GB2258981A - Fishing rods - Google Patents

Abstract

A fishing rod has a light mounting 33 at its tip and a battery mounting 14 at a suitable location with a switch 13 at the butt-end of the rod so that upon actuation of the switch, an electric light bulb in the mounting 33 may be illuminated to indicate the location of the rod tip. The light mounting, battery mounting and switch may be made as a kit ready to be fitted to a fishing rod, with appropriate electric leads. <IMAGE>

Description

"Improvements in Fishing Rods" This invention relates to improvements in fishing rods, and it refers particularly to means for providing an indication of the location of the outer end or tip of a fishing rod, particularly at night, in relation to the surface of the water or rock formations, or other obstacles.

When fishing at night it is sometimes very difficult to know just where the tip of the fishing rod is located in relation to the surface of the water and/or in relation to any rock formations or other articles in the area being fished.

I am aware that it has been proposed to provide a light to be mounted on the butt of a fishing rod - Australian Patent Application No. 36821/84 - but that does not fulfil the requirements of this invention.

It is also knows practice, particularly in Asiatic countries, to mount a lamp at the front of a fishing boat, for the purpose of attracting fish but, again, that does not fulfil the requirements of this invention.

This invention has been devised particularly with the object of providing means whereby the location of the outer end portion or tip (hereinafter referred to as the "tip") of a fishing rod in relation to the surface of the water, and/or any rocks or other obstacles, may be readily ascertained with accuracy.

A subordinate object is to provide means whereby the tip of a fishing rod may be illuminated as and when required, as may be desired by a fisherman fishing at night, so that he can see just where the tip of the rod is, and so that the area around the outer end may be illuminated.

Another object it to provide means for illuminating the outer end portion of a fishing rod which will be relatively economical to make, convenient to use so that the illuminating means may be turned on or off as desired, and which will be economical to maintain and operate.

According to one aspect of the invention devised with these and other objects in view there is provided a fishing rod having at the tip an electric light bulb or globe, at the butt end of the rod an electric power source such as a battery or batteries, a suitable switch whereb the supply of electric power to the light bulb from the power source may be shut off and switched on, and connections from the switch to the power source and to the light bulb.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided a fishing rod, a mounting at the tip for an electric light bulb, a mounting for a battery or batteries at the butt end, and a switch with suitable connections from the switch to the battery mounting and to the light bulb mounting.

The invention also provides, as a kit for mounting on or in a fishing rod, a mounting for an electric light bulb, capable of being fitted to or adjacent to the outer end or tip of a fishing rod, a mounting for battery means adapted to be fitted to or adjacent to the inner end part or butt of a fishing rod, means for connecting the battery mounting (and battery means in that mounting) to the light bulb mounting, and switch means for controlling the flow of current from battery means in the battery mounting to a light bulb in the light bulb mounting means.

The fishing rod incorporating such light mounting means with a light bulb fitted therein, together with the battery mounting means with a suitable battery or batteries therein, and assembled ready for fishing will, when the switch is in the "on" position, provide a clear indication of the position of the tip of the rod in relation to the surface of the water andlor other surrounding or closely-located features, and the light may be switched on and off as desired.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily put into practical use I shall now describe, with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, a preferred construction of the fishing rod incorporating the light actuating means and connections according to the invention. In these drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective illustration of the parts of a fishing rod incorporating the electric light bulb, the light actuating means, and the connections at a junction in the fishing rod; Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal cross-section of part of the butt-end of the fishing rod having the light-actuating means; Fig. 3 illustrates, on enlarged scale, a longitudinal cross-section of the outer end of the butt end of the rod and the inner end of the next rodpart, such as the tip-end, the two parts disconnected; and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross-section, on further enlarged scale showing the electric light bulb and its cover, disengaged, at the tip of the fishing rod. As shown particularly in Fig. 2, the butt 10 of the fishing rod is made as a housing to contain electric batteries 11, for providing power for the light bulb, and a mounting 12 for them. A switch 13 of suitable type is secured at a convenient location to enable it to be operated, as by thumb pressure, for switching the light on or off as required.

A closure cap or end cover 14 is screwed on to the end of the butt so as to enclose the batteries - and enable them to be replaced when so required -and leads 15, 16, 17 are connected to the battery mounting 12 and switch 13 so that, upon actuation of the switch 13 to move it to the "on" position, electric power may be transmitted through the leads.

The fishing rod shown in these drawings is made in two parts, the butt -end part 10 and the tip-end part 19 made so that they may be connected together to constitute the complete fishing rod. It is to be understood that that construction of the fishing rod is not part of this invention, and that the rod may be made in any desired number of parts, with suitable means for connecting them together.

At the outer end of the butt-end part 10 there is a socket 20 to receive a plug 21 at the inner end of the tip-end part 19, and in said socket 20 is secured an electrical connector-socket 22 of standard type having electrical connection lugs 23, 24 to which the leads 17, 16 (respectively) are connected.

