GB2236648A

GB2236648A - Device for tying knots

Info

Publication number: GB2236648A
Application number: GB8923137A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Anthony Hepworth
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-10-13
Filing date: 1989-10-13
Publication date: 1991-04-17
Also published as: GB8923137D0

Abstract

A device for use in tying knots, comprises a narrow elongate base (10), a rotary member (11) transversely mounted on the base (10) and a support member (12) mounted at each end of the base (10). The rotary member (11) has a pair of parallel slots (14, 15). The support members (12) are designed to hold lengths of line side-by-side with the lines located in the slots (14, 15). With the member (11) rotated and the lengths of line twisted together on each side of the member (11), the free ends of the lines are inserted through small V-shaped gaps in the lines at both ends of the member (11). When the lines are released from the device and pulled taut a blood knot is formed. Embodiments for tying grinner or double grinner knots are disclosed.

Description

DEVICE FOR TYING KNOT This invention relates to a device for use when tying knots, and is particularly, but not exclusively, for use by anglers.

A difficulty faced by anglers, particularly fly fishermen is the intricate manipulation of mono filament nylon line when preparing a cast (or leader - U.S.A.) such as tying a blood knot, when joining lengths of different diameters or attaching a fly hook, spinner, or other tackle to the nylon line.

An object of this invention is to obviate or mitigate the aforementioned difficulty.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for use in tying knots, comprising a base carrying a rotary member having means to engage side-by-side lengths of line parallel with the axis of rotation, and support means spaced from the rotary member substantially on the axis of rotation of said rotary member to retain the lengths of line taut between the rotary member and said support means so that rotation of the rotary member-will twist the lengths of line together between the rotary member and the support means and enable manual manipulation of the lengths of line to complete the knot.

Support means is spaced from each side of the rotary member for tying separate lines together. Support means may be provided spaced from one side only of the rotary member for tying a fly or the like to a line.

The means on the rotary member to engage side by side lengths of line comprises, in one embodiment a pair of slots extending from the periphery of the rotary member into the body thereof, said slots being disposed on opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the rotary member.

In another embodiment, said means comprises a pair of holes disposed longitudinally through the body of the rotary member on opposed sides of the axis of rotation and a peripheral slot disposed longitudinally between said holes.

Two rotary members may be provided, disposed longitudinally of each other.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation on the line III - III of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an exploded elevation of an end support; Figs. 5 to 8 illustrate the steps of tying a few lines together; Fig. 9 is a sectional side elevation of a modified device; Figs. 10 to 12 illustrate the steps of tying a hook to a line; Fig. 13 is a side view and end view respectively of a rotary member of another embodiment; Figs. 14 and 15 illustrate the use of a device having the rotary member of Fig. 1; and Figs. 16 and 17 illustrate the use of a device having two rotary members of Fig. 13.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, the device of the embodiment shown has a narrow elongate base 10 which can be hand held. Centrally, a rotary member 11 is transversley mounted and at each end is a support member 12, 13.

The rotary member 11 is rotatable about an axis which is longitudinal of the base, and has a pair of parallel slots 14, 15 which provide longitudinal openings. The slots extend into the rotary member to the diameter thereof and are on either side of the axis of rotation.

In this embodiment, the rotary member 11 is a bobbin 16 which snap fits into a C shaped frame 16' attached to the base as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The end supports 12, 13 are adapted to grip and hold lengths of line which extend between the support and locate in the slots 14, 15 of the bobbin 16. In this embodiment each end support 12, 13 comprises a central cylindrical body 17 whose axis lies transversely of the base 10. A round headed pin 18 extends from each face of the body and carries a rubber washer l9which can be stretched over it to fit. The lengths of line can locate in longitudinal slots 20, 21 between the rubber washers 19 and the body 17 and be held therein by the pressure of the washers against the body.

The device can be used to tie two lengths of line together, e.g. by a blood knot, as will now be described with reference to Figs. 5 to 8.

A length of one line 25 is attached to the device of Fig. 1 running left to right, i.e. passing through slot 20 of the end support 12 and slot 14 of the bobbin 16 with the free end 26 of that line extending loosely beyond support 13. A length of the other line 27 is attached to the device running right to left, i.e. passing through slot 21 of the end support 13 and slot 15 of the bobbin with its free end 28 loose beyond support 12.

With the lengths of line held taut by the end supports 12, 13 the bobbin 16 is rotated in one direction a number of revolutions, e.g. 4 to 6 and the two lines 25, 27 are twisted together between the bobbin 16 and the respective end support 12, 13. This leaves a small V shaped gap 29 in the lines at each side of the bobbin and twisted portions 30.

With the lines still held on the device each end 26, 28 is threaded through a gap 29 in opposite directions, as illustrated in Fig. 6, end 26 being looped to pass through one gap from above as viewed, and end 28 passing through the other gap from below as viewed.

