GB2313280A - Bait projector - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for projecting bait comprises a shaft 1, a carriage 5 slidable on the shaft and mounting bait-carrying means 12, and elastic cord 10 extending between an end region 2 of the shaft and the carriage 5 whereby sliding the carriage 5 along the shaft away from the end region tensions the elastic cord 10 thereby causing the carriage 5 to accelerate towards the end region when released, wherein the elastic cord 10 is arranged to decelerate the carriage rapidly at the end region to cause bait carried by the bait-carrying means 12 to be projected forwardly of the carriage 5. The carriage 5 is also provided with guide rollers 7 for the elastic cord 10. In an alternative embodiment (Fig. 3), rollers (41, 42) are also provided on the shaft for the elastic cord 10.

Description

BAIT PROJECTOR Field of the Invention This invention relates to a bait projector for use in distributing bait to attract fish when angling.

Background of the Invention In We95/17638 there is disclosed and claimed a bait projector for single-handed use, having a shaft on which a carriage carrying a bait holder is slidably mounted. The carriage is linked to one end of the shaft by an elastic cord so that, when the carriage is drawn back along the shaft away from the said end, the cord is tensioned in the fashion of a catapult, and releasing the carriage causes it to be propelled along the shaft until it meets a stop on the end of the shaft. The resultant rapid deceleration causes the bait carried by the bait holder to be projected forward from the projector.

While the device is very effective in permitting one-handed distribution of, for example, ground bait while the other hand holds the fishing rod, the striking of the carriage against the stop at the end generates a noise which can be detrimental to the purpose of attracting fish.

The noise can be reduced by mounting the stop resiliently, for example by attaching it to the shaft via a separate elastic cord or the like, so that it can move slightly under the impact of the carriage, but it is still undesirably loud for some circumstances.

Summary of the Invention The invention provides a device for projecting bait, comprising a shaft, a carriage slidable on the shaft and mounting bait-carrying means, and elastic means extending between an end region of the shaft and the carriage, whereby sliding the carriage along the shaft away from the end region tensions the elastic means thereby causing the carriage to accelerate towards the end region when released, wherein the elastic means are arranged to decelerate the carriage rapidly at the end region to cause bait carried by the bait-carrying means to be projected forwardly of the carriage.

The elastic means suitably comprises an elastic cord passing through an aperture through said end region, each end of the cord being secured to the carriage. Preferably, the carriage is provided with guide rollers for the cord, whereby when the carriage passes forward of the aperture during deceleration by the cord, the cord passes over the guide rollers, thereby reducing friction between the cord and the carriage. It has been found that this arrangement significantly increases the life of the cord, in use. in addition, it may also be desirable to provide guide rollers within the aperture to guide the cord in its passage through the aperture, further reducing abrasion of the cord and extending its life still further.

By using the elastic cord itself as the stop for the carriage at the end region of the shaft, the construction of the device is considerably simplified, thereby reducing its cost of manufacture, and the volume of noise produced in use is substantially reduced, rendering its use more effective than with the existing device.

Brief Description of the Drawings In the drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the device of the invention: Figure 1 is a side view and Figure 2 is a top view of one embodiment; and Figure 3 is a view of the end portion of the shaft of another embodiment of the device.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiments Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the bait projector comprises an elongate cylindrical or tubular shaft 1, of which only a portion is shown for the sake of convenience, but which will conveniently be 300 to 500mm in length overall and which may be terminated, at the end remote from the illustrated portion, by a boss or knob. The other end portion 2, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, is flattened, with a slightly concave formation 3 along its length on the wider face thereof. An aperture 4 extends through the flattened portion 2 within the concave formation, and at the end thereof adjacent to the main tubular or cylindrical shaft 1.

A carriage 5 is mounted on the shaft so as to be freely slidable along it. The carriage consists of a tubular body 6 which fits over the shaft 1 and which carries at one end thereof a spaced pair of rollers 7 which are freely rotatably mounted with their axes extending normally to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The rollers 7 taper inwardly from the ends to locate the elastic cord 8, described hereinafter, centrally, and are positioned outwardly of the flattened portion 2 of the shaft so as to allow the cord 8 to be locatable between the roller and the concave formation without significant compression of the cord thereby.

