Patent ID: 6564496
Filing Date: 2003-05-20
Classification: A01K

Abstract:
An ice fishing tip up, comprising:(a) support structure for supporting said tip up on a surface of ice through which a user wishes to fish; (b) a collar mounted to said support structure, said collar being mounted for extension along a first axis transverse to said support structure and toward a hole in the ice; (c) a shaft mounted in said tip up, along a second axis generally coinciding with the first axis, said shaft being mounted for rotation with respect to said collar and being movable generally along the second axis relative to the collar between a released position and one of a plurality of set positions; (d) a spring biasing said shaft against movement of said shaft with respect to said collar toward a respective one of the set positions, thus to jerk said shaft upwardly relative to said collar; (e) a stop on one of said collar and said shaft mounted for temporarily coupling said shaft and said collar together when said shaft is moved to the set position against biasing force of said spring; and (f) a spool adapted to carry fishing line and corresponding hook on the fishing line, said spool being mounted for rotation about a third axis concurrent with rotation of said shaft about the second axis, said stop temporarily coupling said shaft and said collar together when said shaft is moved to the set position such that, upon tension being applied to the fishing line, said spool rotates a limited distance sufficient to release said stop from the temporary coupling, whereupon said spool is prevented from rotating while said spring retracts said stop to a position above said collar, whereupon said spool can rotate freely.