Abstract:
In a reel and fishing line control, the combination with a fishing reel apparatus comprising, a rotary handle and a control shaft, three reel driving spur gears having different diameters, axially shiftable mechanism for selectively coupling the control shaft to the individual gears, and mechanism including a coupling selector proximate the reel apparatus.

Description:
This application claims priority from provisional application Ser. No. 61/688,469, filed May 16, 2012. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to control of fishing reel winding of fishing lines, and more particularly concerns improvements in construction, operation and efficiency of multiple speeds winding of such reels, as well as rapid, accurate changing of reel winding speeds, during fishing. 
     There is need for reel apparatus incorporating the above needs, advantages and efficiencies, as well as for improvements in reliability, compactness and control of such apparatus. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a major object of the invention to provide improved apparatus meeting the above needs. 
     Basically, the reeled fishing line control means comprises 
     a) a rotary handle and a control shaft, 
     b) three reel driving spur gears having different diameters, 
     c) axially shiftable mechanism for selectively coupling the control shaft to the individual gears, and mechanism including a coupling selector proximate the reel apparatus. 
     Another object is and provide such mechanism to include a manually operable coupler controllable proximate the handle, and axially shiftable to selectively couple the control shaft to the individual gears. As will be seen, registering slots are provided in the shaft and driving gears, and a dog is positioned to extend radially through the slots to couple to the driving gears, selectively. 
     A further object is to provide such mechanism to include a spring urged pusher that extends protectively lengthwise within the shaft, the pusher having axial positioning corresponding to the selected gear position. That spring means urges the pusher axially, to assist such coupling. Means including a push back spring selectively holds the dog in each of three selected axial positions. 
     An additional object includes provision of a sensor that senses and confirms axial shifting of the coupler to a position corresponding to coupling to a selected gear. 
     Yet another object includes provision of three driven gears on the reel shaft for selectively meshing with the spur gears that rotatably drive the reel in response to reel handle rotation. 
     An added important object is to provide a pusher to have multiple axial positions, in each of which a dog positioning spring located within the control shaft cooperates with the pusher to position the dog for coupling to a selected driving gear. A return positioning spring extends about the pusher to urge it and the dog positioning spring bodily in a rightward return direction. 
     Other objects include provision of means for controllably braking the said reel, said means including a braking control handle proximate the coupling selector; provision of a braking control handle defining a first axis of rotation, and wherein the coupling selector includes a second axis of selector lengthwise displacement; and provision of a lock arm proximate the coupling selector and pivotable in position for locking said coupling selector in at least two positions of displacement along the second axis. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which: 
    
    
     
       DRAWING DESCRIPTION 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of reel apparatus incorporating the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged section taken in elevation on lines  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a yet further enlarged axial section showing elements of the control mechanism; 
         FIG. 4  is a view like  FIG. 3 , but showing axially shifted positions of elements; 
         FIG. 5  is a view like  FIG. 4  showing an alternate position of the control elements; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged section taken on lines  6 - 6  of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of the  FIG. 6  gearing; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of slots and dog elements; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of selector mechanism; and 
         FIG. 10  is an elevation showing control elements. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     
         
         
           
             In the drawings, a fishing reel  10  is rotated about axis  11  in response to turning of handle  12 . Gearing  13  is provided to transmit drive to the reel. As shown, three reel driving spur gears  14 ,  15  and  16  are provided, and have different diameters, whereby the user can select which one of the three spur gears  14 - 16  is actively coupled to the reel; and the invention includes axially shiftable mechanism, better seen in  FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 , to accomplish desired coupling of a selected one of the gears  14 - 16 , to driven gears  17 - 19 , whereby the user can select which one of three different reel winding speeds is required, as during fishing. For example, if spur drive gear  14  is selectively actively coupled to driven spur gear  17 , the reel is driven at angular velocity V 1 ; and if spur drive gear  15  is actively selectively coupled to driven spur gear  18 , the reel is driven at angular velocity V 2 , where V 2  exceeds V 1 ; and if spur drive gear  16  is actively selectively coupled to driven spur gear  19 , the reel is driven at angular velocity V 3 , where V 3  exceeds V 2 . Selection of active coupling is accomplished by coupling of a drive shaft  21  to a selected drive gear, through provision of registerable slots  22  in the drive shaft, and  14   a ,  15   a  and  16   a  in the drive gears  14 ,  15  and  16  respectively, as in  FIGS. 4 and 6-8 . 
           
