Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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"PLASTIC FISHING SPOON TYPE LURE"
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to new and useEul improve-
ments in fishing lures, particularly fishing lures of the
spoon type.
Heretofore, such spoons have been made from
metal and, when highly polished, give a good reflective
effect during use.
However, they are often colored or painted and
the paint readily becomes dull and, when used under ad-
verse conditions such as in areas with rocks, stones and
the like, may chip or peel thus reducing the effectiveness
of the lure.
Furthermore, metal spoons are relatively heavy
and are difficu]t to use in shallow waters as they tend to
engage the bottom readily unless retrieved at a rate which
- is often too fast for effective fishing practices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present lure overcomes these disadvantages
not only by providing a lure which is lightweight thus en-
abling it to be used in shallow waters effectively, but
also because it is translucent or transparent thus giving
not only a reflective action but also a refractive action
as light can pass through the lure and, due to the curva-
tures of the surfaces thereof, be reflected in many paths
thus giving a much more positive effect during use.
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In accordance with the invention there is pro-
vided a fishing lure for trolling, casting or jigging
comprising a spoon of substantially transparent plastic,
said spoon when viewed in plan having a convexedly cur-
ved front portion, a convexedly curved rear profile por-
tion smaller in dimensions than the front profile por-
tion and side edges joining the ends of the front and
rear profile portions, the upper surface of said spoon,
when viewed in side elevation, being convexedly curved,
means to attach a hook element to the front profile por-
tion and means to attach the end of a fishline assembly
to the rear profile portion whereby the lure is prevented
from rotating relative to the end of the fishline.
Another advantage of the lure, particularly
when moulded from plastic material, is that articles
such as flies, minnows or the like can be embedded there-
in to act as additional luring attractants to fish.
Also such articles or other articles such as tied fish-
ing flies, coins and the like may be used enabling the
lure to be used as a novelty item.
A still further advantage of the invention is
that it is easily impressed upon the surface with a plu-
rality of substantially circular depressions thus in-
creasing the reflective and refractive surface area of
the lure, a characteristic which is not possible with a
metal lure.
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A still further advantage of the invention is
to provide a lure which can be colored in any color or
tone desired without the application of paint inasmuch as
the lure is readily formed from the desired colored plas-
tic.
Another advantage of the invention is to pro-
vide a lure which is not only transparent or translucent,
but being made of plastic, is non-corrosive and rustproof
and if scratched in normal use, can readily be buffed back
to the original state.
Still another advantage of the invention is to
provide a device of the character herewithin described
which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture
and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is
designed.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages
as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to
which this invention relates as this specification pro-
ceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which in-
cludes a description of the preferred typical embodiment
of the principles of the present invention, in which:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an ~mderside plan view of the pre-
ferred embodiment of the lure.
Figure 2 is a side elevation o~ Figure 1.
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Figure 3 is a cross sectional view along the
line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a cross sectional view along the
line 4-4 oE Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a top plan view of the lure showing
an alternative treatment for the outer surface.
Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of
Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal cross sectional view
of an alternative embodiment of the lure.
In the drawings like characters of reference in-
dicate corresponding parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Proceeding therefore to describe the invention
in detail, reference to the drawings will show that the
lure is formed in what is conventionally known as a "spoon"
configuration and, in the preferred embodiment, is dished
upon the underside as is usual.
However, the spoon type lure collectively desig-
nated 10 is formed from transparent or translucent plas-
tic rather than metal and certain advantages accrue from
the use of this material which are not present with con-
ventional metal spoons.
The lure, when viewed in plan, includes the con-
vexedly curved front profile portion 10A and a convexedly
curved rear profile portion 11 of smaller dimensions than
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the front portion lOA and with the ends oE the front and
rear portions being joined by side edges 12 which may be
slightly curved or planar, depending upon design parameters.
As mentioned previously, the lure is formed from
synthetic plastic material and is hollow upon the underside
13 thereof being convexedly curved when viewed in longi-
tudinal cross section as shown in Figure 4 and convexedly
curved also when shown in transverse cross section as
illustrated in Figure 3.
The compound curved effect of the configuration,
in conjunction with the transparent or translucent plastic,
gives totally different reflective and refractive charac-
teristics to the lure, when in use in water, not present
or possible with a metal spoon which by its very nature
is of course opaque.
If desired, the under surface may be impressed
by a plurality of relatively closely spaced substantially
circular depressions 14 as shown in Figures 5 and 6 which
markedly increase the reflective and refractive surface
area thus increasing the light transmission and reflection
and, under certain circumstances, giving a sparkling
effect when used in shallow waters, particularly in sun-
light. The depressions are substantially circular in
that they are localized as opposed to elongate, but could
be polygonal to resemble scales.
Although the lure can be manufactured in clear
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transparent plastic, it is preferable that it be colored
and this is particularly suitable for lures made of plas-
tic as the material itself can be colored prior to the form-
ing of the lures either by injection moulding, vacuum form-
ing, casting li~luid plastic into moulds or the like.
An aperture or drilling 15 is formed through the
front portion on the longitudinal axis of the lure through
which a conventional hook element 16 may be secured in the
usual way and a further drilling 17 is provided adjacent
the rear portion ll also on the longitudinal axis, to
which a fishing line assembly may be attached. This is
identified by reference character 18 in Figure 2.
In order to prevent the spoon from spinning in
the water, it is coupled to the end of the line 18 by one
or more rings 22 with the hook 16 attached separately to
the other end of the spoon. This is in contrast to the
conventional spinner arrangement where the line, which may
be the fishing line or an additional wire, passes through
the lure to form an axis around which the lure is free to
spin. In this invention the lure is free from any wire or
other connection passing through the lure from one hole 17
to the other hole 15 and the only connection is provided
by the body of the lure.
Although the desired embodiment is in the form
of a dished or shell type spoon configuration, neverthe-
less an alternative embodiment may be manufactured, and
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usuable either as a lure or as a novelty item. This is
shown in Figure 7 in which the spoon is moulded with a
substantial thickness whereupon an object such as an arti-
ficial minnow 20 or the like may be embedded between the
upper curved surface 21 and the lower curved surface 19,
during the casting operation required for the formation of
this type of lure.
This forms a solid moulded or cast body in which
the object is fully embedded in the casting material leav-
ing no hollow spaces within the body.
Since various modifications can be made in myinvention as hereinabove described, and many apparently
widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit
and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit
and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the
accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illus-
trative only and not in a limiting sense.
