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(11) | EP 0 157 548 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Methods of producing fishing weights, and fishing weights |
| (57) A fishing weight comprises a coil (12) of annealed ductile stainless steel wire.
The coil is processed to render it readily deformable and to achieve a colouring not
unlike the colour of lead shot. A fishing line (14) in anchored to the coil (12) at
two locations by entrapment at the line (14) between turns of the coil (12). The use of non-toxic deformable material as a fishing weight and the ability to readily remove the weight from the line, makes the coil a good substitute for the traditional split lead shot as a fishing weight. |
[0001] The present invention relates to methods of producing fishing weights and to fishing weights. Conventionally fishing lines are weighted by using split lead shot which is secured to a fishing line by crimping. That is, a fishing line is pushed into the slot of the split shot, the shot is then squeezed to close up the slot and in doing so becomes secured to the line.
[0002] A disadvantage of this arrangement is that once the lead shot has been secured to a line it cannot be readily removed and even if it were removed there would be a high likelihood that it would be so badly damaged as to be unusable again.
[0003] As a consequence, at the end of a day's fishing, the end portion of the fishing line bearing the lead shot is severed and disposed of. Careless fishermen tend to dispose of their unwanted shot and line by throwing them into the water. Here the shot and line become a hazard to animals such as swans who inadvertently swallow the shot while feeding and in due course suffer from, and often die from, lead poisoning.
[0004] The present invention provides a weight which can be both readily applied to and removed from a fishing line and so avoids the need to dispose of the weight and the consequent hazards of careless disposal.
[0005] According to the invention there is provided a method of treating a stainless steel coil to form a deformable fishing weight the method comprising the steps of heating the weight to a temperature in excess of 950°C; heat soaking the weight for a minimum period of two hours and allowing the heat soaked weight to cool for a period of at least three hours.
[0006] According to the invention there is further provided a fishing weight comprising a coil of annealed ductile stainless steel, the coil being deformable and having sufficient turns to provide at least one portion to which a fishing line can be anchored by being entrapped between turns of the coil.
[0007] According to the invention there is still further provided a fishing weight comprising a coil of annealed ductile stainless steel, the coil being deformable and having at least five turns to which a fishing line can be anchored at at least two locations by being entrapped between turns of the coil.
[0008] According to the invention there is yet further provided a method of weighting a fishing line comprising the steps of passing a fishing line between the turns of a coil of annealed ductile stainless steel and deforming the coil in such a manner that the line becomes entrapped between the turns, but can also be readily removed from the coil by unwinding.
[0009] Methods of making fishing weights and fishing weights embodying the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a first form of fishing weight;
Figure 2 is a front elevation of a second form of fishing weight;
Figure 3 is a front elevation of an uncut length of fishing weight;
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the weight of Figure 1 secured as a running weight to a fishing line; and
Figure 5 is a front elevation of the weight of Figure 1 immovably secured to a fishing line.
[0010] The fishing weight shown in Figure 1 comprises a coil of annealed stainless steel wire. The wire coil may be pre-cut to a specific length to correspond to the weight of a standard lead shot or cut from a length of wire coil to produce a weight of the required heaviness.
[0011] To secure the weight to a fishing line in a manner so as to act as a running weight, a line 10 (see Figure 4) is wound around the coil 8 so that it passes between each and every turn. In this way the line will eventually be so located that it passes centrally through the coil 8. The coil 8 is then free to run along the line and can be used for the technique of fishing ledger.
[0012] To secure the coil to the line so that it will not move freely along the line, the line 14 (see Figure 5) is positioned along the outside of the coil 12 parallel to the axis of the coil 12. Using the thumb and forefinger of one hand, the line 14 is clamped against the outside of the central portion of the coil 12 and using the other hand the line on opposite sides of the first hand is wound around the coil to pass between the turns at opposite end portions of the coil. When this manoeuvre has been accomplished, it will be seen that the line enters the coil along its central axis at each end of the coil but, after a few turns, passes between the turns to run along the outside of the coil over the central portion thereof.
[0014] Some movement of the coil along the line will occur if the line is subjected to a steady pull relative to the coil and in this way the position of ' the weight can be adjusted along the line as desired or even removed totally from the line.
[0015] To secure the coil more firmly to the line, the line can be made to pass into and out of the coil more times than is shown in Figure 5.
[0016] The weight 2 shown in Figure 2 is torpedo- shaped so that the diameter of the turns diminish with distance from a central portion thereof. Thus, the turns 2a at opposite ends of the coil have the smallest diameter. This provides the weight with a more streamline profile.
[0017] The coil 2 shown in Figure 2 can be cut from a continuous length of coil (see Figure 3). In this form the diameter of the turns changes with distance along the axis of the coil continually from large diameter portions 4 to small diameter portions 6.
[0018] As each section of coil has a specific heaviness, the coil can be cut in different lengths to provide weights of different heaviness as required. The coil can be manufactured from wires of different gauges and with different coil diameters according to the different sizes of fishing lines to be accommodated.
[0019] It will be appreciated that in applications when the coil is required to be secured to the line in a manner in which it will not run freely along the line, selected pairs of adjacent turns of the coil can be joined by welding or other means to prevent a line from passing between the turns of the selected pairs.
