Fishing reels with a level-wind mechanism

A fishing reel having a frame, a rotatable line spool and a level-wind mechanism which comprises a rotatable involute screw and a movable line-laying member geared to said involute screw and reciprocal in a linear movement parallel to the axis of the line spool by rotation of said involute screw, and drive means comprising a hand crank and a transmission means for rotating said line spool in a first direction for the retrieval of the fishing reel on the line spool, said line spool being rotatable in a second, opposite direction, driven by the fishing line, such as during a cast, said transmission means comprising disengageable clutch means and gear means connected between said line spool and said involute screw for rotating the latter, to distribute the fishing line on the line spool when said line spool is rotated in said first direction during the retrieval of the fishing line, delayed operation arresting means having a rotatable first member connected and disposed for rotation by said gear means, a second member fixed in relation to the frame of the reel, and a delayed-action arresting third member which is movable between a first position and a second, arresting position, and which, in said first position, permits rotation of said first member for permitting rotation of said involute screw in said first direction by said line spool by the intermediary of said gear means, whereas said third member in said second, arresting position, arrests said rotatable first member thereby locking said gear means and said involute screw against rotation, said third member, by rotation of said first member when rotation thereof in said second direction is initiated by said line spool, being movable from said first to said second, arresting position in such timed relationship with the rotational movement of said involute screw and the linear movement of said line-laying device that said delayed-action arresting third member arrives at said second, arresting position subtantially as soon as said line-laying device arrives at a central position in relation to said involute screw, whereby said level-wind mechanism is, during each casing operation, arrested with said line-laying device positioned substantially in said central position, said disengageable clutch connected between said line spool and gear means having disconnecting means for disconnecting said line spool from said gear means when the former is rotated in said second direction and the latter is arrested by said delayed-action arresting means.