US2932115A - Trolling rig - Google Patents

Description

April 12, 1960 F. M. DUNN TROLLING RIG Filed May 11, 1959 INVENTOR EM. DUN/v M. M

ATTORNEY 2,932,115 TROLLING RIG Franklin M. Dunn, Del Paso Heights, (Zalif. Application May 11, 1359, Serial No. 812,298 Claims. (Cl. 43-4312) This invention relates to a novel rig for deep trolling and has for its primary object to provide a trolling sinker of unique construction for use with a sinker release and which is so constructed that the trolling rig will be deflected downwardly as the sinker is pulled through the water for reducing the amount of weight of the sinker required to cause the trolling rig to assume a desired depth when trolled at a given speed.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a trolling sinker having a weighted head which is so constructed that it will function as a deflector for deflecting the trolling rig downwardly as the rig is pulled through the water and the water impinges against the weighted head.

Another object of the invention is to provide a troll ink sinker which will assume a reverse position when released from an operative position relative to the sinker release and in which reverse position of the trolling sinker, a rear face of the weighted head will be disposed to function as a planing surface for deflecting the trolling rig upwardly and toward the surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trolling rig wherein the sinker is released from an operative position relative to the trolling sinker by a pull exerted on a leader connection to the sinker release.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the trolling rig in an operative position;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the trolling ri released;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the trolling rig;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken substantially along a line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a portion of the trolling rig, taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 3, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of another portion of the trolling rig, taken substantially .along a plane as indicated by the line 66 of Figure 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the trolling rig in its entirety is designated generally 8 and includes a trolling sinker, designated generally 9, and a sinker release, designated generally 10. V

The sinker 9 includes a weighted head 11 having a relatively wide substantially fiat upper end 12 and a restricted rounded lower end ornose 13. The head 11, in its normal operative position as illustrated in Figure 1, is inclined downwardly and forwardly from its upper "end 12 to its lower end 13, and has corresponding side edges 1d which are convexly rounded and which converge relative to one another from the upper end 12 to the lower end 13. The head 11 has a forward side 15, forming a deflector face,.which is convexly rounded longitudinally thereof between its upper end 12 and lower end 13, and which is also convexly rounded crosswise of the head betweenthe side edges 14. The other rear side 16, of the head 11, is substantially flat and is likewise inclined downwardly and forwardly, in the operativeposition of the fig 8, as s'een in Figure 1.

to the head 11. Said blade 17 extends from the rear side 16 of the head, midway between the side edges 14, and is disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of said rear side 16. The blade 17 has a relatively short upper edge 18 which is disposed only slightly below the level of the upper end 12 of the head 11. Said blade 17 has a long straight bottom edge 19, which is disposed substantially parallel to the upper edge 18 and slightly above the level of the lower end 13 of the head. The blade 17 also includes a rear edge 20 which is inclined downwardly and rearwardly from the rear end of the upper edge 18 and which merges with the rear end of the bottom edge 19. The blade 17 is provided with an opening 21 disposed adjacent the rear edge 20 and nearer the upper edge 18 than the lower edge 19.

The sinker 9 also includes an eye 22 which projects upwardly from the intermediate portion of the upper end 12 of the head 11 and which is disposed crosswise of the sinker 9. The eye 22 is formed by the intermediate portion of a staple the legs 23 of which are embedded in the head 11 and straddle a portion of the blade 17 and have outturned terminals disposed against the underside 16, as best seen in Figure 5.

The trolling sinker 9 also includes a rigid member 24 of channel shape or U-shape cross section, as seen in Figure 6, the underside of the intermediate portion of which rests upon the rear end of the upper edge 18 and is secured thereto, as by welding, as seen at 25. The U-shaped member 24 forms an upwardly opening saddle which is disposed behind, spaced from and in alignment with the eye 22.

The sinker release 10 includes an elongated hollow body member 26 which is preferably of cylindrical shape and has a front wall 27 and a rear Wall 28. A swivel 29 is swivelly connected to and projects forwardly from the front wall 27, as best seen in Figure 3, and is adapted to be secured to an end of a fishing line 30. A spring projected latch, designated generally 31, comprises a cotter pin including an eye 32 which is disposed behind the rear wall 28. The cotter pin has leg portions 33 projecting from the eye 32 and which are disposed in abutting engagement to one another and extend slidably through a central opening 34 of the end wall 28. The other free ends 35 of the cotter pin legs are laterally offset relative to one another and fit slidably in the body member 26. A compression spring 36 is loosely mounted on the leg portions 33 within the body 26 between the end wall 28 and laterally extending portions 37 of the cotter pin legs. Said compression spring 36.is maintained by said parts compressed for holding the cotter pin in a forwardmost position, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, with one of the leg portions 35 projecting across an opening 38 of the body 26. Said opening 38 is disposed nearer the forward end 27 than the rear end 28, crosswise of the body 26, and is substantially semicircular, as seen in Figure 5.

One end of a conventional swivel 40 is loosely connected to the eye 32. A split ring 39 is connected to said swivel end and to one end of a chain 41. The other end of the swivel 40 is connected to one end of a leader 42, the opposite end of which, not shown, is adapted to have attached thereto any suitable form of fishing lure. The other end of the chain 41 is connected by a split ring 43 to the blade 17, through the opening 21.

By pulling rearwardly on the cotter pin eye 32, the

cotter pin is then released to allow the spring 36 to project it forwardly of the body 26 so that one of the leg portions 35 will project forwardly through the eye 22 for latching said eye in the body 26 to thus connect the sinker 9 to the release 10. The rear portion of the body 26 extends rearwardly from the eye 22 and is of a length to extend beyond the rear end of the upper edge 13, so that a part of the body 26 seats in the saddle 24, as seen in Figures 1, 3 and 4. With the release 10 thus connected to the sinker 9, considerable slack will exist in the flexible element or chain 41, as seen in Figure 1.

