GB2394157A

GB2394157A - Split shot dispensing device

Info

Publication number: GB2394157A
Application number: GB0224363A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan David Jones
Original assignee: ANCHOR TACKLE Ltd
Current assignee: ANCHOR TACKLE Ltd
Priority date: 2002-10-19
Filing date: 2002-10-19
Publication date: 2004-04-21
Anticipated expiration: 2022-10-19
Also published as: GB0224363D0; GB2394157B

Abstract

The device comprises a housing 2 in which split shot 6 can be held and a dispensing device 1 in communication with the housing via aligned apertures 5 formed in the housing and the dispensing device. The dispensing device comprises a cylindrical casing 8 and a shot supporting member 14 formed with an upstanding shot supporting surface of inverted "V" cross-section and slidable within the bore 11 of the casing between positions below and above the aligned apertures. Means 18 are provided for imparting movement to the supporting member relative to the casing and for aligning a shot supported by the supporting member with its slot located over the shot supporting surface. A shot capture member 22 is positioned above the aligned apertures and within the path of movement of the support member. The capture member includes an opening 23 into which a shot supported by the support member can enter and be retained with its slot exposed by the opening. The shot capture member may be removed from the device in use, the sides of the member being flexible to allow compression of the shot on a fishing line.

Description

2394 1 57

CONTAINERS FOR SPLIT SHOT

This invention relates to containers for holding and dispensing split shot for use by anglers.

Split shot is a species of weights used by anglers on fishing lines to position baited hooks at required depths in streams, canals, reservoirs and other fishing environments. Split shot is produced in a variety of weights and sizes and is formed with a slot in one of its sides within which a fishing line can be located. The shot is secured in place by applying pressure to close the slot over the line. Conventionally, split shot is manually positioned on fishing lines. However, the smallness of the shot and the narrowness of the slot makes manipulation and alignment of the shot relative to the line extremely difficult especially in poor light or inclement weather.

It is an object of this invention to provide a container which houses a quantity of split shot and which also includes a device which causes shot to be dispensed with its slot positioned for ease of connection to a fishing I ine.

In one aspect, the invention provides a container for holding and dispensing split shot, the container comprising a housing in which split shot can be held and a dispensing device in communication with the housing via aligned apertures formed in the housing and the dispensing device, the dispensing device comprising a cylindrical casing and a shot supporting member formed with an upstanding shot supporting surface of inverted "V" cross-section and slidable within the bore of the casing between positions below and above the aligned apertures, means for imparting movement to the supporting member relative to the casing, means for aligning a shot supported by the supporting member with its slot located over and a shot capture member positioned above the aligned apertures and within the path

of movement of the support member, the capture member including an opening into which a shot supported by the support member can enter and be retained with its slot exposed by the opening.

The longitudinal axis of the bore of the cylindrical casing of the dispensing device preferably lies generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container housing.

The aligned apertures of the container housing and the dispensing device are preferably positioned towards the upper boundary of the housing and the housing is preferably closed by a lid. The lid may be releasable from the housing; alternatively, the lid may be permanently attached to the housing. The tubular casing may be permanently secured to one wall of the container housing or may be releasably attached thereto.

The capture member may be releasably mounted as the dispensing device or may be permanently secured thereto. In the former arrangement, the capture member may comprise a hand-held member formed with an opening dimensioned to receive a shot and a slot of lesser diameter extending upwardly from the opening to enable the sides of the member to flex to apply pressure to the sides of the opening to close the slot. The means for imparting movement to the shot supporting member may comprise an arm extending outwardly from the supporting member and movable within a guideway formed in an outer wall of the casing. The guideway may comprise an open-sided slot which extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the casing.

The shot supporting surface may comprise a knife edge upstanding from the shot supporting member. The shot supporting member may

comprise a rod positioned internally within the bore of the cylindrical casing and shaped at its upper end to present a knife edge of inverted "V" configuration. In this arrangement, a shot leaving the container housing enters the cylindrical casing and falls under gravity onto the knife edge.

