Improvements in Fishing Reels.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 27th Apr., 1895
Improvements in Fishing Reels.
1, GRANVILLE EUSTACE MEDLEY, of Hopkinsville, in the County of Christian,
and State of Kentucky, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 invention relates to automatic fishing reels, and it has for its object to
provide a combination reel of this character that can be used either automatically
or as an ordinary hand-operated reel. To this end the main and primary object
of the present invention is to effect certain improvements in reels of this character
whereby the same will provide simple and efficient means for hooking, playing,
breaking down, and drawing in the fish automatically without the intervention
of the angler and at the same time the reel contemplates a construction that allows
the line to be cast out as easily as in other reels; will wind up slack line faster
than a fish can swim, or as slowly as desired, and one that is also automatic in
setting the click alarm and drag, and in unsetting the click alarm and taking off
the drag.
With these and other objects in view which will readily appear as the nature
of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction,
combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated
and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic fishing reel constructed in accord-
auce with this invention.
Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the reel.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the crank handle device.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a stationary reel plate
that has attached to one edge thereof a pair of offstanding attaching posts 2, to
which is secured a curved seat plate 3, adapted to be fitted to the fishing rod in
the usual manner and providing means for holding the plate 1 stationary in its
attached position. The stationary reel plate is provided upon both sides with the
bearing counter-sinks 4, and within the circle of said counter-sinks is provided
with an offstanding circular spring recess or pocket 5, that is adapted to partly
accommodate therein the spiral actuating spring 6 one terminal of which is
connected to the fixed pin or stud 7 projected from one side of the plate 1 and
the other terminal of said spring is adapted to be engaged with the bearing hub 7,
projected centrally from one side of the intermediate drum plate 8 and loosely
turning on the stationary tubular bearing sleeve or spindle 9 that is fitted at 10,
centrally within the stationary plate 1, and projects to both sides of the said plate
and one end of said bearing sleeve 9 also projects through the hub 7, and slightly
beyond one side of the intermediate drum plate 8.
The intermediate drum plate 8 is secured centrally within the revolving winding
drum 11. The revolving winding drum 11 is provided with an interior annular
flange 12 to which the plate 8 is attached and is enclosed at its outer open side
by the removable side cap plate 13 receiving the fastening screws 14 that engage
in the inner flange 12 and the inner side of said revolving winding drum snugly

page_text: registers within one of the bearing countersinks 4 at one side of the stationary
plate 1, thereby completing a very compact arrangement of the stationary reel
plate, the actuating spring 6 and the drum 11, so that these parts of the reel will
occupy as little space as possible.
The projecting end of the bearing sleeve 9 at one side of the intermediate drum
plate 8 has mounted fast thereon a central cog wheel 15 around which rolls and
meshes the pinion 16 mounted loosely on the stud shaft 17 projected from one side
of the intermediate hub plate 8, and also carrying an idler cog wheel 18 that
meshes with the shaft pinion 19 located at one side of the cog wheel 15 and
mounted on one end of the rotating reel shaft 20 that turns within the tubular
bearing sleeve or spindle 9 and projects beyond both ends thereof to provide for
transmitting motion to the spool of the reel in the manner to be presently described.
The idler cog wheel 18 is adapted to be engaged and disengaged by an adjacent
catch pawl 21 pivoted at one end as at 22, to one side of the inner flange 12
of the drum 11, and the catch or point end of said pawl 21 is adapted to be normally
engaged with the teeth of the wheel 17 by means of the free end 23 of the leaf
spring 24 bearing thereon at one side. The said leaf spring 24 is secured fast at
one end to the inner side of the drum 11, and is provided at a point intermediate
of its ends with a pin opening 25 through which passes the movable pawl adjusting
pin 26. The movable pawl adjusting pin 26 is provided with an enlarged push
head 27 that works through an opening 28 formed in the rim of the drum 11, and
the spring 24 normally bears against the shoulder under the push head 27, and
therefore normally projects such push-head out through the opening 28 in the rim
of the drum. The said adjusting pin 26 is guided in its sliding movement within
the drum through a guide eye 29 fitted inside of the drum, and said pin is provided
with an inner angled end 30 the extremity of which bears under or against the
inner side of the pawl 21 opposite the spring end 23. The normal pressure of
the spring 24 to move the spring 26 outward, holds the pawl 21 normally disengaged
from the cog wheel 18 so that the winding drum can freely rotate in any direction,
. and by pressing the adjusting pin inward, the spring 24 will move the pawl in
engagement with the teeth of the wheel 18 to prevent rotation of the drum in one
direction as will be more particularly referred to.
