FLOAT

Abstract: A float with automatic securing of a fishing line, of the kind that has a float body (10), a chamber (5) with water inlets (11), a float element (12) located and movable in the chamber, a lead-through (8, 9) for leading the fishing line (19) through the chamber, and fastening means (14, 15) for securing the line. According to the invention the fastening means comprise at least one magnet (14) provided in conjunction with the upper end of the chamber (5) and a plate made from a material that is attracted by a magnetic field, the plate being provided at the upper end of the float element (12), and the fishing line (19) lead-through (8, 9) being provided for extending the line transversely accross the chamber (5) in conjunction with its upper end.

Description: FLOAT The invention relates to a float of the kind indicated in the preamble of the attached claim 1. When fishing and us ing a float threaded on a fishing line, the basic purpose of the float is of course, besides indicating that a fish is biting, to keep the bait at a certain depth below the water surface. Many times, however, it is desirable to be able to explore at what depth the fish are located. Using a conventional float manually set for a desirable fishing depth, such an exploration of various depths ' gets complicated since the float has to be pulled up each time the fishing depth is to be changed. In such an instance one wou ld most often like to start with the bait just above or exactly on the lake or sea bottom, and from there start the exploration upwardly, but when us ing an ordinary fixed float , it is troublesome and time consuming to try to establish when the bait is positioned just above the bottom. The above problems get even worse in those cases when a f loat is provided with some kind of a weight , a so called casting f loat, so that by means of an e .g. ordinary spinning wheel, the float and the bait can be thrown out a relatively great distance from the casting points Needles s to say that this kind of fishing makes it even more time consuming to exp lore different water depths since the line may have to be reeled in an approximative distance of 25 - 30 meters for each change of fishing depth. Another problem that occurs when us ing a casting float, is that the line, when being reeled in, tends to twist itsel f between the spinning roll and the float s ince the f loat acts as a brake. This twisting of the line often results in that the line will get all tangled up during the next cast and probably also end up over the f loat and cross itself. This is an additional source of irritation as the fisherman does not often discover that the line has ended up on the float and has crossed until pulling up the bait to make a new cast. What actually happens is that the fisherman unnecessarily and for several minutes wi ll be standing there waiting for the fish to bite, although the bait may be located only a few centimeters under the float. In the US Patent No. 3 353 294 there is described a float of the above-mentioned kind, by means of which an attempt has been made to solve some of the above problems. This particular float is designed so that when removed from the water, it is freely slidable in both directions along a fishing line, upon which it has been threaded. Further¬ more, the float is adapted to automatically catch hold of the fishing line a predetermined period of time after being positioned in the water. This is achieved by pro¬ viding the float with a chamber which comprises a water inlet permitting a restricted flow of water into the chamber. In the chamber there is also provided a f loat element, which is slidable along a centrally positioned channel element, in the interior of which- the fishing line is led through the float. Depending on whether there is an inflow or outflow of water, the f loat element disengages or engages respectively a lock device for the line. This lock device comprises a rotatably journalled lever ar m which is di rectly actuated by the f loat element. Through a peg provided in the interior of the channel element this lever arm actuates a ball adapted to secure the line against a conical surface. It is obvious that such a design after it has been used for a whi le is very susceptible to disorders since it comprises four separate moving parts, which are likely to bind due to dirt penetrating into the interior of the float or sediments being deposited on inappropriate portions of the moving parts. Due to the large number of parts with different movable bearings, this known design al so becomes re lative ly costly even if the parts per se are made from cheap material. It is al so questionable whether this known float in an efficient way can prevent the twisting of the line, since the bal l during the v/hole reel-in of the line sti ll engages the line w ith a certain pressure. An additional drawback of this des ign is that it is very troublesome to lead the line through the float, when the f loat is being mounted . In the US Patent No. 3 455 056 another kind of float is disc los ed which automatica lly locks the fishing line a predetermined time after the float has been positioned in the water. In this structure a float body is used, in the centre of which a plunger is slidably mounted. In the bottom of the plunger are water inlets through which water enters