GB2131261A - Fishing accessory - Google Patents

Abstract

A butt extension for a fishing rod comprising a generally cylindrical member 20 to be a sliding fit within the butt of the rod and having a section 22 of reduced radius, an elastic collet 24 mounted on the section and means effective in use for expanding the collet radially against the inside wall of the butt. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fishing accessory This invention relates to a fishing accessory.

It is well known to provide fishing rods, in particular for fly fishing, with a reel seat at the butt end of the grip, that is to say that at the very end of the rod. The reason for this is that during casting there are loops of line to be controlled, and if the rod projects significantly beyond the reel the chances are that it will become entangled with the line. This arrangement is therefore very common but it does have a drawback. When a fish is hooked and played the angler may wish to grip the rod both above and below the reel, and for this and other reasons, for instance if the butt of the rod is pressed against the body, it becomes desirable at this stage to have some part of the grip extending beyond the reel.This is recognised in that some rods have a short permanent extension below the reel and in that there are also available so-called butt extensions which are simply to be a push or screw fit into the butt end of the rod, below the reel, to provide an extension.

The difficulty with these latter items, however, is that they have to be carried around separately, because they are not used during casting, and they have to be readily accessible when a fish is hooked. Moreover, it is never very easy to get hold of them and apply them in the right position on the rod when the fish is hooked, and their use may in practice be a hindrance rather than a help.

According to the present invention there is provided a butt extension for a fishing rod comprising a generally cylindrical member to be a sliding fit within the butt of the rod and having a section of reduced radius, an elastic collet mounted on the section and means effective in use for expanding the collet radially against the inside wall of the butt.

Preferably the collet is arranged to expand radially upon rotation of the cylindrical member relative to the butt. It is preferred that this be brought about by the collet having a frusto-conical concave end face which abuts a corresponding face on the cylindrical member and being screw-threaded to the member to ensure ready expansion upon rotation of the member.

The butt extension of the invention can be housed completely in the butt until required, whereon it can be rapidly drawn outwards and then, in preferred embodiments, by a simple rotation, fixed in position by expansion of the collet so that the collet presses against the inside of the butt. Thus with very simple manual operations and with no need to move either hand away from the rod, an angler can acquire a butt extension to assist playing a fish as soon as the fish is hooked.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description which is given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa side view of the handle including the grip and butt of a fishing rod which can receive an accessory according to the invention; Figure 2 is a part sectional and part side view of a device of the invention inserted in the butt of a rod of the type shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a detail of an alternative form of the device of the invention.

As shown in Figure 1 a fishing rod handle has a grip 10 above a reel seat 11 which in the embodiment shown is of down-locking type, though this is not material to the invention insofar as any other type of reel seat can be used. In the usual way the seat has rings 12 and 13 to receive the base of a reel and of which at least one is movable. As shown in Figure 2 a device of the invention is locatable within the handle, which is hollow. The device comprises a metal tube 20 with a knurled plate 21 at one end and a narrow screw-threaded extension 22 joined to it at its other end by a conical portion 23. Movable on the threaded extension 22 is a collet 24 of plastics material, this having a concave conical surface corresponding to the surface 23.

The tube 20 is an easy sliding fit in the butt, being a closer fit than the drawings may suggest. The collet usually is a somewhat closer fit in the butt than the tube so that when relaxed it can slide therein reasonably easily although it will generally always have some contact with the interior wall of the butt.

The interior of the collet is screw-threaded to the extension 22 and the result is that manual rotation of the tube 20 will be rotation relative to the collet 24 which will thus be screwed up or down the extension 22 and be squashed or relaxed axially with corresponding radial alteration. Upon axial compression therefore, it is radially expanded against the interior of the handle and can thereby secure the tube firmly in position. The tighter the collet is screwed up, the firmer it engages the handle while in addition the application of inward axial pressure on the extension will also tend to expand the collet outwards and increase the security. This is a force which is very likely to be applied in practice when a fish is played.

The invention thus allows a particularly secure fixing of the extension relative to the handle, and in particular a fixing which is able to withstand the substantial axial forces which are likely to arise particularly when a big fish is hooked.

In order to locate the collet permanently within the handle a snap-fitting retaining ring 27 may be located on the interior of the handle near the end.

The tube 20 can slide through this but the collet can not. Another possibility is to provide a lip seal, which may be permanently secured, e.g. with cement, for this purpose. In both cases, but particularly with the seal, the advantages are available that there is a stop to locate the collet in its rear or outermost position, the extension will be cleaned upon retraction into the butt, and the contact area between extension and handle is effectively increased so as to make the extension more secure and minimise its movement relative to the handle in use.

It is not necessary for the collet itself to be threaded. As shown in Figure 3 there may be a separate threaded member 25 provided on the threaded extension 22. This can be rotationally fast with the collet or merely rely upon frictional engagement therewith to be rotated relative to the tube 20 when that is turned.

