Torsion Spring Fish Hook

Abstract

A fishing hook assembly that is either self-setting or initiated upon the fisherman setting the hook. A torsion spring placed at the head of the assembly which is interconnected by two shafts that are terminated by hooks. The hooks used on the first shaft termination can consist of a single hook, treble hook, or jig hook. The first shaft also consists of a latch placed at the end of the selected hook before the hook bend. The shafts are bent outward at 15 to 30 degrees at the torsion spring to allow closer proximity when compressed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention consists of a self-setting hook apparatus used to catch fish. The assembly applies the basic premise of a hook while being enhanced with a torsion spring and two shafts that when engaged expands the hooking gap and increases efficiency.

Traditional fishing hooks have a set gap of a proportional size to fish species being targeted. Too large of a fish hook will not be effective for smaller fish species. Additionally, traditional fishing hooks have the problem of having the fish species engulf the hook which aids in catching the fish species but increases mortality when practicing catch and release. Catch and release practices of leaving the traditional hook in the fish species often still results in mortality of the fish species and can result in predator mammals and birds scavenging the dead fish species. This can result in the morality of these scavengers. The invention has outward bent shafts which allow for smaller profile when compressed and expands to a larger hook gap when engaged. The profile of the invention when tested has very high occurrences of not allowing the fish to engulf the hook assembly allowing catch and release.

Described is a torsion spring assisted fishing assembly consisting of two shafts ending with a single hook, treble hook, or jig hook and connected by a torsion spring. The shafts are bent 15 to 30 degrees upward behind the torsion spring to allow for closer configuration of shafts when in the closed position. The torsion spring holds the shafts apart in the open position. The assembly is placed in the closed position by compressing the shafts together. The first shaft has a latch before the bend of the hook. A metal or plastic sleeve with a connecting point where the fishing line is connected is placed on the second shaft. In the closed position the sleeve is slid onto the latch holding the shafts together. A slip ring or butt ring is placed in the torsion spring to keep the fishing line from tangling into the torsion spring. In the closed position a fish strikes the assembly or the fisherman pulls on the fishing line pulling the sleeve forward off the latch expanding the shafts which allows hooks to penetrate the interior of the mouth of the fish species.

A difficult part of fishing is the effective setting of hooks when a fish species bites. The delay or loss of time with this process can decrease the ability to catch a fish. If this is not done properly the fish species may be lost before being landed due to poor hook penetration.

2. Description of the Prior Art

This application relates to fishing hook assembles that contain self-setting hooks. In order to provide a self-setting hook, assembles have been provided with at least one hook but more commonly a pair of hooks movable under the influence of a spring to an open position in response to a fish striking the assembly.

Some self-setting hook assemblies engage in response to a fish species releasing a connecting latch such as: U.S. Pat. Nos. 456,776; 1,283,174; 2,856,722; 4,387,528; 4,476,646; 5,035,076; and U.S. Pat. Application 2004/0134118 A1.

Other hook assembly's spring open in response to a fish species pulling or the fisherman pulling on the fishing line such as: U.S. Pat. Nos. 44,368; 51,651; 712,497; 2,209,300; 2,223,946; 2,608,786; 2,746,199; 2,982,047; 3,241,260; 3,986,289; 4,186,509; 4,387,528; 6,497,068 B1; and U.S. Pat. Application 2014/0283433 A1.

And others spring open in response to fish species moving a trigger to release a spring such as: U.S. Pat. Nos. 684,211; 1,381,003; 1,591,640; 4,726,142; 4,928,421; and 8,915,011 B1.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention hook assembly operates for its intended purpose even when the torsion spring is not engaged. Many of the past inventions have concealed hook ends to keep its weedless characteristics but will not hook the fish species if not engaged. By not enclosing the hook ends the present invention is allowed to have artificial or live bait placed on the hook ends.

The present invention provides improved, less complicated, and more reliable with direct contact to the fishing line and the release sleeve. Past inventions may cause premature engagement with live bait interaction, casting operations, and manipulation of the fish species on these less reliable and complicated releases. With direct contact with the release sleeve and the ability to position the release sleeve at different positions on the latch the sensitivity of the fishing hook assembly can be adjusted. The latch beveled end also gives adjustable resistance to the release sleeve to make it more reliable.

The present invention with offset shafts provide close proximity when compressed and have a smaller profile of the two shafts are compared to hook end dimension with a single hook profile advantage. This also reduces the hook end dimensions concealing the fishing hook better. Past inventions have large shaft dimensions as compared to the hook ends and give a large profile to these inventions.

The present inventions ability to have the release sleeve that moves along the second shaft when released and gives the fish hook assembly a non-symmetrical configuration allowing different alignments at hookset. This gives flexibility in hooking fish species with a hook assembly that adjusts to a preferred position in the fish's mouth. Past inventions have a ridged symmetrical configuration which limits the hooking ability.

This present invention operates regardless of the fishing assembly's orientation with the release sleeve directly connected to the fishing line. Past inventions that utilize a trigger system will not operate properly unless the trigger with one required orientation is engaged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a side view of the hook assembly in the open position.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the hook assembly in the closed position.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the hook assembly with a jig hook on the first shaft in the closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description refers to figure FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are shown in side views in the open and closed positions respectively, and FIG. 3 is shown in the side view in the closed position with a jig hook addition.

