A floating body for fishing

Abstract

A floating body for fishing which is threaded onto a fishing line, comprising a passageway 7 angled between openings 7A,7B from front top to rear below, and slit 9 at a corner where passageway 7 meets

Description

This invention relates to a fishing float or the like for use in fishing, such as a float or lure which is threaded onto a fishing line. A float is used as a floating object when fishing. A float may be attached so that it can slide freely along the fishing line, or it may be fixed against the fishing line. Generally, a float in the former state is called a guiding float, while the latter is called a fixed float. In the former method of use, the float can move freely along the fishing line, making it suitable for fishing methods in which the angler can eject the fishing line as desired and place the hook at the desired underwater position. To prevent the float from slipping off the line, some kind of stopper (e.g. a rubber tube and a toothpick-like mooring to fix the rubber tube to the line) is generally attached between the float and the line at least downstream of the float. In the latter use, by fixing the float to the fishing line, the length of the fishing line below the float is also fixed, so that the hook can be placed at a predetermined depth from the surface of the water. In other words, the fishing method is such that the fish hook is lowered with reference to a float floating on the surface of the water to maintain the depth of the hook in the water. As a first means to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, in a floating body for fishing which is threaded onto a fishing line, a passageway is provided from the top to the bottom portion of the body to pass a fishing line through the above-mentioned body. A slit having an opening narrower than the diameter of a fishing line is formed at a corner position where the inner wall of the passageway and the outer surface of the body intersect at an opening on the lower side of the passageway, and the body is provided with a fishing line passage gate for passing the fishing line forward of the opening on the upper side of the passageway. In such a configuration, by allowing the fishing line to pass through the passageway in the body of the fishing float, the float and the fishing line can slide and move relative to each other without the float being fixed to the fishing line. On the other hand, the floating body becomes fixed to the fishing line by pinching the fishing line into the slit formed at the corner position of the opening on the lower side of the passage. More specifically, as the slit is formed at the corner, the user pulls the fishing line at above and below the passageway to make it taut, and then moves the fishing line in the direction of the slit at the corner (i.e. pushes it into the slit). The fishing line is then caught in the slit and held in place. In this way, the fishing float can be changed from unfixed to fixed to the fishing line, and vice versa, with just a few simple operations. In other words, the floating body can be fixed at any length to the hook. The fishing line that is pinched and fixed in the slit can then be pulled out to release it from fixed state and make it unfixed. This mechanism can also prevent the float from slipping through even without the use of the above-mentioned stopper in cases where the fishing line downstream of the float breaks when the hook gets caught by a rock or other obstacle or by a large fish. The fishing line will be pulled tight in these situations and the float will be fixed to the remaining fishing line upstream of the float. The angler can therefore still retrieve the float. Because the stopper part is no longer necessary, in the unfixed state, that is, when the float is used as a guiding float, the weight on the fishing line will come into contact with the opening on the lower side of the passage when the float is hung in the air before being casted. This will have the effect of reducing incidents of entanglements of the fishing line at downstream of the float and unwanted snagging of the hook against objects in the vicinity when casting. 'A floating body' for fishing can be, for example, a float or a floating-type lure. As a float, it can be used as both a guiding float and a fixed float. By operating the reel with a floating-type lure, the lure can be moved near the surface of the water to imitate the movement of small fish. The floating body needs to float on water and can be made of any material. The material can be, for example, plastic, which has a lower specific gravity than water, or wood, which has a lower specific gravity than water. A combination of different materials may also be used. The 'body' may be constructed alone or, for example, by a combination of small pieces of plastic or small pieces of wood. The 'passageway' may be straight or may be constructed so that it is not necessarily straight but has bends or curves in the middle. The 'fishing line passage gate' may be ring-shaped or tubular. It can be outside or inside the body, but in the case of a tubular shape, it can also be a passage in the body if it is to be formed inside the body. In short, the fishing line can be arranged so that it passes through the fishing line passage gate and is guided to the front of the body. As a second means, the passageway is formed at an angle from the opening on the upper side of the body to the opening on the lower side. If the passageway is extended in such a direction, the fishing line will pass smoothly. As a third means, said fishing line passage gate is formed as a ring-shaped member which protrudes from said body. For example, a screw such as a ring screw can be used to position the ring-shaped fishing line passage gate in any desired position. As a