Shaking or tapping of the container imparts sufficient movement to the shot to enable it to enter and pass through the alignment apertures. Up and down movements of the supporting member causes the slot of the shot to engage the knife edge. The shot is then moved in this position into the capture member simply by sliding the supporting member upwardly within the bore of the casing. As the shot enters the opening of the capture member it is engaged by the side walls of the opening with its slot facing downwards. Means for physically ejecting a captured shot from the opening may be provided. This may comprise an ejector pin movable into and away from the opening by finger pressure.

In one arrangement, the capture member is removed from the dispensing device and used to place the shot onto a fishing line. Once pressure has been applied to the shot by flexing of the capture member to close the shot over the line, the shot is simply removed from the opening of the capture member by moving the line away from the member.

In an alternative arrangement, the capture member forms an integral part of the dispensing device. In this arrangement, the fishing line is introduced into the slot of the shot via the capture member opening and the member flexed to cause the slot to close about the line. Thus, the shot is automatically attached to the line.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a dispensing device in accordance with the invention;

! Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the dispensing device illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of the device shown in Figure 1 taken in the direction of arrow A; Figures 4 and 5 are sectioned views taken respectively through the directions of arrows IV-IV and V-V of Figure 2; and Figure 6 is a detail of the device illustrated in Figures 1 to 3.

The illustrated device comprises a shot dispenser having a cylindrical casing 1 attached to one side wall 2 of a housing of a shot container (see Figure 2). The dispenser may be permanently secured to the wall of the container by, for example, an adhesive or may be releasably attached to the wall. In the latter arrangement, the dispenser may be slidably supported within a guideway secured to the container wall. The dispenser 1 is formed with a through-hole 4 which is aligned with a through-hole 5 formed in the side wall 2 of the container housing. The through-holes 4, 5 are dimensioned to enable a single shot to pass from the container to the dispenser. The side of the through-hole 5 remote from the dispenser may be flared to assist entry of a shot. A split shot 6 is shown entering the through-hole 4 in Figure 2 of the drawings. As will be seen from this Figure, the shot is formed in one of its sides with a "V" slot 7. Split shot is retained on a fishing line simply by closing the shot over the line using finger pressu ret The dispenser includes a generally cylindrical casing 8 formed with a central bore 9 having an upper length 11 whose internal diameter is marginally greater than the diameter of the shot to be dispensed and a lower length 12 of larger diameter to accommodate sliding movement of a shot support device 14. The support device 14 comprises a rod 15 upstanding from a base 16. One end of the base 16 protrudes through a

slot 17 formed in one side of the dispenser to define an arm 18. The upper surface of the rod 15 is shaped to define a knife edge 19. The diameter of the rod is marginally less than the internal diameter of the bore length 11 to enable the rod to move vertically within the bore length 11. The boundary between the upper and lower bore lengths 11, 12 defines a stop 21 against which the base 16 abuts to lime the upward movement of the rod. Positioned on the upper end of the casing is a shot capture member 22. This includes an opening 23 shaped to receive and retain a shot 6 and a passageway 24 extending upwardly from the opening 23 to enable the member 22 to flex to apply pressure to a shot retained within the opening 23. The height of the rod 15 between the knife edge 19 and the base 16 is sufficient to enable the knife edge partially to enter the opening 23 when the base 16 abuts against the stop 21, and to be present within the lower end of the bore length 12 at the lowermost extent of movement of the base. The member 22 may be releasably mounted on the dispenser or may be permanently attached thereto.

In use, shaking or tapping movements applied to the container causes a split shot 6 to enter and pass through the through-holes and to enter the bore 9 of the cylindrical casing 1. On leaving the through-hole 4, the shot falls under gravity to be supported by the uppermost end of the support member 14. The presence of the knife edge 19 in the bore length 12 prevents further downward movement of the shot. Up and down movements of the support member 14 causes the shot to adopt the position shown in Figure 4 in which its slot is located over the knife edge 19.