The carriage 5 is provided with opposed mounting lugs 9 adjacent to the end thereof remote from the rollers 7, each lug 9 having an aperture therethrough to receive the end of a tubular elastic cord 10, which is then anchored in the aperture by means of a wedging plug inserted into the cord, in the manner known for catapults and the like. The cord passes from one lug 9 along the length of the body 6, over a first of the rollers 7, through the aperture 4, over the second roller 7 and back along the body 6 to be anchored in the second lug 9.

A curved arm 11 extends from the body 6 forwardly thereof and carries on its free end a bait-holding cup 12 into which the bait is placed for projection forwardly of the device, as hereinafter described.

In use, the bait is first introduced into the cup 12, for example by dipping the cup into a container of bait, or by manually placing the bait in the cup. The bait projector may be operated by balancing the knob or boss against the body and grasping the carriage in one hand. The carriage is slid backwardly along the shaft towards the user's body until the desired tension has been introduced into the elastic cord. The position to which the carriage may be drawn can be indicated by a slidable elastic stop around the shaft, if desired. While holding the shaft, the carriage is released, to accelerate along the shaft under the influence of the elastic cord until the rollers 7 reach a position level with the aperture 4, at which point the cord begins to be stretched again under the force of impact of the carriage (through the rollers 7) therewith as the cord now passes round the rollers and back along inside the carriage and against the concave formations in the surfaces of the flattened portion 2 of the shaft 1. This has the effect of rapidly decelerating the carriage, causing the bait to be projected forwardly thereof in the direction to which the longitudinal axis of the shaft is pointed, thus permitting a degree of aiming of the projector.

Since the carriage only impacts with the elastic cord 10, and not with any part of the shaft, the amount of noise resulting from the impact is very low, making the projector very quiet in operation. This is advantageous in not scaring the fish and in reducing the noise nuisance to others in the vicinity. The rollers 7 ensure that there is no risk of abrasion of the elastic cord which might lead to early failure thereof, with the likelihood of the carriage being propelled forward with the bait and being lost.

The embodiment illustrated in Figure 3 shows a modification to the aperture in the flattened portion 2 of the shaft 1. In this embodiment, the aperture 40 is enlarged into a rectangular form in which are mounted two rollers 41 and 42 of a similar general shape to the rollers 7 on the carriage. In use, the cord 10 passes through the aperture 40 between the rollers 41 and 42, which ensure that the cord does not become abraded or otherwise damaged within the aperture itself, thereby further reducing the risk of early failure of the cord.

Claims (6)

1. A device for projecting bait, comprising a shaft, a carriage slidable on the shaft and mounting bait-carrying means, and elastic means extending between an end region of the shaft and the carriage, whereby sliding the carriage along the shaft away from the end region tensions the elastic means thereby causing the carriage to accelerate towards the end region when released, wherein the elastic means is arranged to decelerate the carriage rapidly at the end region to cause bait carried by the baitcarrying means to be projected forwardly of the carriage.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the elastic means comprises an elastic cord passing through an aperture through said end region, each end of the cord being secured to the carriage.

3. A device according to Claim 2, wherein the carriage is provided with guide rollers for the cord, whereby when the carriage passes forward of the aperture during deceleration by the cord, the cord passes over the guide rollers.

4. A device according to Claim 2 or 3, comprising guide rollers within the aperture to guide the cord in its passage through the aperture.

5. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the shaft is generally cylindrical and the end region is flattened.

6. A device for projecting bait, substantially as described with reference to, or as shown in, the drawings.

6. A device for projecting bait, substantially as described with reference to, or as shown in, the drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been fuzed as follows CLAIMS

1. A device for projecting bait, comprising a shaft, a carriage slidable on the shaft and mounting bait-carrying means, and elastic means extending between an end region of the shaft and the carriage, whereby sliding the carriage along the shaft away from the end region tensions the elastic means thereby causing the carriage to accelerate towards the end region when released, the end region being free from any obstruction to movement of the carriage, wherein the elastic means is arranged to be the sole means of decelerating the carriage rapidly at the end region to cause bait carried by the bait-carrying means to be projected forwardly of the carriage.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the elastic means comprises an elastic cord passing through an aperture through said end region, each end of the cord being secured to the carriage.

3. A device according to Claim 2, wherein the carriage is provided with guide rollers for the cord, whereby when the carriage passes forward of the aperture during deceleration by the cord, the cord passes over the guide rollers.

4. A device according to Claim 2 or 3, comprising guide rollers within the aperture to guide the cord in its passage through the aperture.

5. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the shaft is generally cylindrical and the end region is flattened.