US1477756A

US1477756A - Artificial fish bait

Info

Publication number: US1477756A
Application number: US582107A
Authority: US
Inventors: Heddon Charles; William A Stolley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1922-08-16
Filing date: 1922-08-16
Publication date: 1923-12-18
Anticipated expiration: 1940-12-18

Description

Dem 118 11923. 11 477 756 C. HEDDON ET AL ARTIFICIAL .FISH BAIT Filed Aug. 16, 1922 Patented Dec. is, teas.

Want

CRLES HEDDON AND WILLIAM A. STOLLEY, 0F DOWAGIAG, MICHIGAN.

ARTIFICIAL rrsn BAIT.

Application filed August 16, 1922. Serial No 582,107.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that we, .CHARLES HEnnoN and \VILLIAM A. STOLLEY, both citizens of t e United States, and residing at Dowagiac,

i the county of Cass'and State of Michigan, have invented-new and useful Improvements in Artificial Fish Bait, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification. I

Our invention relates to improvements in artificial fish baits intended mainly for casting for game fish, our main object being to provide a floating and diving bait having an active lively movement as it is drawn through the water which isinost fascinating to the fisherman and alluring to the fish.-

In carrying out the invention, in its preferred form, we make the body of the bait of a plurality of hingedly connected together to allow a certain flexibility of the body, particularly the rearward portion. which is comparatively long is theiinain or controlling section and is relied on through its construction and operation,when drawn through the water, positively to force the following swingand travel from side to result that a very active or or worm-like movement ofthe bodyis secured. The forward section has a positive vibrating or oscillating movement of its section or sections quickly to side, with the own, and furnishes the power for and thus compels the other sections to swing quickly from side to side.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the present preferred form of our invention- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the bait;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the sections in different relative positions; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. The bait is made of some buoyant material such as wood; in the-form shown in these figures the body portion of the bait, as a whole, is more or less cigar-shaped, substantially circular in cross section, bulging at the middle, tape-ring to a point at the rear and merging into a restricted neck 10 at the front which joins with a projecting head 11 of ellipsoidal form extending downwardly and locatedsubstantia-llywholly below the central or medial line of the body. 7

Attached to the face of this head is a sections pivotally or The forward section lively sinuous cal pivoting of the sections,

sheet metal fin 12, the edge of which projects like a flange a short distance beyond the wooden head. The eye for the line tie is secured to this sheet metal plate and in the particular position shown in the drawing it is located below the axis or can't/er of gravity of the bait. Two small screws through the ends of the line'tie wire 13, extending through the plate 12 and threading into the wooden head serve to secure the line tie and plate to the head. This central plate protects the front end of the bait and permits accuracy of manufacture and therefore uniformity of performanceof the baits.

' Glass eyes lt are mounted on the face of the head 11. i

In order to make the body flexible we divide it into a plurality'of sections, in this instance three, to wit, a forward section 15, an intermediate section 16, and a tail or rear section 17.. These sections are pivotally connected by a narrow metal bar or strip 18, which may be a simple stamping from sheet metal, passing centrally through the middle section 16, the ends of which strip extend into wide-mouthed recesses 19 in the adjacent ends of the rear and

forward sections

17 and 15. Suitable pins or screws 20 are inserted from the lower side of these two bait sections through holes in the ends of the bar 18. The recesses 19 are widemouthed as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 .to permit the bar 18 to swing sufiiciently to either side of the central position. The bar 18 is rigidly secured in the middle section by the tightness of the fit of the bar in the hole through that section, or it may be secured by pins or screws inserted from the bottom, or in any desired way, The recesses 19 may be vertically enlarged toward their mouths to permit a slight vertithe looseness of the pin and hole connection at each end of the barperniitting such action. Freedom of the desired pivotal or hinging action of the sections is thus secured by this construction of the hinge or, pivot, while relative rotation of the sections is prevented The horizontally of the sections. By this constrliction of the pivotal connections between the sections there is a bodily shifting relatively-to, each other of the sections as the angular movement between them takes place,

as distinguished from the substantially fixed fulcrum relationship of sections pivoted medially; but it will be understood that other methods of pivoting the sections may be employed without departing from the spirit or scope of our invention, as expressed in some of the claims to follow.

