Magnetic bail actuation system

A fishing reel having a line-carrying spool, a rotor housing, a crank handle for rotating the rotor housing about an axis, and a bail carried on a bail arm mounted for movement relative to the rotor housing selectively between a cast position wherein line can be paid out of the spool and a retrieve position wherein line can be directed onto the spool as the rotor housing is operated by the crank handle, the improvement comprising:

• opposed cooperating magnetic means on the bail arm and rotor housing respectively for providing a torque force to magnetically urge movement of the bail arm selectively towards each of the cast and retrieve positions and for maintaining the bail arm in each of the cast and retrieve positions,
• each magnetic means possessing at least two polar regions having differing polarities, the magnetic means, when in opposed cooperating relationship, providing a separation tendency between the magnetic means throughout the bail range of motion.

A fishing reel having a line-carrying spool, a rotor housing, a crank handle for rotating the rotor housing about an axis, and a bail carried on a bail arm mounted for movement relative to the rotor housing selectively between a cast position wherein line can be paid out of the spool and a retrieve position wherein line can be directed onto the spool as the rotor housing is operated by the crank handle, the improvement comprising:

• opposed cooperating magnetic means on the bail arm and rotor housing respectively for providing a torque force to magnetically urge movement of the bail arm selectively towards each of the cast and retrieve positions and for maintaining the bail arm in each of the cast and retrieve positions while providing a separation tendency throughout the bail range of motion,
• each magnetic means possessing at least two regions having differing polarities, the magnetic means, when in opposed cooperating relationship, providing (1) a maximum separation tendency between the magnetic means at the trip point of the bail and a minimum separation tendency at each of the cast and retrieve positions, (2) a torque force urging the bail into the retrieve position when the bail is located between the retrieve position and the trip point, and (3) a torque force urging the bail into the cast position when the bail is located between the trip point and the cast position.