Abstract:
A fishing line twist removal apparatus for removing accumulated twist from a fishing line while a fishing lure is secured to the fishing line. The lure is placed into a container body having a cavity, and a slitted cap entraps the lure into the container with the fishing line extending through the slit. A plurality of blades extending outward from the container body cause the apparatus to rotate as it is pulled through water. The blades may angle for clockwise or counterclockwise rotation. A blunt nose on the apparatus allows it to skip or skim the surface of the water for reduced rotation, thereby avoiding excessive twist removal and reverse direction overtwist.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO COMPACT DISC(S) 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates, in general, to the sport of fishing, and in particular, to apparatus and methods for removing the twist in twisted fishing line. 
     2. Information Disclosure Statement 
     Those who enjoy the sport of fishing with rods and reels have often encountered tangled and twisted fishing lines, and such twisting of the fishing line is a natural by-product of the use of well-known fishing reels having a spool member onto which the fishing line is wound. Typically, a well-known manual crank is used to operate a mechanism that winds the fishing line onto the spool member. With some versions of fishing reels, the manual crank causes the spool member to rotate, thereby causing the fishing line to become wound onto the spool of the reel. With other versions of fishing reels, commonly known as “spinning reels”, a bail member revolves around a non-rotating spool member in response to operation of the manual crank, and the bail member winds the fishing line around the non-rotating spool. As a lure attached to the end of the fishing line is cast and retrieved, the winding and unwinding of the fishing line around the spool of the fishing reel causes the line to be twisted in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, depending on the specific structure of the fishing reel, and additional line twisting may occur due to rotation of the lure as it is retrieved through the water. It should be understood that twisting of the fishing line is most prevalent and severe when spinning reels are used, but some limited twisting of the fishing line can also occur because of the structure of other types of fishing reels as well. Various fishing habits and techniques of individual fishermen may also contribute to the direction of accumulated line twist. Twisted fishing line reduces the enjoyment of fishing and causes difficulties in casting and retrieving a lure attached to the fishing line, causes excessive fishing line wear and breakage, and causes entanglement and knotting of the fishing line. Often, a length of twisted fishing line is simply cut from the spool and discarded. 
     It is therefore desirable to have apparatus and methods for quickly and easily removing the twist in fishing line without requiring removal of the fishing lure from the fishing line and without requiring discarding a portion of twisted fishing line. 
     A preliminary patentability search in Class 43, subclass 43.13, produced the following patents, some of which may be relevant to the present invention: Carey, U.S. Pat. No. 2,003,245, issued May 28, 1935; Pass et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,967,372, issued Jan. 10, 1961; Kochis, U.S. Pat. No. 3,145,498, issued Aug. 25, 1964; Klammer, U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,065, issued Nov. 10, 1964; and Kelly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,277, issued Nov. 23, 1993. 
     Carey, U.S. Pat. No. 2,003,245, describes a lure replacement having a plurality of outwardly-bent blades, and the lure replacement device is used to restore the “lay” or normal twist to a textile fishing line. A fishing lure is removed from the line and replaced by the Carey lure replacement device, which is then trolled through the water or cast and retrieved through the water, with the blades causing the lure replacement to spin about its axis and thereby restore the “lay” or normal twist to the fishing line. Once the normal twist of the line has been restored, the lure replacement device is removed and the lure is replaced, and fishing continues. 
     Pass et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,967,372, discloses a spiral helix that is attached to a fishing line and then towed, or cast and retrieved, through water to untwist the fishing line. At column 2, line 45, Pass teaches that it is necessary to remove the fishing lure and replace the fishing lure with the spiral helix device in order to untwist a fishing line. 
     Kochis, U.S. Pat. No. 3,145,498, discloses a device having a pair of vanes that intersect in an X-shaped configuration. The device replaces a fishing lure on the end of twisted fishing line, and is trolled through a body of water to untwist the fishing line. 
     Klammer, U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,065, discloses a device having a pair of angled wings that cause the device to rotate about its axis as it is pulled through the water at the end of a twisted fishing line. Like earlier prior art, the device replaces a fishing lure at the end of the twisted fishing line. 
