GB2485367A

GB2485367A - Apparatus for releasing a weight from a fishing line

Info

Publication number: GB2485367A
Application number: GB201019051A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin David Locke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-11-11
Filing date: 2010-11-11
Publication date: 2012-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 2030-11-11
Also published as: GB201019051D0; GB2485367B

Abstract

Apparatus for releasing a fishing weight 4 from a rod line 6. The apparatus comprises a release member (8, fig 4) with a through bore (10, fig 4) and an anchor formation 12, releasable connecting means 14 for releasably connecting to the anchor formation and a fishing weight having a through bore 16. In use a hook line 18 is connected to the rod line and the rod line is passed through the bore in the release member and subsequently through the bore in the weight. A rod line attachment member 22 on the rod line is placed on the anchor formation and the release member is placed in the bore of the fishing weight such that it extends therefrom. A predetermined force between the rod line and the hook line causes an abutment member 20 to force the release member further into the bore of the fishing weight, whereupon the releasable connecting means releases from the anchor formation causing the rod attachment member to release from the anchor formation. Consequently the rod line attachment member passes through the bore in the fishing weight and the fishing weight is released with the hook line still connected to the rod line.

Description

APPARATUS FOR RELEASING A

FISHING WGHT FROM A ROD LINE

This invention relates to apparatus for releasing a fishing weight from a rod line.

If a rod line breaks whilst a fish is hooked on the rod line, then it may happen that the fish become tethered to a fishing weight. The fishing weight will sink to the bottom of the water being fished, and the fish will die.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for releasing a fishing weight from a rod line, which apparatus comprises: (i) a release member; (ii) a bore through the release member; * fl.* (iii) an anchor formation on the release member; **** e S.,... * S

(iv) releasable connecting means for releasably connecting to the * anchor formation; S..... * S

(v) the fishing weight; and S*.**

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(vi) a bore through the fishing weight: and the apparatus being such that in use: (a) a hook line connects to the rod line; (b) the rod line passes firstly through the bore in the release member and secondly through the bore in the weight; (c) a rod line attachment member on the rod line locates on the anchor formation; (d) the release member locates in the bore in the fishing weight such that the release member extends from the fishing weight; and (e) a predetermined force between the rod line and the hook line with the fish on the hook line causes an abutment member to force the release member further into the bore in the fishing weight, whereupon the releasable connecting means releases from the anchor formation, whereupon the rod line attachment member releases from the anchor formation, whereupon the rod line attachment member passes through the bore in the fishing weight, and the fishing weight is released with the hook line still connected to the rod line.

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* 1 The apparatus of the present invention is firstly advantageous in that it is able to operate to release the weight prior to the rod line breaking. Thus, if SI...

the rod line subsequently breaks, the fish is not tethered to the fishing weight.

The fish is still able to be caught because it is still connected to the rod line.

The apparatus of the present invention may secondly be advantageous in circumstances where a fishing weight may cause a hook to pull out of the mouth of a hooked fish. More specifically, the apparatus of the present invention may be such that it is able timely to release the fishing weight before the hook pulls out of the fish's mouth. With the apparatus of the present invention, it is only necessary to ensure that the predetermined force between the rod line and the hook line with the fish on the hook line is such as to cause the apparatus automatically to release the fishing weight before the rod line breaks, and before the hook pulls out of the fish's mouth.

The apparatus may be one in which the release member has a step portion, and in which the anchor formation is located in the step portion. Other arrangements may be employed.

The release member is preferably a tubular release member. Other types of release member may be employed.

The apparatus may be one in which the bore in the release member is offset from a longitudinal axis of the release member. The bore in the release member may be otherwise positioned if desired.

The apparatus may be one in which the anchor formation is a pin.

**....

* * Other types of anchor formation may be employed.

The apparatus may be one in which the releasable connecting means * **** I. * is a flexible releasable connecting means. The flexible releasable connecting means may be an elastic ring. The elastic ring may be an elastic 0-ring. * *

Other types of elastic ring may be employed. A non-flexible releasable connecting means may also be employed if desired.

The apparatus may be one in which the bore through the fishing weight extends in two directions. Alternatively, the bore through the fishing weight may extend in one direction only.

The apparatus may be one in which the release member has a first locating formation for locating the releasable connecting means in a use position. The first locating formation is preferably a groove. Other types of first locating formation may be employed.

The apparatus may be one in which the release member has a second locating formation for locating the releasable connecting means in a non-use * position. The second locating formation is preferably a groove. Other types of second locating formation may be employed.

