GB2132861A

GB2132861A - A signalling device for a fishing rod

Info

Publication number: GB2132861A
Application number: GB08218113A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kao Dai-Hae
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-06-22
Filing date: 1982-06-22
Publication date: 1984-07-18

Abstract

A signaling device for fishing rod capable of performing with the function of the reeling comprises two electric contact points 28A, 32 provided separately on a reel 20 and a cylinder 19 which are coaxially mounted on a shaft 15. When the fishline is tensed, the reel 20 will be forced to rotate independently of the cylinder 19 placing the two electric contact points 28A, 32 in a closed position. When it is desired to reel in or out, the cylinder 19 which is made rotatable will follow the rotational movement of the reel 20. By means of a rotary knob 41 fixed to a torsion spring 40, the sensitivity of the rotational movement of the reel 20 can be adjusted so as to discriminate the magnitude of the tension of the fishing line. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A signalling device for fishing rod The present invention relates to a signalling device for fishing rod which can produce signal to notify the angler that a fish is getting hooked. Particularly it relates to a signalling device with adjustable sensitivity, and coupled with a reel.

In my US Patent No. 4,266,217, a signalling device for fishing rod is disclosed. In that device, though the sensitivity thereof can be adjusted, a rearmost contact which is forced forward to close the circuit and actuates an alarm, has a string to be clamped together with the fishing line. It is disadvantageous that whenever reeling the string has to be connected and disconnected to the fishing line. Aside from it, its operation is not coupled with the reel. Consequently, this inventor made an inprovement on the above signal device and presented a more simplified signal device, which is the subject of my US patent application serial no. 232,157, filed on February 6, 1981. In this device, there has also a rear-most contact element aligned axially with a forward-most contact element.But on the rear-most contact element is an elastomeric material provided for creating high force of friction relative to the fishing line. In case the fishing line is tensed, the rear-most contact element will be thrusted to close the circuit so that an alarm signal is sent out. Though the operation is greatly simplified, it is disadvantageous that for lack of sensitivity adjustment, alarm will sometimes erroneously produced by the tide, current or wind. In addition, the signalling device is not coupled with the reeling unit. Thus further attempt to overcome those drawbacks still has to be made.

Accordingly, a signalling device for fishing rod comprises, a shaft; electric contact means including, a first contact element rotatably mounted on said shaft, having its rotational movement responsive to the tension of a fishing line; and a second contact element rotatably mounted on said shaft, and being in a stationary position relative to said first contact elementwhen it is not hindered from rotation buy a restraining means, said first and second elements being in electrical contact upon said responsive rotational movement; alarm means electrically connected to said electric contact means; and sensitivity adjusting means kept in stationary position relative to said second contact element including, a rotary control knob mounted on said shaft, and a torsion spring member fixed to said knob and associated with said first element, said torsion spring member being twisted by said knob for regulating the sensitivity of rotational movement of said first element so as to discriminate the magnitude of the tension of the fishing line.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, said first contact element is formed of a reel having an axial hole thereof around said shaft, and a first and second flanges respectively at the ends thereof, the outer surface of said first flange having a protrusion in off-center position to act as the electric contact point of said first contact element and said second flange associated with said torsion spring member.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said second contact element is formed of a cylinder enclosed by said reel and having its axial hole sleeving said shaft in a coaxial position relative to said reel, and a third flange at an end thereof disposed exteriorly of said reel, the rim of said third flange having a recess for accomodating said protru sion, said recess having one edge portion spacedly opposed said protrusion to act as the electric contact point of said second contact element.

In accordance with further aspect of the present invention, said third flange has a conducting lateral surface in electrical connection to said edge portion of said recess, said conducting lateral surface is electrically connected to said alarm means by means of a conductive element having one end thereof biassed to slidingly contact with said lateral surface.

In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, said sensitivity adjusting means further comprises a resilient element for engaging with said knob so that said knob is restricted from rotational movement relative to said first element, said resilient element being yielded upon operating said knob by hand.

