NL2020549B1

NL2020549B1 - A feeder for casting bait for fish

Info

Publication number: NL2020549B1
Application number: NL2020549A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Rooney Adam
Original assignee: Korda Developments Ltd
Priority date: 2017-03-10
Filing date: 2018-03-08
Publication date: 2019-01-02
Also published as: GB201703948D0; GB2562345B; NL2020549A; GB201803234D0; GB2562345A

Abstract

A feeder (2) for casting bait for fish, which feeder (2) comprises: (i) a body portion (4) for receiving the bait; (ii) a weight portion (6) for providing a weight required by the feeder (2) for enabling the feeder (2) to be cast to a required casting distance; and (iii) fastener means (8) for releasably fastening the weight portion (6) to the body portion (4), whereby the weight portion is changeable on the body portion (4) for ensuring that the feeder (2) always has an optimum weight for enabling the feeder (2) to be cast to the required casting distance, and the feeder (2) being characterised in that: (iv) the fastener means (8) is a bayonet fitting; (v) the feeder (2) includes indicator means (10) for indicating when the weight portion (6) is securely fastened on the body portion (14); and (vi) the indicator means (10) operates consequent upon rotation of the bayonet fitting to a fastening position.

Description

A FEEDER FOR CASTING BAIT FOR FISH

This invention relates to a feeder for casting bait for fish.

There are many different types of feeder for casting bait for fish. The known feeders comprise a body portion for receiving the bait, and a weight portion for providing a weight required by the feeder for enabling the feeder to be cast to a required casting distance. Feeders of different weights are used for casting to different required distances. The feeders are also used to maintain position on riverbeds, depending on speed of water flow.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a feeder for casting bait for fish, which feeder comprises: (i) a body portion for receiving the bait; (ii) a weight portion for providing a weight required by the feeder for enabling the feeder to be cast to a required casting distance; and (iii) fastener means for releasably fastening the weight portion to the body portion, whereby the weight portion is changeable on the body portion for ensuring that the feeder always has an optimum weight for enabling the feeder to be cast to the required casting distance, and the feeder being characterised in that: (iv) the fastener means is a bayonet fitting; (v) the feeder includes indicator means for indicating when the weight portion is securely fastened on the body portion; and (vi) the indicator means operates consequent upon rotation of the bayonet fitting to a fastening position.

The feeder of the present invention is advantageous in that only one body portion is required. It is only necessary to change the weight portion in order to provide a feeder having the required weight for enabling casting to a required casting distance. Anglers can then change the casting distance as desired, in order to fish farther or nearer to shore, simply by changing the weight portion. The indicator means lets the anglers know when the weight portion is securely fastened on the body portion. The anglers can carry fewer feeders. Also there is a reduction of time for changing a weight, which is especially advantageous for competitions. Also, for manufacturers, manufacturing costs are reduced due to less stock of assemblies. Also, for angling stockists, less wall space or other area is required for display, for example in retail premises.

The indicator means may be a protrusion and a detent, and which operates such that location of the protrusion in the detent causes an audible noise and/or can be felt. Other types of indicator means may be employed.

The feeder may be one in which the body portion has bait apertures for allowing the bait to escape from the body portion. The body portion may alternatively be without bait apertures, in which case the body portion will typically be a solid-walled body portion.

When the body portion has the bait apertures, then feeder may be one in which the body portion is an open mesh body portion, and in which the bait apertures are formed by the openings in the open mesh body portion.

The feeder may be one in which the weight portion is a solid walled weight portion. Alternatively, if desired, the weight portion may have apertured walls.

Advantageously, the weight portion has a through bore and is thereby open at both ends. Such a construction of the weight portion facilitates manufacture of the weight portion with part of the fastener means, for example protuberances in the case of fastener means in the form of a bayonet fitting. The required formation for the part of the fastener means to be on the weight portion, and also the part of the indicator means when present to be on the weight portion, can easily be formed during the moulding or casting of the weight portion. The precise method of manufacture employed for the weight portion will depend upon the chosen type of faster means, and the chosen type of indicator means when present.

The feeder may be one in which the weight portion is circular in cross-section. Other cross-sectional shapes for the weight portion may be employed so that, for example, the weight portion may be of a square, rectangular, or polygonal shapes such for example as hexagonal.

