal comprises: a line feed means; and, coupled to said line feed means, a spent line storage means for receiving spent fishing line fed thereto by operation of said line feed means; and in which, said line feed means, said storage means, and the coupling between them is such that said storage means is readily separable from said line feed means.

Preferably, said storage means is of a bio-degradable material.

The line feed means may comprise: a frame structure incorporating first and second opposed walls, said first opposed wall being adapted to be readily removably secured with respect to the remainder of the frame structure; a line wind-up spool, constituting said spent line storage means, adapted to be supported between said first and second opposed walls, in axially aligned bearings; and means for rotative driving said line wind-up spool.

Said rotative driving means may comprise means for driving said line wind-up spool by the application of torque at a hub bearing of said spool Said rotative driving means may be constituted as a winding handle; or it may be constituted by a step-down gearing arrangement and an electric motor means for driving said gearing. The step-down gearing may be constituted as a toothed gear train, or it may be constituted by a pulley and belt drive arrangement.

The line feed means may, however, comprise a frame part such as to define a passageway for the passage of spent line ; and, rotatable about parallel axes defined in said frame part, first and second roller members, the pinch of said roller members being substantially in alignment with said passageway, said first roller member being adapted to be rotative driven and the second roller member being adapted to rotate as a result of contact thereof with said first roller means; and in which, to the side of said roller pinch remote from said passageway, the frame is adapted to hold detachable storage means into which spent line, which, in use, issues from said roller pinch is deposited. Said storage means may be in the form of a bag. Preferably, however, the storage means comprises a substantially rigid tubular member which, when fitted to said frame, projects therefrom. The storage means may be of plastic or it may be of paper or cardboard rendered waterproof.

Two embodiments of the device in accordance with the invention is herein after described with reference to the accompanying drawings which: Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the first embodiment of the device in front elevation; Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the device of Fig. 1 : Fig. 3 shows, diagrammatically, the second embodiment of the device, in plan ; Fig. 4 shows, in side elevation, the device of Fig. 4, the side wall of the housing of the device being removed so as to reveal the mechanism within the housing; Fig. 5 shows the section on V---V of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 shows the device of Figs. 3,4 and 5 in front elevation.

The device 11 (Fig. 1) for the storage of spent fishing line comprises: a line feed means 13; and, coupled, as at 15, to said line feed means 13, a spent line storage means 17, of a bio-degradable material, for receiving spent fishing line (not shown) fed thereto by operation of said line feed means 13. In the device, the line feed means 13, the storage means 17, and the coupling 15 between them, are such that said storage means 17 is readily separable from said line feed means 13.

In the example, the line feed means 13 comprises: a frame structure 19, being a casing 1 9a provided with a passage 19b for the entry of spent fishing line to be stored in the device pending its disposal. The casing 19 has first and second opposed walls 21 a, 21 b, respectively.

The first wall 21 a is adapted to be readily removably secured with respect to the remainder of the casing 19. The spent line storage means 17 comprises a line wind-up spool. The spool 17 is adapted to be supported between said first and second opposed walls 21 a, 21 b, in axially aligned bearings 23a, 23b, respectively, being said coupling 15 between said spool 17 and said casing 19. Means 25 are provided for rotative driving the line wind-up spool 17.

In the example, the drive means 25 drives the spool 17 by the application of torque at a hub 27 of the spool 17.

As represented, the drive means 25 comprises an electric motor 29 powered from batteries 31 a and, associated switch 31 b, between the motor 29 and the hub 27 of the spool 17, a transmission in the form of gearing shown, in the drawings, as comprising first and second pulley wheels 33a, 33b, respectively, the one 33a carried by the motor shaft, the other 33b carried by the hub 27, and a drive belt 35 serving as the drive between the two pulleys. The transmission may, however, comprise a gear train between the motor shaft and the hub 27.

Instead of an electric motor, manually operable means could be provided in driving the spool 17. Such manual means might include a handle 37 rotatable about an axis parallel to that of the spool 17 being a handle coupled to said spool hub 27 by way of a gearing all as described previously ; or the handle axis might be coincident with that of the spool hub 27, thereby to provide a direct drive to the spool hub.

