GB2420064A

GB2420064A - Hook projection device

Info

Publication number: GB2420064A
Application number: GB0425104A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bechara Michel Dib
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-11-15
Filing date: 2004-11-15
Publication date: 2006-05-17
Also published as: GB0425104D0

Abstract

The device comprises a barrel 10 with a plate 20 found therein and means to displace the plate in order to project or cast a hook attached to a fishing line. This means may be mechanical in the form of a coiled spring 26 which is compressed within the barrel or chemical in the form of compressed gas or an explosive. Also disclosed is a capsule 28 formed from a float portion 32 and a weight portion 30 within which the hook is placed.

Description

APPARATUS

The present invention relates to a fishing apparatus comprising a hook propelling mechanism, to the hook propelling mechanism per se and to a self supporting unit comprising a weight and floater.

One of the challenges of the sport of fishing is to accurately cast a fish hook together with a bait through a selective trajectory into water. For this purpose, the fish hook and bait are attached to a free end of a fishing line. Direct casting into a selective trajectory cannot be achieved with a stationary hook. Instead the elongate fishing rod to which is retractably mounted the fishing line is subjected to a three- step recoil, throw and release action. This action is intended to propel the free end of the fishing line to a target location in water where the fish hook and bait come to rest. The ability to cast long distances with an acceptable degree of accuracy demands a highly level of skill. Moreover subjecting a hook to the recoil, throw and release action is generally unsafe for the user and for bystanders and makes the hook prone to snagging in surrounding objects such as trees or hazards such as overhead electric transmission lines.

The present invention seeks to improve casting of a hook attached to a rod-mounted fishing line into a selective trajectory by eliminating the need for a recoil, throw and release action.

More particularly the present invention relates to a fishing apparatus comprising a hook propelling mechanism.

Viewed from a first aspect the present invention provides a fishing apparatus comprising: an elongate fishing rod with a handle at or near to its proximal end; a retractable fishing line having a first end fixed at or near to the proximal end of the elongate fishing rod and a second end which is free, wherein a part of the retractable fishing line between the first and second end is restrained adjacent to the elongate fishing rod; a hook attached at or near to the second end of the retractable fishing line; and a hook propelling mechanism adapted to propel the hook from a stationary position into a selective trajectory.

* *** * * * * : : : : * * S S S S 555

S S S S * S S

S.. S 55. 55.

By non-manually propelling the hook into a selective trajectory, the hook propelling mechanism permits the fishing apparatus to cast the hook long distances and with minimal trial and error. This makes the apparatus equally applicable to sea and river fishing. By eliminating the manual throwing and releasing action, the airborne trajectory of the hook is relatively confined so that the risk of snagging in animate and inanimate objects is advantageously minimised.

Preferably the selective trajectory is a trajectory in which the hook continuously distances the user. Preferably the selective trajectory is a selective forward trajectory.

Preferably the hook propelling mechanism is mounted on the fishing rod.

Preferably the hook propelling mechanism comprises: an open-ended elongate barrel mounted substantially lengthwise on the fishing rod and adapted to load internally the hook in the stationary position (typically at or near to the proximal end of the barrel). The elongate open-ended barrel is open-ended at its distal end.

The proximal end of the elongate open-ended barrel is typically closed.

In a preferred embodiment, the hook propelling mechanism is mechanically adapted to propel the hook into a selective trajectory. Preferably the hook propelling mechanism comprises a mechanical assembly actuatable from a resting state to a primed state where the hook is in the stationary position and instantly releasable from the primed state to the resting state so as to propel the hook from the stationary position into the selective trajectory. The hook propelling mechanism may be linearly or rotationally actuatable from the resting state to the primed state. For example, the hook propelling mechanism may be rotationally windable from the resting state to the primed state.

In a preferred embodiment, the mechanical assembly comprises: a support plate to support the hook in the stationary position; a retractor for retracting the support plate from a first position in the resting state to a second position in the primed state; and * S** * * S II ** S S * S * S I S S * I * * S 4 545 * S * * I S * :.. . *.. *** * a trigger for instantly releasing the support plate from the second position in the primed state to the first position in the resting state.

The retractor and trigger may be the same or referably) different. Preferably the retractor is a linear retractor.

Preferably the mechanical assembly is housed within the open-ended elongate barrel (eg at or near to a proximal end of the open-ended elongate barrel). The open-ended elongate barrel may comprise a guiding slot (preferably a longitudinal guiding slot) and the retractor is slidably received in the guiding slot so as to be able to slidably retract the support plate from a first position in the resting state to a second position in the primed state. The retractor may be an elongate rod rearwardly mounted on the support plate. For this purpose, the rear face of the support plate may comprise one or more (eg two) wings bearing an aperture to engage the elongate rod.

