MXPA99005281A - Spinner-type fishing lures and wire and cable fishing leaders - Google Patents

Abstract

An improved fishing lure employing a wire frame (10) having first (14) and second arms (16) that extend in divergent directions with respect to each other. A fish attracting element (18) and a hook (20) are secured to one arm (14), and a spinner (32) is attached to the other arm (16). The wire frame is formed of a nickel titanium alloy which provides flexibility and shape memory that are substantially greater than that provided by conventional stainless steel wire whereby when the lure is pulled through water, it has improved fish attracting action. Wire and cable fishing leaders formed of a nickel titanium alloy are disclosed which exhibit appreciable elongation and resistance to kinking and spiralling.

Description

BAIT OF TYPE FISHING AND SOFTENING OF WIRE AND CABLE FISHING FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to fishing baits and fishing snoops. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wire structure for teaspoon fishing baits having significant shape flexibility and memory as well as tensile strength. The present invention further relates to fishing feeds of wire and cable to connect a fishing line to a fishing bait that has resistance to kinking as well as significant flexibility and tensile strength.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in teaspoon-type fishing bait and to a wire and cable fishing stub that is used to attach a fishing bait or hook to one end of a fishing line. Artificial fishing baits are available in a wide variety of types, however, an extremely popular type of fishing bait is the so-called "spoon bait". This type of fishing bait emphasizes the use of a spoon to increase the attractiveness of the bait to the fish. The teaspoon is normally formed as a substantially separate part of the bait, that is, the typical teaspoon bait is formed of a wire body having two arms extending in a V-shape with the fishing line or body attached to the body of the bait. wire at the intersection of the two arms. The two arms, usually formed of a single length of stainless steel wire, extend at an acute angle in relation to one another. The typical teaspoon bait has a body secured to one of the arms and a fishing hook that extends backwards from the body. The other arm of the teaspoon bait has one or more teaspoons attached to it. The typical teaspoon bait is designed so that when it is pulled through the water the teaspoon arm is placed vertically above the arm of the body. A fish is attracted to the bait that is moved by the dramatic effect caused by the spinning, spinning spoons that rotate above the bait body that is fixed to, or is part of, the frame arm of the body. In recent years, spoon baits have become extremely popular and have consumed, according to some reports, between 40 to 60% of the freshwater artificial bait market in the United States. The effectiveness of a spoon bait seems to lie in its ability to attract fish to the dressed hook. More specifically, the increased action, vibration, sound and flashing produced by a spoon bait, compared to other types of artificial bait, seems to count for the success of spoon bait. Substantially all teaspoon baits manufactured and sold in the United States and around the world currently have a frame made of stainless steel wire that is a popular material to be used in forming the framework of a teaspoon bait due to its rapid availability, economy, strength and resistance to corrosion. However, teaspoon baits having a stainless steel wire frame have certain disadvantages and limitations and it is an object of the present disclosure to provide an improved teaspoon bait having advantages that make the improved teat bait substantially superior to baits of teaspoon commonly available that are made with a stainless steel wire frame. Another important article for fishermen is the sotileza by which a bait is attached to the end of a fishing line. Most of the fishing lines currently in use are made of synthetic materials, including nylon without filaments, braided nylon and braided polyester. In the past, fishing lines were made of cotton, linen or silk fabrics but with the development and rapid availability of extrudable polymers, the line without filaments has substantially replaced all other types of fishing lines. When assembling a fishing tackle, the fishing line is commonly adhered to the fishing bait or hook using a fishing stencil. Although some pole-and-line fishermen attach the fishing symbol or hook directly to one end of the fishing line, more experienced pole-and-line fishermen use a fishing slogan between the fishing line and the bait in order to protect the fishing line of abrasion and fraying. In particular, the fishing line without filaments can be damaged by getting stuck with a rock or other obstruction in the water, or cut or frayed by the teeth, fins or tail of a fish. Conventional fishing traits are formed using monofilament nylon or wire or stainless steel cable. The nylon of monofi laments is more flexible than the conventional metal sotilezas, and in addition, it is less visible and striking, which is advantageous when trying to attract fish. However, the same concerns that pertain to the monofilament fishing line apply to monofilament nylon fishing trappings in which monofilament nylon is generally not as resistant to wear and fraying as metallic wire or cable. Additionally, the tensile strength of a particular nylon diameter of monofilaments is typically less than the tensile strength of a wire or cable of equal diameter. Therefore, the wire or cable of high tensile strength is used in those instances in which monofilament nylon is more prone to fail, for example, fishing large fish, fishing for sharp-toothed fish or where the surrounding environment contains obstructions with heavy borders or covers. The metallic sotilezas can be of wire of a single braided or cable multi braided. Conventional metal stencils are commonly constructed of stainless steel because of their high tensile strength, corrosion resistance, easy availability and economy.

A significant problem with the conventional sotilezas of wire and cable of stainless steel, nevertheless, is that the sotilezas often bend twist or form spirals. Once a sotileza of stainless steel bends or twists, is difficult to straighten, and even more, the attempts to repair the sotileza, can create critical tensions that result in deformation by fatigue and even in mechanical failures. If a sotileza is bent or twisted during use, the angler could lose not only a hooked fish, but also the fishing tackle attached to the sotileza which could be expensive to replace. As a result, a bent or twisted fishing tag should be replaced immediately, which could consume time and affect the valuable time to fish. In addition, it is difficult to launch correctly a bent or twisted fishing sotileza which can affect the ability of the angler to place exactly the fishing sotileza. Conventional stainless steel fishing traps also can not show any significant elongation when subjected to the forces commonly associated with fishing, such as a hit or contact with some obstruction in the water. As a result, conventional stainless steel stencils transfer the tension created by a fish trapped directly to the fishing line, thereby increasing the chances of exceeding the recommended line resistance of the fishing line.

