AU2017101664A4 - A fishing rod holder - Google Patents

Abstract

A support for a fishing rod, especially a support for an outrigger pole held out from a fishing boat such as when trolling. The support or outrigger holder has two configurations (A) 5 when the rod or at least a socket for the handle is held flat against the surface, such as a boat cabin side from which the holder is supported, and (B) when the rod or holder is supported erect, at a high angle from the surface. Fig1 122 0 110 123 103 106 121 106 115 101 109 110 120 4 %712 Fig 2

Description

This invention relatesto a holder for a fishing rod. The invention has particular reference to support for an outrigger pole held out from a fishing boat such as when trolling.

“The boat surface” as used herein is typically part of a structure above the deck, such as a cabin side. The cabin side has a generally vertical disposition. The supported rod may lie in a first position almost parallel to the surface to which it is attached, or may be extended at very approximately 45 degreesto the horizontal when deployed.

The invention makes use of rotatable cams or over-the-centre devices as reversibly lockable connectors. “Rotatable cams” is the term used within this text.

Unlike much of the prior art the present fishing rod holder has several spaced-apart fixing points or pedestals for attachment to a boat surface that help to distribute a sideways or vertical force applied on to the fishing rod or outrigger. The pedestals maintain the rod holder above the surface to which it is attached.

Pivotally mounted handle sockets in conjunction with separated shaft holders are known.

One aspect of the present invention over previously known holders is that it can be converted between configurations without use of toolsor the like.

One outrigger lowering apparatus provides a bidirectional holder in which a single mount for a rod handle holder includes a pivotable joint that includes two deep detents that control the angle between the boat surface and the direction of the rod when in either of the two states. It isthought that the forces applied to the tip of the rod would be greatly magnified at the pivotable joint.

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The invention in one aspect resides broadly in a fishing rod holder capable of holding a fishing rod in position in relation to a surface of a structure in either an extended configuration with the rod held in a projecting attitude or in a flattened configuration having :5 an attitude parallel to the surface; either of which configurations can be reversibly converted into the other by a hand-assisted movement of the holder; the holder including a plurality of spaced-apart mounting pedestals to be secured to the surface.

Preferably the holder further includes a clamp device secured to the surface in line with the holder for ensuring that the holder remains in the flattened configuration when selected.

Advantageously the clamp device uses the principle of a rotatable cam or over-the-centre lock to maintain either configuration after it has been set, biasing the fishing rod holder into either the extended or the flattened configuration by forces applied by components that are pivotally connected together using rotatable cams or over-the-centre locking devices.

Preferably the holder isfastened to the surface by a plurality of pedestals, each pivotally connected to the holder, wherein the bases of the pedestals are spaced apart from each other.

In order that the invention may be more easily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying Figures, wherein:

Fig 1 is an oblique view of the two-state fishing rod holder in an erect state.

Fig 2 is an oblique view of the two-state fishing rod holder in the flattened state; the clamp closed.

Fig 3 is an underneath oblique view of the fishing rod holder to show the attachment feet.

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Fig 4 is an oblique view of the clamp used to secure the rod when in the flattened state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The holder of the invention 100 has two configurations (A) when the rod or at least a socket for the handle of the rod is held flat in relation to the surface from which the holder is supported, and (B) when the rod or holder is supported erect, at a high angle from the surface. In configuration (B) the fishing rod or outrigger would be set to catch fish.

The invention 100 comprises several parts. Please refer to Fig 1 (extended position) and Fig (flattened and approximately vertical position). In expected use, the extended position is adopted to hold a fishing rod or outrigger rod when a boat is moving through water and trolling for fish. The flattened position is for use when the fishing gear has been put away;

perhaps during bad weather, perhaps when the boat is required to dock, or while travelling.

The invention may be considered asa mount for a rod, including the handle holder 102. The handle holder 102 itself is an elongated cylinder open at one end 101 for enclosing the fishing rod handle. It may be assumed that typical existing fishing rods are up to about 41 millimetres in diameter and up to about 190 mm in length although, of course, different sizes of handles can be held in a suitably dimensioned holder. At the closed end the handle holder 102 has a two-axis pivotable connection 103, 104 with a first pedestal mount 105. A second 106 and a third 107 pedestal mount are fixed at each side of handle holder 102, and forward of pedestal mount 105. All the mounts will be screwed to the boat surface at accessible positions. Afurther part of the invention comprises a clamp assembly 121 on a

2017101664 28 Nov 2017 pedestal mount to hold the free end of the rod handle holder 100 against the mounting surface when the invention is in the flattened position. (The clamp appears to be an isolated object in Fig 1 but is shown in functional position in Fig 2). The clamp includes a base 120, a lower semi-circular part 121 pivotally attached to the base 120 by a rose joint an upper semicircular part 122, and a handle which relies on a rotatable cam or over-centre locking mechanism to remain in place while holding the exterior of the rod handle holder 102. It is shown when clamped in Fig 2.

