Abstract:
An improved slip sinker having a hollow non-buoyant tubular body mounted intermediate a flanged head piece having a fish line receiving aperture and a weighted ballast piece. Surface projections at the head and ballast pieces mount and fasten to the bore of the tubular body. Alternative sinker configurations provide body pieces that support a ballast connector that receives mating interchangeable ballast weights. The hollow bodies of other sinkers support reflective devices, luminous materials, luminous devices, rattle pieces, granular ballast materials, scents, and/or a plug end. Profile expanding filaments can be adapted into the ballast, head or body pieces.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an improved modular fishing sinker and in particular to a snag free, sliding sinker assembly comprised of a plastic mounting eye or head piece and a weight member that respectively plug mount to opposite ends of an intermediate hollow, non-buoyant tubular member capable of supporting additional connection pieces and/or rattle pieces and/or luminous materials and/or luminous/reflective devices and/or non-buoyant ballast materials and/or scent materials among other accessory appliances. 
         [0002]    Fishing weights can comprise any device or item that can be attached to a fishing line to submerse further attached hook(s), artificial and/or live bait. Most weights designed for attachment to a fish line are molded or formed from lead, bismuth, steel or another dense, non-corroding, economical materials that are not buoyant in water (i.e. have a specific gravity greater than that of the fish containing water). 
         [0003]    Wide varieties of special purpose fishing sinkers have been developed for salt and fresh water fishing with differing shapes and some of which include cast apertures, channels or eyelets. Some sinkers include accessory pieces (e.g. wire form) that attach to or are molded into the sinker. Of the former types, so called “egg” type sinkers provide a longitudinal bore. Of the latter type, “bottom bouncer” type sinkers” provide an eye or eyelet at a bent wire form that receives a fish line threaded through the eye or eyelet. All of the foregoing sliding sinkers anchor and support the fish line and attached bait in sliding relation on or near the bottom of a body of water. A hook secured to the fish line supports appropriate bait such that the fish line can freely move without the drag of the sinker upon releasing the line to a “free spool” condition with a fish striking the bait and hook. Stops (e.g. knots, split shot, pegs) can be secured to the line or sinker to restrict or limit line or sinker movement. 
         [0004]    Some sinkers are constructed as an elongated configuration that is designed to permit the sinker to slide along the bottom or glide above the bottom of the lake or water bed. The elongated design minimizes snagging of associate debris and fauna found growing from the ocean floor, lake, stream or river bed. Other attractors (e.g. slide stops, beads, spinner blades, hooks, filamentary skirts, colorized devices) can be supported to the fish line above or below the sinker. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,233,786; 5,243,779; 5,305,543; 5,375,365; 5,461,821; 5,531,821; 6,073,386; and 6,691,4500 disclose a variety of elongated slide or “slip” mounting sinkers. Other elongated sinkers including buoyant members are shown at U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,145,240; 6,305,121; 6,484,435; and 6,874,272. 
         [0006]    The present invention provides a novel, improved slip sinker wherein one end of a hollow tubular body mounts to a molded plastic head piece that includes an eye or aperture that receives a threaded fish line and an opposite end mounts to modular ballast pieces of differing weights. Shaped surfaces molded into the head piece and ballast piece restrain the head and ballast pieces to the tubular body to define an elongated assembly wherein a ballast piece of appropriate weight is supported to contact or glide adjacent the river bed, lake bottom or the like. Alternative sinker configurations contain luminous materials or devices, rattle pieces, and ballast materials within the body piece and/or provide a ballast connector that mounts to the body piece and receives interchangeable weights. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is a primary object of the invention to provide a substantially snag-free slip sinker. 
         [0008]    It is further object of the invention to provide a sinker with a molded eyelet piece having a formed fastener surface that grips the interior of a hollow body piece and an eye shaped and relieved to receive a fastener or fish line without abrasion as the line slides to and fro in the eye. 
         [0009]    It is further object of the invention to provide an elongated, slip sinker having a hollow chamber that contains rattle members and/or luminous members and/or luminous devices and/or scent devices, and/or a molded plug end connector that attaches to mating interchangeable weights, among sundry other accessories. 
