US3706466A

US3706466A - Snell-tying implement

Info

Publication number: US3706466A
Application number: US202851A
Authority: US
Inventors: Delphin H Landry; Howard A Biby
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-11-29
Filing date: 1971-11-29
Publication date: 1972-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 1989-12-19

Abstract

A snell is attached to a fish hook by coiling it around the projecting end of a tubular mandrel, around a stretch of the snell and around the shank of the hook held alongside the mandrel, then catching it in a hook on the end of a pulling needle extending through the mandrel and projecting from the end thereof, then retracting the needle and mandrel into a fixed bearing sleeve so as to draw a loop of the snell through the coils while pushing the coils off the mandrel onto the hook shank and the several stretches of the snell passing through the coils, and finally pulling the two ends of the snell, projecting from the opposite ends of the body of coils, to tighten the coils in secure attachment to the hook. The needle and mandrel are yieldingly retractable during this operation. For tying a loop on the opposite end of the snell, a lock is provided to hold the mandrel in its projected position, and the needle is operated to draw a loop of the snell through a doubled end portion thereof which has been coiled around the projecting end of the mandrel, while the latter remains fixed by its lock.

Description

United States Patent Landry et al. v

1451 Dec. 19,1972

[54] SNELL-TYING IMPLEMENT [72] Inventors: Delphin H. Landry, 55 Cerro Vista, Hacienda del Pismo; Howard A. Biby, 54 Cerro Vista, Hacienda del Pismo, both of, Pismo Beach, Calif. 93449 [221 Filed: Nov. 29, 1971 [211 App]. N6; 202,851

[52] U.S. Cl ..289/17 [5 1] Int. Cl ..D03j 3/00 [58] Field of Search ..289/l7 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,145,439 1/1939 Torrence ..'..289/l7 3,326,586 6/1967 Frost et al. 3,520,566 7/1970 Bovigny ..289/17 Primary ExaminerLouis K. Rimrodt Att0rneyLynn H. Latta [57] ABSTRACT A snell is attached to a fish hook by coiling it around the projecting end of a tubular mandrel, around a stretch of the snell and around the shank of the hook held alongside the mandrel, then catching it in a hook on the end of a pulling needle extending through the mandrel and-projecting from the end thereof, then retracting the needle and mandrel into a fixed bearing sleeve so as to draw a loop of the snell through the coils while pushing the coils off the mandrel onto the 'hook shank and the several stretches of the snell passing through the coils, and finally pulling the two ends of the snell, projecting from the opposite ends of the body of coils, to tighten the coils in secure attachment to the hook. The needle and mandrel are yieldingly retractable during this operation. For tying aloop on the opposite end of the snell, a lock is provided to hold the mandrel in its projected position, and the needle is operated to draw a loop of the snell through a doubled end portion thereof which has been coiled around the projecting end of the mandrel, while the latter remains fixed by its lock.

7 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures SNELL-TYING IMPLEMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the art of snelling (tying a snell of monofilament onto the shank of a fish hook) machines of some complexity have heretofore been available for commercial snelling, and there have been some prior attempts to provide relatively small, manually operable snelling implements. Kennedy U.S. Pat. No. 2,934,369 discloses a simple shaft-like arrangement of parts including a hooked needle and a mandrel in which it is axially slidable, for drawing an end of a snell through several coils thereof on a mandrel. It does not, however, provide a satisfactory means for retaining the coils on the mandrel during the winding, nor does it provide for tying-a loop on the opposite end of the snell. Butts U.S. Pat. No. 2,700,840 and Dannebaum U.S. Pat. No. 3,043,615 also disclose small manual devices utilizing needles for drawing an end of a snell through coils ofa snell coiled around a needle and the shank of a fish hook. 'Bovigny U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,566 discloses a snelling machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an implement having means for temporarily holding a snell at the point where winding around a mandrel commences, so as to restrain its coils from sliding off the end of the mandrel as they are being wound. It provides a novel vise for holding the shank of a fish-hook closely alongside the projecting end of the mandrel, so that the snell can be easily coiled around the mandrel and the shank. With the remaining end portion of the snell caught in the projecting hooked end portion of the needle, the retraction of the needle transmits, through the caught end portion to the end of the mandrel, which is springloaded, an axial push which causes the mandrel to retract into the fixed bearing sleeve, which, being stationary, strips the coils off the mandrel and onto the fishhook shank. While the fish-hook remains clamped in place, the ends of the snell can be pulled tight to cinch the coils into a knot aroundthe shank, and the clamp can then be quickly released'by operating a lever. For tying a loop in the opposite end of the snell, av

