Finger brake for a spinning reel and method of assembling same

In a closed face spinning reel,

• a front spinner head,
• a body having a deck plate with a center passageway in the deck plate defining a central axis,
• a center shaft having a center section mounted for longitudinal movement in the center passageway and having
• a front section projecting forward of the deck plate with means for mounting and securing said spinner head thereto,
• a rear section projecting rearward of the deck plate,
• spring means urging the center shaft and spinner head in a rearward direction to a line winding position, and
• a brake lever actuable to move said shaft and spinner head forward to casting and brake positions, the improvement comprising:
• a brake lever finger grip portion,
• a brake lever bellcrank portion with two legs, joined with said finger grip portion along one leg of said bellcrank,
• said brake lever finger grip portion is a molded plastic part,
• mounting means in said bellcrank, pivotally mounting the brake lever on said body, with the other of said legs of the bellcrank extending into proximity with the rear end of the center shaft and engageable therewith upon pivotal movement of the bellcrank;
• and
• resilient means of urging said lever to a stop position with the end of said other leg out of contact with said center shaft for minimizing rattling of said lever in the reel and for locating said finger grip in a uniform position after each release of said lever, said resilient means comprises a flexible element molded integrally with said finger grip portion and bearing against a surface of said reel body to urge said lever to the stop position, and said molded plastic part has a surface which engages said reel body to define the lever stop position.

In a closed face spinning reel,

• a front spinner head,
• a body having a deck plate with a center passageway in the deck plate defining a central axis,
• a center shaft having a center section mounted for longitudinal movement in the center passageway and having
• a front section projecting forward of the deck plate with means for mounting and securing said spinner head thereto,
• a rear section projecting rearward of the deck plate,
• spring means urging the center shaft and spinner head in a rearward direction to a line winding position, and
• a brake lever actuable to move said shaft and spinner head forward to casting and brake positions, the improvement comprising:
• a brake lever finger grip portion,
• a brake lever bellcrank portion with two legs, joined with said finger grip portion along one leg of said bellcrank,
• said brake lever finger grip portion is a molded plastic part,
• mounting means in said bellcrank, pivotally mounting the brake lever on said body, with the other of said legs of the bellcrank extending into proximity with the rear end of the center shaft and engageable therewith upon pivotal movement of the bellcrank, said reel body has a peripheral surface with a pair of spaced apart bracket members extending outwardly therefrom and defining a slot therebetween which receives said bellcrank, the bracket members having forwardly facing surfaces, a pivot pin extends between said bracket members to mount said bellcrank for pivotal movement, and
• resilient means for urging said lever to a stop position with the end of said other leg out of contact with said center shaft for minimizing rattling of said lever in the reel and for locating said finger grip in a uniform position after each release of said lever, said resilient means comprises a pair of flexible elements molded integrally therewith and bearing against said forwardly facing bracket surfaces to urge said lever to the stop position, and said molded plastic part has a surface which bears against a surface of said body to define the stop position.