         [0010]    It is further object of the invention to provide a slip sinker including a molded head piece and a molded ballast piece having fastener surfaces that attach to a hollow tubular body piece such as by compression within the bore of the body piece. 
         [0011]    It is further object of the invention to provide a molded head piece with a formed fastener surface that grips the interior of a hollow body piece. 
         [0012]    It is further object of the invention to provide a molded ballast piece with a surface formed to interconnect with the body member. 
         [0013]    It is further object of the invention to provide a molded ballast fastener piece that permanently mounts to a hollow body piece and provides a shaped cavity that interchangeably receives modular ballast members of selective weight and shape. 
         [0014]    It is further object of the invention to provide a molded ballast fastener or connector piece with a first surface that grips the interior of a hollow body piece and a second surface that grips and connects to a mating surface of a ballast piece. 
         [0015]    The foregoing objects, advantages and distinctions of the invention are obtained in a presently preferred, novel, improved slip sinker wherein a hollow tubular body mounts intermediate and to a molded plastic head piece that includes an eye or aperture that receives a threaded fish line and a modular weight or ballast piece. Fastener surfaces molded into the head piece and weighted ballast piece compressively plug mount within or to the bore of the tubular body piece to define an elongated assembly wherein the weighted ballast piece is supported to contact or glide adjacent the river or lake bed. 
         [0016]    Alternative sinker configurations provide body pieces that support a ballast connector that receives interchangeable ballast weights. The connector includes a fastener surface that plugs into and fastens to the body piece. Other connector surfaces are formed to interconnect with the ballast connector. Still other sinkers support or contain reflective, luminous materials or luminous devices, rattle pieces, ballast materials and/or an end connector piece in and/or to the bore of the body piece. 
         [0017]    Still other objects, advantages, distinctions, constructions and combinations of individual features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description with respect to the appended drawings. The description to each combination should therefore not be literally construed in limitation of the invention. Rather, the invention should be interpreted within the broad scope of the further appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    The following figures disclose presently preferred constructions of the invention. Similar components and assemblies are referred to in the various drawings with similar alphanumeric reference characters and callouts. 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing showing one construction of the sinker mounted in a conventional slip sinker mounting to a fish line. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a perspective drawing shown in exploded assembly of a sinker with rattle beads mounted in the body piece. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a plan drawing showing an end view of the head piece and the relief provided at the eyelet. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a perspective drawing shown in exploded assembly of a sinker with a body piece that contains luminous and/or reflective attractor devices. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a perspective drawing shown in exploded assembly of a sinker with a body piece that contains a refillable, granular ballast material and/or a scent material and plug mounted ballast piece. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a perspective drawing showing an exploded assembly a sinker with a body piece that supports a ballast connector and an interchangeable ballast piece having a mating interlocking surface. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 5 , several views are shown to the construction of a novel sinker  2  of the invention outfitted with several alternative accessory pieces. A slip sinker mounting of the sinker  2  is shown at  FIG. 1  and wherein the sinker  2  is mounted to slide along a fish line  4  spooled, for example, to a reel and fishing rod (not shown). Secured along the fish line  4  is a hook  6  of appropriate size and form. Live bait  8  is attached to the hook  6 . The hook  6  can be constructed to any desired shape and size and can include one or more barbed ends  10 . The live bait  8  can comprise any desired bait preferred by a targeted fish specie. Artificial baits  8  (e.g. flies, jigs, plug lures, spinner lures etc.) may also be secured to the fish line  4  alone or in combination with other hooks  6  and/or live bait  8 . 
         [0026]    The fish line  4  is threaded through an eye  12  of a head piece  14  fitted to the sinker  2 . The fish line  4  is thereby able to freely slide through the sinker  2 . Beads  16  and a stop piece  18  (e.g. a knotted line piece, peg) limit the range of motion of the sinker  2 . One or more of a variety of different stops  18  and/or bored beads  16  can be mounted to the fish line  4  or at the eye  12  to restrict or limit motion of the sinker  2 . Other attractors of differing colors, sizes and movement actions (e.g. beads, spinner blades, feathers, filamentary skirts etc.) can also be supported in any desired combination to the fish line  4  and/or to either or both sides of the sinker  2 . The attractors can add color, flash/reflection, illumination, vibration and movement to the presentation of the live or artificial bait  8 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  depicts the sinker  2  of  FIG. 1  in a perspective exploded assembly view. The head piece or eyelet  14  is secured to one end of an intermediate tubular body piece  20 . A ballast piece or molded weight  22  is secured to an opposite end of the body piece  20 . A number of rattle pieces or beads  24  (e.g. metal shot or beads or other hardened members that create sound when jostled) are contained in a hollow through bore  26  of the body piece  20 . 
