Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
Fishing lure
NAMES) OF INVENTOR(S):
Dale Stephenson
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fishing lure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fishing lures are designed to attract a fish and convince
the fish that the lure is the prey upon which the fish feeds.
When the fish attacks the lure, the fish becomes caught on a
hook adjacent to the lure, and can then be captured. Different
fish are attracted by different lures. Further, under
different conditions, the same fish are attracted by different
lures. As an example, the colour of one fish that is a prey
of another fish may change depending upon the season or the
local aquatic conditions. In such a circumstance, a lure must
be matched to the prey if the fish is to be attracted and
caught. A fisherman, even one that is very experienced and
knowledgeable of local conditions, may have to try several
different designs of lure before finding the lure appropriate
for the type of fish being sought and the prevailing
conditions.
There have been several different methods devised for
amending the appearance of a lure in order to improve its
resemblance of a prey for a fish. Example of a decorative
appendage that can be attached to a lure to augment its
appearance are described by Miles in United States Patent
2,333,484 which issued in 1943, and Pippert in United States
Patent 4,700,503 which issued in 1987. In the Miles reference
a hook is introduced through a substantially transparent shell
that then is fitted over the body of the lure. A decorative
component comprising several hairs or feathers shaped to
resemble bodily features of a minnow or other prey for a fish
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is attached to the transparent shell. In the Pippert reference
a fishing hook is attachable to bodies with different
appearances by means of an insert that passes through the
bodies.
Alternatively, the outward appearance of a lure can be
changed by stretching over the body of the lure an elastic
cover of a selected colour or shape, as described by Kearns in
United States Patent 1,611,117 which issued in 1926, or a mesh
to give a scale like appearance, as described by Dumouchel in
United States Patent 1,541,032 which issued in 1924. A cover
for the body of a lure can be manufactured from a rigid
material as described by Head in United States Patent l, 599, 763
which issued in 1923 and Fisher in United States Patent
2,578,411 which issued in 1945. In the Head reference one of
a series of interchangeable conical aluminum shells can be
attached to the body of a lure by means of a thumb nut disposed
on a threaded pin extending from the body of the lure. In the
Fisher reference a detachable plastic shell is provided that
fits closely over a wooden body of a lure. At one of the
opposed ends of the plastic shell there is a return flange that
fits over one end of the body. The other of the opposed ends
of the plastic shell is retained in contact with another end
of the body by means of a frictional acting retaining clip.
A flexible cover can be attached to the body of a lure by
slipping the end of the body that attaches to the remote end
of the fishing line through a hole in the cover, as described
by Flynn in United States Patent 2,579,377 which issued in
1948.
De Weese in United States patent 3,392,474 issuing in
1965, Raymond in United States Patent 2,003,976 issuing in
1933, and Reininger in United States Patent 3,289,345 issuing
in 1964, describe different examples of covers for lures that
are secured to the body of the lure by means of a peripheral
return flange that must fit closely around a peripheral edge
of the body.
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Each of covers described in the Prior Art suffers from one
or more deficiencies when it is desired that the appearance of
the lure can be changed by a child. When the cover is
installed by slipping the cover over an end of the body that
attaches to the fishing line, the lure must be detached from
the fishing line in order to exchange covers. Lures are tied
onto a fishing line at one end of the body. The body is
attached to the fishing line either by tying a knot or by means
of a spring type of clip. Although an adult will have little
difficulty in untying a knot or unclipping one lure from the
remote end of the fishing line by compressing the spring clip
to open it, and replacing the one lure with another lure, a
small child or an infirm adult may experience difficulty in
opening the spring clip. When the cover is secured to the body
of the lure by forcibly inserting an edge of the cover into a
groove on the body as in the Kearns reference, by means of a
frictional acting retaining clip as in the Fisher reference,
or by means of a thumb nut and a threaded pin as in the Head
reference, a person desiring to change the cover must have
either manual dexterity or strength in the fingers. Further,
a child may be impatient to try another lure, and may become
frustrated if considerable effort or delay results from the
need to change a lure. It is therefore desirable to have a
method for changing a lure that is rapid as well as being
performed with ease by a child.
SUI~iARY OF THE INVENTION
What is required is a fishing lure the appearance of which
can be changed rapidly and easily.
According to the present invention there is provided a
fishing lure which includes a body and at least one detachably
securable cover. One of the body and the cover has a male
coupling member which is movable between a first position and
a second position. The other of the body and the cover has a
female coupling. The female coupling is capable of entering
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into mating engagement with the male coupling member when the
male coupling member is in the first position. The female
coupling is prevented from withdrawal from mating engagement
with the male coupling member when the male coupling member is
in the second position. Means is provided by which the body
is securable to a fishing line.
With the fishing lure, as described above, the cover can
rapidly and easily be changed by moving the male coupling
member from the second position to the first position. There
are various ways of making a male coupling member which is
movable between a first position and a second position; some
of which will hereinafter be further described. The male
coupling member can be rotatable. The male coupling member can
be deformable.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the
use of the fishing lure, as described above, it is sometimes
desirable that the fishing lure float on or just below the
surface of the water. It is also, sometimes desirable that the
fishing lure be just buoyant enough to avoid settling to the
bottom of a body of water where there are rocks or weeds in
which the lure may get entangled. When it is desired that the
fishing lure should had additional buoyancy, a detachable cover
that is hollow or made from a buoyant material may be used as
a "floater" for the fishing lure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of the invention will become more
apparent from the following description in which reference is
made to the appended drawings, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a first embodiment of a fishing lure with a
rotatable male coupling in the first position and a cover in
a detached position.
FIGURE 2 is the first embodiment of fishing lure shown in
FIGURE 1, with the rotatable male coupling in the second
position and the cover secured to the body.
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FIGURE 3 is a second embodiment of a fishing lure with a
deformable male coupling in the first position and a cover in
a detached position.
FIGURE 4 is the second embodiment of fishing lure shown
5 in FIGURE 3, with the deformable male coupling in the second
position and the cover secured to the body.
FIGURE 5 is an end elevation view, in section, of a
buoyant detachable cover for a fishing lure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The two preferred embodiments of fishing lure will now be
described with reference to FIGURES 1 through 5. A first
embodiment generally identified by reference numeral 10, will
be described with reference to FIGURES l, 2 and 5. A second
embodiment generally identified by reference numeral 11, will
be described with reference to FIGURES 3 through 5.
With reference to FIGURE 1, fishing lure 10 includes a
body 12 and several covers 14, of which one is shown. Body 12
has a first end 16, a second end 18, a convex top surface 20,
a bottom surface 22, and a peripheral edge 24. A first hole
26 passes from top surface 20 to bottom surface 22 at first end
16 of body 12, whereby body 12 can be secured to a remote end
of a fishing line (not shown). A second hole 28 passes from
top surface 20 to bottom surface 22 at second end 18 of body
12, whereby a hook 30 is attached to body 12. Each of the
several covers 14 has a first end 36, a second end 38, a convex
top surface 40, a concave bottom surface 42, and a peripheral
edge 44. Concave bottom surface 42 of cover 14 fits closely
over convex top surface 20 of body 12. An elongate hole which
serves as a female coupling 46 passes from top surface 40 to
bottom surface 42 at a substantially central position of cover
14. Female coupling 46 is sized so as to accept a male
coupling 48 on body 12. Peripheral edge 44 of cover 14 has a
first recess 37 at first end 36 and a second recess 39 at
second end 38 so that, when cover 14 directly overlies body 12,
first hole 26 and second hole 28 in body 12 are not overlain
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by cover 14.
Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, in a first embodiment of
fishing lure 10, male coupling 48 is rotatably mounted on body
12. Rotatably mounted male coupling 48, as illustrated, has
a gripping portion 50 that is rotatable about a post 52 rigidly
attached to top surface 20 of body 12. It will be recognized
that alternative rotatable fastenings are available.
