Abstract:
A drag setting device is provided for setting a desired drag on a fishing line. The drag setting device includes a cable, line, or other fastening member which can be attached to a fishing line of a fishing rod and reel. The drag setting device further includes a pulling member for pulling the fishing line towards the drag setting device, a first actuator for selecting the amount of tension applied by the drag setting device to the fishing line, and a second actuator for causing the drag setting device to apply the selected tension to the fishing line. In use, the drag setting device is mounted to a stationary object such as a work bench or a gunnel of a boat. The end of a fishing line is then attached to the cable, line or other fastening member of the fishing rod and reel. Then, as one person holds the fishing line, the drag setting device pulls against the fishing line until the selected tension is reached. The drag on the fishing line is then set utilizing the conventional mechanisms on the rod and reel. In this manner, the drag setting device in accordance with the present invention more closely simulates the action of a fighting fish by applying an outward tension on the fishing line as the user sets the drag.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device for setting the drag on a fishing line. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Devices for setting the drag on a fishing line are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,317,377 to Wrinkle purports to disclose a drag adjustment device for fishing reels which includes a switch means operatively connected to an indicator light, a means, such as a knob, for selectively shifting the switch means upward or downward, and a spring biased drag element which when pulled by a fishing line pulls the drag element into contact with the switch means to activate the indicator light signaling that the drag is set. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,233 to Seal purports to disclose a drag adjusting device for fishing reels including two arms held together by a hinge, with a plurality of passageways located along each arm for receiving fishing line therin to set the drag to a certain percentage of the maximum test strength of the line. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Prior art setting devices, however, require the user to pull his or her rod and reel away from the device, which is the opposite from what happens when a fish is on the line of the fishing rod and reel. A fish pulls outwardly against the rod and reel exerting a force on the line, whereas in prior art devices, the user pulls against a drag setting device attached to the line. Therefore, the prior art lacks a way of giving the user a drag setting under the same conditions as having a fighting fish on the line. This may result in fishing line breakage. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a drag setting device is provided which includes a cable, line, or ether fastening member which can be attached to a fishing line of a fishing rod and reel. The drag setting device further includes a pulling member for pulling the fishing line towards the drag setting device, a first actuator for selecting the amount of tension applied by the drag setting device to the fishing line, and a second actuator for causing the drag setting device to apply the selected tension to the fishing line. In use, the drag setting device is mounted to a stationary object such as a work bench or a gunnel of a boat. The end of a fishing line is then attached to the cable, line or other fastening member of the fishing rod and reel. Then, as one person holds the fishing line, the drag setting device pulls against the fishing line until the selected tension is reached. The drag on the fishing line is then set utilizing the conventional mechanisms on the rod and reel. In this manner, the drag setting device in accordance with the present invention more closely simulates the action of a fighting fish by applying an outward tension on the fishing line as the user sets the drag. 
     In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a drag setting device is provided which includes a cable that attaches to a line of a fishing rod to set a desired drag on the line by simulating the pulling action of a fish. The drag setting device includes a housing having a first side wall and a second side wall that is opposite the first side wall. Within the housing is disposed a spool that has a front end and a rear end, the rear end located adjacent to the second side wall. A transmission element is mounted on a shaft that extends through the second side wall. The transmission element extends coaxially within the spool, and has a front end which is engagable with the front end of the spool. A rotator, such as a hand crank, is disposed outside of the housing and is connected to the shaft for turning the shaft to rotate the transmission element about the shaft. 
     A drag setting assembly is also provided for urging the front end of the spool into engagement with the front end of the transmission element. The drag setting assembly includes a tension adjuster for varying the amount of force exerted upon the front end of the spool by the drag setting assembly. As a user actuates the rotator, the transmission element causes the spool to rotate, thereby pulling the fishing line towards the drag setting device, and wrapping the fishing line around the spool as the spool rotates. When the force exerted by the line on the spool exceeds the frictional force between the front end of the spool and the front end of the transmission element, the transmission element will slip. By adjusting the tension adjuster of the drag setting assembly, the frictional force between the front end of the spool and the front end of the transmission element is adjusted. Therefore, each position of the tension adjuster corresponds to a given force exerted on the line by the drag setting device after the rotator has been rotated until the transmission element slips. 
     Preferably, a plurality of spaced clutch balls are disposed on the front end of the spool, and a plurality of transmission teeth are disposed on the front end of the transmission element. Each transmission tooth extends between two adjacent clutch balls to form an engagement between the transmission element and the spool. As the transmission element rotates under the control of the rotator, the spool is caused to rotate and exert an inward force on the fishing line. The drag setting assembly is in contacting relation with the clutch balls, and is operable to move the clutch balls towards the transmission element and into further engagement with the transmission teeth, and to move the clutch balls away from the transmission element and into lesser engagement with the transmission teeth. The closer the clutch balls move towards the transmission element, the greater the force the spool can apply to the fishing line before the transmission element slips. In this manner, each position of the tension adjuster corresponds to a given force exerted on the line by the drag setting device after the rotator has been rotated until the transmission element slips. 