Typically, the body portion will have the same cross-sectional shape as the weight portion. The body portion may have a different cross-sectional shape to the weight portion if desired.

The feeder may include attachment means for attaching the feeder to a fishing line. The fishing line may be a main fishing line or a rig.

The attachment means will usually be secured to the body portion. In this case, the attachment means is preferably secured across the end of the body portion furthest from the weight portion.

The attachment means may be a loop attachment means. The loop attachment means may be formed from a length of plastics material. The length of plastics material may extend along opposite sides of the body portion, in order robustly to secure the loop attachment means to the body portion.

The body portion may be made of a plastics material, for example nylon. The body portion may be made of other materials if desired. Typically the attachment means will be made of the same material as the body portion, but different materials may be employed.

The weight portion may be made of any suitable and appropriate heavy material, for example those materials used in known feeders. Typically, the weight portion will be made of lead or zinc.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded view from one side and above of a feeder of the present invention for casting bait for fish;

Figure 2 is an exploded view like Figure 1 but from the side and underneath;

Figure 3 is a view like Figure 2 but shows the feeder in an assembled condition rather than in an exploded condition as shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view from above and one side of the feeder shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side view of the feeder as shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side view of the feeder as shown in Figure 5 but at 90° to the side view shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a view like Figure 4 and shows a first way of attaching the feeder to a fishing line;

Figure 8 is a view like Figure 4 and shows a second way of attaching the feeder to a fishing line; and

Figure 9 is a view like Figure 4 and shows a third way of attaching the feeder to a fishing line.

Referring to Figures 1 - 6, there is shown a feeder 2 for casting bait for fish. The feeder 2 comprises a body portion 4 for receiving the bait. The feeder 2 also comprises a weight portion 6 for providing a weight required by the feeder 2 for enabling the feeder 2 to be cast to a required casting distance. The feeder 2 further comprises fastener means 8 for releasably fastening the weight portion 6 to the body portion 4, whereby the weight portion 6 is changeable on the body portion 4 for ensuring that the feeder 2 always has an optimum weight for enabling the feeder 2 to be cast to the required casting distance. For different casting distances that require different feeder weights, then the required weight can easily be obtained simply by changing the body portion 6 to a body portion 6 having the required weight. There is no need to change the body portion 4. If the feeder 2 is on a fishing line and time is of the essence, for example during a fishing competition, then valuable time may be saved simply by having to change the weight portion 6 rather than an entire feeder of a known type.

The feeder 2 includes indicator means 10 for indicating when the weight portion is securely fastened on the body portion 4. The indicator means 10 is a protrusion 12 and a detent 14. The protrusion 12 and the detent 14 operate such that location of the protrusion 12 in the detent 14 causes an audible noise and/or can be felt. An angler then knows that the weight portion 6 is securely fastened to the body portion 4.

The fastener means 8 is a bayonet fitting. The bayonet fitting comprises a pair of pin members 16 which fit in L-shaped slots 18. In order to achieve secure fixing, the pin members 16 are pushed into the slots 18 and then the weight portion 6 and the body portion 4 are relatively rotated. At the end of this relative rotation, the protrusion 12 locates in the detent 14, giving the audible and/or sensory indication that the weight portion 6 is securely fastened to the body portion 4.

The body portion 4 has bait apertures 20. The bait apertures 20 allow the bait to escape from the body portion 4. The body portion 4 is an open mesh body portion 4, and it will be seen that the bait apertures 20 are formed by the openings in the open mesh body portion 4.

The weight portion 6 is a solid walled weight portion 6 having a solid wall 22. The weight portion 6 has a through bore 24 and is thus open at both of its ends 26, 28. The formation of the weight portion 6 with its through bore 24 and its open ends 26, 28 facilitates the production of the weight portion 6 by moulding or casting and with the illustrated protrusion 12 and the pin members 16.

The weight portion 6 is circular in cross-section. The body portion 4 has the same cross-sectional shape. The body portion 4 tapers slightly as shown.