In accordance with still further aspect of the present invention, said resilient element is a resilient annular plate sleeved on said shaft, abutted against said knob and engaged with said knob by means of a ball and socket coupling member so as to discontinuously restrict said knob from rotation.

In accordance with yet still further aspect of the present invention, said restraining member includes a fixed blocking member and an axially movable blocking member respectively abutting two ends of said second contact element, said axially movable member being driven to tightly abut against said second contact element by screwing a spring-loaded nut on said shaft, whereby screwing out said nut will allow said second contact element to rotate with said first element to perform reeling in or out the fishing line whereas screwing in said nut will hinder said second contact element from rotation thus placing said electric contact means in an operative position.

It is a primary object to provide a signalling device coupled with a reel so as to facilitate shifting its function of reeling to that of alarm-signal producing, or vice versa.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a signalling device with adjustable sensitivity so that the actuation of the electric contact will not be sensitive to the environmental factor, tide, current and wind.

These and other objects can be more apparent by illustrating a preferred embodiment with reference to the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view of the assemblied preferred embodiment of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a schematic view illustrating the relative movement between a first contact element and a second contact element during the actuation of the electric contact.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a first contact element 20 and a second contact element 19 are, one surrounding the other, coaxially and rotatably mounted on a shaft 15. On the outer surface of the firstflange 13 are three protrusions 28 annularly provided, one of them referred here as 28A acting as the electric contact point of the first contact element 20. A third flange 16 provided at an end of the second contact element 19 exterds exteriorly of the first contact element 20. The rim of the third flange 16 is cut to form three recesses 22 for accomodating respectively three protrusions 28. On the out ersurfacr of the third flange 16 an insulated board 29 conformable to the shape of the third flange 16 is mounted by inserting two pins 21 into two holes 30 respectively. The lateral surface 1 of the insulated board 29 is coated with metal, such as copper.A conducting plate 32 which is connected to the metal-coated surface 1 is positioned at one edge portion 2 of the recess 31 and spacedly opposed the protrusion 28a to act as the electric contact point of the second contact element 19. The second contact element 19 is formed of a cylinder whereas the first contact element 20 is a reel for winding the fishline (not shown) thereon. The cylinder 19 is substantially combined by three cylindrical segments, a left segment 24, a middle segment 25 and a right 26.

A sensitivity adjusting means includes a rotary control knob 41 and a torsion spring member 40 fixed to the control knob 41 at one end. The outer end of the torsion spring 40 is fixed to the inner surface of the reel 20. The torsion spring 40 is sleeved on the middle segment 25 of the cylinder 19, and kept in definite length between a first shoulder 3 and the control knob 41. The control knob 41 is fixed on the right segment 26 by screwing a nut 48 on the threaded portion 27.

It will be noted that the torsion spring 40 stores gradually increasing energy when successively turning the control knob 41 in the direction oposite to the responsive movement of the reel 20 to the tensed fishline. The more energy stored in the torsion spring 40 will result in smaller sensitivity of the reel 20 as the spring 40 transmit greater restricting force to the reel 20. Therefore, by turning the control knob 41,the sensitivity of the rotational movement of the reel 20 is regulated so as to discriminate the magnitude of the tension of the fishline caused by different sizes of hooked fish.

Between the control knob 41 and the nut 48 there is an annular resilient element47 inserted. Normally the control knob is thrusted to about a second should 4 by the resilient element 47. When the rotary knob 41 is forced to rotate relative to the reel 20 by hand, the resilient element 47 will yield. Preferably, a ball and socket coupling member 49 is in addition provided between the rotary knob 41 and the resilient member 47 for discontinually restrict the knob 41 from rotation during the responsive rotation of the first contact element.