     In accordance with further aspects of this embodiment, the shaft is supported within a bearing mounted in the second side wall. In addition, a spool bearing is mounted in the housing between the second side wall and a rear end of the spool for supporting the rotation of the spool. The spool rotates with the transmission element when the plurality of clutch balls are engaged with the plurality of transmission element teeth. 
     The drag setting assembly is located within the housing of the device between the first side wall and the plurality of clutch balls. Preferably, the drag setting assembly includes a pressure spring and a pressure spring plate in contacting relation with the pressure spring adjacent to the first side wall. Also, preferably included within the drag assembly would be a slip clutch plate in contacting relation with the pressure spring adjacent to the plurality of slip clutch balls. 
     The tension adjuster preferably has a front element and a rear element for varying the amount of tension exerted upon the drag assembly. The front element of the tension adjuster is moveable axially through the first side wall in response to manipulation of the rear element. Preferably, the rear element of the tension adjuster is either an ergonomic hand knob or a lever. The front element is in contacting relation with the pressure spring plate. As the front element of the tension adjuster moves axially inward (towards the second side wall), the front element, via the pressure spring plate, pressure spring, and slip clutch plate forces the slip clutch balls into further engagement with the transmission element teeth. 
     The device of the present invention may be mounted in a gunnel of a boat upon a gunnel mount assembly which includes an upper adjustable member, preferably an upper telescopic rod and a lower adjustable member, preferably a lower telescopic rod. The upper adjustable member and the lower adjustable member are each axially adjustable to different lengths depending upon a user&#39;s preference. The device is mounted upon the upper adjustable member, and the lower adjustable member is housed within the gunnel of the boat. Also included with the gunnel mount assembly is a pivotor, preferably a hinge, for connecting the upper adjustable member with the lower adjustable member. The pivotor is adjustable for selecting a desired angle for the gunnel mount assembly. Further, a locking mechanism, preferably a knob, is also included in the gunnel mount assembly for clamping the pivotor closed to secure the desired angle. 
     Alternatively, the device of the present invention may be mounted on a workbench by a workbench assembly including a bench clamp apparatus and a sleeve. The sleeve is preferably about ¼ the size of an actual gunnel and is clamped to the workbench by the bench clamp apparatus. The workbench assembly further includes the gunnel mount assembly as described above, in which the device is mounted on the upper adjustable member and the lower adjustable member is housed within the sleeve. 
     While the clutch ball and transmission teeth configuration described above is preferable, alternative mechanisms for imparting a predetermined inward force of a fishing line are also possible. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a cross sectional view of the device of a first embodiment of the drag setting device; 
     FIG. 1-A is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 2 is a rear cut-away view of a transom of a boat, with a gunnel mount assembly mounting the device of FIG. 1 to the boat; 
     FIG. 3 is a panoramic view of the telescopic support structure of the gunnel mount of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the a transom of a boat, with a gunnel mount assembly mounting the device of FIG. 1 to the boat; 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of the device of FIG. 1 mounted on a workbench; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the device of FIG. 1 mounted on a workbench; 
     FIG. 7 is a panoramic view of a telescopic support structure of the gunnel mount assembly for mounting the device on a workbench; 
     FIG. 8 is a pressure knob in accordance with one of the embodiments of the invention; and 
     FIG. 9 is a lever in accordance with one of the embodiments of the invention. 
     FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the drag setting device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of the drag setting device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 12 is an internal view of the drag setting device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 13 is a rear cut-away view of the transom on a boat with a non-adjustable mount mounting the device in any of the three embodiments to the boat. 
     FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of a non-adjustable mount assembly. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, a drag setting device is referred to generally at  10 . The device  10  includes a housing  12 , a tension adjuster assembly, such as a pressure knob assembly  14 , a drag setting assembly referred to generally at  18 , a rotator or hand crank  20 , a shaft member or shaft  21 , a transmission element  22 , and a spool  24 . As shown in FIG. 1-A, the housing  12  comprises a front wall  26 , a rear wall  28 , a top wall  30 , a bottom wall  32 , a first side wall  34  and a second side wall  36 . Referring back to FIG. 1, a cable  38 , preferably steel braided cable, is wound around the outer surface of the spool  24 , and extends outside of the housing  12  guided through a guiding member or cable ferrel  40  located in the top wall  30  of the housing  12 . As shown in FIG. 2, the cable  38  is connected to a fisherman&#39;s line  42  of a fishing rod  43 . The cable  38  may be connected to the fisherman&#39;s line  42  in any suitable manner. For example the fisherman&#39;s line  42  can be tied to the cable  38  or clipped to the cable  38  with a conventional fishing snap swivel. 
