Improvements in or Accessories to Fishing Rods.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 21st July, 1897-Accepted, 11th Sept., 1897
Improvements in or Accessories to Fishing Rods.
I, EVERARD RICHARD CALTHROP, of 56 Naylor Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
With fishing rods of the ordinary construction the strains of casting and picking-
up a line are borne chiefly by the tendons of the angler's first and second fingers
which are frequently injured in consequence. Now this invention has for object
to obviate this disadvantage and also to enable a greater power to be obtained over
the rod so as to increase the distance over which a line can be cast or from which
it can be picked up.
For this purpose I provide the rod at a suitable distance from its butt end with
a handle arranged at an angle to the axis of the rod and by means of which the
rod can be firmly grasped by the hand so that all the strains above referred to
will be distributed over the whole of the tendon and muscles of the hand, and
at or near the butt end of the rod I provide a saddle piece or other form of support
(with or without a cushion) adapted to rest against the arm of the angler when
the rod is in use so as to facilitate the manipulation of the rod and serve as a ful-
crum therefor the handle and support being so relatively arranged that the support
will bear against the arm at a point between the wrist and elbow of the angler..
As will be obvious the handle and support can be variously constructed and
arranged.
In one construction, the handle attached at one end to the rod is inclined or
it may be perpendicular or approximately so to the rod to which its free end is
stayed or connected by suitable means such as a curved metal strip or guard piece
connected to the handle and to a metal sleeve or attachment adapted to be fixed
on the rod. The support at the butt end of the rod may be in the form of a
saddle fork ring or link fixed transversely to the rod and adapted to accommodate
and bear against the arm of an angler, which may pass through the support when
it is a ring or link.
In another construction the handle is connected to a sleeve made sufficiently long
to afford to the handle the necessary support without the aid of a separate stay
or guard piece.
In another construction the free or outer end of the handle is connected to the
saddle or equivalent support at the butt end of the rod by side rods or bars.
The handle and saddle or equivalent may be arranged to extend upwardly or
downward from the rod, or from one side thereof. In the latter case the handle
may be approximately of tee shape and the saddle of concave or semi-circular
form.
The saddle or equivalent may be provided with a strip or band of elastic material
to pass from the ends of the saddle or equivalent around the arm of an angler,
or a strip or band of non-elastic or rigid material, for example leather or sheet
metal, with or without springs, may be used. Also the seat of the saddle or

page_text: equivalent may be provided with a spring cushion for the purpose of lessening
or preventing shock to the arm.
In each case the rod and saddle or equivalent support may be so hinged or other-
wise connected together and to the rod that they can be folded down against the
rol when the latter is not in use. Or the handle with its guard, when there is
one, and the saddle or equivalent support may be carried by devices such as
tubular or sleeve like parts by which they can be readily applied to and clamped
or otherwise fixed upon the rod for use and afterwards removed to facilitate pack-
ing. Or the handle may be fixed to the rod by a bolt passing through it.
tc handle and saddle or equivalent may be screwed to attachments fixed to the
rod.
For checking the running off of the line from the reel, there may be provided
in connection with the handle a brake that can be easily operated by movement of
the thumb or by a finger of the angler.
In one arrangement for this purpose the brake proper is carried by a lever
pivoted to the guard and adapted to be moved into the on or off position by the
thumb or by a finger.
In another arrangement the brake proper is carried by a rod extending through
the handle and the upper end of which is acted upon by a spring lever adapted to
be operated by a finger or by the thumb.
pro-
Instead of using a brake device, the handle, or handle and guard may
vided with guiding holes or rollers through or over which the line can be led so
that its movement can be directly controlled by the fingers of the angler.
Dated this 21st day of September 1896.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.
I, EVERARD RICHARD CALTHROP, of 56 Naylor Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
With fishing rods of the ordinary construction the strains of casting and picking-
up a line are borne chiefly by the tendons of the angler's first and second fingers
which are frequently injured in consequence. Now this invention has for object
to obviate this disadvantage and also to enable a greater power to be obtained over
the rod so as to increase the distance over which a line can be cast or from which
it can be picked up.
For this purpose I provide the rod at a suitable distance from its butt end with
à handle arranged at an angle to the axis of the rod and by means of which the
rod can be firmly grasped by the hand so that all the strains above referred to
will be distributed over the whole of the tendon and muscles of the hand, and
at or near the butt end of the rod I provide a saddle piece or other form of support
(with or without a cushion) adapted to rest against the arm of the angler when
the rod is in use so as to facilitate the manipulation of the rod and serve as a ful-
crum therefor the handle and support being so relatively arranged that the support
will bear against the arm at a point between the wrist and elbow of the angler.
As will be obvious the handle and support can be variously constructed and
arranged.

