Bail mechanism in an open-face fishing reel of the fixed-spool type

A bail mechanism in an open-face fishing reel of the fixed-spool type having a rotor and a line spool which is coaxial with the rotor and oscillates in the axial direction, has a bail for winding a line onto the line spool. By means of two mounting elements, the bail is mounted on two attachments disposed diametrically opposite each other on the rotor. The bail is pivotable about a bail axis perpendicular to the axis of the rotor, between a folded-in line-winding position and a folded-out position, in which the bail is released of the line. A holder, which is fixed to the bail at one end thereof, is connected to one of the mounting elements. A shaft is provided between the holder and this mounting element. A line roller having a circumferential line-guiding groove in its outer circumferential surface, is mounted on the shaft so as to guide the line when being wound onto the line spool. The shaft has a radially projecting, circumferential bead, on which the line roller is mounted and which is so designed that the line roller is tiltable in relation to the shaft about an axis perpendicular thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a bail mechanism in an open-face fishing 
reel of the fixed-spool type. 
Prior-art fishing reels of this type have a spindle rotatably and axially 
displaceably mounted in a housing and carrying a line spool at one end 
thereof. The line spool is non-rotatably connected to the spindle and 
axially fixed thereon. A drive shaft extending at right angles to the 
spindle is mounted in the housing to be rotated by means of a handle. 
Oscillating means are connected to the drive shaft and the spindle. When 
the handle is rotated for retrieving a fishing line fixed on the line 
spool, the drive shaft rotates and drives the oscillating means, in turn 
oscillating the spindle, and hence the line spool, in the longitudinal 
direction of the spindle. Through a gear transmission provided in the 
housing, the handle drives a hollow shaft which projects from the housing 
and is coaxial with the spindle extending through the shaft. The hollow 
shaft then drives a rotor non-rotatably mounted thereon and carrying a 
bail mechanism for winding the line onto the line spool. During line 
retrieve, the line is thus wound onto the line spool which, as opposed to 
the rotor, does not rotate, but instead executes an axial oscillatory 
movement. In this manner, the line is distributed over the line spool. 
A known bail mechanism has a bail for winding the line onto the line spool 
and two attachments provided on the rotor diametrically opposite each 
other. At its ends, the bail is pivotally fixed to the attachments by 
means of mounting elements. To permit pivotal movement of the bail, the 
mounting elements are rotatably connected to the attachments by screws 
forming a bail pivot shaft at right angles to the spindle. The bail is 
pivotable between an operative folded-in position, in which it extends 
substantially at right angles to the spindle, and an inoperative 
folded-out position, in which it is located on the opposite side of the 
spindle and makes an angle therewith which is of the order of 45.degree.. 
The bail caries at one end a holder with a pivot pin, on which a line 
roller is rotatably mounted for guiding the line when being wound onto the 
line spool. At this end, the bail is connected to one of the mounting 
elements by means of a screw extending through this mounting element and 
screwed in said pivot pin. 
In its outer circumferential surface, the line roller has a circumferential 
line-guiding groove which is arc-shaped in cross-section. This 
line-guiding groove has a width which is substantially equal to the axial 
length of the line roller. When the line is retrieved, it passes over the 
line roller in the line-guiding groove, the line roller being rotated by 
the line. The bail mechanism is so set that the line passes over the line 
roller while engaging the bottom of the line-guiding groove, when a 
predetermined line quantity has been wound on the line spool. When a 
lesser quantity of fishing line is wound on the line spool, for example 
after a cast, the line engages one groove flank of the line roller and, 
upon line retrieve and hence a consequent increase of the line quantity on 
the line spool, progressively approaches the optimum position at the 
bottom of the line-guiding groove. When the line quantity wound on the 
line spool exceeds the predetermined line quantity, for example at a 
subsequent stage of line retrieve, the line engages the other groove flank 
of the line roller and, upon continued line retrieve, will "climb" this 
groove flank. Under practical fishing conditions, the above-described 
phenomenon has been found to give rise to line twist, in turn resulting in 
the formation of coils, rendering it difficult to make long casts and 
being also liable to catch on protruding parts on the fishing reel and on 
the fishing rod on which the reel is mounted. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The object of the present invention is to eliminate or at least 
considerably reduce this drawback and provide a bail mechanism in which 
the line runs over the line roller along the groove bottom also when the 
line quantity wound on the line spool deviates from the predetermined line 
quantity. 