     Referring back to FIG. 1, the spool  24  further comprises a plurality of clutch balls  44 , preferably spaced located along an outer periphery of front end  46  of the spool  24 , which are engagable by a plurality of transmission teeth  48 , preferably spaced on outer periphery of a front end  50  of the transmission element  22 . The transmission element  22  is housed within the spool  24  and is mounted onto shaft  21 . The shaft  21  is connected to the hand crank  20  at an arm  25  of the hand crank  20 , preferably via a pivot pin  27 . The shaft  21  is rotatingly supported in bearing  54  of side wall  36 . Transmission element  22  is thereby rotatable about the shaft  21  by the turning of a crank handle  29  attached to the arm  25  of the hand crank  20 . The clutch balls  44  are disposed along the outer periphery of front end  46  of the spool  24  in such a manner that they are free to move axially (e.g. in the direction of the right housing  36  or left housing  34 ), but not radially. 
     Spool  24  is rotatably supported through spool bearing  58  which is mounted in the interior of the housing  12  between the second side wall  36  and the rear end  62  of the spool  24 . Therefore, as the hand crank  20  turns, causing a rotation of the transmission element  22 , the teeth  48  will engage the slip clutch balls  44 , causing a corresponding rotation of the spool  24 . 
     In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, the pressure knob assembly  14  comprises a rear element or pressure knob  15 , and a front element or piston member  64  which is integral with, or mounted to, the pressure knob  15  and is axially movable forwards or backwards through first side wall  34  depending on the direction in which the pressure knob is turned. The adjustment of the pressure knob  15  to a selected tension causes the piston member  64  to urge against the drag setting assembly  18  which in turn, urges against the plurality of slip clutch balls  44  with a certain force, moving the clutch balls  44  into a predetermined position with respect to the transmission teeth  48 . 
     Drag setting assembly  18  preferably comprises a pressure spring  66 , as shown in FIG. 1, with two plates, a spring pressure plate  68  and a slip clutch plate  70  on opposing sides of the pressure spring  66  with both plates in contacting relation with the pressure spring  66 . Spring plate  68  is located adjacent to the piston member  64  and is axially moveable in the direction in which the piston member  64  moves. The pressure spring  66  compresses or decompresses depending upon the direction of movement of the pressure spring plate  68 . Finally, the slip clutch plate  70  is also moveable in an axial direction, either forwards applying a greater force to the slip clutch balls  44  or backwards providing a lesser force to the slip clutch balls  44 , depending on direction of movement of the pressure spring  66 . 
     The pressure knob  15  is preferably a factory calibrated ergonomic hand knob , as shown in FIG. 8, with various tension settings  72  along the perimeter of the knob&#39;s range of motion that employs a ball detent mechanism  74  in which the pressure knob  15  will either stop or click at some predetermined point. In addition, the ball-detent  74  will also allow the user to quickly and audibly determine the tension settings based on a 5 or 10 pound incremental increase/decrease each time the knob is turned and clicks into a new position. In addition, the pressure knob  15  will allow the user to change the breakaway tension between a known range of 2 to 60 pounds of force in either directions of arrow A or B. 
     Alternatively, instead of a pressure knob, a pressure lever  16 , as shown in FIG. 9, may be used. The lever of the device would work in similar fashion to the hand knob, with the exception that the lever would follow an arc of motion approximately plus or minus 45-60 degrees from it&#39;s neutral center position, in either the direction of arrows. C or D. The lever  16  of the device  10  would similarly have predetermined indents  76  that would make an audible click that alerts the user to a known change in the drag, perhaps 2 to 5 pounds of tension. In addition, as with the pressure knob  15 , the pressure lever  16  would allow the user to change the breakaway tension between a known range of 2 to 60 pounds of force. Moreover, as mentioned with the pressure knob  15 , it is also preferable that the pressure lever  16  also be factory calibrated. 
     In this regard, the device  10  is calibrated so that, for example, when the position of the pressure lever  16  or pressure knob  15  corresponds to 20 pounds of tension on the line, the slip clutch balls will be urged by the drag setting assembly  18  into a position relative to the transmission teeth  48  which will cause the teeth  48  to slip once the tension on the fishing line exceeds 20 pounds. 
     In accordance with further aspects of the present invention, the device  10  could be equipped with digital readout by measuring the resistance of a current as the pressure knob  15 , pressure lever  16 , or any equivalent in the art, is manipulated and converting that resistance to pounds of drag. 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the device  10  may be mounted for use by placing the device  10  in a gunnel  78  of a boat  80 , or, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, on a workbench  82 . Other mounting procedures known in the art may also be employed with the present invention. 
