AN ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY WEIGHT FOR ANGLING

Abstract: The purpose of this invention is an environment friendly angling-weight made of tempered concrete. Depending on the concrete mixture used, angling-weights of various densities can be manufactured. By means of allowing the reinforcement-wire to protrude outside the weight and there form a loop, the possibility ensues to attach the weight to an angling-line.

Description: An environment friendly weight for anαlinα The purpose of this invention is to provide environment friendly moulded weights for angling and to give an account of the process of manufacturing such weights. Weights of various kind have since long been used within the field of angling. There has been a wide range of uses. The material that has dominated the weight-market during modern times is lead. The reasons for making weights out of led have principally been the high density of lead, the uncomplicated process of production, and its relative inexpensiveness. In course of time, the increase in knowledge has given rise to a great number of new angling methods, amongst others the so called artificial fly-spinning and also various kinds of bottom-angling with natural baits, this development having caused a drastical increase in the demand for lead-weights. On the bottom of Swedish waters only approximately hundreds of tons of lead-weights end up every year. This quantity of lead can thus be compared to the 700-800 tons of lead that Swedish motoring let off annually in the mid 80's before the unleaded petrol was launched. The weights used for various kinds of bottom-angling/artificial fly-spinning within angling today normally weigh everything from 20 to 80 grams. Even today it is a fact that most weights still are of lead or other material that in one way or another have negative impact on the environment. And as is known, our understanding of nature and our need for the guarding of the same has increased in time. The demands from both the state and the consumers for environment friendly products have thus risen. As a consequence of this, attempts at environment friendly weights have been presented. WO 92/08346 describes weights made out of other metals than lead. Futhermore there are weights that are primarily composed of different types of plastic-tubes filled with various materials. Unfortunately these weights have a tendecy not to be as environment friendly as nature herself, the state and the consumers call for, mainly due to the toxic effects these materials have on animals and nature. In addition to this, these weights are much too defective and expensive. The great demand for functional, inexpensive, environment friendly weights today is yet unappeased and there is a lot that points towards this demand furthermore increasing in the future. US-A-2 791 860 and 4 267 659 both describe angling weights made out of concrete. However, these are designed to come loose of the fishing line as the weight and the hook reaches the surface of the water and can thereby only be used once. US-A-3 834 059 bears reference to a weight made of watersoluble concrete, which dissolves as it is lowered into the water. Consequently, none of the written documents called to the attention above has put forward an environment friendly angling weight that is stable in itself and does not, in case of a mistrap where it gets stuck on the bottom, spread anvironmental pollution. Bottom-angling is carried out by way of permanently attaching a weight to the end of the angling-line so that it becomes possible to throw the weight relatively far out into the water together with hooks attached to the angling-line by the weight, baited with natural baits or artificial baits such as flies or special lures. The purpose of bottom-angling is to reach the bottom, as a multitude of different species of fish are disposed to both live and search for food there, using the whole of the tackle, including the weight and baits. Bottom-angling is usually pursued in still waters such as lakes and seas, and is a very common fishing method all over the world. It is a prerequisite for bottom-angling that the weight is durable and does not dissolve in contact with water since the whole of the tackle, due to the floating capacity of the angling-line and some baits, would float to the surface without its weight. The purpose of bottom-angling would then be lost. A factor that can prove troublesome in bottom- angling is that the angler rather often has his weight or bait stuck in the uneven bottomstructure. This being so , the angler is all too often compelled to pull off the angling-line, which not seldom means that the whole of the tackle, including weight and baits, is left on the bottom, hereby causing the previously mentioned environmental pollution which in part is composed of remaining lead. As to, as far as possible, avoid having the weight stuck in the often uneven