In the search for better materials for the construction of fishing sotilezas, several combinations of synthetic materials and stainless steel wire and cable have been suggested. One of the examples of fishing sotility is described in the U.S. patent. No .: 3,451, 305 to Christensen et al., Which describes a sotileza that has a core of nylon multifilaments surrounded by braided stainless steel fiber, all of which is covered by a nylon cover. Although coating a wire or metal cable with nylon initially increases the flexibility of the sotileza, as the coating deteriorates with use, the cable sotileza becomes less resistant to wringing. Therefore, there is a need for improved materials to be used in the construction of fishing baits and fishing traps. Such materials, when used in the construction of a fishing sotileza, must be flexible and have an appreciable shape memory. Such materials, when used in the construction of a fishing sotileza, must be capable of resisting the twisting, bending or forming of spirals, and yet be flexible so as not to significantly affect the action of the fishing bait. These materials must also have a relatively high tensile strength and be resistant to corrosion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a fishing bait, characterized by high flexibility and shape memory, having a bait frame formed of an elongated wire which, in a preferred embodiment, is bent at an intermediate point forming a bite portion, as to form two arms that diverge from the bite portion to the respective outer ends. The elongated wire can be formed of an integral wire. At least one attractant element of the fish and at least one fishing hook are secured to the elongated wire. The at least one fish attractant is mounted to the wire for rotation around the wire. In another form of the fishing bait the elongated wire includes an eye at one end, two bends of 90 ° each along the length of the same as to form a sharp angle in the form of Z, and with the element of attraction of fish and the fishing hook being attached to the wire on one end of the acute angle opposite the eye. The elongated wire consists of an alloy that has superelastic properties in such a way that the wire has flexibility and memory substantially larger than that of stainless steel. In a preferred embodiment, the elongated wire consists of at least 40% titanium and can additionally consist of 50 to 60% nickel, with other materials not exceeding 5%. The tensile strength of the elongate wire frame is at least an order of magnitude equal to that of the stainless steel wire of equal diameter. The shape memory of the elongated wire frame is at least three times that of stainless steel. The elongated wire also has a flexibility that is at least 50% greater than that of the stainless steel such that the outer ends of the fishing bait arms can be bent towards one another with a force that is not greater than the 50% of the force required if the elongated wire frame was formed of stainless steel wire of equal diameter. The present invention additionally provides a fishing sotileza for attaching a fishing bait to a fishing line and is characterized by high strength, flexibility and resistance to twisting. The fishing sotileza consists of an elongated member type wire that has opposite ends, each end includes a loop to adhere to an element used in fishing. A snap link may be attached to one end of the loops. A swivel can be attached to another of the loops. The elongated wire-type member is formed of an alloy having superelastic properties such that the elongated wire-like member can be elongated at least 10% before breaking. The elongated wire-type member consists of at least 40% titanium and may additionally consist of 50% nickel. The elongated wire-type member can be either a solid wire or a multiple wire cable. The cable may consist of a core formed of at least one solid wire thread; an inner layer formed of a plurality of winding wires, the adjacent inner layer and covering the core; and an outer layer formed of a plurality of winding yarns, the adjacent outer layer and covering the inner layer. The threads of the inner and outer layers can be of equal or different diameters. The threads of the inner and outer layer may have the same or different twist. A fishing tackle characterized by high strength, flexibility and resistance to twisting is also provided. The implement comprises a bait consisting of an elongate wire, at least one fish attraction element secured to the wire, at least one hook secured to the wire, and wherein the wire consists of an alloy consisting of at least 40% titanium . The fishing implement additionally consists of a sotileza consisting of a wire-like member having opposite ends, each of the opposite ends includes a loop, with the bait being adhered to one of the loops of the sotileza, and wherein the member Wire type consists of an alloy comprising at least 40% titanium. In a specific embodiment, the bait wire alloy consists of at least 40% titanium and at least 50% nickel, and the alloy of the wire type member of the sotileza consists of at least 40% titanium and 50% nickel . A snap link may be provided to rotatably link one of the loops to the bait. One swivel can be attached to the other of the loops, so that the fishing line can be attached to the switch. Accordingly, a teaspoon fishing bait has been provided which has significant flexibility and shape memory. A sotileza of wire and cable has also been provided which has significant elongation and resistance to twisting and coiling. In addition, the teaspoon fishing bait and wire and cable fishing sotileza are constructed of an alloy that has an appreciable tensile strength.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is an elevational view of a typical teaspoon bait illustrating a wire frame having a lower body arm to which a bait body and a fish hook are attached and an upper teaspoon arm to which one or More spoons are attached. Figure 2 is an alternative embodiment of a spoon bait formed of a wire frame with an upper teaspoon arm and a lower body arm, and illustrating in dotted lines, the advantages obtained by the teaspoon bait of this invention in the which the wire frame and the spoons are arranged to increase the action of the spoon bait as it moves through the water. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bait body of Figure 1 illustrating the method of adhering a small eye on the end of a fishing hook to the outer end of the body arm of the wire frame. Figure 4 is an elevation view illustrating an in-line spoon bait constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a method for testing materials of which the wire frames of the fishing baits of Figures 1 and 2 are made when practicing this invention. Figure 6 shows a bend of wire at a 90 ° angle around a cylindrical spindle. Fig. 7 illustrates a comparison of the shape memory of two different types of wire that can be used to form the frame of the fishing baits of Figs. 1 and 2, one being of the type currently used in commercially available teat baits and the other type used in the practice of this invention. Figure 8 diagrammatically illustrates a type of test as used to measure the flexibility, in contrast to the stiffness, of different types of wire used to form the wire frame of fishing bait of the type illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 4. Figure 9 is a graph illustrating the relationship between stress and wear as applied to a stainless steel wire of the type commonly used to make spoon baits available on the market today, the graph shows the relationship between tension and wear as the tension is applied and then removed from a wire using the bend test as illustrated in Figure 8. Figure 10 is a representative diagram of a type of wire applicable to an improved spoon bait of this invention which illustrates the relationship between stress and wear applied to the wire using the four-point bend test illustrated in Figure 8 as e! The wire is first tensioned and then released, showing, when comparing the graphs of figures 9 and 10, the dramatic difference in shape memory of the improved type of wire compared to a stainless steel wire. Figure 11 is an elevation view illustrating one embodiment of a wire fishing vessel, in accordance with the present invention, as used to connect a fishing line to a fishing bait. Figure 12 is a cutaway perspective view illustrating one embodiment of a multi-wire cable sotileza, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 12A is an elevation view illustrating a loop formed at one end of a fishing sotileza using a clamp cover. Figure 13 is a sectional view illustrating the positioning of the threads in the cable fishing sotile of Figure 12. Figure 14 is a cut-away plan view illustrating the helix angle of the outer layer of the sotileza FIGURE 15 is a cropped plan view illustrating a variation of the helix angle of the multi-wire cable fishing sotileza of FIGURE 12, and FIGURE 16 is an enlarged view illustrating a fishing gear that contains the components necessary to build fishing scuts in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the appended drawings, in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, have modalities of different forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this description will be perfect and complete and will cover the scope of the invention for those skilled in the art. Similar reference numbers refer to similar elements through the present. Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to Figure 1, a typical teaspoon bait is shown there. More specifically, Figure 1 illustrates the basic configuration of a teaspoon bait, but is not designed to be representative of all the features commonly found in a teaspoon bait. Figure 1 is typical of a teaspoon bait in that it is formed of a wire structure generally indicated with the number 10, which is bent in a V-shape having a bite portion 12, a body arm 14 and a boom arm. teaspoon 16. Using these three basic characteristics, that is, an integral wire structure that has a bite portion, a body arm and a teaspoon arm, a variety of teaspoon baits have been manufactured and are currently on the market . The shape of the bite portion can vary considerably. Adhering to the body arm 14 is a body 18 commonly formed of a solid, three-dimensional element, designed to attract fish by imitating a fish feed that occurs naturally, such as small fish. The body 18 can take almost an unlimited number of different physical appearances and therefore, the body 18, as illustrated in Figure 1, is simply emblematic of what is normally used on the body arm 14 of a teaspoon bait. Extending rearwardly from the body 18 is a fishing hook 20 having a barbed end 22 extending upward towards the stencil arm 16. Figure 3 shows that in the preferred embodiment, the eye 24, formed as an integral part of the typical fishing hook, it is received by a loop 26 formed on the outer end of the body arm 14. The body 18 is typically molded around the eye 24 attached to the fishing hook and a loop 26 formed at the outer end of the fishing arm. body 14. Therefore, the body 18 serves to retain the hook 20 in suitable angular relation with respect to the body arm 14, however, the resistance to tension applied to the hook is transferred, not to the body, but to the arm of the body. body through the direct link from the hook to the body arm. Figure 1 shows that the body 18 is provided with a rearwardly extending skirt 28 formed of thin plastic or rubber elements designed to improve the attractiveness characteristics of fish in the body. In a preferred embodiment, the skirt 28 is formed of silicone threads and is removable to facilitate replacement in the event that the skirt is damaged or the cane fisherman needs to modify the appearance of the body 18. The stencil arm 16 is, as its name implies, designed for the adhesion to one or more sotilezas. The stencil arm 16 has, at its outer end, an eye 30 as a means to adhere a sotileza. In the illustrated arrangement a sillity 32, normally made of thin metal, highly reflective and bent so as to cause it to rotate as the bait is pulled through the water, is adhered to the eye 30 by means of a link 34. More than one sotile can to be secured to the stencil arm 16. For example, in Figure 1, a second stencil 36 is secured by means of a wire fork 38 to a stencil arm 16. Spacer spheres 40 are slidably received on the sledge arm 16 for position correctly the second sotileza 36 with respect to the arm. In the modality of figure 1, when the bait is pulled through the water, the second sotilge 36 will move backward on the sowing arm until the rearmost spherical sphere 40 engages the eye 30. The bait described in figure 1 is emblematic of the baits of teaspoon currently commonly used. The invention herein resides not in the bait arrangement of Figure 1 but in the construction of the bait which dramatically increases its effectiveness, utility and durability.

