GB2092873A - Bait dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

A bait dispenser comprising a tubular body (1) closed at one end (3) and having a removable cap (5) at its other end connected to the body (1) by means of a hinge member (9). The cross section of the body is such that it has a substantially flat bottom portion (16) and the body and its ends all have holes (2, 4, 7) therein to permit the bait to escape. The hinge member (9) is preferably flat and passes through a correspondingly shaped slot (8) in the removable cap (5), the hinge member (9) being retained on the body (1) by means of a lead strip (13) whose ends are fitted through slots in the flat feeder body bottom (16) and a slot in the hinge member (9) and bent over. This hinge arrangement ensures that the removable cap (5) is maintained properly aligned with the feeder body during fitting. The lead strip (13) biases the feeder body into an upright position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved bait dispenser This invention relates to fishing tackle and more particularly to an improved device known as a "swimfeeder" for dispensing bait.

Swimfeeders are known having a cylindrical body with holes formed therein through which bait can escape once the swimfeeder has come to rest on the bottom of the water to be fished. A heavy strip of lead is attached to the bottom of the body to prevent the feeder from being rolled along the bottom by the current Depending on the type of bait to be dispensed, the body may or may not be provided with end caps. For cereal bait, end caps are not usually used whereas for live bait they are.

The main problem with these known swimfeeders is that they tend to be rolled along the bottom of the water being fished by the current because of their circular cross section and this can be detrimental for the angler as the bait will be dispensed at a location away from the particular one he wished to fish where the swimfeeder entered the water.

It is an object of the invention therefore to provide an improved bait dispensing device which is less prone to rolling.

According to the broadest aspect of the invention, there is provided a bait feeder comprising a generally flat bottomed apertured tubular body closed at one end, a removable end cap at its other end, and means for mounting one or more weights along said flat bottomed portion to bias the feeder body into an upright position.

Conveniently, the weight is a strip of lead mounted along substantially the whole length of the feeder body. However, several axially spaced weights or two or more laterally spaced but longitudinally extending weights may be used.

Desirably, the cross sectional shape of the feeder body is oval or elliptical but any other suitable configuration may be used provided that it has a generally flat bottomed portion e.g. triangular or aerofoil shaped. Shapes which present a good aerodynamic shape in the water are preferred as they are less likely to be disturbed by the flow of the water.

Preferably the closed end of the feeder body is integrally formed with the remainder but it can be removable if desired.

Conveniently the removable end cap is connected to the body by a hinge member along which it slides, said hinge member and the cap being constructed to cooperate in such a manner that the cap is maintained in its proper alignment with the body ready for fitting thereon while it is being slid along the hinge member.

In a preferred embodiment, the hinge member is a flat strap which extends through a correspondingly shaped hole in the removable cap, said strap being spaced from and extending generally parallel to the flat bottom of the body. It may however be of other configurations, e.g. triangular in cross section with a similarly shaped hole in the removable cap.

Preferably the hinge member is formed separately to the feeder body, it being secured thereto as required. One convenient way of doing this is to use a lead strip which, when it is fitted to the feeder body, has end portions extending through the mounting means therefor, conveniently a pair of spaced slots in the flat bottomed feeder body, which are folded over a part of the strap to retain it in position on the body.

The hinge member may be provided with a pair of barbs spaced from the end of the body by a distance which will permit removal of the end cap therefrom, said barbs being shaped and directed to permit the cap to be fitted onto the hinge member but not readily removed therefrom. It will be appreciated however that other means for preventing removal of the end cap from the hinge member could be used. For instance, the latter can be provided with an eyelet for attachment of the feeder to a fishing line, the outside diameter of said eyelet being greater than the width of the hole in the end cap through which the hinge member passes.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a feeder device with its cap in its open position; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a feeder similar to that of Figure 1 but with its cap in position; and Figure 3 is a side elevation of another feeder simi larto those of Figures 1 and 2.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a bait dispenser or swimfeeder comprising a tubular body 1 which is generally oval or elliptical in cross section to include a substantially flay bottom portion 16. The body 1 is preferably made of a synthetic plastics material but other natural or synthetic materials such as rubber or metal could be used. The illustrated embodiment is transparent or translucent but this is not essential. Similarly, it may be coloured to attract the fish.

One end of the body 1 is closed at 3, the portion of the body immediately adjacent the end 3 having a reinforcing rib 17 therearound to reduce the risk of the feeder body being crushed during transit. If desired the end 3 may be informed as a removable cap.

