Abstract:
An ice fishing apparatus particularly suited to fishing in deeper waters where the ability to reel in a fish without tangling a line. The apparatus is suited to accommodate a wide variety of standard pole and reel configurations. The apparatus also has a hook setting mechanism.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application #61/425,735 filed 21 Dec. 2010; entitled “Tip-down for ice fishing” The entire contents being hereby incorporated by reference and for which benefit of the priority date is claimed. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to fishing apparatus and in particular ice fishing tip downs. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Ice fishing remains a pleasurable past time for many in polar climates. A popular apparatus for ice fishing is a tip-down. With a tip-down, a pole is placed in an upright position while the fisherman waits for a fish to take bait from the end of a hook attached by line to the end of the pole. The pull of the fish on the line causes the pole to tip downward indicating to the fisherman that a fish is on the line. 
         [0004]    The fisherman then pulls the line from the water and retrieves the fish. Ice fishing is mostly done on ice above shallow water. In many cases in colder climates deeper water can also be fished. In these cases having an excess of line is cumbersome to the fisherman, and it is desired that fishing poles of conventional construction and having reels or reeling means be used. 
         [0005]    Preferably, the fisherman would enjoy using a reel similar to what is used in summertime fishing, but being a little shorter pole length. In these cases it can be troublesome to find a good balance point for actuating the up/down action required for a tip-down mechanism. 
         [0006]    It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a tip-down mechanism comprising a holder suited to adapting with a wide variety of off the shelf fishing poles and reels. 
         [0007]    It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a tip-down mechanism having a suitable range of up/down rotational motion. 
         [0008]    It is another object of the invention that this structure to provide a holder allowing the fisherman to quickly and easily remove the pole and reel from the holding apparatus in order to play the fish. 
         [0009]    It is another object of the invention to provide a trigger mechanism in order to automatically set the hook into the mouth of the fish. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a mounting bracket for receiving a pole and reel assembly including a hand grip being in association with the bracket and having a fastening member to hold the hand grip to the bracket, and having a trunnion provided at a balance point to provide the operation of tipping the pole assembly when the line is pulled down by a fish. 
         [0011]    This ice fishing tip down is designed to be used with commercial ice fishing pole and reel combinations. It allows the fish to be reeled in instead of being pulled in with the line by hand. It eliminates the use of bobbers (which is a benefit as bobbers can freeze into the ice). A tip down of the present invention simplifies deep water fishing as the fisherman does not have to reel in great lengths of line on top of the ice which tangles and blows in the wind. The set up and take down are fast and simple. The present invention is designed to balance just about any ice pole and reel combination, due at least in part to the center of gravity being substantially below the trunnion. The pole and reel can also easily be slid off the stand for easy reeling and has a stop post for limiting rotation of the pole. 
         [0012]    In an alternate embodiment, the invention can include a hook setting mechanism for setting a hook into the mouth of a fish when the tip-down is unattended. 
         [0013]    The fisherman can leave the hole by some distance as the angle of the pole is easy to see from great distances. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunction with the subsequent, detailed description, in which: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a typical assembly wherein the pole is in a tip-up orientation; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the assembly from  FIG. 1  wherein the pole is in a tip-down orientation; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3A  is a side perspective view of the hook set device wherein the swing arm is in the latched position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3B  is a side perspective view of the hook set device wherein the swing arm is in motion after the latch is released; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3C  is a side perspective view of the hook set device wherein the swing arm is in the open position; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4A  is an exploded view of the trunnion and mounting bracket with seat assembly; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4B  is an assembled view of the trunnion and mounting bracket with seat assembly; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 5A  and B are a perspective view of a trunnion and post assembly; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of a trunnion, bracket and seat in a tip-up mode showing a representation of the center of gravity; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of a trunnion, bracket and seat in a tip-down mode showing a representation of the center of gravity. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]      FIG. 1  shows a base ( 10 ), which can take a variety of forms including legs, or platforms sufficient to steady the apparatus. The base ( 10 ) is connected with a vertical member ( 12 ) protruding approximately 18 to 30 inches from the surface of the ice and providing a trunnion ( 14 ) for securing a mounting bracket ( 18 ) and allowing a focus for rotation (shown in  FIGS. 4-6 ). The mounting bracket ( 18 ) is secured to a seat ( 20 ). The seat ( 20 ) is secured to the handle grip ( 44 ) of a fishing pole by means of fastening member ( 22 ) which could comprise; a rubber band, Velcro®, tie fasteners or the like. The fishing pole is oriented such that the reel ( 42 ) is generally rotated downward providing a low center of gravity or balance which is on the A stop post or rotational stop ( 16 ) is provided generally above the trunnion ( 14 ) to limit the rotational travel of the pole ( 40 ). A line ( 46 ) having bait and a hook at the distal end (not shown) is situated along the pole ( 40 ) and terminating at the reel ( 42 ). 