when the float is in the water. As the plunger is being fi lled with water and an equivalent amount of air is being forced out through an air outlet, the plunger w i ll s ink relative to the surrounding f loat body. When the plunger has sunk a predetermined distance in the f loat body, it actuates a lock hammer which is swung into contact with the line and secures it. Besides the fact that the hinged bearing of the lock hammer involves an unwanted rise in the costs and an additional risk for disorders, it is very questionable if a correct function can be guaranteed after some time of use . The fact is that the bearing between the f loat body and the plunger has to be such that the plunger slides relatively freely inside the f loat body but at the same time the f it has to be so tight between them that the plunger is correctly guided in the float body and not tilted. Thus, the s li ding s u r f ace s w i l l be expos ed to di rt and sediments directly affecting the function. Furthermore, the twisting of the line is not likely to be eliminated at all since the lock hammer, during the ree l-in, with some pressure engages the line. The purpose of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a fishing line float of the initially mentioned kind by means of which the above drawbacks are eliminated at the same time as the number of moving parts are mini¬ mized to obtain a reliable function and an inexpensive production. This purpose is attained by means of a float indicated in the accompanying patent claims, in which the characteris¬ tics of the invention are displayed. The invention is described more fully below and by way of examples in conjunction with the attached, schematic drawings, in which: Fig. 1 partially in section shows a first embodiment of the float, according to the invention, Fig. 2 partially in section shows a second embodiment of the float, according to the present invention and Fig. 3 shows an enlarged detail of the float according to Fig* 2 in. a. position, when the line is locked. In the figures the float according to the invention is shown schematically, but it should be realized that this design has been chosen for a solely examplifying purpose and that the float in reality could have any other suitable, outer form, such as a globular form. A first embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Fig. 1, where it is shown that the float 1 comprises a main body 2 with an inner chamber 5. The main body 2 has at its lower end one or several water inlets 11 for conducting water into the chamber 5. Inside the chamber 5 there is provided a float body 10, which can be made of plastic foam or similar material and which may be positioned in the main body and attached to the 5 inner walls thereof, but it can also be formed inte¬ grally with the main body to constitute a leakproof chamber in which air is contained. The float body 10 is given such a length that it terminates at a little dis¬ tance from the upper end of chamber 5 and that it termi¬ nates at a distance from the lower end of the chamber that basically equals the length of a moving float element 12 provided in the chamber. The float element 12 is movable between the upper and lower ends of the chamber 5, thereby moving through a central bore 13 in the float body 10. In cross-section, the bore 13 has a shape corresponding to that ,of the float element 12 but the bore has a somewhat larger diameter than the float element such that the latter is free to move up and down through the bore. For the guiding of the float element 12 as it moves in the chamber 5, there is provided a guide rod 16 centrally in the chamber so that it extends from the upper end to the lower end of the chamber. The guide rod 16 is anchored to the lower end of the chamber but could also be anchored to the upper end, so as to permit an accurate guiding of the float element 12. At the upper end of the chamber 5 there is provided one or several magnets 14 which cooperate with a plate 15 of some suitable material attracted, by a magnetic field. This plate is located at the upper end of the float element 12 facing the magnet 14. If the guide rod is also anchored to the upper end of the chamber an annular magnet could be used. It would be positioned so that it surrounds the upper end of the guide rod 16, but it is also possible to position several minor magnets around the guide rod. The magnet as well as the plate could be treated so as to avoid corrosion. It is also possible to protect them from any contact with the water by covering them under a thin, protective coat of plastic or the like. In conjunction with the lower end of the chamber 5 there is most preferably provided a weight 17, the main purpose of which is to guarantee that the f loat pos itions correctly after striking the water. By an embodiment for us e as a ca s ting f loat a heavier weight cou ld be utilized. At the opposite end the main body .s, through a tapered portion or a web 3, connected to a top float 4, the function of which will be described more fully below. At a distance below the upper end of the chamber 5 there are provided diametrically opposed openings 8 in the main body 2. When the guide rod is anchored at both ends the guide rod is also provided with a through bore. When the float is to be threaded on a fishing line 19, the line is led through one of the