Fishing rod holder apparatus

A fishing rod holder includes an outer cup-shaped plastic body of a generally rectangular configuration and having an internal separation wall defining an alert chamber to one side and a support chamber to the opposite side. A fish rod socket is located within the support chamber with a molded leaf spring member connected to the socket and body to provide a leaf spring mounting of the socket. A contact arm is secured to the support member and extends laterally toward the separation wall into operative coupling to at least one of a pair of contact members within the support chamber. A mounting stake or clamp is removably coupled to the support body such as by a slotted connection. The alert chamber has a reduced width and length to correspond to a usual dry cell battery with inclined interconnecting integral molded walls providing a compact, esthetically pleasing outer housing. A battery and coil spring contact is located within the alert chamber. The outer end of the alert chamber is sealed by a cap and lamp having a contact engaging the battery. A contact strip extends from the cap into the support chamber with a depending arm. An arm on the socket engages a contact arm and closes the contacts when the fish pivots the socket.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
This invention relates to a fishing rod holder and particularly to a 
fishing rod holder having means for signaling a bite or strike on the 
fishing line. 
The sport of fishing may involve casting or still fishing wherein the 
fishing line is cast out and the line and hook allowed to remain 
stationary until such time as a fish strikes the hook, at which time the 
fishing line is reeled in. In such still fishing, the fisherman often 
desires to attend to other matters or just relax. Various fishing rod 
holders have been suggested for supporting of the fishing rod with the 
cast line in place and having a device provided signal means operative in 
response to a strike such that the fisherman does not even have to 
continuously attend to the fishing rod. A typical fishing rod holder with 
an integrated signaling device is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 
3,646,697 wherein a tubular rod socket is mounted within a tube holder by 
a laterally connecting pivot pins. A stake member is bolted to the holder 
for supporting of the device in the ground with the socket and rod 
extended outwardly. A coil spring is located between the socket and tube 
spring bias and the socket in a first direction within the tube holder. A 
battery system alarm signaling system is mounted within an inner extension 
of the tube holder with a fixed switch contact on the holder and a movable 
switch contact on the inner end of the socket. A special spring loading 
adjustment is provided for adjusting the necessary force on the socket 
member necessary to pivot the socket to close the contacts. When a fish 
bites on the cast line, the pull thereon is operative to pivot the socket 
within the fixed ground mounted tube holder, and upon a minimum sized bite 
closes the switch to energize the signaling device. Such signaling device 
thus alerts the fisherman to the fish bites. Many other similar 
cylindrical tubular devices and holders have been suggested, each of which 
operates basically in a similar manner to pivot a tubular holder to 
complete a contact connection and thereby actuating an alarm or an 
alerting device. Although many such alarm devices have been suggested, 
they include various relatively complex circuit connections and mounting 
components which make it difficult to produce an effective device at a 
reasonably low cost. This is particularly true because such devices must 
be adapted to all weather environments such as encountered in fishing, 
while being adjustable for responding to different weights and pulls which 
results from the variation in fishing rods and fish. Further, as the 
fishing rod support device is carried with other fishing gear, the device 
should be of a relatively rugged and compact construction in which the 
component parts are protected against significant mechanical damage. 
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
The present invention is particularly directed to an improved fishing rod 
holder apparatus having an integrated alerting means and which is of a 
rugged construction but permits low cost production while maintaining 
effective response to various fishing applications. Generally in 
accordance with the present invention, the fishing rod holder apparatus 
includes an outer cup-shaped body having a generally rectangular 
configuration having an internal wall defining an alert chamber to one 
side and a support chamber to the opposite side. A battery and alert unit 
is mounted in protected relationship in the alert chamber. A fish rod 
support member is located within the support chamber with an integrated 
leaf spring member connected to the bottom end of the support member and 
the support chamber, thereby defining a leaf spring mounting of the 
support member. The outer end of the support member is constructed to 
receive the handle end of a fishing rod. A contact operator is secured to 
the support member and extends laterally toward the separation wall into 
operative coupling to at least one contact member within the support 
chamber. In the normal relaxed position of the leaf spring, the contact 
member is held in a non-alert position. Selective pivoting of the support 
member actuates the contact member to actuate the alert unit. A mounting 
means such as a ground stake or rail mounting unit is removably coupled to 
the support body such as by a slotted connection for convenient mounting 
of the fishing rod holder. 
