Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Innovative Properties Company

John E Stark

Charles M Leir

Jeffrey L Wieringa

Russell E Blette

Gary A Albrecht

Jerome J Hoffman

Steven R Lambert

Jameel R Qiblawi

A splice system for linear connection of fishing lines includes a female connector and a male connector. Each connector has first and second opposite ends, a longitudinal axis, and a shaped exterior surface. The first end of the female connector is connected to a first fishing line section; the second end has a first opening; and the connector has a raised interior feature. The second end of the male connector is connected to a second fishing line section; the first end is configured for coaxial insertion into the first opening of the female connector, and the first end has a raised exterior feature. The connectors have a first relative position representing a disengaged state and a second relative position representing an engaged state. The first relative position and the second relative position are rotationally displaced about the axis.

Reusable line connector

A box for storing fishing flies including a cover assembly having two dish-like cover portions, each having a continuous distal edge portion; and a hinge affording pivotal movement of the cover portions between an open position and a closed position with the distal edge portions of the cover portions opposed to and closely spaced from each other. A fly retaining assembly included in the box comprises a support plate that extends between the distal edge portions of the cover portions in their closed position, can be engaged by flies, can pivot relative to the hinge independent of the cover portions, and can be removed from between the cover portions when they are open. A layer of over molded sealing material provided on the support plate is in sealing engagement with the edge portions of the adjacent cover portions when they are in their closed position.

Box for storing fishing flies

A box for storing flies used for fishing including a cover assembly having two dish-like cover portions, each of which cover portions includes a central wall part, and side wall parts around the periphery of the central wall part projecting generally in the same direction away from the central wall part and having a continuous distal edge portion; and a hinge having hinge portions attached to the side wall parts adjacent second sides of the central wall parts. The hinge affords pivotal movement of the cover portions between a closed position with the distal edge portions of the cover portions opposed to, closely spaced from, and generally aligned with each other, and an open position with the distal edge portions spaced away from and out of alignment with each other. A fly retaining assembly included in the box comprises a stiff resiliently flexible support plate having opposite major surfaces that extends between the distal edge portions of the cover portions when the cover portions are in the closed position, and has material adapted to be releasably engaged by flies on each of its major surfaces. Releasably engageable means can be provided between the support plate and the hinge for affording pivotal movement of the fly retaining assembly relative to the hinge independent of the cover portions when the cover portions are in their open position. A layer of flexible sealing material can be provided by over molding on each of the major surfaces of the support plate that is in sealing engagement with the edge portion of the adjacent cover portion when the cover portions are in their closed position, and material adapted to be releasably engaged by flies is provided on each major surface of the support plate, in a position that will be surrounded by the side wall parts of the adjacent cover portion when the cover portions are in their closed position. A latch member is provided along a second side of the periphery of the support plate opposite its first side. That latch member has opposite portions each adapted for releasable engagement with a different one of the cover portions to releasably retain the cover portions in their closed position.

A splice system and method for linear connection of fishing lines include a female connector and a male connector. Each connector has first and second opposite ends and a longitudinal axis, about which the connector is symmetric. The first end of the female connector is connected to a first fishing line section and the second end has a first opening; the connector has an interior feature with a radial extent. The second end of the male connector is connected to a second fishing line section and the first end has a projection configured for coaxial insertion into the first opening of the female connector. The projection has a radial extent greater than the radial extent of the interior feature of the female connector. At least one of the connectors is resilient so that the projection compresses or the interior feature expands.

Line splice using barb and receiver

Fly lines become dirty in use and need to be cleaned periodically. A fly line can retain good shootability for a longer period of time when cleaned by a flexible, pliable abrasive article bearing abrasive granules having diameters substantially within the range of 5 to 30 .mu.m. Microscopic examination shows that the cleaning leaves longitudinal striations along the surface of the line. The abrasive article can have a backing of a nonwoven mat of fibers bearing of composite of the abrasive granules in a binder. The uncoated face of the backing can be laminated to a spongelike substrate such as an open-cell polymeric foam by which a lubricant can be applied to a freshly cleaned fly line.

Cleaning and dressing fly lines

A fishing line with an outer coating such as a poly(vinyl chloride) resin that includes a polymerized polyfunctional acrylic monomer, the line exhibiting a combination of improvement in durability, shootability and recoil memory.

Fly fishing line

The present invention provides a method for making primary amine terminated linear polyethers of molecular weight above about 3500 which have virtually no contamination from in-chain secondary amine functionalities or amine-terminated tertiary amine side-chains. This method involves the production of novel intermediates. The invention also provides purely linear polyether-polyurea block copolymers formed by chain extension of the primary amine terminated linear polyethers.

Method of making purely primary diamines

Method of making purely primary diamines from nitrogen containing

Ionene elastomers are prepared by reaction of polymeric diamines and certain dihalide linking agents. These elastomers have utility in coating compositions, adhesive compositions, and in the fabrication of elastomeric articles. Certain novel dihalide linking agents are also claimed.

Growing community of inventors

Maplewood, MN, United States of America

John E Stark