Components of the present invention are first shaft 10, second shaft 11, the torsion spring that connects the shafts 12, offset bend first shaft 13, offset bend second shaft 14, first shaft hook end 15, second shaft hook end 16, latch 17, release sleeve 18, release sleeve connector 19, slip for butt ring 20, jig head 21, fishing line 22, and latch bevel end 23.

Shafts 10 and 11 consist of a wire that when bent into a torsion spring 12 such that when the shafts are compressed into the closed position FIG. 2 will return into the open position. FIG. 1 if not retained.

Shafts 10 and 11 are offset 15 to 30 degrees with offset bend first shaft 13 and offset bend second shaft 14 in order to minimize the distance between the shafts when in the closed position FIG. 2 to reduce the profile of the fishing hook assembly.

The first shaft 10 consists of a latch 17 and a hook end 15 which can consist of a single hook FIGS. 1 and 2, treble hook, or jig hook FIG. 3. The latch 17 is located ahead of the bend of the selected hook.

The second shaft 11 has a hook end 16 which consists of a single hook. The release sleeve 18 is placed on the single hook end 11 with the release sleeve connector 19 pointed forward onto the point of the hook end 16 and rotated around the hook bend bringing it forward onto the second shaft 11.

Before the release sleeve 18 is placed on the hook end 16, the fishing line 22 is threaded through the slip or butt ring 20 and tied to the release sleeve connector 19 with a selected knot.

The release sleeve 18 is then installed as described in [024]. The first shaft 10 and second shaft 11 are compressed together and the release sleeve 18 is slid onto the latch 17. The latch bevel end 23 gives the resistance that will not allow premature release from fishing operations. Sliding the release sleeve 18 completely on the latch 17 will give the fish hook assembly the most resistance or placed as far forward on the latch 17 which will make it the most sensitive.

The fish hook assembly can have live or artificial bait can be placed on either or both hook ends 15 and/or 16. The hook ends 15 and 16 can be orientated from 180 degrees to 30 degrees from each hook end. In reducing the angle of the hook ends will reduce the profile of the hook assembly. FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 are all shown in orientation of 180 degrees from hook ends 15 and 16.

FIG. 3 shows the same fish hook assembly with a jig head addition 21. The jig head consists of a material that will provide weight or buoyancy to the fish hook assembly to allow either bottom contact or floating for the assembly.

Claims

1. A fish hook assembly consisting of: a. First shaft and second shaft that are both terminated with a hook end;b. First shaft and second shaft are connected at the head of the fish hook assembly by a torsion spring which keep the two shafts separated in the open position;c. A latch component is located on the first shaft;d. A release sleeve component is slid onto the second shaft with a release sleeve connector pointed forward and moved around the bend of the hook;e. The first shaft and second shaft are compressed together with the release sleeve component slide toward the back of the fishing assembly onto the latch locking the shafts together in the closed position under tension.f. A fishing line is placed through the slip or butt ring and tied to the release sleeve connector.g. The release sleeve moves forward off the latch upon application of an opposing force from the fishing line;h. This allows the first shaft and second shaft to open in opposite directions rotating at the tension spring;

2. A fishing hook assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first shaft and second shaft are offset outward just behind the torsion spring at an acute angle of 15 to 30 degrees.

3. A fishing hook assembly according to claim 2, wherein when the torsion spring is compressed and the offset shafts are placed together, a low profile is given to the fishing hook assembly.

4. A fishing hook assembly according to claim 1, the first shaft further comprises of a latch and is terminated by a single or treble hook

5. A fishing hook assembly according to claim 4, wherein the latch on the first shaft has a beveled end which gives the ability to adjust sensitivity.

6. A fish hook assembly accord to claim 5, wherein the release sleeve is connected to the fishing line by the release sleeve connector and the release sleeve can be made to have adjustable tension dependent on the location of the release sleeve on the beveled latch.

7. A fish hook assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fish hook ends on the first shaft and second shaft can be located at 30 degrees to 180 degrees from the hook points to have a narrow or wide hook space respectively.

8. A fish hook assembly according to claim 7, wherein the hook gaps are open and live or artificial bait can be added to these hook ends.

9. A fish hook assembly according to claim 7, wherein the open position of the hook ends can act in their intended purpose even when the fish hook assembly is not in the open position.

10. A fishing hook assembly according to claim 1, wherein the release sleeve is pulled off the latch into the open position and moves along the second shaft until the hook ends catch the interior of the fish's mouth in a non-symmetrical configuration and then the release sleeve moves forward stopping at the torsion spring.

11. A fishing hook assembly according to claim 1, wherein the separation of the first shaft hook and from the second shaft hook end promotes less injury to the fish species In preventing the fishing hook assembly from being deeply hooked in the fish species and allowing for catch and release.

12. A fishing hook assembly according to claim 1, further comprising of a weighed or floating jig hook addition to the first shaft in front of the torsion spring.

13. A fishing hook assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fishing hook assembly will operate regardless of its orientation with direct contact with the fishing line and the release sleeve.