Abstract: A fishing reel clutch having a drive gear journaled on a manually rotatable drive shaft, and a drive pawl supported on the shaft and held in driving engagement with the drive gear when the shaft is rotated in one direction to reel in the line. The drive pawl is released from driving engagement by a slight reverse rotation of the shaft, whereupon reverse rotation of the gear by a pull on the line is resisted only by variable friction tension applied to the gear.

Abstract: A level wind mechanism for a spinning reel having a flyer (32) (132) rotatable on the spool shaft (26) (126) with a notch (37) (137) for catching and winding the line on the spool (33) (133). The shaft is axially movable to open the spool and release the line for casting. The spool is axially reciprocated to level wind the line by a key (40) (140) slidable in the spool shaft and eccentrically connected to the drive gear (18) (118).

Abstract: An open face type fishing reel having a flyer (24) rotatable on the spool shaft (14) and having an inclined peripheral notch (34) for catching and winding the line on the spool (15), rotation of the flyer causing the notch to pick up and direct the line onto the spool. Limited retrorotation of the flyer axially displaces the spool to casting position, and means (38) (44) are provided to lock it in casting position, and to release and return the spool to closed position when the flyer is rotated to retrieve the line.

Abstract: A device for biasing at least one thermal printhead into uniform, tangential contact with the printing media includes a shaft supported by a housing, an assembly rotatable about the shaft for supporting at least one thermal printhead, and at least one biasing spring for establishing and maintaining adequate torsion on the supporting assembly so as to substantially minimize or eliminate positional instability of the printhead. In the event a plurality of thermal printheads are utilized, the biasing spring also simultaneously compresses each of the supporting assemblies so as to substantially minimize the gap between each of the printheads while maintaining the gap dimensions substantially constant.

Abstract: A tie rod support having a lightweight rod of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) material with a tapered sleeve of non-ferrous material mounted on one end. The other end of the rod is adapted to be inserted axially into a hole in a wall or roof of a mine with the sleeve supporting a pressure plate abutting the inner surface of the wall or roof. Frangible cartridges of polyester resin and a catalyst are first inserted in the hole and axial rotation of the rod as it is inserted into the hole ruptures the cartridges and mixes their contents, causing rapid curing of the resin and a bond between the FRP rod and the inner surface of the hole.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel combination of a sewing machine needle having a rectangular eye and a monofilament sewing thread of a synthetic material having a width to thickness ratio of approximately 3.0:1 to about 4.0:1.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for electronic direction control of trolling motors for maneuvering boats. The device includes a power supply, a steering mechanism including a motor for altering the direction of the trolling motor thrust, a direction control for generating a signal proportional to the desired direction of trolling motor thrust, and a direction sensor for generating a signal proportional to the actual direction of trolling motor thrust. Two electronic circuits are provided to process the desired and actual direction signals. The first circuit provides a pulse width modulated output signal which variably controls the angular velocity of the steering mechanism by controlling the operational state of a switching circuit having at least one transistor and thereby controlling the flow of current to the steering motor.

Abstract: The rung assembly is made of two piece construction and of metal while the siderail is made of a reinforced plastics material. The rung assembly includes a rung having a hollow end and a flanged fitting which is secured over the hollow end of the rung by swaging of the hollow end and fitting under a longitudinally applied compressive force. The compression force forms peripheral beads on the rung and fitting which interlock with each other. The rung assembly is secured to the siderail by any suitable fastening means such as rivets, bolts and the like which pass through the flange of the fitting and siderail.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus forming at least a portion of an antenna and the method of constructing the same. A generally cylindrical casing is formed to hold a spacer having a generally cylindrical outer surface. The spacer has a generally axial aperture extending therethrough to receive an antenna transmission line so that the line will be spaced from the outer surface of the spacer and the casing. An antenna wire is braided around the outer surface of the spacer to locate the same between the spacer and the casing.

