Patent Publication Number: US-2023138056-A1

Title: Snap swivel

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This non-provisional patent application is based on provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/360,798 filed on Nov. 1, 2021. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to fishing tackle fastening devices and, more particularly, to an improved snap swivel for use in attaching and interchanging lures, leaders, hooks, or other terminal tackle to a fishing line. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Almost every fisherman will need to change hooks and baits, either live or artificial (e.g., lures), many times throughout the course of a day of fishing. Traditionally, fisherman have tied the main fishing line leading from the fishing reel directly to a hook, lure, leader or other terminal tackle. To do this, the main fishing line is threaded through an eye on a hook or lure, or through a loop on the end of a leader, and then tied in a knot. When it is desired to change the particular tackle, the main fishing line must be cut and then rethreaded and tied to another hook, leader, lure, etc. This can be tedious and time consuming, and may also result in loss of terminal fishing tackle due to poorly tied knots. To avoid the inconvenience of having to tie the fishing line to each lure, leader, hook, etc., many fishermen use a snap or a snap swivel that is tied to the main fishing line. A snap swivel is an item of terminal tackle, and enables fishermen to interchange lures, leaders, hooks, etc. without having to physically tie a knot with each interchange. A snap swivel is comprised of both a snap and a swivel. The snap allows for the quick connection of the main line to a lure, leader or other terminal tackle without the need to tie a knot, while the swivel provides 360 degrees of rotation to prevent the fishing line from becoming twisted. Most snaps on the market share the same flaw of the latching hook remaining exposed when the snap is in the closed position. This can cause the end of the latching hook to become snagged on other fishing tackle. In some instances, the end of the latching hook may actually cut the fishing line or leader, in which case the fisherman will lose the hook, lure, bait and/or other terminal tackle, as well as possibly a fish that may have been hooked. Another problem with the exposed latching hook on the traditional snap is the tendency of the loop of a leader to become lassoed onto the latching hook which may result in inadvertent opening of the snap when fishing. Obviously, this is highly undesirable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Considering the problems and shortcomings associated with snap swivels and snaps in the related art, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a snap for use alone or in conjunction with a swivel that will not become snagged and/or cut a fishing line or leader, and which will not be inadvertently opened when fishing. 
     According to the present invention, a snap portion of a snap swivel is formed from a single length of wire element that is formed, structured and configured to include an eye, a first arm member extending down from the eye, a second arm member defining a lever arm that is flexible toward and away from the first arm member, a bottom flexure region between the first arm and the second arm, and a coiled arrangement of rings wrapped about an upper portion of the first arm member just below the eye. A distal end portion of the second arm member is formed to provide a latching hook for releasable connection to the upper portion of the first arm member. When the snap is in the open position, the latching hook is separated from the first arm member, providing a gap between the latching hook and the first arm member and coiled arrangement of rings, to thereby allow for attachment of the snap to a lure, leader, hook or other terminal tackle. In the open position, the second arm member is in a relaxed state. 
     The coiled arrangement of rings on the upper portion of the first arm member includes a plurality of rings that are bunched together, as well as a lowermost ring that is spaced from the next adjacent ring to provide an open pitch or gap in the coiled arrangement. To close the snap, the second arm member is moved toward the first arm member against a biasing force created by the bottom flexure region, until the latching hook is received within the open pitch of the coiled arrangement and latched onto the first arm member within the coiled arrangement of rings. In the closed position, the latching hook is received within the open pitch of the coiled arrangement, with a distal end of the latching hook positioned within the coiled arrangement so that a distal tip of the latching hook is concealed and guarded to prevent snagging or cutting a fishing line, leader or other fishing tackle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a front perspective view showing the snap swivel of the present invention with the snap component in an open position; 
         FIG.  2    is a front perspective view showing the snap swivel of the present invention with the snap component in a closed position; 
         FIG.  3    is a front elevational view of the snap component in the closed position; 
         FIG.  4    is a right side elevational view of the snap component in the closed position; and 
         FIG.  5    is a front elevational view of the snap component shown in an open position. 
     
    
    
     Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the several views of the drawings, the snap swivel of the present invention is shown and is generally indicated as  10 . The snap swivel is intended for use as terminal tackle for fishing to allow for quick interchanging of lures, leaders, hooks, etc. without having to physically tie a knot with each interchange. The snap swivel  10  includes two primary components, namely a snap  20  and a swivel  30 . The snap component  20  is formed by a single wire element. In one preferred embodiment, the wire element is  304  spring stainless steel. The wire element is formed to create the snap component of the present invention. Referring to  FIGS.  3 - 5   , the snap component  20  includes an eye  21 , a first arm member  22  extending down from the eye, a second arm member  24  defining a lever arm that is flexible toward and away from the first arm  22  at a bottom flexure region  23  between the first arm member and the second arm member. The flexure region exerts a biasing force on the second arm member  24  that urges the second arm member  24  to the open position seen in  FIG.  5    which is a relaxed state. The snap  20  further includes a coil  27  formed about an upper portion of the first arm member  22 , just below the eye  21 . The coil  27  is formed to include adjacent spiraling rings  28   a - 28   e  about the first arm member  22  including four adjacent spiraling rings  28   a - 28   d  and a lowermost fifth ring  28   e  that is spaced from the fourth ring  29   d  to create an open pitch  29  (i.e., gap) in the coil arrangement  27 . The coil  27  has an outer periphery defined by an outer circumference of the spiraling rings  28   a - 28   e . A distal end of the second arm member  24  is formed into a latching hook  25  that is sized and configured for receipt within the open pitch  29  of the coiled arrangement  27  when the snap  20  is in a closed position, as seen in  FIGS.  3  and  4   . In the closed position, with the latching hook  25  received within the open pitch  29  of the coil arrangement  27 , the latching hook is engaged with and held against the first arm member  22  by the biasing force exerted on the second arm member  24  and a distal tip  26  of the latching hook  25  is positioned within the coil arrangement  27  so that the distal tip  26  of the latching hook  25  is contained and concealed within the outer periphery of the coil and guarded to prevent snagging or cutting other fishing tackle. 
     The swivel component  30  is of the conventional and well-known type, often referred to as a barrel swivel. This swivel component  30 , as seen in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , includes a central barrel portion that contains the swivel mechanism, and eyes extending from opposite ends of the barrel and interconnected to the interior swivel mechanism which thereby allows each of the eyes to independently rotate relative to the central barrel and each other. Thus, each eye is able to rotate entirely independent of the other eye as well as the central barrel. As seen in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , one of the eyes of the swivel component is interlinked or connected to the eye  21  on the top of the snap component  20 . 
     Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.