Fishing line motion sensing alarm

Claim 2

A string motion sensing alarm apparatus comprising: a switch mount including clothespin-type gripper means for gripping a support for the switch mount; first switch means on said mount, and a switch actuator movably connected to said mount and to said switch means, said actuator having string clutching means movably mounted on said mount, and movable thereon responsive to movement of a string therein lengthwise of the string to move said actuator and operate said switch means.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said gripper means include first and second gripper arms hinged together to provide a gripper portion and a manipulator portion, the manipulator portion extending a greater distance from the hinge axis than the gripper portion; and said gripper means further include resilient means biasing said arms to close said gripper portion and open said manipulator portion and of sufficient strength to hold the switch mount on a support in an orientation such that the switch means, and switch actuator are above the support, exclusive of Any other means to maintain such orientation.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: said switch actuator is located between the gripper arms at the manipulator portion of said gripper means to receive a string extending through the space between the gripper arms at the manipulator portion of the gripper means.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: said switch means include a switch received in a cavity in one of said gripper arms at the manipulator portion of one of said gripper means.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: said gripper portion has gripper surfaces defining a gripping area, said actuator is pivotable on an axis generally perpendicular to a plane which contains the hinge axis and lies between the gripper surface of the respective arms, said string clutching means of said actuator being remote from the pivot axis of said actuator and movable in a direction generally parallel to said hinge axis.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: said string clutching means include a notch which opens in a direction away from the hinge axis of said gripper arms.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein: said clutching means includes a pair of blades having generally parallel facing surfaces to receive the string therebetween, said notch being a groove formed by said facing surfaces, and said blades having adjustment means thereon to adjust the spacing between said blades and thereby adjust the width of said groove.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein: the portions of said gripper arms in the manipulator portion of the gripper means cooperate to form a yoke for loosely receiving and supporting a fishing rod therebetween, said string clutching means being disposed between the yoke forming portions of said gripper arms and away from the apex of said yoke.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 2 and further comprising: a housing; an alarm device in said housing; a source of electrical energy; said switch means including a first switch in a circuit including said source and said alarm device; a rib projecting from said housing; said gripper portion gripping said rib, and supporting said switch mount on said housing.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein: said circuit includes a length of conductor extending from said switch through a quick disconnect socket and plug assembly to said source and alarm device, said conductor being sufficiently long to accommodate removal of said mount from said housing by gripping and squeezing the manipulator portion of said arms, and movement of said mount away from said housing while said conductor remains connected to said switch and to said source and alarm device through said quick disconnect assembly.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein: said gripper arms at the said manipulator portion form an upwardly opening yoke, when the gripper portion is in an assembled operative position gripping said rib, said clutching means including a notch opening upwardly above the bottom of the yoke, when the yoke is in its upwardly opening position, the apparatus further comprising a fishing rod resting on the bottom of the yoke and having a reel thereon and having fishing line extending from said reel and clutched in said clutching means and operable to move said clutching means and thereby said actuator to operate said switch as said fishing line moves lengthwise.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 11 and further comprising: second resilient means urging said string clutching means toward said reel; said fishing line being wedged in said notch with sufficient tightness to move said clutching means and thereby said actuator against the force of said second resilient means to actuate said switch means before commencement of slippage of said fishing line through said notch.