GB2426680A

GB2426680A - A fish-bite detector

Info

Publication number: GB2426680A
Application number: GB0511189A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clifford Royston Fox
Original assignee: Fox International Group Ltd
Current assignee: Fox International Group Ltd
Priority date: 2005-06-01
Filing date: 2005-06-01
Publication date: 2006-12-06
Also published as: GB0511189D0

Abstract

A fish-bite detector (5) comprising a housing (10) having two projecting parts (14) which project in an intended upward direction from a main body of the housing (10). A portion of a fishing rod rests between the projecting parts (14) when the detector (5) is in use. At least one of the projecting parts (14) is provided with a further part (20) which can be extended beyond that projecting part (14), and subsequently retracted.

Description

A fish-bite detector The present invention relates to a fish-bite

detector.

Some previously proposed electronic fishing bite S detectors consist of having at their uppermost section a crutch to receive the fishing rod. The line normally extends underneath the rod to come into contact with a sensing means in order that when the line is moved by a fish an electronic signal is transmitted and/or audibly to the angler.

If one is fishing with a set-up whereby the fishing rod is cast relatively at right angles to the bankside where the rod is positioned, it is easy for the rod to become dislodged from the crutch in which the rod sits on the electronic bite detector because of the extreme angle of the line. This can cause the rod to be pulled into the water by a large fish or the rod is dislodged leaving the line to cut it!s way into the casing of the bite detector.

Also in extremely windy conditions it is possible that a rod could become dislodged from its seat on the top of the bite detector.

The present invention seeks to provide a remedy to one or more of these problems.

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a fish-bite detector comprising a housing having two projecting parts which project in an intended upward direction from a main body of the housing, between which projecting parts rests a portion of a fishing rod when the detector is in use, in which at least one of the projecting parts is provided with a further part which can be extended beyond that projecting part, and subsequently retracted.

Thus, if one is fishing to that side of the rod position on which the said further part is provided, the extension of that further part enables the angler to pick up the rod and strike with a sideways movement rather than an upward movement.

In a preferred embodiment, both of the projecting parts are provided with respective further parts, each of which can be extended beyond their respective projecting part and subsequently retracted.

When in use, the projecting parts form the sides of a crotch on which a portion of the rod rests, retaining the rod in position. Thus by extending both the further parts beyond their respective projecting parts, the sides of the crotch are effectively extended. Therefore in the event that a large fish pulls sideways on the line or there are extremely windy conditions, the rod is more securely retained in position on the crotch due to its extended sides.

Advantageously, each further part is extendable or retractable independently of the other.

In a preferred embodiment each of the further parts are provided with a device to facilitate extension and retraction of the further part.

Advantageously, the extension device comprises a pad.

Alternatively, the extension device comprises a wheel.

Preferably, the further parts are provided with a non-abrasive coating. This coating reduces any damage to the rod in the event that the rod comes into contact with these further parts.

Advantageously, this coating is in the form of a rubber over-mould.

In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the further parts is provided with an illumination device.

The illumination device may be electrically connected to the detector such that when a fish is in engagement with the line, the angler is alerted to the presence of the fish by the illumination of the illumination device.

Advantageously, the illumination device is an LED.

An example of a fish-bite detector made in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a view from above of a first embodiment of a bite detector made in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows a view from the front of the detector shown in Figure 2; Figure 3 shows a view from the rear of the detector shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a view from one side of the detector shown in Figure 1 with parts thereof in a retracted position; Figure 5 shows a view from the other side of the device shown in Figure 1 with those parts in an extended position; Figure 6 shows a view from above of a second embodiment of a bite detector made in accordance with the present invention; Figure 7 shows a view from the front of the detector shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 shows a view from the rear of the detector shown in Figure 6; Figure 9 shows a view from one side of the detector shown in Figure 6 with parts thereof in a retracted position; Figure 10 shows a view from the other side of the detector shown in Figure 6 with those parts in an extended position.

Figures 1 to 5 show a fish-bite detector 5 comprising a two-part synthetic plastics injection moulded housing 10 which may have an external screw-threaded metal shank 11 extending downwardly from its underside, to enable it to be secured to a bank stick. The main body 12 of the housing 10 is bifurcated, so that it has two generally upwardly extending projecting parts 14. Both of the projecting parts 14 are provided with respective further parts or ears 20, each of which can be extended beyond its associated projecting part 14 independently of the other.

Each projecting part 14 has an uppermost end 16.

The housing 10 has a retaining surround 18. The two further parts 20 are accommodated within the retaining surround 18, each further part 20 having a top portion 22 and a rear elongate key 24. Each further part 20 lies in a recess 26 in the retaining surround 18 of the housing 10.

The further parts 20 are each provided with a thumb pad 28.

Each elongate key 24 is received in a corresponding internal slot (not shown) in the housing 10, enabling the associated part 20 to be slid up or down by upward or downward thumb pressure on the thumb pad 28, so that the top portion 22 of the part 20 can be positioned to extend beyond the projecting part 14, and subsequently retracted.

