Abstract:
A sinker or float that releasably clamps around a line, such as a fishing line, including two members shaped to define a channel for the line when in a closed position. A locking means is provided to releasably lock the two members in the closed position. Each of the members has at least a portion of high or low density material to provide a sinking or floating effect. A jacket may be provided that retains the high or low density material therein. The jacket may also include a hinge portion such that the two members can be hingedly opened and closed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/122,429 filed on Apr. 4, 2011, which claims priority to PCT/AU2009/001317, filed on Oct. 2, 2009, which claims priority to Australia Patent Application No. 2008905165 filed Oct. 3, 2008. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to sinkers, and more particularly to releasable sinkers used on fishing lines. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Sinkers are high density weights used in fishing attached to a fishing line to force a line with a hook, lure, and/or bait to sink in water. Sinkers are also used in some cases to increase the distance that a fishing line may be cast. Sinkers come in a variety of different shapes and sizes, including generally spherically, cylindrical, and conical shapes. 
     To enable sinkers to be fastened to the line, a bore is typically provided in the sinker through which the line traverses, and then the line is typically tied off. A disadvantage of this method of fastening the sinker to the line is that it is relatively complex to apply. Yet a further disadvantage is that if a sinker is to be removed or replaced, it is usually easier to cut the line than it is to untie the line and remove/replace the sinker. This is inconvenient, time consuming, and also unnecessarily uses up fishing line as the cut portion is wasted. 
     Sinkers are sometimes provided with a wedge shaped cut which receives the line, but to prevent the sinker from coming free of the line it is necessary to crimp the sinker around the line using a tool. Although this assists in applying a sinker to a line, it does not help with removing a sinker from a line, and also means the sinker is not reusable. Still further, this method normally attaches the sinker to the line at the location of the crimping meaning that the sinker can no longer “run” along the line and, in some cases, the crimping action can damage or weaken the line, sometimes leading to line breakages. 
     Similar disadvantages are known for fishing line floats and, it is a disadvantage that fishers usually have to carry both sinkers and floats separately even through the methods of attaching, removing and replacing floats are fundamentally similar to that for sinkers (e.g. attaching around a line). 
     It is an aim of this invention to provide an improved sinker for fishing which overcomes or ameliorates one or more of the disadvantages or problems described above, or which at least provides a useful alternative. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a broad aspect of the invention, there is provided a sinker or float that releasably clamps around a line, comprising two members shaped to define a channel for the line when in a closed position, each member comprising at least a portion of high or low density material (to provide a sinking or floating effect respectively), and a locking means for releasably locking the two members in the closed position. 
     According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a sinker or float that releasably clamps around a line, comprising two members, wherein at least one of the members has a raised portion and the other member a corresponding recessed portion for receiving the raised portion when the two members are in a closed position, and when in the closed position an inner surface of at least one of the members is shaped to define a channel for the line, the members each substantially comprising a portion of high or low density material (to provide a sinking or floating effect respectively) and having a jacket of a different material that retains the high or low density material and comprises a locking means for releasably locking the two members in the closed position. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a sinker or float that releasably clamps around a line, comprising two hinged members, wherein at least one of the members has a raised portion and the other member a corresponding recessed portion for receiving the raised portion when the two hinged members are in a closed position, and when in the closed position an inner surface of at least one of the members is shaped to define a channel for the line, the hinged members each substantially comprising a portion of high or low density material (to provide a sinking or floating effect respectively) and having a jacket of a different material that retains the high or low density material and comprises a locking means for releasably locking the two hinged members in the closed position. 
     The jacket preferably substantially covers at least the outer surface of the high or low density material, and is preferably made of plastic. The jacket may cover the outer surfaces of the high or low density material in its entirety when in the closed position, or may complete encase the high or low density material. This not only protects the high or low density material, but also prevents the elements from the high or low density material (e.g. if the high or low density material is considered toxic, or the like). Alternatively, the high or low density material may have a further cover or coating. The jacket, encasement, cover, and/or coating of the high or low density material may be applied by overmoulding or powerdercoating, or the like. 
     The jacket may be coloured and/or have branding or advertising stamped, moulded, affixed, or printed on/in it. This list is not exhaustive and it is envisaged that other methods of applying branding or advertising could also be used. 
