Fishing rod holder

Claim 2

A fishing rod holding device comprising: a. a frame, b. an elongated rotatable shaft journaled in said frame, at least a first end of said shaft extending outward, external to said frame, beyond the journaled portion of said free end, c. a fastening means for engaging the handle portion of a fishing rod whereby the handle is fastened generally normal to the longitudinal axis of said shaft, d. a flexible, elongated staff means having a fixed end fixedly attached to said frame and a free end for display of a signal means in response to rotational movement of said shaft, said staff means having a flexed position for maintaining said free end in closely spaced relation to said frame, and an extended position wherein said free end is relatively remotely positioned from said frame; and e. a rotatable keeper means for maintaining said flexible staff means in said flexed position, said keeper means being connected to said first end of said shaft for rotational movement along an arc concentric with the longitudinal axis of said shaft, said keeper means having a configuration such that the center of its periphery is spaced apart from said longitudinal axis, said periphery having an edge for nonfixedly engaging the free end of said staff means when said staff means is in said flexed position, thereby preventing extension of said staff means and retaining said free end in said closely spaced relation.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1 wherein said device further comprises: f. a stop element, mounted on said frame, for preventing said free end of said staff means from following the shaft-responsive rotational movement of said keeper means along said arc when said free end is engaged upon the edge of said keeper means, thereby facilitating release of said staff means from the flexed position in response to the shaft-responsive movement.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 2 wherein: said frame comprises first and second side support members arranged in spaced apart relation with the said shaft extending between and journaled in the side support members, said first end of said shaft extending beyond the portion thereof journaled in said first side support member, and said stop element is mounted on an external surface of said first side support member.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 2 wherein said staff means is provided with a hook-like catch means, at the free end thereof, for loosely engaging an edge of said keeper means.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 4 wherein said signal means is a flag-like element attached to said staff means adjacent said hook-like catch means; said extended position of said staff means is generally erect; and the display of said signal means in response to rotational movement of said shaft results from a generally upward movement of said staff means to said extended position.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 2 wherein said keeper means has an elongated periphery and is attached to said shaft in closely spaced relation to an end of said keeper means.

Claim 8

In a fishing rod holder of the type provided with a raisable and lowerable signal means which is raised in response to movement of the fishing rod, a. a frame comprising generally vertically extending first and second side support members in horizontally spaced apart relation; b. an elongated rotatable shaft extending between and journaled in said support members for free rotational movement in response to downward movemeNt of the fishing rod, at least a first end of said shaft extending outward, external to said first side support member, beyond the journaled portion of said shaft; c. a fastening means for engaging the handle portion of the fishing rod intermediate said side support members and normal to the longitudinal axis of said shaft; d. a generally rectangular keeper plate, an end thereof being attached to said first end of said shaft and such that the other end is relatively remotely positioned from the longitudinal axis of said shaft whereby said keeper plate is constructed and arranged to move concentrically with said shaft from a retaining position to a relatively downward release position in response to downward movement of the fishing rod; e. a flexible, elongated staff means having a fixed end fixedly attached to an inside surface of said first side support member and a free end provided with a flag-like signal means and a catch means for loosely engaging an upper edge of said keeper plate, said flexible staff means having a bent over position wherein said catch means engages said upper edge when said keeper plate is in the retaining position and an extended, generally erect position, when said keeper plate is in the release position, wherein said free end and said flag-like signal means are raised above said frame; and f. a stop element, mounted on the outside surface of said first side support in between the area of movement of said keeper plate and said outside surface, for preventing the free end of said staff means from being pulled downwardly by said upper edge of said keeper plate when said staff means is in the bent over position and the said keeper plate is moving downwardly in response to downward movement of the fishing rod.

Claim 9

In a fishing rod holder of the type provided with a raisable and lowerable signal means which is raised in response to movement of the fishing rod, a. a frame comprising generally vertically extending first and second side support members in horizontally spaced apart relation; b. an elongated rotatable shaft extending between and journaled in said support members for free rotational movement in response to downward movemeNt of the fishing rod, at least a first end of said shaft extending outward, external to said first side support member, beyond the journaled portion of said shaft; c. a fastening means for engaging the handle portion of the fishing rod intermediate said side support members and normal to the longitudinal axis of said shaft; d. a generally rectangular keeper plate, an end thereof being attached to said first end of said shaft and such that the other end is relatively remotely positioned from the longitudinal axis of said shaft whereby said keeper plate is constructed and arranged to move concentrically with said shaft from a retaining position to a relatively downward release position in response to downward movement of the fishing rod; e. a flexible, elongated staff means having a fixed end fixedly attached to an inside surface of said first side support member and a free end provided with a flag-like signal means and a catch means for loosely engaging an upper edge of said keeper plate, said flexible staff means having a bent over position wherein said catch means engages said upper edge when said keeper plate is in the retaining position and an extended, generally erect position, when said keeper plate is in the release position, wherein said free end and said flag-like signal means are raised above said frame; and f. a stop element, mounted on the outside surface of said first side support in between the area of movement of said keeper plate and said outside surface, for preventing the free end of said staff means from being pulled downwardly by said upper edge of said keeper plate when said staff means is in the bent over position and the said keeper plate is moving downwardly in response to downward movement of the fishing rod.