Patent ID: 7654483

Claim:
In a fishing reel including a frame, a spool rotatably mounted on a shaft in the frame, and a crank handle for rotating the spool, a drag system comprising: a drag housing having a base and a wall extending therefrom to define an axial cavity; a driver member rotatable with the spool; a driven member disposed adjacent the cavity of said drag housing and rotatable relative to said drag housing; wherein one of said drag housing and said driven member is engagable with said driver member to rotate with said spool and the other of said drag housing and said driven member is fixed rotationally relative to the shaft; a drag stack of washers in the cavity of said drag housing between said drag housing and said driven member, said drag stack including a plurality of friction washers including a friction imparting material and at least one metal washer; wherein the friction washers are keyed to one of said drag housing and said driven member, and wherein the at least one metal washer is keyed to the other of said drag housing and said driven member; a cam and follower actuatable for moving one of said driven member and said driver member axially to engage and disengage the other of said driven member and said driver member, and to bias said drag stack for pressing the washers thereof together for exhibiting friction; and an actuator movable for actuating said cam and follower for moving said one of said driver member and driven member axially to engage and disengage, wherein the friction washers and the at least one metal washer do not rotate relative to each other when said driver member and said driven member are disengaged.