pair of locking devices are manipulated to hold the mandrel against retraction while the needle is actuated to pull a loop of the snell through a coil of a doubled portion of the snell which has been wound around the fixed mandrel, thus forming a knotted loop.

The general object of the invention is to provide a dual-purpose implement by which snelling and looptying can both be performed rapidly, easily and dependably by manual operation. Specific objects are to attain the features of operation detailed above.

These and other objects will become apparent in the ensuing description and appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the back side of the implement, with parts broken away;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the front side of the implement, omitting the mounting clamp;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the implement;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating the coiling of the snell around the mandrel;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale, showing the operation of drawing the end of the snell through the coils thereof while stripping the coils from the mandrel;

FIG. 6 is-a fragmentary view showing the tightening of the coils around the fish hook shank to form a-knot;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken longitudinally through the top of the implement, showing portions of the mandrel assembly in section;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 9 is a front end view of the upper portion of the implement, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 10 is a transverse sectional view through the mandrel brake unit;

FIG. 11 is aview illustrating a stage of loop-trying; FIG. 12 is a view illustrating a later stage of the same; and

FIG. 13 is a detail top plan view of the retainer spring and its anchorage, the overlying mandrel being shown in phantom.

DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings in detail, we have shown therein, as an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, a dual-purpose tying implement comprising, in general, casing A; ,a fish-hook holding vise B; a slidable carriage C; a mandrel-needle assembly D; a mandrel brake E; and a carriage-mandrel clutch F. In general, carriage C is slidably operable on the top of casing A to retract needle 10 and mandrel l l of assembly D. Brake E is operable to exert a frictional holding effect on mandrel 11 to resist its being retracted along with needle 10 during a loop-tying operation, so that a snell loop can be dragged into the mandrel and through a coil of doubled snell wound around the mandrel; Clutch F is operable to extablish a positive clutching connection between carriage C and mandrel 11 for retracting the mandrel positively during a snelling operation.

In detail, casing A comprises a trapezoidal frame having

side arms

12 and 13 secured'to-and rising from a clamp yoke 14 provided with a clamp screw 15 for fastening it to a bench top or the like 16; front and back plates 17 and 18 (FIGS. 1 and 8) detachably secured to the frame and to one another by screws 19; a top comprising aweb 20 extending part way from side arm 12 (FIG. 7) and a pair of longitudinal angle bars 21 secured to the underside of web 20 and bridged by an arch 22 (FIG. 8). Arch 22, forming part of the needlemandrel assembly D, consists of a bearing tube 23 mounted on spaced angle-bar legs 24 and having in its under side a longitudinal slot registering with the spaces between legs 24. Legs 24 are securely mounted on angle bars 21.

Vise B comprises a plunger 30 spring-loaded to retracted, hook-clamping position by a coil spring 31 acting against a washer 32 which seats against aforked' end of a lever 33. Plunger 30 projects through the fork of lever 33 and has a retainer cross-pin 34 in its end. Lever 33 is fulcrumed on a pivot pin 35 mounted on front plate 17, and has a handle end projecting through an arcuate slot 37in front plate 17 andprovided with a knob 38. The upper end of plunger 30 is slidably extended through a bushing 39 secured in top web 20, and has a claw 40 for clamping a fish hook H across the upper end of bushing 39 and seated in notches 41 therein (FIG. 9). Upon pushing downwardly on knob 38 at the one end of lever 33, its other end will be raised against washer 32 which will frictionally engage plunger with a cramping action developed by tilting, and the plunger will be raised while spring 31 is compressed. A hook H can then be engaged beneath claw in its elevated position shown FIG. 9, and upon releasing lever 33, spring 31 will drive the plunger downwardly to clamp the hook H, the spring load being transmitted through lever 33 and cross pin 34.

