Fishing double-bearing type reel with play-reducting clutch mechanism

The invention relates to a fishing double-bearing type reel having a clutch mechanism which controls the engagement of a spool shaft thereby to switch the fishing-line take-up state and the fishing-line let-out state of the reel. In a fishing double-bearing type reel, a supporting shaft is provided coaxially with respect to a spool shaft on which a spool is mounted, and a pinion, which is rotated in association with the rotation of the handle, is mounted on the supporting shaft, and a rod-shaped engaging piece is provided on the pinion in such a manner that it is perpendicular to the axis, and is engaged with an recess formed in the end portion of the spool shaft. The engaging region where the rod-shaped engaging piece and the recess are engaged with each other is located as close to the common axis of the spool shaft and the supporting shaft as possible.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an improvement of a clutch mechanism which is 
adapted to switch a fishing-line take-up state and a fishing-line let-out 
state of the spool of a fishing double-bearing type reel over to each 
other. 
In general, the clutch mechanism of a fishing double-bearing type reel 
which is adapted to switch the fishing-line take-up state and the 
fishing-line let-out state of the spool is designed as follows: A spool 
shaft, on which a spool is mounted, has a chamfered segmental clutch 
coupling section; while a pinion which is movably mounted on the spool 
shaft and is rotated in association with the rotation of the handle has a 
slit-shaped engaging section which is engaged with the clutch coupling 
section, so that the pinion is moved into and out of engagement with the 
spool shaft. However, when the fishing line is let out of the reel, the 
clutch mechanism suffers from the following problem: That is, in this 
case, since the pinion is engaged with the spool shaft which is rotated 
together with the spool, the spool shaft is high in rotation resistance, 
as a result of which the length of the fishing line which is let out of 
the reel, namely, the casting distance of the fishing line is decreased as 
much. In order to eliminate this difficulty, Japanese Utility Model Kokoku 
Publication No. Sho. 60-10380 and Japanese Utility Model Kokai Publication 
No. Sho. 57-158372 have disclosed a method of supporting the pinion with a 
supporting shaft which is provided in addition to the spool shaft, to 
decrease the rotation resistance of the spool shaft in letting the fishing 
line out of the reel. 
However, the method involves the following two serious problems: 
One of the problems is as follows: The engaging section of the pinion is 
engaged with the outside of the chamfered segmental clutch coupling 
section of the spool shaft, and therefore the width of the slit-shaped 
engaging section which are confronted with each other is 3 to 4 mm even in 
a middle or small reel such as a bait casting reel, and 5 to 7 mm in a 
large reel such as a barrel-type reel and a trolling reel. Hence, when the 
reel is operated to take up the fishing line, the rotary members are 
liable to play greatly because of the gaps between the clutch coupling 
section and the slit-shaped engaging section. Accordingly, a fisherman, 
when feeling a bite, may not able to accurately and quickly perform the 
hooking operation. 
The other problem is as follows: The size of the engaging section of the 
pinion depends on the diameter of the spool shaft and the limited space in 
the gear box. On the other hand, in order to make the pinion high in 
corrosion resistance, machinability, and engagement characteristic, the 
pinion is, in general, made of copper alloy such as brass and bronze, or 
aluminum alloy which is lower in mechanical strength than hard steel such 
as stainless steel. Hence, in the case where the clutch mechanism is 
operated for a long time repeatedly switching-the fishing-line let-out 
state of the spool over to the fishing-line take-up state, or the 
fishing-line winding operation is carried out under a high load, the 
engaging section of the pinion may be deformed or worn out, thus making it 
difficult to smoothly and positively operate the clutch mechanism. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing, an object of the invention is to provide a 
fishing double-bearing type reel having a clutch mechanism in which, 
during the rotation of the reel, the occurrence of play in the clutch 
engaging section of the spool and the pinion is substantially eliminated, 
and the spool and the pinion are improved in engaging strength. 
The foregoing object of the invention has been achieved by the provision of 
a fishing double-bearing type reel in which 
a supporting shaft is provided coaxially with respect to a spool shaft 
which is rotatably supported by a reel body and has a spool, and 
a pinion, which is rotated in association with the rotation of a handle, is 
mounted on the supporting shaft in such a manner that the pinion is 
axially movable relative to the spool shaft, the pinion being moved into 
and out of engagement with the end of the spool shaft, 
in which, according to the invention, 
a rod-shaped engaging piece is provided on one of the end portions of the 
spool shaft and the pinion which are confronted with each other, in such a 
manner that the rod-shaped engaging piece is perpendicular to the axis, 
and an recess is formed in the other which is engaged with the rod-shaped 
engaging piece. 
The supporting shaft may be supported on the reel body in such a manner 
that it is axially either movable or not movable. In the case where the 
supporting shaft is so supported that it is not axially movable, and the 
pinion is mounted on the supporting shaft in such a manner that it is 
axially movable, preferably the clutch mechanism is short in axial length. 
The rod-shaped engaging piece, and the recess which is engaged with the 
engaging piece relate to each other as follows: In the case where the 
rod-shaped engaging piece is extended from the pinion, the recess is 
formed in the spool shaft; whereas in the case where the rod-shaped 
engaging piece is extended from the spool shaft, the recess is formed in 
the pinion. The rod-shaped engaging piece is made of a hard steel high in 
mechanical strength such as stainless steel and hardened, quenched steel, 
and the pinion is made of a non-ferrous material, such as copper alloy, or 
brass or bronze, or aluminum alloy, which is high in corrosion resistance 
and in machinability. 