In any case, said first wall 29a of the casing is adapted to be releasibly secured to the casing body by means of, for example, quarter-turn turn and lock means (not illustrated) shared between said first wall 29a and the casing body.

As shown, the first wall 29a incorporates the male portion of the hub bearing 23a. Accordingly, release of the wall 29a from engagement with the casing body with consequent separation of said male bearing portion results in access to the spool 17 from the casing body by way of the opening provided by wall removal.

In the second embodiment (Figs. 3 to 6), the device comprises: a housing 39; first and second wheel elements 41 a, 41 b, respectively, suitably of nylon (being, in the example, roller members), the spindles (not shown) of which are carried, of the one, in end bearing members 43, of the other, in end bearing members 45, being bearing members integral with opposed housing side walls 39a, 39b, respectively, for rotation, under driving frictional contact with one another, about parallel axes defined in said housing; an electric motor 47 the casing of which is mounted on the wall 39b of the housing; a step-up gear train comprising a driving gear 49 carried on the shaft of the motor 47 and a driven gear 51, carried on the spindle of the roller 41 a; and battery means 53 and on/off switch means 55 for the motor 47.

The rear wall 39c of the housing 39 has a circular opening 57 which embraces a rubber grommett 59, the edge of the opening 57 sitting within a groove which extends circumferentially around the grommett.

The spent line storage means, being a substantially rigid tube 61, of plastic or of cardboard treated with a water repellent, makes a push fit within the grommett.

The front wall 39d of the housing 39 has a stepped configuration, the narrower upper portion 39d having a passage 63 (Fig. 4) through which spent line is to be fed to the rollers 41 a, 41 b, when driven from the motor 47 by way of the step-up gear train, the bite of the rollers 41 a, 41 b, being in alignment with the opening 57 of the rear housing wall 39c and, hence, the mouth of the tube 61, when fitted.

At an appropriate time, the tube 61, stuffed with spent line may be readily withdrawn from the grommett and after, perhaps, being capped with a plastic closure member safely disposed of.

The rollers 41 a, 41 b, might, instead of being driven through gearing by means of an electric motor, be driven manually, and the drawings depict a handle 65 for this purpose.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A device for the storage of spent fishing line pending its safe disposal which comprises: a line feed means; and, coupled to said line feed means, a spent line storage means for receiving spent fishing line fed thereto by operation of said line feed means; and in which, said line feed means, said storage means, and the coupling between them, are such that said storage means is readily separable from said line feed means.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which said storage means is of a bio-degradable material.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which said line feed means comprises: a frame structure incorporating first and second opposed walls, said first opposed wall being adapted to be readily removably secured with respect to the remainder of the frame structure; a line wind-up spool, constituting said spent line storage storage, adapted to be supported between said first and second opposed walls, in axially aligned bearings; and means for rotative driving said line wind-up spool.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 in which said rotative driving means may comprise means for driving said line wind-up spool by the application of torque at a hub bearing of said spool.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which: said line feed means comprises: a frame part such as to define a passageway for the passage of spent line ; and, rotatable about parallel axes defined in said frame part, first and second roller members, the pinch of said roller members being substantially in alignment with said passageway, said first roller member being adapted to be rotative driven and the second roller member being adapted to rotate as a result of contact thereof with said first roller means; and in which, to the side of said roller pinch remote from said passageway, the frame is adapted to hold detachable storage means into which spent line, which, in use, issues from said roller pinch is deposited.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 in which said storage means comprises a bag.

7. A device as claimed in claim 5 in which said storage means comprises a substantially rigid tubular member.

8. A device as claimed in any preceding claim in which said rotative drive means comprises a winding handle.

9. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 in which said rotative drive means comprises a gearing arrangement and an electric motor means for driving said gearing.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9 in which said gearing comprises a toothed gear train.