A hook 22, preferably a triple hook, is suspended from the lower side of the front section some distance from its rear end. The hook fastening is of a well-known socket type which permits the hook to swing to a limited extent in all directions, but prevents it from swinging toward the body far enough for its points or barbs to engage and mar the surface of thebody.

A rear hook 23, also preferably triple, is

.suspended from a suitable fastening. at the rear.

As before noted, the forward section of r the bait is the commanding or controlling section. It is of such construction that in operation it has a distinctive sidewise movement of its own, thus causing and compelling the sections which follow to swing back and forth. This front section is comparatively long. In the particular embodiment shown it is of greater length than the otherspracti cally half the length of the bait. Owing to the wide down slanting front, the restricted neck, the'line tie, and the relation of these to the enlarged rearward portion ofthis section, the water causes this forward section rapidly to vi brate or oscillate when the bait is drawn through the water, and this in turn, causes the rearward sections to wiggle or wag actively from side to side and the bait as a whole to travel with a lively sinous movement. 4

Normally, or when at rest, the bait floats. When the bait is reeled in it dives and travels beneath the surface, as described.

The faster it is drawn along, the deeper it will travel and the more livelyits action. \Ve also prefer to suspend the hook 22 at substantially the center of vibration or oscillation of the forward section as shown in the drawing. In this position it acts somewhat as a stabilizer for the forward .section and as a fulcrum or lever about accentuates the sinous appearance of the baits course of travel.

:We preferably also so shape the adjacent ends of the sections and so separate and mount them that the maximum lateral movement which the oscillating front sec-- section, assume a somewhat inclined position with its head down as it travels through the'water.

While the form, size and number ofsections may be varied, we prefer, and get the best results'from the three section body, the forward section of which. is comparatively long and which by its positive operation compels the remaining section to act in the manner desired. The intermediate or middle section is comparatively short and permits a quick shifting in direction of movement from side to side. The tail section" is longer than the middle section, is tapering toward the rear and carries the hook at its rear end. The three sections make a complete bait of pleasing and ornamental appearance, which is suitable for casting-purposes even though made in sections, and on which the hooks though performing the other functions set forth, are still close enough together to receive the strike of the fish. The small middle section may be colored or painted differently from the two end sections to enhance the startling appearance of the bait when moving through the water. For example, it may be painted black while the others are painted white or oflighter color, or it may be painted of a color invisible in the water. 4

It will be understood that various forms, modifications and changes within the scope of the appended claims may be made without departing from the invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An artificial bait having a buoyant body comprisinga plurality of sections flexibly connected together to permit a wide lateral angular movement between adjacent sections, the forward section being relatively long and having at its forward end a relatively long and wide down-slanting front extending below the axis of the bait body and presentin'g a large frontal surface to the water and inducing the bait to dive when drawn through the water, a line-tie on said down-slanting front below the axial line of the body, said forward section being constructed to be the controlling section and to have a pronounced sidewise or swimming movement and forcibly to cause the other sections to follow and the entire bait. to travel in a pronounced sinuous path as the the ends,

- other, the

bait is drawn through the water, and hooks secured to the body.

2. An artificial bait having 'a' buoyant body comprising a plurality of sections flexibly connected together to permit a wide lateral angular movement between adjacent sections, the forward-section being relatively long and having at its forward end a comparatively extending mainly below the axial line of the body and inducing the bait to dive when drawn through the water, a line-tie on said down-slanting front located below the axial line of the'body, said forward section having an enlarged rearward portion and a contracted neck joining and merging into the forward and rearward port-ions, said forward section being the controlling section and having a pronounced sidewise or swimming movement and forcibly causing the other sections to follow and the entire bait to travel in a pronounced sinuous path as the bait is drawn through the water, and hooks secured to the body.

