ANGLING AID

Abstract: In order to enable an angler to retain a rod in a convenient position while keeping both hands free for such operations as removing a fish and rebaiting a hook, there is provided an angling aid comprising a harness for attachment to the wearer's body and including a cradle (28, 29) for support of a fishing rod. In the arrangement shown, a thigh embracing element (21) is supported by a side strap (22) forming part of the harness. The element (21) may further be supported from a waist band forming a further part of the harness. The cradle is formed by two out-turned arcuate ends (28) and (29) of a metal rod (27) secured to a raised portion (25) of the part (21) by means of wing nuts (33). The side strap (22) passes through apertures (41) in the element (21) so as pass between the wing nuts and the wearer.

Description: "ANGLIFG AID" This .invention relates to angling aids. Anglers, particularly competition anglers, frequentl need to keep their hands free while still -retaining a fishing rod in position and readily accessible, e.g. to remove a fish and/or rebait the hook. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an angling aid in the form of a harness for attachment to the anglers body and including a cradle for support of a fishing rod. In one embodiment, the cradle may comprise a strip having two spaced projecting arms, a forward one of which has a recess in an upper edge, while the other, rearward, arm has a recess in the lower edge. The angle of the cradle may be adjustable relative to the harness. The harness may include a belt to pass round the user's body and a forward support to extend downwardly from the belt to rest on the forward part of the user's thigh to inhibit forward tilting of the harness. In an alternative embodiment, the harness may includ a waist belt and the cradle may be mounted upon, a thigh embracing element secured by a strap around the thigh and also by a vertical strap to the waist belt. The cradle ma be formed by bending the metal rod to form two end arcuate portions in planesnormal to the length of the rod, one - being bent below the rod and the other above. The rod may be readily releasable from the thigh embracing element. OMPI . IPO The invention will be further described with refer¬ ence to the accompanying drawings, which show two altern¬ ative embodiments of the invention, and in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an angling aid in accordance with the one form of the invention; .figure 2 is an elevation of the aid of Figure , having a cradle in a different position; Figure 3 is a plan view of the aid as shown in Figure- 2; Figure 4- is an elevation of an alternative form of embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 is a plan view of the angling aid of Figure 4-; and Figure 6 illustrates a harness for use with the aid of Figures and 5. Turning now to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings it will be seen that a body harness comprises a belt 1 to pass round the user's body. _ This belt 1 is attached to a curve support element 2 which * conforms approximately to the wearer's thigh. Attached to or integral with the support member 2 is a block - which carries, somewhat spaced from the wearer's body, a cradle 5- The cradle 5 consists of a strip 6 with a pair of outwardly projecting arms 7 and 8. The forward arm 7 has a recess 9 on its upper edge, while the rearward arm 8 has a recess 10 in its lower edge. These two recesses between them orm a cradl ' e to support a fishing rod with its weigh essentially forward of the forward arm so that it tends to pivot in a clockwise direction about a fork when formed by the recess 9 and is restrained by engagement of the rod of the recess 10. Supporting the rod produces a clockwise, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, torque which is resisted by the reaction of the wearer's thigh against the extension 3. The wearer may thus support the rod in the cradle 5 while keeping his hands free, -e.g. for removal of a fish and for rebaiting the hook. Retrieval of the rod from the cradle is very simple when manual control is required. The strip 6 is attached to the block 4- by means of a bolt 12 embedded in the block 4- and a wing nut 13 co¬ operating therewith. In the region of the bolt 12, the block 4- and the strip 6 may be formed with cooperating ridges and grooves 14- extending in a roughly radial di¬ rection, or other similar asperities, in order to improve the frictional retention of the strip against the block 4-. By loosening the wing nut 13. the cradle 53-a " be freed for rotation on the -bolt 12 and it may be retained in a suitable position by tightening the wing nut 13. Figures 1 and 2 show the cradle in two different positions related to block 4-. • The belt 1 is shown as being attached to the support member 2 by means of rivets 15, but it may run loosely in a groove formed between the block 4- and the support member 2 or through the block itself. Also, the version shown is to enable a rod to be worn at the right-hand side of the wearer's body, and obviously