The casing 1 is produced at least partially from a transparent material to enable the user to see when the shot is properly located. The transparent material may be at least partially magnified to assist viewing. The support member 14 is then raised using the arm 18 until the shot enters and is

retained within the opening 23 of the capture member 22. It will be appreciated that in its retained position, the slot 7 of the shot is exposed.

In one arrangement, the capture member 22 is removed by hand from its seating within the casing and is used to position the slot of the shot over a fishing line. The capture member is then flexed to locate the shot on the line.

In an alternative arrangement, the capture member 22 is permanently secured to the casing. In this arrangement, a fishing line os passed through a slot 25 defined between the opposed surfaces of the capture member 22 and the casing upper margin and is positioned within the slot 7. The capture member 22 is then flexed using figure pressure to locate the shot on the line.

An ejector pin may be provided within the capture member 22 to assist release of a split shot. This may comprise a pin which enters the opening 23 on its side remote from the upper margin of the casing 1 and is displaced upwardly as a split shot enters the opening to expose a pin end which can subsequently be pressed downwardly to eject a trapped shot.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing is merely exemplary of containers for dispensing split shot in accordance with the invention and that modifications can readily be made thereto without departing from the true scope of the invention.

Claims

( CLAIMS

1. A container for holding and dispensing split shot, the container I comprising a housing in which split shot can be held and a dispensing device in communication with the housing via aligned apertures formed in the housing and the dispensing device, the dispensing device comprising a cylindrical casing and a shot supporting member formed with an upstanding shot supporting surface of inverted "V" cross-section and slidable within the bore of the casing between positions below and above the aligned apertures, means for imparting movement to the supporting member relative to the casing, means for aligning a shot supported by the supporting member with its slot located over the supporting surface and a shot capture member positioned above the aligned apertures and within the path of movement of the support member, the capture member including an opening into which a shot supported by the support member can enter and be retained with its slot exposed by the opening.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the longitudinal axis of the bore of the cylindrical casing of the dispensing device lies generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container housing.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the aligned apertures of the container housing and the dispensing device are positioned towards the upper boundary of the housing.

4. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the housing is closed by a lid.

5. A container as claimed in claim 4 wherein the lid is releasable from the housing.

A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the tubular casing is permanently secured to one wall of the container housing.

7. A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the tubular casing is releasably attached to the container housing.

8. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the capture member is releasably mounted on the dispensing device.

9. A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the capture member is permanently secured to the dispensing device.

10. A container as claimed in claim 8 wherein the capture member comprises a hand-held member formed with an opening dimensioned to receive a shot and a slot of lesser diameter extending upwardly from the opening to enable the sides of the member to flex to apply pressure to the sides of the opening to close the slot.

11. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the means for imparting movement to the shot supporting member comprises an arm extending outwardly from the supporting member and movable within a guideway formed in an outer wall of the casing.

12. A container as claimed in claim 11 wherein the guideway comprises an open-sided slot which extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the casing.

13. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the shot supporting surface comprises a knife edge upstanding from the shot supporting member.

14. A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 1.1 wherein the shot

! supporting member comprises a rod positioned internally within the bore of the cylindrical casing and shaped at its upper end to present a knife edge of inverted "V" configuration.

15. A container as claimed in claim 14 wherein, in use, a shot leaving the container housing enters the cylindrical casing and falls under gravity onto the knife edge.

16. A container as claimed in claim 15 wherein, in use, shaking or tapping of the container imparts sufficient movement to the shot to enable it to enter and pass through the alignment apertures.

17. A container as claimed in claim 15 wherein up and down movements of the supporting member causes the slot of the shot to engage the knife edge.

18. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising means for physically ejecting a captured shot from the opening.

19. A container as claimed in claim 18 wherein the ejection means comprises an ejector pin movable into and away from the opening by finger pressure.

20. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein, in use, the capture member is removed from the dispensing device and used to place the shot onto a fishing line.

21. A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19 wherein the capture member forms an integral part of the dispensing device.

22. A container for holding and dispensing split shot substantially as herein described and as described with reference to the

accompanying diagrammatic drawings.