US3635418A

US3635418A - Unidirectionally driven left- or right-hand spinning reel

Info

Publication number: US3635418A
Application number: US838922A
Authority: US
Inventors: Shikizo Kamei
Original assignee: SHINYEI CO Inc
Current assignee: SHINYEI CO Inc
Priority date: 1969-07-03
Filing date: 1969-07-03
Publication date: 1972-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 1989-01-18

Abstract

A spinning reel includes a mounting bracket which supports a housing swingable about a longitudinal axis between opposite releasably locked positions for left or righted use. A bailcarrying rotor is mounted on a shaft projecting into the housing and a crank extends transversely from the housing. Two one-way clutches having a common drive direction are mounted on the shaft and are gear coupled to the crank which rotates them in opposite directions so that the shaft is driven in only one direction independent of the crank direction of rotation.

Description

United States Patent [151 3,635,41 8 Kamei 51 Jan. 18, 1972 [54] UNIDIRECTIONALLY DRIVEN LEFT- FOREIGN PATENTS R APPLICATIONS OR RIGHT-HAND SPINNING REEL 819,539 7/1937 France ..242/84.2 [72] Inventor: Shlkizo Kamei, Kobe Japan 969,584 /1950 France... ..242/84.2l 613,885 12/ I948 Great Britain ..242/84.2 C [73] Assignee: Shlnyei Company, Inc., New York, N.Y.

Primary Examiner-Billy S. Taylor [22] Filed: July 3, 1969 Anomey smfley wolder LN 838 922 I r [2 W 0 t [57] g p A spinning reel includes a mounting bracket which supports a [52] US. Cl. ..242/84.2l R, 74/812 housing swingable about a longitudinal axis between pp [5 II"- Cl. releasably locked positions for left or use bail car [58] Field of Search ..242/84.2, 84.2 A, 84.2 B, 84.2 C, tying rotor i ted n a shaft projecting into thehousing 2 2 842 1 A, 213; 7 /812 and a crank extends transversely from the housing. Two oneway clutches having a common drive direction are mounted 5 References Cited on the shaft and are gear coupled to the crank which rotates them in opposite directions so that the shaft is driven in only UNITED STATES PATENTS one direction independent of the crank direction of rotation. 3,167,272 1/1965 Frode ..242/2l3 6 Claims, 19 Drawing Figures ,14 l9 so H 23 42 86 22 3'5 I7 76 a4 53 2 2| ,7, 1 28 '8 2 E J 59 27 26 l n Au 73/ i 77 34 I "I 7 I 6's J 29 37 -12 T*. .|l

3 I 1 1 I II! I I 38 fl 4' 33 22 I2 p I6 18 UNIDIRECTIONALLY DRIVEN LEFT- OR RIGHT-HAND SPINNING REEL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to improvements in fishing reels and it relates more particularly to an improved spinning reel which is selectively adjustable for right-hand or left-handoperation.

The conventional spinning reel includes a longitudinal spool about with a takeup member, for example a rotor-mounted bail is rotated to wind the line onto the spool, the line being withdrawn axially from the spool attendant to casting by disengaging the bail or other takeupmember from'the line. The takeup member is generally rotated through a gear transmission by'a manually operated side crank. The crank is generally positioned on the side of the reel which facilitates its use by right-handed persons. The use of such a reel by left-handed persons is very awkward and inconvenient. It is a common practice for a left-handed person to order a correspondingly modified reel which is generally altered atthe factory at additional expense requiring major alterations and inconvenience.

While spinning reels have been proposed which are so constructed as to pennit their alteration from a right-hand to a left-hand arrangement the construction is such as to require to use of tools, and disassembly and reassembly procedures to effect the alteration which are both time consuming and require some degree of skill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved fishing reel. 7

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved spinning reel.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved spinning reel which is easily and rapidly adjustable for right-hand or left hand operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved spinning reel of the above nature characterized by its reliability, ruggedness, ease and convenience of use and operation and its versatility and adaptability.-

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a fishing. reel comprising a rotatable takeup member, a drive member, and transmission means having an output member coupled to said takeup member and an input member coupled to said drive member for rotating said takeup member in a predetermined direction independently of the direction of rotation of said drive member. Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a spinning reel comprising a housing, a drive assembly contained in said housing and including an output shaft projecting forwardly of said housing and a transversely extending input shaft, a crank mounted on said input shaft and disposed at a side of said housing, a bailcarrying rotor mounted on the forward part of said output shaft, a mounting bracket supporting said housing for rotation about the axis of said output shaft, and means for selectively releasably lockin said housing to said bracket in a plurality of preselected positions.