     Specifically, when mounting the device  10  on the boat  80 , a gunnel mount assembly  84 , as illustrated in FIGS. 2,  3 , and  4 , is preferably used to support the device  10  in the gunnel  78  of the boat  80 . Referring to FIG. 3, the gunnel mount assembly  84  includes an upper adjustable member or upper telescopic rod  86 , and a lower adjustable member or lower telescopic rod  88  connected to each other by a pivoting member, such as a hinge  90 . In addition, the gunnel mount assembly  84  further includes a locking mechanism or knob  92 , as shown in FIG. 4, to clamp the hinge  90  closed and secure a desired angle for the gunnel mount assembly  84 . This gunnel mount assembly  84  allows the user to easily axially adjust the height of the two telescopic rods  86 ,  88  as shown by arrow A in FIGS. 3 and 4 through the use of multiple spring loaded snaps  89  that lock into place when the snap  89  is slid underneath a hole  91  in telescopic rods  86 , and  88 . The gunnel mount assembly  84  also allows the user to adjust the angle of the two telescopic rods  86 ,  88  via knob  92  as shown by arrow B in FIG. 4, according to the individual preferences of the operator of the device  10 . 
     In order to mount the device  10  to the workbench  82 , a work bench assembly  94 , as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, may be employed. The workbench assembly  94  includes a bench clamp apparatus, a sleeve  102 , and the gunnel mount assembly  84  as described above. 
     The bench clamp apparatus includes an upper plate  96  and a lower plate  98  attached to the workbench  82 , preferably by the use of screws or a quarter turn cam mechanism. Attached to the bench clamp apparatus would be the sleeve  102 , which is preferably about ¼ the length of an actual gunnel. The device  10  would be mounted on the gunnel mount assembly  84 , which in turn, is disposed within the sleeve  102 , in similar fashion as described above for mounting the device  10  in the gunnel  78  of the boat  80 . In this regard, the bottom telescopic rod  88 , shown in FIGS. 5,  6 , and  7  may be configured in a collapsed position (as shown in FIG. 6) so as to minimize portion of the bottom telescopic rod  88  which protrudes beyond the sleeve  102 . 
     In using the embodiment of the device  10  illustrated in FIG. 1, it is preferable to have two people involved in setting a desired drag on a fisherman&#39;s line  42 . Specifically, a first person  104  would first mount the device  10  as described above by either placing the device  10  in the gunnel  78  of the boat  80  or placing the device  10  directly in the sleeve  102  which, in turn, is mounted to the workbench  82 . Next, the first person  104  would connect the cable  38  from the device  10  to the fisherman&#39;s line  42  as described above. Then, a second person  106  would hold the fishing rod  43  in which the drag was to be set, while the first person  104  turned the pressure knob  14  to the desired tension for the fisherman&#39;s line  42 . If an increased tension is desired for the fisherman&#39;s line  42 , then the first person  104  would turn the pressure knob  14  clockwise to cause the piston member  64  to urge against the spring plate  68  to compress the pressure spring  66 . In turn, the pressure spring  66  would press against the slip clutch plate  70  causing the slip clutch plate  70  to move the slip clutch balls  44  of the spool  24  into further engagement with the transmission teeth  48 . However, if less tension is desired for the fisherman&#39;s line  42 , the pressure knob  14  would instead be turned in a counterclockwise direction, decompressing the pressure spring  66 . This, in turn, will decrease the force applied by the slip clutch plate  70  against the slip clutch balls  44 , allowing the slip clutch balls  44  to move towards the first wall  34 , and into lesser engagement with the transmission teeth  48 . 
     Finally, the first person  104  would turn the hand crank  20  of the device  10  thereby rotating transmission element  22  and causing the transmission teeth  48  to transfer a radial force against the slip clutch balls  44 , which in turn would cause the spool  24  to turn taking up the fisherman&#39;s line  42 . As rotation of the hand crank  20  continues, a point is reached when the tension on the fisherman&#39;s line  42  and cable  38  become equal to the tension set on the pressure knob  15 . At that point, the force applied to the spool by the fisherman&#39;s line  42  and cable  38  exceeds the frictional force between the slip clutch balls  44  and the transmission teeth  48 , causing the slip clutch balls  44  to slip out of engagement with the transmission teeth  48  so that the transmission element  22  rotates freely without causing a corresponding rotation of the spool  24 . This disengagement of the slip clutch balls  44  from the transmission element teeth  48 , serves as an indicator that the proper drag has been set. At that point, the second person  106  slowly releases their drag until the fisherman&#39;s line  42  begins to drag outwards, knowing the tension in the fisherman&#39;s line  42  to be equal to the tension set on the pressure knob  15 . 