     The jacket may be shaped to receive and retain the high or low density material, or may have apertures to receive a corresponding portion of the high or low density material to retain the high or low density material within the jacket. Preferably, the jacket is shaped to align the high or low density material in a particular orientation. For example, the jacket may have a protrusion such as a rib that is received by a corresponding recess in the high or low density material, and/or the jacket may be asymmetrical. 
     Preferably, the high or low density material can be removed, changed, and replaced in the jacket, but it is also envisaged that the high or low density material may be affixed in the jacket. The jacket may be resilient so that the high or low density material is easily placed and subsequently retained in the jacket. Furthermore, the jacket may be temporarily deformable to facilitate removal of the high or low density material. 
     The jacket will typically have a pair of corresponding openings (normally an opening on each jacket portion) with each of the pair on opposed sides of the jacket and the openings aligned with the channel in the high or low density material block. These openings may be adapted to lightly grip the line when it extends through the openings in order to positively locate the sinker relative to the line and maintain its position or the openings may be spaced from the line to allow a free running sinker. 
     The locking means preferably comprises a tab on at least one of the members that clips onto or into a corresponding portion of the other member. The tab may also comprise an opening or slit that receives a protrusion of the other member. The tab will normally have a shoulder portion which engages with a corresponding portion of the opening or slit. The locking means may be opened or disengaged by manipulation of the locking means (which as it will typically be made of plastic, will normally have a small degree of resilience). 
     Preferably, each member has a raised portion and the other member a corresponding recessed portion for receiving the raised portion when the two members are in a closed position and, even more preferably, the raised and recessed portions extend substantially along the length of the high or low density material portion of the members. Furthermore, it is preferable that the raised and recessed portions of each member are adjacent the channel. 
     The channel may be straight and/or sized to provide minimal friction between the channel and the line, or may be shaped and/or sized to increase the friction. The channel may even have a restricted, or “clamping” portion to provide considerable friction between the channel and the line. The characteristics of the channel therefore control how the sinker/float interacts with the line. For example, with a straight channel that is larger than the line, the sinker/float will freely traverse the line (e.g. if a sinker is clamped around a line, the sinker will run down the line without the line having to be removed or reeled in). In contrast, with a channel that is a tight fit on the line (or shaped in a manner to prevent free movement of the line), the sinker/float will be locked at the position on the line that it is applied to. 
     Typically, in the case of a sinker, the high density material is lead. This is not to be regarded as limiting however, and the high density material could be any suitable material including tin, bismuth, steel, tungsten-nickel alloy, and tungsten filled nylon. The low density material on the other hand, may include not only low density materials (such as polystyrene), but also hollow members such as a flotation chamber, or a hollow plastic member. 
     Preferably, the two hinged members are hinged by a flexible or resilient portion of the jacket. The hinge is preferably a live hinge and may either protrude externally or be recessed. Alternatively, the hinge may be a different part or material. 
     Preferably, the sinker/float is reusable. To remove the sinker/float the locking means is disengaged and the sinker/float is removed from the line. As no part of the sinker/float is substantially deformed after use, it can be reapplied to a line as it first was. 
     The sinker/float may be used in either commercial or domestic applications and can be sized accordingly. The size of the sinker/float is therefore not to be regarded as limiting. 
     In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practice, one or more embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a sinker (or float) in an open position with a line passing through it. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the sinker in  FIG. 1  in the closed position. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a front perspective view of the sinker in  FIG. 1  in the closed position. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a rear perspective view of the sinker in  FIG. 1  in the closed position. 
         FIG. 5A  illustrates a front elevation view of the sinker in  FIG. 1  in the closed position. 
         FIG. 5B  illustrates a side elevation view of the sinker in  FIG. 1  in the closed position. 
         FIG. 5C  illustrates a rear elevation view of the sinker in  FIG. 1  in the closed position. 
         FIG. 5D  illustrates a top plan view of the sinker in  FIG. 1  in the closed position. 
