Abstract:
A fish hook or lure swivel eyelet and method of manufacture that allows for a quick and easy mounting of a hook or lure swivel eyelet onto and dismounting it from a fishing line whose end has been knotted. The eyelet is formed from a single section of steel wire as is appropriate to form a fish hook or swivel eyelet, and is slotted thereacross at a selected distance back from a forward end and the forward end portion is bent into a pair of side by side loops with the slot or slots aligning across opposing loop faces to form a slot or hole in the top of the loops that is essentially parallel to the lower portion of the section of steel wire. Which lower portion is formed into a hook or is wrapped around a pivot as a swivel eyelet.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to fishing devices and in particular to hook and lure swivel eyelets formed to facilitate their attachment onto a fisherman&#39;s line.  
         [0003]     2. Prior Art  
         [0004]     A number of fish hooks, lures and devices have been developed and marketed for use by fishermen for improving a likelihood of, and for simplifying, the catching of fish. All of which have required an attachment of a hook, lure or device onto a fishing line. The invention provides a simplified eyelet arrangement for providing for attachment of a hook, lure swivel or device onto a fishing line.  
         [0005]     In an earlier patent of the inventor, U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,600, an eyelet for a fish hook is set out that is functionally similar to the present invention in that it allows for attachment to a fishing line by drawing a knotted end of that line across a separation between parallel loops formed in ends of a hook shank and a separate straight member shank, that have been fixed together, with the line passing into a hole formed across which parallel loops as a slot in each parallel loop opposing surface. The &#39;600 patent, however, presented a necessity for joining, as by brazing, the hook and straight member shanks and forming a hole through the top of the parallel loops. Whereas, the present invention is formed from a single section of wire that is slotted with at least one slot at an appropriate distance back from an outer section of a wire end that is then wound, forming a pair of side by side loops, with the single slot providing passage to a fishing line or leader. Or, where two slots are formed, the slots align with one another at contacting loop surfaces, forming a hole that provides passage to a fishing line or leader and with the slot of hole edge binding to deny passage to a knotted end of which fishing line or leader. The section of wire end that is opposite to the loops end is then formed into a hook, or is fitted to one end of a swivel, or the like. Accordingly, the present invention is easier, simpler in its formation and provides a unique manufacturing process for its formation.  
         [0006]     The present invention is an eyelet formed from a single section of wire whose end is formed into a pair of side by side loops, with the outer loop having an open end, and with a hole or slot formed across the loops opposing top surfaces. So arranged, a fishing line with a knotted end is fitted across an open loop end, is pulled between the loops opposing surfaces and into the hole of slot. Which knot is of a diameter to bind against the hole or slot inner edge, preventing passage of the knot and firmly mounting a hook or swivel eyelet. Like the present invention, the earlier hook and swivel device of the &#39;600 patent provided for rapid attachment and removal of a fishing line from a hook end or eyelet and involved a hook or eyelet shank end formed to receive an end of a fishing line that had been tied into a loop. While examples of other hook arrangements are shown in early U.S. Patents to Hudson, U.S. Pat. No. 490,356; to Friend, U.S. Pat. No. 788,201; to O&#39;Brien, U.S. Pat. No. 895,493; and to Heffron, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,847,220, none showed the loop arrangement end of a fish hook shank or a lure swivel eyelet like that of the &#39;600 patent or the present invention. Also, where earlier arrangement of fish hooks and swivels have provided for attachment of a knotted end of a fishing line to a hook or swivel eyelet end, such have not involved opposing loops like those of the &#39;600 patent and of the invention. An example of such earlier arrangement is shown in a U.S. Patent to Halferty, U.S. Pat. No. 1,471,959.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The invention is in a fish hook and lure swivel eyelet and method of manufacture where a straight section of metal suitable for forming a fish hook or swivel eyelet is wound at one end into a pair of like size, side by side loops, is bent slightly outwardly from an outer loop and the loops have a slot formed through one or both loops that is parallel to straight section of metal that forms the lure shank. The opposite end portion of which straight section of metal is formed into a hook end or is wound around a pivot of a pivoting swivel eyelet, forming a hook or lure swivel eyelet of the invention. Which formation involves notching across the section of wire at a selected distance or distances whereby, when the section of wire end portion is wound to form the side by side loops, the notch or notches align to form the hole or slot between the loops tops that is parallel to the straight section of metal or stiff wire that forms the shank.  
