Knots and knot tying – Methods
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-14
2001-11-27
Calvert, John J. (Department: 3765)
Knots and knot tying
Methods
C289S001200, C289S017000, C007S106000, C043S004000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322112
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to apparatus for assisting in the tying of knots, and to knots which can be tied using the apparatus. The knots can be particularly used with a flexible line used in fishing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An age-old problem encountered by fishermen and -women the world over is how to easily tie a knot to secure a fish hook to a line. There are many known, effective knots for securing fish hooks to lines, but they all require a fairly high degree of dexterity and patience to tie. When fishing for small and medium sized fish, for example trout, the fishing line which is attached to the hook is typically small in diameter, and made of transparent nylon. For example, a common hook used in fly fishing is a number 16 hook, which is approximately 0.375 inches long. A common leader line (or “tippet”) used for such a hook is number 3× leader, which has a diameter of approximately 0.008 inches. Given that most persons have thumbs and fingers which are 0.50 inches wide and more, it can be quite difficult to manipulate the line to properly form the knot, and even more difficult to see if the knot is being properly formed. As expected, an improperly formed knot can result in the hook becoming disengaged from the line.
Adding to the problem is the fact that the most effective knots are typically the most complex knots. The general problems of manipulating the line and seeing the knot are thus exacerbated when forming the knot involves several process steps. In addition, fishing line is typically manufactured from nylon, a strong but relatively stiff material. This stiffness makes it difficult to keep the tag end of the line in place while attempting to form the knot—that is, the knot wants to “untie” since the stiffness of the nylon line tends to straighten the line.
One prior art apparatus for assisting in the tying of knots is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,417.
FIG. 1
depicts an isometric view of this prior art apparatus.
FIG. 2
depicts a side elevation view of the apparatus of
FIG. 1
being used by a user to tie a knot. With reference to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the apparatus
10
includes a tapered portion
12
on which the knot is formed, and an opposed portion
14
for supporting the hook “H” while tying the knot. The knot is formed by passing the standing end of the line “L” (i.e., the end of the line connected to the source of the line, such as a reel or spool) through a “U” shaped passageway
16
formed in the tapered portion
12
of the apparatus. The hook “H” is secured to the opposed portion
14
of the apparatus, and the line is looped through an eye “E” in the hook “H” and directed back towards the tapered section
12
. This provides a free end, or “tag end”, “La” of the line, which is manipulated to form the knot. This is accomplished by wrapping the tag end “La” around the tapered portion
12
a number of times as depicted in
FIG. 2
, and then passing the tag end through the “U” shaped passageway
16
in a direction away from the hook “H”. The wraps of the line are then slipped off of the tapered portion
12
of the apparatus and cinched down onto the eye “E” of the hook “H”. The knot which is formed is known as an end-tie.
As is evident from
FIG. 2
, in order to wrap the tag end “La” of the line “L” around the tapered end
12
of the apparatus
10
, the user must use a hand-over-hand type of motion to wrap the tag end around the standing end of the line. This requires grasping the tag end “La” of the line and making a wrap, releasing the tag end and grasping it again from the other side of the apparatus, making another wrap, and so on, all of which requires a relatively high degree of manipulation of the line while forming the knot. Further, as indicated previously, nylon line is relatively stiff and will thus tend to unwind from the tapered portion when released by the user while repositioning the hand. This can be avoided by holding the tag end in place with the index finger “I” of the other hand (the hand shown in
FIG. 2
) while repositioning the first hand, but further adds to the complexity of the knot tying process.
Another knot tying process often encountered by fishermen and -women is splicing or joining two fishing lines together. A common example is joining a leader line to a thicker main line. The problems discussed above with respect to an end knot apply equally to a slice. That is, effective splice knots are typically complex, and handling the two lines to produce the knot is difficult due to the small line diameters and the stiffness of the lines. The apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,417, described above, can be used to tie a splice as well as an end knot. However, the splicing process still requires a hand-over-hand motion, and therefore involves a high degree of manipulation to produce the splice.
What is needed then is a way to simplify the process of tying a knot to attach a fishing hook to a line, or of splicing two lines together, and which results in a strong knot which will effectively secure the hook to the line or the two lines together.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes methods and apparatus for tying knots, and in particular knots used in sport fishing, although the invention should not be considered as limited to the area of fishing.
One apparatus in accordance with the present invention is an apparatus for assisting in tying knots. The apparatus includes a holding member configured to allow a user to hold the apparatus, and a first arm defined by a longitudinal axis. The first arm has a free end and a junction end, and the junction end is attached to the holding member. The apparatus also has a second arm having a free end and a junction end. The junction end of the second arm is also attached to the holding member. The first arm free end and the second arm free end are positioned, or are configured to be positionable, in spaced apart relationship. Preferably, the arms are positioned in a splayed-apart position of between about 15 degrees and 160 degrees. In addition, the first arm defines a groove parallel to the longitudinal axis, the groove opening out of the free end of the first arm. The second arm free end defines a second arm notch configured to support a fishing hook. The first arm free end can further define a second notch configured to engage a flexible line.
Methods for using the apparatus of the present invention are also included in the present invention. One method of using apparatus of the present invention is to attach an object, such as a fishing hook, to a flexible line, such as a fishing line. The line is defined by a free end (or “tag end”), and a “standing end”, which can be connected to a supply source of the line. The object defines an opening through which the flexible line can be passed. The tag end of the line is passed through the opening in the object, and the object is supported in the notch in the second arm. The tag end of the line is doubled back towards the standing end of the line to form a double strand of line which passes in the proximity of the first arm free end. The double strand of line is then doubled back on itself again, and is wrapped around the first arm to thereby secure the double strand of line to the first arm. Preferably, the double strand of line is wrapped around the first arm a plurality of times to create multiple wraps of the double stand of line around itself. The wraps progress along the first arm from the free end towards the junction end.
After the double strand of line has been wrapped around the first arm, as just described, the tag end is passed through the indentation in the first arm (and thus through the wraps of the line) in a general direction towards the standing end of the line. This completes the basic shape of the knot. The wraps of line are then pulled off of the free end of the first arm, leaving the knot in an untightened form. The natural resilience of the line is first allowed to “straighten” the knot, and then the knot is pulled tight to secure the object to the line by pulling on the tag
Calvert John J.
Reid John S.
Reidlaw, L.L.C.
Welch Gary L.
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