Compound tools – Fishing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-13
2001-08-14
Smith, James G. (Department: 3723)
Compound tools
Fishing
C289S017000, C043S004000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272709
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates generally to fishing accessories, especially knot tying devices, and more particularly to a multi-purpose fishing tool especially adapted to assist in tying knots for fly fishing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In fly fishing, in order to be successful, the fisherman must be able to change different flies depending on the conditions and depending upon what the fish are feeding on. During the course of time on the water, the fisherman may change flies half a dozen to a dozen times, until he hits the correct fly pattern for the conditions in order to catch fish. So, fly fishermen need a simple, convenient way to change flies. Secondly, every time the fisherman changes a fly he has to cut the old fly off the line and tie on a new fly. And every time he changes a fly he shortens the length of the fly line. Depending on the type of leader and tippet situation that he is using, he may have only about a foot or two feet of line available to be trimmed every time he changes a fly. So, the object is to use or waste as little of the fly line as possible each time he ties the fly, and he wants to be able to tie the fly conveniently.
A number of special devices have been suggested for assisting fishermen and others in the knot tying process. Descriptions of some of prior art knot tying devices are contained in the following list of patents, which list is not all inclusive but merely representative.
Patent No.
Inventor
Issue Date
Title
2,758,858
Smith
Aug. 15, 1956
Knot-Tying Implement
2,926,036
Wimberley
Feb. 23, 1960
Fisherman's Knot Tying Tool
4,101,152
Gardipee
Jul. 18, 1978
Fisherman's Knot Tying Jig
4,864,762
Cox
Sept. 12, 1989
Line Tying Device
Many fly fishermen carry a hemostat or fishing forceps in their fishing vests. Fly fishermen generally will use the hemostat first of all for removing a hook from mouth of a fish which they've caught. The hemostat is also used as a pair of pliers for crimping a split shot; it is also used as a pair of pliers to crimp the barb on fishing hooks or fly hooks. Occasionally, the fisherman requires barbless hooks, so he can use the hemostat to crimp over the barb on the hook. They are also used as a pair of “tweezers” to pluck small flies out of storage boxes. Some flies are very tiny and the fisherman uses the hemostat to reach down into the fly box and actually pluck out a fly, because it is too difficult to get them directly with the fingers.
The knot tying tools mentioned above necessitate a fisherman carrying an extra piece of equipment in the pocket or on a lanyard. It has occurred to others to modify a hemostat or fishing forceps to act as a multi-purpose device, so as to avoid adding an extra tool to be carried. Following is a list of prior art in which modified hemostats or fishing forceps have been disclosed, the list not being all inclusive but merely representative.
Patent No.
Inventor
Issue Date
Title
2,895,478
Post
Jul. 21, 1959
Suture-Tying Instrument
4,899,482
Gerdes
Feb. 13, 1990
Multi-Utility Fishing
Tool
5,557,874
Pietrandrea et al.
Sept. 24, 1996
Multi-Purpose Fishing
Tool
The modifications shown in the above patents involve substantial change and costly adaptations of standard hemostats.
It would be desirable to provide a simple modification of a forceps or hemostat of the type carried by fishermen, so as to assist the fisherman in the knot tying process.
It would also be desirable to reduce the cost of modifying a standard hemostat and to adapt it so as to serve as a simplified knot tying tool.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, the invention comprises the improvement in a known forceps of the type having a pair of pivotable members each comprising a slender jaw at one end, the jaw defining a smooth, gently tapered, outer surface and a roughened closure surface, and a handle at the other end terminating in a finger loop, a pivot pin connecting the pair of pivotable members so as to enable the jaws to open and close when actuated by the finger loops, and means for clamping the jaws in a fixed position to hold an object between said closure surfaces without actuating the finger loops, the improvement comprising an annular groove defined in the outer surface of the jaws when they are substantially closed along a longitudinal axis, the groove being of sufficient depth to hold a loop of fishing line as the forceps jaws are nutated within said loop of fishing line, and being of a shape to prevent the loop from slipping off the tapered outer surface as the forceps jaws are nutated.
Preferably the annular groove is defined by a first annular wall which is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and a second tapered annular wall which extends from the first annular wall to said outer tapered surfaces in the direction of the forceps pivot pin, and wherein the annular groove is on the order of 0.015 to 0.020 inches deep.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2758858 (1956-08-01), Smith
patent: 2895478 (1959-07-01), Post
patent: 2926036 (1960-02-01), Wimberley
patent: 4101152 (1978-07-01), Gardipee
patent: 4864762 (1989-09-01), Cox
patent: 4899482 (1990-02-01), Gerdes
patent: 5557874 (1996-09-01), Pietrandrea et al.
patent: 5791699 (1998-08-01), High
patent: 6061858 (2000-05-01), Shepard
Crutcher William C.
Smith James G.
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