         [0008]     It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a fishing hook or lure swivel eyelet end that is manufactured from a single section of a gauge of steel wire suitable for forming a fish hook, that is wound into a pair of side by side loops and has a center slot or hole between adjacent loop surfaces that is to receive a knotted end of a fishing line for mounting the hook or lure swivel eyelet thereto.  
         [0009]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a fishing hook or pivot eyelet that is wound as a pair of loops on one end of a straight section of an appropriate gauge of steel wire and has the wire end out turned from the outer loop to pass a section of fishing line that is pulled around the outer loop to between the loops and travels into a hole or slot formed in adjacent loop sides that is parallel to the straight section of steel wire.  
         [0010]     Another object of the present invention is to provide for forming the pair of loops by winding an end of a straight section of an appropriate gauge of steel wire into side by side loops, with, prior to which winding, the wire is slotted on at least one side at an appropriate location to be at a top of one of the loops, forming a slot.  
         [0011]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide, prior to the winding of the straight section of steel wire into the two loops, for forming slots or grooves on opposite sides of the straight section of steel wire at selected locations from the wire top end that will be in the top of each loop and align to form the hole that is parallel to the lower portion of the straight section of wire.  
         [0012]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a fish hook or swivel eyelet that is simple to mount and dismount to a fishing line having a knotted end. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description in which the invention is described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a profile top plan perspective view taken from a barb hook end of a fish hook having an eyelet end of the invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2A  is an enlarged top plan view of the eyelet of  FIG. 1  sans an opening between a adjacent eyelet loops;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2B  is a view like that of  FIG. 2A  only showing a left loop as having been notched;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2C  is a view like that of  FIG. 2A  only showing a right loop as having been notched;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2D  in also a view like that of  FIG. 2A  only showing the left and right loops as having been notched and with the notches aligned to form a hole;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3A  shows a perspective view taken above and to the right of a pipe that is shown as having had a section of notched steel wire laid at a right angle across the pipe and, arrows A, show the section of wire being wound around the pipe;  
         [0020]      FIG. 3B  is a view like that of  FIG. 3A  and additionally shows the section of wire as having been wound around the pipe through a first loop, as illustrated by arrows B;  
         [0021]      FIG. 3C  is also a view like that of  FIG. 3A  only showing the wire as being wound through a second loop with the wire shank aligned with the notch on the top of the loop, and showing the section of wire that has been held stationary during the formation of the first and second loops being bent, shown as arrow C, slightly-out from the pipe at an angle of approximately ninety degrees from the top of the loops, and is then bent away from the first loop, illustrated by arrow D;  
         [0022]      FIG. 3D  shows the section of wire as has been bent away from the first loop in  FIG. 3C  being cut with a shears, leaving and out turned end, finishing the formation of the eyelet end;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3E  shows the eyelet end wound on the pipe of  FIG. 3D  and shows the section of wire, below the eyelet, as having been wound around a larger pipe, forming a hook end, with arrow E illustrating the eyelet and hook ends being slid off of the pipes;  
         [0024]      FIGS. 4A through 4D  show configurations of the eyelet of  FIG. 1  with different shank arrangements;  
         [0025]      FIGS. 5A through 5D  show the eyelet of  FIG. 1  arranged with different configurations of swivels;  
         [0026]      FIG. 5E  shows eyelets like that of  FIG. 1  having shank ends mounted at spaced intervals around a ring;  
         [0027]      FIGS. 6A, 6E ,  6 F and  6 G show the eyelet of  FIG. 1  fixed onto, respectively, a spinner, a torpedo weight, a pyramid weight, and a ball weight;  
         [0028]      FIGS. 6B, 6C  and  6 D show the eyelet of  FIG. 1  mounted through pivots to different configurations of spinners;  
         [0029]      FIGS. 7A through 7C  show the eyelet of  FIG. 1  shank fitted through, respectively, a spinner to a hook pivot, to a fish like bait, and to one end of a spinner that mounts a hook to its opposite end;  
         [0030]      FIG. 8  shows the eyelet of  FIG. 1  arranged as a head end of a fly type lure; and  
         [0031]      FIG. 9  shows the eyelet of  FIG. 1  shank end fitted to a lure body that includes feathers and a worm like tail. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0032]     The invention, as is hereinafter described, relates to eyelets that are arranged to be quickly and efficiently mounted onto and dismounted from a knotted end of a fishing line.  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a fish hook  10  having an eyelet end  11  of the invention as a fish hook top end and includes a barb type hook  12  formed on a lower end with a hook body or shank  13  therebetween. The eyelet  11  is formed having first and second loops  14  and  15 , respectively, that are arranged in side by side relationship, and, as shown in  FIGS. 2A through 2D , to fit closely together. The first and second loops  14  and  15  are formed by winding a single section of steel wire whose ends are maintained in tension around a rod, as illustrated in  FIGS. 3A through 3C , and described below. In which winding, as illustrated in  FIG. 2A , identical loops are formed, with the first loop transitioning into the second loop, as illustrated by broken lines  14   a  and  15   a . After which winding an end  16  of loop  14  is formed by out turning the wire and cutting it off a short distance from the loop, with the end  16  then serving to receive a fishing line fitted thereacross and pulled around the loop  14 .  