page_text: In one construction represented in Fig. 1. of the accompanying illustrative
drawings, the handle 1, attached at one end to the rod 2, is inclined (or it might be
perpendicular or approximately so) to the rod to which its free end is stayed or
connected by a curved metal strip or guard piece 3 connected to the handle 1
and to a metal sleeve or attachment 4 adapted to be fixed on the rod 2. The
support 5 at the butt end of the rod is shown in the form of a saddle fork (but
it might be a ring or link as in Fig. 2) fixed transversely to the rod and adapted
to accommodate and bear against and guide the arm of an angler, which may pass
through the support 5 when it is a ring or link as in Fig. 2.
In the construction represented in Fig. 2 the handle 1 is connected to a sleeve 6
made sufficiently long (as shown) to afford to the handle the necessary support
without the aid of a separate stay or guard piece. The support 5 at the butt end
of the rod 2 is in the form of a ring or link. In the modified construction shown
in Fig. 2, the handle 1 and support 5 are respectively provided with the enlarged
base pieces 1 and 5* by which they can be fixed to the rod 2 by screws as shown.
In the construction shown by Fig. 3 the free or outer end of the handle 1, is
connected to the support 5 at the butt end of the rod by side rods or bars 7.
The handle and saddle or equivalent support may be arranged to extend up-
wards as in Figs. 1 and 2 from the rod or downward as in Fig. 4, or from one side
thereof as in Fig. 5. In the latter case the handle may be approximately of tee
shape and the saddle of concave or semi-circular form. The saddle or equivalent
support 5 may be provided with a strip or band of elastic material, as shown dotted
at 8 in Fig. I to pass from the ends of the said support around the arm of an
angler, or 8 may be a strip or band of non-elastic or rigid material, for example
leather or sheet metal, or a chain, and with or without springs. Also the seat of
the support 5 may be provided with a spring cushion as at 9, Fig. 6, for the
purpose of lessening or preventing shock to the arm.
In each case the rod and saddle or equivalent support 5 may be so hinged or
otherwise connectes together and to the rod that they can be folded down against
the rod when the latter is not in use; such an arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 7,
wherein the support 5 is shown pivotted to a metal sleeve fast on the rod 2 and is
formed with a projection 5" over which a loose ring 5 is slipped when it is desired
to hold the support rigidly at right angles to the rod in position for use. The
handle 1 and stay or guard piece 3, are also shown pivotted to sleeves 4 fast on the
red 2 and connected together at their outer ends by a screw and nut so that upon
removing the nut, they can be folded down against the rod. Or the handle 1 with
its guard 3, when there is one, and the saddle or equivalent support 5, may be
carried by devices such as tubular or sleeve like parts 10 by which they can be
readily applied to and clamped upon the rod 2 for use as represented in Fig. 8,
and afterwards removed to facilitate packing.
Or the handle 1 may be fixed to the rod 2 by a bolt 11 passing through the handle
and rod as shewn in Fig. 9, where 12, 12 are washers or plates of a curvature con-
forming to that of the rod. Or the handle 1 and saddle or equivalent support 5
may be screwed to attachments 13 fixed to the rod as represented by way of
example in Figs. 10 and 11.
For checking the running off of the line from the reel, there may be pro-
vided in connection with the handle a brake that can be easily operated by move-
ment of the thumb or by a finger of the angler.
Fig. 12 shows one arrangement for this purpose.
The brake proper 14, is formed by the lower end of one arm 15 of a lever
pivotted at 16 to the guard 3 and adapted to be moved into the on or off position
by the thumb or by a finger, pressing upon the arm 15 of the lever, the line pass-
ing between the brake proper and the rod against which it is pressed by the brake.
Between the arm 15" and the guard 3 may be arranged a spring 15b that acts to
take the brake off when the said arm 15" is released. 17 is the reel.
Fig. 12 is a detail showing a modification in which the brake proper 14 is
formed by a roller pivotted to the lower end of the lever arm 16.

page_text: Fig. 13 shows another arrangement. In this case the brake proper 14 is carried
by a rod 18 extending through the handle 1, and the upper end of the rod is acted
upon by a lever 15, 15" of the first order adapted to be operated by a finger or by
the thumb, and provided with a spring 19 or 19 that normally holds off the brake,
the spring at 19 being in tension and that at 19" in compression.
The brake and spring or springs may be so arranged that the former is normally
held by the latter either in the "off" or the "on" position, as may be desired.
In Fig. 13 the brake is normally held in the "off" position by the spring.
Fig. 13 is a detail view showing a modification in which the lever 15 is of the
second order and the spring 19" is in compression and acts to normally hold the
brake in the "on" position.
Instead of using a brake device, the handle, or handle and guide may be pro-
vided with guiding holes or rollers through or over which the line can be led so
that its movement can be directly controlled by the fingers of the angler.
Figs. 14 and 15 shew respectively in side elevation and plan, one arrangement
in which the line 20 passes through a hole 21 in the guard 3. Or the line may
pass over a roller 22 pivotted to the guard 3 as shown in Figs. 16 and 17 which are
respectively a side elevation and a cross section. The reel 17 may be above and
to one side of the rod 2, as in Figs. 14 and 15, or below the rod as in Fig. 16.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A fishing-rod provided at a distance from its butt end with a handle arranged
at an angle to the axis of the rod in such a manner that the rod can be firmly
grasped by the hand in order that strains incidental to the casting and picking
up of a line may be distributed over the whole of the tendons and muscles of the
hand, substantially as described.
2. A fishing-rod provided with a saddle piece or other form of support (with or
without a cushion) adapted to rest against the arm of the angler when the rod is
in use, so as to facilitate the manipulation of the rod and serve as a fulcrum
herefor, substantially as described.
3. A fishing-rod provided at a distance from its butt end with a handle
anged at an angle to the axis of the rod and by means of which the rod can be
firmly grasped by the hand, and with a saddle piece or other form of support
adapted to rest against the arm of the angler when the rod is in use so as to
facilitate the manipulation of the rod and serve as a fulcrum therefor, the handle
and support being so relatively arranged that the support will bear against the
arm at a point between the wrist and elbow of the angler.
4. The several combinations and arrangements of parts respectively illustrated
and described with reference respectively to Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 24, Fig. 3, Fig. 4,
Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7, Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Figs. 10 and 11, Figs. 12 and 12, Figs. 13 &
13, Figs. 14 & 15, and Figs. 16 & 17 of the accompanying drawings.
Dth: 01
JT..1.. 1907
Dated this 21st day of July 1807
For the Applicant
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.