         [0028]    With attention also directed to  FIG. 3 , the head piece  14  is molded from a suitable plastic or water resistant material. The aperture or eye  12  is let through a narrow arcuate portion  28  that is sufficiently narrowed or laterally relieved to permit attachment of swivels, snap fasteners or the like (not shown) to the eyelet  12 . The eye  12  is also shaped to permit free movement of the line through the eye without abrasion. 
         [0029]    A series of flat, flexible flanges  32  radiate from a stem  30  that projects aft from the eye  12  and terminates at a distal hemispherical end  34 . Longitudinal ribs  36  also project from the stem  30 . The belled sides of the end  34  facilitate insertion of the end  34  and stem  30  into the body piece  20 . The flanges  32  and longitudinal ribs  36  maintain a secure connection between the head piece  14  and the body piece  20 . Other types of projecting surfaces (e.g. ribs, filaments, barbs) or recesses can be formed into the head piece  14  to facilitate and maintain a connection. 
         [0030]    The body piece  20  is constructed of a tubular plastic material with smooth walls that withstand abrasion and are not susceptible to stretching or breakage from normally encountered objects, snagging etc. The body piece  20  can be opaque or transparent and can be coated or colored to any preferred color or pattern. The body piece  20  can be cut to any desired length and the shape of the outer walls and/or bore can exhibit any desired geometric cross sectional size and configuration (e.g. circular, octagon, square, triangular etc.). The body piece  20  can also be bent or twisted. A variety of materials can be used to construct the body piece  20  provided they withstand UV, heat and normal conditions. The body material should also be resilient to expand and compress over the raised fastener surfaces of the head piece and ballast piece  22  upon being inserted into the body  20 . 
         [0031]    The plastic material presently used is thermally susceptible to soften and/or expand in the presence of an elevated temperature. Upon threading the stem  30  into the bore  26 , the body  20  cools and compresses over the flanges  32  and ribs  36  to provide a strong connection resistant to detachment of the head piece  14 . A softer, resilient material (e.g. an elastomer) can also be used that permits the head piece  14  to be withdrawn to change the body length etc. and/or add accessory pieces to the body  20 . 
         [0032]    The ballast or weight piece  22  is constructed to a preferred shape and weight. A cylindrical, slightly bent (e.g. banana) shape is presently preferred. Nominal weight sizes useful for fresh water applications are ¼ to 4 ounces. The depicted cylindrical shape is preferred due to its resistance to snagging when debris, rocks, weeds etc. are encountered. The ballast or weight piece  22  is molded from relatively hard lead and normally exhibits and maintains a slight arcuate curvature  38  over the longitudinal length of the weight  22 . Ballast pieces  22  of other shapes and lengths can alternatively be secured to the body piece  20 . The ballast pieces  22  can also include other permanent or detachable attachments, for example, rigid filaments  78  (ref.  FIG. 5 ), joints, cavities or attached attractors. The filaments  78  typically would be molded with the ballast piece  22  and increase the profile of the sinker  2  to prevent snagging. The filaments  78  might also be adapted into either the body  20  or head piece  14 . 
         [0033]    Formed into a narrowed diameter, concentric stem portion  40  of the ballast piece  22  are a series of raised ridges, flanges or projections  42  and a hemispherical fore end  44 . The end  44  and ridges  42  facilitate mounting and retention of the ballast piece  22  to the body piece  20 . Once inserted, the body piece  20  compressively grips the ridges  42  and retains the ballast piece  22  against substantially all normal conditions. Depending upon the material, the ballast piece  22  could be changed as desired by progressively shortening the body and/or heating the body  20  with a suitable heating appliance, removing the ballast  22 , and inserting another weighted ballast piece  22  exhibiting a desired weight or possibly varying the amount of granular material  70  (ref.  FIG. 5 ) or inserting a desired attractor(s) appliance into the bore  26  or to depend from the body  20 . 
