GB2505699A

GB2505699A - Fishing line clip

Info

Publication number: GB2505699A
Application number: GB201216060A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Derek Romang
Original assignee: Delkim Products Ltd
Current assignee: Delkim Products Ltd
Priority date: 2012-09-10
Filing date: 2012-09-10
Publication date: 2014-03-12
Also published as: GB201216060D0

Abstract

A line clip 10 attaches to a fishing rod to hold a section of the line in close proximity to the rod and to release the section of line in response to an increase in line tension. The line clip comprises a body 12, a pair of balls 24, 26 mounted on the body and urged against one another magnetically or resiliently and a gripping device (30) for securing the body to the fishing rod. At least one finger 60, 62 extends from an end of the body 12 in a direction parallel to the axis of the rod for trapping the line between the finger and the fishing rod. Preferably there are two extending fingers extending in opposite ends. The gripping device may be an elastic loop that engages the body at two locations on opposite sides of the body and passes around the fishing rod.

Description

LINE CLIP

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a line clip for use by anglers -

Background of the invention

It is known to attach a bobbin that is anchored to a rod rest or a bite indicator, or one that is slidable along a fixed vertical pole (a monkey climber) to the line of a is fishing rod by means of a line clip that releases automatically when the angler raises the fishing rod off its rest. The bobbin may be anchored by means of a flexible cord or it may bc attachod to a pivotod or sprung swinging arm. Up and down movement of the bobbin resulting from changes in line tension acts as a visual bite indicator.

The bobbin is secured to the length of line extending between the reel, around which the line is wound, and the rod rest or, if used, an electronic bite indicator. The range of movement of the bobbin is limited by the faot that the line, even when taut, is at some distance from the rod, on account of the separation between the rod and the reel.

It has therefore been proposed to use a second line clip that is secured to the rod to cause the length of the line to which the bobbin is connected to run close and nearly parallel to the fishing rod. As with the line clip that is secured to the bobbin, the line clip mounted on the rod is reguired to release the fishing line in response to an increase in line tension to allow it to be rewound easily onto the reel.

The present invention is concerned with this second form of line clip, which is intended to be mounted on a fishing rod between a reel and a bit alarm or rod rest.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention, there is provided a line clip for attachment to a fishing rod to hold a section of the line in close proximity to the rod and to release the section of line in response to an increase in line tension, the line clip comprising a body, a pair of balls mounted on the body and urged against one another magnetically or resiliently, a gripping device for securing the body to the fishing rod and at least one finger extending from an end of the body in a direction parallel to the axis of the rod for trapping the line between the finger and the fishing rod.

In a linc clip of thc invcntion, in addition to tho balls used for maintaining the fishing line close to the fishing rod, the line may additionally be trapped between the rod and the finger extending from the body of the clip.

A first movement or change in tension is reguired to free the line from between the finger and the fishing rod and a separate change in tension is then required to release the line from the clip by forcing it through a gap between the balls that are urged against one another.

In an embodiment of the invention, the line clip has two fingers extending from opposite ends of the body and each capable of trapping the line against the fishing rod.

The gripping device conveniently comprises an elastic loop engaging the body at two locations on opposite sides of the body and having two spans encircling the fishing rod.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig.1 is a view from one end of a line clip of the invention, Fig. 2 is a side view of the line clip in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a perspective view from below of the line clip in Figs. 1 and 2, Fig. 4 is an end view showing the line clip of Fig. 1 secured to a fishing rod by means of a rod gripping device in the form of an C-ring, Fig. 5 is a side view of the line clip in Fig. 4, is and Figs. 6 to 8 show different ways that a fishing line can be threaded through and around the line clip of Figo. 1 to 5.

Detailed description of an embodiment

The line clip 10 shown in the drawings comprises a main body 12 of generally U-shaped cross section with the saddle 18 of the U-shaped body being contoured to fit against a fishing rod 50, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The two limbs 14 and 16 of the U-shaped body 12 are spaced from one another by a I-shaped gap 20 through which a fishing line that is to be gripped is passed. Balls 24 and 26 are retained in the respective limbs 14 and 16 and are biased towards one another either resiliently or magnetically so that the fishing line has to force the balls 20 and 26 apart, and therefore encounter resistance, as it is being introduced into or removed from the gap 20. As so far described, the line clip is constructed, and behaves, in much the same way as the line clips attached to bobbins and is not therefore

believed to require further detailed description.

The body 12 is secured in use to a fishing rod by a gripping device 30 which may be a strong metal U-clip but in the case of the embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is constituted by a rubber 0-ring. After a first region of the C-ring 30 has been passed through the gap 20 between the two limbs 14 and 16, the C-ring is stretched and passed around the fishing rod 50. A second, diametrically opposed, region of the 0-ring 30 is then passed through the gap 20 thereby leaving two spans of the 0-ring 30 encircling the fishing rod 50. Because the gap 20 is I-shaped, it can accommodate the C-ring 30 twice within the cross bar of the T without the gripping device interfering with space available to receive the fishing line.

Using an 0-ring as a rod gripping device ensures that both ends of the body 12 are firmly urged against the fishing rod 50.

Two fingers 60, 62 project from the opposite ends of the body 12. The two fingers 60, 62 extend parallel to the axis of the fishing rod 50 and are urged by the gripping device against the underside of the rod 50. In this way, each or both of the fingers 60, 62 can be used to grip the fishing line by trapping the fishing line between it and the fishing rod, in the manner shown in Figs. 6 to 8.

In the case of Fig. 6, the line 70 is gripped only by the two balls 24 and 26. In Fig. 7, in addition to being gripped by the balls 24 and 26, the line 70 is also trapped between the finger 60 and the rod. In Fig. 8, in addition to being gripped by the balls 24, 26, the line 70 is trapped between both fingers 60, 62 and the fishing rod. Fig. 8 also shows in dotted lines that when the line is trapped by both fingers 60, 62 it may be wrapped around the fingers 60,62 either in the same sense or in opposite senses.