According to a, preferred form of the improved reel, the mounting bracket includes a pair of upright legs between which the housing is supported for swinging about the axis of the output shaft. A hand-manipulated element releasably locks the housing in positions with the crank on opposite sides thereof. The takeup member is rotor-carried bail mounted on the output shaft and a longitudinally reeiprocated spool is coaxial with the output shaft and rotor. A pair of axially spaced pinion gears are freely rotatable on the output shaft and a pair of pawls engage the gears and are rotatable with the output shaft and permit slippage of the gears in a common direction. A crown gear connected to the crank engages the pinion gears at opposite sides of the crown gear.

The takeup member is rotated in a common forward direction independently of the direction of rotation of the hand crank and the housing is easily rapidly adjusted to position the crank handle for left-hand or right-hand operation. Thus the need for tools or time consuming alterations, disassembly and reassembly of the reel to modify it for left-hand or right-hand operation is completely obviated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevational view of a spinning reel embodying the present invention illustrated in a right-hand operating condition;

FIG. 2 is a rear end elevational view thereof, shown by broken line in an intermediate adjustment position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrated in left-hand operating condition;

FIG. 4 is a rear end elevational view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the rear section of the reel;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 in FIG. 1; FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 in FIG. 9;

FIG.

FIG. 10;

FIG.

FIG. 14;

FIG.

FIG. 14;

FIG. 14; and

FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along line 19-19 in FIG. 14.

II is a sectional view taken along line 11-11 in FIG.

12 is a sectional view taken along line 12-12 in FIG.

13 is a sectional view taken along line 13-13 in FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along line 14-14 in FIG.

15 is a sectional view taken along line 15-15 in FIG.

16 is a sectional view taken along line 16-16 in FIG.

17 is a sectional view taken along line 17-17 in FIG.

18 is a sectional view taken along line 18-18 in FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention the reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved spinning reel which comprises a pole-mounting bracket 11 which supports a drive and reel assembly 12 for swinging about the longitudinal axis thereof. The bracket 11 is an integrally formed unit and includes a longitudinal pole-engaging base member 13, a post 14 projecting from base 13, and a longitudinal crossarm 16 provided at opposite ends with outwardly projecting parallel front and

rear bracket arms

17 and 18 respectively which define a yoke with crossarm l6 and have longitudinally aligned bores formed in the upper part thereof.

The reel and drive assembly 12 comprises a housing 19 extending between and swingably supported by

bracket arms

17 and 18. The housing 19 includes rectangular front and

rear end walls

20 and 21 proximate front and

rear bracket arms

17 and 18 respectively, and integrally formedtop and bottom walls 22 and first sidewall 23, and a detachable second sidewall 24 opposite sidewall 23 and separably secured at its corners to housing 19 by suitable screws. Formed on rear end wall 21 is an enlarged section provided with a tapped longitudinal bore which is engaged by the threaded end section of a pivot pin 26 registering with the aperture in rear bracket arm 18 and provided with an enlarged head 27 and an inner longitudinal slide bearing bore 28.

Housing front wall 20 has a longitudinal bore formed therein which is in coaxial registry with the aperture in bracket front arm 17 and a bushing 29 engages said bore and aperture.

The inner end of bushing 29 is externally threaded and engaged by a hex nut 30 and the outer end of bushing 29 terminates in a bearing carrying enlarged cup-shaped head 32 adjacent the front face of bracket front arm 17.

Formed in the outer face of housing rear wall 21 adjacent to opposite top and bottom ends thereof are a pair of similar arcuate recesses 33. A vertical slot 34 is medially formed in rear bracket arm 18 below pivot 26 and a pair of laterally spaced rearwardly directed apertured ears 36 are positioned on opposite sides of slot 34 intermediate its top and bottom. A shaft 37 extends between and is joumaled in ears 36 and has a cam or locking element 38 affixed thereon in registry with slot 34. Locking element 38 is sector shaped and has a peripheral border which substantially complements end wall recess 33. A finger piece or lever 39 is affixed to a free end of shaft 37 by a suitable setscrew and facilitates the selective rotation of locking element 38 into and out of engagement with a selected recess 33 thereby permitting the releasable locking of housing 19 in 180 opposite position with sidewall 24 on the rightor left-hand side, as desired. A screw 40 engages a tapped longitudinal bore in the lower section of bracket arm 17 and has a rearwardly facing well which houses a compression spring urging a detent element 41 rearwardly into releasable engagement with a selected concavity 42 medially formed proximate opposite ends of housing front wall 20.