     Kelly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,277, discloses various devices for untwisting fishing lines. Some devices have angled propeller-type blades, others have a helical screw that encircles the device, and others have internal angled blades. The various configurations of blades cause the device to rotate as it is pulled through the water at the end of a fishing line. A common feature of all of the devices is that a swivel is provided on the remote end of the device for attaching a hook, so that the untwisting device becomes a part of the fishing lure and is interposed between the hook and the fishing line so as to prevent twisting of the line while attracting fish. 
     Additionally, Harms, U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,153, issued Jul. 27, 1976, discloses a finned spherical device for attachment to the end of twisted fishing line. Like earlier prior art, the device replaces a fishing lure at the end of the twisted fishing line. 
     None of these references, either singly or in combination, disclose or suggest the present invention. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a fishing line twist removal apparatus for removing accumulated twist from a fishing line while a fishing lure is secured to the fishing line. The lure is placed into a container body having a cavity, and preferably a slitted cap entraps the lure into the container with the fishing line being received into and passing through the slit. A plurality of blades extending outward from the container body cause the apparatus to rotate as it is pulled through water. The blades may angle for clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation, as may be required for the specific direction of twist to be removed. A blunt nose on the apparatus allows it to skip or skim the surface of the water for reduced rotation, thereby avoiding excessive twist removal and reverse direction overtwist. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for quickly and easily removing accumulated twist from a fishing line without having to remove a fishing lure from the fishing line. It is a further object of the present invention to allow a fisherman to avoid excessive untwisting of the fishing line while practicing the method of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a representative view of the prior art showing a fisherman casting a lure into a body of water. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention being used to untwist a fishing line. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the first embodiment of the present invention taken along a diameter thereof, with a fishing lure shown thereinside. 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of a preferred cap of the first and second embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a preferred cap of the first and second embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention in which the blades are reversed from those of the first embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a fisherman  20  fishing in the well-known manner of the prior art using a well-known fishing rod  22  to which a well-known fishing reel  26  is attached, and fishing reel  26  has a well-known spool member  28  onto which a fishing line  30  is wound in a manner well-known to those skilled in the art. Typically, a well-known manual crank (not shown) is used to operate a well-known mechanism that winds fishing line  30  onto spool member  28 . With some well-known versions of fishing reels  26 , the manual crank causes the spool member  28  to rotate, thereby causing fishing line  30  to become wound onto the spool  28  of the reel  26 . With other versions of fishing reels  26 , commonly known as “spinning reels”, a well-known bail member (not shown) revolves around a non-rotating spool member in response to operation of the manual crank, and the bail member thereby winds fishing line  30  around the non-rotating spool. As a lure  32  attached to the end of fishing line  30  is cast and retrieved in a manner well-known to those skilled in the art, the winding and unwinding of fishing line  30  around spool  28  of fishing reel  26  causes fishing line  30  to become twisted in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, depending on the specific structure of fishing reel  26 , and additional line twisting may occur due to rotation of lure  32  as it is retrieved through the water. It should be understood that twisting of the fishing line  30  is most prevalent and severe when spinning reels are used, but some limited twisting of the fishing line can also occur because of the structure of other types of fishing reels as well. Various fishing habits and techniques of individual fishermen may also contribute to the direction of accumulated line twist. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2-6, a first embodiment of a fishing line twist removal apparatus  34  is seen to comprise a container body  36  adapted for receiving fishing lure  32  thereinside while fishing lure  32  remains attached to fishing line  30  with fishing line  30  extending outside container body  36 , and a plurality of angled blades  38  extending outwardly from container body  36  with blades  38  being adapted for being acted upon by a body of water into which twist removal apparatus  34  has been placed. 
     Container body  36  is preferably substantially cylindrically-symmetric about a center axis, and a substantially cylindrical cavity  40  is formed by container body  36  thereinside, with container body  36  further having a substantially axially-aligned mouth opening  42  into cavity  40  through which fishing lure  32  may pass into and out of cavity  40 . The preferred cylindrically-symmetric outer shape of container body  36  offers the least resistance to a spinning or revolving of twist removal apparatus  34  about its axis as it is moved relative to a body of water in a manner hereinafter described in detail. 