         FIG. 5E  illustrates a bottom plan view of the sinker in  FIG. 1  in the closed position. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a side elevation view of the sinker in  FIG. 1  in the open position. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a front perspective view of the sinker in  FIG. 1  in the open position. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a cross section view of the sinker in  FIG. 1  in the closed position. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an exploded view of a sinker according to a different embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view of a sinker according to one preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a sectional view of the sinker illustrated in  FIG. 10  along line C-C. 
         FIG. 12  is a detailed view of the portion identified by reference numeral “A” in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13  is an isometric view of the sinker according to  FIG. 10  in the open condition with one of the material portions exploded from the respective jacket portion. 
         FIG. 14  is a plan view of the preferred jacket and material portions removed from the respective jacket portions but aligned. 
         FIG. 14  A is a detailed view of the material portion in the region identified by reference numeral “B” in  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 14  B is a detailed view of the jacket portion in the region identified by reference numeral “B” in  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 15  is an isometric view of  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1  illustrates a sinker  10  in an open position that can releasably clamp around a line  11 . The sinker  10  (or float, but hereinafter referred to primarily as a sinker only) comprises two members, an upper half  12  and a lower half  13 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 8 , the halves  12  and  13  are hinged about point  14  such that the two halves  12  and  13  can open, receive a line  11 , and close around or on the line  11  (e.g. as seen in  FIG. 2 ). 
     Each of the halves  12  and  13  comprise an inner  15  made of a high or low density material. The density of the inner material  15  largely determines whether the sinker  10  sinks of floats in water. For example, if the inner material  15  is high density (e.g. lead) the sinker  10  will sink in water, and if the inner material  15  is low density (e.g. a floatation chamber or hollow plastic member) the ‘sinker’  10  will instead be a float (although this is referred to as a ‘sinker’, no limitation is meant thereby). 
     Each half  12  and  13  also has a jacket  16  that receives and retains the inner material  15 . The jacket  16  is preferably made of plastic, or any other suitable material, such that the halves  12  and  13  are hinged at point  14  by a flexible or resilient portion of the jacket  16 . The jacket  16  may be made entirely of a flexible or resilient material, or alternatively, only the hinged point  14  may be flexible or resilient. The hinge is preferably a live hinge and may either protrude externally, or be recessed (as shown in the figures). 
     The jacket  16  also has a locking means in the form of a tab  17  on the upper half  12  that locks with a corresponding portion  18  on the lower half The locking tab  17  has an aperture  19  which receives a protrusion  20  on the corresponding portion  18  as shown in  FIGS. 2 to 5  and  FIG. 8 . It is envisaged that other locking means could also be implemented, such as a locking tab without an aperture that engages with a lip or edge on the lower half, or a hook, latch, twisted tie, etc. 
     The jacket has apertures, or eyelets,  21  that receive a corresponding portion of the inner material  15  and retain the material  15  within the jacket  16 . The jacket  16  also preferably is shaped to align the inner material  15 . This is shown as an indentation in  FIG. 8 , and also as a ridge  22  in  FIG. 9  that is received by a corresponding depression  23  in the inner material  15  (although  FIG. 9  is for a different embodiment this feature could also apply to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2 to 8 ). 
     Each of the halves  12  and  13  have a raised portion  24  which is received by a corresponding recessed portion  25  when the sinker  10  is in the closed position (this is best illustrated in  FIG. 8 ). When the two halves  12  and  13  are in the closed position, the inner surface of the two halves  12  and  13  defines a channel  26  through which the line  11  passes (also best illustrated in  FIG. 8 ). The raised and recessed portions  24  and  25  are adjacent the channel  26  to facilitate aligning the line  11  with the channel  26 , and also to prevent the line  11  from wedging in the channel  26 . 
     A further advantage of the raised and recessed portions  24  and  25  is that they provide the sinker  10  with more support and strength in the closed position. For example, any force applied to one half is spread across the hinge  14 , the locking tab  17 , and the raised and recessed portions  24  and  25 , as opposed to just the hinge  14 , the locking tab  17 . As the hinge  14  and locking tab  17  are made of plastic, the added strength/support of the raised and recesses portions  24  and  25  can therefore be significant. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 to 4, 5D, 5E, and 9  a surface  27  is provided on which branding or advertising can be stamped, moulded, printed, or attached to. An example with branding present is illustrated in  FIG. 9 . Furthermore, the jacket  16  may be coloured and/or textured to provide a particular look and feel sinker, other than could usually be provided with a standard single material sinker, such as those made of lead. For example, the jacket  16  may be coloured to indicate different size or weight sinkers, and may be textured to provide additional grip to the operator. 