The reel of the invention operates as follows: When the rod-shaped engaging 
piece (or the recess) of the pinion is engaged with the recess (or the 
rod-shaped engaging piece) of the spool shaft with the aid of the clutch 
mechanism, the pinion is coupled to the spool shaft, so that the spool on 
the spool shaft is placed in the fishing-line take-up state. When the 
rod-shaped engaging piece (or the recess) of the pinion is disengaged from 
the recess (or the rod-shaped engaging piece) of the spool shaft with the 
aid of the clutch mechanism, the pinion is disengaged from the spool 
shaft, so that the spool on the spool shaft is freely rotatable being 
placed in the fishing-line let-out state. In the reel of the invention, 
the engaging region where the rod-shaped engaging piece and the recess are 
engaged with each other is located as close to the common axis of the 
spool shaft and the supporting shaft as possible. Hence, when the reel is 
rotated, the occurrence of play is substantially eliminated which is due 
to the clearance in the engaging region.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to 
the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by like 
reference numerals or characters. 
An example of a fishing double-bearing type reel, which constitutes a first 
embodiment of the invention, is as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The fishing 
double-bearing type reel comprises: a reel body 3; a spool shaft 2 made of 
a material high in mechanical strength such as stainless steel which is 
rotatably supported through bearings 5 (one of which is shown in the 
drawings) between reel side boards 4 and 4' of a reel body 3; and a spool 
1 fixedly mounted on the spool shaft 2. A narrow-groove-shaped recess 6 is 
formed in the end portion of the spool shaft 2 on the side of the reel 
side board 4. 
In the reel side board 4, a supporting shaft 7 is supported through a 
bearing 8 in such a manner that it is coaxial with respect to the spool 
shaft 2 and is axially movable, and a pinion 10 is fixedly mounted on the 
supporting shaft 7 in such a manner that it is engaged with a drive gear 9 
of a handle shaft and supported through a bearing 8'. A rod-shaped 
engaging piece 11 is supported on the inner end portion of the pinion 10 
in such a manner that it is perpendicular to the supporting shaft 7 and is 
engaged with the above-described recess 6. The pinion 10 is engaged with a 
clutch board 12 which is adapted to urge the pinion 10 inwardly. The 
clutch board 12 is moved right and left by means of a conventional clutch 
mechanism. As the clutch board 12 is moved in this way, the supporting 
shaft 7 is slid right and left to move the rod-shaped engaging piece 11 of 
the pinion 10 into and out of engagement with the recess 6. 
The pinion 10 is made of a non-ferrous material high both in corrosion 
resistance and in machinability such as copper alloy, or brass and bronze, 
and aluminum alloy. The rod-shaped engaging piece 11 of the pinion 10 is 1 
to 2 mm in diameter, and is made of a hard steel material such as 
stainless steel or hardened steel. The recess 6 is small in width, 1.1 to 
2.1 mm. Hence, when the rod-shaped engaging piece 11 of the pinion 10 is 
engaged with the recess 6 of the spool shaft 2 with the supporting shaft 7 
slid inwardly as shown in FIG. 2, the spool 1 is placed in the 
fishing-line take-up state; and when the rod-shaped engaging piece 11 of 
the pinion 10 is disengaged from the recess 6 of the spool shaft 2 with 
the supporting shaft 7 moved outwardly as shown in FIG. 3, the spool shaft 
2 is made freely rotatable; that is, the reel is placed in the 
fishing-line let-out state. 
In addition, reference numeral 10a designates an annular wall of the pinion 
10a defining a circular hole into which the end portion of the spool shaft 
2 is insertable. 
FIG. 4 shows another example of the fishing double-bearing type reel, which 
constitutes a second embodiment of the invention. In the fishing 
double-bearing reel, the rod-shaped engaging piece 11 is fixedly secured 
to the end of the spool shaft 2 in such a manner that it is perpendicular 
to the spool shaft 2. FIG. 5 shows another example of the fishing 
double-bearing type reel, which constitutes a third embodiment of the 
invention. In the third embodiment, the supporting shaft 7 is rotatably 
supported but it is not axially movable; and the pinion 10 is mounted on 
the supporting shaft 7 in such a manner that it is axially movable and is 
rotated together with the latter 7. The third embodiment is advantageous 
in that the reel body can be short in axial length. FIG. 6 shows another 
example of the fishing double-bearing type reel, which constitutes a 
fourth embodiment of the invention. In the fishing double-bearing type 
reel, the supporting shaft 7 is fixedly secured to the reel side board 4 
so that its rotation is inhibited, and the pinion 10 is mounted on the 
supporting shaft 7 in such a manner that it is axially movable and is 
rotatable. Similarly as in the case of the above-described third 
embodiment, in the fourth embodiment the reel body can be short in axial 
length. 
In the fishing double-bearing type reel of the invention, the engaging 
region where the rod-shaped engaging piece and the recess are engaged with 
each other is located as close to the common axis of the spool shaft and 
the supporting shaft as possible. This feature substantially eliminates 
the occurrence of play, during the rotation of the reel, which is due to 
the gap formed in the engaging region. Hence, when feeling a bite, the 
fisherman can perform the hooking operation accurately and quickly. 
In the reel of the invention, even when the pinion is made of a non-ferrous 
material such as aluminum alloy and copper alloy high in corrosion 
resistance, machinability, and engaging characteristic, the provision of 
the rod-shaped engaging piece on the pinion can maintain the clutch 
engaging section high in mechanical strength, to thereby make the clutch 
engaging section free from deformation and wear. Thus, the reel is durable 
enough to withstand the fishing line winding operation or the clutch 
engaging and disengaging operation which is carried out repeatedly for a 
long time. Furthermore, in the case where the rod-shaped engaging piece is 
provided on the spool shaft, the reel can be more readily manufactured, 
and assembled than in the case where it is provided on the pinion.