Projecting through bussing 29 is a hollow longitudinal output shaft 43 having an axial bore formed therein and being extemally threaded at its front end and provided with an externally threaded enlarged section 44 adjacent the rear end of bussing 29, shaft 43 extending rearwardly to a point short of rear wall 21. A pair of longitudinally spaced front and rear similar pinion gears 46 and 47 respectively are freely rotatably mounted on shaft 43 and are separated by a spacer sleeve 48 engaging shaft 43 between pinion gears 46 and 47. Front pinion gear 47 abuts the rear face of a relatively larger ratchet wheel 49 affixed to shaft 43 and engaging enlarged section 47 adjacent nut 30. Rear pinion gear 46 abuts the front face of a disc 50 affixed to the rear end of shaft 43 by a setscrew locking a hub mounted on disc 50 to shaft 43.

Pivotally mounted on the rear face of ratchet wheel 49 is a pawl 51 resiliently urged by a spring 52 into engagement with front pinion gear 47 and is so oriented that when gear 47 is rotated clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 12, gear 47 slips pawl 51 to slip relative ratchet wheel 49 and when gear 47 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. pinion gear 47 drive engages pawl 51 to positively rotate ratchet wheel 49. A pawl 53 is pivotally mounted on the front face of disc 50 and is urged by a spring 54 into engagement with rear pinion gear 46 and is so oriented that when pinion gear 46 rotates clockwise as viewed in FIG. 11 pinion gear 46 drive engages pawl 53 to positively rotate disc 50 and when pinion gear 46 rotates counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 16, pinion gear 46' slips pawl 53 so that pinion gear 46 slips relative disc 50. Thus the rotation of pinion gears 46 and 47 in opposite directions independently of their individual directions of rotation, causes drive shaft 43 to be rotated in only one direction, that is counterclockwise as viewed from the rear of the reel 10, such as in FIGS. 2 and 4; that is shaft 43 will be rotated counterclockwise whether pinion gears 46 and 47 are rotated clockwise and counterclockwise respectively or counterclockwise and clockwise respectively.

The housing sidewall 24 has an outwardly directed sleeve 56 integrally formed therewith at the level of the intermediate pinion gears 46 and 47, and an input shaft 57 rotatably engages sleeve 56 and terminates at its outer end in an outwardly directed threaded shank 58 and at its inner end in a coaxial shank 59 having a tapped axial bore.

Shanks

58 and 59 are delineated from shaft 57 by annular shoulders coplanar with the inner and outer end faces of sleeve 56. A crown gear 60 affixed to the inner end of shaft 57 engages at diametrically opposite sides thereof pinion

ears

46 and 47 and includes an integrally formed coaxial hub defining pinion gear 61 engaging shank 59 and secured thereto by a screw 63 engaging the tapped bore of shank 59, shaft 57 being suitably locked against axial movement.

A hand crank 64 includes a hub 65 engaging shank 58 and secured thereto by a pivot pin 66 engaging aligned transverse bores formed in shank 58 and hub 65 to pennit the swinging of crank 64 about pin 66. In order to lock crank 64 in an operable position a hand rotatable cap member 67 registers with sleeve 56 and includes an outer wall 68 having a tapped axial bore engaging shank 58. The crank 64 is releasably locked in an operable position by screwing cap 67 tightly against hub 65.

A pair of longitudinally spaced inwardly directed

stub axles

69 and 70 are suitably affixed to the inner face of housing wall 24 at the level of pinion gear 61. An idler gear 71 is rotatable on axle 69 and engages pinion gear 61 and a crank gear 72 is rotatable on axle 70 and engages idler gear 71. An inwardly directed eccentric pin 73 is mounted on crank gear 72.

A cup shaped rotor 74 is open at its front and includes an axially inwardly stepped rear wall 76 having a central aperture which engages shaft 43 and is affixed to shaft 43 for rotation therewith by a nut 77 engaging the threaded front end of shaft 43. A takeup bail arm 78 of desirable configuration is suitably mounted on rotor 74 for swinging between an advanced takeup position and a retracted casting position and a known mechanism is provided for automatically advancing bail arm 78 to its takeup position upon rotation of rotor 74. Opposite ends of bail arm 78 are secured by means of end bracket members 79 affixed thereto which bracket members are pivoted to diametrically opposed sections on the outer peripheral face of rotor 74.

A slide rod 80 extends through the bore of shaft 43, its rear end slideably engaging screw bore 28 and its front end coaxially projecting into rotor 74. A spool member 81 is suitably mounted on the front of slide rod 80 for axial movement therewith and is restricted against free rotation thereon by a drag adjusting knob 82 connected to slide rod 80 forward of the front flange 83 of spool 81. A follower member 84 is affixed to the rear part of slide rod 80 by a setscrew. Follower member 84 has a transverse track or slot 86 which is slideably engaged by eccentric pin 73 so that rotation of crank gear 72 longitudinally reciprocates follower member 84 and slide rod 80 to reciprocate spool 81 in rotor 74.

