Bowfishing reel
AssigneeBohning Company, Ltd.
InventorsThomas L. Dunlop, David W. White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bowfishing reel that is biased into an open position in which the line is free to be fed from the reel. When desired, the user can actuate a mechanism that forces the bail into the closed position while the mechanism is engaged. Once the mechanism is released, the bail returns to the open position.
Claims26
A reel for use in bowfishing comprising:
- a bail that is coupled to a spring mechanism to bias the bail into an open position;
- a lever that can be actuated in a first direction to cause the bail to move to a closed position;
- wherein when the lever is released, the spring mechanism causes the bail to return to the open position.
A normally open-bail reel comprising:
- a bail that is coupled to a spring mechanism to bias the bail into an open position;
- a spool that holds a portion of fishing line and, in cooperation with the bail, receives line as it is reeled in;
- a locking mechanism comprising:
- a bail actuator that interfaces with the bail;
- a lever;
- a plunger;
- and
- a plunger guide;
- wherein when the lever is at rest, the bail remains in the open position and, when the lever is actuated, the lever engages the plunger which then engages the bail actuator forcing the bail into a closed position.
A bow for use in bowfishing comprising:
- a bow;
- a site mounting on the bow;
- and
- a reel mounted to the site mounting, the reel comprising:
- a bail that is coupled to a spring mechanism to bias the bail into an open position;
- a lever that can be actuated in a first direction to cause the bail to move to a closed position;
- wherein when the lever is released, the spring mechanism causes the bail to return to the open position.
A method for controlling the bail of a bowfishing rail, the method comprising the actions of:
- biasing the bail of the real into a normally-open state in which the line on the spool of the reel can be freely fed;
- upon application of an actuating force applied to a locking mechanism, forcing the bail into a closed position;
- and
- upon removal of the actuation force, bias the bail back into the normally-open state.
A reel for use in bowfishing comprising:
- a locking mechanism that is coupled to a spring mechanism to bias the locking mechanism into an open position thereby allowing string to freely exit the reel;
- a lever that can be actuated in a first direction to cause the locking mechanism to move to a closed position;
- wherein when the lever is released, the spring mechanism causes the locking mechanism to return to the open position.
A method for controlling the string feed from a bowfishing reel, the method comprising the actions of:
- biasing the reel into a normally-open state in which the line on the spool of the reel can be freely fed;
- upon application of an actuating force applied to a locking mechanism, forcing the reel into a closed state;
- and
- upon removal of the actuation force, biasing the reel back into the normally-open state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.