Improvements in Fishing Rods and Reels.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fishing Rods and Reels.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has
been communicated to me from abroad by Oliver Perry Ross, Druggist, and Charles
Alexander White, Book-keeper, both of Olean, New York, United States of America,)
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This improvement relates to combined fishing rods and reels in which the line is
drawn in by a spring instead of by a crank wheel. In ordinary cranked reels of
the automatic kind a spring is located in and gives motion to the reel located outside
the shaft. In my invention a spring or springs are located inside a ferrule attached
to the butt of the rod, and forming a part of it, and the line winds on a detachable
spool operated by a spring or springs as hereinafter described.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the butt of a fishing rod, showing my invention
applied thereto;
Fig. 2 is a similar enlarged view of a portion of the ferrule, the springs and
gearing;
Fig. 3 is a cross section in line x, x, of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a section of the brake attachment in line y, y, of Fig. 1 ;
Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modification.
A indicates the butt of an ordinary fishing rod. B is a ferrule, consisting simply
of a section of tube attached at one end to the butt of the rod, and provided at the
other with a removable cap C, by removing which the interior of the ferrule can be
reached for oiling the parts or for other purposes.
D D D D¹ are a series of flanged rings forming inclosures for the springs
located inside the ferrule. Each of these rings consists of a back a, a projecting rim
or flange 6, and a hub c. The rim projects forward making the inclosure, while the
hub projects backward as shown. The outer ring D is made close fitting to the sides
of the ferrule, and is secured fast thereto by a set screw d, or other means. The
other rings Di D' D' fit loosely inside the ferrule, and also loosely around a spindle E,
that extends through holes in all the rings and has its bearing at one end in the
outer ring D³ made fast to the inside of the ferrule. The operating rings all fit
close together face to face, as shown, the flange of one ring resting close to the back
of the next preceeding, thus forming an inclosure, and the hub of one ring projecting
back into the cavity of the next in the rear thereof, as shown in Fig. 2. D³ is a disk
pinned or otherwise attached fast to the spindle and forming a cover to the innermost
ring D¹.
G G G are a series of coiled springs similar to watch springs, located in the cavities
of the rings, one end of each of said springs being attached to the rim or flange of one ring
and the other being attached to the hub of the next ring. The first spring is attached
to the ring D³, that is fast to the spindle, and the last spring is attached to the fixed
ring D at the base of the rod. Thus when the spindle is turned the springs are gradually
wound up, and owing to their great combined length the winding capacity is
considerable. The springs may be attached in any desired way. In Fig. 3 one end
of the spring is shown attached to a hook on the inside of flange b, of one ring and
the other to a similar hook on the outside of hub c of the next ring.
H is a shaft extending across the interior of the ferrule and projecting out through
one side. is a bevel gear on the end of spindle E, and 9 is a bevel pinion on
shaft H, said gears engaging as shown. I is a spool attached to the outer end of
Price &d

page_text: shaft H, on which spool the line winds. In drawing out the line the gearing is
turned, thereby winding up the springs. When the tension on the line is released
the springs uncoil, thereby winding up the line automatically. The whole length
of the line can be thus wound up, or any portion of it, and in case a fish is caught
the tension on the line will always keep it taut whether the fish runs forward or
back.
The spool is preferably made of two side plates h, h, connected together by cross
pins i, i, and provided with a hub with an internal thread which screws on a
screw stem m on the outer end of the shaft H. By this means the spool can be
removed by simply unscrewing it from the shaft.
K (Fig. 4) is a brake for controlling the line, consisting of a stationary plug P
which screws in from one side of the ferrule, and a pin or plunger w that passes
through the ferrule from the opposite side and enters the plug, being pressed
back by a coiled or other spring r. On the outer end of the pin is a thumb piece s
by which the pin can be pressed in against the spring, and in the opposite end which
enters the plug is a hole t through which the line passes. When the pin is
released the spring forces it back and clamps the line between the loop and the end
of the plug and holds it in place. But when the pin is pressed in the line is
unclamped and is free to run out or in. The finger piece is located in convenient
position to be acted on by the thumb or finger without changing the position of the
hand upon the rod. In order to increase or lessen the reaction of the spring a
tube y is placed loosely around the pin w, which is pressed up by the thumb piece s
which screws on the end of the pin.
Fig. 5 shows a modification, in which a single spring can be made effective for
drawing in the line. In that case a spiral spring G¹ is coiled loosely around a
central core inside the ferrule, being attached at one end to the spindle E, and at
the other to a ring V, provided with a rubber packing at its edge and slipped
into the ferrule. The gearing may be the same as that before described; but if
desired to multiply the motion an additional cross shaft H¹ may be used, and
additional gears a², 62, connect the two shafts H. H'.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare what I claim is :-
1st. The combination, with a fishing rod A, of a ferrule B, attached to the butt, a
spring or springs G located in its interior, serving as the motive power, and gearing
connecting the spring with a shaft H that extends to the outside of the ferrule to
communicate motion to a winding spool, as specified.
2nd. In a fishing rod, the combination of a ferrule B, attached to the butt, a spring
or springs G located inside the ferrule, a spindle E by which the springs are wound
up, a cross shaft H projecting through the ferrule, gearing connecting the spindle
and cross shaft H, and a spool I attached to the cross shaft, as and for the purpose
specified.
3rd. In a fishing rod, the combination of a ferrule B, attached to the butt, a
spindle E, located inside the ferrule, a set of rings D D¹ surrounding the spindle, the
exterior ones attached respectively to the ferrule and the spindle, and the intermediate
ones running free of both the ferrule and spindle, and a set of springs G G
between the rings, their ends attached respectively to the opposite rings, as shown
and described and for the purpose specified.
4th. In a fishing rod, the combination of a ferrule B, attached to the butt, a
spindle E located inside the ferrule, a set of rings D D1 surrounding the spindle, the
extreme ones attached respectively to the ferrule and spindle, and the intermediate
ones running free, a set of springs G G connected with the rings, a cross shaft H
extending through the ferrule, gearing f, g, connecting the spindle and cross shaft
and a spool I attached to the cross shaft, as herein shown and described.
5th. In a fishing rod, the combination of the ferrule B, the springs G G
located therein, the spindle E, the cross shaft H, the gearing f, g, connecting the
..

page_text: spindle and cross shaft, the spool I on the cross shaft, and the brake consisting of the
plug p and spring pin w passing through the ferrule from the opposite side, and
provided with a hole through which the line passes and by which it is clamped against
the end of the plug, as shown and described and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 20th day of November 1880
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.