GB2051564A - Fishing rod and auxiliary equipment holder - Google Patents

Abstract

A holder for a fishing rod and a fisherman's auxiliary equipment comprises a rigid shell (10) of a reinforced plastics material, in the form of a cylinder of rectangular, circular or oval cross-section, in two identical parts (11, 12) hingedly attached to each other longitudinally. The hinge is provided by straps (13) which also act to secure the two parts (11, 12) together. A handle and/or a shoulder strap (15) is provided on the outside of the shell (10) and straps or clips (17) for securing one or more fishing rods and other equipment inside the shell (10). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fishing rod and auxiliary equipment holder This invention relates to fishing rod holder of the type in which one or more fishing rods are held for transportation by a fisherman.

It is known for such holders to be made of a sheet of flexible material such as leather, p.v.c. coated woven material and the like, which sheet may have fastenings on one side for holding the fishing rod or rods and which is rolled around the rod or rods held therein.

These holders hold the rod or rods securely and a handle and/or a shoulder strap is or are attached to the sheet of material in a position on the outside of the roll for the purpose of transportation of the rod or rods by a fisherman. Such holders however do not afford much protection to the rod or rods against the effects of accidental knocks or of being dropped or bent, and when unrolled for the insertion or removal of rods, tend to occupy a large space. Such space may not be available so that the insertion or removal of rods from the holder may be difficult and inconvenient.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fishing rod holder which does not have the aforementioned disadvantages.

The invention provides a fishing rod holder comprising an elongate cylindrical shell of rigid material having at least one fastening for a fishing rod on the internal surface thereof and at least one carrying means attached to the outer surface thereof.

The cylindrical shell may have transverse to its longitudinal axis, a cross-section which is rectangular, circular or elliptical. The shell may also comprise two portions hingedly attached to each other for relative movement about an axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shell, and the two portions may be substantially identical.

The shell may be of a plastics material which may be reinforced by glass fibres or other reinforcing materials.

The carrying means may comprise a handle or a strap or both a handle and a strap, and the strap may be of adjustable length and may be of a length sufficient to provide a shoulder strap whereby the holder may be carried by a fisherman in a convenient manner with the strap over his shoulder.

The invention will now be described further with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of one embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing there is shown a fishing rod holder 10 in the form of an elongate cylindrical shell of rigid material. The shell 10 is rectangular in cross-section transverse to its longitudinal axis and comprises two substantially identical portions 11, 1 2 which in an alternative embodiment may be attached to each other by hinge means (not shown) for relative movement about an axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shell 10, but which in the embodiment shown are held in contact with each other by straps 1 3 when the holder is to be transported. The straps 1 3 may be secured to the portions 11, 1 2 so that they provide the hinge means.The portions 11, 1 2 define an interior space 14 into which the fishing rods may be placed and which is enclosed when the straps 1 3 are tightened. Locking means (not shown) to secure the two portions 11, 1 2 together may be provided for the added security of the fishing rods during transportation thereof or in the case that the holder is left unattended at any time.

For ease of transportation a carrying device 1 5 is provided in the form of a strap of adjustable length. The strap 1 5 may be adjusted so as to be of short length, sufficient for the carrying of the holder 10 by hand, or of long length sufficient for the carrying of the holder in a convenient manner by a fisherman with the strap 1 5 over his shoulder. Alternatively a handle suitable for the holder to be carried by hand may be provided in addition to a strap of length sufficient for use as a shoulder strap.

In the embodiment shown the shell 10 has a rectangular cross-section transverse to its longitudinal axis, and longitudinally orientated stiffening corrugations 1 6 are provided to give added rigidity to the portions 11, 1 2 and hence to the holder 10 during transportation thereof. In the case of holders having circular or elliptical transverse cross-sections such stiffening corrugations may not be necessary. The necessity of such corrugations is also dependent upon the material of which the holder is made, which may be a plastics material and which may be reinforced by glass fibres or other reinforcing materials.

Fastenings 1 7 for fishing rods are attached to the inside surface of the shell part 12, and may also be provided on the inside surface of shell part 11. The fastenings 1 7 shown are in the form of straps but alternatively may be in the form of clips, clamps or like fastenings.

In an alternative embodiment the shell 10 may be moulded in one piece and have access to the interior space 14 thereof at one or both ends. In such an embodiment the fastenings 1 7 may be in the form of rings, openended cylinders, spring loops or the like.

Access to the interior space 1 4 may be provided by a lid, which may be removable or hingedly attached to the shell 10 at one or each end thereof.

The length of the holder 10 may be in the range four to six and a half feet, the width may be in the range four inches to ten inches and the depth may be in the range two inches to six inches, dimensions A, B and C respectively as shown in the drawing. In the case of a holder having a circular or elliptical trans verse cross-section the diameter or major axis respectively may be in the range three inches to six inches.

A further advantage of the holder of the present invention as compared with the holders previously available is that the present holder is suitable for the carrying of auxiliary equipment as used by a fisherman in addition to a fishing rod or rods, for example, an umbrella or folding stool. Such items of auxiliary equipment often could not be conveniently carried in the previously known holders of the type discussed hereinbefore.

Claims (25)

1. A holder for a fishing rod and auxiliary equipment, comprising an elongate cylindrical shell of rigid material having on the internal surface thereof at least one fastening means adapted to retain a fishing rod and on the outer surface thereof at least one carrying means.

2. A holder according to claim 1 wherein the shell has a rectangular cross-section transversely of its longitudinal axis.

3. A holder according to claim 1 wherein the shell has a circular cross-section transversely of its longitudinal axis.

4. A holder according to claim 1 wherein the shell has an elliptical cross-section transversely of its longitudinal axis.

5. A holder according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising two portions hingedly attached to each other.

6. A holder according to claim 5, wherein said portions are hinged about an axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of said shell.

7. A holder according to claim 6, wherein said two portions are substantially identical.

8. A holder according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said shell is of plastics material.

9. A holder according to claim 8, wherein said shell is of glass fibre reinforced plastics material.

10. A holder according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein said carrying means includes a handle.

11. A holder according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said carrying means includes a strap of adjustable length.

1 2. A holder according to claim 5, comprising securing means adapted to releasably retain said portions in a closed configuration.

1 3. A holder according to claim 1 2 wherein said securing means comprises at least one strap.

14. A holder according to claim 1 2 or claim 1 3 wherein said securing means comprises locking means.

1 5. A holder according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein said shell comprises longitudinal stiffening corrugations therein.

1 6. A holder according to any one of claims 1 to 1 5 wherein said fastening means comprises at least one strap.

1 7. A holder according to any one of claims 1 to 1 5 wherein said fastening means comprises at least one clip.

1 8. A holder according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said shell comprises a moulded cylinder having a lid at one end thereof.

1 9. A holder according to claim 1 8 wherein said fastening means comprises at least one ring.

20. A holder according to any preceding claim wherein said shell has a length of between 1.2 metres and 2 metres.

21. A holder according to claim 20, of rectangular cross-section having width and depth in the ranges 10 to 25 cm and 5 to 15 cm respectively.

22. A holder according to claim 20 of circular cross-section of diameter 7.5 to 15 cm.

23. A holder according to claim 20 of elliptical cross-section having a major diameter of 7.5 to 15 cm.

24. A holder according to any one of claims 1 to 23, further comprising fastening means for a fisherman's auxiliary equipment.

25. A holder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.