Automatic fishing apparatus

An automatic fishing device in which a pull on a line by a fish causes a leaf spring to exert a momentary pull in the opposite direction on the line. A subsequent force applied to the line releases it from contact with the leaf spring and the device then functions as a fishing rod wherein the line is guided but can be retrieved or released free of other constraint.

This invention relates to fishing equipment, in particular, automatic 
fishing devices which automatically set the hook when a fish pulls on the 
line. 
The development of automatic fishing devices goes back more than a century. 
Many of the devices are designed for use as set lines or fish traps. Other 
automatic fishing devices are usable in conjunction with, or in place of 
fishing rods and reels. 
All of the various automatic fishing devices that have been developed 
demonstrate one or more of the following shortcomings: excessive weight; 
complex and expensive parts; mechanisms that are difficult to engage; 
friction causing mechanisms which restrict the line while the fish is 
fought, leading to breakage of lines and loss of fish; insensitive 
mechanisms which do not react to gentle pulls by fish; line associated 
mechanisms which are exposed to the hazards of submergence and breakage of 
the line; and mechanisms which tend to snag the line while the fish is 
fought. 
It is an object of this invention to provide an automatic fishing device 
which sets the hook automatically when a fish pulls on the line. 
Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic fishing device 
which also functions as a fishing rod, guiding a line in such a way that 
the line can be freely retrieved or released. 
Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic fishing device 
that is lightweight, simple and economical to manufacture. 
A further object of this invention is to provide an automatic fishing 
device that does not cause excessive friction on the fishing line when the 
line is retrieved or released. 
One more object of this invention is to provide an automatic fishing device 
that does not have parts that snag the line while a fish is fought. 
Still another object of this invention is to provide an automatic fishing 
device that can be engaged easily and quickly. 
One other object of this invention is to provide an automatic fishing 
device to which a fishing reel can be attached and with which the drag 
mechanism of a fishing reel will function normally. 
The automatic fishing device embodying the present invention incorporates 
an elongated rod member, which has a trigger member moveable between first 
and second positions, mounted on one end and a line anchored at the other 
end. There is a spring member, on the elongated rod member adjacent the 
trigger member. The spring member is deflectable radially outward from a 
tensioned position adjacent the elongated rod member to an untensioned 
position. The spring member is retainable in the tensioned position by the 
trigger member in the first position. There are guide means on the trigger 
member which receive the line from the anchored end of the line and guide 
it over the trigger member to move the trigger member from the first 
position to the second position when the line is pulled through the guide 
means. The guide means guide the line to contact the spring member 
momentarily when the spring member moves from the tensioned position to 
the untensioned position.

A preferred example of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. In 
the figures, the device in general is indicated by the numeral 10. It has 
an elongated rod member 12. A fishing reel 14 is shown attached to one end 
of the elongated rod member 12. A trigger member 16 is attached to the 
other end. A leaf spring 18 is attached to the elongated rod member 12 
adjacent to the trigger member 16. A line 20 is guided over the trigger 
member 16 to the fishing reel 14. 
FIG. 2 shows the forward end of the device 10 in detail. The elongated rod 
member 12 is forked at one end and the trigger member 16 is attached to 
that end of the elongated rod member 12 by means of a pivot pin 22. 
The trigger member 16 has a notch 24. The leaf spring 18 has a free end 26. 
The trigger member 16 incorporates a forward line guide hole 28 and a rear 
line guide hole 30. 
The device 10 is operated by a fisherman who holds the automatic fishing 
apparatus 10 with one hand and sets it with the other. In setting the 
device 10 the trigger member 16 is moved on the pivot pin 22 and the leaf 
spring 18 is tensioned so that the notch 24 engages the free end 26 of the 
leaf spring 18. The automatic fishing apparatus 10 is then in the state of 
operation illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The line 20 is guided along but 
not in contact with the free end 26 of the leaf spring 18 by means of a 
forward line guide hole 28 and a rear line guide hole 30. In the preferred 
embodiment of the device 10, the forward line guide hole 28 and the rear 
line guide hole 30 are holes in a hard plastic trigger member 16. The line 
20 moves freely through the forward line guide hole 28 and the rear line 
guide hole 30. Once the automatic fishing apparatus 10 is set, it may be 
retained by the fisherman in his hand or it may be placed upon a support. 
The device 10 assumes states of operation illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 by 
means of pulls on the line 20. When the line 20 is pulled in a direction 
downward from the elongated rod member 12 as seen in FIG. 3 the line 20 
moves freely through the front line guide hole 28 and the rear line guide 
hole 30, but is impeded by the friction of its contact with the trigger 
member 16 sufficiently to pivot the trigger member 16. In pivoting, the 
notch 24 moves out of contact with the free end 26 of the leaf spring 18. 
The leaf spring 18 then is released to assume an untensioned position seen 
in FIG. 4. In doing so, it comes into contact with the line 20 and exerts 
a pull on the line 20. The strength of the pull is determined by the 
resiliency of the leaf spring 18 and the length of line 20 retrieved by 
movement of the leaf spring 18 to its untensioned position. 
The free end 26 of the leaf spring 18 is relatively narrow and flattened so 
that further pulling on the line 20 by a struggling fish or otherwise, 
when the automatic fishing apparatus 10 is in the state of operation 
illustrated in FIG. 4, results in the release of the line 20 from contact 
with the free end 26 of the leaf spring 18 and movement to the position 
illustrated in FIG. 5. The line 20 may then be retrieved or released free 
of constraints other than the front line guide hole 28 and the rear line 
guide hole 30. A hooked fish can be fought in the same manner that it 
would be fought with an ordinary fishing rod. The device can be used with 
a fishing reel 14 attached to it. If so, the drag mechanism of the fishing 
reel 14, would function normally to protect the line 20 from breakage 
since the automatic fishing apparatus 10 would not unduly strain the line 
20 while the fish was fought. 
In summary, the automatic fishing apparatus 10 operates in the following 
manner. An outward pull on a line 20 through a front line guide hole 28 
and a rear line guide hole 30 pivots a trigger member 16 which is attached 
to the front end of an elongated rod member 12 to which the line 20 is 
anchored. In pivoting, a notch 24, in the trigger member 16 releases a 
free end 26 of a leaf spring 18. The leaf spring 18 then assumes an 
untensioned position from a tensioned postion, in which it was held by the 
trigger member 16, prior to the pull on the line 20. In moving, the free 
end 26 of the leaf spring 18 exerts an inward pull on the line 20. A 
subsequent pull on the line 20 releases it from contact with the free end 
26 of the leaf spring 18 and the device 10 then performs in the manner of 
an ordinary fishing rod.