Fishing rod holder

Claim 1

Fishing rod holder means comprising: a. a tubular body member having a closed bottom and an open top; b. mounting means at the base of said tube having a mounting surface at the lower end and a coupling ball at the upper end thereof and means for preventing relative rotation between said ball and said mounting means; c. base coupling means for securing said tube to the mounting means and including sleeve extension for said tube with a hollow ball receiving socket being provided at the lower end of said extension, and with said base being cut away to form a ball engaging bifurcation with the distal ends thereof having radial portions extending arcuately inwardly to form a span less in diameter of said ball; d. clamping means cooperatively arranged with said ball and socket and comprising a generally diametrically arranged screw having a head at one end thereof and extending through the wall of said sleeve and with the free end extending outwardly of the wall of said sleeve, and a threaded clamping nut means engaging said screw; e. a compression block disposed between said ball and said clamping means and having a generally concave coupling ball receiving opening centrally formed into one surface thereof and a pair of bevels formed along opposite edges of the opposite major surface of said block; and f. a pair of relatively movable clamping members operatively mounted on said screw and each having flat beveled portions mating with the beveled edges of said block and arranged to be forced against said block beveled edges to urge said block toward said ball and in clamped relationship therewith.