GB2454831A - Swimfeeder - Google Patents

Abstract

A swimfeeder 10 comprising a base weight (40, fig 6) and a body comprising a series of hinged panels 12a-i folded about the hinges and secured to the base weight so as to define a volume for containing bait. The swimfeeder further comprises a plurality of spikes (30, fig 4) made from a soft material and mounted on holes 26 so as to point inwardly. Apertures 22 for the egress of bait are also provided. The body may be moulded in one piece from a rigid material. Alternatively the body may be of tubular form and made from a sheet of mesh.

Description

Swi mfeeder The present invention relates to a swimfeeder.

A swimfeeder is a device used in fresh water angling that is attached to a fishing line near to the hook and which holds bait for attracting fish to the hook. One known form of swimfeeder, sometimes referred to as a-grip mesh feeder, is disclosed in GB2274965. The grip mesh feeder comprises a body formed from a flat moulded sheet of plastics mesh with integral spikes which is rolled up into an open-ended tube such that the spikes are inwardly directed. The spikes serve to hold soft cereal mixes of groundbait, typically of bread-based crumb with seed or particle feed.

According to a first aspect, the present invention may provide a swimfeeder comprising a base weight and a body comprising a series of hinged panels folded about the hinges and secured to the base weight so as to define a volume for containing bait.

Preferably, the body is moulded from a first rigid material. In a preferred embodiment, the hinges have living hinge properties.

Preferably, the swimfeeder further comprises a plurality of spikes made from a second soft material and mounted so as to point Inwardly.

The soft spikes perform'their conventional role of holding the bait within the body but, due to their relatively soft nature, they have less of a tendency to slice through bait and prematurely release it when the swimfeeder is subjected to external disturbances.

In other less preferred embodiments, the spikes need not be soft, but may be rigid and Integrally formed as part of the body. Alternatively, the rigid spikes may be formed separately and mounted individually to the body.

Preferably, the body comprises holes within which the spikes may be mounted.

Preferably, the body when folded comprises a tube.

In a preferred embodiment, the body comprises a securing peg, the base weight comprises a through-hole for receiving the securing peg, and the body and the base weight can be secured together as per the heat staking method disclosed in GB2448005.

Preferably, the body further comprises a bait-egress aperture formed in a said panel.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the present invention may provide a body for a swimfeeder according to the first aspect of the invention comprising a series of hinged panels foldable about the hinges.

According to a third aspect, the present invention may provide a swimfeeder comprising a hollow body made from a first rigid material, a base weight secured to the body and a plurality of spikes made from a second soft material mounted to the body so as to point inwardly.

Preferably, the hollow body comprises a tubular body formed from a sheet of mesh. The mesh may be a moulded plastics mesh which is rolled into a tubular form. In other embodiments, the hollow body may be moulded as a three-dimensional structure.

Preferably, the body comprises holes within which the spikes may be mounted.

According to a fourth aspect, the present Invention may provide a method of assembling a swimfeeder.

Throughout this specification, where reference is made to a river, similar considerations apply to lakes and other like fresh water expanses.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a body for a swimfeeder in an unrolled, flat configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a view of Figure 1 taken along the axis Y-Y; Figure 3 shows a view of the portion labelled Z in Figure 2; Figure 4 shows a soft spike in isolation; Figure 5 shows a side view of one end of the body of Figure 1; Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a fully assembled swimfeeder in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 shows the swimfeeder of Figure 6 from an end view; Figure 8 shows the swimfeeder of Figure 6 from a side view; and Figure 9 shows the swimfeeder of Figure 6 from a view from below.

A body for a swimfeeder moulded in one piece from a generally flat sheet of polypropylene is shown in Figure 1 and is generally designated 10. The body 10 comprises eight planar panels 12a-i connected in series by seven hinges 14a-h which run perpendicular to the axis Y-Y. The panels 12a, 12i each include a pair of securing pegs 20 projecting therefrom. Although the polypropylene sheet Is relatively rigid, the hinges 14a-h allow the body 10 to be folded into a tube having an octagonal cross-section. The hinges have living hinge properties providing enough flexibility to allow the folding of the body without the crease point fracturing. The hinges need not be adapted to permit a large number of hinge cycles.

As Figure 5, which shows as an example the hinge 14a in more detail, reveals, the hinges 14a-h are adapted to be folded such that the surface from which the securing pegs 20 projects constitutes the outer side lOa of the body when folded. The other inner side of the body is designated lOb. Referring to Figure 5, gently sloping surfaces 15 on the outer side lOb and sharply sloping surfaces 16, 17 on the inner side lOa define the hinge 1*4a which allows the panels 12a, 12b to be folded relative to one another until they reach an angle at which surfaces 16, 17 abut each other. It will be appreciated that the angle between the surfaces 16, 17 when the body 10 is in its flat, unrolled condition determines the angle between the panels 12a, 12b when folded. The other hinges are of a similar construction. it will be appreciated that in order for the body to be folded into a tube, i.e. such that panels 12a and 121 at opposite ends of the body are in contact with another, having an octagonal cross-section, the fold angles between neighbouring panels must be chosen appropriately.

The panels 12b-g include large bait-egress apertures 22 and the panels 12d, 12f also include small bait-egress apertures 24.

The panels 12a-i also include small holes 26 for mounting spikes 30. As can be seen from Figures 2 and 3, the holes 26 are not of uniform cross-section but are stepped and comprise a large hole section 26a, opening onto the outer side iDa of the body 10, and a small hole section 26b, opening onto the inner side lOb of the body 10.