According to the present invention, this object is achieved by means of a 
bail mechanism in an open-face fishing reel of the fixed-spool type having 
a housing, a rotor mounted on said housing, and a line spool coaxial with 
said rotor and adapted to oscillate in the axial direction, said bail 
mechanism comprising 
a bail for winding a line onto said line spool; 
two attachments arranged on said rotor substantially diametrically opposite 
each other; 
two mounting elements carrying said bail and being so rotatably mounted on 
a respective one of said attachments that said bail is pivotable about a 
bail axis substantially at fight angles to the axis of said rotor, between 
a folded-in line-winding position and a folded-out position, in which said 
bail is released of the line; 
a holder fixed to the bail at one end thereof and connected to one mounting 
element; 
a shaft provided between said holder and said one mounting element; and 
a line roller having a circumferential line-guiding groove in its outer 
circumferential surface and being mounted on said shaft to guide the line 
when being wound onto the line spool, 
said shaft having a radially: projecting, circumferential bead, on which 
the line roller is mounted and which is so designed that the line roller 
is tiltable in relation to said shaft about an axis perpendicular thereto. 
In a preferred embodiment, the line-guiding groove of the line roller has a 
bottom portion which is substantially semicircular in cross-section and 
whose cross-sectional diameter exceeds the diameter of the line. 
Preferably, the shaft is integrally formed with the holder, which is 
connected to said one mounting element by means of a screw screwed in the 
shaft.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The known open-face fishing reel of the fixed-spool type shown in FIG. 1 
has a housing 1 with a foot 2 for securing the fishing reel on a fishing 
rod. The housing 1 has a side plate or cover 3 fixed to the housing by 
screws 4. A handle 5 is rotatably mounted in the cover 3 by means of a 
support bearing 6 and a bearing washer 7, and in the opposite side wall of 
the housing 1 by means of a support bearing 8. The shaft 9 of the handle 5 
is axially fixed by means of a shoulder 10 on the handle side and a screw 
11 with a knob-like head on the opposite side. The screw 11 is screwed in 
a threaded axial bore in the free end of the shaft 9. The shaft 9 has 
square cross-section throughout the major part of its length and 
non-rotatably carries a gear unit 12. The gear unit 12 comprises a large 
driving gear 13 with axially directed teeth on its side facing away from 
the cover 3, and a small driving gear 14. Between the two driving gears 13 
and 14, the unit 12 has a cylindrical portion (not shown) with an annular 
circumferential groove for receiving a spring 15. The spring 15 has an 
axially directed leg 15a cooperating with a pawl 15b pivotally fixed to 
the housing 1 so as to form what is known as a silent anti-reverse which 
can be engaged and disengaged by means of a mechanism 16. 
An oscillating gear 17 is mounted on a bearing pin 18 extending into the 
housing 1 from the wall thereof opposing the cover 3. The gear 17 meshes 
with the small driving gear 14 and has an axially directed eccentric pin 
17a engaging in a vertical groove (not shown) in a driver element 19. The 
driver element 19 has a through bore 20, through which a spindle 21 
extends. The spindle 21 is rotatably and axially displaceably mounted in 
the housing 1 and non-rotatably carries a line spool 22 on its end 
projecting from the housing 1. At its other end, the spindle 21 engages a 
brake mechanism 23, not described in more detail here, which comprises, 
inter alia, a toothed wheel 23a for cooperating with a click spring 23b 
fixed on the cover 3. 
The spindle 21 has two annular circumferential grooves 24, between which 
the driver element 19 is mounted by means of a mounting element 25 fixed 
to the driver element 19 by a screw 26. The mounting element 25 has two 
legs 27 engaging in the grooves 24 in the spindle 21, such that the driver 
element 19 is axially fixed on the spindle 21, which is however rotatable 
relative the driver element. 
