GB2183431A - Rotatable spool fishing reel - Google Patents

Abstract

A rotatable spool fishing reel has a spool assembly, rotatable about a stub axle (17) mountable transversely on a fishing rod, in two separable parts. A line carrying part comprising a bobbin (12, 13, 16) with a cylindrical axial aperture holds the line, and is releasably fittable onto a cylindrical projecting core (20) of a drive part that fits rotatably onto the axle (17), one end of the core being fixed to an end plate (10) incorporating a drive handle (14) and a catch (19) for releasably retaining the drive part on the axle. The line-carrying and drive parts when assembled are rotationally fixed relative to each other, but are conveniently separable so that the line-carrying part may be exchanged for another carrying e.g. a different line without the need to change the entire spool. Flange 22 retains a leading edge of the line and edge groove 24 through which the line may be passed prevents the line from slipping. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rotatablespooltishing reel This invention relates to rotatable spool fishing reels ofthe type commonly called fly-reels, and/or those usedfortrolling in coarsefishing as well as certain forms of sea fishing.

Such reels consist essentially of a spool which holds, collects or pays outthefishing line, mounted on a mounting bracket with its axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to, though displaced from, the line of a fishing rod. A handle on one ofthe spool end plates is used to rotate the spool, which has an axial hole with bearings fitting over a stub axle of the bracket; a catch on the spool holds it releasablyto the stub axle.

Previous fly-reels have had spools fitted complete onto the stub axle projecting from the bracket. This has means that in order to keep up with the ever-increasing range of fishing lines, varying in taper, function, strength, weight etc., the customer has found it necessaryto buy a numberofcomplete spools, each being almost a complete reel, charged with different lines. This is a problem both in terms of convenience and cost not onlyforthe professional fisherman but also for the less competitive amateur and even for the holiday-maker, all of whom may find themselves restricted unless they have at hand at least a small range of lines.

In the present invention the spool assembly ofthe reel includes separate parts. Firstly there is a drive part with a drive handle on e.g. an end plate for rotating the spool and an axial core with a bore to fit over and bear rotatably on the axle. Secondly there is a line-carrying partcomprising a bobbin, normally with circular end flanges, on which line is wound, having a central axial aperture to fit over the projecting core ofthe drive part.

The line-carrying part mayengagethe drive part axially by easily releasable detent means e.g. circlip and groove, clip and shoulder, ortamper-proof screw threads, sothat it maysimply be removed and exchanged for another similar part re-wound with a different line. The line-carrying part may also be held in position in the assembly by being between the drive partandthe mounting ofthe reel axle. When the line-carrying and drive parts are assembled together they engage one another rotationally e.g. by dogs and slots, or by having a non-circular section core fitting in a correspondingly non-circular aperture, so that rotation ofthe drive part winds line on the bobbin.

Thus the invention may enable much more conve nientlinechanging,sincetheline-carrying bobbin has fewfunctional parts and an angler will be more able to afford several, pre-wound with different lines.

Means for bearing on the axle, and a catch for retaining the spool on the axle, and a toothed check or drag wheel may all be on the drive part, which does not need to be changed to change the line: i.e. it is removed to allow removal of one bobbin and put back in place when the new bobbin is fitted.

It is desirable for when the bobbin is separatefrom the core, to provide some means whereby the leading end ofthe line may be prevented from unwinding and entangling. Previously this problem has only arisen in the manufacturing of fishing lines wound on cartridges before sale, where generally an elastic band is wrapped aroundto hold the line in place. Thus in the present invention a catch for temporarily retaining the leading end ofthe line may be provided onthe line-carrying part. This may be, e.g. a smaller outer coaxial flange on the bobbin externally adjacent to an end flangethereof (ortwo smallerfianges, one on each end flange). The leading end ofthe line is passed over a groove or notch atthe edge ofthe endflangeto prevent slipping, and then looped around the smaller flange where it is temporarily held fast.Furthermore the smallerflange may converge onto the main end flange so that line looped around it slips between the two,to become firmly entrapped but easily removed.

The smallerflange may be of an elastomeric material.

Alternatively a circular array of lugs may be provided on the end flange.

A reel may also be provided whose handedness may be changed. The handedness ofthe present reel, when fully assembled from the composite parts; bobbin, core, spool and bracket, is due onlyto the handedness ofthe spool drive parts. Thus by interchanging left- and right-handed drive parts it is possible to alterthe directionality ofthe reel. Afurther feature of this particular aspect ofthe invention is that a supply of spare line-carrying parts may be used in conjunction with either-handed drive parts. This overcomes the problem of direction of line since the drive part is presented with an operationally symmet rical bobbin which it may enter from either side. This aspect ofthe invention could be supplemented by inclusion of a reversible cassette on the drive part, such as that disclosed in G B 2096441.

Particular embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawingswherein: Figure lisa side view of a conventional fly-reel Figure 2 is a side view of an embodiment wherein Figure 2a shows the drive part and Figure 2b shows the line-carrying part; Figure 3 is a face view of the embodiment wherein the parts of Figure 2 are assembled; Figure 4 is a face view ofa bobbin showing a line grip-flange; and Figure5 is a side view of another embodiment wherein Figure 5a shows the drive part and Figure 5b the line-carrying part.

As illustrated in Figure 1, a conventional rotatable spool of a reel consists of a single body, generally 1, intergal with which is a barrel 6 and end plates 2, 3.

