US2740225A

US2740225A - Lures

Info

Publication number: US2740225A
Application number: US285945A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis J Dedrick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-05-03
Filing date: 1952-05-03
Publication date: 1956-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 1973-04-03

Description

April 3, 1956 F. J. DEDRICK 2,740,225

LURES Filed May 3, 1952 INVENTOR.

' y FIJIYOJ :rr' PEPRIC K United States PatentQ LURES Francis J. Dedrick, Corning, N. Y.

Application May 3, 1952, Serial No. 285,945

Claims. (Cl. 43-42.34)

The present invention relates to lures and particularly to lures which include a concave-convex body of generally ovate outline commonly and hereinafter referred to as a spoon forming part of an artificial bait or fish lure assembly.

It has been the general practice to make such spoons of metals brightly polished in their natural color, to plate them with rare metals and/or to apply various colorful surface decorations thereto. Spoons of varying sizes, shapes and degrees of concavity have conventionally been employed to give them movements in the water as they are drawn therethrough considered best suited to create disturbances therein for attracting the attention of game fish.

One object of the present invention is to provide spoons having configuration characteristics making them better simulate the appearance and action of a minnow as they are drawn through the water.

Another object is to provide spoons having novel optical features greatly enhancing their minnow-like appearance and fish attracting qualities.

A still further object is to provide spoons with or without surface decorations having unique light reflecting characteristics.

A still further object is to provide spoons having optical characteristics which are as permanent as the material from which they are made.

These and other objects and features of the invention will hereinafter become apparent and are realized according to the invention in structures composed of light transmitting materials, such as transparent and translucent plastics for example, as well as in metals conventionally used in the manufacture of spoons employed in artificial bait assemblies. In the application of the invention to transparent or translucent plastics, light reflecting ribs are usually formed on the inner or concave surface thereof and are so grouped as to add to the minnow-like appearance of the spoon, particularly as it is being drawn through the water. When made of metals similar effects are obtained by pressing in the metal itself similarly arranged alternate ribs and grooves capable of variably directly reflecting light intercepted by the concave and convex surfaces thereof. Similar results may be obtained by the employment of thin rigid sheet plastic material usually, but not necessarily, with the application of one or more reflective and/or decorative coatings thereto; or a color blend effect can be attained by employing two ply sheet plastic material at least one ply of which is of a color.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a side view of an assembly including a spoon embodying the invention composed of thermoplastic or similar material.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the spoon of such assembly taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view of an alternative form of spoon embodying the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail the spoon designated 11 as illustrated is composed of light transmitting plastic material and is of ovate outline and of concave-convex contour. Spoon 11 is approximately 7 in thickness and has formed on the concave surface thereof

light reflecting ribs

12, 13 and 14. As will be noted in Fig. 1

ribs

12, 13 and 14 start near the forward end of the upper lengthwise bordering portion of spoon 11 and form arcs terminating at the bottom bordering portion of the spoon in the vicinity of the rear end thereof. Also the

ribs

12, 13 and 14 are of similar curvature and are so positioned with respect to one another that they tend to converge along the forward end of the upper bordering edge of the spoon at a narrow angle with respect thereto, whereas as they approach the lower rearward end portion of th'e'lower bordering edge of the spoon they are substantially at right angles to such bordering edge and diverge with respect to one another. The reflector thus formed aids in giving the spoon a minnow-like appearance while making it visible in the water at substantial distances without the need of application of any reflective coating although a reflective and/or a decorative coating may, if desired, be applied thereto and/or such a coating may similarly be applied to the concave surface of the spoon where it will be protected from abrasion due to the concavity thereof.

An additional rib 15 may also be provided to simulate a minnow mouth. Also it will be noted the eye 16 at the forward end of the spoon has a taper 17 to make such eye appear more like that of a minnow, thus enhancing its minnow-like appearance. It will additionally be noted that the long bordering portions such as 10 of the spoon 11 is itself curved rather than being along a straight line. This shape characteristic gives the spoon additional action as it is drawn through the water.

A spoon such as 11 may readily be made by cutting a blank of ovate form from a sheet of transparent or translucent thermoplastic material and then heating the same to plasticity and pressing it to the configuration shown.

Alternatively a two ply sheet of thermoplastic material, or two sheets of such a material one colored and one transparent for example cemented or otherwise joined to one another, may be cut to ovate form and subjected to heat and pressure to form a spoon having such desired optical characteristics and the permanent color characteristics of the plastic.

In the alternative form of spoon illustrated in Figs. 3 the spoon 48 is simply embossed to form

ribs

18, 19

and 20 on the concave side which results also in the formation of companion grooves 23 to 26, and ribs 27 and 28. When the spoon 48 is composed of metal it is either highly polished or plated with highly reflective metals, varying light reflecting effects are produced by light intercepted by such ribs and grooves from either side of the spoon. As with the use of plastic, decorative enamels or even glazes may be applied in one or more of the grooves to add contrast and decorative effects useful in attracting the attention of fish.

Obviously the form of spoon 48 may also be made of plastic in the same fashion that spoon 11 is made. When made of transparent or translucent plastic the ribs formed on either side thereof function as reflectors whose opposite grooved surfaces require no reflective coating although if desired they may be coated for varied effect if desired without deviating from the spirit or concept of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an article of manufacture a lure comprising a concave-convex spoon of generally ovate outline having on a surface thereof a group of light reflecting longitudinally extending arcuate ribs converging toward one another near the upper forward marginal edge of the spoon, diverging from one another near the other end thereof and terminating near the lower rear marginal edge of the spoon.

2. An article such as defined by claim 1 wherein the ribs are formed on the concave surface thereof.

3. An article such as defined by claim 1 wherein a light reflecting rib is located in the lower forward end thereof.

4. An article such as defined by claim 1 wherein the ribs approach one edge in a direction at small angles with respect to the bordering outline formed thereby and approach the opposite edge in a direction substantially normal to its outline.

5. An article such as defined by claim 4 wherein one end of the ribs terminates pointing in the general direction of one end of the spoon and the other end of the ribs terminate pointing toward a bordering long edge thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS