Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Backqround of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to disintegrat-
ing, i.e., water soluble, casting weights for attachment
to fishing lines, hooks or lures and to novel methods
used in the fabrication thereof. More particularly, the
invention relates to dissolving casting weights of
improved qualities and construction and techniques
useful in the fabrication of the improved weights.
In many types of fishing situations it is
necessary or desirable to add weight to the hook-
carrying end of the line to assist in casting the hook
to a point in the water at some distance from the
fisherman. Where it is desired for the hook to remain
submerged, the weight may be attached in a permanent or
semi-permanent manner to provide a "sinker" as well as a
casting weight. However, such weights are unsuitable
where the hook is to be located at or near the surface
during fishing.
A number of types of casting weights have been
proposed which dissolve or otherwise disintegrate upon,
or a short time after, contact with the water. Among the
materials used for such weights are ice (see U.S. Patent
Nos. 3,415,005 and 4,186,907) and compositions of
various substances with a binder such as cornstarch or
sugar (see Patents Nos. 3,393,467 and 3,834,059). Also,
various means have been employed to secure such weights
to the fishing line, hook or lure. However, the disin-
tegrating casting weights of the prior art have been
subject to a number of limitations, among the most
serious of which is that they are not suitable for fly
f ishing using spin casting equipment with light,
monofilament line.
According to the present invention there is
provided a method of fabricating a fish attracting
casting weight from a moldable mixture of water, soil,
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calcium carbonate and sand size stone. A mold is
prepared having an upper opening and a surface defining
a substantially hemispherical cavity with a lower
opening extending through said mold at an apex of said
hemispherical cavity defining surface. The mold is
positioned with said apex facing downward. Said cavity
is filled with said mixture such that said mixture
includes an upper surface and then said mold is sub-
jected to a first vibration to compact said mixture in
said cavity. A length of flexible material is inserted
into said mixture in said cavity. Said flexible
material, having free ends and a medial portion, is
inserted into said compacted mixture through said upper
surface of said compacted mixture and out through said
lower mold opening such that said free ends of said
flexible material extend out of said upper surface of
said compacted mixture and said medial portion forms a
small, closed loop extending out of said mold through
said lower opening. Said mold is then subjected to a
second vibration to compact said mixture about said
flexible material. Said compacted mixture is dried to
remove substantially all of said water therefrom and the
casting weight with said flexible material embedded
therein is removed from said cavity.
In a specific embodiment of the invention,
said flexible material is formed into a cord by twisting
together at least two main strands of said flexible
material.
Also according to the present invention there
is provided a casting weight and fish attractor for
engagement with a fishing line, hook or lure to assist
in casting the hook and in attracting fish thereto, said
weight having a body member consisting essentially of a
dried mixture of between about 50% and 85% sand size
stone and the remainder being soil in the form of silt
loam or silty clay loam in which calcium carbonate is
present. A length of flexible material formed into a
cord by at least two twisted main strands of said
flexible matexial extends between first and second ends
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of said body member. An intermediate portion of said
flexible material extends from said rounded end of said
body member to form a closed loop, and from said loop
through said body member to said other end thereof. A
portion of said flexible material, adjacent at Ieast one
end of said body member extends laterally across said
flat end of said body and is embedded therein. The
disintegrating casting weight and fish attractor
provides a natural attraction for fish due to rile and
bubbles.
According to one embodiment of the invention
the casting weight and fish attractor is made using soil
formed from a silty clay loam mixture which includes
illite clay or a clay in which illite clay is dominant.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is an elevational view of the casting
weight and fish attractor in a preferred embodiment;
Figures 2-5 are elevational views of various
modified forms of the weight;
Figure 6 is an exploded, perspective view of a
preferred form of apparatus for use in fabricating
weights such as those shown in Figures 1-5;
Figure 7 is a fragmentary, side elevational
view, in section, of a portion of the apparatus of
Figure 6 in the assembled condition;
Figure 7a is a small-scale cross section on
the line 7a-7a of Figure 7:
Figure 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, eleva-
tional view of portions of the apparatus, illustrating a
step in the preferred method of fabrication of the
weights: and,
Figure 9 shows a portion of a cord which is
usable for the flexible material in the present inven-
tion.
Detailed Description
Referring now to the drawings, in Figure 1 is
shown a representative example of the article of the
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manufacture of the invention, namely, a casting weight
and fish attractor for attachment to a fishing line,
hook or lure. The weight includes a solid body portion
lO of substantially hemispherical shape, having rounded
end 12 and flat surface 14. A flexible material such as
a length of thread or string (hereinafter referred to as
string) includes closed loop portion 16 extending from
rounded end 12 and portions 18 and 20 extending out from
flat surface 14 or, preferably, fully or partly embedded
in such surface substantially as shown in Figure 1. It
is preferred that at least a major portion of the length
of the string is embedded within the weight. The
preferred material forming body portion 10, as well as
methods and apparatus employed in the fabrication
thereof, will be discussed in detail later herein.
In use, the hook attached to the end of a
fishing line or leader, either directly or by being
affixed to a fly, lure or other artificial bait, is
placed through closed loop 16. The hook and bait may
then be cast or thrown a considerably greater distance
and placed with greater accuracy by virtue of the
momentum provided by the weight of body portion 10, such
weight being on the order of 1/4 ounce or greater, as
desired. Upon entering the water, body portion 10, by
its water soluble nature, begins to dissolve and is
released from the hook after a few seconds, the time
period being selectively variable in accordance with the
nature of body portion 10, as also discussed later
herein.
In Figures 2 and 3 are illustrated modified
forms of the weight for use when it is desired to insure
that the string will be disengaged from the hook after
body portion 10 disintegrates. In Figure 2, one of end
portions 18 and 20 is not embedded in surface 14, but
extends therefrom for attachment of additional string
removing means. A slow dissolving material (i.e., slower
than body portion 10) such as a gelatin is provided in
the nature of saucer shaped disc 22, applied at time of
manufacture, in initially liquid form to surface 14,
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surrounding and attaching to end portion 18. Thus, when
body portion 10 dissolves, disc 22 forms a water anchor
or drag, causing the string to disengage from the hook,
when the line is retrieved. In the modification of
Figure 3, a conventional, soft metal, pinch-on sinker 24
is secured to end portion 20, which is preferably
initially embedded in the end of the weight, as in
Figure 1, and pulled free for attachment on sinker 24.
Sinker 24 provides additional weight as well as insuring
that the string will disengage from the hook after
disintegration of body portion 10. The embodiments of
both Figures 2 and 3 are particularly useful in fly
fishing, as when very light lures or flies are used,
especially with monofilament line, both to provide the
necessary weight and to submerge an artificial insect of
the type which is initially submerged and rises to the
surface or remains submerged.
Since the nature of body portion 10 and the
manner of fabrication thereof, as described later,
causes bubbles to form and rise in the water as the
weight dissolves, this serves as a natural attractant
for many types of fish. An important aspect of the
invention, however, has been found to be the effect of
the rile which is dispersed in the water from the
disintegrating body. The rile rising from the body may
be carried by currents in the water, and fish some
distance from the body, on detecting the rile in the
water will follow it to its source and thus encounter
the lure or bait. In some situations, an additional
attractant such as a natural fish food or extract
thereof, and/or additional scent to which certain
species of fish are attracted, may be added if desired.
Body portion lO may be formed with a cavity, such as
that shown in Figure 4 extending into surface 14 and
denoted by reference numeral ~6, so that a fisherman may
inject or insert a fish attractant of his choice.
Alternatively, attractant 28 may be incorporated in body
portion lO, as shown in Figure 5, during the fabrication
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thereoE and may, if desired, be segregated from the
material of body portion 10 by a suitable sealant.
In order to provide greater resistance against
removal of the string from the disintegrating casting
weight, the string may be a cord formed by two twisted
strands 16a and 16b as shown in Figure 9. Each main
strand may be formed from a plurality of wound smaller
strands. The mixture, while still in the moldable form,
flows in between the strands so that after hardening, it
clings to the cord with greater tenacity. The string is
preferably of a material which will sink in water.
Turning now to Figure 6, a preferred form of
apparatus for fabricating the casting weights and fish
attractors of the invention is shown. Rigid base plate
30 is attached by legs or pads 32, preferably of rubber
or other resilient material, to rigid layer 34. Resili-
ent layer 36, of sponge rubber or other like material,
is cemented or otherwise secured to rigid layer 34 with
a first array of openings 38 in resilient layer 36 in
registration with a like array of recesses 40 in the
upper surface of rigid layer 34. A second array of
openings 42 in the resilient layer are aligned with
openings 44 so that the openings 42 and 44 extend
continuously through layers 34 and 36. Such openings may
also extend through resilient pads 32 and base plate 30
if aligned therewith in layers 34 and 36.
Mold member 46 is formed from a suitable
plastic, or other material commonly used for such
purpose, with an array of cavities 48 having a shape
corresponding to the desired final shape of the casting
weights, e.g., a substantially hemispherical or ovoid
shape. The lower surface of mold member 46 is recessed
to provide a peripheral border fitting the outside
dimensions of layers 34 and 36, whereby the mold member
may be placed upon resilient layer 36 with the latter
fitting inside the peripheral border on the mold member,
a portion of which is indicated in Figure 7 by reference
numeral 50. When so positioned, the center of each of
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mold cavities 48 is aligned with one of openings 38 and
recesses 40.
Openings 52 extend through the lower side of
mold member 46 at the center of the lower, curved
surface of each of cavities 48. Thus, when mold member
46 is positioned on resilient layer 36 as described,
mold openings 52 directly overlie openings 38 and
recesses 40. The assembled items are placed on a
conventional shaker table, a portion of which is
indicated in Figure 7 by reference numeral 54, provided
in known manner with suitable oscillating or vibrating
means (not shown). Base plate 30 is inserted between a
pair of guide tracks 56 affixed to the table surface,
and the apparatus is secured at each end to the table by
clamps, one of which is indicated by refer~nce numeral
58 in Figure 7, pressing the lower surface of mold
member 46 into sealing engagement with resilient layer
36.
With the apex of the mold facing downward,
mold cavities 48 are then filled with the mixture from
which the casting weights are formed. It has been found
that the properties of the finished items are optimised
by using a mixture consisting only of sand size par-
ticles of stone (hereinafter referred to as aggregate)
with a suitable natural soil composition and sufficient
water to render the mixture moldable. A suitable mixture
has been prepared using aggregate, soil and water in
approximate relative proportions of 60~, 25% and 15% (by
weight) respectively. All, or substantially all, of the
water is later removed by drying, leaving a finished
item composed of approximately 70% aggregate and 30%
soil. The aggregate is a stone preferably of a size
small enough to pass a 10 mesh screen (10 openings per
linear inch) and large enough not to pass a 30 mesh
screen. The soil is a relatively fine silt-loam or loam
which may have some clay content and also some, but
preferably little, sand and combinations thereof.
The composition of the weight is entirely sand
size pieces of stone, preferably from at least 50% to
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about 85%, and the remainder a natural soil such as silt
loam or silty claim loam, the soil including CaCO3 or
having CaCO3 added to it. It has been found that a
product having preferred characteristics is produced by
using illite clay in a silty clay loam mixture. As an
example, in a mixture which includes a clay content of
about 14% by weight in the total finished product, and
wherein illite clay is a dominate constituent of the
clay, say about 80%, a more stable finished product is
produced. Additionally, the presence of CaCO3 in the
soil mixture also provides a cementing effect in the
product. The CaCO3 further improves the bubble effect
of the product as it disintegrates, and the bubbles, in
addition to being a fish attractor, assist in the
breaking up of the casting weight which break up would
be somewhat slower when a significant amount of clay is
used. A product found to have good characteristics is
one which may contain about 14~ clay by weight in the
total product weight and about 16~ CaCO3 which can occur
naturally. As a result of testing, it is believed that
in excess of 20% of CaCO3 by weight may be possible by
using silt in which CaCO3 occurs naturally. Alterna-
tively, when using silt loam or silty clay loam mix-
tures, which do not contain any or have very little
natural CaCO3 content, it can be added in amounts up to
20 to 25% of the total weight.
After mold cavities 48 are filled the vibrat-
ing mechanism of shaker table 54 is actuated and an
initial vibration imparted to the mold and its support-
ing apparatus so that the mixture is well settled in the
cavities. Vibration is stopped, excess material is
removed from the top surface of mold member 46 by
passing a straight edge thereover with a reciprocating
motion, and perforated plate 60 (Figures 6 and 8),
formed of a transparent sheet of plastic or other rigid
material, is placed on the upper surface of mold member
46. Plate 60 is larger in 1ength and width than mold
member 46 and is provided with a recess in the lower
surface of the approximate dimensions of the mold member
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so as to fit thereon with each of openings 6~ in plate
60 in registration with the center of mold cavities 48.
Cut-out areas 64 in the ends of plate 60 are provided to
accommodate clamps 58 so that the plate may lie flat on
the surface of mold member 46.
The lengths of string, each having free ends
and a medial portion, are then inserted in the mixture
in the mold cavities by engaging the medial portion of
the string through notch 66 in the end of elongated rod
68. Openings 62 serve as a guide, through the upper
surface which the notched end of rod 68 is inserted. Rod
68 is forced downwardly, through the mixture of material
in mold cavity 48, through opening 52 at the bottom of
the mold cavity, through opening 38 in resilient layer
36 and into recess 40 in rigid layer 34. When rod 68 is
withdrawn, the string remains, forming closed loop 16
extending out of the lower, curved end of the material
in the mold and free ends 18 and 20 extending out of
upper, flat end, as indicated in Figure 8. The resilie-
nce provided by layer 36 assists in the insertion of rod
68 and the proper seating of loop 16 in recess 40, for
example, if solid material passes from the mold cavity
into opening 38 and recess 40, resilient layer 36 may
expand somewhat as rod 68 is forced downwardly to
accommodate the rod end of loop 16.
After the strings have been inserted through
the material in all of the mold cavities, whether one at
a time, several, or all at once by simultaneous movement
of a plurality of notched rods, plate 60 may be removed
from the upper surface of mold member 46. The shaker
table is then actuated again and the mold and supporting
structure subjected to a second vibration for a suitable
time to compact the mixture and to seat it firmly about
the embedded string. A liquid absorbent material such as
a layer of paper towels is then placed over the upper
surface of mold member 46 which serves to place ends 18
and 20 in close contact with the upper surface of the
material in the mold cavities, as well as to absorb some
of the water which has risen to the surface during
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vibration of the mold apparatus. Preferably a roller of
resilient material is passed a few times over the
surface of the absorbent material, thereby embedding all
or most of the string ends 18 and 20 in the upper
surface of the material in the mold cavities.
Clamps 58 are then released and mold member 46
is removed from the supporting structure. Openings 42
and 44, extending continuously through 1ayers 36 and 34
respectively, facilitate the removal of mold member 46
from resilient layer 36. A low pressure air spray may be
passed over the lower surface of mold member 46 to
remove any material which may have passed through the
lower mold openings during vibration from closed loops
16 extending from the bottom of the mold member, but a
preferable method is that of simply brushing the surface
lightly with a bristle type brush. Actually, very little
of the mixture will pass through openings 52 and 38,
which is preferred, due to the seal between mold member
46 and resilient layer 36. The material in mold cavities
48 is then dried, removing essentially all of the water,
by placing mold member 46, with the absorbent layer
still in place, in an oven or other drying chamber for a
suitable time period. It will be noted that mold member
46 rests upon peripheral border 50 during the drying
operation, permitting loops 16 to extend freely from the
lower surface of the mold and remain open. After drying,
the absorbent layer is removed and the finished items
are removed from the mold by inverting and tapping it,
such as with a small mallet.