An antireverse assembly of known construction is associated with ratchet wheel 49 and includes a finger piece 87 slideably engaging a longitudinal slot in housing wall 24 and has a mounting plate 88 secured to its inner face. A spring loaded pawl 89 is pivoted to plate 88 and is movable by means of finger piece 87 into and out of engagement with ratchet wheel 49.

The operation of the improved spinning reel is clear from the above. The rotation of hand crank 64 rotates pinion gears 46 and 47 by way of input shaft 57 and crown gear 60 in opposite directions. Only that pinion gear which is rotated in a forward direction is drive coupled to shaft 80 through the overrunning

clutches including pawls

51 and 53 so that shaft 80 and the takeup assembly including rotor 74 and bail arm 78 is rotated in only one direction. Thus the switching of the reel between right-hand to left-hand operation is accomplished merely by swinging lock element to a release position by means of finger lever 39, swinging housing 19, about its longitudinal axis until 41 engages corresponding recess 42 to bring crank handle 64 in the respective opposite side of the reel and then locking the housing 19 in its adjusted position by turning finger piece 39.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A fishing reel comprising a rotatable takeup member, a crank, transmission means having an output member coupled to said takeup member and an input member coupled to said crank for rotating said takeup member in -a predetermined direction independently of the direction of rotation of said crank, a housing containing said transmission means, said crank being positioned transversely of said housing and said output member comprising a shaft projecting longitudinally from said housing, a mounting bracket including a pair of longitudinally spaced front and rear arms, said housing being supported between said bracket arms for rotation about the axis of said output shaft, and manually operable means for selectively releasably locking said housing against rotation in 180 opposite positions with said crank being disposed on respective opposite sides of said bracket.

2. The reel of claim 1 wherein said housing has a pair of recesses formed in the rear wall thereof on opposite side of the axis of rotation of said housing and said locking means includes a cam member supported by said bracket rear wall and rotatable into selective engagement with said recesses, and an operating lever connected to said cam.

3. The reel of claim 1 wherein said output shaft projects forwardly of said front bracket arm and said takeup member comprises a bail supported by said shaft for rotation therewith.

4. The reel of claim 1 wherein said transmission means comprises a pair of overrunning clutches having output sections coupled to said shaft and associated input sections and oriented to slip in a common direction of rotation, and means coupling said clutch input sections to said transmission input member for driving said clutch input sections in opposite directions.

5. The reel of claim 4 wherein said clutch input sections comprise axially spaced first gears freely rotatably mounted on said output shaft, said clutch output sections comprise pawls mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith and engaging respective of said first gears and said coupling means comprises a crown gear engaging said first gears and connected to said transmission input member.

6. A spinning reel comprising a housing, a drive assembly contained in said housing andincluding an output shaft projecting forwardly of said housing and a transversely extending input shaft, a crank mounted on said input shaft and disposed at a side of said housing, a bail-carrying rotor mounted on the forward part of said output shaft, a mounting bracket supporting said housing for rotation about the axis of said output shaft, and means for selectively releasably locking said housing to said bracket in a plurality of preselected positions, said bracket including a pair of longitudinally spaced from and rear anns, said housing being supported between said arms, said output shaft projecting forwardly of said front arm and said rotor being disposed forwardly of said front arm, and said locking means being mounted on said rear arm and being manually movable between lock and unlock positions.

Claims

1. A fishing reel comprising a rotatable takeup member, a crank, transmission means having an output member coupled to said takeup member and an input member coupled to said crank for rotating said takeup member in a predetermined direction independently of the direction of rotation of said crank, a housing containing said transmission means, said crank being positioned transversely of said housing and said output member comprising a shaft projecting longitudinally from said housing, a mounting bracket including a pair of longitudinally spaced front and rear arms, said housing being supported between said bracket arms for rotation about the axis of said output shaft, and manually operable means for selectively releasably locking said housing against rotation in 180* opposite positions with said crank being disposed on respective opposite sides of said bracket.

6. A spinning reel comprising a housing, a drive assembly contained in said housing and including an output shaft projecting forwardly of said housing and a transversely extending input shaft, a crank mounted on said input shaft and disposed at a side of said housing, a bail-carrying rotor mounted on the forward part of said output shaft, a mounting bracket supporting said housing for rotation about the axis of said output shaft, and means for selectively releasably locking said housing to said bracket in a plurality of preselected positions, said bracket including a pair of longitudinally spaced front and rear arms, said housing being supported between said arms, said output shaft projecting forwardly of said front arm and said rotor being disposed forwardly of said front arm, and said locking means being mounted on said rear arm and being manually movable between lock and unlock positions.