An Improvement in Fishing Rods.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1895
An Improvement in Fishing Rods.
1, JOHN PEIRCE HARDING, of 13, Northampton Park, Canonbury, London, N.
Examining Officer of Customs, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an improvement in fishing rods, having for its object to
diminish the friction of the line in passing to and from the winch through the guide
on the butt of the rod nearest to the winch. By relieving the back eye of the rod
of strain and friction, the line runs more freely so that the angler is enabled to make
longer casts and to wind in a fish with much greater case, the friction at this point
being usually considerable, both in casting and winding-in the line, owing to the
angle made by the line in passing from the rod to the lower side of the winch
barrel. A further object of the improvement is to ensure that the line shall run
out freely not only when casting but also in case a large fish takes the bait when
the rod is fixed so as to rest on the gun-wale of a boat or other support instead of
being held in the hand.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this
Specification, which represents in Figure 1' a contracted longitudinal view of the
butt of a fishing rod provided with my improvement, and in Figure 2 an end view
thereof.
The improvement consists in providing a grooved friction roller a for the line to
run over, mounted between the cheeks of a bracket screwed or otherwise secured
to the underside of the butt in the place of, or in proximity to, the ordinary guide
eye c which may be retained in order to prevent any liability of the line kinking in
running out and so fouling the friction roller, the eye being situated in front of, and
so close up to, the friction roller, that the line d will pass from the barrel of the
winch e clear through the eye, with no friction thereon, to the V-groove of the
friction roller. The cheeks b of the bracket are deep enough at the part where
the roller is pivoted to completely house the sides of the roller and they are
connected by a cross-bar whereby the roller is entirely shielded so that its
periphery cannot come in contact with any external object which would prevent
it running freely and the cheeks may be continued forward, as shewn at ', to
afford a clear passage for the line when the edges of the cheeks are resting on the
gun-wale of a boat or other support, the forward extension of the cheeks being of
less depth than that at which the friction roller is pivoted so that a stop is formed
which by engaging against the edge of the gun-wale assists to hold the rod in
position. In certain cases this may not be required, and the bracket may in that
case be of the shorter form shewn in Figure 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1st. A line guiding device for the butt of a fishing rod, consisting of a grooved
friction roller mounted between the checks of a bracket and shielded as described,
the said bracket being secured to the underside of the rod, substantially as
specified.
2nd. The herein described line guiding device for the butt of a fishing-rod,
consisting of a grooved friction roller mounted between the cheeks of a bracket so

page_text: as to diminish strain and friction and facilitate casting and winding-in, the bracket
being so formed as to afford a clear passage for the line and prevent the rod
pressing on the line when rested on a fixed support, as specified.
Dated this 12th day of September 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.