The spindle 21 also rotatably extends through a rotor shaft 28 considerably 
shorter than the spindle. The rotor shaft 28 is rotatably mounted in a 
support bearing (not shown) in an internal flange 29 in the housing 1 and 
in a ball bearing 30 in the end wall of the housing 1 opposite the brake 
mechanism 23. On its inner end, the rotor shaft 28 carries a gear 31 
non-rotatably connected thereto and meshing with the large driving gear 
13. The ball bearing 30 is surrounded by two spacer washers 32 and 33 and 
held in place by a locking washer 34 engaging in an inner groove 35 in a 
sleeve 36 axially projecting from said end wall of the housing 1. The 
rotor shaft 28 has two diametrically opposed planar surfaces 37, forming a 
flat and non-rotatably carrying a ring 38 between the ball bearing 30 and 
the spacer washer 33. The ring 38 has a radial stop lug 39 for cooperating 
with the pawl 15b. 
On its outer end, the rotor shaft 28 non-rotatably carries a rotor 40 
secured to the rotor shaft by means of a locking washer 41 and a nut 42. 
The rotor 40 substantially has the form of a cylinder divided into two 
cylinder parts 43 and 44 by an inner wall 45. The cylinder part 43 
surrounds an annular flange 46 radially projecting from the sleeve 36, and 
the cylinder part 44, having a smaller outer diameter than the cylinder 
part 43, is surrounded by a sleeve 47 axially projecting from the line 
spool 22. 
The rotor 40 has two diametrically opposed attachments 48 and 49 integrally 
formed with the cylinder part 43 and extending axially over the cylinder 
part 44 at a certain radial distance therefrom. A bail 50 is pivotally 
fixed at its ends to the attachments 48 and 49 by means of mounting 
elements 51 and 52. To permit pivotal movement of the ball 50, the 
mounting elements 51 and 52 are rotatably connected to the attachments 48 
and 49 by screws 53 and 54, forming a pivot shaft for the bail at fight 
angles to the spindle 21. The bail 50 is pivotable between an operative 
folded-in position, which is shown in FIG. 1 and in which it extends 
substantially at fight angles to the spindle 21, and an inoperative 
folded-out position, in which it is located on the opposite side of the 
spindle 21 and makes am angle therewith which is of the order of 
45.degree.. 
A bearing pin 55 for a line roller 56 is fixed to one end of the bail 50. 
This end of the bail is connected to the mounting element 51 by a screw 57 
which extends through an arm 58 on the mounting element 51 and through a 
spacer sleeve 59 and is screwed in the bearing pin 55. 
When turning the handle 5 in the direction of line retrieve P, i.e. in the 
direction in which a fishing line L fixed to the line spool 22 (FIGS. 2-4) 
is wound onto the line spool, the large driving gear 13 drives the gear 
31, such that the rotor 40, and thus the bail 50, is rotated. At the same 
time, the small driving gear 14 drives the oscillating gear 17, such that 
the driver element 19, by the engagement of the eccentric pin 17a in the 
vertical groove therein, is moved back and forth so as to oscillate the 
spindle 21, and hence the line spool 22, in the longitudinal direction of 
the spindle. The spindle 21 and the line spool 22 are however not rotated 
during line retrieve. The fishing line then passes over the line roller 56 
on the folded-in bail 50 so as to rotate the line roller, and is wound 
onto the line spool 22 during the rotation of the bail. Since the line 
spool 22 is oscillated during the line-winding operation, the line is 
distributed axially over the line spool. 
Before a east is to be made, the bail 50 is pivoted to the folded-out 
position so as to release the line from the line roller 56. During the 
east, the line is paid out from the line spool 22 which, like the rotor 
40, remains stationary during the east. When line retrieve is again to be 
effected after the east, the bail 50 is automatically swung back to the 
folded-in position, and the line is placed on the line roller 56. 
The bail 50 can be seized with one hand for pivoting from the folded-in 
position to the folded-out position. Preferably, the bail 50 is however 
swung to the folded-out position before a cast by means of a trigger 
mechanism 60 mounted on the attachment 48 and engaging the mounting 
element 51. 