The barrel and end plates together define the spool around which the line 5 is wound. Parts of the reel 1 shown include a handle 4for rotation ofthe reel, a sleeve-bearing 11 bearing on a stub axle 17 on a bracket body 18forattachmentto a rod, and a quick release mechanism 9, retaining the spool on the axle 17. There isalsoa checkwheel 8.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment ofthe invention wherein the functions ofthe reel are divided between a drive part (Figure 2a) and a line-carrying part (Figure 2b).

The drive part consists of an end plate 10 incorporating a handle 14 and a quick-release catch arrangements 19. The catch 19, sleeve bearing 21, and toothed check wheel 8 hold the hub releasably by attachment to the stub axle 17 on the mounting bracket 18.

Extending perpendicularly from the centre ofthe end plate 10 on the opposite side from the handle 14, along the rotational axis of the end plate, is a cylindrical core 20. The core 20 incorporates a bearing sleeve 21 to fit closely around the stub axle 17, on which the drive part is releasably retainable bythe catch 19. A toothed check or drag wheel 18 is provided on the end ofthe core 20 remotefrom the end plate 10.

Figure 2b shows a iine-carrying part comprising a bobbin having frusto-conical end flanges 12, 13 and a centre barrel 16with a cylindrical bore into which the core 20 ofthe drive partwill insert. Line 15 is wound around the bobbin. Adjacent to the end flange 13 there is shown an outwardlytapered dished grip-flange 22 for retaining a leading end ofthe line 15 as will be described later. There is also an edge groove 24 in the end flange 13through which the line may be passed in orderto preventitslipping.

The meanswherebythe line-carrying and drive parts may be releasably engaged in the present embodiment are a circlip 30 in a circumferential groove inside hoilow barrel 16, and a corresponding groove 29 on the core 20 ofthe drive part. Circlip 30 and groove 29 engage releasablywhen the core 20 is inserted into the holiow barrel 16, to prevent relative axial movement in use. Relative rotational movement of the two spool parts is prevented by dogs 25 on the drive part which on assembly engage slots 26 on the bobbin.

Figure 3 shows a face view ofthe embodiment wherein the bobbin and drive part are assembled. In this particular embodiment end flange 12 ofthe bobbin is a foraminate plate while the end plate 10 of the drive part incorporating the handle 14 and catch mechanism 19 has a flat-spoke and ring construction.

Figure 4 is a face view of the bobbin on its own, from the direction ofthe arrow marked IV in Figure 2b. A leading end 32 ofthefishing line is shown passed over the edgeofthe end flange 13 atthe groove 24 and looped around behind the grip4lange 22 to become entrapped between thetwo flanges. Figure 4 also shows a label 34 on the end flange 13 whereupon the specifics ofthe fishing line may be recorded.

Figure 5 shows a second embodimentwith a clip and shoulder used as the detentfor axially engaging the line-carrying and drive parts. At one opening of the barrel 16 the bobbin has an inwardly projecting circumferential shoulder 35 such that a clip ring 36, carried in a circumferential groove 37 on the core 20 adjacent the check wheel 8, is a snap fit thereth rough.

The clip ring shown is oversizeforthe groove 37 and has a circumferential series of outward protuberances 38whichwhen assembling and disasemblingthe spool parts areforced radially inwardly pastthe shoulder 35, with corresponding radially outward flexion of the parts ofthe ring 36 between them.

Clearly the bobbin is easily separable from the drive partto be replaced with another similar bobbin.

Furthermore since the bobbins may carry any line, this leads to a procedure wherein by operating catch 19 to release the drive part from the stud axle 17 and sliding the drive part offthe axle 17, the line-carrying bobbin is freed from the reel assembly by withdrawal ofthe core 20, and may then be conveniently replaced by a similar bobbin carrying a different line.

In addition it can clearly be seen that any ofthe reel components, drive part, line-carrying part, or axle and bracket may conveniently be individually replaced whether for reasons of damage or otherwise.

Claims (11)

1. A spool assembly for rotatable spool fishing reel with a spool axle, the assembly including: a drive part comprising a core releasablyfittable onto the axle to bear rotatablythereon, and a handle for rotating the drive part; and a line-carrying part comprising a bobbin with a centrai axial aperture to fit over the core of the drive part, and means for conducting drivefrom the drive partto the bobbin, the line-carrying part being separate from the drive part and being releasably retainable in the reel bythedrive part.

2. A spooi assembly according to cFairn wherein the drive part has a cylindrical core extending axially from the end plate and having a cylindrical bore to bear rotatably on the axle.

3. A spool assembly according to claim I orclaim 2 wherein the line-carrying and drive parts are relatively rotationallyfixable by dog and slot engagementfor conducting the drive.

4. Aspoolassemblyaccordingtoclaim 1,2or3 wherein the line-carrying part is axially releasably retainable on the drive part by a detent engaging between the aperture of the bobbin and the core.

5. A spool assembly according to claim 4wherein said detent comprises a clip ring on one of said parts, which is a snap fit past a shoulder on the other part.

6. A spool assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the drive part carries a releasablecatch to retain it axially on the axle.

7. A spool assembly according to any preceding claim wherein a check wheel is provided on an end of the core remote from the end plate.

8. Aspool assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the line-carrying part is axially reversi bleonthedrive part.

9. A spool assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the bobbin hasendflangesforretain- ing line wound thereon, and means on one or both of said flanges for trapping a leading end ofthe line when not in use.

10. A spool assembly for a rotatable spool fishing reel substantially as any herein described with referenceto Figures 2,3 and 4 of the drawings.

11. A rotatable spool fishing reel incorporating an assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.