Referring to Figure 4, the spike 30 is made from a softer, more flexible/less rigid rubberoid material than the polypropylene from which body 10 is made such as thermo polyurethane rubber (TPR). The spike 30 comprises a head part 30a, a neck part 30b, a sloped shoulder part 30c, a waist part 30d and a spike part 30e. In order to mount the spIke 30 to the unfolded body 10, the spike 30 is inserted with the spike part 30e leading from the outer side iDa of the body 10. As the shoulder part 30c enters the small hole section 26b, the dimensions of the small hole section 26b cause the shoulder part 30c to be compressed. As the shoulder part 30c exits the small hole section 26b, it returns to its natural condition and the neck part 30b and the head part 30a are located In the small hole section 26b and large hole section 26a, respectively. The shoulder part 30c prevents the spike 30 from being pulled back through the hole 26 and the large size of the head part 30a relative to the small hole section 26b prevents the spike 30 from progressing further through the hole 26. In this way, the spike is locked to the body and is unlikely to become separated from it in normal use. In the locked/mounted condition, the waist part 30d is slightly inwardly displaced from the exit of the small hole section 26b and the inner side lOb of the body.

The swimfeeder further comprises a base weight 40 made from lead. Referring to Figure 6, the base weight 40 takes the general form of a slab having a first upper major face 42 and a second lower major face 43. The lower face 43 is generally flat and includes an array of small surface pimples 48 to promote grip on the river bed. The upper face 42 comprises a central region 42a bounded on two opposite sides by elevated ridges 42b, each having a central region 42c lower than the surrounding regions as best seen in Figure 8. The base weight 40 further comprises four stepped through-holes 44 located in the central region 42a as best seen in Figure 9.

The swimfeeder further comprises an elongate connection tab 50 comprising a silicone sleeve 52 within one end of which a swivel 54 is retained.

In order to assemble the swimfeeder, spikes 30 are individually fitted in each of the holes 26 and the body 10 folded into a tube as described above. Next, the connection tab 50 is placed on the central region 42a of the upper face 42 such that the swivel-retaining end of the connection tab 50 projects from the base weight 40. Next, the folded body 10 is placed into engagement with the upper surface 42a of the base weight 50 such that the securing pegs 20 protrude through the stepped through-holes 44 and the connection tab 50 Is trapped between the body 10 and the upper face 42 of the base weight 40 as shown in Figure 6. Referring to Figure 7, it will be noted that the shape of the central region 42b and elevated ridges 42a match the shape of the panels 12a, 12b, 12h, 121 when folded. To finish the assembly, the securing pegs 20 are heat staked according to the method described in GB 2447103 and the body 10 and the connection tab 50 thereby secured permanently in situ on the base weight 40.

In use, the swimfeeder is packed with soft cereal mixes of groundbait, typically of bread-based crumb with seed or particle feed. Because of the soft nature of the spikes, when the swimfeeder is subjected to external disturbances, for example, during casting, the spikes tend to flex and move in unison with the bait in which they are encased rather than slicing through it and thereby prematurely releasing it. The above-mentioned inward displacement of the waist part 30d from the inner side lOb of the body encourages an Individual spike to flex about the waist part 30d rather than transmit the disturbance directly to the body at the joint between the body and the spike.

In other embodiments (not shown), the angle between the surfaces 16,17 of each living hinge 14a-h when the body 10 is In Its, flat, unfolded condition may be such that when the body 10 is folded it does not form a tube, but rather a generally C-shaped structure. In such an embodiment, the base weight 40 is secured across the end portions of the C-shaped body, thereby to define a tubular volume within which bait may be contained.

In other embodiments (not shown), the panels need not be planar; for example, they may be bowed.

In other embodiments (not shown), the swimfeeder may not be open-ended. In one such embodiment, one or both ends of the swimfeeder may be closed off by a cap.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention (not shown) differs from that described above only in that the body 10 is replaced with a sheet of moulded plastics mesh which, instead of being folded, is roiled into a swimfeeder body.

All the features described above in relation to the body 10 are included mutatis mutandis in this further preferred embodiment.

Claims (15)

1. Claims 1. A swimfeeder comprising a base weight and a body comprising a series of hinged panels folded about the hinges and secured to the base weight so as to define a volume for containing bait.
2. 2. A swimfeeder as in Claim 1, wherein the body is moulded in one piece from a first rigid material.
3. 3. A swimfeeder as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, further comprising a plurality of spikes made from a second soft material and mounted so as to point inwardly.
4. 4. A swimfeeder as in Claim 3, wherein the body comprises holes within which the spikes may be mounted.
5. 5. A swimfeeder as in Claim 4, wherein the body when folded comprises a tube.
6. 6. A swimfeeder as in any preceding claim, wherein the body comprises a securing peg and the base weight comprises a through-hole for receiving the securing peg.
7. 7. A swimfeeder as in any preceding claim, further comprising a bait-egress aperture formed in a said panel.
8. 8. A body for a swimfeeder according to any preceding claim, comprising a series of hinged panels foldable about the hinges.
9. 9. A swimfeeder comprising a hollow body made from a first rigid material, a base weight secured to the body and a plurality of spikes made from a second soft material mounted to the body so as to point Inwardly.
10. 10. A swimfeeder as in Claim 9, wherein the hollow body comprises a tubular body formed from a sheet of mesh.
11. 11. A swimfeeder as in Claims 9 or 10, wherein the body comprises holes within which the spikes may be mounted.
12. 12. A swimfeeder as in Claims 9 to 11, wherein the body further comprises a bait-egress aperture.
13. 13. A swimfeeder as in Claims 9 to 12, wherein the body comprises a securing peg and the base weight comprises a through-hole for receiving the securing peg.
14. 14. A swimfeeder constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
15. 15. A body constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.