GB2478334A

GB2478334A - A fishing reel spool with formations to allow it to be driven by a users fingers

Info

Publication number: GB2478334A
Application number: GB1003583A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Francis Mercer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-03-04
Filing date: 2010-03-04
Publication date: 2011-09-07
Also published as: GB201003583D0

Abstract

A fishing reel comprising a reel support 12 adapted to be mounted on a fishing rod, a spool 13 rotatably carried by the support and having a pair of spaced cheeks and a spool hub extending between the side cheeks and wherein at least one of the side cheeks has a plurality of formations on an external face shaped to receive a user's fingertip so that they can impart drive. The formations may be protrusions with depressions in them, be circular and have finger guides which surround 180 degrees of a hole. The spool 13 may be centreless and be supported by rollers around its periphery and may have formations located within the gap in the centre. The roller assembly may have an eccentric mounting with a lever and a worm drive. The outer support 12 may be seperable to allow the spool to be removed and may have a screw threaded adjuster.

Description

FLY FISHING REEL

This invention relates to a fishing reel assembly and in particular, though not exclusively, to a fishing reel assembly intended for use in fly fishing.

In this specification, the term fishing reel or fishing reel assembly is used to refer to a complete device which is used to wind in fishing line and to allow that line to be paid out from a spool rotatably mounted on a support which is affixed to the handle end of a fishing rod.

Almost all conventional fishing reels are equipped with a handle in the form of a crank arm to facilitate winding the line on to the spool. Sometimes, the crank arm is directly connected to the spool, whereas with other designs there is a gear train between the crank arm and the spool. Yet other designs are known where the crank arm rotates a line winder which runs around the periphery of a stationary spool.

US-4138075 describes a fishing reel having a rotatable spool provided with a crank arm having a combination knob that allows a user to insert a finger into a recess in the knob, allowing more rapid retrieval of the line than would be possible if grasping the handle in the hand or between the fingers, due the higher speed that can be achieved when simply twirling a finger as opposed to rotating the hand. JP-2007174987 describes a variety of attachments and forms for fishing reel handles in configurations that are designed to give the user a choice of torque that can be used to wind in the line, including one variant in the form of a disc with four recesses at different radii from the centreline and into any one of which the user can insert a finger.

It is often desirable to be able to wind in the line with either the left hand or the right hand. Conventional reels are furnished with a winding knob on only one side and to change the side from which winding can be effected usually involves removing the complete reel assembly from a rod, removing the line and winding it back on to the reel in the opposite direction and then re-fitting the reel assembly to the rod so that the handle is on the other side. Also in most cases some internal adjustments to the workings of the reel assembly are required.

GB-478897 (1936) shows a reel that is equipped with a handle on each side of the spool that allows use by either hand as required. Similarly, WO-02/063953 shows a design with a winding knob on both sides of the spool.

It is well known in the field of fly fishing and particularly for lighter weights of reel, that the handle is not used to wind the line in when a fish is caught, but that the line is pulled in by hand and only later is the line wound back on to the spool. Rapid retrieval of the fishing line with minimal effort is desirable in fly fishing, due to the frequency that this is carried out. The winding handle conventionally provided on a fly fishing reel, either fixed directly to the spool or indirectly via a gear or clutch mechanism remains for the most part unused in the course of the fishing itself.

It is a principal aim of the present invention to provide a fishing reel assembly where the spool is not provided with a conventional crank arm to effect rotation of the spool for winding the fishing line back on to the spool.

Such a fishing reel is particularly suitable for use in that class of reel where the line is not wound back on to the spool to retrieve the fish, or where the fish can still readily be retrieved by winding the line on to the spool without needing the extra force which can be achieved by using a winding knob.

According to this invention, there is provided a fishing reel assembly, comprising: -a reel support adapted to be mounted on a fishing rod; -a spool rotatably carried by the support and having a pair of spaced side cheeks and a spool hub extending between the side cheeks; and -at least one of the side cheeks having a plurality of formations in or on the external face thereof and arranged around the axis of rotation of the spool, each formation being shaped and sized to accommodate a fingertip of a user whereby rotational drive may be imparted to the spool from the tip of a user's finger engaged in one of the formations of the side cheek.

It will be appreciated that no conventional handle is provided to drive the spool of the reel assembly of this invention. Rather, at least one of the side cheeks of the spool has appropriate formations allowing a user's fingertip to engage and drive the spool directly, when it is required to wind line on to the spool. With little practice, it is found that the action of twirling a finger to retrieve a line can be effected faster than can be achieved by the motion of turning a knob carried by a crank arm fixed to a spool.

