AN IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL BAIT FOR ANGLING PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Franz Pigall, of Tichborne Street, in the County, of
Middlesex, Cutler, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL BAIT
FOR ANGLING PURPOSES."
Sealed the 13th April 1880, and dated the 17th October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Franz Pigall at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th October 1879.
FRANZ PIGALL, of Tichborne Street, in the County of Middlesex, Cutler.
IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL BAIT FOR ANGLING PURPOSES."
" AN
This Invention relates to an improved construction of artificial fish or bait for
the use of anglers. Hitherto such bait has been constructed with hooks permanently
projecting from the body of the apparatus or bait, and this construction presents
many disadvantages, as, for example, the bait is difficult to handle, is very liable to
be caught in the grass or weeds or in stones in consequence of the projecting hooks,
and such hooks are liable to get broken off.
Now by my Invention these defects are obviated, and the improvements relate
to constructing the bait so that the hooks are contained within the body thereof.
and are automatically projected by the fish biting the bait.
In carrying out my Invention I construct the body of the artificial fish or bait in
two parts or halves hinged or joined together at the tail end to a central bar or
backbone, the head of the fish being provided with the usual means for attaching
it to the line and with the usual vanes or fins for spinning the apparatus. To the
said backbone I joint or pivot two or other suitable number of levers provided with
hooks at their upper ends, and kept in their normal position within the body of
the apparatus by means of suitably placed springs; the sides of the body of the
apparatus are slotted for the purpose hereinafter described, and are provided with
artificial fins.
By this construction it will be understood that the apparatus being thrown out
in the usual manner, if a fish should bite the same the closing of the jaws of the
fish will press together the herein before described jointed halves forming the body
of the apparatus, and such halves pressing against the lower ends of the herein before
described levers will move the same on their pivots or fulcra and cause, the hooked
ends thereof to project through the herein before described slots and pass into the
jaws of the fish, which is then landed in the usual manner, and the bait being with-
drawn is again ready for use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Franz Pigall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th April
1880.
FRANZ PIGALL, of Tichborne Street, in the County of Middlesex, Cutler.
IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL BAIT FOR ANGLING PURPOSES."
<< AN
This Invention relates to an improved construction of artificial fish or bait for
the use of anglers. Hitherto such bait has been constructed with hooks permanently
projecting from the body of the apparatus or bait, and this construction presents
many disadvantages, as, for example, the bait is difficult to handle, is very liable to
be caught in the grass or weeds or in stones in consequence of the projecting hooks,
and such hooks are liable to get broken off.
Now by my Invention these defects are obviated, and the improvements relate
to constructing the bait so that the hooks are contained within the body thereof
and are automatically projected by the fish biting the bait.
In carrying out my Invention I construct the body of the artificial fish or bait in
two parts or halves hinged or jointed together at the tail end to a central bar or
backbone, the head of the fish being provided with the usual means for attaching
it to the line and with the usual vanes or fins for spinning the apparatus. To the
said backbone I joint or pivot two or other suitable number of levers provided with
hooks at their upper ends, and kept in their normal position within the body of
the apparatus by means of suitably placed springs; the sides of the body of the
apparatus are slotted for the purpose hereinafter described, and are provided with
artificial fins.
But to make my Invention better understood I will now proceed to describe the
same by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side view
and Figure 2 a plan of my improved artificial fish or bait for angling purposes;
Figure 3, a side view of the bait in its acting position, that is to say, shewing the
hooks projected; Figures 4 and 5, vertical sections of Figures 1 and 3. Similar
letters in all the Figures represent similar parts.
a, a', are the two parts or halves forming the body of the artificial fish or bait,
the said parts being jointed together at b at the tail end by the screw pin c and
nut d, the said pin c passing also through the central bar or backbone e and the
tail piece h; f is the head of the fish or bait to which is connected the usual
swivel g; i, i, are the usual vanes which with the tail h serve for spinning the
apparatus; i, j, are the levers jointed at m, m, to the backbone e; at the upper end
of each lever is a hook k, the lower end of each lever being formed cam shaped, as
shewn at ; n, n, are the springs acting on the levers j so as to keep them in their
normal position within the body of the apparatus; o, o, are the slots in the sides of
the body of the apparatus.
The halves a, a¹, of the body are slotted at p so as to pass over the T shaped
portion of the backbone, which thus acts as a guide while the outward motion of
the parts a, a', is limited by the head f.
q
By this construction it will be understood that if the apparatus be thrown out
in the usual manner, and a fish should bite the same, the closing of the jaws of the
fish will press together the jointed halves a, a', forming the body of the apparatus
into the position shewn in Figures 3 and 5, and the said parts a, a', pressing on the
cam shaped ends 1, 1, of the levers j, j, will move these levers on their pivots or
fulcra m, m, thereby forcing the hooks k, k, to project through the slots o, o, and
pass into the jaws of the fish, which may then be landed in the usual manner.
bait may then be removed, and the parts retaking their normal position the bait is
again ready for use.
The
If it is required to take the bait to pieces for cleaning or otherwise it is simply
necessary to unscrew the nut d and draw out the screw pin c; the tail piece h can

page_text: then be drawn off and the halves a, a³, can be separated, and this operation (as well
as the putting together again of the parts) can be effected in a very short time.
Having thus described my Invention and the best means I am acquainted with
for carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details herein laid down and shewn in the Drawing, as the
same may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention,
but what I do claim is, -
Firstly. An artificial bait for angling purposes, the hooks of which are contained
within the body thereof and are automatically projected by a fish biting the bait,
as hereinbefore described.
Secondly. The general arrangement and construction of the improved artificial
bait for angling purposes, as hereinbefore described and represented in the accom-
panying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Franz Pigall, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
FRANZ PIGALL. (L.S.)