Before discussing the details of the innovations that constitute the essence of the invention, a brief reference will first be made to Figure 2 showing an improved spoon bait, different from Figure 1 in the shape of the teaspoon arm, as well as, more important, in the way that the teaspoons are secured to the teaspoon arm. In FIG. 2, the arm of the spoon 16 A has two folds of 90 ° therein in the intermediate portion of the bite part 12 A and the eye 30 forming an integral acute angle portion 42. By means of a spacer sphere A, a second link 36 A is rotatably positioned on the spoon arm 16 at the acute angle 42. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the spoons 32 A and 36 A are different in an important manner than that illustrated in the figure. 1. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the first teaspoon 32 A is secured, not by means of a link, but by an opening therein 44 which receives the stencil arm 16 A. Similarly, the second stencil 36 A has an opening 46 that receives the sinew arm 16 A. This arrangement causes both sillities 32 A and 36 A to rotate fully circumferentially around the stencil arm 16 A as the bait is pulled through the water. Using spoons having openings in them that receive the stencil arm to thereby cause the spoons to rotate around the teaser arm, an increased action of the teaser arm is obtained as indicated by the dotted line of the upper and lower positions. lower arm of spoon. The upper position is indicated by the number 48 and the lower position is indicated by the number 50.

This increased action as the bait is pulled into the water, increases the vibration of the spoon arms resulting in increased sound production. In addition, the vibrations of the teaspoon arm make the spoons 32 A and 36 A produce more action and flashing. When the benefits of the method of mounting teaspoons to a teaspoon arm (as illustrated in Figure 2) are combined with the advantages of a teaspoon arm having increased flexibility, as described herein, a synergistic result is achieved by producing a spoon bait that has an increased ability to attract fish. An additional variation of the teaspoon type fishing bait is the online teaspoon. Conventional in-line spoons have a straight metal structure, typically constructed of stainless steel wire, which extends from an eyelet to the body of the bait. A teaspoon is secured to the wire structure of the teaspoon in line using a wire fork. When inline spoons are used, one problem that anglers find is that the line teat bait has a tendency to rotate around the axis of the fishing line as it moves through the water. Rotating the spoon in line causes the fishing line to twist which can adversely affect the action of the bait. With reference to figure 4, an improved in-line spoon is shown which effectively avoids the twisting of the fishing line. The in-line spoon 52 includes a wire structure 54 having two 90 ° bends between the eye 56 and the body 58 forming a sharp angle 60 in the form of Z.