Snap fitting studs and recesses can be positioned to retain the part 20 at any selected one of a plurality of positions.

When in use, the angler places a portion of a fishing rod (not shown) in between the projecting parts 14 of the housing 10. These projecting parts 14 define the sides of a crotch 38, on which a portion of the rod rests.

The sides of the crotch 38 formed by the projecting parts 14 prevent the rod from moving out of the crotch, thus retaining the rod in position.

In the event of bad weather, or in the event that the angler wishes to fish to one side of the rod, one or both further parts 20 may be extended beyond the projecting parts 14. The angler applies pressure to the thumb pad 28 and urges the pad 28 and with it the further part 20 in an upward direction in relation to the associated projecting part 14. The further part 20 is urged upwardly within the recess 26 as the elongate key 24 slides within its associated slot (not shown) . The top portion 22 then extends beyond the uppermost edge 16 of the projecting part 14.

If both further parts 20 are extended in this way, both sides of the crotch 38 are also extended, retaining the portion of the rod which rests on the crotch 38 more securely. This reduces the risk of dislodgment of the rod from the detector in the event of the rod being pufled by a large fish, or in the event of windy conditions.

The top portion 22 may be retracted back into the position shown in Figure 4 by downward pressure on the thumb pad 28.

If it is intended to extend only one of the further parts 20, then, because the parts 20 can be moved independently of one another, only one side of the crotch 38 is extended. For example, if the angler wishes to fish to the right- hand side of the rod, the further part 20 on the right-hand side of the housing 10 only would be extended. This facilitates a strike with a sideways movement rather than an upward movement, as the further part 20 on the left-hand side of the housing 10 would not then be in the extended position.

In the eodiment shown in Figures 6 to 10, those parts which correspond and are identical to parts of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5 have been given the same reference numbers. In the embodiment shown in Figures 6 to 10, the housing 10 is provided with two sleeves 30.

Each of these sleeves 30 accommodate a further part or ear 32 which, when extended, projects in an upward direction from the sleeve 30 beyond the uppermost end 16 of the projecting part 14. Positioned directly beneath each sleeve 30 on the housing 10 is a wheel 34 with a rim 36 such that the axis of the wheel 34 is close to the outer surface of the housing 10, with a portion of the wheel 34 extending through a slot 37 into the interior of the housing 10. Thus the wheel extends at right angles to the surface of the housing 10, with its rim 36 extending outwardly of the surface of the housing 10. The rim of wheel 34 acts as a pinion engaging a rack (not shown) attached to the part 32 so that rotation of the wheel 34 in one sense will raise the part or ear 32, and rotation thereof in the other direction will withdraw the part or ear 32 into the sleeve 30.

Again, snap fitting studs or recesses (not shown) may enable the part 32 to be selectively located at a plurality of different positions.

As with the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5, the embodiment of Figures 6 to 10 can have its parts 32 extended independently of one another, so that the left- hand part 32 can be extended with the right-hand part 32 retracted, or vice versa, or both may be extended, or instead both may be retracted.

Numerous variations and modifications of the illustrated detector may occur to a person of ordinary skill in the art without taking the resulting construction outside the scope of the present invention.

For example, the further parts 20 or 32 can be covered in a non-abrasive coating, preferably a rubber over-mould which serves to protect a fishing rod which sits between the further parts 20 or 32 when they are extended. An illumination device, preferably an LED, can be located in the upper part of one of the further parts 20 or 32 such that when a fish moves the line, the angler is alerted to its presence by the switching on of the illumination device.

Claims

Claims: 1. A fish-bite detector comprising a housing having two projecting

parts which project in an intended upward direction from a main body of the housing, between which S projecting parts rests a portion of a fishing rod when the detector is in use, in which at least one of the projecting parts is provided with a further part which can be extended beyond that projecting part, and subsequently retracted.
2. A fish-bite detector according to claim 1, in which both of the projecting parts are provided with respective further parts, each of which can be extended beyond their respective projecting part and subsequently retracted.
3. A fish-bite detector according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the or each further part is extendable or retractable independently of the other.
4. A fish-bite detector according to claim 3, in which the or each further part is provided with a device to facilitate extension and retraction of the further part.
5. A fish-bite detector according to claim 4, in which the extension device comprises a pad.
6. A fish-bite detector according to claim 4, in which the extension device comprises a wheel.
7. A fish-bite detector according to any preceding claim, in which the or each further part is provided with a non-abrasive coating.
g A fish-bite detector according to claim 7, in which the non-abrasive coating is in the form of a rubber over- mould.
9. A fish-bite detector according to any preceding claim, in which the or at least one of the further parts is provided with an illumination device.
10. A fish-bite detector according to claim 9, in which the illumination device is electrically connected to the detector such that when a fish is in engagement with the line, the angler is alerted to the presence of the fish by the illumination of the illumination device.
11. A fish-bite detector according to claim 10, in which the illumination device is an LED.
12. A fish-bite detector substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, or Figures 6 to 10, of the accompanying drawings.