         
       
    
       FIGS. 3-5  show a radially extending coupler dog  26  carried by the drive shaft  21 , and extending through the axially extending slots  22  in the drive shaft, to couple to a selected drive gear depending upon the selected axial position of the dog. That positioning is determined by an internal dog positioning spring  29  that endwise cooperates with shaft  21 , acting as a pusher, to axially position or push the dog for coupling to a selected driving gear. Spring  29  urges the dog to the left in  FIGS. 3-5 , whereas a positioning spring  30  urges the pusher in a return, rightward direction, as via annular  30   a.    
     A handle  35  protruding from the end of the axial pusher extension  21   a  is manually controllable to displace the pusher leftwardly, for example, between three axial positions so that the radially extending end portions of the dog engage in radial opposed slots in a selected drive gear, to drive the selected driven spur gear, as referred to. The dog positioning spring  29  has lost motion connection to the drive shaft by virtue of the axial slots  22  in that shaft, as seen in  FIG. 6-8 . 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  show detent structure  40  associated with selector handle  35  adjacent structure  44 , the lock arm  45  is pivoted at  47 . Note the three lock arm locking positions corresponding to projection  46 - 48  on  44 . When the lock arm is pivoted out of such positions, the pusher can be pushed and axially displaced, to position the dog in a selected axial position to couple to one of the drive gears. A cut-out  50  in the structure  44  receives a projection  46 - 48 , and a return spring  54  is provided. Note lock arm nut  45   a . The lock arm locks the pusher in each of three selected axial positions. Accordingly, the described structure provides a sensor or sensing means that senses and confirms axial shifting of the coupler to a position corresponding to coupling to a selected gear. 
     Referring back to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , additional reel structure includes means  100  for controllably braking the reel, including a braking control handle  101  located proximate the coupling selector, the braking control handle defining a first axis  11  of rotation, and the coupling selector including a second axis  102  of selected lengthwise displacement parallel to and offset from that first axis. See also that braking means disclosure in U.S. Pat. No. 7,922,113 incorporated herein by reference. 
       FIG. 4  shows a lock arm  45  rotated manually to embrace a first axial portion  111  of the pusher, to lock it in position for driving gear  14  via dog  26 ;  FIG. 3  shows lock arm  45  rotated manually to embrace a second axial portion  112  of the pusher to lock it in position for driving gear  15  via dog  26 ; and  FIG. 5  shows lock arm  45  rotated manually to embrace a third axially elongated portion  113  of the pusher, allowing portion  113  to move axially to limited extent, allowing gear  16  to be driven by the dog relative to which the pusher is axially movable. In  FIG. 4 , the lock arm is closely received between pusher radial surfaces  116  and  117 ; and  FIG. 3  the lock arm is closely received between pusher surfaces  118  and  119 ; and in  FIG. 5  the lock arm is not received between pusher axially facing surfaces. The pusher is axially movable by knob  125  when the lock arm is pivotally retracted outwardly away from the pusher. A spring  54  can be employed to rotatably urge the lock arm toward the pusher three positions, as discussed. A knob  130  on the lock arm is rotatable to urge it clockwise in  FIG. 10 , about an arm axis of rotation parallel to axis  11 , which is parallel to the reel axis of rotation, for compactness. Also, in  FIG. 10 , the arm curved recessed portion  133  receives portion  112 , shown in  FIG. 3  to block pusher axial travel. 
       FIG. 6  show radial gear representative slots for dog reception; there being slots  140  and  141  at 0° and 180°, and slots  142  and  143  at 90° and 270°, enhancing captivation capability as respects the dog  26  ends  26   a  and  26   b , and providing gear driving force balancing division.