The connector-socket 22 may be made a force fit within the socket 20 and/or be secured by a suitable adhesive. Within the plug 21 there is an electrical plug connector 26 of standard type to engage in the connector-socket 22 and make electrical connection with the contacts within it, and it has electrical connection lugs 27,28 to which are connected electrical leads 29, 30 respectively, the parts being so made that when the rod parts 10, 19 are connected together there will be electrical connection between the leads 17, 29 and 16, 30.

At the outer end of the tip-end part 19 of the fishing rod a halogen light bulb 32 is mounted, connected to the two electrical leads 29, 30, and a clear, translucent plastic cover 33 is provided to fit removably over that light bulb 32 and engage with the tip of the rod part 19, so that when the parts are assembled together - as depicted in Fig. 1 - and the switch 13 is moved to the "on" position, the light bulb 32 will be illuminated and light transmitted through the cover 32.

In a modification, (not illustrated) a dimmer switch is mounted at a convenient location on the butt-end part 10 of the fishing rod and connected in the electrical circuit from the power source to the light bulb 32, to enable the intensity of the light from the bulb 32 to be varied as required.

It is to be realised that the battery mounting 12 may be modified according to the battery or batteries to be used - as for having a single battery instead of a pair of batteries as shown, or having two or more batteries connected in parallel instead of in series. Also, although I have mentioned a halogen light bulb as being preferred, any suitable electric light means may be employed. However, a halogen bulb occupies very little space and provides a relatively intense light.

Also, any suitable light bulb mounting may be employed and fitted to the rod tip. Further, the electrical connections between the rod parts may be effected in any satisfactory manner - such as by a screw fitting. If desired, the light bulb cover 33 may be made so that the light will be directed mainly in one particular direction.

I believe it may also be convenient, in some circumstances, to provide a kit of parts to be attached to an existing fishing rod, instead of being built into the rod as described above. Such kit of parts would conveniently consist of a battery mounting having means for attaching it to the butt-end of a fishing rod - such as a spring clip or a screw-actuated clamp to engage with the said butt-end - and incorporating a switch, a light bulb mounting for attachment to the outer end or tip of the fishing rod - as by a screwactuated clamp - and leads for connecting the switch to the battery mounting and to the light bulb mounting in such manner that when suitable battery means are fitted in the battery mounting and a suitable light bulb is mounted in its mounting and the switch moved to the "on" position, the light bulb will be illuminated.

In mounting the kit of parts to a fishing rod the leads may be wound about the rod or may be kept close to the rod by keeper-rings or other fittings.

In this construction it is preferred that the light bulb mounting have a cover, substantially the same as the cover 33 described above, and that the battery mounting be made to enclose the battery means and the connections to the switch so as to prevent, or at least materially restrict, contact of water with the battery means and electrical contacts.

It is to be understood that other modifications in details of design and/or construction may be made without departing from the ambit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (10)

Claims. Claims.

1. A fishing rod having at the tip a mounting for an electric light bulb, at the butt end of the rod a battery mounting for electric battery means and a switch operable to enable the transmission of electric power from battery means in the battery mounting to an electric light bulb in the light mounting, and leads connecting the switch to both the battery mounting and the electric light bulb.

2. A fishing rod as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the rod is made in at least two disconnectable parts and said parts have electric connection means for engagement when the rod parts are fitted together so as to ensure completion of the electrical connection between the switch and battery means at the butt end of the rod and the electric light bulb at the tip of the rod.

3. A fishing rod as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the battery mounting is enclosed in the butt-end of the rod and there is a removable closure cap fitted on the end of the butt so as to permit of access to the battery mounting.

4. A fishing rod as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the leads are enclosed within the fishing rod.

5. A kit of parts, for attachment to a fishing rod, including a battery mounting with means for attaching it to a fishing rod, a light bulb mounting with means for attaching it to the tip of a fishing rod, and an electric switch with means for attaching it to the butt end of a fishing rod, the switch, battery mounting and light bulb mounting having means for being electrically connected in such manner that the switch may be operated to cause a light bulb in its mounting to be illuminated.

6. A kit of parts for attachment to a fishing rod including a battery mounting with means for attaching it to a fishing rod, a light bulb mounting with means for attaching it to the tip of a fishing rod, electric switch means with means for attaching it to the butt-end of a fishing rod, and electric leads for connecting the switch to the battery mounting and to the light bulb mounting whereby, when battery means are fitted in the battery mounting and an electric light bulb is fitted in the light bulb mounting, the switch may be actuated to cause the light bulb to be illuminated.

7. The combination rod as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein there is a removable translucent cover to fit over the electric light bulb and the tip of the fishing rod.

8. The combination as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the cover is opaque for part if its surface area and translucent for part of the surface area so that light may be transmitted in one general direction only.

9. A fishing rod having an electric light bulb at its tip and switch and battery mounting means at its butt-end substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.

10. A kit of parts for attachment to a fishing rod, and operable to enable the tip of the rod to be illuminated substantially as herein described.