GB2426681A

GB2426681A - Weight for use in angling

Info

Publication number: GB2426681A
Application number: GB0511396A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Maxwell Stewart Cottis
Original assignee: Fox International Group Ltd
Current assignee: Fox International Group Ltd
Priority date: 2005-06-03
Filing date: 2005-06-03
Publication date: 2006-12-06
Anticipated expiration: 2025-06-03
Also published as: GB2426681B; GB0511396D0

Abstract

A weight (10) for use by an angler comprising a main body (12) having an aperture (28), an attachment device (14) for attaching the weight (10) to a fishing line and having an engagement portion (42), and a retainer device (16) which can engage the engagement portion (42) of the attachment device (14). The engagement portion (42) and/or the retainer device (16) extends through the aperture (28) of the weight (10). The engagement between the engagement portion (42) and the retainer device (16) is sufficiently strong to enable the weight (10) to pull down the fishing line when the attachment device (14) is used to attach the weight (10) to the fishing line. At the same time it is sufficiently weak to enable the attachment device (14) and the retainer device (16) to separate to free the weight (10) from the fishing line, in the event that the weight (10 becomes entangled in weeds.

Description

Weight for use in angling The present invention relates to a weight for

use in angling, especially but not exclusively to a back lead used to weigh down a fishing line in the water so that it is less likely to frighten a fish.

Such a back lead is described in GB-A-2363958. The latter is provided with a mechanism through which a fishing line passes when the back lead is in use, which mechanism automatically opens when a strike is made.

This is a relatively expensive construction to manufacture, and furthermore requires attachment means to enable it to be secured to a retrieval line. Other back leads have been proposed which are attached to the line, and can only be released therefrom manually by the angler. A disadvantage of such a weight is that it may become entangled in weeds, especially whilst the angler is playing a fish, as the weight then tends to slide down the line.

The present invention seeks to obviate this disadvantage.

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a weight for use by an angler comprising a main body having an aperture, an attachment device for attaching the weight to a fishing line and having an engagement portion, and a retaining device which can engage the engagement portion of the attachment device such that the engagement portion and/or the retainer device extends through the aperture of the weight, the engagement between the engagement portion and the retainer device being sufficiently strong to enable the weight to pull down the fishing line when the attachment device is used to attach the weight to the fishing line, but at the same time is sufficiently weak to enable the attachment device and the retainer device to separate to free the weight from the fishing line, in the event that the weight becomes entangled in weeds.

Preferably, the attachment device comprises a clip having a portion in the shape of a hook. This provides a convenient device for ready attachment to and removal from a fishing line.

The attachment device may have a resilient portion which, with the hook portion, completes a closed loop, but which may be urged inwardly, against the restoring force of the resilient portion to open the loop and thereby facilitate attachment of the attachment device to a fishing line.

The engagement means may comprise a spigot extending from the base of the hook portion, and the retainer device may comprise a sleeve, which surrounds the engagement portion when the weight is in use.

Preferably, the sleeve is made of rubber material.

It is preferably closed at one end.

Desirably, that end is wider in cross-section than the rest of the sleeve to prevent it passing through the aperture.

The aperture may comprise a hole through the main body of the weight, and the hole may be wider at one end to accommodate the widened portion of the retainer device.

Advantageously, the weight is frusto-conical in shape, preferably with a flat bottom, with the attachment device located at its apex.

This tends to result in the weight sitting in an intended upright position with the attachment means uppermost reducing the likelihood of the weight becoming snagged.

Desirably, the attachment device and the retainer device have interengaging formations to improve the engagement between the two. For example, the spigot may have an annular groove around its base, which receives an inwardly projecting annular lip around an open end of the sleeve.

An example of a weight embodying the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view from one side and from above the weight; Figure 2 shows a perspective exploded view of the weight shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a side view of the weight shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 shows an axial sectional view through the weight taken along the line IV- 1V in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a view from the other side of the weight shown in Figure 3; Figure 6 shows a further side view of the weight shown in Figures 1 to 5, in a direction at right angles to the angular view of Figures 3 to 5; Figure 7 shows an underneath view of the weight shown in Figures 1 to 6; and Figure 8 shows a view from above of the weight shown in Figures 1 to 7.

The weight 10 shown in Figures 1 to 8 comprises a flat bottomed frustoconical main body 12 made of lead or other heavy material, an attachment device in the form of a plastics clip 14 extending upwardly from the apex of the frusto-conical main body 12, and a rubber retaining sleeve 16 which is open at its upper end 20, where it is provided with an inwardly projecting annular lip 22, and is closed at its lower end 24 where it is provided with a locating portion 26 of wider cross section than the rest of the sleeve 16.