More particularly in accordance with a particularly unique and practical 
embodiment of the present invention, the support member is tubular and 
socket which is connected to the body by a leaf spring as a single molded 
plastic unit. The integral plastic leaf spring member is cast to the 
underside or bottom of the socket and to the interior bottom wall of the 
body. The outer configuration of the holder includes a substantially 
rectangular portion defining the support chamber and an adjacent alert 
chamber having a reduced width and length to correspond to a usual battery 
chamber dry cell with inclined interconnecting integral molded walls 
providing a compact, esthetically pleasing outer housing. A leaf spring 
contact is secured within the bottom of the alert chamber and extends 
upwardly along the common separating wall, with the upper end extended 
outwardly into the support chamber. A battery support coil spring is 
located within bottom portion. The outer end of the alert chamber is 
adapted to be sealed by a cap having a covered opening for receiving and 
clamping of a small lamp in place with a center lamp contact located to 
contact a dry cell battery. A contact strip is secured to the lamp cap and 
extends into the support chamber with a depending arm portion overlapping 
the extension or arm portion of the first contact strip. The contact 
operator includes an arm connected to the socket and to the spring arm of 
the one of the contact strips such that pivoting of the socket moves the 
contact arm spring into engagement with the opposed contact arm. In a 
preferred embodiment, an audio signal generator is connected in parallel 
or series to provide simultaneous visual and sound alerts of a fish 
strike. 
The common dividing wall defining the two chambers preferably includes an 
enlarged portion immediately adjacent the inner base portions. The 
enlargement includes a bottom opening to releasably receive the end of a 
mounting member, which may have an outer stake end for embedding in the 
ground or a channel-shaped bracket for mounting on a correspondingly 
shaped rail member or the like. 
The integrated molded construction of the body, socket and spring support, 
as well as the simple spring contacts and the like, require a minimum 
number of components while producing a quickly and readily assembled 
fishing rod holder with the integrated alert means. The several basic 
features thus uniquely contribute to an economically producible fishing 
rod holder while maintaining the necessary ruggedness and reliability 
required by the environment encountered in fishing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1, a fishing rod unit 1 
is illustrated including an end handle 2 from which the rod 3 extends. A 
line reel 4 is secured to the fishing rod 3 immediately adjacent to the 
handle 2 with the fishing line 5 extended outwardly along the rod. The 
line 5 is cast or otherwise set outwardly to locate the hook and bait, not 
shown, in suitable relationship with a body of water, not shown. The 
handle 2 of the fishing rod 1 is located within a fishing rod holder 7 
which is particularly constructed in accordance with the teaching of the 
present invention and illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
The holder 7 supports the fishing rod unit 1 in place without the 
necessity of the fisherman manually holding or supporting the rod. 
Generally, the fishing rod holder 7 includes a generally rectangular 
cup-shaped housing or body 8 having a handle receiving socket 9 for 
supporting the fishing rod unit 1. Socket 9 is mounted to body 8 by a leaf 
spring 10 to pivotally support the socket. A stake 11 is secured to the 
bottom of the fishing rod body 8 and is adapted to be embedded within the 
ground, for example, to support the fishing rod holder 7 and thereby the 
fishing rod unit 1 in position for fishing. The fishing rod holder 7 
includes an alert unit 12 located laterally to one side of the socket 9. 
Switching contact arms 13 and 14 are located adjacent the socket 9 within 
body 8. A contact operator 15 is secured to the socket 9 and is operable 
in response to the pivotal movement of the socket 9 to engage and close 
the contact arms, thereby establishing energization of the alert unit 12. 
More particularly, as shown more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the body 8 is a 
molded plastic member having a generally rectangular horizontal 
cross-section. An inner dividing wall 16 is integrally molded to define an 
alert chamber 17 for alert unit 12 and a support chamber 18 for the socket 
member 9. 
The alert and support chambers 17 and 18 are thus located in side-by-side 
relationship longitudinally of the housing or body 8. 
The socket 9 is located within the support chamber 18 with the leaf spring 
10 molded to the bottom of socket 9 and to the bottom or base wall 19 of 
the body 8. The socket 9 is centrally located in chamber 18 and extends 
outwardly of the support chamber 18 to define an elongated tubular support 
adapted to receive the handle 2 of the pole unit 1 for firm reliable 
support thereof in the fishing position. The fishing rod unit 1 is thereby 
mounted by the leaf spring member 10 for pivotal movement along the major 
axis of the support chamber 18. The operator 15 of course moves in a 
corresponding direction and as the result of the pivotal movement. The 
operator 15 thereby moves the contact arms 13 and 14 to close the contact 
arms 13 and 14 and complete the circuit to the alert unit 12 thereby 
providing an indication of the strike. 