The apparatus may include a movement-restricting member for restricting movement of the rod line in the bore in the release member. The movement-restricting member may be a piece of flexible material. Other types of movement-restricting member may be employed. When the movement-restricting member is a piece of flexible material, then the piece of flexible material may be part of an 0-ring. Examples of other pieces of flexible

S ****S

* * material are elongate pieces of rubber or resilient pJastics material.

The present invention also extends to the combination of the apparatus

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* of the present invention, the abutment member, the rod line, and the hook *e * S * * . * ** me.

S S....

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The abutment member may be part of a hook line attachment member. The hook line attachment member may be used for connecting the hook line to the rod line. Other types of abutment member may be employed.

The combination may also include a fishing rod.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a fishing rod, a rod line and a hook line; Figure 2 is like Figure 1 but shows the rod line additionally provided with apparatus of the present invention for releasing a fishing weight from the rod line; Figure 3 is a front view of a first fishing weight for, use with the apparatus shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a side view of a release member used in the apparatus shown in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a front view of the release member shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 shows the apparatus shown in Figure 2 additionally filled with the fishing weight shown in Figure 3; Figure 7 illustrates the apparatus shown in Figure 6 in use with a s..

hooked fish; * ** *..

* * Figure 8 is a front view of a second fishing weight for use with the apparatus shown in Figure 2; * ***s*.

* Figure 9 is a side view of the second fishing weight shown in Figure 8; ** * . .: and *e S * Figure 10 is a front view of a third fishing weight for use with the apparatus shown in Figure 2.

Referring to Figures 1 -7, there is shown apparatus 2 for releasing a fishing weight 4 from a rod line 6. The apparatus 2 comprises a release member 8, a bore 10 through the release member 8, and an anchor formation 12 on the release member 8.

The apparatus 2 also comprises releasable connecting means 14 for releasably connecting to the anchor formation 12. The apparatus 2 further comprises the fishing weight 4, and a bore 16 through the fishing weight 4.

The apparatus 2 is such that in use a hook line 18 connects to the rod line 6 via an abutment member 20.

The rod line 6 passes firstly through the bore 10 in the release member 8, and secondly through the bore 16 in the weight 4.

A rod line attachment member 22 on the rod line 6 locates on the anchor formation 12.

The release member 8 locates in the bore 16 in the fishing weight 4 such that the release member 8 extends from the fishing weight 4 as shown in Figure 6.

A predetermined force between the rod line 6 and the hook tine 18 with 0t a fish 24 on the hook line 18 causes the abutment member 20 to force the release member 8 further into the bore 16 of the fishing weight 4, whereupon the releasable connecting means 14 releases from the anchor formation 12, whereupon the rod line attachment member 22 releases from the anchor formation 12, whereupon the rod line attachment member 22 passes through the bore 16 in the fishing weight 4, and the fishing weight 4 is released with the hook line 18 still connected to the rod line 6 as shown in Figure 7. As the abutment member 20 forces the release member 8 further into the bore 16 of the fishing weight 4, the sides of the bore 16 act on the releasable connecting member 14 to cause it to move upward' and over the top of the anchor formation 12, and thereby to release from the anchor formation 12. The rod line attachment member 22 on the anchor formation 12 is then able to slide over the top of the anchor formation 12 and thus release from the anchor formation 12. The rod line attachment member 22 is smaller than the diameter of the bore 16 in the fishing weight 4. Thus the rod line attachment member 22 is able to pass through the bore 16 in the fishing weight 4, thereby enabling the fishing weight 4 to be released from the rod line 4, but with the hook line 18 still connected to the rod line 6.

The apparatus 2 of the present invention is able to be used such that the fishing weight 4 drops away as shown in Figure 7 before the rod line 6 breaks, and also before a hook 26 in the mouth of the fish 24 pulls out of the mouth of the fish 24.

As best appreciated from Figures 4 and 5, the release member 8 has a step portion 28. The anchor formation 12 is located on the step portion 8. The ***.

release member 8 is a tubular release member 8. The bore 10 in the release member 8 is offset from a longitudinal axis of the release member 8.

The anchor formation 12 is a pin. The releasable connecting means 14 is a flexible releasable connecting means 14 in the form of an elastic 0-ring.

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As can be seen from Figure 3, the bore 16 through the fishing weight 4 extends in two directions. More specifically, the bore 16 extends firstly in an axial direction from a top part 30 of the fishing weight 4, and then the bore 16 extends at a right angle and through a side part 30 of the fishing weight 4.

The release member 8 has a first locating formation 34 for locating the releasable connecting means 14 in a use position as shown in Figure 6. The first locating formation 34 is a groove.

The release member 8 has a second locating formation 36 for locating the releasable connecting means 14 in a non-use position as shown in Figure 4. The second locating formation 36 is a groove.