[0020] in one modification the central portion of the coil can be made solid along that portion where the line is to run along the outside of the coil. This will give the weight a greater heaviness for its ' size. Instead of the central portion being a solid cylinder, it can be a hollow cylinder.
[0021] Where the weight is required to run freely along a fishing line, the central portion can be slotted to allow the line to take up a position coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the weight.
[0022] It will be appreciated that the fishing weights described can be readily removed from the line by the simple procedure of unwinding the line from around them. The recovery of undamaged weights from the line should assist in reducing the wastage of weights and the hazards that wasted weights provide.
[0023] Also, by obviating the need to crimp weights on to a line, the restriction to dense and highly maleable materials that crimping imposes, is lifted and other less or non-toxic materials can be used for weights.
[0024] Stainless steel, being relatively inexpensive and generally non-toxic to wild-life, is the preferred material for the coil.
[0026] Extruded spring stainless steel wire (being an 18/8 steel, i.e. 18% chrome and 8% nickel) is wound around an appropriate former (such as is used in the production of stainless steel coiled springs) to produce a coil which is then cut to size.
[0027] The cut ends of the wire which are generally sharp are deburred by filing or other techniques. The coils are then subjected to a heat treatment to convert the steel into an annealed ductile form.
[0028] The heat treatment is effected in an open atmosphere furnace and takes place in three stages, , namely a heating stage, a soaking stage and a cooling stage.
[0029] During the heating stage the temperature of the oven is increased progressively up to a temperature of 1000°C over a minimum period of four hours. While 1000°C is the preferred temperature, the temperature may be any other temperature in the range of from 950°C to 1050°C.
[0030] During the soaking stage, the oven is maintained at its elevated temperature for a minimum of two hours. Finally, the oven is progressively allowed to cool over a minimum period of three hours.
[0031] While the total minimum period of the heat treatment is nine hours, the period of the treatment can be extended up to twenty-four hours.
[0033] Firstly, the coils are dull grey-black in colour and so appear to resemble lead. This colour makes the coils unobtrusive in water (in contrast to bright shiny stainless steel) and will find widespread acceptance with fishermen used to using lead shot for so many years.
[0034] Secondly, because the steel is in annealed form, it can be readily distorted by the fingers and so can be stretched to pull the turns further apart or push them together again. Because the coils have little or no resilience they will remain in the configuration into which they have been distorted.
[0036] The described coil, when used to weight a fishing line, has been noted to have a number of advantages over the traditional split lead shot. '
[0037] Firstly, the manner in which the line is anchored to the coil does not subject the line to local weakening such as when used with lead shot where the line becomes pinched.
[0038] Secondly, particularly where the coil is used on a line intended for river fishing, the coil is so orientated on the line that the flow of the river will tend to pass axially of the coil and so provide a stabilising effect on the line. With lead shot, the line tends to bob around randomly, particularly in fast-flowing rivers.
[0039] Thirdly, because the coil has a degree of give when the line is placed under tension, any abrupt tensioning in the line, such as when a strike is being effected, will be absorbed in part by the coil and so effectively increase the breaking strength of the line.
[0040] Finally, where heavier weights are required without increasing the coil size, the inner part of the coil can be filled with fisherman's "putty", such putty takes the form of metal (tungsten or stainless steel) dust in an adhesive binder.
[0041] Preferably the end portions of the end turns of each coil are deformed towards their adjacent penultimate turns to close the gap between them. Advantageously, each coil has at least five turns. While the coil may be attached to other fishing aids, it is best used on its own with the turns of the coil providing the sole mass of the weight. Preferably the spacing between adjacent turns of the coil is less than the thickness of the wire of the coil.
1. A method of treating a stainless steel coil to form a deformable fishing weight
the method comprising the steps of heating the weight to a temperature in excess of
950°C; heat soaking the weight for a minimum period of two hours and allowing the
heat soaked weight to cool for a period of at least three hours.
2. A fishing weight comprising a coil of annealed ductile stainless steel, the coil
being deformable and having sufficient turns to provide at least one portion to which
a fishing line can be anchored by being entrapped between turns of the coil.
3. A fishing weight according to Claim 2, wherein selected pairs of adjacent turns
of the coil are joined together to prevent a line from passing between the turns of
said selected pairs.
4. A fishing weight according to Claim 2 or to Claim 3, wherein the coil of material
is formed so that the turns of the coil are of progressively smaller diameter with
distance from the central portion thereof. -
5. A fishing weight comprising a coil of annealed ductile stainless steel, the coil
being deformable and having at least five turns to which a fishing line can be anchored
at at least two locations by being entrapped between turns of the coil.
6. A fishing weight according to any one of Claims 2 to 5, wherein the turns of the
coil form the sole mass of the weight.
7. A fishing weight according to any one of Claims 2 to 6, wherein the turns of the
coil are loaded with putty in the form of a metal powder in an adhesive binder.
8. A fishing weight according to any one of Claims 2 to 7 wherein the end turns of
each coil are ' directed inwardly towards the adjacent penultimate turns.
9. A combination of a fishing line and a fishing weight according to any one of Claims
2 to 8 wherein the line is anchored to the weight by entrapment between the turns
of the coil at at least two locations.
10. A method of weighting a fishing line comprising the steps of passing a fishing
line between the turns of a coil of annealed ductile stainless steel and deforming
the coil in such a manner that the line becomes entrapped between the turns, but can
also be readily removed from the coil by unwinding.