More particularly, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the 
holder body 8 is formed of a molded plastic member with the several walls 
integrally cast to each other. The body 8 includes the bottom wall 19 
having drain openings 19a and connected to upwardly standing parallel, 
spaced side walls 20-21 which are also connected to each other by opposite 
end walls 22 and 23 and to the common wall 16 to form a single integrally 
cast housing. The upper ends of the several outer walls 20-23 are formed 
in substantially common plane. The body 8 thus generally defines an opened 
top cup-shaped member having the two chambers 17 and 18 defined by and to 
the opposite sides of the common wall 16. A stake or a mounting support 24 
is integrally cast within support chamber 18 against the common wall 16 
with a bottom opening recess 25 to receive a correspondingly shaped end of 
the mounting member 11. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, 
the mounting member 11 is shown in full as a simple steel stake having a 
rectangular cross-section corresponding to that of the recess 25. The 
stake 11 is releasably secured within opening 25 as by a pressure fit and 
extends outwardly of the bottom wall 19 with the outer end thereof pointed 
as at 27 for convenient driving into the ground. The stake 11 can be 
driven into the ground using a hammer or other member, after which the 
body 8 is located in position. 
The alert chamber 17 in the illustrated embodiment of the invention is 
substantially smaller than the support chamber 18 and generally has a 
cross sectional configuration adapted to receive and hold a readily 
available dry cell battery, such as an illustrated D-sized battery 28. 
Although the system may obviously be adapted to a one or more batteries of 
any reasonably size, the D battery is readily available and inexpensive. 
The power requirements are minimal because the alert unit 12 is only 
activated in response to a strike and consequently the low cost D-battery 
is particularly suited for application to the present invention. 
The end wall 23 is generally curved to merge with the side walls 20 and 21 
to essentially correspond to the diameter and shape of the D-battery 28. 
The common wall 16 is spaced to cooperate with end wall 23 to laterally 
support the battery. 
A battery coil spring 29 is located and secured within the inner or lower 
portion of the alert chamber 17. The upper end of the coil spring 29 is 
adapted to support the battery 28 and establish a common connection to the 
bottom end contact, similar to the connection in a conventional 
flashlight. Contact 14 is a leaf spring contact having a generally 
L-shaped portion located within the alert chamber 17 and having a bottom 
leg 30 connected to the bottom end turn of the coil spring 29 and a side 
leg 31 which extends upwardly along the common wall 16. The upper end of 
the L-shaped portion extends outwardly through an opening 32 in the common 
wall 16 to form the one contact of the contact means. 
The upper end of the alert chamber 17 is sealed by a cap 33 which is 
attached to the upper end of the body 8 by a plurality of attachment 
screws 34. The upper end may be recessed in the area of cap 33 to locate 
the top in the top plane of body 8. The cap means is shown as a plastic 
member having a clear plastic central projection 35 generally 
corresponding to the bulb portion of a small battery operated lamp 36. The 
bulb portion is mounted within a cup-shaped base cap 37 having a flange 38 
which forms one lead to the bulb. A central contact core 39 projects 
through an opening in the contact cap 37 in alignment with the central 
contact of the conventional square D-battery 28, as shown. The cap 33 
engages the flange 38 and forces the lamp 36 downwardly into contact 
engagement with the battery with the spring 29 compressing to establish 
the resilient contact support as in a conventional flashlight. 
The lamp contact cap 37 in turn is connected to the leaf spring contact 13 
which is formed from a metal strap or strip secured to the under side of 
the between the flange 38 and cap 37, and thereby clamped in place by the 
connection of the cap 33 to the body 8. A seal member 39 may be located 
beneath the cap 33 to seal the chamber. A contact washer, not shown, may 
be located between the flange 38 and the contact 13 to increase the spring 
loading of the assembly and establish a firm electrical contact. Thus, 
contact 13 projects laterally along the top of the body 8 and includes a 
depending contact arm portion 40 depending into the support chamber 18 to 
the outer side of other alert contact member 32a. The alert system in 
addition to the visual alert may include an audible alert. Thus, as 
illustrated, a simple buzzer unit 41 may be mounted on a plate 42 and 
mounted in stacked relation to the lamp contact spring or plate 13 with a 
circuit lead 42a located between the plates to provide a common connection 
to one side of the buzzer. The opposite side of the buzzer is connected by 
an insulated lead 43 extending beneath plate 42 and into chamber 17, with 
the end shaped to engage the central battery contact in common with lamp 
contact 39. An insulating tube 43a may be placed over the lamp to separate 
the outer contact from lead 33. The buzzer support plate 42 is shown 
extended over the adjacent end of the support chamber 18 but may of course 
be located in any other suitable manner with respect to and into the 
support chamber. In the illustrated embodiment, the extended plate 
effectively covers the contacts and the entrance to the chamber 18. 
The contacts 13 and 14 are actuated to simultaneously energize lamp 36 and 
buzzer 41 by the pivotal movement of the socket member 9 which is mounted 
within the support chamber 18 on the opposite side of the common wall 16. 