openings 8, possibly through the through bore and through the opposite opening 8 and then along the side of the f loat and through a line guide 18 at the outer wall of the main body. The float according to the invention functions in the following way r When starting out for a cast the float has freely slid down along the line 19, coming to a stop first when the s inker 20 of the line encounters and engages the line guide 18. The line guide 18 is preferably formed like a fork so that the sinker bears on the fork and keeps the line stretched along the outer side of the f loat during the cast, but so that the line is freed from the line guide when the float has landed in the water and the sinker is sinking to the bottom. In that case it will be avoided that the line rubs too strongly against the edges of the holes 8 during the reel-in of a hooked fish. At this initial stage the chamber 5 of the f loat has been emptied of water either through the openings 8 or the water inlets 11 and the float element is resting against the bottom of the chamber. If to begin with, the float element is at the upper end of the chamber and with the plate 15 in contact with the magnet 14, the float element can be shaken down in the f loat by a simple jerk of the hand. After the cast, as the float strikes the water, it is immediately turned to a correct position by the weight 17, which is adapted so as to press down the float to level A of Fig. 3, level A thus symbolizing the water surface. Since the float element is at the lower end of the chamber, the line 19 runs freely through the f loat and the bait starts to sink towards the bottom with the help of the sinker 20. At the same time water enters through the inlet holes 11 and into the chamber 5. The displaced air escapes through the openings 8 which are above the water surface. As the chamber 5 is being filled with water the f loat element is being l i fted up through the bore 13 in the float body 10, the lower edges of which are preferably chamfered to eliminate the risk for the float element to get stuck to the lower edge of the f loat body. When the chamber is fil led, the f loat has sunk to level B. The inlet holes 11 are dimensioned so that an adequate time, e.g. 30 seconds , may elapse to fi ll the chamber 5 with water to such an extent that the float element is lifted suf f iciently high in the f loat in order for the plate and thus the float element to get attracted by the magnet and secure the line between the magnet and the plate. This time is preferably chosen such that the bait at a normal f ishing depth always gets the time to fall to the bottom before the line is secured. Due to that the openings 8 in the main body 2 of the f loat are located s lightly under the plane in which the fishing line 19 is secured between the plate 15 and the magnet 14, the float element, for a short period of time, can be forced down in the direction towards the bottom of the chamber by a light pull of the line . In doing so the part of the line hanging down from the float can be shortened so that the fishing depth can be adjusted from the bottom and upwards in very small or larger steps. By using a sinker 20 adapted to the f loat, one can also obtain an exact indication of when the sinker and thus also the bait, usually in a position adjacent the sinker, leaves the bottom. This is achieved due to the fact that when also the weight of the sinker 20 loads the float, this sinks further until the water surface reaches level C. In this way it is also possible to get an immediate indication of whether the line during the cast has ended up around the f loat in the way that is previous ly described. If this should happen the float will directly sink down to a deeper level and the fisherman will know that the cast has to be repeated. Since the float element during the reel-in of the line is pushed away from the magnet, in the way described above, the risk for a stronger twisting of the line wi ll also to a large extent be eliminated. When the line has been reeled-in and a new cast will be made, the water is first emptied from the chamber and then one ensures, by a simple jerk of the hand, that the f loat element is in the lower position. The water can preferably be emptied through the openings 8 but it is also possible to provide a larger hole in the upper part of the main body for a more rapid emptying of the water. In Fig. 3 is shown a modified embodiment of the float according to the invention wherein the guiding of the float element is somewhat modified. Since the guide rod 16 according to the embodiment of Fig. 1 has to be adjusted and fixed very exactly for proper guiding of the float element inside the bore 13 of the float body 10 and without bumping against the latter, the price of the construction is thereby somewhat raised. For this reason the guide rod 16 can be replaced by the tube 16 * , illustrated in Fig. 2, which is provided in the bore 13 of the float body 10. The tube can in an appropriate way be attached either to the lower end of the chamber or to the float body, and extends at least so far high up that the float element 12' is reliably guided throughout its movement up towards the magnet 14'. In conjunction with the lower end of the tube, the tube is provided with openings 21 to permit the water to enter the tube 16 * from the chamber 5. The position