A teaspoon 62 can be secured by means of an opening 64 therein that receives the wire structure 54, or alternatively, the teaspoon can be secured to the wire structure using a wire fork (not shown). The spacer spheres 66 are slidably received on the wire structure 54 to correctly place the teaspoon. Most in-line teat baits include a tethered hook 68 which can be secured to the wire structure 54 in the same manner as the hook 20, shown in Figure 3, is connected to the wire structure 14. The acute angle 60 in the form of Z pulls out from center to body 58 and the spoon 62 of the fishing line shaft which effectively prevents the bait from turning around of this axis and therefore twist the line. The use of a sharp Z-shaped angle 60, as illustrated in Figure 4, could not be achieved with conventional stainless steel structures because stainless steel has a relatively low resistance to cyclic wear. However, an in-line spoon constructed in accordance with the present invention has flexibility and significant resistance to cyclic wear, thereby allowing the bait to function effectively in the described configuration. As indicated above, the commercial modalities of teaspoon bait utilize a wire structure that is commonly made of stainless steel wire. Also, as previously indicated, stainless steel has the advantages of strength, resistance to corrosion, easy availability and economy. Although teaspoon baits using stainless steel wires have been generally effective, as evidenced by the widespread popularity of teaspoon baits, the stainless steel wire structures of commercially available teaspoon baits are easily deformed or distorted. In an attempt to increase the flexibility of the wire structure of stainless steel teaspoon bait, some models have included a structure in which the arm that has the teaspoon in it is tapered, that is, the diameter of the wire is reduced in the direction towards the spoon. Although tapering one or both arms of a stainless steel structure helps to improve a teat bait, however, it has been found that the effectiveness of a teat bait can be substantially improved and dramatically improved the characteristics of the wire structure of the teat. which the spoon bait is formed. In addition, the arms of the improved wire structure do not have to be tapered. In summary, the essence of this invention is a teaspoon bait having a significantly improved wire structure in which the wire structure is formed of a metal alloy completely different from stainless steel in at least two significant characteristics. First, a wire structure is described as having a shape memory at least three times larger than that of stainless steel. Second, a wire structure is described as having flexibility of at least 50% greater than that of stainless steel. The wire structure of this invention has a final tensile strength or breaking force which, although not the same as that of stainless steel, is of the same order of magnitude as the breaking strength of stainless steel. The spoon bait of this invention provides improved characteristics compared to the types of known spoon baits, particularly those made of stainless steel. Improved teaspoon bait is more effective at attracting fish. This feature is achieved through the significantly increased flexibility of the wire structure. As illustrated in Figure 2, by using a highly flexible wire structure 10, the teaspoon arm 16 A is free to flex to a substantially greater degree with respect to the body arm 14 as the bait is pulled through the body. water, as illustrated by dotted lines 48 and 50 of the teaspoon arm. This increased flexibility increases the action of the 32 A and 36 A teaspoons, or any other type of teaspoons that are secured to the teaspoon arm 16. The increased action achieved by the significantly increased flexibility of the wire structure attracts the fish through movement as well as through increased sound and vibration that are produced by the bait that moves through the water. When a fish attacks the bait, the mouth of the fish (at least some time) grasps the bait in such a way that the spoon arm 16 must be deviated far enough to allow the mouth of the fish to close on the body 18 and the hook 20. The increased flexibility achieved by the wire structure of this invention therefore increases the chances that the fish will close on the hook and that the spoon arm 16 will not interfere with the fishing of an attacking fish. When a bait is released by a pole fisher, the bait often hits objects in the water, like rocks, or pulls objects as it is pulled through the water. Consequently, the arms 14 and 16 are bent frequently. In addition, when a spoon bait is caught by a fish or in the lift of a fish, the arms of the spoon bait are often bent or distorted. When the arms of a teaspoon bait are warped or out of alignment so that such arms are no longer in a uniform plane, the bait, when pulled through the water, may not travel in a vertical plane, causing the Bait is moved in such a way that the effectiveness of the bait decreases. A deformed spoon bait can be moved through the water with the arms horizontally relative to each other or at other angles. For this reason, anglers who use spoon baits currently available on the market often have to fold again or form the spoon arms again. This not only consumes time, but it is sometimes difficult to re-align a teat bait so that it functions to the degree designed by the manufacturer. By providing an improved wire structure having a greatly improved shape memory, the possibility that the wire structure is distorted to the point that the bait fails in its operation is significantly minimized.

Figures 5 to 8 show how some important characteristics of a metal alloy are determined. Figures 5 to 7 particularly show how the shape memory characteristic of a metal alloy is measured. Figure 5 shows a wire 70 which is a candidate for use to form a wire structure 10 of a teaspoon bait. The wire 70 is initially straight and is placed against a cylindrical spindle 72. The wire 70 can be of various diameters, however, the spoon baits of the type used particularly for fresh water fishing in the United States and in other countries of the world , typically use a diameter of .Odcm. The teaspoon bait of the present invention preferably utilizes a wire structure having a diameter between 0.08 to 0.12 cm. The spindle 72 typically has a diameter of 0.63 cm. To evaluate a wire 70, it is bent at a 90 ° angle around the spindle 72 to the position shown in Figure 6. The bend is achieved using a straight edge, i.e. the first part of a wire 70 is held straight and the wire is bent so that the fold portion 70 A extends in a straight line with respect to the spindle 72. After bending, the wire 70 is released and the angle is measured with respect to the horizontal to which the wire returns. In Figure 7 the angle at which a typical stainless steel wire returns is indicated by the number 74. On average, this angle is generally 15 °, indicating a permanent deformation of 75 °. In contrast, a preferred wire, according to this invention, for use in the formation of the structure of an improved spoon bait has shape memory so that the wire returns, on average, at an angle of 85 ° to the horizontal as indicated by the number 76. In other words, the wire has a permanent deformation of only 5o after being bent at an angle of 90 °. This dramatically improved shape memory ensures that a bait formed from the improved wire structure when bent, for any reason, is substantially less likely to result in a permanent deformation of the shape of the structure. Although Figures 5 to 7 have been described in terms of shape memory of a wire, this feature is sometimes referred to as "bounce" but, in any case, a wire that meets the requirements of this invention for use in manufacturing A structure of a spoon bait must have a bounce or shape memory that is at least three times larger than that of stainless steel. The next important feature of the improved wire structure for a spoon bait of this invention is the flexibility of the wire from which the structure is formed. The flexibility has two important functions to achieve an improved fishing bait. First, by increased flexibility the action of the bait is substantially improved as the bait moves through the water, as previously described with reference to FIG. 2, in which the dashed lines 48 and 50 of the teaspoon arm 16 show how the teaspoon arm can be flexed. The second main advantage of the increased flexibility of the wire structure is that it improves the attractiveness of fish of the bait. A fish normally attacks the bait with its mouth fully open.