Particularly preferably the mechanical assembly further comprises: a restraining member for restraining the support plate in the second position in the primed state. Preferably the restraining member is a latch capable of latching the front face of the support plate as the support plate is retracted from the first position in the resting state to the second position in the primed state. For this purpose, the latch is biassed into the latching position by a resilient biassing means. Preferably the resilient biassing means is a spring (such as a flatspring).

Preferably the trigger serves to disable the restraining member. Preferably the trigger serves to dislodge the latch from the front face of the support plate. For this purpose, the trigger is connected to the latch by a hinged push rod.

Particularly preferably the mechanical assembly further comprises: a biassing member capable of biassing the support plate from the second position in the primed state to the first position in the resting state.

* *., * * * * : I: : : * * * S * * I S *SS * S * * S S S :.. . *.. *** 5 The biassing member is typically a spring (eg a coil spring). The spring may bear against the rear face of the support plate. The spring may be mounted on the closed proximal end of the open-ended elongate barrel.

In a preferred embodiment, the hook propelling mechanism is chemically adapted to propel the hook into a selective trajectory. Preferably the hook propelling mechanism comprises a chemical entity inducable from a potentiate state to a non-potentiate state so as to propel the hook from a stationary position into a selective trajectory. For this purpose, the apparatus further comprises a push plate capable of supporting the hook in the stationary position.

The chemical entity is typically a gas. The gas may be bottled. The gas may be present in a proximal chamber inside the open-ended elongate barrel (eg to the rear of the push plate).

The chemical entity may be a compressed gas (eg an aerosol such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen) whose potentiate state is a compressed state and whose non-potentiate state is a decompressed state (ie wherein the compressed gas is inducable by decompression). The chemical entity may be an explosive (such as gunpowder).

The hook propelling mechanism may further comprise a distance setting dial. The distance setting dial may be set to propel the capsule a desired distance.

The fishing apparatus may further comprise: a non-buoyant weight fixed at or near to the free end of the retractable fishing line distally to the hook; and a buoyant floater attached to the retractable fishing line proximally to the hook, wherein the non-buoyant weight and the buoyant floater serve to anchor the hook beneath a water surface.

Preferably the buoyant floater is slidably attached to the retractable fishing line. Preferably a stopper is fixed to the retractable fishing line proximal to the buoyant floater so as to delimit the slidableness of the buoyant floater on the retractable fishing line.

* S.. I I * S : : : : : * * : : : :.. I.:. .:.

In a preferred embodiment, the buoyant floater and non-buoyant weight form a self- supporting unit (eg a capsule) which confines the hook at least in the stationary position (preferably in the stationary position and during a proportion of the selective trajectory).

The self-supporting unit has therefore significant safety advantages for the user and bystanders and in terms of preventing snagging.

Preferably the self-supporting unit is modular. Particularly preferably the non-buoyant weight caps the buoyant floater. The buoyant floater may be substantially cylindrical with an open distal end capped by the nonbuoyant weight. The proximal end may be closed.

The closed proximal end may incorporate an axial bore to receive the retractable fishing line. The non-buoyant weight may be substantially hemispherical with a basal stem on which may be wound a part or the whole of the portion of the retractable fishing line between the free end and the hook. Preferably the non-buoyant weight may be substantially mushroomshaped. The free end of the retractable fishing line may be attached to the base of the stem of the mushroom. The part or the whole of the portion of the retractable fishing line between the free end and the hook may be wound around the stem of the mushroom.

Preferably the self-supporting unit is dissociable during the selective trajectory of the hook, particularly preferably during the latter part of the selective trajectory of the hook. This may be achieved by ensuring that the unit is loosely self-supporting whereby the weight difference between the buoyant floater and non-buoyant weight ensure that they are gravitationally dissociable during the selective trajectory of the hook. Alternatively the self- supporting unit may be dissociable by the action of an external force. For example, the trajectory of the hook may be interrupted by an external force such as a brake (eg a brake applied to the fishing line by for example a reel) which serves to dissociate the self- supporting unit. Alternatively for example, the trajectory of the hook may be interrupted by an external force such as impact with the water which serves to dissociate the self- supporting unit.

In a preferred embodiment, the self-supporting unit further comprises: a release mechanism operable to dissociate the self-supporting unit during the selective trajectory.

* I.. * S 0 * S ** II S S S

S I I S S S

* S S S S 5 lIS S I S * * :.. 1. *.. * Particularly preferably the self-supporting unit further comprises: a timer for timely operating the release mechanism to dissociate the self- supporting unit during the selective trajectory.

The retractable fishing line may be retracted by any conventional mechanism. For example, the retractable fishing line may be retracted by a reel positioned at or near to the proximal end of the elongate fishing rod.