Chamber 18 is substantially larger than the alert chamber and is generally 
a rectangular chamber to accommodate the contact 13 and 14 and the 
pivotally mounted rod socket 9. 
Thus, the illustrated socket 9 is constructed as a cylindrical member of a 
sufficient length to overlap the handle and firmly support the fishing 
pole unit 1. The socket 9 is formed with a bottom wall 44. The leaf spring 
10 is a relatively thin plastic rib member of a width substantially 
corresponding to the diameter of the socket 9. The leaf spring is integral 
cast and molded with the socket bottom wall 44 and the body bottom 19 to 
define the pivotal mounting of the socket 9. The plane of the leaf spring 
10 is perpendicular to the desired pivotal motion of the socket 9 and thus 
as shown, extends laterally across the socket chamber 9. The leaf spring 
10 is located centrally of the socket chamber 9 and supports the socket 
spaced from the outer end wall 22 and the common wall 16, as well as the 
side walls 20 and 21. The leaf spring 10 and socket member 9 may thus 
pivot on the bottom wall 19 to the extent of the spacing from the end wall 
22. 
The force necessary to pivot the socket member 9 to the alert position is 
preferably made adjustable. In the illustrated embodiment of the 
invention, the flexibility of the leaf spring member 10 is controlled by 
an adjustable stop member 45 secured to the bottom wall 19 to the outside 
of the leaf spring 10. The axial positioning of the stop member varies the 
overlap and thereby the effective length of the leaf spring 10. The stop 
member 45 is essentially a rigid, non-flexible member and thereby the 
overlap varies flesible characteristic of the leaf spring. This results in 
a corresponding change and control of the pull on the fishing rod unit 1 
necessary to pivot the socket 9 through any given distance. Thus, with 
stop member only slightly projecting into the chamber 18, the total length 
of the leaf spring is deflectable. This requires a relatively minimal 
force. As the stop member moves inwardly, a greater force is required to 
provide a corresponding deflection or pivoting of the socket 9. 
In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the stop member 45 is shown 
as a simple plastic screw member which threads through a suitable lock nut 
45a secured to the outer side of the bottom wall 19. The outer end of the 
screw is provided with a knurled knob 46 to provide convenient manual 
adjustment. In the storage position, the screw 45 may be turned completely 
inwardly. The controlled pivotal movement of the socket 9 provides 
corresponding position of the switch operator 15. Alternately a simple 
leaf spring 47 may be secured to the outer end wall 22, as by a 
press-fitted clip 47a. The leaf spring 47 is bent inwardly into abutting 
engagement with socket 9 to establish a selected spring force in addition 
to that of the leaf spring member 10. 
The switch operator 15 is shown including a mounting ring member 48 which 
slips over the socket member 9 and is firmly interfixed thereto as by a 
press set, a suitable adhesive, integral molding therewith or the like. 
The illustrated operator includes an outwardly extending arm which passes 
through aligned openings in contact members 13 and 14. The outer end of 
the operator arm includes a cross coupling bar 49. The innermost contact 
member 14, which is provided with a reversely curved end portion 50 
aligned with the cross coupling bar 49. Thus, as the socket 9 pivots in 
response to a bite or the like, the cross coupling bar 49 engages and 
pulls contact 14 outwardly into firm engagement with the depending leg 40 
of the contact 13. This completes the circuit through the lamp unit 36 
and/or buzzer 41, thereby providing a corresponding alert to the fisherman 
that there is a bite. 
As previously noted, although shown as a ground mounted unit, the mounting 
member may be replaced with a rail mounting member. For example, as shown 
in Fig. the outer end of the mounting member 11 may include a pair of 
parallel legs 51 and 52 interconnected by a cross brace 53 thereby 
defining a U-shaped support adapted to be placed over a connecting rail, 
such as on a boat, peer or other shore line support. 
These and similar modifications to the structure can be readily provided by 
those skilled in the art and no further description is given herein. 
The fish rod holder apparatus with the integrated alarm of the present 
invention may be formed with a minimum number of components and without 
the usual projecting contact wires, switches and the like. 
The molded single piece construction of the body, socket, and leaf spring 
provides a convenient method of mass production and at a relatively low 
cost. 
The present invention thus provides an improved and esthetically pleasing 
and all year around fishing rod holder apparatus which can be readily 
employed in the environment of both winter ice fishing and summer fishing. 
The structure is simple reliable and may be conveniently stored by 
separation of the mounting bracket from the body portion as such. 
Various modes in carrying out the invention are contemplated as being 
within the scope of the following claims, particularly pointing out and 
distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.