In use, when the angler is casting, the extension will be fully received in the butt and held there by reason of the collet being slightly extended radially.

As soon as a fish is hooked, it is a simple matter for the angler either to pull the extension out straight away, or to give it a slight turn in the direction which will allow loosening of the collet before doing so.

When, thereafter, the extension is pulled out from the handle for instance to the extent that the collet abuts the retaining ring 27, the angler rotates the extension tube in the direction to axially compress and radially expand the collet so that the extension tube is firmly held in position relative to the rest of the rod. Normally the screw threads will be so arranged that clockwise movement of the extension will secure it in position. The reverse process obviously can readily take place when the fish is landed and casting is to take place again. These procedures can all take place without the angler having to move his hand far from the rod, this being in practice a great advantage arising from the fact that the extension is provided directly in the handle.

The collet should be made of a material which in the mechanical sense is elastic so that when compressed axially significant radial expansion occurs. It must also be of a material which can withstand considerable stress and which when contacting the inner wall of the handle will generate substantial fractional force. Many natural and synthetic rubbers will suggest themselves for this purpose as well as synthetic plastics materials.

In addition to providing the device above described the invention also extends to fishing rods equipped with such devices and to fishing rod handle sections and reel seats equipped therewith.

CLAIMS (Filed on 2 Nov. 83) 1. A butt extension for a fishing rod comprising a generally cylindrical member to be a sliding fit within the butt of the rod and having a section of reduced radius, an elastic collet mounted on the section and means effective in use for expanding the collet radially against the inside wall of the butt, 2. A butt extension according to Claim 1 wherein the collet is arranged to expand radially upon rotation of the cylindrical member relative to the butt.

3. A butt extension according to Claim 2 wherein the collet has a frustoconical concave end face which abuts a corresponding face on the cylindrical member.

4. A butt extension according to Claim 3 wherein the collet is screw threaded to the member.

5. A butt extension according to Claim 3 wherein the collet is located between the said surface on the member and a threaded member which is provided on a threaded extension of the section of reduced radius.

6. A butt extension according to any preceding Claim wherein the collet is of natural or synthetic rubber.

7. A butt extension substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings or modified substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

8. Afishing rod equipped with a butt extension according to any preceding Claim.

9. A fishing rod according to Claim 8 wherein the butt extension is retained in a butt by a retaining ring at the end of the handle of the rod.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. In use, when the angler is casting, the extension will be fully received in the butt and held there by reason of the collet being slightly extended radially. As soon as a fish is hooked, it is a simple matter for the angler either to pull the extension out straight away, or to give it a slight turn in the direction which will allow loosening of the collet before doing so. When, thereafter, the extension is pulled out from the handle for instance to the extent that the collet abuts the retaining ring 27, the angler rotates the extension tube in the direction to axially compress and radially expand the collet so that the extension tube is firmly held in position relative to the rest of the rod. Normally the screw threads will be so arranged that clockwise movement of the extension will secure it in position. The reverse process obviously can readily take place when the fish is landed and casting is to take place again. These procedures can all take place without the angler having to move his hand far from the rod, this being in practice a great advantage arising from the fact that the extension is provided directly in the handle. The collet should be made of a material which in the mechanical sense is elastic so that when compressed axially significant radial expansion occurs. It must also be of a material which can withstand considerable stress and which when contacting the inner wall of the handle will generate substantial fractional force. Many natural and synthetic rubbers will suggest themselves for this purpose as well as synthetic plastics materials. In addition to providing the device above described the invention also extends to fishing rods equipped with such devices and to fishing rod handle sections and reel seats equipped therewith. CLAIMS (Filed on 2 Nov. 83)

1. A butt extension for a fishing rod comprising a generally cylindrical member to be a sliding fit within the butt of the rod and having a section of reduced radius, an elastic collet mounted on the section and means effective in use for expanding the collet radially against the inside wall of the butt,

2. A butt extension according to Claim 1 wherein the collet is arranged to expand radially upon rotation of the cylindrical member relative to the butt.

3. A butt extension according to Claim 2 wherein the collet has a frustoconical concave end face which abuts a corresponding face on the cylindrical member.

4. A butt extension according to Claim 3 wherein the collet is screw threaded to the member.

5. A butt extension according to Claim 3 wherein the collet is located between the said surface on the member and a threaded member which is provided on a threaded extension of the section of reduced radius.

6. A butt extension according to any preceding Claim wherein the collet is of natural or synthetic rubber.

7. A butt extension substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings or modified substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

8. Afishing rod equipped with a butt extension according to any preceding Claim.

9. A fishing rod according to Claim 8 wherein the butt extension is retained in a butt by a retaining ring at the end of the handle of the rod.