         [0034]    In the latter regard, several rattle pieces  24  are retained in one construction of the sinker  2  in the hollow cavity space of the bore  26 . Metal beads  24  are presently used that freely move about in the bore  26  or hollow sound chamber to create sound and vibrations that attract fish. 
         [0035]      FIGS. 4 and 5  depict alternative materials and devices that can be secured in the bore  26 .  FIG. 4  depicts a transparent body piece  20  that alternatively supports a luminous member  60  (e.g. a cylume glow stick, battery powered LED light assembly), a luminous granular material  62  or ribbon or reflective/ colored filamentary members  64 . The luminous members  61  and  64  are shown mounted and removed from the bore  26 . The luminous and reflective members  60 ,  61 ,  62 , and  64  enhance visual attraction properties to the body  20 . 
         [0036]    The body  20  might also include a scented material  66  and apertures  68  at the sidewalls to permit the scent to escape. The luminous and reflective members  60 ,  61 ,  62 , and  64  and scent material  66  can be added and/or changed as necessary upon removing and reattaching the head piece  14  or ballast piece  22  as discussed above. The luminous material/device  60 ,  61  and  62  may also be selected to be water activated and illuminate only in the presence of water. 
         [0037]      FIG. 5  depicts another ballasting arrangement of the sinker  2  and wherein the bore  26  is filled with a granular or other relatively high specific gravity material  70  (e.g. lead shot, sand, split shot). Indicia marks  71  can be provided along the body  20  to convey information to weighting depending upon the length of the body  20  (e.g. 1/16 to 1½ ounces). A lightweight plug end  72  constructed of plastic or a heavy weighted plug  72  molded from lead or other weighted material and having ridges  74  and a tapered or belled end  76  can be used to secure the weighted material  70  to the body. The plug end  72  may also include a shaped surface, bore or cavity to interconnect to other ballast pieces or attractors. 
         [0038]    The plug end  72  might also include several resilient, flexible, filamentary members  78  that project to prevent the sinker  2  from becoming snagged in crevices, rocks and the like. It is to be appreciated the filamentary members  78  might also be molded into the ballast pieces  22  of  FIGS. 1 ,  2  or  4 . The body piece  20  might also include apertures  68  to activate a luminous material or device  62 ,  61  or permit the release of scent  66  placed in the bore  26 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 6  depicts an exploded assembly drawing to another alternative sinker  80  wherein a ballast piece  82  of suitable weight, size, shape and length is interchangeably or detachably secured to a ballast connector piece  84  that attaches to a suitable body piece  20  and head piece  14 . The ballast connector  84  provides a stem  86  that supports a number of radiating flanges or projections  88 . A hemispherical head portion  90 , flanges  88  and shoulder  92  exhibit diameters slightly oversized to the diameter of the bore  26  to facilitate the fitting of the connector  84  to the body piece  20  and the compression of the sidewalls of the body piece  20  around the flanges  88 , head and shoulder  92 . 
         [0040]    Formed into the aft end of the ballast connector  84  is a cavity or bore  94 . A longitudinal keyway  96  and cavity  98  communicate with the bore  94  and receive a mating and interconnecting stem  100  of the ballast piece  84 . A projection  102  at the stem  100  slides along the keyway  96  and fastens within the cavity  98 . The keyway  96  and cavity  98  can be constructed to provide a suitable interconnection (e.g. snap-action, twist action or compression fit). Threads might also be provided at the stem  100  to mate with a threaded surface at the bore  94 . Still other suitable interchangeable fastenings can be included as desired. Collectively the connector  84  permits the selective interchanging of the ballast piece  82  to the body piece  20 . 
         [0041]    While the invention is shown and described with respect to a presently preferred sinker assembly and several considered improvements, modifications and/or alternatives thereto, still other sinker assemblies and arrangements may be suggested to those skilled in the art. It is also to be appreciated that the singular features of the sinker can be arranged in different combinations. The foregoing description should therefore be construed to include all those embodiments within the spirit and scope of the following claims.