Fishing Weight Attachment Device

Abstract

A fishing weight attachment device is formed by a wire frame and includes a mounting coil and a locking element. The mounting coil is formed of a plurality of spaced loops. The locking element is formed by a pair of loops in the wire frame, wherein the fishing line may be frictionally engaged between the pair of loops so that the wire frame does not slide along the fishing line. An elongate portion is adapted to receive the at least one fishing weights.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to fishing devices, and more particularly to a fishing weight attachment device.

Description of Related Art

Lowrie, U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,545, teaches a sinker attachment device that is used for mounting a weighted sinker, which may be readily removed or exchanged for weights of different mass without damage to the line or weight.

A similar type of detachable fastener is shown in Roche, U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,523.

The prior art teaches fishing weight attachment devices. However, the prior art does not teach a fishing weight attachment device having both a mounting coil and a locking element adjacent the mounting coil, as disclosed in the present invention. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further advantages as described in the following summary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.

The present invention provides a fishing weight attachment device adapted to receive at least one fishing weight and attach to a fishing line. The fishing weight attachment device includes a wire frame; a mounting coil formed in the wire frame that enables the device to attach to the fishing line by positioning the fishing line through the mounting coil; a locking element formed in the wire frame adjacent the mounting coil, the locking element comprising a pair of loops in the wire frame, wherein the fishing line may be frictionally engaged between the pair of loops so that the wire frame does not slide along the fishing line; and a means for removably mounting the at least one fishing weight on the wire frame.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a fishing weight attachment device having advantages not taught by the prior art.

Another objective is to provide a fishing weight attachment device having a mounting coil and a locking element for attachment to a fishing line.

A further objective is to provide a fishing weight attachment device that may be used without cutting a fishing line from a rod.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fishing weight attachment device according to one embodiment of the present invention and showing a first fishing weight;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof, showing the fishing weight attachment device mounted on a fishing line, with a plurality of fishing weights mounted upon the fishing weight attachment device; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the fishing weight attachment device with the first fishing weight mounted thereupon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above-described drawing figures illustrate the invention, a fishing weight attachment device adapted to receive a fishing weight and attach to a fishing line.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fishing weight attachment device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the fishing weight attachment device 10 comprises a wire frame 20. In some embodiments, the wire frame 20 may be constructed of a single piece of wire that is resilient and non-corrosive for use in water (commonly salt water), and which may be tempered to allow at least some bending and spring. In other embodiments, however, it may be formed of two parts that are engaged with each other in a manner known in the art. The wire frame 20 may be of any suitable material, but in the present embodiment it is a resilient material such as spring steel, or a suitable plastic. The wire frame 20 may be bent to form the operative structures described in greater detail below. In another embodiment, however, it may be constructed using a different structure, and/or may include additional elements mounted on the wire frame.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wire frame 20 includes a mounting coil 22, a locking element 24, and a means for mounting 23 at least one fishing weight 12, each component being discussed at length below.

As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the mounting coil 22 is in the form of a plurality of spaced loops 25 formed in the wire frame 20. In this embodiment, the mounting coil 22 is in the form of a helix which defines an axis A, and extends from a first end 22A and a second end 22B. The fishing line 14 (shown in FIG. 2) is positioned through the coils 22, along the axis A, so that the device 10 is slidably mounted on the fishing line.

The locking element 24 is adapted for removably locking with fishing line being used in conjunction with the device 10. In this embodiment, the locking element 24 is formed in the wire frame 20 adjacent the second end 22B of the mounting coil 22 and is in the form of a pair of loops 24A and 24B in the wire frame (although other numbers of loops may be used). The pair of loops 24 may abut one another if the wire is relatively flexible, or they may be slightly spaced, if the wire is more rigid, but in any case it should be capable of frictionally engaging the fishing line once the line has been forced between the loops 24. However, in alternative constructions, the mounting coil 22 and/or the locking element 24 may have alternative configurations, and alternative shapes, so long as they are configured to function as described herein.

In this embodiment, the locking element 24 is positioned adjacent and beneath the axis A of the mounting coil 22. In this manner, the fishing line 14 (shown in FIG. 2) may be pulled downward (relative to the axis A) and frictionally locked in the locking element 24, and when a fish pulls on the line, the tension pulls the line out of the locking element 24 and allows the device 10 to slide freely on the fishing line.

As illustrated, the fishing weight attachment device 10 further includes the means for removably mounting 23 the at least one fishing weight 12 on the fishing weight attachment device 10. In this embodiment, the means 23 comprises a first elongate portion 21 extending from the first end 22A of the mounting coil 22, and a second elongate portion 26 that extends from the locking element 24 to a releasable closure 28 that removably engages the first elongate portion 21, each component being discussed below.

In some embodiments, the first elongate portion 21 has a proximal end 21a that extends from the first end 22a of the mounting coil 22 to a distal end 21b mounting coil 22. In this embodiment, the first elongate portion 21 extends from the coil 22 approximately perpendicular to the axis A of the coil 22. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the first elongate portion 21 is sized and shaped to extend through a bore 16 of the fishing weight 12, wherein the first elongate portion 21 has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the bore 16 of the fishing weight 12. In various implementations of the present invention, the fishing weight 12 may be in the form of a standard single annular weight, but in other embodiments may be another type of weight, as shown in FIG. 2 and discussed below.