When closing it on the bait, it is necessary on many occasions that the fish completely fold the arms of the structure one towards the other in order to bend the arm of spoon 16 towards the body arm 14 sufficiently to completely expose the end 22 of the hook 20. Established otherwise, the arm of the spoon 16 must be moved so that the hook 20 is fully exposed to allow the hooks to be hooked by the mouth of an attacking fish. When the structure is built, in accordance with the principle of this invention, of a metal alloy which provides significantly increased flexibility, the force required to move the arm 16 of the spoon in order to completely expose the hook 22 is substantially reduced, this decreasing the possibility that the attack of the fish will not result in the capture of the fish. With reference to Figure 1, and assuming that the body 18 is held stationary, the force necessary to close the tear arm 16 down to expose the barbed end 22 of the hook 20 is indicated by the number 78. In practice this invention, when the wire structure 10 is configured to have a teaspoon arm 16 with a length of approximately 5.39 cm from the bite portion 12 to the eye 30, and the structure is made of a wire having a diameter of 0.08 cm, force 78 should not exceed 250 grams. This force is on the 50% scale of a force 78 required if the structure 10 is constructed using stainless steel wire.

An additional feature of the wire structure 10 is that it must be formed of a metal having sufficient tensile strength to hold a large fish without breaking. In general, the force at the tension of the metal of which the structure 10 is formed must exceed that of the strongest fishing line that would be used with the bait. The stainless steel wire of almost 0.08 cm in diameter has been more or less the standard used for spoon baits and the wire from which the structure of the bait of this invention is formed must have a comparable breaking strength, ie it must have a breaking resistance of at least e! same order of magnitude as that of stainless steel. In summary, the improved teaspoon bait of this invention has a structure 10 that is characterized, as compared to most commonly available teaspoon bait, by: (a) a rebound or shape memory at least three times as large that of stainless steel; (b) a flexibility of at least 50% greater than that of stainless steel or, otherwise stated, has a stiffness that is at least 50% less than that of stainless steel; and (c) a tensile strength that is of the same order of magnitude as that of stainless steel. Tests have shown that the improved teaspoon bait of this invention can be achieved when the structure 10 is formed of a wire made of an alloy having super elastic properties. Superelasticity describes the property of an alloy returning to its original shape after being discharged from a substantial deformation. For example, a superelastic alloy can be tensioned ten times more than stainless steel without being deformed plastically. The superelasticity in nickel and titanium alloys is caused by the formation of a stress induced martensite, which can be brought through cold working with a subsequent heat treatment at approximately 400-600 ° C. This procedure is described in detail in the article, Dietr Stoeckel and Weikang Yu, Superelastic Ni-Ti Wire, Wire Journal Intemationai, March 1991, p. 45-50, which is incorporated herein by reference. It has been determined that the wire made of a metal alloy consisting of at least 40% titanium, and preferably also 50% nickel, meets the requirements of this invention. Successful results have been achieved using an alloy that is 45% titanium with the rest nickel and small amounts of copper, iron, chromium, vanadium, hafnium and / or palladium. The preferred alloy is 50-60% nickel, and 40-50% titanium, with other materials not exceeding 5%. As stated above, two important requirements of the metal alloy from which the wire structure is formed are flexibility and shape memory. It has been determined that alloys in which the percentage of titanium is larger have improved shape memory, whereas when the percentage of nickel is larger, flexibility is increased. Therefore, there is an exchange between flexibility and shape memory according to the percentages of nickel and titanium and consequently a good compromise to achieve a highly improved spoon bait uses a wire structure of 55% nickel and 45% titanium with minor amounts of other metals forming the alloy. A commercially available alloy that meets the requirements of the wire structure of the improved teaspoon bait is commonly known as nitinol, an alloy that was developed around 1960, by the United States Naval Ordinance Laboratory in Silver Springs, Maryland. The term "nitinol" is derived from Ni-nickel; Ti-titanium; N - naval; O -ordenanza and L - laboratory. Nitinol wire is commercially available from Sports Wire, in Langley, Oklahoma. This commercially available nitinol wire is treated by roller and heat to provide a wire that is hardened with the metal grain on a longitudinal axis to improve the shape memory feature of this metal, with flexibility and shape memory being programmed into the wire by chemical and cold work. The resulting nitinol wire is highly resistant to wear and impact deformation. The characteristics of a wire formed of a nickel-titanium alloy, having 55% nickel and 45% titanium are illustrated in Figure 10. This graph shows how as deformation is applied to the wire, using a test procedure such as procedure illustrated in figure 8, the wire bounces back to its original linear configuration. The graph of Figure 9 shows that, in contrast, the deflection of a stainless steel wire results in substantial permanent deformation of the wire. In addition, the graphs of Figures 9 and 10 illustrate the different deformation / tension response characteristics of a wire formed of a nickel-titanium alloy as compared to a stainless steel wire. Another important feature of a spoon bait made in accordance with the principles of the present invention, in which the wire structure is formed of a nickel-titanium alloy is that the improved wire structure can withstand many more bending cycles, without breaking, of which the stainless steel can under the same cyclical conditions of tension. Preliminary tests have shown that a wire formed from a nickel-titanium alloy is capable of supporting 200 or more bending cycles, while a structure formed of stainless steel and having the same diameter can generally support only 5-10 cycles of double. In addition, stainless steel undergoes a great reduction in tensile strength after being bent than that having a structure formed of a nickel and titanium alloy. Alternatively, an alloy commonly known as "beta titanium" can also be used in the construction of the wire structure 14 according to the present invention. Such an alloy may for example consist of 40% titanium, and may be predominantly titanium, with the rest of the alloy being formed of an alloying stabilizing