Fishing – trapping – and vermin destroying – Fishing – Signal devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-02
2001-09-25
Ark, Darren W. (Department: 3643)
Fishing, trapping, and vermin destroying
Fishing
Signal devices
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293043
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to signal devices which indicate when a fish has struck a baited line, and more particularly to an electrically powered alarm which is triggered by tension in a fishing line and then provides slack line for hooking the fish.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fishing often requires patience and vigilance. Many fishers who would prefer not to commit total concentration and attention to one particular fishing line often resort to alarm or signalling devices which announce the presence of a fish on the line. These devices allow the fisher's attention to wander or to be divided among many lines at once, without the fear of a large fish getting away or an unattended line being pulled into the water by a strong fish.
Fish bite signalling devices are typically activated by tension in the fishing line caused by the fish taking the bait. Many such devices in the prior art are lacking in many respects. First, most prior art devices retain the fishing line after they are activated. Retaining the line after the device has been activated causes undue stress and wear on the line. Second, most prior art devices do not provide enough slack in the line to hook many fish reliably. Many fishes require some slack in the line to get hooked.
Lastly, the prior art devices do not offer the user the flexibility of a temporary-alarm setting in addition to a continuous-alarm setting. While a continuous alarm may be more reliable in alerting some inattentive fishers under certain circumstances, an audible alarm in a continuous-alarm setting requires action on the fisher's part to deactivate the alarm and may scare many fish away from the area. A temporary-alarm setting, on the other hand, in which the alarm sounds only temporarily and the fisher does not need to take action to deactivate the alarm is more convenient in many circumstances.
There has been a need, therefore, for a fish strike alarm which releases the line when a fish strikes, offers sufficient slack in the line to hook the fish reliably, and is capable of operating in both a temporary-alarm setting and a continuous-alarm setting. A fish strike alarm meeting these needs should be easy to use and should consistently provide a dependable alarm without causing undue wear of the fishing line.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is a fish strike alarm and it generally comprises a sleeve for receiving the handle of a fishing rod, a housing connected to the sleeve, an electrical alarm circuit mounted to the housing, a trigger adapted to activate the alarm circuit in response to tension in the fishing line, and a support stake for supporting the alarm such that the fishing rod is supported in an operable position.
In use, the fishing rod handle is inserted into the sleeve and the alarm is set by looping the fishing line around the trigger. A predetermined amount of tension in the fishing line, commensurate with a fish taking the bait, causes the trigger to move, activating a switch which closes the alarm circuit, thereby sounding an alarm. In an exemplary embodiment, the trigger is both pivotal between an open position and a closed position and reciprocally slidable between a temporary-alarm setting and a continuous-alarm setting. When the trigger is in the open position, the alarm circuit is open; when the trigger is moved to the closed position by tension in the line, the alarm circuit is closed causing an audible alarm to sound.
When the trigger is in the temporary-alarm setting, tension in the line causes the trigger to move to the closed position, the line is released, and the trigger returns to the open position. The alarm is thus only sounded temporarily while the trigger is in the closed position. When the trigger is in the continuous-alarm setting, however, tension in the line causes the trigger to move to the closed position, the line is released, but the trigger remains in the closed position. The alarm, therefore, sounds continuously until the fisher manually moves the trigger to the open position.
In the preferred embodiment, the line used to activate the trigger is fed back to the trigger from the first guide on the fishing rod above the reel. This method of setting the alarm provides a loop of slack line which is useful in hooking the fish.
Other features and many attendant advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description together with the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 217452 (1970-05-01), Jett
patent: 522352 (1894-07-01), Poppowitsch
patent: 834414 (1906-10-01), Schmidt, Jr.
patent: 2446427 (1948-08-01), Linder
patent: 2574333 (1951-11-01), Kuczynski et al.
patent: 2843962 (1958-07-01), Portor
patent: 2858635 (1958-11-01), Haeusler
patent: 2922243 (1960-01-01), Weaver et al.
patent: 2948076 (1960-08-01), Patricello
patent: 2964869 (1960-12-01), Berghoff et al.
patent: 3228135 (1966-01-01), Kricksfeld et al.
patent: 3371443 (1968-03-01), Dobson
patent: 3559327 (1971-02-01), Christopher
patent: 3680244 (1972-08-01), Cala
patent: 3707801 (1973-01-01), Gednalske
patent: 3711847 (1973-01-01), Barrows
patent: 3835568 (1974-09-01), Whitfield
patent: 3913255 (1975-10-01), Fillmen
patent: 3999323 (1976-12-01), Vitucci
patent: 4020578 (1977-05-01), Hope
patent: 4376349 (1983-03-01), Yarczower
patent: 4398185 (1983-08-01), Roberts, Sr.
patent: 4447979 (1984-05-01), Taylor
patent: 4458437 (1984-07-01), Ou
patent: 4471554 (1984-09-01), Heiskell
patent: 4633608 (1987-01-01), Savarino
patent: 4794719 (1989-01-01), Rabino
patent: 4908973 (1990-03-01), Perks
patent: 5058308 (1991-10-01), Girard
patent: 5187892 (1993-02-01), Gutierrez
patent: 5349775 (1994-09-01), Mondares
patent: 5355610 (1994-10-01), Sizemore et al.
patent: 5396726 (1995-03-01), Zepeda, Sr.
patent: 5501027 (1996-03-01), Acker
patent: 5570532 (1996-11-01), Shaffer et al.
patent: 5758449 (1998-06-01), Munsterman et al.
patent: 5867931 (1999-02-01), Morris et al.
patent: 5894691 (1999-04-01), Zepeda, Sr.
patent: 5986552 (1999-11-01), Lyons
Ark Darren W.
Tervo Calif
LandOfFree
Fish strike alarm with fishing rod holder does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Fish strike alarm with fishing rod holder, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Fish strike alarm with fishing rod holder will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2546703