bottom-structure, the weight should be of a fair size. The larger the weight, the lesser the risk of having it stuck on the bottom between stones and such. Though, for the fishing equipment in general and the fishing rod in particular, a large weight made out of the material known to the context signifies that the weight will be too heavy for use. Therefore there is a demand for a comparatively large weight, with a not too high density, which is made of an entirely environment friendly material. Artificial fly-spinning can very easily be campared to bottom-angling, the difference being that artificial fly-spinning most often is prosecuted in streaming waters. In artificial fly-spinning the angler throws the entire tackle, including weight and baits (most often artificial flies), diagonally upstream so as to let the weight and tackle bounce on the bottom aided by the force of the streaming water. As the case is with bottom-angling, artificial fly-spinning too is a very common fishing-method troughout the world. The difficulties facing the arttificial fly-angler are fundamentally the same as those facing the bottom-angler, with the difference that the artificial fly-angler ' s difficulties far outdistances the ones facing the bottom-angler, since the streaming water has an inclination to wedge the weight much easier into often very uneven bottom-structure. Hence, as mentioned earlier, it follows that there is a demand for a relatively large weight with a not too high density, made out of an entirely environmental friendly material. By means of this invention all the above mentioned difficulties are, in all essentials, cleared away owing to the fact that the angling-weight is manufactured from chemically stable, tempered concrete. Through using tempered concrete the above mentioned demand for environment friendly and functional weights can be met and by these means the environment can thus be spared the extensive pollution it is today a subject to. The tempered concrete used for angling-weights according to the invention, is based on sand, gravel, water, limestone, harmless minerals and, when needed, plaster. The apportionment of the different ingredients in percentage can be varied depending on the desired density of the weight. The normal density varies between 2 500 kg/m3 and 4 000 kg/m3. Higher or lower density can, however, be met with depending on the type and size of the weight. Tempered concrete is in this context an unexploited material with the optimal qualities for functioning as an angling-weight. Since tempered concrete can be manufactured from nature ' s own harmless matter, the material in no way harms nature neither in the short nor long term. Moreover, tempered concrete is very easily moulded, inexpensive and also very hard and durable, which constitutes a material that works very well as angling-weights. Save the environmental advantages of tempered concrete as material for making angling-weights, the fact is emphasized that it lies in the nature of tempered concrete to allow for great variety when it comes to the weight in relation to the size of the weights. As opposed to e.g. lead, the tempered concrete is suitable for the making of both large, light weights and large, heavy weights, et cetera. This constitutes a multitude of new possibilities as regards the use of these weights within angling. An important factor in the making of concrete weights to be used in bottom-angling and artificial fly-spinning is. as previously indicated, that the tempered concrete in use must be hard and strong and must by no means dissolve in contact with water during fishing. The tempered concrete must therefore burn, or temper as we usually designate the process, before the weight can be considered ready for use. Tempering is best carried out in two steps: The first step being that the weight is left to temper in its mould for some time. For how long depends on which mixture of concrete that has been used. A recommended time-span could be 24 hours. This first step of the tempering-process is a prerequisite of allowing for the weight to be lifted out of its mould. The second step consists of the concrete weight being stored for three to seven days after the actual production process, so as to obtain a high degree of hardness and strength. This should take place in humid conditions. Under humid conditions, tempered concrete obtains the greater portion of its hardness the first seven days after the actual production process and continues to temper even a while thereafter. The invention will now be more thoroughly described by way of references to the annexed figures out of which: Figure 1 shows an example of an angling weight in accordance with the invention. The main body of the weight is marked a, while b shows a reinforcement-wire and c indicates the loop that is formed by the reinforcement-wire outside the very weight and that is to be attached to the angling-line. Figure 