The trigger mechanism 60 comprises an angle arm 61, one leg of which is 
rotatably connected to the mounting element 51 by a screw 62 screwed in a 
sleeve 63 extending through an eccentrically located hole 64 in the 
mounting element 51. The angle arm 61 has a longitudinal groove 65 in its 
other leg. The trigger mechanism 60 further comprises a trigger 66 
pivotally connected to the attachment 48 by a screw 67 screwed in a hole 
68 in one side wall of the attachment 48. On its side facing fine 
attachment 48, the triter 66 has a projection (not shown) engaging in fie 
groove 65. When the trigger 66 is pivoted, for example by the index 
finger, a short distance away from the attachment 48 about its pivot shaft 
formed by the screw 67, the mounting element 51 will be rotated in such a 
direction that the bail 50 is swung to its folded-out position. The bail 
50 is maintained in its folded-out position, as in its folded-in position, 
by a torque spring 69 mounted in the attachment 48 underneath a cover 71 
fixed thereto by a screw 70. When the trigger 66 is released, it is 
returned to its initial position by a spring 72, so that its projection 
moves freely in the groove 65 without returning the mounting element 51. 
In order to bring the trigger 66 into a suitable position for index-finger 
actuation prior to a cast, the handle 5 is turned in the direction 
opposite to the direction of line retrieve P, the rotor shaft 28, and 
hence the ring 38 non-rotatably mounted thereon, being rotated until the 
stop lug 39 encounters the pawl 15b and further rotation of the handle 5 
in the direction opposite to the direction of line retrieve P thus is 
prevented. In this stop position, the trigger 66 is in a suitable position 
for index-finger actuation, which is the position shown in FIG. 1. 
The above-mentioned automatic return of the bail 50 to its folded-in 
position as soon as line retrieve is commenced after a cast, is brought 
about by means of a return mechanism 73. The mechanism 73 comprises a 
spring-loaded angle arm 74 provided within the cylinder part 43, and a 
lever 75 provided in the attachment 49 underneath a cover 77 fixed thereto 
by a screw 76. The angle arm 74 is rotatably mounted on the wall 45 
separating the cylinder parts 43 and 44 from each other, by means of a 
screw 78 defining an axis of rotation for the angle arm parallel to the 
spindle 21. One leg of the angle arm 74 extends through a slot (not shown) 
in the wall of the cylinder part 43 into the attachment 49 while its other 
leg is located in the cylinder part 43 for cooperating with a cam curve 
80, provided with a wear plate 79 on the fixed sleeve 36. The lever 75 is 
rotatable about a pin 81 parallel to the screw 54, about which the 
mounting element 52 is rotatable. The mounting-element 52 has an 
eccentrically disposed projection 82 cooperating with one lever arm of the 
lever 75. The other lever arm of the lever 75 cooperates with the leg of 
the angle arm 74 extending into the attachment 49. When line retrieve is 
commenced after a cast, the rotor 40 is rotated, the cam curve 80 acting 
on the angle arm 74, which in turn acts on the lever 75 in such a 
direction that, by cooperating with the projection 82, it will pivot the 
bail 50 to its folded-in position. 
In the known fishing reel described above, the bail mechanism suffers from 
the drawback stated in the introductory part and illustrated in FIGS. 2-4. 
In its outer circumferential surface, the line roller 56 has a 
circumferential line-guiding groove 83 of arc-shaped cross-section. The 
lineguiding groove 83 has a width which is substantially equal to the 
axial length of the line roller 56. When a predetermined line quantity is 
wound on the line spool 22 (FIG. 2), the line L passes during line 
retrieve over the line roller 56 while engaging the bottom of the groove 
83. When there is a lesser line quantity wound on the line spool 22 (FIG. 
3), for example after a cast, the line L engages one groove flank of the 
line roller 56 and, during retrieve of the line L and hence a subsequent 
increase of the line quantity on the line spool 22, progressively 
approaches the optimum position at the bottom of the line-guiding groove 
83. In the case of a larger line quantity wound on the line spool 22 in 
relation to the predetermined line quantity, for example at a later stage 
of the retrieve of the line L, the line engages the other groove flank of 
the line roller 56 and, during continued retrieve of the line L, will 
"climb" this groove flank. 