One advantage of the present invention is that any forces applied through the rod to the boat surface are distributed rather than being concentrated in one place. The “footprint” is widened by use of rigid plate 110. Fig 3 which is an oblique view from below, with the clamp moved to one side for clarity, showsthe four separated attachment surfaces 105,

106, 107 and 120.

Mounts 106 and 107 share a common pivotal axis (indicated by the dashed line 108A) through pivots 108 and 109. Each pedestal mount is pivotally connected to one of two legs

111, 112 of a rigid plate 110 having an “inverted V” shape. The apex of the “V” of plate 110 is coupled through a pair of rotatable struts 114, 115 each terminating at a pivot mount along a side of the rod handle holder 102. The struts provide a rigid and inextensible yet pivotable connection between the plate 110 and the handle holder 102, and allow the invention 100 to preferentially assume either the extended or the flattened positions as shown in Figs 1 and 2 acting as rotatable cams. The rigid plate 110 that is shown in Figs 1 and 2 has been milled from a solid metal slab. See below for materials.

Movements: The rod handle holder 100 has two preferred operating positions; the extended position of Fig 1,in which an outrigger or similar fishing rod is held erect, and the

2017101664 28 Nov 2017 flattened position of Fig 2. The erect position isstable since it is a kind of “over-centre” mode or cam lock in which the rotatable struts 114, 115 are maintained in place by a force originated within the fishing rod that forcesthe sides of the strutswhich lie against the sides of a partial channel formed within the apex of the rigid plate 110 when in the erect configuration.

The maximum extension of the fishing rod holder is limited. Because some of the weight of '5 the handle holder 102 and of the fishing rod contained within is transferred to the “V” plate through the sides of the struts 114 and 115, the extended position is stable. It requires a person to lift the open end 101 of the handle holder 102 in order to free the pivot joint between 102 and 110 so that the “V” plate 110 can be freed and allowed to assume the flattened position illustrated in Fig 2.

The clamp as shown in Fig 4 comprises an upper nearly semi-circular jaw 122, a lower nearly semi-circular jaw 121 that is attached to the pedestal at aperture 125 at which position a rose joint is incorporated in order to allow for curves in the boat cabin surface, and includes a reversibly locking cam including a thumb pressure plate 123 that isforced to close against pressure from the holder 102 that becomes enclosed within by action around an over-the105 centre latch. Part 126 comprises a permanent, pivotable link between the two nearly semicircular jaws. The clamp can be completely opened around the catch so that the jaws are extended apart from each other in order to receive the holder 102.

The prototype was constructed from an aluminium alloy stock such as engineering grade

6061 using a numerically controlled milling machine. The surface is treated with a hard

110 marine anodising process. While milling is capable of industrial application, casting from metal is an option. It is possible that an injection moulding processwill be used to produce

2017101664 28 Nov 2017 numbers of the invention, at least for some of the components, from a selected thermoplastics or blend, optionally including fillers. The thermoplastics material would be chosen according to durability, availability, and cost. Dimensions of parts may be altered in view of the capacity of the selected plastic to withstand forces as may be determined by stress analysis, and to better withstand weathering. Use of aluminium parts is compatible with boats made of aluminium or alloys thereof, because of reduced risk of corrosion.

The foregoing description has been given by way of an illustrative example of the invention.

M any modifications and variations which will be apparent to persons skilled in the art may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinbefore described.

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Claims (4)

1. CLAIMS.

   :5 1. Afishing rod holder allowing a fishing rod to be held in position in relation to a surface of a structure in either an extended or in a flattened configuration; either of which configurations can be reversibly converted into the other by a hand-assisted movement of the holder; the holder including a plurality of spaced-apart mounting pedestalsto be secured to the surface.

   0
2. 2. Afishing rod holder as claimed in claim 1 further including a clamp secured to the surface in line with the holder for ensuring that the holder remains in the flattened configuration when selected.
3. 3. A fishing rod holder as claimed in claim 2 wherein the clamp device uses at least one rotatable cam connected so asto biasthe fishing rod holder into one or other of the

   5 extended and the flattened configurations.
4. 4. Afishing rod holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein the holder is fastened to the surface by a plurality of pedestals, each pivotally connected to the holder, wherein the pedestals are spaced apart from each other.

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   101

   106

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