     FIG. 10 shows a second embodiment of the drag setting device of the present invention in which the drag setting device  110  includes a right housing  111  and a left housing  112 , a right housing cover  113 , a tension adjuster assembly, such as a pressure knob assembly  114  a drag setting assembly referred to generally at  118 , a rotator or hand crank  120 , a shaft  121 , a transmission element  122 , a protective tube or oil shield  123 , a spool  124 , and a support sleeve  125 . The right housing  111  is connected to the left housing  112  by four connecting posts  180 ,  181 ,  182 , and  183 . Spool  124  is located within the device  110  between the right housing  111  and the left housing  112 . A cable, preferably steel braided cable  138 , is wound around the outer surface of the spool  124  and extends outside of the device  110  for attachment to a fisherman&#39;s line  42  in the same manner as described above in the first embodiment and shown in FIG.  2 . 
     The spool  124  further comprises a plurality of clutch balls  144 , preferably spaced within a clutch ball capture disc  145  which is disposed flush with the front end  146  of the spool  124 . The clutch balls  144  are mounted within the clutch ball capture disc  145  in such a manner that they are free to move axially (e.g. in the direction of the right housing  111  or left housing  112 ), but not radially. In order to provide a slip fit for the clutch balls  144  mounted within the clutch ball capture disc  145 , only enough space is permitted for the clutch balls to be dropped in freely during assembly. In addition, the clutch balls  144  are engagable by a plurality of transmission teeth  148  located on outer periphery of a front end  150  of the transmission element  122 . 
     The transmission element  122  is housed within the spool  124  and is mounted on shaft element  121   a  of shaft  121 . The shaft  121 , includes shaft element  121   a  and shaft element  121   b  connected together by a needle bearing clutch  185  integral with the shaft  121 . In turn, shaft element  121   b  extends through the right housing  111  and into the right housing cover  113  where it is attached to inner side wall  117  of the right housing cover  113 . Transmission element  122  is rotatable about shaft element  121   a  by the turning of crank handle  129  of hand crank  120  clockwise to activate a gear mechanism  200 . 
     Specifically, the gear mechanism  200 , located between right housing  111  and right housing cover  113 , includes a pinon gear  210  mounted on shaft element  121   b  and a drive gear  212  mounted on handle shaft  130  and operatively connected to pinon gear  210 . The handle shaft  130  extends through right housing cover  113  to the exterior of the device  110  where it is connected to crank arm  126  of hand crank  120 . 
     When crank handle  129  is rotated, the drive gear  212  will turn about handle shaft  130  causing the rotation of pinon gear  210  about shaft element  12   b.  In turn, the rotation of the pinon gear  210  causes both shaft element  121   b  and shaft element  121   a  to rotate simultaneously if the crank handle  129  is rotated in the clockwise direction. 
     If crank handle is instead rotated counterclockwise, only shaft element  121   b  will rotate. Shaft element  121   a  will be prevented from rotating by needle bearing clutch  185  which will only allow rotation of shaft element  121   a  in a clockwise direction. This prevents backlash of the crank handle  129  which could potentially cause an injury to the hand of the person operating the device  110  and/or to a person holding the fishing rod  43 , depicted in FIG. 2, in which the drag is to be set. 
     As the crank handle  129  is turned in the clockwise direction, causing a rotation of the transmission element  122 , the transmission teeth  148  will engage the clutch balls  144 , causing a corresponding rotation of the spool  124 . As the user turns the crank handle  129 , causing rotation of both the transmission element  122  and spool  124  simultaneously, eventually a point is reached when the force exerted by the fisherman&#39;s line  42  on the spool  124  exceeds the force exerted on the plurality of clutch balls  144  by the transmission teeth  148 . At this point, the clutch balls  144  will slip out from engagement with the transmission teeth  148  of transmission element  122  allowing the transmission element  122  to rotate freely. 
     Also provided is a support sleeve  125  mounted on shaft element  121   a  and attached to an inner wall  119  of the right housing  111 . The support sleeve  125  maintains the transmission element  122  in contacting relation with the clutch ball capture disc  145 . The sleeve  125  also protects the moving parts of the device  110  from the operator and also functions as a grease enclosure for maintaining lubrication of the device  110 . In addition, a right bushing  172  is also provided which is fully contained within the clutch ball capture disc  145  for maintaining the clutch ball capture disc  145  and transmission element  122  in axial alignment with one another. 
     Pressure knob assembly  114  comprises a rear element or pressure knob  115 , and a front element or pressure adjustment stud  164  which is integral with the pressure knob  114  and axially movable forwards or backwards through the left housing depending on the direction in which the pressure knob  115  is adjusted. The adjustment of the pressure knob  115  in the clockwise direction to a selected tension causes the pressure adjustment stud  164  to urge against the drag setting assembly  118  which in turn, urges against the plurality of clutch balls  144  with a certain force, moving the clutch balls into a predetermined position with respect to the transmission teeth  148 . Adjustment of the pressure knob in the counterclockwise direction causes the drag setting assembly  118  to move in the opposite direction away from the clutch balls  144  thereby lessening the amount of holding tension against the spool  124  and slowly releasing the cable  136  outward from the device  110 . 