With the lines still held in the end supports, the two looped ends are released and drawn through the gaps to reduce the loops (Fig. 7). Thereafter, the lines are released from the device and pulled in opposite directions to complete the knot (Fig. 8). The ends 26, 28 can then be cut off, but one end; 26 may be retained and a fly attached to it as will now be described with reference to Figs. 9 to 12 using the device similar to the one illustrated in Figs. 1 - 3 but having a support 13 at one end only. The fly hook 31, is placed on the base 10 of the device with its eye 32 extending towards the rotary member 11 and it is held in place by the user, e.g. with a finger or thumb.

The device may also be used to tie spinners etc. to a line.

In this embodiment the fly hook 31 is attached to the line by a dipped half blood knot as will now be described.

The length of line 33 is looped through the eye 32 then fed through the slots 14, 15 in the bobbin 16 and slots 20, 21 in the end support 13 leaving a free end 34 beyond the support 13. With the line held taut on either side of the bobbin at one end by the end support 13 and at the other by the users finger pressure on the hook 31, the bobbin 16 is rotated several times to twist the lengths of line between the bobbin 16 and end support 13 to form a twisted portion 35. The free end 34 of the line 33 is then released from its slot 17 in the end support 13 and looped through a V shaped gap 36in the line between the bobbin 16 and the twisted portion 35. The line is then released from the end support 13 and bobbin 16 and the main part of the line is pulled away from the hook to tighten the knot. The free end 32 can then be cut off.

In a second embodiment, Figs. 13 to 17 the rotary member is designed to assist the tying of other knots, such as a grinner knot. In this embodiment the bobbin 16A (Fig. 13) of the rotary member llA is provided with a single slot 40, on the longitudinal axis, and two longitudinal holes 41, 42 on the diametrical line, one of each side of the axis of rotation. Conveniently, this bobbin can replace the bobbin 11 of the first embodiment in the C-shaped frame 16.

The grinner knot is made by passing one length of line 45 from right to left as viewed in Fig. 14, through the slot 40 then back through hole 41 to leave a tail end 46. A second line 47 is drawn left to right through the slot 40 then back through hole 42 to leave an end 48. The lines 45, 47 are held in end supports 12, 13 and other supports (not shown) are provided to form a loop 49, 50 in each line. The support provides three support points 51 and may be, e.g. a washer or simply the users fingers. After the rotary member has been turned several times the lengths of line are wound round each other to create a twist 52 the free end 46, 48 of each line is led through their own loop Fig. 15 and when the lines are removed from the device they can be pulled in opposite directions to complete the knot.

In a further modified device, two rotary members llA, 11B are provided, for use in tying a double grinner knot, the rotary members being of the kind illustrated in Fig. 13. In this embodiment, the line 45 passes through the slots 40 of both bobbins 1A, 16B then it loops round at 49A and passes through hole 41 in the furthest away bobbin 11A leaving a tail 46.

Similarly with line 47.

The rotary members 11A, llB are each rotated in the same direction to form twists 52A, 52B, after which the tail ends are fed through their own loops.

Other knots can be tied using the device of this embodiment, using a different arrangement of supports; such knots may be, for example, a five tuck loop, a twisted loop, a spider knot or an arbour knot.

Nodifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the base of the embodiment described with reference to Figs. 9 to 16 may have the support at one end and the rotary member at the other end. The rotary member may be other than shown in Figs. 3 and 13, but has a rotary portion adapted to hold at least two lengths of line in side by side disposition parallel with the axes of rotation.

Claims

1. A device for use in tying knots, comprising a base carrying a rotary member having means to engage side-by-side lengths of line parallel with the axis of rotation, and support means spaced from the rotary member substantially on the axis of rotation of said rotary member to retain the lengths of line taut between the rotary member and said support means so that rotation of the rotary member will twist the lengths of line together between the rotary member and the support means and enable manual manipulation of the lengths of line to complete the knot.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the support means is spaced from each side of the rotary member for tying separate lines together.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the support means is provided spaced from one side only of the rotary member for tying a fly or the like to a line.

4. A device according to claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the means on the rotary member to engage side-by-side lengths of line comprises a pair of slots extending from the periphery of the rotary member into the body thereof, said slots being disposed on opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the rotary member.

5. A device according to claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the means on the rotary member to engage side-by-side lengths of line comprises a pair of holes disposed longitudinally through the body of the rotary member on opposed sides of the axis of rotation and a peripheral slot disposed between said holes.

6. A device according to any preceding claims, wherein two rotary members are provided disposed longitudinally of each other.

7. A device for use in tying knots substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A device for use in tying knots, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 9 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A device according to claim 7, but modified substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 13 to 15 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A device according to claim 9, but modified substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 16 and 17 of the accompanying drawings.