The apparatus 2 includes a movement-restricting member 38 for restricting movement of the rod line 6 in the* release member 8. The movement-restricting member 38 is a piece of flexible material in the form of part of an elastic rubber 0-ring.

The rod line 6 connects to a fishing rod 40. The fishing rod 40 has. a fishing reel 42.

Figures 8 and 9 show an alternative fishing weight 44 to that shown in 7 Figure 3. The fishing weight 44 has a bore 46 which extends in two directions like the bore 16, but the bore 46 extends higher up a side 48 of the fishing S...

weight 44 than is the case with the fishing weight 4 shown in Figure 3.

Figures 8 and 9 also show how the rod line abutment member 22 is.in the form of a ring and is able to pass through the bore 46 in the fishing weight %. . * * * S. Figure 10 shows a third fishing weight 50 having a bore 52 which is a straight through bore extending in one direction only such that it emerges from a bottom part 54 of the fishing weight 50. Figure 10 also shows how the rod line attachment member 22 is able to pass through the bore 52 because it is smaller than the bore 52.

Figure 2 shows the movement-restricting member 38 half inserted into the bore 10 alongside a part of the rod line 6.

Figure 6 shows the apparatus 2 in its ready for use position. After filling the apparatus 2 as shown in Figure 6, the rod line 6 is pulled tight to take up slack. The rod line 6 then rests against the side of the fishing weight 4. The abutment member 20 is a bead as shown having a ring 56 through which the hook line 18 is connected.

Figure 7 shows the fishing weight 4 having just been released from the release member 8. In order to achieve this, the rod line attachment member 22 firstly releases from the anchor formation 12, then secondly passes through the bore 16 in the fishing weight 4, and then thirdly comes to rest against the bottom 58 of the release member 8.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way 0s.

of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, other types of fishing weight 4, release member 8, anchor formation 12, releasable connecting means 14, abutment member 20, rod line attachment *. : member 22, first locking formation 34, second locking formation 36, and a movement-restricting member 38 may be employed. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in their drawings and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention. 0*S * S *SS

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Claims

CLAIMS1. Apparatus for releasing a fishing weight from a rod line, which apparatus comprises: (i) a release member; (ii) a bore through the release member; (iii) an anchor formation on the release member; (iv) releasable connecting means for releasably connecting to the anchor formation; (v) the fishing weight; and (vi) a bore through the fishing weight: and the apparatus being such that in use: (a) a hook line connects to the rod line; (b) the rod line passes firstly through the bore in the release member and secondly through the bore in the weight; (c) a rod line attachment member on the rod line locates on en.* the anchor formation; 0*ue. *(d) the release member locates in the bore in the fishing weight such that the release member extends from the fishing weight; and S.cI(e) a predetermined force between the rod line and the hook line with the fish on the hook line causes an abutment member to force the release member further into the bore in the fishing weight, whereupon the releasable connecting means releases from the anchor formation, whereupon the rod line attachment member releases from the anchor formation, whereupon the rod line attachment member passes through the bore in the fishing weight, and the fishing weight is released with the hook line still connected to the rod line.
2. Apparatus according to claim I in which the release member has a step portion, and in which the anchor formation is located on the step portion.
3. Apparatus according to claim I or claim 2 in which the release member is a tubular release member.
4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the bore in the release member is offset from a longitudinal axis of the release member.
5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the anchor formation is a pin. *. *.*. Ss*
6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which theSS... . . * releasable connecting means is a flexible releasable connecting means. * S * . S. S..

I
7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the flexible releasable connecting means is an elastic ring.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the elastic ring is an elastic 0-ring.
9. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the bore through the fishing weight extends in two directions.
10. Apparatus according to any one of claims I -8 in which the bore through the fishing weight extends in one direction only.
11. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the release member has a first locating formation for locating the releasable connecting means in a use position.
12. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the first locating formation is a groove.
13. Apparatus according to claim 11 or claim 12 in which the release member has a second locating formation for locating the releasableSconnecting means in a non-use position.* S S*SS S * S * S. S..S
14. Apparatus according to claim 13 in which the second locating formation is a groove.
15. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including a movement-restricting member for restricting movement of the rod line in the bore in the release member.
16. Apparatus according to claim 15 in which the movement-restricting member is a piece of flexible material.
17. Apparatus according to claim 16 in which the piece of flexible material is part of an 0-ring.
18. Apparatus for releasing a fishing weight from a rod line, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
19. The combination of apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, the abutment member, the rod line, and the hook line.
20. The combination according to claim 19 in which the abutment member *0* is part of a hook line attachment member.SS S...
21. The combination according to claim 19 or claim 20 and including a S...Sfishing rod. p.'.