Reel mechanism
AssigneeRyobi Ltd.
InventorYasomatsu Morishita
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A reel mechanism includes a pinion engaged with a main toothed wheel that is rotated by a handle. The pinion is selectively engaged to a main rod for joint locking rotation thereof. A spool is fixed to the main rod. The reel mechanism further includes a clutch lever, a clutch cam, and a switching lever. The clutch lever is engaged with the pinion in such a manner that the pinion can rotate relative to the lever but both are locked together axially. The clutch cam is rotatably mounted to the housing and has cam surfaces which axially move the switching lever and the pinion when the cam rotates. The cam surfaces have a displacement larger than the height of that part of the pinion which engages the main rod.
Claims6
In a reel mechanism, a clutch apparatus for selectively engaging and disengaging a pinion and a main rod in an axial direction, whereby said pinion and rod are locked to rotate simultaneously in the engaged position and are free to rotate separately when in the disengaged position, said reel mechanism being the type having a housing and handle for imparting rotation to said pinion via a main toothed wheel, said clutch apparatus comprising:
- a. spring biased clutch lever means for imparting axial motion to said pinion, said clutch lever means being engaged with said pinion to permit relative rotation therebetween and having paired arms extending radially from opposite sides of said pinion, said clutch lever means being connected to said housing to prevent rotational movement thereof and permit axial movement thereof,
- b. cam means, positioned in said housing, and having at least a cam surface acting on each arm of said clutch lever means, for imparting an axial force to said clutch lever means when said cam means is rotated from a first position to a second position in opposition to said bias, and
- c. switching lever means for rotating said cam means from said first position to said second position to force said clutch and said pinion to move axially whereby said pinion is disengaged from said rod.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.