2 displays a double mould for casting two angling-weights in accordance with the invention. The bodies of the mould are marked a, the hinges between the bodies are marked b and the moulds themselves are indicated by a c. Figure 3 shows a variant of the mould in figure 2. Apart from the terms already provided by figure 2, the d indicates the loop by which the completed weight is to be attached to the angling-line. Figures 4 and 5 show examples of different ways of designing the angling-weight in accordance with the invention. In figures 5a and 5c the weights shown are of low density, while 5b and 5d depict weights with high density. Figures 6 and 7 demonstrate various ways of reinforcing the angling- weight in accordance with the invention. Figure 8 indicates how large the replenishment-opening (a) of the mould should be in proportion to the diameter of the weight. The main body of the weight is moulded from tempered concrete. To render it possible to attach this (Fig. 1 .a.) to the angling-line a wire is best used (Fig. 1 .b,c) made of steel, iron, copper or any other bendable material. The thread protrudes from the moulded body partly to function as a line-attachment (Fig. I .e.) and partly as reinforcement for the weight (Fig. 1 .b.). Owing to the fact that the above mentioned weight can be utilized for different kinds of angling, the shape of the weight (Fig.4.) and the density of the tempered concrete can be varied. For instance, small and relatively light weights (Fig. 5. a.) can be moulded, as well as small and relatively heavy weights (Fig. 5.b.), large and relatively light weights (Fig. 5.c.) and large and relatively heavy weights (Fig. 5.d.) . Further on, examples are given of various densities and strength depending on the percentage apportionment of contents of the tempered concrete and on the qualities of the different ingredients (e.g. fine- or coarsegrained sand, type of water et cetera). The expert in the field can simply make a mixture that will provide the tempered concrete with the desired properties. The tempered concrete can, for instance, contain sand, water, limestone, harmless minerals and, when needed, plaster and pebbles or gravel. What type of metal or what material is used in the wire dependens on what kind of weight is intended. A large weight of high density may need a wire of an extra thick and thus extra heavy material. A small weight of low density may need a wire of an extra thin and thus extra light material, wherefore the choise of material for the wire is left open. The weight can, as an example, be cast in a two-piece mould (Fig. 2. and 3.) out of material suitable for a particular tempered concrete- mixture, such as metal, plastic, wood, plaster, cheramics, silicon or an other material. The mould can be composed of two parts (Fig. 2. a. and 3. a.) which are smeared with a suitable lubricant, e.g. vegetable oil, and are held together by, for instance, hinges (Fig. 2.b. and 3.b.) . The shape of the weight is thereby determined by the shapes of the two cavities in each half of the mould (Fig. 2.c. and 3.c). The wire, that is to function as the reinforcement and as the attachment for the angling-line is placed in grooves on one half of the mould (Fig. 3. a.). These grooves also function as funnel/replenishment-openings for the mould. In this manner the wire protrudes from the main body as reinforcement (Fig. 3. c.) to form an attachment for the angling-line outside the mould (Fig. 3. d.). When moulding as small tempered concrete objects as are used for weights in angling, it has , through experiments 1 to 7 proved to be important both that the concrete-mixture is sufficiently fluid at the moment of moulding and that the replenishment- openings is of a fair size, that is meant to correspond to at least 30% of the diameter of the mould and thus also the maximal diameter of the weight in width (Fig. 8. a ). If the replenishment-openings of the mould is lesser in size than the above given measurement, the mould runs the risk of being filled with too much water, wich will render it difficult to drive out air from the mould. The possible consequence being a relatively porous weight. Other kinds of mould can also be used. People in general may, when making a smaller number of weights, well use disposable moulds of tempered clay or cheramics (to be used once or twice). Under the assumption that the moulds are thoroughly smeared with a suitable lubricant, i.e. vegetable oil, it works splendidly to cast weights in an open mould consisting, for instance, of a mould-body with open hollows corresponding to the intended size of the weights. The hallows are then filled with the appropriate concrete-mixture in which a reinforcement-wire with a loop is attached. For industrial mass production of weights for angling in accordance with patent claims 1 to4, the use of modern technology is recommended since it allows for computer based manufacturing