With the fishing rig 8 thus assembled, it is trolled through the water in a conventional manner and it will be noted that the head 11 will be inclined downwardly andforwardly from the forward portion of the release 10 so that water impinging against the forward deflector face 15 will deflect the sinker downwardly and toward the bottom B of the body of water. Thus, less weight will be required than with conventional trolling sinkers for maintaining the rig 8 at a desired depth while trolling at a given speed. It will also be noted that the fishing line will exert an upward pull on the swivel 29 and the forward end of the body 26 for causing said body to rock relative to the eye 22 and to assume a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position relative to the sinker 9, so that the rear portion of the body 26 will seat snugly in the saddle 24. The blade 17 functions as a rudder for maintaining the head 11 crosswise of the direction of movement of the sinker through the water.

When a fish strikes a lure, not shown, attached to the leader 42, a sudden jerk is exerted on said leader and on the swivel and the cotter pin of the latch 31, causing the cotter pin to be pulled rearwardly relative to the body 26 to disengage the lower leg portion 35 from the eye 22. When this occurs, the connection of the sinker 9 to the sinker release 10 by the eye 22 is eliminated so that the sinker 9 is free to drop downwardly and is held tethered to the sinker release solely by the flexible member or chain 41. The weight of the head 11 will cause the sinker to assume a reverse position with the rudder 17 disposed forwardly of the head if. and so that the flat rear face 16 is then disposed to face forwardly, as illustrated in Figure 2. It will be apparent that as the rig 8 is retrieved by being pulled upwardly and to the right of Figure 2, that said rear face 16 will function as a planing surface to cause the sinker 9 to be deflected upwardly away from the bottom Band toward the surface, so that the sinker will offer a minimum of resistance to retrieving the fishing rig after a fish has been hooked.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may be resorted to, without departing from the function or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

'Ijclaim as my invention:

1. A trolling rig comprising, in combination, a trolling sinker and a sinker release; said sinker including an elongated flat rigid blade forming a rudder having ends inclined downwardly and outwardly relative to one another, a weighted head fixed to one of said ends and constituting the forward end of the sinker, the plane of said head being disposed crosswise of the plane of the rudder, said head being of substantial width at an upper end thereof and tapering in width toward the lower end of said head, said head having a downwardly and forwardly inclined forward side defining a deflector face, a rigid eye fixed to and extending upwardly from the upper end of said head, said eye being disposed above a portion of the rudder and crosswise thereof, an upwardly opening saddlemember fixed to and projecting upwardly from said rudder behind and spaced from the eye; said sinker release including an elongated hollow rigid body having av forward end, a rear end and an elongated opening formed therein, at a. point spaced from said ends and disposed crosswise of; the..body,,means adapted. to swivelly connect a fishing line to the forward end of said body, an elongated latch element mounted for sliding movement longitudinally in said body and having an exposed rear end and a portion extending slidably through the rear end of the body, spring means urging said latch element forwardly of the body, said eye extending loosely through the opening of said body, said latch element having a forward portion projecting across the body opening and through said eye in a forwardly projected operative position of'the latch element, a portion of said body being disposed behind the opening thereof so as to seat loosely in said saddle, means adapted to swivelly connect a fishing lure leader to the exposed rear end of said latch element, and a flexible element having one end secured to a portion of the rudder and an opposite and connected to said exposed rear end of the latch element for retaining the sinker connected to the sinker release when the latch element is disengaged from the eye when a pull is exerted on said leader connecting means.

2. A trolling rig as in claim 1, said deflector face being convexly bowed lengthwise and crosswise thereof, and said head having a substantially flat rear face inclined downwardly and forwardly and from which said rudder projects, said sinker assuming a reverse position when released and with the rudder in advance of the head whereby said rear face functions as a planing surface for urging the sinker toward the surface during retrieve of the trolling rig. g,

3. A trolling sinker for use with a sinker release having an elongated body including a forward end to which a fishing line is adapted to be connected and a rear end, said body having a transverse opening therein, a spring projected latch element slidably disposed in said body and spring urged forwardly thereof across the transverse opening of the body, said latch element having a part extending slidably through the rear end of the body and connected to a fishing lure leader; said trolling sinker comprising a relatively wide weighted head constituting the forward end of the sinker and having a forward side forming a deflector face and a rear side, a flat rigid blade having a forward end secured in said head and projecting rearwardly from said rearside, a rigid eye fixed to and extending from an upper end of said head and loosely fitting in said release body through the opening thereof and through which a'forward end of said latch element engages for latching the trolling sinker to the sinker release, a rigid saddle member fixed to and projecting upwardly from said blade behind said eye and in which a rear portion of the body loosely seats when the latch element and eye are engaged, and a flexible member having one end attached to the blade and an opposite end connected to said part of the latch element for tethering the trolling sinker to the sinker release when said eye is released from said latch element and release body by a rearward pull on the latch element.

4. A trolling sinker as in claim 3, said head being inclined downwardly and forwardly from the upper end to the lower end thereof whereby the preponderance of the weight of the sinker is disposed forwardly of said rigid eye.

5. A trolling sinker as in claim 4, said rear side of the head being substantially flat and being adapted to assume a trailing position behind the blade, when the sinker is connected to the sinker release solely by said flexible member, whereby said flat rear side of the head functions as a planing surface to facilitate retrieve of the sinker.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,562,054 Mathieu July 24, 1951 2,716,832 Minnie Sept. 6, 1955 2,836,002 Miller May 27, 1958

Images