     Twist removal apparatus  34  preferably includes a cap  44  for selectably covering and uncovering mouth opening  42  of container body  36 , with twist removal apparatus  34  including cap engaging means  46  for securing cap  44  into position covering mouth opening  42 . Cap engaging means  46  may include well-known mating tab and slot interlocking portions (not shown) on container body  36  adjacent mouth opening  42  and also on cap  44  that matingly secure cap  44  over mouth opening  42  when cap  44  is twistingly secured onto container body  36 , or preferably cap engaging means  46  instead includes a deformable lip  48 , preferably circumferential about the underside of cap  44 , that engages with a mating ridge  50  of container body  36 , with ridge  50  being preferably circumferential about container body  36  adjacent mouth opening  42  so that cap  44  may be securely “snap fit” onto container body  36  covering mouth opening  42  as shown in FIGS. 2-4, and then selectably removed, as shown by dotted outline reference numeral  44   a  in FIG. 4, simply by deforming a portion of lip  48  so that lip  48  no longer engages ridge  50 . Preferably, cap  44  may include a cylindrical wall  52  that extends into mouth opening  42  adjacent container body  36  so as to align cap  44  onto container body  36 . 
     Cap  44  preferably has a slit  54  extending from its axis of cylindrical symmetry to the perimeter and through lip  48 , with slit  54  being adapted for receiving fishing line  30  thereinto so that, once lure  32  has been placed into cavity  40  with fishing line  30  still attached to lure  32  and extending outside cavity  40  through mouth opening  42 , fishing line  30  may be received into slit  54  and then cap  44  may be secured over mouth opening  42 , thereby entrapping fishing lure  32  inside container body  36  within cavity  40 . It should be understood that the width of slit  54  is shown exaggerated in the drawings for purposes of illustration only, and that preferably slit  54  is constructed as a “knife-thin” slit without removal of material from cap  44  so that the edges of slit  54  seal together and against fishing line  30 , thereby preserving a substantially watertight seal so that water will not enter cavity  40 , thereby preserving the substantial buoyancy of twist removal apparatus  34  and allowing twist removal apparatus  34 , with lure  32  therewithin, to float upon the surface of the water for ease of retrieval and with rapid rotation of twist removal apparatus  34  as it rotates with container body  36  substantially above, rather than below, the surface of the water in a manner hereinafter described. Container body  36  preferably has a bottom  56  sealing cavity  40  so that fishing lure  32  is held within cavity  40  with water being sealed from cavity  40 , thereby preserving the buoyancy of twist removal apparatus  34 , although it should be understood that, when twist removal apparatus  34  is used in the manner hereinafter described, the pulling forces on fishing line  30  will typically cause fishing lure  32  to abut the underside of cap  44 . 
     Although twist removal apparatus  34  may be constructed of various materials, a flexible plastic is preferred for container body  36  and cap  44  for ease of manufacturing by a molding process and for light weight. Blades  38  may be integrally molded with container body  36  or may be constructed from a metal collar using a metal such as aluminum or the like. 
     Twist removal apparatus  34  preferably has a blunt nose portion  58  through which fishing line  30  extends outside container body  36  while fishing lure  32  is entrappingly received inside container body  36 . Preferably, the blunt nose portion  58  of twist removal apparatus  34  is a structural element of cap  44 , with slit  54  being into and through blunt nose portion  58 . Blunt nose portion  58  permits the fisherman  20  to avoid excessive opposite-direction untwisting by twist removal apparatus  34 , in a manner that will be described hereinafter. 
