Brunswick Corporation

Zebco Corporation

Other

Zebco Div. of Brunswick Corporation

John W Puryear

Robert L Carpenter

Hyunkyu Kim

John A Zurcher

Lorens G Hlava

Arthur D Callan

Roy E Stiner

David C Wuellner

A fishing reel is provided having a frame, a rotor mounted to the frame for rotation about a first axis, a line storage spool, a structure for rotating the spool, a bail assembly on the rotor having first and second bail arms mounted to the rotor for pivoting movement between a first position wherein the bail assembly is in (a) a retrieve position so that the bail directs line onto the line storage spool as the rotor is rotated and (b) a second position wherein the bail assembly is in a cast position, a trip link mounted to the rotor for movement relative to the rotor between third and fourth positions, cooperating structure on the bail assembly and trip link for moving the trip link from its third position into its fourth position as an incident of the bail assembly moving from its first position into its second position, and a trip link actuator on the reel frame and defining a shoulder that intercepts the trip link with the trip link in its fourth position and the rotor rotating in a first rotational direction about its axis and moves the trip link from its fourth position towards its third position. The cooperating structure on the bail assembly and trip link includes a structure for moving the bail assembly from its cast position towards its retrieve position as an incident of the trip link moving from its fourth position into its third position. The trip link structure allows repositioning of the trip link relative to the rotor in the event that the trip link encounters the trip link actuator as the trip link moves from its third position towards its fourth position to thereby prevent jamming of the trip link by the trip link actuator and allow the trip link to move fully into its fourth position.

Anti-jamming mechansim for bail assembly on fishing reel

A line guide with a freely rotating inner race supported on ball bearings for use with spincast and spinning fishing reels. The line guide is attached forward of line spool either on the reel or the fishing rod to reduce friction and line twist.

Line guide for fishing reels and method of preventing line twist

A fishing reel having a frame, a rotor mounted to the frame for rotation about a first axis, a line storage spool, structure for rotating the rotor, a bail assembly on the rotor having first and second bail arms mounted to the rotor for pivoting movement between (a) a first position wherein the bail assembly is in a retrieve position so that the bail directs line onto the line storage spool as the rotor is rotated and (b) a second position wherein the bail assembly is in a cast position, a trip link mounted to the rotor for movement relative to the rotor between third and fourth positions, cooperating structure on the bail assembly and trip link for moving the trip link from its third position into its fourth position as an incident of the bail assembly moving from its first position into its second position, and a trip link actuator on the reel frame and defining a shoulder that intercepts the trip link with the trip link in its fourth position and the rotor rotating in a first rotational direction about its axis and moves the trip link from its fourth position towards its third position. The cooperating structure on the bail assembly and trip link includes a structure for moving the bail assembly from its cast position towards its retrieve position as an incident of the trip link moving from its fourth position into its third position. The trip link structure allows repositioning of the trip link relative to the rotor in the event that the trip link encounters the trip link actuator as the trip link moves from its third position towards its fourth position to thereby prevent jamming of the trip link by the trip link actuator and allow the trip link to move fully into its fourth position.

Trip system for a bail assembly on a fishing reel

A fishing reel having a frame, a rotor mounted to the frame for rotation about an axis, a line storage spool, structure for rotating the rotor, structure on the rotor for directing line onto the line storage spool as an incident of the rotor being rotated about its axis and including a bail assembly having first and second bail arms mounted to the rotor for pivotable movement between (a) a first position wherein the bail assembly is in a retrieve position and (b) a second position wherein the bail assembly is in a cast position, a bail actuator connected to at least one of the frame and rotor for movement between (a) a first position wherein the bail assembly is in a retrieve position and (b) a second position wherein the bail assembly is in a cast position, a bail actuator connected to at least one of the frame and rotor for movement between rest and operating positions, cooperating structure between the bail actuator and bail assembly for movement of the bail assembly from its retrieve position into its cast position as an incident of the bail actuator moving from its rest position into its operating position, and line holding structure for selectively preventing line from freely paying off of the line storage spool with the bail assembly in a cast position. The line holding structure includes a third arm pivotably attached to the rotor for movement between third and fourth positions and a fourth arm pivotably attached to the third arm. At least one of the third and fourth arms is engageable with line projecting off of the spool with the bail assembly in a cast position to thereby prevent line from freely paying off of the line storage spool.

Fishing reel with line holding feature

A fishing reel having a frame, a rotor rotatable relative to the frame about a first axis, a line storage spool, a structure for rotating the rotor to thereby direct line onto the line storage spool and including a bail assembly having first and second bail arms pivotably mounted to the rotor for movement between (a) first position wherein the bail assembly is in a retrieve position and (b) a second position wherein the bail assembly is in a cast position, a bail actuator, and structure responsive to operation of the bail actuator for exerting a force on both of the bail arms to pivot the bail arms from their first position towards their second position.