3. An artificial bait having a buoyant body comprisinga tion bulging atthe center and tapering at said body portion being divided into three sect-ions pivoted to'gether for lateral angular movement with respect to each middle section being relatively short and the forward section relatively long, the forward section having at "its forward end a widened down-slanting front extlending mainly' below the axial line of the b0 drawn through the water, a contracted neck joining and merging into the saidfront portion and the enlarged rear portion of saidfront section, a line-tie on the downslanting front face of said front portion, said forward section being-the controlling section and having a pronounced sidewise or swimming movement and forcibly caus-' ing the other sections to follow andthe en-' tire bait to travel in a pronounced sinuous path as the bait is drawn through the water, and hooks-secured to said body.

4. An artificial bait having a buoyant body comprising a plurality of sections flexibly connected together for lateral angular movement between adjacent sections, the adjoining ends of said sections being provided with double beveled faces to permit said sections to make relatively sharp angular bends with respect to each other, the forward section being constructed to be the controlling section andtohave apronounced sidewise or swimming movement and-forcibly causing the other scctionsto follow .and the entire bait to dive and to travel in a pronounced sinuous path as the bait is drawn through the water and a line-tie on the forward section below the axial line of the body.

wide down-slanting front cigarshaped body por y and inducing the bait to dive when' 5. An artificial bait having a buoyant body comprising a plurality of sections flexibly connected together to permit a wide lateral bodily shifting-angular movement between adjacent sections, the forward section being relatively long and having at its forward end a comparatively long and wide downsslanting front presenting a large frontal surface to the water and inducing the bait to dive when drawn through the water, a line-tie on said down-slanting front, said forward section being constructed to be the controlling section and to have a pronounced sidewise or swimming movement and forcibly to cause the other secin a pronounced sinuous path as the bait is drawn through the water, and hooks s'e cured to the body.

6.- An artificial bait having a buoyant body. comprising a plurality of sections connected together to permit a. Wide lateralbodily shifting angular movement between adjacent sections, the forward section being relatively long and having at its forward end a comparatively long and wide down-slanting front extending mainly below the axial line of the body and presenting a largefrontal surface to the water and inducing the bait to dive when drawn through the water, a line-tie on said d0wnslanting front, said front section being constructed to be the controlling section and to have a pronounced sidewise or swimming movement and forcibly to cause the other 399 sections to follow and the entire bait to travel in a pronounced sinuous path as the bait is drawn through the water, and hooks secured to the body.

,7. An artificial bait having a body comprising a plurality of sections pivotally connected together to permit lateral angular movement with respect to each other, the pivotal center of the angular movement of one or more of said sections being away 310 from the end and toward the middle of said section, the forward section being constructed to be the controlling section and to have a pronounced sidewise or swimming movement and forcibly causing the other sections to follow and the bait to have a pronounced bodily sinuous movement as it is drawn through the water.

8, An artificial bait having a body comprising a plurality of sections, one or more of said sections having a flaring recess formed in the end thereof, and a member from the opposing end of the adjacent section extending into said recess and pivoted therein, to permit angular movement between the sections, the forward section being constructed to be the controlling section and to have a pronounced sidewise or swimming movement and forcibly causing the other sections to follow and the bait other planes, and hooks attached to the body.

10; An artificial bait having abody comprising a plurality of sections 'flexibly connected together to permit lateral angular movement between adjacent sections, said flexible connections including an end of a' section having a recess therein widened lat-- erally but restricted vertically, a flat member extending into the said recess from the opposite section and pivoted therein.

11. In an artificial bait, a wooden body having a plurality of sections a metal bar secured to and projecting from the end of one section into a suitable recess in the adjacent end of another section, and a transverse pivot pin extending from the side of the latter section through a hole in the end of said bar to pivotally connect the two sections.

12. In an artificial bait, a wooden body having three adjacent sections, a metal bar having flat ends passing through the intermediate section and projecting beyond the ends thereof, the adjacent ends of the other two sections having recesses to receive the flattened ends of said bar, and pivot pins extendingfrom the side of the latter sections through said bars, wherebyto piv-v otally connect the three sections together. In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names.

CHARLES HEDDON. WVILLIAM A. STOLLEY.