Optionally, gripping portion 50 has a hole 51 throughout,
whereby motion of the water about gripping portion 50 causes
a vibration and generates a noise to attract fish. Male
coupling 48 has a first position, shown in FIGURE 1, and a
second position, shown in FIGURE 2.
Referring to FIGURE 1, when cover 14 is positioned over
body 12 in a substantially coplanar and parallel orientation
and male coupling 48 is in first position, male coupling 48 and
female coupling 46 are aligned and male coupling 48 can pass
freely through female coupling 46. Referring to FIGURE 2, when
cover 14 overlies body 12, concave bottom surface 42 of cover
14 matches and fits closely over convex top surface 20 of body
12. When gripping portion 50 of male coupling 48 passes
through female coupling 46 and is rotated through about 90
degrees about post 52, male coupling is in second position.
In second position a bottom edge 54 of gripping portion 50
applies a clamping pressure on top surface 40 of cover 14, and
male coupling 48 and female coupling 46 are thereby secured in
mating engagement. When male coupling 48 is in second
position, female coupling 46 is prevented from withdrawal from
mating engagement with male coupling 48, and cover 14 is
constrained to overlie body 12 in a matching position.
Cover 14 is easily and rapidly detached from body 12 by
rotating gripping portion 50 from second position to first
position and separating cover 14 from body 12, as illustrated
in FIGURE 1.
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Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, in second embodiment of
fishing lure 11, male coupling 48 mounted at a substantially
central position on top surface 20 of body 12 is deformable
between a first position, shown in FIGURE 3, and a second
position, shown in FIGURE 4. Deformable male coupling 48 as
illustrated has two deformable members 60 rigidly affixed at
a first end 62 to top surface 20 of body 12. It will be
recognized that alternative embodiments with one or more than
two deformable members may also be used. Female coupling 46
is substantially similar to female coupling 46 of first
embodiment of fishing lure 10.
Referring to FIGURE 3, when male coupling 48 is in a
substantially vertical position, a remote end 64 of deformable
members 60 passes freely through female coupling 46 of cover
14. Referring to FIGURE 4, cover 14 fits closely over body 12
as deformable members 60 are passed through female coupling 46.
Deformable members are deformed so that remote end 64 is
brought into contact with top surface 40 of cover 14. When
male coupling 48 is in second position, female coupling 46 is
prevented from withdrawal from mating engagement with male
coupling 48, and cover 14 is constrained to overlie body 12 in
a matching position.
Cover 14 is easily and rapidly detached from body 12 by
returning deformable members 60 from second position engaging
top surface 40 of cover 14 to the substantially vertical first
position and separating cover 14 from body 12, as illustrated
in FIGURE 3.
It is preferred that with either of first embodiment of
fishing lure 10 or second embodiment of fishing lure 11; body
12 with one of the several detachably securable covers 14, has
sufficient weight to sink in water.
There are circumstances in which it is desirable that
either first embodiment of fishing lure 10 or second embodiment
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of fishing lure 11 requires additional buoyancy. This
additional buoyancy may be required to enable the fishing lure
to float on or just below a surface of water. The additional
buoyancy may be required to make the fishing lure just buoyant
enough to avoid settling to the bottom of a body of water where
there are rocks or weeds in which the fishing lure may get
entangled. Referring to FIGURE 5, there is illustrated one
version of a buoyant detachable cover. Cover 14, as
illustrated, is hollow. Hollow cover 14 comprises a casing 70
enclosing a sealed cavity 72 extending from first end 36 to
second end 38. Sealed cavity can either be filled with air or
a buoyant foam material. Casing 70 can be manufactured from a
variety of materials, and is preferably manufactured from a
plastic which is strong, unaffected by exposure to water, and
is coloured by pigments that remain colour fast. A central
section 74 of casing 70 immediately surrounding female coupling
46 is compressed to allow cover 14 that serves as a floatation
device to be secured to either of first embodiment of fishing
lure 10, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, or second embodiment of
fishing lure 11, as illustrated in FIGURE 4.
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that
modifications may be made to the embodiments described without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined
by the claims.