A bail mechanism according to the present invention will now be described 
in more detail with reference to FIGS. 5-8. The bail mechanism according 
to FIG. 5 is intended for use in the fishing reel described above and 
illustrated in FIG. 1. The parts of the bail mechanism according to the 
invention that have equivalent parts in the bail mechanism of FIG. 1 have 
been given the same reference numerals as these. It should be pointed out 
that the two attachments 48 and 49, which are not shown in FIG. 5, also 
form part of the bail mechanism. It should also be noted that the bail 
mechanism according to the invention can of course be used in open-face 
fishing reels of the fixed-spool type of designs other than that shown in 
FIG. 1. 
Like the bail mechanism described above, the bail mechanism according to 
the invention comprises a bail 50 for winding a line L onto the line spool 
22, two attachments 48 and 49 arranged on the rotor 40 diametrically 
opposite each other, and two mounting elements 51 and 52 which carry the 
bail 50 and are rotatably connected to the attachments 48 and 49 in the 
manner described above by means of screws 53 and 54 forming the pivot 
shaft of the bail 50. 
In the bail mechanism of the invention, the bearing pin 55 has been 
replaced by a holder 84, which is fixed to one end of the bail 50. This 
bail end is inserted in a bore 85 in the holder 84 and has a 
circumferential groove 86. The holder 84 has integrally formed therewith a 
projecting shaft 87, on which the line roller 56 is rotatably mounted. The 
shaft 87 has a threaded bore 88 extending axially through the shaft 87 and 
opening in the bore 85. The holder 84 is connected to the mounting element 
51 by means of a screw 57 passing through a hole 89 in an arm 58 on the 
mounting element 51 and screwed in the shaft bore 88. The screw 57 engages 
in the circumferential groove 86 of the bail end so as to retain the ball 
50 in the bore 85. The shaft 87 bears with its free end on one side of a 
lug 90 provided in the hole 89 of the arm 58. The head of the screw 57 
bears on the other side of the lug 90. 
In their surfaces facing each other, the holder 84 and the arm 58 have an 
annular recess 91 and 92, respectively, concentric with the shaft 87. The 
recesses 91 and 92 form an annular space, in which the line roller 56 is 
accommodated. 
The line roller 56 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 87 by means of a ball 
bearing 93 sealed at both sides. The ball bearing 93 is inserted in the 
center hole 94 of the line roller 56, its outer ring 95 bearing at one 
side thereof on an annular lug 96 provided in the center hole 94, and 
being locked at its other side by a locking ting 97 disposed in a 
circumferential groove 98 in the boundary wall of the center hole 94. 
The shaft 87 has a radially projecting, circumferential bead 99. The bead 
99 is symmetrical with respect to a plane perpendicular to the shaft 87, 
and has on each side of this plane a diameter which decreases axially away 
therefrom in such a manner that its circumferential surface exhibits an 
arcuate cross-sectional shape. The inner ring 100 of the ball bearing 93 
is mounted on the bead 99. The ball bearing 93, and hence the line roller 
56, can then tilt about an axis perpendicular to the shaft 87, between two 
outer positions (FIGS. 7 and 8), in which the inner ring 100 of the ball 
bearing 93 bears on the arm 58 in two different, diametrically opposed 
positions. 
The circumferential line-guiding groove 83 of the line roller 56 has two 
inclined groove flanks substantially rectilinear in cross-section, and a 
bottom portion substantially semicircular in cross-section, whose 
cross-sectional diameter exceeds the diameter of the line L. 
The bail mechanism according to the invention is so set that the line 
roller 56 occupies the position shown in FIG. 6, in which it is at right 
angles to the shaft 87, when a predetermined line quantity is wound on the 
line spool 22. In the case of a lesser line quantity on the line spool 22, 
the line roller 56 occupies a position (FIG. 7) which is inclined in one 
direction in relation to the shaft 87 and to which it is moved by the line 
L located in the bottom portion of the line-guiding groove 83. In the case 
of a larger line quantity wound on the line spool 22 in relation to the 
predetermined line quantity, the line roller 56 occupies a position (FIG. 
8) which is inclined in the other direction in relation to the shaft 87 
and to which it is moved by the line L located in the bottom portion of 
the line-guiding groove 83. Since the line roller 56 is tiltable about the 
bead 99 in this manner, the line L will be retained in the bottom portion 
of the line-guiding groove 83, thereby preventing line twist as described 
in the introductory part of the specification.