fourth means, in a floating body for fishing which is threaded onto a fishing line, a passageway for inserting a fishing line is formed inside the body from the front and upper part of the body to the rear and lower part of the body, and at the corner position where the inner wall of the passage at the lower side opening of the passage intersects the outer surface of the body, a slit narrower than the fishing line diameter is formed. This means differs from the first means in that it is constructed without a fishing line passage gate. If the passageway is formed from the front and above to the rear and below of the body, the fishing float can be changed from an unfixed state to a fixed state with respect to the fishing line in the same way as in the first means, even without the fishing line passage gate. The definition of terms is the same as in the first means. As a fifth means, the slit is formed at a corner position avoiding the direction directly below the opening on the lower side. The slit can be formed in any 360° direction of the corner position of the opening on the lower side, and the fishing line can be moved in the direction of the slit and pushed into the slit with the fishing line taut. However, if the slit is in the direction directly below the opening when this fishing float is used as a guiding float, the free (unfixed) fishing line will bite into the slit and become fixed when a fish bites the hook at the end of the fishing-line and pulls on the fishing line. Therefore, the slit is positioned to avoid the direction directly below the opening on the lower side. This is also to prevent the fishing line from getting caught in the slit as the rig descends into the water. As a sixth means, the slit is formed in a position directly above the lower side opening. With the slit in such a position, the fishing line will naturally move to the upper side of the lower opening when the operator holds the fishing line on the upper side of the body and pulls the fishing line, as the slit is in the same direction as the opening on the upper side of the fishing line. Therefore, the fishing float can be easily changed from the unfixed state to the fixed state when a slit is formed at a position directly above the opening on the lower side. As a seventh means, the front surface of the main body is configured as a slope which is forward-descending from above and forward, and the fishing line passage gate is formed on said slope. This allows the reel or rod to operate so that when the fishing float is moved forward by manipulating the reel or rod, it does not float up and splash on the surface of the water, but sinks into the water. As an eighth means, the rear surface of the body is configured as a slope that rises backwards from below, and the lower side opening of the passageway is formed on said slope. When formed on such a slope, the rear side of the body is lifted up when the user tugs on the fishing line and the weight or the hook strikes the rear side of the body. Also, when a fish is hooked, the rear slope is drawn towards the surface of the water and the front of the body moves upwards, making it easy to recognise that a fish has been hooked. As a ninth means, a balance member comprising of male screws is screwed to the female screws on the body at the left and right positions closer to the front of the body. This allows the left-right balance of the body to be adjusted so that the fishing float floats correctly on the water. The balance member should be below the centre of the body in the vertical direction so that the body does not flip upside down (i.e. to stabilise it). The balance member should be a male threaded member, for example, so that the amount of screwing into the body can be adjusted. As a tenth means, a fishhook is suspended in a lower position near the front of the body. This allows the fishhook to be positioned at the front and rear of the body, contributing to diversification of the use of the floating object for fishing. According to the present invention, it is possible to change a fishing float from an unfixed state to a fixed state, and vice versa, with only a few operations, and the mode of use of the float in fishing can be easily changed. Fig. 1: Isometric view of the state in which a fishing line is passed through the float of the embodiment. Fig. 2: Side view of the state in which a fishing line is passed through the float of the same embodiment. Fig. 3: Plan view of the float of the same embodiment. Fig. 4: (a) Rear view of the float of the same embodiment, without a fishhook on the front, and (b) an enlarged view of the main part near the opening on the lower side. Fig. 5: Partial cross-sectional illustration of the rear sectional structure of the float of the same embodiment, showing the enlarged cross-sectional structure. Fig. 6: Isometric view of the weight used for the float of the same embodiment. Fig. 7: Side view of a state in which a fishing line is passed through the passage of the float of the other embodiment. Fig. 8: Side view of a state in which a fishing line is passed through the passage of the float of the other embodiment. An example of a float, which is an embodiment of the present invention, will be described below on the basis of the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the float 1 has a wooden body 2. In the following description, the front-back direction is the left-right direction in Fig. 2. First, the configuration of the body 2 is described. The body 2 is a wooden solid part with an ellipse-like front and back surface cut in an oblique plane that intersects the axial direction of the cylinder-like shape. The cut front and rear surfaces are parallel to each other (these surfaces are hereinafter referred to as cut surfaces 2A and 2B). The cut face 2A, which is located