Spinning reel

A spinning reel includes a reel body, a rotor attached to the reel body to be rotatable relative thereto, and a bail supported by the rotor to be switchable between a line releasing position and a line winding position. The rotor supports a switch arm for switching the bail from the line winding position to the line releasing position. A rotation stopper is provided to stop rotation of the rotor in response to an operation of the switch arm to switch the bail to the line releasing position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a spinning reel having a rotor rotatably 
supported by a reel body, and a bail attached to the rotor to be 
switchable between a line releasing position and a line winding position, 
the rotor including a control device for switching the bail from the 
winding position to the releasing position. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
With a spinning reel of the type noted above, the control device is 
operable to switch the bail to the line releasing position (i.e. to pick 
up the bail) forcibly. In order to prevent a fishing line from being 
inadvertently unreeled from a spool as a result of this switching 
operation, the user must take a series of steps to hold the line with his 
or her finger and to operate the switching control device. Then, normally, 
the user takes a bait casting step while releasing the line from the 
finger. 
If the rotor should rotate inadvertently in the course of action from the 
operation of the control device to the bait casting, inconveniences would 
occur, such as the line being unreeled from the spool before the user 
releases the line, or unreeling of the line being prevented by action of a 
mechanism which automatically switches the bail from the line releasing 
position to the line winding position in response to rotation of the 
rotor. It is therefore necessary to assure that the rotor is stopped 
during the above operation. However, the rotor cannot be stopped reliably 
during the series of steps taken as above, only by the finger operating 
the control device. There is room for improvement in this respect. 
A known spinning reel having a rotation stopping mechanism operable with 
opening and closing of the bail to stop rotation of the rotor is disclosed 
in Japanese Patent Publication No. 50-19479, for example. In this known 
spinning reel, the rotation stopping mechanism is automatically operable 
simply by opening or closing the bail. However, no control device is 
provided which is operable in a single movement of a free finger of the 
hand holding the reel and rod. The line must be held with a free finger of 
the hand holding the reel and rod while picking up the bail with the other 
hand: The series of steps up to bait casting cannot be conducted smoothly. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The object of the present invention is to provide a spinning reel which 
stops rotation of the rotor reliably during an operation of the control 
device, to enable smooth action from an operation to pick up the bail to a 
bait casting operation. 
The above object is fulfilled, according to the present invention, by a 
spinning reel having a control device mounted on a rotor for picking up a 
bail from a line winding position to a line releasing position, and a 
rotation stopping mechanism for stopping rotation of the rotor in response 
to an operation of the control device to pick up the bail. 
When the control device is operated to switch the bail to the line 
releasing position, the rotation stopping mechanism automatically operates 
to stop the rotor. Since inadvertent rotation of the rotor is thereby 
avoided, the user may carry out a series of steps from the operation to 
switch the bail to the releasing position to bait casting reliably and 
smoothly without being distracted by rotation of the rotor. 
The control device for opening and closing the bail is used also for 
controlling the rotation stopping mechanism. Naturally, therefore, no new 
trouble of operating the rotation stopping mechanism is imposed on the 
user. 
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rotation stopping 
mechanism comprises a stopper member movable with the bail control device 
when the latter makes a pivotal movement, to press on a surface of the 
spool or the like. The stopper member and this surface produce a friction 
therebetween to check or stop rotation of the rotor. In this embodiment, 
the control device itself acts as part of the rotation stopping mechanism. 
The rotation stopping mechanism therefore has a simplified structure. 
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rotation 
stopping mechanism comprises a stopper member movable in response to 
movement of the bail control device to engage part of the reel body. In 
this embodiment, not the control device itself but the stopper member 
connected to the control device contacts part of the reel body to stop the 
rotor. Specifically, the stopper member may be extendible from the rotor 
toward the reel body with pivotal movement of the control device. 
In a modification of the above specific construction, a toggle mechanism 
may be provided for biasing the bail to the line winding position or the 
line releasing position. The toggle mechanism includes a pivotable member 
having a lower portion extending toward the reel body. This lower portion 
projects from the rotor when the bail is switched to the line releasing 
position. Thus, the pivotable member of the toggle mechanism acts also as 
the stopper member. 
