Abstract:
A fish catching device for signaling to a fisherman that a fish bite has occurred using a conventional fishing rod. The device comprise of tubular rod holder attached to a spring-loaded u channel table for receiving the handle of a fishing rod. The device is set up through use of a safety bracket, which is released, after device is cocked through use of extendable latch trigger, which released when a line jerk produced by a fish strike.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/643,251, filed on Dec. 15, 2000. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to fishing devices, and more particularly to a fishing rod holder with an automatic trigger. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Fishing rigs have been in use for years. Various trappable fishing rod holders have therefore been suggested. However, the prior art fishing rod holders are typically complex and ineffective. Therefore, an improved fishing rod holder device is needed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A fishing device for signaling to a fisherman that a fish bite has occurred is described. The device includes a vertical metal stake, a mounting plate attached to the top portion of the metal stake at a generally perpendicular angle, a tubular rod holder pivotally attached to the mounting plate, an extendable spring connecting the tubular rod holder with the vertical metal stake, a safety bracket whose longer end is attached to the top portion of the metal stake, and a latch-trigger pivotally attached to the right side of the mounting plate. In its unloaded state, the tubular rod holder is positioned vertically, next to the mounting plate. The fishing device is set up by inserting a fishing rod handle into the tubular holder, pressing the tubular holder against the tension of the spring, and placing the safety bracket over the tubular holder temporarily when the tubular holder moves into a horizontal position. The safety bracket is released after the latch-trigger is placed over the tubular holder. Next, the fisherman enters the fishing line pulled from the reel into a groove in the top portion of the latch-trigger. The latch trigger is released in response to a line jerk produced by a fish strike. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not limitation, by the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a fishing rod holder with an automatic quick trigger in a loaded state; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a fishing rod holder placed on a coast of a reservoir in a charged condition; 
     FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a fishing rod holder in a discharged/upward position; 
     FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a latch-trigger of a fishing rod holder; 
     FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of a safety bracket of a fishing rod holder; 
     FIG. 6 a  illustrates one embodiment of a metal stake of a fishing rod holder; 
     FIG. 6 b  illustrates one embodiment of a mounting plate of a fishing rod holder; 
     FIG. 6 c  illustrates one embodiment of a tubular holder of a fishing rod holder; and 
     FIG. 6 d  illustrates exemplary participating elements of a fishing rod holder, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a fishing rod holder with an automatic quick trigger in a loaded state. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the fishing rod holder includes a metal stake  1 , a tubular fishing rod holder  3 , a spring  5 , a safety bracket  6 , a latch-trigger  4 , and a mounting plate  2 . 
     One end of the spring  5  is attached to the metal stake  1 . In one embodiment, the spring  5  is attached to one of three holes (i.e., holes  20 ,  20   a  and  20   b  located on the metal stake  1  at various levels) using a bolt  12 . The selection of the hole depends on the desired sensitivity of the fishing line. For example, the attachment of the spring  5  to the lower hole  20   b  provides a higher tension and may be used for a large size fish, the attachment to the middle hole  20   a  provides a medium spring tension and may be used when an average line sensitivity is required, and the attachment to the upper hole  20  provides a lower tension and may be used for small fish (e.g., ¼ lb.). 
     The other end of the spring  5  is attached to the tubular holder  3  using a bolt  12   a  inserted into a through hole  22  in the tubular holder  3 . When the tubular holder  3  is pressed toward the mounting plate  2  and moves from a vertical position into a horizontal position, the spring  5  is extended to allow this movement. The tubular holder  3  is kept in the horizontal position by the latch-trigger  4  as will be discussed in more detail below. 
     In one embodiment, the bolt  12   a  attaching the spring  5  to the tubular holder  3  is small and the bolt  12  attaching the spring  5  to the metal stake is large (e.g., has an eye hook of 6″ in length) to ensure desired positioning of the tubular holder  3 . 
     The metal stake  1  is a vertical support member of the fishing rod holder. In one embodiment, the metal stake  1  has a slanted cut off bottom end  28  (e.g., the angle may be equal to 70°) to force the metal stake  1  into the ground (e.g., 8 to 10 inches) at the bank of the water front. Alternatively, the metal stake  1  may be installed on the ice or fixed to a boat. The metal stake  1  has a hole  27  for attaching the safety bracket  6 . 
