Improved Fishing Reel.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1899 -Accepted, 17th Feb., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improved Fishing Reel.
I, BEN HOWE, of the Louisville Trust Building, in Louisville, in the County
of Jefferson, State of Kentucky, U.S.A., Real Estate Agent, 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 reel is intended to give the fisherman complete control of his line, which
may be quickly wound by a reciprocating movement of one hand, while the rod
is held in both hands. The reel has many novel and desirable features, as will
be explained, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of part of the butt or handle end of a fishing rod, with
reel and operating mechanisni attached;
Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same;
Fig. 3 is a broken section of the spiral driving gear and connections;
Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective detail views of clutch sleeve and grip cylinder;
Figs. 6 and 7 are cross sections of the clutch sleeve and connections, on lines
aa and b-b Fig. 3;
Fig. 8 is a cross section of the rod through the reel center, showing general
relation of parts;
Fig. 9 is a detail section showing in perspective and detached the mechanism by
which the reel is thrown out of gear, so as to run free;
Fig. 10 is an end view showing the application of the drag;
Fig. 11 is a perspective of the clutch sleeve and spiral grooved spindle;
Fig. 12 is a perspective detail of lever lock;
Fig. 13 is an end view of the drag cam;
Fig. 14 is a detail section of rock shaft and connections.
The rod 1 is of any suitable construction, but for lightness and strength it is
generally necessary that the butt sections shall be of metallic tube or tubes.
The extreme rear end of the rod is generally covered by a handle piec 2, of wood,
rubber, bamboo, or other suitable material to furnish a hand grasp.
The reel is attached to the rod so as to extend transversely, as usual. In
front of the reel, a sleeve or handle 3 is arranged to slide lengthwise of the rod.
This sleeve is connected by a pin or screw 4, with a grooved cylinder 5, within
the rod, the pin 4 passing through a slot in the rod or tube 1.
The cylinder 5 is externally grooved, spirally in both directions, as has been
known in drills, screw drivers, and similar articles, and the cylinder 5 passes
through two nuts 6 and 60 each having inner threads respectively inclined in
the direction of the spiral threads of cylinder 5. That is, nut 6 is driven in one
direction by one thread, and nut 60 in the other direction by the other thread,
and cylinder 5 causes the nuts 6 and 60 to revolve, the nuts being held against
longitudinal reciprocation while the cylinder reciprocates lengthwise.
The reciprocation of cylinder 5 by the handle 3, is thus made to produce a

page_text: rotation of the nuts 6 and 60, and as the spiral grooves in cylinder 5 cross each
other, the change of movement of cylinder 5 from one direction to the other does
not prevent the nearly continuous movement of the nuts. That is, the handle or
sleeve 3 may be moved in either direction on the rod, and with either a short or
long stroke, and the grooved cylinder will cause the nuts to rotate, but in reverse
directions.
The nuts 6 and 60 are inclosed in a sleeve 7, each having one end resting
against a shoulder or bearing 8 in said sleeve, and the other end abutting against
a threaded ring 9 or 90, which rings screw into sleeve 7.
The nut 6 has flattened outer sides, with extended longitudinal corner ribs, as
indicated, the outer surface of these ribs being segments of a cylinder, which
fits sleeve 7. The flattened sides of the nut form seats for the rolls or cylinders 10,
between the nut or sleeve.
The ribs on nut 6 present an abrupt side toward rolls 10. The rotation of
the nut in one direction causes the rolls or cylinders 10 to engage with sleeve ĭ,
and the nut and sleeve thus become firmly clamped together, while a reverse
movement of the nut releases the clutch, and leaves the nut free to rotate. As
the nut and sleeve are thus clamped together while moving in one direction, this
clamping of parts causes sleeve 7 to rotate when cylinder 5 is reciprocated, as
by moving sleeve or handle 3 longitudinally of rod 1. The clutch on nut 60
acts in the same direction as that on nut 6, but at a different time. Thus one
of the nuts acts to move the sleeve 7 when cylinder 5 is moved in one direction,
and the other when cylinder 5 moves in the reverse direction, one coupling
engaging as the other lets go.
Sleeve carries a bevel gear 11, which gear engages with a train of gears on
the reel proper, and thus by the reciprocation of handle 3 the reel may be driven.
The reciprocation of the handle piece 3 may be the whole length of the slot in
the rod, or only a small part of such distance, and still the action of the reciprocat-
ing movement will be to produce a rotation of gear 11 always in one direction.