Fishing reel with trigger-actuated bail assembly

A fishing reel having a frame with a front and rear, a rotor having a body with an annular wall bounding an internal space and a first wall within the internal space and having axially oppositely facing surfaces, with the rotor being mounted to the frame for rotation about a first axis, a line storage spool, a bail assembly mounted to the rotor for pivoting movement between a first retrieve position and a second cast position, a bail actuator, and a structure responsive to operation of the bail actuator for exerting a force on the bail assembly to pivot the bail assembly from its retrieve position into its cast position. The force exerting structure has a plate assembly with an annular actuation plate having an axis substantially aligned with the rotor axis and first and second posts connected to and projecting axially from the annular plate. The first wall has first and second bores to receive the first and second posts to guide translatory movement of the annular plate from a retracted position axially forwardly to an extended position. The force exerting structure includes cooperating structure on the bail assembly and plate assembly for moving the bail assembly from its retrieve position into its cast position as the actuation plate moves from its retracted position into its extended position. There is cooperating structure on the bail actuator and plate assembly for moving the actuator plate into its extended position as the bail actuator is operated. The plate assembly resides at least partially within the internal rotor space with the annular plate in its extended position.

Force transmission plate assembly for actuation of a bail assembly on a

A casting type fishing reel is disclosed and includes a spool having a transverse spool shaft and a frame about the area of the spool. The frame includes a plurality of spacer posts joining a pair of side frame plates and interengaged to maintain the frame plates in conjoint alignment and to provide easy separation and assembly of the frame plates. A clutch mechanism is provided for selective actuation to move a spool pinion gear out of engagement with the spool shaft, and automatically re-engages the pinion gear in response to rotation of the reel handle. A magnetic drag mechanism is provided and recessed within a side cover of the reel. The reel handle, the main gear train of the reel and an anti-reverse ratchet-pawl mechanism all are mounted as a unitary assembly on a side cover for the reel whereby the cover can be removed from the reel for access to the gear train and other interior reel components without removing the handle. Bolt-like retainers extend transversely through the reel to maintain the reel in assembly, one of the bolt-like retainers forming a guide for a level wind mechanism of the reel.

Bait casting fishing reel

A spincast reel, having a line spool which is aligned along the axis of a fishing rod. A rotating cap on the front of the spool, having retractable fingers, serves to wind up the line on the spool during retrieval. The line passes from the spool through a moveable line control arm, which is connected to a digit actuated lever for movement from an aligned position ahead of the spool, continuously through to a position at right angles to the axis of the spool. The line passes through a line guide in the line control arm; the line guide is lined with a freely spinning surface, supported on ball bearings.

Line guide for fishing reels

A unitized thrust bearing for reducing axial frictional forces resulting from axial loads on first and second abutting parts rotated relative to one another in a fishing reel. The thrust bearing has an annular outer race having a forward wall with a rearwardly facing surface and a forwardly facing surface and a bore for axially receiving the first abutting part. The outer race further includes a peripheral sidewall. The outer race is configured to be axially received in a seat in one of the first and second abutting parts. The thrust bearing further includes an annular inner race having a center shaft receiving bore, a rearwardly facing surface defining a support surface for the other of the one of the first and second abutting parts having the seat and a forwardly facing surface defining an axial ball contacting surface. The inner and outer races are axially received one within the other. The thrust bearing further includes a plurality of bearing balls disposed in a chamber defined by the rearwardly facing surface of the forward wall of the outer race, the side wall of the outer race and axial ball contacting surface of the inner race.

Unitized thrust bearing

A thrust washer structure for dissipating axial frictional forces caused by a forward thrust of a pinion gear in a fishing reel having a deck plate with an axial bore through the deck plate and a bushing having a rearwardly facing surface and an axial cylindrical bore therein disposed within the bore deck plate. The reel further includes a center shaft having a pinion gear thereon disposed within the axial cylindrical bore of the bushing, the pinion gear extending rearwardly from the bushing. The thrust washer structure includes at least one thrust washer having two radial surfaces. One radial surface is in contact with a bushing. The coefficient of friction of the radial surface in contact with a bushing is such that when the thrust washer is subjected to a forward thrust and the center shaft is rotated, slippage does not occur between the bushing and the radial surface in contact therewith.

Thrust washer structure for fishing reels

Bearing assembly for a spool shaft in a bait casting fishing reel

A fishing reel consisting of a housing defining a line snubbing surface with structure at least partially within the housing for a) retrieving and storing a supply of fishing line and b) paying line out of the supply. A movable spinner head bears the line against a part of the line snubbing surface on the housing to thereby prevent payout of line from the fishing reel as a rod with the reel thereon is cocked for a cast. The part of the line snubbing surface has integrally formed texturing. The texturing accounts for a relatively high friction surface against which fishing line can be snubbed by the spinner head so that the line can be positively trapped against the surface to facilitate the performance of a cast without potentially damaging pressure being applied to the line.

Casting improvement for spin cast fishing reels

A fishing reel having a housing with side frames spaced apart by a plurality of spacers and connecting rods. A spool shaft is rotatably supported in the side frames and has a spool thereon having an axis common with the axis of the shaft and lying transverse to the planes of the side frames. A drive is provided for rotating the spool about the axis of the shaft, with a clutch apparatus for releasing the drive from the spool. An anti-backlash assembly is included for resisting the rotation of the spool when the spool is disconnected from the drive. The anti-backlash assembly has an actuator with a pair of cams facing in a direction parallel to the axis of the shaft. The cams on the actuator engage a pair of cams on a bracket and mounting plate lying in planes transverse to the axis of the shaft. A plurality of magnets are carried by the mounting plate which create lines of magnet force with the spool for resisting rotation of the spool. The cams on the actuator and the cams on the bracket each have at least two high points, with the two high points of each cam being spaced apart circumferentially by not more than 180.degree. for maintaining the magnets in a common plane parallel to the side face of the spool.

Growing community of inventors

Tulsa, OK, United States of America

John W Puryear