Carriage C is of elongated box form, having a top wall in which clutch F is mounted, a forward end 46 having a notch 47 loosely receiving the mandrel assembly D, and a rear end 48 provided with an external boss 49 and an internal socket 50, jacket walls 51 carrying way bars 52, and a tail slide 53 hung from rear wall 48, projecting forwardly beneath angle bars 21, and terminating in a spring anchor hook 54. A tension spring 55 loads the carriage C for advancing movement toward vise B to a normal position shown in FIG. 1. Its forwardend is anchored to casing A at 56. Waybars 52 are in sliding bearing engagement with the outer sides of arch legs 24 to position the carriage and mandrel assembly D on a slide axis.

Needle-mandrel assembly D comprises the needle 10 having a rear end secured in carriage boss 49 and a forward tip provided with a downwardly opening notch 61 functioning as an eye; the mandrel 11 which extends from needle tip 60 to a point adjacent rear carriage end 48, the mandrel being slidable on the needle and in a fixed bearing sleeve 62; a floating sleeve 63 telescoped over the bearing sleeve 62 and extending rearwardly to the carriage rear end 48 where it is adapted to freely enter the socket 50; and a loading spring 64 surrounding the mandrel l1 and adapted to act under compression between an internal collar 65 fixed in floating sleeve 63 and an external collar 66 fixed to mandrel l l. Collar 66 normally abuts the rear end of bearing sleeve 62, acting as a positioning stop for the mandrel, limiting its forward projection. Spring 64, acting forwardly against collar 66, yieldingly positions the mandrel in this normal position (FIG. 7). Acting rearwardly against collar 65, it urges the floating sleeve 63 toward a normal position, likewise shown in FIG. 7, in which its rear end is seated in socket 50. The forward endof bearing sleeve 62 is mounted on a bracket 67 which fixes it to casing web 20. A head 68 is fixed on the rear end of mandrel IL A retainer finger 69 is secured to web'20 and projects forwardly beneath bearing sleeve 62.

Brake E (FIGS. 7 and 10) comprises a cylindrical cam 70, formed by a notch in a central portion of a shaft 71 having an integral lever handle 72, the shaft 71 being joumalled in a'bushing 73 fixed to casing top web 20. When lever 72 is moved upwardly from a normal depending, brake-releasing position, the resulting rotation of cam causes it to impinge upwardly against the underside of floating sleeve 63, which is thereby flattened so as to transmit flattening pressure through bearing sleeve 62 to mandrel ll, frictionally gripping the latter and resisting its sliding movement in sleeve I Clutch F comprises a cylindrical barrel 75 fixed in carriage top wall 45, its upper end being cut on a bias to provide a ramp edge 75 in which is a retainer notch 77; a clutch pin 78 slidably and rotatably projecting through a bearing collar 79 and flange 80. The lower end of pin 78 is adapted, when it is rotated, by its handle 82, to the position shown in FIG. 2 wherein the handle bears against the low side of ramp 76, to project downwardly through a slot 83 in floating sleeve 63, as shown in broken lines, and in this lowered position it is adapted, upon retracting movement of the carriage C, to engage the head 68 on the rear end of mandrel 11 so as to positively retract the mandrel. Operation In a snelling operation, a snell S (FIG. 4) is passed through the eye 85 of a fish hook H which has been clamped in vise B with the eye 85 projecting forwardly past the needle tip 60. Normally the user will face the front side 17 of the implement (FIG. 2) during the operation, and will draw the leading end of the snell behind and alongside the hooks shank 86.as viewed in this position. The leading end is then drawn downwardly behind the adjacent projecting end of mandrel 11, then passed under the mandrel and beneath the retainer finger 69, and thence upwardly to begin a number of turns around the mandrel tip at 87 and hook shank 86, winding clockwise as viewed from right to left. Whenienough coils have been wound onto the mandrel, the remaining end portion of the snell, at 88, is caught in the eye of needle tip 60' and held taut. Then the carriage C (FIG. 2) is drawn' leftward to retract needle 10, using the left hand while the right continues to hold snell end 88 taut. This will draw a loop from

end

88, 89, into the coils 87 (FIGS. 2 and 5). The drag of loop 89 against the mandrel as it enters the same, will tend to cause the mandrel to be retracted against the yielding resistance of loading spring 64, tending to cause the coils 87 to be pushed off the mandrel by the forward end of bearing sleeve 62, against which they will be drawn by the mandrel retraction. 1