In this embodiment, the second elongate portion 26 has proximal end 26a that extends from the locking element 24 and curves to the releasable closure 28 at a distal end 26b for removable attachment to the first elongate portion 21. However, the second elongate portion 26 may instead include an angle or angles (as shown in FIG. 3), or be generally straight, depending on the structure of the rest of the components. In this embodiment, the releasable closure 28 is in the form of a “C” catch for receiving the first elongate portion 21, but in other embodiments may be any other similar type of closure, e.g., a safety catch, clasp, etc.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fishing weight attachment device 10 operably mounted on a fishing line 14, and further showing a plurality of fishing weights 18 mounted on the first elongate portion 21. As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the fishing weights 18 are in the form of a three differently sized annular weights. However, various sizes, both in diameter and in width of the annular weights 18, may be used to provide a variable amount of weight for the device 10. Further, the weights 18 may be another shape, i.e., rectangular, irregular, etc., as is well-known in the art. The weights 12 and 18 may, likewise, be plated to form a fish-attracting feature, or include any other features commonly associated with this type of product.

As shown in FIG. 2, in use, the releasable closure 28 of the attachment device 10 is first opened such that the first elongate portion 21 may pass through the bores 16 of the fishing weights 18 to mount the weights 18 on the device 10, and then the releasable closure 28 is closed to secure the fishing weights 18. In this embodiment, the first elongate portion 21 may be generally straight to allow for a larger fishing weight 12, or plurality of fishing weights 18. In other embodiments, the first elongate portion 21 may be slightly curved or include at least one angle, depending on the needs of the manufacturer.

Once the weights 18 have been mounted on the first elongate portion 21, the fishing line 14 may be mounted on the mounting coil 22 by winding the fishing line 14 through the spaces between the loops of the coil 22 until the line 14 extends through the coil 22, without having to cut the fishing line 14 from a rod (not shown) and thread it through the device 10. Once mounted on the mounting coil 22, the user positions the device 10 in a desired location on the fishing line 14, wherein the fishing line 14 may be locked in place with the locking element 24 by sliding the fishing line 14 between the loops 24 in the wire, such that the device 10 does not slide along the fishing line 14.

If desired, the device 10 may also be attached to a float (not shown) to fish on the water's surface. The float may then be easily removed and replaced with the fishing weight(s) 12 or 18 to fish beneath the water, without having to cut the fishing line 14 or remove the device 10 from the fishing line 14. When a fish bites the bait/hook, the tension applied to the fishing line 14 may allow the fishing line 14 to jump out of the locking element 24, which causes the fishing weight attachment device 10 to slide freely down the fishing line 14 toward the hook, so that the device 10 does not cause unwanted counterbalance while reeling in the fish.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment 30 of the fishing weight attachment device, showing an alternative means for removably mounting 32 the first fishing weight 12. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the means for removably mounting 32 includes a first elongate portion 34 and a second elongate portion 36, which together capture the weight(s) 18 therebetween. In this embodiment, the first elongate portion 34 extends from a proximal end 34a from the mounting coil 22 and angles toward the second elongate portion 36 to a distal end 34b. The second elongate portion 36 extends from a proximal end 36a from the locking element 24 and angles toward the first elongate portion 34 to a distal end 36b. In use, the flexible wire may be manipulated to allow the fishing weight 12 to be mounted on the device 30 such that the distal ends 34b and 36b of the two portions 34 and 36 together capture the fishing weight 12.

The title of the present application, and the claims presented, do not limit what may be claimed in the future, based upon and supported by the present application. Furthermore, any features shown in any of the drawings may be combined with any features from any other drawings to form an invention which may be claimed.

As used in this application, the words “a,” “an,” and “one” are defined to include one or more of the referenced item unless specifically stated otherwise. The terms “approximately” and “about” are defined to mean +/−10%, unless otherwise stated. Also, the terms “have,” “include,” “contain,” and similar terms are defined to mean “comprising” unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the terminology used in the specification provided above is hereby defined to include similar and/or equivalent terms, and/or alternative embodiments that would be considered obvious to one skilled in the art given the teachings of the present patent application. While the invention has been described with reference to at least one particular embodiment, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but rather the scope of the invention is defined by claims made to the invention.

Claims

1. A fishing weight attachment device adapted to receive at least one fishing weight and attach to a fishing line, the fishing weight attachment device comprising: a wire frame;a mounting coil formed in the wire frame that enables the device to attach to the fishing line by positioning the fishing line through the mounting coil;a locking element formed in the wire frame adjacent the mounting coil, the locking element comprising a pair of loops in the wire frame, wherein the fishing line may be frictionally engaged between the pair of loops so that the wire frame does not slide along the fishing line; anda means for removably mounting the at least one fishing weight on the wire frame.

2. The fishing weight attachment device of claim 1, wherein the mounting coil is in the form of a plurality of spaced loops.

3. The fishing weight attachment device of claim 1, wherein the means for removably mounting comprises a first elongate portion shaped to extend through a bore of the fishing weight, and a second elongate portion that extends to a releasable closure that removably engages the first elongate portion.

4. The fishing weight attachment device of claim 1, wherein the mounting coil is in the form of a helix which defines an axis about which a plurality of spaced loops are disposed.

5. The fishing weight attachment device of claim 4, wherein the locking element is positioned adjacent the mounting coil and beneath the axis of the mounting coil.