The tubular bearing sleeve or spindle 9 at one side of the stationary reel
plate 1, supports for rotation thereon the line spool 31, which as well as the
winding drum 11, are preferably made of vulcanized rubber. The said spool 31
is provided with the countersunk side flange 32, at one side that loosely works
over the offstanding recess or pocket portion 5 of the plate 1, and also loosely
registers in one of the side bearing countersinks 4 of said stationary plate in order
to complete the compact arrangement of the several parts of the reel. The
spool 31 is provided with an integral intermediate web portion 33 having a central
bearing hub or collar 34 that loosely turns on the bearing sleeve 9 in which turns
the shaft 20, and the space at one side of the intermediate spool web 33 is enclosed
by the removable cap plate 35 secured to the outer open side of the spool by
means of the stop screws or pins 36 the inuer ends of which are engaged in the
intermediate web portion 33 and said stop screws or pins 36 are arranged at
regularly spaced distances apart within the space enclosed by the cap plate 35 an
are adapted to be engaged by one end of the eccentric crescent shaped clutch
plate 37.
The crescent shaped clutch plate 37 is eccentrically pivoted by means of the
pivot pin 38 to one end of the revolving shaft plate 39 fitted fast to and carried
on one end of the rotating reel shaft 20 beyond one end of the tubular bearing sleeve
or spindle 9 and by reason of the eccentric pivoting of the clutch plate 37 it will
be obvious that when the shaft 20 is turned in one direction, the said clutch plate
will fold back against the end of the shaft 20, at the inner side of the plate 39, and
will therefore lie inside of the circle of the screws or pins 36 so as not to engage the
same, while on the other hand when the shaft turns in an opposite direction, the long
end of the clutch plate 39 will swing out to a position within the circular path of the

page_text: screws or studs 36 so as to engage therewith and thereby cause the spool 31 to be
rotated with the shaft 20.
The eccentrically pivoted clutch plate 37 works between the shaft plate 39 to
which it is attached and the stationary click wheel plate 40 that is fastened by
means of threads or other suitable means ou one end of the bearing sleeve or
spindle 9 and the said click wheel plate 40 is provided at its inner side with an
integral toothed click wheel portion 41 over the teeth of which is adapted to ride
the pointed end 42 of the T-shaped click dog 43. The T-shaped click dog 43 is
pivotally secured to one side of the spool web 33 by means of the pivot screw 44
and arranged to bear on the outer end or head of the dog 43 slightly at one side of its
pivot is one end of the L-shaped leaf spring 45, the other end of which is secured
fast as at 46 to one side of the spool web 33 and by reason of the disposition of the
dog 42 and the arrangement of the spring 45 the said dog will sharply click or ride
over the teeth of the click wheel 41 when it is desired for the click aların to be
given after the line has been cast for a fish.
The T-shaped click dog 43 is provided at both sides of its point of pivot with
the lugs or shoulders 47 that, together with the point end 42 give a T-shaped
appearance to the dog, and one of these lugs 47 is adapted to be engaged by the
inner angled end 48 of the L-shaped adjusting spindle 48. The L-shaped
adjusting spindle 48 is arranged to work in a tubular bearing post 50 projected
from the outer side of the cap plate 35 of the spool, and the said L-shaped spindle 49
is provided at its outer end with a rounded friction head 51 that is adapted to
register within the outer open end of the tubular crank handle 52 also mounted to
turn on the tubular bearing post 50. At a point adjacent to the inner side of the
cap plate 35 the L-shaped spindle 48 is provided with a collar 53 against which bears
one end of a double-leaf spring 54 that is secured intermediate of its ends as at 55 to
the inner side of the cap plate 35.
The tension of the spring 54 on the spindle 48 holds the same in frictional
engagement with the tubular crank handle 52 so that ordinarily said spindle will
turn or revolve with the crank handle in the act of turning the spool thereby, and
by reason of the disposition of the inner angled end 48 of the said spindle 49 it will
le obvious that in the act of turning the spool in one direction said inner angled
end 48 of said spindle will be carried against one of the lugs or shoulders 47 and
will disengage and hold the dog 43 disengaged from the click wheel 41 thereby
unsetting the alarm. On the other hand in the act of turning the spool in the
opposite direction, the inner angled end 48 of the spindle will be carried out
of engagement with the click dog and will allow the same to spring back into
engagement with the click wheel, thereby setting the click alarm as will be easily
understood.