The spinning reel, according to the present invention, may include a switch 
mechanism operable in response to rotation in a line winding direction of 
the rotor, to switch the bail from the line releasing position to the line 
winding position. The switch mechanism may include a limit dog formed on 
the reel body, and a drive arm operatively connected to the bail and 
displaceably supported by the rotor. The drive arm is pivotable through 
contact with the limit dog to switch the bail. The drive arm acts also as 
the stopper member of the rotation stopping mechanism, such that the rotor 
is stopped by frictional engagement between the drive arm and limit dog. 
It will be understood from the above outline of a plurality of embodiments 
that the rotation stopping mechanism for acting on the rotor embraces a 
structure utilizing a friction between two members contacting each other 
under pressure, and a structure utilizing engagement between two members. 
The term "stop . . . by means of a geometric configuration" used in an 
appended claim refers to a well-known stopper mechanism having a 
displaceable member, and a different member movable into a locus of 
movement of the displaceable member. The different member makes a 
geometric interference with movement of the displaceable member. That is, 
at least a portion of the different member blocks movement of the 
displaceable member. 
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention 
will be apparent from the following more particular description of a 
preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying 
drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
As shown in FIG. 1, a spinning reel includes a line winding handle 1 
attached to a reel body 2 having a spool shaft 3 projecting from a front 
surface thereof. A spool 9 and a rotor 4 are mounted on the spool shaft 3. 
The rotor 4 has a pair of revolving arms 4A for supporting a bail 5 
extending therebetween to be switchable between a line winding position 
and a line releasing position. The reel body 2 houses a sleeve shaft 6 
relatively rotatably mounted on the spool shaft 3 to act as part of a 
rotor driving system. The sleeve shaft 6 has a pinion gear 7 formed 
thereon to receive drive from the handle 1, with the rotor 4 mounted on 
the sleeve shaft 6 to be rotatable therewith. The spinning reel further 
includes a drag mechanism 8 disposed rearwardly of a rear surface of the 
reel body 2 to brake the spool 9 and spool shaft 3. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a stopper mechanism A includes a rotatable 
member 10 mounted for unitary rotation on the sleeve shaft 6 projecting 
forward from the reel body 2. The rotatable member 10 has a plurality of 
engaging teeth 11 formed peripherally thereof. These teeth 11 are 
engageable with an engaging pawl 12 pivotably attached to the front 
surface of the reel body 2. The rotor 4 may be stopped in a plurality of 
phases by engagement between the engaging pawl 12 and engaging teeth 11. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, one of the revolving arms 4A of the rotor 4 has 
a switch arm 13 attached thereto to be pivotable about a transverse axis X 
for forcibly opening the bail outwardly to the line releasing position. 
The switch arm 13 is movable into contact with an arm cam 14 supporting 
one end of the bail 5, for forcibly swinging the arm cam 14 to switch the 
bail to the line releasing position. 
A switching mechanism B for switching the bail 5 to the line releasing 
position by means of the switch arm 13 will be described next. As shown in 
FIGS. 2 and 3, the revolving arm 4A contains a toggle mechanism 15 in an 
interior space thereof. The toggle mechanism 15 includes a pivotable case 
15A, a piston 15B mounted in the case 15A, and a spring 15C for biasing 
the piston 15B in a projecting direction. The toggle mechanism 15 is 
interlocked at an extreme end thereof to the arm cam 14 to retain the arm 
cam 14 and bail 5 in the line releasing position or line winding position 
under the spring load of the toggle mechanism 15. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 
4, a drive arm 18 is disposed adjacent a rear end of the case 15A and 
supported by the revolving arm 4A to be pivotable sideways about a fore 
and aft axis. An upper end of the drive arm 18 is movable into contact 
with the case 15A to drive the latter. A limit dog 19 is formed on the 
front surface of the reel body 2. When the case 15A is in a position 
corresponding to the line releasing position, the drive arm 18 contacts 
the limit dog 19 as a result of rotation of the rotor 4. The drive arm 18 
thereby pivots to drive the case 15A to switch the bail 5 to the line 
winding position. Thus, a line winding operation of the handle 1 
automatically causes the bail 5 to return from the line releasing position 
to the line winding position. 
