Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Fishing – Artificial bait
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-12
2004-10-19
Rowan, Kurt (Department: 3643)
Fishing, trapping, and vermin destroying
Fishing
Artificial bait
Reexamination Certificate
active
06804910
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to providing an adjustable-depth crankbait fishing lure. More particularly, this invention concerns an adjustable-depth crankbait fishing lure in which the traveling depth of the lure may be manually adjusted by the user, thereby allowing the user to catch fish located at certain water depths. This invention also relates more generally to a system for turning one shaft through part of a rotation when another parallel shaft turns part of a rotation in the same direction of rotation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typically, the feeding behavior of fish is highly dependent upon a number of variables such as the time of year, time of day, water temperature, and the amount of sunlight, to name a few. Depending upon the particular fish that the fisherman is endeavoring to catch, any one or a combination of any of the above variables may effect the location under the water's surface at which the fish will be most inclined to feed. Since it is often impossible to predict with any precision the depth that the fish are feeding on any particular day without experimenting first with different lures, the fisherman is often compelled out of necessity to bring on the excursion many different lures designed to operate at different water depths in the hope of finding that one lure which the fish will respond to.
Given the impracticality and inconvenience of having to bring many different lures, necessitating trial-and-error techniques, each trial of which requires cutting and re-attaching the fishing line, to find the lure that works, fishermen have long strived to provide a single lure with multiple-depth capability. Responsive thereto, a variety of adjustable-depth fishing lures have been developed in an attempt to solve the aforementioned problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,350 issued to England discloses an adjustable-depth fishing lure in which a hydrostatic pressure-sensitive rotary piston assembly is used to manually adjust the pitch of the lateral fins, and then to level the fins when the desired depth, corresponding to a particular water pressure, has been achieved. Although this lure may be adequate for its intended use, the fact that the means to adjust the depth is located partially outside the body may make it susceptible to accidental changing of the pitch setting due to fish strikes, snags, or underwater debris.
Another example of a prior art method for providing adjustable depth capability to a lure is illustrated and described with respect to
FIG. 1B
of applicant's disclosure. This lure comprises a substantially rubber body on which are mounted two adjustable fins coupled together by a rattle chamber passing transversely through, and frictionally held by, the lure body. Though this lure may also be adequate for its intended purpose, it also is susceptible to accidental changes in pitch setting since the means to control this setting (e.g., the fins) are located external to the body. In addition, the fact that the lure body is made of rubber may shorten its useable life span and possibly degrade the frictional cooperation between the rattle chamber and body, especially if used in salt-water, thus making more difficult the maintaining of the pitch setting. Thus, none of the prior art referred to herein will accomplish the purpose of the present invention.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is to fulfill the above-mentioned need by the provision of an adjustable-depth crankbait fishing lure. A further primary object of the present invention is to provide such a fishing lure which is efficient, inexpensive, easy to use, and easy to manufacture. In addition, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide such a fishing lure which is less prone to an accidental changing of the depth selection due to a fish strike or snagging of the lure on underwater debris. Another object and feature of this invention is to provide more generally a system for turning one shaft through part of a rotation when another parallel shaft turns part of a rotation in the same direction of rotation. More specifically, it is an object and feature of this invention to provide such a system wherein the position of both shafts can be easily changed by manually turning one shaft, but incidental forces on the other shaft will not change the positions of the shafts. Other objects and features of this invention will become apparent with reference to the following invention descriptions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, this invention provides an adjustable-depth fishing lure, of the type used with a fishing line, for use in catching fish at user-selected water depths, comprising in combination: a buoyant substantially rigid body having a first side, a second side, and two artificial eyes; a diving means located adjacent such first side and such second side of such body, for assisting in forcing such body under the water's surface; an adjustable-depth means, coupled to such diving means for adjustably setting the traveling depth of the fishing lure; a hooking means for hooking the fish; an attachment means for attaching the fishing lure to the fishing line; and a guard means for preventing accidental changing of such adjustable-depth means. Further, it provides such a fishing lure wherein such diving means comprises a first lateral fin and a second lateral fin, as well as such a fishing lure wherein such first lateral fin and such second lateral fin each comprises an elongated member having a top surface and a convex leading edge. In addition, this invention provides the fishing lure described above wherein each such top surface adjacent such leading edge comprises a substantially-circular indentation having an apex extending for a distance of about ⅛ inch from a plane of such top surface. It also provides such a fishing lure wherein such guard means comprises an internal cavity within such body structured and arranged to substantially enclose such adjustable-depth means, and such a fishing lure wherein such body comprises a substantially wood material. This invention further provides such a fishing lure wherein such hooking means comprises a plurality of fish hooks.
In addition, this invention provides an adjustable-depth fishing lure, of the type used with a fishing line, for use in catching fish at user-selected water depths, comprising in combination: a buoyant substantially rigid body having a first side, a second side, and an internal cavity; a diving means, located adjacent such first side and such second side of such body, for assisting in forcing such body under the water's surface; an adjustable-depth means, coupled to such diving means, for adjustably setting the traveling depth of the fishing lure, wherein such adjustable-depth means comprises: a rotatable shaft extending through a transverse first opening in such body, such shaft being attached to such diving means, a first arm, attached to and extending substantially perpendicularly from such shaft, such first arm being structured and arranged for pivoting rotationally within such cavity, and a blocker means, attached to such body, for selectively limiting rotation of such first arm; a hooking means for hooking the fish; an attachment means for attaching the fishing lure to the fishing line; and a guard means for preventing accidental changing of such adjustable-depth means. Further, this invention provides such a fishing lure wherein such blocker means comprises: an elongated first rotatable member extending transversely through a second opening in such body; and a second arm attached to and extending substantially perpendicularly from such first rotatable member, such second arm being structured and arranged for pivoting rotationally within such cavity; wherein such second arm is structured and arranged to engage such first arm. It also provides the fishing lure just described wherein such blocker means is user-adjustable in such
Goltry Michael W.
Parsons Robert A.
Parsons & Goltry
Rowan Kurt
LandOfFree
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