The end of the double leaf spring 54 opposite the end connected with said
adjusting spindle is adapted to bear against the pointed end 55 of the shaft 20
outside of the shaft-plate 39 and in this particular it is to be noted that the
shaft 20 has a slight longitudinal play so that the action of the spring 54 bearing
thereon will hold the clutch plate 37 sufficiently tight against the plate 40 so that
when the clutch plate is in its folded position inside of the circle of the said
plate 40 and therefore of the stop screws or pins 36, the said clutch plate will
remain in this position without danger of being shaken loose so as to drop into
the path of the screws or pins 36 as will be readily understood.
From the above it is thought that the construction of the hereindescribed reel
will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the several uses of the
reel both for automatic action and as a common hand reel will therefore be easily
understood. In the first place it is necessary to wind up the spring 6 to set the
reel for operation, and to do this it is simply necessary for the angler to grasp the
drum 11, and turn the same in one direction which causes a winding up of
the spring. In the act of winding it will be understood that the shaft 20 will
turn in a direction that causes the eccentrically pivoted clutch plate 38 to fold
back within the circle of the click wheel plate 40 and therefore out of the path of

page_text: the screws or pins 36 so that the line-spool 31 will not revolve. At the same time
the drum is turned to wind up the spring with the thumb pressed on the head of the
pawl adjusting pin 26, the catch pawl 21 will freely ride in engagement with the
cog wheel 18 so that when the rotation of the drum is stopped with the thumb still
pressed on the head of said adjusting pin, the pawl 21 will serve to lock the drum
against rotation. In this adjustment of the reel it will also be noted that the clutch
plate 37 will remain in its folded position and will be held in this position by means
of the spring 54 as already described, so that the spool is perfectly free to revolve
in either direction independent of the drum and can therefore be used as an
ordinary hand reel and allows the line to be cast out freely as in the ordinary hand
reel, which is an operation not heretofore admitted of in automatic reels.
With the spring wound up and the spool free to revolve in either direction as
just described, the click dog 43 is usually set in engagement with the click wheel
so that when a fish is on the line the angler will be at once notified thereof so that
by grasping the winding drum and turning the same slightly in the direction of
winding the pawl 21 will be automatically disengaged from the idler cog wheel by
the spring action of the pin 26, and then by releasing the grip on the drum the
rotation thereof under the influence of the spring will actuate the gearing and
turn the shaft 20 in a direction that throws out the long end of the clutch plate 37
so as to engage with the screws or pins 36 and thereby rotate the spool in a direction
to wind up the line and automatically haul in the fish when played out, and at the
same time the drum is released in the manner described; it will be noted that a
drag is produced on the line that will cause the fish to be quickly played out before
being hauled in.
When it is desired to set the reel for automatic action so that the fish can be
hooked, played, broken down and drawn in automatically, it is simply necessary
after the spring is wound up to allow the drum to rotate slightly in the direction
influenced by the spring so as to throw the clutch plate 37 out into the path of the
screws or pins 36. By then depressing or moving inwardly the adjusting pin 26
the pawl 21 will be engaged with the cog wheel 18 to lock the drum against rotation.
With the reel thus set, the moment the fish is on the line and commences to pull
out the same, one of the screws or pins 36 will engage with the clutch plate 37 and
thereby start the gearing sufficiently so as to allow the pawl 21 to automatically
spring out of engagement with the wheel 18 and thereby place the spring drag on
the line and provide means for automatically winding up the line on the spool when
the fish has been broken down.
From the above it will be seen that the herein-described reel meets every
requirement of the angler and with reference to the click alarm device, it is simply
to be additionally noted that in turning the spool with the tubular crank handle
the inner angled end 48 of the spindle 49 will be either carried against one of the
lugs 47 of the click dog to release the same from the click wheel or against the
inner side of the spool 31 after which the spool can continue to rotate without
affecting the position of said angled end 48 of the spindle, and when the fingers are
released from the crank handle, the click dog will be either set or unset as will be
readily understood.
Changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be
resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages
of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
i claim is :-
:-
1. In a fishing reel, a stationary reel plate provided with an offstanding circular
spring recess or pocket, a stationary bearing sleeve fitted to said plate and pro-
jecting to both sides thereof, a revolving winding drum mounted on the sleeve at
one side of the reel plate, a spring seated within said spring recess or pocket and
connected at one end to the reel plate and at its other end to the winding drum, a

page_text: line spool mounted to revolve on the sleeve at one side of the reel plate and
provided with a countersunk side flange loosely embracing the offstanding recess
or pocket portion of the reel plate, a reel shaft arranged within said sleeve, an
automatic clutch connection between one end of the reel shaft and the spool, a
gearing connection between the opposite end of the shaft and the drum and an
automatic gear catch for said gear connection, substantially as set forth.