     The safety bracket  6  is shown in FIG. 1 in its loaded state when it is placed over the tubular holder  3 . Dotted lines illustrated the positioning of the tubular holder  3  when the safety bracket  6  is in the unloaded state. The safety bracket  6  is used to temporarily hold the tubular holder  3  in a horizontal position until the latch-trigger  4  is placed over the tubular holder  3  to provide fixed horizontal positioning of the tubular holder  3 . The safety bracket  6  may be manufactured from a steel semicircular or circular strip or steel wire that is bent to form an asymmetric arch with a longer end and a shorter end. Electric welding  7  attaches a steel ring-stopper to the longer end of the safety bracket  6 . 
     The tubular holder  3  is a tube used to hold the handle of the fishing rod. The right portion of the tubular holder has a hole to which a hook  8  is welded via electric welding. The hook  8  is used to attach the latch-trigger  4 . In one embodiment, the tubular holder  3  has an angle of rotation equal to 90 degrees, thereby providing the fisherman with the instant under-cutting and pulling a large amount of the fishing line. The length of the fishing line, which is pulled out of the water, depends on the length of the fishing rod. 
     The mounting plate  2  is attached to the metal stake  1  via welding  7 . The left end of the mounting plate  2  has a hole  14  for a bolt  11  that attaches the mounting plate  2  to the tubular holder  3 . The right end of the mounting plate  2  has a hole for a bolt  9  that attaches the latch-trigger  4 . In one embodiment, the bottom side of the mounting plate  2 , close to its left end, has an unbend-stopper  33  that keeps the tubular holder  3  in a perpendicular position with respect to the mounting plate  2  when the safety bracket  6  is in the unloaded state. The unbend-stopper  33  prevents injury of the fisherman hands if device accidentally discharges during loading. 
     In one embodiment, the latch-trigger  4  is a steel rectangular plate. The bottom part of the plate  4  is rounded and has a hole for the bolt  9  that attaches the latch-trigger  4  to the mounting plate  2 . Above this hole, there is a rectangular cut out  29  that is used for connection with the round hook  8 . The top of the plate  4  has a groove  25  to hold the fish line. The fish line is placed into the groove  25  after the devise is loaded. In one embodiment, the edges of the groove  25  are smooth. 
     In another embodiment, the latch-trigger  4  consists of two steel rectangular plates (i.e., plates  4  and  4   a ) connected to each other via a rivet  32 . The first plate  4  has a hole  19   a  below the groove  25  for the rivet  32  that holds the first plate  4  and the second plate  4   a  together. The top end of the first plate  4  has an unbend-stopper  31  that is used to hold the second plate in a vertical position. The bottom end of the second plate  4   a  is rounded and has a hole  19   a  for the rivet  32 . The top end of the second plate  4   a  has a groove  25   a . The edges of the groove  25   a  may be smooth. As shown in FIG. 1, the plates  4  and  4   a  may kept in a folded position (i.e., the second plate  4   a  is positioned along the first plate  4 , with the groove  25   a  being at the bottom of the second plate  4   a ). As will be further discussed in conjunction with FIG. 4, if a need to increase the sensitivity of the latch-trigger  4  arises, the second plate  4   a  is raised upwards (until it hits the unbend-stopper  31 ) and the groove  25   a  becomes at the top of the second plate  4   a , as shown in FIG.  4 . This increases the length of the latch-trigger  4 . The extended latch-trigger  4  allows for catch of smaller fish (e.g., ⅛ lb.). 
     FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a fishing rod holder placed on a coast of a reservoir in a charged condition. The fishing rod holder may be installed by the fisherman directing the metal stake  1  into the ground (e.g., 8 to 10 inches) with its slanted cut-off end  28 , pressing the mounting plate  2  with a hand, and turning the metal stake  1  in different directions around its axle. Then, the fisherman may insert a handle  30  of a fishing rod  17  into the tubular holder  3  and press the tubular holder  3  toward the mounting plate  2  with one hand. When the tubular holder  3  is moved into a horizontal position, thus extending the spring  5 , the fisherman may temporarily secure the tubular holder  3  in the horizontal position by placing the safety bracket  6  over the tubular holder  3 . Next, the fisherman may take the latch-trigger  4  with the other hand and place the cut out  29  over the hook  8 . Further, the fisherman may pull the fishing line  15  from the reel  16  and enter it into the groove  25  of the latch-trigger  4 . Afterwards, the fisherman may take the safety bracket  6  off the tubular holder  3 . Now, the latch-trigger  4  becomes sensitive to movements of the fishing line  15 . 
     In one embodiment, the fishing rod holder may accommodate both a left-handed fisherman and a right-handed fisherman by attaching safety bracket  6  and the latch-trigger  4  to the holes and pins available on both sides of the metal stake  1  and the tubular holder  3 . 
     FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a fishing rod holder in a discharged/upward position. As the fish takes the bait and pulls or tags the fishing line  15 , the latch-trigger  4  jumps off the hook  8  on the tubular holder  3  and frees out the tubular holder  3  which quickly moves into a vertical position under the tension of the compressed spring  5 . During this movement, the tubular holder  3  and the fishing rod  17  whose handle  30  is inserted into the tubular holder  3  are raised 90 degrees up, passing a short, strong pull to the fish line  15  which secures the hook in the fish. When the tubular holder  3  moves into a vertical position, it hits the unbend-stopper  33  of the mounting plate  2 , and the sound of a metal click occurs. This sound, in addition to the rocking of the fishing rod that is caused by the fish, signals the fisherman that the fish has been caught. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a latch-trigger  4  of a fishing rod holder. The latch-trigger  4  consists of two steel rectangular plates  4  and  4   a  connected to each other via a rivet  32 . The plate  4  may be 5.5″ in length, ½″ in width, and ⅛″ in thickness. The bottom part of the plate  4  is rounded (e.g., with the radius of ¼″) and has a hole in the center of the resulting circle for a bolt that attaches the latch-trigger  4  to the mounting plate  2 . Above this hole, there is a rectangular cut out  29  (e.g., ⅞″ by {fraction (5/16)}) that is used for connection with a hook of the tubular holder  3 . The top of the plate  4  has a groove  25  (e.g., with the width of {fraction (1/16)}″ and the length of ½″) to hold the fish line. The plate  4  has a hole  9   a  below the groove  25  (e.g., ¾″ from the top end of the first plate  4 ) for the rivet  32  that holds the plates  4  and  4   a  together. The top portion of the plate  4  is unbent on the right side to form an unbend-stopper  31  (e.g., ¼ by {fraction (3/16)}″) that is used to hold the second plate  4   a  in a vertical position. 
     The second plate  4   a  may be 4″ in length, ⅜″ in width and {fraction (1/16)}″ in thickness. The bottom end of the second plate  4   a  is rounded (e.g., with the radius of ¼″) and has a hole  19   a  (e.g., ⅛″ in diameter) for the rivet  32 . The top end of the second plate  4   a  has a groove  25   a . The edges of the groove  25   a  may be polished. The plates  4  and  4   a  may kept in a folded position (i.e., the second plate  4   a  is positioned along the first plate  4 , with the groove  25   a  being at the bottom of the second plate  4   a ). If a need to increase the sensitivity of the latch-trigger  4  arises, the second plate  4   a  is raised upwards (until it hits the unbend-stopper  31 ) and the groove  25   a  becomes at the top of the second plate  4   a . This increases the length of the latch-trigger  4 . With the exemplary sizes given above, the length of the latch-trigger  4  is extended by 2.5″ up to 8.5″. The extended latch-trigger  4  allows for catch of small fish (e.g., ⅛ lb.). 
     FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of a safety bracket  6  of a fishing rod holder. The safety bracket  6  is a steel semicircular or circular strip or steel wire (e.g., ¼″ in diameter and 11″ in length) that is bent to form an asymmetric arch (e.g., with the arch radius of 1.375″) with a longer end (e.g., 4.5″ in length) and a shorter end (e.g., 2″ in length). The longer end has carving (e.g., ½″ in length) for a nut  24 . Electric welding  7  attaches a steel ring-stopper  23  (e.g., {fraction (5/16)}″ in diameter and ⅛″ in width) to the longer end of the safety bracket  6 . 
     FIG. 6 a  illustrates one embodiment of a metal stake  1  of a fishing rod holder. The metal stake  1  may be manufactured from a zinced steel tube. The diameter of the tube may be 1″ and the length of the tube may be 27″. The metal stake  1  has a hole  27  (e.g., diameter {fraction (5/16)}″) for attaching the safety bracket  6  and holes  20 ,  20   a  and  20   b  for attaching the spring  5 . 
     FIG. 6 b  illustrates one embodiment of a mounting plate  2  of a fishing rod holder. The mounting plate  2  is a channel of a rectangular shape. The mounting plate  2  may be {fraction (5/64)}″ thick, 6″ long and 2″ wide. The height of each side may be 1″. On one end, each side of the mounting plate  2  has a hole  14  (e.g., {fraction (5/16)}″ in diameter) for a bolt that attaches the mounting plate  2  to the tubular holder  3 , as will be discussed in more detail below. In addition, a portion of the bottom end of each side of the mounting plate  2  is unbent (at a 90-degree angle) to form an unbend-stopper  33 . The unbend-stopper  33  may be 2″ long and ½″ wide. On the other end of each side of the mounting plate  2 , there is a hole  19  (e.g., {fraction (3/16)}″ in diameter) for a bolt that attaches the latch-trigger  4 . 