The formations may take various different forms. In one reel, there is a series of depressions formed in the thickness of the side cheek from the external surface thereof, those depressions being equi-spaced around the rotational axis of the spool. Typically, each depression may be of circular shape in the plane of the side cheek and may have a rounded profile in the direction of the spool axis.

Another possibility is for each formation to be defined by a hole extending through the side cheek and a finger guide partially embracing the hole and upstanding outwardly from the external surface of the side cheek. The finger guide may embrace a radially outer part of the associated hole or a radially inner part of the hole. In either case, the finger guide may surround about 1800 of arc of the hole and the finger guide for one hole may merge into the finger guides for the two holes disposed circumferentially to each side of that one hole.

In the alternative, the spool may have a relatively large diameter central opening and the formations may comprise a series of finger guides formed in the central opening. Each such finger guide may have a generally U-shaped profile in the radial direction, being defined by a rounded projection in the radially inward direction, from the surface of the central opening.

It is greatly preferred that the spool of the fishing reel of this invention may be operated from either side of the spool and that on each side of the spool, there are corresponding formations allowing rotational drive to be imparted to the spool by the tip of a user's finger. To this end, the spool may be centreless and the reel support is arranged to carry the spool by the periphery thereof. Such a reel support may have two frame members each defining a circular opening and spaced apart by substantially the same distance as the two cheeks of the spool and each cheek is supported and carried by one of the frame members, respectively.

A plurality of roller assemblies may be provided around the support, with the spool running on the rollers of the roller assemblies. Axial location of the spool may be achieved by having flanges on the rollers which engage either the inner side faces or the outer side faces of the spool cheeks, at the periphery thereof. In the alternative, grooves may be provided in the rollers and within which the side cheeks run, or the rollers could have central flanges which run in grooves provided in the cylindrical surface at the periphery of the side cheeks.

Yet another possibility would be to have the opposed rollers of one roller assembly tapering towards each other, with the spool running on the tapered surfaces.

Removal of the spool from the spool support and reinsertion of the spool thereinto may be achieved by having a least one of the roller assemblies movable in the radial direction. For example, the roller assembly may be carried by an eccentric mount rotation of which effects radial movement of the assembly. Another possibility is to have the support expandable in the circumferential direction thereby relatively separating the roller assemblies to give sufficient clearance to allow removal of the spool from the support. There may be a split in the circumference of the support with a screw-threaded adjuster arranged at the split to control the width thereof and so also the circumference of the support.

By way of example only, several specific embodiments of fly fishing reel of this invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 illustrates a first embodiment of reel of this invention, secured to a fly fishing rod; Figures 2A, 2B, 20 and 2D show the reel of Figure 1 in more detail; Figure 3 is an exploded view of the first embodiment of reel; Figure 4 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of the lower part of the reel shown in section in Figure 2B; Figure 5 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of the upper part of the reel shown in section in Figure 2B; Figure 6 is an isometric view of the adjuster shown in Figure 5; Figure 7 is an isometric view of the frame of the first embodiment of reel; Figures 8A, 8B and 80 are respectively side, sectional and isometric views of a first embodiment of spool differing from that shown in Figures 1 to 3; Figures 9A, 9B and 90, Figures 1OA, lOB and 100, Figures hA, 11B and 110 and Figures 12A, 12B and 120 are respectively side, sectional and isometric views of second, third, fourth and fifth embodiments of spool all differing from those shown in Figures 1 to 3 and Figures 8A, 8B and 80; and Figures 13A, 13B and 130 are respectively an isometric view and detail views on an enlarged scale of an alternative spool locking arrangement.

Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of fly fishing reel 10 of this invention attached to a fly fishing rod 11. The rod is of entirely conventional construction and forms no part of this invention. The reel 10 includes a support frame 12 within which is rotatably supported a spool 13, the frame having a foot 14 profiled to fit closely against the rod 11 adjacent its handgrip 15. The foot is clamped against the reel by a screw-threaded clamp ring 16 and lock nut 17.

The support frame 12, spool 13 and associated components are shown in more detail in Figures 2 to 7. The support frame is of metal and has a pair of support rings 19,20 together with cross-members 21 extending therebetween.

The ring is split at 22, with the split extending through the foot 14 and a screw-threaded adjuster 23 (Figures 5 and 6) serves to allow the split 22 to be enlarged or narrowed, as required. The adjuster comprises a thumb wheel 24 carried on a shaft 25 with left and right-hand threads respectively to the two sides of the wheel 24. Pins 26,27 are carried on the threaded shaft and locate in respective bores 28,29 in the end portions of the support frame, at the split 22. When assembled as shown, rotation of the thumb wheel 24 will move the end regions closer together or further apart, depending upon the rotational sense.

