Fisherman's knot tier

• US 6,715,804 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2003
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daniel James Beers
• Original Assignee: Daniel James Beers
• Inventors: Beers, Daniel James
• Primary Examiner(s): Welch, Gary L.
• Application Number:
  US10/354,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20040004355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 289/1.2, 289/1.5, 289/17, 289/18.1, 710/6, 43/1, 43/4, 43/431.6
• US Class Current: 289/17
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 91/04 for connecting lines to hooks or lures

Abstract

Most of the present knot tying devices require the mechanical or manual sliding of the leader or line from some object such as a nail or tube onto a leader or line. This invention does not require such a transfer. The Fisherman'"'"'s Knot Tier in accordance with the present invention looks and works similar to a retractable ballpoint pen with an alligator clip or modified alligator clip/cutter attached. When a line is placed in the exposed slot in the shaft, and the shaft is retracted into the tip, cone or insert, the line is secured. The jaws of the alligator clip or modified alligator clip/cutter holds the hook or similar article during the knot tying operation. The cutter portion of the clip/cutter is used to trim excess leader or line from the hook or similar article after the knot tying process is complete. The jaws of the alligator clip or modified alligator clip/cutter also doubles as a clip to hold the knot tier in a shirt or vest pocket.

Claims

1. A knot tying device with an alligator clip attached thereto including:

upper and lower elongated hollow bodies or barrels with longitudinal bores throughout to house a lower retractable tubular piston or shaft, an upper piston or button and a spring with said barrels being joined together by internal and external threads or overlapping glueable joints, the lower barrel may be tipped with an insert to aid in holding a leader or line during a knot tying process the upper barrel having said alligator clip attached thereto to hold a hook, swivel, artificial fly or lure during the knot tying process;

a lower retractable internally spring mounted tubular piston or shaft slidably constrained within the bores of the upper and lower barrels and having an angled slot cut near the distal end of the tubular piston or shaft with the slot in said shaft to help hold a free end of a line or leader to the tip of the barrel when the leader or line is placed in said slot and said shaft is retracted into said barrels allowing said line or leader to be secured between said slot and the tip end of the lower barrel or the external end of the insert with pressure being applied by means of a spring encircling said tubular piston or shaft with said shaft having lugs or a spring stop located along the shaft with said lugs or spring stop allowing contact between the barrels and said shaft by means of said spring with said spring stop being formed by lugs, a shoulder, or some other attachment to the shaft and with the proximal end of said shaft fitting into said bore in the upper piston or button;

wherewith said tubular piston or shaft in conjunction with the end of said lower barrel or the external end of the insert will hold the free end of the line or leader during the knot tying process;

said upper piston or button being slidably constrained in the distal end of said upper barrel with said piston having a short bore located longitudinal and centered in the piston to accommodate the proximal end of said lower tubular piston or shaft with said upper piston having a reduction in diameter to form said button and said reduction forming a stop or shoulder that will make contact with the shoulder of the terminal bore in said upper barrel when said tubular piston or shaft is retracted into said upper and lower barrels by means of said spring wherewith said upper piston or button is used to activate said lower tubular piston or shaft during the knot tying process;

said spring encircling said lower tubular piston or shaft with one end of said spring contacting the spring stop or tugs on said lower tubular piston or shaft and the other end of said spring making contact with said shoulder created by the terminal bore in the lower barrel or the internal end of said insert in the terminal bore in said lower barrel, said spring allowing said lower piston or shaft to be projected or retracted by compressing or decompressing said spring with applied pressure to said button;

wherewith said spring applies pressure to said lower tubular piston or shaft which in turn by means of said slot in said shaft holds or secures said free end of the line or leader to said tip end or external end of the insert in said lower barrel during the knot tying process;

said tip end created by the terminal bore in said lower barrel or an insert placed in the terminal bore will allow said lower tubular piston or shaft to move freely in a longitudinal manner through said bore or said insert with sufficient tolerance to secure said free end of the line or leader when placed in the slot in the distal end of said piston or shaft wherein said shaft is retracted into said lower and upper barrels by means of one end of said spring exerting pressure on said shoulder of said terminal bore in said lower barrel or said internal end of said insert and the other end of said spring exerting pressure on said lugs or spring stop located on said lower tubular piston or shaft;

wherewith said tip end of said lower barrel or the external end of said insert and slot in said lower tubular piston or shaft act together to hold or secure said free end of the line or leader during the knot tying process;

said alligator clip attached or secured to said upper barrel and defined as having an upper and lower opposing u-shaped jaws joined together at a pivot point by a pivot pin with arms extending from said jaws distal to said pivot to allow opening and closing of the jaws against spring pressure with said spring pressure coming from a spring wound around said pivot pin and said spring having opposite ends in contact with each opposing arm and said spring holding said jaws in bias with one another when at rest wherewith said alligator clip being used to securely hold a hook, swivel, artificial fly or lure during the knot tying process whereby said alligator clip doubles as a clip to hold said knot tying device in a shirt or pocket.

2. A knot tying device as recited in claim 1, wherein said alligator clip is replaced with a modified alligator clip comprising;

said modified alligator clip attached or secured to said upper barrel and defined as having an upper and lower opposing flat and or u-shaped jaws, said jaws having smooth or serrated edges and joined together at a pivot point by a pivot pin, said u-shaped arms extending from said jaws distal to said pivot with said arms formed in such a way as to allow said arms to fit one inside of each other with tolerances sufficient enough to allow shearing or cutting action when said arms are depressed against spring pressure with said spring pressure being applied by a spring encircling said pivot pin, said spring having opposite ends in contact with each opposing arm holding said arms apart when at rest and also holding said jaws in bias with one another when at rest wherewith said jaws are opened so that when said arms are relaxed against spring tension said jaws are closed to enable said alligator clip to hold a hook, swivel, artificial fly or lure during the knot tying process and when said arms are depressed are used to trim excess line or leader from said free end of the line or leader with a shearing action after the knot tying process is completed with said alligator clip also doubling as a clip to hold said knot tying device in a shirt or pocket.

3. A knot tying device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lower tubular piston or shaft and said upper piston or button is made in one piece or in several pieces.