The main body 12 is formed with an aperture in the form of a hole or through-bore 28 extending axially through the frusto-conical body from its apex to the middle of its base where the aperture 28 has a wider cross section to accommodate the locating portion 26 of the sleeve 16.

The outside of the sleeve 16 is provided with longitudinally extending ribs 30 to improve the fitting of the sleeve 16 within the bore 28.

The clip 14 has a generally hook-shaped portion 32 and a resilient portion 34 which completes a closed loop with the portion 32. The resilient portion 34 may be urged inwardly to create a gap between the hook portion 32 quite readily using only one hand to enable the clip 14 to be hooked over a fishing line so that the latter extends through the clip 14. The distal end 36 of the hook portion 32 adjacent to where it meets the resilient portion 34 may be in the form of an outwardly extending nose portion, and the resilient portion 34 may be provided with an inwardly slanting surface 38, such that the latter, together with the underside 40 of the nose portion 36 define a gap which tapers towards the inside of the clip 14, to guide the fishing line into the clip facilitating the attachment with one hand.

A spigot 42 projects downwardly from the clip 14, and has a cross sectional diameter which is substantially the same as the internal cross sectional diameter of the sleeve 16. It is provided with an annular groove 44 where it meets a base of the clip 14. The groove 44 receives the lip 22 of the sleeve 16 when the parts of the weight are assembled as shown in Figures 1 and 3 to 8.

When the assembled weight is in use, the clip 14 is used to attach the weight to a fishing line, so that the weight pulls the cast line down into the water reducing the visibility of the line to fish in the vicinity of the line and its fishing hook.

After playing the fish, the weight may readily be removed from the line by inward pressure of the resilient portion 34 creating a gap between the latter and the hook part 32 through which the fishing line can be passed so as to release the weight.

On the other hand, in the event that the weight becomes snagged in weeds inhibiting play of the fish, a sufficient tug on the line will cause the spigot 42 of the clip 14 to pop out of the sleeve 16 so that the line is released from the main body 12 of the weight.

Numerous variations and modifications may occur to the reader without taking the resulting construction outside of the scope of the present invention. For example, the spigot 42 may be replaced by a sleeve (not shown), and the sleeve 16 may be replaced by a spigot (not shown), which is inserted into the sleeve.

Claims

Claims: 1. A weight for use by an angler comprising a main body having an

aperture, an attachment device for attaching the weight to a fishing line and having an engagement portion, and a retainer device which can engage the engagement portion of the attachment device such that the engagement portion and/or the retainer device extends through the aperture of the weight, the engagement between the engagement portion and the retainer device being sufficiently strong to enable the weight to pull down the fishing line when the attachment device is used to attach the weight to the fishing line, but at the same time is sufficiently weak to enable the attachment device and the retainer device to separate to free the weight from the fishing line, in the event that the weight becomes entangled in weeds.
2. A weight according to claim 1, in which the attachment device comprises a clip having a portion in the shape of a hook.
3. A weight according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the attachment device has a resilient portion which, with the hook portion, completes a closed loop, but which may be urged inwardly, against the restoring force of the resilient portion to open the loop and thereby facilitate attachment of the attachment device to a fishing line.
4. A weight according to any preceding claim, in which the engagement means comprises a spigot extending from the base of the hook portion.
5. A weight according to any preceding claim, in which the retainer device comprises a sleeve, which surrounds the engagement portion when the weight is in use.
6. A weight according to claim 5, in which the sleeve is made of rubber material.
7. A weight according to claim 5 or claim 6, in which the sleeve is closed at one end.
8. A weight according to claim 7, in which the end of the sleeve which is closed is wider in cross-section than the rest of the sleeve to prevent it passing through the aperture.
9. A weight according to any preceding claim, in which the aperture comprises a hole through the main body of the weight.
10. A weight according to claim 9 read as appended to claim 8, in which the hole is wider at one end to accommodate the widened portion of the retainer device.
11. A weight according to any preceding claim, in which the weight is frusto-conical in shape, with the attachment device located at its apex.
12. A weight according to claim 11, in which the weight has a flat bottom.
13. A weight according to any preceding claim, in which the attachment device and the retainer device have interengaging formations to improve the engagement between the two.
14. A weight according to claim 13, in which the spigot has an annular groove around its base, which receives an inwardly projecting annular lip around an open end of the sleeve.
15. A weight substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.