Quick change sliding sinker

Claim 2

A quick change sliding sinker a top end and a bottom end, a slide hole extending through the body of the sinker from one side thereof to the other, the slide hole being located closer to the top of the sinker than the bottom end, a line entry slot in the sinker for introducing a fishing line therethrough into the slide hole, said slot having one end connected with the hole and the other end thereof extending through the margin of the sinker at a point locate closer to the bottom end of the sinker than the hole and a movable line retaining element on the side of the body of the sinker and located between said point and the hole, said line retaining means encircling the body of the sinker and covering the slot on each side of the body of the sinker to prevent the line from falling out of the hole and said line retaining means being movable to a position for releasing the line whereby the line can be moved from the hole through the slot to the point where the slot terminates at the margin of the sinker.

Claim 3

The sinker of claim 1 wherein the movable line retaining means comprises a rubber O-ring encircling the body of the sinker generally at right angles to the axis of the slot adjacent thereto.

Claim 4

The sinker of claim 1 wherein the sinker is elongated, the slot extends longitudinally of the sinker along the long axis thereof throughout a substantial part of its length thence laterally to the side margin of the sinker.

Claim 5

The sinker of claim 1 wherein the movable line retaining means is an elastic rubber O-ring, a groove is provided within the body of the sinker extending entirely around the body thereof between said point and the slide hole for the line, said groove being adapted to releasably retain the rubber O-ring in the desired position on the body of the sinker.

Claim 6

The sinker of claim 4 wherein a second groove is provided on the opposite side of said point from the hole to hold the rubber O-ring temporarily while the line is being introduced or withdrawn from the hole through the slot.

Claim 7

The sinker of claim 1 wherein the movable line retaining means comprises a rigid plastic retaining ring extending around the body of the sinker and rotatably mounted thereon for rotation upon its own central axis, a circular recess is provided in the Body of the sinker to receive the plastic ring, said plastic ring is provided with a slot extending therethrough on one side thereof whereby the line can be passed through the slot on the ring first on one side whereupon the ring can be rotated 180* to pass another portion of the line through the slot thereby allowing the line to be moved into and out of the slide hole without cutting the line.

Claim 8

A quick change sliding sinker having an elongated body with a longitudinal axis thereof extending from the top of the sinker at one end to the bottom of the sinker at the other, a slide hole near the top end of the sinker extending through the body of the sinker from one side thereof to the other, a line entry slot in the sinker for introducing and removing a fishing line from the side hole, said slot having one end thereof communicating with the slide hole and the other end thereof extending through the margin of the sinker at a point located closer to the bottom end of the sinker than the hole, a pair of longitudinally spaced apart grooves around the body of the sinker each being located in a plane generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sinker, the first of said grooves being located between said point and the hole and the second of said grooves being located on the opposite side of said point from the hole and an elastic line retaining ring mounted within one of the grooves and adapted to be moved therefrom back and forth to the other groove for releasing the line and securing the line position within the slide hole.

Claim 9

A quick change sliding sinker having an elongated body with a longitudinal axis thereof extending from the top of the sinker at one end to the bottom of the sinker at the other, a slide hole near the top end of the sinker extending through the body of the sinker from one side thereof to the other, a line entry slot in the sinker for introducing and removing a fishing line from the side hole, said slot having one end thereof communicating with the slide hole and the other end thereof extending through the margin of the sinker at a point located closer to the bottom end of the sinker than the hole, a pair of longitudinally spaced apart grooves around the body of the sinker each being located in a plane generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sinker, the first of said grooves being located between said point and the hole and the second of said grooves being located on the opposite side of said point from the hole and an elastic line retaining ring mounted within one of the grooves and adapted to be moved therefrom back and forth to the other groove for releasing the line and securing the line position within the slide hole.