GB2191921A - Anglers' weights - Google Patents

Abstract

A fishing weight comprises a solid body (11) having a groove (13) and a sleeve (12) having a tongue (14) which mates with the groove, in use trapping the line in the groove between the body and the tongue. The sleeve embraces the body with a resilience that urges the tongue into the groove and the line is trapped and gripped by the friction so created. For a stronger action the tongue may also comprise a resilient portion. The body and sleeve can take many forms and several embodiments are described, some having full sleeves and some having skeleton sleeves of filamentous material. Both parts of the weight should be made of material that is non-toxic to wild life, such as plastics material or non-toxic metal. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Anglers' weights The present invention relates to anglers' weights.

The existing method that anglers useto weighttheir float tackle ortheir ledger lines has relied on the use of split lead shot, or ledger weights. These are all manufactured to designed sizes and/orweights. Lead as a weight has been a natural material to use because of its softness which enables itto be nipped or secured to the line with relative ease.

Howeverthe known toxic values of lead have made weights of this material unpopular and it is the object of the present invention to provide non-toxic weights to be used as an alternative.

According to the present invention there is provided an angler's weightfor use on a fishing line, the weight comprising a first, body, component having a groove, and a second component having a resilient sleeve which embraces the body, in use, and a tongue which engages the groove of the first component, the arrangement being such that, in use, the fishing line is located between the two components and the weight is held in place on the line by friction.

The fishing line ofthe above paragraph can either be the main line or, when ledgering,the ledger or paternoster line. Advantageously to provide a balanced line, the groove extends in depth to or near to the centre of the body component so that the line, in use, passes along su bstantially the centre of the weight.

Preferably the first component is a solid piece of non-toxic material, which may be torpedo-shaped.

The second component is advantageously made of a resilient non-toxic material such as a non-toxic metal or plastics material.The bodycomponentcould be made oftungsten rod or any non-toxic material that would mould to the desired shape.

The resilient sleeve may be intheform ofasingle circlip-type part which preferably engages a second groove in the first component substantially perpen diculartothefirstgroove.

In one embodiment of the invention the second component comprises a single length offilamentous material formed by bending or moulding to provide a resilent sleeve and a tongue. Filamentous material in this context is to be taken to mean wire-like in form but not necessarily made of metal. The cross-section of thefilamentforming the second component could be circular, oval, square or rectangularfor example, the essential feature ofthis embodiment being that when the two components are fitted togetherthe circlip and the tongue are located in grooves in the body component.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a fishing line in use carrying a series of weights in accordance with the present invention, Figures 2, 3, and 4 illustrate in perspective the respective first component part of first, second and third embodiments of the invention, Figures 5a, 5b and Sc illustrates three alternative second component parts for use with the component of Figure 2, Figures 6a, 6b and 6c illustrate three alternative second component parts for use with the component of Figure 3, Figure 7 illustrates a second component part for use with the component of Figure 4, Figures 8,9 and 10 respectively illustrate the method of fixing a weight according to each ofthe embodiments on to a fishing line.

The fishing weights illustrated are each in two parts, a central body component (alternative shapes being shown in Figures 2,3, and 4) andasplitsleeve, preferably of plastics material. The split sleeve, or sleeve like component 12 embraces the b6dy compo- nent 11 and is held in position by a resilience in the material ofthe component 12 which clasps and grips the body component 11. In each case the body component 1 1 has a groove 13 and the sleeve 12 has an integral tongue 1 4which will interlock exactly in the groove 13 reaching substantially to the bottom of the groove.The fishing line on which the weight is to be attached passes along the groove and the weight is held in position by the force of the tongue against the line created by the resilient action of the sleeve 12.

If it is required to attach a heavy weight to the line the gripping force may be increased by also having a resilienttongue. In this case the uncompressed state ofthetongue may be deeperthan the groove 13.

Referring now to individual embodiments, the body component 12 of Figure 2 is generally cylindrical and may have rounded ends as illustrated, flat ends or be torpedo shaped for example. The component of Figure 3 is similar except in this case the body is spherical. The body components of Figures 2 and 3 each have two grooves arranged substantially perpendicularto one another. Afirstaxial groove 13 in each case extends from one side substantially to the centre of the body and runs the length ofthe axis. The second groove 16 extends around the girth of the body 11 and is deep enough to receive a filamentous embracing part17 ofthesecond component.

The second components 12 which cooperate with the first components of Figures 2 and 3 may take various forms. Considering first the components of Figures 5a and 6a; in each case these are formed in one piece in filamentous material, for example by bending wire or by moulding plastics material or metal. Each component 12 comprises a circlip-shaped portion 17 which forms an open circle and which mates with the groove 16. From the circlip shape, at one end, the material bends inwardly to form a radial portion 18 at the end of which a double bend of the material forms a pusher 19 perpendiculartothe radial portion 18 and extending the major part ofthe axial length ofthe body component 11. The radial portion 18and the pusher 1 form a tongue which mates with the groove 13. The shape of the pusher 19 which extends uptothetop of the body 11, down the length ofthe groove, and then up again substantially to the centre provides the maximum pushing force, and thus friction, against the line to hold the weight in position.

If less friction is required the sleeve of Figure 6b or 6c could be used instead. Figure 6b shows a sleeve which is similarto that of Figure 6a except that the radial portion 18 ofthetongue extends the depth of the groove 13 and the pusher element 19 consists of a single straight length ofthefilamentous material. The sleeve of Figure 6coperates in the same way, but with even less contact on the line. In this case the tongue is in the form of a radial portion 18 located on the opposite side ofthe sleeve from the circle opening.