After the loop 89 passes through the coils 87, the relatively long body 90 of the snell extending from eye 85 is pulled taut and the carriage. is simultaneously released. As the coils 87 are thus contracted around the mandrel, and as the tension on the-snell body 90 is maintained, the coils 87 will be tightened around hook shank 86 FIGS. 5 and 6) and around the pulled-through loop 89, and simultaneously the coils 87 will drop off the mandrel, the first coil then being released from retainer finger 69. The fish hook is then released from vise B and the free end of loop 89 may be pulled out of the coils 87 as shown in FIG. 6. The two ends of the snell are then pulled tight to form a knot around the hook shank 86.

During the snelling operation, the brake B is in the released position (FIGS. 7 and 10) to allow the mandrel to freely retract, and the clutch F isin its operative position (FIGS. 2 and 8,) with pin 78 lowered so as to engage mandrel head 68 after a lost-motion stage of needle-retraction, the pin 78 traversing the slot 83 longitudinally to engage head 68. Further carriage movement will then effect positive retraction of mandrel 11 to the extent necessary to draw its projecting end completely within the bearing sleeve 62, so as to.

' completely release the coils 87 from the mandrel.

thin and yieldable so as to easily distort and transmit frictional braking pressure to mandrel l l. The opposite end portion of the snell is doubled back upon itself to form a looped bight 92 (FIG. 11) which is engaged in needle eye 61, and the carriage C is then retracted. The frictional braking pressure of brake E will yieldingly resist retraction of mandrel 11 when carriage C is actuated to retract the needle into the mandrel, around which a twisted loop 93 of the doubled snell is fitted by slipping it over the end of the mandrel as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 11, as the bight 92 is drawn into the mandrel. The braking restraint of the mandrel by brake E resists the tendency of the mandrel to be retracted by the drag of bight 92 against it while the bight is being drawn into the mandrel. When the loop 93 is fitted around the mandrel, the end 88 and body 90 of the snell are pulled to draw the loop 93 tight and are held taut while the carriage C is released, allowing the return spring 55 to project the carriage and needle 10 back to the projected position of needle 10 (FIG. 12) the needle pushing the bight 92 through the loop 93 to form the loop 91. The latter is then encircled by the loop 93 which has been converted into a simple tie, or open knot. By grasping the projecting loop 91 in one hand and the doubled end 88 and body 90 in the other hand, the user then slips the loop 93 off the mandrel, releases the loop 91 from the needle, and pulls the loop 91 further through the loop 93 to tighten the latterinto a knot around the base ofloop 91.

We claim: 1. A snell-tying implement comprising: a support having a slideway; a carriage slidably guided by said slideway; a tubular mandrel slidably mounted on said support for movement on an axis parallel to said slideway a needle attached to said carriage and slidable axially within said mandrel in response to carriage movement, said needle having a tip provided with a snell-engaging eye; means yieldingly urging said mandrel toward a normally projected position in which coils of a snell can be wound around it; and means to hold a fish hook with its shank extending closely alongside the projected mandrel so that said coils can be wound around said mandrel and shank simultaneously; and a remaining end portion of the snell caught in the needles eye, the retraction of the needle then being effective to draw said remaining end portion through said coils to form a knot upon release of the coils from the mandrel and tightening the coils by pulling on the ends of the snell. 2. The implement defined in claim 1, including spring means for returning the carriage and needle to projected positions following retraction of the carriage.