         [0033]     The eyelet  11  can be the arrangement shown in  FIG. 2A , but preferably includes: a slot  17  formed into the side of loop  14 , at the top of the loop, as shown in  FIG. 2B ; a slot  18  formed into the side of loop  15 , at the top of the loop, as shown in  FIG. 2C ; or has a hole  19  formed by each of slots  17  and  18  that are aligned at the tops of the loops  14  and  15 , as shown in  FIG. 2D . Which slots  17  and  18  or hole  19  are in the top of the loops  14  and  15  and are essentially parallel to, and just off line from the hook shank  13 , and are each to receive a fishing line  20 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . Which fishing line  20  is fitted between the loop  14  end  16  and the loop  14  inner surface and is then pulled around the contacting surfaces of the first and second loops  14  and  15 , to intersect the slots  17  and  18 , or hole  19 , formed in the eyelet loops tops. Whereat, the fishing line  20  is pulled through the slot or hole to where a fishing line knot end  20   a  engages the slot or hole-edges and binds thereagainst, mounting the eyelet  11  onto the fishing line.  
         [0034]      FIGS. 3A through 3D  illustrate the steps performed in forming the eyelet  11  utilizing a section of steel wire that is of a gauge that is appropriate for forming a fish hook and a lure swivel, and  FIG. 3E  illustrates the shank end of the eyelet  11  as being formed into a hook end.  FIG. 3A  shows a straight section of steel wire of the required gauge for forming a fish hook that has had a notch or groove  21  formed across the wire. The steel wire is shown laid across a pipe or tube  22 , with, it should be understood, the steel wire ends maintained under tension. Which pipe or tube  22  is shown with crossing north-south and east-west axes, and shows the notch or groove  21  aligned for contacting the top of the pipe or tube  11 , aligned with the north axis. Further, curved arrows A are shown above the pipe or tube  22 , illustrating that, with the steel wire end  20   b  held stationary, the steel wire end  20   a  is bent around the pipe or tube.  
         [0035]      FIG. 3B  shows the steel wire end  20   a  as having been wound around the pipe or tube  22 , illustrated by arrows B, making a full loop  14  and starting the second loop  15 .  FIG. 3C  shows the continued winding of the steel wire  22  around the pipe or tube  22 , finishing the second loop  15  to where the wire shank end  13  is formed and extends on a parallel line to a line drawn through the slot  21 . With  FIG. 3C  further showing the steel wire  22  as having been bent downwardly to approximately forty five degrees from the top of loop  14 , illustrated by arrow C, and is then bent outwardly, illustrated by arrow D. Which bends illustrated by arrows C and D are shown in  FIG. 3D  that shows the steel wire  22  as being cut with a shear  25  adjacent to the outward bend, as illustrated by arrow D, forming the eyelet end  11 , as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 3E  shows the eyelet  11  formed as described above with respect to  FIGS. 3A through 3D  maintained on the pipe or tube  22  and showing the steel wire end  20   b  as having been bent around a greater diameter tube  26  and an end thereof formed into a point  27 , and shows, as illustrated by arrow E, the newly formed fish hook being pulled off the pipes  22  and  26 . Which formed fish hook is like the fish hook  10  of  FIG. 1 , to include the eyelet  11 , shank  13  and pointed end  27 , and which pointed end  27  is formed into a barb, as by stamping, to form the hook barbed end  12 , and with the notch or groove  21  formed as shown in  FIG. 3A , becoming the slot  17  of  FIG. 2B . Further, where the single notch or grove  21  is shown formed across the steel wire  22  in  FIG. 3A , forming the first loop  14  of  FIG. 3B , it should be understood that such notch or groove can be formed to be at the top of the loop  15  of  FIG. 3C , thereby forming the eyelet  11  of  FIG. 2C  with slot  18 . Also, it should be understood that, two spaced notches or grooves  21  can be formed across opposite sides of the steel wire  22  that, when aligned with one another when the first and second loops  14  and  15  are formed, as described above, form the hole  19  through eyelet  11  of  FIG. 2D .  
