Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Reeling device – With particular drive
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-18
2001-12-04
Marcelo, Emmanuel M. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Reeling device
With particular drive
C043S043120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325317
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention herein pertains to downriggers as are used for trolling for fish and particularly pertains to a method and apparatus for converting a manual downrigger to electric power.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION
In recent years more and more fisherman have relied on downriggers for trolling at lower depths. Conventional downriggers are sold both as manual and electric types which include a reel of cable and a swiveling boom tip. Such downriggers are mounted on the rear of a boat and by attaching a conventional fishing line from the fisherman's rod and reel to the weighted downrigger cable, the fishing line is thus lowered to a desired depth which may be 30-90 feet below the water's surface. By trolling at such lower depths, large salmon, bluefish and other species are more likely caught. While both manual and electric downriggers have been commercially available for many years, a need has existed for more versatility which will allow a user to convert from manual to electric power and back as needed. Fishermen often purchase a manual downrigger, only a short time later to determine that it would be advantageous to have one which is electrically powered. Others purchase a motorized downrigger only to find that their purposes are best served by one which can be manually operated. Thus, with the problems and disadvantages of prior art downriggers, the present invention was conceived and one of its objectives is to provide a means for converting a conventional manual downrigger to one which is powered by an electric motor.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide apparatus which will allow a typical manual downrigger to be converted to electric power in a quick, simple and reliable fashion.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a method of converting a downrigger to one having an electric drive and to reconvert it to manual operation as needed.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide an electric drive assembly for a downrigger which includes a drive bracket and a pair of braces for ease in conversion.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a reel shaft extension for attachment to the downrigger cable reel and to the transmission of the electric drive.
Various other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as a more detailed description is set forth below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aforesaid and other objectives are realized by providing an electric drive assembly and method which utilizes an electric drive having an electric motor, transmission and shaft extension similar to those utilized on electric fishing reels. The electric drive is affixed to a conventional manual downrigger utilizing a drive bracket and a pair of downrigger braces affixed in opposing relation proximate the downrigger boom. The drive bracket is attached to the downrigger braces with the shaft extension connected to turn the cable reel. An electric switch activates the electric drive whereby power from the transmission rotates the downrigger reel to either wind or unwind the cable as required.
The steps described above in conversion from a manual to an electric powered downrigger can be reversed and by simply removing a few threaded members the electric drive is replaced with the crank. Now the downrigger is once again available for manual operation.
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patent: 3961437 (1976-06-01), Lewis
patent: 3979081 (1976-09-01), Miyamae
patent: 4283025 (1981-08-01), Whisenhunt
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Elec-Tra-Mate Instruction Manual (undated), 16 pages.
Elec-Tra-Mate Instruction Manual (undated), 24 pages.
Elec-Tra-Mate Owner's Manual, Published May 1995, 23 pages.
Elec-Tra-Mate Instruction Manual, (undated), 20 pages.
Elec-Tra-Mate Electric Fishing Reel Drives brochure, (undated), 6 pages.
Elec-Tra-Mate Electric Fishing Reels Drives for Penn Reels, 1995 Our Silver Anniversary! brochure, (undated), 8 pages.
Outer Banks Outfitters Summer 1999 Monster Catalog, (front and back cover and p. 127).
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Penn Reels 2000 catalog, ©1999, see pages 60 and 61.
Penn Reels catalog, ©1995, see pp. 36 and 37.
Electric Fishing Reel Systems, Inc.
Marcelo Emmanuel M.
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