of the openings 21 relative to the lower end of the tube, can be varied for a change of the time lapsing before the float element begins to rise in the tube. Another possible way of solving this, is to attach the tube, in the way described above, to the float body or directly or indirectly to the side walls of the chamber, depending on the position of the float body, whereby the tube can terminate at a distance from the lower end of the chamber. By the use of this tube 16' the adjustment will not be as critical, since the float element, even if the tube would be slightly inclining, is guided all the way up and against the magnet without the possibility of getting stuck to anything. It is also evident from Fig. 2 that the main body 2' of the float can be made of two separate parts 6' and 7' which are preferably detachably connected to each other by means of a snap-in connection or the like. Since the parting line between the parts 6' and 7' is extended through the fishing line openings 8', the advantage is reached that the line does not need to be threaded through the float but only placed across it, whereupon the parts are snapped together. The float can therefore be mounted on a line, which already from the beginning has been provided with a sinker and a hook. This is also a great advantage if one wants to use the same fishing tackle for both angling and as well for fishing with lures. In such a case the line is provided with a gut, to which alternatively a lure or a short line with sinker and hook, is connected. The divisible main body also brings manufacturing advantages since it facilitates the assembly of the parts of the float. It should also be realized that the embodiment of a two- part main body, can be used together with the guiding of the float element shown in Fig. 1. The invention should not be regarded as limited to those examples described and shown herein, but considered to comprehend modif cations and variations thereof, which are apparent to a person ski lled in the art of this particular field. Thus the magnet, for example, could be placed in the f loat element and the plate at the upper end of the chamber, or the float body could be placed at any other place in the main body. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be limited solely by the appended patent claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Fishing line float with automatic securing of a fishing line, comprising a float body (10), a chamber (5) with water inlets (11), a float element (12, 12') which is movable in the chamber, a lead-through (8, 9; 8') for leading the fishing line (19) through the chamber and fastening means (14, 15; 14', 15') for securing the fishing line, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the fastening means comprise at least one magnet (14; 14') provided in conjunction with the upper end of the chamber (5) and a plate (15; 15') made from a material that is attracted by a magnetic field, and provided at the upper end of the float element (12, 12') or inversely, and in that the fishing line (19) lead-through (8, 8') is provided for extending the line transversely across the chamber in connection with its upper end. 2. A float according to Claim 1, c h a r c t e ¬ r i z e d by a guide rod (16) that is extended substan¬ tially between the upper and lower ends of the chamber (5), in the centre of the chamber, and in that the float element (12) is slidably journalled on the guide rod. 3. A float according to Claim 1, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d by a tube (16') substantially extending between the upper and lower ends of the chamber (5), in the centre of the chamber, and in that the float element (12') is slidably journalled inside the tube (16'). 4. A float according to Claim 3, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in that the tube (16') is directly or indirect¬ ly attached to the side walls of the chamber and termi¬ nates with its lower end at a distance from the lower end of the chamber. 12 5. A float according to Claim 3, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in that the tube (16') is sealingly attached to the lower end wall of the chamber (5), that the water inlets (11) debouch outside of the tube (16 * ) and in that the tube at a distance from its lower end, has openings (21) for the inlet of the water from the chamber (5). 6. A float according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the chamber (5) over at least part of its length is surrounded by the float body made of plastic foam. 7. A float according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a main body (2, 2 * ) which includes the chamber (5) and which through a web (3) is connected to a top float (4) and which at the opposite end, in conjunction with the lower end of the chamber, is provided with a weight (17) for keeping the float in a predetermined position in the water. 8. A float according to Claim 7, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in that the main body (2 * ) is comprised of two detachably connected parts (6 * , 7'), the fishing line lead-through (8') being provided in the parting line between the two parts of the main body.

Inventors: ERIKSSON BOERJE, ERIKSSON, BOERJE
Applicants: ERIKSSON BOERJE, ERIKSSON, BOERJE
Application year: 1985
Main classification: A01K93
IPC codes: A01K93