         [0026]    In operation the pole ( 40 ) is set up to be oriented at an incline relative to the horizon, or in a ‘tip-up’ position. As a fish discovers the bait and takes the hook, the corresponding movement causes tension on the line ( 46 ) pulling it downward into the ‘tip-down’ position as is shown in  FIG. 2 . When the fisherman sees the pole ( 40 ) in the tip-down position, he knows to attend to the line which, in this case, means removing the mounting bracket ( 18 ) from the trunnion ( 14 ) and reeling in the fish by means of the reel ( 42 ). 
         [0027]    A hook set mechanism is hereby provided with operation illustrated in  FIGS. 3  A-C. The hook set further comprising, a platform ( 30 ), a latch member ( 32 ) attached at one end to the platform ( 30 ) and having a free end capable of moving freely, a trigger ( 24 ) for holding the free end of the latch member ( 32 ) while in the set position, swing arm ( 28 ) having a sweep member ( 29 ) and being operatively held in place by the latch member ( 24 ) and able to swing in an arcuate movement when released by the latch ( 24 ), and a spring ( 26 ) capable of imparting kinetic energy to the swing arm 
         [0028]    In this embodiment, the fishing pole ( 40 ) or seat ( 20 ) (depending upon set up and orientation) contacts a trigger ( 24 ) which is held in place by a latch member ( 32 ). The latch member ( 32 ) holds a swing arm ( 28 ) in place by means of a spring ( 26 ), which in this case is a coil spring ( 26 ). The pent up energy in the coil spring ( 26 ) causes the swing arm ( 28 ) to rotate causing a sweep member ( 29 ) generally orthogonal to the swing arm ( 28 ) to bump or jerk the pole  40 ) upward thus setting the hook in the fish&#39;s mouth. 
         [0029]      FIGS. 6  A&amp;B show a representation of the center of gravity (CG), or center of balance, for a seat ( 20 ) with mounting bracket ( 18 ) on a trunnion ( 14 ). A representation of the pole ( 40 ), reel ( 42 ), hand grip ( 44 ) and line ( 46 ) were excluded from the drawing for the sake of simplicity, but it would be understood by one skilled in the art that these would play a part in the completion of the apparatus. In fact, the placement of the pole ( 40 ) within the seat ( 20 ) affects the center of balance as the center of gravity moves toward the trunnion ( 14 ) which acts as a focus or pivot. As the fishing pole moves fore, closing the gap between the center of gravity and the trunnion ( 14 ) the more sensitive the balance becomes and less pull on the line ( 46 ) would be necessary to rotate the seat ( 20 ) from resting against the stop ( 16 ) to accelerating toward the tip down position as shown in  FIG. 6B . As the fishing pole is moved aft, increasing the gap, the more resistant the pole ( 40 ) becomes to pull on the line ( 46 ). 
         [0030]    One skilled in the art can appreciate that the acceleration of the pole ( 40 ) after a slight tug on the line ( 46 ) by a fish allows the trigger ( 24 ) to reliably activate, and also creates just a little bit of slack on the line ( 46 ) such that when the sweep ( 29 ) engages the pole ( 40 ), it sets the hook (not shown) without ripping the hook from the fish&#39;s mouth and settle right back into the tip-down position. 
         [0031]    One skilled in the art can also appreciate that the fore and aft adjustment of the pole ( 40 ) in the seat ( 20 ) can be made after the line ( 46 ) is released into the water, allowing the fisherman to manually compensate for length of line ( 46 ), fishing weights (not shown), current, and the like when setting the center of balance. 
       CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
       [0032]    Although the present invention has been described in detail, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, substitutions, and alterations herein may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. The invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention. 
         [0033]    When introducing elements of aspects of the invention or the embodiments thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. 
         [0034]    Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is presented in the subsequent appended claims.