The sleeves illustrated in Figures 5b and c do not require the second groove 16 and body components for these sleeves need not have such a groove. In each case these sleeves 12 comprise a part tube of resilient material having an opening 21. In the case of Figure 5b the tongue is formed as an inwardly directed radial flange 14 on the wall ofthe tube facing the opening 21.

In thecase ofthesleeve of Figure 5c,thetongue is formed as an inwardly directed radial flange 14 attached to one ofthe longitudinal sides ofthe body at opening 21.

The body of Figure 4 is a generally cylindrical solid body 11 having a circumferential groove 23. The sleeve which cooperates with this body is shown in Figure 7 and comprises a resilient part-tubular sleeve having on the inner side a raised tongue 24which engages and mates with the groove 23. Atthe end of the sleeve attached to the side opposite the opening in the sleeve is an arm 25 having an eye 26. In use the line is threaded through the eye 26 and passes longitudinally ofthe body between the body and sleeve being gripped between the tongue 24 and groove 23.

Figure 1 illustrates how the weights would be used with atypicalfloatterminal tackle. Afloat27 is attached to the line 28 at the upper end ofthe part of the line which will be underwater. Underthisthe weights 29 are attached at intervals. The size and weight of the weights vary along the line as shown, and the weights should be selected and positioned to give the maximum balance. The illustration of Figure 1 is not to scale. The size ofthe weightwill be made to correspond to normal split-shot weights to enable predetermined weig htfloats to be shot correctly to manufacturers' recommendations.

Referring now to Figures 8,9 and 10 the method of attachment of the weights to the line will be described.

In the case of the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3 the fishing line is positioned in the slot or groove 13 ofthe body component of the weight and the tongue 18,19 ofthe sleeve is positioned on the linefrom which it is slid into the slot 13thus capturing the line. The sleeve is then pushed home until the tongue or protrusion on the sleeve settles in the groove 16 of the body component of the weight. This locks the weight on the line, butthe frictiongrip ofthe sleeve on the line will alloweach weightto beslid upordownthelineto enable a balance to be made ofthe whole tackle.One ofthe features that contributesto the delicate balance ofthe weights is thatthe line passes along the centre line ofthe weight. twill be appreciated that where the body components ofthe weights were smaller, the sleeves would be correspondingly smaller.

The embodiments disclosed have many advantages. They are completely re-usable, very easy to use.

The fitting ofthe weights and the weights chosen can be easily altered to suit different weighted floats. They can also be used as stop shots when ledgering, and theycan adaptthemselvesto a variety of line thicknesses. Moreoverthere is no damage to the line from use through nipping.

The weight of Figures 4,7 and 10 is designed for use in ledgering on a paternoster line. Ledger tackle comprises a main line having two free ends, one of which carries the hook and the other the weight. The main line may extend to the hook with a link or tail suspended from that line carrying the weight. Alterna tivelythe weight may be on the main line with the hook being carried on a lighter line connected to the main line. The point of this tackle is to enable the hook to float free of weight while the main line is held in position by the weight on the paternoster or ledger line. Figure 10 illustrates the use of this weight. The main line 31 in this embodiment carries the hook 32.A subsidiary paternoster line 33 is attached to the main line at 34 and the paternoster line passes through the aperture 26 and is held by friction between the groove 23 and the tongue projection 24. In this case a knot could be made in the line at the end as an extra precaution againstthe weig ht coming offin unusual circumstances.

An alternative method of connecting this weight to the paternoster line is to tie the line atthe eye 26 optionaliy leaving a tail to be engaged between the two components ofthe weight. The object of this weight construction isthat with the sleeve attached to the line the weight can be adjusted by changing the bodyfora longerorshorter bodyofthesamediameter withouttheneedto refixthesleevetothe line.

Alternatively theweight ofthe body could be determined by the density of material used while remaining a consistent size.

Claims (14)

1. An anglers' weight for use on afishing line, the weight comprising a first, body, component having a groove, and a second component having a resilient sleeve which embraces the body, in use, and a tongue which engages the groove of the first component, the arrangement being such that, in use, the fishing line is located between the two components and the weight is held in place on the line by friction.

2. An anglers' weight according to claim 1 in which the body is a solid piece of plastics material or metal which is non-toxic to wild life.

3. An anglerstweightaccordingtoclaim 1 or2 wherein the groove is sufficiently deep forthe line, in use, to be located substantially along the centre of weight line of the weight.

4. An anglers' weight according to claim 3 wherein the groove is longitudinal of the body and extends in depth substantially to the centre ofthe body component.

5. An anglers' weight according to any ofthe preceding claims wherein the sleeve component is in filamentous form and comprises a circular or part circular resilient embracing portion and a tongue portion.

6. An anglers' weight according to claim 5 wherein the body component comprises a second groove substantially perpendicularto the first groove and adapted to receive the embracing portion of the second component.

7. An anglers' weight according to claim 5 or 6 wherein the tongue portion comprises an arm attached to the embracing portion and a resilient pusher member.

8. An anglers' weight according to claim 7 wherein the pusher member extends the length ofthe groove and comprises a folded length offilamentous material providing a further resilience in the second component.

9. An anglers' weight according to claim 8 wherein the filamentous material forming the pusher comprises a return at the top of the body groove and a return at the bottom of the body groove.

10. An anglers' weight according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the body is substantially cylindrical and has a circumferential groove and the sleeve has an inner tongue protrusion which, in use, traps the line in the groove.

11. An anglers' weight according to claim 10 including an eye for receiving the fishing line therethrough before passage between the components.

12. An anglers' weight substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1,2,3,5 and 6.

13. An anglers' weight substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 4 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.

14. An anglers' weight comprising a body component and a sleeve component adapted to embrace the body component, the body and sleeve components having respective ones of a circumferential projection and a mating circumferential groove.