     The drag setting assembly  118  is preferably housed within oil shield  123  which is located partially within the left housing  112  and adjacent to clutch balls  144  contained within clutch ball capture disc  145 . 
     Drag setting assembly  118  preferably includes a pressure spring  166 , a pressure spring plate  168 , and pressure washers  170 . The pressure spring plate  168  is located on one side of the pressure spring  166  and adjacent to the pressure adjustment stud  164 . On the opposite side of the pressure spring  166  is pressure washer  170 . The pressure spring plate  168  and pressure washer  170  are both in contacting relation to the pressure spring  166 . 
     Also preferably provided is an adjustment assembly  220  which includes a left side washer  171  adjacent to pressure washer  170 , a right side washer  176  adjacent the front end  146  of the spool  124 , and a needle roller thrust bearing  175  in between left side washer  171  and right side washer  176 , all in contacting relation with one another. The right and left side washers  171 ,  176  provide a constant even bearing surface for needle roller thrust bearing  175 , and the needle roller thrust bearing  175  provides a near zero friction plane between the front end  146  of the spool  124  and pressure washer  170  of the device  110 , allowing for more accurate calibration and eventual setting of cable tension. A left bushing  174  is also preferably disposed within the clutch ball capture disc  145  to center front end  146  of the spool  124  relative to the shaft. Adjustment stud  164  is coupled to pressure spring pate  168  such that an axial movement of the stud  164  causes a corresponding compression/decompression of the spring  166  and a resulting movement of assembly  220  to increase/decrease the force applied to the clutch balls  144 . 
     Also provided is a right side friction reduction assembly  230  which includes a pressure cap  232 , a right thrust bearing  234 , and a friction washers  235 ,  236 . The pressure cap  230  is fitted on shaft element  121   b  near the end of shaft element  121   b  adjacent inner wall  119  of the right housing cover  113 . Pressure cap  232  provides a bearing surface to be applied to right thrust bearing  234 . Right thrust bearing  234  provides near zero friction levels between the right housing cover  113  and pressure cap  230 . Lastly, friction washers  235 ,  236  provide an even bearing surface between the right housing cover  113  and the pressure cap  232 . 
     The device  110  of the second embodiment may be mounted to either a gunnel of boat or a workbench in the same manner as set forth above for the first embodiment and illustrated in FIGS. 2,  3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 . In addition, pressure knob  115  of the second embodiment is preferably the same type of factory calibrated pressure knob or lever for setting the desired drag as described for the first embodiment and illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. A digital readout may also be provided as described above. Lastly, the device  110  of second embodiment operates in generally the same manner as set forth above for the first embodiment. 
     FIGS. 11 and 12 show a third embodiment of the device for setting the drag on a fishing reel, according to the present invention, with the same reference numerals depicted in FIG. 10 identifying similar parts or components. The device  310  of the third embodiment of the present invention includes a right housing  111  and a left housing  112 , a right housing cover  113 , a tension selector assembly  311 , a pressure setting assembly  322 , a rotator or hand crank  120 , a shaft  121 , a transmission element  122 , a main cover  336 , a spool  124 , a cam  314 , ball bearing  326 , ball retainer  324 , bearing mounting sleeve  320 , and washer assembly  328 . 
     Specifically, tension selector assembly  311  includes a pressure knob  115  or any of its equivalents in the art, preferably factory calibrated, and an adjustment knob shaft  312 . The adjustment knob shaft  312  extends through an opening  316  in the left housing  112  and into the interior of the device  310 . Cam  314  is rotatably mounted on the adjustment knob shaft  312  and the cam  314  is rotatable over a range of 180 degrees in response to the turning of the pressure knob  115 . The range of pressures, for instance, may be denoted by angular markings over a  180  degree range on the left housing  112 .Cam  314  is preferably a solid cylinder cut at an angle such that the rate of axial displacement vs. angular displacement is a known constant. 
     Adjacent to the cam  314  is spool  124  having front end  146  and rear end  149 . Wound around the exterior of the spool  124  and extending outward from spool  124  at a 45 degree angle is cable  138 , preferably a steel braided cable, as shown in FIG. 11 for attachment to a fisherman&#39;s line  42  in the same manner as described in the first two embodiments to set the drag on the line  42 . Referring back to FIGS. 11 and 12, the front end  146  of the spool  124  is rotationally supported within spool bearing  318  which is located within bearing mounting sleeve  320  in order to hold the front end  146  of the spool  124  centered axially. In the interior of the spool  124  is pressure setting assembly  322 , washer assembly  328 , and a plurality of clutch balls  144 , preferably spaced within a clutch ball capture disc  145  which is disposed flush with the rear end  149  of the spool  124 . 
     The clutch balls  144  are mounted within the clutch ball capture disc  145  in such a manner that they are free to move axially (e.g. in the direction of the right housing  111  or left housing  112 ), but not radially. The clutch balls  144  are engagable by a plurality of transmission teeth  148  located on the outer periphery of a front end of the transmission element  122 . 