         [0037]     Hereinabove has been shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 A through  2 D a single fish hook  10 , with its method of manufacture shown and described with reference to  FIGS. 3A through 3E .  FIGS. 4A  through  4 D each include the eyelet  11  but have different arrangements of shanks  30 ,  31 ,  32  and  33 , respectively, for arrangement with different fishing lure configurations.  
         [0038]      FIGS. 5A and 5C  through  5 D also show different uses of the eyelet  11  for swivels where the eyelet  11  is connected through a pivot  35  to different configuration of bait holding clips  36 ,  37  and  38 , respectively, and with the eyelet of  FIG. 5B  shown connected through swivel  35  to a second eyelet  11 .  FIGS. 5A through 5D  show examples of the varied uses of the eyelet  11  of the invention. With, in  FIG. 5E  eyelets  11  are shown fixed at their shank  12  ends, at spaced intervals around a ring  39 , as a further example of the uses the eyelet  11 .  
         [0039]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show the eyelet  11  incorporated with disks  40  and  41 , respectively. Which arrangement in  FIG. 6A  has the eyelet  11  fixed to a neck end of the disk  40  and, in  FIG. 6B , the eyelet  11  is fitted to a swivel  42  that is attached to a neck end of the disk  41 .  FIG. 6C  shows the eyelet  11  connected through a first linkage  44  to a reflecting device  45  that has its base connected through a second linkage  46  to a second eyelet  11 , providing for mounting the reflecting device  45  into a fishing line. Like the arrangement of  FIG. 6C , a lure arrangement  47  is shown in  FIG. 6D  with a top eyelet  11  that is connected through a first swivel  47  to a spinning reflective device  48  that, in turn, connects on its bottom end to a second swivel  49  that, mounts to a bottom eyelet  11 . The top and bottom eyelets  11  provide for attaching the spinning reflective device  48  into a fishing line.  
         [0040]      FIGS. 6E through 6G  show arrangements of the eyelet secured to weights. With  FIG. 6E  showing a pair of top and bottom eyelets  11  mounted to ends of a weight  51  for mounting in a fishing line. A single eyelet  11  is shown mounted onto a base of a pyramid weight  52  in  FIG. 6F , and a single eyelet  11  is shown fitted into a ball weight  53  in  FIG. 6G .  
         [0041]     To further illustrate uses of the eyelet  11 ,  FIG. 7A  shows the eyelet  11  as having its shank  13  fitted through a reflecting disk  53  and with the shank shown as having had its lower end connected to a weight  54  that has a loop  55  fitted in its rear end that mounts an end of a treble hook  56 . Similar to the arrangement of  FIG. 7A ,  FIG. 7B  shows the eyelet  11  shank  13  fitted through a reflecting disk  57 , is passed through beads  58  and mounts onto an end  59  of a hook that is passed through a minnow  60  with a hook barbed end  61  passed out through the minnow  60  belly.  FIG. 7C  shows an eyelet  11  that has its shank  13  end fitted into a pivot collar  63  that is mounted in the bow end of a disk  62  whose stern end has a hole  64  formed therethrough that a treble hook  65  is mounted to.  FIGS. 7A, 7B  and  7 C are here included to further show the multitude of uses that the eyelet  11  is suited for.  
         [0042]     Finally, to further demonstrate the many-uses of the eyelet  11 ,  FIG. 8  shows the shank  13  of an eyelet  11  arranged to function as a forward portion of a fly type lure  67 , that includes hairs or feathers  68  connected to the shank  13 , ahead of a body  69  to resemble an insect body, and includes a barbed hook end  70 , with feathers  71  extending rearwardly from which body  69  rear end. With, in  FIG. 9 , the eyelet  11  shank  13  end is shown fitted into a pivot collar  76  of a fish lure  75  that includes a mid-body section  78  with feathers or threads extending therefrom, and includes a worm like tail  79 . Which  FIGS. 8 and 9  are here includes to show finished fishing lure arrangements that utilize the eyelet  11 , demonstrating its versatility.  
         [0043]     Hereinabove has been set out a description of a preferred embodiment of the fish hook and lure swivel eyelet and method for manufacture of the invention. It should however, be understood that the present invention can be varied within the scope of this disclosure without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention.