Bail latching and releasing mechanism for open-spool spinning reel

An automatic bail latching and releasing mechanism for an outer skirted spinning reel, comprising:

• a reel body (19), a slider kick (14) mounted on the reel body, a rotor (1) rotatably mounted to the reel body, a pair of supporting blocks (2,2') provided at diametrically opposite positions outside of the rotor, a pair of bail arm levers (3, 12) pivotally secured to the respective supporting blocks, a bail wire (13) having its respective ends mounted on the bail arm levers, spring means (5) mounted proximate one of the bail arm levers for biasing the bail arm toward a released position, a slider (7) mounted in the supporting block mounting the other bail arm lever for linear movement with respect thereto, an annular opening in one end of the slider having a projection (17) thereon, a spring member (8) for biasing the slider outwardly from said supporting block, a raised, generally arcuate cam surface (4) on the other bail arm lever disposed within the annular opening in engagement with the slider projection, the cam surface having a gradually increasing radius and a recess (18) adapted to mate with the slider projection to latch the bail wire and slider at a cocked position, the cocked slider projecting out from its supporting block and striking the slider kick as the rotor is turned to release the cocked bail wire, whereby the return of the bail wire to its released position compresses the spring member to thereby oppose the return force of the spring means and reduce the bail wire return impact.