Field of Search:
114/235R,236,144R,145R,145A,162,164,165,168 43/43.13,27.4 115/22
Description:
This invention relates to new and useful improvements in trolling devices for use in fishing, and the principal to object of the invention is to permit a fisherman on a boat to troll along the shore line while the boat is further away from the shore and therefore does not disturb fish in the close to shore waters where the trolling action takes place.
This object is attained by the provision of a trolling device which includes a pair of elongated parallel floats and a rudder pivoted to the outside of one of the floats. A single line extends from the rudder to the fisherman on a boat, the line serving to tow the device laterally of the boat as well as to position the rudder relative to the associated float. Thus, the device may be steered to avoid obstacles adjacent the shore, and also to move from one side of the boat to behind the stern and to the opposite side of the boat, an important feature of the device being that it is reversible in the sense that is is able to travel in the same direction as the boat when the position of the device is reversed from either side of the boat to the other.
The trolling device of the invention is simple in construction, dependable in operation, easy to manipulate, and lends itself to economical manufacture.
With the foregoing more important object and features in view and such other objects and features which may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the trolling device of the invention in use;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of the rudder- equipped float; and
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the rudder-equipped float.
Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, particularly to FIG. 1, the trolling device of the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and is shown as being used by a fisherman 12 on a boat 13 travelling in the direction of the arrow 14, more-or-less parallel to the shore line 15. As will be hereinafter described, a single line 16 extends from the trolling device to the fisherman, and a plurality of drop lines 17 are connected to the line 16 and are equipped with suitable lures 18 which troll in the water. The line 16 itself is above water and is sufficiently long to permit the trolling device to be close to the shore 15 while the boat 13 is much further away from the shore and therefore the operation of the boat does not disturb fish in the close to shore waters where the trolling action takes place.
The trolling device 10 itself comprises a pair of elongated, transversely spaced parallel floats 20a, 20b which are spaced apart and secured together by suitable means such as cross bars 21 and diagonal bars 22. A horizontally swingable rudder 23 is hingedly or pivotally connected at one edge thereof as at 24 to the outer side of the float 20a, the rudder hinge 24 being located substantially midway of the length of the float and permitting the rudder 23 to be swung through almost 180°, as indicated by the arrow 25 in FIG. 3. The floats 20a, 20b are tapered at both ends so that they may travel through water in either longitudinal direction.
An extension arm 26 is provided at the outer, free edge of the rudder 23 remote from the hinge 24, the arm 26 having an eye 27 to which the aforementioned line 16 is connected. The other end of the line 16 is windable upon a reel or some other suitable winding device 28 manipulated by the fisherman 12.
An elongated rod-like guide 29, equipped with downturned ends, is mounted on the float 20b, extending longitudinally of the float as shown in FIG. 1. The line 16, extending from the rudder 23, passes transversely across the floats 20a, 20b and through the elongated space between the float 20b and the guide 29 so that the guide with its downturned ends serves to limit displacement of the line 16 longitudinally of the floats.
A pair of stop members 30, such as for example bent leaf springs, or the like, are secured to the opposite side surfaces of the rudder 23. As will be apparent from FIG. 3, one or the other of these stop members is engageable with the outer side of the associated float 20a so as to prevent the rudder from assuming a position parallel to the float. In other words, when the rudder is moved against the outer side of the float in one direction or the other, it is still angularly offset from the float by a small acute angel, thus assuring that the rudder is always biting water.
The single line 16 serves to tow the trolling device 10 directly abeam of the boat 13 and it simultaneously serves to position the rudder 23 relative to the float 20a. When the device is in use as shown in FIG. 1, the line 16 holds the rudder positioned in forwardly divergent relation from the float 20a as the trolling device moves with the boat 13 in the direction of the arrow 14. If some obstruction lies in the path of the device 10 or if the fisherman wishes to change the position of the device relative to the boat, the fisherman relaxes the tension on the line 16, which permits the rudder 23 to swing rearwardly (as at 25 in FIG. 3) until the rudder is against the outer side of the float 20a rearwardly of the hinge 24. The line 16 may then be wound in at the reel 28, which will cause the entire device 10 to shift its position toward and astern of the boat 13, or if the fisherman so wishes, to the opposite side of the boat. By that time the attitude of the trolling device will have become reversed so that the rudder-equipped float 20a is on the outside and the float 20b is on the inside or nearer to the boat, and the rudder 23 which was previously folded rearwardly will again extend forwardly from the hinge 24, that is, in the direction of travel 14. In any desired new position of the device, releasing of tension on the line 16 will permit the rudder to assume a forwardly divergent relation with respect to the float 20a and the rudder will thus again bite water for operation of the device in the new position.
As already indicated, the guide 29 on the float 20b limits displacement of the line 16 longitudinally of the floats over an operating range required for positioning of the rudder.