on conveyor belts with wet pressing of the concrete-alloy which, amongst other things, brings forth the advantage that, in principle, the concrete-weight burns/tempers instantly. Example 1 A weight weighing 60 grams +/- 2 grams cast of concrete-alloy with a density of 2 500 kg/m3 can, for instance, depending on the shape, obtain the measurements 12,5 x 12,5 x 80,0 mm (Width x depth x height). So as to make the tempered concrete harden enough in such small moulds as are demanded by these weights, it became apparent in experiment 1 to 3 that the optimal concrete-alloy as used for cast angling-weights should contain relatively small pebbles/fine gravel and should be mixed a relatively large quantity of water to begin with, this is then pressed out from the mould together with air during the moulding process. In regards to the nature of the ingredients, the optimal mixture could, disregarding its density, be compared to what is known in the concrete business as semi fine-concrete and fine-concrete. A tempered concrete mixture with a density of 2 500 kg/m3 was made and poured into a mould together with a piece of steelwire that was bent into a loop. The density came out as expected and the strength proved to be excellent. Example 2 A tempered concrete mixture was made and moulded as is described in example 1. The result being a concrete weight with the expected density of 3 500 kg/m3. The strength proved to be excellent. Example 3 A tempered concrete mixture was made and moulded as described in example 1. The result being a concrete weight with the expected density of 4 500 kg/m3. The strength proved to be excellent. Example 4 Depending on the type of weight and its density, the wire can be moulded into the main body in various ways (Fig. 6.). This mainly depending on what requirements are set for the strength of the fastening of the wire. The experiments stated below show examples of various ways to fasten the wire and how strong these fastenings are: The wire was moulded straight into (Fig. 6. a.) three main bodies with different densities in accordance with examples 1 to 3. The strength proved to be insufficient for the weight with density of 2 500 kg/m3 in accordance with example 1, but excellent for the weights with the densities 3 500 kg/m3 and 4 500 kg/m3 in accordance with example 2 and 3. Example 5 In this experiment the wire was bent at the end (Fig. 6. b.) and moulded straight into three main bodies with different densities in accordance with examples 1 to 3. The strength proved to be excellent for all the weights. Example 6 In this experiment the wire was folded (Fig. 6. c.) and moulded into three main bodies with different densities in accordance with example 1 to 3. The strength proved to be excellent for all the weights. Example 7 In this experiment the wire was moulded in the shape of an elliptical ring (Fig. 6. d.) into three main bodies with different densities in accordance with examples 1 to 3. The strength proved to be excellent for all the weights. The conclusions drawn from the experiments 4 to 7 are that the best result is reached when the reinforcement streaches into the main body at least one forth of its length and that the reinforcing part of the wire should not be altogether straight. Example 8 In addition to extensive test-fishing and palpable inspection of the wires fastening, further strength-testing was carried out. For instance, so as to make these tests as realistic as possible a moist angling-line of the dimension 0,80 mm with a tensile- and knotstrength of about 70 kg when wet was tied to the weight. Overdimensioned power was then used in various ways and from different angles to test wheter the fastenings could cope with the strain without becoming impaired or alter in any way. In all examples above where the strength of the wire-fastenings has been stated as excellent the fastenings has successfuly managed all tests without altering.

Claims: Patent-claims 1. A chemically stable angling-weight suitable for bottom-angling and artificial fly-spinning and intended to be permanently attached to the angling-line during the whole of the fishing occasion, characterized by it being manufactured from tempered concrete. 2. An angling-weight in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by it having a main body made of tempered concrete reinforced by one or possible several casted wires. 3. An angling-weight in accordance with claim 2, characterized by the reinforcement-wire protruding from the main body and thus also functioning as an attachment for an angling-line, by means of the said wire forming a loop outside the main body. 4. An angling-weight in accordance with claim 2 or 3, characterized by the reinforcement-wire being made of metal, such as iron, steel or copper.

Inventors: BROMAN JOHAN, BROMAN, JOHAN
Applicants: BROMAN JOHAN, BROMAN, JOHAN
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A01K95
IPC codes: A01K93, A01K95