The spool 13 is annular in general shape, and comprises a hub 31 together with a pair of side cheeks 32,33, one to each side of the hub. The reel is rotatably mounted within the support frame 12 by three roller assemblies 34, each running on the outer peripheries of the cheeks 32,33. Each roller assembly is shown in more detail in Figures 3 and 4.

Each roller assembly is located at a respective cross-member 21 of the support frame, the cross-member defining a bore 35 for supporting the roller assembly. At each end of the bore 35 there is a counter-bore within which is received a ball-race 36, a spacer 37 extending between the ball-races 36. A flanged roller 38 is carried on each ball-race 36 and is held in place by a screw 39 threaded into the spacer. The spool periphery runs on the rollers 38 and is located axially by the flanges of the rollers.

When the spool 13 is to be removed from the support frame 12, the adjuster 23 is turned in the sense which increases the separation of the split 22 until there is sufficient clearance between the rollers 38 and the spool periphery to allow the spool to pass over the flanges of the rollers 38. Following the reinsertion of the spool or another spool, the adjuster 23 is turned in the opposite sense to decrease the separation of the split. The adjuster may be tightened to an appropriate extent to give a required degree of running friction, to prevent the spool turning too easily for example when paying out fishing line.

The spool 13 shown in Figures ito 3 has a central bore 41 provided with angularly-spaced, internally-directed projections 42 each extending for the full width of the spool. Each projection has rounded side flanks 43 and also is rounded at the radially innermost part of the projection. The central bore 41 and the projections 42 are sized and profiled so as to allow drive to be imparted to the spool from the tip of a user's finger, inserted into the central bore 41 and bearing against the side flank of one of the projections, from either side of the spool. Though a suitable size and profile for the projections may be determined empirically, taking into account the intended use of the reel and the likely user, merely by way of example the central bore may typically have a maximum diameter of 62mm, with six projections each upstanding radially inwardly from the central bore by about 5mm to 7mm.

The embodiments of spool shown in Figures 8 to 12 are similar to that described above but have different finger drive arrangements. Those will be described briefly below.

Figures 8A, 8B and 80 -this spool has a plurality of depressions 45 arranged on a common pitch circle around each cheek. Each depression has a central hole 46 extending through to the inside face of the cheek and between that hole and the outer face of the cheek, the depression has a generally rounded profile. As with the first embodiment of spool, this embodiment may be rotationally driven from either side of the spool, by way of the tip of a user's finger inserted into a chosen depression. Also, the size and profile of each depression 45 and the hole 46 may be chosen empirically, taking into account the intended use and users of the reel.

Figures 9A, 9B and 90 -this spool is similar to that of Figure 8 but differs in that a finger guide 47 is arranged around the periphery of the spool, partially to embrace each depression 45 for around 1800 of arc. In the region of each depression, the finger guide also has a rounded profile, in the axial direction of the spool. The finger guide may be furnished either by increasing the thickness of the cheek in the peripheral region of the spool or by reducing the thickness in the central region of the spool, depending upon whether a heavier spool or a lighter spool is required.

Figures bA, lOB and 100 -in the case of this spool, there is a finger guide 48 arranged around the central bore of the spool. As can be seen, this is furnished by reducing the thickness of the cheek adjacent the periphery of the spool, so leaving a running surface of a sufficient width at the periphery, for bearing on the rollers 38. In all other respects, this spool corresponds to that of Figure 9. -10-

Figures hA, 11B and 110 -this spool has a much reduced weight as compared to the spools of Figures 8, 9 and 10. Three upstanding bosses 49 are equ i-spaced around the periphery of each side cheek, each boss defining a depression 50 generally corresponding in shape and size to the depressions 45 of the spool of Figure 8. The greater part of each side cheek may be made much thinner as compared to the spool of Figure 8, so reducing the weight.

Apart from this difference, the spool of Figure 11 corresponds to that of Figure 8 and is used in the same manner.

Figure 12A, 12B and 120 -this spool is very similar to the spool of Figures 1 to 3 but differs in that there are twelve projections 51 provided around the central bore of the spool. Each projection 51 has rounded side flanks and also is rounded at its radially innermost part, as with the projections 42 of the earlier embodiment. The spool is used in the same manner as has been described with reference to Figures 1 to 3.