The feeder 2 includes attachment means 30 for attaching the feeder 2 to a fishing line. The attachment means 30 is secured to the body portion 4. More specifically, the attachment means 30 is secured across the end 32 of the body portion 4, and this end 32 is furthest from the weight portion 6. The attachment means 30 is a loop attachment means which is formed of a length of plastics material 34. As shown schematically in the drawings, the length of plastics material 34 extends into bores 36 in opposite sides of the body portion 4. The length of plastics material 34 thus extends along opposite sides of the body portion 4. The length of plastics material 34 may be secured in any suitable and appropriate way, and is shown schematically in the drawings as having knotted ends 38.

The length of plastics material 34 may be made of the same material as the fishing line and/or the same plastics material as the body portion 4. The body portion 4 may be made of a non-plastics material if desired. The weight portion 6 may be made of any suitable and appropriate heavy material. Where the weight is less than one ounce, the material may be, for example, zinc. Where the weight is over one ounce, then the material may be lead.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the body portion 4, the weight portion 6, and the indicator means 10 may be of different constructions to those shown. More specifically, the body portion 4 may be of a different mesh shape and/or a different cross-sectional shape. The weight portion 6 may be of a different depth and/or cross-sectional shape. More than one of the indicator means could be employed and so, for example, there could be two of the indicator means 10 arranged on opposite sides of the feeder 2. Other types of co-operating members than protrusions and detents may be employed. The weight 10 may be changed for purposes other than casting, and so the weight 10 may be changed, for example, if it is desired to rest the feeder 2 to more or less firmly on the bottom of a bed of water being fished, for example a lake or a river.

Referring now to Figures 7, 8 and 9, there are shown three ways of attaching the feeder 2 to a fishing line 40. More specifically, Figure 7 shows the feeder 2 attached to the fishing line 40 by a fastener 42 having an eye device 44 at one end and a clip formation 46 at the other end. The fishing line 40 passes through the eye device 44 and is tied at position 48. Figure 8 uses the first fastener 42 shown in Figure 7 but additionally using a stop member 50 rather than a knot 48. Figure 9 uses the fastener 42, the abutment 50, and an intermediate fastener 60. Any suitable and appropriate type of fasteners may be employed.

Other types of attachment means 30 may be employed, as may other ways of securing the attachment means 30 to a fishing line, a fishing rig, or other piece of angling equipment. The attachment means 30 may be secured to the body portion 4 in other ways. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in their drawings and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention.

Claims

A bait ejecting means for fish, the feeding means comprising: (i) a body portion for receiving the bait; (ii) a weight portion for providing a weight that the feeding means requires to allow the feeding means to be ejected to a desired ejection distance; and (iii) a fastener for releasably securing the weight portion to the body portion, the weight portion being interchangeable on the body portion to ensure that the feed means always has an optimum weight to allow the feed means to be ejected to the desired ejection distance and the feeding means is characterized in that: (iv) the fastening means is a bayonet fitting; (v) the feeding means comprises an indicator means for indicating when the weight portion is securely attached to the body portion; and (vi) the indicator means comes into operation after rotating the bayonet fitting to a mounting position.

2. Feeding means as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tell-tale means is a protrusion and a blocking element, and functions in such a way that placing the protrusion in the blocking element causes an audible sound and / or is noticeable.

The feed means of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the body portion has bait openings to allow the bait to be released from the body portion.

Feeding means according to claim 3, wherein the body portion is an open-mesh body portion, and wherein the bait openings are formed by the openings in the open-mesh body portion.

Feeding means as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the weight part is a weight part with solid wall.

Feeding means according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the weight portion has a through-bore hole and is therefore open at both ends.

7. Feeding means as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the weight part is circular in cross-section.

Feeding means according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the body portion has the same cross-sectional shape as the weight portion.

9. Feeding means as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, comprising a fastening means for fixing the feeding means to a fishing line.

10. Feeding means as claimed in claim 9, wherein the fixing means is attached to the body part.

11. Feeding means as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the fastening means is fixed over the end of the body part furthest from the weight part.

12. Feeding means according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fastening means is a loop fastening means.

Feeding means according to claim 12, wherein the loop fastening means is formed from a length piece of plastic material.

14. Feeding means as claimed in claim 13, wherein the length of plastic material extends along opposite sides of the body part.

Feeding means according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the body portion is made of a plastic material.