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the arm cam 14 includes a projection 14A formed 
on an upper surface of a proximal portion thereof for contacting the 
switch arm 13. When the switch arm 13 is pulled toward the user to cause 
it to pivot about the axis X, the switch arm 13 pushes the projection 14A 
to swing the arm cam 14 forcibly, thereby switching the bail 5 from the 
line winding position to the line releasing position. The revolving arm 4A 
contains a stopper piston 16 along with the toggle mechanism 15 in the 
interior space thereof. The stopper piston 16 has an end thereof 
projecting toward the reel body 2 and defining a stopper 16A for acting on 
a stopper surface described later. The other end 16B of the stopper piston 
16 projects toward the switch arm 13 to contact a cam surface 13B formed 
on a proximal portion of the switch arm 13. The switch arm 13 is biased by 
a spring 17 in a retracting direction. 
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a stopper surface 2A is formed on the front 
surface of the reel body 2 opposed to the revolving arm 4A. The stopper 
surface 2A is in the form of a rugged engaging surface arranged in the 
circumferential direction on the front surface. The stopper 16A is in the 
form of an engaging projection for engaging recesses in the rugged 
surface. When the switch arm 13 is operated to switch the bail 5 from the 
line releasing position to the line winding position, the proximal portion 
of the switch arm 13 pushes the other end 16B of the stopper piston 16. As 
a result, the engaging projection of the stopper piston 16 engages the 
stopper surface 2A to lock the rotor 4 against rotation. Thus, when the 
bail 5 is switched to the line releasing position, the rotor 4 is locked 
against rotation to facilitate operation of the switch arm 13. The user 
may operate the switch arm 13 simply by hooking the line with one finger 
and continuing to move the finger in the switch arm operating direction. 
The stopper piston 16 and the stopper surface 2A on the front surface of 
the reel body 2 constitute a rotation stopping mechanism C for acting on 
the rotor 4. 
A supporting boss 2B extends in the fore and aft direction through a rear 
wall of the reel body 2. The supporting boss 2B has a supporting bore 2a 
of circular section defined in an axial position thereof for receiving and 
supporting a stopper control rod 21. As shown in FIG. 9, the stopper 
control rod 21 includes a portion having a non-circular section 21A formed 
by cutting a forward length of a shank portion having a circular section 
to a half cylinder. A cylindrical portion 21B having a large and a small 
circular sections extends rearward from the non-circular portion 21A. A 
stopper knob 22 is attached to a mar end of the cylindrical portion 21B 
for rotating the stopper control rod 21. The non-circular portion 21A 
includes a cam portion 23 at a forward end thereof for acting on the end 
of the engaging pawl 12 remote from the engaging teeth 11. The cam portion 
23 moves the engaging pawl 12 away from the engaging teeth 11 to prevent 
the stopper mechanism A from rotating the rotor 4 backward. 
As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the reel body 2 includes a cantilever wall 20 
extending inwardly from an inner surface of a side wall thereof and 
disposed forwardly of a forward end of the supporting boss 2B. The 
cantilever wall 20 has a cutout 20a defined in a distal end surface 
thereof to act as a limiting contact portion. This cutout 20a has a 
sectional shape of a quarter circle for limiting rotation of the 
non-circular portion 21A of the stopper control rod 21. When the stopper 
control rod 21 is rotated in one direction about its axis, one part of a 
surface of the non-circular portion 21A contacts a receiving surface of 
the cutout 20a, as shown in FIG. 10, to limit rotation of the stopper 
control rod 21. When the stopper control rod 21 is rotated in the other 
direction, a different part of the surface of the non-circular portion 21A 
contacts the end surface of the cantilever wall 20, as shown in FIG. 11, 
to limit rotation of the stopper control rod 21. In the horizontal posture 
of the non-circular portion 21A shown in FIG. 10, the cam portion 23 is 
separated from the engaging pawl 12 for allowing the engaging pawl 12 to 
engage the engaging teeth 11. This is an inoperative position of the 
stopper mechanism A. When the stopper control rod 21 is rotated to place 
the non-circular portion 21A in the vertical posture shown in FIG. 11, the 
cam portion 23 acts on the engaging pawl 12 to move the engaging pawl 12 
away from the engaging teeth 11. This is an operative position of the 
stopper mechanism A. 
The following structures may be employed for limiting rotation of the 
stopper control rod 21: 
(1) Instead of the cutout 20a, the limiting contact portion may be in a 
form other than a recess, such as a shoulder or projection. 
