Touch control for a spin-casting reel

In a fishing reel of the type including a non-rotating spool adapted to discharge line therefrom by unwinding of the line in a generally axial direction from one end of the spool, a housing enclosing the spool and including an aperture axially aligned with the spool through which the line passes, and line take-up means including a rotating face mounted between the spool and the housing aperture and aligned axially therewith for winding line onto the spool, the improvement comprising, in combination:

• a freely rotating axle extending from front to rear in said housing, said axle being coaxial and freely rotatable with respect to the spool and the rotating face of the line take-up means;
• a lightweight disc-shaped flywheel coaxially mounted between the rotating face and the aperture on one end of said axle for free rotation therewith;
• said flywheel including peripheral recesses comprising a line-engaging edge to engage the line during discharge from said spool to cause rotation of said flywheel;
• and
• touch control member mounted on the other end of said axle and accessible through said housing to selectively retard rotation of said flywheel to control the discharge of line from the spool by manual pressure;
• said axle further being axially movable between a rearward position where said flywheel is spaced from said housing to permit line discharge through the aperture and a forward position where said flywheel engages the reel housing to prevent line discharge;
• and
• spring means normally biasing said axle to said rearward position.