Connector for flexible lines

Claim 2

A connector for lines and the like comprising: a. an ellipsoidal body, having an elliptical longitudinal cross-section and being substantially uniform about the longitudinal axis with a circular transverse cross-section wherein:

Claim 3

said body is solid, one-piece, and constructed from a resilient material which is substantially impervious to corrosion; and 2. said body has first and second ends; b. said body having first and second apertures extending transversely therethrough; 1. said apertures are cylindrical in shape; 2. the axes of said apertures define a plane which passes through the longitudinal axis of said body; 3. the diameters of said apertures are slightly greater in size than the diameters of fishing lines engaged therein, such that said line can freely rotate in said apertures; and 4. said first and second apertures being spaced an equal distance from said first and second ends respectively, and near thereto; and c. said body having a normally closed slot, intersecting said first aperture and extending therefrom obliquely, outwardly and away from said first end in a plane which passes through the first aperture, said slot terminating in a first opening and forming a passage for movement of a line to said first aperture.

Claim 4

said body is solid, one-piece, and constructed from a resilient material which is substantially impervious to corrosion; and 2. said body has first and second ends; b. said body having first and second apertures extending transversely therethrough; 1. said apertures are cylindrical in shape; 2. the axes of said apertures define a plane which passes through the longitudinal axis of said body; 3. the diameters of said apertures are slightly greater in size than the diameters of fishing lines engaged therein, such that said line can freely rotate in said apertures; and 4. said first and second apertures being spaced an equal distance from said first and second ends respectively, and near thereto; and c. said body having a normally closed slot, intersecting said first aperture and extending therefrom obliquely, outwardly and away from said first end in a plane which passes through the first aperture, said slot terminating in a first opening and forming a passage for movement of a line to said first aperture.

Claim 5

A connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein: a. said body has a second normally closed slot; 1. said second slot intersecting said second aperture, the intersections of the first and second slots with the respective first and second apertures being on planes which pass through the axes of said respective first and second apertures; 2. said second slot extends from said second aperture obliquely and outwardly from the longitudinal axis of said body, and away from said second end; and 3. said second slot terminates in a second opening at the exterior surface of said body, thereby forming a passage for movement of a line therethrough, to and from said second aperture.

Claim 6

A connector as set forth in claim 2 wherein: a. said body has first and second tongues: 1. said first tongue being the portion of said body between the first aperture and the opening of the first slot and disposed outwardly between said first slot and the adjacent exterior surface of said body; 2. said second tongue being the portion of said body between the second aperture and the opening of the second slot and disposed outwardly between said second slot and the adjacent exterior surface of said body; 3. said tongues diminishing in cross-sectional area from that portion thereof adjacent said aperture to that portion thereof adjacent said opening; and 4. said tongues having some resilience for movement to open said slots for the passage of a line therethrough to and from said apertures.

Claim 7

A connector as set forth in claim 3 wherein: a. said first and second tongues are truncated at said first and second openings respectively, so as to define first and second notches at said first and second openings respectively, for facilitating insertion of a line into said slots.

Claim 8

A connector for lines and the like comprising: a. an elongate body, generally ovate in shape, having first and second ends; b. said body is ellipsoidal in shape, having an elliptical longitudinal cross-section and a circular transverse cross-section; c. said body having an aperture extending transversely therethrough, adjacent to and spaced from said first end; d. said aperture is cylindrical in shape, the axis thereof passing through the longitudinal axis of said body, the diameter of said aperture being slightly greater than that of a fishing line engaged therein; e. a normally closed slot in said body, intersecting said aperture and extending therefrom obliquely, outwardly and away from said first end, said slot terminating in an opening and forming a passage for movement of a line to said aperture; f. said body includes a tongue: 1. said tongue being defined as that portion of said body disposed outwardly between said slot and the exterior surface of said body; 2. said tongue diminishing in cross-sectional area from that portion thereof adjacent said aperture to that portion thereof adjacent said opening; and 3. said tongue having some resilience for movement to open said slot for the passage of a line therethrough to and from said aperture; g. said slot intersects said aperture on a plane which passes through the axis of said aperture; and h. said tongue at the opening of said slot is truncated so as to define a notch at said opening for facilitating insertion of a line into said slot.

Claim 9

A connector for lines and the like comprising: a. an elongate body, generally ovate in shape, having first and second ends; b. said body is ellipsoidal in shape, having an elliptical longitudinal cross-section and a circular transverse cross-section; c. said body having an aperture extending transversely therethrough, adjacent to and spaced from said first end; d. said aperture is cylindrical in shape, the axis thereof passing through the longitudinal axis of said body, the diameter of said aperture being slightly greater than that of a fishing line engaged therein; e. a normally closed slot in said body, intersecting said aperture and extending therefrom obliquely, outwardly and away from said first end, said slot terminating in an opening and forming a passage for movement of a line to said aperture; f. said body includes a tongue: 1. said tongue being defined as that portion of said body disposed outwardly between said slot and the exterior surface of said body; 2. said tongue diminishing in cross-sectional area from that portion thereof adjacent said aperture to that portion thereof adjacent said opening; and 3. said tongue having some resilience for movement to open said slot for the passage of a line therethrough to and from said aperture; g. said slot intersects said aperture on a plane which passes through the axis of said aperture; and h. said tongue at the opening of said slot is truncated so as to define a notch at said opening for facilitating insertion of a line into said slot.

