Hydraulic brake for a fishing reel

In a fishing reel comprising a housing rotatably supporting a line spool about a central shaft, a crank constructed and arranged to rotate said spool in a first line retrieval direction, said spool being freely rotatable in a second opposite direction, an improved brake mechanism for braking rotation of said spool in said second direction comprising:

• a first hydraulic cylinder arranged in one side wall of said housing;
• first and second pistons diametrically arranged in said first cylinder, said first piston being manually displaceable and said second piston being displaceable by fluid pressure applied by said first piston;
• brake means constructed and arranged to apply frictional braking forces to said spool;
• means operatively connecting said brake means to said second piston for application of said braking forces upon displacement of said second piston;
• a second hydraulic cylinder arranged in said one side wall of said housing in fluid connection with said first cylinder;
• a third piston arranged in said second cylinder;
• and
• biasing means positioned within said second cylinder constantly urging said third piston to apply fluid pressure upon said first and second pistons and said braking forces may be gradually applied by displacement of said first piston.