Improved Trolling-spoon.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMI DUIM
DIEUITUATION.
Improved Trolling-spoon.
I, JOHN PITT BAYLY, of 18 Fulham Place, Paddington, in the County of London,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me
from abroad by Ernest Pflueger, of Akron, Ohio, U.S.A. Inventor,) to be as
follows:-
--
My invention relates to trolling-hooks for fishing; and it consists, first, in an
improved trolling-spoon having painted or otherwise affixed upon one or both of its
sides pictures or representation of some animal or insect suitable for bait, to give it an
attractive and enticing appearance, and, second, in placing before the hook or hooks
an elastic or flexible shield or protector which extends laterally beyond the points of
the hooks to protect the same and prevent them from fouling when drawn through
grass or weeds and from catching on logs, roots, or other objects in the water.
In the accompanying drawings, which represent my invention and; form a part of
this Specification,
Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent different forms of spoons made to represent different
animals, and show also, in section, my shield or protector in connection therewith.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the spoon.
At different seasons of the year, or in fishing for different varieties of fish, different
kinds of bait are required. I therefore propose to place upon the spoon the repre-
sentation of any animal or insect suitable for the particular season or for the variety of
fish desired, and in order to make the device more attractive and deceptive I propose,
where the character of the bait to be represented admits of it, to cut out the spoon in
the shape of the animal to be represented.
The hooks, as in other trolling-spoons, are attached to the rear end and point forward,
and in order to protect the points and to prevent them from catching on logs, roots,
or other objects in the water, or from fouling by catching on grass or weeds when
drawn through the same, I provide an elastic or flexible shield or protector of such
size that it projects out beyond the points of the hooks.
When the shield strikes an
object in the water, it is deflected and carries with it the hooks, so that they pass
the object without catching. The shield or protector is made in any suitable shape,
preferably in cup shape, as represented in Figs. 1 and 4, or in cone shape, as represented
in Figs. 2 and 3. It may be made solid or hollow, as may be preferred; but I prefer
to make it hollow on account of lightness and greater elasticity.
Referring to the drawings by letters of reference A designates the spoon, which is
made of any suitable material (preferably of metal). It may be concavo-convex or
flat, according to its shape in outline. When cut out and formed in the shape of an
animal of suitable figure-as, for example, in the shape of a fish-as represented in
Fig. 1, it may be twisted to give the desired rotary movement in the water by the
action of the latter against the twisted portion. In such case it is sufficient to twist.
the tail. When made in such shape that it cannot be twisted, I make it concavo-convex,
as usual.
B designates the shield or protector, which is made of some suitable elastic
material such as rubber, for example-and of such size that it will project laterally
beyond the points of the hooks. It is located somewhat in advance of the books, so
as not to prevent the fish from reaching the latter, and with its convex side forward,
so as to offer the least resistance when drawn through the water. In some cases
shields are arranged both in frontand in rear of the hooks, as represented in Figs. 1
and 2, but ordinarily one in front will be found sufficient.
It is obvious that the shield will subserve the same purpose whether used in
connection with the spoon, as represented in Figs 1, 2, and 3, or with the hooks alone,
as represented in Fig. 3. The latter figure represents an arrangement adapted to

page_text: catch such varieties of fish as are usually taken with "fly-hooks." The stems of the
hooks project into the open end of the shield or protector and are surrounded or
covered with feathers of such colour as may serve to attract the particular variety of
fish desired, the ends of the feathers projecting from the open end of the shield. The
ordinary-prepared fly-hooks may be used in this case. While I show feathers
arranged around the stems of the hooks, I desire to state that they may be omitted
and the shield be coloured or painted to attract the fish.
The shield may be used with the spoon either with or without the feathers, as may
be preferred.
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. The combination, with a trolling-hook, of an elastic or flexible shield or protector
arranged in front of the hook and extending laterally beyond the point thereof
protect the same and prevent fouling or catching on objects in the water, substantially
as shown and described.
2. The combination of a trolling-spoon having books attached thereto, of an
elastic or flexible shield or protector arranged in front of the spoon and hooks and
extending laterally beyond the points of the latter, as and for the purpose set
forth.
3. The trolling-device herein shown and described, the same consisting of a hollow
elastic shield B and one or more hooks having their stems secured within the shield,
the latter projecting laterally beyond the points of the hooks, as and for the purpose
described.
4. The trolling device herein shown and described, the same consisting of a hollow
elastic or flexible shield B, one or more hooks having their stems secured within the
shield, the latter projecting laterally beyond the points of the hooks to protect the same,
and feathers also secured within the shield and projecting therefrom around the stems
of the hooks, substantially as shown and described.
Tinted th: 5th 1…….
1000
J. P. BAYLY,
Applicant.