Claim 10

A connector as set forth in claim 5 wherein: a. said body is of a teardrop shape; b. a lure is permanently affixed to a smaller end of said body; and c. said slot is disposed at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said body.

Claim 11

A connector for fishing lines and the like having a loop at an end thereof comprising: a. an elongate one piece body of resilient material and having an ellipsoidal longitudinal shape with first and second ends and being substantially uniform around the longitudinal axis thereof; b. said body having first and second apertures extending transversely therethrough, said apertures being substantially cylindrical with axes thereof intersecting the longitudinal axis of the body, said apertures being larger than lines received therein whereby said lines are freely movable therein; c. a normally closed slot in said body and intersecting said first aperture on a plane which passes through the axis of the first aperture, said slot being disposed at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of the body and extending from said first aperture in a direction away from the adjacent body end and terminating in an opening, said slot forming a passage for movement of a line to said first aperture; and d. said body having a notch at the outer opening of the slot permitting placing of an intermediate portion of a line end loop in the notch and pulling on the line and loop toward said adjacent end of the body to move said intermediate loop portion through the slot into said first aperture to complete connection of the line to said body.

Claim 12

A connector for fishing lines and the like having a loop at an end thereof comprising: a. an elongate one piece body of resilient material and having an ellipsoidal longitudinal shape with first and second ends and being substantially uniform around the longitudinal axis thereof; b. said body having first and second apertures extending transversely therethrough, said apertures being substantially cylindrical with axes thereof intersecting the longitudinal axis of the body, said apertures being larger than lines received therein whereby said lines are freely movable therein; c. a normally closed slot in said body and intersecting said first aperture on a plane which passes through the axis of the first aperture, said slot being disposed at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of the body and extending from said first aperture in a direction away from the adjacent body end and terminating in an opening, said slot forming a passage for movement of a line to said first aperture; and d. said body having a notch at the outer opening of the slot permitting placing of an intermediate portion of a line end loop in the notch and pulling on the line and loop toward said adjacent end of the body to move said intermediate loop portion through the slot into said first aperture to complete connection of the line to said body.

Claim 13

A connector as set forth in claim 7 wherein: a. said body includes a tongue; 1. said tongue being defined as that portion of said body disposed outwardly between said slot and the exterior surface of said body; 2. said tongue diminishing in cross-sectional area from that portion thereof adjacent said aperture to that portion thereof adjacent said opening; and 3. said tongue having some resilience for movement to open said slot for the passage of a line therethrough to and from said aperture.

Claim 14

A connector for fishing lines and the like having a loop at an end thereof comprising: a. an elongate one piece body of resilient material and having first and second ends, said body being substantially uniform around the longitudinal axis thereof and having an ellipsoidal streamlined shape from said first end; b. a fishing lure affixed to the body adjacent the second end thereof; c. said body having an aperture extending transversely therethrough, said aperture being substantially cylindrical with the axis thereof intersecting the longitudinal axis of the body, said aperture being larger than a line received therein whereby the line is freely movable therein; d. a normally closed slot in said body and intersecting said aperture on a plane passing through the axis of said aperture, said slot being disposed at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of the body and extending from said aperture in a direction away from said first end of the body and terminating in an opening, said slot forming a passage for movement of a line to said aperture; and e. said body having a notch at the outer opening of said slot permitting placing of an intermediate portion of a line end loop in the notch and pulling on the line and loop toward said first end of the body to move said intermediate loop portion through said slot into said aperture to complete connection of the line to said body.

Claim 15

A connector for fishing lines and the like having a loop at an end thereof comprising: a. an elongate one piece body of resilient material and having first and second ends, said body being substantially uniform around the longitudinal axis thereof and having an ellipsoidal streamlined shape from said first end; b. a fishing lure affixed to the body adjacent the second end thereof; c. said body having an aperture extending transversely therethrough, said aperture being substantially cylindrical with the axis thereof intersecting the longitudinal axis of the body, said aperture being larger than a line received therein whereby the line is freely movable therein; d. a normally closed slot in said body and intersecting said aperture on a plane passing through the axis of said aperture, said slot being disposed at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of the body and extending from said aperture in a direction away from said first end of the body and terminating in an opening, said slot forming a passage for movement of a line to said aperture; and e. said body having a notch at the outer opening of said slot permitting placing of an intermediate portion of a line end loop in the notch and pulling on the line and loop toward said first end of the body to move said intermediate loop portion through said slot into said aperture to complete connection of the line to said body.