on the front side of the body 2, is sloped down from the upper end towards the front lower end, while the cut face 2B, which is located on the rear side of the body 2, is sloped up from the lower end towards the rear upper end. The upper and lower surfaces of the main body 2 are curved such that the upper and lower surfaces of the main body 2 each bulge outwards slightly towards the centre so that the main body 2 imitates a streamlined fish shape in the lateral view. A first ring screw 3 is screwed into the underside near the front end of the body 2 at the centre in the width direction. A hook 4 as a fishing hook with three hooks is suspended from the first ring screw 3. Adjustment weights 5 as balancing members are located below the axial centre line O shown in Fig. 2 of the main body 2 at left and right symmetrically closer to the front of the main body 2. The right and left pair of adjustment weights 5 are made of the same size of a set screw. As shown in Fig. 6, the adjustment weights 5 (set screws) are cylindrical fastening members with a male screw 5a on the outer circumference. A recess 5b (in this case a hexagonal recess) is formed at the front end of the adjustment weight 5 for turning it in the circumferential direction. The adjustment weight 5 is operated by engaging a spanner or other jig (not shown) in the recess 5b to rotate it, and screwing the male thread 5a against the female thread (not shown) formed on the body side. The adjustment weights 5 are held in any advance position. The horizontal balance of the main body 2 can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of screwing in, as the left-right balance of the main body 2 changes depending on the amount of screwing in of the left-right adjustment weights 5 to the main body 2. A second ring screw 6 is screwed onto the top front side of the main body 2 at the centre of the cut surface 2A in the width direction. The second ring screw 6 with the threaded part (not shown) screwed in has a ring-shaped head part, which is the passage gate 8 on the cut surface 2A. The central axial direction of the fishing line passage gate 8 is arranged to be parallel to the axial direction of the body 2. A passageway 7 is formed between the upper surface of the body 2 and the rear side cut surface 2B of the body 2. The passageway 7 is a tunnel with a circular inner circumference in cross-sectional shape formed in the body 2 in a straight and oblique manner from the opening 7a on the upper side to the opening 7b on the lower side. In Fig. 4(b), the opening 7b on the lower side appears elliptical in the illustration because the cut surface 2B is viewed from an oblique direction, but the opening 7b on the lower side (and the opening 7a on the upper side) appears a perfect circle when the cut surface 2B is directly facing it. The upper aperture 7a opens in the centre of the upper surface of the body 2 in the width direction and at an approximate central position in the longitudinal direction of the upper surface, while the lower aperture 7b opens in the centre of the width direction of the rear side cut surface 2B and at a position below the axial centre line O of the body 2. As shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 (a) (b) and Fig. 5, etc., a slit 9 is formed at the edge of the opening 7b on the lower side, i.e. at the corner position of the opening 7b between the inner wall of the passage 7 and the cut surface 2B. The slit 9 is formed directly above the opening 7b at a vertical line V with the direction of extension of the passage 7 in the body 2 coinciding with the vertical line V. The distance between the opposite inner walls of the slit 9 should be slightly narrower than the diameter of the fishing line used in the float 1, but generally 0.1-0.5 mm. The spacing of the slit 9 need not be the same throughout, for example, they may be wider closer to the passage 7 and narrower towards the back. The spacing of the slit can also be such that there is no spacing, in other words, the two opposite inner walls of the slit 9 can be in contact with each other when there is no fishing line pinched inside the slit. The entrance of the slit can be V-shaped to enhance the guiding of the fishing line into the slit. When the fishing line is forced to go inside the slit, the slit opens up and let the fishing line to be pinched. This arrangement can be made possible by for example, by using an elastic material or other spring-like mechanisms. The float 1 constructed as described above is used in the following manner with respect to the fishing line S. First, a fixed float usage will be described. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the fishing line S is passed through the fishing line passageway portion 8 and the passageway 7. On the tip side of the fishing line S, a weight 10 and a hook 11 as a hook with three hooks are attached. The user adjusts the distance (interval) between the body 2 and the weight 10 as desired according to the fishing conditions, and when the length of the fishing line S extending out of the opening 7b on the lower side of the passage 7 is fixed, the user grabs both sides of the fishing line S between the float 1 and pulls hard in the opposite direction. The float 1 is balanced vertically in the posture shown in Figure 2 because the hook 4 and adjustment weight 5 are below. In this case, as a natural action when pulling the fishing line S, the fishing line S contacts the upper inner surface of the fishing-line passage gate 8 and slides and is guided upwards towards the opening 7b on the lower side of the passage 7. As a slit 9 is formed in the upper direction of the lower opening 7b, the fishing line S is naturally guided into the slit 9 and is held in the slit 9 by the inner walls comprising the slit 9 in a forced-fit manner. The fishing line S