2. In a fishing reel, a stationary reel plate carrying a stationary bearing sleeve
projecting to both sides of the same, a revolving winding drum provided with a
central bearing hub turning on one end of said sleeve, a spring arranged between
the drum and the reel plate and connected at one end to said plate and at its other
end to the drum, a reel shaft turning within said bearing sleeve, a rotating spool
loosely mounted on the bearing sleeve, an automatic clutch connection between one
end of the reel shaft and the spool, a gearing connection between the opposite
end of the shaft and the drum, and an automatic gear catch for said gear connection,
substantially as set forth.
3. In a fishing reel, a stationary reel plate carrying an oppositely projecting
stationary bearing sleeve, a winding drum mounted on the sleeve. at one side of
the reel plate, an actuating spring connected to the reel plate and to the winding
drum, a line-spool loosely mounted on the sleeve at one side of the reel plate and
carrying a series of spaced stop screws or pins, a rotating reel shaft arranged in
said sleeve, an eccentrically arranged clutch plate connected with one er of said
shaft and adapted to engage with the spool, a stationary plate mounted o.. one end
of the bearing sleeve at one side of the clutch plate, a spring arranged to bear
normally against one end of the shaft to hold the clutch plate against the plate at
one side of the same to prevent displacement of the clutch plate gearing connections
between one end of the shaft and the drum, and an automatic gear catch for said
gear connections, substantially as set forth.
4. In a fishing reel, a stationary reel plate having an oppositely projecting
stationary bearing sleeve, a spring actuated winding drum loosely mounted on the
sleeve at one side of the plate, a line-spool loosely mounted on the sleeve, a rotating
reel shaft arranged on said sleeve, an eccentrically arranged clutch plate connected
with one end of said shaft, gearing connections between the opposite end of the
shaft and the drum, an automatic gear catch for said gear connections, and means
for normally holding the clutch plate out of engagement with the spool to allow
the same to freely rotate in either direction, substantially as set forth.
5. A stationary reel plate having an oppositely projecting stationary bearing.
sleeve, a spring actuated winding drum loosely mounted on said sleeve and provided
with an opening in the rim thereof, a reel shaft mounted in said bearing sleeve, a
line-spool loosely mounted on said sleeve and having a clutch connection with one
end of said shaft, cog gearing between the opposite end of said shaft and the
winding drum, one of the parts of the gearing being an idler cog, a catch pawl
pivotally secured to the winding drum and adapted to engage with the teeth of
said idler cog, a movable pawl adjusting pin arranged within the drum and
provided at one end with a push head working in the opening in the rim of the
drum and with an inner angled end working against the inner side of said pawl,
and a leaf spring arranged within the drum and having its free end bearing on top
of the pawl, said spring being arranged to bear at an intermediate point under the
push head of the adjusting pin to normally adjust the same against the pawl,.
substantially as set forth.
6. In a fishing reel, the combination with a stationary bearing spindle and the
spool mounted to revolve thereon, of a toothed click wheel fitted to said stationary
bearing spindle, a spring actuated click dog arranged within said spool and normally
engaging with the teeth of said click wheel, and means for disengaging the dog
from the wheel by the act of turning the spool, substantially as set forth.
7. In a fishing reel, the combination with a stationary bearing spindle and the
spool mounted to revolve thereon, of a toothed click wheel fitted to the stationary
bearing spindle, a spring actuated click dog arranged within said spool and normally

page_text: engaging with the teeth of said wheel, and the crank handle attached to the spool
and having an adjusting spindle adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from
said click dog by the act of rotating the spool, substantially as set forth.
8. In a fishing reel, the combination with a stationary bearing spindle and the
spool mounted thereon, of a toothed click wheel fitted to said spindle, a spring
actuated T-shaped click dog pivotally supported within the spool to normally
engage said wheel, a tubular crank handle fitted to one end of the spool, an
L-shaped adjusting spindle supported at one end of the spool and having at its
outer end a rounded friction head registering within the crank handle, and a spring
connected with said spindle to hold the head thereof normally in frictional
engagement with said crank handle, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of March 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.