element such as manganese, iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, aluminum, tin and zirconium. Further description of the properties of "beta titanium" is set forth in Burstone et al., Of the U.S. patent. No. 4,197,643 of April 15, 1980, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Another aspect of this invention is an improved fishing sotileza for use in attaching a fishing bait to the end of a fishing line, such as the representative sotile shown in Figure 11. With reference to Figure 11, there is shown a fishing tag 80 according to the present invention, attached to one end of a fishing line 82 and at the other end to a fishing bait 84 of the type described above. The fishing stencil 80 is an elongated wire-type member that can be constructed of either a single-wire wire 88 or as shown in Figure 12, a multi-wire cable 90. A swivel 92 may be adhered to one or both ends of the fishing skeleton 80 in order to rotatably attach the fish to the fishing line 82 and / or the fishing bait 84. The swivel 92, when used for join a fishing sotileza 80 to the fishing line 82, avoid that the sotilza and the line become entangled or form spirals during the use. Similarly, a swivel 92 used to attach the fishing stencil 80 to the fishing bait 84 will prevent the sotileza from becoming entangled or forming spirals as a result of the rotation or vibratory action of the bait as well as to prevent the sceptivity from affecting the movement of attraction. of bait fish. As illustrated in Figure 11, the spinners 92 are available in many different shapes and sizes and are selected depending on the fish that the angler tries to catch. A spring pin 100 can be used either alone or in conjunction with a swivel 92. The spring pin 100 is used to facilitate the connection of a fishing bait or a hook (not shown) easily and quickly. A spring pin 100 can also be used to connect one or more fishing ticks 80 in series. The combination of a spring pin 100 and a swivel 92 is commonly known as a pin-link. The fishing skeleton 80 may be adhered to the swivel 92 either by attaching the stencil directly to the eye 94 of the swivel as shown in FIG. 11, or alternatively, as shown in FIG. 12 A, by screwing the end of the sotile through the eye and then forming a loop 96 at the end of the sotileza. The loop 96 is secured using one or more ferrules that are surely folded around the sotileza. The caps 98 are available in various sizes and are selected based on the diameter of the fishing tag 80. A loop 96 may be used provided that the fishing tag 80 is formed of solid wire 88 or cable 90. The bushing 98 is folded using a folding tool as is well known in the art. The size of the loop 96 may vary and typically depends on the size of the swivel 92. However, the loop should not be too long in order to avoid distracting the fish. The length of the fishing tag 80 is generally a function of the size and type of the fish that the anglers attempt to catch as well as the existence of any sharp obstructions in the water, including rocks and dense vegetation. As such, it is desirable on some occasions that a rod fisherman be able to acquire the necessary materials to build fishing slingings of varying lengths. With reference to Figure 16, a fishing slinging equipment 102 would include a spool 104 of solid wire 88 or cable 90, together with a plurality of rotating links 92, bushes 98, and spring pins 100. When constructing the fishing sotileza 80, the desired length of the slinging material, if it is solid wire 88 or cable 90, is cut from the reel 104. Although the ends of the fishing sling 80 may be tied directly to either the fishing line 82 or the fishing bait 84, it is preferable to form loops 96 at both ends of the sotileza. The loops 96 are formed using the bushes 98. A swivel 92 can be connected to each loop 96 by screwing the stencil material through the eye 94 of the swivel that forms the loop. By last, the bushings 98 are folded securely using a conventional folding machine, also known as folding tongs, which can be obtained at most rigging stores. As indicated above, the fishing stencil 80, according to the present invention, can advantageously be formed of either solid wire 88 of a single wire or of wire 90 of multiple threads. Both the solid wire 88 and the cable 90 are constructed of a highly elastic and ductile alloy having significant shape memory and flexibility as well as twisting resistance. More specifically, it has been determined that a solid wire 88 or a cable 90 made of an alloy formed of titanium and nickel, wherein the nickel is 55-56% of the composition and the remainder is titanium, provides at least one flexibility. % larger than that provided by stainless steel, it is more resistant to twisting and spiraling than stainless steel, while at the same time providing a tensile strength of the same order of magnitude as that provided by stainless steel. As with the teaspoon-type fishing bait of the present invention, successful results have been obtained using an alloy that is at least 40% titanium, and preferably also 50% nickel. As a specific example, a preferred alloy is 45% titanium and 55% nickel with minor amounts of other metals including copper, iron, chromium, vanadium, hafnium and / or palladium forming the remainder of the alloy. The preferred alloy consists of 50-60% nickel, and 40-50% titanium, with the other materials not exceeding 5%. Such an alloy has the advantages of significantly increased flexibility and shape memory so that the possibility of permanent deformation of the stencil is greatly reduced. As such, a fishing sotileza 80, constructed in accordance with the present invention, can withstand more bending cycles than a similar fishing sotileza constructed of stainless steel, up to several hundred, without breaking, thus substantially increasing life expectancies useful of the fishing sotileza. A fishing sotileza where the wire 88 or the cable 90 are made of a nickel-titanium alloy of 55% nickel and 45% titanium can be stretched or stretched 10% or more of its length without permanent deformation. This is in comparison to the stainless steel wire commonly used for fishing trappings that can normally tolerate elongations of no more than 3% without breaking or without permanent deformation. The stainless steel cable commonly used for fishing snoops can normally withstand elongation of no more than 5% without breaking or without permanent deformation. The ability of wire 88 or cable 90 to stretch or lengthen reduces the strain applied to fishing line 82 and fishing bait 84 when a fish attacks, thereby reducing the possibility of the fish breaking either the bait or the fish. the line. In addition, the elongation reduces the opportunity for the fish to be safe from the bait 84, that is, the successful catching speed of the fish attacking a bait is improved by the fishing stencil 80 which has a greater elasticity. As previously indicated, a commercially available alloy that meets the requirements