A restraining member is constituted by a fixed blocking member 33 and an axially movable blocking member 43. The movable blocking member 43 is driven to tightly abut against the cylinder 19 by a spnngIoaded nut 51. In cooperating with the flxed blocking member 33, screwing the spring-loaded nut 51 on the shaft will place the cylinder 19 in a rotatable position and a fixed position. During the operation of winding the fishline on or off the reel 20, the cylinder 19, together with the rotary knob 41 is rotated with the reel 20 through the engagement of the protrusion 28A with the edge portion 2 of the recesses 31. When the of alarm device is desired to be put into use, the switch 5 is closed and the cylinder 19 is restricted from the rotation with the reel 20 by screwing in the spring-loaded nut 51.

Meantime the protrusion 28A and the edge portion 2 is kept apart as better shown in Figure 3. As the fishline is tensed by the hooked fish, the reel will be forced to rotate to put the protrusion 28A abutting against the edge portion 2. Due to the metal-coated surface 1 led to alarms, such as light 12 and sounder 13, this actuation makes the alarm device produce a signal.

The metal-coated surface may preferably be connected to the alarm device by means of a conductive element, such as in the form a ball 7, which is biassed to slidingly contact with the metal-coated surface 1. The ball 7 together with a spring 37 are received in a slot 38 provided on the insulated fixed blocking member 33. With the invention thus explained, it should be noted that obvious modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit of this invention. It is intended that the scope of this invention be defined by the appended

Claims

claims. CLAIMS

1. a signalling deviceforfishing rod comprising, a shaft; electric contact means including a first contact element rotatably mounted on said shaft, having its rotational movement responsive to the tension of a fishing line; and a second contact element rotatbly mounted on said shaft, said first and second elements being in electrical contact upon said responsive rotational movement; alarm means electrically connected to said electric contact means; and sensitivity adjusting means for regulating the sensitivity of the rotational movement of the first contact element, characterized in that said second contact element is in a stationary position relative to said first contact element when it is not hindered from rotation by a restraining means; and said sensitivity adjusting means kept in stationary position relative to said second contact element includes a rotary control knob mounted on said shaft, and a torsion spring member being strained by said knob for regulating the sensitivity so as to discriminate the magnitude of the tension of the fishing line.

2. a signalling device for fishing rod according to claim 1, characterized in that said contact element is formed of a reel having an axial hole thereof around said shaft, and a first and second flanges respectively at the ends thereof, the outer surface of said first flange having a protrusion in off-center position to act as the electric contact point of said first contact element and said second flange associated with said torsion spring member.

3. A signalling device for fishing rod according to Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said second contact elementis formed of a cylinder enclosed by said reel and having its axial hole sleeving said shaft in a coaxial position relative to said reel, and a third flange at an end thereof disposed exteriorly of said reel, the rim of said third flange having a recess for accomodating said protrusion, said recess having one edge portion spacedly opposed said protrusion to act as the electric contact point of said contact element.

4. a signalling device for fishing rod according to Claim 3, characterized in that said third flange has a conducting lateral surface in electrical connection with said edge portion of said recess, said conducting lateral surface is electrically connected with said alarm means by means of a conductive element having one end thereof biassed to slidingly contact with said lateral surface.

5. A signalling device for fishing rod according to Claim 2, characterized in that said sensitivity adjusting means further comprises a resilient element for engaging with said knob so that said knob is retricted from rotational movement relative to said first element, said resilient element being yielded upon operating said knob by hand.

6. A signalling device for fishing rod according to Claim 5, characterized in that said resilient element is a resilient annular plate sleeved on said shaft, abutted against said knob and engaged with said knob by means of a ball and socket coupling memeber so as to discontinuously retrict said knob from rotation.

7. A signalling device for fishing rod according to Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said restraining member includes a fixed blocking member and an axially movable blocking member respectively abutting two ends of said second contact element, said axially movable member being driven to tightly abut against said second contact element by screwing a spring-loaded nut on said shaft, whereby screwing out said nut will allow said second contact element to rotate with said first element to perform reeling in or outthe fishing line whereas screwing in said nut will hinder said second contact element from rotation thus placing said electric contact means is an operative position.

8. A signalling deviceforfishing rod sibstantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.