Abstract: A mount having a base bracket for mounting the motor tube of a fishing motor on a boat deck for swinging between a vertical operating position and a horizontal stowed position over the deck. A clamping yoke for holding the motor tube is swiveled on the bracket and a manually releasable latch pivoted on the bracket selectively locks the clamping yoke in the operating and stowed positions when the yoke is swung to either position.

Abstract: The hook assembly includes a hook which passes through a hollow top rung of the ladder and an enclosed locking assembly which secures the hook to the rung for selective rotation between a storage condition and a hooking use condition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to FRP members, the apparatus and process for making same. The FRP members are reinforced with helical strands of reinforcing material disposed in expanded helices of opposite hand, the helices of each hand being contained in discrete layers. The lead angle of each helix may be constant or varied along the length of the member independently of whether the member is cylindrical or tapered in order to provide the desired structural characteristics. The process comprises impregnating the reinforcing strands with resin and wrapping those strands onto a mandrel by apparatus in which relative rotational as well as relative translatory movement between the mandrel and a winding head may be effected to wrap the strands onto the mandrel. At least one relative movement may be selectively varied to effect the desired lead angle to the helically disposed reinforcing strands along the length of the mandrel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a spooling apparatus that can be threaded on the fly to anchor, controllably twist and wind filament onto a receiving spool. A receiving spool is non-rotatably mounted on a spool shaft for axial reciprocation. A lead-in pulley, whose rotational axis is perpendicular to the receiving spool axis, is spaced axially outboard with respect to the receiving spool. A flier is mounted to rotate concentrically about the receiving spool and presents a pick-up head adapted to engage the feed run of the filament as it passes between the lead-in pulley and an orienting pulley located in proximity to the inboard end of the receiving spool. The orienting pulley is canted such that the tailing run of the filament cannot be engaged by the pick-up head as it rotates with the flier although the canting of the orienting pulley disposes the feed run such that it will be engaged by the rotating pick-up head when the spool reaches a predetermined position along its range of axial reciprocation.

Abstract: A mount having a clamp for mounting the motor tube of a fishing motor on the transom of a boat for swinging between a vertical operating position and a horizontal stowed position over the boat. A yoke for holding the motor tube is swiveled on the clamp and a manually releasable catch bracket pivoted on the yoke locks the yoke to the clamp in the operating position. A biased clip on the clamp releasably locks the yoke in the stowed position.

Abstract: Disclosed is a unitary bracket for holding down an antenna mounted on a vehicle. The bracket includes an elongate body portion having one end configured to be readily clipped onto the gutter strip of the vehicle. The other end of the body portion is configured to receive and hold the antenna in a position generally paralleling the roof line of the vehicle. Because different styles of vehicles have different sized gutter strips, the end of the body portion which is clipped onto the strip can be made universally adaptable to the various sized strips.

Abstract: A flexible hollow fishing rod shaft of improved strength to weight ratio with respect to both bending and crushing strength, having an outer layer of longitudinally extending fiber glass filaments bonded together with a flexible plastic resin, and an inner layer of graphite filaments wound in a tight helix and impregnated with a plastic resin bonding agent.

Abstract: The rung assembly is made of two piece construction and of metal while the siderail is made of a reinforced plastics material. The rung assembly includes a rung having a hollow end and a flanged fitting which is secured over the hollow end of the rung by swaging of the hollow end and fitting under a longitudinally applied compressive force. The compression force forms peripheral beads on the rung and fitting which interlock with each other. The rung assembly is secured to the siderail by any suitable fastening means such as rivets, bolts and the like which pass through the flange of the fitting and siderail.

Abstract: Hinge mechanism for locking the two foldable sections of an extension stepladder in spread-apart position. Each section has a locking pin and slot at its upper end for interlocking with a complementary slot and pin on the other section when the sections are swung apart on one of said pins as a pivot, the pin and slot on one section being disengageable from the slot and pin on the other section by relative longitudinal movement of the sections when the sections are folded together.