     FIG. 6 c  illustrates one embodiment of a tubular holder  3  of a fishing rod holder. The tubular holder  3  is a zinced steel tube that may be 1.875″ in diameter and 12″ in length. The tubular holder  3  (e.g., ¼″ from one end) has a hole  21  (e.g., {fraction (3/16)}″ in diameter) for a hook that is used to attach the latch-trigger  4 . The tubular holder  3  also has at its other end (e.g., ¼″ from the end) a through hole  22  for a bolt that attaches the spring  5 . 
     A small tube  10  (e.g., {fraction (5/16)}″ in diameter, 1.12″ in length, and {fraction (1/16)}″ in thickness) is welded (at a 90-degree angle) to the bottom of the tubular holder  3  in its middle part via electric welding  7 . The small tube  10  is used for insertion into the mounting plate  2  between the holes  14  of the mounting plate  2 . A bolt  11  is then used to pivotally connect the tubular holder  3  with the mounting plate  2 . 
     In one embodiment, a plastic tube  3   a  (e.g., 1.25″/1.1875″ in external/internal diameter) may be inserted into the tubular holder  3  when a fisherman is using a smaller fishing rod. 
     FIG. 6 d  illustrates exemplary participating elements of a fishing rod holder, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to FIG. 6 d , the major elements of the fishing rod holder include a metal stake  1 , a mounting plate  2 , a tubular holder  3 , a latch trigger  4 , and a safety bracket  6 . 
     The metal stake  1  includes holes  20 ,  20   a  and  20   b  for attaching the spring  5  using a bolt  12 . The bolt  12  is a zinced steel bolt (e.g., ¼″ in diameter and 2.5″ in length) that is to be inserted into one of three holes  20 ,  20   a  and  20   b . The bolt  12  is fastened on each side of the metal stake  1  by a nut  13  and a disk  34 . The front end of the bolt  12  has a hinge to which the lower end of spring  5  is attached. The metal stake  1  also includes a hole  27  at its top part. 
     The safety bracket  6  is inserted into the hole  27  of the metal stake  1  and is fastened by a nut  24 . The safety bracket  6  has a ring-stopper  23  on its longer end at the point at which the bending of the longer end begins. 
     The tubular holder  3  has a through hole  22  (e.g., {fraction (5/16)}″ in diameter) in its rear end, from the top of the tubular holder  3  to the bottom of the tubular holder  3 , for a bolt  12   a . The bolt  12   a  is a zinced steel bolt (e.g., ¼″ in diameter and 2″ in length) that is to be inserted into the hole  22 . The bolt  12  is fastened by a nut  13   a  and a disk  34 . The front end of the bolt  12   a  has a hinge to which the upper end of the spring  5  is attached. 
     The tubular holder  3  also has a hole  21  on each side. A hook  8  is welded to the hole  21  on each side of the tubular holder  3  via electric welding. The hook  8  is used to attach the latch-trigger  4 . 
     A small tube  10  is welded to the bottom of the tubular holder  3  in its middle part via electric welding  7 . The small tube  10  is used for insertion into the mounting plate  2 . 
     The mounting plate  2  is welded to the metal stake via electric welding  7 . The mounting plate  2  has a hole  14  in each side, close to its left end, for a bolt  11 . The bolt  11  is a zinced steel bolt (e.g., ¼″ in diameter and 6″ in length) that is to pass through the holes  14  and the small tube  10  inserted between the holes  14 . Hence, the bolt  11  pivotally connects the mounting plate  2  with the tubular holder  3 . The bolt  11  is fastened by a nut  26  and a disk  34 . 
     The mounting plate  2  has at its bottom end an unbend-stopper  33  which is made by unbending at a 90-degree angle a lower portion of the mounting plate  2 . The mounting plate  2  also has a hole  19  to which the latch-trigger  4  is pivotally attached via a bolt  9 . 
     The latch-trigger  4  consists of plates  4  and  4   a . Plate  4  has a hole  19  for a bolt  9  which pivotally attaches the latch-trigger  4  to the mounting plate  2 . Plate  4  also has an unbend-stopper  31  formed by unbending a top portion of the plate  4  on its right side. The unbend-stopper  31  is used to hold the second plate  4   a  in a vertical position. 
     In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense.