Ferrule structure utilizing integral male and female portions

Claim 2

A fishing rod comprising a thin-walled shaft formed of a plurality of individual segments with the forward end of certain segments being adapted to be mated to the trailing end of the next adjacent forward segment, the segments being adapted to be retained together to form a single unitary composite structure of generally hollow core construction with the rod having a gripping handle at the butt end thereof and with the unitary structure tapering substantially continuously along a certain first predetermined angular taper from the butt end to the tip end thereof; a. ferrule means formed integrally with said shaft segments and being arranged to releasably retain said mating segments together as a pair with the mating segments forming a male and a female ferrule component respectively and with the walls of the mating segments being tapered and being retained in mutually abutting relationship, on to another; b. said female ferrule component being disposed at the butt end of a shaft segment and comprising a prong-receiving bore having an inner angular taper greater than that of the surrounding outer shaft surface; c. said male ferrule component being disposed at the tip end of a shaft segment and comprising a prong tip portion having an outer surface with a certain continuing angular taper, said continuing angular taper being greater than that of the axially adjacent outer shaft surface and substantially matching the taper of said prong-receiving bore, said prong tip portion having a generally uniform wall thickness throughout at least a substantial portion of its length which substantially equals that of the balance of the integral shaft portion.

Claim 3

The fishing rod as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said prong has a thin wall thickness dimension, and is generally of frusto-conical configuration.

Claim 4

A fishing rod comprising a thin-walled shaft formed of a plurality of individual segments with the forward end of certain segments being adapted to be mated to the trailing end of the next adjacent forward segment, the segments being adapted to be retained together to form a single unitary composite structure of generally hollow core construction with the rod having a gripping handle at the butt end thereof and with the unitary structure tapering substantially continuously along a certain first predetermined angular taper from the butt end to the tip end thereof; a. ferrule means formed integrally with said shaft segments and being arranged to releasably retain said mating segments together as a pair with the mating segments forming a male and a female ferrule component respectively and with the walls of the mating segments being tapered and being retained in mutually abutting relationship, one to another; b. said female ferrule component comprising a prong-receiving bore having an inner angular taper greater than that of the surrounding outer shaft surface; c. said male ferrule component comprising a prong tip portion having an outer surface with a certain angular taper greater than that of the axially adjacent outer shaft surface and substantially matching the taper Of said prong-receiving bore, said prong tip portion having a generally uniform wall thickness throughout at least a substantial portion of its length which substantially equals that of the balance of the integral shaft portion; and said male ferrule component further comprising a male prong portion having a certain first predetermined axial length, the inner surface of said prong portion having a certain angular taper which is greater than the angular taper of the axially adjacent outer shaft surface of said rod segment, said prong portion having a tip segment with a second certain predetermined axial length which is less than said first certain predetermined axial length with the outer surface thereof having an angular taper substantially matching that of said inner prong surface portion.

Claim 5

A fishing rod comprising a thin-walled shaft formed of a plurality of individual segments with the forward end of certain segments being adapted to be mated to the trailing end of the next adjacent forward segment, the segments being adapted to be retained together to form a single unitary composite structure of generally hollow core construction with the rod having a gripping handle at the butt end thereof and with the unitary structure tapering substantially continuously along a certain first predetermined angular taper from the butt end to the tip end thereof; a. ferrule means formed integrally with said shaft segments and being arranged to releasably retain said mating segments together as a pair with the mating segments forming a male and a female ferrule component respectively and with the walls of the mating segments being tapered and being retained in mutually abutting relationship, one to another; b. said female ferrule component comprising a prong-receiving bore having an inner angular taper greater than that of the surrounding outer shaft surface; c. said male ferrule component comprising a prong tip portion having an outer surface with a certain angular taper greater than that of the axially adjacent outer shaft surface and substantially matching the taper Of said prong-receiving bore, said prong tip portion having a generally uniform wall thickness throughout at least a substantial portion of its length which substantially equals that of the balance of the integral shaft portion; and said male ferrule component further comprising a male prong portion having a certain first predetermined axial length, the inner surface of said prong portion having a certain angular taper which is greater than the angular taper of the axially adjacent outer shaft surface of said rod segment, said prong portion having a tip segment with a second certain predetermined axial length which is less than said first certain predetermined axial length with the outer surface thereof having an angular taper substantially matching that of said inner prong surface portion.

Claim 6

The fishing rod structure as defined in claim 3 being particularly characterized in that a recessed annular abutment surface is formed along the outer surface of the prong portion which mates with the annular free end of the female portion to form a smooth continuous outer surface.

Claim 7

A fishing rod comprising a thin-walled shaft formed of a plurality of individual segments with the forward end of certain segments being adapted to be mated to the trailing end of the next adjacent forward segment, the segments being adapted to be retained together to form a single unitary composite structure of generally hollow core construction with the rod having a gripping handle at the butt end thereof and with the unitary structure tapering substantially continuously along a certain first predetermined angular taper from the butt end to the tip end thereof; a. ferrule means formed integrally with said shaft segments and being arranged to releasably retain said mating segments together as a pair with the mating segments forming a male and a female ferrule component respectively and with the walls of the mating segments being tapered and being retained in mutually abutting relationship, one to another; b. said female ferrule component comprising a prong-receiving bore having an inner angular taper greater than that of the surrounding outer shaft surface and having an enlarged wall thickness provided in the area of transition between said female ferrule component and rod shaft segment; c. said male ferrule component comprising a prong-tip portion having an outer surface with a certain angular taper greater than that of the axially adjacent outer shaft surface and substantially matching the taper of said prong-receiving bore, said prong tip portion having a generally uniform wall thickness throughout at least a substantial portion of its length which substantially equals that of the balance of the integral shaft portion.

Claim 8

A fishing rod comprising a thin-walled shaft formed of a plurality of individual segments with the forward end of certain segments being adapted to be mated to the trailing end of the next adjacent forward segment, the segments being adapted to be retained together to form a single unitary composite structure of generally hollow core construction with the rod having a gripping handle at the butt end thereof and with the unitary structure tapering substantially continuously along a certain first predetermined angular taper from the butt end to the tip end thereof; a. ferrule means formed integrally with said shaft segments and being arranged to releasably retain said mating segments together as a pair with the mating segments forming a male and a female ferrule component respectively and with the walls of the mating segments being tapered and being retained in mutually abutting relationship, one to another; b. said female ferrule component comprising a prong-receiving bore having an inner angular taper greater than that of the surrounding outer shaft surface and having an enlarged wall thickness provided in the area of transition between said female ferrule component and rod shaft segment; c. said male ferrule component comprising a prong-tip portion having an outer surface with a certain angular taper greater than that of the axially adjacent outer shaft surface and substantially matching the taper of said prong-receiving bore, said prong tip portion having a generally uniform wall thickness throughout at least a substantial portion of its length which substantially equals that of the balance of the integral shaft portion.

Claim 9

The fishing rod as defined in claim 5 being particularly characterized in that a greater wall thickness is provided in the transition zone between said male ferrule component and rod shaft segment.