     The transmission element  122  is mounted on shaft element  121   a  of shaft  121 . Shaft  121 , includes shaft element  121   a  and shaft element  121   b  (not shown) connected together by a needle bearing clutch  185  integral with shaft  121 . Specifically, shaft element  121   a  extends from one end of needle bearing clutch  185  through an opening in transmission element  122  and into the interior of the spool  124  through bushing  174  in clutch ball capture disc  145  where shaft element  121   a  terminates adjacent to the clutch ball capture disc within the spool  124 . On the other side of needle bearing clutch  185 , shaft element  121   b  (not shown) extends through right housing  111  and is connected to the inner side wall  117  of the right housing cover  113 . 
     The pressure setting assembly  322  located within the spool  124  includes ball retainer  324 , ball bearing  326 , and pressure spring  166 . Ball bearing  326  is housed axially within ball retainer  324  which is contained within front end  146  of the spool  124 . As shown in FIG. 11, the pressure spring  166  is disposed around front end  325  of ball retainer  324  and a segment of shaft element  121   a,  with the pressure spring  166  also in contacting relation to washer assembly  328 . As explained below, compression of pressure spring  166  increases the force applied to the plurality of clutch balls  144  via the washer assembly  328 . Washer assembly  328  includes both a pressure washer  170  and thrust roller bearing washer  175  mounted on shaft element  121   a.  Pressure washer  170  is adjacent to and in contacting relation with the pressure spring  166  and provides a uniform surface between the spring and thrust bearing washer. As for thrust bearing washer  175 , it eliminates or reduces the friction between pressure washer  170  and the inside face of the clutch ball capture disc  145 . 
     Ball bearing  326  is axially moveable forwards or backwards, depending upon the angle at which the pressure knob  115  is rotated. Cam  314 , as mentioned above, is cut an angle such that the greater the angle of rotation of the pressure knob  115 , the greater the amount of surface area of cam face  315  of cam  314  that will make contact with the ball bearing  326  thereby pushing the ball bearing  326  in an axially forward direction through opening in front end  325  of ball retainer  324  to urge against the pressure spring  166 . In response, pressure spring  166  will compress and push the washer assembly  328  against the plurality of clutch balls  144  with a certain pressure causing the clutch balls  144  to move into further engagement with transmission teeth  148  of the transmission element  122 . Therefore, the greater the angle of rotation selected on the pressure knob  115 , the greater the amount of pressure that will be applied to the clutch balls  144 . 
     Alternatively, if instead a decrease in the amount of pressure against the clutch balls  144  is desired, the angle of rotation of the pressure knob  115  may be decreased causing less and less of the surface area of the cam face  315  of cam  314  to come into contact with the ball bearing  326  causing ball bearing  326  to move axially backwards away from the pressure spring, thereby decompressing the pressure spring  166  and resulting in less pressure being applied to the plurality of clutch balls  144 . 
     Transmission element  122  is rotatable about shaft element  121   a  by the turning of hand crank  120  clockwise to activate a gear mechanism  330 . Specifically, gear mechanism  330 , located between right housing  111  and right housing cover  113 , includes a drive gear  212  which is mounted on a handle shaft  130  by way of a split clamp  211  and which is in mesh with pinion gear  210 , which, in turn, is mounted on shaft element  121   b  (not shown) through opening  214  in pinion gear  210  in which opening  214  contains a shaft bearing  215  therein. Handle shaft  130  extends through the right housing cover  113  to the exterior of the device  310  where it passes through extension collar  332  and shaft collar  334  and is connected to crank arm  126  of handle crank  120 . Extension collar  332  contains a bushing  333  which is housed partly within the extension collar  332  and partly within the right housing cover  113  and provides for smoother turning of the hand crank  120  without having to use a thick walled housing cover. Shaft collar  334  mounts handle crank  120  to extension collar  332 . 
     When crank handle  129  is turned, drive gear  212  will rotate about the handle shaft causing a corresponding rotation of pinion gear  210 . In turn, the rotation of the pinion gear  210  causes both shaft element  121   b  (not shown) and shaft element  121   a,  to rotate simultaneously if the handle crank  129  is rotated in the clockwise direction. When shaft element  121   a  rotates, transmission element  122  will also rotate and cause a corresponding rotation of the spool  122  when transmission teeth  148  of transmission element  122  are engaged with clutch balls  144 . As the crank handle  129  is turned causing rotation of both the transmission element and spool simultaneously, eventually a point is reached when the force exerted by the fisherman&#39;s line  42  (shown in FIG. 2) on the spool exceeds the force exerted on the plurality of clutch balls  144  via washer assembly  328 . At this point, the clutch balls  144  will slip out from engagement with the transmission teeth  148  of transmission element  122  allowing the transmission element  122  to rotate freely. 