Figures 13A, 13B and 130 show the spool 13 of Figures Ito 3 mounted within a support frame 53 differing from that described with reference to the first embodiment. The support frame 53 has two support rings 54,55 which are continuous -that is, they are not split, unlike the first embodiment. In the case of this second embodiment, the spool 13 is released from the support frame by moving the rollers 38 of one roller assembly 34 radially outwardly so as to give sufficient clearance for the spool 13 to be moved axially out of the frame.

The roller assembly 34 is as has been described above and the same reference numbers are used for the component parts. In the case of this embodiment, the ball-races 36 are carried in eccentric counter-bores in a sleeve 56 which itself is rotatably mounted within an enlarged bore in the cross-member 57 provided in the region of the foot 58 for mounting the reel on a fishing rod. The sleeve has a pair of thumb wheels 59, one at each end, to allow the sleeve to be rotated within the enlarged bore and a detent arrangement may be provided (not shown) to maintain the sleeve at the chosen angularly-rotated position.

In view of the eccentric counter-bores in the sleeve 56, rotation of the sleeve moves the rollers 38 nearer to or further from the centre of the support frame rings and when furthest from the centre, there is sufficient clearance for the spool to be removed from the support frame. Other arrangements may be provided for rotating the sleeve 56, such as a lever or perhaps a worm drive.

The advantage of the matter is that it is self-locking and so will remain where set, without the need for any other kind of detent or locking mechanism.

In all of the above embodiments of spool, holes are provided through the side cheeks in order to minimise weight. Apart from the embodiments where the holes are coincident with the fingertip driving arrangements of the spools, the holes have no functionality so far as this invention is concerned.

Claims

-12 -CLAIMS1. A fishing reel assembly, comprising: -a reel support adapted to be mounted on a fishing rod; -a spool rotatably carried by the support and having a pair of spaced side cheeks and a spool hub extending between the side cheeks; and -at least one of the side cheeks having a plurality of formations in or on the external face thereof and arranged around the axis of rotation of the spool, each formation being shaped and sized to accommodate a fingertip of a user whereby rotational drive may be imparted to the spool from the tip of a user's finger engaged in one of the formations of the side cheek.
2. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the formations comprise a series of depressions formed in the thickness of the side cheek, from the external face thereof.
3. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the external face of the side cheek has a series of upstanding bosses arranged around the axis is of rotation of the spool, each boss having a depression formed therein so defining said formations.
4. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein each depression is of circular shape in the plane of the side cheek and has a rounded profile in the direction of the spool axis.
5. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, wherein a hole communicates from the deepest part of the depression to the inner face of the side cheek. -13-
6. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each formation is defined by a hole extending through the side cheek and a finger guide partially embracing the hole and upstanding outwardly from the external surface of the side cheek.
7. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the finger guide is disposed to embrace a radially outer part of the associated hole.
8. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the finger guide is disposed to embrace a radially inner part of the associated hole.
9. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the finger guide surrounds about 1800 of arc of the associated hole.
10. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9, wherein the finger guide for one hole merges into the finger guides for the two holes disposed circumferentially to each side of said one hole.
11. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the side cheek has a relatively large diameter central opening and the formations comprise a series of finger guides formed in the central opening, each having a generally U-shaped profile in the radial direction.
12. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the spool is centreless and the reel support is arranged to carry the spool by the periphery thereof.
13. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the support has two frame members each defining a circular opening and spaced apart by substantially the same distance as the two cheeks of the spool, whereby each cheek is supported in and carried by one of the frame members, respectively.

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14 - 14. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein a plurality of roller assemblies are provided around the support, the spool running on the rollers of the roller assemblies.
15. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of the roller assemblies is movable in the radial direction thereby giving sufficient clearance to allow removal of the spool from the support and insertion of the spool into the support.
16. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein said at least one of the roller assemblies is carried on an eccentric mounting provided with means to effect rotation of the eccentric mounting, thereby to effect movement of the associated roller assembly in the radial direction.
17. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the eccentric mounting is provided with one of a thumb wheel, a lever and a worm drive to effect rotation of the eccentric mounting.
18. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the support is expandable in the circumferential direction thereby relatively separating the roller assemblies to give sufficient clearance to allow removal of the spool from the support and insertion of the spool into the support.
19. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein the support is discontinuous in the circumferential direction and a screw-threaded adjuster is provided at the discontinuity to increase and decrease the separation of the adjacent ends of the support. -15-
20. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in any of claims 12 to 19, wherein both side cheeks have similarly arranged formations whereby drive may be imparted to the reel from either side thereof.
21. A fishing reel assembly as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.