US2700241A

US2700241A - Minnow rig

Info

Publication number: US2700241A
Application number: US326013A
Authority: US
Inventors: Elmer L Blair; George P Blair
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-12-15
Filing date: 1952-12-15
Publication date: 1955-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 1972-01-25

Description

Jan. 25, 1955 BLAlR ET AL 2,700,241

MINNOW RIG Filed Dec. 15, 1952 v INVENTORS' E/mer' L. 5/00" (5 GeorgePE/a/r 1 9! 5 BY I Aizorneg United States Patent MINNOW RIG Elmer L. Blair and George P. Blair, Williamsport, Pa.

Application December 15, 1952, Serial No. 326,013

1 Claim. (Cl. 4344.2)

This invention relates to a fish lure and more particularly to a device for securing a minnow upon the leader of a fish line, and it consists in the constructions arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is an important object of the invention to provide a minnow wire or rig which may be readily inserted and secured in the body of a minnow, which will be invisible to a fish being attracted thereto, and which will hold the minnow rigid, without tearing or otherwise destroying the shape or looks of the minnow.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a rig which may be readily passed longitudinally through the body of a minnow, the rig having an eyelet at one end for securement of a hook, the other end having an eyelet for securement of a leader of a fish line, the rig further having a means adjacent the last named eyelet for penetrating the back bone of the minnow for securing the minnow upon the rig.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a side elevation of a minnow having a rig installed therein,

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating the insertion of the rig.

Figure 3 is the same as Fig. 1 with portions of the minnow broken away illustrating the final installation of the rig within the minnow.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a wire illustrating the first stage in the formation of the rig.

dFigure 5 is a similar view illustrating the second stage, an

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the finished rig.

There is illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 a minnow generally indicated by the reference character 10 and as clearly shown in Figure l, a rig 11 disposed within the minnow has a double hook 12 suspended at a point adjacent the tail 13 of the minnow, it being noted that the rig 11 is enclosed within the minnow with only the leader 14 exposed, extending through the mouth of the minnow, the leader including a swivel 15, as is customary.

Inasmuch as different sized minnows are used by fishermen, the rig 11 will be constructed of different lengths and in any event, the construction of the rig is the same, the only requirement being the proper length of wire employed in the formation of the rig.

Attention is now invited to Figures 4, 5 and 6 of the drawing, illustrating the several stages in the construction of the rig. A straight steel wire 16 of small diameter is employed, one end of which is bent to form an eyelet 17, the terminal end being wound to provide a plurality of coils 18, as shown in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 5, the opposite end of the wire is bent to form an eyelet 19 and this end of the wire is likewise wound upon itself to provide a plurality of coils 20, the terminal end 21 extending approximately at right angles to the eyelet 19. The end 21 of the wire is next bent so as to overlie the eyelet 19 at an angle thereto and upwardly disposed and of a length to extend a distance "ice beyond the eyelet, as clearly shown in Figure 6. The end 21 of the wire will function as a barb for securing the rig in the back bone of the minnow, as will be presently described.

The eyelet 19 and associated barb 21 will be considered as the front end of the rig, While eyelet 17 is the rear end thereof to which the hook 12 is to be suspended when assembled within a minnow.

To install the rig within a minnow, an open-eyed needle 22 is employed of a length greater than the minnow so that it may project outwardly of the mouth of the minnow and also through the vent thereof. The eyelet 17 is engaged in the open end of the needle with the leader 14 secured to the eyelet 19, as shown in Figure 2, the bar 21 being presented in an upward direction. The needle 22 is now moved or drawn longitudinally rearwardly of the minnow until the rig is positioned interiorly of the minnow with the eyelet 17 slightly exposed at the vent of the minnow so that the hook may be secured in the eyelet 17, after removal of the needle. When the rig was moved inwardly of the minnow, the inclined bar 21 will have flexed downwardly permitting entrance of the rig through the mouth of the minnow, but will assume its normal inclined position thereafter. After the hook has been secured to the eyelet 17, the leader 14 is drawn forwardly effecting a similar movement of the rig 11 causing the barb 21 to enter the bony structure of the minnow. The rig being of proper length, the eyelet 17 will be concealed within the minnow with only the hook exposed. The

coils

18 and 20 being of a diameter greater than the wire 16 they will frictionally contact the interior body of the minnow and will thus insure stability to the rig.

When it becomes necessary to remove a minnow from the rig, it is only necessary to detach the leader 14 from the swivel 15 and draw rearwardly upon the hook 12.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a minnow rig has been provided which is cheap to manufacture and which will withstand severe strains upon a minnow and without liability of loss thereof during casting or trolling.

While we have shown and described a preferred form of the device, this is by Way of illustration only, and we consider as our own all such modifications in construction as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claim.

We claim:

As a new article of manufacture, a minnow rig formed from a single strand of steel wire and adapted to be drawn longitudinally through a minnow, said wire being bent to form a first eyelet at one end thereof for attachment to a fishing line, a portion of the wire adjacent the first eyelet being bent about the adjacent portion of the strand of wire to form a plurality of coils, the end of said wire of the rearmost coil projecting laterally and forwardly therefrom at an upward inclination to form a barb, and the end of said strand of wire opposite from the first eyelet being bent at its other end to form a second eyelet for engagement with fish hooks, said second eyelet terminating in a plurality of coils surrounding said strand, said barb extending beyond and overlying the first named eyelet whereby said barb will penetrate the bony structure of the minnow when said rig is moved in one direction longitudinally of the minnow, and said coils being all of the same outside diameter to frictionally contact the interior body of the minnow.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,461,246 Lent July 10, 1923 2,288,009 Matasy et a1 June 30, 1942 2,603,026 Duty July 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 260,496 Switzerland Mar. 31, 1949