     To practice the method of the present invention, a fishing lure  32  is placed into cavity  40  of container body  36 , fishing line  30  is received into slit  54 , and cap  44  is secured over the mouth opening  42 , thereby entrapping fishing lure  32  within container body  36 . The twist removal apparatus, with fishing lure  32  thereinside, is placed into a body of water as shown in solid outline in FIG. 2 as reference numeral  34 , and the twist removal apparatus is then caused to move relative to the body of water by exerting a pulling force on fishing line  30 , whether by trolling the twist removal apparatus behind a moving boat or by having the fisherman  20  retrieve the twist removal apparatus by reeling in the fishing line onto reel  26 . As the water forcefully acts upon the angled blades  38  the twist removal apparatus is caused to rapidly rotate or spin about the axis of the fishing line  30 , thereby removing accumulated twist in the fishing line. As hereinbefore described, the preferred structure of twist removal apparatus  34  is such that container body  36  is substantially watertight, with water being prevented from entry thereinside so that twist removal apparatus is substantially buoyant with lure  32  thereinside, thereby causing twist removal apparatus  34  to not become substantially submerged in the water, thereby causing fishing line  30  to also not be submerged as the twist removal apparatus is trolled or retrieved by the fisherman, thereby causing the untwisting of fishing line  30  to be substantially uniform all the way from the lure  32  to the fishing rod  22  of fisherman  20 . Even though the preferred buoyancy of container body  36  causes twist removal apparatus  34  to not be substantially submerged, some of blades  38 , namely, those extending downwardly at each instant during rotation, will be acted upon by the body of water and cause the twist removal apparatus  34  to rotate as desired. For efficiency in use of the twist removal apparatus, the number of blades  38  and their angle and shape is preferably selected so that a large number of revolutions of the twist removal apparatus is produced per foot of water through which the twist removal apparatus passes. The blunt nose portion  58  of the twist removal apparatus permits the fisherman to control the amount of twist removal without excessive opposite-direction untwisting. Specifically, the fisherman  20  first causes the twist removal apparatus  34  to move with respect to the water with some blades extending into the water, as shown in solid outline in FIG. 2, by exerting first.pulling force on the fishing line  30 . Then, by increasing the amount of pulling force on the fishing line  30  to a certain second pulling force, the blunt nose portion  58  acts upon the body of water moving therepast to cause the twist removal apparatus and its blades to rise substantially above the surface of the water, as shown in dotted outline as reference numeral  34   a  in FIG. 2, and the twist removal apparatus can then be caused to “skip” and “ski” across the water with the blades  38  being substantially above the water and with the blunt nose portion  58  acting much like a plane or ski upon which the twist removal apparatus skips and glides over the surface of the water, so that the line  30  may be reeled rapidly, and the twist removal apparatus may be caused to be rapidly retrieved, thereby greatly reducing the number of revolutions of twist removal apparatus per distance of retrieval. In this manner, excessive untwisting can be avoided, and the fisherman is not required to move his boat toward the twist removal apparatus in order to prevent excessive untwisting of the fishing line. 
     A second embodiment  34 ′ of the present invention is shown in FIG.  7 . It shall be understood that most aspects of both embodiments are substantially the same, and only the differences will be treated in detail, it being understood that similar structural features of both embodiments perform similar functions. The only difference between the first and second embodiments is that the second embodiment  34 ′ has blades  38 ′ that are angled in a reverse direction from the blades  38  of the first embodiment  34 , thereby causing the second embodiment  34  to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed by the fisherman, as compared to the counter-clockwise rotation heretofore described for the first embodiment  34 . It is believed, because most fishing reels  26  have been found to cause a counter-clockwise twist to the fishing line  30 , that the second embodiment  34 ′ will be the more commonly-used version of the first and second embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that both embodiments of the present invention may be separately provided with blades  38  and  38 ′ being integral with their respective embodiments, or else both blades  38  and  38 ′ may be provided together with a single container body  36  onto which one of blades  38  or  38 ′ may be slidably and frictionally selectably received so that a single container body  36  may be utilized, with appropriate choice of blades  38 ,  38 ′, to untwist a twisted line in either the counter-clockwise or clockwise direction, as desired, in a manner that will now be apparent. 
     It should be understood that various shapes of blades or equivalent fins, vanes, etc., may be used to cause twist removal apparatus  34  to rotate as the twist removal apparatus  34  is caused to move relative to the body of water in the manner heretofore described. Furthermore, the shape of container body  36 , while preferably cylindrically symmetric as shown, may be varied as desired to accommodate differing sizes of lures and also for ornamental purposes. 
     Although the present invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment and a preferred use therefor, it is not to be so limited since modifications and changes can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of the invention.