3. The implement defined in claim 1, including a retainer finger carried by said support beneath the mandrel, adapted to be engaged by the first coil would around the mandrel so as to retain the same from longitudinal slippage on the mandrel while the remaining coils are wound.

4. The implement defined in claim 1, including a brake operable to exert frictional restraining action on the mandrel to resist retraction thereof in an operation in which a loo of slip-knot form is tied in the opposite end of the sne l by first engaging a bight in a doubledback portion of said opposite end in the needles eye, forming a twisted loop in said doubled-back portion, then slipping said twisted loop over the mandrel while retracting the needle to draw said bight into the mandrel, and finally projecting the needle to push said bight through said twisted loop to form an end loop on the snell.

5. The implement defined in claim 1, including a clutch embodying a spring-loaded pin, carried by said carriage and operable to project said pin into the path of a head on the rear end of said mandrel so as to transmit movement from the carriage to the mandrel for positively retracting the mandrel.

6. The implement defined in claim 1, said hookholding means comprising:

a plunger having at its upper end a claw to engage the shank of a shift hook, said plunger being mounted in said support for axially sliding movement transversely of the mandrel axis, its upper end projecting closely adjacent the side of the mandrel and transversely thereof;

means spring-loading said plunger for downward retraction to engage the fish hook shank by said claw;

and lever means operable to project said plunger upwardly to receive the hook shank beneath said claw.

7. The implement defined in claim 1, said means for yieldingly urging said mandrel toward projected position comprising;

a coil spring encircling an intermediate portion of said mandrel;

a floating sleeve telescoped over said coil spring and containing it;

a bearing sleeve in which a portion of said mandrel forward of said coil spring is slidable mounted;

an abutment collar fixed in said floating sleeve and abutting the rear end of said coil spring;

and an abutment collar fixed on said mandrel adjacent the forward end of said coil spring and abutting the same to apply yielding forward pressure thereto.

Claims

1. A snell-tying implement comprising: a support having a slideway; a carriage slidably guided by said slideway; a tubular mandrel slidably mounted on said support for movement on an axis parallel to said slideway a needle attached to said carriage and slidable axially within said mandrel in response to carriage movement, said needle having a tip provided with a snell-engaging eye; means yieldingly urging said mandrel toward a normally projected position in which coils of a snell can be wound around it; and means to hold a fish hook with its shank extending closely alongside the projected mandrel so that said coils can be wound around said mandrel and shank simultaneously; and a remaining end portion of the snell caught in the needle''s eye, the retraction of the needle then being effective to draw said remaining end portion through said coils to form a knot upon release of the coils from the mandrel and tightening the coils by pulling on the ends of the snell.

2. The implement defined in claim 1, including spring means for returning the carriage and needle to projected positions following retraction of the carriage.

4. The implement defined in claim 1, including a brake operable to exert frictional restraining action on the mandrel to resist retraction thereof in an operation in which a loop of slip-knot form is tied in the opposite end of the snell by first engaging a bight in a doubled-back portion of said opposite end in the needle''s eye, forming a twisted loop in said doubled-back portion, then slipping said twisted loop over the mandrel while retracting the needle to draw said bight into the mandrel, and finally projecting the needle to push said bight through said twisted loop to form an end loop on the snell.

6. The implement defined in claim 1, said hookholding means comprising: a plunger having at its upper end a claw to engage the shank of a shift hook, said plunger being mounted in said support for axially sliding movement transversely of the mandrel axis, its upper end projecting closely adjacent the side of the mandrel and transversely thereof; means spring-loading said plunger for downward retraction to engage the fish hook shank by said claw; and lever means operable to project said plunger upwardly to receive the hook shank beneath said claw.

7. The implement defined in claim 1, said means for yieldingly urging said mandrel toward projected position comprising; a coil spring encircling an intermediate portion of said mandrel; a floating sleeve telescoped over said coil spring and containing it; a bearing sleeve in which a portion of said mandrel forward of said coil spring is slidable mounted; an abutment collar fixed in said floaTing sleeve and abutting the rear end of said coil spring; and an abutment collar fixed on said mandrel adjacent the forward end of said coil spring and abutting the same to apply yielding forward pressure thereto.