The retractable fishing line may be restrained adjacent to the elongate fishing rod by one or more fasteners. Preferably the one or more fasteners are one or more hooks or loops attached substantially collinearly to the elongate fishing rod.

The parts of the hook propelling mechanism and of the self-supporting unit may be metal or plastic as desired.

The self-supporting unit defined hereinbefore is independently patentably significant and provides significant advantages in terms of safety to users and bystanders.

Viewed from a further aspect the present invention provides a selfsupporting unit as hereinbefore defined. Preferably the self-supporting unit comprises: a non-buoyant weight attachable at or near to the free end of a retractable fishing line distally to a hook; and a buoyant floater attachable to the retractable fishing line proximally to the hook, wherein the non-buoyant weight and the buoyant floater serve to anchor the hook beneath a water surface.

Viewed from a yet further aspect the present invention provides a hook propelling mechanism as hereinbefore defined.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying figures in which: * *** * * : * * 1: : : : * * S S * * S S 555 * S * * S I S :.. * ** *** S Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fishing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2a is a cross section of a side elevation of the fishing apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 2b is an illustration of a plate of the fishing apparatus of Figure 2a; Figure 3 is a cross-section of a capsule according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is an exploded view of the capsule of figure 3 showing how the capsule is opened in water; Figure 5 is a cross-section of a hook propelling mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 6 is a cross-section of a capsule according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fishing apparatus (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention comprising a fishing rod (2) with a proximal handle (2a) and a reel (4) attached adjacent to a proximal end of the fishing rod (2) for retaining a reeled portion of a retractable fishing line (6). A series of substantially collinear loops (7a-d) mounted on the fishing rod (2) serve to restrain an unreeled portion of a retractable fishing line (6) adjacent to the fishing rod (2).

A hook propelling mechanism (8) comprising an elongate barrel (10) is mounted along the fishing rod (2) and has a distal end opening (12). An elongate guiding slot (14) extends longitudinally along an intermediate part of the elongate barrel (10). The hook propelling mechanism (8) further comprises internally a radially disposed support plate (20) comprising a main body (20a) with two parallel rearward wings (22) extending axially therefrom. The plate (20) is shown in isolation in Figure 2b and the main body (20a) is a round piece of plastic or metal. The rearward wings (22) have coincident holes (25) therethrough. A rod (24) passes radially through the elongate guiding slot (14) and the coincident holes (25). The rod (24) is exteriorly accessible and is manually slidable rearwardly along the elongate guiding slot (14) to retract the plate (20) against the action of a rearward coil spring (26) which is fixed to a closed end (310) of the elongate barrel (10).

* ..* * * : * * . : : : : . * e S * , i IS * : * . :.. . *** **. 5 As shown in Figure 3, the unreeled portion of the retractable fishing line (6) extends from a front loop (7d) mounted on the fishing rod (2) through an axial bore (38) in a proximal closed end of a floater (32). The axial bore (38) is substantially airtight. A weight (30) is fixed to the free end of the unreeled portion of the fishing line (6). The floater (32) and the weight (30) fit loosely together with a 0.3mm gap to form a self-supporting capsule (28).

The capsule (28) confines a hook (34) attached to the unreeled portion of the fishing line (6) between the floater (32) and the weight (30). This unreeled portion may be baited or unbaited. Distal to the hook (34), a portion (36) of the fishing line (6) is wound around the stem of the weight (30). The capsule (28) itself is inserted through the distal opening (12) of the elongate barrel (10) and rests against the plate (20).

A flat spring-loaded latch (16) is exteriorly connected via a push rod (150) and a hinge (125) to a trigger (18) in a housing (200). When the plate (20) retracts beyond the latch (16), the latch (16) is biassed by the flat spring into engagement with the perimeter of the front face of the plate (20) so that the plate (20) is restrained in a primed state in which the coil spring (26) is held compressed.

From the primed state, the trigger (18) is pushed to cause the push arm (150) to pivot about the hinge (125) to dislodge the latch (16). This instantly releases the plate (20) causing the coil spring (26) to drive the plate (20) which propels the capsule (28) out of the distal opening (12) and through a trajectory to land in the water.

During the trajectory of the capsule (28), the momentum of the weight (30) causes it to separate from the floater (32) until the portion (36) of the fishing line (6) wound around the stem of the weight (30) is unwound. The floater (32) travels distally along the fishing line (6) until it is stopped by the hook (34). After landing on the water, the weight (30) sinks which causes the floater (32) to travel relatively proximally along the fishing line (6) until the floater (32) hits a plastic stopper (40) tied to the fishing line (6). The weight (30) is then at a fixed depth in the water (ie relative to the floater(32)) and the hook (34) is free to catch fish.