The other end of the feeder body 1 is closed by a removable cap 5 having a lip 6 around its periphery adapted to fit inside the open end of the feeder body 1, this removable cap being hingedly connected to the feeder body 1 by means of a hinge member 9 to be described in more detail shortly.

The feeder body 1, its closed end 3 and the removable cap 5 are all provided with apertures 2,4 and 7 respectively which are of a size to permit a gentle or hemp or like portion of bait to pass through.

The hinge member 9 is preferably in the form of a strap as illustrated having an eye 11 at one end by means of which the swimfeeder may be attached to a fishing line. Preferably, the diameter of the eye 11 The drawing(s) originally filed was/were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

is slightly larger than the width of slot 8 thereby permitting the cap 5 to be force fitted onto the hinge member 9 but not readily removed therefrom. Aiter natively, the portion of the hinge member adjacent the eye 11 can be provided with appropriately shaped barbs (not shown) to achieve the same result.

The hinge member 9 is provided at Its end remote from the eye 11 with a pair of upstanding hinge pillars 12 between whicit a bridge member (not shown) extends. The pillars 12 are provided on an enlarged end portion 18 in which a slot (not visible) is provided just in front of the bridge member and parallel thereto. The purpose of this slot and bridge member will be described in more detail shortly.

A lead strip 13 is attached to the feeder body by feeding its end portions 14, 15 through respective mounting means or slots (not visible) in the bottom 16 thereof, end 14 being bent through 90 so that it lies parallel to the bottom 16. The same applies to end 15 except that it is bent so that it lies overthe bridge member extending between the pillars 12.

This arrangement provides a convenient way of attaching the lead strip 13 to the feeder body as well as the hinge member 9. This attachment method is not however essential. For instance, the hinge member could be rivetted or "pop" fitted to the feeder body using cooperating studs and holes.

An important feature of the illustrated arrangement is that with the flat strap 9 being fed through the slot 8 in the removable cap the latter is always properly aligned with the open end of the feeder body 1 ready for fitting thereto. This is a particular advantage as it ensuresthatthe cap always fits on the feeder body with the minimum of inconvenience as no alignment of the two parts is needed.

Another advantage is that if the swimfeeder body 1 is made from a relativelythin plastics material, the closed end 3 can be cut off with a pair of scissors and the removable cap 5 taken off so that the feeder can be used open ended for cereal bait.

The embodiments of Figures 2 and 3 are identical to that of Figure 1 except that they are of a different volumetric capacity and thus have differing configurations of bait dispensing holes 2,4 in their body 1 and end caps.

Claims (11)

1. A bait feeder comprising a generally flat bottomed apertured tubular body closed at one end, a removable end cap at its other end, and means for mounting one or more weights along said flat bottomed portion to bias the feeder body into an upright pOsitiOn.

2. A bait feeder as claimed in claim 1 wherein said closed end of the body is also removable.

3. A bait feeder as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the removable end cap is connected to the body by a hinge member along which is slides, said hinge member and the cap being constructed to cooperate in such a manner that the cap is main tained in its proper alignment with the body ready for fitting thereon while it is being slid along the hinge member.

4. A bait feeder as claimed in claim 3, wherein the hinge member is a flat strap which extends through a correspondingly shaped hole in the removable cap, said strap being spaced from and extending generally parallel to the flat bottom of the body.

5. . < bait feeder as claimed in claim 4 wherein the strap is separate to the body and adapted to be retained thereon by means of a lead strip which, when fitted has portions extending through the mounting means therefor and are folded over a part of the strap to retain it in position on the body.

6. A bai -,eeder as claimed in any ofthe preceding claims, wherein the hinge member is provided with a pair of barbs spaced from the end of the body by a distance which will permit removal of the end cap therefrom, said barbs being shaped and directed to permit the cap to be fitted onto the hinge member but not readily removed therefrom.

7. A bait feeder as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 wherein an eye is provided on the hinge member for attaching it to a fishing line, the outside diameter of said eye being slightly largerthan said hole in the removable end cap.

8. A bait feeder as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the weight mounting means comprises a pair of spaced slots in the flat bottomed feeder body, one slot being located adjacent each end thereof.

9. A bait feeder as claimed in claim 5 wherein the strap is provided with a slot over which a bridge extends so that each end portion of said lead strip may be fitted through a respective one of said slots and bent over the bridge to retain the hinge strap on the feeder body.

10. A bait feeder as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the cross section of the feeder body is oval or elliptical.

11. A bait dispenser substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying draw inns