a left-handed version could also be made. If the rest is to be useful with a fly fishing rod, the balance may be different and the positions of the recesses 9 and 10 may be reversed to allow for a rear weighted rod. Further, the wing nut 13 may be replaced by a nut embedded in a suitably shaped body of plastics material to allow ready manual loosening and tightening. Turning now to Figures 4- and 5 » there is shown an alternative arrangement in which an arcuate thighembracing element 21 is secured to the thigh by a thigh strap 22. In order to provide for full support of the member 21 , the harness may further include a waist belt 23 and a vertical strap 24- attached to the waist belt and to the member 2 . These elements are diagramatically shown in Figure 6. The thighembracingelement 21 is a pressing or mould¬ ing of suitable plastics material and it is provided with an off-set portion 25 having holes to receive fixing studs 26 attached to the rod 27 of a cradle. The cradle is . formed by out-turned arcuate ends 28 and 29 of the rod 27. These ends are in a plane generally normal to the rod and as illustrated, the end 28 is curved downwards and the end 29 is curved upwards so as to provide the same function as the recesses 9 and 10 previously described. The curved ends 28 and 29 and the adjacent parts of the rod 27 may be covered with sleeves y\ of plastics material if required. The studs 26 are formed with collars 3 and the threaded ends of the studs are secured with wing nuts 33- preferred that a metal washer 3- " be inserted beneath each wing nut 33,and a fibre washer beneath each shoulder 36. In the position illustrated, the rod 27 is inclined, but if use is made of an additional mounting hole 35 . then the rod 27 may be used alternatively in a horizontal posi¬ tion. It will be appreciated that if the cradle is to be used for a fly fishing rod, wherein the position of the reel near the end tends to load the bottom end of the rod, then the. ends 28 and 29 need to be reversed. This means that a completely different cradle needs to be fitted. Clearly, 1 if an angler wishes to support the rod on the left side then a reversed arrangement also has to be . used. It will be seen that the wing nut 33 projects beneath the off-set portion 25, and it is preferred that they should remain substantially outside the arc of the thigh embracing-element 21 for the wearer's comfort. Addi¬ tionally, the side strap can be arranged to pass through apertures 4-1 placed on either side of the off-set portion 25 so that the side strap itself passes between the wearer' body and the wing nuts. Further apertures 4-2 are provided in the thighembraci portion for attachment of the strap 24- either forwardly or rearwardly of the off-set portion 25 and depending on whether the weight of the rod is expected to be exerted forwardly or rearwardly. Although the stra s 22 and 23 may be secured by OMPI • AΛAT- buckles, it is preferable that the ends be secured by a peelable fastner, e.g. provided by hook tape and looped tape as soldunderthe trade mark Velcro. The strap 24- may be also attached by a peelable fastener if required. Various modifications may be made within- the scope of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An angling aid in the form of a harness for attach¬ ment to the anglers body and including a cradle for support of a fishing rod. 2. An angling aid as claimed in claim 1 , in which the cradle comprises a strip having two spaced projecting arms, a forward one of which has a recess in an upper edge, while the other, rearward, arm has a recess in the lower edge. 3. An angling aid as claimed in claim 2, in which the angle of the cradle is adjustable relative to the harness. 4-. An angling aid as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3 . in which the harness includes a belt to pass round the user's body and a orward support to extend downwardly from the belt to rest on the forward part of the user's thigh to inhibit forward tilting of the harness. 5« An angling aid as claimed in claim 1, in which the cradle is mounted on a thigh embracing element securable by a strap around the thigh. 6. An angling aid as claimed in claim 5 . in which the harness includes a waist belt and a generally vertical strap extending between the waist belt and the thigh embracing element. - 8 - 7. An angling aid as claimed in claims 1 , 4- or 6, in which the cradle is formed of metal rods bent to form two arcuate end portions in planes generally normal to the length of the rod, the ends being one below and one above the length of the rod. 8. An angling aid as claimed in claims 5 . 6 or 7. i which the cradle is readily releaεable from the thigh embracing element. 9. - An angling aid substantially as hereinbefore describe with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings. 10. An angling aid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4- to 6 of the accom¬ panying drawings.

Inventors: HEMMINGS BARRY EDWARD, HEMMINGS, BARRY, EDWARD
Applicants: PROTACK EQUIPMENT
Application year: 1983
Main classification: A01K97
IPC codes: A01K97