GB2310121A - Anglers weight - Google Patents

Description

TITLE Improvements in Anglers' Tackle This invention relates to improvements in fishing tackle for anglers and more particularly to a ledger weight with means to retain a baited hook in position during the casting operation particularly when carried out from a beach.

When casting long distances, especially from a beach, a relatively large sinker weight is required and the casting forces occurring tend to cause the bait to be detached when the baited hook is carried by a short line which flays uncontrollably.

In order to overcome this problem means have been proposed (GB 2170082, 2203621, 2252484) wherein the baited hook is temporarily restrained by an abutment during the casting operation whereafter, and on impact with the water surface, the baited hook disengages and becomes free.

This invention seeks to provide a sinker weight incorporating a bait hook retaining abutment and wherein on water impact the bait hook is disengaged from the abutment.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a sinker weight for an anglers fishing line the weight having a normally forward nose and a normally rearward tail relative to the flight direction on casting, the tail including an abutment for engagement by a bait hook, a displaceable member located on the weight and adapted to cause disengagement of a bait hook from the said abutment following impact of the weight with a water surface and after casting.

In one construction and in use the weight has a line attachment point at the tail end formed, for example, by a moulded-in wire eye or loop. The bait hook is attached to a separate short bait-line connected to a point on the main line to the rear of the weight so that the bait hook may be engaged with the abutment and the bait line tautened to retain same.

The displaceable member may comprise a cap positioned at and on the tail of the weight and movable in a rearward direction by water pressure. The abutment may slide in a slot in said cap the arrangement being such that a bait hook is forced laterally along the abutment when the cap moves rearward.

Further and preferred features of this invention are described in more detail and illustrated with reference to the drawings showing an embodiment by way of example. In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a side view of a sinker weight according to this invention, Figure 2 shows a detail of the attachment at the tail end of the weight1 Figure 3 shows a detail of the bait hook release action, Figure 4 shows a plan view of the cap, and Figure 5 shows a section on V-V of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings a sinker weight 1 is moulded from a heavy metal, such as lead, which is customary in the art. The sinker weight has a nose 2 and a tail 3. Into the tail, and during the casting operation is secured a bent metal wire 4 having a loop end 5 to which the main line 12 is attached in use and an abutment 6 which is of hook-shape and which projects laterally. The overall shape of the wire 4 is shown more clearly in Fig 2.

A displaceable member in the form of a cap 7 of conical shape is located over the wire 4 and makes up the profile of the tail of the weight. The cap may be plastic and has a slot part 7a which accommodates the bent part 5 of the wire 4 and a slot part 7b which accommodates the abutment 6. This cap 7 may slide on the wire 4 rearwardly from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 3 and this is achieved on water contact through hydraulic pressure acting against the forward facing surface 9 of the cap 7 by virtue of flutes 8 in the weight 1 which allow water pressure to act on the cap 7.

The abutment 6 is arranged to engage a bait hook 10 attached to a bait line 11 which in turn is secured to the main line 12 at a point a suitable distance behind the weight 1. This securement point may be frictionally adjustable so that the line 11 is taut when the hook 10 is engaged with abutment 6. Bait is not show attached to the hook 10 for clarity. Prior to casting the assembly is in the configuration shown in Fig.1.

After casting an on impact with the water surface hydraulic pressure acting on surface 9 of cap 7 by virtue of the flutes 8 forces the cap rearwards and to close over the abutment 6 which causes the hook 10 to be displaced laterally to a final position shown in Fig.3 where the hook and bait are forced free of the abutment. This action is achieved by the T-shaped slot 7a, 7b in the cap 6 (see particularly Fig 4) and the angled sliding contact between the conical side surface of the cap and the bait hook 10.

This arrangement thus provides a simple assembly which retains the bait hook during casting and which ensures reliable release on water contact.

It will be understood that the construction is arranged so that airflow during casting is insufficient to displace the cap 7 significantly.

The weight may include anchor wires 13 which, as is known, swivel to allow release from snags.

The angle at which the abutment 6 projects laterally is arranged to provide sufficient retention of the hook during casting whilst allowing release by displacement when the cap moves rearwardly. Too steep an angle tends to inhibit hook release whilst too shallow an angle may not provide sufficient holding of the hook. By making the abutment of wire a user may adjust the angle for optimisation. As shown a 45O angle is optimum and a range between 30O and 60 is preferred.

Claims (12)

1. A sinker weight for an anglers fishing line the weight having a normally forward nose and a normally rearward tail relative to the flight direction on casting, the tail including a means for engagement with a bait hook, a displaceable member located on the weight and adapted to cause disengagement of a bait hook from the said means following impact of the weight with a water surface after casting.

2. A sinker weight according to Claim 1, wherein the weight has a line attachment point at the tail end formed by a mouldedin wire eye or loop.

3. A sinker weight according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the means is an abutment comprising a laterally projecting hook part to engage with a bait hook.

4. A sinker weight according to Claim 3, wherein the abutment comprises a wire member moulded into the weight.

5. A sinker weight according to Claim 3 or 4, wherein the abutment is integral with an eye or loop at the tail of the weight forming the line attachment point.

6. A sinker weight according to any preceding claim, wherein the displaceable member comprises a cap positioned at and on the tail of the weight and movable in a rearward direction by water pressure.

7. A sinker weight according to Claim 6, wherein the abutment slides in a slot in said cap, the arrangement being such that a bait hook is forced laterally along the abutment when the cap moves rearward.

8. A sinker weight according to any preceding claim, wherein the displaceable member comprises a rearward extension of the profile of the weight.

9. A sinker weight according to Claim 8, wherein at the junction between the displaceable member and the weight flutes are provided exposing forward facing surfaces of the displaceable member.

10. A sinker weight according to any preceding claim, wherein the displaceable member is held in a forward position and moves rearwardly to cause disengagement of the bait hook from the abutment.

11. A sinker weight according to any preceding claim, wherein an abutment forming the means for engagement with the hook comprises a lateral projection with the hook engaging surface at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the weight of between 30 and 60 and preferably 45O.

12. A sinker weight constructed and arranged to function as described herein and exemplified with reference to the drawings.