is fixed to the float 1 by the above operation. To return the fishing line S fixed to the float 1 to the unfixed state, the fishing line S is also held in the float 1 and tension is applied by grasping both sides of the fishing line S between the float 1 and moving the part of the fishing line S trapped in the slit 9 outwards (downwards from the lower opening 7b). The fishing line S is thereby made unfastened and free and can be used as a so-called guiding float. Of course, if the fishing line S is to be used as an unfixed guiding float from the beginning, it can be used as a guiding float because it will not be caught in the slit 9 unless the fishing line S is passed through the fishing line passage gate 8 and passageway 7 and 'both sides of the fishing line S between the float 1 are grabbed and pulled strongly in opposite directions. With such a float 1, the hook 11 at the end of the fishing line S can be placed at any predetermined underwater position when used as a fixed float. When used as a guiding float, the fishing line S is simply threaded through the float 1, which becomes free and can be used to move the fishing line S (hook 11) up and down freely in the water. By this configuration, the following effects are achieved with the float 1 in this invention. (1) By inserting a fishing line S into the fishing line passage gate 8 and passageway 7 of the float 1, the float 1 can slide freely without being fixed to the fishing line S. By pulling the fishing line S from both sides while the fishing line S is inserted, the fishing line S is caught and fixed in the slit 9. In this way, the float 1 can be changed from unfixed to fixed to the fishing line S, and vice versa, with only a few simple operations. (2) If the left-right balance of the float 1 is not obtained, the body 2 may rotate when the reel is wound, but this can be prevented by adjusting the advance amount of the adjustment weight 5 to obtain left-right balance because the adjustment weight 5 is located at the left-right position. (3) When the reel is reeled in while using the float 1 as a guiding float, the weight 10 rises up and collides with the float 1, but because the weight 10 comes into contact with the cut surface 2B on the rear side of the body 2, it acts to push up this cut surface 2B. In other words, the rear of the body 2 moves in an upward direction, making it easier to recognise the position of the weight 10 and hook 11. Also, when a fish is hooked, the sinking of the fish draws the rear cut surface 2B towards the surface of the water, causing the front of the body 2 to move in an upward direction, making it easier to recognise that a fish has been hooked. (4) When the reel is wound and the float 1 is pulled towards the front (this applies to both fixed and guided floats), the front surface of the body 2 has a forwarddescending slope in the forward direction with a cut surface 2A on the front side, which causes the float 1 to sink forward, so that it does not float up. At the same time, the fact that the fishing line passage gate 8 is positioned near the top of the cut surface 2A also contributes to preventing the float 1 from floating up. (5) The lower opening 7b is in the centre of the rear side cut surface 2B in the width direction and is located below the axial centre line O of the body 2, so that the body 2 is prevented from spinning when the reel is wound. (6) The slit 9 is formed at a position directly above the opening 7b on the lower side, so that the fishing line S can be easily guided into the slit 9 when the float 1 is used in a fixed position. When the fishing line S is in the non-fixed state, the fishing line S comes directly below the lower opening 7b, but because there is no slit 9 in this position, the fishing line S cannot be caught in the slit 9. (7) Because the weight 10 comes into contact with the cut surface 2B on the rear side of the body 2 when the fishing line is being casted, entanglements of the fishing line downstream of the float and unwanted snagging of the hook is less likely to occur compared to conventional configurations where the hook is more distance apart from the float because of the float stopper placed in between. The above embodiments are only described as specific embodiments to illustrate the principle of the present invention and its concept. In other words, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The present invention can also be embodied in a modified form as follows, for example. In the above, the word 'float' was used as a floating object for fishing, but it may be interpreted as a floating type of lure, depending on the manner of use. The material of the float 1 may be changed as required. For example, in the above, the body 2 was made of wood, but other materials such as plastic or light metal may be used. The above-mentioned weights 10, hooks 11 and other devices are examples. The hook 4 on the front side of the main body 2 may be omitted. Alternatively, more hooks may be attached to the body 2 than in the above-mentioned form. The adjustment weights 5 can also be omitted. Weights of other shapes can be used for the adjustment weights 5. The above is only one example of the shape of the main body 2, and it may be configured in other shapes and sizes. For example, the body 2 may be provided with fins. The passageway formed in the body 2 may have an inclination angle or internal shape other than that of the passageway 7 in the above form. For example, they may be made to extend vertically. It may also be constructed as follows without the fishing line passage gate 8. The float 21 in Figures 7 and 8 is such an example. As shown in Fig. 7, the passage 22 of the float 21 may have several different angles instead of a uniform inclination angle. Also, as shown in Fig. 8, the passage 23 of the float 21 may not be