     Illustrated in  FIG. 9  is a different embodiment of the invention. The embodiment in  FIG. 9  does not have a hinge or hinged portion  14 , and instead is in two discrete halves which clip together. Other than having an addition locking means instead of a hinge, the embodiment in  FIG. 9  is very similar to that illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 8 . It can be realised from  FIG. 9  that the inner material  15  can be removed from the jacket  16  and replaced relatively easily. The inner material  15  is aligned by the ridge  22  and depression  23 . The area surrounding the apertures  21  of the jacket  16  are temporarily deformed (pushed back) to allow the inner material  15  to pass and then return to their original position holding the inner material  15  in place. The inner material may have indentations  28  which correspond with the portion of the jacket  16  surrounding the apertures  21 , the indentations  28  aid to enable engagement of the inner material  15  by the jacket  16 . 
     Although the only view of the inner material  15  separated from the jacket  16  is shown in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 , this is not to be regarded as limiting as the inner material  15  could also be removed from the jacket  16  shown in the embodiments in  FIGS. 1 to 8  in a similar manner. The removal and replacement of the inner material  15  allows not only replacement of the inner material if it gets damaged (e.g. corroded), but also allows the nature of the sinker  10  to be changed by inserting a different inner material  15 . For example, the inner material  15  could be easily changed from a high density material to a low density material, or vice versa. 
     In use, the sinker  10  of the invention can quickly and easily be placed on a line  11  by opening the sinker  10  (if it is closed), placing the line  11  in the channel  26 , closing the sinker  10 , and using the sinker  10  as desired. Then, to remove the sinker, the sinker  10  is opened and removed from the line  11 . No cutting, tying, or alteration of the line is necessary to apply or remove the sinker  10 . Furthermore, the sinker  10  is completely reusable. The sinker can even be applied when the line is in use. For example, if the bait is moving with current, a sinker  10  can be added to the line above water and it will run down the line to the trace. 
     Although the sinker  10  has typically been explained with use to being applied around a line, it is also envisaged that the sinker  10  could be constructed so that it is applied onto the line (i.e. does not move on the line). This could be affected by changing the diameter or layout of the channel, or by adding a clamping, or restricted portion. 
     The sinker  10  may be scaled up or down to match any appropriate situation, including both commercial and/or domestic applications. The size of the sinker  10  can be altered to accommodate different lines, and or suit the sinker  10  for different applications. The materials described above are not to be regarded as limiting as other suitable materials that are readily available could also be used. 
       FIGS. 10 to 15  are directed towards identifying a particularly preferred engagement between the material portions and the respective jacket portions. The embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 10 to 15  is largely the same as the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 9  but with enhanced detail of the engagement. 
     As illustrated more clearly in  FIG. 10 , each of the inner material portions  15  includes a number of protrusions  100 . Each of the protrusions  100  has an abutment shoulder  101  formed in a surface of the inner material portion  15  and standing proud of the surface of the inner material portion  15 . 
     As illustrated, each of the apertures  21  has a tapered surround portion  102  surrounding the apertures  21 . In use, the inner material portions  15  forced into the jacket with the protrusions  100  aligned with the apertures  21  such that the abutment shoulder  101  of each of the protrusions  100  engages with one edge of the aperture  21 . This will generally require some resilient deformation of the jacket  16  as the protrusion  100  is forced into the jacket  16 . 
     Normally, the edge of the apertures  21  with which the abutment shoulder  101  engages is a substantially planar edge and the abutment shoulder  101  itself is normally substantially planar. 
     It is to be understood that the terminology employed above is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     The foregoing embodiments are intended to be illustrative of the invention, without limiting the scope thereof. The invention is capable of being practised with various modifications and additions as will readily occur to those skilled in the art. 
     Throughout this specification, including the claims, where the context permits, the term “comprise” and variants thereof such as “comprises” or “comprising” are to be interpreted as including the stated integer or integers without necessarily excluding any other integers.