     As already described in the second embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIG. 10, if crank handle  129  is instead rotated in the counterclockwise direction, only shaft element  121   b  (not shown) will be caused to rotate. Needle bearing clutch  185  will prevent the counterclockwise rotation of crank handle  129  from driving the rotation of shaft element  121   a.    
     Referring again to FIGS. 11 and 12, a right thrust roller bearing  234  is also provided which eliminates or reduces friction between the outside face of the transmission element  122  and the right housing  111 . Further, as shown in FIG. 11, a support sleeve  125  is also provided and is attached to inside wall  117  of the right housing  111  and mounted partially on rear end  149  of the spool  124  with part of the sleeve  125  extending beyond the rear end  149  of the spool  124  to cover transmission element  122  and right thrust roller bearing  234 . The support sleeve  125  functions, as mentioned above for the second embodiment, as a lubrication enclosure and as a means of maintaining the transmission element  122  in contacting relation to the clutch ball capture disc  145 . Disposed on support sleeve  125  is mount collar  335 . 
     Finally, main cover sleeve  336  is connected to the right  113  and left housing  112  and covers the internal assembly of the device  310  and also provides a mounting surface for the mounting sleeve  320 . Additionally, the main cover sleeve  336  contains a slot  338  in which cable  138  may pass through. 
     Mounting the device of the third embodiment to a gunnel of a boat or workbench may be accomplished in the same manner as described above for the first two embodiments and depicted in FIGS. 2,  3 ,  4 ,  5 , and  6 . Additionally, the device  310  of the third embodiment may also be mounted in the gunnel of a boat using a non-adjustable mount assembly  84 ′ (25° angle), as shown in FIG. 13, or non-adjustable mount assembly  84 ″ (straight angle) as shown in FIG.  14 . 
     Referring to FIG. 14, assembly  84 ″ employs a stationary rod  340  in place of the telescopic rods and hinge used in the gunnel mount assembly  84  mentioned above so that assembly  84 ″ has a fixed height and angle which is suitable for a typical gunnel  78  of a boat  80 . Assembly  84 ″ further includes a base  342  with an opening  344  for receiving stationary rod  340  therein and having preferably a pair of apertures  347 ,  348  on opposing sides of the base which correspond with a pair of apertures  350 ,  351  on opposing sides of stationary rod  340 . Stationary rod  340  is fastened to base  342  of assembly  84 ′ by a fastener such as screws  345 ,  346  which pass through apertures  347 ,  348  in base  342  and into apertures  350 ,  351  in stationary rod  340  to fasten the stationary rod  340  within the base  342  of assembly  84 ″. 
     Assembly  84 ″ also includes a pair of rails  352 ,  353 , a plate  354 , and a connecting piece  356 . Rails  352 ,  353  are mounted to base  342  by a fastener such as screws  354 ,  355 ,  356 ,  357 ,  358 ,  359 ,  360 ,  361  which extend through holes in rails  352 ,  353  and into corresponding holes in top face  341  of base  342  to fasten rails  352 ,  353  to top face  341  of base  342  thereby forming a recess between base  342  and rails  352 ,  353 . Plate  354  is connected to connecting piece  356  via a fastener such as screws  362 ,  363  which extend through holes  365 ,  366  in plate  354  into and through corresponding holes  368 ,  369  in connecting piece  356 . Connecting piece  356  and plate  354  are locked into place by sliding plate  354  axially within the recess between rails  352 ,  353  and top face  341 . 
     Referring back to FIGS. 11 and 13, device  310  is mounted to the gunnel  78  of the boat  80  by attaching connecting piece  356  and plate  354  of assembly  84 ″ to device  310  via screws  362 ,  363  which extend through apertures  368 ,  369  in connecting piece  356  of assembly  84 ″ and into corresponding openings  370 ,  371  in main cover sleeve  336 , then axially sliding plate  354  into the recess between rails  352 ,  353  as described above, and then placing stationary rod  340  of assembly  84 ″ within gunnel  78 . 
     Alternatively, connecting piece  356  may also be used for mounting the device  310  on a workbench by simply mounting connecting piece  356  to the device  310  via openings  370 ,  371 , without the plate  354 . This allows for the attachment of connecting piece  356  to any type of bench vise for mounting device  310  to a workbench. 
     In addition, assemblies  84 ′ and  84 ″ may also be used for mounting the first two embodiments of the present invention to a gunnel of a boat or to a workbench. Moreover, a mounting assembly similar to components  342 ,  352 - 356  (with associated fasteners) can be employed with the mounting assemblies of FIGS. 2-6, and  13 . 
     In use, the device of the third embodiment of the present invention is operated in generally the same manner as described above with regard to the first two embodiments. 
     The embodiments described above are not meant to be exclusive. Many other variations of the present invention would be obvious to those skilled in the art, and are contemplated to be within the scope of the appended claims.