(2) FIG. 12 shows a different example of limiting structures. A 
cantilevered handle shaft 28 has a drive gear 29 attached to an inward end 
thereof and meshed with a pinion gear 8. A lid 27 is attached to a right 
side of the reel body 2 opposed to a left side supporting the handle shaft 
28. The lid 27 includes a cantilever wall 20 projecting from an inner 
surface thereof, with a cutout 20a formed in a projecting end of the 
cantilever wall 20 to limit rotation of the stopper control rod 21. This 
structure produces the same effect as the foregoing structure having the 
cutout 20a formed in the cantilever wall 20 projecting from the inner 
surface of the reel body 2 to limit rotation of the stopper control rod 
21. The cantilevered handle shaft 28 is supported by two bearings 24 
spaced apart axially thereof. An adjusting washer 25 and a hexagonal 
retainer spring 26 are mounted on the handle shaft 24 adjacent one of the 
bearings 24 to maintain the handle shaft 28 in place. The adjusting washer 
25 may be changed simply by removing the retainer spring 26 and bearing 
24. By using an adjusting washer 25 having a different thickness, an 
adjustment may be made to eliminate chattering from the engagement between 
the drive gear 29 and pinion gear 8. Since the retainer spring 26 is used 
to maintain the beating 24 and handle shaft 28 in place, the adjusting 
washer may easily be replaced with a washer having a different thickness 
simply by removing the retainer spring 26. The washer changing operation 
does not require detachment of the lid 27 or other steps. 
(3) In the preceding embodiment, the cantilever wall 20 defining the cutout 
20a projects from the reel body 2 as an integral part thereof. Instead of 
such a structure, a separate wall member defining a cutout 20a may be 
screwed to the reel body 2. 
(4) The cutout 20a may have any Other sectional shape than the quarter 
circle, i.e. may be rectangular in section, as long as it allows movement 
of the non-circular portion and limits the movement with a receiving 
surface. 
(5) The non-circular portion 21A of the stopper control rod 21 may have a 
polygonal sectional shape. 
Other Embodiments 
A material, such as felt, having a high coefficient of friction may be 
applied to the stopper surface 2A to act as a friction brake combined with 
the stopper piston 16. An increased coefficient of friction may be 
attained by coating the surface with a resin or the like, or forming fine 
irregularities on the surface. 
The rotation stopping mechanism C may be modified as shown in FIGS. 5 and 
6. Here, the case 15A of the toggle mechanism 15 has an extended rear end 
which, when the bail 5 is in the line releasing position, contacts the 
stopper surface 2A on the front surface of the reel body 2 to apply a 
braking force to the rotor 4. In this case, the arm cam 14 is used to 
cause the case 15A acting as a stopper to contact the stopper surface 2A 
with operation of the switch arm 13 acting as the control device. 
FIG. 7 shows another rotation stopping mechanism C with the limit dog 19 
disposed in a different position. This limit dog 19 acts on the drive arm 
18 to stop the rotor moving in the direction indicated by arrow "a". 
Points of contact between the limit dog 19 and drive arm 18 may be coated 
with a material having a high coefficient of friction, to suppress 
opposite rotations of the rotor 4. However, it is sufficient to stop the 
rotation of rotor 4 in the direction of arrow "a" in response to a finger 
operation of the control device. 
As shown in FIG. 8, the switch arm 13 may include an extension 13A formed 
on the proximal end thereof and having a predetermined length. When the 
switch arm 13 is swung toward the user to switch the bail 5 to the line 
releasing position, the extension 13A contacts a rear skirt portion 9A of 
the spool 9 to stop rotation of the rotor 4. Thus, this rotation stopping 
mechanism C frictionally brakes the rotor 4 with the extension 13A pressed 
on the skirt portion 9A. As noted above, an increased frictional force may 
be attained by coating the extension 13A and skirt portion 9A with a resin 
or the like, or forming irregularities on their surfaces for braking the 
rotor 4 by means of engagement between the extension 13A and skirt portion 
9A. 
The stopper mechanism A may include an engaging portion 11 formed on an 
inner peripheral wall of a center front recess of the rotor 4. This 
engaging portion 11 may be in the form of engaging teeth arranged at 
predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner 
peripheral wall.