To prevent the noise of stopping the handle against a solid abutment or stop,
a coiled spring 12 may be inclosed in the tubular rod, to act as a buffer, at about
the end of the slot in the rod. Any other suitable buffer, as rubber, leather or
pneumatic buffer might be substituted for the spring, and if the operator does
not reciprocate the handle 3 the full length of the slot in the rod, the buffer will
not be brought into action. But it is better that a buffer should be present.
The sleeve is preferably held in place by ball bearings, shown at 14, 14. A
suitable support for the balls, at each end of the sleeve, may be made by construct-
ing collars or projections on the sleeve, and corresponding collars within the
tube, such construction of bearings to support a sleeve being common in
mechanical structures.
The casing or frame plate 20 for the reel has one side or arm extending
alongside the fishing rod, and a transverse shaft is journaled in this extension.
On this shaft there is a bevel gear 22 engaging the bevel gear 11 of the driving
mechanism, and a pinion 23, consituting one of the driving train of the reel.
Pinion 23 engages pinion 24, which is a mere intermediate, to convey motion
to the clutch pinion 25, on the axis of the winding spool 30. When the train is
in gear it is apparent that the spool 30 will be driven by the train of gears
described.
Clutch pinion 25 is carried by a lever 26, so that its face may be thrown into
or out of engagement with the clutch member 28 on the spool shaft.
Lever 26 is pivoted to the post or support 27 on the frame, and its other forked
end runs in a groove in the clutch gear 25.
A rock shaft 29 extends across the frame, being journaled at either end of the
frame plates. This rock shaft has an arm 31 which extends alongside plate 20
and engages an inclined slot in lever 26, and when shaft 29 is rocked, this
engagement of the lever with the incline serves to lift or lower the end of lever 26
which bears the clutch gear; and so throw the clutch into or out of engagement,

page_text: Rock shaft 29 is rocked in one direction by a spring 33, engaging the shaft and
frame, and automatically rocking the shaft in such direction that the clutch gear
is normally in engagement to drive the spool. An arm or lever 32 rigid with
the rock shaft 29, serves as a thumb rest, and by a pressure of the thumb on this
lever the shaft may be rocked, and thus the spool clutch is uncoupled, so that
the spool may run free.
It is sometimes desirable to fasten the clutch in its uncoupled position, so
that the pressure of the thumb on lever 32 may be removed without coupling
the spool to the driving gear. For this purpose a slip sleeve 34 is arranged on
shaft 29. Sleeve 34 can slide lengthwise on the shaft, but rocks with the shaft.
A notch 35 in this sleeve is in position to engage a projection 36 on the frame,
when the rock shaft is turned to uncoupling position. When it is desired to fasten
the gears in uncoupled position, therefore, the thumb is pressed on lever 32 to
effect the uncoupling, and the thumb is then slipped sidewise, bearing on thumb
piece 37 of sleeve 34, and so pressing the sleeve along that its notch engages
pin 36, thus holding the rock shaft from rocking back. A push on sleeve 34
in the other direction unlocks the fastening, so that the clutch gear may auto-
matically engage, under the impulse of spring 33, as has been explained.
When the spool is uncoupled from its driving or winding gear, it is generally
desirable that it be under the resistance of the drag, to prevent it from running
too free and thus overwinding, as it is called.
The drag 41 is a spring piece connected to the frame plate 40, and lying close
to one rim of the spool. A thumb piece 42 preferably provided with a serrated
edge as shown permits a direct pressure to be supplied to the drag, and thus
the drag may be retarded by direct pressure. But it is also desirable that there
be some pressure of the drag when the clutch gear is uncoupled, as has been
stated. The rock shaft 29 therefore bears a cam 43, on a slip sleeve 44. By
slipping sleeve 44 lengthwise of the rock shaft, toward frame plate 40, the cam
43 comes in position to be rocked against the drag, and will apply pressure thereto,
when the shaft 29 is rocked to disconnect the gearing. An ear piece 45 serves
to move this slip sleeve in either direction under the impulse of the thumb.
The side plates of the frame are held together by usual cross bars, as 47. The
train of gears is preferably covered by a housing or cover 48.
The alarm or click 50 is a spring connected to lever 51. The rocking of
this lever serves to throw the end of spring 50 into contact with the gear 52,
which is preferably integral with the clutch member on the spool shaft. The
click will be held by friction either into or out of engagement with the spool.
By the construction described, a rod and reel may be produced in which the
rod may be at all times held by both hands of the fisherman.