of the fishing stencil 80 according to the present invention is known as nitinol and is commercially available from Sports Wire, Langley, Oklahoma. A nickel-titanium alloy, as illustrated by commercially available nitinol, is preferred for use in shaping the fishing stencil 10 of the present invention. Alternatively, an alloy commonly known as "beta titanium" can also be used in the construction of the fishing stencil 80 according to the present invention. As previously indicated, said alloy is at least 40% titanium, with the remainder of the alloy being formed of an alloy stabilizing element, such as manganese, iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper aluminum, tin and zirconium. Referring now to Figures 12 and 13, it has now been determined that a fishing stencil 80 constructed of a nickel-titanium alloy in the form of a multi-wire cable 90 provides exceptional twisting resistance, as well as a high resistance to tension and flexibility. Preferably, the cable 90 is formed of a core 106, an inner layer 110 and an outer layer 114. The core 106 is formed of one or more threads individual 108. In one embodiment, wherein the cable 90 is test 16. 534 kg, the core 106 is formed of a single wire 108 of nitinol # 1 wire having a diameter of approximately 0.015 cm. Alternatively, where the cable 90 is of test of 22.65 or 36.24-45.3 kg, the core 106 may be ^^ formed from a single wire 108 of nitinol wire # 1 having an approximate diameter of .017 to 0.023 cm, respectively. However, it should be noted that the number of yarns 108 as well as the diameter of the yarn can be modified to obtain a test lead 90 of greater or lesser weight strength. Where more than one yarn 108 is used, the yarns may be aligned in a parallel, twisted or braided relationship. The inner layer 110, which is formed adjacent to and around the core 106, is constructed of a plurality of wires 112 which are wound at a predetermined helix angle and inclination. In order to obtain variations in the diameter and flexibility as well as in the weight test of the cable 90, the number of individual wires 112, the diameter of the wire and the diameter of the wire can be varied. inclination. In one embodiment, where the cable 90 is 16.53 kg test, the inner layer 110 is formed of six strands 112 of nitinol wire # 1, each wire having a diameter of approximately 0.015 cm. The threads are wound using a weft to the left that has a slope of approximately 0.127 cm. Alternatively, where the cable 90 is of test 22.65 or 36.24-45.3 kg, the inner layer 110 may be formed of six strands 112 of nitinol wire # 1, each wire having an approximate diameter of 0.017 or 0.23 cm, respectively. The outer layer 114, which is formed adjacent to and around the inner layer 110, is constructed of a plurality of yarns 116 that are also wound at a predetermined helix angle and run. In order to obtain variations in diameter and flexibility as well as in the weight test of the cable 90, the number of individual wires 116, the diameter of the wire and the inclination can be varied. In one embodiment, where the cable 90 is 16.53 kg test, the outer layer 114 is formed of six strands 116 of nitinol wire # 1, each wire having an approximate diameter of 0.015 cm. The threads are wound using a left hand weft that has a slope of approximately 0.15 cm. Alternatively, where the test cable is 22.65 or 36.24-45.3 kg, the outer layer 14 may be formed of six strands 116 of nitinol wire # 1, each wire having an approximate diameter of 0.017 or 0.23 cm, respectively. In an alternate modality of a test lead of 22.65 or 36.24 -45.3 kg (not shown) the outer layer may be formed of six strands of nitinol wire # 1, each wire having an approximate diameter of 0.017 or 0.23 cm, respectively. The outer layer is wound around a braided or tied core of three or more wires, each core wire having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the wires used to form the outer layer such that the total diameter of the core is equal to or greater than the diameter of an individual strand of outer layer. Additional variations in stiffness, strength and elasticity can be obtained by varying the pattern of the inner layer 110 and the outer layer 114. Specifically, wherein the inner layer 110 and the outer layer 114 are wound in the same direction, known as "lang frame". ", the cable 90 used to form a fishing skeleton 80 will have a greater adaptability and elasticity than where the inner layer and the outer layer are wrapped in different directions, known as a" regular weft ". Moreover, wherein the direction of the laying of the inner layer 110 and the outer layer 114 is the same, the individual wires 112, 116 are less prone to excessive wear and therefore the strength of the cable 80 is improved. Notably, using the same laying direction for both layers in conventional cables or wire ropes has typically made the cable or wire rope more susceptible to twisting or matting when compared to cables or wire ropes that use a regular lay. It has been determined, however, that using a nickel-titanium metal alloy to form the individual strands 112, 116 results in a cable 90 having superior resistance to twisting, even when formed using a "lang run". With reference to Figures 14 and 15, it will be noted that variations in the helix angle of the outer shell also will adjust the stiffness and ability of the wire 90 to lengthen during use. A cable 90 having a smaller helix angle will have greater flexibility and elongation than that of a cable having a longer helix angle. Once constructed, the cable 90 should be subjected to a heat reinforcement procedure carried out at temperatures between 450-500 ° C. This heat treatment process alleviates the stresses created in the individual yarns from the winding process. Additionally, it should be noted that when the wire or the nitinoi bands are stretched to the desired diameter, before forming the finished cable 90, the bands are subjected to a heat treatment at approximately 400-650 ° C in order to transform the alloy in a superelastic material. The threads can also be subjected to an etching process in which the threads are bathed in a solution of medium acidity, and then rinsed. Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto because they can be modified by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the teachings just shown. It is contemplated, therefore, by the appended claims, cover any such modifications that incorporate those characteristics of this improvement in the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (31)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A fishing bait consisting of: a bait structure (10) formed of an elongated wire; at least one fish attraction element (32, 36) secured to the wire and at least one fishing hook (20) secured to said wire, further characterized in that the wire consists of an alloy comprising at least 40% of titanium, way that the fishing bait consists of high flexibility and shape memory.