11. A device as claimed in claim 9 in which said gearing comprises a pulley and belt transmission.

12. A device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 or with reference to Figs. 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A method of treating spent fishing line, being a method which employs a device incorporating, line feed means, and, coupled to said line feed means, a spent line storage means for receiving spent fishing line fed thereto by operation of said line feed means, said line feed means, said line storage means and the coupling between them being such that said storage means is readily separable from said line feed means and thereafter freeable from the device; said method comprising decoupling said storage means, charged with spent fishing line, from said line feed means, removing the storage means and its charge from the device, and, subsequently, disposing of the storage means together with its charge of spent line in a manner calculated to avoid the possibility of injury to living creatures, such as may arise were the spent line to be carelessly discarded.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 in which: the device used in the method is such that said line feed means comprises: a frame structure incorporating first and second opposed walls, said first opposed wall being adapted to be readily removably secured with respect to the remainder of the frame structure; said line storage means comprises a line wind-up spool having axially aligned bearing first parts; and said coupling means comprises first and second axially aligned bearing second parts, being bearing parts integral, respectively, with said first and second walls ; and said line wind-up spool is adapted to be supported between said first and second opposed walls, with said first bearing parts in rotational engagement with said second bearing parts.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2: in which the line feed means comprises rotative drive means operable to drive said line wind-up spool by the application of torque at the hub of said spool.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 in which: said line feed means comprises: a frame part such as to define a passageway for the passage of spent line ; and, rotatable about parallel axes defined in said frame part, first and second roller members, the pinch of said roller members being substantially in alignment with said passageway, said first roller member being adapted to be rotative driven and the second roller member being adapted to rotate as a result of contact thereof with said first roller means; and in which, to the side of said roller pinch remote from said passageway, the frame is adapted to hold detachable storage means into which spent line, which, in use, issues from said roller pinch is deposited.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4 in which said storage means comprises a bag.
6. The method as claimed in claim 4 in which said storage means comprises a substantially rigid tubular member.
7. The method claimed in claim 3 or any of claims 4,5, or 6, in which said rotative drive means comprises a winding handle.
8. The method as claimed in any of claims 3 or any of claims 4,5, or 6, in which said rotative drive means comprises a gearing arrangement and an electric motor means for driving said gearing.
9. The method as claimed in claim 8 in which said gearing comprises a toothed gear train.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9 in which said gearing comprises a pulley and belt transmission.
11. A device which comprises line feed means, and, coupled to said line feed means, a spent line storage means for receiving spent fishing line fed thereto by operation of said line feed means, said line feed means, said line storage means and the coupling between them being such that said storage means is readily separable from said line feed means and thereafter freeable from the device characterized in that said line feed means comprises: a frame structure incorporating first and second opposed walls, said first opposed wall being adapted to be readily removably secured with respect to the remainder of the frame structure; and in that said line storage means comprises a line wind-up spool having axially aligned bearing first parts; and said coupling means comprises first and second axially aligned bearing second parts, being bearing parts integral, respectively, with said first and second walls; and said line wind-up spool is adapted to be supported between said first and second opposed walls, with said first bearing parts in rotational engagement with said second bearing parts.
12. A device as claimed in claim 11 in which the line feed means comprises rotative drive means operable to drive said line wind-up spool by the application of torque at the hub of said spool.
13. A device which comprises line feed means, and, coupled to said line feed means, a spent line storage means for receiving spent fishing line fed thereto by operation of said line feed means, said line feed means, said line storage means and the coupling between them being such that said storage means is readily separable from said line feed means and thereafter freeable from the device characterized in that said line feed means comprises: a frame part such as to define a passageway for the passage of spent line; and, rotatable about parallel axes defined in said frame part, first and second roller members, the pinch of said roller members being substantially in alignment with said passageway, said first roller member being adapted to be rotatively driven and the second roller member being adapted to rotate as a result of contact thereof with said first roller means; and characterized, also, in that, to the side of said roller pinch remote from said passageway, the frame is adapted to hold detachable storage means into which spent line, which, in use, issues from said roller pinch is deposited.
14. A device as claimed in claim 13 and in which said storage means comprises a bag.
15. A device as claimed in claim 13 and in which said storage means comprises a substantially rigid tubular member.
16. A device as claimed in claim 12 or any of claims 13,14, or 15, in which said rotative drive means comprises a winding handle.
17. A device as claimed in claim 12 or any of claims 13,14, or 15, in which said rotative drive means comprises a gearing arrangement and an electric motor means for driving said gearing.
18. A device as claimed in claim 17 in which said gearing comprises a toothed gear train.
19. The method as claimed in claim 17 in which said gearing comprises a pulley and belt transmission.
20. A device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 or with reference to Figs. 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.