continuous and connected, but may be structured separately with a first passage 23A and a second passage 23B, leading the fishing line S to pass through a space in the middle of the passage that is not a passage. In comparison with the above form, the first passage 23A serves as the fishing line passage gate. The float 21 in Figures 7 and 8 does not use the fishing line passage gate 8, but has openings 22A (23A) in front of and above the body 2, which are openings in the direction of the rod that leads the fishing line S in a position generally similar to the fishing line passage gate 8, resulting in the same action as in the above embodiments. The present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the above-mentioned embodiments. The components of each of the above-mentioned embodiments and variants may be selected and combined as desired. Also, any component of each embodiment or variant and any component described in the means for solving the device or any component embodying any component described in the means for solving the device may be arbitrarily combined and configured. The intention is to acquire rights in the amendment of this application or change to a patent application for these as well. The invention may also comprise any of the following numbered aspects. 1. A floating body for fishing which is threaded onto a fishing line, characterised in that a passageway is provided from the top to the bottom portion of the above-mentioned body to pass a fishing line through the body, and a slit having an opening narrower than the diameter of a fishing line is formed at a corner position where the inner wall of the passageway and the outer surface of the body intersect at an opening on the lower side of the passageway, and the body is provided with a fishing line passage gate for passing the fishing line forward of the opening on the upper side of the passageway. 2. A floating body for fishing according to aspect 1, characterised in that said passageway is formed at an angle from said upper opening of the body to said lower opening. 3. A floating body for fishing according to aspect 1, characterised in that the fishing line passage gate is formed protruding from the body as a ring-shaped member. 4. A floating body for fishing which is threaded onto a fishing line, characterised in that a passageway for inserting a fishing line is formed in the interior of the body from the front and above to the rear and below of the above-mentioned body, and a slit with an opening narrower than the diameter of the fishing line is formed at the corner position where the inner wall of the passageway at the opening on the lower side of the passageway and the outer surface of the body intersect. 5. A floating body for fishing according to any of aspects 1 to 4, characterised in that the slit is formed at a corner position avoiding the direction directly below the opening on the lower side. 6. A floating body for fishing according to aspect 5, characterised in that the slit is formed at a position directly above the opening on the lower side. 7. A floating body for fishing according to aspect 1, 3 or 4, characterised in that the front surface of the body is configured as a slope which is forward-descending from above and forward, and the fishing line passage gate is formed on said slope. 8. A floating body for fishing according to any of aspects 1, 3 or 4, characterised in that the rear surface of the above-mentioned body is configured as a slope that rises backwards from below and the lower side opening of the passageway is formed on said slope. 9. A floating body for fishing according to any of the aspects 1 to 4, characterised in that a balance member having a male thread on its periphery is screwed to the female thread on the side of the body at the left and right positions closer to the front 5 of the body, respectively. 10. A floating body for fishing according to any of aspects 1 to 4, characterised in that a fishhook is suspended at a lower position near the front of the body. 10

Claims

1. A floating body for fishing which is threaded onto a fishing line, characterised in that a passageway for inserting a fishing line is formed in the interior of the body from the front and above to the rear and below of the above-mentioned body, and a slit with an opening narrower than the diameter of the fishing line is formed at the corner position where the inner wall of the passageway at the opening on the lower side of the passageway and the outer surface of the body intersect.

2. A floating body for fishing according to claim 1, characterised in that the slit is formed at a corner position avoiding the direction directly below the opening on the lower side.

3. A floating body for fishing according to claim 2, characterised in that the slit is formed at a position directly above the opening on the lower side.

4. A floating body for fishing according to claim 1, characterised in that the front surface of the body is configured as a slope which is forward-descending from above and forward, and the fishing line passage gate is formed on said slope.

5. A floating body for fishing according to claim 1, characterised in that the rear surface of the above-mentioned body is configured as a slope that rises backwards from below and the lower side opening of the passageway is formed on said slope.

6. A floating body for fishing according to claim 1, characterised in that a balance member having a male thread on its periphery is screwed to the female thread on the side of the body at the left and right positions closer to the front of the body, respectively.

7. A floating body for fishing according to claim 1, characterised in that a fishhook is suspended at a lower position near the front of the body.

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