2. A fishing bait according to claim 1, further characterized in that the alloy consists of at least 40% titanium and 50% nickel.

3. A fishing bait according to claim 1, further characterized in that the alloy consists of at least 50 to 60% nickel and 40 to 50% titanium, with other metals not exceeding 5%, and where the wire has a diameter of 0.07 to 0.12 centimeters.

4. A fishing bait according to claim 1, further characterized in that the fishing bait (10) consists of an alloy having superelastic properties.

5. A fishing bait according to claim 2, further characterized in that the elongated wire is bent at an intermediate point forming a bite portion (12), and as to form two arms (14, 16) extending in divergent form from the bite portion (12) to respective outer ends.

6. A fishing bait according to claim 2, further characterized in that the elongated wire includes an eye (30) at one end, two bends of 90 ° each along the length thereof as for forming an acute Z-shaped angle (42), and with a fish-attracting element (18 A) and the fishing hook (20) being adhered to the wire on one side of the acute angle (42) opposite the eye (30). ). ^^ 7.- A fishing bait in accordance with claim 2,

! or further characterized in that the fish attracting element (36) is mounted to the wire to rotate around the wire.

8. A fishing bait consisting of: a bait structure (10) formed of an integral length of metal wire having a first and second arms (14, 16 A), with said arms (14, 16 A) extending divergently from a bite portion (12 A) to respective opposite ends; a fish attraction element (32 A, 36 A) secured to the first arm (16 A); a second fish attraction element (18 A) secured to the second arm (14) and a fishing hook (20) secured to one of the arms (14), further characterized in that the metal wire has a flexibility and memory of substantially larger than that of stainless steel and consists of at least 40% titanium, whereby the bait exhibits an enhanced fish attracting action when pulled through water and consists of high flexibility and shape memory.

9. - A fishing bait according to claim 8, characterized in that the metal wire consists of an alloy that j 4fc consists of at least 40% titanium and at least 50% nickel.

10. A fishing bait according to claim 9, further characterized in that the alloy consists of 50 to 60% nickel and 40 to 50% titanium.

11. A fishing bait according to claim 8, further characterized in that the structure of the bait (10) is formed of r ^^ wire that has a resistance to tension that is of an order of magnitude

T? O that is almost equal to that of stainless steel wire of equal diameter and has shape memory that is at least three times that of stainless steel.

12. A fishing bait according to claim 8, further characterized in that the structure of the bait (10) is formed of wire having a flexibility that is at least 50% greater than that of the stainless steel.

13. A fishing bait according to claim 8, further characterized in that the structure of the bait (10) has flexibility such that the outer ends of the arms (14)16 A) can be deflected towards each other with a force that is not greater than 50% of the required force if the structure (10) is formed of stainless steel wire of equal diameter.

14. A fishing sotileza (80) to join a fishing bait (84) to a fishing line (82) and characterized by high strength, flexibility and resistance to twisting, the sotileza (80) consists of: an elongated member type wire having opposite ends, each of the opposite ends including a loop (96) for adhering an element used in fishing, said wire type elongated member being formed of an alloy consisting of at least 40% titanium.

15. A fishing tag (80) according to claim 14 further characterized in that the alloy consists of at least 40% titanium and at least 50% nickel.

16. A fishing tag (80) according to claim 14 further characterized in that the elongated wire-type member can be stretched up to 10% before breaking.

17. A fishing tag (80) according to claim 14 further characterized in that the wire-type elongated member consists of an alloy having superelastic properties.

18. A fishing tag (80) according to claim 14 further characterized in that the elongated member type wire is a solid wire (88).

19. A fishing tag (80) according to claim 14 further characterized in that the elongated wire type member is a multi-wire cable (90).

20. A fishing skeleton (80) according to claim 19 further characterized in that the wire (90) has a diameter of 0.07 centimeters.

21. - A fishing tag (80) according to claim 19 further characterized in that the wire (90) consists of: a core (106) formed of at least one solid wire wire (108); an inner layer (110) formed of a plurality of winding strands (112), said adjacent inner layer (110) and covering the core (106); and an outer layer (114) formed of a plurality of windings (116); the outer layer (114) adjacent and covering the inner layer (110).

22. A fishing tag (80) according to claim 21 further characterized in that the core (106), the inner layer (110) and the outer layer (114) are formed of yarns (108, 112, 116) that they have substantially equal diameters.

23. A fishing sotileza (80) according to claim 21 further characterized in that the inner layer (110) and the outer layer (114) are formed of yarns (112, 116) having different diameters.

24. A fishing sotileza (80) according to claim 21 further characterized in that the threads (112) of the inner layer (110) and the wires (116) of the outer layer (114) have the same lay.

25. A fishing sotileza (80) according to claim 21 further characterized in that the inclination of the inner layer (110) is different from the inclination of the outer layer (114).

26. - A fishing tag according to claim 14 further characterized in that it additionally consists of a rotating link (100, 92) adhered to one of the loops (96).

27. A fishing tag according to claim 26, further characterized by additionally consisting of a link (92) adhered to the other of the loops (96).

28.- A fishing tackle characterized by high strength, flexibility and resistance to twisting, the implement consisting of: a bait consisting of an elongated wire at least one element of attraction of fish (32, 36) secured to the wire, at least a hook (20) secured to the wire, and characterized in that the wire consists of an alloy consisting of at least 40% titanium, and a stencil (80) consisting of a wire-like member having opposite ends, each of which opposite ends includes a loop (96), with the bait being adhered to one of the loops (96) of the sotileza (80), and wherein the wire-type member consists of an alloy of at least 40% titanium.

29. The fishing implement according to claim 28 further characterized in that the bait wire alloy consists of at least 40% titanium and at least 50% nickel, and wherein the alloy of the wire-like member of the bait (80 ) consists of at least 40% titanium and at least 50% nickel.

30. - The fishing implement according to claim 29 further characterized by additionally consisting of a rotating link (100, 92) that rotatably links a loop (96) to said bait.

31. The fishing implement according to claim 30 further characterized in that it additionally consists of a link (92) adhered to the other of the loops (96).