* I.. * ** S S S I S S US * * * S S S S * I S * * * * :.. . ..* *** . A hook propelling mechanism (58) according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 5 and comprises an elongate barrel (510) mountable along a fishing rod (see (2) in Figure 1) and which has a distal end opening (512). In most respects, the hook propelling mechanism (58) is similar to the hook propelling mechanism (8) described above with reference to Figures 1-4. However the hook propelling mechanism (58) in Figure 5 instead of the mechanical propulsion arrangement of Figures 1-4 comprises internally a propellant chamber (550) and a distance setting dial (560). The propellant chamber (550) is charged with a propellant which may be induced to propel a push plate (556) against which rests a capsule loaded into the elongate barrel (510). The distance setting dial (560) may be set to propel the capsule a desired distance.

A capsule (600) according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 6. The capsule (600) is a self-supporting unit comprising a floater (32) capped with a weight (30). The capsule (600) confines a hook (34) attached to a fishing line (6). For the purposes of timely dissociating the capsule (600) during its trajectory, there is a release mechanism (400) which is activated by a timer (540). The timer (540) can be set to the time which is desired to elapse from propulsion to dissociation. Where the capsule (600) is used with the hook propelling mechanism (58) of Figure 5, the setting on the timer (540) and the distance setting dial (560) may be matched.

Claims

1. A fishing apparatus comprising: an elongate fishing rod with a handle at or near to its proximal end; a retractable fishing line having a first end fixed at or near to the proximal end of the elongate fishing rod and a second end which is free, wherein a part of the retractable fishing line between the first and second end is restrained adjacent to the elongate fishing rod; a hook attached at or near to the second end of the retractable fishing line; and a hook propelling mechanism adapted to propel the hook from a stationary position into a selective trajectory.

2. A fishing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hook propelling mechanism is mounted on the fishing rod.

3. A fishing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the hook propelling mechanism further comprises: an open-ended elongate barrel mounted substantially lengthwise on the fishing rod and adapted to load internally the hook in the stationary position.

4. A fishing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the hook propelling mechanism further comprises: a mechanical assembly actuatable from a resting state to a primed state where the hook is in the stationary position and instantly releasable from the primed state to the resting state so as to propel the hook from the stationary position into the selective trajectory.

5. A fishing apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the mechanical assembly comprises: a support plate to support the hook in the stationary position; a retractor for retracting the support plate from a first position in the resting state to a second position in the primed state; and a trigger for instantly releasing the support plate from the second position in the primed state to the first position in the resting state.

6. A fishing apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the mechanical assembly is housed within the open-ended elongate barrel.

7. A fishing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, 5 or 6 wherein the mechanical assembly further comprises: a restraining member for restraining the support plate in the second position in the primed state.

8. A fishing apparatus as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7 wherein the mechanical assembly further comprises: a biassing member capable of biassing the support plate from the second position in the primed state to the first position in the resting state.

9. A fishing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the hook propelling mechanism further comprises: a chemical entity inducable from a potentiate state to a non-potentiate state so as to propel the hook from a stationary position into a selective trajectory. and a push plate capable of supporting the hook in the stationary position.

10. A fishing apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the chemical entity is a compressed gas whose potentiate state is a compressed state and whose non-potentiate state is a decompressed state.

11. A fishing apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein the chemical entity is an explosive.

12. A fishing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the hook propelling mechanism further comprises: a distance setting dial which is adaptable to enable the hook propelling mechanism to propel the capsule a desired distance.

13. A fishing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim which further comprises: a non-buoyant weight fixed at or near to the free end of the retractable fishing line distally to the hook; and a buoyant floater attached to the retractable fishing line proximally to the hook, wherein the non-buoyant weight and the buoyant floater serve to anchor the hook beneath a water surface.

14. A fishing apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the buoyant floater and non- buoyant weight form a self-supporting unit which confines the hook at least in the stationary position.

15. A fishing apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein the selfsupporting unit is dissociable during the selective trajectory of the hook.

16. A fishing apparatus as claimed in claim 14 or 15 wherein the selfsupporting unit further comprises: a release mechanism operable to dissociate the self-supporting unit during the selective trajectory.

17. A fishing apparatus as claimed in claim 14, 15 or 16 wherein the selfsupporting unit further comprises: a timer for timely operating the release mechanism to dissociate the self- supporting unit during the selective trajectory.

18. A self-supporting unit as defined in any preceding claim.

19. A self-supporting unit comprising: a non-buoyant weight attachable at or near to the free end of a retractable fishing line distally to a hook; and 1-3- a buoyant floater attachable to the retractable fishing line proximally to the hook, wherein the non-buoyant weight and the buoyant floater serve to anchor the hook beneath a water surface.

20. A hook propelling mechanism as defined in any preceding claim.

21. A fishing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore defined with reference to the accompanying drawings.

22. A self supporting unit substantially as hereinbefore defined with reference to the accompanying drawings.