The band grasp.
of sleeve or handle 3 does not prevent the use of that hand to cast the line, as a
slight longitudinal movement is all that is needed to wind the reel. The butt
of the rod may be firmly grasped by the other hand of the fisherman, the thumb
of this hand being in position, by various movements, to couple or uncouple the
spool with the driving gear, or to fasten the gears in free position, or to apply
either the drag or alarm, or both.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed. I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a fishing reel, the combination of a spool and its train of driving gears.
of a reciprocating piece on the rod, a spirally grooved slide piece connected
thereto, a nut engaging said slide piece, and connecting gears from the said nut
to the reel train. whereby the reciprocation of the slide piece rotates the reel,
substantially as described.
2. In a fishing reel, the combination of the spool and its train of driving gears,
with a reciprocating double grooved spiral piece carried by the rod. a plurality
of nuts with which the opposite spirals engage, a sleeve surrounding said nuts and

page_text: connected to the reel gear, and clutch mechanism by which the nuts may be
alternately connected to the sleeve, substantially as described.
3. In a fishing reel, the combination of a spool and its train of driving gears, of
a handle reciprocating lengthwise on the rod, a spirally grooved cylinder recipro-
cated by said handle, two nuts engaging reverse grooves in such cylinder, and
clutch mechanism connected to the nuts and alternately engaging one of the
spool moving gears, whereby a movement of the handle in either direction
causes a forward movement of the spool, substantially as described.
4. In a fishing reel, the combination of the slotted rod, a handle reciprocating
thereon, operating gears connected to said handle and to the spool, and an elastic
buffer against which the handle is stopped, to prevent noise, substantially as
described.
5. In a fishing reel, the rod, the reciprocating handle thereon, the double
grooved cylinder connected to said handle, the two nuts on said cylinder and
the sleeve inclosing the same, and the rolls inclosed between the sleeve and
nuts and acting alternately as described, combined with the winding gear and
its train, substantially as described.
6. In a fishing reel, the combination of the spool, its driving train, and a recipro-
cating handle operatively engaging the train to move the reel forward by a
long or short stroke in either direction, and a clutch mechanism whereby the
train may be thrown out of gear, substantially as described.
7. In a fishing reel, the hollow rod, a reciprocating handle on the same for-
ward of the reel gear mechanism connected to said handle, substantially as
described, whereby the spool may be rotated by the reciprocation of said handle,
a hand grip on the rod behind the reel, and a lever within reach of the hand on
the butt piece and serving to connect or disconnect the spool driving gear, all
combined, substantially as described.
8. In a reel, the combination with a reciprocating handle and driving. gears
operating a spool by the reciprocating of the said handle, a clutch in the train of
gears by which the same may be uncoupled, a thumb lever by which said clutch
may be uncoupled, and mechanism controlled by the thumb on the thumb lever,
by which the gears may be held uncoupled, substantially as described.
9. In a reel, the driving gears, the spool, and a clutch by which the driving
gears are operatively connected to the spool, a rock shaft supported by the frame,
a lever connected to said rock shaft, and acting to disengage said clutch, as
described, and a slip sleeve on the rock shaft engaging the frame in position
to hold the clutch uncoupled, all combined, substantially as described.
10. In a reel of the character described, the driving gears and a clutch for
engaging or disengaging said gears, a rock shaft and connections extending to
the clutch by which the same may be disengaged, the drag, and connections from
the rock shaft by which the drag may be applied as the rock shaft operates to
disengage the driving gears, all combined substantially as described.
11. In a reel of the character described, the driving gear and a clutch by
which the same may be connected or disconnected, a rock shaft and connections
therefrom by which said clutch may be disconnected, and means for locking said
clutch in open position, the drag, and means connected to the rock shaft for
applying the drag, all combined.
12. In a fishing reel, the spool, a curved spring drag in position to engage one
rim of said spool, and the thumb piece extending outside the casing so that the
drag may be operated by hand, and a cam lever in position to engage the drag,
substantially as described.
13. In a fishing reel, the driving gears and a clutch in the train, a rock shaft
and lever extending therefrom by which the clutch may be disengaged, the
drag and means for applying it by hand, and connections on the rock shaft by
which the drag is automatically applied when the clutch is uncoupled, all com-
bined.
14. In a finishing reel, the winding spool, a train of driving mechanism, and

page_text: a reciprocating handle operating said train in one direction by a forward and
rearward movement of any length in either direction, all combined substantially
as described.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1899.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agents,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents for the Applicant.