Abstract:
A fishing device for automatically setting a fish hook which is composed of a device for attachment between two lengths of the fishing line and which includes a body and a spring biased member held in a first position and yieldable upon release of a keeper by a tug on the line to rapidly move under the urging of a rubberband to a second position to quickly jab the hook into the roof of the mouth of a fish taking the bait on the other end of the line.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     A fishing device for automatically setting the hook in a fish after a fish has taken the bait. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     The prior art is disclosed generally in several patents known to the inventor including U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,475,847; 3,762,090; 3,834,055; 3,897,646; 3,956,845. These patents show that, generally speaking, it is known to be a problem to quickly set a hook when a fish has taken the bait. 
     This invention is of an improved device of the general character described. 
     Generally speaking, this invention includes a body wherein there is a movable member which is releasably held in a first position of extension and yieldable or releasable for a rapid movement to a position to set a hook in a fish&#39;s mouth as soon as he tugs sufficiently indicating that he it has taken the bait. It includes a fixed pivot means, a movable pivot means and an elbow type pivot means interconnecting the fixed and movable pivot means and wherein the swingable or elbow pivot means is movable between a first retracted position and a second extended position, all as is described more fully hereinafter. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, generally speaking, an object of this invention to provide an improved device for use in setting the fish hook in the mouth of a fish upon the fish taking the bait. 
     In accordance with the general objects which will become apparent more fully hereinafter in the light of the specification and the description set forth herein, the instant invention will now be described it being pointed out that none of the prior art devices, while acknowledging the existence of the problem, have provided structure which achieves the advantages and objects of the present invention in accordance with the mode of operation and structure described herein. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the instant invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the instant invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a view in cross section taken on the plane indicated by the line 3--3 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the device in a first position when in operation; and 
     FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 and illustrating the device when its working parts are in a second position of operation. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views and referring particularly to FIG. 1, it is seen that a fishing line is provided which is designated by the numeral 12 and that the device is connected in the line between the fish hook 14 and the upper line length 15 which connects to the pole or support. The device of the instant invention comprises a body 16 having a pole end 18 and a fish hook end 20, so named because they face in the direction of the pole end and fish hook respectively. The body is provided with a central axial through hole 22 extending between these ends. In the drawings it is seen that the body is a generally parallelepipedal configuration in the preferred embodiment having a first and second generally parallel side face, 30 and 32, on opposite sides of the through hole and a front and rear face 34 and 36 which are right angularly arranged with respect to the first mentioned pair of faces and, once again, on opposite sides of the hole. The body is bifurcated from the hook facing end by means of a split or an enlargement of the hole, with the slit extending all the way across the body between the side faces 30 and 32 and being centrally arranged between the front and rear faces 34 and 36. The slit or enlargement of the through hole extends from the fish hook end 20 toward the pole facing end 18 a substantial distance, but not quite one-half the distance between the ends 18 and 20. The slit defines a forward leg and a parallel rearward leg on opposite sides which are designated by the numerals 38 and 40. 
     Across the front face of the body a groove 50 is provided which extends from the first side face to the second side face. It is at a location above the proximal end of the legs, see FIG. 1. The groove defines an upper wall 52, a lower wall 54 and a rear face 56; and this groove is of a predetermined dimension depthwise and of span between its walls. 
     A cross shaped operator needle 60 is provided which has a stem portion 61 with an upper end 62 and a lower end 64 and a cross arm portion 66. The stem portion 61 of this cross shaped needle is of a length greater than the overall length of the body between the pole end face and the fish hook end face and it is in sliding receipt in the through hole with the cross arm 66 in the slit at all times between the front and rear legs. The cross arm portion extends outwardly of the side faces of the body and the end zones 70 and 72 are provided with an annular seat 74 and 76 in the terminal end zone for a purpose to be described. It should be pointed out that the cross arm in the structure to be defined hereinafter will be slidable between the position shown in FIG. 3, wherein the cross arm is at about the fish hook end of the body of the device and the position shown in FIG. 4 wherein the cross arm is in abutting relation with the body in the crotch 39 between the front and rear legs 38 and 40 and at the juncture of the slit portion with the through hole in the body. 
     The body is provided with a first and a second outwardly extending and aligned annular shoulder seats each on one of the side faces of the body adjacent the pole end and the rear face of the body. A pair of rubberbands are provided, a first one 90 which connects one of these shoulder annular seats 82 with the seat 76 at one end of the cross arm and a second rubberband 92 the other of which connects the other shoulder annular seat 80 with the other annular seat 74 of the cross arm. This serves to draw the cross arm upwardly maintaining it in a normal position as shown in FIG. 4. 
     Extending from the outwardly extending portions described above, a first and second upper arm length, 100 and 102 is provided, each upper arm length having an upper pivotal or shoulder end 104 and 106. Pivot connector means on the outwardly extending annular shoulder seat portions in the form of pin and holes in the arm ends are provided for connecting the same. Each of these upper arm lengths is of a length sufficient to extend to the groove when properly aligned. A pair of lower arm lengths 110 and 112 are provided, in addition to the upper arm lengths and each of these lower leg lengths is pivotally connected to the cross arm ends defining pivotal elbow joints at the juncture of the upper and lower arm lengths. The elbow joints are spanned by an elbow member 114 which is sized for receipt in the groove. This member includes a socket 116 which faces toward the fish hook end of the body, that is, towards the fish hook. Within the front leg of the body there is a bore 118 extending in aligned relation from the socket throughout the length thereof from the lower wall of the groove to the fish hook end of the body. A keeper pin 120 of a length sufficient to extend through this bore and into the socket from the end of the body is provided. This keeper pin holds the elbow member 114 in the groove, i.e., in the position shown in FIG. 3, notwithstanding the fact that the rubberbands are utilized and stretched as shown in FIG. 3. The keeper pin includes an eyelet 122 on the outer end and a loose line 124 connects that eyelet 122 to the eyelet on the fish hook end 64 of the stem of the cross shaped needle. 
     In operation, when the rubberbands are stretched, as shown in FIG. 3, and the elbow joint is in the groove, also as shown in FIG. 3, and held in position by the keeper pin, with a portion extending into the elbow member joint socket, also as shown in FIG. 3, if there is then a tug on the line, as indicated by the arrow 111, the force will pull the keeper pin downwardly slightly which in turn will release the elbow so that, under the influence of the energy stored in the stretched rubberbands, it will move rapidly to the position shown in FIG. 4, which will pull the hook quickly upwardly as the elbow rotates under the influence of the rubberband into the position shown in FIG. 4, firmly hooking a fish.